Refurbishment and Dedication of Village Sign
A very special and happy social occasion took place in Foxearth on the evening of 30th July when the refurbished village sign was unveiled and dedicated.
The sign was originally provided by the Chapman family of Foxearth Hall in 1983 as a gift to the village and erected on a small traffic island in the village centre. Action of the weather and the proximity of an oak tree led over the years to a deterioration of the sign to the point that earlier this year renovation was clearly indicated. All the residents of Foxearth and Liston were invited to the ceremony and about seventy assembled in the Foxearth Village Hall to hear tributes by Roger Messer, Chairman of the Village Hall Charitable Trust, Colin Flux, Chairman of the two villages Parish Council and Alan Fitch, Chairman of the District Local History Society and to enjoy cheese and wine. Clive Waite was warmly thanked for his work in expertly repairing and reassembling the sign which had included careful research into the materials used and investigation of the reasons for the decay. Appreciation was also expressed to Steven Binks of Bures who had carried out the sign’s redecoration, to Jon Broad for erecting the sign, to David Busby for organising the event and to the History Society for obtaining a grant to cover the cost .
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As everyone gathered outside- and as volunteer wardens carried out necessary “traffic-calming”duties – members of the Chapman family unveiled the sign, to audible gasps of admiration as the beauty of the artwork was revealed. The sign was then dedicated and blessed by the Team Rector, Father Eoin Buchanan. Mr. Binks was required to identify himself and accept a very well deserved round of applause!
The sign now stands as a symbol of a proud village.
Ken Nice
