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Written Records

October 2004

I had a most uplifting night on Monday at the Parish Council meeting. We had a presentation by a small group of Feltwell boys asking us to build a skatepark on the playing field. They brought along a very good drawing of what they would like and they talked about helping to raise money and getting their friends and parents involved. The skatepark will go on the area of land that will become available when the old Youth Centre gets demolished. Don't panic those of you who know the village well, the changing rooms are staying because football is still very strong in the village as, I guess, it is almost everywhere in the world (apart from the US, but do tell me otherwise if I'm wrong about this). In addition to the boys we also had a couple of ladies wanting to do something about the dangers of crossing both Lodge Road and Oak Street in the vicinity of the school. They were both mums and obviously concerned about their own children as well as the safety of everyone else’s. We said we would support their case for additional signage and a zebra crossing. Watch this space. So why was I uplifted? Because I saw evidence of people doing something for their community, of people getting involved, of issues being raised and concerns discussed.

This next couple of paragraphs are taken directly from Dr Nisbet's article in the October edition of the magazine.

"As many of you will have noticed, building work is taking place at the Feltwell surgery. ... we have decided to build a pharmacy and to rent the space to a friendly pharmacy company with whom we can have a good relationship.

This will have a double benefit for the Feltwell patients. Firstly, after the consultation, they will be able to walk the 20 feet to the pharmacy to collect their medication, thus preserving the one-stop arrangement (See the doctor and get the medicine all at the same time). Secondly, and this also applies to all other patients from Methwold, Hockwold, Northwold, etc., for minor ailments and advice, they will have access to a local pharmacist as part of the practice "team". As time goes on, the pharmacist will become involved in other initiatives such a blood pressure and cholesterol management, the morning-after pill and so on. We are very excited about the entire concept and I myself am sure that the patients will benefit greatly from the expansion of services at the surgery. Although there will be some "over the counter" medicines available, it is not our intention to sell shampoos, soaps, nappies, etc. because we do not wish to damage the trade of the existing village stores."

Once all the building work is complete I'll take a new photograph and put it on the website for all to see. I guess the old photo should then go on the Yesteryears website. Talking of photographs, two rather splendid new ones have been sent in this month. One from Michael Rich showing his grandmother, and her twin sons, one his father, outside the Post Office in 1948 and the other from Alasdair Kerr Boyle showing his father, Dr Boyle, with an old bullnosed Morris outside the same building in 1935 - a rare treasure. Alasdair tells me that he had a similar photograph taken in 1985 and that his daughter has promised to have one taken in 2035! What a great idea.

Continuing the photography theme, there was another photograph exhibition in St Mary's on the 16th September at which various people displayed their family albums and, boy, was there some wonderful finds. All I've got to do now is persuade the owners to part with their prized possessions for as long as it takes me to scan a 6" x 4". The photo of the travelling preacher particularly wets my appetite!

My question last month about the lady artist who painted the Old Rectory in the snow was promptly answered by the current Rectory owners. They commissioned the painting only a few years ago to go on Christmas cards, so not a great mystery after all. The artist lives in Beck Row.

Plans to build 12 houses behind the Old School have been approved despite our objections that it was over intensive. We've also learned that the Old School itself is to be turned into houses. Someone is going to make a tidy profit from this development which is smack bang in the middle of the village and likely to be secluded and quiet - very des res, indeed. At the same time we have seen plans to put 6 houses on the land next to the British Legion, and all with double garages. How will our narrow village roads cope?

Here's a website for you: www.intheteam.com/feltwellunitedfc for all the news, fixtures and results from Feltwell. So, wherever you are in the world you can keep in touch with Feltwell football. I'll put a link to it on the website.