GREAT MASSINGHAM 
PARISH COUNCIL

Short Story Competition

Calling all Young Writers Aged 5–11!

Children aged 5–11 who live in or attend school in Great Massingham are invited to enter our

Short Story Competition.

 

Prizes: £25 Amazon Gift Voucher + publication in The Mallard

Word limit: Up to 500 words

Deadline: Friday 19th December 2025

Winners announced: 28th February 2026

 

Send your entry and consent form by 19th December 2025 either:

• Online via the official entry form: https://tally.so/r/mKbK9K 

• By email: themallardeditor@gmail.com

• By post: 6 Abbeyfields, Abbey Road, Great Massingham, PE32 2JE

 

Stories must be original and written by the child. One entry per child.

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Short Story Competition Terms & Conditions

Short Story Competition Parental Consent Form

 

Fundraising Fete Delivers – Play Area Progress Update

What an amazing day! Our fundraising fete on 12th October was a huge success, thanks to the

incredible community spirit shown by everyone who took part. Volunteers, prize donors, stallholders,

and every single person who came along — your enthusiasm truly made the day special.

 

We’re thrilled to share that £5,729.57 has already been raised toward the new village play area! 🎈

 

As many of you know, this exciting project will provide a safe, fun, and welcoming space for local children and families to enjoy for years to come. To secure the remaining funds, the Parish Council has applied for a grant from the FCC Communities Foundation. This grant requires a Contributing Third Party (CTP) payment of £10,750 — and thanks to you, we are already over halfway there.

 

To keep things moving, the Parish Council will contribute the remaining £5,020.43 needed to support the grant application.

 

💛 Still Want to Help?

Donations are very welcome! You can contribute by scanning the QR code or by bank transfer:

 

Great Massingham Parish Council

Sort Code: 60-83-01

Account Number: 20463300

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Once again, a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed, volunteered, or supported in any way — your help is bringing this much-needed play area ever closer to reality!

 

💡🌱 Funding Available for Local Community Projects 🌱💡

 

Do you have a great idea that could bring people together or help improve village life?

The Norfolk Community Fund is offering grants of up to £2,500 for community-led initiatives, including:

 

• Creative and cultural projects

• Local events and activities

• Wellbeing and social support schemes• Environmental and sustainability projects

 

If you’re passionate about enhancing our village, this is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference!

 

For more details, contact County Cllr Stuart Dark:📧 stuart.dark.cllr@norfolk.gov.uk | 📞 07860 256083

 

Let’s work together to support ideas that help our community thrive! 🌟

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New Life for Our Village Telephone Box

The Parish Council is pleased to announce that it will be adopting the red telephone box in the village. This much-loved local landmark will now remain part of our community and we’re excited to explore how it could be put to good use in the future.

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Across the country, adopted telephone boxes have been transformed into mini libraries, art displays, information points, plant swaps, or even tiny museums — the possibilities are endless!

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We’d love to hear your ideas for how our village phone box could be used or what would make it a special feature for residents and visitors alike.

Please share your suggestions with the Parish Council — you can email your ideas to the Parish Clerk or speak to any councillor.

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✨🎄 Christmas Lights Switch-On Celebration! 🎄✨

 

Get ready to sparkle — brand-new festive lighting has been installed in the village for 2025, and we can’t wait to share it with you!

 

📅 Friday 12th December 2025🎶

 

Featuring a special performance by the Harpley Choir

 

Come along and join the countdown as we light up Great Massingham for the festive season!A wonderful evening for families, friends and neighbours to enjoy together.

 

Further details will be announced soon — but for now, save the date! 🌟

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New Parish Council Email Address

From 1st November, the Parish Council will be using a new email address for all correspondence: clerk@greatmassingham-pc.gov.uk

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The previous email address will continue to be monitored on an ad-hoc basis for a short time, and anyone contacting the old address will be notified of the change.

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Please update your records and use the new address for all future communication with the Parish Clerk. Thank you for your cooperation.

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​​Parish Council Votes to Support Pub and Village Hall Parking Solutions

At the recent Parish Council meeting, members reviewed the results of the Parking Consultation,

which saw 113 parishioners respond—representing 14.3% of eligible residents. A proposal was put forward to assume that the remaining 85% (680 parishioners) were either uninterested or indifferent to the issue. On this basis, a vote was held on whether to pursue the most supported solutions from the consultation: to support and promote the existing parking allocations behind both the pub and the village hall. The proposal received seven votes in favor. The Parish Council will now move forward with this initiative in line with the consultation findings.

 

The consultation was made available to every household in the village via The Mallard and was also available to access online to complete.  The consultation concluded on 31st October, 2024.  Here is a summary of Consultation Results. 

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1.    Should the Parish Council Take Action to Address/Manage Parking in the Centre of the Village?
•    Yes – something should be done: 61.9% 
•    Maybe/not sure – I would like to know more about the options available.: 21.2%
•    No – keep the current arrangements: 16.8% 

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2.    Should There Be Restrictions on Parking on the Greens or Other Spaces in the Village? 
•    Yes: 58.4%
•    No: 26.5%
•    Maybe/not sure – I would like some further information: 15.0% 

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3.    Support for Specific Parking Solutions 
•    Allow parking on the Greens in specific areas: 36.3% 
•    Allow parking on the green during specific times of the day/week: 4.4% 
•    Allow parking on the Greens and install matting and signage to support this – up to 20 spaces (at a cost): 7.1% 
•    Allow parking on the main Greens only for specific events: 23.9% 
•    Restrict or ban parking on the green in front of the Pub and install a low-level fence: 15.9% 
•    Restrict or ban parking on ALL Greens and install a low-level fence: 18.6% 
•    Restrict or ban parking on the MAIN Greens and install a low-level fence: 28.3% 
•    Create better parking solutions on the highway/local roads: 29.2% 
•    Support/promote the current parking allocation in the Village Hall: 77.0% 
•    Support/promote the current parking allocation behind the pub: 79.7%

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