Wivenhoe Town Council

17/06/2026

On Sunday 14th June, I had the pleasure of representing Wivenhoe at the Blessing of the Waters ceremony, which dates back to the 12th century.

It was an extremely interesting, traditional occasion; photographed with me is Roger Tabor the Droit-Gatherer for Brightlingsea, who reintroduced this ceremony to Brightlingsea in 2014 after it had been discontinued for some years.

The event began with the all the dignitaries of the Cinque ports and other guests processing from the centre of Brightlingsea to The Hard, where a service of blessing and thanks was held, which included the age old hymn “For those in peril on the sea”.

The entire assembly then embarked on fishing smacks (ours was “The Trinity”) to meet up at a precise location in the River Colne between Brightlingsea and Point Clear, where whistles and trumpets celebrated the “Beating of the Bounds.”

After the Blessing of the Waters with prayers and holy waters, we returned to port for a convivial buffet lunch in the Sailing Club.

All in all, it was a very memorable occasion. With huge thanks to my considerate official envoy for the day, Mark Norrington.

Mayor, Cllr Glynis Hailes-Morley

16/06/2026

Our Funding Officer's Successes Continue

At out FTC meeting last night our Funding Officer Sam provided a summary of her fantastic successes in securing grant funding for WTC. In case you don't read our minutes ( we can't imagine why not!) here's her report:

June 2026

Report on Funding Activities and External Grants Secured for Wivenhoe Town Council (hereafter WTC)

Overview
This report summarises external funding secured and projects supported through applications and collaborations over the current period. All funding listed has been obtained from external sources at no cost to Wivenhoe Town Council’s core budget.
While this report is focused on recent developments, for the benefit of new councillors, a comprehensive rundown of recent funding secured and projects now being delivered based on previous funding secured is detailed in the report.
Major Funding Secured
Community Spaces & Recreation
£50,000 – Procured for community spaces in partnership with Cllr Andrea Luxford-Vaughan (Colchester City Council)
Mede Way Park Development – Fully externally funded through multiple grant awards:
- £10,000 – Secured in partnership with Cllr Mark Cory (Essex County Council)
- £50,000 – Secured from Enovert
- £20,000 – Secured from The National Lottery
- £1,000 – Secured from One Stop
- Total for Mede Way Park: £81,000
- Note: All applications for Mede Way Park were prepared by myself with support from Jo Beighton-Emms, Emma Buckley, Cllr Jon Guy, and other council members. Project delivery is imminent.
£10,000 – Secured for the Wivenhoe Sports Gym in partnership with Cllr Mark Cory (Essex County Council)
£3,000 – Secured from Sport England for the Wivenhoe Boules Court and supported by former Cllr Tim Multon during his time in office
Sustainability & Council Assets
£50,000 – Previously obtained for solar panels for William Loveless Hall
Biodiversity Group
£1,000 secured for local nature projects including bird nesting boxes, bug hotels for local children and other worthwhile initiatives (details to be confirmed)
Community Programmes & Charities
£1,000 – Secured to support Wivenhoe Community Charity (the charity is chaired by Cllr Glynis Hailes-Morley who provided her support for these applications)
- Funded a fitness programme for residents delivered by MicroGym Joe
- Funded a nature workshop for Wivenhoe youths led by Penny Simpson, to be delivered at the WivHub in September 2026

Current Priorities and Next Steps:
Current priorities include developing the WivWorks project with Cllr Fiona Harmon and the University of Essex, with a ‘working breakfast’ and a subsequent funded focus group to explore local business needs around noticeboards and website support. Work is underway to secure funding to repair a segment of the Old Cemetery Wall and to modernise the Chapel Museum in collaboration with Cllr Asa Aldis, John Foster, Sheila Foster and Michael Smither.
Seeking external funding for the new proposed community hub is a core priority, alongside plans to expand solar panel installations across other council assets, including the Chapel Museum, building on the notable success at William Loveless Hall.
In addition, I am actively supporting approximately half a dozen further community projects at various stages of development and application.

11/06/2026

Some of you may remember back in the winter, we had Cadent working on our roads upgrading gas pipes. Their welfare units for the duration of several weeks for these works were placed at the end of Millfield Green. On removal, as expected, there were patches of ground almost bare of grass.
I asked the contractor whether there was a requirement to restore the ground. Yes, came the reply, with topsoil and grass seed...
I suggested we might save him the time and expense of doing this, instead raking off the dead grass and sowing wildflower seeds. As many will know, the green has a "no-mow" margin against the hedge and a lovely dry garden at the roadside; a haven for wildlife, so it was agreed to sow the seeds on the disrupted ground at the northern end, to provide further interest for pollinating insects after the cherry blossom has dropped.
Passers-by will now notice the flowers are now emerging and soon, the patches will be at their best. This little area is already a lovely space for wildlife with several species of butterfly and dragonfly regularly now occurring, but this zero-cost project has added more value. I have banked the small favour owed to us by Cadent and will tap them up for some goodwill for our next mini-project when they return.

Cllr Glyn Evans

11/06/2026

Market at St Marys

On Saturday I attended the June market at St Mary's Church.

It's great to see people come together for a lovely community event.

Cllr Fiona Harmon, Deputy Mayor

10/06/2026

Does anyone know a Andrew Lyons?

We can't find him on Facebook and his bus pass has been handed in at the council offices.

Thank you

05/06/2026

Wivenhoe Town Council- Notice of Vacancy

02/06/2026

Wivenhoe World Cup Family Day with Food, Fun & Football!
Saturday 11 July 11am to 3pm on the KGV

Burgers, ice creams, bar, free drinks for kids.

Football games and family fun to celebrate the 2026 World Cup Finals

01/06/2026

Wednesday 3 June- Council Offices Closure from 11am

Please note that the Council Offices will be closed from 11am on Wednesday 3 June to allow all staff to attend the funeral of their colleague Jim.

Jim's family have set up a fund raiser dedicated to Jim's memory with all funds raised going to St Helena's Hospice.

If you'd like to donate the link is :

Dedicated to the memory of James Young

01/06/2026

Pride Month

June is an important time because it marks Pride Month, a period dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, its history, and its ongoing fight for equality. It’s a chance to recognise the progress made, honour those who have advocated for rights and acceptance, and raise awareness of the challenges that still exist. Pride in June is not just about celebration—it’s also about visibility, solidarity, and creating a more inclusive world where everyone can be themselves without fear.
Cllr Fiona Harmon