Members of our WI enjoyed a festive lunch on Wednesday at The Northrepps Country Cottage Hotel. We were so well looked after by the staff who made light when the inevitable happened; some members forgot what dishes they had ordered and had to check from the master sheet.

While I was out with the ladies, Peter received a call to help with a seal pup on the beach. He went down and was joined by our newest Shore Watcher who responded to the Shore Watcher’s WhatsApp group message. Peter took some photos which show a plump pup, looking quite alert. When our village Marine Medic arrived with her son, she decided it needed medical attention and using the seal bag and seal mobile this feisty common/harbour seal pup was moved off the beach and from here into a crate and into the back of our Marine Medic’s car. This was when I arrived, just in time to take a look at the pup and see a small amount of rust coloured markings round his nose (this denotes worms) before it was transported to Sea Life at Hunstanton. Here it weighed in at 19 kilos and was left for the night with a fish supper. It has been named Twist and medication, to deal with the worms, was due to start being administered the following day. At such a healthy weight, Twist stands a good chance of recovering and returning to the sea.

Twist

In the evening we went to the Parish Council Meeting. The draft minutes of the previous month’s meetings, are normally posted on the Council’s website and put on the noticeboards for general information and comments, prior to the following months meeting. For some reason November’s were not but were agreed at the meeting and so far have yet to be posted for the public to read. It was reported there were three crimes during September; all took place in the High Street. The Police have warned of a scam where someone has been posing as an undercover Police Officer. Next year’s precept was agreed at £29,000. The Bacton sandscape has been agreed and work on this £22 million project is due to start in March 2019. Our District Councillor said this would result in a huge beach which should prove to be a tourist attraction. There is ambiguity in the wording of the application to change the variance in a condition for a previous planning application for Northrepps Aerodrome. As a result, this coupled with the failing of bar one of the Councillors to look into this in depth and at the documentation available on NNDC’s website, resulted in what is in my opinion, an uniformed vote.

The past two afternoons have been pleasant and ideal for a walk along the beach with Barney. Instead of just walking, we took our litter pickers and bags with us too. Most of the rubbish we collected was small plastics of various kinds, weighing in at over nine kilos.

Boxing Day Swim

The sign for the Boxing Day Swim is up at the top of the zigzag path. The swim will take place at 10.30 a.m. when the tide will be on its way out after a 9 a.m. high tide. There probably won’t be much beach for swimmers to run across before plunging into the sea but providing there are no strong northerly winds the sea should at least be clear of the end of the ramp. Santa will be doing his usual tour of the village in his boat; that is providing the sea is not too choppy for his voyage down from the North Pole!!! The tour is this Sunday 16th and will be starting at 3 p.m. from Ivy Farm. Full details of stops and the route are on the poster here (click on image to enlarge) and those round the village. All are welcome to join the tour at any point. There are other Christmas events in the village, with village musician Roger Kimp playing during the evening of the 15th at the Conservative Club (all welcome to go along), another event on the 15th is a Soul Night at the Belfry Centre, following Santa’s tour there will be mince pies and singing with the Chandlers in the White Horse during the evening of the 16th, it's open afternoon at The Pleasaunce from 2-5p.m. on the 18th with an opportunity to look around the home and garden and enjoy Christmas music and refreshments and the Conservative Club are having their Christmas Quiz and draw on the 19th.