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Message 1Great HallingburyHighlights Spring 2025 Vol. 105An independent publication giving news on matters aecting Great Hallingbury Daffodils at Easton Lodge

2CouncillorsParish Council Chairman:Mr. Alan Townsend Tel: 4657907 The Grove, CM22 7TT email: ajt1952@btinternet.comParish Council Vice-Chairman:Mr. Mark Coletta email: cllrcolettapc@gmail.comParish Councillors:Mr. David Barlow Tel: 657182 128, Bedlars Green, CM22 7TL Mr. Mark Bloomeld Tel: 501679The Old Post Oce, Bedlars Green, CM22 7TPemail: bloomeldmotors30@yahoo.co.ukDr Neil Jackson Tel: 654983Monksway, Woodside Green, CM22 7UUemail: njackson57@btinternet.com 07801 431645Mr. Andrew Noble Tel: 832837Lewismead, Tilekiln Green, CM22 7TQemail: agnoble@aol.comMr. Alan Pinnock128A Bedlars Green, CM22 7TL Tel: 659071alanpinnock@hotmail.com Mobile: 07939 603507Mrs Val Waring Tel: 07979 450871email: val@valwaring.co.ukClerk to the Parish Council:Mrs. Urška Sydee Tel:07432 29714248 The Forest, Hateld Broad Oak, CM22 7BT email: greathallingburypc@outlook.comWebsite:https://e-voice.org.uk/great-hallingbury-parish-councilUttlesford District CouncillorsMr. Geof Driscoll email: cllrdriscoll@uttlesford.gov.uk Mr. Neil Reeve email: cllrreeve@uttlesford.gov.ukEssex County CouncillorMrs. Susan Barker Tel: 01245 231250Little Garnetts, Bishops Green, Barnston, Essex, CM6 1NF Fax 01245 231810 email: cllr.susan.barker@essex.gov.ukMember of ParliamentMr Chris Vince MPHouse of Commons, London SW1A 0AA email: chris.vince.mp@parliament.ukContacts for Village ActivitiesBridge on SundaysOrganiser Christine Coultrupbridgeonsaunday@gmail.com 01279 655144Cricket ClubKeith Behagg 01371 872550Hallingbury LadiesSecretary Gill Sewell 01279 504990marjorierosegs@hotmail.comHistory SocietySecretary; Claire Layer gthallhistory@gmail.com 07776 936721Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator Mark Coletta cllrcolettapc@gmail.com Neighbours’ AssociationChair Diane Conway Dianeeconway@aol/com 07712 225085Poppy AppealCoordinator Gill Sewell 01279 504990marjorierosegs@hotmail.comSt. Giles’ ChurchPriest in Charge: Rev’d Sophie WellerBenece Administrator: Alison Uncleadministrator@thesixvillages.org 07934 260978Scouting AssociationsSally Bentley 01279 902710Village HallBookings: Sarah Cox 07544 921459gthallvillagehall@gmail.comVenture 85 - short term loan of mobility aids, etcMonica Swann 01279 653820LTH Waste Removal and Luxury Toilet Hire (UK) LtdWhether you are arranging a wedding, private party or corporate event, let Luxury Toilet Hire (UK) Ltdprovide you with the perfect toilet facility to make your occasion a memorable success.Please visit www.luxurytoilethireltd.co.ukLTH Waste Removal is your local service provider for liquid waste removal, including :▪ Cesspits ▪ Septic tanks ▪ Klargesters and Bio disksFor a free quotation, please contact us:Tel: 01279 504638 or 01371 873003 Yard: 01371 871871 Email: info@luxurytoilethire.co.ukLTH (UK) Portable Toilets supplies and maintains building site toilets, with weekly / ad hoc servicing as required. Existing site toilets and welfare units can also be maintained for the duration of the building project.Based near Great Hallingbury, we provide a personal, professional and efficient service at very competitive rates.

3CONTENTS2 - Details of Councillors and Village Contacts3 - Editorial4 - Hundred Parishes - Community Website5-6 - District News7 - Hidden History8-11 - Parish Council12-13 - Village Hall14-15 - Hallingbury Ladies17 - Luna’s Great Adventure18-19 - Spring19 - Neighbourhood Plan20 - Easton Lodge22 - Chairman’s Report22 - Easy Eating23 - Essex County Council24 - Speedwatch - Neighbourhood Watch - From the Archives25 - Hallingbury Flower Show27 - Allotment Abundance - Charity Quiz Night28 - Cricket Club29 - Book Corner31 - Neighbourhood Plan - History Society Programme32-33 - The Day King George V visited Great Hallingbury34 - Essex Police35 - Poppy Appeal 2024 - Church Services in the Hallingburys36 - Annual Parish Meeting - CalendarEditorialThis is the time of year when many people are looking forward and making plans. The cold weather encourages you to stay indoors and perhaps prepare to start a new project or plan an event or a holiday. Maybe you will be leaving school in the summer and considering whether to start an apprenticeship, nd a job or go to university. You may be thinking of changing the direction of your career or choosing a new colour scheme for the room you will be redecorating in a few months’ time; planning your garden planting or which book you will read next.It is just that a new year and the approach of spring often seem to reawaken a desire for something fresh. In spite of the cold weather, the snowdrops in the garden are in ower, the daodils are pushing through and even showing some buds and the rst tiniest leaves are appearing. On page 18, David Barlow talks of the many and varied harbingers of Spring.For Great Hallingbury Highlights, I would welcome new contributors or suggestions of new items that we should include. Do you have a passion that you could write about as Claire has done on page 27 regarding her allotment. In the past we have had articles on walking sticks and pottery, on a visit to see the passion play at Oberammergau and being a Dog Show judge. Please do share with us something that you love to do or have enjoyed.There are two new clubs soon starting in the Village Hall. One is a weekly session for Rapid Transformational Therapy/SOMA Breathwork which I am told is very relaxing. The other is a monthly gathering of Air Britain – Stansted Branch. Just two more choices available in Great Hallingbury Village Hall joining regular meetings of the History Society, Hallingbury Ladies, U3A Table Tennis groups, RISE Performing Arts training for youngsters, the crafts of Crafty Spell, Bridge on Sundays, dog training - what a selection! And you may hire the hall for your own event.As new houses are built in the village, our readership is expanding and we welcome everyone who has moved into Great Hallingbury in the last year or two. We do hope you will become part of our village community and join in some of the events at the Village Hall. Coming to the Annual Parish Meeting on 17th March and hearing about the Parish Council and activities in the village would be a good place to start. I look forward to seeing you there.Editor

4Lots of useful and interesting local informationwww.greathallingburycommunity.co.ukThe Hundred Parishes SocietyOne of the main crops of the rich agricultural area covered by The Hundred Parishes is barley, the main ingredient of traditional ales and beer. In the past, much of the barley was malted locally before being taken to a nearby brewery to be combined with water, hops and yeast for fermenting into beer. Brewing was initially a domestic activity - at home for family consumption, on farms and estates for the landowner’s family and workers and in various institutions, such as religious communities, for those who lived and visited there. As the demand for beer grew (safer to drink than fresh water at the time) so did the brewing industry: public houses having their own brewhouses, commercial brewers working out of stand-alone breweries and then the development of industrial scale brewery complexes.Evidence of all these different types of breweries is to be found within the Hundred Parishes in the form of place names such as Brewery Lane in Stansted, Brewery House in Little Hadham, Little Brewers, a cottage in Matching Green, Brewery Cottage in Sewards End and Brewers House in Dunmow.There are also surviving examples of the breweries from each of the various phases of the development of the industry. At Audley End House the estate’s brewhouse survives although the internal features have been lost. An example of a public house brewery survives as The Old Brewery in Radwinter, now a private house. In Hateld Heath the former stand-alone brewhouse was converted t o a co r n mill before becoming commercial oces.Three examples of brewhouses which were a part of industrial brewery complexes s u r v i v e i n Furneux Pelham, Wetherseld and Hartford End in Felsted. All three have been renovated and converted to private residential use.Ken McDonald, Secretarywww.hundredparishes.org.uk Brewery House Stansted MontchetHateld Heath former BreweryNags Head and former Brewery House - Little Hadham

5District NewsCllrs Geof Driscoll andNeil ReeveWelcome to this edition of District News. As our first article of 2025, both Neil and I bid you a Happy and Healthy New Year.Uttlesford and Local Council ReformAs you may have heard, the Government has decided to reform the local government system for the rst time in over 50 years. How is this going to aect you?When the proposed changes come about, all District Councils will be disbanded with Unitary bodies put into place. These new bodies will have a suggested population of 500,000 and will be formed by merging District Councils. Essex County Council will be disbanded with a suggestion of replacing it with either three or four new authorities. The idea of the change is to bring about a more cost-eective streamlined system that will also bring benets of the Unitary being responsible for a larger area. UDC has not been allowed to vote on the changes but, at an ECM on 8th January, voted to take part in the discussions so as to get the best result possible for its residents and sta.DevolutionOn 10th January, Essex County Council, Southend and Thurrock Unitary Councils also held ECM’s so as to meet the Government’s deadline on comments for the formation of Unitary Councils in Essex and to take a vote on Devolution. All three councils voted in favour and for Essex to have an elected Mayor, probably in 2026. Both ECC and Thurrock agreed to request the Government to cancel their respective elections in May this year which could lead to possibly three more years in administration without a mandate from the residents. Southend is not scheduled to have elections in 2025.Emerging Local PlanThe Local Plan was forwarded to the Planning Inspectorate on 18th December, 2024, along with all replies from the Regulation 19 consultation. UDC was advised on 13th January that two inspectors have been appointed, Mr G Davies Bsc DipTP MRTPI and Mr W Cooper BA MA CMLI. A further inspector may possibly be appointed to deal with certain aspects once any issues are clear as well as a programme ocer. A timetable of individual matters is still to be worked out and conrmed by the inspectors before the actual examination process begins. UDC is looking to adopt the plan in the spring of 2026.Garden WasteIf you live in Uttlesford you can ask us to collect garden waste from your home for just £50 a year (current price 2024/5) or £37.50 if you receive benets. Collections are every 2 weeks and the service operates from 1 July to 30 June, except for one month over the Christmas and New Year period. There is no reduction in the payment if you sign up after 1 July even though you will not be getting the full 12 months of collections.All new customers will also need to purchase a garden waste bin from us. This costs £30 (current price 2024/5). Go to the UDC website for more information. https://www.uttlesford.gov.uk/garden-waste-serviceCCTV at your homeCCTV is becoming more prominent in the District and advice is available to help you if you have already or are considering installing a CCTV system (or similar technology, such as video-equipped doorbell devices) at your home. There are several ways to improve the security of your home before considering purchasing an expensive CCTV or video-equipped doorbell system. However, if installed correctly and used for the right purpose, CCTV and/or video-equipped doorbell devices can be an eective tool to discourage anti-social behaviour and reduce

6crime as oenders don’t want to be caught on camera.CCTV and the lawLegislation in relation to the use of CCTV is covered in the Data Protection Act of 2018. In general, a private CCTV installation to protect your home against intruders and trespassers will be exempt from the Data Protection Act (DPA) unless the CCTV system captures footage of individuals outside the curtilage of the private domestic property. Should your system, even partially, cover any areas beyond the boundaries of the property, such as neighbouring gardens or the street, then it will no longer be exempt from the Data Protection Act (DPA). This does not breach the DPA but you should be aware of the requirements. For more information check it out on the UDC website. https://www.uttlesford.gov.uk/article/5567/CCTV-at-your-home#do-you-really-need-cctvParking ticket (PCN)It happens to the best of us: you receive a parking ticket, also known as a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). This could be because you have parked:in areas where loading/unloading • restrictions applylonger than the time paid for• in a resident’s parking space without • displaying a valid permitin a reserved bay e.g. disabled bay, taxi • rank, unless authorised to do soin a bus stop or bus lane during the • prohibited hoursnot wholly within a bay• The notice will explain how to pay and you will only have to pay the discounted amount shown if you pay within 14 days.You can challenge a Penalty Charge Notice. Find out how to do this on the NEPP website. https://north.parkingpartnership.org Telephone 01206 282316 or email parking@colchester.gov.ukWard surgeries It is planned to have an extra ward surgery in February as a trial. This will take place in the new extension at Little Hallingbury Village Hall on Friday, 21st February, from 9am until 11am. If conrmed, this will posted on Village Facebook pages, so if you see this please circulate. It will also be conrmed on the Great Hallingbury website and any other in the Ward as will accept.Normal Ward surgeries will take place on the rst Tuesday of the month at Great Hallingbury Village Hall, 2 – 4pm (4th February, 4th March and 1st April) and on the third Friday of the month at the Dukes Head PH, Hateld Broad Oak, also between 2 – 4pm (21 February, 21st March and 25th April - the third Friday is Easter weekend). And the usual reminder that, should you need to contact us, you can email us on the following addresses. cllrdriscoll@uttlesford.gov.uk cllrreeve@uttlesford.gov.ukExhibitionLittle Hallingbury Village HallSunday, 25th May, 1 - 5 pmA joint exhibition by the History Societies of Great Hallingbury, Little Hallingbury and Hateld Heath. WWII will be a large feature as well as other aspects of our history.Your exhibit contributions would be welcomed. Please contact Sue Meyer or Claire Layer.We look forward to seeing you.sue.meyer@talk21.comgthallhistory@gmail.com

7Hidden History Of Great HallingburyThe great old barn at Harps Farm was built, most likely, in Tudor times but almost certainly contains some timber from a much earlier period as the farm house has timbers dated from the 10th century. The only original part is the internal skeleton. The roof was thatched up until the 1930s and the walls were lathe and plaster, some of which remains under the lean-to [pictured below].The layout is similar to many others with large doorways, wide and high enough to allow loaded wagons to be pulled into the barn, o-loaded and then pulled out the other side as one cannot reverse large horse drawn wagons. The grain could then be threshed out in the dry at a later time. Some sheaves could be stacked outside and brought into the barn at a later date. The building of these barns coincided with the beginning of the agricultural revolution when farming turned more commercial. Grain could then be traded at the Corn Exchange in Bishop’s Stortford, where Host is located in the town today.The old granary [left picture] was raised up on piers to prevent dampness and avoid damage from rodents. It may appear small compared to modern grain stores however yields, at that time, were likely no more than 300 kilos per hectare. The farm would have also focussed far more on livestock than is common locally today.Alan PinnockPhotographs taken by courtesy of the Streeter family.

8Highlights from Minutes of Meetings of Great Hallingbury Parish Council4 November and 6 January Present (at one or both meetings): Cllr Alan Townsend (Chairman), Cllrs David Barlow Mark Bloomeld, Mark Coletta, Neil Jackson, Andrew Noble, Alan Pinnock and Val Waring, Mrs Urška Sydee (Clerk), Uttlesford District Cllr Geof Driscoll, Essex County Cllr Susan Barker and member of the publicChairman’s ActivitiesEALC Personnel• Committee meetingMet• with UALC Secretary now he is EALC ocial key holderAttended• Parish ForumPoppy• morning at PantilesHowe Green House School •Remembrance DayChristmas Lights celebrations in Great •and Little HallingburySt Giles’ Christmas Carol Service•Checked debrillator weekly• Meeting• with the clerk weekly.Essex County CouncilCounty Cllr Susan Barker reported that potholes on Church Road were repaired. The drain was checked and is working now but there was a problem with the ditch. Some of the reported overgrowth at B1256 had been cut but Councillors pressed for cutting back along the whole length of the road.Local Government reform: A letter has been sent to the Government asking them to prioritise Essex/Southend/Thurrock for early consideration for a Combined Authority with a directly elected Mayor, followed by a single tier of government above Town and Parish Councils. Postponement of the May 2025 elections was also requested.Uttlesford District CouncilDistrict Cllr Geof Driscoll reported that Regulation 19 Consultation was closed and the Local Plan went to the Inspectorate before Christmas.Uttlesford held an Extraordinary Council Meeting to discuss the Government White Paper on English Devolution and Essex County Council’s application to postpone the May 2025 elections. This would mean that Uttlesford’s increase in representation from four to ve county councillors, due to increasing population, will not happen. There is a possibility that Essex County Council will not be disbanded for at least two, possibly three, years and setting up a new Mayoral led Strategic Authority would be entirely separate to the normal work of councillors. The White Paper seems to indicate the replacement of County, District and Unitary councils with new unitary councils made up of 500,000 plus population which is expected to result in four or ve on the current population of Essex. Council Tax is likely to increase directly because of the council mergers, in circumstances where rates are levelled out between authorities that currently charge dierent sums and to fund the reorganisation costs.UDC Budget consultation: the 2025/2026 budget is open for consultation; councils are encouraged to comment. Due to less funding available from Government UDC is set to incur more costs.The new Homes Bonus Grant is not supported by the Government in 2025/26 and therefore District Councillors will not be able to give grants to support dierent activities of the parishes they represent.Highways MattersPotholes at Woodside Green had been re-paired. A meeting had been requested with the Headteacher of Howe Green House School to discuss speeding.It was noted that New Barn Lane is in very bad condition, barely suitable for vehicles.It was reported that there are now two mobile chalets, an original building and a mobile caravan on the site at Blossom View with a lot of bins. This will be reported to

9UDC enforcement. There are other cases pending for this property.AirportIt had been noticed that passenger ights had increased at night. However, District Cllr Driscoll reported that the Government has decided there will be no changes regarding night ight numbers for the next three years so no increase for Stanstead Airport will be allowed.Speedwatch GroupThe group has been inactive due to the lack of volunteers but a new volunteer has joined.Neighbourhood WatchCrime reports from the Police are received regularly. There are about 80 members currently.Village HallThe Flower Show Committee has folded and half the surplus funds kindly donated to the Village Hall Committee. There are tables and chairs available and if anyone wishes to use or buy them the Village Hall Committee should be contacted.The Christmas Lights Celebration event was advertised in the village magazine on the community website etc and will hopefully attract people. Apart from the large tree at the Village Hall there will be another small tree on which children can put their own decorations.Neighbourhood PlanCllr Waring reported that the questionnaire was sent out and 34 responses were received, which is not even 10%. Replies had been analysed and circulated to the Council. Concerns had been raised about speeding and some other issues, the majority of which are not part of the NP. There was a lack of interest in the NP among residents but without their input and help it makes it questionable whether it is worth continuing. However, without an NP there is no protection for the village. The Chairman thanked Cllr Waring for her work and time spent on the NP. Councillors resolved not to continue with the Local Plan. Community WebsiteCllr Waring reported that the website has several pages and contains information on what is imminent for the village. There is also a village orientated Facebook page which is well used. Thanks were expressed to Cllr Waring and to Christine Coultrup for their work on the website. NoticeboardsA notice regarding moving the Tilekiln Green noticeboard had been posted, as requested by UDC, for 28 days for people to comment. The noticeboard will be moved shortly to Field Mead Drive.Cllr Pinnock will check the noticeboards belonging to the Great Hallingbury Parish Council and repair them as necessary.Cllr Coletta noted that a noticeboard at Flitch Way had collapsed and repairs will be needed.Litter PickCllr Bloomeld reported that there were only ve residents and himself participating in the litter pick in October. It was suggested to post notices asking people not to litter.The next litter pick will be on Sunday, 16th March 2025, starting from the Hop Poles or Church car park at 10am. Tea will be served afterwards in St. Giles Church.Post Box at Goose Lane MP Chris Vince’s oce contacted the Royal Mail and it will take 12 to 16 weeks to replace the post box.Flitch Way Cllr Coletta conrmed procedures to make the Flitchway Railway Bridge a Community Asset are in progress. The Council agreed to fund a replacement bench on the Flitch Way with an appropriate plaqueCar Park RepairsThe Council agreed to investigate renewing

10the tarmac and white lining on the village hall car park. Grants will be sought for this work.FinanceThe report of external audit for 2023/2024 was received and noted. The Budget for 2025/2026 was agreed. The precept for 2025/2026 will remain the same as last year at £16,000.PlanningApplication No // Site and Development // Decision (the Council’s comments are shown in brackets)Application Decisions UTT/20/1098/FUL // Land to the East of Tilekiln Green // Construction of 15 new dwellings, including 6 aordable dwell-ings, vehicular access and associated park-ing and landscaping // Decision Unknown (There should be provision for electric car charging and enough parking spaces due to increasing numbers of cars to each house-hold.)UTT/23/0957/FUL // Start Hill Service Station, Start Hill // Creation of charging zone, erection of EV chargers, erection of canopy, two jet wash bays, sub-station enclosure and associated forecourt works // Approved (Objections listed in previous editions)UTT/23/1470/OP // Stansted Distribution Centre, Start Hill - Re–consultation // Outline planning permission for the demolition of units 1b, 2a, 2b, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and structures at Pontins Yard, and redevelopment for predominantly Class B8 use with supporting Classes E(g) and B2 use, car parking, servicing yards, soft landscaping and other associatedworks. All matters reserved. // Awaiting decision (Objections: Concern that meetings have been allowed with the developer. It is of utmost importance that this application is discussed in the public domain. We feel that matters have not been fully addressed in the meeting summary which led to a last minute amendment to this planning application. Some serious matters need to be addressed, for example the 24/7 change of use. This application was scheduled for a committee decision but it would appear that the case ocer has been consulting with the developer.)UTT/23/2269/FUL // The Bungalow, Tilekiln Green // two new accesses to existing dwelling // Approved (No objections.)UTT/24/0557/FUL // Units 25 to 26, Stan-sted Distribution Centre // Demolition of all structures in order to return site to original condition in accordance with lease agree-ment // Approved (No objections)UTT/24/1370/FUL // The Hop Poles, Bedlars Green // Change of use from public house to residential, changes to boundary and additional parking space to The Spinney and construction of one self build dwelling in car park // Approved (Objections previously listed)UTT/24/1371/LB // The Hop Poles, Bedlars Green // Conversion of public house to residential including alterations to listed building // Approved (No objections)UTT/24/2095/HHF // White Lodge, Latchmore Bank // Site a Static Caravan // Approved (No objections as long as it stays a static caravan and it is for domestic use only.)Applications Dealt with at MeetingUTT/24/2418/CLE // 1 Green Ridges, Tilekiln Green // Certicate of lawfulness application for existing commercial open storage, builders and aggregates yard with existing storage buildings // Approved (No objections)UTT/24/2588/FUL // Land at Howletts, The Street // Erection of one detached self/custom-build new dwelling // Await-ing decision (No objections as long as it is in keeping with local environment)Not asked ociallyUTT/24/2682/SCO // Land to the North of Taylors Farm, The Street, Takeley // Request for Screening Opinion - for proposed employment development comprising light industrial, strategic warehousing and distribution uses (use classes B2, B8 and

11E(g)(i) and associated infrastructure // As a Parish Council, unanimously we request that Uttlesford District Council Planning department insist on an Environmental Impact Assessment for Screening Opinion UTT/24/2682/SCO. We have previously expressed our concerns at both regulation 18 and 19 with written and verbal representations to the council. We believe we have a valid reason for this submission. Whilst the land North of Taylors Farm falls within the Parish of Takeley the B1256 borders the boundary of Great Hallingbury. We thus believe that any development at this location will have huge detriment on Great Hallingbury Parish. We have grave concerns that there will be an impact from additional trac that will come through our narrow and pathless roads. The village cannot cope with the daily trac that uses the village as a rat run, including 400 gravel/quarry HVGs daily through our parish. Notwithstanding the trac report, it is our contention that the already congested B1256 and a critically congested M11 junction 8 will have a detrimental eect on this parish. We are also mindful of our residents that live on the B1256 already tolerating 24/7 trac to and from Stansted Distribution Centre. Land North of Taylors farm is surrounded by fragile and idyllic heritage assets and is in extremely close proximity to Hateld Forest (SSSI), the Flitchway designated Nature Reserve and Priory Wood Ancient woodland. An EIA in line with the NPPF would encompass our apprehensions and ensure a fair and balanced strategy in our opinion.The Council retrospectively agreed objections regarding a feasibility study. The UDC Local Plan team has decided to carry out the action.UTT/24/2820/FUL // Alpenrose, Bedlars Green // Proposed demolition of existing bungalow and erection of four detached dwellings // (Objections: too many houses for the plot, poor access and parking issues on the green. If this goes ahead any damage to the green during construction needs to be repaired to its original state. The environmental survey states that there are no badgers and bats but they can be clearly seen from the badger sets at the back of the plot. Also any new property needs to be connected to mains drainage and should not be too close to the neighbouring property)UTT/24/2880/HHF // Higheld, Church Road // Demolition of existing conservatory. Proposed part single storey and part two storey rear extension. Proposed front extension to create a gable feature. Replacement of existing bay windows with square bay windows and new roof to accommodate rst oor layout changes // (No objections)UTT/24/2714/FUL // The Old Forge, Woodside Green // Conversion and change of use of garages to form tourist accommodation // (No objections other than increased trac in general and also with unsociable hours of comings and goings)UTT/24/2982/CLE // Evergreen House, Tilekiln Green // Erection of outbuilding // (Strong objections on the premise that it is an unlawful erection of an outbuilding without planning permission. The road and verges are already destroyed)UTT/24/3084/HHF // 98 Woodside Green, Demolition of detached garage and addition of single storey rear and side extension // (No objections)UTT/24/3228/FUL // Lodge Farm, Woodside Green // Application to vary conditions of UTT/22/3322/FUL approved plans (Change of use and conversion of barns and agricultural buildings to four dwellings) // (No objections)UTT/25/0009/LB // Lodge Farm, Woodside Green // Application to vary conditions of UTT/22/3323/LB approved plans (Conversion of barns and agricultural buildings to four dwellings) // (No objections)

12Great Hallingbury Village Hall Table Top Sale Sunday 29th June 2025 sellers from 8am public 9am-12 noon CAFÉ Spring is a time to de-clutter! Items that are no good to you, may be just what someone else is looking for. So, gather all your goods and grab a table at our Table Top Sale. Tables can be reserved at a cost of £10 by contacting Lee Cox at cox_l3@sky.com All proceeds to Village Hall Great Hallingbury Village Hall Pop Up CaféCome and join us for a drink with biscuits or home made cake and a chat.Next dates for the coffee mornings Saturdays 10am-12 noon 8th February 8th March 10 May 7th JuneAll proceeds to Village HallGREAT HALLINGBURY VILLAGE HALL SOCIAL EVENINGS 2025Saturdays 7-10pm(ish) February 15thApril 5thMay 17thJune 14thThe dates for the next social evenings are listed above. This is an opportunity for everyone to come along and meet all those people in the village whose faces you may know but who you‛ve never had the opportunity to talk to Bring your own drinks and nibbles.Support the Village Hallto help us maintain it in good condition with competitive hire ratesTon Club RestartingA monthly draw with cash prizes for just £12 per yearNew subscription year starting 1st April, 2025Half of each month’s membership fees will be paid out as first, second and third prizes The draw will take place on or near the first day of the month and prizewinners will be notified by the 10th of the month.To renew your membership - or to join the Ton Club - please contact Claire Ridgewell07946 685033 or email tonclubghvh@gmail.comPayment for the year to be made by cheque made out to Great Hallingbury Village Hall or preferably direct to our bank sort code 40-12-03 account no. 01230999 reference TC and your surnameGreat HallingburyVillage Hall

13Great Hallingbury Village Hall UpdateI trust this message will nd you, your family and friends well and in good spirits and I do hope that 2025 brings health, happiness and a prosperous year to us all.Firstly I would like to say a huge thank you to all that supported the Village Hall in 2024, be it attending one of the fundraising events or giving up time to assist in a project concerning the hall. Every little does help and it is hugely appreciated by all concerned.In November our Christmas tree was erected to the front of the Village Hall. A special thanks must go to Great Hallingbury Parish Councillor Alan Pinnock for his huge part in this. The tree lights were turned on Saturday, 30th November, followed by refreshments provided by Great Hallingbury Parish Council. There were sweets and chocolate for the children (and adults) in attendance. Then we invited people to bring their own drinks and nibbles and stay on to continue the social evening. It was well attended and it was lovely to see the community coming together for a special time of the year. This was our third year running such an occasion and we plan to continue in the future.On Friday, 29th November, our annual Christmas Flower Arranging Demonstration with afternoon tea had been scheduled. This has been running more than ten years and always been well attended and supported, raising considerable funds for the Hall. There was a danger of the event being cancelled as our regular organiser and committee member, Mrs. Val Walker, needed more help than was available to run the afternoon. However, Hallingbury Ladies (previously Great Hallingbury WI)took over the event to raise funds for their organisation. It was good to hear the afternoon was successful and much needed funds were made for a local group.Saturday, 7th December, saw our last fundraising event of the year; our Christmas Quiz Night. All the tables were sold with around seventy-five people which was fantastic. A great return for that night with £445 prot for the hall funds. Again, a massive thanks to all those involved in helping stage the event and to all those who attended in support of us.In November the Village Hall funds were boosted with a donation of around £1,900 from the Great and Little Hallingbury Flower Show committee. The money had been accumulated from the annual events and split between the two Village Halls. As we all know, the Flower Show has sadly ceased. It was a part of village history which united the Hallingburys and is a huge loss to the community. We also received a donation of £1,100 from Great Hallingbury Parish Council in December. As always it is very much appreciated and will be put to good use in the upkeep of the hall and its grounds.With regard to the hall, I can say with condence and great pleasure that we are in a good position all round. It is important that residents of Great Hallingbury know this. Over the years we have seen the disappearance of our school, our post oce/shop and our pub and the Village Hall is our last communal building and we will always need your support. I am pleased to announce that our Ton Club will be starting again in April this year. To all those who have supported the hall with their annual contribution of £12 per number previously – thank you kindly. We hope you and many others will join in again; you never know, you may just be a winner! (Please see the advert on previous page)Please do contact me for further information on any of the events / matters mentioned. Again we wish you well for this new year. Lee Cox, Chair PersonGreat Hallingbury Village Hall Committee

14A Hectic End to 2024Our busy times continued until December at Hallingbury Ladies with extra activities in October, November and December.FloggitIn October we held our biennial Floggit, auctioning unwanted items from our members. We sent invitations to previous attendees and also new friends and hoped for a good attendance. We were not disappointed! The hall was so full we had to provide more chairs. Many of the attendees were old friends and were looking forward to both the refreshments and the interaction between the auctioneers. The bidding was fast and there was much hilarity when certain items were auctioned. With hardly anything l e f t , t h e record number of buyers departed providing us with a real boost to our funds for the next year. Thanks to Jan and Jenni, our outstanding auctioneers.Ventriloquist MagicianFor November our traditional Christmas Surprise Meeting turned out to be a visit b y D a v i d To m k i n s , a ventriloquist and magician. He kept us laughing for an hour with his puppets (Elvis shown here with Jan), jokes and tricks as well as plenty of very amusing audience participation,demonstrated by Judy. We a l l e n j o y e d i t , especially four visitors who immediately decided to join our group.Monthly ActivitiesThe last monthly lunch of the year took place in November, when members met at The Fox in Matching. This has become a popular location for us as the service is very good in t h e n e w l y refurbished Pub. It will denitely be on the list for next year. Als o in N ovem b e r a few m embe r s made the walk to Hateld Heath to visit Avis’s yard and see her horses and alpacas. This was a lovely walk in very good weather. Both the Knit and Natter and Book groups have continued to meet and enjoy.Flower Arranging TeaTwo days after the November meeting we hosted the annual Afternoon Flower Arranging Tea in the Village Hall. Anne Bell, one of our members, was demonstrating b e a u t i f u l C h r i s t m a s arrangements which were all raed after tea. Hals supplied refreshments to the attendees and a fun afternoon was enjoyed by all.Tea at Easton ManorOne of our last planned outings of the year was an afternoon tea in October at Easton Manor, arranged very successfully by Sharon. We all enjoyed the tea as the food was very good (many Doggie bags were needed). It was a sunny afternoon and we were able to walk round the gardens and also catch a glimpse of the Alpacas.

15Theatre VisitThe nal outing arranged by Claire was a visit to the Arts Theatre in Cambridge where we saw Filumena with Felicity Kendal and Matthew Kelly. We enjoyed this and hope to make more theatre visits in the future.December MeetingFor the rst time we had an extra meeting in December. It had always seemed a long time between our November meeting and our traditional New Year meal in January. As Jan, our Chairman, intended to stand down at the end of 2024 this was her last meeting in charge. Members who could attend met at lunchtime in early December and were treated to home made soup and delicious desserts provided by the members. With a Christmas Box Rae, Secret Santa and the famous Left Right Game, provided and read by Carole, we all had a great deal of fun. Rosemary was presented with the Cynthia Collins Trophy and a voucher for most points in competitions in 2024. Gill thanked Jan and presented her with a plant, a handmade pen and many thanks for all her hard work in leading us through the setting up of the Group. An excellent end to 2024.New Year 2025A good start has been made to the New Year with our our New Year Meal at Bishop’s Stortford Golf Club. This was attended by 28 of our members and one visitor. It was an excellent two course meal enjoyed by everyone and was followed by a Charity Rae and a poetic performance. It was a great evening made more enjoyable by spending it with so many of our friends.Looking ForwardsIn February we will be enjoying Chair Based Yoga and for March we will be going In the Garden with William Morris. Our Speaker is an expert on William Morris so this should be an interesting meeting.We meet at 7.30pm in Village Hall on the fourth Wednesday in the month and visitors are always welcome.Gill Sewellhallingburyladies@yahoo.comTea at Easton Lodge

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17Luna’s Great AdventureA Delightful Tale for Young ReadersMy fellow villagers, I am excited to announce that I have recently become a published author. My new, debut book, Luna’s Great Adventure, is a captivating children’s book about a white rabbit that was inspired by a real-life event that took place in 2024. The book is perfect for a wide range of young audiences, from little ones who love to listen to a story being read aloud, to curious toddlers and preschoolers up to ve years old who are beginning to explore stories on their own. Crafted in the form of a poem with a rhythmic ow, the story features colourful illustrations that invite you and your little ones to explore, discuss and cherish together.From an early age, I have always been drawn to creative writing. It’s been my passion for as long as I can remember. As a child, I loved crafting poems and stories, pouring my imagination onto the page and creating little worlds of my own. English classes were always my favourite part of the school day; I could lose myself in the magic of words and storytelling. That love for writing never faded and today I am fortunate enough to write professionally for a living. I help people all over the world with CVs and other employability documentation, using my skills to tell their stories and highlight their strengths. Writing has always been at the heart of who I am and I feel incredibly lucky to share my love for it in so many ways.The aim of this enchanting story is to take readers on an unforgettable journey alongside Luna, a curious and courageous rabbit who nds herself far from the comfort of her home. Based on a true incident involving my friend Neve’s rabbit, Luna’s Great Adventure imagines the escapades Luna might have experienced during the ve days she was lost.The story begins with Luna breaking free from the comfort of her cozy cage and venturing into the unknown. As Luna hops through wide-open elds, sneaks into secret gardens, and explores mysterious new places, young readers are drawn into her world of discovery. Along the way, Luna meets a range of other animals that challenge her courage and make her long for the safety of home. Through moments of uncertainty, Luna learns valuable lessons about resilience, hope and the importance of nding her way back to the people who love her. The narrative, lled with vivid descriptions and emotional depth, captures the curiosity and bravery that dene Luna’s character, making her journey both exciting and touching.I recall the emotional rollercoaster of searching for Luna alongside Neve, scouring elds, ditches and gardens and posting frantically on social media for help. Miraculously, Luna was found safe and healthy, much to everyone’s relief. This experience sparked my imagination, leading me to wonder about the adventures Luna might have had while she was away. It made me think about how brave she must have been and all the amazing things she might have seen and so I wanted to bring her journey to life through the pages of a book. Through Luna’s journey, I invite readers to embrace their sense of adventure while cherishing the comfort and love of home. The book’s heartfelt message and imaginative narrative is designed to ensure it will be a rm favourite among children and parents alike.Available as a paperback or eBook, grab your copy of Luna’s Great Adventure by Louise Littleton today on Amazon and join Luna on a journey lled with wonder, courage, and the joy of coming home! Louise Littleton

18SpringAt daybreak, the sun, a at red disc, reected itself upon the thin white ice of the Hermit’s Pool. The clustering trees, dark and icy, still stood sharply against a copper sky. Underfoot the grass was crisp and spring to the tread, every separate blade and leaf encrusted and edged with ligree frost workFlora Thompson – The Peverell PapersIt might seem strange to have a quote about Winter when I’m talking about Spring. When we went back to work on 6th January, the temperature was 12oC. Within an hour and a half, the temperature was 2oC. Spring had disappeared and Winter was back!The old countryman is made wise by the wisdom of the earth. His daily contact with the principles of growth, his continuous trac with the seasons, may leave him subject to superstitions, but superstition itself is an acknowledgement that there is a mystic something behind phenomenaSir William Beach Thomas – A Countryman’s CreedEveryone, probably, has their own idea of the indicators of the coming Spring, whether it is the rst snowdrops, which generally ower towards the end of January, or the yellow aconites that emerge at the same time. Maybe it’s the nights slowly drawing out! In winter we nish work at 4.15 pm and it’s often dark by then. Now, in mid January, it is still just about light at 4.30.Little by Little Spring Creeps In!Walking in the forest in December and January against the bare branches of trees and shrubs the rst hint of green comes from the wild honeysuckle that twists its way up the trees. Its leaves emerge early but the plant won’t ower until May: to me, this is the rst indicator of Spring. There are, of course, others. Coltsfoot, a member of the daisy family, appears on wasteland, roadside verges and scrubby areas. The yellow owers appear on ower shoots that can be up to 15 cm tall. The leaves don’t appear fully until after the plant has nished owering in early February as the large hairy leaves would obscure the owers. The whole plant is quite sensitive to light and if the weather is dull the owers will close. Coltsfoot can be found in Leapers Lane.The early Spring owers are often sensitive to light (as are all plants). A good example is the wood anemone which is a delicate white perennial up to 30 cm tall. The white owers are borne singly on a long stem and the ower droops and half closes when the weather is overcast. The wood anemone is a woodland plant so it needs to ower before the woodland trees block out their light as the leaves emerge. It often owers by early February. It spreads by underground rhizomes and the best examples locally are in Birchanger Wood where it covers large swathes of the woodland oor. Worth a look!Another example of an early owering plant is wood sorrel which can be found along the edges of rides in Hateld Forest. It is a creeping perennial. The leaves are made up of three heart shaped, clover-like leaets which hang, looking quite odd. The owers and leaves are Snowdrops and AconitesHoneysuckleColtsfootWood AnemoneWood Sorrel

19very responsive to light and movement and will droop down at night or in strong sunlight. Wood sorrel owers at the end of January, start of February.Birds in SpringAs you may or may not know, the robin changes its song with the seasons and the spring song is totally dierent from its winter song. The robins slowly change from Winter to Spring and now some are are singing their spring song whilst others are in winter mode still.Its funny, wherever you go, robins are nearly always about in the vicinity of where we are working. Today, for instance, we were sawing and chopping logs. Moving the tree trunks about was exposing soil with worms and woodlice appearing The robins were in there extracting food, fairly oblivious to our nearness.Although robins are with us all year round, last weekend I heard a chicha singing in the Garden. To me, this means Spring seems early this year.The song thrushes are about again. They sing so well and it won’t be long before the dawn chorus is in full swing. In Winter, it is usually the blackbirds and robins that you hear but now the thrushes are joining in. As Spring proceeds, the dawn chorus gets louder and more varied as other species join the throng. The returning song thrush singing in the garden the other morning attracted the attention of a marauding sparrowhawk but managed to avoid being killed with a quick exit. It was a close call.The pair of Kestrels in the yard at Harps raised a brood of three chicks in a nestbox put up a couple of years ago. The kestrels are becoming noisy, warning o other birds as they start to become territorial again. Spring and nesting time isn’t too far away. The partridges which come into the yard as a covey have paired o and instead of appearing in a group now arrive in pairs.The tawny owls are getting vocal again at night, the males calling for a mate! The vixen has been calling at night as well since the end of December. Spring is coming!At the weekend, on a shoot day, whilst walking through the bluebell woods the shoots of the bluebells haD emerged from the soil, pushing through the leaf littler of the oak and hornbean woods. They are about 2 – 3 inches tall. Spring is on it’s Way!Whether its the sound of woodpeckers drumming or the owers of the cherry trees or emerging blackthorn buds turning into frothy white owers or the hazel catkins releasing clouds of yellow pollen in the wind, I hope you all enjoy the transition of Winter into Spring.David BarlowChichaSong ThrushSparrowhawkKestrelPartridge

20 Independent Family Funeral Directors & Monumental Masons DANIEL ROBINSON & SONS  A professional, caring, 24 hour service  Arrangements in the comfort of your own home, if preferred  Private Chapel of Rest  Pre-payment Plans  Fleet of air conditioned limousines & horse drawn funerals  Free bereavement counselling Bullfields SAWBRIDGEWORTH 01279 722476 www.drobinson.co.uk Dedicated to serving our local community 79/81 South Street BISHOP’S STORTFORD 01279 655477 Daodils follow on from the snowdrops at the Gardens and have a lovely long season. Did you know, there are 80 wild species (only 2 native to the UK) and over 30,000 dierent varieties of cultivated daodils on the International Daodil Register? At the Gardens we have planted tête-à-tête for their early show – they give a really vibrant splash of colour along the top of the Italian garden from late February. They are followed by a host of naturalised varieties near the elephant statue and in the Lime Wood. Some of those were on the market in the early 1900s so were probably planted when Peto redesigned the Gardens and built the treehouse for the Countess of Warwick in 1902. The memorial area in the Glade was established with daodils and hyacinths. More recently we have also planted late owering narcissi to complement Camassia in the mini orchard at the top of the kitchen garden, to brighten the tree cathedral in the Glade and to add to the Japanese style garden near the platform with views onto the shing lake. The Gardens are not routinely open to the public in March but, if the weather is set fair, w e s o m e t i m e s open on Thursdays in late March – we announce this on our F ace b ook , I n s t a g r a m o r website www.eastonlodge.co.uk. So keep an eye out!Of course our volunteers, who keep the Gardens looking so lovely, see the owers as they emerge week by week. We take on new volunteers all year round and will be holding a new volunteers session on Thursday, 20th March. As well as gardeners we are pleased to welcome volunteers who like to help with maintenance work, catering and front of house roles. There is something for everyone! You can nd information and contact details on our website. Jill GoldsmithEarly Daodils in Lime Wood

21Sunday 16th March 2025 10am-12 noonCome along and join us for the rst of the annual litter picks. Meeting points will be Hop Poles and the layby opposite the church.St Giles’ Church has extended an invitation to join them in the church for refreshments afterwards at 12 noonParish CouncilChairmanA big hello to you all, and may I wish you A Happy New Year! I hope you had a good Christmas and that you were able to share some time with family and friends.As the weather gets colder I hope you are managing to stay warm. It is still likely that we will have more cold spells, so do take care.We had some enjoyable events over Christmas, starting with our Christmas Lights celebrations on 30th November. I would like to thank Lee Cox and the Village Hall Committee for their help with this. It was a really lovely evening and enjoyed by all who came along to see the lights and partake of the sausage rolls, mince pies and mulled wine. In my last message I said I had invited our new MP, Chris Vince, and he came along. He was very happy to talk to everyone and answer questions. On 22nd December the Nine Lessons and Carols Service in St Giles’ was well attended and very enjoyable, as was the chance to chat to everyone over refreshments after the service.Once again Cllr Mark Bloomeld has organised a litter pick in the village. This will be on Sunday, 16th March, starting from the Hop Poles or the Church car park, at 10am. Afterward there will be refreshments served in St Giles’ Church, thanks to the PCC’s kind invite.As you will have heard Essex County Council has decided that they will not be holding elections this year. This is while they are looking into becoming a unitary authority with a Mayor. All well and good, but what about the people who do not agree with this, will they get their voices heard? One of the outcomes of this would be a more signicant rise in council tax.Roger Hirst, the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, has stated that there is not enough money to maintain the Police Force and up to 200 jobs may have to go. So much for all the pledges to put more police ocers on the beat.Don’t forget that the Community Website is available to all of you, and if you would like anything added then contact the Webmaster.Our next Council meeting will be held on March 3rd and our Annual Parish Meeting will be on 17th March, both in the Village Hall and beginning at 8pm. Do try to come along and support your Parish Council at work. After the Annual Parish Meeting do join us for cheese and wine.My thanks go out to Lee Cox and the Village Hall Committee, Christine Coultrup for her work on the Highlights magazine and, of course, to all our Parish Councillors for their hard work. And last, but not least, my thanks to Urška our Clerk for all that she does.Alan Townsend, Chairman,Great Hallingbury Parish Council.

22Easy EatingChorizo and Halloumi PastaThis avourful pasta dish combines the salty, squeaky texture of halloumi cheese with the smoky, spicy kick of chorizo sausage. The addition of a smooth tomato sauce and penne pasta makes this meal a perfect weeknight dinner. Quick, easy and absolutely delicious, it’s a family friendly dish that’s ready in just 30 minutes.Ingredients1 tsp olive oil1 red onion, peeled and chopped2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped250 g penne pasta2 tsps smoked paprika1 tsp oregano225g halloumi, cut into cubes200 g chorizo, sliced into 1 cm rounds500 ml passata2 tsps sugar3 tbls double cream50 g grated Grana Padano (or Parmesan)2 tbls parsley, choppedMethodHeat oil in a pan and sauté onion and 1.garlic for 3-4 minutes. Cook pasta until al dente, then drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.Add paprika and oregano, cook for 1 2.minute.Add halloumi and chorizo and fry until 3.halloumi is golden.Stir in passata, sugar and cream. 4.Simmer for 10 minutes.Add pasta and warm through. Garnish 5.with parsley and Grana Padano.Fruity Orange CakeAn easy fruit cake with a citrus tang and a good way to use up any leftover mince-meat. Almonds on top are an option.Ingredients4 oz (100 g) block margarine8 oz (225 g) self-raising our, sieved4 oz (100 g) demerara sugar4 tbsp (60 ml) mincemeat3 eggs, beatenGrated rind and juice of 1 orangeMethodSet oven 3501.oF, 180oC, mark 4. Grease and line a 7 in (18 cm) round cake tin.Rub margarine into our. Add other 2.ingredients, mixing well.Spoon into tin and level top.3.Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer 4.inserted in the centre comes out clean.Allow to cool in the tin before turning 5.out on to a wire rack.Rosemary Nugent

23Essex CountyCouncilCllr Susan BarkerDear Great Hallingbury ResidentsLocal Government ReformOn January 10th this year an historic vote took place at three Councils across Essex. These were votes at Essex County Council, Southend County Council and Thurrock. The votes were agreeing to ask the Government to move forwards with a new Combined Authority and a Directly Elected Mayor, to postpone Essex and Thurrock elections in May 2025 and to consider local government reform across the whole of greater Essex. The new Government has said that it wants this across all Shire Counties by 2028. It is really a question of trying to have some inuence on the shape of Essex in the future rather than having a solution imposed by Civil servants. We will know whether our proposal is accepted by Government by the end of January with the legislation to postpone elections, initially for one year, happening in late February.Other Counties, including Norfolk, Suolk, Kent, Hampshire and East and West Sussex are in the same situation. Parish and Town Councils are likely to be unchanged as part of these proposals.Small BusinessesIf you run a small company you may be eligible for Employment Allowance. I came across this recently and am aware that it is not much promoted. To qualify you need to be a business that employs at least two people for whom you pay Employer’s National Insurance. Your total Employer’s National Insurance Bill needs to be under £100,000. The allowance in the 2024-5 year is up to £5,000 and when changes to NI come in next year this increases to £10,500. If you use the Government’s free Basic PAYE payroll you simply need to tick the box asking Do you wish to claim Employment Allowance. With other payroll systems you may need to do a bit of investigating. It does work, I have claimed it myself. Once accepted, you can also go back a couple of years so it’s worth doing before the end of this Tax Year. I would love to hear back from you if this saves your Company a bit of money! RoadsThe cold weather in January will take its toll on our roads so please do report new issues to me. Susan BarkerCounty Councillor for Great Dunmow divisionDistrict Councillor High Easter and the RodingsChairman Essex Pension FundLate news: Permission has been granted to postpone the 2025 Essex County Coulcil election.The Key to the Castle

24Speedwatch We are still struggling for volunteers and therefore the group has not been as active as we would like it to be. Please join us.We have been oered a further site, so if anyone lives in an area of the village they feel is blighted by speeding vehicles then please contact Clr Mark Coletta in the rst instance with details. We cannot guarantee that any site will be approved as it has to be agreed by the police. Just to clarify, the existing locations are near the Village Hall, close to The Grove and on the B1256 close to Stansted Distribution Centre. NeighbourhoodWatchThe Neighbourhood Watch currently has 80 members. We continue to upload les relating to local crime on the Facebook page Great Hallingbury Neighbourhood Watch | Facebook. You will also nd information on our website greathallingburycommunity.co.ukAt our rst pop up café on Saturday, 4th January, we had local PCSO’s Natalie Smith and Michael O’Donnell-Smith in attendance. They were handing out various leaets and crime prevention items. They also chatted to neighbours who came along, oering practical advice. At our pop café in June, we hope to have the local fraud coordinator attending. From the ArchivesThe 70th Great & Little Hallingbury Annual Flower Show 2008Wasn’t it a great day; it had everything. A delightful venue at Harps Farm, a nice sunny, but blustery, day and the TV was there to put on lm the 1000 residents of Great and Little Hallingbury w h o h a d come to see a r e c o r d n u m b e r o f entries. 931 items were put before the judges, 455 of them from the children.There was traditional entertainment too from the Harlow Brass Band and the Brownies who performed Maypole dances.There were nearly 30 cups and shield s ceremoniously h a n d e d t o the winners by President, Irene Graham, and many other prizes too. There were prizes for fruit, owers and arrangements, continued at bottom of next page A coin

25ClosureIt is with sadness that we record that the Hallingbury Flower Show will no longer happen after more than 85 years. In 2008, the 70th show was held as reported in the previous column.FinancesThe Flower Show was always conceived as an event for the residents of Great and Little Hallingbury to meet and mingle and enjoy friendly competition and a good summer’s day out. Money raised was used to defray the sometimes considerable expenses but whenever there was a surplus it was donated to the school or the two village halls.When the time came to disband, the remaining committee members agreed to donate the residual funds equally to Great and Little Hallingbury Village Halls with each hall receiving nearly £1,900 towards their funds for which they were grateful.ThanksOver such a long period there are many people who deserve our thanks for providing an important village event. Those in the early history of the Flower Show are unknown to me but those who were later involved include:The Streeter family and Mr & Mrs Roger •Graham for alternately hosting the event at Harps Farm and Gaston House.Nessie Streeter and then Irene Graham •as Presidents of the Flower Show.Geo Petts chaired the committee for •over 10 years followed by Rita Storr and Cormac Conway.Pam Newton was a long serving Secretary •and Betty Rogers was the Treasurer for many years, followed by Oriel Gordon and Lesley Wells.Committee members over the years •have included Eric Rogers, Shirley Goodlife, Terry Evans, Malcolm Field, Alan Pinnock, Jan Baldwin and many others whom I am unable to name.The Flower Show is truly a great loss to our Village society.Alan PinnockP.S. The Flower Show owns tables and chairs which are available for sale. Please contact Alan Pinnock (07939603507) if you are interested. They won’t stay in good condition for ever.Children’s EntriesFrom the Archives continued from previous columncookery, needlework and, my favourite, photography. The children were set artwork, cooperative work and hand writing - as well as the Scarecrow competition - and all the entries were fascinating.The Ball in the evening was a great success. It was kindly sponsored by Ludo Marcello and held at the Great Hallingbury Manor Hotel in the marquee. Anton Edelman of Anton’s Restaurant provided the delicious meal. Entertainment was from a smooth and cool disc jockey, followed by the vibrant m u s i c o f K e i t h Artus on guitar with his band.

26 MOT TEST CENTREClass 4 and Class 7 vehiclesService and RepairsOpening HoursMonday – Friday 8am – 5pm Saturday - by appointment onlyTel: 01279 724534 or 07778 217304Stephen’sGardeningServiceAll aspects of garden maintenance undertakengrass cuttingpruninghedge cuttingjet washing / cleaningand moreTel: 07730 201664Stephen is a long standing Great Hallingbury resident

27Allotment AbundanceHow hard can it be to grow a carrot? Well let’s just say that, ve years after taking on my allotment, I have developed a tremendous respect for the farmers who produce thousands of tons of these tricky vegetables!Cast your minds back to the start of lockdown. We were told that It’s still perfectly safe (and recommended) that you go out into your gardens and allotments for both the health of your mind and body. Perfect! I applied to East Herts District Council and within a week met the site manager of our nearest allotments which were just a ve minute walk up the road. I was oered ve rods (25m square) of uncultivated land at our local site on April Fools Day 2020 and there began the start of my love aair with the land.Each morning would see me and my wheelbarrow with my collie, and sometimes my husband, in tow striding up the road to begin a couple of hours of manual work transforming the overgrown plot into well-tended strips of cultivated land. The smart dresses and skirts of my teaching career were pushed to the back of the wardrobe to be replaced by shorts and wellies!I loved the way the experienced allotment holders would oer nuggets of advice when we rst appeared on site: You don’t want to be doin’ that… whilst leaning on their forks at a correct social distance and raising their eyebrows at the misplaced enthusiasm.We learnt so much that rst year and not all of it veg related; we regularly came across gentle slow worms as we dug into the untouched soil mounds, robins that would hop down onto the ground next to us; we chatted to people from all walks of life, from pigeon fanciers to wine connoisseurs, who all shared a love of gardening. The harvests were generous considering our inexperience and we would come back with potatoes, raspberries, beans and owers, often sharing them with hitherto unknown neighbours along the way.During the intervening years, I have added to my knowledge about gardening but one of the wonderful things about submerging yourself in a new interest is that the more you know, the more you realise what you don’t know! With that in mind, I signed up to a horticultural qualication at Writtle Agricultural College in September and I am now able to answer many of my questions - apart from how to grow those tricky orange things!Claire LayerCharity Quiz NightNominate Your Favoured CharityEach year the Village Hall Committee plans to hold a charity quiz night. This year we are supporting an Alzheimer charity in memory of one of our long standing residents.We invite you to nominate a charity that you would like to benet from our quiz night in 2026. To do this, please write to or email the editor who will pass your suggestion to the Village Hall Committee. The chosen charity will selected randomly at the end of this year.

28Little HallingburyCricket ClubWe have had a busy time with under 11 and under 13 teams playing in the indoor league at HECC. Both teams, playing against much bigger clubs,performed really well with Max Wood, Foster Wilkie and Thomas Hutley scoring runs.We have been recognised for the good work we have done with our Colts by having no fewer than four colts selected for county squads: Sam Brichieri-Colombi for Essex CCC under 18, Beau McCardle for Essex CCC under 15 and Chelsea McCardle and Peyton McCardle with the West Essex CCC under 11.We will be starting winter nets at Leventhorpe School on Sunday, 2nd February, 1 to 3pm. Colts from 2 to 3, both softball and hardball. The sessions run for 7 weeks. If interested, please contact nickthorne@gmail.com or Stewart Goold on gooldstewart@gmail.com.Keith BehaggMurphy's Lesser Known LawsLight travels faster than sound. This • is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.A ne is a tax for doing wrong. A • tax is a ne for doing well.He who laughs last, thinks slowest.• Change is inevitable, except from a • vending machine.Those who live by the sword get shot • by those who don't.Nothing is foolproof to a sufciently • talented fool.The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have • a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.If the shoe ts, get another one just • like it.The things that come to those who • wait may be the things left by those who got there rst.Give a man a sh and he will eat for a • day. Teach a man to sh and he will sit in a boat all day drinking beer.Torch: A case for holding dead • batteries.God gave you toes as a device for • nding furniture in the dark.

29There Are Rivers In The Skyby Elif ShafakA book to savour while the nights are long! – nearly 500 pages in the hardback version. But the plot, with the three main characters around whom the story revolves, along with the Tigris and Thames rivers and the ancient poem, The Epic of Gilgamesh, needs every one of those pages. Add to that a theory about a single drop of water that would bind together the three lives over the course of nearly 3000 years - and you begin to wonder how it was possible to compress all these ideas into so few pages!A drop of water falls on the head of Ashurbanipal, the erudite but ruthless king of Assyria (about 600 years B.C.), as he walks through his capital, Nineveh. It reappears in 1840 as a snowake that falls on the head of a newly-born child on the banks of the stinking, sewage-lled Thames – who was later to be named in history as King Arthur of the Sewers and Slums. And, 174 years later, that same droplet is found in a bottle in south-eastern Turkey about to be used in the baptism of Narin, a nine-year-old Yazidi girl. Don’t ask how this is possible? – just go with the ow!With an abusive, alcoholic father and a mentally-ill mother, Arthur’s only chance of escaping destitution is his brilliant memory. When this gives him a job as an apprentice at a leading publisher, his world opens up beyond the slums. Arthur is allowed to borrow books and becomes obsessed with one in particular, Nineveh and its Remains. This leads to him becoming fascinated by the Assyrian exhibits in the British Museum and, some years later, travelling to the site of the ancient city of Ninevah. In 2014 in Turkey, Narin, a young Yazidi girl, is diagnosed with a rare disorder that will soon cause her to go deaf. Her grandmother is determined to baptise her in a sacred Iraqi temple before this happens. But with the rising presence of ISIS and the destruction of the family’s ancestral homelands beside the River Tigris, Narin is running out of time.In London in 2018, Zaleekah, a hydrologist, moves into a houseboat on the Thames. Orphaned at a young age and raised by an uncle, she has recently made the decision to take her own life but the same book that Arthur had read, Ninevah and its Remains, gives her a new perspective on the future.As the lives of these characters become clearer, you begin to see how they’re tied together, with the last few pieces falling into place at the very end of the story. Even if you don’t like history books, this is still A GOOD READ - to the extent that I’m thinking of having a tattoo of a molecule of water in cuneiform!Jan BaldwinP.S. Only one book this time as Jan was so rivetted by There are Rivers in the Sky she wanted to share her nd!BookCornerBookCorner

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31G r e a t H a l l i n g b u r y Neighbourhood PlanThe last edition of Great Hallingbury Highlights included an analysis of the responses to the questionnaire distributed to everyone in the Village during the summer. The Parish Council met in November, 2024, and decided not to go ahead with a Neighbourhood Plan at this stage. This was in no small part due to the lack of responses received (about 9% of households replied). Given the sheer volume of work that getting a plan up and running would take, with the seeming lack of support from those living in the Village it was felt highly unlikely that enough people would come forward to help with the amount of work needed to move forward. As you may be aware, Uttlesford District Council has now submitted their draft Local Plan for government approval. Assuming this is adopted, the only protection, if any, we will be aorded as a village, is anything contained therein in the immediate future. Cllr Val WaringLATE SPRING 2025Family Memories through Precious Itemsby Tim TurnerWednesday, 12th MarchA History of the Ocial WarArtists in the 20th Centuryby Quentin SpearWednesday, 9th AprilHistory of Tate & Lyle Sugarsby Andy Hagon-TorkingtonWednesday, 14th MayMeetings held in Great Hallingbury Village Hall at 8pmEntrance Fee Including Refreshments£3 for Members Membership £10 pa £5 for Non-members EVERYONE IS WELCOMEGreat Hallingbury History Society

32The Day King George V visited Great Hallingbury 110 years agoOn 19th February, 1915, in bitterly cold weather, King George V visited Great Hallingbury to review some 33,000 troops in Hallingbury Park before they departed for France. Many of the soldiers had been billeted in Bishop’s Stortford and the surrounding villages. Soldiers from the Lincoln, Leicester, Staord and Northampton Regiments were among those reviewed. Some of these soldiers were to die in the Battle of the Somme in 1916.The King was entertained at Hallingbury Place by Mr and Mrs Agnew, who had been renting the estate from the Houblon family since 1909. The march past took place at the east side of Hallingbury Place. The King passed through the great house into the gardens and over a temporary bridge into the park. The King had requested that there should be no public notication of the event and no public reporting. There is no mention of the review in the Court Circulars for February and no mention in The Times.We do, however, have a description of the event from a soldier, Private Bertie Hibbett of the South Staordshire Regiment, writing to his mother on the same day as the review. Bertie volunteered in Walsall at the start of the war. He was wounded during the Battle of the Somme.The letter was beautifully written in ink with a painting of the South Staordshire Regimental Badge, Hope & Perseverance, and sent to Mrs A. Hibbett, 95 Foden Road, Walsall.Bertie Hibbett’s full name was Arthur Hubert Hibbett. He attended Queen Mary’s Grammar School in Walsall. His father was King George V at front of Bertie’s Autograph Album. 1916.Chief Inspector of Schools in the borough. At the outbreak of the Great War, Bertie was 19 years old and a Mining Surveyor Apprentice. His whole family - his parents, his three brothers and his sister - were on holiday in Abergele, Wales, when war broke out. Bertie, and his brother Sydney, were sent a Recruiting Postcard by his old Headmaster to raise volunteers for the South Staordshire Regiment. During the Great War Bertie sent over 200 letters to various family members, but mostly to his mother. They date from his training in Luton and Saron Walden and from the front in Flanders and France, until he went over the top on 1st July, 1916, the rst day of the Battle of the Somme, when he was wounded and his brother Sydney was killed. Sydney was aged 22 years. Further letters followed from the Red Cross Hospital in New Brighton until he was discharged from the army in July 1917. After the war he trained to be an Anglican priest at Litcheld Theological College. He was ordained as a priest in 1924 and served most of his ministry in Lincolnshire.Philip Hays

33My Very Dear Mother,Three cheers for His Majesty the King – with hats raised on high; upon xed bayonets; stretching our arms to their fullest length, each one of us trying to get his hat the highest. Hip! Hip! Hurrah! Such was the climax of the day. We went to ‘wish His Sovereign Majesty goodbye’ and, on the other hand, the King came to bid his soldiers farewell and victorious success.The Review took place in ne grounds of some aristocratic residence. The ceremony brought back to mind of those in the past, but with almost original freshness. The combined bands played such inspiring music that during the ‘stand at ease’, our Major and several ofcers could not help but perform antics keeping in time. One ofcer would stamp his foot on the ground; the Major would move his sword up and down with both hands. Then came the ‘shoulder arms with xed bayonets’ and move off in double platoons to march past our noble King. ‘Eyes left’ was given out sharply by our Capt. Lister and every head and eye turned at once towards the King, as each platoon passed.There stood His Majesty, perfectly still and erect, facing each line of platoon, with stern and earnest countenance.But everything was not over, for we could see the eld kitchens with their smoke issuing from their tall funnels and smell the savoury smell wafting towards us.As we were eating our meal, the King scorched past in a motor, and my word, you can’t imagine the shouting and cheering and everyone running towards the drive. Cheer upon cheer went ringing through the air; everyone left their grub to set eyes on the motor; then away it disappeared through the park gates.We were soon on our way back to Bishop’s Stortford Station to entrain back to Saffron Walden. Ries carried at the ease and the band striking up a lively air. Bertie Hibbett

34Essex Police Speed round up We know that drivers speeding on our roads is a concern in our communities.And we understand why. Speed is a major factor involved in road deaths and serious injury collisions every year.Throughout January the team has been in Elsenham, Leaden Roding, Little Hallingbury and Takeley carrying out speed checks following concerns raised by local residents.Secure your letterboxBurglars are often opportunistic thieves who target houses and ats looking for any opening they can exploit.If your door has a letterbox, tting a guard to the rear of the door can prevent someone from reaching in with a stick and hook to sh for nearby items like handbags or keys.A few seconds is all it takesKeep your car and belongings safe by hiding valuables out of sight and double-check that your car is locked.Park in well-lit areas and consider investing in additional vehicle security measures like a steering wheel lock.Be fraud smartDestroy and preferably shred receipts with your card details on and post showing your name and address. Identity fraudsters don’t need much information in order to be able to clone your identity.Stay safe this winterWinter running can be refreshing, but it’s important to stay safe. Wear bright, reective clothing so you are visible to others, especially in low light conditions.The DevilA few minutes before the church services started, the congregation were sitting in their pews and talking. Suddenly, Satan appeared at the front of the church.Everyone started screaming and running for the front entrance, trampling each other in a frantic effort to get away from evil incarnate.Soon the church was empty except for one elderly gentleman who sat calmly in his pew without moving, seemingly oblivious to the fact that God’s ultimate enemy was in his presence.So Satan walked up to the man and said, ‘Do you know who I am?’The man replied, ‘Yes, I do.’‘Aren’t you afraid of me?’ Satan asked.‘No, denitely not.’ said the man.‘Don’t you realise I can kill you with one word?’ asked Satan.‘Don’t doubt it for a minute,’ returned the old man, in an even tone.‘Did you know that I can cause you profound, horrifying AGONY for all eternity?’ persisted Satan. ‘Yes,’ was the calm reply.‘And you are still not afraid?’ asked Satan.‘Nope,’ said the old manMore than a little perturbed, Satan asked, ‘Why aren’t you afraid of me?’The man calmly replied, ‘Been married to your sister for 48 years.’

35G Mar 2 9 am Holy Communion* Mar 5 6 pmAsh WednesdayHoly Communion with AshingM Mar 9 11 am Morning WorshipM Mar 9 6 pm Evening PrayerG Mar 16 9 am Holy CommunionM Mar 23 11 am Holy Communion** Mar 30 11 am Mothering SundayG Apr 6 9 am Holy Communion** Apr 13 11 am Palm SundayM Apr 13 6 pm Evening PrayerM Apr 18 2 pmGood Friday - An Hour at the CrossG Apr 20 9 amEaster Sunday - Holy CommunionM Apr 27 11 am Holy CommunionG May 4 9 am Holy CommunionM May 11 11 am Morning WorshipM May 11 6 pm Evening PrayerG May 18 9 am Holy CommunionM May 25 11 am Holy Communion* to be advised** Six Villages Service Mothering Sunday - Holy Trinity,   HateldHeath Palm Sunday - St Mary’s, SheeringThe website has details of all services taking place across the Six Villages, and information about special events, our contact details and how to get involved. www.sixvillages.orgServices in theHallingburysMarch - May 2025G = St Giles’ M = St Mary’sRoyal British Legion Poppy Appeal 2024The support for the Appeal in 2024 has again been excellent in the Hallingburys. Thanks to our local Poppy Morning taking £469, over £1100 has been raised for this appeal - again the best villages in the local area. Thank you to all those who contributed and for the continuing support for this cause which does such excellent work for soldiers and their families. With house to house collections gradually being phased out, we now rely on local shops and pubs to display a box and this year they were all supported really well. Both Howe Green House and Little Hallingbury School gave great support, particularly as half term coincided with half of the campaign.For many years the area Poppy Appeal has been organised and overseen enthusiastically by Sandra Sabin as our Area Organiser. This year she nally made the decision to stand down from leading the local campaign. She will be greatly missed but we have been assured that everything will go as smoothly as before with others in charge and she will be helping to keep everything running as usual. Thank you Sandra for your hard work over so many years.Gill Sewell Coordinator for Great & Little HallingburyWANTEDOccasional Driverto take Client to London in client’s carClean driving licence andpersonal references requiredPlease contact kinpippil@gmail.com

36CalendarMarch 20251 Library Van - Bedlars Green 13.45 - 14.153 Great Hallingbury Parish Council - Village Hall 8 pm3 Little Hallingbury History Society - Sir Frederick Gibberd and the Development of Harlow New Town - Little Hallingbury Village Hall 8 pm4 District Councillors’ Surgery - Village Hall 2 - 4 pm8 GHVHCoeeMorning10-noon12 Great Hallingbury History Society - Family Memories through Precious Items - Village Hall 8 pm15 GHVH Charity Quiz - Village Hall 7 for 7.30 pm16 Great Hallingbury Litter Pick17 Great Hallingbury Annual Parish Meeting - Village Hall 8 pm22 Library Van - Bedlars Green 13.45 - 14.1526 Hallingbury Ladies - Chair Based Yoga - Village Hall 7.30 pmApril 20251 District Councillors’ Surgery - Village Hall 2 - 4 pm5 GHVH Social Evening 7 - 10 pm7 Little Hallingbury History Society - The History of Hallingbury Place, Great Hallingbury - Little Hallingbury Village Hall 8 pm9 Great Hallingbury History Society - A History of the  OcialWarArtistsinthe20thCentury- Village Hall 8 pm12 Library Van - Bedlars Green 13.45 - 14.1523 Hallingbury Ladies - In the Garden with WilliamMorris- Village Hall 7.30 pm May 20253 Library Van - Bedlars Green 13.45 - 14.15 10 GHVHCoeeMorning10-noon12 Great Hallingbury Parish Council - Village Hall 8 pm14 Great Hallingbury History Society - History of Tate & Lyle Sugars - Village Hall 8 pm17 GHVH Social Evening 7 - 10 pm23 Hallingbury Ladies - Getting to Know You - Village Hall 7.30 pm24 Library Van - Bedlars Green 13.45 - 14.1525 Joint Great Hallingbury, Little Hallingbury,  HateldHeathHistory Exhibition - Featuring WorldWarII- Little Hallingbury Village Hall 1 - 5 pmCome to the next Parish Council meetings - ask your questions - give your views. See how the Parish Council works for you. Monday, 3rd March 8pm Village Hall Monday, 12th May 8pm Village HallAnnual Parish Meeting Monday, 17th March 8pm Village HallHighlights is an independent publication compiled and edited by C. J. Coultrup, Pantiles, Great Hallingbury and printed by Newnorth PressLtd.E&OEThisNewsletterisnottheocialrecordoftheGreatHallingburyParishCouncil;onlytheMinutesofMeetingsarethe true record. Neither the Council nor contributors are responsible for the accuracy of the contents. Content of advertisements is the responsibility of the advertiser. Contributions and dates for the diary would be welcomed. Thanks go to everyone who has contributed or helped in its production and distribution. Editor: 01279 655144 or gthallhighlights@gmail.comGreat Hallingbury Annual Parish Meetingwill be held in the Village Hall onMonday, 17th March, 2025, at 8 p.m.All residents are welcome to attend to hear what has been happening over the past year with the Parish Council and our local societies.Then join us afterwardsfor ‘Cheese & Wine’