Its junior section, known as Fadlos Kidz, also seems to be thriving and come December will be staging its version of A Christmas Carol at the community centre.

This used to be the home of Fakenham Little Theatre but the curtains came down on that long-lived enterprise 20-odd years ago. So the opportunity to experience local drama, rather than musicals or pantos, is somewhat limited. I find this a great shame, especially in terms of our younger generation.

Thanks to Eastern Arts and the remarkable Eastern Angles theatre company, bands of travelling players do occasionally find their way to village halls within reasonable distance of us.

As a great supporter of these endeavours, it's always been pleasing to find the venues fairly packed for what invariably turn out to be exceptional evenings. These are, after all, professionals, even if the subsidised ticket prices are less than half what you would pay to watch a match at Norwich City.

For the past five months I've been rediscovering the theatrical challenge of learning a part in a play, having joined the Stibbard Players just a few miles down the road for their staging of The Real Inspector Hound, by Tom Stoppard. It's been a big effort.

What surprised me was the fact that this was the 30th production put on by this shoestring group, founded by book publisher Sue Yaxley who lives on the edge of the village. Sue has come through some difficult times recently in battling cancer but, largely thanks to her, the Players have managed to keep going through good times and bad. They perform on a small set in the village hall, somewhat like that other stalwart amateur outfit in South Creake, and are not afraid to set their sights high. Plays by J.B. Priestly, Noel Coward, Oscar Wilde and Alan Ayckbourn have all been in the mix.

There's something quite exceptional about amateur dramatics which I can't quite put my finger on – maybe it's the long tradition we have created in this country whereby so many communities formed their own am-dram set-ups long before television took over.

Certainly most times I go along to a performance the engagement between audience and actors almost inevitably sets up a bit of a buzz. Both sides are energized by what is taking place. Of course the screen in the corner of all our living rooms casts its spell on the vast majority and that's unlikely to change.

But let's hear it for the likes of Stibbard Players and their commitment to real, live theatre on our doorsteps.

It's national Quaker Week, with a whole range of exhibitions and activities throughout the country.

Locally, there's a thriving group based in Wells at the Meeting House in Church Street. They have set up an exhibition in Wells Library and have other gatherings which you can find out about from Joolz on 01328 711085.

I particularly wanted to mention the worship meeting in our Methodist schoolroom on Thursday at 12.30pm.

Fakenham has a long association with the Quakers with a walled cemetery outside the Aldiss store and a Quaker Lane in one of the oldest parts of town. The meeting will not go beyond half-an-hour and all are welcome.

A flag was flying on the church tower to remember Rebecca Fairhead at the beginning of this month.

She died, aged 12, from a brain tumour but her memory is strong in the community thanks to her mother Claire Cunningham who set up the charity Rebecca's Wishes in her memory.

It has raised thousands of pounds for youngsters in Norfolk suffering terminal illness. The next fundraising event for the charity is a grand ball at the Ramada Hotel in Lynn on Saturday.

Tickets at £40 are available from Claire on 01328 856450.