YOUR PARISH COUNCILLORS

 


Hilda Cresswell - I was born second daughter of a professional soldier and was educated in Colchester & Northampton. On leaving school I became a Civil Servant and was a supervisor at a large telephone exchange.   I passed my driving test in an army lorry on Salisbury Plains!  I moved to Wakes Colne in 1958 and am married to John who was born in the village. I have 3 children one of whom is a certain 'local post person'.

I now farm over 30 acres with John and show pedigree rare breed British White and Dexter cattle as well as keeping sheep, chickens, ducks, geese and guinea fowl all of which are free range. I joined the Parish Council in 1983 and have served continuously ever since, never missing a meeting. I am a member of the ladies section of the Royal British Legion and an elder of the URC Chappel.

Stella Hounslow - I was born in Cambridge where I lived for 31 years.  My husband Mike and our two daughters Frances and Viv moved to Wakes Colne in  1981, for me this part of the world wins hands down.

For the last seven years I have  worked part time in North London as a school bursar.  We have 2 dogs and one of the highlights of my days off is walking the footpaths within and surrounding the two parishes.  I  appreciate how lucky we are to have beautiful countryside and wildlife and feel we should do our utmost to preserve and protect it.  As a parish councillor it is important to work towards the wishes of parishoners and I hope to achieve this along with the other parish council members.

Keith Martin (Vice-Chair) - I have lived in Wakes Colne for the past ten years and work for London Underground as a signalling upgrade manager, I fully appreciate the quality of life in our village and I am keen to protect the rural characteristics of our village.  One of my main interests is walking and I am lucky to be the footpath representative for Wakes Colne parish Council, this enables me to carry out some practical work for our village.  Apart from walking other hobbies include landscape photography and visiting local real ale pubs!


Mrs. Sue Stratford - I was born in Colchester of an Essex family, and I have a large family of my own.  I worked for 8 years in Africa and lived in Devon before returning to Essex.  I was a farm secretary and am now a smallholder, fattening beef cattle and keeping poultry. I have been a magistrate for 16 years on the N.E. Essex Bench. 

I am a member of the following local environmental organizations - Colne-Stour Countryside Association (ex-committee member), River Colne Countryside Project.  Founder member of Women's Food & Farming Union. I am also a Member of Wakes Colne British Legion and Village Magazine (Village Reporter) committee.  I actively support Village Cricket and Football Clubs and County Cricket; other interests are playing tennis, growing vegetables and fruit.

Jim Taylor (Chairman) - Living at The Shambles in Lower Green Wakes Colne since 1980 when I moved to there from Hartley Wintney in Hampshire because my employer moved to Sudbury.  I was born in West Sussex and although I still feel an allegiance to my birth-place, I have grown to love and cherish this part of England and will work through my membership of the Parish Council to help protect and nuture it's local culture and heritage.  I am self-employed as a Chartered engineering consultant and I am a member of the Institute of Measurement and Control. 

My three main interests and hobbies are Politics, Continuous self-education and Gardening which along with my professional work leaves little time for other "hobbies".

Allan Hannington - Born in Southend on Sea where much of my weekends
were spent working at my father's butchers shop and later on the River Thames as crew of a pilot cutter, member of the RNLI, and HM Coastguard Rescue. I then began commuting to London where I started my full time career as a civil/structural engineering draughtsman whilst continuing with the river jobs at the weekends.

I gave the latter up when I left Southend to live and work in the East Midlands, I am still doing the same sort of work though nowadays I'm called a Senior Technician, we now work on computers not drawing boards. I am a long standing member of the Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers. Despite not being many years from retirement I still thoroughly enjoy my work which has happily varied considerably through the years. In 1983 I married Lynden (from Tollesbury, Essex), and about that time we moved from Colchester to Wakes Colne, we have a twenty year old daughter who has very recently left "flown the nest".

In the interim we have rented out our house and lived several years overseas in such places as Karachi in Pakistan and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. I have additionally worked on a single basis in Bangkok - Thailand (twice), in Fez - Morocco (twice), Lahore and (once again) in Karachi -Pakistan. I have for many years been a member of the Colchester and District Model Railway Club having occupied most positions from committee member through to Exhibition Manager and Chairman. This is my main hobby which I continue to pursue to this day.

Mrs Valerie Burrows - (Parish Clerk) has lived locally in one of the Colne's for the last 5 years.  I am married to David and have two young daughters called Lauren & Sophie.  As well as being the Clerk for Wakes Colne Parish Council I also run my own company doing book-keeping and administration for local small businesses.