Friday 26th September 2025 - Calming, Award and Coffee Mornings

It’s been a blustery week but this afternoon, the wind has calmed down.  Hopefully, tomorrow I’ll be able to clear fallen leaves.  The winds have not stopped me getting out in the garden where I’ve been making a start on preparing it for winter, which is of course is still a way off.  There is not so much to do since I moved away from mainly annual plants.  The result is, virtually nothing to do in the way of pulling up spent bedding plants and replacing with fresh ones; those suited to withstanding the cold and frosts.

I had a visit on Wednesday morning from the Poppy Appeal Manager for Norfolk.  She brought with her a framed award.  I received this in my role of Poppy Appeal Organiser for the Overstrand District.  We have won the Sir Thomas Cook Challenge Award for the highest increase in funds collected for the Poppy Appeal in a Small Branch Area during the year ending 30^th September 2024.  I am delighted to have been presented with this award, which would not have been possible without the support provided by Peter (helping with distribution and the count), Derek, Martin and Lesley (assisting with counting donations) and Gordon (who has provided a secure area at the end of the appeal).  Over the years, they have given their time to help with the Appeal and of course there has been the wonderful public, clubs, churches, schools and organisations who’ve made donations and purchased wreaths.

Due to other arrangements, I did not attend today’s Macmillan Coffee morning, in the Sports Pavilion.  However, I was delighted to read on Facebook, this raised an impressive £1,093 for this worthy charity.  Next Thursday, 2^nd October, the weekly coffee mornings will resume between 10.00 and 12.00, again in the Sports Pavilion. These mornings are a popular meeting place for villagers who can enjoy a chat over a cuppa with cake and/or a sausage roll.  Today’s photo is of one of the posters in the village, publicising the return of the coffee mornings.