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Bures Common News
October 2016

It is some long time since we issued a newsletter. The common is now so much an integral part
of the village that newcomers assume it has always been there for us all to enjoy!

We have had one change in trustee since forming. In Jan 2015 Richard Sills stood down; many thanks to Richard for his invaluable support in the early days of the Trust. Dennis Ambrose was proposed by our Bures St Mary Parish Council link, Mike Seymour, and the trustees were pleased to welcome him aboard.

Dennis organises the monthly Bures Market. This was initiated by Bures Transition Group who maintain a presence with their produce stall. The market is proving very popular with the village and with those from further afield and provides us with a regular monthly income. If you have not been to the market it will be held on the first Saturday of the month for November and December. You don't need to go any further than Bures to buy your joint of meat and vegetables for your Sunday lunch!

The market in December will feature additional gift stalls and will, of course, bring a festive feel to the centre of the village. There will be a break in markets in January and February and when they resume in March it may be a different week.

The Quoits team is doing well and making regular use of the common. They now have two pits and would welcome new players.

Last year we carried out a consultation exercise on what people in the village felt should be done with the building on the common. This, now sorry looking structure, was a 'nettus' or 'neat house', a relic from the 18th C when cows were milked in the fields, rather than taken to the farmyards. There was a lot of support for restoring the building and plans were drawn up and planning permission sought.

The intention was to apply for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Unfortunately things have not gone smoothly. Despite having a sound application we hit a problem. The quotes for the restoration were in excess of £150,000 a sum which exceeds the maximum for fund appropriate to our project. Kate Brown, of The Heritage Lottery Fund, was encouraging with regard to what the trustees had already achieved. She suggested that an application to the 'Sharing Heritage' fund for events could allow an exciting Michaelmas or Lady Day Fair to be held.

She also recommended that the trustees go back to the Braintree planners to see whether repair or replacement were possible ways forward.
Braintree planners advised that repair does not need a further application. The trustees are currently looking at a more simple and less costly way forward. We have had offers of materials and expertise from local people which is very encouraging.

Bures Music Festival has kindly granted funds towards the roofing material and income from the bar run by trustees at the Jazz event will also be used for the project. We will continue to raise funds through the markets and other events.

If you have any questions for the trustees please either email the Hon. Secretary, Gill Jackson jacksons.bures@btinternet.com or attend the meeting.

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/07641153/filing-history