Hethersett a norfolk village on the web

She thanked the businesses who had sponsored the application including Lotus Cars, Norwich Union, Kettle Foods, Barley Chalu and the Norwich and Ipswich Co-operative Society.

Local charities including the Paul Bassham Charitable Trust and the Norwich Town Close Estate Charity also supported the venture. The bulk of the funds, however, were raised by the Friends of Hethersett High School.

The funds will give the school the opportunity to create a centre of excellence for science and maths teaching. A new science laboratory was opened last September and all four laboratories will now be refurbished with inter-active whiteboards being included.

Professor Barry Smith, chair of governors, said: "We are particularly pleased to be able to enhance the opportunities provided at Hethersett High School for students and members of the local community to further their science and mathematics learning."

School Says Goodbye Mr Chips

Hethersett High School is turning its back on chips as it adopts a healthier menu and that has already won praise from celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.

The youngsters dumped their existing menu as unhealthy and that met with the approval of Oliver who is campaigning for a more healthy life style in schools.

The school menu has been drastically changed after the scholl council decided there was a lack of healthy options available.

"The fact that they have taken it upon themselves to improve their own school meals by calling for more nutritious and well-balanced meals is to be applauded," Oliver told local paper The Evening News.

Now chips feature on the menu just once a week as a side dish. When children filled in a questionnaire from Norfolk Catering Services, they made it plain they wanted a more varied, healthy and interesting diet.

That meant stopping fizzy drinks and suddenly the school became a healthier place. The move has been supported by head cook Jackie Davey:

"I've always had a firm belief that children should eat a sound and healthy diet. Some of the kids started off saying where are the chips but now there's not so much as a groan about the food that's on offer," she told the newspaper.

In its editorial the Evening News said that Jackie Davey and head Rosemary Allen deserved a round of applause for working alongside the pupils to come up with a more balanced menu.

"The time has come for other schools to take a look at what is happening at Hethersett High and to encourage their pupils to have their say on what food is on offer," it says.

Pre-School Praise

Inspectors have heaped praise on the Hethersett pre-school group.

They found that the group provided good quality care for children in a warm and friendly environment with nursery education of a high quality.

"Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals" the Inspectors from Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education) stated. The teaching was rated as "very good" with the partnership with parents also praised.

The pre-school runs four sessions a week in the mornings at Hethersett Methodist Church Hall.

The report concluded: "Children's behaviour is very good and confidence is developed through praise and encouragement. Children are happy and motivated in their play."

Accident Black Spot

Norfolk Constabulary's Accident Studies and Statistics Department has identified a number of problem areas for road traffic collisions. These include the B1172 Colney Lane/Station Lane junction in Hethersett. A number of accidents have occurred over the past year and the main causes given are disobedience of the junction control and inattention. To read more about this visit Norfolk Constablary's web site by clicking here.

Surge in Bad Behaviour

The village has seen an increase in loutish behaviour over the past few months and this has been highlighted in an article in the local Evening News newspaper.

And families have claimed that youngsters are coming in from the surrounding area determined to cause trouble.

Ian Weetman, Hethersett Parish Council clerk, said he had heard that troublemakers had been moving between Hethersett and neighbouring village Mulbarton.

Problems in the village include graffiti and anti-social behaviour in the evenings.

"We have spent a lot of money repairing damage and swear words written on play equipment. It is something as a council we have been concerned about. In the end council taxpayers are paying for it," said Fred Watkins who is Hethersett's representative on South Norfolk District Council.

Anybody with information or who sees anti-social behaviour in Hethersett is asked to contact Norfolk Police on 01953 424242.

Renewed Appeal From Youth Club

Hethersett Jubilee Youth Club, which opens on Wednesday and Friday evenings has renewed its appeal for helpers.

The problem was highlighted on this site last year and recently a leaflet drop was undertaken in the village in an attempt to find extra volunteers to help run the club.

Another Panto Success

After 36 years the colourful annual after Christmas pantomime at Hethersett continues. This year's offering was Cinderella and once again audience participation was to the fore in another event produced and written by Duncan Pigg. The showband was conducted by local GP Tony Press and once again the event raised money for local charities.

Landscaping News

Plans are in hand to landscape the area at the side of the Village Hall. This will include the planting of shrubs, trees and a hawthorn hedge. There will also be a seating area and a path to the skatepark to help create another recreational area in the village.

Youth Questions

Youngsters in the village are being asked for their views on facilities in the village. A short questionnaire is included in the March edition of the parish council's newsletter.

Put together by the village's youth council which has been in existence since 2000, it aims to access the views of youngsters aged between 11 and 21. Amongst the questions are ones on facilities, what improvements could be made, what new facilities would enhance the village and the possibility of a youth forum.

A previous questionnaire distributed by the youth council resulted in the setting up of a skate park in the village.

News In Brief

Buskers from Hethersett High School raised £193 just before Christmas for the St Remigius Church Repair and Development Appeal. They played their steel pans outside Waitrose supermarket and also raised money for World Vision. The event was organised by Hethersett Middle School teacher Beverley Downs.

More people are worshipping at the parish church – Figures for Christmas 2004 showed that over 1,230 people attended services at St Remigius – a 5% increase on the previous year. The church is looking to set up a Friends group to help raise funds to maintain the building

Over £4,000 was raised in Hethersett and Little Melton for Christian Aid in 2004. Christian Aid week itself raised £2,903.24. The 2005 Christian Aid week will take place from May 15^th to 21^st. The St Remigius appeal for the Tsunami Disaster raised almost £1,600.

Hethersett Environmental Action Team are asking people to be frugal to mark World Environment Day which takes place on 5^th June. They are asking people to keep car journeys to a minimum, ensure that unnecessary lights are turned off and measuring water when filling a kettle. Their message is simple: “”Any restriction of energy will assist.”

Hethersett Middle School has received a national lottery grant to establish a writing project with the Woodcote Residential Home. Residents will work with the children on a range of writing activities and create a better understanding between the older and younger people. Work has begun at the school to construct a disabled changing room for the swimming pool and there are also plans to re-site the school office to the front of the premises and build a safe entrance path for pedestrians away from the school car park.

Once again there is a problem in the village with dog mess. Whilst most owners act in a responsible way, the parish council has received reports of mess being left, particularly in the Henstead Road area.

The parish council is appealing for donations to purchase a chain of office for its chairman to wear when attending official functions in the village: "The parish council feel that it would be advantageous to increase the standing of the chairman when attending functions by procuring an official Badge of Office," it states in the parish council's March newsletter.