General Wivenhoe Talk - The Wivenhoe Forum

Junk mail

mossie — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:05:02 +0100

I have been told that our excellent local posties have been instructed to ignore customer opt-outs from un-addressed mail and to deliver ALL junk mail.

This morning on radio 4 there was talk of the long threatened Royal Mail privatisation going ahead this autumn - is there a connection?

If, like me, you do not wish to receive this continual stream of dead trees you can opt out by writing to:-

Freepost RSTR-YCYS- TGLJ

Royal Mail Door To Door Opt Outs

Kingsmead House

Oxpens Rd

Oxford

OX1 IAA.

The e.mail option on the Royal Mail site does not seem to be working - I wonder why?

Boat Parking Spaces !

benbradley — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:52:22 +0100

Hi,

has anyone out there applied for a dinghy parking space along the riverfront where the new housing development is ?

I would be interested to hear from you. Contact me at wpha@rocketmail.com

Best

Ben Bradley

We have a visiting cat who is trying to move in. Does anyone know him?

Linz — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:50:44 +0100

Please take a look at this picture if you are missing a cat in Wivenhoe or Colchester.

http://www.lindsaywakelin.co.uk/?p=2944

Thanks

Lindsay Wakelin

Theft of trees from front garden

catherine — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:40:44 +0100

This is my first post on Wivenhoe forum and sadly it is to report the theft of four newly planted trees from our front garden during the night of 19 May.

We had planted a row of 12 Wilma conifers to replace an old conifer hedge. Why only 4 were taken is a mystery but points to someone with a project that they expect others to finance. So if anyone notices someone suddenly planting 4 golden conifers 3'-4' tall please let me know. The theft has been recorded by police.

We have lived in Wivenhoe for nearly 28 years without problems - you just don't expect this sort of petty theft here. So, please could everyone be aware that there are garden thieves around.

POTHOLES

Jason — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 01:36:02 +0100

WivSoc is co-ordinating a POTHOLE survey. Any locations and photos can be sent to wivsoc@rocketmail.com. These will then be forwarded to the ECC Portfolio Holder for Highways.

Wivenhoe Twinned With Reblochon

Mike — Wed, 22 May 2013 07:02:04 +0100

Now that twinning towns is old hat, isn't it about time we had a pointless twinning with something else?

My vote would be for Wivenhoe to be twinned with a cheese. And cheese doesn't come much better than Reblochon from the French alps. It's also an ingredient in one of my favourite dishes, Tartiflette.

I'd be disappointed if it was Mild Cheddar.

Gig rowing Race Sat 25th May.

benbradley — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:12:08 +0100

Come and support the Wivgigs Rowing Club's gig Audacity as they take on Brightlingsea's Velocity, Matchless and Rowhedges Aqualine. Witness the biggest inter village gig race the Colne has seen so far. The race starts from Batemans Tower in B'sea and finishes at Wivenhoe Sailing club. The gigs will be racing towards Wivenhoe by midday. All the gigs will then parade up to the Hythe for prize giving with stalls selling wares and food. For more info email wivgigs@ymail.co.uk

Songs and Stories For Parents and Toddlers

Songsandstories — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 05:02:58 +0000

'Songs and Stories' is a parent and toddler group that runs every Wednesday morning at Open Space (Unit 14, Wivenhoe Business Centre).
We sing silly songs, tell stories, make friends, use baby signing, play games, move our bodies, explore instruments and through all this, develop our ability to communicate, express ourselves and grow in confidence.
We would love to see all you babies and children there - come along and bring your grown-ups for the fun.
9:30 am - 10:15am - Newborn to 12 months
10:30am - 11:15am - 12 months to 2 and a half years
11:30am - 12:15pm - 2 and a half years to 4 years
£5 a session, pay as you go
Find 'songsandstories' on facebook.

The Goose saga continues...

ChrisGibson — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:21:04 +0100

The trials and tribulations of the Shipyard white goose have been much documented on the Forum, given its presence (at least during the winter) for two years, and its association with the two resident mute swans.

That is until about three weeks ago when it disappeared, perhaps not unrelated to an influx of new swans, two of which (both not quite adult) seem to have muscled in alongside the residents...

...but today it is back! It has spent most of the afternoon surveying its former domain forlornly from the other side of the river, with its new companions two Canada geese! At least it seems to be getting closer to a correct self-identity (and indeed Canada geese and Grey lag geese, which the white one is a form of, are sufficiently closely related to interbreed occasionally.

Chris

Look Twice - Twice Vintage/Retro Fair

DivineInterVintage — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:21:20 +0100

It's all happening in Wivenhoe on the bank holiday weekend!

Now into it's 2nd year, local artist Charlotte Bernays is opening the doors to her art studio for a two day vintage/retro event on the 26th & 27th May.

Open 10am - 4pm on both days.

Expect to find both inside and outside a cornucopia of vintage clothing, jewellery, lifestyle, crafts, upcycled items, and collectables.
Refreshments will be available, all homemade of course.

Entrance is just £1 half of which will be donated to Wivenhoe Moving Image.

Jazz On The Quay 2013

DavidattheRose — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:50:17 +0100

Jazz on the Quay will take place on Sunday 23rd of June this year.

The usual excellent Blackwater band will be playing between 1 and 4 in the afternoon.

To get some local opinion I want to make it more of a Jazz festival so another band on at 4 and then a duo playing inside the pub in the evening from 8pm, would anyone have any objections to this or think its a good idea.

Thanks

David

Local Business Networking

adrian — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:10:52 +0100

As some of you know I am a member of a Colchester-based business networking group that meets every week with the aim of exchanging business referrals. Two or three other Wivenhoe and Alresford businesses also network there.
Guests are welcome to attend any meeting, but once in a while we have a dedicated Visitor Day, and one such day will be taking place between 6.30-8.30am on Tuesday 4th June at Colchester Golf Club.
Over a splendid breakfast you get to pitch your business to 40-50 other representatives of local businesses from a wide variety of sectors. But it is not just about generating new business from other attendees - it's about getting to know them so they can put you in touch with their contacts too.

If you think this may benefit your business, send me a message and I can fill in some more details and answer any questions.

Adrian

Skip hire

Mike — Sun, 19 May 2013 09:11:14 +0100

Morning all.

Can anyone recommend a skip hire firm? A friend got stung for £300 for two weeks' hire recently. I'm sure there are cheaper options.

End of week welcomes...

Jason — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:10:26 +0000

It's been a bit quiet around here of late. Yeah, yeah - same old Jase, moaning that we haven't got half of Wivenhoe signed up. It's a slow, building process, and I need a little more patience.

Anyway - we're up to 47 members now. Hurrah! It is genuinely great to have you all around. And so a big Wivenhoe Forum welcome this week to new members:

hepburn, melwiv, wivenhovian, wiggers11, Needham, Lisa and tinysketchbook :)

I hope you all get some benefit out of the forum.

Bike Kitchen, 18th May

Jason — Sun, 05 May 2013 06:40:58 +0100

A new diary date, via TTW ---->>>>

"Saturday 18th May, Bike Kitchen and Cake! 3pm to 4.30pm. A community workshop where our experienced bike mechanic helps you learn how to do basic tune ups to your steed. Places limited, contact jowheatley at yahoo dot co dot uk to book your place. £5 suggested donation."

Gazumped by Spicer McColl Wivenhoe

Janine — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:36:59 +0100

Recently I put in an offer for a house through Spicer McColl estate agent. The offer was accepted on the condition that the house was taken off the market. Great, we thought! But no, they called today explaining that someone else has put in a higher offer, and the vendor is accepting their's instead. Essentially they want to create a bidding war. It's called guzumping, and is legal, but in my mind at least completely void of business ethics! They get away with it as they (in Spicer McColl's words) "work for the vendor not the seller".

I wanted to post a comment here on the forum to warn others about this practice from Spicer McColl, so hopefully they can avoid using this company, who in my opinion are cowboys!

Re: Wivenhoe lad Shane Diggens sings in Britain Does Variety Sat May 18th -Seats available on coach

julia — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:02:20 +0100

Shane auditioned for Britain Does Variety and is now singing in the Regional finals. This is a very big event and will have judges from backgrounds as diverse as West End Performers, Agents, Entertainment Bookers, Radio and TV Presenters and Industry Experts, plus a Live audience

The Regional Finals is Sat 18th May at The Palace Theatre in Southend 7.30pm
If you want to support Shane, as 3 acts will qualify to the grand final via voting from the audience and the judges. Tickets are £10 for the show and a coach is organised direct to the venue. There is a link below about the event

If you are interested in coming to the event, please contact 07709138071.

Coach pick up points are at Clacton, Thorrington, Wivenhoe, Colchester and Stanway. The coach leaves co-op 3.55pm and the flag 4pm. The coach is £8.50 return.

www.britain-does-variety.co.uk

Julia

Black Bouy

nunhead — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 08:13:49 +0000

Any news on when and if its re-opening?

Tenuous claims to fame

Mike — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:17:47 +0100

For my Radio Wivenhoe show tomorrow night (9pm - 11pm) I going to attempt to avoid the big news of the week and read out listeners' tenuous claims to fame. It got me wondering whether anyone on here has any.

I should warn that we're hoping to set the bar at "Highly tenuous" so boasts of working with Chris Evans or going to a party with someone from Eastenders are out. By way of an example...

My ex-girlfriend's best friend's dad once had Nicholas Parsons over for dinner.

Not Wivenhoe, but close enough

Keith — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:46:24 +0100

This video is causing some controversy, but whatever your views might be it is worth a look.

I think it is brilliant, from the original idea to the end result, and from an amateur.

Perhaps a message too.....................

> Click Here <

Burglary at Radio Wivenhoe

radiowivenhoe — Fri, 10 May 2013 17:16:43 +0100

Last Monday night (6th May) the studio at Radio Wivenhoe was burgled and a Behringer 5 channel mixer - 2 pairs of headphones ( a pair of Sony and an American Audio) along with £100 in cash that was raised at a fund raising gig was stolen.

If anyone hears anything about these items, please let us or PC Meyer at Essex Police know.

We can't believe that anyone could stoop so low and do this.

Cooking Nightmares

Mike — Thu, 16 May 2013 07:28:26 +0100

A diversion away from serious talk and a potential category for my show next week...

I was remembering some of my Nan's (Gawd bless 'er) attempts at home cooking and wondered whether we could get a menu of hell together. I'll offer.

Frozen Prawn Cocktail.
Right Way Up Cake (she dropped it on approach to the table).
Full English Breakfast in Lard Juice.
Beef & Tizer stew.

Papas fish and chips :-)

Debbie — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:54:46 +0000

I just want to thank papa's fish and chip shop for the best fresh haddock and thick crispy hot chips ever tonight! I can say that all the times l've had papas take aways I have always been satisfied. But tonight 10 outta 10! Thank you so much I got a night off too. X

Car For Sale- Audi A4 £470 o.n.o

Rich — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:01:17 +0100

Audi A4 1.8 5dr Saloon, 1998, Black, Petrol, Manual, 154,000 miles, Service History, Tax end May, MOT September, Power Steering, CL, Electric Windows/Sunroof, A.B.S, Alarm.

Genuine reason for Sale, small van needed for work going self employed.

Good reliable runner, normal wear for age, sound Audi engine. Last Mot only 1 advisory so replaced catalytic converter, also had oil & filter change.

£470 o.n.o Must Go

Richard- 07852778583

Parking enforcer - Old Ferry Road

riverestuary — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:09:38 +0100

Would someone please enlighten me as to why cars parked in Old Ferry Road near the river receive notices on their windscreen asking them not to park there? A red Beetle parked there last weekend received one of the unofficial tickets. Under what authority/mandate does this person dish out these notices?

Colchester NHS Trust Review

Jason — Sun, 12 May 2013 06:23:40 +0100

Colchester Hospital is one of the fourteen NHS Trusts that is being reviewed by a DoH panel headed by Sir Bruce Keogh. Submissions - positive or negative - are being sought from hospital users in the area.

Cable in Wivenhoe

maz — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:30:17 +0100

I'm wondering if there is any history in Wivenhoe re the possibility of cable coming to town ?

I'm a SKY customer (mug ?) of many years' standing and am finally coming to the end of my tether with them, with yet another box about to give up the ghost which will require replacing.

I don't have any issues with BT (broadband and calls are with them), but their TV service isn't as comprehensive as Virgin's is, which pretty much replicates SKY bar one channel, for significantly less money.

I have, however, a vague memory of discussions somewhere in the dim and distant past (not necessarily on this forum) regarding cable and for some reason have the impression that it is a "never darken our doorstep" issue because of the wreckage caused to the pavements when cable is installed ? (Although, it wouldn't be anywhere near as bad as the potholed roads in Wivenhoe....!!) I also get the impression that Virgin now only install cable on new developments, because it is too pricey otherwise.

Does anyone have any info or thoughts they care to share ?

Thanks !

Maz

Wanted guitar practice partner with veiw to starting a band perhaps?

NowandZen — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:58:36 +0100

Hi, I've been learning the guitar for a while and am looking
for anyone who (like me) needs someone to practice with and learn from.

I'm having lessons
with David Minter a local guitar teacher and I could really do with a practice
partner to meet up with now and again, to run ideas past and also to draw on
each other's knowledge. Ideally I would like to start a band locally or perhaps join
a new one starting up with a view to gigging perhaps in the future.
Im just as happy with acoustic as electric guitar, so eithers good.

I suppose I should mention I'm no spring chicken, more of an
old rooster, but that shouldn't be an issue I hope. As far as influences go far too many to mention here, but I am open to all styles of music. So if you’re interested PM me or leave a reply

Ticket for Ist Test V New Zealand at Lords on Thursday

Pip — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:22:41 +0100

Have a ticket for the first day of this test - Thursday 16th. Can't go - anyone like to have the ticket - price was £65 but will negotiate!

Can anyone recommend a good butcher please?

SnowRae — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:37:00 +0100

As per the title, can anyone recommend a good local(ish) butcher please? It's such a shame we don't have one here in Wivenhoe.