HICKLING TODDLERS
On Wednesday 1st February Trisha will join Hickling Toddlers for a sticking craft activity. On Wednesday February 8th the toy library will visit. There will be no toddlers on February 15th as it‘s half term. Toddlers returns on Wednesday 22nd February when we will welcome Abbie from the Stalham Sure Start Centre to run a much enjoyed music session.
Toddler Group runs each Wednesday during school term time from 9.30am—11.30am.
The charge of £1.50 helps to cover the cost of hiring the hall, tea, coffee and biscuits.
It would be lovely to see you, you‘d be made most welcome. For more info call Rachel Lawes 01692 598428.

GREYHOUND NEWS
A big, big thank you to everyone involved in the fundraising for all the local charities last year. You raised over £4500 and still going, well done to you all!
We have been approached by the RSPCA to hold a fundraising Quiz Night for them. This will take place on Friday 3rd February from 8.00pm onwards, with an entrance fee of £5 per person that will include a Bangers and Mash Supper, plus a cash first prize (the more people that enter, the larger the cash prize) as well as a last prize (could be anything!) .
All are welcome, the more that enter the better the prizes!
CRIB– Following a very successful weekend at the new Village Hall we have had a few enquiries from villagers wanting to play the game of Crib. We are looking to start a regular Monday afternoon friendly‘ Crib/teach tournament.
To make this worthwhile we will need 8 to 12 players in order to teach both singles and doubles.
Please telephone Debi on 598306 for full details.

OIL SYNDICATE– This is back up and running again.

CRAFT AND HOBBY GROUP
This month meeting on the 8th and 22nd February from 2pm at the Methodist Hall.
If you‘ve a craft or hobby you‘re working on why not bring it along and join our friendly group for advice, a chat and refreshments. For further information contact Merrie (598844), Julia (598538) or Anita (598759).

WOMENS INSTITUTE
Next meeting Monday 13th February, 2pm in the Methodist Hall. The speaker will be Ross Worrall talking about ―Life in a Tudor Kitchen. Please bring your oldest kitchen gadget. Contact Sue Benjamin 598335.

U3A LAUNCH
Join us for the launch meeting on Friday 2nd March at 2pm in Hickling Barn!
The Hickling Broad branch of the University of the Third Age launch meeting is at the Barn on Friday 2nd March at 2pm. We are delighted that so many dropped by to chat at our stall at the Hickling Barn open day. Many suggestions were made for interest groups. The most popular were: Gardening, Art appreciation, Music appreciation and performance, History and Archaeology, Guided walks and Reading. Other suggestions included Photography, Film, Drawing, Flower arranging, Interior design and Cooking. Languages and computer skills also got votes.
So please come along to the launch meeting and help us to set up the organisation and first interest groups in Hickling.
We will have National and County representation to help us, and a cup of tea.
We were particularly heartened that several members of the North Walsham branch of U3A stopped by to say what fun they were having as members, and offering to help us get off the ground.
It is all about people no longer in full-time employment helping each other by sharing skills and experience.
More details at www.U3A.org.uk or call 07939 704317 for a leaflet.

WATER AID
A further £63.95 has been paid in - thank you on their behalf.
Julia Morris.

SHORELINE — ST MARTINS
Five sacks of presents and a donation of £15.00 were taken to St Martins just before Christmas.
Thank you to everyone who wrapped and gave gifts. They were much appreciated.

SHOPPERS BUS
This month, there are trips to Yarmouth on Friday 3rd February and to Norwich on Friday 17th February.
For more information on an enjoyable and inexpensive day out with local pick ups please call Mrs Miles on 580940.

BELL RINGING PRACTICE
At long last we have found volunteers to teach our group of keen novices. Practice nights will be on Thursdays at 7.30pm finishing no later than 9.00pm. Everyone who enjoyed the taster session is very welcome to attend, as are newly– interested beginners and experienced ringers. 2012 looks to be an exciting year for our church bells, with special ringing planned to welcome in the Olympic Games, and to celebrate the Queen‘s Diamond Jubilee, as well as the potential to ring for a number of weddings. We are very grateful to Mr Nichols and his friends who will help to lead our practice nights. Any further help will be most welcome. The first practice will be on Thursday 9th February at 7.30pm. Any queries, please contact Benjamin Jarvis at bjfjarvis@gmail.com(preferred), or 598122.

HICKLING INFANT SCHOOL NEWS
The children have settled well into the Spring Term and have much to look forward to.
Our topic this half term is Traditional Tales. The children have decided which stories they would like to look at and our work is then based around them. Jack and the Beanstalk and Snow White were two of those chosen.
They have then been rewriting the stories using their own characters, producing art work and even cooking pea soup to tie in with looking at The Princess and the Pea!
We continue to develop exciting opportunities for families to become involved with their children and their learning in school. This will include a Reading Week in February and also a Science Week in March which will link with National Science and Engineering Week.
These special areas of focus will enable parents to further support the children‘s learning both at home and at school.
Also we are very much looking forward to our first joint French Day across the 3 partnership schools, ourselves, Sutton and Catfield. It will be hosted this time by Sutton school and there will be various activities for pupils and families to enjoy together.
It is also the time of year when we begin to welcome the little ones from Hickling Hunnies into our assemblies once a week. We are always seeking ways to further our links and work together with Preschool.
It is lovely to see them in school and we hope that this weekly visit helps with their move up to the big school in September!
A reminder that our clothes and shoes recycling bin is still in the playground if you are feeling like a New Year clear out! Please do remember that the bin is not watertight so any donations will need to be in plastic bin bags.
Thanks very much for any and all donations.

SHORELINE AND THE FOOD BANK
As promised last month, included with your news sheet today is a list of food required and the collection points for this Charity in each village. Our hope is that you will put the list straight into your purse or wallet!
This is a trial period for us as well, so we will let you know how things progress, and if you have any suggestions please let us know.
Thank you to everyone who is, and will, help to make this Scheme successful.

HICKLING HUNNIES
We are very busy this term celebrating Chinese New Year– tasting prawn crackers, rice and noodles.
We will also be using chopsticks and making dragons and lanterns. Busy Bees have started to attend school assemblies and are doing P.E. which is going very well indeed. We would like to thank Mr Dawson for trimming our trees back and fixing the light, which is very much appreciated. We are focusing this term on our favorite things which so far has included dinosaurs, Christmas presents and food!
We would like to wish very happy birthdays to William Utting, Owen Simmance and Leo Simmons this February.

CARPET BOWLS
The Sea Palling Saints‘ Carpet Bowls Club are putting on a free demonstration where you can try this great game which is fun for peoples of all ages and abilities and is suitable for disabled players too. With enough interest a Hickling team could be formed.
Why not come and have a go! The date is Saturday 11th February from 2pm- 4pm at Hickling Barn (New Village Hall). All enquiries to John— 598478.

HICKLING LADIES
Those ladies who have booked for the meal at Wroxham Barns, Wednesday 29th at 7pm for 7.30, please remember £10 will be due if you paid a deposit in January.
Your menus will be returned to remind you of your choices! Any queries contact 598907.

CHOIR OPPORTUNITIES
Thank you to everyone who expressed an interest in singing. After much deliberation it has become apparent that a solely secular arrangement will not be easy to organise, provide many occasions to perform or indeed practice.
The Waterside Benefice (Hickling, Catfield, Ludham & Potter Heigham) has a new Evensong once a month and this would be an excellent opportunity for many reasons for people to enjoy the benefits of singing in a church based choir, with occasional concerts to provide the chance to sing secular music too.
There will be no auditions and all ages and abilities will be welcome. Children must be over 12 and have to be accompanied by an adult.
Please come along to sign up at Hickling Church on Friday 17th February at 7pm, an earlier time can be arranged for children All queries to Benjamin Jarvis at bjfjarvis@gmail.com (preferred) or 598122.

HICKLING BARN NEWS
HUNDREDS MAKE THE OPEN WEEKEND A STUNNING SUCCESS !
The Open Weekend on January 7/8 was a huge success with between 300 and 400 visitors coming each day to see what the Barn has to offer the community in Hickling.
The first major public event at the newly-built hall provided a showcase for facilities and activities as wide-ranging as snooker, aerobics, dressmaking, dog training, the mobile gym and IT classes from Broadland Computers.
Both The Pleasure Boat and The Greyhound pubs were there to show what they have to offer and Hickling Bowls Club, Norfolk Wildlife Trust and the F.A.I.T.H animal rescue centre all had busy stands.
Among the others attracting great interest were St Mary’s church, the Guide Association, the Food Bank, the WI, Ladies Group, Active Norfolk, Hickling School, the Hunnies, Beavers, Rainbows, and the Football club – not forgetting members of the Hickling Craft and Hobby Group – who had many volunteers to help with their jigsaw puzzle.
Potential bookings worth several thousand pounds were made, including for private parties and weddings; with interest
expressed also from a national youth organisation and people planning to offer badminton, bridge, and short mat bowls.
Visitors were reminded that the University of the 3rd Age is holding its launch meeting on Friday March 2 at 2pm, and everyone was invited to come along and try out a session of carpet bowls on Saturday February 11 between 2pm and 4pm.The trustees of Hickling Barn would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to everyone on the management team, and all the volunteers who manned the tables, for making the weekend such a successful and enjoyable occasion.
If you are interested in putting on an event at the Barn, or if you would like to find out more about what is available contact our events team on 07944 553367 or email bookings@hicklingbarn.com

TIME FOR RECONCILIATION
The chairman of Hickling Parish Council, Sandra Clarke, congratulated the trustees of Hickling Barn when she visited the Open Week-end, saying they had produced an ‘absolutely beautiful’ building for the local community. At its meeting on January 11 however, the council continued to withhold a total sum of about £110,000 needed to complete the Barn project. At the time of printing the trustees had arranged reconciliation talks to sort how the council can pay the money it owes. The chairman of the Hickling Barn charity trustees, Richard Cook, said: ‘The Open Weekend has shown how this fantastic facility has attracted great interest from our community. All we ask is that the Parish Council pays everything it owes us without any further delay. The trustees have always said that when the Barn is a success the charity will support other projects in the village that are within its charitable objectives, such as improvements to the Staithe for example. .We have completed our side of the bargain – now it’s time for the parish council to do the same.”

FITNESS OFF TO A FLYING START
The mobile gym, Nordic walking, Zumba and Margo Newman’s aerobics classes were the focus of great interest during the Open Week-end. An impressive total of 51 people translated that interest into action by attending these activities on Monday, January 9. In addition, circuit classes have also started at the Barn. If you would like to get fitter in an enjoyable and sociable way call Margo on 07919 903335 for aerobics and circuits; and for more details of the mobile gym, Nordic walking and Zumba call Wyn Nurse on 01263 516305 or 07795 265671 email: wyn.nurse@north-norfolk.gov.uk

SNOOKER CLUB REBORN
The re-launched Hickling Snooker Club attracted a huge turnout when it opened its membership list on Friday, January 6. More than 40 people signed up on the night, with many more joining during the course of the Open Weekend during which the club raised a further £370 with a prize raffle.
If you are interested in joining or finding our more about the club email: snooker@hicklingbarn.com or contact Harvey Gibbons on 01692 598717 or 07710 283768.

HICKLING RURAL CINEMA
We are now showing newly released films on the third Friday of every month on our state-of-the-art projection equipment at the Barn.
Our next presentation, on Friday, February 17, is the spy spoof comedy Johnny English – Reborn (Cert PG), starring Rowan Atkinson. Doors open at 7pm and the film starts at 7.30pm. Refreshments are available. Tickets are £5 and can be purchased in advance from both pubs, from Karen Baker on 01692 598447, or on the door. Following the success of our first family presentation Mr Popper's Penguins, which attracted more than 100 adults and children, we are planning to show more family films. The next one will be screened on Saturday, February 18. Doors open at 10am for a 10.30am start.
We are showing FLUSHED AWAY a film from the makers of Wallace and Gromit and Shrek.
Adults - £3, Children under 13 - £2 (under 3's free.)
If there is enough support we will run children’s films in all the school breaks.

DRESSMAKING & SOFT FURNISHING CLASSES
Would you like to try your hand at dressmaking, or learning how to make curtains, blinds and cushions?
Hickling Barn is looking to run daytime classes with a qualified City and Guilds teacher.
Classes would be aimed at all levels of experience, from the complete novice, to those who want to learn how to design and cut their own patterns. If you would like to learn a new skill at your own pace, please contact Karen Baker on 01692 598447.

IS YOUR KID EAGER TO BE A BEAVER?
Do you have a boy or girl aged between six and eight years who would be interested in becoming a Beaver Scout? Hickling Barn is looking into the possibility of setting up a Beaver Colony.
Beaver Scouts make friends, play games, make things, go outdoors and lots more.
Please contact Karen Baker on 01692 598447 for more details.

EARNING OPPORTUNITY AT THE BARN
We are looking for local cleaners to offer their services to people hiring the Barn for functions.
You will need to be self employed and insured. You can charge your own rate according to the nature of booking.
Please call 0794 4553367 and leave a message with your details.

DOGS AND THE BARN
In order to help road safety, dogs on leads will be allowed on the part of the playing field used as a path parallel to Ouse Lane. That is the tarmac path from the two conifers towards the hall, and then along the hedge side of the LPG tank and the children's play area to the exit near Nether Hall.
We would also ask that people clear up after their dog.

WEBSITE
See the new web site at www.hicklingbarn.com