Newsletter No. 57 – March 2023
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Working together to support West Mersea Beach Hut owners and to safeguard our environment
WEST MERSEA BEACH HUT WATCH
Newsletter No. 57 – April 2023
Spring is nearly upon us (when the rain stops!) and I am sure we are all looking forward to warmer, longer days to spend at our beach huts and enjoy the wonderful environment at our disposal. We have not been idle during the winter months and I am pleased to share some of the progress we have made and also share other changes impacting upon West Mersea and the area surrounding our beach huts.
I don’t want to wish our lives away but we are now closer to the next AGM than we are to the last and thank you to everyone who has kindly renewed their WMBHW membership or joined us for the first time this year. We continue our endeavours to improve the benefits and value of your membership and I’m pleased to report we have made further enhancements to the membership benefits and I am particularly delighted to announce the launch of our brand new WMBHW Website; more about this later.
We are also seeing more “traffic” through our email account which demonstrates increasing engagement and a willingness to share your feedback – please keep it coming!
WMBHW AGM 2022
Subscriptions – The AGM approved that the annual subscription will remain unchanged at £5 per hut owned for the 2022/23 season for all members. For those patrolling in this season, please ensure the log in sheet is signed when collecting the patrol bag to qualify for your free annual membership for 2023/24.
Committee Officers
I am delighted to advise you that the following committee members were re-elected at the AGM:-
Chairperson (Bob Winnington)
Secretary (Ann Taylor)
Treasurer (Ros Kelly) Patrol Officers (Clive & Sue Jenner)
Membership Secretary (Lorraine Carter)
Publicity Officer (Lynn Hartley).
Committee Members: - Andy Thompson, Peter Rowlinson and Mo Graves
Subsequent to the AGM we are delighted to announce that we have co-opted Sheena Taylor onto our Committee and we look forward to working with Sheena in the year ahead.
Matters arising from the AGM held on Sunday, 4th September 2022
Yellow Lines: You will be aware from my previous advices that a proposal was put before the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) to enhance the safety on Victoria Esplanade together with other changes to the yellow line configuration in West Mersea. NEPP have confirmed now that they will not progress the proposed changes without a payment of around £9,000 and these monies are not available in the West Mersea Town Council budget. Cllr John Akker from WMTC has worked tirelessly on this and we understand the matter could be reconsidered later in the year.
Signage: conversation ongoing with CCC about signage and we will update further if information comes to light.
Putting Green: CCC to take responsibility for upkeep in 2023.
Lifeguards: We are delighted to advise you that there is an opportunity to learn the basics of CPR on adults, children and babies with practical application on resuscitation dummies with the Mersea Lifeguards. There will also be a training defibrillator so that you can have familiarise yourself with this piece of equipment, one of which is now available at the toilet block opposite Two Sugars, with a phone call to emergency services. The dates available are currently April 16th and July 16th; No need to book. It will be informal and the sessions are open during normal Lifeguard patrols. If you are interested and / or require further information please contact Jane Blacklock - Mob: 07736553356
Fairhaven toilets: West Mersea Town Council have instigated a significant amount of work to upgrade the facility including repairs to the roof and ceiling and the installation of a new toilet system. The residual works are in train for the toilets to re-open in April. We will be monitoring the position closely and we will continue to liaise with WMTC in case of need.
Bathing Rafts: I have been in conversation with WMTC to understand why, after the removal of the rafts in 2020, a decision was taken not to reinstall them since 2021. I understand that there is a WMTC Bathing Rafts Working Group which has not sat for 2 years and I will be following this up after the local elections to be held in May.
Beach Hut Members Day: 7th May 2023
We briefly mentioned our outline plans for an Open Day in our December Newsletter following a discussion on the subject at the September AGM. We are delighted to provide the details for a Beach Hut Members Day to be held over the King’s Coronation Weekend on Sunday 7th May. Part of the event, from 2pm to 4.30pm will include a scavenger hunt for the children, meeting point at Hut 244, on the front row just along from the Life Guard Hut. Our Treasurer Ros Kelly has kindly volunteered to organise the Hunt. There will be a small gift for the hunters. There will be an opportunity to meet at Hut 545 from 4.30pm for drinks; membership forms and tide tablets will be available and you will have the opportunity to, meet some of the committee. We would love to see as many beach huts as possible decorated in a Royal Theme of red, white and blue. I’m sure there will be many splendid ideas and there will be a Prize for The Best Dressed Hut. If you are able to take part in the day, please could we ask you to send a quick email to our membership email address: wmbhwmembership@btinternet.com with your details, so that we can gauge the interest and go forward from there. We look forward to seeing as many members as possible and we are keeping our fingers crossed for some good weather! Thank you.
URGENT INFORMATION SENT TO ALL HUT OWNERS ON 24TH MARCH
We were alerted on the morning of 24th March about potential unauthorised access to various beach huts along Mersea beach, specifically around the Two Sugars Cafe area. Email alerts were sent to all WMBHW members to ask them to check their huts particularly if a combination number padlock or key code entry system is installed on the hut. A potential intruder was observed fiddling with the combinations in an attempt to enter the hut which would provide the outward appearance that the huts do not appear to have been accessed. We also took the immediate steps to alert West Mersea Town Council, Neighbourhood Watch (Pete Rudlin) and both Lorraine Carter and I independently spoke with the Special Constable Andy Bryant who went down to patrol and inspect the huts in the early afternoon on the day. He has submitted a full Police report on the incident but we ask that you all report any incidents of criminal damage/loss of items through to Crimestoppers. Details can be found here:
https://www.westmersea.org/Emergency-Services
On the following day, we received a visit from two Special Constables to inspect the huts. Adam from Clacton and Hayley from Walton-on-the-Naze (pictured below) reported all huts looked safe and secure.
COLCHESTER CITY COUNCIL
Many of you will be aware that Colchester was awarded City status last year and this has involved significant transition which will continue for some time e.g. there will be a need to renew signage etc.
I previously mentioned that we have developed a good working relationship with the Parks and Recreation team at Colchester City Council and we have held regular meetings during the winter. We have discussed ways in which the presentation of the beach hut area can be enhanced and we are looking to upgrade the signage in the area too. Any ideas and suggestions are always welcome.
Any questions for CCC can be directed to Parks@colchester.gov.uk for any beach hut enquiries WMBHW members might have.
WMBHW Community Support
You will recall our Community initiative last year was to provide “Special Beach Hut Days” for The Porch Pantry, Colchester Women’s Refuge and the Salvation Army and this was warmly received. We have received the following feedback from Emma at The Porch Pantry:-
“Last year, The Porch Pantry, at St Peter & St Paul's Parish Church, West Mersea was approached by The Mersea Beach Hut Watch. Their members had kindly purchased 6 days to 'gift' to others to spend at The Hut. We put forward our nominations, including 2 families that had recently come from Ukraine. We also put together 6 'Goody Bags' of treats for our families to enjoy on their day with our love.
One Ukrainian recipient said "Thank you very much. Today we had a very good rest with the Ukrainians, we could not even imagine that it would be so much fun. Thank you again"
Mersea is at its best when it pulls together and this was a heartening example of just this; West Mersea Beach Hut Watch, young entrepreneur Ty (owner of The Hut) and the Porch Pantry in collaboration. On behalf of the Porch Pantry and indeed the recipients, thank you so much to the WMBHW members. Your kindness and generosity made a huge difference to the lives of so many.”
We are currently in the midst of planning our Community initiative for 2023 and we are looking to support Mersea Lifeguards, The Porch Pantry, Mid and North East Essex MIND and the Mersea Community Centre for the Coronation.
BEACH HUT PATROLS
The Committee would like to express its sincere thanks to all members who have carried out the routine patrols during the winter patrols and for their reliable and diligent reporting. We have invited patrollers who both live locally and those who live outside Mersea to patrol. Patrollers may carry out as many patrols as they wish, but we expect a minimum of one patrol during each week of the winter patrols.
We are pleased that the Island Supermarket, in Mersea High Street, has again agreed to look after the ‘Patrol Bag’ for us. The shop is open until 2100 hrs in the evening. Before patrolling, patrollers can collect the bag and return it after their patrols. They should make sure that they sign the equipment sign-out/sign-in sheet as it is the only record that our Membership Secretary has, to be able to offer complimentary memberships for the following year.
Please contact the Patrol Officers immediately if the patrol dates allocated to you are not convenient. Alternative dates may then be offered.
To comply with the conditions of GDPR more closely, we have removed the members’ list from the Patrol Bag. Therefore, when patrollers report beach hut damage or insecurity, they should inform the Patrol Officers or the WMBHW Chairman directly, instead of contacting the hut owners.
Routine patrols enable owners to be promptly notified of any problems requiring attention that may arise with their huts. Between Nov 2022 and Mar 2023, we had no reports of criminal damage and just seven cases of weather damage (mostly roofing felt loss). We also received reports of huts requiring maintenance and of waste materials and timber being left between, and in the vicinity of huts. Such debris could be used to start fires on the beach. We remind hut owners to properly dispose of discarded materials.
Patrol Officer Vacancy
I mentioned in the last newsletter that Clive and Sue Jenner will be stepping down before the next AGM after many years valuable service to WMBHW. We have a vacancy for a Patrol Officer and it would be great to receive any interest in the role. We are looking for someone with energy, commitment and a desire to make a difference.
The role will involve preparing patrol rotas for both the Winter and Summer seasons and then sending invitation letter to the selected patrollers. You will be required to compile and maintain records of inspection reports received from patrollers and to advise hut owners of reported hut condition/damage in line with established reporting guidelines.
I will be keen to sit down and review existing procedures and see if we can develop the role to fit with your expectations and the needs of our members. It is an important role at the core of our activities and interested parties should sent and a short note and their CV through to wmbhwmembership@btinternet.com
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
We continue to progress our work to develop wider and more far reaching benefits for our members. We are pleased to confirm the following benefits to our members in the 2022/23 year as follows:-
DISCOUNTED CAR PARKING IN VICTORIA ESPLANADE, SEAVIEW AVENUE AND WILLOUGHBY PARK CAR PARKS
Members of WMBHW can purchase a Season Ticket at a reduced rate. The price for 2023 will be £85 which includes up to two vehicles from a single household. You are also able to register two separate vehicles from two separate households. However, in both cases, only one vehicle may be parked in the car park at any given time. If both vehicles are found parked at the same time, North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) will issue a Penalty Charge Notice.
The WMBHW Member Parking permit provides access to Willoughby Park and Victoria Esplanade car parks from 1st April to 30th September. The permit also provides access to Seaview Car Park for the full 12 months
You will need to notify NEPP if you change your car after submitting the application.
For further information and to renew / apply for car parking in 2023 apply through NEPP: https://secure.mipermit.com/northessex/application/home.aspx You can also use the MIPermit App https://secure.mipermit.com/northessex
SUPPLIERS
Kent & Blaxill – minimum of 5% off all purchases * upon the production of WMBHW membership card * Discount may be higher on certain products
INSURANCE
A 10% discount is available to all WMBHW members through the following Insurance companies. Just mention you are a member of WMBHW and, if required, your membership number is your hut number.
Insure Homes: http://www.insurehomesdirect.co.uk/ - also quote Reference: WMB-22 Is your Beach Hut insurance due for renewal? Now Towergate have pulled out of the market Insure Homes Limited are handling many ofthe ex Towergate customers. They have offered additional support to see if they can help. Their telephone number is 0800 783 7187 or 01242 678 678 or email insure@insurehomesdirect.co.uk. They pride themselves on the high level of service they offer and competitive premiums. Remember to mention WMBHW when asking for a quote.
Love Your Hut / CETA: https://loveyourhut.co.uk/
Ryans: https://www.ryans.co.uk/personal-insurance/home-property/beach-hut-insurance
LOCAL BUSINESSES
o Moores Estate Agents – Free Tide Tables
o Two Sugars - 10% off all purchases upon the production of WMBHW membership card
o Mansion House Florists - 10% off all purchases of flowers and plants (minimum spend £25) upon the production of WMBHW membership card (excluding Relay Service transactions)
o The Little Kitchen Cakery - 10% off all purchases upon the production of WMBHW membership card
o Sheer Elegance - 10% off all purchases (minimum spend £25) upon the production of WMBHW membership card
o Blackwater Pearl - 10% off all purchases (minimum spend £10) upon the production of WMBHW membership card
o The Trove - 10% off all purchases (minimum spend £25) upon the production of WMBHW membership card.
o The Gilt Rooms - 10% off all purchases (minimum spend £20) upon the production of WMBHW membership card (excluding cream teas). Deliveries available to the beach huts on request (subject to small delivery fee).
o Mersea Island Watersports - 20% discount across all lessons and hires except kids club o Mersea Mudcakes - 10% off all purchases when you order online. Just type in the code bh10 o Dukes Seafood - 10% off all purchases valued at £25 or over upon the production of WMBHW membership card
We will continue to engage with other organisations to extend the list of member benefits and we will keep you informed as they are agreed.
RENOVATIONS, REPAIRS AND CLEANING
We continue to receive a number of enquiries from Hut Owners asking for contact details for local individuals and firms providing support for maintenance, renovations and repairs to beach huts. Whilst not a definitive list, here are some useful contact details:-
RENOVATIONS, REPAIRS AND CLEANING
David Young, bridgewatercarpentry@gmail.com - 07854 578309 Roger Newton - 07770 845 287
Matthew, a Mersea based local carpenter who has worked on beach huts ranging from basic repairs to new builds using various materials. “I am always happy to discuss various options from repairs through to new builds for members of WMBHW.” Please call- 07811 267065.
Patrick Dawson, “Mersea’s Maintenance Man”
“I do most jobs around the home and more recently have started repairing, re- felting, re-cladding and painting beach huts. I’m always happy to come out to a job and give free advice on your hut as I live on the island. My mobile is 07743 489357 and my email is patrickdawson66@hotmail.co.uk “
Wayne Tapner – “I am a qualified Carpenter with over forty years’ experience in the building industry, domestic and commercial. Currently I am refurbishing Beach huts on Park Hoildays UK site, I also build garden rooms, loft conversation and property refurbishment. Free advice anytime, including if you want advice before you purchase a beach hut, please call me on 07711201093.”
Gavin Butler - “Bespoke beach hut builds and renovations work undertaken can range from complete new beach hut builds to installing new decking, specialising in cladding such as Hardie Plank and installation of rubber roofing system. Other work includes building bespoke beach hut furniture including back boxes, beach hut repairs and internal refits. Please contact me on 07889093314 or alternatively via email, gav020181@hotmail.co.uk “
Larger companies who supply and install new huts, standard or bespoke: -
Maydays of Mersea, Richard, East Mersea based. 01206 386528
Tom’s Farm of Tiptree, Maldon Road, 01621 891081
Poultons of Danbury, 01206 222550
“Beach Hut Cleans”
For details or bookings call Linda on 07479 645461
These details are provided for your information but WMBHW cannot be held responsible if any work undertaken does not marry up with your expectations surrounding the quality expected.
Please let us know if you have any further recommendations.
WEST MERSEA BEACH HUT WATCH WEBSITE
We are delighted to confirm that we plan to launch the WMBHW website by the end of April. You will be able to find it here:-
www.westmerseabeachhutwatch.co.uk
We could not have done this without the wonderful support from Katie Frankl who has devoted many hours of hard work pulling everything together. We will look to develop the site further and I hope you like it!
I want to ensure it meets our members’ needs as much as possible so if you have any thoughts and ideas on how we can enhance the site, please pass on your ideas and suggestions through wmbhwmembership@btinternet.com
BARENATIVE
Hello Beach-Hutters! It is a real honour to have been asked to write a little article for this newsletter about my company, Bare Native LTD, which was founded on Mersea Island. My family comes from generations of local oyster farmers who work on the mud flats around our beautiful island and still use traditional methods. I know that you are all aware that our waterways, including rivers, lakes, reservoirs and coastlines, are afflicted with serious eutrophication (pollution) problems. This is due to many factors: from agricultural runoff, to septic tank leakages, and poor waste water management from industry. My family have seen, first-hand, some of the significant and nasty problems that these aforementioned factors have on an industry that spans back to the Roman times. I founded Bare Native back in 2019 with a very simple vision of cleaning up contaminants and restoring balance to our precious water systems. Through my previous professional experiences, I knew that many waste materials from restaurants had to be thrown into landfill (and not returned to water) in case they interfered with the ecology of the water. I began a long journey of cleaning, milling and treating these ingredients so that they are 100% safe for the environment, humans and wildlife. I eventually developed a nature-based formulation, that (with the help of my partner university, Canterbury Christchurch) started to realise the huge water-cleaning potential of my discovery. Since then, we have achieved patent-pending status on our science and have realised up to 100% removal of some of the most prevalent and harmful pollutants that are causing such detrimental effects to all life. Bare Native is extremely keen to be ‘on the ground’: working around the coastline of Mersea Island (and the wider Solent region) to help bring some natural balance to the waters you look out upon, when enjoying your beach hut stays. Now, we have some exciting developments to help us reach our next goals: to support local environment, industry and research groups who love Mersea Island like we do. So, we are organising some fundraising activities to connect all of us together: local citizens, holidaymakers and businesses, to help support our scientists and engineers at Bare Native to achieve our vision of restoring balance to the River Blackwater. If you wish to support our efforts in some way; we have created a link to our crowd funding platform so you can watch our video and learn a little more about our company (and the wider dream that we have which aims to protect us all). Come along and follow us on our social media pages, as we venture into the world of nature-based water cleaning solutions. We know that clean water also equals clean air, so your support would have profound benefits to ALL! Nature heals nature. Water is our World. Thank you.
Abigail Gibson-Wass Founder and CEO of Bare Native LTD SOCIAL MEDIA
If you use Facebook we would like to encourage you to follow the page 'West Mersea Hutters'. The page was set up by beach hut owners to share information regarding car parking charges, storm damage, tidal surges etc.
The administration of the group have very kindly said that WMBHW can use this page to contact our members with Beach Hut Watch news regarding membership, when our AGM will be taking place etc. It was also an excellent way of contacting members quickly when we were told of the potential hut break ins on the 24th March. Please remember the first port of call for existing members with any enquiries is wmbhwmembership@btinternet.com and the Facebook page will not be replacing our normal system of contacting members by email or post, but an additional way of getting information out to all beach hut owners.
We now have our own Instagram account ‘westmerseabeachhutwatch’ so give us a follow. This will run alongside the posts that we put on to the Mersea Hutters Facebook page. Please tag us in your brilliant Beach Hut ideas. Do you have a fantastic lighting idea? What’s your trick for keeping your huts free of damp over the winter? Have you used a contractor that did amazing repair work on your hut? Do you want to share pictures of your refurbished hut? Our members would love to see your ideas.
WEST MERSEA BEACH HUT WATCH MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS
Thank you to everyone who has already renewed this year and welcome to all the new hut owners who have joined WMBHW in the last few months. There are still a few past members who are yet to renew so if you are at your hut and speak to your neighbours please tell them about the benefits of joining WMBHW. If you are still to purchase your car parking season ticket and can’t find your membership card please get in touch and I can resend.
Please contact us on wmbhwmembership@btinternet.com or 01206 386085 (Lorraine – Membership Secretary) for any membership and general queries.
YOUR WMBHW MEMBERSHIP
Thank you for your continued support and we trust you are gaining full value from your WMBHW membership.
Please contact us at wmbhwmembership@btinternet.com if you wish to raise any matters with us. We are always open to offers of help, fresh ideas or if you wish to air your concerns. We will always commit to do what we can to support you and to do what we can to make your beach hut experience enjoyable.
I am particularly keen to hear from anyone who may wish to consider taking up the role of Patrol Officer. I’m happy to chat through the role and you will receive strong support from all the committee.
With Easter rapidly approaching, I’m sure we are all hoping for some sunshine and the opportunity to spend time at our beach huts and enjoy the wonderful surroundings we have at our disposal in Mersea. I look forward to seeing many of you during the summer months ahead.
Bob Winnington, Chair, West Mersea Beach Hut Watch April 2023