Denton Gardening Club is sometimes regarded as a haven for the older village residents but two of the youngest members were victorious at the Club’s recent Christmas social evening.
A gardening quiz set by Denise Grant is a regular feature of the annual event. This year’s involved answering 25 questions and using the results to construct some more answers. In a tight race against the clock the winners were the team of Andrew Knights and David Cantrill.
The evening, which included some excellent refreshments, was much enjoyed by all and provided an excellent finale for another successful year for the Club.
Denton resident Robin Limmer is delighted with the success of his new book “Norfolk Dialect and Its Friends: Ten Years of Fond Memories”.
Published on November 20th at £9.99, it is selling well and is in fourth place in Jarrold’s local bestseller list published in the EDP. Also available from Amazon, it is an ideal Christmas gift. We are sure that the author will be pleased to autograph your copy!
Three Denton ladies took part in an unusual sponsored event last Sunday.
Dressed as Father Christmas, with 800 similarly attired people, Doris Lambert, Julie Oxley and Jo Wright completed a one mile course round Eaton Park in Norwich. Together they raised £140 for the KLIC children’s charity. The event was organised by Heart Radio.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly with the development of six units on Norwich Road. Saffron Housing Association had submitted the final proposals for planning permission to the district council and the application was enthusiastically supported by Denton’s parish council at its special meeting on 30th November.
Now, to everyone’s surprise, objections have been raised by the Highway’s Department of the county council. It seems they want wider vision splays at the entrance to the site as they claim it is on “a 60mph road” but they also claim that building new houses in small villages is unsustainable and contrary to the regional plan. It was thought that the road junction had been signed off informally months ago. More seriously, somehow, the county council seem to be unaware of the district council’s exceptions policy on affordable homes!
Our district councillor, Murray Gray, is trying to sort out the confusion but it may create a delay in signing off the application. The application, and the highways objection, can be inspected on-line by going to the South Norfolk District Council Website and entering the application number 2009/1711.
As everybody knows, you normally have to be called Dave to succeed in Denton society but it was the Mikes who scored in the recent BHCS darts championships.
Held in conjunction with the Cyder Society’s AGM at Great Green Farm on 3rd December, the team of Mike (never knowingly out-scored) Fitzgerald and Mike (the double king) Goater beat Terry Townsend and Dave Wright in an exciting final. “It was the cyder wot won it for us” the victors claimed.
The Parish Council are holding a special meeting on Monday 30th November at 7.00 p.m. with just one item on the agenda. This is to consider the new planning application for the Affordable Housing scheme on Norwich Road.
Full details of the application can be inspected on-line by going to the South Norfolk District Council Website and entering the application number 2009/1711.
The bar was crowded for the Village Hall AGM last night. The meeting received reports on a busy year’s activities which had been both socially and financially successful.
This was followed by a meeting of the Management Committee where, following the re-election of the officers, progress with the planning application for the new extension and changes to the car park were discussed.
Dates for a series of coming events including the Whist Drive, Village Quiz and Beetle Drive were agreed. As usual a Christmas Eve Party will be organised but it was decided not to hold a New Year’s Eve event this year.
Our Theatre Correspondent has provided the following review of this year’s Rising Stars show, ‘A Spoonful of Sugar’, which was staged by the Variety Club at the Village Hall on November 13th and 14th.
It was, as always, a delight to be part of an appreciative audience at the annual Rising Stars production. Denise Grant and her team brought together a group of youngsters with many talents; the singing, especially, was well executed with a number of fine solo performances.
There were a few glitches but we all know that a show isn’t a show without the odd hiccup and, taken as a whole, the cast did the production team proud. A special mention for Eva Lamb, who played several roles with great confidence.
Despite their youth, many of the cast are already seasoned performers and they played the audience for laughs at every opportunity, especially the suffragettes who were provided with some very amusing lines by Charlotte Valori. Well done to everyone who worked so hard to put on such a good show.
The Annual General Meeting of Denton Village Hall will be held on Monday 23rd November 2009 at 8.00pm.
All inhabitants of the Parish of Denton can attend the meeting and, if over the age of eighteen, are entitled to vote on any proposals put forward at the meeting.
The AGM will be followed by a Management Committee meeting. For further details phone the Secretary, Kathryn Hanner, on 01986 788414.
Members of the Black Hand Cyder Society enjoyed a very successful pressing weekend. More than 5 tons of apples were pressed to produce 457 gallons of juice. The quantity was slightly down on previous years but, reflecting the summer weather, the sugar content was higher so an excellent “vintage” is expected.
As usual the workers at the mill and two presses (a second one was used for the first time) were suitably refreshed by quantities of last year’s output and some excellent comestibles.
Earlier, the annual foraging competion was won by the “Pete’s Pirates” team who just beat “Adrian’s Angels” with “Dave’s Demons” in third place.
The final community compost collection for this year will be on Sunday, 1st November.
Liz Cargill is willing to continue to collect by request only, so if you have material to be collected please telephone Liz on 788862 to make arrangements. New bags will be issued as usual at the beginning of next season.
The Parish Council is holding a public meeting to discuss traffic movements in Norwich Road on Monday, 26th October, at 7.30 p.m. at the Village Hall.
Anyone concerned about traffic movements along Norwich Road is invited to an informal meeting, arranged with Sgt. Dave Howell from Harleston police station. If you have concerns relating to traffic or any other similar issues, please come and join in the general discussion.
We are pleased to announce that another generation of Hanners has arrived.
Naomi, wife of James, gave birth to Sophia last Sunday, October 11th. The baby weighed 7lb 14oz. Mother and daughter are doing well, as are James and new grandparents, Kath and Terry.
A local version of the popular TV cookery contest came to Denton last Friday. The Village Hall was crowded for a charity event organised by Rachel Wiles and “The Pampered Chef”.
Everybody enjoyed the on-stage efforts of number of “volunteers” to create two dishes. These were consumed at the end of the proceedings and, so far, no ill-effects have been reported.
There were a large number of donated raffle prizes which helped to contribute to over £500 raised for Breast Cancer Research.
The Denton members of NORCS (the Norfolk Off Road Cycling Society) carried out an interesting experiment last weekend. Competing in the D2D 12-hour endurance race, they proved conclusively that blackhand cyder is a great performance-enhancing drink.
The Dusk to Dawn race takes place around 10 mile laps of twisty single-track in the middle of Thetford Forest. Now in it’s 9th year, D2D attracts more than 1000 of the UK’s (and Europe’s) finest off-road riders. The aim of the two Denton-based teams of three was to complete as many laps as possible whilst avoiding trees, bushes, bomb-holes and other slower riders.
Riders can compete individually or in teams of two, three or four with the teams racing on a relay basis. Our teams changed over every lap, each of which took around 50 minutes. Team A comprised: Rob Godsmark, Matt Jupe & Nick Scott; Team B: Kev Hanner, Dave Godsmark and Matt Birkenshaw. (The picture shows two of our riders in action)
The lead off riders, Rob and Kev, both managed to make it around in good times and relatively unscathed despite wearing some other peoples blood! The second riders were ready for change over but trying to find your team mate in a sea of around 400 other riders in darkness was less than smooth! The NORCs teams both then settled down into the race posting some healthy sub 55min laps as they headed into the night.
They all appreiciated their support team and the fans that cheered them on and provided valuable coffee, soup and other liquids in the early hours. Cyder’s restorative properties were thoroughly tested. In spite of cramp and fading legs the lap times kept low and both teams started to climb up the leader board.
As dawn broke at 7.15 the light at the end of the tunnel suddenly seemed in reach. Team A had just posted 4 laps each which left the last rider with a tall order to get around again before the 8am deadline. Despite a great effort Rob was 6mins off making the cut. However he posted the fastest NORCs lap of the race and made up 2 places to claim 30th.
Team B were on a similar tally and Kev stepped up to the mark to go out and blitz a 5th lap in the dawn light. Everybody turned out to enjoy the warmth of the sun and a quick cyder as they waiting to welcome Kev home, coming in to put the team into the top 60. A good weekend was had by all with many bikers being introduced to the isotonic properties of Denton Blackhand Cyder.
This year’s Dentill Farming Festival attracted a massive turnout and went with a swing.
Visitors to Denton on Sunday, September 27th could hardly have missed the continuous roaring noises from Glebe Farm. More that 30 tractors of various vintages turned up and were put though their paces at ploughing, harrowing, rolling etc. They were watched by more than 500 spectators who were also entertained by a working thrashing (or should it be “throshin”?) machine, tractor rides and variety of other displays.
Further roaring was generated by a very impressive flying display by the P51 Mustang based at Hardwick plus a fly-past by a Lancaster bomber. There is nothing to beat the sound of Merlin engines.
The food and drink stalls also did a roaring trade, the blackhand cyder went down very well, and a good time was had by all.
The final finacial outcome is not yet known but it seems around £3,000 has been raised for charity.
Tractors on showThe Mustang flypastThe Lancaster bomber
A public consultation session is to be held on Denton’s Affordable Housing scheme.
Saffron Housing are mounting an exhibition in the Village Hall on Tuesday 13th October from 3.30 p.m. onwards before the monthly meeting of the Parish Council. Staff will be there to answer questions.
Two young Denton residents have been cleared of plotting to conduct a US-style high school massacre. We are pleased to report that they live in Denton, Manchester, not here in Norfolk.
This rather bizarre case saw two teenagers accused of planning an attack on teachers and fellow-students at Audenshaw High School, based on a real incident at Columbine, Colorado in 1999. However the jury accepted the boys’ claims that they were merely indulging in “fantasy” and threw out the prosecution.
Liz Cargill and Jennie Crowhill returned safely from their marathon charity cyle ride round the Dentons of England on Saturday. They achieved their target of visiting eight other Dentons on time and ended up with a heroes’ welcome at the Village Hall.
Further details of their route, their experiences etc. can be found on the special page in the Features Section.
Liz Cargill and Jennie Crohill, have set off on their extended charity cycle ride.
They were seen off from the Village Hall by a group of supporters on Sunday, 30th August, to ride to Norwich Station. From there they are taking the train to Darlington so that the ride proper can start on Monday.
For a picture of their departure and further information about the ride go to the special page in the Features Section. Regular updates on their progress are being posted on that page.
A long-term Denton resident is soon to be licensed as a Reader in the Church of England.
After three years hard work, involving study, research and practical tasks, squeezed into his work as a dairy farmer plus family and other responsibilities, Chris Whipps has qualified for a Theology Diploma.
Chris, who has lived in Denton at Low Farm for most of his life, will be licensed by the Bishop of Norwich in a ceremony at Norwich Cathedral on 5th September.
STOP PRESS — Liz and Jennie will be setting off from the Village Hall at 12 noon on Sunday 30th August to ride to Norwich Station on the first leg of their journey.
Two Denton residents are undertaking an extended cycle ride to raise funds for two charities.
Starting on Monday 31st August, Liz Cargill and Jennie Crohill plan to visit eight other villages called Denton. They will be starting from Denton, Co. Durham and hope to reach Denton, Kent, a jouney of between 600 and 700 miles.
They are inviting sponsors to support them and raise money for two very worthy causes: Leukaemia Research and All Hallows Hospital and Nursing Home.
Further information and a sponsorship form are available from a new page in our Features Section.
Last Friday’s Children’s Outdoor Theatre, held at the Village Hall, proved to be a great success.
Part of the District Council’s South Norfolk Arts Festival, the Magic Carpet Theatre Company provided Circus Workshops from midday with lots of kids trying their hand at juggling, riding unicycles etc. This was followed with a full “Magic Circus” performance.
Two of the village’s marquees erected outside the hall provide a perfect setting for the event which was attended by more than 230 children.
Denton’s gardeners are hard at work preparing their entries for this year’s Village Show on September 5th. The show is organised by the Gardening Club but anyone can enter. The show includes “domestic” classes and, as usual, one of the most hotly contested is reserved for “gentlemen”! There are also special classes for children.
Denton’s run of success in the Calor Village of the Year Competition has come to an end. The results of the final all-England round have been announced and the winners are Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria. No runner-up is declared and details of the scoring system are not revealed but, unofficially, we have been told that it was very close and we were only a few points behind the winners.
While the result is obviously disappointing, the village can take great satisfaction from winning the earlier county and regional competitions. Thanks go to everybody involved in our entry with a special mention of Peter Hill’s excellent leadership.
Stop Press — Feedback from the judges has now been received.
Denton received two more awards and an extra £1,000 at today’s Calor Village of the Year presentation ceremony held in the marquee next to the Village Hall.
The organisers handed over our plaque (but where do we put it?) and £2,000 as Village of the Year for the East of England. However, they then revealed that we had won two of the four awards for the judging categories used in the competition. We were judged to be best in the region for ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Communications’. £500 was awarded for each so the actual cheque was for £3,000. After the awards and speeches an excellent buffet lunch was enjoyed by all in true Denton style.
The ceremony followed the judging for the next, all-England, round of the competition. It all appeared to go extremely well with — a great presentation from Gill Hipwell, an extensive tour of the village in Jules Greenway’s Buick, followed by a magnificent exhibition in the Hall with all the village organisations displaying their finest. The judges were obviously impressed but we are up against four other regional winners so we must not count our chickens. The result should be announced in mid-August.
As in previous rounds, it has been a great team effort but then community spirit has been a major factor in getting us this far. However lessons have been learned and it is hoped that the presentation, tour and exhibition will be even more impressive than last time. Now its down to crossed fingers and, hopefully, good weather.
The presentation of the prizes from the regional round will follow the judging at 12 noon when the exhibition will be open. All welcome.
Denton Cricket Club recorded an outstanding victory in their match against a Wortwell XI on Friday evening, 3rd July.
In an 18 over per side game played at the Wortwell recreation ground, the home team batted first and scored 70 runs all out. The Denton bowlers performed well but were assisted by some good fielding and excellent catching with Ken Wright showing his wicket-keeping skills behind the stumps. Ian Cooper was very impressive but the best figures came from James Godsmark who took the last three wickets in 5 balls for no runs. The last two wickets came off consecutive balls so he will be on a hat-trick for the next match.
Denton’s batsmen then hit out and passed their opponent’s total in just eight overs. There were several useful innings but Andy Hipwell made a major contribution.
It was a great all-round team performance with both younger and more experienced members playing their part The side was very ably captained by Ken Wright. It is hoped to organise further fixtures and the construction of a practice net is being discussed.
As previously reported, judging for the national round of the Calor Village of the Year competition is taking place on Wednesday 15th July but the assessment will now be followed by a prizegiving ceremony.
The two hour judges’ visit will follow a similar programme to the regional session with a presentation, a village tour and an exhibition in the hall. However this will then be followed at 12 noon by a ceremony, to be held in the marquee outside the hall, when we will receive a cheque for £2,000 and a plaque to mark our success as regional champions. All residents are welcome to attend this event, a light buffet will be available, and the exhibition will be open for viewing.
Following the theme of this year’s Theme Dinner, horse racing fever hit Denton again recently. Listeners to the Radio 4 breakfast show “Today” were excited when on 22nd June the programme’s racing expert tipped a horse called Denton, trained by James Gask and ridden by Claire Lindop, running in the 4.45 at Lingfield Park. Local bookies reported a lot of interest but, alas, hopes were dashed when the horse was withdrawn just before the start and all bets were off.
Despite the poor weather, attendees at Denton’s tenth annual Midsummer Ball had a great time on Saturday. Light rain fell during the evening, but it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the guests. The live band, Kaleidoscope, played a wide range of music which kept the dance floor busy. As usual an excellent meal was provided and the bar did a roaring trade.
Thanks must go to the Village Hall Committee and everyone who contributed to the organisation of the event but a special “mention in despatches” is required for Dave the Croupier who kept the roulette wheel spinning so skillfully all evening.
Major concerns about delays to Denton’s affordable housing project were raised at the June meeting of the Parish Council.
Both the proposed new site layout, off the Norwich Road, and the design details of the buildings were criticised. Issues raised included the loss of privacy for nearby properties and the idea for a “buffer zone” to separate the new housing from the old. Some councillors felt that the proposed “modern” design for the new housing was out of place.
Saffron Housing has been working on the scheme for some months and their initial outline proposals had received general support. Now, with much more detail available, a number of objections have been raised. It seems that it is not just local people that are unhappy. Parish councillors were told that South Norfolk Council’s specialist planning Design Panel have also raised some objections to the proposals.
In an attempt to reconcile the different views local district councillor, Murray Gray, has agreed to try and set up a special meeting bringing together all the interested parties.
Further information on the history of the project is available in the Features Section of the website.
Anyone with any pretensions to be a racing tipster came down to earth with a bump at the Village Hall on Saturday night. After four “races” most of the teams, sorry “Enclosures”, were in serious deficit. Congratulations to the Striped enclosure/table who finished the evening in profit, but everybody else showed a distinct loss on their initial investment of £8,000.
In spite of this setback this year’s Theme Dinner, “A Night at the Races”, was an outstanding success. Everybody present, more than 60 people, had a wonderful time and the four-course meal was delicious.
Lots of competitions generated lots of winners including:
Best Ladies’ Hat — Sally Porter and Lorraine Symonds.
Table Quizzes — the Striped and Red (actually Pink) tables.
Inter-course Bingo — Malcolm Bardsley.
Betting Winners — the Striped table.
The real winners were of course those who contributed to such an amazing event (in no particular order):
David & Doris Lambert
David & Adele Godsmark
Ken Ashton & Julie Oxley
Terry and Kath Hanner
David & Jo Wright
All those who attended can only say “Thank You” for a such an enjoyable evening.
A new kind of “Club” is being trialled in Denton at the Village Hall on Friday nights. The intention is to encourage readers to exchange books on an informal basis. Further details are available in the Features Section.
Five candidates have been nominated to contest the county council election in the local Clavering Division on Thursday June 4th, the same day as the election for the European Parliament. Further details can be found on the County Council page.
The Bank Holiday Charity Walk in memory of Anthony Hill was much enjoyed by everybody who took part. Around 80 people of all ages (and a large number of dogs) gathered at Glebe Farm for coffee and biscuits before setting out. Five miles further on at Denton House an excellent spread was provided with cyder to wash it down. Suitably fortified, the walkers then travelled another three miles back to Glebe Farm for further refreshments. Thanks must go to the Skinner and Wiegman families for their hospitality and to everyone else who contributed. A very good time was had by all and over £700 raised towards funding another Cardio Memo Recorder.
The Parish Council are consulting residents on their latest plans for the Playground Improvement Scheme. This will take place in the village hall on Friday, 1st May, 7.30 to 10.00 p.m. and Saturday, 2nd May, 10.00 a.m. to noon. Four potential layouts will be on display. The council want to hear everybody’s views — including those of the younger residents who will be the scheme’s users.
Denton has won the Eastern Regional round of the Calor Village of the Year Competition. The visit by the judges on April 2nd obviously did the trick. Denton defeated six other county winners from the East of England and now goes forward to the next round of the competition which covers the whole of England. Judging, using a similar system to the regional round, will be on Wednesday July 15th.
For many years Denton Parish Council has been pressing the County Council’s Highways Department to introduce a sensible speed limit through the built-up part of the village. Every time the issues is raised the “experts” claim that a limit is not justified. In a bid to provide some evidence to support the village’s case the PC are now planning to organise a traffic census to demonstrate the volume of traffic.
The visit by the Calor Competition judges on Thursday 2 April seemed to go very well. They arrived promptly at 9.30 a.m, having stayed overnight in Bungay. We had a mere 2 hours to impress them, which we did by means of a Presentation, ably conducted by Gill Hipwell, a Village Tour and a series of Displays in the Village Hall. These all went very well and everyone who contributed should be congratulated. Now, all we can do now is relax and await the results — with fingers crossed of course.
Following the surprise cancellation of the public consulatation meeting in connection with Denton’s Affordable Housing project, new information has come to light. A representative of Saffron Housing reported to the recent Parish Council meeting on a revised layout for the scheme but councillor’s expressed some concerns over the initial design proposals. It is hoped that there will be further opportunities for the public to comment before the plans are finalised.
This year’s annual Parish Meeting will be held in the village hall on Friday 3rd April at 7.30 p.m. As usual all village organisations will be reporting on their activities. Details of the proposed refurbishment of the playarea will be on view and it is hoped that the displays prepared for the previous day’s Calor Competition visit will also still be available for inspection.
The judges for the Calor Village of the Year competition are due in Denton on Thursday April 2nd. Detailed preparations have been made for their visit including a tour of the village and an exhibition in the village hall. All residents are invited to attend the latter from 11.00 a.m. when refreshments will be provided. Everyone is requested to get the village looking as smart as possible for the visit with a special effort made to remove any litter etc.
The next stage in Denton’s Affordable Housing project is to be a public consultation event. This was planned to be held at the village hall on Wednesday April 8th but has now been postponed.
All those who participated in the scheme last year will automatically receive some empty bags and instructions for their use before then. If you would like to join the scheme this year, please ring Liz on 788862 or Anne on 788279.
Last year was a record year; composting credits and donations raised £1000 for the village. The scheme depends on volunteers. The organisers would be delighted to hear from anyone who would like to join the team. Many hands make light work!
Our much loved and respected minister, Bruce Waldron, will be moving on to a new ministry in Sawston, Cambridgeshire, after Easter. Over the past 7 years Bruce has been a great friend and adviser to many of us and he will be very much missed but we understand that it is the right move for him and for his wife Sharn.
Although Bruce’s last actual service in Denton will be on Easter Day, 9.30am at the Chapel, his “official farewell” will be on Sunday March 29th. Bruce will lead a service of praise at the chapel at 11.00am and there will be lunch afterwards in the village hall. All are welcome but if you expect to join us for lunch some indication of numbers would be very helpful. Ring Bridget Hill 788619 or Rosemary Gibson 788502.
The village compost scheme raised more than £1,000 in 2008. As preparations are made for the 2009 season the organisers of the scheme have annouced the financial results for last year. Recycling credits from the County Council, based on the weight of material composted, totalled £963. Adding income from sales of the finished product takes the total sum raised past the £1,000 mark.
Further information about the scheme is provided on the Recycling page. More volunteers to help with the scheme are always welcome!
A new village communication system is now available for use. Dentontalk is an on-line distribution and discussion list. The objective is to provide a simple way for members of the local community to communicate with one another. Information can be circulated and issues discussed.
Further information, including how to join, is now provided on a new page on this site. All those with an interest in Denton who have internet access are urged to become members.
As usual, this year’s DVC pantomime provided some interesting variations on the Cinderella story but the traditional ending was preserved with Prince Charming and Cinders living happily ever after.
Performed on 19th/20th/21st February, the show was very well received by the packed houses that saw it each night and the cast and production team had a great time. Gill Hipwell’s clever dialogue and fast-moving direction kept everyone on their toes. Highlights included outstanding performances from the younger members of the cast and the addition of a skilled guitar player boosted the musical entertainment.
Following the resignation of Clare Valori there is a vacancy on the Parish Council. The council are advertising the position and anyone interested in joining the council is asked to contact the Parish Clerk. Unless 10 electors request that a by-election is held, the position will be filled by co-option.
We are informed that there has recently been a very slight increase in the number of thefts involving heating and diesel oil from both domestic and commercial sites.
Alarm systems are available from Diss Police Station that will help protect your supplies from the unwanted attention of thieves. These alarms are sold ‘at cost’ for £20.
Additionally, and to help in the protection of both sheds and domestic garages, Keypad Alarms, which are both PIR and magnetic contact activated, are available from your local Safer Neighbourhood Team at Harleston Police Station.
The South Norfolk branch of the CPRE (Campaign for the Protection of Rural England) have announced two events that are likely to be of interest to many Denton residents.
Sunday 29th March — Visit to Stables and Stud
A visit to racehorse trainer Christine Dunnett’s establisment at College Farm near Hingham to see horses in training plus mares and foals. 2–4 p.m. No charge but donations to CPRE welcome. Contact Maria Peck — 07789 938538 to reserve your place.
Monday 27th April — Talk on “The Landscape of South Norfolk”
A talk by historian Tom Williamson on the historical landscape of South Norfolk. Hempnall Mill Centre, 7p.m. for 7.30p.m. To be followed by wine and cheese. Further details from John Capps — 01508 480423.
Starting 9.30 3rd March, 2009 and running every other Tuesday at the same time, an EXTEND trainer will come to the Village Hall and run a class. The sessions are especially designed for over 60’s and anyone with physical issues to increase suppleness, balance and strength so we can enjoy being well and active for longer.
EXTEND consists of sessions of gentle exercise to music. Do not be put off by the words ‘exercise class’, the sessions are easy (no lying on the floor) but extremely beneficial and really good fun with varied music to suit all tastes.
The cost will be about £2.50 to £3.00 each per session, depending on numbers, i.e. more than 10 and the cost will go down. If less than 10 each person may need to pay a little more.
Everyone is welcome but please call Jane Christian on 01986 788579 if coming for the first time to check time and date. Wear loose comfy clothing and soft shoes.
Strength in numbers proved to be not a very good idea at this year’s Village Quiz Night, held at the Village Hall on January 31st. Some teams, including one called the “Dirty Dozen”, tried the “multi-member” option this year but it was all to no avail. The winners turned out to be, “Just Six”, the smallest team competing so it was clearly a case of quality triumphing over quantity.
At half time an excellent “chilli supper” was consumed and everyone, there were nearly 150 taking part, had a most enjoyable evening. The large number of younger people taking part was particularly impressive. Thanks must go to everyone who contributed to the success of the evening but particularly to the Quizmistress, Denise “my ruling is final” Grant, and her able assistant Julie Oxley.
Charity lunches at the Village Hall on Sundays are becoming a part of the scene in Denton. Good food, good company and raising money for a good cause. What more could one want?
The latest on January 25th was extra special as it was held in memory of Anthony Hill who had died so tragically eighteen months ago. It’s purpose was to raise money for a Heart Incident Monitor to be used by the Harleston Surgery. These new devices are an invaluable tool in checking people with potential heart conditions helping the doctors to decide what treatment is needed.
More that 130 people sat down to an excellent lunch in the Hall and raised more than £1,300. This exceeded everyone’s expectations and may be enough to purchase two monitors.
Speaking at the end of the meal, Peter Hill, Anthony’s father, thanked the people who had organised the event and everybody who had contributed. As he said, the large turnout reflected the fond regard with which the whole community remembered Anthony.
It really was a warm evening at the Blackhand Cyder Society’s annual Wassailing event held on January 18th. It was attended by nearly 150 people, Black Hand members and their guests.
A big effort to improve the heating of Great Green Farm’s barn certainly paid off — plastic sheeting insulation and poultry-shed gas heaters played their part in defeating the strong winds outside — and the band’s efforts ensured that all those venturing onto the dance-floor were thoroughly warmed up.
Last year’s band, “Trotter’s Bottom”, had been booked again but at the last minute they all went down with flu. Their replacements, “Dilligaf”, proved to be excellent substitutes with a very effective Caller who dragged several reluctant dancers into action. The traditional blessing of the tree by a “village maiden” etc. was very well organised by two strange looking individuals but their disguises did not fool many people.
As usual the food was outstanding — well done that pig — and much enjoyed by all. Thanks must be extended to everybody who contributed to the event but particularly to our hosts, Gill and Adrian Hipwell.
More information about the Society is available and new members welcome.
There was good news on Denton’s Affordable Housing project at the latest meeting of Denton Parish Council on January 13th.
The council were expecting to receive a presentation from Mr. Alan Burden from the Saffron Housing Trust but, in his absence, Abi Dennington-Price a Housing Officer from South Norfolk Council provided the information the councillors wanted to hear. A rough sketch-plan showing the layout of the proposed development in Norwich Road was provided. The recent needs survey conducted in the village had demonstrated a need for five new units of affordable accommodation but the plan indicated that six might be provided. These comprise two one-bedroomed flats, two two-bedroomed semi-detached houses and two detached three-bedroomed houses.
Councillors were very keen on the prospect of an “extra” house and supported the idea that it should be made available on a shared equity basis, the rest being offered for rent. Various aspects of the proposed layout were discussed and the comments will be passed back to Saffron. The Council will be involved at every stage of the development and a public meeting would be organised when the scheme reached the planning permission stage, probably later in the year.
The true spirit of Christmas was very much alive in Denton once again this year. Two activities raised over £500 for the Bwindi Orphanage in Western Uganda.
The Christmas Card board in the Village Hall, where people post up a single card addressed to all their friends in the village and and make a suitable donation instead of sending out lots of individual cards, raised £230 and the carol singers who went out on a very cold night in two teams on December 22nd raised another £275. Well done to everybody who contributed, particularly the organiser Jenny Crohill.
One of the most popular programmes on Radio Norfolk visited Denton on Sunday. It was the final edition for 2008 of “Treasure Quest”. The programme involves a reporter in the Radio Norfolk radio car solving a trail of clues to follow a route round the county. The car visits places of interest and seeks help from local residents. Having reached Hempnall the next clue was — “Del hunts the criminals here, like a weighty EastEnder, the Dixie holders of drink, sang of where the clue is”.
The answer, of course was Denton. One phone-in contributor was Heather Squirrell who told the story of Misery Corner. Arriving at the Chapel the car was met by a group of Dentonians, including Maureen and Nigel Seamons, who helped presenter Becky Betts solve the next clue — “Robbie and Frank have sung the way, sounds like a phonetic jump, you keep these at the board’s corner, not the old court, but inner”. The first line described the song ‘South of the Border’, so the team next travelled to Bungay Castle, having first checked that they were allowed to cross into Suffolk.
