I hate negativity. In my mind it never got anyone anywhere. Mind you there have been many times in my life that I have been forced into very negative thoughts by what was going on around me. But when I retired I vowed that I would no longer have anything to do with negative people. Life, as they say, is far too short for that.
Positive thought and positive people get things done. They are the achievers in our world. I know I have many readers from outside Norfolk and apologies to them for today’s blog as it will mainly be about the village in which I live and my involvement. But I hope they still enjoy the blog and maybe some of it resonates with them.
I came to Hethersett in the first place completely by chance. It seemed to be a logical place to live as I was working in Norwich and it seemed the quickest route in along Newmarket Road. But I soon realised I didn’t just want to commute to work but wanted to get involved in and with the local community.
Over the years I have continued to firmly believe in community involvement and done my best to take various areas forward whether it be in the area of sport, fitness, well being or many others. Today I am still involved with a number of groups.
There have been a number of posts over the past few days about the need for a new pavilion on the Memorial Field and some of them have been ill informed believing that the money ploughed into this project would be better spent on medical facilities.
That’s as may be and is a debate for another day, but much of the money already raised towards the new building was earmarked specifically for community projects. That money couldn’t be put towards improved medical facilities. So that’s one correction that needs to be made.
Secondly it’s called Hethersett Memorial Playing Field for a reason. The field was purchased through public subscription to honour those who died in the two world wars. It was something for the village to be proud of and for future generations to enjoy.
I’m sure at the time that the pavilion was built it was state of the art but over the years it has become dilapidated and not fit for purpose. In my memory the only attempt to improve it has been to put up a canopy on the outside and I believe that was carried out by the cricket club before it moved away from the village. This was quickly removed. Since then nothing has happened other than some decoration, tidying up and a few other bits and pieces.
I do have to declare an interest here as nine years ago I was a trustee of the Memorial Field and one of three people responsible for obtaining the original planning consent.
Previously I got into trouble for using a rather unattractive word to describe the pavilion. In fact I called it a s-------e and I make no apology for that. It was demoralising to tour much smaller villages than ours and see what facilities they had. We visited Freethorpe, East Harling and Bradwell and marvelled at what they had and how it made our pavilion look like (well look like the word I already used).
Hethersett deserves a decent community facility on the Memorial Field and hopefully this time we will get something we can be proud of and which is genuinely used by the whole community and not just the sporting fraternity.
There are things that have to be sorted out such as vandalism and car parking but neither are unsurmountable. I am a firm believer that if you have a building that is in regular use and looks good the amount of vandalism drops.
I know some people will disagree with what I have written but my dream has always been to see something worthwhile on the playing field and something that can be enjoyed by everyone.
On sorting through the photographs of the first part of our Norfolk coastal walk I was taken by how one of them had a Hopperesque feel about it. That was the one of Hunstanton Lighthouse which resembled one of Edward Hopper’s paintings. Both are reproduced here so you can see for yourself.
Hopper is one of my favourite artists. An American who was active in the 19th and 20th centuries, Hopper’s work had an ethereal feel and was often about loneliness. His most famous painting is probably Nighthawks which depicts four characters in an all-night diner.
If you haven’t seen it do give it a look on the internet and then listen to the Harry Chapin Song “ A Better Place To Be.” In my mind the too are linked – one a fine painting, the other a fine song but both about loneliness.