Family and friends of Reepham WI, as well as members of the wider community, had a thoroughly enjoyable evening on Thursday 21 September, listening to Patrick Barkham talk about his recently published book The Swimmer, a biography of Roger Deakin.

Above: Patrick Barkham. Photo: Rosie Humphrey

Patrick is a local lad, who grew up in Booton. As well as being an author of several best-selling books he is also the natural history writer for The Guardian and president of Norfolk Wildlife Trust.

The story of Roger Deakin, an eccentric man of many talents, was eloquently brought to life by Patrick. The book is the result of extensive research of the archive of Roger Deakin’s notes, letters and journals held at the University of East Anglia as well as conversations with Roger’s friends, lovers and associates.

Roger was born in 1943 in suburban Watford, was privileged to be given a scholarship to Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ school, after which he went Cambridge University where his English tutor was Kingsley Amis.

During a full and colourful life, Roger had spells as an advertising executive and a stint as a highly imaginative and inspirational teacher at a school in Diss. He also briefly dabbled in documentary making for Anglia TV and broadcasts for BBC Radio 4.

But Roger’s lifelong passion was the environment and, in particular, Walnut Tree Farm in Mellis, Suffolk, which he restored, also cultivating the surrounding land.

Most importantly, the spring-fed moat surrounding the farmhouse encouraged his foray into “wild swimming” and his quest during the 1990s, when in his 50s, to wild swim around Britain.

This adventure became Roger’s book Waterlog, which developed a cult following and certainly impacted the movement for others to take to rivers, lakes, lochs and beaches throughout the land.

The above is a very simplistic synopsis of a man who enjoyed life to the max. Roger embraced and encouraged an unorthodox way of living during the heady days of the 1960s and beyond.

Sadly, Roger died too young at the age of 63 in 2006. I urge you to read the full, fascinating story for yourselves.

Reepham WI meets on the third Thursday of the month at 7.30 pm at St Michael’s, Reepham.

Dee Taylor

Despite the unseasonal weather, Reepham WI went ahead on Thursday afternoon, 20 July, with their “summer” meeting.

After a presentation by Pets as Therapy, women enjoyed socialising over cups of tea and delicious home-made cakes.

Carole Adams, Norfolk volunteer area co-ordinator and dog temperament assessor, and team member Wendy Jones gave an informative and emotional account of the work the charity carries out.

Wendy brought along her companion, Lacee, one of the 4,000 dogs currently deployed nationally as therapy dogs.

Lacee. Photo: Wendy Jones

The charity was founded 40 years ago by Lesley Scott-Ordish, a journalist and dog breeder. Her initial aim was to counter negative press at the time about dog ownership.

While carrying out this work, she became aware of the high number of people who were distressed at giving up pets when relocating into care homes. Hence the idea of dogs, and also cats, offering comfort came into being.

Pets as Therapy currently goes into care homes, hospitals, prisons and schools –  a revelation to most of us.

Carole shared several anecdotes, the most poignant being of one gentleman with dementia who, reluctant at first to interact, slowly bonded with a therapy dog.

It later transpired he was a Crufts judge and as this “friendship” developed brought back many happy memories for him.

Pets as Therapy dogs are also taken into schools and used as “reading companions”. Children who are nervous, bullied or have mental health issues read out loud to dogs to gain skills as, of course, dogs are not in any way judgemental.

One little boy who had previously been badly bitten, overcame his fears of dogs and established an unbreakable bond with Lacee. This in turn gave him confidence as he was also being bullied – a heart-wrenching tale.

It has been proven that interaction with pets, stroking, walking and feeding them lowers blood pressure, combats loneliness and depression and generally increases all round well-being.

Anyone with a pet they think has the right temperament can apply to be a volunteer. Carole is contactable by email. The charity is funded solely by donations.

Reepham WI meets every third Thursday of the month at 7.30 pm in St Michael’s, Reepham.

May’s Reepham WI meeting began with discussions and debate on the WI National Federation’s choice of “campaign”, for which more than 90,000 members nationally voted on the shortlist. The top resolution “Cleaner Water for People and Wild Life” will now go forward to the AGM in May for ratification.

Manesty Forster gave an informed presentation on a subject that has recently been a topical news story, with water companies pledging an unprecedented £10 billion over the next decade to improve infrastructure and reduce sewage going into rivers and sea.

Several thought-provoking points were raised by the women present, after which the majority voted in favour of putting forward a “discretionary” vote, i.e., clarification on certain matters, not least whether promises made by the water companies are realistic and why billpayers may, ultimately, pick up the tab for water companies’ inaction to date.

The second part of the evening continued with a talk by Linda Brown, founder of Norfolk Knitters and Stitchers, ably assisted by Rosemary Black, membership secretary.

Linda explained how she came to expand the organisation over the past 15 years from a small group of women coming together to knit, crochet and sew in her home to now having a membership of 2,401 across 130 different groups in Norfolk. Some of you may remember Brenda Palmer, who started the group in Reepham.

Norfolk Knitters and Stitchers has five “resource” centres throughout the county – in Norwich, Diss, Sheringham, Great Yarmouth and West Norfolk – where women can go to buy yarn and haberdashery accessories at cost price.

These materials are, in turn, made into blankets, jumpers, scarves, hats, bags and toys amongst other things, most poignantly, “traffic light” hats for premature babies in ICUs and “angel gowns” for stillborn babies.

Women have also contributed towards the Innocent Smoothies “hats” initiative which, over the years, has raised more than £3 million for Age UK.

Finished garments are returned to the resource centres, where they are distributed to national and international causes, such as hospitals, schools, care homes and women’s refuges, as well as orphanages and improvised villages in India, Gambia, Ethiopia and many other countries.

While Norfolk Knitters and Stitchers has received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund and other grants in the past, the charity is now self-funded and, as part of Volunteering Matters, relies wholly on volunteers and thus would always welcome new members.

The purpose of women getting together is not just having a sense of purpose by helping others through “crafting” but also as a vital social link for many who may feel isolated, particularly during recent lockdowns.

Reepham’s group get together on the first Monday of the month from 2–4 pm in the Bircham Centre. Contact Gwenda Dove on 01693 879598 or email. Other groups are held locally; details can be found HERE.

There will be an exhibition of the charity’s work, “Carnival of Colour”, to be held in Central Hall, Wymondham, on 7 October from 10 am – 4 pm. This will also be an occasion to celebrate Norfolk Knitters and Stitchers’ 15th birthday.

Dee Taylor, Reepham WI

Photo: Reepham WI

This month Reepham WI was left buzzing with ideas on how to help our “forgotten bees”, given that lesser-known “wild bees” are in critical decline, brought home in a presentation by Hawk Honey, who is associated with Suffolk Wildlife Trust.

Hawk started his talk by telling us how he came to volunteer at Lackford Lakes. While the lakes are a wildlife oasis, his main focus has developed around insects, especially bees and wasps, which come under the collective name of Hymenoptera.

There are more than 250 species of bees in the UK, including honey bees that normally live in managed hives.

Other species, such as bumblebees and solitary bees (i.e., mason, mining, leaf-cutter and others) live in the wild and differ significantly in colour and size, some as small as ants.

There are even cuckoo bees with similar behavioural traits to their feathered friends.

Shockingly, 17 species have already become extinct in East Anglia, 25 are threatened and 31 are of conservation concern. Of course, this affects us all, given that bees are vital to agriculture.

A recent World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) study estimates that one out of every three mouthfuls of food we eat exists because of pollinators – crops such as apples, peas, courgettes, pumpkins, tomatoes, strawberries and raspberries.

The value in monetary terms is worth a staggering £690 million a year to the UK economy.

Hawk explained that the most obvious reasons for the decline in the “forgotten bee” population are climate change, the removal of hedges and the use of pesticides.

Wildflowers, the staple food of a number of bees, only thrive in impoverished soil. Another factor that surprised us is the huge consequence of an increase in managed hives in recent years – honey bees are “thugs” who drive out other species to get to the pollen first.

One hive has an average of 40,000–60,000 bees, each bee foraging in a 1–3 mile radius.

Honey bees must gather nectar from two million flowers to make one pound of honey, with the average bee only making around a twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime.

I could “drone on” for hours about this fascinating subject but had better end with sharing what we can do to help give our precious “forgotten bees” a chance:

• Try leaving patches of lawn unmown and rewild verges and hedges.
• Plant bee-friendly plants, such as hollyhocks, cosmos, buddleia and lavender.
• Create a bee “hotel” in a sunny spot.
   

Dee Taylor, Reepham WI