Countdown to Active Fakenham Week
In his weekly column, Jim Harding previews a special ‘week’...
It’s always been called Active Fakenham Week but actually extends over nine days during the August summer holiday period. As usual, the programme is widespread with lots of free activities available. But without your support, the voluntary group known as Active Fakenham will find it hard to continue this annual jamboree. So do make the most of what is on offer and challenge yourself to ‘have a go’ at a bit of fun, a bit of sport, something new or something different.
A pamphlet has been pushed through hundreds of doors and in these computer days, you can catch up on details via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. For those of us not so fully in touch you may need to look around the town and take in the plentiful advertising.
The ‘week’ kicks off on Saturday with racket sports and roller skating at our Sports and Fitness Centre from 9am. There is Lego and children’s fun at the library from 10am and you can even design your own football shirt in the afternoon.
Venetia’s wool shop on Norwich Street invites you to drop in for a £2 knit and natter session between 2 and 4pm where tea and cakes will be available. How could you resist? On Sunday 20th you can obtain a £2 day pass at the sports centre by contacting Robert Secker on 01328 850010 for info. At Hempton Memorial Hall, Lindsey Bestwicke will host a full-day singing workshop from 10am to 4pm. Email her on info@lindsbestwicke.co.uk to book.
FACT members will meet outside Jewson’s on the Dereham Road to clear vegetation alongside the river path from 9.30am until midday with refreshments provided. To detail the programme right through until its final blast on Sunday 27 would take up at least a couple of Wensums so I’ll pick out a few items which particularly caught my eye.
I spent some time learning archery at college years back and retain some pleasure at seeing it performed. You can have a go on Thursday 24 between 2pm and 5pm when members of Fakenham Bowmen will guide you at the Gallow Sports Centre. Your target area will be in the middle of the racecourse.
The Red Lion pub in the heart of town will have staff leading a live cooking session between 11am and 2.30pm on the same market day. Just turn up to join in. There’s a tea dance for beginners on Friday 25 at the community centre from 2pm to 4pm. Thanks to Strictly, plenty of us have yearned to get up and strut some stuff so you will be able to learn both the waltz and the quick step with a cuppa at ‘half-time’.
My personal favourite features on the final Sunday in the shape of Ride North Norfolk. I’ve tried to take part in this event every year and love to meander on my bike along one of the routes marked out. You can choose from a variety of distances from 15, 25, 36, 62 and 100 miles. Cyclists come from all over to take part and there’s certainly a competitive element to the whole affair. I shall be taking it gently and plumping for one of the shorter distances, pausing en route to refresh with some drink and home-made flapjack, courtesy of the organisers. Let’s hope the weather plays its part in making this and the other events days to remember.
