News in Maldon

DO you remember in the good old days, when we were allowed to meet in each other's houses and go round in groups as large as we liked? Well about a year ago just a few months before lockdown started when we could do that I went out for a drive on a Sunday afternoon and found myself just a few yards from the River Crouch in South Fambridge.

This small Essex hamlet has a lovely old listed building called The Old Ferry House. It was whilst looking at this old house that an elderly gentleman approached me and began talking to me.

HISTORIC assets throughout the Maldon district – from road signs to buildings and wartime relics – will be surveyed with a view to protecting the area's heritage in future developments.

The mammoth task of listing the diverse range of assets will be taken on parish by parish to produce a list that is then put out for public consultation. The focus will be only on assets which do not already have national graded listed status.

Maldon High Street's independent shops have got together to produce a leaflet showcasing how the community can 'keep it local' this Christmas.

The leaflet, which will be dropped to every home in Maldon over the coming days, gives a message from local businesses on why shopping locally is important in the build-up to the festive season - and beyond - in this unprecedented year.

On behalf of Active Essex, I have been privileged to present Lucy West of Happy Hearts Exercise with an Essex Activity Hero Award for her outstanding contribution to her community throughout 2020.

A previous award winner, Lucy offers sociable, safe, effective, supportive and fun exercise classes for the over 50's in Maldon and the surrounding area, but during this difficult time has been unable to conduct her usual regular indoor classes.

The health body with responsibility for commissioning Maldon district's NHS services from GP surgeries to hospitals is holding a virtual board meeting in public next week.

Mid Essex CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) will hold the meeting between 1 pm and 3.30pm on Thursday, 26 November.

The Environment Agency has issued a flood warning for Maldon waterfront and Hythe Quay this afternoon (Thursday, 19 November).

Areas most at risk are Chandlers Quay, Chelmer Terrace, the Hythe and Promenade Park.

A man who operated an unauthorised 'bar' from a boat has had the profits confiscated in a prosecution brought by Maldon District Council.

The council successfully prosecuted John Wilsdon over the 'bar' operated from a boat at Bridgemarsh Marina, Althorne, in a case heard at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday, 12 November.

The Salvation Army is calling on the Maldon district community to donate new toys, gifts and food to this year's Christmas appeal to help support families in need over the festive season.

Salvation Army church leader, Captain Caron Doyle, said: "Every year we ask people to donate new toys and gifts to our Christmas present appeal so we can distribute them to families whose children would not otherwise receive a gift. This year, we are expecting the number of families requesting help to rise as a result of the pandemic's impact on already tight family budgets.

THE new garden play area at Maldon's Promenade Park has moved a step closer – and could be ready by the start of May next year.

Revised plans for the redesign and upgrading of the popular Sensory Garden play area at Maldon's Promenade Park will go before councillors next Tuesday (24 November) at a special meeting of Maldon District Council's Strategy and Resources Committee.

Lockdown may have left some people worried about their weight and general fitness – and so Maldon Nub News has got together with Claire Bond from Slimming World to bring you some top tips as we continue through the current national restrictions.

Slimming World's top healthy lockdown tips...