The Voices team wanted to hear from a young family about what it's like both to bring up children and grow up in Watton and Wayland. A lot of people who live in the area will already know the Burchams because they own the balloon shop in the High Street. The Burchams are mum Vikki, dad Peter, Steph, 12, Josh, 10, Jordan, 6 (who lives with his mother), and Harley and Chelsea, who are both three. But it doesn't end there. If you visit the Burcham's house, you'll also meet Hooch the dog, Fluff the cat and her three kittens, Spike the guinea pig, three chinchillas and Arthur the hamster! Vikki and Peter were both born in Norwich, but have lived most of their lives in Watton. They met while Peter was working on a pig farm in Necton and Vikki was a personal assistant at Swaffham Motor Company. Peter came to buy a car and went away with a job. He said "They told me that if I could get this car running I could have a job, and I did." Vikki and Peter married in January 2000. A grant from the Princes Trust enabled them to open their first shop, selling stationery and computer accessories, at the top of the High Street in February 2002. But sales were slow, due in part they believe, to being at 'the wrong end of town'. One part of the business, however, was thriving. Vikki had started selling balloons and party accessories from the back of the shop. When they closed down, she continued to sell them from home. Over the next few months, she and Peter decided to make a go of the party business and three months ago they opened Balloon Heaven, at the other end of the High Street, opposite the Christian Community Centre. Vikki said: "It's going really well. Our only problem is that we can't get enough of the stuff people ask for." Steph, Josh and Harley all go to school in Watton. Chelsea is still too little, but she'll join her brother at the infant school in September. On the issue of living in the town, Peter said: "Watton's all right, but it needs something to liven it up." Vikki said: "It's OK, but there's not much for the kids to do." Bookmark this page now to hear regular updates of life in Watton with Burchams as they create their Voices audio diaries between now and the end of July. To hear the diaries, click on the links above under watch/listen. | 
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