Chigwell Row Community

Image of Hannah Chowdhry posting letter for elderly resident during first lockdown Many residents of Chigwell and the surrounding area have become increasingly dismayed by the lack of postage to their homes.  In many cases mail has been delayed by up to a month, while at other times sent mail does not arrive at all.   In a few cases on the local community whatsapp group and on the Nextdoor app residents who have received mail for other homes, have shared details on-line so that people can collect it rather than returning the mail (often Christmas cards) to the Royal mail for more delay. Local residents have been travelling to the local depot in Debden to collect their mail, but this places many people at risk of COVID-19 infections at a depot premises that is now frequently visited and has many frequent touch points (such as on the doors and service counters). Others have simply suffered from a particularly woeful service as they attempt to protect their health. Important...

This update was received by CRRA from Epping Forest Community Transport. If you use their school bus service please take note of the contents. Epping Forest Community Transport (EFCT) was set up in 2001 to meet the transport needs of residents in Epping Forest delivering a reliable, high-quality, service to those with restricted access to private and/or public transportation. As a small charity relying on volunteers, donations and grants, costs are kept to a minimum and prices have remained unchanged since 2016. In these challenging times, all Community Transport schemes have struggled with providing services to the community when our financial income has dropped to virtually zero. The charity is losing nearly £40,000 a month in supporting the community. Regrettably, the extra costs created by the day to day booking variations is costing the charity considerable administrative hours.   Therefore, sadly that we have had to review our pricing structure to ensure that we can con...

  EPPING FOREST COMMUNITY TRANSPORT Operates in your area for residents whom are rurally isolated & do not have access to conventional transport.   Unlike a conventional bus, students need to register as a member, Students need to book a seat. The service operates, Monday to Friday in line with school calendar year. Fares £3 per day, per student (no refund for days not travelled), term time only. Parents will be able to follow the app for location of the minibus. Parents will be invoiced each month. Debden Park High School         Mon, Wed,Thur, Fri   Tues     Two Brewers Chigwell Row 07:50 07:50     Shops Lambourne Road Chigwell 07:55 07:55     Maypole Pub Chigwell Row 08:00 08:00     Debden Park High School 08:20 08:20               Debden Park High School 16:00 15:10     Maypole Pub Chigwell Row 16:20 15:30   ...

At the end of our journey, local history buffs congregated under the Dickens Oak. Please join our rapidly growing community facebook page   (click here) On Saturday 5th December 10 people from Chigwell and the surrounding area travelled across the various sites in Chigwell Row and Chigwell Village that had a connection to the world famous author Charles Dickens.  Initially people met just behind the car park of the Maypole pub The tour began at the Dido Oak in Hainault Forest accessible via Sylvan Way.  This is a veteran oak (old but not quite ancient a list of definitions can be found here ) that was once made famous in Tatler Magazine back in 1903, due to an article about the Hermit of Hainault, a man named William Bell otherwise known as Dido who once lived in the forest under the cover of some sackcloth.  In his pocket he carried herbal roots, snakes, newts and anything else he could make money form.  Apparently he used to say: 'They call me Doctor Bell, Bec...

Please join our rapidly growing community facebook page   (click here) On a chilled night on the start of the second week of advent (6th December 2020), over 100 local people from Chigwell Row and the surrounding areas, met at All Saints Church for an evening of Christmas Carols and mince-pies.   Video by Sam Cater Of course the night was even more special as it was the day that Chigwell Row finally had a set of Christmas lights they could call their own.  The special light display was not one that was funded by local council or councillors, none of whom contributed a penny.  In fact, these lights were funded in the main by local people and were installed by local volunteers tired of seeing other areas lit up for the festive period and our community go without.  Visitors were made to queue outside in orderly fashion, in social-bubbles of six, while wearing facemasks.  On entering anyone without a facemask was given one to wear or were excluded and all ...

Just a reminder that we have two events this weekend that will help local people recover from the latest lockdown and inspire us all as we enter into our Christmas festivities. EVENT:  Documenting Dickens DATE:      Saturday 5th December TIME:      9am - 10.30am Location:  Meet at the car park of the former Maypole Pub on Lambourne Road. Details:    We will be walking and driving to locations across Chigwell Row and Chigwell village detailing and documenting his wonderful connection with our area for the benefit of future generations.  We will be providing handouts and may talk on the wider history of the locations we visit.  The event will require some walking and some driving so please be prepared for this. We will organise socially distanced car-sharing as long as residents wear masks and carry hand-sanitizer with them.  We are required to obtain contact details from all participants for track and tr...

Please join our rapidly growing community facebook page   (click here) A pet grooming shop on Lambourne Road became a victim of an unusual Christmas light vandalism over the weekend of 28th November 2020.  Anna Seymour who returned to her shop at 127 Lambourne Road on Monday was shocked to find her newly purchased decorative Christmas lights were not working.  On closer inspection she found that the lights had been snipped in what she initially believed to be anti-Christmas vandalism. Hours later however she discovered that the lights had actually been cut for even more unscrupulous reasons and that her neighbours catalytic converter had bene stolen.  Worse still the thieves even had the audacity to remove a bulb from the porch security light of the neighbour.  Removing the lights obviously made them feel less likely to be spotted by passing walkers. The resident who had the Catalytic converter stolen, wrote on facebook (sic): "Yeah I rang the police and they sa...