Two keen gardeners have hit upon a novel solution for publicising Open Gardens events in their county - a website specifically aimed at town and village Open Garden event organisers not only locally but across the UK.

Frustrated by the difficulty of finding Open Gardens event dates, the couple thought it seemed the obvious solution and were surprised that it had not been done.

The website benefits organisers of events and also those who attend town and village Open Gardens weekends. Whilst some website directories already exist, they are aimed at bigger events where organisers can afford to resource their advertising. For the humble town or village Open Gardens event, getting event details publicised has presented a challenge until now.

The website supports the smaller organisers, those volunteers who bring together gardeners and gardens, plant enthusiasts and hobbyists, Hosta lovers and Pelargonium fanciers - the melting pot of Middle England that is Open Gardens.

Simple to use and with a clever search facility, the site allows people to find out about Open Gardens events just down the road or indeed at the other end of the country if you fancy a garden visit whilst on holiday.

Contributing information is also very simple - fill in some details, press a button and your event is there for all to see, and easily updated when required.

Even if an event has passed, organisers should get it on board anyway ready for next year.

Go to www.opengardens.co.uk for more information.

The most expensive medicine is the medicine you don't take. That's the message of a new campaign, through which NHS Norfolk aims to tackle the problem of wasted medication in the county.

The Medicine Waste campaign, which begins on Monday february 28th 2011 will see posters and leaflets displayed in pharmacies & GP surgeries across the county. They all have a simple message - urging patients to order only what they need.

Unused prescription medicines cost the NHS across the UK more than £300 million every year.

Medicine wastage is a serious and growing problem for the Health Service, and Norfolk is no exception. It is made worse when patients or their carers continue to request more repeat medicines than they really need and stockpile them at home. An example is the continuing ordering of as needed pain killers like paracetamol, when only small quantities are actually required

Ian Small, deputy head of prescribing and medicines management at NHS Norfolk, said: "This wastes millions of pounds - in our area it is nearly £5 million a year - and huge quantities of medicines.

"To help you get the best from your medicines, ask your pharmacist for advice. Out-of-date prescription drugs should not be taken as their effectiveness will have diminished over time, and they will no longer provide effective treatment for the condition for which they were intended. Taking drugs long after they were originally prescribed can also be dangerous."

He added: "Unused medicines kept at home are a safety risk for children and others who might take them. Even if you never open them, once medicines have left the pharmacy they cannot be recycled or used by anyone else and must be destroyed.

"Your medicines are prescribed for you - it is not safe to share them. Please take your unused medicines to the pharmacy for safe disposal."

Unused prescription medicines cost NHS Norfolk up to £4.8 million every year.

This is the equivalent of about:

* 1,294 more hip replacements
or
* 1,621 more knee replacements
or
* 316 more drug treatment courses for breast cancer
or
* 4,800 more drug treatment courses for Alzheimer’s
or
* 188 more community nurses

The £4.8m worth of wasted medicine comes from a total medicines budget for NHS Norfolk of about £120m per year. Therefore, Norfolk patients throw away about £1 in every £23 that is spent on prescribed medicines.

The £4.8m figure only represents medicines handed back to pharmacies, not those taken back to hospital units for disposal or thrown away at home. It also does not include the cost to the NHS of having to dispose of these medicines properly.

Medicines which tend to be wasted more often are preventative medicines, such as those for high blood pressure, osteoporosis and asthma inhalers. Painkillers and drugs for depression are also often thrown away.

NHS Norfolk has compiled the following checklist, to encourage patients to order only what they need:

* Let your GP or pharmacist know if you’ve stopped taking any of your medicines

* Check what medicines you still have at home before re-ordering

* Discuss your medication with your pharmacist or GP on a regular basis

* You may be suitable for batch prescribing, known as repeat dispensing - please ask your GP or pharmacist

* Think carefully before ordering your repeat prescription. If you don’t need the medicine, don’t order it! If you need the medicine in the future you can still request it

* If you need to go into hospital, please take all your medicines with you

Ian added: “We certainly do not want patients to stop taking medicines that their doctors have prescribed, but we would like them to check what they have in their cupboards before ordering all the items on their repeat prescriptions."

For more details on the campaign, visit: www.medicinewaste.com

The coalmining industry was one of the biggest employers in the UK, and the cinemagazine 'Mining Review' was shown in half the cinemas in the country - and not just in mining areas.

This edition is a window into working-class life in the 1950s. A young family moves into a new house in the Midlands, one of thousands built for miners; the 16-year-old Coal Queen is crowned at Tamworth Gala; coal cutting and lifting equipment is in use at Plean Colliery, Scotland. And stealing the show, eight husky miners from the West Riding Colliery, resplendent in tutus, perform Delibes' 'Coppélia' for charity at Normanton Central Town Club. (Ros Cranston)

This clip of a Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker being fed by the Male Woodpecker was taken along side one of my photographic shoots.

For a high res image go to: www.wildaboutimages.co.uk
© Paul Bunyard

It is a Norfolk tradition that has attracted many followers over the years. It is a “Snowdrop Walk” at Lexham Hall, nr Litcham, launching the National Gardens Scheme “Norfolk Open Garden Snowdrop Trail” on Sunday February 13th. Four gardens open this year, one each weekend for consecutive week-ends: Bagthorpe Hall, Sunday February 20th; a New garden Horstead House, Saturday 26th February and Chestnut Farm on Sunday March 6th, all open 11 - 4.

When the first snowdrops start to appear it is a sign winter is finally coming to an end. So what better way to celebrate the change in seasons than by garden visiting! Not only do the snowdrops provide a ray of hope that spring is on its way but each year money is raised through the National Gardens Scheme for many worthwhile charities.


Snowdrop mania is a craze that attracts many enthusiasts and families to wrap up warm and venture out garden visiting. With over seventy varieties of snowdrops, Chestnut Farm received German enthusiasts to the garden of Mr & Mrs Mc Neil Wilson. Snowdrop sales boomed at both Lexham and Bagthorpe Hall with Mrs Morton of Bagthorpe Hall selling hand painted snowdrop egg cups. With hot soup, tea and cakes and the added opportunity to snoop around a new garden at Horstead House, who could resist a NGS snowdrop garden day out!

County Organiser Anthea Foster of Lexham Hall said “The NGS gardens that open early in the year are really popular and most gardens admit children 16 and under for free, which makes a garden visit excellent value for money and a great day out. As well as blowing away the winter cobwebs, it is helping good causes too for charities, which include Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Help the Hospices and Crossroads Cares, The Queen’s Nursing Institute, The Royal Fund for Gardeners’ Children, the National Trust and Perennial."

Founded in 1927, the NGS has donated more than £25 million to charities in the last 10 years. Last year Norfolk raised over £71,000 as well as raising additional funds for local charities nominated by the garden owners. Lexham Hall and Bagthorpe Hall snowdrop walks raised nearly £3,000 pounds last year. What a great way to help start the New Year and the “NGS Open Garden” season.

For more information visit www.ngs.org.uk or pick up a Norfolk NGS Guide from your local tourist information centre, garden centre or nursery in February.

UP TO 3 CLASS 56 LOCOS AND 37003, PLUS THE HOME FLEET MAY BE IN TRAFFIC OVER 18TH TO 20TH MARCH.

MNR would like to thank the Class 56 Group for their refurbishments of 56301 and the expected provision of 56301&56302 for their first run in preservation. MNR also hopes to launch 37003 into service.

The home fleet of  20069  31438
                              37219  47580
                              50019  56101
                              73210
will also participate.

All locos subject to availability

Timetable details to follow at a later date.
A buffet car service will be provided and real ale will be available.

The contract to provide primary medical care at Downham Market Health Centre was awarded to Vida Healthcare following a robust tender process carried out by NHS Norfolk last year.

Vida Healthcare is the largest medical practice in Norfolk and last year was awarded the “Quality Practice Award” from the Royal College of General Practitioners. It is the only practice in Norfolk to hold this coveted award. The award recognises the high standards and quality of care provided at its two existing establishments: Gayton Road Health Centre in King's Lynn and the Carole Brown Health Centre in Dersingham.

Together with Downham Market Health Centre, Vida will serve a total of nearly 25,000 patients. There are 2,500 patients registered at Downham Market Health Centre.

Graham Dickerson, Managing Partner at Vida Healthcare, said: “We are proud of the service we have been offering in Norfolk for the past 35 years and we are delighted to be extending this to our new patients.


“Our Practice offers high quality and accessible care and we wish to work with patients to further improve the services offered at Downham Market in the future.”

An open afternoon/evening will be held at the health centre after Vida Healthcare takes over, to enable patients to meet the team and discuss services.

The reason for the handover is that the current provider, Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust (NCH&C) wishes to divest the service, as it is not part of its core business.

Norfolk Community Health and Care is an independent Trust which provides NHS community care services such as district nursing. It will continue to offer services from Downham Market Health Centre as before, including community nursing care, health visiting, community drug and alcohol services and podiatry.

Nikki Cocks, Director of Independent Contracts and Providers at NHS Norfolk, said: “Vida, NCH&C and NHS Norfolk are working together to ensure the handover takes place as smoothly as possible. During this time patient data will be protected, and appointments will continue as before.”

Members of the public can visit the Vida Healthcare website: www.vidahealthcare.nhs.uk

The NHS Norfolk Patient Advice and Liaison Service can be reached on 0800 587 4132, mobile 07500 990815 or email: pals@norfolk.nhs.uk

Barts father (Homer) came to us from Paris Zoo and mother (Marge) came from Twycross Zoo. They were given to Norfolk Lavender courtesy of Ben Potterton (Blacksmiths Cottage Nursery).



The Racka is a unique breed with both ewes and rams possessing long spiral shaped horns. The breed is of the Zackel type and originated in Hungary. The breed is used for milk, wool and meat production. Mature males may have horns as long as two feet or more. The minimum standard length is given as 50 cm (20 inches) for rams and 30 cm (12-15 inches) for ewes. The cork-screw horns protrude almost straight upward from the top of the head.

The breed is found in two major colour patterns. The most common shows brown hair covering the heads and legs with the fleece varying in colour from dark brown to light brown and white. Individuals are also found which are solid black. The wool tips on these animals fades to a reddish black with exposure to sunlight and with age the points of the fleece will turn gray. The minimum exceptable mature body weight for ewes is 40 kg (88 lbs) and for rams 60 kg (132 lbs). The rams average 72 cm (29 inches) in height.

Sexism and political correctness have been in the headlines recently with the high profile scandal involving a female linesman and two Sky Sports presenters, and now those issues take centre stage in a provocative drama by one of America’s greatest living playwrights at Norwich’s Maddermarket Theatre.

Oleanna, by David Mamet, portrays the devastating fall-out when a liberal-minded college professor is confronted with a charge of sexual harassment from a vulnerable female student with a hidden agenda.

Described in Talkin Broadway Review as “One of the most radioactive male-female confrontations ever committed to the stage”, this notorious two-hander became infamous during its run on Broadway and London’s West End for enraging both male and female playgoers and for ruining many a cosy post-show supper with its battle-of-the-sexes theme.


Now Norwich theatre goers can see what all the fuss is about in an uncompromising production of a challenging play with a top-notch cast at Norwich’s premier venue for drama.

Director Stephen Picton said: “Although the play was written in 1992 when the concept of political correctness was relatively new, recent headlines show the issues remain as relevant as ever. Apart from being a monumental challenge for two actors, David Mamet really knows how to push all the right buttons to get people talking. Not many plays can make an audience quite as hot under the collar as this one.”

Oleanna runs at Maddermarket from 17-26 February with a matinee performance on the 26th. The play contains strong language.

Three non-executive director posts at NHS mental health Trust


The appointment of the three new non-executive directors to the Norfolk and Waveney Board coincides with the exciting development to merge with Suffolk Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.

The merger will bring significant benefits to patients as well as greater opportunities for staff. The new Trust will be better placed to develop new services across the wider region reducing the need to send people out of Norfolk and Suffolk and allowing them to receive care closer to home.

The Trust is keen to ensure that the newly appointed NEDs are representative of Norfolk and Suffolk. The Board will already have five NED’s (including the Chair) from Norfolk and Waveney, therefore applications from Suffolk are particularly welcome so there is a balance across the two counties.

Anyone interested must be passionate about building on success, bring strong leadership, insight, strategic vision, sound judgement and a deep understanding of corporate and financial governance to the Foundation Trust Board, as well as sharing public service values.

The Trust is looking for people who can bring knowledge and understanding of running a multi million pound business, whilst providing a vital service for vulnerable people.

Graham Creelman, non-executive director at Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust said:

"I have been a non-executive with the Trust for three years. In a long career in senior executive and non-executive roles this has, genuinely, been the most exciting and rewarding yet.


“A foundation trust is a fascinating combination of a deep public service ethic and up-to-the-minute business practice. To be able to contribute my skills to something as important and fundamental as mental health has been a real privilege.”

In broadening the professional expertise of the Board through these appointments, the
Chair is particularly keen to hear from those with a clinical background. Candidates must live in Norfolk or Suffolk.

To find out more please visit www.wholelifecare.co.uk or for an informal discussion contact Emma Pickup on 0870 165 4254 or Lynn McGill on 0870 190 4379. The closing date for applications is 7 March 2011.

New powers to tackle uninsured driving will come into force within months, Road Safety Minister Mike Penning announced today.

Under the new powers it will be an offence to keep an uninsured vehicle, rather than just to drive when uninsured.

Currently every responsible motorist pays an average £30 each year within their premiums to cover crashes involving uninsured and untraced drivers. It is also estimated that uninsured and untraced drivers kill 160 people and injure 23,000 every year.

Under the new system:
    •    the DVLA will work in partnership with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau to identify uninsured vehicles
    •    motorists will receive a letter telling them that their vehicle appears to be uninsured and warning them that they will be fined unless they take action
    •    if the keeper fails to insure the vehicle they will be given a £100 fine
    •    if the vehicle remains uninsured - regardless of whether the fine is paid - it could then be seized and destroyed
Vehicles with a valid Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN) will not be required to be insured.

The Department for Transport today made the Commencement Order to make it an offence to be the registered keeper of a vehicle which does not have insurance, as well as regulations to support this. Further regulations will be made shortly, allowing the scheme to come into force in the Spring.

 

Tasks are helping out with the annual leaf gathering exercise and making leaf soil – nature’s compost, as well as potting plants.

The garden’s leaf fall is collected during the winter and moved into large holding bays where the leaves gradually decompose into leaf soil. This potent natural product, along with farmyard manure, is the only fertiliser used in the garden. Bags of leaf soil are also sold in Fairhaven’s plant sales area.

Volunteers are asked to phone the garden on 01603 270449 or email fairhavengarden@btconnect.com to confirm their attendance and help with planning for the days.

Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden is at South Walsham, nine miles east of Norwich, signposted off A47 at B1140 junction, tel. 01603 270449, www.fairhavengarden.co.uk. The garden is open daily all year, 10am to 5pm. The garden is open until 9pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays from May to the end of August.

There is wheelchair access to most of the garden, including the Sensory Garden. Visitors requiring special facilities are advised to telephone in advance. Mobility scooters available. Dogs are welcome on leads; small charge to cover poop scoop.

Each PCT will remain as a statutory body and keep its own Board. The Chief Executive of NHS Norfolk, Andrew Morgan, will become Chief Executive of both PCTs. He will be required to put in place a single team of Executive Directors over the coming months. Each PCT will keep its own financial allocation to buy services to improve the health of its population. The cluster of PCTs will deliver increased efficiency and keep the best staff to support the major changes facing the NHS.

This unanimous decision has been agreed by NHS East of England following consultation with the PCTs and the new emerging GP consortia in the two counties, and it has the endorsement of the Chief Executive of the NHS, Sir David Nicholson.

Primary care trusts buy and manage healthcare for the community through agreed contracts with hospitals, community services and mental health providers. Patients can expect to see improvements in services as a result of the cluster because it means the two primary care trusts can reduce management costs and improve joint working.

Sheila Childerhouse, Chair of NHS Norfolk said: “Our two primary care trusts have worked very closely for a number of years, there are joint working arrangements already in a number of areas. There are also strong clinical links, with established clinical pathways and patient flows between Norfolk and Great Yarmouth and Waveney, so this clustering arrangement makes sense for the organisations and for patients.”

David Edwards, Chairman at NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney said: “Clustering our two PCTs together is part of the local NHS preparing for the future. A single leader opens the way for the two PCTs to share skills and resources without the disruptive effects of a full-scale merger. PCTs across the country will all form clusters by June 2011.”

Andrew Morgan said: “This positive step will help us prepare for the future and ensure continued improvements in care for our patients.”

Moves to cluster health trusts are part of the Government’s plans to transfer most PCT commissioning responsibilities to new GP commissioning groups by 2013. If the Health and Social Care Bill is approved by Parliament, then PCTs will be abolished once the GP groups are up and running.

Sir Neil McKay, Chief Executive of NHS East of England, said: “This move enables the local NHS to prepare for a more streamlined future where GPs have more control and more money flows to the frontline as part of proposed reforms of the NHS.


“Regardless of these future changes however, it is a significant step forward in delivering greater efficiency for the people of Norfolk and Great Yarmouth and Waveney.”

Andy Evans, Chief Executive at HealthEast CIC, the GP consortium for Great Yarmouth and Waveney, added: “We support the clustering between the Great Yarmouth & Waveney and Norfolk PCTs. We look forward to working with our colleagues in Norfolk. It’s very important that GP consortia work together across borders to continue improving care for patients.”

People's taste buds must have very long memories because it has to be said that nearly every order our catalogue receives includes a box or two of these tasty offerings, usually prefaced with the phrase "My word, I haven't seen those for a long time!".  This is often followed by a short, usually amusing personal dissertation on the "Merits of Meltis", which usually focusses on the unique experience of biting through the crisp sugar-coated jelly out to reach the fruit-coloured liquid centre inside these ever-popular sweets.

Intrigued as to how this particular brand of confectionery made such an impression on the national culinary psyche, we did a bit of research into its history, which you may find interesting.

Meltis Limited was established in 1908 by Peak Frean & Co., biscuit manufacturers of renown, of Bermondsey (otherwise known as Biscuit Town - but that's another story) in S.E. London.  They registered the Meltis name in 1908 and set up a factory in Bedford in 1913, with thirty employees being transferred from the Bermondsey plant to join a further 100 locally-recruited workers in the manufacture of a range of 'non-sticky' sweets and biscuit toppings.

This continued until the outbreak of the Great War of 1914-18 when an embargo on the use of sugar caused a lull in proceedings. Production of chocolate & sweets re-commenced when peace was secured but it was not until 1931, after many months of painstaking trials, that a sugar-coated gooseberry liqueur sweet was developed and proved a huge success.  This led to the first incarnation of New Berry Fruits, a production process and name registered as a trademark a year later and a brand which went on to become a legend in its own lifetime.

Disruption intervened on the advent of the World War ll, which halted production of these yummy sweetmeats: part of the factory switched production to vitamised chocolate for prisoners of war, whilst other parts of the establishment were converted for the manufacture of aeroplane parts and Admiralty stores.

Nevertheless during this drought the public weren't allowed to forget about New Berry Fruits during the conflict and this Picture Post advertisement, of 13 December 1941 is typical of many reminding the public that reproduction of these popular sweets would be part of the fruits of victory once the dastardly Hun were defeated once more. Inspired by the thought of this tasty prospect, the rest - as they say - is history.

Unfortunately the continuing and universal success of New Berry Fruits was not mirrored by the commercial fortunes of it's parent and from the 1970's onwards, Meltis Ltd - though it had become the largest manufacturer of Turkish Delight in the U.K. and a major player in the production of crystallised fruits - was subject to a series of mergers & acquisitions which ate away at its core until in 1996, the receivers were eventually called in, production ceased and the plant and it's contents sold off.

However, the Meltis brand name was purchased by Hosta UK and though New Berry Fruits were unavailable for a number of years, in 2007 and to the delight of its fans a Dutch manufacturer was found who could reproduce New Berry Fruits successfully.  And so the brand eventually returned to the shelves of British independent shops and the open arms of the many thousands who had mourned their demise and have since enthusiastically welcomed their return!