Halesworth & Southwold Community News February 2023

TYRES

Halesworth Town Council

Have you ever considered becoming a Town Councillor?

If you have an interest in the town and have some spare time, this voluntary role can be very rewarding.

In May 2023, all 12 seats will be up for election so please give it some thought. The town is now entering a new phase, over the next few years the population is set to increase significantly with some major housing developments in the pipeline. This will present some difficult challenges but also many opportunities for the town to grow. The current town council will be acquiring land and buildings from East Suffolk Council and the staff will increase to manage these new assets.

Consultation on a new Community Hub, refurbishment of the London Road building and improvements to our park, toilets and open spaces will be a commencing in 2023. There are many other projects and events waiting in the wings, derived from

the Neighbourhood Plan research, environmental concerns, town centre improvements and so forth. The council will need a broad range of skills to deliver all these projects successfully. Town councillors are all volunteers and training is provided so there are no specific qualifications required. However, you must be 18 years old or over and meet at least one of the following qualifying criteria to be a town councillor; registered as a local government elector in the local Parish of Halesworth or occupied or owned land/premises in the Parish of Halesworth continuously for over 12 months or your principal place of work for the last 12 months is in the Parish of Halesworth or lived within 4.8km/three miles of the Parish boundary for the last 12 months. We would be very happy to talk to you if you have any questions. Contact us: 01986 874517.

Please don't forget to go out and vote for the Halesworth Neighbourhood Plan on February

2nd. The full version can be found on our website. Hopefully you will all be aware of the plan by now but if not or if you have any questions, the Halesworth Neighbourhood Steering Group will be at the i-Chameleon in the Thoroughfare on Friday 27th January between 10am and 4pm, Saturday 28th between 10am and 2pm and then on Tuesday 31st and Wednesday 1st February between 10am and 4pm. The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group will be happy to answer your questions, show you details of the plan and explain why it is so important. There's also a separate article in this edition of the Community News on page 7 that explains more about it.

Another reminder that the King's Coronation event is in May 2023. The Council are still seeking any volunteers interested in working with residents, town councillors, church leaders and groups in the town, please contact the Clerk on 01986 874517 or email: clerk @ halesworthtowncouncil.org.uk to register your interest.

Following consultation with local residents, tree planting in various open spaces within the town has commenced. The types of trees chosen by residents are notable for blossom and fruit and so will encourage biodiversity. Planting should be finished by the end of the month and installation of benches and birds boxes will follow later.

Cheese & Southwold Sandfire Chutney Mini Muffins

As featured in Places & Faces Magazine. To subscribe to Places&Faces (THE luxury lifestyle magazine for Norfolk & Suffolk) delivered straight to your door, visit their website: www.placesandfaces.co.uk

These are ideal party canapés, served warm or cold. Try playing around with the ingredients to create your very own flavours.

Recipe by Alice Talbot, Owner of ART's - Craft Kitchen.

www.artscraftkitchen.co.uk

Ingredients: Makes 18-20

• 250g plain flour.

• 3 tsp baking powder.

• ½ tsp salt.

• 2-3 Tbs white granulated sugar.

• 85g Cheddar cheese, grated

(plus extra for tops).

• 1 egg.

• 240ml milk.

• 4 Tbs ART's Southwold Sandfire Chutney.

• 90ml vegetable oil or 85g butter, melted.

• Paprika (optional). Method:

- Prepare mini muffin trays: Fill with pretty paper liners. Preheat oven to 190-200°C.

- In a large bowl, stir together well with a fork: flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in sugar and grated cheese (remembering to set aside some of the cheese for topping).

- In another bowl, beat egg with a fork. Add the Southwold Sandfire Chutney and mix. Stir in milk, followed by the oil or the melted butter.

- Pour all of the wet ingredients into dry. Stir until just combined. The batter will be lumpy, but make sure no dry flour is visible. Do not over-stir.

- Spoon into lined tins, filling each case about half-way. Sprinkle tops with extra cheese. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned and spring back when pressed gently.

- Optional: Sprinkle lightly with paprika for extra warmth and visual excitement.

- Cool for a few minutes to make removal easier. Can be eaten cold, but best served warm with seasonal party drinks.

There's nothing quite like buried treasure to excite the imagination, whatever your age. And, as Halesworth author David Wollweber explains in his latest book "We are lucky in this part of Suffolk to have our own real buried treasure."

His highly illustrated book 'Buried Ancient Treasure of the Blyth Valley Suffolk' will be published this month by Halesworth & District Museum. It explores the two Wissett hoards of Bronze Age axe heads and spear heads, the first part of the Blythburgh hoard, featuring 19 rare Iron Age coins, and the Cookley hoard of ten Roman coins. All of these finds have been purchased by the Museum and are on display to visitors.

The book also provides details of the latest local discovery (a further cache of Iron Age coins from the Blythburgh hoard, 32 in all) unearthed between 2019 and 2021. The Museum has the option of buying these coins, if it can raise enough money. Otherwise, the collection is likely to be split between the British Museum, regional museums and perhaps private collectors.

David says the fascinating discoveries found under our local soil pose many unanswered questions about how our predecessors lived.

Why, for example, were two separate hoards of axe heads and spears found just feet apart, both carefully arranged and, most intriguingly, in sets of the same overall weight? Why do the Wissett finds include such a mixture of used, unused and miscast items? Might one of the spears (the largest) be a 'hightech' import from mainland Europe? And, for that matter, why were all these amazing artefacts buried in Wissett?

The Roman coins feature the heads of emperors from Augustus to Nero, plus some illustrious predecessors such as Julius Caesar. One coin (from 31-32 BC) depicts a galley with a legionary number, which was struck on campaign by Mark Antony to pay his troops in the War of Actium, where he and Cleopatra battled Octavian (who became Emperor Augustus). Another, from 1637AD, resembles some of our own pre-decimal currency, with the head of the ruler (Tiberius) on one side, and an image of his mother (Livia) in a pose comparable to the more modern Britannia.

Of all the local finds, it's the Iron Age collection (probably buried around 25AD) that raises the most important questions. The coins feature complex and mysterious images, including animals, faces

and beautiful patterns, all created on a tiny scale, without recourse to magnification. But no one understands the significance of the images used. David says: "When I first saw these coins, I was bowled over by how exciting they were.

There is very little research to go on, yet these images must have meant something important to our predecessors."

The sheer variety of the Iron Age images is one of the reasons why both David and Halesworth & District Museum believe the entirety of the Blythburgh hoard must be kept in one collection, locally. Considered together, the images could one day shed light on Iron Age beliefs and customs, and on how life was lived so long ago in this corner of Suffolk.

David says: "The hoard was

buried locally, and it's important that it remains local for everybody to enjoy, and so it can be studied as a whole, rather than to end up in various national and regional museums or in private owners' hands."

To this end, the Museum is currently raising funds to buy the second part of the Blythburgh collection. One way to help is to purchase a copy of 'Buried Ancient Treasure of the Blyth Valley Suffolk'. The price, £10, includes a £3 donation to the project. The book will be available from the Museum, The Halesworth Bookshop and eBay, and can be ordered on the Museum's website, at: halesworthmuseum.org.uk/ wpress/. A JustGiving site will also be available for contributors.

Conquest Art appeal for volunteers

We are an established group in Halesworth, called Conquest Art. We aim to relieve and rehabilitate people with disabilities, by encouraging them to lead fuller and more active lives, through the visual arts.

We are a charity and have been meeting at the URC Church Hall, every Wednesday afternoon, since 2012. I am appealing to anyone

who could help out once or twice a month (or more). We desperately need more volunteers to keep us going. It'd be such a shame to finish serving these wonderful local people. There is no need to be an artist, just an interest in people of all ages to befriend and help in anyway. We would love to hear from anyone interested.

Please contact Marilyn on 01986 874316 or 07910 850221.

Was this unusual spearhead brought to Wissett from mainland Europe?

This remarkable coin won Halesworth Museum the 'Object of the Year Award' in 2022 from the Association for Suffolk Museums

A coin thought to have been minted by Iron Age King Addedomarus, who is believed to have reigned between 35 and 15BC

News from Woodbridge Riverside Trust

If it's not too late, happy new year to all!

Have you seen the King's River Tapestry yet? This amazing project will ultimately consist of 30 tapestry panels telling the story of the life of King Raedwald and his great Anglo-Saxon burial ship excavated at Sutton Hoo.

More than half of the panels are now complete and hanging in the Woodbridge Riverside Trust's John Gibbons Gallery, upstairs at the Longshed. The panels are made by local groups, using mixed media, including felting and embroidery. The sheer variety of materials, techniques and attention to detail is simply stunning. An early panel depicts a jay depositing an acorn which grows into the oak that forms the keel of the great ship. And so the story progresses through the other panel.

Local arts, music and culture guru, Jan Pulsford, has made a fascinating podcast in which she chats to some of the tapestry-makers about how they approached the challenge of creating a panel out of the one sentence in the story that

they were given for guidance. 'The Kings River Tapestry' podcast is available on all digital platforms including Spotify and Google, with permanent links to Spreaker (www.spreaker.com/ show/the-kings-river-tapestry) and SoundCloud (on.soundcloud. com/MMe7e).

In other news, Bryan Knibbs invited friends, volunteers and trustees to a party on January 7th in the Longshed to mark his stepping down as Chair of Woodbridge Riverside Trust. As well as an opportunity for Bryan to thank everyone he has worked with in that capacity, it gave us the opportunity to say a huge thank you to him for all his incredibly hard work over the years. The Longshed would not exist as we know it without his dedication and hard work and the good news is that Bryan will continue to be a Trustee/Director of the trust. We also welcome our new Chair, Pat Clark, and wish her every success in her new role.

You can find us on: www. woodbridgeriversidetrust.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Preparing for the new tax year... What's changing?

With all the recent changes to tax legislation and the late Autumn statement, it would be easy to lose track of which announcements for the upcoming tax year are still in place, and which were revoked or adjusted.

Let's start with a few things that will be staying the same; the personal allowance for 2023/24 is held at its current rate of £12,570, as is the next band of earning for which you pay tax at the basic rate, that's remaining at £37,700. From that point on we will start to see some changes, the point at which the additional rate of tax is payable is reducing from earnings over £150,000 to £125,140

For those that receive income from dividends, currently the first £2,000 received is taxed at a nil rate, for 2023/24 this will reduce to £1,000, and is set to reduce further to £500 for 2023/24 onwards. The tax rates applicable to dividends over this limit increased at the start of the current tax year, and will remain the same for 2023/24 at 8.75% to the extent the income falls within your basic rate tax band, 33.75% in the higher rate band, and 39.35% in the additional rate band.

We saw changes to both the rates and the thresholds applicable to National Insurance (NI) during the current tax year. With the withdrawal of the proposed Health & Social Care Levy, the increase in NI rates is being reversed back to earlier levels, with the main rates

upper profit limit of £50,270). The Employment Allowance, available to qualifying employers to offset the amount of secondary NI payable will remain at £5,000 after it was increased from £4,000 last year.

The Capital Gains Tax (CGT) annual allowance is set to reduce from its current level of £12,300, to £6,000 in 2023/24, and then to £3,000 in 2024/25. The annual allowance is deducted from the capital gains made in a tax year, and any gains in excess of this are taxed at the CGT rates which remain unchanged from the 2022/23 rates. Given the reducing allowances, in some cases it would be worth accelerating gains into the 2022/23 year to make use of the higher available amounts.

By Liz Lockwood, Manager, Ensors Accountants LLP

This information is given by way of general guidance only, and no action should be taken based solely on the information contained herein. No liability is accepted by the firm for any actions taken without seeking appropriate professional advice.

Primary Class 1 NI (paid by employees) returning to 12% (2% above the upper earnings limit), Secondary Class 1 NI (paid by employers) at 13.8%, and Class 4 NI (paid on self-employment earnings) at 9% (2% above the Liz Lockwood, Manager

Bryan Knibbs with Sae Wylfing, half-length replica of the Anglo-Saxon ship, which is 30 years old this year.

The Halesworth Neighbourhood Plan is here!

After five

Plan is complete. Now it’s your chance to read, to ask questions and, most importantly, to vote.

The Neighbourhood Plan Referendum will take place in Halesworth on 2nd February If you are on the electoral register for Halesworth, you are eligible to vote. You don’t need a polling card, just come and cast your vote at the Rifle Hall or United Reform Church.

Our Neighbourhood Plan allows us to have a Halesworth voice in how East Suffolk Council (ESC) make its planning decisions. Without our Plan, new buildings and building schemes can only be influenced by ESC’s Plan and all the things that you have told us are important to you will have no influence on how our Town grows and develops in the future.

You told us that green spaces were important to you. So our Plan has designated the Town Park and Millennium Green as Local Green Spaces – it’s like having the Green Belt in the middle of the Town, keeping them safe from development for generations to come. We have also protected other green spaces at Princes Green and Aldergrove Close and Rectory Green.

Children and young people particularly wanted to tell us how important it was for Halesworth to become a greener town. So our Plan encourages sustainability, bio-diversity, highlights flooding concerns of our town river, protecting our heritage trees. We have policies that require builders to think about low energy and energy efficient homes and buildings, and they are already doing this!

Many of you spoke about improving walkways, making life better for cyclists, connecting the differing parts of the town in better ways. So our plans talk about signage, pedestrian areas, crossings, lighting and cycle routes.

You talked about the local economy, so we have ensured that places like Miles Ward Court stay as work-spaces rather than being re-built as homes. We have emphasised opportunities for creative industry and looked at ways that we can boost tourism and economic development. A thriving town is good for everyone after all.

You said to us that Halesworth was a lovely town with great heritage features.We identified important, much loved local buildings like the Library and Patrick Stead and have listed them as heritage assets. You then suggested the Halesworth to Southwold Railway and the New Reach so we have ensured they are listed too.

We have also ensured that new building must have “high quality design and layout, which respects the local character of Halesworth”.

So this is now the crunch time. You can vote and say if you want our Neighbourhood Plan or not. The Plan has seven Objective Areas, all consulted on with you, within each you will find both policies and areas where Halesworth Town Council will look to develop as new projects and ideas in the future. The policies identified in the Plan must be taken into account by all builders and developers and they will be considered in all East Suffolk’s Planning decisions in Halesworth.

No plan of any kind will meet everyone’s views on everything. However, because we based all our ideas on your thoughts, your ideas and what you said was most important to you, we hope you will see that overall, this Neighbourhood Plan meets the wide range of aspirations that people have expressed. There’s is loads of good stuff in it, not just for us but good stuff for our children and grand children, Some people may say we haven’t consulted enough, and yes, it was hard during the worldwide pandemic. However, all our publicly available evidence shows that despite those difficulties, we were able to reach a very wide audience, and we made changes to the Plan as a result. In addition our Plan has

been scrutinised by a legally required official Independent Examiner who has praised the consultation that we did.

Before Referendum Day on the 2nd Feb, you will have a chance to come and see the Plan before you vote. We will be at I-Chameleon on the Thoroughfare on Friday 27th January between 10am and 4pm, Saturday 28th between 10am and 2pm and then on Tuesday 31st and Wednesday 1st February between 10am and 4pm. The local residents who make up the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group and who wrote this plan will be happy to answer your questions, show you details of the Plan and explain why it is so important. The group will be there to talk, and answer all your questions we are so much more exciting than Facebook... probably.

You can find all the documents about our Plan on the ESC website: www.eastsuffolk. gov.uk/planning/neighbourhoodplanning/neighbourhood-plans-in-thearea/halesworth-neighbourhood-area/ or just visit the Halesworth Town Council website and you can find the Plan on there. But remember, it’s your plan, it’s your town, it’s your future and it is time to have your say.

why have a Neighbourhood Plan?

It means we can influence how East Suffolk makes its planning decisions. And Halesworth will benefit from extra funds that can be spent on improving our town.

about our Plan

Our Plan is based on what you told us was most important to you.

our Vision

what people in Halesworth valued remains, yet forward thinking has created a greener, more resilient and sustainable community, a healthier and happier town, of which everyone is proud. Here are just some of the Plan’s priorities:

green spaces like our beautiful Millennium green. •Improve playgrounds and facilities for children and young people.

design guidelines so that any new building is in keeping with our lovely town.

our heritage buildings and sites.

on promoting our local economy.

The waiting is over...

RoughCast 'Tour of Lovesong' by Abi Morgan

That is the story of our beginning. And this is the story of... the end.

Lovesong is the story of one couple, told from two different points in their lives, as young lovers in their 20s and as worldly companions looking back on their relationship. Their past and present selves collide in this haunting and beautiful tale of togetherness. All relationships have their ups and downs; the optimism of youth becomes the wisdom of experience.

Written by critically acclaimed contemporary playwright

Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady, Suffragette, The Split), this sometimes dreamlike, sometimes funny, sometimes heart-breaking one act tale of a lifetime lived together, does not shy away from some emotional topics.

March 16th to 25th at 16/17

Fisher Theatre, Bungay, 18 Laxfield Village Hall, 23 Diss Corn Hall, 24 The Cut, Halesworth, 25 Wingfield Barns.

Tickets are £12 for adults, £6 for students. All performances start at 7:30pm. For further details, visit www.roughcast.co.uk or call 01379 586745.

Halesworth & District U3A welcomes new season

On Tuesday 21st February, we'll be looking back to an interesting time for Halesworth when the American and Canadian forces had a big presence in the district. Ian McLachlan will be giving a talk about G I Brides.

During World War II, some 70,000 British girls married American servicemen, and this talk covers the challenges facing young women from East Anglia who fell for a GI. Many local girls had never travelled beyond their communities, but still took a 'leap of faith' and journeyed into a new world. The US authorities discouraged such association and Ian's fascinating insight will include tales of marriage and even murder as romances successful and otherwise, developed during those days, distant now, but with an enduring legacy.

The talk starts at 2:30pm at The Cut, Halesworth. There's

no charge for U3A members to our talks at The Cut; friends and visitors will be very welcome for an entrance fee of £4.

We look forward to welcoming you and request that you book online or at the Box Office before the day.

If you're interested in joining the U3A, please visit our website for more information or come along to our next Members Coffee Hour at The Cut at 11am on Friday 27th January 2023.

Our Christmas Social at The Cut in December was very well attended. A sizeable audience were entertained and informed by Charlie Haylock about the history and the distinctive characteristics of the Suffolk dialect. Charlie was the dialect coach to the cast of "the Dig", the film about the excavations at Sutton Hoo. We were treated to anecdotes and also to many examples of British regional accents and dialects.

A thank you from the family of Janet Cox

Paddy, Tracy, Lesley and their families would like to thank everyone who sent such kind sympathy cards, messages, flowers and support after the death of Jan in November.

Special thanks to Faith at Rosedale Funeral Home for all her wonderful care and attention whilst arranging Jan's funeral and to Bill Mahood for

conducting such a beautiful service.

Thank you to Ellie and her team at Halesworth Golf Club for organising the excellent refreshments afterwards and to Carina at The Halesworth Florist and Greengrocers for the beautiful tributes.

The whole family have been overwhelmed by the generosity shown in donations to Halesworth Dementia Carers Fund in Jan's memory. These can still be made via the Much Loved online memorial site at: www.rosedalefuneralhome.co.uk

Please accept this as our only, but most sincere acknowledgement.

Halesworth Millennium Green

We haven't forgotten WinterLight! which normally happens in February. You might remember from 2016 onwards the Winter Glow Worms in the Orchard, the Ghost of Fred the Wherryman, the Owl and her missing Egg, the Caterpillar turning to Moth, the Pointing Fish and Eels in the river, and during Covid the Gruffalo Trail. And in particular, all the wonderful lanterns made by local families in the Library, and dancing by the Oxblood Mollies.

This year, our WinterLight! inventors are focussing their creativity on the Track's 10th

Anniversary on Sunday 21st May 2023. We will need your creativity too, to join the Dress Up Your Wheels event, from racing bikes to balancers, from go-carts to wheelbarrows, any wheeled vehicle that doesn't need a motor to move it.

Meanwhile enjoy the wintry Green.

millenniumgreen.halesworth.net carries news of past and future events, photos, wildlife records, history and geology. Contact the Green directly on: thegreen@halesworth.net or (only in an emergency) call 07879 844143.

Ghost of Fred Lambert at WinterLight!

Holton and Blyford Village Hall

We're becoming really excited at the hall at the prospect of the work starting on our sewage system renewal! We know we should get out more. Work is due to start during February. Thanks go to so many wonderful people and organisations who have made it possible.

• The National Lottery 'Awards for All' granted us nearly £7,000.

• Holton Parish Council have let us have (via East Suffolk District Council Community Infrastructure Levy) £5,000.

• Cllr Anette Dunning - Locality Budget has granted us £3,000 from Suffolk County Council.

• The Adnams Foundation have dipped in with £1,500 funds.

• Spectra Packaging and Broadway Colours have given £1,000 each.

So many lovely people from Holton have given us over £1,100 between them following our appeal, and the rest we have raised via The Flushing Dance, and monies which we had from Covid grants. Just a little to go!

It's been a wonderful example of working together to achieve what was seen as a mountain to climb, but has been become an easier path due to kindness.

Events will go on to add

the final amount. Supper with Charley Haylock on Saturday 1st April being the next one. Charley helped with the film The Dig (about Sutton Hoo's wonderful Viking longboat and treasure) and made sure all Suffolk accents were correct. He will talk about the filming and Ralf Fiennes and other stars of the hit film. We will be serving a tasty supper of bangers and mash, the bar will be open, and will welcome all comers. £15 per person for a very funny night as Charley is very much the comedian! Tickets available via Wendy on 01986 872590 paid in advance please.

Halesworth Community Choir are seeking new members

We're a friendly 'open access' choir where everything is taught by ear and no experience is necessary. We sing a varied mix of musical styles, probably best described as World Folk.

We meet approximately fortnightly on Sunday mornings, usually at The Cut Arts Centre in Halesworth. Our rehearsals

resume on Sunday 29th January, from 10:30am-12:30pm, in the Cut auditorium. Dates scheduled for the rest of the choir year are: February 12th and 26th, March 12th and 26th, April 16th and

30th, May 14th and 21st, June 4th and 18th and July 2nd and 16th.

If you're interested, please come along on January 29th see if you like what we sing. You'll receive a warm welcome and YOUR FIRST SESSION IS FREE! For further details, please email: halesworth.community. choir@gmail.com.

PYMER, Dolly

Gerald and Jill Ellis are very sorry they could not attend Dolly Pymers funeral on Friday December 9th 2022.

Dolly was a valued member of Halesworth Town Football Club, as was her late husband John.

Dolly made the tea at half time and the refreshments at full time at every home game. She was a very good friend of ours and a special lady who will be very sadly missed.

Gerald

Honorary Life Vice President, Halesworth Town Football Club

Ellis,

SANKEY, Sheila

In memory of our dear mum Sheila Sankey who passed away on 4th January 2003.

Mum could you come back and stay a while.

We want to hear your voice and see your smile.

We want to hold you tight and never let you go.

And tell you that we love and miss you so.

All our love always and forever, daughter Barbara and son Dale xxx

If you would like to announce a funeral or remember a loved one in our 'In memoriam' column, please email: edit@micropress.co.uk

Halesworth Volunteers

Sometimes miracles really do happen. We never expected that so many people would make Christmas so special for so many.

Our Gifts for Caryl created an absolute outpouring of kindness. We had wonderful gifts from so many people, many who remembered Caryl and many just inspired by her story. Huge thanks to our friends at Suffolk Community Foundation who donated the most wonderful gifts as well as the many anonymous donors who gave so generously including one wonderful couple who spent days wrapping the most lovely, thoughtful gifts. To see the wonderful gifts at the Larder was definitely one of the highlights of an extraordinary year.

And then there was Babs.

In early December, we were worrying that we could not find a cook to help people who can no longer cook for themselves have a proper Christmas dinner

on Christmas Day, and then we met Babs. Babs just made magic happen with not a little bit of help from her friends. With the support of Halesworth Day Centre, a magnificent anonymous donation and the wonderful gift of turkey and pigs in blankets from Lizzie at the family at Mills & Sons & Daughters, Southwold. We were able to ensure that 18 households received a proper Christmas lunch, turkey and all the trimmings, pudding, Christmas cake, mince pies and even a cracker. Huge thanks to our amazing volunteers: Nicky and Sal, Irene, Maddie, St John, Karen and Rich and Chas and the legendary Babs who made it all possible. And you read it here first but next year, we will be doing a proper, sit-down Community Christmas Lunch.

And in other news. Many of us had a tear in the eye when we finally received our Queen's Award for Volunteering. Clare

(Countess of Euston, our LordLieutenant) gave a very moving address, reminding us of the amazing service of our late Queen Elizabeth, but also explaining that this is a very personal award and the Queen would have taken time to find out about the work of our fantastic volunteers. It's also an award that recognises the contribution of all the volunteers from local charities, parish and town councils, businesses and local groups and churches that did so much together during the pandemic. Thanks to the Boarding House for providing a special tea.

We would like to thank all the businesses, individuals and local groups that donated so generously to Halesworth Volunteers this year. As the cost of living crisis bites, we are every more reliant on the donations of very kind and generous people. But it is sobering to note that just booking one car journey costs us nearly £4. That is

because we take time to match the right driver to the right passenger, everything we do is about making it right for the people we support. If you'd like to find out how you can support our work, please call Emma on 875600 or visit: halesworthvolunteers.org/donatetoday/

And remember, our events are back! The wellbeing lunch at Chinneys takes place on the 1st Tuesday of the month. Our wonderful quiz takes place at the White Hart on the 3rd Wednesday of the month with Nigel the amazing quiz master. And finally our lovely soup and sarnie lunches take place at St. Mary's Church on the 4th Wednesday of the month. The next one is January 25th.

And finally, at this time of year we always remember the lovely people we have lost in the year. We wouldn't be the organisation we are without the brilliant people that we support. You are why we do what we do.

staff and participants for making it such fun) and an evening with members of Woodbridge Inner Wheel, whose members were keen to 'have-a-go'. We are now taking bookings for 2023. We can tailor our programme to meet your needs; youth and adult groups, residential and care homes, school workshops and weddings (where maybe the church does not have tower bells). If you'd like more information or would like to come along to one of our practices, please contact me on: l.sherman654@btinternet.com or 01986 798397 or 07789 365229.

Linda Sherman

Artwork by "The Hat"

Over the long hot summer and autumn of 2022, several pieces of artwork by the elusive Suffolk artist known locally as "The Hat" have been donated to various charities, either to keep and display or to sell off to generate funds for said charity. Most of the recipients have been local to Suffolk and include BBC Suffolk Radio, East Anglian Children's Hospice, Suffolk Mind, The Pear Tree Fund, Framlingham Library, and Halesworth Men's Shed. Even far flung charities have benefited, namely, Artists on Boards which is a charity trying to get an indoor all year skatepark in Waltham Forest, East London. This particular charity had a total of ten skateboards donated by ten different artists, and at the end of an online auction, the one by "The Hat" was sold at a hammer price of £750. Good going indeed. Here at Halesworth Men's Shed, a package was found

propped up by our back door. This item was brought indoors and left for a week, as everyone thought it was a delivery for a shed member. Time passed and no-one claimed the parcel, so it was opened and revealed the artwork, with a note saying it has been donated by "The Hat" and is to be either displayed or sold for our funds. It's called "Power 2022". We made a frame for it and hung it in our reception area for a while, but couldn't decide on a permanent home for it, so we had a vote of the members as to its outcome, and the decision was to send it to auction at Clarke and Simpson in Campsea Ash, as they have previously sold these items in the past, the first being the one donated to BBC Suffolk Radio.

It's due to be included in the February 20th auction 'Art Deco & 20th Century Design & Retro'. We wait with baited breath for a hopefully positive outcome.

February open garden

There will be an open garden on Sunday 26th February from 11am to 4pm at The Laburnums, St. James, South Elmham, IP19 0HN (will be signposted from eight miles out). Admission £4 for adults and 50p for children (there are three ponds in the garden but most is accessible to the disabled).

Open for Snowdrops, Hellebores and other winter delights, all so important to the early insects and birdlife that inhabit the garden. Pretty important to the well being of the humans who visit too!

Refreshments on sale will be tea/ coffee, cakes and hot soup and

crusty bread. Gluten-free will be available on request.

Whatever the weather, come and enjoy the garden and refreshments. There's shelter in the conservatory and the large glasshouse and a warm welcome.

The garden is in it's 30th year of opening and had been featured in a number of magazines and newspapers as well as on BBC Radio Suffolk and EastSuffolk One. The garden owner won a Chelsea Gold Medal whilst studying horticulture at Otley College and did further studies at Easton College.

For more information, call 01986 782413.

Musker McIntyre to start property auctions

Musker McIntyre Estate Agents and Financial Services (a leading name for the past two decades in residential sales and lettings throughout Norfolk and Suffolk) are streamlining and diversifying their business for 2023 adding an exciting new element to the business in the form of property auctions.

Whilst expanding the business model with the addition of the auctions department to our residential estate agency and financial services business, we have also made the decision to reduce the high street office spaces we occupy by closing our Beccles and Norwich offices. ''As a forward-thinking company in an ever-changing industry, the decision to reduce offices comes in part from the pandemic period of lockdown which made us realise we can and need to change and adapt to the new ways of working'' said Simon McIntyre. ''Whilst working through the pandemic, our expert teams proved how adaptable they were by how smoothly the business continued to run. We have a fantastic strong, professional, and friendly team who will all remain and bringing them under the same roof will only benefit our operation and the service levels for our clients and customers.''

Simon added.

He said the days of having "an estate agent office on every street corner were gone" and it didn't make business sense to have staff manning multiple offices which were geographically so closely to each other. ''We are also keen

to lower our carbon footprint and allow the otherwise (Estate Agent) crowded high streets to flourish. The vast majority of our business is done over the telephone and email but we of course understand certain clients' needs require an office space to visit so whilst we will be closing both or Norwich and Beccles branches, the staff will operate from Halesworth, Harleston, Diss, Loddon and Bungay offices and as always will be available to visit clients in their homes if a trip into the nearest branch is not possible.''

"Having a lot of offices is an old-fashioned model which worked for us 16 years ago and we at Musker McIntyre are trying to adapt to what people want which is a faster, more agile business and where we go to them rather than waiting for them to come to us."

Mr McIntyre said some of the changes would have happened without the pandemic, but that lockdown had shown them how convenient working with some new technology and streamlining

the business in order to give our clients a faster, more slick service.

"We are pleased to announce that our premises in Beccles have already been snapped up by a well-known independent bakery chain who have long desired a high street position in Beccles, our site in New Market is the ideal space and we take pleasure in wishing Two Magpies Bakery every success'' said Simon and Joanna McIntyre.

We will be running our estate agency from the five larger hubs in Bungay, Halesworth, Harleston, Loddon and Diss, where we have teams covering sales, lettings and management and a new string to our bow... Auctions that cover the whole of East Anglia, under the banner of 'Town & Country Property Auctions'.

If you are considering a move in 2023 or would like to know more about the changes we are making this year, please contact us in the Halesworth office (01986 888205) and speak to Deborah and Emma or visit: www.muskermcintyre.co.uk

WEA spring course in Wenhaston

The Wenhaston Branch of the Workers Educational Association (WEA) will burst back into action with the spring 2023 term.

Our course will be 'Cinema and Religion' and is described by our tutor, David Sharp, as follows: "Since the invention of movies, believers have seen

the potential of the screen to document, envisage and persuade the viewer of the importance of a certain religious way of life.

Cecil B. DeMille's biblical blockbusters have given way to more sophisticated, sympathetic as well as sceptical perspectives on religion by directors such as Dreyer, Passolini, Weir and

Blyth Valley Parkinson's Support Group

Happy and healthy new year to you all from Blyth Valley Parkinson's Support Group. We hope it will be a good one. We had an enjoyable year in 2022 with interesting speakers and pleasant outings. However, our membership has increased and we have sadly had to leave the Pear Tree Centre as there wasn't quite enough room, and though we were very happy there. We have now relocated to Holton Village Hall, IP19 8RZ where there's plenty of parking and a large hall with all the facilities we need. We meet on the second

Thursday of the month from 10:30am to 12 noon where you will find a welcome and support as well as probably an interesting speaker or chance to discuss any worries or concerns you may have.

The next meeting on February 9th will be a talk by Halesworth Museum, which (as I have heard it before) I know will be fascinating. All welcome! If anyone would like a programme or to discuss joining the group, please contact Gail Attfield on 01986 872283 or Margaret Bloomfield on 01502 478502.

Scorcese. Films will be grouped by major traditions: Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, New Age and will raise different questions about religion and spirituality.

Films chosen will generally be of a serious nature, well received by critics and rarely biblical blockbusters, horror, historical costume drama, comedies or feel-good films.

Students may like to watch the following films in preparation: 'Chariots of Fire', 'Silence', 'Yentl', 'The Seventh Seal', 'Dead Man Walking', 'Little Buddha'. You may also like to dip into books such as 'Religion and Film' by Melanie Wright and 'Luminous' by Mike King."

The course comprises of seven, two-hour sessions starting at 10am on Friday 3rd February at Wenhaston Village Hall, Hall Road, IP19 9EP. A break for half term falls on 17th February and the last session will be on 24th March.

You must book online at: www.wea.org.uk (or by phone: 0300 303 3464) quoting reference no. C2229293. The cost is £56.

(For further details, contact wenhaston.branch@wea.ac.uk or 01502 478977).

Halesworth

Planning your Perfect Wedding

Planning a wedding in our part of the world can be a truly magical experience.

With picturesque countryside, historic towns and villages, and stunning coastal views, Suffolk offers a wealth of beautiful venues and settings for your special day.

One of the first things to consider when planning your wedding is your venue. Whether you're looking for a grand country house, a charming village church, or a beachside location, there are plenty of options to choose from.

When it comes to choosing your wedding suppliers, it's always a good idea to use local suppliers where possible. Not only will you be supporting local businesses, but you'll also be able to tap into their local knowledge and expertise. For example, if you're looking for a florist, consider choosing one based in the area as they will know the best local blooms and how to create beautiful, seasonal

arrangements.

With catering in mind, you wont be short of options here in Suffolk. Work with your caterer to create a menu that is tailored to your tastes and budget. For example, some caterers may specialise in traditional English fare, while others might offer a more contemporary, international menu.

Undoubtedly, one of the biggest decisions with any wedding is choosing your dress. Make time to visit the local bridal shops, they will all offer something a little bit different and it's important to find the right dress and service whether it is an 'off the peg' dress or a bespoke made-to-measure option you go for.

All this planning and effort deserves great photography. Choose a photographer who is familiar with the area and can capture the beauty of your wedding day. Local photographers will also have a

wealth of experience and will know the best places to take your wedding photos as they will most likely have worked at the venue or location you choose.

How are you going to get to the church or venue? Many taxi firms have luxury vehicles specifically for weddings or there are lots of specialist companies who provide a range of vehicles to suit your needs or personality.

From classic cars and vintage buses, to horse-drawn carriages and limousines... You really can have whatever you want!

Something that is always a nice touch is to consider choosing local products that reflect the character of the area when looking at favours. For example, you could choose locally-made chocolates, or bottles of local wine as a thank you to your guests.

Last but not least, entertainment! This is a day of celebration and every wedding you have ever been to always ends with dancing! There are a huge array of bands or musicians who can provide a range of styles to suit your tastes. From traditional folk music to contemporary pop, there's something for everyone. But this is your day and so make sure you pick what you want.

Finally, remember to enjoy the planning process and take it all in. This is a special time in your life, and it's important to make the most of it. Remember that things may not always go according to plan, but as long as you're surrounded by the people you love, your wedding day will be perfect. With these tips and tricks, you'll be well on your way to planning a memorable and beautiful wedding!

East Anglia's changing coastline

At the January meeting of the Blyth Valley & Southwold Suffolk Wildlife Trust group, Adam Burrows (from Natural England) gave a fascinating illustrated talk on the constantly changing coastline of East Anglia.

We were able to follow the historic changes from Neolithic times through to Roman and Medieval periods, when terrible storms brought about the loss of many sea ports, Dunwich being our local example. However, the immense wetland fens and marshes of that period teemed with abundant wildlife. Bitterns

were in such abundance that, at one lordly banquet, 200 were served roasted.

Since the terrible floods of 1953, coastal protection became paramount and sea walls were created along coasts and rivers to protect people and property.

The need for sea defence has in recent years increased, but the approach to how it's to be achieved is altering. The local audience are well aware of the crumbling, soft cliffs in our area, and the predictions for the loss of land over the next 50 years is sobering. Towns continue to maintain hard sea defences, but

Halesworth Repair Café

The local repair café (which has now been going for a year) is about to relocate to the Cut Arts Centre in Halesworth. Looking back at last year, exciting statistics were announced.

We attempted 158 repairs, out of which 122 were wholly successful, and 4 maybes. 100% were happy with the service.

We are looking to increase our repertoire to include mobile phones, bicycle punctures (not necessarily every time), and small items of furniture. We are also hoping to launch a few repair workshops in 2023, as well as some 'Cracked World' conversations - not to bemoan our current state but more about the positive side of what we can do locally and in community about issues from refuse and recycling to ecological shopping choices to car sharing.

Basically, if you have something you want to discuss,

come and find us and bring it up! These are the dates for 2023: Covering both weekdays and weekends. We hope to be able to reach a wider audience. All these dates will now be at The Cut Arts Centre, Station Road, Halesworth.

• Sat 18th Feb: 10am-12pm.

• Tues 28th March: 2pm-4pm.

• Tues 25th April: 2pm-4pm.

• Sat 20th May: 10am-12pm.

• Tues 27th June: 2pm-4pm.

• Tues 25th July: 2pm-4pm If we have one!

• August: Nothing.

• Tues 26th Sept: 2pm-4pm.

• Sat 21st Oct: 10am-12pm.

• Tues 28th Nov: 2pm-4pm. We look forward to seeing you at The Cut on one of these dates, bringing a favourite article for mending, a pair of willing hands, or ideas for a greener future, or all three!

elsewhere a managed retreat is considered the best option, and different solutions are needed.

Some beaches, as at Dunwich, are allowed to become more extensive and resilient, with localised dykes and outflows where necessary: elsewhere, sea defences further inland will be built, allowing more extensive and bio-diverse wetlands to develop and form a wider protection. And there are positive outcomes where wetlands are re-established: Marsh Harriers, Avocets, Spoonbills and Bitterns are breeding successfully again, and Cranes are once more in our

skies.

The subject was of considerable local interest, and we all left with a deeper understanding of the complexities of coastal change and its management.

Our next meeting is on February 9th at 7:30pm in the Southwold Arts Centre, IP18 6JP. Paul Davies from the RSPB will be talking about the 'Beach Nesting Birds of East Anglia'. Admission is £4, refreshments are included. Under 25's are free. All are welcome. For more information, contact us at swtblythvalley@gmail.com.

Wrentham

Chapel

Wrentham Chapel continues their annual programme of Caedmon evenings with the first event of 2023 being held on Friday March 24th, in the Chapel, commencing at 7pm. Those attending are invited to contribute to the evening by bringing items of music, word or song to perform on the night (this is optional!)

This seasonal celebration will include a light buffet with wine and fruit juice. There is no charge for this event but donations to a retiring collection for the upkeep of this historic Chapel will be most welcome.

Dunwich Beach

Wenhaston Flower Club

On Tuesday 6th December, we held our last meeting of 2022. This was our annual Christmas party where we bring sharing plates of food for the buffet and the club provides the drinks with funds raised throughout the year from the sales table run by Sheila.

Jean made the decorations for the tables which added to the festive atmosphere. The evening was so well attended and everyone had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Before we tucked into the party food, we were very fortunate to have Jenny Baker with us who demonstrated three Christmas-themed arrangements and Sheila gave the vote of thanks and wished her well when she goes to Westminster Abbey to arrange flowers for the Christmas

Carol Service.

We don't have a meeting in January. Our next meeting will be our 'After Christmas Meal' on Thursday 2nd February. Please note that this is not our usual day. We're going to The Huntsman and Hounds at 12pm for 12:30pm. If anyone would like to go, please contact Jackie.

We resume in March with a new program in our usual venue, Wenhaston Village Hall on the first Tuesday in the month at 7:30pm.

We offer a warm welcome to everyone. There isn't a membership fee, you just pay on the night, which is £5 and includes tea/coffee and biscuits. For more information, please contact Jackie Chenery on 01502 478401.

Halesworth Community Church

Christmas and New Year celebrations soon came and went, and we find ourselves in the familiar position of starting January with some good intentions. Eating less cheese or cutting down on sugar or alcohol as well as the attempted increase in exercise are popular choices.

Our good intentions tend not to last unless they've become ingrained patterns of behaviour. Taking control of your choices is a tough challenge. Many that I have spoken too have suffered with various illnesses; coughs, colds, flu and Covid can dampen the mood.

As a church, we've continued to meet and celebrate this important time of the year. Being together with the people we know and love is special. However, it can cause its issues. Families can struggle to get along and friendships can become strained. Parents are relieved as children head back to school and the house seems tidier and quieter. Getting back to a regular pattern and structure brings a sense of comfortable normality.

In a recent talk, I challenged

people to consider what influences them most. At times we can be heavily swayed by what other people think of us. We can focus too much of our attention on keeping up appearances, and our actions can be influenced by others rather than ourselves. This is part of life and part of being human.

As a church, we teach the importance of recognising this and having the choice to be influenced differently. Believing in God gives an opportunity to be, not only influenced, but changed in the process. Having a different perspective this January and being able to change thought and behaviour patterns can lead to deep satisfaction. In the same talk, I used the word 'kindness' and set a challenge to the listeners to incorporate more kindness in their lives.

To listen to the Sunday talks and for more information on our church visit: www. halesworthcommunitychurch.org

Tim Sparkes

Halesworth Area Community Transport

Do you have a New Year's resolution to get involved in helping others this year? Are you looking for something rewarding to do in the coming years? Will 2023 bring you partial or complete retirement?

Well, 2023 sees Halesworth Area Community Transport (HACT) move into its 41st year of operation. In that time, we've run regular bus services transporting people around Halesworth and Holton and a regular service to Chediston and Linstead on Wednesday mornings.

Each year sees dozens of Community Hires where our drivers take local groups to places which can't be reached by public transport. And recently, we provided vital services during the pandemic, such as collecting shopping for those stuck at home and taking people to Reydon for their Covid vaccinations.

For this to happen, we rely on volunteers to act as drivers and bus buddies. Bus buddies support the scheduled service we provide

five mornings and one afternoon every week, helping people on and off the bus, carrying shopping to the front door and collecting fares from those who pay. Drivers and buddies choose when they want to help, whether it is a scheduled service or volunteering for a Community Hire. For all those who want to join a short training programme is provided.

If you're interested in finding out more, please email:

office@hactbus.co.uk or call 01986 875900 before midday.

Finally, everyone at HACT would like to thank all those who made donations of money and goodies during Christmas and new year.

Arrangements by our demonstrator, Jenny Baker

Pear & Mincemeat

CrumbleCake

As featured in Places & Faces

Magazine. To subscribe to

Places&Faces (THE luxury lifestyle magazine for Norfolk & Suffolk) delivered straight to your door, visit their website: www.placesandfaces.co.uk

Recipe by Cottage Delight. www.cottagedelight.co.uk

Ingredients: Serves 12

For the pears:

• 4 firm pears, peeled, cored and cut into small pieces.

• 3 Tbsp golden caster sugar.

• 1 tsp mixed spice.

For the cake:

• 250g pack salted butter, softened.

• 250g golden caster sugar.

• 1 tsp vanilla extract.

• 5 large eggs.

• 200g self-raising flour.

• 100g ground almonds.

• 7 Tbsp plain flour.

• 6 Tbsp Cottage Delight Luxury Tipsy Mincemeat.

Method:

- Put pears into a non-stick frying pan with 2 Tbsp sugar and 2 Tbsp water. Cover, then cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes until tender, stirring every so often. There shouldn't be juice once the pears are cooked. Add the spice and leave to cool.

- Heat oven to 160°C. Butter, then line the base and sides of a 20cm round, deep cake tin. Put butter, sugar, vanilla and ¼ tsp salt into a large bowl. Beat with an electric hand whisk until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and flour, beat until smooth, then fold in

the almonds.

- Remove 85g batter and put into a small bowl, add the plain flour and chop into the mix with a cutlery knife to make a soft, crumbly-looking mix.

- Spoon half the cake mix into the tin, top with half the pears, dot over half the Luxury Tipsy Mincemeat, then dollop the rest of the cake mix on top.

- Scatter with remaining pears, Luxury Tipsy Mincemeat, then the crumble mix. Sprinkle with final 1 Tbsp sugar.

- Bake for 1½ hours, covering with foil after 1 hour, until golden, risen and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then cool on a rack.

Highfield House residents wait expectantly as the bar is opened.

Halesworth care home opens pub for its residents

Ladies and gentlemen... the bar is officially open! Castlemeadow Care's Highfield House care home in Halesworth has opened a new pub for the residents at the home to enjoy. The home on London Road in Halesworth provides short-term and longer-term residential care including support for people living with dementia. "The Highfield Arms" is situated in one of the communal lounges at the home and was recently converted by Castlemeadow Care's Regional Maintenance team.

The pub was officially opened by resident Jonathon Harvey OBE with Home Manager Martin Bargeman. For the opening, residents enjoyed their favourite tipple, served from the bar by Wellbeing Co-ordinator Hollie Mitchell, with mince pies while listening to festive music. Martin Bargeman explained how the idea came about: "The lounge at the home was always a nice area for residents with its big picture windows, but when we suggested converting it to a pub, the residents were all for it! With a refit and some

fantastic donations from the local Halesworth community, we've created a lovely area of the home that we can use for activities, social occasions and events, as well as it being a lovely location for residents to enjoy their favourite tipple! The wellbeing of our residents is something we take really seriously, so to have something like this at the home is brilliant!"

Highfield House would like to thank Adnams and The Angel Hotel in Halesworth for their generosity in providing items for the new bar.

Everyone Active named as new operating partner for Halesworth Campus

Further to our Community News update in June where we set out the process of finding a new operating partner, we can now announce that a new partnership is being agreed with Everyone Active, a leading leisure contractor operating over 200 centres nationally.

The search began some months ago when we learned of the sad winding up of our long-term partner Sentinel Leisure Trust who were to coordinate sports activity on site and operate the eventual gym, pitches, sports hall and café. A day of presentations and interviews with potential partners planned for July had to be postponed due to Covid but was eventually rescheduled for November 7th. Sherry Storer

(Head of Centre at Suffolk New College on the Coast) kindly hosted the event at The Skills Centre which made for comfortable surroundings with all necessary facilities. Helping us assess the presentation were representatives from Halesworth Town Council, Halesworth Community Sport

and Leisure, Halesworth Town Junior Football Club, Halesworth Tennis Club, Halesworth Volunteer Centre, Southwold Rugby Club, Castlemeadow Care, the Apollo youth club and Suffolk New College. These volunteers gave up their time to be part of the proceedings and Halesworth Campus is grateful for their input, questions and opinions which were essential to the selection process.

Everyone Active made an enthusiastic and persuasive presentation, facilitated by Richard Chatwin and Dan Hicks, Business Development Manager and Regional Contract Manager respectively. Also part of the team were Stuart Jardine, Norwich area Contract Manager and Lee Drewery, Active Communities Manager. In addition to information about the corporation, its structure, ethos and range of services, the presentation also focussed on local provision, statistics, projections and the specific needs and wishes of Halesworth and surrounding locality.

Everyone Active has been

operating locally at Waterlane Leisure Centre in Lowestoft and Waveney Valley Leisure Centre (Bungay Pool and Gym) since early 2021. They demonstrated good understanding of the area around Halesworth in their presentation and also answered some searching questions from the invited guests. Affordability was of keen interest, as were the ways in which Everyone Active would attract new users, work with local groups, increase uptake by disability groups and in general improve wellbeing within the Halesworth and Holton Healthy Neighbourhood.

The presentation was followed by a formal interview with Campus trustees where attitudes, ideas and ways of working together were explored. The Campus is a unique enterprise, involving many different facets of our

community, and we were keen to hear about the willingness of Everyone Active to develop programmes that catered to diverse local requirements.

For the final stage of the selection process, the scoresheets and notes from the presentation and interview were considered by a selection panel consisting of two Campus trustees and the Chair of Halesworth Community Sport and Leisure. The panel subsequently made a recommendation to the board of Halesworth Campus that Everyone Active should be invited to be an operating partner in an advisory capacity at first, with a long-term view to being the eventual facility operator.

It is the beginning of our journey together, but Halesworth Campus feels confident that Everyone Active

has the right approach, as well as the flexibility in working, to provide the sports services that we are all looking forward to having in Halesworth. Chair of the Campus board of trustees, Tony Goldson, said "We are delighted to be able to draw on the experience and advice of Everyone Active and are looking forward to developing a close working relationship as our plans progress".

Stuart Jardine (Everyone Active's Contract Manager) said: "Halesworth Campus is so important for health and wellbeing in the local community and we hope to create a close, impactful relationship with Halesworth Campus which will last for many years to come."

The perfect recipe to use-up those jars of mincemeat left over from Christmas!

Resident Jonathan Harvey OBE and Manager Martin Bargeman officially open The Highfield Arms

Resident Judy Burgess enjoying her favourite tipple.

Resident Ralph Wright enjoying a drink at the bar.

Halesworth WI

We held our December Christmas meeting at the Angel Hotel where it gave our members an opportunity to chat and enjoy a festive lunch together.

We were reminded of forthcoming 2023 events, our

Suffolk East WI Federation AGM is to be held on March 7th at Trinity Park, Ipswich and a Kurling, coffee and cake day on February 9th at Wrentham Village Hall. Our first January meeting on the 19th at 2pm is a talk by an important organisation

the Suffolk Accident and Rescue Service followed in February by Wayne Burns to tell us all about the Leiston Cinema. We sang happy birthday to two members and wished everybody a happy Christmas and a healthy 2023 before wending our way home.

Dee's Den Charity Shop Raising money for The Pear Tree Fund

Sorry our report didn't make it into the last edition! We hope you have had a lovely Christmas and best wishes for the new year.

Our week in the pop-up shop, I-Chameleon in the Thoroughfare in October raised additional funds for the charity, selling some furniture and lovely items, including our popular tombola and cake stall. £1,839 was raised after expenses! Thank you to all that helped and donated items.

Bargains continue at Dee's Den with a wonderful display of winter clothes for men and women of all ages, children, and babies too, all at affordable prices. We're very aware that things are tough, and every pound needs to stretch that little bit further, thank you for supporting us.

We now have a new feature in Dee's Den' in Steeple End, a vintage/designer rail with lovely pieces of fashion. If you have any vintage clothes to donate, please bring them in. A children's rail which (when the weather allows) will be outside with the £1 rail,

our weekly rail of discounted adult clothes.

Our amazing volunteers have been sorting your generous donations and displaying a wide range of products to buy. Every penny you spend in the shop goes into the fund to provide care and support to our local population (after running costs of electricity and rent etc). We realise that we're all in a more challenging place with our money needing to go further, so give us a look to see if we can help. If you have any donations, please consider us. We're noticing a drop in the donations coming in.

We have a wide assortment of bric-a-brac and kitchenware lots of glassware, including a 50p 'bargain basket'. We also have linen, books to suit everyone, five books for £1 in the 'book bargain basket'. Lots of children's book too. Lovely jams, and marmalades (available much of the time). Thank you Ann and Jenny for these.

Please note: The Dee's Den shop winter opening times are now Monday to Saturday mornings from 10am-1pm,

occasionally on Wednesday, Friday or Saturday, we stay open until 2pm. Please understand that at times we need to close the shop earlier than times advertised.

We continue to accept most donations on Mondays and Thursdays from 10am-1pm as we have additional staff on duty. PLEASE you can help us by bringing in several boxes or bags on these days. Everything needs to be clean and saleable.

Just a reminder, we DO NOT accept used electrical items, only new boxed items.

We really value the continued support of this local charity by the community, providing much needed care to many. We provide additional care for those registered with Cutlers Hill Surgery, enabling people

to be cared for at home at end of life, so people can die at home if this is their wish. The Pear Tree Centre (next door to Cutlers Hill Surgery) continues to provide a variety of services, advice and support for the people living in East and North Suffolk and South Norfolk, who have a progressive or life changing condition; also, where their families can seek help and support too. Phone the centre manager Seva and her team on 01986 899655, they are there to help you.

You can find Dee's Den in Steeple End, opposite the church. For more information contact Volunteer manager Nikki on 07733 668221. Please DO NOT leave bags or goods at the door when we are closed. Thank you, Nikki.

Cancer Research UK Halesworth branch

Everyone at the Halesworth Branch of Cancer Research would like to wish you all a very happy and healthy new year and to thank you all for making 2022 such a successful year for us by supporting all our events.

We are so grateful that you come along to Holton Village Hall every time and are always so generous.

Thanks to supporters like you, Cancer Research can continue to fund ground-breaking research enabling people to lead longer, better lives free from the fear of cancer. We couldn't beat cancer without you.

We start our fundraising again with our very popular jumble sale on Saturday February 18th (please see our advert). We are always grateful for donations of bric-a-brac, books, household linens and saleable clothing. Sorry but as usual, we can't accept electrical items and as usual, please don't leave items at the Village Hall as we only hire the hall on the day so are unaware of anything left there. Please contact me (Dawn) if you have anything you can spare for the jumble sale. Also we are trying a new venture in July. We're having the i-Chameleon pop up shop so again we'd be grateful for donations of good items of brica-brac and any unwanted gifts you may have that you're willing to donate, as we need to keep the shop stocked for a week. I know this seems a long way away right

now, but we're happy to accept items now for the shop. Please continue to visit Gill on 19 Dukes Drive to get your books and jigsaws for these long winter nights.

Thank you to Lindy Lou Bags in Lowestoft who continues to collect for us on her stall by the library.

Thank you to Ian and everyone at The Huntsman and Hounds Spexhall for looking after us so well at our committee and volunteers Christmas meal. Everyone was in a festive mood and we all had a lovely relaxing time.

Thank you also to Holton Village Hall they always go above and beyond for us and without the hall we wouldn't have a venue so please support them when you can in their fundraising efforts to keep the hall open and maintained.

Finally a thank you from me to the committee members and volunteers for all your hard work and dedication to Cancer Research, you are a fantastic team and hope you're all looking forward to the start of a new year, as you all know the work we do really does make a difference. Thank you everyone.

Dawn, Chair, Halesworth Branch of Cancer Research UK, 01986 873640

Future of Leiston Film Theatre Support Club in question

A vital source of support for one of the country's oldest surviving cinemas is facing an uncertain future, as a number of long serving committee members have recently announced that they will be stepping down at the end of February.

Leiston Film Theatre Support Club was formed in 1992, as an independent group to raise funds to improve the facilities and interior décor of the Leiston Film Theatre, through numerous fundraising activities and social events.

The Club have provided outstanding financial assistance towards the many improvements made at the venue over the past 30 years, totalling £135,000, and as the Club celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2022, several long-serving committee members intend to step down from their various roles at the Club's annual general meeting in March 2023.

Between them, these six members have served a remarkable 126 years on the committee and will leave the organisation with the sincere

appreciation of the Club's few remaining committee members, Film Theatre management and Leiston-cum-Sizewell Town Council, for their remarkable achievements over the past 30 years.

With the imminent retirement of committee members, the Club is urgently seeking volunteers to come forward to join their committee to continue the important fundraising and support that the Club provides for Suffolk's iconic cinema.

Lesley Hill (who is herself standing down from her role as Club Chairman) is hopeful that new members will come forward, or that the Club can be restructured to continue offering assistance to the Film Theatre. "I very much hope that people will come forward to continue the invaluable work the committee has already undertaken and provide additional improvements

to further enhance the Film Theatre for the future."

Wayne Burns (Leiston Film Theatre Manager) believes that the Club's valued members will want to see the Club prevail in some form. "The retiring committee members have my sincere thanks for all that they have done for the Film Theatre and we couldn't have achieved most of our improvements without them. It's very apparent that our loyal customers want to show their support to their cinema of choice and they see their membership to the Support Club as a small annual contribution to aid the cinema. We'll do what we can to encourage some form of membership fundraising scheme to continue" he said.

The Support Club's AGM will be held at Leiston Film Theatre on Saturday 4th March at 10:30am, with complimentary tea and coffee served from 10am. Anyone interested in learning more about the Support Club committee and how they may get involved, should contact Lesley Hill on 01728 830514.

Woodbridge Town Council

Report from the Climate & Ecological Emergency Committee

Perhaps some people feel powerless to do anything about the threat of climate chaos?

Perhaps they wonder whether there's any point trying to reduce our personal impact, as long as national governments continue to wrangle and make agonisingly slow progress in agreeing meaningful changes at a succession of COP summits?

Well, the good news is that we are not powerless. And there most definitely is benefit in reducing our individual carbon impact.

In fact, according to a study published last year, about 25% of the global carbon emissions reductions that are necessary to avoid catastrophic climate chaos, can only be made by individuals. (There are targets for governments and business making up the remaining 75%).

So here are a few suggestions from the study-

• Eat green: Reducing household food waste to zero and a shift to a mostly plant based diet, would deliver 12% of the total savings needed by North American and European countries.

• Dress retro: Reducing the number new items of clothing to just a few per year could deliver 6% of the total savings needed.

• Holiday local: As close as is possible, reduce personal flights to one short-haul flight every three years, and one long-haul every eight years.

• Travel fresh: For those who can, reducing vehicle ownership could deliver 2% of the total savings needed by 2030.

• End clutter: Optimising the lifetime of both electronics and appliances, keeping them for at

least seven years, would deliver the 3% of the total savings needed.

• Change the system: To influence the remaining 75% of emissions, citizens could take action that encourages and supports industry and government to make the urgently needed, high impact changes to change the system. For instance, swapping to a green energy supplier, changing to a green pension, retrofitting our homes, or influencing our politicians.

So there's some food for thought. If you'd like to see the report, see it online www. takethejump.org/power-ofpeople.

Always good to hear back from you.

Councillor Martin Wilks, Chair, CEEc, councillorwilks@ woodbridge-suffolk.gov.uk

An update from Dr Dan Poulter, MP

In the first instance, I hope you all had a very happy and peaceful festive season and my best wishes to you for the new year ahead.

We all want to ensure that our children and grandchildren have good homes to live in. We also recognise the need for new housing developments where there is a need, and to ensure that there are affordable new homes, including social rented houses, built as a part of larger new developments.

However, I have always firmly believed that decisions about new housing developments should be taken locally, and that brownfield development should be prioritised ahead of building on the countryside.

I am pleased to say that it is these principles that now underpin our planning laws. When I was first elected as an MP in 2010, the Government introduced the Localism Act to support local councils to develop evidencebased housing plans according to local housing need.

Suffolk's towns and parishes now also have the power to

develop their own neighbourhood plans.

Thanks to these important Government reforms, the topdown regional housing targets were rightly scrapped, and Whitehall civil servants, many of whom have never set foot in Suffolk, lost the power to impose massive new housing developments on our area.

It is because of my belief in protecting the countryside from over-development, and letting councils take the lead in developing evidence-based housing growth plans based upon local need, that I recently worked with other MPs to block suggested changes to the planning system which would have potentially reintroduced a form of regionally set housing target by the back door, as well as fast-tracked developments in certain areas without proper local consultation or scrutiny. These changes were wrong and I am pleased to have played my part in stopping them from happening.

I remain firmly of the view that we must continue to better protect local consultation and decision

making in the planning process.

I am currently fighting to ensure that new laws are introduced to allow a community right of appeal against a planning decision. Currently, developers have the right to appeal but communities do not. It is time to level the playing field. Bad planning decisions need to be challenged, and residents deserve the right to do so.

Over the past few years, there have been developments recommended and granted for approval because of the fear of the cost to the council of defending an appeal. Levelling the playing field by creating a new community right of appeal would support council planning officers and councillors to make the right planning decisionsdecisions which are in the best interests of the local community rather than decisions that best protect the council from the costs of a planning appeal.

I shall continue to do all that I can to ensure our local councils have all the tools they need to make the right planning decisions in the future.

Music in the Library

You are invited to two musical events at Woodbridge Library.

On Thursday 23rd February, an evening of folk music, poems and songs will be led by Claudia Myatt and Julia Dansie who play guitar and harp. They have invited some friends to join them, adding in whistle, ukulele and bass. Interspersed in the music will be a sprinkling of poems, making for a varied and entertaining evening. The performance begins at 7:30pm, tickets are £8 and you can book in-person at the Library or by phoning 01394 330855.

Five days later, one of Woodbridge's favourite buskers will play a free lunchtime concert. Saxophonist Tim Sadler returns to the Library on Tuesday 28th February at 12:45pm.

Tim has been playing in bands, groups and solo for over 50 years and nowadays entertains at weddings and parties and is booked regularly by a national

Woodbridge Royal British Legion

At the start of a new year, we'd like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year.

As I sit here thinking about what has happened and what I can write about 2022, I remember all the support that was given towards the 40th Anniversary of the Falklands conflict and our branch 100th year fête. I remember the Queens Platinum Jubilee and the fun we all enjoyed on the day. Then just a few months later, the sad passing of HRH Queen Elizabeth II. This has made me remember the friends that we've lost over the past year and just recently over the Christmas period. We lost a friendly member of staff at the Woodbridge British Legion Club. This lovely lady was always friendly, would remember your preferences and checked if you were alright. I am sure they will all be missed by so many of us.

We are all now starting to look forward to the events that we'll be holding over the coming year which have added to the dates for the diary. I would just like to say that if you're holding an event and think that you'd like to have our standards parade for you, please let us know and we will do our best to attend.

Dates for the diary:

• 6th May: King Charles III Coronation Day.

• 7th May: VE Day Parade Garden of Remembrance, Market Hill, Woodbridge.

News from Framlingham and Saxmundham Cats Protection

We had a very busy year in 2022 and our fosterers were in danger of being overrun with kittens. With the cost of living crisis deepening, we expect to have another frantic year as we're seeing more and more people having to give up their cats or not being able to cover the cost of getting their young cats neutered.

To raise both money and awareness of what we do, we need to continue attending shows and events throughout the year. To continue to do this we also need more volunteers to help with these events.

We are in need of a Fundraising Coordinator: Do you love cats? Are you confident, enjoy socialising, meeting people, having fun? Would you like to know you are helping cats and kittens? If this is you, then why not consider volunteering with

us? We're seeking a volunteer to help organise fundraising activities. You don't need experience as training and support is given. To find out more, call us on 01728 723499 or email: enquiries@framandsax. cats.org.uk. We look forward to hearing from you!

Cats looking for a home: These three young chaps pictured are Bing, Chuck and Elvis and they are in need of loving homes. They are large, lively and full of fun. If you could offer them the start in life they need, call us or email to find out more.

See our website: www.cats. org.uk/framandsax, email: enquiries@framandsax.cats.org. uk or telephone 01728 723499 for more information about adopting cats in our care, how to become a member of the branch, event dates, neutering, cat-care leaflets,

• 17th June: Charity 40's Dance Woodbridge Football Club.

• 15th July: 70th Anniversary Korean War Parade and Fête.

• 28th July: Freedom of Woodbridge Parade 23 Engineer Regt and Woodbridge RBL.

• 12th August: VJ Day Parade, Garden of Remembrance, Market Hill, Woodbridge.

• 28th October: Poppy Appeal Launch, Thoroughfare, Woodbridge.

• 10th November: School Children's Remembrance Service, Market Hill.

• 11th November: Graveside Remembrance at the war graves in the New Cemetery.

• 12th November: Remembrance Sunday.

The Woodbridge RBL branch is looking to recruit more committee members. We're looking for people to spare a couple of hours on the first Monday of the month to come along to our branch meeting and help us to shape the future of the branch and bring innovative ideas to help with our fundraising.

If you're interested in taking on role for the Woodbridge RBL, please contact Brian Fisk the Branch Chairman on 07840 157758 or: brian-fisk.rbl@hotmail.co.uk.

how to become a volunteer fundraiser or fosterer, make a donation and other ways you can

support us. You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Mallard Fencing

Supply and Installation of a range of fencing.

Supply and installation of a range of fencing.

We also offer a verity of landscaping services. Based in Saxmundham serving all surrounding areas.

We also offer a variety of landscaping services. Based in Saxmundham serving all surrounding areas.

Free quotation and professional advice. Tel. 07858 912558

159613

hotel chain. We're really pleased to welcome back his easylistening style for a relaxing lunchtime so please join us for this free event.

Tim Sadler

This page is about winter support in the local area. This page of information is funded by the Beccles, Bungay, Halesworth and villages Community Partnership.

Ease the Squeeze is East Suffolk Council’s response to the rising cost of living. There are different projects and support available for those in need. If

Beccles Warm Rooms: Bungay Winter Support:

OTHER SUPPORT AVAILABLE IN BUNGAY

FOR FAMILIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE

SPUD CLUB: Thursdays: Bungay Community Centre: 4pm-5:30pm

LEGO & CRAFTS: Saturdays: Bungay Library: 10:30am-11:30pm

BUNGAY YOUTH CLUB: Wednesdays: 6pm-8pm: Riverside Centre

BUNGAY BABY & TODDLER GROUP: Wednesdays (term time): St. Edmund’s Hall: 9:15am-11am (£1.50 per family including snacks)

TRINITY TODDLERS: Thursdays (term time): Holy Trinity Church: Church Room: 9:30am-11am: £1 per family.

BABY BANK: 2nd & 4th Tuesdays of the month: Owles Warehouse: 10am-12pm.

FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY

HYGIENE BAGS: Free hygiene bags & menstrual products available when Bungay Library is open. Just ask at the counter!

OTHER SUPPORT AVAILABLE IN BECCLES

WARM ROOMS

• Beccles Community Hub (20 Blyburgate) - Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 10am-2pm.

• All Saints Church Worlingham - Open on the 1st Tuesday of every month 10:30am-11:30am.

• Beccles Comfort Food - Comfort Food provides a free meal to people in need in the Beccles ward. To find out more, email: sam.kenwardeastsuffolk.gov.uk or call 01502 523119. Funded by local district and community councillors.

Halesworth:

Halesworth Warm Rooms:

Halesworth Day Centre (London Road, IP19 8LW) 9am-3pm Thursday and Friday.

Halesworth Library (Bridge St, IP19 8AD) 9am-1pm Monday, 9am-5pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and 10am-3pm Sunday - 01986 875095.

Westhall: Westhall Community Pub (The Racehorse, Mill Common, IP19 8RD) 11am-2pm Thursday, 11am-3pm Friday and 11am-5pm Saturday - 01502 575665.

Wissett: Wissett Plough (8 The Street, IP19 0JE) 10:30am-4:30pm Thursday and 12pm-4:30pm Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday - 01986 873047.

Thank you

Transition Woodbridge would like to say thank you to Notcutts Garden Centre for seeing the value of passing on their surplus bulbs. The intrepid Transition Woodbridge team has planted Crocus, Allium and Snowdrops in the Canon Beds behind the Red Lion and along Lime Kiln Quay. So watch out for them in the Spring!

70th Woodbridge Rotary Carol Service

Another great Carol Service on the Market Hill in Woodbridge, organised by Woodbridge Rotary Club. The 70th which has been organised for the residents of the town, over 1,000 people attended, singing carols, and celebrating the lead up to Christmas, taking an hour away from what will be a busy weekend.

This year, we were joined by several carol singers from Ukraine, performing one of their best-loved carols. Later, they were presented with a small gift by our President, Simon Holloway.

Father Christmas appeared later having been given a lift by the local Fire and Rescue Service based at Woodbridge, they'd only just returned from a live incident.

This leads me on nicely to thank all our emergency

services, especially those who give up their time like many of the other voluntary organisations in the town and elsewhere, rather like being a Rotarian without blue lights and sirens. If you're interested in having some fun, meet new acquaintances and helping others in the community and much further afield, please visit: www.woodbridgerotary. com for more information.

This year, we held a voluntary collection on behalf of East Anglian Children's Hospice. There is still time to donate if you wish, visit our website for more information. We collected a grand total of £986 on the night.

The President and all Rotarians from Woodbridge Rotary Club wish you and your families a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Bramfield, Ringsfield and Brampton Primary Schools activities

This month at Bramfield, Ringsfield and Brampton, the children in reception have been preparing to take part in the 'Big Schools Birdwatch 2023', an annual bird counting event organised by the RSPB which runs in conjunction with the 'Big Garden Birdwatch'. We have lots of birds that visit our school grounds, from robins to seagulls and the children get very excited when they spot one nearby. The tricky part is going to be learning how to be excited and quiet at the same time so we don't scare them away!

To entice more birds in for the count, we are creating bird feeding station in our schools which will be set up on the

playing field or in the quiet nature garden. Existing trees or a re-purposed Christmas tree will be used to hang feeders from and also as the stand for birds to perch on. Our next job is to build some make-shift bird hides so we can observe the birds without disturbing them. We have even made our own binoculars so we can really focus on the birds. I wonder which birds we will see most of? If you fancy doing a spot of birdwatching at home all the details of how to take part in the 'Big Garden Birdwatch 2023' can be found at www.rspb.org.uk/getinvolved/activities/birdwatch/

Bramfield making bird feeders with lard and seeds.

Bramfield ready for their bird watching.

Brampton making their shape bird feeders.

Ringsfield ready with their binoculars and bird feeders.

Town Meadow Cottage, Stuston Guide £200,000

Blything View, Rumburgh

Clarence House, 4 Station Road, Halesworth

This property was previously sale agreed with another agent although the sale fell through. We sale agreed it on the 24th of November and just 7 weeks later we have exchanged contracts on the 12th of January.

14 St. Peters Path, Holton, Halesworth

This property went live on to the market on the 7th of December, we sale agreed it on the 12th of December and exchange of contracts have taken place just 4.5 weeks after sale agreed.