Sedgeford parish clerk retires after 23 years' service to village

A parish clerk is stepping down after nearly a quarter of a century of service to a West Norfolk village.

A presentation was made to John Ward by parish councillors in Sedgeford at their meeting last night.

The council’s chairman, Sue Crump, said: “John has been an excellent clerk and councillors will miss the innumerable ways in which we have benefited from his experience, expertise and commitment.”

Mr Ward has served the village as its parish clerk for 23 years, combining that with a similar role in nearby Docking for the past four years.

He previously enjoyed a 37 year career in education, serving as headteacher of four Norfolk schools, and is currently chairman of the St Mary’s Federation, which includes the primary schools in Sedgeford, Docking and Brancaster.

Mr Ward said: “It is really rewarding serving the local community, particularly with so much support from everybody.

“One has to retain a huge amount of local and national information and is expected to be the font of all knowledge.

“I shall miss being involved but look forward to moving out the filing cabinet and clearing the loft.”

Anyone interested in the role is asked to email sedgeford@suecrump.co.uk for more details.