News and Events
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April 2024
Dereham Band – Grant Approved
Dereham Town Council have recently approved a £500 grant for Dereham Band towards this year’s Summer Sunday Concerts in the Ellenor Fenn Garden. These concerts are open to everyone and always prove very popular with Dereham residents.
Dereham Band offer a safe and happy place for brass instrument players of all ages and abilities to meet and make music. They often play concerts for the residents of Dereham and surrounding areas, and are also available for private functions. Visit their Facebook page to find out more.
Dereham Community Crafters – Grant Approved
Dereham Town Council have recently approved a £400 grant for the Dereham Community Crafters towards this year’s D-Day commemoration event on 06 June 2024.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944, also known as D-Day. The historic operation saw the Allied Forces mount a large-scale invasion of Nazi-occupied France that ultimately tipped the course of the Second World War in the Allies’ favour.
The Dereham Community Crafters event will be based in the Ellenor Fenn Garden and will include historian, author and presenter Neil Storey, who will be acting as a soldier returned from the beaches, telling stories of the day. BBC News broadcasts will be playing, along with live music performances of war time songs, with food and drink provided, all authentic war time recipes! There will be plenty of children’s themed activities and the Ellenor Fenn Garden will be decorated for the event.
The Dereham Community Crafters hold regular weekly and monthly meetings at Dereham Library which are open to all ages and abilities. Visit their Facebook page to find out more.
Dereham St Nicholas Bowls Club – Grant Approved
Dereham Town Council have recently approved a £1000 grant for the Dereham St Nicholas Bowls Club towards replacing rotten and unsafe fencing.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the bowls club, they are having an open day on 20 April 2024, details can be found on their Facebook page, or contact them directly for further information.
Dereham St Nicholas Bowls Club will also be attending this year’s Dereham Day on Saturday 11 May at Dereham Memorial Hall. Pop by for a fun day out and to support local organisations.
March 2024
The Great British Spring Clean
23rd March 2024
Dereham Town Mayor Hugh King, and other Town Councillors, were delighted to join the Dereham Community Litter Pickers for their Great British Spring Clean litter pick on Saturday 23 March 2024.
Visit the Dereham Community Litter Pickers Facebook page for information on upcoming litter picks. The more the merrier.
Dereham Cancer Care Turning Dereham Purple Day
13th March 2024
Dereham Town Council raised the purple flag in support of Dereham Cancer Care.
For more information about Dereham Cancer Care, please visit https://derehamcancercare.co.uk
February 2024
Tree Planting
January 2024
Nesting Boxes
December 2023
August 2023
OUTDOOR CINEMA EVENT
Saturday August 19th was the date of our outdoor cinema on Fleece Meadow!
See Outdoor Cinema Event for more details!
Well....what can we say? What an AMAZING turn out for our first ever Outdoor Cinema Event!
We wanted to say a huge thank you to all of you for making it such a brilliant day! Also thanks to our volunteers, bar staff and food vendors - and a big shout out to Viking Stage Lighting for providing the screen and sound equipment, and ensuring the event went off without a hitch!
Colin Spillman (Rasher's Snack Bar)
July 2023
June 2023
We are pleased to see that Neatherd Pond is thriving following dredging that took place last August. You can read more about it on the Dereham Times website.
Photo Credit: Dereham Times
May 2023
Thank you to all those that attended our Coronation Celebration at Fleece Meadow on Saturday. We were so disappointed to not have the big screen in time for the Coronation This was completely out of our control, and we were extremely grateful to Paul Sandford from The Railway Tavern for providing us with a large TV to tide us over until the screen arrived in time for our (very soggy ) film night!
At the risk of sounding like an Oscars speech, we would just like to say a huge thank you to the following who joined us or helped out on the day...
Sidecar sadie and The Champagne Charlies
Justin Steward Clearances & Recycling
Justin Dack
April 2023
March 2023
On Thursday 27 April the Mayor, Councillor Hugh King, unveiled a blue plaque commemorating J.J. Wright & Sons Ltd
January 2023
November 2022
Remembrance Parade
Dereham's annual Remembrance Parade will take place on Sunday 13th November, commencing at 10.50am. Deputy Lord Lieutenant Mary Rudd, Dereham Town Mayor Cllr Hugh King, and Cllr Peter Wilkinson of Breckland Council will lay wreaths at the War Memorial, along with groups representing current and ex-military personnel, the Royal British Legion, local cadet forces and youth groups. Dereham Band will lead the parade. A service of remembrance will follow at St Nicholas Church at 11.45am, led by Revd. Paul Cubitt. Temporary road closures will affect the area around the War Memorial and Market Place between 10.40 and midday. Passengers travelling by bus are asked to use earlier or later services.
October 2022
On Sunday 30 October 2022 the Mayor of Dereham, Councillor Hugh King, took part in the annual Civic Service at St. Nicholas Church, followed by a reception at Dereham Memorial Hall. Along with his fellow town councillors, Councillor King was joined by many guests including the Deputy Lieutenant Philip Curl, the Revd Canon Paul Cubitt, and several mayors and chairmen from the local area.
A buffet was provided by Tall Orders - Dereham
September 2022
On Sunday 11 September at 4pm the local Proclamation for Dereham was read by the Mayor, Cllr Hugh King at Dereham Memorial Hall. We were privileged to be joined by Lt. Col. Ian Lonsdale - Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, Town Councillors and many members of the public.
Once the Proclamation had been read, the Union Flag was returned to half-mast where it will remain until the morning after the Queen's funeral.
"On behalf of the Town Council and the people of Dereham.
At this sad time, we wish to pay tribute to your service, be thankful for a long and blessed life and express our sadness at your passing.
You were and will always be loved, and your memory held dear to our hearts"
~Hugh King, Mayor of Dereham
It is with great sadness that we have received the news of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
A book of condolence will be available at St. Nicholas Church, Dereham from tomorrow (9 September), for those who wish to send a personal message of condolence. Floral tributes can also be left at the church.
July 2022
On Wednesday 26 July the Mayor attended the opening night of Dereham Theatre Company's production of School of Rock, currently showing at Dereham Memorial Hall (pictured here alongside the cast and Chairman of Breckland Council)
Tickets are still available for this incredible show - visit https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/.../school-of-rock/e-jevqra to book your seats!
(photo credit: Dereham Theatre Company)
June 2022
November 2023
Service for Private William O'Callaghan
May 2022
Dereham Mayor, Cllr Hugh King, attended a service on Sunday (May 22) to remember Private William O'Callaghan.
War Memorial
We are thrilled to have received an award for the Best Kept War Memorial in Norfolk 2021, presented to us by the Royal British Legion.
Unveiled in 1922, the war memorial is dedicated to the men of Dereham who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars.
Photo Credit: Dereham Times
Dereham Day - 14th May 2022
On Saturday 14th May the first ever Dereham Day took place at Dereham Memorial Hall. Organised by Friends of Dereham Memorial Hall and opened by George Freeman MP, the day was a great success! Photos courtesy of Council staff and the Friends of Dereham Memorial Hall Facebook page.
October 2021
On Sunday 10th October Dereham Mayor, Cllr Stuart Green, held his Civic Service at St. Nicholas Church. Led by Revd Paul Cubitt we were also very lucky to have The Bishop of Lynn preaching. You can watch the service here: https://fb.watch/8zLbD1CahM/
A reception was held afterwards at Dereham Memorial Hall with an amazing buffet supplied by Tall Orders
September 2021
Coming back to Dereham Rec, the ever-popular Gray Brothers Fun Fair! From Friday 3 September through to Sunday 12 September, come and enjoy the rides, games and refreshments on offer! Open weekdays from 6pm, and weekends from 2pm.
June 2021
During the pandemic, the unpaid volunteers from St John's Ambulance have given thousands of hours supporting the NHS by providing ambulances and crews, in A&E units and by providing specific training to the military and other volunteers.
They are playing a crucial role in the COVID-19 vaccination roll out, training over 26,000 volunteers to administer the vaccine and support NHS vaccination centres throughout the country.
St John's Day was on 24 June and to help recognise and celebrate the work of the volunteers, we participated in "Light it Green" by turning the War Memorial and church green.
April 2021
Coming back to Dereham Rec, the ever-popular Gray Brothers Fun Fair! From Friday 30 April through to Sunday 9 May, come and enjoy the rides, games and refreshments on offer! Open weekdays from 6pm, and weekends/Bank Holiday from 2pm.
Unfortunately last year the Russells International Circus scheduled visit to Dereham recreation ground had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are excited to announce that their sister show UNIVERSAL CIRCUS will be visiting Dereham later this year from the 9th until 13th June. Several people still have tickets that were purchased last year as part of an early bird offer. These tickets will now be valid for Universal Circus. If you have early bird tickets from last year then please call the circus box office on 07752 218805 and the team will be happy to book you in for whichever show you wish to attend.
Head to the website www.universalcircus.net for more information on Universal Circus.
March 2021
February 2021
Are you interested in joining the council? A vacancy for a Town Councillor to serve on Dereham Town Council is now available. If you are interested in becoming a Councillor, please contact us about attending our next Full Council meeting, due to be held on the 9 March 2021 via zoom.
January 2021
Are you interested in joining the council? Vacancies for two Town Councillors to serve on Dereham Town Council are now available. If you are interested in becoming a Councillor, please contact us about attending our next Full Council meeting, due to be held on the 9 March 2021 via zoom.
November 2020
Wanda Clinton recently approached us with the idea of placing a Christmas Tree at Norwich Road Cemetery as a place for people to leave messages or memories for loved ones that are sadly no longer with us. We thought it was a lovely idea, and so you can now find a tree within our Remembrance Shelter, which you are welcome to decorate with a small message or memento for your loved ones.
Any item left will be left at your own risk, and we would suggest that you do not leave any items of monetary value. The tree will be here all over the Christmas period, and will be taken down in early February.
The Act of Remembrance 2020
We hope that Dereham residents will understand that we are having to manage this year's commemorative service very carefully as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and associated restrictions.
Dereham Town Council is acutely aware that Remembrance Sunday is a very important day for the residents of Dereham, and we hope that any prevailing Covid-19 restrictions will allow us to make this very important day with dignity and respect.
With regards to the Act of Remembrance 2020, please note the following:
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There will be no parade this year through the town centre.
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The Act of Remembrance, two minutes silence and prayer will be observed as normal at the War Memorial.
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Wreaths will be laid by the civic dignitaries, representatives of the uniformed services and representatives from the British Armed Forces only (these organisations have been notified).
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Other organisations will lay their wreaths throughout the rest of the day.
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There will be no church service after the Act of Remembrance.
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In line with new restrictions, members of the public are advised not to attend the Act of Remembrance.
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In order that as many people as possible can participate in the service remotely and safely, the Act of Remembrance will be live streamed on Dereham Town Council's Youtube channel.
We hope that we have been able to strike the right balance between being able to demonstrate the Town’s commitment to Remembrance while ensuring that people attending the Act of Remembrance are themselves kept safe.
July 2020
Our Play Areas will be open again from Saturday 4th July 2020
GUIDELINES FOR SAFE PLAY
So that everybody can play safely, we will clean and sanitize all frequently touched surfaces in play areas twice per week.
To reduce the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus for everybody using the play areas, we ask that you take care too.
You are expected to:
• Wash your hands with soap and water before coming to the play area;
• Bring your personal hand sanitizer and apply it before entering the play area, periodically during play and on leaving the play area;
• Wash your hands with soap and water when you return home - ensuring they are washed thoroughly before eating;
• Avoid touching your face while playing;
• Not consume food at the play area.
You are encouraged to bring your own wipes and clean frequently touched surfaces before play.
Remember social distancing is still important:
• Keep two metres away from other family groups;
• One family group per piece of equipment at any time;
• Be patient! The play areas are likely to be busy, particularly at first. If they are, please come back at a different time.
Thank you for your co-operation
June 2020
Fires on Allotments
Temporary ban from 26 June - 31 October 2020 inclusive
Following a number of complaints and an incident where the Fire & Rescue Service were called out, fires on ALL allotment sites are temporarily banned until November.
Many people are very anxious and nervous at this current time. Smoke from fires is an unnecessary addition to some people's anxieties, and a nuisance to people in nearby properties wishing to be outside.
Dry weather has also increased the risk of fires spreading. All emergency services are under great pressure at the moment, and should not have to risk their own health to attend unnecessary fires on allotments; a hazard which can be prevented by your acceptance of this ban.
Any fires during the banned period will automatically be classed as a 'nuisance' and/or 'an annoyance to neighbouring properties' and will result in immediate termination of tenancy.
We trust that you will appreciate the reason for this temporary ban and ask for your full co-operation.
Thank you.
March 2020
Due to the current situation regarding the Covid-19 virus and the limited number of staff we have available, we have taken the decision to restrict public access to our building.
If you need to speak to Dereham Town Council, please contact us on 01362 693821 or email generalenquiries@derehamtowncouncil.org.
Our office hours are 8:30am – 4:30pm Monday to Friday.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your understanding.
December 2019
From all of us at Dereham Town Council we wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
November 2019
A big thank you to everyone that attended the Christmas light switch-on!
Please enjoy some photos from the day, courtesy of Councillors A Brooks & H Bushell.
Join the town on Sunday 24 November for the switching on of the Christmas lights this year!
Enjoy a funfair, watch some wonderful acts on stage, and you can even meet Santa in his Grotto! Scratby Donkeys will also be here providing donkey rides and two reindeer along Church Street!
Lights will be switched on at 4:30pm.
Stage Acts:
Stone in the Sand
Act Two Performing Arts
Ruben on his guitar
Dereham Theatre Company
Churches Together
Stalls:
Thai Street Food
Get Stuffed Catering Company
Whippy Nick's Ice Cream & Desserts
Fab Fudge
Harris's Hog Roast
Handmade by Lucy
Spire Solicitors LLP
Dereham Meeting Point
Whizz Kids
Dementia Friendly Dereham
1st Dereham Guides
Dereham Cricket Club
Fabulous Brownies
Dereham Baptist Church
Come and join the fun!
October 2019
This year's lights switch-on event will be taking place in the Market Place on 24 November.
If you would like a stall at this event, please complete a form and return to us at Dereham Town Council, Assembly Rooms, Quebec Street, Dereham, NR19 2DJ or by email to generalenquiries@derehamtowncouncil.org. All forms MUST be accompanied by a copy of your Public Liability Insurance and must reach us by 8 November 2019. Applications will be considered on a first-come-first-served basis.
Due to the above event, there will be no access for vehicles through the Market Place from 8am through to 8pm on 24 November.
August 2019
On the 16 August 2019 the refurbishment of Toftwood Pond Park was officially finished. The park is now open - enjoy! This marks the third play area Dereham Town Council have refurbished; keep your eyes peeled for news about the next one!
June 2019
The tennis courts on the Recreation Ground will be unavailable on the 6th and 7th June, to allow for maintenance to be carried
May 2019
The election of Parish Councillors was held on the 2 May 2019. Results can be seen by visiting the Breckland website.
Following the recent election result, we need to co-opt three new Councillors. We work together to bring improvements to town facilities. No previous political experience needed, just your commitment to attend meetings regularly and support the work of the Town Council.
The role and responsibilities of the Town Council can be found on our website, or for further information contact the Town Clerk on 01362 693821.
If you are interested in putting yourself forward for co-option, please submit a short statement confirming that you fulfil the legal requirements to be a Dereham Councillor and say why you want to become a Councillor. All statements must be submitted to the Town Council by 29 May 2019. Email generalenquiries@derehamtowncouncil.org, or send to The Assembly Rooms, Quebec Street, Dereham, NR19 2DJ. You will be invited to attend the Council meeting on 11 June 2019 and present your statement to the Council.
On the 21 May work begins on the £200,000 play area at Toftwood Pond Park. Please bear with us whilst the renovations take place!
October 2018
Mayor Hilary Bushell's Civic Reception was held on the 21 October.
June 2018
We were delighted to have the Dereham Air Cadets with us on the 7 June, cleaning and painting the War Memorial as part of National Volunteers Week. We think you will agree, they have done a fantastic job! Thank you to all involved!
February 2018
The Mayor visited Dereham's Cat Protection on the 15 February for a tour of the facilities, and to take a look at the work being undertaken to transform the centre into a venue for cat care and adoption excellence.
On the 9 February, to commemorate 100 years since the Bill of Representation Act 1918 was passed, the Mayor along with three former Mayors of the town, attended Dereham Market with 20 students from Northgate High School, who paraded from Cemetery Road to the Market Place.
December 2017
Mayor Hilary Bushell spread some festive cheer in December by presenting hampers of goodies to our emergency services.
September 2023
Dereham Remembrance Parade
Dereham has a strong commitment to remembering the fallen and this year’s Remembrance Parade took place on Sunday 12th November. The parade, led by Dereham Band, set off at 10.50am and marched to the War Memorial. A two minutes’ silence was held at 11.00am, after which wreaths were laid. The parade then continued along the Market Place to St Nicholas’ Church where a service of Remembrance was held.
Road closures were in place affecting access to the Market Place from 10.50am until midday at the junctions of High Street / Norwich Street, Swaffham Hill / Quebec Road and Wellington Road / Cowper Street. Buses did not serve Market Place bus stops during the closure period.
The Town Council wishes to thank the Royal British Legion (Dereham Branch) for their invaluable help in organizing this year’s parade.
Dereham Christmas Lights Event - Sunday 26th November 2023
Join us on Sunday 26th November from 1pm for this year's official turning on of the Dereham Christmas Lights. This year we have the wonderful Miss Dee Licious switching on the lights at 4.30pm! There will be stalls, food vendors, Santa's Grotto, performances on stage by local groups, donkey rides, fair rides and more! A great day out and fun for all the family!
Fun Fair
Gray Brothers Fun Fair are returning to Dereham Recreation Ground from Friday 1st September through to Sunday 10th September
