The Carnival Kids' along with Carnival Lion Leo and Zoe, Manager from the Golden Lion, who are supporting Carnival again this year!

Plans for this year’s Carnival are well underway and there is still the opportunity for last minute parade and stall entries so don’t delay.

This year we have 3 princesses and 2 princes: Charlie Melton and Lewis Cleland both from Redgate School, Sophie Horner, Eleanor Wood and Rebecca Wallace also from Redgate School and our lovely new Queen Trudy Cooper from Wells High School. All children live in Hunstanton and are keen
to represent the Town at Carnival on Sunday 24th June and throughout the year at Civic Events.

This year’s theme is…’All that glitters…’ and the kids are keeping tight lipped about their outfits, although we suspect there will be some glitter involved. At last night’s Carnival meeting at the Golden Lion, excitement from the ‘kids’ was plain to see.  The Lynn News and EDP were on hand to take official photos…. look out in the local press for these soon!

Carnival Day starts at 10am with stalls and activities on the Green all day. The official opening by the Queen, Princes and Princesses
and Mayor and special guests will be at 11am and the Carnival Parade will leave the recreation ground at 1pm heading down to the Green.
There are performances and appearances all day on the stage by local groups and a special guest spot by a childrens’ choir from London!!

Look out for full programme guide in shop windows, Tourist Information Centre and on the day, on notice boards.

DON’T FORGET Sunday 24th June 10am  – 6pm  2012 HUNSTANTON CARNIVAL ….. ALL THAT GLITTERS….

The primary Jubilee Event in Hunstanton is on 4 June where a full day of entertainment is planned with fun for all the family finishing with ‘lighting of the beacon’ and fireworks.  There will be stalls and street entertainment in the High Street area and more stalls and all day entertainment on the Green.

On the Green starting at 10 am there will be a full programme of entertainment which will continue until the beacon is lit, one of 4000 registered  beacons round the country. 

Also on the Lower Green will be the following attractions bouncy castle and slide, Tots play area, Dog Agility and flyball demonstrations, Punch and Judy (11am and 2pm), Balloon Race,  Hunstanton Motorcycle Training, BBQ, Hog Roast etc.   There will also be stalls which include Rainbows craft and face painting, In Bloom, The Allotment Society, Norfolk Hospice Tapping House.  There will also be a chance to paint a tile which will become part of a permanent feature on North Promenade.

In the High Street will be a craft market with street entertainment throughout the day including a clarinettist, Snettisham Salvation Army Band, Steel Drum Player and John Giller Drama and Theatre Academy.  In the Spinney, which has been yarnbombed, there will be storytelling from 12noon until 3pm.

This exciting day will cumulate with the lighting on the beacon on the Lower Green synchronised country wide at 10.15pm.  This will be followed by a firework display on the beach.

HM The Queen has been our monarch for a fantastic 60 years in 2012.  Diamond Jubilee celebrations are planned all over the UK focussing on an extended weekend – 2, 3, 4 and 5 June 2012.  Queen Elizabeth II acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952 and was crowned on 2 June 1953.  There is so much happening in our local area to mark HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee so why not try and get around some of these enjoyable events some of which are listed below.

If you have any Jubilee events in our local area that deserve a mention just drop me an email to stella@hunstanton-on-line.co.uk with brief details:

Hunstanton Beach at low tide

Hunstanton has once again been successful in gaining both a Blue Flag and Quality Coast Award.

24 beaches across the East Coast of England were awarded Blue Flags and Quality Coast Awards by Keep Britain Tidy today*. In total 142 beaches across England gained awards this year and Hunstanton was one of just 36 beaches to have gained both a Blue Flag and Quality Coast Award.

The awards recognise high standards in beach management.

Cllr Elizabeth Nockolds, Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Cabinet Member, said, “It is great news that Hunstanton has achieved these prestigious awards once again and further recognition of the quality of the resort. The flags are a clear symbol to visitors that the beach and facilities are well-managed and clean.”

Beaches are awarded the Blue Flag based on compliance with 32 criteria covering the following: environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management, safety and services.

Phil Barton, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, which is responsible for the Blue Flag scheme in England and the Quality Coast Awards, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled that England has more Blue Flag beaches this year and we urge more holiday-makers to take advantage of the East of England’s award-winning seaside resorts this summer.

“It’s great to see that more beaches along our coastline have achieved high standards of excellence for visitors. With 24 beaches in the region receiving Blue Flags and Quality Coast Awards, what better way to holiday in the East of England than to visit one of these local award-winning beaches?”.

The news comes ahead of the extended bank holiday weekend in June when thousands of water sports enthusiasts are set to flock to Hunstanton to enjoy Lifestyles Festival (1-3 June). Once again the event will include the British Kitesurfing Association’s National Kitesurfing competition as well as workshops and demonstrations of a variety of extreme sports. For full details visit: www.lifestylesfestival.co.uk.

The Quality Coast Award and Blue Flag scheme are administered in England by Keep Britain Tidy. For more information visit www.keepbritaintidy.org.

Gamekeeper in the tweed returns from a hunt at Holkham Estate

A tweed which has been the exclusive preserve of the Holkham Estate gamekeepers for almost ten years is now being made available to the public

The Holkham Estate has launched a selection of tweed products which features waistcoats, flat caps, dog beds and doorstops.  The clothing is being made by local gentlemen’s tailors, Goddard & Son, who also make the tweed suits worn by the estate’s gamekeepers on shoot days.

The shop was redesigned in 2010 and has a policy of supporting local artists, producers and suppliers and is an Associate Member of the Produced in Norfolk network.

Using the resources of the estate, for 2012 the shop has also introduced a range of corkscrews, bottle openers, butter knives and cufflinks which are made from the antlers of the Holkham deer herd. These unusual items sit alongside works of local art, interesting hats, bags and jewellery, as well as a range of delicious foods and other gifts.

Johanna Tennant, retail and projects manager at Holkham, said: “The shop provides a perfect showcase for local suppliers demonstrating the high quality of workmanship and product development which is happening across Norfolk.  Our first stop when sourcing goods for the shop is the local, small supplier.  If we are looking for additional items, we search within the region or elsewhere in the UK.  The Holkham tweed items are a subtle blend of warm, earthy colours and are already proving popular with our visitors.”

Visit www.holkham.co.uk for more information and for details of demonstration days in the gift shop which include food tastings, book signings and visits by local artists.

View into Conservation Area from Hunstanton Beach 2002

The cat is out of the bag re the recent lottery bid by Hunstanton Civic’s Society.  The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), having assessed their £7.48m application for the creation of a new Hunstanton pier and two heritage centres have now decided that the Fund was unable to support the project. To date, HLF has made 98 awards in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk totalling £11.4m and it is a shame that on this occasion Hunstanton has missed out.

Carole Souter, Chief Executive of HLF, said:

“Whilst we commend Hunstanton Civic Society for their desire to create a new pier, we were unable to support this project as there is so little of the original historic fabric of the previous pier remaining.  The Heritage Lottery Fund is always available to provide advice to organisations considering applying for a grant and we would be happy to do so should the Civic Society want to discuss any future plans with us.”

John Maiden’s reaction on behalf of Hunstanton Civic Society:

“Members of our committee were disappointed with the outcome, but will accept the invitation to discuss future plans with the HLF.  There is clearly a need for a heritage centre of some kind in Hunstanton, it is just very unfortunate that West Norfolk Council failed to enforce the repairing covenant in the Pier Lease when most of the pier was washed away in 1978, or again in 2002 when the final remnant was removed after fire had destroyed the entire entrance building. Had this small section of pier been preserved the HLF would have been more likely to fund the reinstatement of the whole structure. However, since the 999-year pier lease has another 8 centuries left to run, there will clearly be opportunities to build a pier on the original footprint if money can be found from other sources…”

Hunstanton Pier 1978

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07775 724484 Website: www.rosamaly.co.uk Email: vacancies@rosamaly.co.uk Your hosts Sandy and Bob look forward to hearing from you ]]> http://norfolk-on-line.co.uk/hunstanton/news/2012/05/09/rosamaly-guesthouse-hunstanton-bb-%e2%80%93-vacancies/feed/ 0 http://norfolk-on-line.co.uk/hunstanton/news/2012/05/08/open-days-at-bircham-newton-memorial-project/ http://norfolk-on-line.co.uk/hunstanton/news/2012/05/08/open-days-at-bircham-newton-memorial-project/#comments Tue, 08 May 2012 11:29:03 +0000 Aussie Girl http://norfolk-on-line.co.uk/hunstanton/news/?p=3616 Posted by Stella Gooch

The Bank Holiday weekend once again saw the opening to the public of the RAF Memorial Project Heritage Room Museum.  Since I had never heard of the museum previously – entry was FREE – and it was close by my family and I ventured out to take a look.  What we found was an amazing collection of historical memorabilia and records covering the life of what was once an operational RAF base throughout two world wars.   The material gathered had been provided from many sources throughout the local area.  In such a small room there was an amazing range of items to get your head around.  For me it was overwhelming in that I currently live on top of all this history and had no idea of the role played by Bircham Newton in the two world wars.

I also witnessed on display a truly wonderful piece of memorabilia which I understand, was created more than 90 years ago.  This plaque had been donated to the Museum by Rene Chamberlain, a resident of Heacham near Hunstanton in 2011 when Mrs Chamberlain was 100 years old!  The plaque is painted on canvas from the skin of an aircraft (Fairey Albacore)  and is an emblem representing the 119 Squadron in which Mrs Chamberlain’s father Frank Coe served, working all over the UK and for a period in France.  This is a phenomenal piece in the collection of memorabilia and will generate a lot of interest for future generations, because of its age and the fact that it was painted by someone who served in the 119 Squadron which was actually based here at Bircham Newton.  Alongside the display is an explanation of its history.

The 119 Squadron was formed in January 1918 as a day bomber unit but failed to become operational before the end of the First World War.  After training at Duxford and Thetford it was eventually disbanded in December 1918.  Mr Coe is believed to have joined the squadron in 1918.  (The squadron was reformed again in July 1944 and served in Bircham Newton, flying Alacore and Swordfish biplanes on anti-shipping missions. It was disbanded again in May 1945.)

When presenting the plaque, Mrs Chamberlain said: “The plaque was just left in my house and I didn’t want it to end up on the scrap heap. I had asked a lot of friends if they knew of a museum who would like to take it and my friend Peter Collison contacted the people here at Bircham Newton.”

Mrs Chamberlain was rightly proud of her father who had been awarded three medals for bravery during his time in the service and felt sure that he would be delighted if he could see what had happened to his plaque.  The emblem drawn and painted by Mr Coe features a white eagle with a crown above it.

It is believed that this was not the squadron plaque used during World War Two but it could well have been a preliminary design.

The work of the museum is to be commended.  There are unfortunately too few volunteers for the museum to be open very often.

Memorial at Bircham Newton

Future dates in 2012 for museum openings are (11am to 5pm for each day):

ADMISSION FREE

Sunday, 27 May
Sunday, 24 June
Sunday, 29 July
Sunday, 26 August
Sunday, 30 September (special celebration 2pm 5pm)

RAF Bircham Newton closed in December 1962. The closure was marked by a final graduation parade of RAF apprentices and a ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony conducted by the Central Band of the Royal Air Force and the Queens Colour Squadron. The guest of honour was Marshal of the Royal Air Force Lord Tedder, who had commanded one of Bircham Newton’s squadrons in the early 1920s.

An event will be held at Bircham Newton on the afternoon of Sunday the 30 September 2012 to mark the 50th anniversary of the closure of the RAF station. Weather permitting, there will be a flypast of vintage aircraft from Felthorpe Flying Club, and many other things to enjoy, including military music performed by the Fakenham Town Band.

It is anticipated that several RAF veterans will attend, including former RAF Administrative Apprentices, who participated in the original closing ceremony. Other local organisations have also been invited to participate and exhibit, including the National Construction College, the Air Training Corps, the Royal British Legion, the Royal Air Force Association, the Norfolk Military Vehicle Group, the Friends of Langham Dome and the War Graves Group from St Mary’s Church Great Bircham.

There will be a display of military vehicles and large scale model aircraft, and an exhibition of paintings and drawings produced by two local primary schools. In addition, trustee David Jacklin will present an illustrated talk on the history of the former RAF station and its satellite airfields. To conclude the event, a small ‘Sunset Ceremony’ will be conducted to replicate the final part of the original closing ceremony when a bugler played the ‘Last Post’ as the RAF ensign was lowered.

You can find out more about the Bircham Newton Memorial Project on their website

HOW TO FIND THE HERITAGE ROOM:
Take the B1155 (Stanhoe to Gt Bircham) through the centre of the National Construction College East campus (Bircham Newton) – see OS Landrange 132 – NE Norfolk/Kings Lynn/Fakenham.
From Stanhoe: Immediately pass signs for The Birches Conference Centre – look for sign on lefthand siDe of road indicating “RAF Memorial”.  Turn off B1155 at this sign.  Pass memorial (on right).  Parking area and Heritage Room Museum in building facing blue ramp and wooden sign in place).
From Gt Bircham: Drive through campus – pass main car park on right.  Take second turning right then directions as above.

BRIEF BACKGROUND TO RAF BIRCHAM NEWTON MEMORIAL PROJECT HERITAGE ROOM MUSEUM

Bircham Newton’s RAF history spans 1918 – 1962 and involves some illustrious names over the years.  The origins of the station go back to the First World War when it opened as a home to the first four-engined bombers.  The base continued hosting bomber squadrons during the 1920s and 1930s.  In the Second World War it served with distinction in Coastal Command.  At this time the station became the home of Admin and Officer Training.  The Construction College (known as CITB at the time) purchased the site in 1962.

The Memorial Project was established in 2005 with a view to raising funds for permanent memorials at both Bircham Newton and Docking.  These memorials are now in place and the offer focal points to honour those who served and died at both stations.  The College kindly provided a permanent home for the project in what used to the Commanding Officer’s quarters and the Heritage Room Museum became established.

The Museum commemorates the personnel and work of those involved in the RAF station at Bircham Newton and its satellites (Docking, Langham and Sedgeford) and houses personal memories, memorabilia and items of interest illustrating the history of the life of the station.

Statute of "Persimmon" at the Sandringham Stud

Sandringham’s Park House always has a variety of events going on throughout the year – some regular features to the calendar and some new additions.  It is a wonderful setting for many a splendid occasion.

In 2012 there will be a private guided tour of the Royal Stud at Sandringham on Wednesday May 23rd, at 6.30pm. See this year’s foals and learn all about the process! £7.50 per head. Limited to about 30 people. To book a place, please call Ann Carter on 01945 581962, or email her at a.carter369@btinternet.com.

Why not enjoy a Strawberry Tea with Bucks Fizz at Park House on Wednesday May 30th, 3pm to 5pm. Price £12.50. Either in the grounds or, if weather dictates, indoors in the Conservatory. Tickets Ann Carter 01553 631179 or from any of the Park House Companions. It would be helpful if numbers were confirmed by May 23rd if possible.

The crowning glory for this year’s line up in the Silver Jubilee Ball.  This is to be held on Saturday June 30th. This is a black tie event, dancing to Eddie Seales Big Band with a top quality 3 course meal.  A sumptuous evening to mark a special moment in the reign of HM The Queen.  The ball starts at 7pm and finishes at 1am with dinner being served at 8pm. Tickets at £50 per head from Ann Carter on 01553 631179, Sue Sapey on 01945 880310 or tonyandsue.sapey@btinternet.com, or any of the Companions of Park House.

Hunstanton Town Team is working towards success in the Portas Pilot Bid.  Help support Hunstanton and this campaign.