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Ceilidh
Friday 20th April was the date of another popular fund raising event, helping to further the St Swithuns restoration. The wonderful Cambridge University Ceilidh band had no problems in getting people up on to the dance floor in the village hall on a beautiful warm, spring evening.
Supper was provided by the ladies of the village - Coronation Chicken and rice, and chocolate brownies. Altogether a very successful evening - thank you to everyone involved. Watch this space to find out how much was raised.
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Nottingham Cathedral Choir
As part of the continuing fund raising for the restoration of St Swithuns, Great Chishill resident Lisa Mackenzie organised for the choir of which she was, and sometimes still is, a member to come to our village and give us a wonderful concert of sacred music. Led by their conductor Alex Patterson they gave a mix of pieces without any accompaniment. 'Wow' was probably the word most used by the audience who were held spellbound for the whole evening.
The concert was helped along by drinks and nibbles, and a competition to guess how far the choir had travelled in 5 years. As yet we do not know how much was raised towards the restoration, but thanks go to everyone who had anything to do with the event.
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Windmill Cycling Club
 The Windmill Club is a Cycling UK affiliated group. The club is based at The Pheasant. Rides take place twice a week - approx. 20/25 miles on a Monday afternoon/evening and approx. 30/45 miles on Thursday mornings, usually in the lovely quiet lanes surrounding this area. During the summer months rides sometimes start at locations in Suffolk or Norfolk and take in places such as Aldeburgh, Southwold or Wells. The pace is leisurely and there is as much focus on good companionship, conversation and coffee/pub stops as there is on cycling. Each ride costs £3.00 and the proceeds are donated to various charities at the end of each year. So far, over £5,000 has been raised.
For more details of The Windmill Club's rides please take a look at their blog.
New members are always welcome.
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St Swithuns Restoration - Update  Despite adverse weather Bakers (the contractors) are working on the outside of the tower, removing the strong cement-based mortar between the flints. It was probably put there in Victorian times after the partial collapse of the tower. This mortar is part of the problem because it keeps moisture in, indeed the builders said walls 'wept moisture' as the old mortar was raked out. So far they have removed 12 tons of failed lime mortar and cement render!
Until the cement mortar is removed it isn’t clear what is behind the outer skin. In the upper levels they have found separation of the face from the tower core in many areas, with very soft crumbly lime mortar behind the outer layer. All the unstable material has to be removed before any repairs can be made. On the South face the builders have found evidence of where the tower was rebuilt after its collapse, again using inappropriate materials. So much more extensive re-building work is needed than anticipated. This can’t happen until the weather is warmer. Instead of just re-pointing the tower, lots of re-building work is needed, this will cost more money so we are looking at the impact on the budget, and how to meet the additional costs.
Click here to see pictures of the restoration in progress and the problem walls.
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Saffron Screen
Saffron Screen is your not-for-profit independent community cinema based within Saffron Walden County High School. The professional auditorium boasts a full size screen, 200 cinema seats, Dolby Digital surround sound and both 35mm and digital projection equipment. Ticket and refreshment prices are kept low to benefit all and parking is free.
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A Autism-friendly screening (No adverts or trailers, Low level lighting throughout the showing, Film sound at a consistently lower volume)
DDementia Friendly screening. (see cinema website for details)
s Subtitled line Sold Out
B Baby friendly - Bring your baby (under 12 months) for a trip to the cinema without worrying about babysitters. There will be changing mats and a comfortable environment for new parents – and a certain amount of noise can be expected!
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For full details see website www.saffronscreen.com
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Saffron Hall
 Saffron Hall is an exciting venture set up in the grounds of Saffron Walden County High School. The vision is to inspire through music and the arts. The impressive programme includes performances by the school's own ensembles and a host of well known British artists with international reputations.
Exceptional adjustable acoustics. Ample FREE parking.
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8 Minutes – Alexander Whitley Dance Company
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Dance, film and music take us on a journey through the universe, revealing the drama of the burning ball of plasma that illuminates our planet and exploring the numerous ways in which we relate to our home star.
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Sat 28th April
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7.30pm
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Jazz at the Movies
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A jazzy spin on the evocative songs and soundtrack themes from classic films including The Aristocats, From Russia With Love, The Pink Panther, When Harry Met Sally, and many more. Featuring material ranging from Bond to Bacharach, this is an enchanting evening, rich with witty anecdote, sophistication and swing.
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Fri 4th May
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7.30pm
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Bernstein at 100: BBC Symphony Orchestra
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Leonard Bernstein was the ultimate musical all-rounder. To celebrate his 100th birthday, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Roderick Cox play the music he loved – Gershwin’s swinging Rhapsody in Blue – and the music he wrote.
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Sat 5th May
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7.30pm
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SWCHS Event = School performers
www.saffronhall.com Box office 0845 548 7650
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Royston Cinema
The Royston Picture Palace is a community cinema run by the people of Royston and surrounding villages. Although staffed by volunteers, the audience will experience state-of-the-art digital projection onto a 7m screen supported by a 17 speaker digital sound system.
The cinema is located in Royston Town Hall, which has undergone a complete refurbishment in preparation for its new role in the community.
Currently films are shown on Fridays and Saturdays.
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Phantom Thread
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15
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Fri 27th, Sat 28th
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7.30pm
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Journey's End
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12A
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Fri 4th, Sat 5th May
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7.30pm
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Peter Rabbit
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PG
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Sat 5th May
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3.30pm
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Complete Diary available here
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Bin Collections Tuesdays unless otherwise marked
24/04/18: Black Bin
01/05/18:Green Bin and Blue Bin
Wednesday 09/05/18: Black Bin
15/05/18:Green Bin and Blue Bin
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Fowlmere School
 Fowlmere School is our local primary school and they are holding an Art Exhibition on 19th and 20th May, raising money for the Parent Teachers Association and for the Beads of Courage Programme at Addenbrookes.
Click on the picture for details of the exhibition.
Click here to read the school newsletter.
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Village Hall Bookings
 It is possible to have a look at the Village Hall diary online. Simply click on the picture of the calendar to see it. (the diary will open in its own window).
Please treat this calendar as a guide only as some events may be provisional.
If you would like to make a booking, please telephone Janet Crouch on 838301.
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Plastic Flower Dishes
Have you won one of Tess Gent's flower arrangements in a raffle, or bought one with a donation after an event? If so, Tess would really appreciate having the plastic flower dish back. Thank you in advance from Tess.
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 April 2018 Chishills Newsletter now available to view or download
If you have trouble downloading or viewing the newsletter it may be because you do not have the latest version of Adobe Reader. 
Back numbers of Newsletters here
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Windmill News
 The last twelve months have been magnificent for both fundraising and restoration work. We raised sufficient funds to complete our first objective of making the mill safe and available for public access. See pictures of the restoration progress here.
The local community and Friends of the Windmill fully supported our campaign to purchase cedar weatherboarding donating over £16,000. This, together with our other fundraising and the involvement of our Parish Council, convinced Historic England and SPAB that the community was serious about restoring our windmill, leading to the award of grants of £79,000 and £29,000 respectively.
Work on the mill began in earnest in June, but removing the old weatherboarding revealed a multitude of problems; we simply could not attach new boards without addressing the rot on the corner posts and the rear porch area. The front, horizontal weatherbeam that takes the weight of the sail assembly was in danger of falling out which would have seen the sails crash to the ground.
Our millwrights have now made all structural timbers sound; new weatherboarding and roof protection has been fitted; and volunteers have restored the trestle and sails.
Next, we must renovate the tail assembly and the steps from it leading to the windmill door so that visitors may enter safely.
Our major project for 2018 is to restore the mechanism that drives the tail carriage around a track. This, together with the renovation of the tail fan and the track itself, will allow the mill to turn into wind automatically. That will be a sight not seen since the 1950s!
Please visit our website greatchishillwindmill.com to see our progress.
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Forthcoming Events
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Crib Drive
7pm Sunday 29th April
The Pheasant. Anyone interested in playing please drop in and put your name down on the list.
Wine Circle
Next Wine Circle Hosted by Ruth and Robin Dibblee. Wednesday 2nd May
ANTIQUES & VINTAGE FAIR
Great Chishill Village Hall Sunday 6th May, 10am to 4pm Entry Fee £1. Call Rosei on 07720647696 or email rosei@flapperfortunes.co.uk for more info.
Midsummer Ball
in support of St Swithun's Restoration Saturday 16 June on the Playing
Fields
Tickets £75 or early bird discount
£65 before 1st April
Info and ticket sales:
stswithunsball@gmail.com or phone
Claire 838100
Or Kathey 837285
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Great Chishill United Reformed Church - The Future
There have been great concerns about the falling of numbers in the congregation anxieties have grown that the Chapel is not sustainable. As a matter of our huge respect we feel very strongly that it would very wrong to simply close the Chapel without exploring areas of increasing the use of this most charming and useful building.
We would very much like to make a concerted effort to raise the profile of the Chapel, the schoolroom and the lovely garden within the village. We would like to make it a really positive facility for the benefit of all of us who live in and around the village.
From now onwards services will be held on the first and third Sundays of the month. The next services will be at 9.30 on 6th and 20th May. The parish Youth Fellowship meet in the Schoolroom on the second Sunday of each month between 5.00-6.30, run by Helen Williams, (01799 520398).
Click here to see more information about the future of the URC.
Read about more than 300 years of 'Non Conformist' worship in Great Chishill
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Get your event listed here by emailing webmaster@greatchishill.org.uk or phone 838311
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Village Email Directory
We have set up a village email and telephone directory which now has quite a few entries on it.
Access to this directory is limited to those people who supply their own details. Access is via a username and password, issued after you have supplied your details. |
Parish Church Services
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29th April
10.40am Elmdon
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Other Parish activities, news etc.available here
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History
 
To find out about the history of our villages read an extract from 'A tale of two villages' by the late Lorna Prior together with the Doomsday Book entry.
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Mobile Library Dates
Heydon Road opposite the bus stop, on the first Wednesday of each month 14:10-14.40
2nd May
6th June
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Melbourn Library Opening Times
Monday 2.30 to 4.30
Tuesday 2.30 to 4.30
Wednesday 2.30 to 4.30
Thursday 5.00 to 7.00
Friday 2.30 to 4.30
Saturday 10.00 to 12.00
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Thriplow Dump
Gravel Pit Hill, Thriplow, Cambridgeshire SG8 7HZ
Tel: (01223) 839001
Opening hours:
8am to 5pm Every day including Bank Holidays, 1st April to 30th September
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Fancy a Walk?
Circular Walks from Great Chishill
13.3Km
8.9km
7.4Km
or
4.5Km
or, if you want to go further afield, Walking in Essex More than 50 FREE walks to download, details of all the books, maps and walking groups in the county.
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Barley Shop Opening Times
Normal opening hours
Mon to Fri 7am to 7pm
Sat 7am to 2pm
Sun 8am to 2pm
Note: The Post Office is now open most of the time when the shop is open, the exceptions being closing at 5pm on Wednesday, 1pm on Saturday and closed all day Sunday
Tel 848288
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