I was born in Hellesdon and my career saw me variously living in Harlow in Essex, Norwich, Lowestoft and Beccles in Suffolk and Cromer before coming to Hethersett.
It was pure chance that we ended up here. The original idea was to return to Beccles but we couldn't find anywhere suitable and so started looking around the Norwich area as I was working at County Hall.
Our main aim was to find somewhere accessible to Norwich and County Hall and the A11 corridor certainly filled that bill with traffic levels in North Norwich ruling that area out.
So we found a chalet bungalow in Buckingham Drive. Looking back I can't recollect why we chose Hethersett and not Cringleford, Eaton or Wymondham. Perhaps it was fate. I can't remember having any great views or feelings about the village and I guess at that point it was more about access to work than becoming involved in the local community.
Readers of Hethersett Herald will know that we have a regular column that asks local people what they love about the village. So I thought I would take the opportunity today to give my reasons for loving the village and they are many and varied but include the following.
Firstly I agree with so many others in loving the community spirit. There really is something for everyone of all ages here.
I love the support that exists with people caring about each other.
I love the history of a place that goes back to the Domesday Book and probably even further.
I love the way there is so much news (well as a journalist I would wouldn't I?)
And then there are more personal reasons - the fact our sons were born here (well actually they were born at the old Norfolk and Norwich Hospital but lived here until they went to university). The friends we have made over those 40 years and above all
THE MEMORIES
Memories of the places, the groups, the entertainment, the politics and, above all, the people.
Not so long ago I started to list the people I can remember from four decades of living in Hethersett. It's becoming quite a long list and I will publish it one day. Today I thought I would just mention one of my favourite people.
Anne has been closely connected with Hethersett Methodist Church since we moved to the village and I remember most of the Methodist Ministers with affection. Possibly the best loved by church-goers was the Rev Gerald Cole.
Gerald was an absolute gentleman, full of kindness and caring and I remember my sons going down to a special club at his house on Sunday evenings when the noise from numerous youngsters must have been horrendous.
At that time the Manse (posh name for the home of the Methodist Minister) was in Richardson Crescent. It later moved to Cromwell Close and then out of the village.
Gerald did have one bad fault, however. He was an Ipswich Town supporter which of course meant that he automatically had a good sense of humour!
I remember one occasion Ipswich were playing Norwich and the match was on Sky TV which we had and Gerald didn't. So in the spirit of friendship we invited him round.
He arrived late and his first words were: "I've had a word with my boss (I.e God) and he's assured me of an Ipswich win."
"Well that's shame because Norwich are winning 3-0," was my reply.
It was typical of Gerald's sense of humour. I believe after leaving Hethersett he reverted to his previous occupation of farmer in Suffolk but sadly died many years ago.
In those days I ran a website for Hethersett which is now defunct but I still have much of what was written on it and am trying to copy across files to the new site at www.hethersettherald.weebly.com. So the following is taken from summer 2000 and gives an insight into Gerald's views of Hethersett.
A special family communion service was held at Hethersett Methodist Church on Sunday July 16th to mark the retirement of the minister the Rev. Gerald Cole.
Gerald and Lynne Cole will be leaving the village in a few weeks after five years. Below is part of the text of a message from Gerald in the Methodist Church's July newsletter.
Dear Friends
This letter will be the 60th "letter from the minister" that I have written since coming to Hethersett five years ago.
My mind goes back to Sunday August 27th, 1995, when as a family we arrived for my welcome and induction service at Framingham Earl. It was a wonderful occasion and the loving encouragement and prayerful caring and support we received then has always been vivid in my memory. When I think of the five years since that day, two words keep coming into my mind - gratitude and privilege. I quote part of a letter written at Christmas 1995 and sent to family and friends.
"We have settled well. We like the house and the garden is not too big! Better still we like the people... and there is a sense of rightness about being here."
In 1996 we said "The initial sense of warmth and support has continued." and in 1997 "I know it sounds repetitive, but we still feel a great sense of encouragement."
From that very first day, that sense of being upheld is what we have felt throughout the past five years. So, for all your support, friendship, love and thoughtful caring; for your unceasing prayers; for hospitality, good conversation and laughter; for constant gracious encouragement; for all the ways you have enriched my life and strengthened my faith, I say a heartfelt thank-you - and that seems such an inadequate expression of what I feel.
It has been a joy to be your minister. Reflecting on the past five years I suppose the thing I am most conscious of is the speed with which those years have gone. There have been many special times and events which I shall recall and cherish in my memory. Now I must look to the future."
At the special service Gerald and Lynne received gifts and the thanks of church members.
I concluded that article with the following words:
I am extremely grateful to Gerald. He will know to what I am referring. An immensely talented and learned man, he had a great humility and wicked sense of humour which I will miss considerably. Many were the "verbal jousts" which we enjoyed over those five years. To be in Gerald's presence was to be amongst kindness and warmth.
I think Gerald's words about Hethersett sum up the village so much better than I ever could.
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When people I am meeting for the first time ask me where I come from, for many years I said "Norwich" in the hope that they would know roughly if not exactly where that is. Now I proudly say "I come from Hethersett" and then probably add something like "it's a village about six miles from Norwich off the London road."
There's an advert at the moment where the main character says "I was born in Carlisle but I was made in the Royal Navy". I would say "I was born in Hellesdon but I was made in Hethersett."