Nayland with Wissington 2026 Calendar - Still On Sale

The 2026 calendar is available to purchase from village shops - Forget Me Not 2 Birch Street, Mill Street Deli, Studio B Hair Salon, or from 17 Court Street and 107 Bear Street. They will also be available at various village events. They remain priced at  £7 and make ideal gifts.

They are also available to purchase online from www.naylandandwiston.net/calendar where payment is via Paypal and delivery by post. Alternatively they can be ordered using the order form here with payment by cheque.

The fabulous photographs were taken by local residents and selected by public vote. The stunning photographs in the calendar provide a wonderful record of the parish as it is today. Wendy Sparrow, the Parish Recorder, has included a history piece entitled 'Nayland Post Office'.

Nayland & Wiston Christmas Trail

The Trail is back by popular demand! It has been wonderful in recent years to get together as a community and bring a little seasonal cheer to the streets of Nayland and Wiston. Once again residents have set their Christmas creativity free to be enjoyed by us all. 

Again having Advent windows being revealed from 1-24 December. The Christmas trees will be displayed from 8th December.  There will be other festive delights to see as well.

The Trail map, so you know where all the displays can be found is available from: Forget Me Not, Mill Street Deli and Studio B Hair Salon or a copy can be downloaded here.

Answers Christmas Tree Trail: 

• The Anchor Inn: Until the mid-20th century what was used for tinsel on Christmas trees? Strips of silver, tin or aluminium
• 5 Court Street: In which country do people decorate mango and banana trees for Christmas?  India
• St James’ Church: Which unusual Christmas decoration can often be found on trees in Ukraine? Spider webs
• Village Tree, High Street: Which famous singer grew up on a Christmas Tree farm in Pennsylvania? Taylor Swift
• Mill Street Store and Deli: Each year Norway gives a tree to London. Why? In gratitude for help in World War II
• 18 Birch Street: In what century was the first tree said to be decorated for Christmas in Riga, Latvia? 16th century
• 21 Stoke Road: Which 16th-century reformer is said to have first added lighted candles to a Christmas tree? Martin Luther
• St Mary’s Church Wiston: Roughly what percentage of UK homes have a Christmas Tree each year? 85%

Nayland Commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2

While the anniversary of the end of the Second World War is officially the 2nd September, in Nayland a 80th Anniversary commemorative event was held on Sunday 31st August. The following evening, Nayland remembered Lt Gumm joined by some of his descendants visiting from America. A collection of photographs and information can be seen by clicking here.

Dates for your Diary

Further dates and details of village activities can be found in the Community Times
21st December: Winter Solstice Picnic on Caley Green 1pm All welcome 
21st December: Nine Lessons & Carol Service at St James’ Church at 6.30pm 
24th December: Community Council: Father Christmas will be touring Nayland, starting 2pm in the High Street 
24th December: St James Church: Christingle at 4pm  
4th January: Community Council: taking down the village Christmas tree High Street 9am
5th January: Community Council: meeting Church Hall 8pm (Exec 7.30pm)  
5th January: Village Hall Management Committee meeting 7.30pm Village Hall  
7th January: Wednesday Coffee Morning: weekly meetings resume 10am St James 
8th January: Women’s Institute: ‘Grumpy Old Women’ & Quiz  10am Church Hall 
11th January: NEW Introductory Youth Club  7.30pm Leavenheath Village Hall 
11th January: Village Players: Auditions ‘Flare Path’  5pm-7pm Church Hall 
14th January: Parish Council: meeting 7.30pm Village Hall or by Zoom
14th January: Village Players: Auditions ‘Flare Path’  7.30-9.30pm Church Hall 
16th January: Village Cinema: ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ open 6pm, screening 7.30pm Village Hall  
Other dates and details can be found in the Community Times

Community Times

The latest issue for December/January is now available here.

The deadline for receipt of copy (subject to availability/resevation of space) for the February/March issue is 1pm on 19th January.

Film: For those of you not on social media, or who simply missed it.... as promised in the Community Times, here is the link to a fabulous film featuring Nayland's wonderful scenery and wildlife which was filmed by a local resident, Stuart Howells. Watching this is a real tonic.

Community Council Meeting

Minutes of the meeting held on 22nd October are available here.

Local Bus Service

Details and timetables can be found at KonectBuses

Nayland Coronation Celebrations:

Sunday 7th May 2023 : Like many other communities Nayland residents celebrated with a Coronation Picnic on Webb's Meadow at the village hall. It was a lovely, relaxed affair. just what the doctor ordered after the hustle and bustle of the past year. It was a lovely, informal and jolly get together with about 150 gaily dressed villagers turning out to enjoy the sunshine and the lovely community atmosphere. A huge thank you to all helpers for their efforts leading up to and at the Coronation Picnic and of course to everyone that came along.

5th June 2022: the Platinum Jubilee celebrating 70 years of the Queen's reign. It was a wonderful event with a fabulous atmosphere and reflected the spirit of the Community Council in true Nayland with Wissington style. Whether you put up the bunting, rung the Church bells, sung in the choir, entered the fancy-dress parade, joined in with the community singing, were a member of the set up/clear up committee or just attended the event you were part of a day to remember. Thank you so much to Wendy Sparrow and her team of helpers for a wonderful 1950s exhibition which evoked so many wonderful childhood memories for so many people.

View the photo Album of the Jubilee Party here

River Watch

As featured in the August 2022 issue of the Community Times, the following correspondence was sent to the Environment Agency expressing concerns over the management of the section of the River Stour that runs through Nayland. They were asked to respond for circulation in the Community Times. These documents can be found below:

Letter to Sir James Bevan, CEO, Environment Agency
'A River in Need of Maintenance' Document
Timeline of Photographs 1975-present

The Save Caley Green Campaign

In 2021, the Parish Council raised concerns regarding erosion of the riverbank at Caley Green and proposed putting vegetation around the bay to prevent further erosion. There was public opposition to this; saying it would impair the open view and reduce access to the wate's edge; they would like an alternative solution such as installing revetment without vegetation.The background of this can be found in the following documents:
A Much Loved Village Amenity: reaction, options, why it matters and more can be viewed here.
Visit the 'Save Caley Green Nayland' Facebook page by clicking here
'Caley Green Vegetation v's Revetment: weigh up the pros & cons yourself' can be viewed here