Woodbridge Community News - February 2023

U3A East Suffolk lines up wide variety of speakers for 2023

East Suffolk u3a's spring programme is full of interest and stimulation, to get 2023 off to a flying start.

Woodbridge Cruising Club

The winter social season is a busy as ever, with a variety of

The regular Thursday walks see member and dogs enjoying a pleasant stroll around the Suffolk countryside, with a welcome meal at a local pub.

Walks have included a stroll around Dennington, where 14 members and three dogs enjoyed a great country walk around rural Suffolk, and a stroll around Sizewell, along the beach and across common and heath and back to the pub for lunch.

Future walks include Shottisham and beyond.

The monthly Sunday talks are informative. The first talk of the new year was Commodore Rob Dorey (the Trinity House

Director of Operations) who gave a fascinating talk on Trinity House and new technologies in aids to navigations, which was of particular interest to those planning summer cruises.

Future talks include National Coastwatch, a voluntary organisation which assists in the protection and preservation of life at sea and along the UK coastline.

Wednesday suppers are always popular, and a new social event, a Beetle drive, is looked forward to, as is the wine tasting evening.

The club website (www. woodbridgecruisingclub.org) has full details and new members are welcome, whether you currently own (or have owned) a motorboat or yacht, or have an interested in all things nautical.

This thriving local members' organisation welcomes anyone retired or semi-retired and seeking something new/ interesting. Fees are extremely modest, and membership offers the opportunity to learn new skills, make new friends and fill life with stimulation and companionship.

East Suffolk U3A has a strong local following and offers a

choice of more than 150 activity groups, including discussing the arts, history, science, learning a new foreign language, walking, quizzing, dining out, short breaks and more.

Local speaker meetings include: Thursday 9th February: 2pm-4pm. The Fromus Centre, Street Farm Road, Saxmundham IP17 1AL. Fingerprinting: A retired fingerprint expert explains how to identify fingerprints and techniques for making latent marks visible. Presented by

David Smith. Monday 20th February: 10:30am-12:30pm. Woodbridge Football Club, 17 Fynn Road, Woodbridge, IP12 4LS. A wander around Christchurch Mansion and Ipswich Museum: the origins of the museum and the story of the mansion, highlighting some of the diverse collection. Presented by Erica Burrows. See the website: www.u3aeastsuffolk.org.uk for more information, or call the Membership Secretary on 0300 123 3913.

An update from Woodbridge Museum

Although the museum is open only at weekends during the winter, during the week, our collections team is beavering away at updating the records we keep on each of the 7,000+ objects that we have in the collections.

Many of these objects were acquired and catalogued in the 1980s when the museum first opened on Market Hill. In those days, cataloguing relied almost entirely on local knowledge and a small reference library. Today, we have the additional benefit of the internet to help us identify objects and place them in their historical context, both locally and more widely.

While updating our records,

we're also taking the opportunity to make a photographic record of each item with a view to one day making our digital catalogue more widely available to the public.

Visitors regularly bring into the museum old photographs of local people, buildings or scenes, old maps and books, property deeds and other local artefacts. We welcome similar donations, small or large, which have some relevance to Woodbridge, Melton and neighbouring parishes, plus the Deben estuary.

Recent donations have included a large-scale Ordnance Survey Atlas of Woodbridge. The atlas has just been restored by a professional conservator after having had a hard life in a local

office where it was used daily for reference. The restoration was done with the generous help of a grant from Art Friends Suffolk. The Friends of the museum hold a monthly talk on Fridays at the Community Hall January's talk was on the 'Dissolution of the Monasteries in Suffolk' when Pip Wright put this national upheaval into a more local contest.

Future talks are:

• 10th February at 2:30pm: 'Waldringfield - A Suffolk Village beside the River Deben' - Jane Hall.

• 10th March at 2:15pm: AGM followed by 'Bawdsey Radar' - Graham Murchie at 2:45pm.

• 14th April - TBA.

• 12th May - TBA.

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

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.

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.

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.

News from Woodbridge Swifts

Woodbridge Swifts is going from strength to strength and we now have a new team!

• Jenny James (General Information & Publicity): woodbridge.swifts@gmail. com.

Woodbridge Inner Wheel Club

Those were our thoughts on hearing from our speaker, John Hammond (ambassador for St Elizabeth Hospice) on what can be found in bags of donated items for

the Hospice Retail Centre at Martlesham Heath.

John told of the work of the volunteers and donations of various goods, some of which are redistributed to 25 other shops in Suffolk. People associate the hospice with help for cancer sufferers, but it provides end-oflife care for people with many other conditions. The money to support patients comes from many sources, including gifting in wills and (of course) from the shops.

John talked of the enrichment to his life volunteering had brought and the many friendships that have developed, and one of his claims to fame was that he had handled Ed Sheeran's underpants (unworn, he quickly added!)

(Unused items left over from a tour.) John talked appreciatively of the help provided by Ed, his family, and many other local businesses. Unwanted or recycled goods and clothes were an important resource. Good ones in good condition were gratefully received. Bad items included damaged or incomplete things or empty wine/plastic bottles often found amongst clothes. The downright ugly included soiled nappies and unwashed clothes! Only donate items one would buy oneself is the mantra!

Unbelievably, the Martlesham Centre pay £30,000 a year to

have unusable rubbish removed, money that could be used for hospice care. Opening hours 9am-5pm. For donations of larger items one should ring beforehand. Deirdre Griffin thanked John for an informative and amusing talk.

President Sharon was pleased to welcome two new members, Julie Goulding and Sally Lumsden, into the Club.

The Knit and Natter group have agreed that knitted hats and other warm items will sent to the Ukraine. The annual IW quiz will be reinstated at the community centre on Friday 24th February from 7pm (details for booking at griffindeirdre4@gmail. com) in aid of 4YP, a charity supporting young people in Suffolk. Members were looking forward to a soup and pud lunch to mark International Inner Wheel Day on Tuesday 10th January, the proceeds of which would be donated to Mary's Meals.

Inner Wheel is an international organisation with three objectives: 1. To promote true friendship. 2. To encourage the ideals of personal service. 3. To foster international understanding.

Woodbridge members meet at Ufford Park Hotel at 6:30pm on the first Thursday evening of each month. If you'd like to know more about the club, look for District 8 on: www.innerwheel.co.uk.

Deben Rotary

The Rotary Club of Woodbridge Deben's Santa's sleigh was out and about again in December, visiting Martlesham and Martlesham Heath and spending a Saturday in the Thoroughfare. Just over £2,000 was raised to enable us to continue our support of local, national and international charities. The President and members of the club would once again like to express our gratitude for the public's support, particularly in these trying times.

We're looking for suitable storage for the sleigh to try to minimise the cost of maintenance. If you know of any suitable dry storage area (a barn or outbuilding for example) please contact Rotarian Martin Kenyon on 01394 386933.

The club's Community Service Committee is inviting nominations for our 2023 Community Service Award.

If you know of anyone in the Martlesham, Kesgrave, Melton and Woodbridge area who has made a significant contribution to their community, please send their details to Deirdre Griffin (griffindeirdre4@gmail.com). Please give a summary in less than 250 words of why they deserve to be recognised.

The Memory Cafe (run in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Woodbridge and Woodbridge Inner Wheel) resumes in January after the Christmas break. The next meeting will be on Wednesday 25th January and thereafter on the last Wednesday of every month except December. We meet at Woodbridge Football Club from 10:30am-12pm and look forward to greeting friends old and new. We welcome sufferers of all forms of memory loss and their carers to enjoy refreshments, good conversation and live music, for which there's no charge.

• Laurence Potter (Nest Box Sales): woodswiftbox@ hotmail.com, 07860 549 366.

• Nick Marshall (Recording Swift nesting sites): woodswiftsites@gmail.com.

• Jenny Rawson will join us soon.

• Eddie Bathgate (SOS Swifts): swifts@suffolkbirdgroup.org, for swifts throughout Suffolk.

However, we are always looking for more help with nest boxes, administration and recording. Please email woodbridge.swifts@gmail. com if you'd like to help swifts in Woodbridge. We're also looking for more people who work with

ladders, to put up nest boxes for us. We are happy to pay for the service. So, if you know any window cleaners, roofers and tilers, TV aerial installers, chimney sweeps etc who might be prepared to help, please email Laurence on the email address above.

The SOS Swifts WhatsApp group is a very good way of being involved with Swifts and being kept up-to-date here in Suffolk. To join, please send your mobile number to Eddie Bathgate on: 07368 334520 or email him on the above email address. SOS Swifts' aims are to preserve, then expand existing nest colonies throughout Suffolk and to create new ones. We are here to help you help Swifts throughout the county.

Swift nests summer 2022:

Results from Nick Marshall: Woodbridge Swifts has been

Deben Flower Club

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday 14th February in Kirton Church Hall, Church Lane, Kirton, IP11 0PU at 7:30pm. Our demonstrator will be Doreen Robinson and her title is 'Embracing Colour'. As far as I'm aware, Doreen has not visited us before so we can look forward to some new and exciting ideas. Doreen's arrangements will be raffled at the end of the evening and there will be a fundraising stall of any unused gifts you may be able to donate. Tea coffee and biscuits will be available after the demonstration.

Visitors are assured of a warm welcome. £6. Email: wa@ sandlings.co.uk or telephone Sandy on 07910 463158 for further information.

Flower arranging tip of the month: This time of year is often expensive for purchasing flowers and there are not many available from the garden, so why not try an all-foliage arrangement. Think of texture, colour, size and shape of leaves and scent. For example, adding some Pine and Eucalyptus to the design gives a wonderful scent and different textures.

Rescheduled Woodbridge Society Benjamin Britten talk

Benjamin Britten (the composer with strong roots in East Suffolk) once said he wanted music to be "useful". This is also the aim of Britten Pears Arts, the charity that emerged from the Aldeburgh Festival, which he and his partner the singer Peter Pears founded in 1948.

Its work, and the legacy Britten and Pears left behind them, is the subject of a rescheduled lecture put on by The Woodbridge Society.

Roger Wright CBE (the current Chief Executive of Britten Pears Arts and a former Controller of BBC3 and The Proms) was due to address The Woodbridge Society in October but the talk had to be postponed.

It will now take place at the start of February, and Mr Wright will look at the charity's work in continuing the duo's legacy to develop musical talent by offering learning and training in music. The talk is entitled 'Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears - a living

heritage and a vision for the future.' Mr Wright said: "We use music to transform people's lives, to bring communities together and enhance daily life."

Britten Pears Arts is based at The Red House, Aldeburgh, which the two moved into in 1957. Mr Wright's talk will look at how his organisation allows students to experience worldclass performances and work with freelance musicians and artists to improve their skills.

"In many ways we are one of a kind," Mr Wright said. "We are one of only a very few musical organisations worldwide with such a rich heritage and history."

The talk will now be at Quay Church, Quay Street, Woodbridge on Wednesday 1st February at 7:30pm. Free to Woodbridge Society members, £5 entry for non-members.

For more information, call Martin Waller (Woodbridge Society Publicity Officer) on 01394 246184 or 07768 701199.

monitoring swift nest sites in Woodbridge since 2016. Swift numbers in the UK have halved over 20 years and swifts are now red listed. So, it's increasingly important for us to know where the swifts are nesting so that we can protect these sites.

The exceptionally hot weather for a few days in July did cause some overheating issues for some nests, but the overall good weather and consequential high availability of insects seem to have contributed to a successful year for swifts in Woodbridge.

We have recorded a total of 48 nest sites in the town, about half in roof spaces and half in nest boxes. This is roughly a 10% increase on 2021. There are some other sites which have been used in recent years, on which we don't have reports for this year but which may also have been occupied. Please send Nick any new records or observations of nesting swifts from last year. This data is entered on the SBIS Swifts website and is available to East Suffolk Council planners for use when carrying out ecological assessments for planning permission applications.

Sales of Swift nest boxes: We have records of 185 swift

nest boxes in Woodbridge, 23 in Melton and six in Bromeswell, most of which we have supplied, since 2016.

We have Model 30 nest boxes for sale constructed from 12mm ply by John Stimpson for £25. This is very good value and they are tough and durable boxes. A white reflective uPVC doublethickness roof, is designed to resist both rain and sun, so the box can be placed on southfacing walls. The boxes come with a nest concave inside at the end away from the entrance.

Contact Laurence by phone/ email for details and to make a purchase.

Nest box cameras: This summer, more people have added cameras to their nest boxes. It's added hugely to their enjoyment and understanding of swift nesting, and chick rearing, and well worth the effort and cost of the installation.

Sound systems: We continue to emphasise the importance of playing swift calls. The chances of swifts finding your nest boxes increase greatly if they hear swift calls coming from a potential nest site. Contact us for information about cameras and sound systems.

Kyson Probus Club

After our customary lunch, we had an excellent talk for our first meeting of the new year by Dr. James Henderson from The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies entitled "Russia, Europe, and the Global Energy Crisis."

Russia, produces 7% of the global energy demand, exporting gas and crude oil and their byproducts, principally to Europe. It also has one of the largest supplies of coal as well as large stocks of valuable minerals used in modern technology. It uses energy as diplomatic influence in the world but is, itself, riddled with corruption. It has been exporting gas to Europe since 1968 and has developed, since then, a vast network of pipelines to aid its distribution, many of these through Ukraine. Due to the current crisis caused by Putin's war, Europe's reliance on Russian gas has diminished from 45% in 2019 to less than 20% now, and is likely to reduce further. This is due to the USA providing Europe with frozen liquid gas (LNG), and without this, the lights would have gone out in Europe long ago. The

second largest supplier to Europe of LNG is Qatar. Many of the ships currently on the oceans are LNG carriers with Russia still exporting from its enormous gas fields in the Arctic and, where in recent times, it has expanded its development and military installations giving concern to NATO and western allies.

Our next lunch meeting at the Ufford Park Hotel will be at 12:30pm on February 13th, for our AGM when our current Chairman, Bob Tate, will hand over to our new Chairman, Adrian Revill for a programme of interesting talks in 2023.

If you are retired, and enjoy a very convivial atmosphere, you will be very welcome to join us, because we are not a large group so there is little chance of being overwhelmed. If you have been a Probus member from another part of the world or just new to the area or think we sound interesting, simply email: memsec.kyson@gmail.com or visit our website: www.probusclub.net/ kysonwoodbridge.

We look forward to meeting you.

Making music fun in East Anglia

Unfortunately, the concert joint concert with Suffolk Singers planned for Sunday 5th February 2023 has been postponed, and will now take place later in the year. If you feel 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.

"The good, the bad and the downright ugly!"

Martlesham Brass

Martlesham Brass would like to thank all those who contributed to our carolling collections over the Christmas period. In Martlesham Heath Square, and at Woodbridge Street Fayre, we raised a total of £414, which will be shared amongst our nominated charities, which this year were St. Elizabeth Hospice, Suffolk Accident Rescue Service (SARS) and East Anglian Air Ambulance.

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!

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%).

Woodbridge Royal British Legion

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

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.

chain. We're really pleased

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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:

• 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.

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.

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

• 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,

Mallard Fencing

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.

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

hotel

to welcome back his

listening 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 Warm Rooms:

Halesworth:

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

Bramfield, Ringsfield and Brampton Primary Schools activities

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.

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.

A small village just outside Woodbridge, Melton is situated on the River Deben and known for its picturesque views and rich history. The village is home to a variety of historic buildings and landmarks, including the 14th century St. Andrew's Church and the 18th century Melton Hall.

One of the main attractions is the river Deben, which is a popular spot for boating and fishing. The Deben is also home to a variety of wildlife, including otters, kingfishers, and herons.

Visitors can take a leisurely stroll along the river and enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

The village is also home to a number of local businesses and shops with something for everyone. But, if you are

Focus on... Melton

looking for something a little more active you can explore the local countryside by taking a hike or bike ride through the nearby woods and fields.

The village is also known for its strong sense of community, with regular events and activities taking place throughout the year. These include a village fete and the ever popular Melton Car Boot.

For those looking to explore further afield, Melton is a great base for exploring the surrounding area, with the nearby towns of Woodbridge and Aldeburgh both offering a variety of shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions. Additionally, the nearby coast is perfect for beachcombing, windsurfing and sailing.

Burness Parish Rooms

The village hall is so much a part of local life in much of Suffolk that there's a danger we may take these wonderful community hubs for granted. Many were built just after WW1 to develop social and educational provision in rural areas.

the interior has been updated and modernised, losing a stage, and having the rooms combined into one attractive space capable of housing all sorts of groups and family parties. Yet the building is in the centre of a conservation area and retains its original charm.

Poppy's Pantry

Poppy's Pantry is an awardwinning wholefoods shop in Melton. We sell vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, organic, fresh and local produce.

In addition to this we offer eco refills on household cleaning products such as laundry liquid and shampoos.

Poppy's Pantry really is one of Suffolk's hidden gems. Through the shop, we provide training and employment opportunities for adults with learning disabilities. We are one of Realise Futures' social businesses that help people realise their potential.

Melton was particularly lucky. It had a forward-thinking benefactor who built a solid and attractive multi-purpose at the centre of this busy village on the Yarmouth road: ‘The Burness Parish Rooms' Over the years,

It won't be too long before the National Trust or English Heritage realise the value of such placesmeanwhile make the most of this and other such gems by using them. Have a look at the website: www.burnessparishrooms.org.

St Audrys Golf Club

St Audrys Golf Club, Yarmouth Road, Melton is a nine-hole course set in beautiful parkland. There's a friendly clubhouse, regular social functions and ample free parking. Full membership is £540 per year, with no joining fee and also payable via monthly direct, representing the most competitively priced golf in the area.

The club has a vibrant ladies' section, a very active seniors' and a men's' section. It also works closely with Ufford Park to introduce juniors, ladies and beginners to the game.

St Audrys is the ideal course for those with limited time to play, lapsed players looking to get back into the game and those more experienced golfers looking for a less demanding round.

Commodore's Black Tie Christmas Party

Woodbridge Cruising Club.

The club celebrated the festive season in true style, with a highlight being the Commodore's Black Tie Christmas Party, under the auspicious of the new Commodore, Mark Richardson.

The delicious food was prepared by members, with Marian and Ros taking a leading role, and entertainment in true cruising club style. The mulled wine and mince pies on Boxing Day was a delightful chance for members to socialise, as was the New Year's Day walk and soup back at the club house.

The regular Thursday walks see member and dogs enjoying a pleasant stroll around the Suffolk countryside, with a welcome meal at a local pub.

Walks have included a walk around the Dennington area, ending up at the Queen's Head led by William, a perambulation around Grundisburgh organised by Janet and Monica, with a meal at the Dog, and a walk around Sizewell led by Brian, along dunes and beaches and inland through wetlands and passed the Sizewell Gap (a smuggler's haunt).

Club members do an excellent volunteering for everything from running the bar, to ever popular Wednesday suppers, to the maintenance work parties led by the property officer Graham. These unsung heroes are responsible for keeping the club running. The work party

meet on Wednesdays and work hard, fortified by homemade cake and coffee.

The monthly Sunday talks are popular, and Paul gave an informative talk about the transatlantic Jester Challenge for yachts under 30'. A Near and Far evening was four talks about their sailing experiences to Brittany, Holland, Scotland and a vital update on the new arrangements for yachtsmen visiting the continent, presented by John, Mark , Richard and Bram. Future talks planned for the new year include Trinity House.

The club website www. woodbridgecruisingclub.org has full details and new members are welcome, whether you currently own (or have owned) a motorboat or yacht, or have an interested in all things nautical.

Christmas parcels

The Woodbridge Lions Club provided 100 bags of special festive food treats at Christmas to the Salvation Army Food Bank in Woodbridge.

These were then distributed to regular visitors of their food bank to provide a little bit of added Christmas cheer at what is such a difficult time financially for so many.

Our thanks to Lions Stella

Woodbridge Flower Club

We were delighted to welcome Lee Berrill as the demonstrator for our December meeting. Lee produced many colourful seasonal arrangements and gave us lots of ideas and inspiration for our own Christmas decorations.

The meeting ended with a

raffle, tea and mince pies giving members plenty of time to chat and look at the sales table.

Our next meeting will be on February 1st at Martlesham Village Hall starting at 2pm. New members and guests are always very welcome to join us.

Would you like to receive our activity sheets for preschool aged children?

Benton and John Wood who were the lead Lions on this project. Special thanks to Chris Matthews, the manager of the East of England Co-op, who helped significantly and Major Alan Hill and his team at the Woodbridge Salvation Army Food Bank. Last, and by no means least, thanks to all the members of the public for making donations and supporting us at events throughout the year.

Due to various circumstances, at the moment we are sending out free activity sheets by email/post on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month during term time, for the children to enjoy doing with their family and/or carers, instead of meeting in St. Michael's 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. In January, we continued the Christmas story

with the Wise Men's visit to Jesus where they took him presents of gold, frankincense, and myrrh; there was a song and pictures of these presents for colouring.

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 telephone number below. We look forward to hearing from you.

If you'd like further information, please contact Sonya and Maureen Burrows on 01473 625196.

Woodbridge Cruising Club

Bright Stars

Woodbridge & District Lions Club

The new Commodore Mark Richardson and his wife Clare