News in Maldon

A meeting of Maldon District Council on Thursday (18 March) will discuss a motion to set up foodbanks in both Maldon and Burnham-on-Crouch town centres.

The proposal to set up the facility in Maldon District Council's offices in Princes Road and at an unspecified location in Burnham has been made by Councillor Chrisy Morris and seconded by Councillor Vanessa Bell.

The Maldon Mud Race team is thrilled to announce a new major sponsor for this year's event, which is now confirmed as Sunday, 15 August.

Organisers of the famous annual event at Maldon's Promenade Park were devastated when Covid-19 meant the cancellation of the 2020 race - but the team are putting all their efforts into ensuring 2021 is a bumper year.

Today (Tuesday, 16 March) marks the first anniversary of the day Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the nation that the time had come to limit all unnecessary social contact - and also the day the first person in Essex died of Covid-19 at Broomfield Hospital.

A year on, in the midst of the third national lockdown and with a total of 149 Covid-related deaths registered for Maldon district alone (up to 5 March), many might pause to reflect on the past 12 months.

In his latest column, Chairman of Maldon District Council, Independent Councillor Mark Heard, tells us what 'purdah' is and why he won't be writing this column again until after the local elections.

"I'm sorry to say that until the local elections are over on 6th May, I must suspend this column because when an election is called, there are rules which dictate what can be published or promoted by the council.

A Maldon author has self-published a children's picture book about the need to protect bees from pesticides - and hopes this will help raise awareness of wider environmental issues in the the town's youngsters.

Inspired by Julia Donaldson's books, Ryan Mizzen aimed to emulate her style in Hedgey-A and the Honey Bees, which is a fun rhyming book aimed at five to seven-year-olds.

A Maldon-based charity for the young carers of Essex has made a five-minute film to mark Young Carer Action Day tomorrow (Tuesday, 16 March).

This moving but inspirational short video gives an insight into the work of Action for Family Carers in Brickhouse Farm, Poulton Close, through the eyes of some of the children, young people and families the charity supports.

Emma Wallis of Maldon company Lottie & Jake's Scrumptious Cakes is to hold an Easter cake-decorating workshop in aid of Farleigh Hospice.

Those taking part in the online event, which is part of the hospice charity's spring craft series, will learn how to make nests of eggs and chicks ideal for cupcake decorations, as well as a larger nest of both eggs and a hatched chick as a topper for a larger cake using fondant icing.

Time is running out to take advantage of a county council scheme to help householders and businesses to purchase high quality solar panels at a discounted rate.

So far more than 4,100 households and businesses have signed up to the Solar Together Essex initiative. However, residents across Essex now have until 23 March to register their interest for free and without commitment to purchase.

Residents are being urged to register their right to vote in time for local elections on 6 May.

This year residents of Maldon District will be voting in different elections and will select:

Essex Police have reminded residents that despite the good news of falling rates of infection across the county, pandemic restrictions remain in place - and have given examples of breaches they have recently fined people for.

In a statement released yesterday evening (Friday, 12 March), an Essex Police spokesperson said: "The number of people in our county who have contracted Covid-19 continues to fall. This is thanks to everyone who has followed the rules by staying at home, avoiding unnecessary journeys and isolating when required to.