0590 Loddon Reach June 20 64pp Interactive) - Flipbook - Page 15
BEECH HILL NEWS
Mystery stones
There have been curious sightings of mysterious
painted stones all around the village. These began
popping up a few weeks ago, and generated some
talk amongst anyone who found one near their
front door. It even became a little competitive,
with anyone not finding a stone, pleading to be
given one.
The village elves were appealed to, and seemingly
have obliged. Instead of an Easter egg hunt this
year, local
children have taken to walking through the village
with their eyes downcast, scanning doorsteps and
driveways for new stones.
A small selection is pictured.
Boxes and buddies
As soon as we realised what lockdown would
mean for our elderly and isolating villagers, the
village came together to find a solution. Enabled
by Jim at The Elm Tree pub, which has obviously
had to close during lockdown, we introduced a
right day. Along with the village noticeboards,
village group Facebook page, and the chalk-board
by the Memorial Hall, this is our main source of
news pertinent to the village. Run by two village
stalwarts, Peter and David Simpson, it’s the first
place villagers go to find out what’s going on.
The webpage proved vital when the coronavirus
pandemic lockdown came into force. Not only
was it a great source of information from the
local council when people were unsure about
prescriptions, new rules about going out and
about, and information on help available locally,
it also proved a fantastic communications vehicle
to ensure that everyone on the webpage mailing
list could be kept in touch with the fast-moving
situation when lockdown came into force.
Thanks to the efforts of the Beech Hill support
group, and Lawrie Lee in particular, many more
villagers have signed up to the webpage mailing
list, meaning more villagers can be reached
quickly and easily as new developments emerge
with the easing of the lockdown. Here is a link to
the webpage: www.beechhillvillage.co.uk.
Please join us at
Dads & Kids
Dads – another opportunity to spend some quality
Give Mum
morning
off and spend
some
time with
time
withtheyour
children.
There
willquality
be toys,
games,
your children.
There will
toys, games,
paper dart
flying
paper
dart flying
andbe other
activities.
Plus
a bacon
and other
a baconup.
sarny
to keep
the energy
sarny
to activities.
keep thePlus
energy
Only
£1.50
per family.
up. Only £1.50
per0family.
Children from 0 to 11.
Children
from
to 11.
Where:
D
E
N
St Mary’s Church Hall
O
P
T
th
Where:
St
Mary’s11Church
Hall
When:
Saturday
November
Time:
10 am to 1211th
noonJuly
When:
Saturday
(subject to lockdown ending)
S
O
P
Time:
10 am to 12 noon
weekly food box scheme. Villagers who are selfisolating (and indeed anyone in the village), can
order boxes of essential food each week including
bread, milk, eggs, meat, fruit and vegetables.
Our first boxes included some delightful white
chocolate Easter bunnies, courtesy of a kind local
who wanted to make a donation towards the box
scheme and spread some Easter cheer.
The boxes can be picked up safely from the
Elm Tree deck by those that can, or delivered
to those who can’t, by a group of ‘buddies’.
These ‘buddies’ form a support group that looks
after those in need, delivering food, collecting
prescriptions or just calling to check on them.
The food boxes and buddy scheme have been a
great success and reflect the warm spirit of our
community in Beech Hill. For more details, email
beechhillvillage2020@gmail.com
Village webpage
This information hub for everything Beech Hill
keeps villagers in touch with each other, sharing
local news, providing regular updates by email,
and ensuring we all put our rubbish out on the
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Please mention Loddon Reach magazine when responding to advertisements
A great example during lockdown was when one
local, John, noticed that all the plants growing in
the Thrive greenhouses were in danger of dying
with nobody to water them. He put out the call
via the village webpage and was rewarded with
many offers to help. John has organised us all
into weekly watering teams and, with his quick
thinking, we hope to keep the plants alive for
when Thrive reopens.
Sunflower seeds
The village has decided
to sow a little sunshine
over the coming months,
with a giant sunflower
growing competition.
Fierce competition is
already hotting-up with
compost and bonemeal
discussions and stories
of 15ft giants from
years gone by (strangely
with no witnesses…).
Children and adults
will vie against each other for a prize in late July/
August, when, armed with a tape measure, we will
judge the tallest sunflower in the village. Thanks
again to Sam E for this fun idea.
Brian
Before lockdown, the Memorial Hall had planned
a quiz night, reviving an ancient tradition known
as the ‘Brian of Beech Hill’ (stemming from an
unfortunate misspelling by the trophy engraver).
Determined not to let the quiz go to waste, the
questions were duly sent out to everyone in the
village, with a tie-breaker to be the deciding
factor in awarding a winner (knowing that there
might just be a small temptation to consult the
internet).
The winning entry came from the MacMillan
family, who received a grand prize of two loo rolls,
a bottle of wine, and of course the famous trophy.
They won with a big score but also because of a
lovely poem accompanying the answers as the
tie break, and it is included here with Debbie
MacMillan’s permission:
My village, Beech Hill
“My village is not just any village
It’s the place that we call home
Where if you choose to lay your head
You’ll never want to roam.
I first came here to see the ducks
Where you can stop awhile
To perch upon the blacksmiths bench
And gaze across the little Isle.
In these strange times of Covid-19
When stay at home we must
There is no place on earth I’d rather be
Even if it means I have to dust!
If I go out for my daily walk
Down a long and leafy lane
Forest bathe amongst the trees
It helps us all stay sane!
Flowers in front gardens
Many people walking by
Looking at their beauty
Take a pause, a breath, a sigh.
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