Some of the famous North Norfolk Bagot goats have headed south to continue their valuable conservation and habitat-management work.
The 15 billies have been sent on a long-term loan to heathland near Thetford, on land looked after by Norfolk Wildlife Trust.
The loan follows the sale of a group of billies to Suffolk Wildlife Trust last year.
Cllr Sarah Butikofer, Leader of North Norfolk District Council, said: “We’re delighted that the wildlife trusts see the same potential benefits as we do.
The goats are a cost-effective way of managing vegetation and vulnerable habitats, and they act as a draw for tourists, too.”
John Milton, Head of Nature Reserves at Norfolk Wildlife Trust, said: “We are grateful to North Norfolk District Council for loaning us the 15 Bagot goats.
“For some time we have wanted to experiment with grazing by goats to deal with bramble and gorse, which are a particular issue on some areas in the Brecks restored to grass heath from forestry.”
NNDC’s herd of goats spend the summer on Cromer cliff, where they have provided a cheap and easy way to keep the undergrowth under control. Nine nannies and three nanny kids are currently grazing at Salthouse Heath, getting ready for their next shift back at the seaside later this year, and the herd is expected to welcome some new kids in the next few days.
The Bagot is a rare breed, so the council and the wildlife trusts are playing a key role in securing the breed’s future.
All Things Norfolk are delighted to be able to share with you a short documentary "Every Footstep" which has been made by George Parker and Ben Barter and follows Kees Jones, a young farmer from Holt, whose life has revolved around his third-generation family farm, during the harvest season of 2020.
Over the summer months, George and Ben spent many hours following Kees, documenting the various processes involved in harvest. They wanted to capture the spirit of the farming life, and also pay tribute to the romance of Norfolk's natural surroundings. Primarily, the film is a portrayal of Kees; his life and his work, conveying that the two things are synonymous with one another. They found particular poignance in Kees’ passion for his job, demonstrating the great value that can be found in pursuing work that is meaningful.
Harper Knight, aged two, from Thetford, Norfolk has been dressing up each Clap for Carers Thursday at 8pm as one of the nation’s key workers for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).
Mum, Anna Knight, 34, Owner and Operator of Little City Norfolk, had been in the process of launching the mobile role play franchise for children before lockdown.
Anna was still receiving new deliveries regularly full of costumes and props for children during the first few weeks of lockdown, which greatly excited Harper in a time where she was exceptionally upset to not see her grandparents or playmates.
One Thursday evening Harper decided to wear a police officer outfit during the time of Clap for Carers applause. Anna took photos of her and posted them to her social media accounts.
The local community then started to get involved, with some commenting that it made their week and they were looking forward to seeing what Harper would wear next.
After the overwhelming positive response and continued engagement Harper’s outfits attracted, Anna decided to do something beneficial with the attention and set up a fundraiser on JustGiving for EACH here.
Harper’s outfits have since included a firefighter, a nurse, Captain Tom Moore, a post officer and a supermarket worker.
From pre-historic to present day – North Norfolk Visitor Centre celebrates official opening and introduction of fun new 'Discover Zone'
The North Norfolk Visitor Centre was officially opened on Monday 10 February, with an exciting reveal of the brand new look for the tourist information hub. As well as the traditional visitor information service the centre now also includes a “Discovery Zone,” a fantastic new resource which forms part of North Norfolk District Council’s “Deep History Coast” initiative.
Council members, project partners, staff and business Ambassadors gathered for the celebration, which included a screening of the new DHC film and representatives on-hand to discuss the key project elements from fossil hunting to the upcoming mammoth Marathon.
North Norfolk District Council’s Chairman has invited Norfolk Wildlife Trust to be his Charity of the Year, with money raised supporting conservation grazing and family learning.
Dr Clive Stockton has a personal life-long association with nature and wished to support a charity that specifically works to conserve the fragile habitats of Norfolk and raise awareness of the importance of wildlife.
Funds raised by NNDC will be used in two key areas of NWT’s work across Norfolk: to support conservation grazing with rare native breeds and to extend engagement with young children in Sure Start centres.
Conservation grazing with native breed cattle, sheep and ponies protects important areas for wildlife. Without regular grazing, many of our rare and fragile habitats and the species they support would be at risk of being overwhelmed by more dominant plants. NNDC has already shown its own commitment to conservation grazing through the establishment of its Bagot goat herd, 15 of which are on long-term loan to NWT in the Brecks.
It’s official: North Norfolk continues to have some of the best beaches in the country.
The beaches in Cromer, East Runton, Mundesley, Sea Palling, Sheringham and West Runton have all been awarded prestigious Blue Flags for another year – and that means the 45-mile North Norfolk coastline is home to half of all the Blue Flag beaches in the east of England.
The awards are given out only to those beaches that have the highest quality of water, facilities, environmental education and management, with superb levels of cleanliness and safety. It means the hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors who visit North Norfolk’s beaches each year can be sure they are enjoying top-notch destinations.
North Norfolk is the only district in the county that has been awarded any Blue Flags this year.