BERDEN RECORDER’S REPORT 2023  

 

January
Complimentary drinks were served at the Social Club from 12 noon to celebrate the New Year.
There are now 4 applications in the area for Solar Farms. These are Greens Farm, Crabbs Green, Berden Hall Solar Farm and Pelham Spring Solar Farm. Protect the Pelhams is the campaign group that is now coordinating the objections.
We continue to collect for Uttlesford Food Bank based in Saffron Walden. Demand continues to increase.
John Burton decided to stand down as Chair and a Councillor after 14 years. A thank you at the village hall will be organised later in the year. The Social Club will continue to organise a variety of events this year including Quiz Nights, Pool, Table Tennis, Darts and Boule competitions as well as the Berden Family Fireworks and the regular Friday night bar with early opening once a month for families. Local Food vans will continue to visit from Spring to Autumn on Family Nights. Sales of birdseed for the Churchyard will come to an end this month due to lack of demand and the presence of trichomonosis amongst our local finches.
Berden Charity founded by a legacy from Lettice Martin in 1580 continues to support villagers in times of need. Jenny Arnell continues to be its chair and in a letter in the magazine this month she highlights the support it can give to people.
Champing in Berden hit the national headlines with writers from the Daily Express and The Times (Robert Crampton) coming to stay in the church. Very positive reviews. The Guardian also wrote a review.

February
The Book Exchange at the church has reopened.
A very successful Jazz evening was held at the village hall with the ‘Other Band’.
Film Club continues on the 25th and the Berden Book Club continue to meet. This month they are reading The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley by Sean Lusk. Berden Fete is set for July 15th.
Money has been raised for the Turkish/Syrian Earthquake appeal. So far it stands at £820.
March
Families ate together at the village hall on the 3rd after Fish and Chips were ordered from the local shop.
Mothering Sunday was celebrated at the church with biscuit icing.
Souper Friday’s continue to meet at the village hall as part of the warm spaces initiative. It also raises money for the Uttlesford Food Bank.

April
A Good Friday Fish Supper proved to be very popular on the 7th at the church. A fantastic live music event was organised on the 29th to raise funds for the church. Bands included the Wild Roses, Afinado Jazz and the Q3 Trio.
The Easter Virtual Balloon Race has once again raised money for the Benefice Churches. Over £650 was raised. This first started in 2020 during Covid Lockdown.
On the 30th April a big thank you celebration for the village work of John Burton took place at the village hall.
Murray Melvin a famous former resident of Little London died on the 14th. He was one of three actors in the 1970s that lived in the area. The other two were Rita Tushingham and Griff Davies. They were often visited by many other well-known actors.

May
The Coronation of King Charles III has been commemorated with the lighting of the Berden Beacon by Freddie McConnell and Fergus McMullen. A showing of the coronation on the big screen in the village hall and the Big Lunch Street Party. The Church Bells were rung at the toast to the new King and Queen.
Litter picking around the village took place on the 8th May.
A very interesting talk was given at the Church. It was about growing Dahlia’s by Alan Taylor. On the 21st we had a member of the Herts Wildlife Trust come to talk to us about Swifts and how we can protect and support them in the village.
On the 9th May the Planning Inspector granted consent for the development of Berden Hall Solar Farm. Protect the Pelhams will challenge the decision.

June
It was reported in the Parish Magazine that Will Caldwell won the Stephen Griffith’s Memorial Cup for Pool. The runner up was Jason Oliver.
We had two food vans visit this month. Jerk Chicken Man on the 2nd and the Noodle and Dumpling Bar on the 30th. Both very popular with residents.

July
Canon Chris Bishop the former vicar of Berden celebrated the 50th Anniversary of his ordination at a service in St Mary’s Saffron Walden on the 2nd. Many people from the village attended and thanked him for his many years of support. He came to the village in 1985 and retired in 2013 but still comes back to take the occasional service. I
t was reported in July that two former residents of Berden have passed away. Clive Lane the former chair of the village hall and Elsie Mansfield. Both were big supporters of the village.
Unfortunately, due to unseasonal high winds and storms the Fete was postponed until September.

August
An enjoyable talk was given by Mark Trapmore on the maps of Berden from 1600 onwards at the church. Village was quiet with many people away on holiday.

September
Dave Menell led an Autumn Foraging walk around Berden on the 10th. It was very interesting to learn about the various edible and medicinal plants that can be found around the village.
We had the annual Harvest Supper at the Church on the 16th. Honey Roast Ham and Apple Crumble were enjoyed by everyone who attended.
The Fete took place on the 2nd September and proved to be a great success. It was once again held in the Street and the weather was warm and dry. Over £9000 was raised for the Church and Village Hall.
The decision regarding the Berden Hall Solar Farm was reversed and declared null and void on the 14th.

October
Another interesting talk was given by Alan Taylor on World War One and Lieutenant Harry Seabrook who was a member of a prominent landowner in the village during the First World War. The Seabrook family attended and everyone enjoyed the evening.
A thank you drink was organised for all the stall holders of the fete on the 6th October.
The Berden Cider Group met at the home of Frank and Hazel Brookfield for the annual collection and pressing of apples. Several passers-by took an interest!
On the 13th the annual Quiz Night took place and was enjoyed by all participants.
Berden Sociable lunch took place on the 20th and money raised went to the food bank and disaster relief charities.
The rescheduled local history walk led by Mark Trapmore took place on the 28th. It lasted a couple of hours and was well-attended. Money raised was given to the church.
Dog waste continues to be a problem in certain fields. Owners are encouraged to use the dog waste bins around the village.

November
The Berden Bus Stopshop was held on the 25th and raised over £800.
Berden Fireworks Night took place on the 4th and was well-attended by residents and local visitors. It is easily the biggest night of the year in terms of revenue for the Social Club and was enjoyed by all. It takes a considerable amount of organisation and the building of the bonfire requires several weekends of collections from around the village. This has been organised by the chair of the Social Club, John Walker for several years now.
Our local vicar Margaret Davis has retired due to ill health on the 30th. A service of thanks took place on the 26th at Clavering Christian Centre. She had been vicar since 2013. Services will now be taken by the Churchwarden until a new vicar is installed.

December
The Children’s Christmas Party took place at the village hall on the 10th. A visit from Father Christmas with party games, food and music was enjoyed by all. Volunteers are still required for the bar rota at the Social Club and councillors for the Parish Council. Carol singing took place around the village to raise money for Herts and Essex Air Ambulance on the 15th. We finished at the home of Fergus and Kate McMullen who served mulled wine and mince pies.

 

Mark Trapmore
Berden Local History Recorder