Loddon
is a small but expanding market town with a
population of approx. 2100. From a church point of view it is joined with the
small villages of Hales and Heckingham making a joint population of 2,600.
Loddon is an attractive and vibrant South Broadland Town and was awarded the East Anglian Village of the year title last year and finished second in the national competition. This was in recognition of many organisations who work together to build a community spirit that is second to only one!
Loddon was in the past mainly an agricultural community, but is now predominantly a commuter settlement for Norwich, Lowestoft and beyond. Housing is a mixture of owner occupied, privately rented and local authority accommodation.
There are three schools in Loddon – Infant and Nursery, Junior and High School - which serve a large number of villages. There is sheltered accommodation in the form of flats and bungalows. The nearest hospital is The Norfolk and Norwich. The population is one that is mixed in every way with facilities for people of all ages. There is a toddler group, two Nurseries, a group for bereaved people, day centre and clubs and societies that reflect all tastes.
In addition Loddon has a bank, post office, doctors surgery, NHS dentist, opticians and other shops and amenities. Norwich is only twenty minutes away – a busy and growing city. Loddon is a tourist centre as it is on the Norfolk Broads – there is a staithe in the town, a tourist information centre and has approximately 4,000 visitors per summer. It has its own very good website.
Number on Electoral Roll: 108 (usual Sunday attendance 60)
Known as “The Church in Loddon” the church has been united with the Methodists since 1976. There is a sharing agreement with the Roman Catholic church on both buildings – the Anglican church (Holy Trinity) and the Methodist Chapel (St John's). Services are held in the parish church in the warmer months (May to November) and in St John's for the winter. Hales and Heckingham have been part of the parish since 1993 – there is a redundant church in each village, though the churchyards remain open for burials. Each has a service to mark their patronal festivals (St Margaret and St Gregory, respectively).
Normal Pattern of Worship (See Chet Valley Churches Calendar for up-to-date information.)
1st Sunday 10:45 Holy Communion (CW, contemporary language)
2nd Sunday 09:30 Informal Worship
10:45 Service of the Word
3rd Sunday 09:30 Informal Worship
10:45 Holy Communion (CW, contemporary language)
4th Sunday 08:00 Holy Communion
09:30 Informal Worship
10:45 Morning Worship
5th Sunday See Benefice services
Monthly 1st Sunday 14:30 Songs of Praise in Saxon House run by the Ministry Team.
3rd Thursday 10:30 Holy Communion at Saxon House
Weekdays Friday 09:00 Morning Prayer
Mon. – Weds. and Fri. 5:00 pm: Evening Prayer led by lay team