Beccles, Bungay & Harleston Community News December 2022

Bigod Care Ltd

Ltd

Bigod Care Ltd

Bigod Care Ltd

20 years of Service in the Waveney Valley

20 years of Service in the Waveney Valley

Bigod Care Ltd

20 years of Service in the Waveney Valley

Our dedicated carers are local, reliable and flexible and can provide Home help laundry, cleaning, cooking etc Personal care washing, dressing etc

Our dedicated carers are local, reliable and flexible and can provide Home help laundry, cleaning, cooking etc Personal care washing, dressing etc

Our dedicated carers are local, reliable and flexible and can provide

Our dedicated carers are local, reliable and flexible and can provide

Our dedicated carers are local, reliable and flexible and can provide Home help laundry, cleaning, cooking etc Personal care washing, dressing etc

Home help laundry, cleaning, cooking etc Personal care washing, dressing etc

Home help laundry, cleaning, cooking etc Personal care washing, dressing etc

Companionship as well as help with most daily living tasks (dog walking, errands etc)

Companionship as well as help with most daily living tasks (dog walking, errands etc)

Companionship as well as help with most daily living tasks (dog walking, errands etc)

Companionship as well as help with most daily living tasks (dog walking, errands etc)

Companionship as well as help with most daily living tasks (dog walking, errands etc)

For all enquiries please call or email Mrs Tracy Wright 01986 894046 twright@bigodcareagency.co.uk

894046 twright@bigodcareagency.co.uk

For all enquiries please call or email Mrs Tracy Wright 01986 894046 twright@bigodcareagency.co.uk

For all enquiries please call or email Mrs Tracy Wright 01986 894046 twright@bigodcareagency.co.uk

Beccles Mayor

received. It's also been great to see so many visitors this year.

As the days become shorter, it's good to look forward to Beccles being lit up. The well-known Christmas Lights Switch-on will be on Friday 25th November, 5pm-8:30pm. Many stalls, as well as entertainment, will enliven the streets. The Christmas Tree Festival at Hungate Church (celebrating its 20th year) will be open for much of the weekend 25th-27th November.

On Thursday 1st December, 4pm8pm, Beccles will be enjoying an evening of late-night shopping. Please see the 'Visit Beccles' website for more information on these events.

Beccles Bell Tower has welcomed thousands of visitors in 2022. In addition to the spectacular views from the top, visitors have enjoyed finding out about the history of the tower and the ringing. The Council is very grateful to the Saturday team of volunteers (who finished their season at the end of October) and to Beccles and District Lions who opened the tower on a number of Wednesdays and Fridays.

The Town Council is aware that some local societies and

groups have had a dip in membership, following the lockdowns and Covid. To help groups attract new members, the Council is hosting a showcase event on Saturday 18th March 2023 at Blyburgate Hall.

The Council is currently working on a Strategic Development Plan, incorporating several existing projects but also likely to include some new initiatives, in part derived from the Beccles Neighbourhood Plan, agreed by referendum last year. We will provide more information when it is available.

My mayoral charity is Beccles Community Hub and Volunteer Centre, 20 Blyburgate. If you have never visited it, I encourage you to do so. It's a great place to get help and also to offer it.

Barry Darch, Mayor of Beccles

REAch2 Academy Trust celebrates 10 year anniversary!

The REAch2 Academy Trust (of which Beccles Primary Academy is a proud member) was founded by Sir Steve Lancashire in 2012.

It began it's journey at Hillyfield Academy and soon grew to over 60 academies, helping to change the lives of over 20,000 children nationwide.

In celebration of the Trust's anniversary, all 60 academies participated in a Colour Run, hoping to achieve one of the "11 before 11" promises - to 'Make or break a REAch2 record' by holding the largest Colour Run in England! To ensure that our pupils enjoy the very best enrichment opportunities, we've developed the exciting and innovative 11 before 11 programme. Through this concept, we are committed to the promise that all REAch2 pupils will enjoy 11 memorable and developmental experiences before the age of 11.

A great deal of memories (and mess!) were made as children and staff took on the Colour Run

challenge. We had the pleasure of welcoming REAch2's CEO Cathy Paine to the celebration who started the race and adorned each participant with a medal. Pupils also received a certificate for their 11 before 11 passport.

Beccles late night shopping is back!

Beccles Late Night Shopping is taking place this year on Thursday 1st December. Why give yourself the hassle of going into the city when over 55 of your favourite Beccles shops, cafés and restaurants will be open until late on Thursday 1st December; with many of them offering tailored special 'one night only' seasonal deals, such as 10% off, gift wrapping, goody bags and of course the odd glass of fizz and a mince pie!

The Beccles Christmas lights and shop window displays are always a sight to behold with businesses going that extra mile,

so why not book a date in your diary for Thursday 1st December to visit Beccles and enjoy your Christmas shopping, soak up the festive atmosphere and then relax in one of the many cafés and restaurants open until late. More details of this and other events in Beccles can be found on www.visitbeccles.co.uk.

Harleston & District u3a

Harleston & District u3a wishes all our followers a very happy Christmas, and a healthy and peaceful new year.

We'll be resuming our monthly talks on January 18th at 2pm, in St. John's Church, Harleston (speaker tbc) and look forward to seeing you then. If you're not already a u3a member, do think about making it a new year resolution to join us and reap the

many benefits we have to offer, for a membership fee of just £14/pa! For further information, please visit our website: u3asites. org.uk/harleston or by contacting Kim Poulton on 01986 788149.

This year's iconic Pink Ladies' Tractor Road Run has smashed the team's fundraising record for a single year. The record sum of £84,000 was announced at a cheque presentation where participants and the support team gathered to celebrate the staggering amount raised for Cancer Research UK's breast cancer appeal.

The first Pink Ladies' Tractor Road Run took place in 2004 and this year's collection takes the total raised over the years to more than £896,000. Now, organisers hope to smash through the £1 million mark in 2023. Organised by Annie Chapman BEM, this year's run saw 112 decorated tractors winding their way through Norfolk and north Suffolk in July.

Annie (who was shortlisted for a Pride of Britain Award earlier this month for her fundraising work)said: "My Pink Ladies have produced an incredible £84,000 this year, a record which brings us within £104,000 of a £1 million grand total. What was a slightly crazy ambition has now become a goal we really can achieve, and with our incredible support team behind the Run, I hope to see those tractor wheels keep on turning for a few more years to come. It was a huge honour to be nominated for the Pride of Britain Award and although I didn't win, I really

fundraising all time record!

appreciate the publicity it gave the Ladies' Tractor Road Run, and it especially highlighted the need for continued sponsorship to support Cancer Research UK's research into all aspects of breast cancer."

The incredible total was raised by the ladies who took part in the event, money collected on the day from supporters who gathered along the route and fundraising activities following the tractor run. The cheque on the night was presented by Sara Curtis and Annie Chapman to Gill Burgess from Cancer Research UK.

Sophia France (Cancer Research UK's Relationship Manager for Norfolk and Suffolk) said: "The Ladies' Tractor Road Run has been hugely successful for Cancer Research UK, and those involved have contributed immensely for nearly two decades to the charity. We're so grateful for those who participate in the Tractor Road Run and for the individuals who donate to the event, as it all plays a vital role in our fight against cancer.

I'm so incredibly proud of the Pink Ladies, and I'd like to thank Annie Chapman, Libby Searle and John Chapman in particular. This prestigious annual event would not be possible without the three of them, and they thoroughly deserve every piece of recognition that they can get. I

nominated Annie for the Pride of Britain 2022 award, and we were so proud that she was shortlisted for the Anglian region. She is an inspiration to us all. One in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime. We're determined to see our ambition of seeing three in four people survive their cancer by 2034. Our progress relies on the dedication and commitment of our amazing volunteers and supporters, like the Ladies Tractor Road Run. Without this support, we wouldn't be able to

fund our life-saving work."

Donations are already being pledged for next year's event, with only £104,000 to go until the team raise a staggering total of £1 million. To donate, please visit: www.fundraise. cancerresearchuk.org/unite/ pink-ladies-tractor-roadrun-2023.

The 2023 Ladies' Tractor Road Run takes place on Sunday 2nd July. For more information about the event, visit: www.ladiestractorroadrun.co.uk

(

L to R): Sara Curtis, Gill Burgess (from Cancer Research UK) and Annie Chapman

Pink Ladies Tractor Road Run 2022.

Image credit: Jono Slack

Beccles Choral Society

Beccles Choral Society will be presenting their famous fun, family Christmas concert in St. Michael's Church, Beccles at 4:30pm on Sunday 11th December.

The choir will be joined by the Waveney Concert Band and mince pies and mulled wine will be served in the interval. A great way to kick off the festive season, there will be carols, Christmas songs and laughs galore. Do come and join in!

Tickets are available from Cheryl Coutts by emailing cherylcoutts468@btinternet.com or from Beccles Books.

Poppy's Cabin

Welcome to Poppy's Cabin, a relaxing hideaway in Halesworth that offers an array of complementary therapies such as massage, homeopathy and private yoga sessions.

Poppy (owner of Poppy's Cabin) has been training for the last 10 years, qualifying in various therapies and beauty treatments. Poppy's journey started when she went to University in 2012 to study 'BSc International Spa Management', and in 2015 she graduated with a First Class Honours degree. Here Poppy also trained and worked within the on-site spa offering treatments (massages, hot stones, pregnancy therapies, body scrubs, facials).

Poppy then continued her training in beauty treatments (manicure/pedicure, waxing, spray tanning), and furthered her training in becoming a Reiki practitioner, yoga teacher, and obtained unique training in oncology therapies which are suitable for those undergoing cancer treatment.

Poppy's latest achievement was completing a four year homeopathy course at the Homeopathic College of East Anglia (Norwich). She qualified in August this year, and would

like to thank those who supported her during this time. Poppy is pleased to now be offering homeopathy with appointments in person or online.

Treatments available at Poppy's Cabin: Massages (Swedish, deep tissue, sports, pregnancy and hot stone), oncology therapies, Reiki, private yoga sessions (online), facials and homeopathy.

Caedmon at Christmas

Caedmon at Christmas will be hosted by Wrentham Chapel on Wednesday December 14th at 7pm.

This is a seasonal celebration of music, word, and song, performed by some of the audience on a 'bring and share'

basis. The programme will include time to chat whilst enjoying wine, fruit juice and a light festive buffet. This is a free event with a retiring collection for Christian Aid. Details from Sue Hardy 07771 882738.

Halesworth Volunteers

How can it be November already? The year really is speeding past us and it means I may be mentioning the Christmas word...

Did you know that Halesworth Volunteers has an exciting programme of trips out and afternoon teas planned for the run up to Christmas? We have planned a special Christmas Tea at the Pear Tree Centre, trips out to the shops and hopefully a tea at the Coop too. To find out more, please call us on 875600.

Welcome Wednesday at St. Mary's Church: Every Wednesday, St. Mary's Church, Halesworth lay on morning coffee, a really lovely occasion where you can meet up with old friends and make some new ones.

Halesworth Volunteers is working with Rev Gini and the team to organise a community lunch in the Church. Our first lunch was absolutely Souper, nearly 50 people came for soup, sarnies and some lovely cake. Huge thanks to everyone who made it possible. Our next lunch will be on Wednesday 30th November. Call us to find out more.

The Community Larder: Thank you once again for all the generous gifts and donations we have received over the last couple of months. It was lovely to receive gifts from Edgar Sewter School, all with beautifully designed labels written by the children. They really meant a lot to us all.

As Christmas approaches, your gifts and donations will be particularly welcome but it is also a lovely opportunity for you to see what the Larder is all about. We are planning to be open on Christmas Eve and then on Tuesday 27th and Wednesday 28th December. We will tell you more next issue.

The Community Larder is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays between 10am11:30am. Everybody is welcome.

Gifts for Caryl: As I mentioned last month, we are relaunching our 'Gifts for Caryl' Scheme. Caryl absolutely loved Christmas and used to give us all beautifully wrapped Christmas gifts. Last year, we received over 100 gifts in Caryl's memory to share among our Larder visitors. If you'd like to give a 'Gift for Caryl, please just drop something in to the Halesworth Volunteers Office.

All we ask is that you let us know if it's for a child or adult, girl or boy. Thank you.

More thank yous: Huge thanks to Rosedales for an amazing bingo night. Faith, Kingsley and the team did an amazing job and a fabulous time was had by all. We were blown away by the fact that the night raised over £600 for Halesworth Volunteers.

And thank has to go to the wonderful golfers at Halesworth Golf Club, led by Rob Sherington. We were so grateful to be nominated as one of their Charities. We attended a riotous Race Night and even won a race. It was a great evening, with good food, fine company and Rob doing a brilliant job as ringmaster!

AGM: Our AGM will take place on December 1st at Halesworth Day Centre at 7:30pm. You are very welcome to attend.

Nigel's Quiz: Nigel's fabulous quiz takes place at the White Hart on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. But just to let you know that the December Quiz will be on the 28th, a week later than usual. Huge thanks to Nigel and Vicky for making the quiz happen.

'Teddy, Bishopstone Station's Bear' by Sandra Gordon

Having taken a course in creative writing at The College of Richard Collyer in Horsham, I've enjoyed writing numerous short stories, and I'm also a member of the Horsham Writers Circle.

So why did I write this particular story? I have a friend who lives in Bishopstone near Seaford on the south coast. She's been involved for a number of years in the renovation of the railway station. It's a real labour of love of this wonderful Grade II listed building in the art deco style.

She was the founding member of Friends of Bishopstone Station (FOBS) and last year they were finally able to gain access to the old parcel office which had been locked and abandoned for many years. They intend to restore this room and turn it into a community hub.

They pulled up the wooden shutters to reveal 'a hoard of vintage junk' including 1970s car parts, a fishing rod, rowing oars, British Rail advertising posters, wooden water skis, a 1980s skateboard and last but not least, a slightly scruffy looking teddy bear. The photo of the bear appeared in the local newspaper and was shared with me by Barbara, my friend and founder of FOBS, that inspired me to write Teddy, Bishopstone Station's Bear and the fictitious adventures he

had with Ian - my fictitious name for the little boy who had owned him all those years ago. Ultimately, I was determined to have the book published and to raise much-needed funds for the continued restoration of Bishopstone Station (this link will take you to the Crowdfunder page for Bishopstone Station which successfully raised £5,190 towards its restoration fund in just 28 days!)

After the parcel office was opened, a feature about the station was covered by BBC South East Today, news channel, and also The Argus, newspaper. The real owner of teddy (Guy Wright) read about what had been discovered at the parcel office inside the station and came forward to claim his teddy bear (nicknamed Fobsy by the FOBS) and some of the other items.

He and his family were delighted with the fictitious story I'd written about teddy. Although very sadly Guy (who had been diagnosed with cancer) died at the beginning of 2022. Guy's family have seen and given their blessings to my story, which is essentially based around a boy and his bear being reunited after more than 30 to 40 years apart.

Nottingham Teddy Repairs played a big part in Guy's true story and their involvement is

Bungay Camera Club

'Panels' competition report

Bungay Camera Club held a new competition format at the last club meeting in October.

Members were invited to enter a panel of three images that had a connecting theme or subject. Also known as a triptych of images, the theme of the panels was open to club members and they could choose to enter colour and/or mono panels.

Mr Rob Howarth, LRPS, from Kessingland, was the judge for the evening. Mr Howarth (a member of Lowestoft Photography Club and The Beyond Group) gave positive and helpful critiques on the panels entered. He also commented on the high quality and variety of images on show as well as the overall standard of presentation.

The evening was well attended

by club members who enjoyed this first trial run of a stand alone panels competition.

Club members gaining first and second placings were: Colour panels scoring 20 points: 'Tools' by Victor Schwangerg. Scoring 19 points: 'Underwater Models' by Bob Taylor. '3 Flowers' by Rosie Pickering. 'Natures Designs' by Sue Grief.

Mono panels scoring 20 points: 'Whitby Abby' by Andy Wilson. Scoring 19 points: 'Duxford Spitfires' by Jeery Keeble. 'Wreck' by David Penrose. 'Fisherman's Hut' by Ken Warne. '3 Sticks' by Victor Schwanberg. To find out more about Bungay Camera Club and to view the gallery of images, visit: bungaycameraclub.co.uk.

included in my story, you'll have to read it to find out about their generosity and kindness.

All monies raised from the sale of the book are to be shared between FOBS and The Brain Tumour Charity. I do hope you enjoy reading the fictitious adventures and escapades of Ian and his teddy.

You can follow the author on Instagram (click on the embedded link to follow Teddy's news). Sandra's first book, 'Teddy, Bishopstone Station's Bear' was published on 12th September 2022 by Author's Pen. The book has a RRP of £6.99 and can be ordered from high street and online booksellers using the following ISBN numbers:

Print book: 978-1-8383436-4-4 E-book: 978-1-8383436-5-1

Harleston Choral Society

Harleston Choral Society (your local non-auditioning friendly community choir) would like to wish all our supporters a very happy Christmas and a healthy and peaceful new year.

Our Spring Term begins on January 9th, 2023 and we'd love you to come and sing with us on a Monday evening, when we practice from 7:30pm-9:30pm in The London Road Church in Harleston, under the direction of our Music Director, Justin Bindley, and our accompanist Karen Smith.

We'll be rehearsing for our Summer Concert on July 1st next year, singing Haydn Stabat Mater and Mozart Opera Choruses, Arias and Ensembles. For further information about HCS, please visit our website www.harlestonchoralsoc.org. uk or contact our Chair, Stella Brownsea, on heidihouse@ btinternet.com or John Awty on 07477 919987.

Keeping connected through the winter months

The benefits of social connection are well publicised, but easy for us to take for granted when the winter sets in, when it's easier to stay at home and hide away until the spring appears. However, for many people, the reality of this is very different and the need for quite simply "someone to chat to" can easily be forgotten.

The Communities Together East Anglia team believe passionately that social connection is critical to keeping well and have made it their mission to ensure that everyone should always have someone to talk to in their community. But what does community mean?

They believe that a community is a place or space where you feel safe and connected - it could be your street, your workplace, your town, a social group - the list

Anglia is endless because everyone is different. By understanding who your community is, the charity can help people to become better connected, helping with accessing the support that is needed, in a timely, safe and understanding way.

Through the winter months, this is going to be even more important, particularly for our older population who can find it even more challenging through the winter months to make and keep those connections, so here are some ways that may help:

Later Life Community

Connect: A single point of access telephone support service, open 7 days a week with a real person at the end of the phone.

The Connect team (Mandy, Tracy and Jane) can help with anything and everything to do with later life - as well as being

here, simply to chat - so call on 01284 334516 (between 10am2pm, 365 days a year!)

BeAFriend: Countywide later life befriending servicebuilding friendship and support through a supported volunteer network of "friends" through telephone, digital, penpal and face-to-face contact.

Online: A digital integration support service for people aged 55+. Living in a digital world can be daunting for many and Communities Together East Anglia have a great suite of support available to help you to get online safely (if you want to), with training, social groups and top tips.

Engage: Community is key. The charity run a range of community groups including Community Cuppa, Pop Up Chinwags, Memory Cafes,

Tea and Tech and Carer Natter groups. All of these and more are running in the Ipswich area, so check out the event listings or get in touch to find out more about what's going on in your community.

Suffolk Carers Matter: A family carer support service for all adult age carers. If you're struggling to find information or advice about how to support your caring role then this is the service for you.

Community Transport: A door to door transport service for those who for whatever reason, cannot access mainstream transport to get from A to B.

For all of this and more, call Communities Together East Anglia on 01449 707030 or email info@communities together-ea.org

'Fisherman's Hut' by Ken Warne

Communities Together East

Author profile: Sandra Gordon

'Duxford Spitfires' by Jerry Keeble

Flick & Son expands with two new strings to its bow

Flick & Son Coast and Country has expanded its business offering, which are natural fits to be able to continue offering the very best in our customer journey. Firstly, we have Flick & Son Coast and Country Auctions, Headed up by Richard Brown. Richard has been with Flick & Son for over 15 years and shares the views of Paul and Sabrina that Coast and Country Auctions are a natural fit for Flick & Son, as this is what built the foundations of where we find ourselves today, back in 1833.

CEO Paul Gray comments: "Our great company thrives on family values and the great Flick name, it just seems the right thing to do, to re-launch this service, that has been missing from the business for some years. Coast and Country Auctions will be online and covering residential, land and commercial throughout Suffolk and Norfolk. Richard is

the perfect person to be heading this up for us with his vast knowledge. This role will run alongside Richard's role as Head of Residential for Flick & Son".

For more info, please email onlineauctions@ flickandson.co.uk

We're excited to say we are also launching Flick & Son Coast and Country Flooring, headed up by James Hannigan which seemed like another natural move for the brand. With Almost 500 let and managed properties and with over 250 sales annually we have a huge demand for people looking for this service. Like everything else at Flick & Son it was vital that we have the experience in each of our sectors to be able to offer the very best in service, quality, and customer journey. James has over 30 years' experience in the flooring industry and with his team he will be available to

offer everything from carpets, Karndean and vinyl to other designer flooring. Flick & Son Coast and Country Flooring also offers that all important carpet and wet room (Altro flooring) clean before you market your home should you need it.

Paul Gray continues "this has been on my mind for a few years now. We have so many customers asking us for recommendations for fitting and cleaning that I thought if we could find the right professional, experienced person then we would do it. James has recently relocated to Suffolk and has been running his own flooring company for 30 years. James and his team share our values on giving a great customer journey and delivering the very best service". For your free estimate, please email: flooring@flickandson.co.uk or call 01728 603232.

Harleston Young Farmers charity tractor and classic car run

The Harleston Young Farmers are proud to invite you to our tractor and classic car run on Sunday 18th December. Entry for vehicles involved is £20 and £10 for a passenger which includes a bacon roll on arrival. Arrival is from 9am with the run starting around 10am, on return there is a BBQ and raffle. Refreshments will be available throughout.

Address is Grove Farm, Vicarage Lane, Mettingham, Bungay, NR35 1TE. All proceeds will be donated to Prostate Cancer UK, a charity very close to a lot of our members hearts,

alongside raising money to help fund important research we also aim to raise awareness. Prostate cancer affects one in eight men. Here is an idea of what the money can do: £1 could pay to scan a section of prostate cancer tissue, which scientists can use to understand how to prevent prostate cancer from coming back and why the disease develops. £100 could cover one man's travel cost to participate in a clinical trial - contributing to the important final steps in bringing a new treatment to men. £2,000 could allow researchers to buy

a drug which has already been developed for another disease, which can be tested in men with prostate cancer as a potential new treatment

Please contact Jazz: jl.utting@ hotmail.com if you would like to donate to the raffle.

Presentation of the Ossie Kettle trophy

Members of Woodbridge Camera Club paid tribute to their late Member Ossie with a competition in his honour.

His distinctive style of manipulated monochrome was the theme. His widow Pat Kettle and family members were invited and presented the Club Trophy to the winner.

The 47 entries were judged by Mike Lloyd on their photographic merit and interpretation of Ossie's style.

The winner was 'Artist in Charcoal' by Robin Garrod. The runners up were 'Canal Side' by John Pollard, 'Keeping Safe' by Christine Brown, 'Geoffrey's Bench' by Debbie Waters and 'Garlic Stall' by Robin Garrod.

Members will be enjoying a Christmas meal in December and are looking forward to an interesting programme in the new year. Membership and programme details can be found on our website: www.woodbridge cameraclub.co.uk

Bright Stars

Would you like to receive our activity packs for pre-school aged children?

Bright Stars used to run free, fun activity sessions for pre-school aged children with their parents, grandparents, friends, family and/or carers at St Michael's Church Centre, Martlesham Heath.

Due to various circumstances, we are currently

sending out free activity sheets by email/post on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month during term time, for the children to enjoy doing with their family/ carers.

The activity sheets usually include a story, song and a craft or game about a theme or story

Library

Free lunchtime music

Woodbridge Library hosts free lunchtime music sessions. In January, our performers will be a much-loved local duo of Sylvia Fairley and Val Shelley who will be making their post-Covid comeback.

from the Bible.

During the autumn term, we heard about the parable of the farmer growing wheat seeds from Mark's Gospel and thanked God for everything that makes plants grow.

If you have or look after a child/children of pre-school age

and would like to receive our sheets, please give us a call. We look forward to hearing from you. Wishing everyone a Happy Christmas from Bright Stars. If you would like further information, please contact Sonya and Maureen Burrows 01473 625196.

Blyth Valley Parkinson's Support Group

the Library so it will be good to have them back.

New eco bonfire nights in Framlingham and Woodbridge attract hundreds

Two new environmentally friendly events attracted over 1,500 people over the weekend. Described as a " Magical Masterpiece" in one TV news report, the light art and music events took place at Framlingham Castle and Woodbridge Tide Mill. With final audience figures expected to be higher, the events also saw over 200 artworks submitted by local communities in open call art competitions.

Instead of traditional fireworks, the events featured light art and music, with music (ranging from classical music to disco and jungle) performed by Ben Osborne and Loula Yorke, and visuals by Janice Oliver, Jim Horsfield, Prickimage and Your Mum.

The events offer a more eco alternative to traditional firework displays and bonfires; which release particles into the atmosphere, create large

amounts of CO2, disturb wildlife and livestock, distress pets and kill fish.

The events received positive coverage and Framlingham's Light and Sound event was broadcast live by ITV Anglia News on Friday night.

ITV reporter, Raveena Ghattaura, said: "The Castle on the hill has tonight transformed into a magical masterpiece", while town councillor Marion Hine said it was "absolutely brilliant". ITV news anchor Becky Jago said "it looks absolutely stunning" and, while surounded by an expanding gaggle of happy young people, Raveena Ghattaura went on to report the event was "a great hit with the little ones."

"We're delighted by the positive responses we've received for the start of what are hopefully uplifting events for the area," says Ben Osborne, creative producer of the events.

"It speaks volumes about the creativity of people here that so many grabbed the opportunity to take part. The quality of artwork from Framlingham and the many groups that Woodbridge artist Alice Stallard inspired was amazing. We can't wait to involve even more people in next year's activities. We hope by offering these events we give local communities a fun, inclusive and more sustainable event to go to. Unlike stand and watch events, the sound and light events encourage people to get involved, whether that's creating new art or taking part by having a dance - 'clubbing in the castle', as we coined it on Friday night. There are many traditional fireworks events people can go to if they want to, but it's good that people can have an eco choice."

The events were supported by Arts Council England, Framlingham Town Council and East Suffolk Council.

Sylvia is a poet as well as a musician and has entertained audiences in Woodbridge with her witty and perceptive verse. On this occasion, it will be her flute playing that will delight the ear. Val Shelley enjoyed a fascinating and notable career as a pianist and nowadays keeps the congregations of St. Andrew's Church, Melton in tune! Together Sylvia and Val began the tradition several years ago of free lunchtime recitals in

Joined by a friend or two, they will perform on January 17th at 12:45pm in the Library Meeting Room. Performances last about 45 minutes and there is no charge for entry. Donations to the work of the Friends of Woodbridge Library will be welcome. Do join us.

We welcomed a neurological nurse to our October meeting and were updated about consultations and news, and members were able to discuss any problems or worries with her individually.

The next meeting is on Thursday 10th November at 10:30am at The Pear Tree Centre when Rev Pam Bayliss will speak about the Waveney Food Bank, and accept any donations that members have brought, followed by Sophie who will take a seated

music and movement class. The Christmas meal will be at the Wangford Plough on Thursday 8th December and anyone wishing to attend needs to let Margaret or Gail know by the November meeting please. We welcome new members to our meetings and are a friendly, welcoming group who try to support and encourage those with Parkinson's and their partners.

Margaret Bloomfield 01502 478502

Mallard Fencing

Supply and Installation of a range of fencing. We also offer a verity of landscaping services. Based in Saxmundham serving all surrounding areas.

Supply and installation of a range of fencing. We also offer a variety of landscaping services. Based in Saxmundham serving all surrounding areas.

Free quotation and professional advice.

Tel. 07858 912558

Friends of Woodbridge

Woodbridge Camera Club

Beccles and Bungay Harriers

A HUGE congratulations to our Beginners who completed the C25K course this week! We are so proud of what you have achieved over the last 10 weeks.

A fantastic end to our Couch 2 5k course! A road run round Ditchingham, slightly varying routes to what was planned but the group managed a 5k run

on Tuesday evening!! Every week this group has shown real determination and put in the effort with their homework and it has certainly paid off. Well done all!

What a wonderfully supportive group they are, sharing their achievements in our WhatsApp group and encouraging each other along the way. On Tuesday

evening there was a small presentation of Certificates and Harriers buffs and we also shared some cakes

We would also like to say a big thank you to Chrissy, who skilfully led the course, and Rachel, who attentively supported Chrissy and our beginners. Well done all!

Beccles Hornets U9s football team secures new sponsor

Steve Burton of The Candy Shack, 46 Queens Road, Lowestoft is proud to be the new shirt sponsor of Beccles Town FC U9 Hornets. The Candy Shack is the best place to get all of your sweet treats and can create bespoke displays for special events and even weddings. The players loved the new kits and have been training extra hard.

Manager Kris Oneill said: "The Hornets U9s are looking good in their new kit. We have a brilliant bunch of players with a lot of team spirit... Go Hornets!"

The squad consists of Manager Kris Oneill and players; Henry H, Charlie B, Noah D, Jayden

New and improved black belts at ICENI Taekwon-do Club

New members are currently being offered four free sessions when they join the club, which trains at The Venue in Beccles on Mondays and Thursdays. Visit the club's website to book a free session: www.iceniTKD.uk.

F, Riley O, Preston R, Teddy S, Harley W and Noah B.

Playing football is a great way to make friends, build confidence and keep fit. If you'd like to play or get involved, please contact Bernice De'Ath, Youth Section Secretary and 3G Facilities Manager by emailing: bernice@becclestownfc.org.uk. www.becclestownfc.org.uk

Beccles Tennis Club quiz night and presentation evening

Bungay Tennis Club had a fantastic evening at our Quiz Night and Presentation Evening on Friday 4th November at the Maltings.

The turnout was also very good with a record 15 tables of 4 players on each. It was so good that we had to bring in some extra tables from outside and add the reserved food that we had brought, just in case, so that everybody could eat at half time.

We started off with the first rounds of the Quiz, (once everybody was teamed up), kindly put together and presented by Stephen Went (and supported by treasurer Paul). At half time there was a presentation from

chairperson Juliet, of a £1000 cheque to a representative from the East Anglian Air Ambulance - which was made possible by our 24-Hour Tennis Marathon in July (30/31st) and which was supported by all our members and their family and friends. We then went back to the remaining rounds of the quiz. Once finished there was a presentation of the club tournament trophies to those present and the raffle winners were also revealed.

Well done to the 'Bedwell table' that walked away with 1st place in the Quiz.

All in all this was a very successful event - and as ever an important fundraiser for the club.

Congratulations to ICENI Taekwon-do black belts Spencer Akerman 2nd Dan, Jack Chapman 1st Dan and Jay Akerman 2nd Dan.

These three students had a fantastic grading in Coventry in

(L to R): Mr Bedingfield, Spencer Akerman 2nd Dan, Jack Chapman 1st Dan, Jay Akerman 2nd Dan, Mrs Bedingfield.

October. Performing in front of GTUK Grandmaster Oldham, Master Auciello and Master King. A highly deserved result for all, which shows hard work and dedication to their training over many years really pays off!

Bramfield, Ringsfield and Brampton Primary Schools activities

At Brampton we have been observing seasonal changes. Some of the children started a discussion about what will happen in the winter months and talked about snow and frost. This led us to think about our local wildlife and how we can help different animals get enough food in the colder months. We decided it would be nice to make some eco-friendly bird feeders. The children made a feeder from whole apples and cocktail sticks and then added some raisins. They also made a feeder by coating a pine cone in seeds. Finally, the children then enjoyed finding places around our school grounds to hang them so the birds have food over the winter.

At Ringsfield we have been joining in with the whole school to think about keeping our community safe. Our Junior Road Safety Officers asked the

children to have a go at making a poster to remind all drivers of the safe speed outside our school. We had some wonderful posters encouraging '20 is plenty!' Ann, who is a Road Safety Officer Educator from Suffolk County Council has been working with the school to develop the children's understanding of road safety. She was very impressed when she saw the wonderful posters.

We have also been thinking about wildlife and how animals need help with the cold winter months approaching. We made some bird feeders using a pumpkin we had explored for harvest. The children added chopped apples and seeds and decided to add some berries they found in our hedges. This led to a discussion about being careful when eating wild fruit and berries as some are only for the

animals. The children then hung the feeders in our nature garden so the birds have somewhere quiet to feed.

At Bramfield, Oak Class have been getting involved with all the various gardening jobs that need doing at this time of year. We have been busy raking up all the leaves in our outdoor area, which is great for our physical development as well as encouraging us to work as a team. The leaves will be taken to our composting area and used next year as leaf mould which adds vital nutrients back into the soil. Also this month we have been readying our green area for bulb planting. We are learning that gardens can be a haven for

pollinating insects, and that we can play an important role in halting and even reversing insect declines if enough of us make our green spaces insect friendly. We are hoping to give pollinating insects a head-start next spring by planting lots of different flower bulbs including snowdrops, which provide honeybees a welcome mid-winter snack on warmer days.

Brampton: Making apple and cocktail stick birdfeeders

Bramfield: Gardening together

Ringsfield: Road Safety Awareness

'Masters of Swing - Christmas Crooners' Christmas show

The glamour and panache of the Big Band era comes to Lowestoft and Bungay this festive season as the 'In Full Swing' company return to each town with their

festive show 'Masters of SwingChristmas Crooners' in December. 'Christmas Crooners' is a funfilled traditional style holiday special, jam-packed with great

Christmas songs and holiday classics, laughs and audience participation which celebrates the golden age of swing and the big band era!

Acclaimed crooners and brothers Stephen and Paul Amer (who have sung for the Queen and live on BBC Radio 2) along with special guest Natalie from vocal group The Vibettes perform such songs as 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas', 'White Christmas', 'Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire' and 'Santa Baby' to name a few. The show promises a night you won't forget - to have you singing and laughing in your seats and to get you into the festive mood but following regular annual appearances at each theatre, with sell-out shows at both, early booking is recommended.

Friday 2nd December, 7:30pm: The Seagull Theatre, Lowestoft. Tickets £12 and £10 concessions available from the box office on 01502 589726 or www.theseagull.co.uk.

Wednesday 7th December, 7:30pm: The Fisher Theatre, Bungay. Tickets £11 and £9 concessions available from the box office on 01986 897130 or www.fishertheatre.org.

Beccles weather report

Following is my report as Autumn progresses: This was highlighted by the wet and windy start to November, already two thirds of an inch of rain recorded during the first two days. This morning (3rd) was also a taster of the cooler nights and mornings to come following a really mild run towards the end of October.

This summary is compiled from the records of Stephen Bartholomew of Beccles. October 2022

• Maximum temp: 21.6C (70F) on the 5th compared with 20.6C (69F) in October 2021.

• Minimum temp: 3.0C (37F) on the 8th compared with 4.4C (40F) in October 2021.

• Average maximum temp: 17.82C (64F) in 2022. 15.80C (60F) in 2021. 15.10C (59F) on average.

• Average minimum temp: 9.55C (49F) in 2022. 8.50C (47F) in 2021. 8.11C (46F) on average.

• Mean temp: 13.68C (56F) in 2022. 12.15C (53F) in 2021. 11.61C (52F) on average.

• Air frosts: Nil compared with nil in October 2021.

• Rainfall total: 2.37" compared with 4.18" in October 2021 (1981-2010 average 2.38"). 2022 total: 100% of average.

• Most rainfall on one day: 0.75"

on the 23rd.

• Wind direction, mainly from: Southwest 14 days, south 7 days and west 4 days. October 2022 overall was somewhat milder than long-term average with average rainfall.

The small daytime maximum temperature range of less than 7C throughout meant there were many pleasant days, including the warmest, 21.6C on the 5th (the warmest October day since 23.0C and 22.0C recorded on the 13th and 16th October 2018 respectively) and was one of 12 days to reach or exceed 18C. Because of this consistency, it was the second highest average maximum temperature for month on my record (since at least 1967) but only 5th highest in mean temperature terms as will be seen below.

The coldest daytime maximum of 14.7C was recorded on the 30th and was actually the highest such figure for the month on my entire record.

Being an autumn month, there was more substantial 12C range of minimum temperatures because of cooler nights, particularly after sunny days during the first half of the month. On the plus side because of the high presence of

cloud at times, 16 nights preserved some of the modest warmth from the day to achieve a figure of 10.0C or better, unusually these included 11 consecutive days from the 21st to 31st. The very mildest was observed during overnight period 4th/5th, when no lower than 15.0C recorded (akin to some of the milder summer nights). At the other end of the scale, the coldest night fell to 3.0C, the coolest October night since 2.8C minimum on the 27th October 2019.

For the majority of the month, we were looking south to west to determine our weather type. Following three consecutive wet Octobers, the 2.37" recorded this time equated to long-term average, the least since 2018. Still only February and September have been wetter than long-term average during 2022. Only 7 of the first 19 days had received any rain at all and in mainly modest quantities to total just half an inch, as sunnier days were common during mainly high pressure domination. However from the 20th onwards, the mild and moist air with origins far to the south and south-west of us changed our conditions, just 3 more days received no rainfall. Notably 2 days provided 61% of October's rainfall total, 0.70" on 20th and 0.75" on 23rd.

Despite the last 2 months improved totals, it seems almost certain below average rainfall will be recorded this year. Up to and including 31st October, 13.25" has been noted against long-term average of 25.60". It is therefore probable that this year will feature among the very driest on my record. 1991: 16.67", 1972: 17.52", 2011: 18.76", 1997: 18.83" and 1989: 19.36" are the 5 years to date record less than 20 inches rainfall.