Heacham & District News

Richard Dix set up a small one man band IT services company at his home in School Road in Heacham 10 years ago this year.  This small entrepeneur expanded rapidly and then operated from an “office” in Mr Dix’s back garden.  It was around 2006 when the business really branched out and became established in purpose built office space at Marea Farm, Heacham.  Since 2002, Mr Dix has been involved with community broadband projects such as West Norfolk Community Broadband which served thousands of houses and businesses in a five-square mile area.

This solid hands on experience enabled Mr Dix to develop “Rural Broadband” as an offshoot of Positive Computing.  Rural Broadband focusses on the provision of internet connectivity and other associated services to customers based in rural areas in Norfolk and across the UK.  Having lived, worked and trained in Heacham, Norfolk all his life, Mr Dix has expanded his wealth of valuable IT experience and now offers the benefit of this experience to providing internet connection to communities who need to overcome the technical challenges faced in less well connected parts of the country.  Rural Broadband is growing its network of experienced satellite dish installers across the country to be able to provide a complete service to any region in the UK.

The company now offers a personal and family-run IT service business with a range of services including:

• Web hosting
  • ADSL connectivity
  • Remote computer support (through Positive Computing)
  • Online Backup
  • Satellite internet connectivity (through BeyonDSL) and installation

We can look forward to Positive Computing and Rural Broadband growing from strength to strength as broadband technology takes over.

Entrance to Walsingham Farms Shop at Norfolk Lavender by Stella Gooch

Walsingham Farms Shop

The Walsingham Farms Shop have taken over the original Old Miller’s Tea Rooms where they are able to offer Walsingham Farms Shop produce (which is almost all sourced directly from Norfolk growers).  The tea rooms are also to be renamed ‘The Lavender Kitchen’.  Having recently paid a visit to the Tea Rooms I can announce that they have done a wonderful refurbishment job and given the tea rooms a fantastic facelift.  It all looks fresh and inviting and the food offerings -obviously – include their own home-grown Norfolk produced Farm Shop goods.  So why not pay a visit there soon and welcome Walsingham Farms Shop to the local area.

In addition a, a second farm shop has recently been opened by Walsingham Farms Shop in Heacham.  The  Farm Shop is located in a carefully renovated barn at Norfolk Lavender right at the gateway to Heacham.  Walsingham Farms Shop fayre includes:

• Beef  from Partner James Woodhouse, of Hill House Farm, Great Walsingham, whose cattle graze the Stiffkey watermeadows and also the Abbey park meadows
• Pork  from Tim Allen of Morley Farm, South Creake
• Lamb supplied from several farms close to Walsingham
• Free range and organic chickens from Sutton Hoo Chickens in Suffolk
• Free range hen’s, goose, duck and quail’s eggs from David and Helen Perowne at Top Farm, Great Snoring
• Game in season from the Walsingham Estate
• Venison in season from the Holkham Estate
• Cheeses from Norfolk makers such as Catherine Temple of Mrs Temple’s Cheese at Wighton, and Ellie Betts of Ferndale Norfolk Farmhouse Cheeses, Little Barningham; ewe’s milk cheese from Willow Farm Dairy near Wymondham
• Vegetables and fruit from many different growers, including Steve Brett at Aylsham and Walsingham allotment-holders. They harvest herbs and salad from the Farms Shop garden. Citrus, bananas and some out of season fruit and vegetables come from wholesalers to keep stocks up
• They stock only their own Norfolk ham made from Morley Farm pork legs and their own award-winning sausages
• Suffolk salami
• Smoked fish and shellfish, and their famous patés from Cley Smokehouse
• Cakes, jams, pickles and chutneys are home made in Walsingham
• Honey from Walsingham Apiaries
• Norfolk milk, yoghourt, cream and ice cream supplied by the Pointen brothers at Melton Constable
• Letheringsett flour, muesli, grains, dried fruit, from the watermill outside Holt
• Bread baked by Grooms in Burnham Market and the Metfield Bakery in Dereham
• Apple juice from the Royal Fruit Farms at Sandringham and from Plumbe & Maufe at Leith Orchards near Burnham Thorpe
• Norfolk cider from Whin Hill Cider at Wells-next-the-Sea
• Large selection of Norfolk and Suffolk beers and ales to choose from including Yetman’s, Why Not, Iceni, Grain, St Peter’s, Adnams and Calvors
• A selection of wines chosen for everyday drinking
• and much much more…..

Istanbul Kebab & Pizza

A new takeaway outlet has also recently opened up on Station Road in Heacham expanding the choice of takeaway food available in Heacham.  I have not had a chance to check it out for myself but why don’t you?

Sure Foot Health Clinic

New arrival on Heacham’s High Street is the Sure Foot Health Clinic to replace the A Q Fire shop.  This arrival means that Heacham’s long established foot health clinic run by Janet Pitkin at Mind has company.