Heather Williamson was a tireless worker in Hethersett, being a former parish councillor and a leading supporter of the environment through her work with the Hethersett Environmental Action Team (HEAT). Heather was also a great champion of the elderly. She was a founder member of HEAT and instrumental in both Hethersett in Bloom and the Hethersett Open Gardens' scheme.
The Wild Service tree (Sorbus Torminalis) was put in place on a piece of greenery in the parish church car park close to Tesco Express and it was planted on behalf of HEAT by Dr Anne Edwards and Heather's son Don Williamson. My photographs show the planting.
It is believed that it is the first time an individual has had their name put on any memorial outdoors in the village other than on the war memorial and in the form road names.
Dr Edwards paid fulsome tribute to Heather: "Heather cared passionately about the environment. We felt the tree would be a fitting memorial and also absorb carbon dioxide. It's a wild service tree for someone who did a tremendous service to the wild," Anne said.
* * *
A couple of days ago I received a very interesting folder from Jenny and Duncan Pigg. They pass historical Hethersett information to me ahead of it going into the Hethersett archive.
This was a very old folder of minutes from the village Memorial Appeal committee of 1946. I believe this was an extension of the Welcome Home Committee which raised funds to give every serviceman from the village returning from the Second World War a bank account containing £10. In today's money that is the equivalent of over £400. This money was also given to families of those killed in the war.
I also believe that the Memorial Appeal committee was set-up to raise money to buy what is now the Memorial Playing Field - although this isn't explained in any great detail in the minutes which do describe a number of fundraising events.
So I have scanned the minutes (thankfully most of them were typed) and will put them onto my Hethersett at War website which looks at the village between the years 1910 and 1950. You can view that website at www.hethersettatwar.weebly.com. The folder will now make its way into the village archives which will soon be moving from the Back Room in the village hall to the former parish office which will give it more space.
I know I've mentioned this before but it's called the Back Room after the very prominent Back family and not because it's at the back of the building.
* * *
A few days ago, I mentioned that in our modern society everyone has GPS or Sat Nav in their car. So nobody stops to ask directions anymore. But of course Sod's Law dictates that yesterday somebody drove up alongside us and asked directions. It wasn't too difficult as they were asking for Richardson Crescent and they just happened to be in - yes you've guessed it - Richardson Crescent.