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North Lopham Pond Renovation :

Progress to Date and News Update

 Click here to see a list of 'FAQs' about the pond

August 2005 – first visit from Ed Stocker, Norfolk County Council Ecologist, who advises that the pond is practically ‘dead’ and in need of dredging and re-planting.  Comments of problems caused by large numbers of ducks, and suggests a campaign to reduce numbers by discouraging feeding.

September 2005 to March 2006 – investigations into possibilities, legalities and outline costs of project. Notices at pond (and on Village Notice Boards and Web-site) asking people not feed the ducks as there is a growing amount of evidence that the renovation programme will be at risk if there are many ducks around to pollute the water and eat plants and other organisms,  .

March 2006 – outlet unblocked to allow water to settle to its correct level, in preparation for dredging.

April 2006 – grant application to Norfolk County Council (approved) and requests for financial assistance from local businesses and the community.  Condition of grant is that ducks ‘shall not be introduced into the pond and there shall be no artificial feeding of ducks already present'.

May 10th 2006 – Annual Parish Open Meeting.  13 residents and all Councillors and Clerk present.  Update on progress

Late May 2006 – Trees removed / trimmed

July 1st 2006 – Working party of 12 villagers install extended inlet pipes and protect with sandbags

July 19th 2006– Dredging contractor arrives with machinery and security fencing to begin to remove waste from pond and deposit in the margins, re-forming the banks of the pond.

July 25th 2006 - Dredging complete: now we need to wait - possibly until Spring 2007 - for the waste to settle and for the banks to consolidate. Then planting will begin.

Sunday August 27th 2006 - Fun Day at 'The Kings Head' - to raise funds for the Pond Restoration Project. A great day for all concerned! Details of funds raised to be published at a later date. Many thanks to all who helped in any way ... and, of course, to all those who turned up and were so generous with their support.

Proceeds of Fun Day - £763.30 as at 11th September: a fantastic total: many thanks to all who contributed in any way.

November 2006: Application for 'Awards for All' Grant being submitted. Hopefully this will provide funding for fencing to the pond, seating, large notice board, litter bin, life belt etc.

Mid-November 2006: Top soil donated by Paul Sturman and transported by Jonathan Rednall delivered to the pond

November 29th 2006: 'Awards for All' application posted. Decision should be notified within 8 weeks.

December 2006: 'Working Parties' at various times have now spread about 70% of the topsoil and planted about 1000 daffodil bulbs (kindly donated by Ken Sammon of 'The Garden Enclosure' Garden Centre adjacent to Banham Zoo). The remaining soil will be spread in the new year and levelled ready for seeding in the Spring.

January 2007: Two further Working Parties have now finished spreading and levelling the soil. We will now wait for it to dry out (and be broken up be the frosts - if we ever get any!) before raking and sowing in the early Spring. Thanks to all who have helped in any way!

February 2007: The application to 'Awards for All' was successful! The full grant of £2280 was awarded. The final decision on what to buy will be taken at the Parish Council meeting on Wednesday 14th March. Hopefully the seats, sign, notice board, fencing, litter bin and life buoy will be installed in the next few months and a 'Grand Opening' event will be held in early summer.

March 2007: Another working party has levelled and raked the soil and sown the grass seed. At last the orange barrier netting has come down! Norfolk County Council has put kerbing around the verge - tidying up the road edge. When the grass has grown (ducks permitting) it will all look very smart!

April 2007: Fencing erected; orders being placed for seats, litter bin, lifebuoy, materials for noticeboard etc. New grid installed at outlet - donated by David and Karen Simonds at Pond House

May 2007: Working party to put down base for seat, notice board etc - 7 residents with the expert help of local builder Paul Wright.

June 2007: Brick plinth for notice board built by Paul Wright: Notice board under construction by Mike Daly

Early July 2007: Notice board completed (phew!); signs put in place ready for opening

July 8th 2007: Date set for official 'Opening' ceremony - to be performed by Bernice Malson, Lord of the Manor

July 8th 2007: Almost 100 people attended the official Opening on the afternoon of July 8th, In glorious sunshine they enjoyed 'drinks and nibbles', looked at the many photos on display (old and new), chatted to friends, sat on the new seats and admired the notice board. They heard Parish Council Chairman Brian Frith pay tribute to everyone who had helped with the project. Unfortunately, at the last minute, Lord of the Manor, Bernice Malson, could not make the journey from her home in Chesterfield, so 'the ribbon was cut' by Ed Stocker, the NCC Ecologist who had advised and helped with the project from the outset. Ed briefly decribed his part in the process and the role of NCC and expressed a wish that all in the village would find the new amenity a great benefit. Photos taken by Vicki Nunn and Brian Frith on the opening day are in the 'Letchmere Photo Gallery' - see link below.

November 7th 2007: Four members of the Letchmere working group, with Ed Stocker, NCC Ecologist, attended the annual Awards Evening of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) - Norfolk Branch - and were presented with a framed certificate and brass plaque in recognition of their achievement in the Letchmere Renovation Project

Go to Letchmere Photo Gallery to see a series of photos showing the various stages of renovation.