Archive for the ‘Sandringham’ Category

HM The Queen visits Dersingham Infants School

Tuesday, June 12th, 2012

Posted by Stella Gooch
Photos courtesy of Dersingham Infants School

HM The Queen Visits Dersingham Infants School

HM The Queen Visits Dersingham Infants School on her actual Diamond Jubilee

On Monday 6th February 2012, the actual 60th (Diamond) anniversary of the day the Queen came to the throne, she chose to come and visit Dersingham Infants School.  The school only had two weeks notice and quickly got to work learning songs to go with a short play about how the world has  changed over the last sixty years. It proved to be an exciting day for teachers and pupils alike.  Despite the snowy weather, everyone made a special effort to get to school looking their best.

The necessary security precautions were carried out and the children particularly  enjoyed watching the sniffer dogs doing their work. The Queen was due to arrive just before the regular lunch time so everyone had a bacon roll for brunch and had an   inside ‘street party’ lunch when the visit had finished.

Each classroom was visited by Her Majesty where she could see the various activities in each class. Then the production about changes over the last 60 years was put on to entertain The Queen. Her Majesty seemed to enjoy it and clapped at the end of the children’s songs. Children from each class gave her presents – a book of our work, a picture with photos from our school, a book of Diamond Jubilee Dress designs made from recycled materials, a sun catcher and the traditional posy of flowers.

HM The Queen admires the commemorative plaque

HM The Queen admires the commemorative plaque

Her Majesty then unveiled a plaque to commemorate her visit and we all did ‘Three Cheers’ as she left and she turned and waved to us. The Queen told our Headteacher that she had enjoyed our play and said, ‘Well done!’.

This historic visit to mark this Jubilee was followed up with more Diamond Jubilee celebrations at St. George’s School over the official Diamond Jubilee Weekend itself.  Events included a Hog Roast, musical entertainment, various craft and activity workshops for the children along with demonstrations by different organisations from the local community.

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Sandringham walk for Guide Dogs for the Blind

Monday, October 24th, 2011

Posted by Stella Gooch
Photo courtesy of Suzanne Durston

Sandringham walkers from local Guides, Rainbows & Brownies

Sandringham walkers from local Guides, Rainbows & Brownies

Sandringham is an ever popular location for walking at the best of times and is often the location for many a fundraiser.

This was certainly true of Rainbows, Brownies and Guides from Hunstanton and Heacham who, along with  leaders and families, took their four-legged friends on a Sponsored Walk in Sandringham in support of Guide Dogs for the Blind on Sunday 16th October.

Following their walk, the weary bunch enjoyed a hot dog and a mug of soup, prepared bytheir Trefoil Guild – with treats for dogs too! They were blessed with a lovely sunny afternoon and an amazing 75 people who came to support them helped the groups to raise around £400 and there is more to come I hear.

The Kings Lynn fund-raising Branch also had a successful stall.  In addition, Cynthia Easeman brought along her Guide dog, Olivia to meet everyone. The Group are always happy to come along to group meetings etc with their dogs and to show some of the useful aids available to make life easier for partially sighted people.

After the walk we were treated to a hot dog and a mug of soup, prepared by our Trefoil Guild – with treats for dogs too! It was a lovely sunny afternoon and the good turnout (around 75 people) helped us to raise in the region of £400 with more sponsor money still to come.

The Kings Lynn fund-raising Branch also had a stall which was very successful and Cynthia Easeman brought along her Guide dog, Olivia to meet everyone as well. The Guide Dog Group are always happy to attend group meetings etc with their dogs and to show some of the useful aids available to make life easier for partially sighted people.

Well done to you girls.

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Christmas Market for Park House, Sandringham

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

Posted by Stella Gooch

Companions of Park House, Sandringham, are starting the festive season early on Wednesday, 26 October!  All are very welcome to support them between 10.30am and 3.30pm at Park House in the beautiful grounds of Sandringham where they are holding a Christmas Market.  There will be refreshments and loads of ideas for Christmas gifts to tempt you.

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Sandringham hosts Tour of Britain Family Fun Day 17 Sept

Wednesday, September 7th, 2011

Posted by Borough Council of West Norfolk & Kings Lynn

One of West Norfolk’s finest locations, the Sandringham Estate, will host the finish festivities for the penultimate stage of the Tour of Britain 2011.

Stage 7 of this year’s Tour of Britain, sets off from Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds on Saturday, 17 September 2011.  Cyclists will race through 60 miles of Suffolk Countryside before crossing the county boundary and racing a further 60 miles through many of Norfolk’s towns and villages, finishing in picturesque Sandringham.

A Tour of Britain Family Fun Day has been organised to mark the occasion, with activities and events taking place outside the Sandringham Visitor Centre starting from 11am and continuing throughout the day.  The Tour of Britain cyclists are expected to cross the finish line at around 2.50pm.

Borough Council Cabinet Member Cllr Elizabeth Nockolds explained: “We pride ourselves on giving people a warm West-Norfolk welcome and Sandringham offers the perfect location for a fun-filled, village fete style event that all the family can get involved in and enjoy.  The Tour of Britain is Britain’s largest free-to-spectate live sporting event and we want to encourage people to come along and cheer on the riders.”

Cycling will form a major part of the activities on the day starting with a led bike ride from Lynnsport to Sandringham on 17 September, leaving Lynnsport at 10am.  The return trip will leave Sandringham at 4pm finishing back at Lynnsport.

Alternatively, there will be two guided bike rides along the scenic drive in the Sandringham Estate.  These start at 12noon and 1pm and last around 30 minutes.  Places must be booked on the day at the Bicycle User Group (BUG) stand in the the marquee.

Teams of young cyclists will be taking part in Go Ride races throughout the day and the March Vintage and Veteran Cycle Club will be returning to showcase their collection of historic cycles ranging from an 1820s Hobby Horse through to a more modern Dursley Pederson.  Club members will be dressed in period costume and will be on hand to talk to people about the history of the humble bicycle.

The main activities begin at 11am and include archery, golf, speed bounce, foam javelin and watt bikes – kindly provided by Active Norfolk.  King’s Lynn Arts Centre Trust is leading a family trail of discovery through Sandringham Woods as well as organising badge and flag making activities.

Competitive speed stacking will be on offer alongside football activities provided by King’s Lynn Community Football and Norwich City Community Sports Foundation.

Entertainment will be provided courtesy of Springwood High School Orchestra, the Norfolk County Symphonic Wind Orchestra, the King’s Morris Dancers, and a local shanty band.

A host of stalls ranging from local producers offering their finest fare in the Farmer’s Market, through to local cycling retailers and information providers giving advice on how to get the most out of cycling in Norfolk and beyond.

Bringing the Tour of Britain to Norfolk has been made possible thanks to sponsorship from Southwold-based Adnams and funding from Norfolk County Council, the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, South Norfolk and Broadland District Councils.

The Sandringham Tour of Britain Family Fun Day event is supported by Legacy Trust UK.

For more information about the Tour of Britain visit the official Tour website www.tourofbritain.com or for details about the Tour as it goes through Norfolk visit www.tourofbritain.norfolk.gov.uk.

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Dersingham Heath ablaze as the sun shines

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

By Stella Gooch

My husband and I were driving through Dersingham on Good Friday and had already passed by two fire engines hurrying on a call out.  We were amazed to find a third one as we arrived in Dersingham.  (It turned out that ten fire engines were needed to fight the fire.)

It soon became apparent that a major fire was underway in the heathland at the edge of Dersingham village and the Sandringham Estate as a result of the undergrowth catching fire at around 2pm.  As events unfolded, a watching crowd gathered on the hill by the village sign.  Various Norfolk firefighter teams valiantly tackled the blaze which engulfed several acres of Norfolk heath with hoses and hand extinguishers and their brave efforts saved homes, Royal woodlands and the nature reserve.

Traffic through Dersingham was noticeably high with the A149 nose to tail and pretty much at a standstill from Dersingham through to Hunstanton for many hours.  The day was considerably hotter than we are used to on an Easter bank  holiday weekend (thanks to the lateness of Easter this year) and, together with the summer breeze, served to encourage the flames to spread.  The boggy ground made the fire fighting task even more problematic and parts of the road had to be closed off by Police for more than four hours, as smoke levels built up to dangerous levels.  It took the fire fighters until 5pm to tame the fire with thousands of gallons of water directed at the blaze.

Apparently this was not the first fire on the heath this week - a smaller fire was reportedly started deliberately by youths on Thursday.  Dersingham resident, Hannah Griffiths – a presenter with King’s Lynn-based radio station KLFM 96.7 – said: “It’s been so dry it’s not a surprise, we’ve had one of the driest Aprils ever.”

I hope that the holidaymakers caught up in the fire managed to enjoy most of their Easter breaks despite this obvious setback.

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Sandringham Happenings

Friday, February 18th, 2011

By Stella Gooch

Sandringham Country Park is due to see the addition of some new sculptures on the Sculpture Trail this winter.  The Sandringham Estate tries to select some new sculptures to enlarge the collection each year as this circular walk (20 minutes duration) is very popular for those who enjoy an easy walking level.    The childrens play area at Sandringham is to acquire a “fort” made by a local carpenter.  The new addition will include ladders and slides and there are plans for more new equipment over the next few years.

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Sandringham Food & Craft Fair Nov 2010

Monday, November 29th, 2010
Posted by Viv & Alan Walker
Photos by Alan Walker

On Sunday, 28 November we took a ride up to the Sandringham Food & Craft Fair.  It snowed like we all want it to do at Christmas time but, despite that there were many stalls of varying goods and gifts. 

Children watch the puppet show

Children watch the puppet show

Puppet dances with bubbles

Puppet dances with bubbles

The highlight of this Sandringham event was the free hourly Puppet Show just inside the entrance.
There were 4 different sets of puppets which all came into the crowd to interact with children and adults alike, who all loved it.  After the show, there were puppets on sale for the budding entertainer from as little as £2.99.  To anyone who missed the shows, you missed a treat!

Children watch another set of puppets

Children watch another set of puppets

Many brave the snow for a festive event
Many brave the snow at Sandringham

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Sandringham Flower Show 2010

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
Report written by a local Bed and Breakfast provider at the time of Sandringham Flower Show 2010
Photos by Rob Topliss (to be added)
 
I run a local bed and breakfast and this time of year it is very busy so I look forward to any outings that I can snatch and of course I recommend the local shows etc to my guests.  Well I have to say I have rarely been so disappointed.  I had looked forward for weeks and told so many people about The Royal Sandringham Show.   Last year it was wonderful and we had a lovely day.
 
I rushed around after breakfasts tidying the guests rooms and we managed to arrive at the show at 12.45pm and immediately saw an ocean of cars and people coming from all directions.   We queued patiently and were directed to the disabled parking area by very helpful, polite army cadets.  It was a pleasure to see so many keen young people being involved.  We eventually parked and made our way to the ticket area.
 
When we arrived in the showground it was bustling with people, dogs and motorised buggies and push chairs.  The stalls were colourful and inviting and throngs of people were surrounding them.  The main arena was absolutely packed six deep watching the heavy horses and later the falconry display.  The competitors were parked around the arena to allow them easy access to the ring so with the crowds had limited space to watch the displays.
 
We made our way towards the show gardens but unfortunately there were so many people around them and so many bustling to see them that we were unable to see anything so we headed for the flower marquees.  The numbers of people outweighed the space to walk in comfort,  there were dogs on extended leads being dragged by their owners and disabled people  in wheelchairs and children in pushchairs all  fighting for space just to move from one area to another.  It was very claustrophobic and we felt sorry for the people pushing prams. The children must have been quite alarmed by the sea of legs, all hemmed in by bustling crowds. 
 
The queue to go into the Sandringham Flower Show marquees were at least 30 people deep and the marquees were bursting at the seams.   We decided to go for some refreshments, unfortunately the queues were again twenty plus deep.  The refreshment tent and outside tables were heaving, wonderful for the stall holders but not for those that needed a cuppa!!  Maybe it was just as well that we did not have a drink as the queues for the toilets were huge!
 
We decided to head back into the more open spaces of the stalls outside.  Wards Nurseries from Ringstead had a wonderful display of plants and  it was pleasing to note that the prices had not been inflated for the show but the same as from their nursery.  There were wonderful displays of perennial plants and accessories for the garden.  The craft displays of wrought iron work and wooden garden furniture were stunning with some very unusual pieces.  The stalls were wonderful, full of colour and lots of exciting goodies.
 
We were speaking to a show person who estimated a crowd of 27,000 and it felt like it!   We purchased some plants and wooden craft from the outside stalls and some fabulous tasting sausages from Perfick Pork a butchers from Great Ryburgh near Fakenham who makes his own sausages and smoked Norfolk bacon using his own free-range pigs!
 
It would have been  a wonderful day had it been a TWO day show.  We left at 1.45pm not seeing the show gardens or having been able to go into the marquees or have any refreshments.  We were exhausted just getting through the crowds. It was so claustrophobic, it was fortunate it did not rain with such big crowds as it could have been a problem.
 
When we departed for home we spoke to a show representative and asked him to pass on our comments to the organisers. All in all it would have been a wonderful day out had visitors to the Sandringham Flower Show been limited to a certain number or better still the event had been held over two days.  Last year it was fantastic, bustling but comfortable and room to walk and enjoy the many stalls.  Would I go again? I don’t think so, if it was over two days,definitely yes.

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Arthritis Care Walkers in Sandringham

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

Posted by Stella Gooch
Photo supplied by Thelma Holland

Arthritis Walk in Sandringham 

Arthritis Care walkers met for a sponsored ramble in Sandringham as a fundraising exercise for their cause (they raised £343.80 and enjoyed a picnic too!).  They are a  self help group set up arthritis suffers so they can offer help and support to each other as it  often does you good to know you are not the only one battling with this depressing disease.  

The group formed in February 2009, following a Challenging Arthritis Course run by Arthritis Care, because some members felt that they gained so much from the course that they wanted to continue meeting and supporting each other, and also to offer this to other people suffering from arthritis.  The group is slowly increasing its membership and members have arthritis, the most common types being osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

They meet at 10-30am on the third Thursday of every month at the Nora Building (just off the Southgates Roundabout on the Wisbech Road) and have invited speakers, who talk about things that relate to their problems:  recent talks were about gardening tools, garden layout and plants that need less work, benefits available, advice on diets.  In September they group are having an osteopath to give advice.  At their previous meeting members brought along their own gadgets from home, to share the usefulness or not of them with each other, and that again highlighted the similar problems they share. 

Arthritis Care have a summer event in August and later in the year are spending a day at the Sailing Club at Hunstanton with a fish and chips lunch. They also celebrate Christmas by getting together for a lunch – last year it was at the Riverside Rooms.

If you have arthritis, why not come and join Arthritis Care – they will make you welcome and guarantee to make you smile!

 For further information please ring Arthritis Care  01553 671529.

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