Left to right: Tina Pashley, Ian Kenvyn and Polly Brockis of the Bircham Centre pictured with Brenda Gostling and Mark Bridges from the Reepham Festival team that started the campaign to bring Prince to Reepham. Photos: John Tym

The RFestival team pledged an initial £2,000 to the campaign but called upon the local community to come up with the remaining £4,000 required to get the sculpture installed in the town.

Residents, businesses and local organisations from Reepham and the surrounding area rose to the occasion, with donations coming in via a JustGiving page, loose change buckets in shops and through local fundraising.

Brenda Gostling, music festival team member who co-ordinated the campaign, said: “This is a testament to the amazing community spirit we have in Reepham.

“We’ve had money in not just from our shops, pubs, cafés and other businesses, but also from the WI, local Lions Club, Reepham Town Council and – most importantly – from the wonderful people who live here.

“I believe we are the only community to have funded a sculpture in this year’s trail – and maybe in any of Break’s GoGo trails to date. I’m proud to have helped make it happen.”

Break, the charity running the GoGoSafari trail, became one of Reepham Festival’s charity partners in 2024 and will also benefit from this year’s event, which takes place on the weekend of 9–10 August.

Reepham’s GoGoSafari Lion is called Prince, named after the late musician, with a flowing purple mane (echoing the hit Purple Rain) and musical notes on his flanks.

His legs show him walking through Reepham hollyhocks – the town is currently filled with these graceful, colourful flowers, growing on the edges of its streets.

Prince can be found in Reepham’s Market Place at the front of the Bircham Centre, the town’s community hub, hosting a charity shop, library, community garden and various groups and activities.

Trail followers who collect the sculpture in the GoGoSafari app can earn a Reepham Reward: businesses in the Market Place showing the purple pawprint sign in their windows are offering special deals or discounts to those who have earned the reward.

There is also a RFestival 25 reward to be claimed, before 8 August.

See our earlier stories:

• Target reached to secure GoGoSafari lion
• Campaign launched to bring GoGoSafari trail to Reepham

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Amelia with her four-year-old daughter, Yakelin, surveying the tragedy of their dying banana trees during an intense heatwave in the Alta Verapaz region of Guatemala. Photo: A. Sheppey/Christian Aid

These envelopes could be returned to the post office or the pharmacy if people wished to donate to Christian Aid Week.

Sadly, the number of delivery volunteers has dwindled due to age and people moving away.

This year, Christian Aid Week envelopes will again be available to pick up at the Methodist Church and St Mary’s in Reepham, as well as Motts Pharmacy, Reepham Post Office and the Bircham Centre.

Envelopes with donations can be returned to either Reepham Post Office or Motts Pharmacy during Christian Aid Week (11–17 May). Donations can also be made online HERE.

This year’s Christian Aid Week is focusing on the charity’s work in Guatemala, Central America, where the climate crisis is causing the seasons to intensify and shift erratically.

As a result, farming communities have to battle devastating floods and intense heatwaves. Water sources are drying up and vital crops are failing, plunging farming families into hunger and poverty.

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Organisers of the Reepham Festival co-ordinated the campaign to raise the £6,000 required to get a GoGoSafari lion, raising £2,000 themselves. Contributions were also received from Reepham Lions Club, Reepham WI, Taverham Lions Club and Reepham Town Council.

Residents supported the campaign by donating their loose change in collection buckets about the town and by donating on the JustGiving page set up by Break. There were also generous donations from local shops and businesses.

The GoGoSafari trail runs from Monday 23 June and runs until Saturday 30 August. Reepham’s lion, who has been named Prince, will be located in the Market Place and is being painted by one of Break’s regular GoGo trail artists, Mik Richardson from Aylsham.

The exact location and design are being kept secret for the time being – the location will be announced nearer the time, but visitors will have to wait until the trail starts to see the actual design.

There will be 51 sculptures in total – many in Norwich city centre plus a county trail that includes the sculpture in Reepham.

Trail maps and a trail app will be available, and there will also be a trail hub, called the Lookout, in The Forum, Norwich, throughout the trail for further information.

Break raises funds for its work with young people going into care, while in care and after leaving care. The GoGoSafari Trail will generate money for them when the sculptures are auctioned off after the trail has finished.

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The Norfolk-based charity, which has supported older people in the county for more than 75 years, will run its first face-to-face information, advice and signposting session on Monday 27 January from 9 am – 12 noon at the town’s community centre, which has been a key part of Reepham for more than 100 years.

Over a number of sessions over the coming months, people over the age of 50 can speak to a trained Age UK Norfolk advisor on a variety of topics including benefit entitlements (and support to make applications), lasting power of attorney, social care, advocacy services, companionship services and planning for later life.

In early 2024, the charity undertook consultations with staff, volunteers and local older people to understand what services people in later life in Norfolk required. The provision of face-to-face advice was quickly marked as an unmet need, and the charity has dedicated time this year to developing partnerships for local advice-giving opportunities.

In September, Age UK Norfolk was successful in securing funding via the Norfolk Community Foundation for a face-to-face befriending pilot in the Reepham area, which has assisted the charity’s advice team with identifying the town as a prime location for advice sessions in the community.

Emma Harkness, head of information and advice at Age UK Norfolk, said: “We are excited to continue to develop our new outreach advice service by including Reepham in our offer.

“We know that some people prefer to utilise our services face to face; residents of Reepham and the surrounding areas will now have access to accredited information and advice in a way that suits them via the Bircham Centre.”

Polly Brockis, Bircham Centre manager, added: “We are delighted to be able to host Age UK Norfolk so that people will have the opportunity to speak in person with an advisor about the issues which concern our older community.”

Age UK Norfolk is seeking funding to support the provision of its community advice sessions in Reepham and welcome contact from local organisations or businesses interested in sponsoring the activity in future. Expressions of interest can be made by email.

Current dates for advice sessions at the Bircham Centre include Monday 27 January (9 am – 12 noon, drop-in), Wednesday 12 February (pre-booked appointments only via the Bircham Centre on 01603 879242) and Monday 31 March (9 am – 12 noon, drop-in).

For more information about these advice sessions, please contact the Age UK Norfolk helpline on 0300 500 or email.

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The funding will also be used to collect knowledge to determine the impact of initiatives to counter loneliness in both urban and rural areas.

For many people in later life, socialising can become harder for a variety of reasons including bereavement, health issues and reduced mobility.

Age UK Norfolk has been supporting people in later life in Norfolk for more than 75 years and loneliness has always been a recurrent theme.

The registered charity is now launching a new “Friends” project for older people in the area, providing face-to-face befriending in people’s own homes (or setting of their choosing) and support taking steps to leave their home and get better connected with their wider community.

This could include using public and community transport, help attending local clubs and groups and even walking or cycling.

Jen Field, Age UK Norfolk head of supporting and enabling and Friends project lead, said: “We are beyond thrilled to be launching a new pilot ‘Friends’ scheme in the Reepham area.

“We look forward to fostering social connections for those who need them and would encourage anyone interested in volunteering for the scheme to get in touch.”

Could you be a volunteer Friend?

Age UK Norfolk is currently accepting applications for volunteers to the project based within an eight-mile radius of Reepham.

To learn more about signing up for the Friends project, contact the charity’s volunteer coordinator on 01603 785210 or volunteering@ageuknorfolk.org.uk

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The pair completed their first marathon walk in 2022: 26 miles along the Norfolk coast from Cromer to Holkham for MacMillan Cancer Support.

Last year they decided to support the Alzheimer’s Society, which provides help and hope for those living with any form of dementia and their carers, and completed a marathon walk around London.

The pair met eight years ago when Rosie moved to Reepham and joined the local WI. They discovered a shared passion for walking and, finding there was no local walking group, decided to set one up, which has been running ever since.

Joy is a regular volunteer and programme manager for the Sunshine Café in Reepham, which meets twice a month in St Michaels to provide a meeting place for anyone with memory loss and their carers; this why the pair have called their team “Walking on Sunshine”.

The memory café meets on the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 10 am – 12 noon. Activities include seated Pilates, music, memorabilia, board games and conversation. Refreshments are provided and there is no charge.

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Tatiana Eva-Marie was born in Switzerland and from an early age she developed a love of swing and gypsy jazz.

She now lives in New York where she leads the Avalon Jazz Band and has enchanted audiences around the world with the gentle clarity of her voice and her natural, joie de vivre style, which have earned her an international following with more than 70 million YouTube views.

The event at Salle Park, from 4–6 pm (including an interval), is being organised by local furniture maker Michael Westgate, who has collaborated with international jazz harpist Ben Creighton Griffiths to bring Tatiana to the UK for just two concerts – the first time she has performed in this country for six years.

Cardiff-based Ben has performed regularly in North Norfolk with his Transatlantic Hot Club to enthusiastic audiences and will be leading a string trio to accompany her.

Tickets are priced at £28 (under 16s £14) and can be purchased online HERE. Please bring your own chairs/blankets; you are welcome to bring a picnic. Gate opens at 3.30 pm.

The car park entrance is on Cawston Road. There is a walk of about 400 metres from the car park to the garden site.

The performance will go ahead regardless of the weather, so come prepared!

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On Saturday 8 June the Fixers will be at Aylsham Town Hall from 2.30–5.30 pm as guests of Aylsham Climate Emergency (ACE).

“We certainly haven’t fixed everything in Reepham, but after seven successful sessions here we think it’s time to try a wider catchment area,” said Fixery volunteer Charles Butcher.

“Working with the ACE team we look forward to spreading the message to Aylsham, Cawston and surrounding villages. And of course it would be great to see people from Reepham too.”

Aylsham Town Council set up ACE in 2021 to help the town become more sustainable in the face of the climate crisis.

The event on 8 June marks the start of Great Big Green Week, a celebration of community action to tackle climate change.

Following The Fixery, at 6.30 pm there will be a special screening of the film 2042 hosted by Aylsham Picture House.

The Fixery is a “repair café” where people can bring in clothing, bags, jewellery, bikes, electrical items and small pieces of furniture to be fixed free of charge, or for the cost of any spare parts needed.

Since their first session at the end of February the Fixers have tackled dozens of items from trousers to teapots and from bikes to electric buggies. If they can’t repair a particular item they may be able to advise who can, and the likely cost.

The Fixery opens on the second and fourth Saturday of every month. On Saturday 22 June the Fixers will be back in their usual home in the Bircham Centre, Reepham, from 11 am – 3 pm.

You can contact The Fixery via the website, Facebook and Instagram (thefixeryreepham) or telephone 07771 193620.

See our earlier story:

• Repair hub helps people fix their household items

The post The Fixery goes on tour to Aylsham appeared first on REEPHAM LIFE.

The Countering Loneliness Innovation Fund, which is now live on the Norfolk Community Foundation website, has grants of up to £5,000 available.

Examples of fundable projects include community-based activities that form social connections, such as film clubs, book clubs, walking groups, stay-and-play sessions, youth clubs, community cafés and coffee mornings, exercise groups, arts and crafts groups and skills-sharing sessions.

The grants are open to charities, faith organisations, parish/town councils, social enterprises/community interest companies and voluntary/community groups.

The deadline for applications is 12 noon on Friday 7 June.

Click HERE for more information.

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However, our volunteers have grown older and fewer so this year we have decided to do different.

If you would like to make a donation, Motts Pharmacy, the Post Office and the Bircham Centre in Reepham will have a supply of envelopes for people to pick up and return during the week; there will also be envelopes in the Methodist church and in St Marys.

We will be putting up posters in Reepham and in the churches to advertise all this.

Many thanks to you all and, of course, to our previous years’ volunteers.

Jolyon Booth

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