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Advice and Support Sessions Available at Abbey Hall
When John and his partner came to us, their situation was dire. Their home had severe damp and mould problems, and despite filing multiple reports, nothing seemed to change. On top of that, the family was struggling financially, unsure of how they would keep the lights on or put food on the table. We were able to secure the family a £70 supermarket voucher, a £30 energy voucher, and an additional £100 voucher from the local council to keep them afloat. Meanwhile, our debt team worked with them on a plan to tackle their debts, giving them breathing room to regain control. Our energy team also worked to keep their fridge switched on and their family warm without their energy bill holding them down.
Jane was an elderly client dealing with a wrongly issued Penalty Notice for parking in her usual spot and persistent debt recovery agents urging her to pay £170. We helped Jane make calls and send emails to dispute the charge and filed a formal complaint with the debt recovery agents on her behalf. After a thorough investigation, the agency acknowledged their mistake, Jane’s debt was cleared and the case was closed. Empowered by her victory, Jane even brought the issue to her local MP to raise awareness of the importance of standing up against poor service.
Jane and John were two of over 16,000 people we helped in 2024.
Our charity began at the start of the Second World War helping people replace lost ration cards and locate missing relatives and prisoners of war. Since then, our service has evolved to provide advice on any and all modern-day topics including debt, benefits, housing, healthcare, employment and relationship issues. Our advice has been and always will be completely free and available to everyone who speaks to us. Whether you're experiencing a crisis, an inconvenience, or weighing up your options and want to make sure you're well informed, we can help you find a way forward.
We aim to be available within 30 minutes’ drive of everyone in the county. So, to support the people of Wymondham and the surrounding areas, our advisers can be found at Wymondham Abbey Hall every Monday from 10am - 1pm. No appointment necessary, just walk in!
3 Locals in Business Award Finals
The finalists have been announced for the Broadland and South Norfolk Business Awards 2025. The three Wymondham finalists are Hi-Span, for Excellence in Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering; Huxley Events, for South Norfolk Small Business of the Year; and Elementals Magickal Emporium for South Norfolk Retailer of the Year.
The Business Awards are an annual event held by Broadland and South Norfolk Councils to celebrate the achievements of their local companies, which are the heartbeat of the districts’ vibrant local economy.
Businesses based in the two districts were invited to nominate themselves for an award and residents in the two districts were once again asked to nominate their favourite retailer and their favourite pub.
South Norfolk Council’s Cabinet Member for planning and economic growth, Lisa Overton-Neal said: “These awards offer us a chance to congratulate our local businesses, highlight their huge success and recognise the hard work of everyone involved. Our Business Awards are just one of the many ways the Council is supporting our fantastic business community.”
Broadland District Council Cabinet Member, Martin Booth said: “We have a wide variety of businesses operating across both districts, from huge multi-nationals to one-man bands, in sectors as diverse as food and drink production, retail, insurance and tourism. It’s these businesses and the determination of the people behind them, that help our economy to thrive. This is a welcome chance for them to get the recognition they deserve.”
With the support of our headline sponsor Birketts LLP, the Councils will showcase the best of Broadland and South Norfolk’s business talent at an awards ceremony on 19 March at Norwich City Football Club.
Find out more about the finalists here.
Catherine Gray Named one of 2025's Most Impressive Female Entrepreneurs
Wymondhammer Catherine Gray has been crowned one of the UK’s most impressive entrepreneurs by Small Business Britain’s ‘f:Entrepreneur #IAlso100’ campaign, which celebrates inspiring female business leaders. Catherine Gray, who founded Cup-O-T: Wellness and Therapy Services in 2017, is profiled among 100 inspirational female entrepreneurs from across the country, as part of the campaign to celebrate the multi-achievements of women running businesses in the UK today. Cup-O-T: Wellness and Therapy Services provides mental health support and training to young people aged 7-25, families and the community in Norfolk.
The f:Entrepreneur ‘#IAlso100’ line-up particularly showcases trailblazing female founders who lead purpose-driven businesses alongside a roster of other responsibilities, such as volunteering, mentoring and community support.
Indeed, Catherine was also called out for her volunteering for Love Her Wild, a non-profit organisation supporting women to get outside adventuring, and her volunteering co-lead role in South Norfolk and Broadland Health and Wellbeing Partnership in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Priority Delivery Group.
On being featured in the #ialso100 lineup, Catherine said: “I am thrilled to be included in this list of female entrepreneurs. Norfolk has a strong social enterprise background with lots of support available. Being part of f:Entrepreneur provides the opportunity to inspire, grow and support more women in business. Social enterprise businesses often develop from a person’s own lived experience. I received mental health services as a teenager that didn’t suit my needs. I saw the same pattern happening as a therapist for today’s young people and wanted to change that. Cup-O-T does things a bit differently and works in partnership with young people, families and other local organisations to make a change in how mental health support is provided. We provide therapy and training in the community and from our woodland space to shift how things are traditionally done.”
Launched in 2017 by Small Business Britain – the leading champion of small businesses in the UK - the f:Entrepreneur campaign aims to raise greater awareness of the impact of incredible female business owners across the country, and help provide inspiration and role models to the wider small business community.
The campaign offers a host of events, training, and networking opportunities to boost skills, capability, and confidence.
“It’s wonderful to have Catherine from Cup-O-T: Wellness and Therapy Services feature in this year’s #IAlso100 – all of the female entrepreneurs in this year’s line-up are simply phenomenal,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, founder of Small Business Britain.
“It is vital that we recognise the impressive contribution of the UK’s female business owners and do all we can to support and encourage them throughout their entrepreneurial journey, from start-up to scale-up. As well as making a huge economic contribution to the UK, female entrepreneurs also create a wider positive impact that ripples across society and local communities too.”
See the full line-up of the 100 women featured in this year’s f:Entrepreneur #IAlso100 campaign here.
Kim Arnall Honoured for Tireless NHS Volunteering
A Wymondham resident has been honoured for his work as a volunteer with the National Health Service.
Kim Arnall is a meet-and-greet volunteer at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. He is also what is known as a bleep buddy which means that he can be called anywhere in the hospital when help is needed. He was awarded a silver certificate at the 2024 Staff Awards in the section for volunteers.
Kim volunteers on Thursday mornings and has been part of the hospital family for 18 months.
This is what the hospital had to say about Kim’s contribution:
“Kim always has a smile on his face and has a great rapport with patients and his volunteering colleagues and staff. He is the epitome of our expectations of a volunteer. He is proactive in helping any area of the hospital with a whole range of tasks to help our staff and in turn improve patient experience. Helping patients is Kim’s priority and he is always on hand to help any patients who need directions or assistance to find the area they would like to visit.
The presentation was made at a special awards ceremony at Carrow Road in November.
Kim is also chairman of the Hethersett Good News magazine committee. The parish magazine is distributed monthly throughout Hethersett and the Meltons and Kim’s mum Anne, who lives in Hethersett, is one of the main distributors.
New Evidence Suggests Becket's Chapel Fire Damage from 1615
Thanks to Historic Norfolk’s recent refurbishment and restoration of Becket’s Chapel, we are learning more about the chapel around the time of the Great Fire of 1615.
It has long been believed that Becket’s Chapel, home to the Wymondham Old Grammar School from 1561, escaped damage from the incident, partly because the existing oak roof trusses were thought to be late medieval. However, during the recent refurbishment, internal scaffolding enabled Historic England to take samples from the timbers spanning the Chapel. The results have just been published on the Historic England website disproving this theory.
Historic England’s analysis of the tree rings (dendrochronology) produced a 1613-38 date bracket for the trees being felled. The trusses were likely to have been made soon after felling as wood was usually used ‘green’ (unseasoned). A 1613-14 payment in the Wymondham Town Book (1585-1620) to Frauncis Plomer for ‘certaine okes bought for the rebuildinge of the schoole’ ties up nicely, except it implies that plans were already in place to rebuild the roof before the Fire.
The only other payments made in 1615-16 were for sawing ‘boards for the schoolehouse’. We can’t tell whether these were roof or floorboards but the building was clearly being fitted out. Finally, wealthy yeoman Philip Cullyer was paid £30 in 1616-17 ‘towardes the buildinge of the schoolehowse’. Did he run the project, as he did the building of the Market Cross?
This evidence strongly suggests that the Chapel roof was burnt off in the Great Fire, or that the Chapel was already under repair and roofless and so escaped serious damage. We may never know for certain!
Richard Everitt Cycles from Westminster to Wymondham to raise money for the Abbey
53-year-old Wymondham High governor Richard Everitt has raised £100 on a solo-sponsored bike ride from Westminster Abbey to Wymondham Abbey. The money will go towards Wymondham Abbey maintenance.
People can donate to the Abbey themselves here.
Richard told the magazine:
“The 'Abbey to Abbey' trip took 3 days and I was delighted to meet with new Rev Andrew Hammond after the ride.
I was keen to end the year 2024 with an adventure, so I made a solo 130-mile cycle trip from Westminster to Wymondham. Westminster Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066 for 40 monarchs. Our Wymondham Abbey is one of the grandest religious buildings in East Anglia, originally established in 1107. So, it felt good to link them both. I carried Wymondham's advent service programme with me from start to finish.
Winter cycling is challenging in that the days are shorter; it's cold and wet and your feet freeze! However, it's also rewarding as you can see more. It's less busy and you learn to value something as simple as a cup of tea in a local cafe.
I put my bike on the train at Norwich; the rain streamed down the windows as we headed to Liverpool Street. I made my way to Westminster Abbey for the start. Then along the embankment, and up through Blackfriars, Clerkenwell, Edmonton and Tottenham, weaving through zones 1-6 of London, through street parties, housing estates and cycle paths and onto the Lee Valley trail, under the M25, to the Youth Hostel.
Day two was a lovely ride up through the hills of Hertfordshire, via a quick pit stop at Jamie Oliver's first pub, The Cricketers, in Claveringham. All was going well till my seat stem sheared off in the middle of nowhere, so I had to scoot a few miles to Saffron Walden for repairs and stayed the night just south of Cambridge.
Day three was a cruel and cold cross-country ride into the rain and wind, up through the racecourses of Newmarket, and chased by a dog, but finally made it into the lovely town of Bury St. Edmunds.
The next morning was frosty, but I enjoyed the beautiful Breckland landscapes, cycling up through East Harling, Eccles and over the A11 at Attleborough and onto Wymondham and finally passed Cavick House, over the tracks of the railway line, the two towers of our Abbey came into view.
I had been working in Imperial College London all year, but from Norfolk, so this was also a symbolic end to the year, and great to be home. It was also good to raise a-few pounds for our Abbey too.
I am planning a Norwich to Rouen ride next, but this time, in the warmth of summer!”
‘Wymondham Words’ Literary Festival Receives New Funding
Wymondham Words, a literary festival that started in 2010 was given a £500 ward grant from South Norfolk Councillor, Carmina McConnell.
The festival which was re-launched last year following an interruption by Covid, ran from 21 to 24 November with a theme centred on poetry, crime and music.
Councillor McConnell said: “Books are so important, and the love of reading opens so many doors and options, especially for young people. Reading really does broaden the mind and allows people of all ages to free their imagination, taking them to different lands and exciting places.
“I would like to congratulate and thank the organisers of Wymondham Words, especially George Szirtes and Elizabeth Lewis Williams for their hard work and dedication to putting on a festival that has been enjoyed by so many people. I would also like to thank Wymondham High School headteacher Chris Smith for his terrific support.”
The festival opened with an evening of reading and discussion with crime writers Henry Sutton and Bridget Walsh at Wymondham High School. Henry Sutton is the author of 15 crime novels, and Bridget Walsh has written a series of novels set in a Victorian music hall in London.
The historic Green Dragon pub hosted poet Matt Howard, who read from his new collection of poetry, Broadlands. Matt’s first collection, Gall, was the winner of the East Anglian Book Award for poetry.
Events were also held at Kett’s Books, Becket’s Chapel and Wymondham Library featuring Martin Figura, Helen Ivory, Tiffany Atkinson and Andrea Holland with music by French-chanson performers, Bonjour Tristesse; novelist Polly Crosby and poet and children’s writer Kathryn Simmonds. There was also a chance to take part in a crime-writing workshop with Elspeth Latimer and Martin Ungless.
Norfolk boasts the very first university creative writing course, with many well-known and prize-winning authors graduating from either the UEA or the School of Art. Former English teacher and current university lecturer Dr Ashley Hickson-Lovance, who gained his PhD in creative writing at the University of East Anglia led an interactive reading for year 9 students at Wymondham High School, followed by a creative workshop. Ashley is a successful youth author who was nominated for the Carnegie Medal 2025 for his book Wild East.
Click here if you would like to be involved in next year’s Wymondham Words festival.
Regular Contributor Publishes New Children’s Book: “The Safari Park Lion”!
My short stories are available in this magazine from the Wymondham Writing Circle, but now you can read my children’s book that will be published by Pegasus, a Cambridge publisher. It is suitable for young children and is called The Safari Park Lion. It tells the story of Cecil, a young lion, who was born in a zoo but has been transferred to a safari park. This has totally confused him as everything is different for him. He has to learn the new rules. He has to make new friends and avoid making enemies. Needless to say, he makes lots of mistakes at first. It’s a bit like a child of any age starting at a new school. The book is due out on January 30th. Locally, Ketts Books will help you acquire a copy. For those not in Wymondham, it will be available to order online. I have included an acknowledgement to my fellow writers as without their encouragement, I would never have looked for a publisher. Thanks too to this magazine for featuring our writing each month.
News on Town Centre Investment
South Norfolk Council would like to thank everyone who engaged with and took part in the first round of consultation regarding the plans for the future investment in Wymondham.
The Council has collated and analysed the feedback and results, and is pleased to share the Stage 1 Consultation Report.
South Norfolk Council Cabinet member, Lisa Overton-Neal said: “I would really like to thank so many people for taking the time to help us plan for the future of Wymondham. People’s relationship with the high street continues to change and it’s important that we invest in the town to support local businesses and protect Wymondham’s future.”
The Council received more than 1,250 responses through online and paper surveys during the consultation last year. In addition, the team held face-to-face events, including community drop-ins on market days, stakeholder meetings hosted by Wymondham Town Council, and one-to-one interviews with key stakeholders.
What we learned:
~The survey covered a wide range of topics to understand community priorities, even beyond the project's primary emphasis and scope, which focuses on enhancing the town centre to encourage greater footfall and economic activity.
~Key themes that arose included concerns about banking services, post office availability, vacant shops, traffic issues (e.g., Silfield road closures), and business rates. While many of these issues are outside the project’s scope and direct influence, the Working Group will aim to effect positively other elements where possible.
~What was abundant is a clear pride in Wymondham’s history and heritage and a shared desire to safeguard its future as a thriving market town.
The Stage 1 report provides detailed analysis of the survey responses, including key themes and insights. Free-text comments have been reviewed, and while not all could be included in the final report, they have informed the emerging priorities.
The Working Group, including elected councillors from South Norfolk Council, the Town Council, and the County Council, will use this feedback to shape concept landscape designs. These will be shared in a second round of consultation in the early spring. We look forward to seeking and hearing your views again in due course.
Thank you again for your support in helping shape the future of Wymondham Town Centre.
A New Clinic is in Town
Stay Active Physiotherapy has taken over Suite 3 at The Old Dairy, Elm Farm Business Park. Situated on Norwich Common (between Wymondham and Hethersett). The Team comprises four female professionals. Together they offer a wide range of health and well-being services and therapies.
Emma Harris
Stay Active Physiotherapy has reopened at Elm Farm business Park in Wymondham. Physiotherapist, Emma Harris was forced to close her practice on Back Lane during the second Covid lockdown following a flood at the premises and Covid pressures. She went back into the NHS working in GP surgeries in Thetford and Norwich. She has now reopened on the business park with a team of holistic therapists. The new clinic has 4 treatment rooms. Emma is joined by Linda Green of Green Therapies whom she worked alongside for 7 years. In addition to Linda, her team comprises of Shantelle Melton of SM Injuries and Massage Therapy and Adrienne Cunningham of the Tranquillity Zone.
Emma has 20 years of experience and is paediatric trained, with a large proportion of her case-load being children and adolescents with muscular and skeletal injuries. She is also trained in ante and postnatal care with a specialist interest of return to sports postnatally. Emma has links with Wymondham rugby club and for many years was the Physiotherapist for the men's first team. She now provides an evening clinic for the ladies team on a Wednesday, focusing on acute injuries and return to play, and is first aid support for the under 12s girls. Emma continues to do shifts for the NHS at the UEA medical centre. She is HCPC registered and regulated and is looking forward to the year ahead, supporting the local community alongside her team of therapists.
Shantelle Melton
Shantelle is a Sport Rehabilitator specialising in Sport Rehabilitation, Sport Massage and Dry Needling. After studying Sport Rehabilitation at University, she went on to work in a couple of private practices before moving onto the NHS and now has returned to private practice in her own company. She has experience with many different injuries and issues from football players to office workers, from a neck injury all the way down to the feet specialising in musculoskeletal issues. You do not have to play sport to come for sport therapy! She works on assessing what the pain/ injury is, and then coming up with a treatment and exercise plan specialised for you. Shantelle has now worked out of Elm Farm Business Park for 5 years and is delighted to welcome and work with Stay Active Physiotherapy, Green Therapies and Tranquillity Zone.
Linda Green
Having spent 15 years as a Legal PA, Linda became interested in stress in the workplace and well-being. She began her training with International Therapies Exam Council in 1999 and gained credits in the following: diet and nutrition, anatomy, physiology and massage, sports massage, aromatherapy and Indian head massage. She continued her studies and is also qualified in: oncology massage and manual lymphatic drainage massage which can be given during cancer treatment (Linda volunteers at Star Thrower Cancer Charity), aromatherapy facials using Neal's Yard Remedies organic products, hot salt stone massage and pregnancy massage. Plus acupressure chair massage which she offers to businesses in Norwich.
Linda looks at each client as an individual with a holistic approach and aims to treat the cause of problems, looking at lifestyle. She is an exercise fanatic and through her own experience she can offer a full range of advice on exercises and stretching to compliment sports massage treatments.
Adrienne Cunningham
A former food industry professional, returned to her passion for beauty and wellness. She already had an ITEC qualification in Beauty Therapy and continued to build on her qualifications. At Tranquillity Zone Adrienne creates a calming and enjoyable experience. Her treatments are designed specifically for women and are available by appointment only.
She specialises in natural approaches, using techniques designed to reduce the signs of aging. A Zone Face Lift combines pressure-point massage and energy work. Incorporating methods such as Gua Sha crystal tools and face cupping to diminish the look of fatigue and visible signs of aging, to reveal lifted, toned, and rejuvenated skin.
Her 12-week Menopause Journey incorporating face, hand, and foot reflexology draws from her own experiences, to help women improve their skin and boost energy. To empower women through this life stage with greater ease.
As a foot reflexologist, Adrienne uses a two-handed approach, and as a proud member of the Association of Reflexology, you are in safe hands. For those seeking shorter treatments, she offers an Express Minis Menu. Experience facials, hot stone massage and Reiki, a form of energy healing.
Emma Harris – Stay Active Physiotherapy
Shantelle Melton – SM Injuries - 07539216678
Linda Green – Green Therapies - 07780 670970
Adrienne Cunningham – Tranquillity Zone
Bloom to Celebrate 200 Years of Railway
2025 is on track to be a great year for Wymondham in Bloom, with the group fully embracing the ‘Railway 200’ theme. The Bloomers agreed that joining Anglia in Bloom in celebrating 200 years of the modern railway in Britain would be just the ticket.
Once again we are immensely grateful for sponsorship support from Kieran and Kayleigh at the White Hart, enabling us to start planning this year’s campaign early.
In the meantime, the volunteers continue their regular working parties throughout the seasons. Usually on a Monday from 10-12 the group gathers at 3 Avenue Road then heads out into the town centre for some weeding, tidying and pruning. Follow our Facebook page or email wymbloom@gmail.com to join our WhatsApp group and be always up to date on our activities.
Open Days at Ashleigh Nursery
Ashleigh Primary School and Nursery is holding tours of the nursery in February and March.
If your child was born between 01/09/2021 and 31/08/2022 and you are interested in Ashleigh Nursery from September 2025, we would love to meet you and show you our wonderful Nursery!
We offer all day provision, funded hours sessions are 8:30-11:30am and 12:15-3:15pm, with chargeable lunch, before and after school sessions. We also accept 30 hour additional funding where applicable.
The Nursery has its own entrance, two welcoming classrooms, an enclosed, secure playground, and a large open grass play area.
The Nursery is well resourced with a wide range of play equipment, both indoors and out. The children enjoy exploring and investigating in the large sand pit and getting messy in our digging area, amongst many other things! We have beautiful, established trees which the children watch with interest as they change across the seasons.
The outdoor canopy enables the children to use the outside area whatever the weather! We have easy access onto the school field offering opportunities to explore the school farm and Forest School areas.
Why choose Ashleigh Nursery? ‘Exceptional’ early years provision rated by Ofsted in 2024. A stimulating, inclusive learning environment. Ideal preparation for the reception year. A Nurturing place where children feel happy. A safe place where children can explore, play, investigate and use their imaginations.
The tours will be held on 10 & 11 February and 3 & 4 March. Register in advance to book your slot via email to nursery@ashleighprimary.net or phone 01953 602 410.
Play Area on William Close to be Refurbished
The small play area at the end of William Close will be refurbished in mid-February. The site is managed by South Norfolk Council, who have appointed a local contractor to refresh the space with new play equipment, surfaces and planters.
Neighbours of the site are welcome to join a conversation about what plants should go into the planters, supported by Wymondham in Bloom and Greening Wymondham. If you’d like to get involved please email wymbloom@gmail.com.
WPS Photo of the Month February 2025
WPS had their second cumulative projected image competition on Tuesday, judged by Dom Byrne. These are the top 2 images from the night.
In Tier 1, the winner was Tony Palmer with his shot of a wooded structure in Seville. The judge liked how he had used the curved lines to lead you through the image, and chosen a crop to give it an abstract look. He also felt that the black and white conversion was a good idea as it showed the textures up well.
In Tier 2, Jez Wood was the winner with his shot ‘Puffin at Sunset'. The judge struggled for too much to say about this image as he felt it was a perfect shot, with the classic puffin shape silhouetted against the evening sun, with out-of-focus soft background leading to a great image.
Wymondham Photographic Society meets on Tuesdays in the Dell Bowls Club at 8pm.
Ted Talks: The Lucky Sweep
Did you, or anyone you know, get married at Wymondham Abbey in the 1960s? In those old wedding photos, is there a chimney sweep standing next to the bride and groom? If you said “yes” to these two questions, then that sweep may be Ted!
Ted’s father, George Geoffrey Barham, was a jack of many trades, and this included running a chimney cleaning business that he passed on to Ted in the mid-1950s.
Ted would cycle as far as East Harling to get to the 3-storey houses of his customers and then used his bike light to look for blockages. He would then climb the stairs to the loft or attic as chimney problems were usually nearer the top.
Sometimes he found a sparrow’s nest with unhatched eggs on the chimney ledge, and this was always safely returned to Nature. Any excess soot collected from his washing-up bowl in the fireplace was scattered in the customer’s garden (nothing was wasted in those days). Ted recalls that Walter Barber was one of his best customers.
One day, while working on a job in Wicklewood, he met a courting couple, Paul and Susan, and they hired him to attend their wedding, as it was considered good luck to have a chimney sweep at the ceremony. Paul was rich: he was the son of a Norwich businessman and had already booked a horse and a carriage for the big day, so Ted’s services were affordable.
Ted showed up at the church wearing his sweep’s boiler suit and brandishing his cleaning brushes. He shook hands with both the bride and the groom and gave them turns at handling the broom, while the photographer snapped away; there were tissues on hand for cleaning themselves up afterwards.
Ted also said, “Happy Wedding Day, and may you have many years together!” This meant that the couple had been blessed by both Ted and Reverend James Thomas in the Abbey.
Ted must have made a great impression, as he was invited to preside over a few more weddings that summer, and he continued to clean local chimneys until the end of the sixties. As Dick Van Dyke sang in Mary Poppins, “a sweep is as lucky as lucky can be!”
What's in a Photo? Snowy Times
This year, there have been particularly cold spells in January with sharp frosts, but unlike some other parts of the country, we have not experienced substantial snowfalls. However, this was not always the case as these pictures show.
The print, taken from a painting by Donald Maxwell and reproduced in the book "Unknown Norfolk", dates from 1926 and shows a solitary car being driven down an empty snow-covered Market Street. Of course, there would have been many fewer motors in those days, but no pedestrians or cyclists seem to have ventured out.
Harsh winters were all too frequent in the 20th century, but in the coloured photo, the Abbey makes a wonderful backdrop in this idyllic winter wonderland scene from February 1968.
Undoubtedly the winter of 1963 was the harshest in the Swinging Sixties; the other photo shows Harry Blake, the milk roundsman from Browick Dairy, in a chilling Tuttles Lane. In the extremely cruel winters of 1947 and 1963, water pipes became frozen, there were power cuts, and people struggled to get about.
One February day in the 1970s, with snow falling heavily, we were advised to leave our Norwich office at lunch-time and get home, but the snow-covered road became so blocked we had to ditch the car at Cringleford and endeavour to make our way through the drifting snow on foot. Struggling past abandoned cars and with the Thickthorn stretch being particularly daunting, we suddenly heard a vehicle approaching from behind.
In the gathering gloom appeared a digger, cutting a way through the piled-up snow for a following milk lorry. The lorry driver told us to hop on and eventually, we reached Wymondham in style.
Tobogganing in my schooldays was fun, but some of the winters mentioned here were definitely not!
Your New Agony Aunt Wants to Know Your Problems
Hello my dears,
Welcome back to Wymondham Whistledown, your very own locally-based agony aunt. In case you missed the last edition, we invited you to “send your most candid problems right here, and the best ones shall appear in our next edition with advice from yours truly. Fun, saucy contributions are greatly encouraged – but problems of all kinds are welcome.”
I am delighted to announce that we have received some responses so far, but we want more. So here is that form again, and please do write in. There will be no judgement from us at all - and remember, we never see your email address or identity.
(And who am I? That is something we will never divulge. How would you look me in the eye the next day?)
You know you want to. XOXO,
Wymondham Whistledown
Secret Farmer's Diary: January 2025
The wrapping paper having been used on the fire and the last of the Christmas cake devoured, we return to some normality on the farm. Christmas clay and pheasant shoots punctuate days spent unblocking drains, loading grain and sugar beet, and repairing the loader.
The weather had been mild so far this winter, but finally we’ve got some proper frost and cold weather. This usually means turning the outside water off and covering things up from the frost. And then finding out the next day that the battery on the tractor parked in front of the piece of machinery you need to get out of the shed has gone flat overnight. Drinkers have to be checked and de-iced and sheds and crops condition checked for damage. On this occasion, a ball valve on a water pipe that we’d covered up froze up and split open, which meant enlisting the help of Norfolk’s worst plumber (me).
One of the most enjoyable but also the most frustrating things about farming is that you have to know a little about a lot of subjects. You have the rudiments of the sciences, you know enough about financial markets to talk to your grain trader and fuel rep, you learn a little bit about all of the trades, but you never do anything often enough to become more than barely proficient at them. So it is with plumbing, the job gets done, but it takes about twice as long and it looks rough. The enjoyment comes from having something different to tackle each day, whilst knowing that if a job comes up beyond your capabilities, there is a book of proper tradesmen in the farm office to call upon. (Although, we have scared a succession of tradies off in the past with jobs that were too dirty, dangerous or awkward for them to take on. This is how you find yourself stuck up in a dusty void between two sheds trying to get some signal to watch a YouTube video on how to safely mount a junction box to an asbestos sheet wall).
At time of writing, we’ve just sent the last of our harvested sugar beet to the factory whilst the harvesting contractors rush to lift the last cropped fields in the surrounding area. Sugar beet keep fresh in the ground over winter, but start to rot as soon as they are harvested, so you aim to lift them in two or three visits from your harvesting contractor over the sugar beet “campaign” – which is the season that British Sugar operate their factories – usually from September to January or February. One of their four factories will typically wash, slice and boil 16,000 tonnes of sugar beet a day, which is enough to fill 2.4 million 1kg bags of Silver Spoon sugar on 3,300 pallets. That’s an impressively large amount of sugar for a day’s work, but the UK still imports the equivalent of 6 billion bags of (mostly cane) sugar each year to meet demand. Not all of our sugar ends up in bags for retail sale: the bakeries, mills, breweries, soft drinks companies, sauce factories and confectioners usually order their syrups and liquid sugar ingredients by the tanker load direct from the factory.
British Sugar are a monopoly supplier and customer of sugar beet, so farmers and their National Farmers Union (NFU) reps must buy their seed from them, negotiate a sale price and the agreed contract tonnage, and sell it to them. As you might expect, that doesn’t tend to favour good outcomes for the farmer. The NFU and British Sugar have had a number of noisy (well, noisy in our space) arguments over recent years about contract prices. We only really grow sugar beet as a “break crop” to help prevent the build up of pests and weeds in the wheat crops, and to spread some of the work out from harvest time into the winter. It’s otherwise a difficult crop to grow well. It damages the soil structure of the fields (which requires time and many earthworms). It causes expensive damage to gateways and tracks. It’s hard on men and machinery because you’re working in dark, muddy, cold conditions and, as I expect you’ll have noticed, it puts a lot of mud on the road. Which can be a PR headache - another subject in farming at which I'm barely proficient.
Creative Writing: Wish I Had a Grandpa
What is a Grandpa? Well, he comes in all shapes and sizes – sometimes amazingly young but usually one in the twilight years of his life.
Some are grumpy – they hate being disturbed by infant cries and incessant toddler chatter. Some are aloof – so far up their own noses they can’t even see what runs under their stomping feet. And then there is the one that every little munchkin wants.
He is still able to drop to his knees, getting down to the eye level of his little one. He teaches them peek-a-boo with their favourite blanket and reduces them to scrumptious giggles by blowing raspberries on their tummies. Their favourite cuddly toy suddenly develops a voice and the arms and legs start moving apparently of their own volition.
He cheers them on at the egg and spoon races, even when the egg drops. A big bear hug and a broad grin soon dispatches the tears. There he is again, spurring them on every time their balance fails and the bike falls sideways. He always persuades them to try again and pushes them off towards success.
No self-respecting Grandpa would not be on the sidelines when it is THE big game. No matter how insignificant the young one’s role, he always makes them feel like they are a star. Years go by when Grandpa fixes scraped knees, loose bicycle chains and a few sore knuckles from playground sparring.
The teen years are special to Grandpas. Somehow the divide between parent and child can be easily bridged by a grandparent; those awkward discussions flow easier with the generation gap. High school years bring their own problems – too much homework, too many hormones, the odd rivalry and the terrors of being picked – or not – for the team. Throughout it all, Grandpas are a steady rock – once removed from the thorny discipline parents sometimes have to mete out.
And then, joy of joys, the love of their life enters the family circle. Grandpa can see their hearts are fit to bursting and he bestows a smile so bright it could light up the night sky. He can rest knowing they have landed in the soft meadow of love.
The above photo by Anthony Catalano is licenced under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Litter Picks, Park Forests and Poems: New Year Greening Wymondham Updates
“Good timber does not grow with ease:
The stronger wind, the stronger trees;
The further sky, the greater length;
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men, good timbers grow.
Where thickest lies the forest growth,
We find the patriarchs of both.”
*
A lovely poem from America’s Lumberjack Poet – the simple message that humans and trees all improve through experience and weathering adversity.
But Douglas Malloch would have a lot to argue over if – as an early 20C poet – he turned up today and saw Greening Wymondham at work with Norwich Fringe in Ketts Park wood. The Ketts Park teams love a bit of space. “Where thickest lies the forest growth” is not their aim. Throughout the spring, they’ll be continuing to coppice and thin trees to allow more light to the woodland floor. It allows future patriarchs to grow and encourages diversity. We do, however, agree wholeheartedly with Mr Malloch on the wonder of trees. Come along on the 11th of February and see the team in action – and the bulbs they’ve planted, including the ramsons, stirring into life.
Great news, too, this year, with two more volunteers joining Greening Wymondham’s river team. Welcome to Paul Barrett, Green Town councillor for central Wymondham – whom we know well from his volunteer days on other GW projects. And welcome, too, to Vivien Burch, Norfolk bred and Wymondhamite for a decade, mother to William and Stanley. A food microbiologist, she’s currently working for Elsevier food chemistry journals. Her professional knowledge and rigour can only add to the team.
Finally – our thanks to the intrepid litter pickers who joined us last month on the coldest Saturday yet. Twenty large sacks of fag-ends, plastic bottles, food containers, vapes and seasonal gloves, collected from Sycamore Avenue to Becketswell Park and from the Lizard to Cemetery Lane. We’ll be at it again on March 22 – come and join us, if only for the cakes and craic at the end. We leave you with the thoughts of a 4-year-old litter-picker who shall be nameless. Asked for thoughts on people who litter? “Rubbish,” came the reply.
Send us your advice, thoughts and comments by emailing greeningwymondham@gmail.com - or seek us out on Facebook and Instagram and join the fun!
Bugs - Who on Earth Needs Them?
On Monday the 17th of February, Wymondham Garden Club are excited to welcome Ian Bedford to give his talk on bugs and why we need them. Now retired, Ian was Chief Entomologist (Insect Expert) at the John Innes Centre. He is a familiar and regular speaker at the club. Expect to hear about how insects can be the gardeners’ friends – if we let them - and environmentally friendly ways to “manage” the pesky ones! It will take place at the Town Green Centre at 7:30pm. Members free; guests are charged £4 only. Membership renewal is also now available for 2025: the subscription fee is just £25 for the year. For more information, email wymondhamgardenclub@gmail.com.
Photo by this author is licenced under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Heritage Museum Feb 2025 Updates
As we accelerate towards spring, the pace picks up at Wymondham Heritage Museum. The museum opens for the new season on Monday March 10th, then daily until Saturday November 2nd. Last year, almost 3000 visitors came to the Bridewell to discover the history of the town and its people. Plans are in place to provide an even better visitor experience in 2025.
The popular Masters of the Air display featuring “The Friendly Invasion” (this was when Americans came to the town for their social lives’ benefit) is to be expanded with new material added.
The war will be a feature of the museum’s new season. A 1940’s weekend is planned including wartime activities, information, crafts, authentic food and costumed characters.
Later in the year, the museum will commemorate the 80th anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day. The exhibition will include a tapestry made in 1984 by Robert Kett Middle School pupils aged 11 and 12, inspired by the Portsmouth D-Day Museum’s Operation Overlord Tapestry.
VJ Day will commemorate the Far East Prisoners of War and include special stories, photos and memorabilia of a Wymondham Royal Marine, who was taken prisoner by the Japanese at Christmas 1941 and not released until September 1945.
Among the regular events will be Mother’s and Father’s Day trails, the Easter trail with crafts and activities, and of course the spooky Halloween trail.
Last year’s Christmas Past event, where more than 50 children came to The Bridewell to see Father Christmas, proved a resounding success. So, although Christmas may be a long way off, plans are already afoot to stage an extra special event to celebrate this year’s festive season.
Would you like to be involved and help the museum? Currently, more than 100 volunteers are working as stewards and helping in the Tearoom. Stewards open the museum or close it at the end of the day, depending on their shift. They welcome visitors, take admission payments, answer questions, sell shop items and generally be available to help visitors. You can volunteer for just three hours per month, or more if you can do an extra duty.
Over in the Tearoom, volunteers welcome visitors, serving them with drinks and light refreshments. The hardest part of the role is not giving in to the temptation of all the delicious homemade cakes and scones! Again, you can volunteer for three hours per month or more if you can spare the time.
Full training is given for both roles. To volunteer as a steward, email volunteers@thewhm.org.uk. For the Tearoom, it’s tearoom@thewhm.org.uk. For more information about the museum and the events, go to thewhm.org.uk.
Toadwatch Volunteers Needed and Froglife Newt Year Honours!
The Wymondham Toadwatch group has put out a call for much-needed volunteers! If you are interested in wildlife conservation and would like to help the local toads, contact Georgette at wymondham@toadwatch.org.
Georgette told the magazine: “The common toad is in decline in the UK. Every year, they return to their ancestral ponds to spawn, but they need our help crossing the roads.
The season is usually mid-February and March, although it depends on the weather.
Volunteers work in pairs and typically do an evening about once a week wearing high visibility jackets.
In this area, we particularly need help at Carleton Forehoe (the bridge), Wramplingham Road/Youngmans Road.”
In other news, Georgette has recently been awarded a certificate in Froglife’s Newt Year Honours list. She said, “Thank you so much for the Newt Year Award. Thanks also to John Heaser for the nomination.
I have been helping toads cross the roads for about 11 years now and have been coordinating volunteers in the Wymondham area for about 8 of those years. I honestly feel that as far as we humans are concerned - if we want to drive our cars - then it is the least we can do to prevent other species declining further. It is something practical that we can get involved in. It can be hard work trying to rally the troops when you don’t know exactly when they will be needed. Nevertheless, we have a great bunch of people who are willing to turn out and they all deserve awards. The spring-time camaraderie is second to none.”
Photo by this author is licenced under CC BY 3.0.
New ‘Warhammer’ Community Group
You may have heard of Warhammer models and gaming. A few months ago, we started holding paint sessions at The Big C charity shop in Allenbrooks Way.
Members bring their models to paint and we now have quite a community of enthusiasts who meet once per fortnight.
The sessions are free and open to all to attend; there is no fee.
There is also a WhatsApp group called Wynhammer where people exchange ideas and photos of their work. We now number 52 members in six weeks and anyone is free to join.
All ages attend the paint sessions and they get people away from their phones, tablets and computers.
Community Centre Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Christmas Event
A Community Christmas Drop-In event has rounded off a busy year for North Wymondham Community Centre, as it marks its 50th anniversary.
It was the last in a series of events, arranged by the Hall Committee, to highlight the role the charity-owned and maintained building plays in bringing the community together.
It was fitting that the entertainment was provided by an organisation launched there more than 20 years ago. The Wymondham u3a Music Group, led by Alison Billett, sang carols and Christmas songs, whilst visitors enjoyed mince pies and warm punch and a Christmas Tombola, supported by local family business, Bee Sweet.
David Mann of South Norfolk Radio also collected requests for the community radio station's Christmas Day Junior Choice programme.
If anyone is interested in helping with one-off fundraising events to support the running of the building, please contact the Events Team, via tony@valemail.uk
Come to these Regular Events at the Library
Knit Stitch and Natter: Thursdays 10-12pm and 4:45-6:45pm. Drop in to this friendly group to finish any projects you are working on.
Bounce and Rhyme: Tuesdays 10:10-10:40am and 11-11:30am. Songs and music for pre-schoolers with parents or carers.
Lego Club: Saturdays 10:30-11:30am. Get creative with our large collection of Lego. Suitable for children aged 5+.
Childrens Craft Club: Saturdays 10:30-11:30am. All materials provided for a different craft each week. Drop in.
Autism Café: 1st Thursday of the month 12-1pm. A space for those with autism and their carers or family to meet and chat in a friendly, casual environment. Drop-in.
Home Education Teen Meetup: Fridays at 2:30-4:30pm. A group for all teens that are home educated to meet up and chat.
Just a Cuppa and Games Time: Wednesdays 3-6pm. Drop in to play our large collection of board games and have a friendly chat with others.
Digital Support: Wednesday 10-4pm. Drop in for help with computer queries from our friendly IT support volunteer.
2025 Events at the Abbey Train Station
We start the year as we finished 2024: closed, but regularly on-site maintaining, improving and setting up for when we reopen on Saturday, March 1st. Many changes have happened since we have closed, including changes to the signalling system and an increase in vegetation in the viewing area. New for 2025 is a Market Day Friday timetable supporting Wymondham and Dereham’s Market Days. These trains will provide access to many Market Day events, including:
~1st March: Dereham model railway exhibition (1st running day).
~22nd-23rd March: 30th anniversary of MNR event.
~11th May: Vintage bus day.
~24th-26th May: Diesel Gala.
~27th-29th June: Steam Gala.
~2nd-3rd August: 1940s weekend.
~22nd-25th August: food, Drink and Music festival.
~September Heritage open day.
~31st October-2nd November Halloween specials (exclusively departing from Wymondham abbey).
We regularly support Wymondham dementia support group and during the season at certain galas and events. We are looking at supporting other local traders and charities with stalls on site, so if you are interested, please contact wymondhamabbey@mnr.org.uk.
We run solely on volunteers, so if you are interested in helping at Wymondham Abbey station or on the Mid Norfolk Railway, get in contact with us on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and YouTube by searching Wymondham Abbey Station. Alternatively, you can email us at the above address.
Music Events Group Presents - the Jive Aces!
Supported by Mel Stevens, the ‘Jive Aces’ will grace the stage at Wymondham Central Hall (NR18 0QB) on Thursday 6th February. The event opens at 6:30 for a 7:30 start.
Renowned worldwide for their high-energy spectacular showmanship, their viral video “Bring Me Sunshine” and for being the first live band to reach the final rounds of “Britain’s Got Talent”, The Jive Aces have firmly established themselves the UK’s No.1 Jive & Swing band.
At just £20 a ticket, don’t hesitate to ring Norman and Helen at 01953 600563 to book. Or pop into Reeves Stationers on Market Street. Tickets are also available online at ticketsource.co.uk/wymondham-music-events-group.
The proceeds of the event are split equally between 3 local charities: Wymondham Dementia Support Group, Wymondham and Attleborough Talking Newspaper, and Star Throwers Cancer Support.
The Lowe Down: Rebel Arts Lights, Valentine’s, and Victor Hugo
Well done Wymondhammers – you certainly know how to do Christmas.
I was on a late-night jog with my sister and a family friend over the holidays, just a few nights to go before the 25th, and we chanced upon the Christmas Display raising money for Rebel Arts on Wood Avens Way. Pictures are attached (with us sweaty runners mercifully cropped out). It was absolutely fantastic. Everyone who contributed should feel chuffed. I believe it was all raising money for youth activities run by Rebel Arts, which is an added bonus to the Christmas cheer it brought. And it certainly improved our horrid dark rainy run. My sister and her friend run in that area as a yearly tradition to see those lights, and this was my first year joining them. It was incredible. The community spirit is alive and well.
January is always a slightly depressing month by comparison. But that is fine. I have no truck with the “new year; new you – #YasQueen!” tradition. I am a firm believer that the phrase “start as you mean to go on” does NOT apply to the New Year. It is lovely when that does happen, but sometimes it is okay to start on a bit of a downer before things get better.
But for all the pessimism, there is lots of good stuff happening too. The twilight of 2024 had some serious positives. Cinema-wise, we had Wicked (film of the year), Juror #2, Nosferatu and Conclave. We were spoilt TV-wise too: the latest Cormoran Strike adaptation, The Ink Black Heart, came out on the BBC.
Similarly, by the time this is published, January will have passed and it will be the season of Valentine’s. I reckon February is a great month, regardless of whether you love or loathe Valentine’s Day. The cinema showings are fantastic at this time; Edinburgh has had reruns of Titanic every Valentine’s I’ve lived here. (I have a fantastic professor at university who would be all over that, claiming that that tradition is a problematic aestheticisation of a terrible tragedy for romantic “feel-good” purposes. But – for better or for worse – I have gone along each year.)
I am very much in favour of Valentine’s Day. I totally stand by actress Emilia Clarke’s words: “If you’re in a relationship, it’s an excuse to have a date night. If you’re not in a relationship, it’s an excuse to go out with your girlfriends and shout, ‘being single is great and here’s why! Let’s do something ridiculous.’” She rather charmingly says in the same interview that she is also in favour of people seizing the moment with that office or school crush. “Do it! Carpe diem. You never know – that person, she or he, could be it. And it just needed some mulled wine and some bad DJ music to make it happen.”
So go on Wymondhammers. You celebrated Christmas in style. Now it’s time to do the same for Valentine’s. No celebration is a bad celebration. Going on a date night is just as valid as renouncing the entire thing and spending it on the sofa binge-eating Guylians and watching Gossip Girl. Last year, being ever the Victor Hugo fan, I went to the cinema by myself and belted out the songs on a rerun of Les Misérables.
Speaking of – Victor Hugo remains one of my favourite authors, but one of my best friends recently punctured the illusion that he was an angelic human being. He preaches in both Les Mis and Hunchback of Notre-Dame about how prostitution is modern-day slavery. But when he died, the brothels all closed in a day of mourning – not because he was a feminist hero, but because he was such a frequent visitor! Apparently, he had a rather active sex life…talk about not practising what you preach. He was even rumoured to have boasted that he slept with his wife nine times on their wedding night. He was out and proud.
I can’t decide if that puts me off or makes me love him even more.
So there you go, folks. Whether you’re okay or not okay this time of year, at least we know that one of the most beloved proto-feminist French authors of all time was actually a sexually ravenous philandering hypocrite. That can put a smile on our faces. It’s the ultimate reminder, going into 2025, that no human being is perfect.
Vic's Picks: Top Walks in Town
Hello all, I hope everyone had a happy and safe Christmas. One of my favourite things to do in the winter months is go for a nice walk. We are lucky in Wymondham to have some lovely places to walk around, take in nature, and see the wildlife. I know lots of people like to recommit to their fitness journeys in the new year, and walking is one of my favourite ways to stay active. So please find below some of my favourite walks around Wymondham.
My favourite walk - and the walk that’s in the accompanying photo i- s the River Tiffy walk. I like to start at the handy car park on Cavick Road which is just past the Abbey as you walk away from town. It’s a great trail, taking you through some pretty fields, and under a bridge as you follow the Mid Norfolk railway line. You can cut the walk short and pop up near Tuttles Lane if you’re willing to traverse a pretty steep hill, but otherwise you can continue until you meet Wymondham Road, Crownthorpe Road, and Chapel Lane. While this route does have some narrow paths, it’s relatively flat and has some great views.
Next up is the Silfield nature reserve. There are a couple of ways to walk here but I like following Right Up Lane and turning left after I’ve crossed the footbridge. There’s some tranquil little ponds and often spot some great birds. I also like to make this a circular route by heading back to Burnthouse Lane, taking a right down Compass Road and heading back towards town via Silfield Street. This is quite a long one, but great if you’ve got the time.
A walk that’s a little shorter, and a classic favourite of mine is Tolls Meadow. You can walk whichever way you prefer around the meadow, but I like to include Cemetery Lane and a walk around the cemetery to make it slightly longer. This is a very peaceful walk, and if you’re into trains it’s a great place to watch them go past from the top of the cemetery. If you want to make this walk longer, simply carefully cross the railway track to Strayground Lane and follow that until you reach Park Lane and you can head left back towards town.
Remember I mentioned the River Tiffy walk earlier? If you make a 180 turn at that starting point, you can also follow the river in the opposite direction, taking you towards Damgate Street. This walk has a few benches to rest and also stunning views of the Abbey. I used to see lots of ducks here, but maybe you’ll get lucky and see some for yourself.
I hope I’ve given you some ideas of best places to walk this winter, and that you enjoy them, whether that’s with family or friends, an animal companion, or taking a moment to yourself. Many of these walks can be extended, adapted, or shortened to meet your preferences. But wherever you go walking I wish for it to be pleasant and relaxing.
New Year Honour for Rugby Club Legend
The New Year saw extra celebrations at Wymondham Rugby Club with an honour for one of the club’s legends.
William Good - known to all as Shay - was awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Year’s Honours list after more than 50 years volunteering at the club.
“Quite simply, Shay is the hub of the wheel around which the club revolves,” said Duncan Anderson Brown, the chair of trustees at Wymondham RFC.
Shay, originally from County Cork in Ireland, first came across Wymondham RFC when he played against the newly-founded club in the early 1970s while serving with the RAF at Watton.
He retired from the services, bought a bungalow in Attleborough, signed up for the club in 1974, and hasn’t looked back since.
“In those days, we didn’t have a clubhouse or anything,” he said. “We used to meet in the pub. But it started growing, we got a second and then a third team out and then a bit later the minis and youth started.”
Shay, 80, is the club’s membership secretary, dealing with all the player registrations and rugby regulations and liaising with England Rugby, including helping to introduce the new online Game Management System.
“Everything has changed so much,” he explained. “When we first got going it was like the wild west but steadily all the rules and regulations were introduced.
“It can still be chaos at the start of the season - but that I can handle. We’re an organised club - and a friendly one too.”
According to Duncan, Shay is much more than an administrator. “For generations of members, Shay has ensured that all who wanted to play or watch rugby, regardless of social background, ethnicity, gender or disability, could do so as club members. “He is our gatekeeper, and always keeps the gate open.”
Records Broken at EAMA 10K Race
This year, an amazing 671 athletes took part in the annual EAMA 10k race. Runners completed a one-lap circuit starting in Lady’s Lane and looping around the picturesque countryside near Morley.
South Norfolk Council’s Chair, Sharon Blundell, started the race and was on-hand to present the winners with their medals at the finish line. She said:
“The EAMA 10k is always a highlight of the Council’s year and it’s really great to see so many people getting involved. This is a race for everyone and it’s wonderful to see so many age groups represented.
“As always, there was a fantastic supportive atmosphere, with lots of people cheering the runners along and I would like to say a massive thank you to all the volunteers who helped on the day and made the event such an overwhelming success.”
Congratulations to all the winners, particularly Danny Adams, who ran the course in 32 minutes and 38.9 seconds and Jo Andrews who finished in 37 minutes and 40.8 seconds.
AVIVA Team 1 won the Corporate Challenge with a combined time of 2 hours, 32 minutes.
East Anglian Motor Auctions of Wymondham sponsor the EAMA 10K. Money raised from the entry fees is used to fund some of the Council’s most-valued community services, with some also donated to the Chairman’s chosen charity.
See the full race results here.
Join WAC in their Upcoming 20-Mile Race!
On Sunday 23 March, hundreds of keen runners will take part in the Wymondham Athletic Club (WAC) 20 mile race, with many of them – including me! – using it as part of their Spring marathon training preparations.
There are still places available, so if you fancy a challenge, why not sign up? The WAC marshals along the route will provide lots of friendly encouragement! All details are here.
The race starts at the Market Cross, and then finishes by Lady’s Lane – the perfect opportunity for a sprint finish – if you still have the energy!
For those of you who ARE using it as part of marathon training, I hope your preparations are going ok! I was lucky enough to get a London marathon place in the WAC club ballot and am using it as an opportunity to fundraise for the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital charity.
And for those of you who aren’t ready for a 20 mile race, but can already run 5k (it doesn’t matter how fast you are!) and would like to meet other runners, then Wymondham Athletic Club would love to hear from you! It’s a friendly mixed ability group, who meet on Monday evenings at Kett’s Park.
Happy running everyone!
Thursday 6th February
Jive Aces Charity Music Show
7:30pm, 
Wymondham Central Hall
Organised by Wymondham Music Events Group in aid of local charities. Jive Aces are the UK's Number 1 Jive and Swing Band.
Tickets £20 available at Reeve's and on Ticket Source website.
01953 600563
ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/norfolk/central-hall-wymondham/charity-dance-show-with-the-jive-aces/2025-02-06/19:30/t-jzlnaqv
Tuesday 11th February
Kett's Park Volunteer Workday 9:30am-3:30pm, Kett's Park Woodland
Join volunteers to help this woodland to thrive. Refreshments at 11:00am. Bring yourself, your lunch, a pair of gloves and sturdy boots.
greeningwymondham.org
Saturday 1st March
Young Rebels Gig 1pm, HMV Chantry Place Norwich
Come see young performers from Wymondham at HMV Live & Local - free entry.
facebook.com/people/Rebel-Arts-Wymondham
Monday 3rd March
Ashleigh Nursery Tour 1:45pm, Ashleigh Primary School
If your child was born between 01/09/2021 and 31/08/2022 and you are interested in Ashleigh Nursery from September 2025, we would love to meet you and show you our wonderful Nursery! Book space on the tour via email to nursery@ashleighprimary.net or call 01953 602410.
ashleighprimary.com
Tuesday 4th March
Ashleigh Nursery Tour 10am, Ashleigh Primary School
If your child was born between 01/09/2021 and 31/08/2022 and you are interested in Ashleigh Nursery from September 2025, we would love to meet you and show you our wonderful Nursery! Book space on the tour via email to nursery@ashleighprimary.net or call 01953 602410.
ashleighprimary.com
Saturday 8th March
NRS Railway Show 10:30am-4:30pm, Central Hall
Displays of Railway interest. Model railway layouts. Society sales stands. Refreshments. Adults £4 Kids 5-16 £2, under 5s free. Family ticket £12 (2 adults + 3 or more children).
norfolkrailwaysociety.org.uk
Saturday 15th March
Farmer's Market 9am-1pm, Market Place
Browse a range of artisan products from local producers at the 25th Anniversary market.
Thursday 27th March
Heritage Society Talk 7:30pm, Fairland Hall
Join Wymondham Heritage Society for a talk by Kevin Hurn and Jemima Stimpson. Free for members - visitors £2. New members can join at a meeting or contact Janet Benjafield on 01953 600205.
wymondhamheritagemuseum.co.uk/?p=programme
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