Leiston & Framlingham Community News - October 2023

Wickham Market Flower Club update

Hopefully all our members have enjoyed holidays away or at home. Enjoyed the weather in its weirdly changing patterns and are now ready for another year with our club.

We are holding our AGM on September 28th. Writing this today (September 1st), I can assume we will have most probably decided on the Chairmans Charity for 2023/2024 as well as ordered our Flower Arranger magazines for the greatly reduced price of £16 from flower clubs for four copies a year. What a bargain!

These would make a wonderful Christmas or birthday gifts for someone you love.

We will have probably decided that the decision to raise our subscriptions to £28

is a necessary one and again, a great bargain for 10 fun packed, information filled meetings a year, plus outings thrown in for good measure.

Long Service awards will have been handed out for 25 years to: Joy Andrews and 40 years to: Val Green, Beryl Leach, and Bronwyn Lummis. What an achievement ladies! Be very proud of yourselves, for the support you have given to our club and thank you, as this was and is much appreciated.

After the AGM, we will all have a better knowledge of Tai Chi, as Lynn Eatwell (a teacher of this discipline) will have guided us through the basics.

Thank you, Lynn.

We will also have enjoyed a wonderful selection of members

nibbles with our refreshments. Who says AGMs are boring...

Not our members for sure!

On October 6th, we're holding a quiz night at Wickham Market Village Hall. Tickets are £3 per person, with teams of no more than six. It starts at 7pm. For more information, please contact Jan Richardson on: 01728 746132.

Our October 26th meeting is at Wickham Market Village Hall. 6:30pm for 7pm start.

The demonstrator will be Elizabeth Robertson whose topic is entitled 'My family and other Animals'. There will be a raffle of Elizabeth's designs and refreshments along with a sales table. For visitors, the first time is FREE.

November 23rd is our Open Meeting and our last meeting

for 2023. The demonstrator will be Jacqui Arnold 'Strictly Christmas'. We welcome members from other clubs and enjoy mince pies and punch. We have a raffle of the arrangements, a Christmas Sales table (do bring your spare or unwanted Christmas items for us to sell) and a Christmas Craft and gift stall. This is a ticket event only and these can be booked from Sue Cotton by calling either: 07786 942450 or 01394 460560. Tickets are £5 per person for members and £10 per person for guests. I can think of no reason for you not joining us for at least one of these events or maybe every one of them. Look forward to seeing you!

Mandy Pryke

Suffolk Wildlife Trusts £1 million target reached to create new nature reserve

Thanks to the response from supporters, volunteers, members, and local businesses, Suffolk Wildlife Trust has secured £1,000,000 to complete the land purchase for 'Martlesham Wilds' - a new 300 acre nature reserve on the banks of the River Deben.

Launched in October 2022, over 2,300 individuals, community groups, and local organisations got involved with fundraising with marathons and musical challenges, to business support and guided walks, including Suffolk Building Society who were one of the appeals most enthusiastic business supporters. All for this special place for nature.

At close to 300 acres, Martlesham Wilds will be a

substantial new nature reserve, becoming part of Suffolk Wildlife Trust's countywide-network of sites that are vital havens for wildlife. The Trust's vision for the new nature reserve is to create a space in which nature can recover. To allow wilder habitats to return and become homes to species such as curlew, avocet and redshank, as well as reptiles, mammals and invertebrates.

As thickets of hawthorn, blackthorn, gorse and wild rose establish on the dry sandy soils, they will support growing flocks of linnets and yellow hammers, and in time we hope nightingale will return. Small mammals will thrive in the dense undergrowth and insects will abound.

Grass snakes, slow worms and common lizards will expand

into the new areas of habitat and barn owls will come a regular sight at dusk. This 'wilded' land will become part of a connected landscape of ancient woodland, scrub, grassland and saltings, linked by the River Deben. Did you know: 'Wilds' is an old Suffolk term for a rough, wildlife-rich landscape.

Suffolk Wildlife Trust has a vision for a wilder Suffolk, where nature is thriving and abundant, because everyone is doing more to help. To help achieve a wilder Suffolk, the Trust is championing two collective targets in Suffolk that every sector of society needs to help achieve:

• To protect and restore 30% of Suffolk's land and sea for nature recovery.

• To inspire and support one in four people in Suffolk to take action for nature and climate.

Martlesham Wilds is a big step in reaching these goals.

Christine Luxton (Chief Executive at Suffolk Wildlife

Trusts) says: "We are thrilled with how local Suffolk communities, businesses and volunteers have come together to help us create this stunning new nature reserve. By securing this small piece of the Deben landscape, the Trust makes a big step forward in helping nature in Suffolk to recover. Thank you to everyone who has helped make this possible."

The public can visit Martlesham Wilds for walking and there is a small car park for those travelling by car. The reserve can be reached by bus routes operating to Martlesham from Ipswich and Woodbridge. Dogs are welcome however must be on leads to help the animals, plants and landscape to recover and reestablish.

More information about Martlesham Wilds can be found on Suffolk Wildlife Trust's website: www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org, and by following Suffolk Wildlife Trust on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

D.C. Patrick

D.C. Patrick

D.C. Patrick

NEWSAGENTS

NEWSAGENTS

NEWSAGENTS

4 Market Hill, Framlingham

D.C. Patrick

4 Market Hill, Framlingham Has taken over Grange News

D.C. Patrick

4 Market Hill, Framlingham Has taken over Grange News

Has taken over Grange News

NEWSAGENTS

NEWSAGENTS

Specialists in home delivery for all your newspapers in Framlingham and surrounding villages

4 Market Hill, Framlingham

David has

Following Bob s retirement David is taking on the rounds covered by Grange news

Following Bob s retirement David is taking on the rounds covered by Grange news

4 Market Hill, Framlingham

Has taken over Grange News

Has taken over Grange News

Following Bob s retirement David is taking on the rounds covered by Grange news David has over 40 years experience and runs newsagents in Halesworth and Framlingham.

David has over 40 years experience and runs newsagents in Halesworth and Framlingham.

01986 874 305 07907 223 715

Bob s son Craig will continue to manage the service and will be delivering 7 days a week to all the same locations.

Following Bob's retirement, David is taking on the rounds covered by Grange news

150686

Following Bob's retirement, David is taking on the rounds covered by Grange news ars e ale gham. ont the service and will be delivering 7 days a to all the same locations.

Bob s son Craig will continue to manage the service and will be delivering 7 days a to all the same locations.

We hope you will continue to support the ase e any q ound Woodbridge and surroundin

runs newsagents in ramlin aig wi the service and will be delivering 7 days a to all the same locations.

Tel: 01986 874 305 & 07907 223 715

hope you will continue to support the ase e any q ound Woodbridge and the surrounding villages.

hope you will continue to support the do get in touch ue ound Woodbridge and g villages.

Tel: 01986 874 305 & 07907 223 715

Tel: 01986 874 305 & 07907 223 715

We hope you will continue to support the d ple v d a surroundin

Tel: 01986 874 305 & 07907 223 715

Tel: 01986 874 305 & 07907 223 715

149484

The colours of autumn

Autumn is now definitely here and there is a chill in the air, but it's a beautiful time of year with the trees changing colour and the first fall of leaves. It's also time to start preparing for spring next year - whether that's planting new trees and shrubs before the ground gets too hard, or choosing your bulb selection for a colourful start to the new gardening season.

In autumn, you can find bags of mixed daffodil bulbs in supermarkets and DIY stores that come in all shapes and sizes, although most will be the large, bright yellow trumpet type. Price is always a good indicator of how easy a bulb it to grow - the cheaper it is, the easier it is to grow.

So, thrifty tip for the month is: Buy yourself some big bags of daffs when doing your weekly supermarket shop. Daffodil bulbs will grow pretty much anywhere, even in lawns where you can plant them in great drifts and mow them away by the time you want to sit out in the sun. To create a natural looking drift of daffodils, put the bulbs in a bowl and then throw them out. Wherever they land plant them.

If you are planting in lawns, cut out three sides of a square and lift the turf back, put in a few bulbs then firm the turf back again. The best way to work out how deep to plant a bulb is to dig down about two to three times the depth of the bulb. Because bulbs have developed over centuries, in every habitat, they can grow in just about anywhere in the garden from densely shaded areas through to arid gravel patches - bringing vibrant colour to beds, borders and containers. Other plants offering brilliant garden colour (but this time in autumn) are Japanese maples. These compact trees and shrubs are ideal for even the smallest of gardens as they never grow too tall. Maturing into small trees and shrubs, often wider than they are high, their elegant beauty also makes them great for containers. Some offer finely dissected, lacy leaves or foliage coloured red, gold or fresh green through summer before firing up their autumn palette. Japanese maples are best in sun or partial shade, sheltered from strong winds and all are hardy. They should be planted outside during November-

February and like moist, freedraining, soil. Bushy varieties thrive in pots so long as they don't dry out. There are hundreds of Japanese maples to choose from but favourites include Acer japonicum 'Vitifolium' - a large shrub or small tree with deeply lobed green leaves that turn crimson, purple, orange and gold (Height x Spread 8m x 10m); Acer palmatum 'Inaba-shidare' - a mound-forming maple with finely dissected purple spring foliage, turning green then crimson (2m x 2m); and Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku' which is an upright tree with coral-red bark and foliage that matures to canary yellow (6m x 3m).

If you grow your own vegetables, then you can plant onions and garlic bulbs this month. If you want a crop of garlic for early summer then plant individual cloves in late October. You can always start them off in modular seed trays or pots, planting one clove per cell or pot and protecting them from winter weather by placing in a sheltered spot outside. Plant them out in early spring once the soil becomes a little drier. Growing garlic from supermarket bulbs

October jobs on the RHS Gardener's Checklist include:

• Propagate roses by taking hardwood cuttings from now until February.

• Prevent rose blackspot by clearing fallen rose leaves (don't put in compost!)

• Do some pre-winter pruning to stop wind damage for shrubs and roses.

• Bring in frost sensitive plants such as dahlias before the temperatures dip.

• Divide summer flowering perennials.

• Prune blackberries.

• Sow broad beans.

• Put up nest boxes for birds ready for the spring.

• Clean out the pond removing excess leaves and vegetation.

• Plant native trees and shrubs to encourage wildlife.

can be disappointing, so for best results go for named varieties from garden centres or mail order suppliers. Planting straight into a prepared bed is easy - you simply break up the garlic bulb into cloves, plant the cloves 2cm below the soil surface with the flatter end facing downward and allow 15cm between cloves and 30cm between rows.

Blyth Road Industrial Estate,

Manufacturers & Suppliers of Agricultural, Domestic and Industrial Fencing products to both the trade and public covering Norfolk & Suffolk

NEW SHOP OPEN NOW

Handmade Fence Panels (metric & imperial sizing) Trellis

Palisade Fencing Drive & Field Gates Galvanised Hardware

info@goldstarfencingandgates.co.uk

Homegrown Pressure Treated Posts and Gate Posts

Closeboard Fencing Components: Feather Edge, Cant Rails, Gravel Boards and Rebated Capping

Components: Feather Edge, Cant Rails, Gravel Boards and Rebated Capping

Handtools Post & Rail Cladding Livestock Fencing

C24 Grade Timber Sleepers & Decking Wire Netting

Handtools Post & Rail Cladding Livestock Fencing C24 Grade Timber Sleepers & Decking Wire Netting

Sheet Material: OSB & Plywood Machine Round Stakes

Concrete Products: Slotted Posts & Gravel Boards

Sheet Material: OSB & Plywood Machine Round Stakes

01986 892810

Concrete Products: Slotted Posts & Gravel Boards

info@goldstarfencingandgates.co.uk | www.goldstarfencingandgates.co.uk

The autumnal colours of Acer Japonicum 'Vitifolium' Downy Japanese Maple

Update from Woodbridge Royal British Legion

Ear Wax Removal Specialist • Micro-suction and Water Irrigation Framlingham Road, Laxfield, Suffolk, IP13 8HD

Based in Laxfield and set in 10 acres of countryside, Lisa has over 30 years nursing experience and established Suffolk Ear Care in 2018. Parking on-site.

Call Lisa on 07738 885858 lisa@suffolkearcare.co.uk www.suffolkearcare.co.uk

• Corns, callus & verrucae

• Ingrowing & thickened nails

• Diabetic footcare

• Surgery for ingrowing toenails

• Laser treatment for fungal nails

• Shockwave therapy

• Steroid injections

• Sport related injuries

• Plantar fasciitis

Moving Well Debenham

Moving Well Debenham is a not-for-profit community group. It's been holding group session of fitness, mindfulness with refreshments, discussions and conversation. All this takes place at the Debenham Community Centre on Tuesdays, from 11am-12:30pm.

The group came into being following research by Ipswich and East Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group (IESCCG) which identified a need to improve the fitness, mobility, wellbeing and also impact on loneliness and isolation in the ageing population. Its focused demographic chosen has a high population of older people almost one in four (24.2%) of residents are 65 to 84 years of age compared to one in five (19.8%) across IESCCG. Pilots were set up and run and Moving Well Debenham is an outcome of this.

01986 874531 43 oroughfare, Halesworth, IP19 8AR reception@angelpodiatry.com

The group has been running since March 2023. In this first year, it's supported by locality grants from Suffolk County Council and Babergh Mid Suffolk District Councils and

is financed currently to beyond April 2024. Further grants are applied for to maintain the group beyond this.

There is a small charge of £2.50 for each session attended. This charge assists the finances of the group and also funds the refreshments included in session attended. These refreshments include fresh fruit, energy bars, tea and coffee. We use a qualified personal trainer for each exercise session. You don't have to do all the exercises, just those you feel capable of whether that be standing up or sitting down. At each session we seek to have a positive impact in physical activity, movement, strength, balance, memory, cognition, general wellbeing, including nutrition and diet whilst also combatting loneliness and isolation.

You will find the current members welcome new joiners. If you live in Debenham or the surrounding local villages, please come along and join us.

A warm welcome awaits!

As we start this month, our minds turn towards the up-andcoming events. We look mainly at the Poppy appeal which is fast approaching.

This year, we intend to honour the animals that were unfortunate enough to be called to war with us but did so much to save the live of our armed forces, so we ask you to join us in Woodbridge town centre on October 28th at 12pm for this years Poppy Appeal launch. We are still looking to find a horse costume or a wooden horse that we could put on wheels to take in the parade, as we do not want to scare a real horse with the sounds of the marching band. Dates for the diary:

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

• November 10th: School children's remembrance service on Market Hill.

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

• November 12th: Remembrance Sunday.

The Woodbridge RBL Branch is looking to recruit more committee members. We are 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

Standards and officials taking part in the VJ Parade at Woodbridge Memorial Gardens on August 12th.

Photo credit: Hazel Fisk.

to help with our fundraising. For more information, or to contact us, please email Brian Fisk on: brian-fisk.RBL@hotmail.co.uk

News from the Riverside Trust

As part of our programme of talks, October sees two more fascinating insights into shipbuilding and archaeology.

On October 1st, Paul Constantine will be talking about Scandinavian Ships. There were two distinct construction methods for wooden ships, the Scandinavian and the Mediterranean. At first glance, the Anglo-Saxon ship is purely a Scandinavian craft, but all may not be as it seems.

On October 28th, Gilbert Burroughs will give a talk entitled 'Basil Brown, My Life Under His Tutelage'. Gilbert's early association with Basil goes back to the 1950's when he was introduced to him at the age of 15. He met with him often during

the following years and learned so much, being introduced to the world of archaeology.

To book tickets for these talks, please go to: www.eventbrite. com/o/woodbridge-riversidetrust-67116559063.

For more details of the Talks Collection, please see: www. woodbridgeriversidetrust.org/ wrt-talks-collection.

Also to come in October, we have an exhibition of classic hand tools on October 14th from 9:30am to 4pm. There will be wood-working demonstrations throughout the day, of planing, sawing, spoon-carving and lots more. Entry is free.

Hiring the Gallery:

Among regular hirers of the Gallery is The Rabble Chorus, one

of the country's largest community choirs, www.therabblechorus. co.uk. They are truly exceptional and their most recent outing was at the memorial event on Whisstocks Place for the late and sorely missed Woodbridge County Councillor, Caroline Page. Joined by the large number of attendees, they sang Jerusalem and Amazing Grace, two of Caroline's favourite pieces. New website: Our new website has now been launched. Please go to: www. woodbridgeriversidetrust.org to discover the latest news, make a booking for the Gallery, find out about forthcoming events, and much more. Woodbridge Riverside Trust is a member of the Woodbridge Historic Riverside group.

Wayne

M.DANIELS

For control of rats, mice, moles, squirrels, cluster flies, fleas, ants & wasps

MOBILE: 07788850762

TONY LING

NICK ROUSE

The Bell Hotel, Saxmundham

Guests are invited to explore the recently introduced Autumn restaurant menu at The Bell Hotel in Saxmundham. This menu celebrates the transition of seasons by highlighting the use of local ingredients and authentic flavours.

The new menu includes starters such as Baron Bigod & Rosemary Panna Cotta and Tempura Fritto Misto, featuring Cod roe taramasalata, baby squid, tiger prawns, and mixed vegetables, providing a delicious beginning to your dining experience.

Main courses capture the

essence of the season, with options like Braised Ox Cheek with burnt onion & potato puree, pickled celery, radish, and grilled chicory, or the vegetarian Roast Butternut Squash, Red Chicory & Spinach Risotto with Pecan vinaigrette. Classics like the cheeseburger with Darsham aged beef and Adnams battered cod remain on the menu. Guests can round off their meal with the new Autumn Mess, featuring citrus curd, poached pear, blackberry & ginger syrup, glazed fig, and meringue or the sublime American Style Bakewell Cheesecake with white

chocolate shards, bubbled sugar, cherry puree, and boozy cherry. The cocktail list has also been updated to complement the new menu items, along with an updated wine list.

Chef Tony O'Farrell, emphasises his dedication to using fresh, local ingredients.

"Our commitment to local sourcing is the foundation of our food mission, to maintain a local and sustainable dining experience. These autumninspired dishes aim to evoke a feeling of comfort, warmth, and heartfelt satisfaction as we enter this truly exceptional season."

The Bell Hotel extends a warm invitation to guests to enjoy its heartfelt hospitality, exceptional cuisine, and the genuine flavours of Suffolk during this autumn season. The restaurant has received numerous 5-star reviews on TripAdvisor, a testament to its outstanding quality and service.

Of course, guests have the option to reach The Bell from nearby train stations like Woodbridge and Aldeburgh, with a short train ride followed by a two-minute stroll to the hotel. Visit the website for more information: www. thebellhotelsaxmundham.co.uk

198263

you by

Christmas Festive Dining& Meals

Had it not been for the heatwave we had in the first week of September, many of us would still be waiting for summer to arrive. However, we find ourselves in mid-September and as we move through autumn, we start to think about Christmas and all that comes with it.

One of the best things about this time of year has to be the opportunity to get together with family, friends, neighbours and colleagues and enjoy some good food (and a glass or two of your favourite tipple). Throughout December, local pubs, restaurants, cafes and hotels will be running festive menus, special dishes and themed nights, giving us all an excuse to

get your group together and have a night out.

We are fortunate to have lots of great establishments in our area so you will not be short of places to go where you can enjoy great food and drink and proper hospitality. So, have a look at the businesses on these pages over the next couple of months and book early to ensure you get the date and time you want. This is especially important for larger groups. So, start having those conversation with your friends and family and whether you are booking your favourite pub or fancy trying a new restaurant. It's never too early to start planning your season for festive celebrations!

To advertise on our Festive Dining pages in next month's edition of the Community News, please contact one of the team to reserve your space.

The November papers will be published October 27th with the deadline being October 18th, so there's plenty of time to get your festive menu sorted and shared with our readers.

As well as being read by thousands of local people through our printed, delivered copies, our newspapers will also be available to view digitally and will be posted on our social media channels.

To find out more and reserve your space please contact:

• Karen Taylor on 01502 725836 or karen.taylor@micropress.co.uk

• Kasey Turner on 01502 725801 or kasey.turner@micropress.co.uk

Martlesham Brass Poors' Houses Charity

Trustee Opportunity Making music fun in East Anglia

Do you have a few spare hours each month? Do you want to give something back to your community and support an important and historic Woodbridge charity?

The Poors' Houses Charity provides low cost community housing that is held in trust for local people in housing need.

Expressions of interest from potential new Trustees are welcomed. Please contact Jennifer Millard (Interim Clerk for the Poors' Houses Charity) by emailing: poorshousescharity@ gmail.com or calling 07851 153016 or 01353 699043.

We hope everyone enjoyed our birthday concert on September 23rd, and congratulations to all our members who received awards that evening. October is a quiet month for the band, a chance to prepare for a busy November and December, when we have lots of events coming up. There will be details of these next month.

If you'd like to learn to play a brass instrument, or if you already play and would be interested in joining us, please email: join@martleshambrass.co.uk. Please note: We operate a waiting list for new members.

There's magic in the air!

There's more than a sprinkling of magic dust over Snape Maltings concert hall this December when the Co-op Juniors annual Christmas Spectacular bursts onto the stage!

The cast of almost 100 young people and 800 costumes set the stage ablaze with toe-tapping dance numbers, memorable carols and a few surprises to celebrate the group's 18th year at Snape Maltings. It's the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit!

The East Anglian Daily Times

Badminton in Kesgrave

Woodbridge Badminton Club is back at Kesgrave High School for the winter season (September-April).

Adult Club Night is 7:30pm to 10pm on Wednesday evenings and Juniors is 7pm to 8:30pm on Mondays.

Adults can come along for a guest session for £6 to try us out. This is refundable if you join as

a member. We welcome a range of abilities but unfortunately not complete beginners at the adult club. Juniors should always book in advance as we are often full. For the latest details, visit: www.woodbridgebadminton. co.uk, email: contact@ woodbridgebadminton.co.uk or ring Jim Cavanagh on: 01728 723900.

called it: "Visually imaginative with inspired choreography, packed with razzle dazzle. A showcase which underlines just how much young talent there is in Suffolk. In terms of sheer entertainment, where else can you see a spectacular and highly moving nativity scene followed a short while later by a stage full of high-stepping Santas, jazzy reindeer or a superb tap performance."

A team of choreographers and musical director Jo King are crafting the huge range of music

into a seamless toe-tapping extravaganza. She said: "We have lots of musical styles, from swing to tap, jazz to ballet, carols and special medleys from the hit musicals West Side Story and Disney's Newsies. There's truly something for everyone."

Christmas Spectacular! 13 performances from December 8th to 17th. Tickets are priced from £18. To book, visit: www. coopjuniors.co.uk/spectacular or call: 01728 687110. There are special offers for groups, under 16s, over 60s.

Bright Stars

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

At the moment, we're sending out free activity sheets by email/post on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month during term time, for children to enjoy doing with their family/carers, instead of meeting in St. Michaels Church Centre, Martlesham Heath.

The activity sheets usually include a story, song and a craft

or game about a theme or story from the Bible.

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 on the phone number below. We look forward to hearing from you! For further information, please contact Sonya and Maureen Burrows on: 01473 625196.

Transition Woodbridge

Just as I sat down to write this short piece, my phone pinged, a Transition Woodbridge message with a link to an item from BBC News Suffolk about evidence of the rare Barbastelle bat found in a Woodbridge resident's garden. For the last two summers, Transition Woodbridge and Dr. Mark Bowler of the University of Suffolk have been organising bat surveys in people's gardens using small audio detectors fixed to posts. Bats are an indicator species so their presence throughout Woodbridge and Melton is a good guide to the types of insects and habitat we have in our local environment.

Transition's Wildlife Corridors initiative also promotes habitat and species biodiversity. Where private

gardens, parks and open spaces are close together with the means for animals to move between them, there is a wildlife corridor, and even better if parts of the gardens are left wild, providing food and shelter for all kinds of wildlife.

Ultimately, we all benefit in all sorts of ways if we look after and increase the biodiversity of our local places.

Look at our website: www. transitionwoodbridge.org. uk if you would like to learn more about these projects and others including our community orchards, small groups of fruit trees on sites all over Woodbridge and Melton, and our Local Food Project, promoting the work of local producers, retailers and eateries. Our updated Local Food leaflet is available to view and download on our website.

Halesworth Museum

Mystery ring... Can you help?

A mysterious gold ring has just gone on display at Halesworth & District Museum. It was found by metal detectorists in Linstead Magna. It is certainly gold, and it dates from the late Medieval or postMedieval period. It is relatively large for a finger ring, at almost 2.5cm across, and it is a little distorted, where two sides have been pushed together.

That, however, is where the certainty ends... Who owned this ring? How did it end up in the soil at Linstead Magna? And, most mysteriously of all, what is the meaning of the extensive inscriptions on both the outside and the inside of the ring? The text has been described as crude, and possibly an imitation of capitalised Roman script. No one (including the specialists at the British Museum) has any idea of what it says.

Curator Brian Howard explains why the ring is an

important acquisition for the Museum: "It's the first time we have had a treasure from the parish of Chediston and Linstead. And we are very excited about the mysterious inscriptions. If anyone has any ideas about the script or what it might mean, please get in touch."

The Museum has purchased the ring, at a cost of £400, but now needs to recoup that outlay. If you would like to help to support the acquisition of this intriguing ring, please donate to our Treasures Fund. You can send a cheque to the Museum (payable to Halesworth & District Museum, The Railway Station, Station Road, Halesworth, IP19 8BZ). Alternatively, you can make a

The last of the season at St. Peter's Church, Sibton

'Del & Jeremy & Stephen' are a popular fifties and sixties tribute band. October 14th sees the last of this seasons social events... An evening of vintage favourites from 7pm to 10pm at St. Peter's Church, Sibton, IP17 2NB.

Four views of the gold ring

bank transfer (Barclays Bank: Account name: Halesworth & District Museum, Sort Code: 20-16-12, Account number: 13489582). Use the reference 'LM Ring', so we know what the donation is for.

If we exceed the target, excess funds will be used for future treasure purchases, including at least one item from the same local area.

The Weavers Tea Room and Peasenhall General Store priced at £10, also online at Eventbrite.uk.

Food will be by Cheryl's Suffolk Catering, also a licensed bar selling beers, soft drinks and wine, both for cash only. The evening is organized by the Friends of St. Peter's Church, Sibton.

Tickets are on sale from

National RAF Battle of Britain week

On September 16th, the Royal Air Force Association (RAFA), Beccles and Southwold area (Armed Forces charity) invites members of the public to visit the Wings Appeal stall outside Lloyds Bank in Exchange Square, Beccles from 9:30am to 4pm, where the local branch of RAFA will be offering RAFrelated gifts in exchange for a suitable donation. There will be free gifts for children under 10 years of age. Proceeds from our collection go to assisting RAF

Accountants LLP

veterans and their families who may be in need at this difficult time.

On September 17th at 2pm, the RAFA Beccles branch (joined by many service veterans with their standards, cadet forces and The RBL, all led by The City of Norwich Pipe Band) will be parading through Beccles to St. Michael's Church, for a remembrance service for those lost in the Battle of Britain in 1940. The salute this year will be taken by Air Vice-Marshal

Financial focus on...

VAT flat rate scheme

The flat rate scheme was introduced by HMRC as a method of simplification for small businesses and is often overlooked.

The underlying principles are to simply apply a fixed percentage to your total gross sales for the period and that becomes the amount payable to HMRC. The alternative standard approach requires businesses to identify the VAT amounts payable on each item of income during the quarter, along with the VAT on each item of expenditure, the difference between the sales VAT and purchase VAT being payable to HMRC. Where VAT is charged by your suppliers, it could be at the standard 20% or reduced 5%, and you don't have an automatic right to reclaim this.

In certain situations VAT recovery can be blocked or restricted. Use of the flat rate scheme removes this uncertainty.

Who can use the scheme?

The first consideration is HMRC's criteria; the scheme is aimed at small businesses, so your expected turnover in the

Concert by Saxophony to support new local nature reserve

'Martlesham Wilds' is the name of the latest exciting project being developed by Suffolk Wildlife Trust to support our natural environment.

It will be a new nature reserve, nearly 300 acres of land alongside Martlesham Creek, which we hope will become a rich and diverse haven for all sorts of flora and fauna - songbirds and waders, otters and voles, butterflies and moths, wildflowers and much more.

Saxophony (a saxophone quartet of experienced local musicians) together with Suffolk Wildlife's volunteers, are putting on a free concert on October 8th

at 2:30pm at St. Mary's Church, Church Lane, Martlesham, IP12 4PQ.

The programme will include a rich variety of music from Mozart to the Beatles, Queen and Abba! The church is right next to the new reserve. Limited parking is available. However, we encourage walkers and cyclists. Donations will support Martlesham Wilds and St. Mary's Church.

Come along, enjoy a vibrant programme full of gusto and rhythm and discover more about this great new venture. We're sure you'll love it!

For more information: www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org

Vacuums ancient and modern

Tales from the Repair Shed #4 Real life, not TV!

We are often confused with the Repair Shop on TV, which is flattering, but not always the case! Because we:

• Deal in everyday items, rather than heirlooms. For those heirlooms, we try to point people in the direction of local experts.

• Don't expect people to cry when they get their toaster/radio/ vacuum cleaner back.

• Can't afford to have that many spectacles on our heads! But like the TV show, we do rely on the enthusiasm and experience of our repairers. So if you enjoy unusual challenges, we'd be delighted if you could join us. We hold regular repair sessions throughout the week (days and evenings) so that repairers can drop in at a time to suit them. Sessions are relaxed,

sociable and fun, particularly when the biscuits come out! More than that, the work we do helps prevent stuff being thrown away, so saving people money and a bit of the planet. As well as repair work, there are lots of ways you could get involved at times which suit you. For example, helping with bookkeeping or with the Martlesham Repair Hub. So please get in touch or come and visit. For more information, visit: www.suffolkrepairshed.org, email: hello@suffolkrepairshed. org or you can find us on Facebook and Instagram.

Suffolk Repair Shed Ltd is a non-profit company established in June 2022. It started operations in October 2022 and is staffed entirely by local volunteers.

Inner Wheel Club of Woodbridge

Little Lifts supporting the lows of having breast cancer

the Hon. David Murray CVO OBE DL RAF (rtd)., who will also give The Eulogy and The Salutation "For The Fallen" at our service which commences at 3pm. All are welcome to witness the parade and attend the Church Service. There is no entry fee to the Church however, donations in any amount welcome. Thank you.

Further details can be obtained by emailing RAFA Branch Secretary on: lancaster457@btinternet.com.

An audience with Mark Murphy MBE

next 12 months must be below

£150,000 to join the scheme.

After joining you can continue until your gross annual turnover exceeds £230,000. There are some exclusions including if you left the scheme in the last 12 months.

As the VAT payable under the scheme is calculated as a percentage of turnover, if your business is regularly in a refund position (for example some or all of your income doesn't attract VAT), the flat rate scheme would not be the right choice.

What percentage would apply?

If your business is classed as a Limited Cost Trader, a rate of 16.5% will apply. A limited cost trader is a business that spends less than either 2% of turnover or £1,000 a year on qualifying goods. Goods are moveable items or materials used exclusively in the business, including goods for resale (except where this isn't the main business activity), stationary, materials provided by a subcontractor, and gas and electricity used exclusively by the business.

For all other businesses, HMRC publish a list of rates determined by business type, for example 6.5% for pubs, 11% for agricultural services, 9% for packaging, and 9% for food manufacturing.

If you use the flat rate scheme within the first 12 months of VAT registration, you get a 1% discount on the published rates.

Finally, its important to remember that the flat rate percentage should be applied to your total VAT inclusive income for the period.

By Liz Lockwood (pictured), Manager, Ensors Accountants LLP

BBC Radio Suffolk legend, Mark Murphy MBE, is helping to raise funds for a local community radio station in October, when he makes a rare appearance, telling the fascinating story of his incredible career.

The event is being held at Sizewell Sports and Social Club in Leiston, on October 27th at 7:30pm.

Mark, who left BBC Radio Suffolk in April, due to the cuts that will seriously effect BBC local broadcasting, did so after 33 years of successful and award winning broadcasting.

During his time at the station, he has presented the Breakfast Show for a total of 17 years, won Sony Radio awards, fronted several highly-successful campaigns and in 2021, was awarded a well deserved MBE.

He was involved in several campaigns, with his Don't be a Tosser campaign helping to raise the profile of the state of litter on the roads and the Treehouse Appeal, that led to the development of the Ipswich Children's Hospice, has always been his highlight.

Mark's tell-all evening will cover his Hospital Radio days and big break in joining Radio Suffolk in 1990, to winning awards, reporting on powerful local news stories, campaigning, and saying farewell to those 4am alarm calls! The talk will be followed by an opportunity for the audience to ask Mark questions.

In addition, the evening will also include a special appearance by hilarious Revd. Paul Pitt, who appeared on Mark's show every Sunday morning, for a humorous conversation about the week's events.

The event has been organised to raise funds towards Alde and Blyth Community Radio's new studios. The community station was launched in April 2021 as a weekend only service initially and is planning to extend into weekday evenings soon and eventually becoming a full seven-day service. For more information about the station and its programming schedule, please visit: www.abcradio.co.uk

Tickets for Mark's talk, priced at £10, are limited and available from the Sizewell Sports and Social Club on 01728 830025.

If someone you love should be unfortunate enough to be diagnosed with breast cancer, what a comfort to know that there could be a Little Lift on the way.

Right now, if you live in Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex or parts of Cambridgeshire, that lift will come in the form of a carefully hand-packed box of luxurious, quality and ethically-sourced products which have all been selected for a particular role in helping to make the effects of treatment a little more bearable both physically and emotionally.

Our September speaker, Oa Hackett, founder of Little Lifts, shared how her personal circumstances and experiences were the inspiration behind this amazing charity and how, in her words, something so devastating could be turned into something so incredible.

Along with Oa, Shopie Houghton-Hood (the charity's Volunteer Events & Community Manager) explained that different boxes are given depending on the treatment required and reminded us that each year, approximately 350 men are also diagnosed with breast cancer.

In thanking Oa for her inspirational talk, President Sharon expressed appreciation for the honest and humbling story of how Little Lifts came to be and was pleased that Woodbridge

Inner Wheel had supported this as her chosen charity for the 2023/2024 year.

International Officer, Daphne Rayment, advised that, as a club we would continue to collect many items such as ring pulls from drinks cans which are transported to Manila to be turned into jewellery, providing support for many along the way, old mobile phones, jigsaws, etc, and was pleased the Knit & Katter group would meet on Mondays to produce knitted blankets, hats and neck warmers for the seaman's mission. Members are also pleased to provide help to the Book Bus in Zambia, a charity that provides access to children who otherwise would never enjoy a story book.

President Sharon congratulated and made a presentation to longstanding member Mary Walker who has been a committed and active member of Inner Wheel for a remarkable 50 years.

Inner Wheel has three key objectives: to promote true friendship; to encourage the ideals of personal service and to foster international understanding. Any woman who shares the three central aims of Inner Wheel can join the organisation.

If you'd like to know more about Woodbridge Inner Wheel, please do look for us at District 8 on the website: www.innerwheel.co.uk

Over 30 years experience in the service, maintenance and repair of OIL FIRED DOMESTIC boilers. With an extensively stocked van and a comprehensive selection of spares, so most breakdown calls can be completed on the first visit. call

Leiston Film Theatre

The mysterious inscriptions

Ensors

Woodbridge Cruising Club

Members have greatly enjoyed the club cruises. The Blackwater cruise is a perennial favourite, and twelve boats and crew had a fantastic time, with visits to Brightlingsea, Heybridge Basin, and Bradwell. It is not just the sailing which makes the cruises so enjoyable, but the onshore

activities such as Klub, dinghy trips, nature walks, club meals, pub visits and even watching the Clacton Airshow at anchor off shore, with a prime view.

The Walton Pond cruise is a real sociable event, with drinks, barbecues and a dinner at the Walton and Frinton Yacht Club. The ultimate cruise of the season was the Three Rivers, with visits to Titchmarsh, Shotley, Ipswich and Wolverstone. The end of cruise dinner at the Royal Harwich Yacht Club is a celebration of all cruises, and a fitting end to the cruising season, although sailing still continues throughout autumn on an informal basis.

When participating in a club cruise, all the marina bookings are organised for participants,

Suffolk Wildlife Trust & Suffolk Bird Group

Award-winning author to visit Woodbridge

Award-winning author Mark Cocker (pictured) will be visiting Woodbridge Community Hall, Station Road, IP12 4AU, on the evening of October 19th to talk about his latest book 'One Midsummer's Day', which talks about swifts and the interconnectedness of life on Earth.

The talk starts at 7:30pm and has been organised jointly by Suffolk Wildlife Trust's Woodbridge Wildlife Group and

Suffolk Bird Group.

"We are very pleased to join with Suffolk Bird Group to bring Mark Cocker to Woodbridge" said Phil Smith (Chair of Suffolk Wildlife Trust's Woodbridge Wildlife Group) "Mark has written many books on the natural world and I'm really pleased to give people in the local area the chance to hear such a high profile and interesting speaker."

Eddie Bathgate (Chairman of Suffolk Bird Group) said: "This

and it makes cruising a delight with no worries. Joining in club cruises is one of the main reasons for joining WCC.

As autumn approaches the onshore activities have more of a focus, and the Sunday talks start, with 'Shipwrecks around East Anglia', the first of a series of informative and amusing talks with a nautical theme.

The Monday afternoon get togethers, maintenance working parties and ball room dancing lessons are all part of the extensive winter social programme, as are the delicious Wednesday

suppers, the gastronomic feast of the laying up supper, and the Thursday walks which cumulate in a pub lunch.

The popular annual Boat Jumble is held on October 15th, where bargains are to be had for all.

The club is pleased to welcome new members who have an interest in all things nautical, or a current or past owner of a motorboat or yacht. The club website: www.woodbridge cruisingclub.org has full details.

Winning team

Annual charity golf day

The Rotary Club of Woodbridge Deben held our annual Charity Golf Day at St. Audry's Golf Club on August 18th.

17 teams enjoyed an excellent day's golf, the overall winners being the Seckford Nobs, who retained the Marie Hunt shield that they won last year. In excess

of £1,250 was raised which will be split between Just 42 and the Rotary End Polio Now campaign. We will be holding our annual Charity Busk in the Thoroughfare on September 30th, raising money to enable the club to continue supporting a range of local, national and international charities.

will be Mark Cocker's seventh talk for our group. He's one of our most regular speakers and we're delighted to welcome him to Woodbridge as we celebrate 50 years of Suffolk Bird Group."

Doors for this talk open at 7pm. Entry is £5 for adults and under 25's are free. There's no need to book for this talk. Pay on the door but please note, payment is by cash only.

All entrants will be entered into a raffle to win a signed copy

of Mark Cocker's book 'One Midsummer's Day'. Light refreshments will be served during the evening and there will also be a raffle and the opportunity to purchase

Suffolk Wildlife Trust's popular Christmas cards. For more information about this talk, please email: swtwoodbridge@outlook.com or phone: 01473 625630.

Loose deliveries from 2m3

Oxblood Molly open practice

What the best thing about winter? Is it bonfire night? Christmas? Strictly Come Dancing? Well for me... It's the Molly dancing season!

For those who don't know, Molly dancing is a form of English Morris dance, traditionally done by out-of-work ploughboys in midwinter in the 19th century.

Oxblood Molly practice in and around Halesworth, although members, dancers and

musicians are fairly well spread from Norwich, Lowestoft and Woodbridge. This is a side that welcomes and encourages musicians and dancers of all ages and abilities.

So, if you fancy giving it a try, there will be an open practice at 10:30am on October 15th at Holton St. Peter School, near Halesworth. For more information, email: oxbloodmolly@gmail.com

Best-selling novelist to visit Riverside Cinema

The bestselling novelist, Victoria Hislop (author of 'The Island' and 'The Return' among many others) will be visiting The Riverside Cinema, Woodbridge on October 18th to talk about her latest book 'The Figurine'.

Set once again in Victoria's beloved Greece, this novel features Athens and the island of Nisos, and also a small town in Suffolk! Victoria regularly visits friends and family in the area and drew on her love of Woodbridge as the inspiration in this book.

'The Figurine' tells the story of young woman who discovers a collection of priceless antiquities in her late-grandparents' flat in Athens and is faced with the ongoing debate about the ownership of ancient relics.

The story is very timely. Victoria will be sharing details of her research into the Parthenon Marbles and the British Museum, as well as talking about the inspiration for her characters, the

Hulk of iron steamship by designer of the Cutty Sark granted protection

scene-setting and how she came about the compelling storyline.

She will be in conversation with Catherine Larner at 12 noon on October 18th for this special lunchtime event at the Riverside Cinema. Tickets are £25 and include a signed copy of 'The Figurine', presented on the day. For further details, please call: 01394 382174 or visit: www.theriverside.co.uk

The iron hulk of the Lady Alice Kenlis (designed by the same shipwright as the Cutty Sark) has been granted protection by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England.

The Lady Alice Kenlis was an iron steamship designed by Hercules Linton in 1867. He's the designer of the internationally renowned Cutty Sark, launched two years later in 1869. The Cutty Sark (now at Royal Museums Greenwich) was a state-of-the-art Victorian tea clipper. It was one of the fastest of its time, making the journey from Sydney to London by sail in 73 days. A clipper is a type of 19th century merchant sailing vessel, designed specifically for speed.

The Lady Alice Kenlis is important in our understanding of early iron ships and its relationship to the Cutty Sark

offers an insight into Linton's evolution of thought. Protection by scheduling will ensure that the hulk of the ship will be protected by law.

The hulk is situated on the National Trust's Sutton Hoo estate but is not publicly accessible due to its location.

The remains of this particular ship are referred to as a 'hulk' rather than a shipwreck as there has been no wrecking event. Hulks are ships that have been abandoned, partially dismantled and then stripped of their fittings and permanently moored within intertidal areas, canals, estuaries and rivers.

To find out more about protecting historic sites, visit: www.historicengland.org.uk/ listing/what-is-designation.

Duncan Wilson (Chief Executive of Historic England) said: ''Whilst only the rather ghostly remains of the Lady

Alice Kenlis survive, it deserves protection as an important part of our seafaring history. Being able to see the hulk of the ship itself emerging from the intertidal zone of the River Deben is striking and unusual."

Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said: "The hulk of the Lady Alice Kenlis offers us an important insight into the work of Hercules Linton, who, as the designer of the Cutty Sark, became one of the most notable shipwrights of the 19th century. I'm delighted that this important piece of our national heritage has been given protected status so that it can be preserved for generations to come."

The ship was named after Alice Maria Hill (daughter of the Earl of Hillsborough) who married Lord Kenlis, a politician and the Earl of Bective in Ireland, to become Lady Alice

Kenlis in 1867.

The vessel was built by J&R Swan in Maryhill, Glasgow and launched on December 23rd, 1867. The hull was heavily built in comparison to other iron ships of the time to allow it to be more easily loaded and unloaded in shallow waters. The ship was fitted with a two-cylinder 40hp engine and rigged as a three masted schooner. A schooner is a type of vessel with two or more masts.

Serving as a cargo ship in 1868, it was used to carry cattle, goods and passengers between Northern Ireland, Scotland and England. It was briefly used as a ferry, later re-registered as the Holman Sutcliffe and converted into a suction dredger in 1913. The vessel continued as a dredger until it was partially dismantled in the late 1930s or early 1940s.

Hercules Linton (1836-

Suffolk school receives glowing report from Ofsted

Coldfair Green Primary School is celebrating after attaining a "Good" rating in its most recent Ofsted inspection.

Inspectors visited the Knodishall school on June 20th and 21st, and were impressed by the way leaders enable pupils to feel safe and happy at schoolwith children stating "the school is like a family and they look after each other."

Pupil-led initiatives such as school council, running assemblies and working to support a school in Zambia all came in for high praise in the report, along with their creativity in planning an Evolution Academy Trust-wide pupil parliament and participation in eco council activities.

Reading was picked out as "an absolute priority for leaders. They want pupils to quickly learn that reading for pleasure is "magical'." Inspectors noted staff are "experts" in teaching phonics, and the sessions they lead are fun and interactive, while "staff continually check pupils' progress to make sure that any pupils who are not keeping up with the phonics programme

receive the right help to catch up."

The school's leaders were also praised for their approach to working with pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), praising the way they are quickly identified and any necessary adaptation are put in place, meaning "as a result, pupils with SEND access the full curriculum."

Clare Williams, headteacher

1900) was a Scottish shipwright who worked as a surveyor for the Liverpool Underwriters' Registry as a specialist on iron vessels. Linton went on to form the shipbuilding company Scott and Linton, which built a number of vessels, the most famous being the Cutty Sark, before going bankrupt in 1871. The Missing Pieces Project: Although the hulk is not publicly accessible, we'd love you to add your story about the Lady Alice Kenlis to the Missing Pieces Project. It could be a photo, your information about the ship, or something you know about its historic fabric. You can add photos, drawings, audio, film, or text. Everything you add is an important piece of the picture. And the more pieces of the picture we have, the better we can celebrate and protect what makes these places special.

of Coldfair Green, said: "As mentioned in the report, the Coldfair Green community does indeed feel like a large family, all pulling in the same direction in order to achieve the best outcomes for our pupils. We are delighted that this has been externally recognised and our aim is to continue to provide an excellent, well rounded primary education for our pupils, as a popular community school

with valued and positive local and national links" Coldfair Green is part of Evolution Academy Trust. Trust CEO Craig Avieson said: "this is a fantastic achievement for the whole community at Coldfair Green and appropriately highlights the hard-working staff and volunteers who enable children to feel safe, happy and achieve great things. A massive well done to all."

The Lady Alice Kenlis is situated on the Sutton Hoo estate but it is not publicly accessible due to its location.

Coldfair Green Primary School pupils with Headteacher Clare Williams. Image credit: Evolution Academy Trust

Are you interested in family or local history? Do you want to date your old family photos?

Then come along to the Fromus Centre, Street Farm Road, Saxmundham IP17

1AL (behind the Library) on October 7th, from 11am to 4pm, where the Alde Valley Suffolk Family History Group will be hosting a special Open Day.

There will be a special display about the Leiston Grammar School Wartime Roll of Honour, and information about the Halesworth War Memorial with details of the Halesworth war dead, as well as information about other local war memorials.

Have you got any old family photos that you can't put a date to? Bring them along and let our expert advise you. Several local organisations will be represented, including:

• Benhall & Sternfield History Group

• Martlesham Heath Aviation Society

• Saxmundham & District Local History Group

• Saxmundham Museum

• Yoxford History Group

Experienced family history researchers will be on hand to give help and advice in tracing your ancestors.

Admission is free but donations are welcome. There will be light refreshments and there is good, free car parking. For more information, visit: www.avsfhg.org.uk

SHAKE Festival announce a stellar line-up for October

Shakespeare weekend

Tickets are now on sale for SHAKE Festival via box offices at Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall and Aldeburgh Cinema, with a dazzling array of international performers, speakers, and academics due to descend on the seaside town on October 7th and 8th.

The festival includes performance of new plays inspired by Shakespeare, comedy improv, talks by leading international directors, actors and academics, workshops, film, music, and performance art/sculpture. Books will be on sale courtesy of Aldeburgh Bookshop.

The line-up includes: Alex Jennings, Laurence Edwards, Dame Janet Suzman, Annabel Arden, Sir. Stanley Wells, Irina Brook, Wendy Morgan, Alde Valley Academy in Leiston, TV sports Soprano Laura Wright, Professor Katherine Scheil of the University of Minnesota, Alan Cox and the School of Night, Bold & Saucy Wrongs

October

Sun

Sun

from Ipswich and the children of Jubilee Opera drawn from 13 local authority schools.

This year will see the third SHAKE festival weekend move to Aldeburgh from The Cut arts centre in Halesworth, where the festival started in 2019 with legends Harriet Walter and Lucy Bailey.

"I'm really happy our festival has found a new home at Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall" said Jenny Hall, Artistic Director of SHAKE, "Benjamin Britten began the Aldeburgh Festival here, and the whole town seems interested in music, film, poetry and the performing arts."

Tickets range from £12 (adult) / £6 (under 18) to £20 (adult) / £12 (under 18), but the majority of events are priced at £15/ £10 and are available from the separate venues.

Weekend passes, day passes, or individual event tickets are available from the Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall website and from Ticketsource.

Oktoberfest at the SMILE Café!

Between 9:30am and 2:30pm on October 4th, we will be celebrating Oktoberfest in the pop-up SMILE Community Café - in the new Saxmundham Fromus Centre. Against a background of German bierkeller music, you will be able to enjoy a special choice of grilled German sausages or chicken schnitzel Holstein, potato salad or potato wedges, sauerkraut or coleslaw, topped up with a gherkin, German mustard and a pretzel - and all washed down with a plentiful supply of chilled German beer (of the best non-alcoholic variety).

Group singing, stamping of feet and dancing is optional, as is fancy dress (lederhosen for the men and a dirndl for the ladies), but photographs will be taken!

Of course the usual menu will still be on offer, for the less adventurous... But, hey, we'd like to try something different and fun on the anniversary of our 11th successful year serving our local community!

For more information on the long-serving SMILE Café please check out our website: www. smile-cafe.org.uk or search for 'SMILE Café Saxmundham' to find our Facebook page.

WILD ABOUT BIRDS

198248

WILD ABOUT BIRDS

We sell quality bird, pet, animal feed and a large selection of crafts. Together with coal, logs and much more. Come and view our excellent range of stock.

WELLY BOOT SALE!

UP TO 50% OFF THROUGHOUT OCTOBER!

Deliveries made locally and mail order available throughout the UK Main Road Theberton, IP16 4RA Tel:01728 833262

01728 833262

www.wildaboutbirds.co.uk

www.wildaboutbirds.co.uk doreen@wildaboutbirds.co.uk

Main Road, Theberton, IP16 4RA

198238

SHAKE Festival is thrilled to welcome Suffolk-born mezzo-soprano Laura Wright for an evening of Songs and Sonnets at Jubilee Hall.

Alde Valley Suffolk Family History Group

Update from Dr Dan Poulter MP

Like many of you, I feel blessed to live in Suffolk. I always do my best to support local businesses, especially our farmers and food producers. Most of you are aware, that as well as being your MP, I am a doctor working in the NHS and, not long ago, I wrote about the perils of faddy and extreme diets. Buying locally produced fresh, seasonal food is absolutely vital for our health and it is also far better for our environment if we buy local and keep our food miles down wherever possible.

I often visit our local farmers and farm shops, and I am always impressed by the high quality of local produce, by our high animal welfare standards and by the high standards of traceability from farm to fork of Suffolk produced food and drink. However, many of us lead busy lives, and it is often necessary to do our shopping online as we keep up with the demands of juggling work and family. There are also many people who struggle with mobility issues and other health concerns who find online shopping an essential lifeline.

I am sure that most people,

whatever their shopping habits, always hope to find ways to support local producers where they can. That is why I have called on all of the big supermarkets to adopt a simple new system to make it much easier for online shoppers to buy British.

At the end of August, I helped to co-ordinate a letter from over 100 MPs that went out to the big supermarket companies urging them to support a Buy British Campaign. We are asking supermarkets to highlight the very best of British produce by incorporating a 'Buy British' section on their online shopping pages. The simple addition of a tab that collates produce from farmers across the UK will help customers shop locally quickly and easily, with the click of a mouse.

Many of our shops and supermarkets already label British made and farmed products, The addition of a 'Buy British' button is simply providing the online shopper with the same ability to better identify homegrown produce as is already enjoyed by those attending a shop

in person. A 'Buy British' button could encourage customers to eat seasonally and healthily and support their local farmers at the same time.

I have long championed the work of Suffolk's farmers in improving our food security, supporting a strong local economy and preserving and protecting the environment.

I know the people of Suffolk want to back our local farmers and food producers. We all want to understand more about where our food comes from and how it is produced. This simple change on supermarket webpages will help to ensure home grown food is easily identifiable and that in the future we can all play our part in backing British farmers and food producers.

I'm pleased to have played a key role in co-ordinating this important initiative. I talk to farmers in Suffolk regularly, and they tell me time and again the best way we can support them is to simply, 'buy British'. Ensuring we do this is a win-win situation, we protect our health, Suffolk's economy and our environment.

Leiston Town Bowls Club celebrate successful season

The 2023 season didn't end in a bang, but on Sunday September 10th, they closed the season with their finals day, a day enjoyed by all but mostly the fact that it showed that Leiston Town Bowls was reinvigorated, new members, new club attire, and the club atmosphere to match. After three seasons of dwindling membership, the club was looking doomed, but a influx of keen young(ger) players, the club was on a high. The finals day completing a year of hosting Suffolk County

games, league finals and our own tournaments meaning a full calendar weekends as well as leagues during week. A very successful season, league results suggest otherwise but our club has grown, more camaraderie, more laughs leading to enjoyable games throughout all to be celebrated on our presentation night, date to be announced soon. Date for all members diaries come, be apart of our new club, have your say offer help managing the club where you can. Annual General Meeting October 4th, 7pm, Pavilion.

Update from Saxmundham Adventure Playground

The Adventure Playground Committee would like to thank Pam McIntyre, her family, friends and all those who supported her at the Coffee Morning on August 19th. The weather was good and encouraged many visitors to the event. The grand total raised was £510, a fantastic result.

Over the last few years, Pam has raised much needed funds for the playground, by making many

items of patchwork, either to sell or for raffles. This has made a big difference to what we can achieve on maintaining the playground. Once again, thank you Pam. Our next fundraising event is Saxmundham Victorian Evening on December 1st, where we will have our popular tombola stall along with craft items to sell, ideal for Christmas presents.

Saxmundham Adventure Playground Committee

Ensors Accountants welcome 16 new students

We are pleased to announce the recruitment of 16 new members of staff who will be studying for their accountancy qualifications.

The students will be based across a number of the firm's offices with two located at Cambridge, four at Huntingdon, two at Saxmundham, five at Ipswich and three at Bury. The majority of the students will be studying for the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) and one for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England

News from Framlingham and Saxmundham Cats Protection

We have gradually been finding homes for the many kittens brought into us over the last few months, but more were still coming in in mid-September. It's been a lot of work for our fosterers and the team involved in finding homes for them all. Homing was a struggle during the holiday time but gradually picked up once the children went back to school and people could start thinking about giving a loving home to a lively, bouncy feline or two! We had some successful fundraising events during the summer and it was good to meet so many of our supporters.

Fundraising during the current cost-of-living crisis is becoming more difficult as people struggle to make-end-meet and we are always so grateful to those who still donate to the branch, both with monetary donations and gifts of food left in our collection tubs. We have a number of food collection baskets in local supermarkets and these help to support some feral colonies as well as cats in our care. These tubs can be found at:

• Graze Country Store, Halesworth

• Eagle Vets, Halesworth

• Noosabay Kennels & Cattery, Wangford

• The Feed Barn, Halesworth

• Co-op Supermarkets, Framlingham and Leiston

Dates for your diary:

• October 15th: Please come and see and support us at the Farlingaye Craft, Gift & Maker's Market at Farlingaye School, Woodbridge.

• October 27th: Black Cat Day!

A special day to celebrate all that is wonderful about black cats!

Cat looking for a home: This beautiful young lady pictured is Freya. She was brought to us with her four kittens shortly after their birth. She was a very good mum and very protective of her young and it is now time for her to find her new start in life.

We think Freya would be best in a home with someone with experience of cats, particularly Torties and their sometimes 'tricky' ways. If this is you and you can offer her the new start

and Wales (ICAEW).

Robert Leggett (Ensors Partner) says: "At Ensors, we recognise the importance of training the next generation of East Anglia's accountants and we are pleased to be welcoming 16 new students to the firm. From training at Ensors myself and achieving my qualifications as an accountant, it's great to see a higher uptake of students joining us every year. We look forward to supporting them on their journey throughout their qualifications and helping them to achieve their goals."

Could you offer lovely Freya her forever home?

and affection she needs, please let us know.

See our website: www.cats. org.uk/framandsax, email: enquiries@framandsax.cats. org.uk, or call: 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, 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.