NEWS

SPEEDWATCH – ANNUAL REPORT as at 14 May 2012

With our limited numbers we have nevertheless managed a meeting almost everyweek this past year.  We have lost a couple of weeks due to intense cold and a couple because of continuous rain.

Once again it has been obvious that as soon as our signs are put out the vast majority of drivers moderate their speed, though a significant minority, sometimes as many as10%, do not.

During the year over 50 drivers have been written to by the police about their speed going through the village.

The team is agreed that additional means need to be found to induce drivers to respectthe speed limit on a permanent basis.

There are still only six members in the team and although these all give of their best we could sorely do with reinforcements!

Speedwatch Team Volunteers

HOMEWATCH ANNUAL REPORT as at 14 May 2012

The Village is fortunate in having had a relatively crime-free year.  I would like to think this is due to our increased vigilance, but I fear we have just been lucky.  In general residents have been very good at alerting me about incidents and of when their house is likely to be empty.

Opportunistic theft is still the main threat, and this often affects outdoor equipment such as oil-tanks and expensive garden-care machinery.  There is also an increasing danger of metal theft as scrap values soar.

We have again been lucky to have the support and help over the year of our PCSO,Tonya Winsley.  She keeps us abreast of developments, and conveys our concerns back to the police.

Colin Bearne

HOMEWATCH

Rain or no rain the grass still seems to need cutting! Please take care to see that your mowing equipment and garden tools are kept safe and secure. This is the season for the theft of sit-on mowers for example.
I have a number of window stickers to warn off door to door cold callers. If you would like some or one of these please contact me on 01953 483961.

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CASTON COMMUNITY SPEEDWATCH  6 March to 2 April 2012

The Caston Community Speedwatch Team have had 4 sessions since the last Parish Council Meeting. 

We have varied the time and location of each session together with the position of the signs we have to display.  These sessions together produced a number of motorists driving with excessive speed. There were 4 motorists driving too speedily in one session where there was a low vehicle count, all of whom were driving at well over 40 miles per hour.   

We still have yet to hear about the training of one of our team members to operate a mobile flashing sign under the Enhanced Speedwatch Scheme.

HOMEWATCH

There continue to be thefts of heating oil in the Breckland area. Please heed the advice of the police and ensure that your tank is not immediately visible from the road, has security lighting and if possible an alarm. Take police advice if you are not sure how to make your valuable oil secure.
Can I also renew my plea that you keep all sheds and garages locked and secure.

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CASTON COMMUNITY SPEEDWATCH

  6 December 2011 to 6 February 2012

The Caston Community Speedwatch Team have had 8 sessions since the last Parish Council Meeting.  One recent session could only continue for 35 minutes due to the severe cold.  We have varied the time and location of each session together with the position of the signs we have to display.  These sessions together produced a number of motorists driving with excessive speed, of whom there were some driving at well over 40mph.   

We still have yet to hear about the training of one of our team members to operate a mobile flashing sign under the Enhanced Speedwatch Scheme.

Speedwatch Volunteers – 06.02.12.

Presented by Bridget Hall and ably assisted by brother Chris along with local historian John Barnes, the evening was a great success.

Over many years Bridget has put together a collection of old pictorial postcards, some from as far back as the 1890's depicting Caston as it was.  Not only the buildings, some now demolished, but also the residents at the time, some now departed were seen.  Many of them as children in the school photographs but many as adults standing in front of the businesses that they ran and worked for here in the village.

The whole digital show was very neatly put together for projection by David Blincow.  Such was the demand for tickets that the village hall was simply not large enough and the event was moved to Caston School where more than 80 present and previous Caston residents enjoyed both the show and the food on offer.

The evening raised £652.80 for Caston Church Funds and a further £20.00 donation was made to Caston School.

Caston Village Hall Has New Booking Secretary

At the end of February 2012 Stephanie Blincow will relinquish her roll as Booking Secretary of Caston Village Hall after nearly six years of service.  During this time the use of the hall has increased and an internet booking system has been introduced which is proving very popular.

The Village Hall Management Committee are most appreciative of the work that Stephanie has done on their behalf during this time. 

From 1st March 2012 the new Booking Secretary will be Malcolm Valentine who can be contacted on 01953 483440 or by email at:  bookings@castonvillagehall.co.uk.  The committee are very pleased that Malcolm kindly has agreed to undertake this very important and pivotal roll.

David Blincow
Committee Chairman

The 2011 Harrand Quiz, postponed from last November owing to extensive sickness of several team members, was held on Friday 10th February 2012 at Caston Village Hall.  The team from Thompson again reigned supreme coming first with the Caston team coming second followed by Griston and then Stow Bedon with Breckles.  This is the sixth year in succession that Thompson have won the quiz.  The eight rounds covered various subjects including geography, science and technology, sport and gardening and David Blincow was the question-master.  A group of supporters also took an informal part in the quiz and were in the end not too far behind the winning team.  Mrs E. Harrand presented the shield and certificates to the winning team

The Harrand quiz is held annually between the four villages in memory of Jim Harrand who died in 1980.  During his time in Caston, Jim was chairman of Caston Parish Council, Chairman of the Village Hall Committee, a member of the PCC of the Church of the Holy Cross and Deputy Head of Watton Secondary School (now Wayland High School).  The quiz has been held since 1982 when Thompson were the first winners.  The 2012 Harrand Quiz is scheduled to be held on Friday 9th November 2012.

Pictured below is Thompson's captain Bronwen Tyler being presented with the shield by Mrs Harrand attended by John Chapman, Chairman of Caston Parish Council, together with fellow team Thompson team members Kate Winslow, Leoni Paton and Geoff Winslow.