A ONE-STOP-SHOP FOR VISITORS TO ESSEX

The Leader of Essex County Council, Cllr. Peter Martin, has reminded me today of the ‘Visit Essex’ website, which is a fantastic resource for visitors and those wishing to explore our county more thoroughly.

The UK’s latest tourism figures show a 5% increase in visits to UK attractions so I hope this website continues to sell ‘Essex’ and the many things we have to offer here. Cllr. Martin explained: “Our tourism team works hard to keep this up to date with all sorts of things to do in Essex to make the most of the remaining summertime…if we get any more sunshine!”

ESSEX PRIDE 2010 – Sunday 5th September 2010

Essex Pride is an annual event which showcases diversity, encourages acceptance and promotes equality, respect and community engagement. This year it takes place on Sunday 5^th September at Central Park in Chelmsford from 12 noon to 11pm and Epping Forest District Council are sponsoring the event. The Council will have a marquee in the community area between 12 noon and 5pm and Community Play Workers funded by EFDC Community Development will be providing face painting for children. In addition, a consultation exercise by council staff will be undertaken.

The aim is to promote Epping Forest District Council as a progressive service provider and employer seeking to provide excellent services. A range of information about Equality at EFDC will be made available and promotional gifts will be distributed.

Further information can be obtained from Barbara Copson by telphone on 01992 564042 or by emailing equality@eppingforestdc.gov.uk

SHOULD EPPING FOREST BE GOVERNED BY A MAYOR?

Epping Forest District Council has launched a public consultation to gather views on how the executive governance of the Council should be structured in the future posing the question: ‘Should EFDC be run by a Leader of a Mayor’.

Under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 all Councils with a Leader and Cabinet have to consult on executive arrangements. Although the new Coalition Government has said it intends to repeal this law at some point (letter here from Rt. Hon. Grant Shapps MP), Councils still need to comply with the current Act and carry out this consultation.

Ian Willett, Assistant to the Chief Executive at Epping Forest District Council, said: "The main difference in the options is how the head of the Council is elected. Under the current system of Leader and Cabinet, the Leader is appointed by Councillors. A Mayor would be directly elected by residents of the district. Councillors are able to remove the Leader from Office whereas a Mayor could only be removed by residents at elections every four years, unless they resign or become disqualified."

The options are:
Option 1 - Leader and Cabinet: The leader is elected by the District Councillors. They serve up to four years unless they cease to be a Councillor or are removed as leader by a resolution of the Council. The Leader appoints up to nine Councillors to the Cabinet. He or she decides which areas of responsibility (portfolios) each member of the Cabinet will hold. The Leader can sack members of the Cabinet or change their portfolios at any time. The Leader can delegate some or all of their powers to the Cabinet, Committees, individual Councillors or Council Officers.

Option 2 - Elected Mayor and Cabinet: Residents vote to decide who should be elected as Mayor to run the Council. The Mayor is elected for four years unless they resign or become disqualified. Candidates do not need to be Councillors but if a serving District Councillor is elected as Mayor their seat on the Council automatically becomes vacant. The Mayor holds a range of powers (except for those reserved to the Council by its constitution). She or he can appoint between two and nine Councillors to a Cabinet and decides what, if any, executive powers they will exercise. The Mayor can sack any member of the Cabinet at any time and appoint a replacement. The Mayor appoints one member of the Cabinet as Deputy Mayor. That person exercise the powers of the Mayor in his or her absence or if he or she no longer holds Office. The Mayor drafts the Council budget which can only be overturned by a two thirds majority of the Council.

The online consultation is a quick and easy way for you to tell EFDC your views. Paper questionnaires are also available as they want to encourage as many residents as possible to take part. If you live or work in the Epping Forest district, you can complete the consultation online here or alternatively, click here to download a paper copy of the response form.

BEST EVER GCSE RESULTS FOR St. JOHN’S SCHOOL

George Yerosimou, Headteacher of St. John’s School in Epping has been pleased to announce this year’s provisional headline GCSE results, subject to any paper remarks or appeals, which have shown 59% of Year 11 students achieving 5 or more A*-C GCSE grades. A dramatic improvement on 2009’s 47% result. Students achieving 5 or more A*-C GCSE grades including English and Maths is 46%, again which is a dramatic improvement on 2009’s 33% result and also exceeds the Local Authorities target of 43%.

Mr. Yerosimou explained: “I am very pleased to report that our students performed really well in their GCSE examinations and the school achieved its highest ever results this year. This represents a significant achievement and improvement on last year. Our students deserve great credit for their achievements and the staff, who worked tirelessly right up to the exams themselves, also merit our appreciation.”

PLANNING APPLICATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION

The following planning applications will be considered by Epping Town Council's Planning and General Purposes Committee on Tuesday 24th August 2010. If you wish to express your view to the committee on any of the application below, you can either email info@eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk or attend the meeting in person at Epping Hall, St. John's Road, Epping, CM16 5JU.

CLD/EPF/1330/10 - Mr. A. Warner, 9 Amesbury Road, Epping - Certificate of lawful development for a proposed rear dormer window in a loft conversion.
EPF/1292/10 - Mr. T. Pryor, 72e The Plain, Epping - Loft conversion, including raising the roof.
CLD/EPF/1454/10 - Mr. D. Smith, 37 Bury Road, Epping - Certificate of lawful development for a proposed single storey side extension.
EPF/1482/10 (Revised Application) - Mr. R. Hill, 99 Theydon Grove, Epping - Proposed single storey rear addition and conversion of garage to utility and store areas.
LB/EPF/1388/10 (Revised Application) - Mr. S. J. Dale, Non Conformist Chapel Meeting Room, Queens Alley, 86 Hemnall Street, Epping - Change of use of former chapel to single dwelling including repairs and alterations.
EPF/1394/10 - Mrs. H. Andrews, Scaddings Barn, Fiddlers Hamlet, Epping - The extension of an existing 18m x 35m menege to 20m x 60m and the replacement of 75m2 stable block with 77.042 stable complex.
EPF/1520/10 - Mrs. J. Wells, 47 Station Road, Epping - Single storey rear extension.
EPF/1537/10 - Mr. M. Surman, Ploughcroft Cottage, 13 Bridge Hill, Epping - Proposed vehicle crossover.
EPF/1554/10 (Revised Application) - Mr. G. Knight, 12 Ravensmere, Epping - Single and two storey rear and front extension. Single storey side extension, rear balcony, revised roof with addition of 1 front and 2 rear dormer windows and alterations to elevations, including garage alterations.

HELP TO CLEAN UP OUR COMMUNITY'S HIGHWAYS

Following a recent meeting of the Epping Forest Highways Panel on 22nd June, Essex County Council’s Highways Department are continuing to pursue opportunities for delivery under the ‘Highways Rangers’ service. As part of this project, Epping Town Council (alongside other Council’s in the district) have been requested to identify suitable works which may be carried out to improve areas which the highways department are directly responsible. The issued raised by all of the local councils will be prioritised and a draft works programme will be created. Of course, not every suggestion will be carried out in this round of work, but you have to be in it to win it as they say!

The sort of work that can be carried out by Highways Rangers includes:
* Cleaning and minor repairs to non-electrical road signs
* Cleaning and minor repairs to street furniture
* Reinstatement of posts and bollards (minimal excavation)
* Trimming of vegetation and removal of arisings
* Adhoc grass cutting and strimming
* Localised cleaning and minor excavation of roadside grips
* Removal of graffiti from, or painting of, ‘municipal’ street furniture such as litter bins, street nameplates and seats, etc.
* Removal of weeds or vegetation from pavements
* Scavenging and removal of deposits and small fly tips from highway land
* Removal of illegal signs and fly posting

Please let me know any ideas you have by Friday 9th July to allaboutepping@googlemail.com Please note that the Range will not deal with issues involving private property.

EPPING FOREST WILL BE CELEBRATING ARMED FORCED DAY

Epping Forest District Council will proudly show its support for our Armed Forces by flying the Armed Forces Day Flag throughout next week.

At 10.15am on Monday 21st June, the Chairman of Council, Councillor Anne Grigg, will meet with Council staff and local dignitaries outside the Civic Offices for a short service which will be followed by the raising of the flag at 10:30am. The Armed Forces Day flag will fly alongside the Union Jack flag outside the Council offices until Monday 28 June 2010.

As part of this event the Chairman of Council will be supporting the 'Help for Heroes' fund. To help raise funds for this very worthy charity, members of staff will be passing through the offices with a variety of items for purchase and to collect donations.

Armed Forces Day is on Saturday 26th June 2010. This annual celebration gives the nation the opportunity to show our support for the remarkable men and women who make up our Armed Forces community, from current serving troops to service families, veterans and cadets. For more information about this event, please click here or to view a video of last year's event, please click here.

NEW St. JOHN’S SCHOOL IS NOT “POSTPONED INDEFINITELY

On 13th May 2010, the Epping Forest Guardian published an article stating that Essex County Council had postponed building the new St. John’s School “indefinitely”, which is absolute nonsense.

As a Governor of St. John’s School, I have worked closely with the Cabinet Member for Education at Essex County Council, Cllr. Stephen Castle, on the project to rebuild a brand new, state-of-the-art secondary school for Epping. At this time, there is just over a £4m funding gap in the project, which would have to be paid out by the County Council’s Capital Expenditure Budget. However, given the recent change of Government and the uncertainty about public spending cuts, the County are not yet willing to commit their capital to large-scale projects until they know how much money they will have to serve the people of Essex in the year ahead. A entirely sensible stance in my opinion. This is simply a funding issue - Essex County Council are still completely committed to building a new secondary school in Epping and their officers, contractors and projects managers will continue to work closely with the school to ensure that as soon as the time in financially viable, the project kicks-off.

In a statement, Cllr. Castle explained: “Essex County Council will continue to work with the Diocese of Chelmsford and the governing body of the school to confirm the redevelopment programme for St Johns School. The costs were due to be met through selling an area of the school site owned mainly by the school’s trustees. Following the recession and its impact on the housing market, it is estimated that the proceeds of a sale would no longer meet the full costs of a new school premises, and so additional funding source(s) will need to be identified before the project moves forward. The construction costs have not risen above initial estimates. We will continue to work with the governing body to move this project forward.”

INVITATION TO OPEN DAY AT NEW EPPING PRIMARY SCHOOL

The Headteacher, Governors and Staff of Epping Primary School are inviting members of public to come and take a look at the brand new, state-of-the-art building and facilities for themselves on Thursday 1st July from 5pm to 7pm.

Acting Heateacher, Lee Regan explains: “Everyone – family, friends, neighbours are all welcome to come and have a look round our lovely school and to see the work the pupils have on display.”

The new school can be found in Coronation Hill, Epping, CM16 5DU. To contact the school, please call 01992 572408.

END OF THE ROAD FOR GYPSY SITES IN EPPING?

Today, it is with pleasure I wholeheartedly applaud Epping Forest’s neighbouring MP, the Rt. Hon. Eric Pickles, our newly appointed Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, who has sent a very clear message out to troublemaking Gypsies and Travellers that: “The good times are over.”

After years of setting up illegal campsites by exploiting legal loopholes, the Gypsy and traveller community have been told they have reached the end of the road – and that includes “Bank Holiday land-grabs”. Tough new legislation will create a criminal offence of intentional trespass. Travellers who refuse to move could be arrested by police or forcibly evicted. Travellers will be labelled “trespassers” if they set up home on other people’s land. Those who actually buy plots of land, often in Green Belt country, then begin building work before applying for retrospective planning permission will find that loophole closed.

So many times in the past, we have seen travellers move on to sites late on Fridays when councils close for a Bank Holiday weekend. They started building the next day, then apply for retrospective planning permission. If they failed to secure it, they often claimed their human rights as travellers were being infringed.

I have spent a great deal of time speaking with Eric on these issues over the past couple of years and he promised that should a Conservative Government be elected, they would deliver – and they have! He has explained today that: “The last government’s policies have undermined community relations and increased tensions. We will work to tackle the legitimate sense of injustice.”

In a letter to local council’s Eric explained: “I am writing to you today to highlight our commitment in the coalition agreements where we very clearly set out our intention to rapidly abolish Regional Strategies and return decision making powers on housing and planning to local councils. Consequently, decisions on housing supply (including the provision of travellers sites) will rest with Local Planning Authorities without the framework of regional numbers and plans.”

Epping Forest District Council Leader, Cllr. Mrs. Di Collins responded saying: "This is great news. It means the end for the deeply unpopular Government Directive that effectively forced the Council and our residents into one of the most prolonged, expensive and bureaucratic consultations our residents have ever had to endure. It was disliked by everyone including our local Gypsy and Travelling community and it will be a great relief for everyone to know we will now see the back of it. I applaud Eric Pickles for his swift action."

Under existing legislation, Epping Forest District Council is required to find 34 Gypsy and Traveller pitches by 2011 through a formal consultation process. Thankfully, it is now almost certain that these plans will be scrapped. This is a great day for the many thousands of local people who have campaigned so hard for fairness in our community. I congratulate you all.

EPPING FOREST DISTRICT LICENSING REVIEW

Epping Forest District Council have launched a public consultation, asking local residents for their thoughts on their existing licensing policies, which they are required by law to review every three years. The Council’s current policy can be found here.

The Licensing Act 2003 became law on 24th November 2005 and introduced a single license scheme for all licensed premises which supply alcohol, provide regulated entertainment and provide late-night refreshments. The objectives are to prevent crime, disorder and nuisance and to protect public safety and children from harm.

Given that many local residents have spoken to me recently about licensing issues, especially those who asked how Club One9Five was able to regain its license after it had been closed simply by a new body applying for the license, this may be a good opportunity for people to express their views. The deadline for comments is 31 July 2010. You can send your comments by post to The Licensing Section, Civic Offices, High Street, Epping, Essex CM16 4BZ or by email here.

COLLEGE CLASSED: “SATISFACTORY & IMPROVING”

Epping Forest College in Loughton has been reclassified in a recently published OFSTED report, which grades the college as “satisfactory” from its former “inadequate” classification.

In the report, OFTSED Inspector, Lindsay Hebditch states: “The college has recovered well since its previous inspection when overall effectiveness was judged inadequate. The majority of its provision is now satisfactory, and improving. Staff morale is high and the majority of learners work hard and are happy.”

The report singles out Jeannie Wright, the college’s interim principal, and the new senior management at the college for special praise in turning round poor results. Ms. Wright explained: “Staff have a great deal to be proud of. They have worked extremely hard since the last inspection to drive through significant improvements. We are already working on the inspectors’ recommendations of what we need to do to secure further improvement. Our staff are committed to further progress.”

The college has an Open Event on Saturday, June 26, from 10am to 2pm and is taking applications until September 2010 for courses where places are still available. For further information call 020 8502 8778.

OLIVE DUNSEATH SELECTED EPPING TOWN MAYOR

Sitting Town Councillor, Miss Olive Dunseath has been elected as the new Mayor of Epping with Councillor Mrs. Mari-Louise Whitbread, the wife of District Councillor and Cabinet Portfolio Holder Chris Whitbread being elected Deputy Town Mayor.

Miss. Dunseith (pictured with Janet Hedges and I) has sat on the Town Council for 11 years and has fought hard to ensure Epping retains it’s traditional character and appearance. She described herself as “a back room worker” who finds the “thrust to the forefront as a figurehead somewhat daunting”, but explained: “I want to help improve the look of the High Street and focus on the things which the local populace are concerned with.” Cllr. Miss Dunseath will serve in this role for a period of 12 months.

DISTRICT COUNCIL ELECTION RESULTS 2010

The Returning Officer for Epping Forest has declared the following results of Epping’s District Council elections held on Thursday 6th May 2010:

EPPING LINDSEY &
THORNWOOD COMMON WARD
Will Breare-Hall - Conservative - 1,692 (49%)
Lorraine Collier - Lib Dem - 1,264 (37%)
Simon David Bullough - Labour - 341 (10)
Barry George Johns - Green - 133 (4%)
Total Turnout - 71%

EPPING HEMNALL WARD
Janet Hilda Whitehouse - Lib Dem - 1,632 (47%)
Kenneth Avey - Conservative - 1,348 (38%)
Michael Finan - Labour - 234 (7%)
Andrew George Smith - UKIP - 232 (7%)
Jam Berecutt - Green - 62 (2%)
Total Turnout - 71%

You may also be interested to note that Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Epping Forest, Ann Haigh, who was also standing for re-election for the Buckhurst Hill West ward on Epping Forest District Council lost her seat to Conservative candidate Sylvia Watson, pushing the Lib Dems out of the role of ‘Official Opposition’ being replaced by the LRA. The BNP also lost all of the seats they were contesting in Loughton, leaving them with just one Councillor in Pat Richardson who spoke about the party’s losses suggested this was “down to poor schooling.”

The new make-up of the Council’s 58 seats are as follows: Conservatives: 36, Loughton Residents Association: 11, Liberal Democrats: 7, Independents: 2, Labour: 1.

EPPING FOREST ELECTION RESULTS 2010

The results for the UK Parliamentary election for the Epping Forest Constituency have been declared by the Returning Officer, Ian Willet, at 3.35am on Friday 7th May 2010 and are as follows:

Katie Elizabeth CURTIS - The Labour Party - 6,641 votes.
Ann Mary HAIGH - Liberal Democrat - 10,017 votes.
Eleanor Fulton LAING - The Conservative Party Candidate - 25,148 votes.
Simon Benjamin PEPPER - The Green Party - 659 votes.
Pat RICHARDSON - British National Party - 1,982 votes.
Kim SAWYER - English Democrats “Putting England First!” - 285 votes.
Andrew George SMITH - UK Independence Party (UKIP) - 1,852 votes.

The turnout was 66.95% compared to the 2005 turnout of 62.88%. Therefore, Eleanor Fulton Laing is re-elected Member of Parliament for Epping Forest with a significantly increased majority.

WHAT WILL THE CONSERVATIVES DO ABOUT GYPSIES AND TRAVELLERS IN EPPING FOREST?

Eleanor Laing has issued a statement outlining what David Cameron’s Conservative Government would do about Gypsies in Epping Forest, in which she highlights her commitment to giving power back to local people. As the Conservative Party policy paper states: "Conservatives believe in social responsibility. Different people from different communities should be free to lead their lives in different ways. But this freedom must come with a responsibility to the wider community. The vast majority of traveller accept this, but a very small minority do not." Conservatives will act to ensure that this becomes a reality:

Against unauthorised sites: "Where councils have made appropriate provision for authorised sites in their area, which reflect local need and historic demand, we will provide them with stronger enforcement powers to tackle unauthorised development and illegal trespass. In addition, we will introduce a new criminal offence of intentional trespass."

Gypsies to contribute: "At the same time, it is important that settled council tax payers do not foot the bill for the construction of new authorised sites. The Conservatives will reform the system so traveller site funding to councils so that they are properly compensated for new sites and will require travellers to make a contribution to to the cost of services on authorised sites."

A British Bill of Rights: "The Human Rights Act has made it more difficult and expensive to evict trespassers from private and public land and has overridden planning law by allowing travellers to proceed with unauthorised developments. Conservatives will replace Labour's Human Rights Act with a new British Bill of Rights which will help to address these problems."

Scrap the Direction: "The Labour Government has used the regional planning system and top-down targets to force local authorities to build new camps for the travellers, often on Green Belt land. Conservatives disagree with these top-down building targets, for traveller camps and for new houses. As part of the abolition of regional planning and the Regional Spatial Strategies, targets for the provision of traveller camps will be scrapped. In addition we will also scrap John Prescott's controversial guidance on travellers."

"Only a vote for the Conservatives will deliver the change we need and bring power back to the local people. Labour have neglected local needs and allowed the traveller problem to grow over the last 13 years. Please don't let them do it again", Mrs. Laing explained.

EPPING PREPARES TO ELECT ITS NEW MAYOR

Epping Town Council are due to hold their Annual Meeting on Tuesday 4th May at 8.15pm at Epping Hall, St. John’s Road, Epping, CM16 5JU, to which all members of the public are invited to attend.

At this meeting, the first item of the agenda is for sitting elected Councillors in Epping to nominate and vote to elect a new Town Mayor for a period of 12 months. The current Mayor of Epping, Councillors Mrs. Janet Hedges will hand over her the town’s gold Chains of Office, her seat as Chairman of Council proceedings and relinquish all duties associated with being the ‘First Citizen’ of Epping before joining the ranks of Former Mayors.

At one of my own final events as Mayor of Epping, I met with 11 Former Mayor’s, the photograph from which I have attached showing, from left-to-right: Dennis Favre, Ken Avey, Susan Perry, Richard Brady, myself, Letitia Berry, Daphne Jenkins, Hugh Pegrum, Ralph Dulwich, Alan Smith and Peter Burns.

COOPERSALE SOCIAL INSTITUTE HALL REFURB

Epping Town Council have approved a grant of £300 to Coopersale Social Institute which is hoping to see a major refurbishment of its hall, which will cost tens of thousands of pounds.

The registered charity has runs its operations at a impressive year-on-year profit and the Town Council believed the hall was a well used facility in the heart of Coopersale which served a broad range of local residents.

The Council have also agreed to provide further advise and information to the charity wherever possible. Previously, Epping Town Council provided a grant of £600 in 2003 towards the cost of replacement front doors of the hall and a £250 grant in 1999 to help with the cost of replacement tables.

PLANNING APPLICATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION

The following planning applications will be considered by Epping Town Council's Planning and General Purposes Committee on Tuesday 4th May 2010. If you wish to express your view to the committee on any of the application below, you can either email info@eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk or attend the meeting in person at Epping Hall, St. John's Road, Epping, CM16 5JU.

EPF/0485/10 - Mr. R. Stokes, Forest Gate Inn, Bell Common, Epping - First floor extension.
EPF/0665/10 - Mr. & Mrs. P. Micallef, Mason Bridge Farm, Fiddlers Hamlet, Epping - Conversion of existing outbuilding into a separate dwelling with associated parking and amenity space.
LB/EPF/0666/10 - Mr. & Mrs. P. Micallef, Mason Bridge Farm, Fiddlers Hamlet, Epping - Grade II listed building application for the conversion of existing outbuilding into a separate dwelling with associated parking and amenity space.
EPF/0493/10 - Mr. B. Daniels, Coaching House, R/o Batchelors, Buttercross Lane, Epping - Conversion and alterations of the single storey coaching house into a two bedroom house.
LB/EPF/0493/10 - Mr. B. Daniels, Coaching House, R/o Batchelors, Buttercross Lane, Epping - Grade II listed building application for the conversion and alterations of the single storey coaching house into a two bedroom house.
EPF/0679/10 - Mr. P. Jolley, 22 The Orchards, Epping - Single storey rear extension.

WHY VOTE FOR ELEANOR LAING ON 6th MAY 2010?

Aside from all of the reasons local people are hearing from David Cameron as to why you should vote Conservative on Thursday 6th May, there are many reasons, I believe, you should support our local Conservative candidate, Eleanor Laing.

Eleanor has served as the Member of Parliament in Epping Forest for the past 13 years helping literally thousands of local residents as and when they face issues. More than that though, Eleanor has acted as an ambassador for Epping Forest nationally fighting hard against Government proposals which will negatively effect our day-to-day lives. She has also served in a variety of roles within the Shadow Front Bench team, creating Conservative Party policies and holding the Government to account in key areas.

One of Eleanor’s greatest battles as our MP, has been to protect the Green Belt which is constantly under threat from development. Very recently, Eleanor has worked hard to ensure that Green Belt land locally does not become the home of large groups of Gypsy and Traveller families. In a recent Residents Survey, Eleanor has explained: “David Cameron has promised a total change of direction on planning policy for gypsies and travellers if we win the election. There will be no more regional or national planning control. Decisions will be taken at local level - where people know what is best for their own community. So, get rid of Gordon Brown and we also get rid of the plans for more gypsy and traveller sites in Epping Forest.”

For those of you wishing to read more information about Eleanor and her work as an MP, you will find her voting record in the House of Commons here. The Early Day Motions she has supported here. The speeches she has made at debates here. The written questions she has submitted to Ministers here and a list of her Parliamentary expenses here.

For campaign related information, you can logon to Eleanor’s website here or download a copy of her Election Address here. Alternatively, you can become friends with Eleanor on Facebook here.

EPPING TOWN SHOW - Sunday 20th June 2010

Once again this year, Epping Town Council will be hosting a Town Show at Stonards Hill Recreation Grounds on Sunday 20th June from 11am to 4pm. Entrance is free and it is with pleasure I can report that this year’s event has doubled in size. Mark the date in your calendar now as this is a fantastic event for all of the family - to give you a taster of what we have planned, please see below:

Arena Events - Epping Forest Band, Shaolin Warriors, Brownie Races, 2 x Falcon displays, Darren Hunt Wheelbarrow race, Ferret Racing, performances by Epping Primary, Ivy Chimneys Primary, Coopersale and Theydon Garnon Primary and St. John‘s School.

Field Activities - Climbing Wall, Fire Brigade, Coconut shy, Face Painter, Caricaturist, Roger Arnay Circus Company, Large Fun Fair, Donkey Rides, Ferrets, Big trucks including an American Mack Truck & Vintage double decker bus.

Food & Drink - Hog Roast & Burgers by Churches Butchers, Beer Tent hosted by the Merry Fiddlers, Brian Print Burger Van, Little Dutch Pancake Company, Darren Hunt’s Tea, cake, & strawberries and an Ice Cream van.

Stalls - Royal British Legion, Usborne Books for Kids, Lets Play Fair, Citizens Advice Bureau, Humbug Sweet Shop, Cancer Research UK, Fox Welfare, Epping Portrait Studio, Epping Forest Cats Protection, Epping Horticultural Society, Garks Comfectionary, Royal Gunpowder Mills, SSAFA, Friends of St Margarets Hospital, Multi Faith Forum, St Clare’s Hospice, Epping Tennis Club, Higham Woodturners, Rotary Club of Epping, Epping Society, St Johns Church, A Gift A, Essex Farmers Market, Girl Guiding UK, Airbrush Temporary Tatoos, Epping Forest Field Centre, Sahara Gifts and Epping Upland Church.

For more information, please contact Epping Town Council on 01992 579444.