Ipswich24 Magazine February, 2018

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Available in and around Ipswich, Woodbridge, Felixstowe, Stowmarket and Hadleigh – Every Month

E E R F e azin mag

The Luxury Travel Specialist

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Pink, Winehouse and Gaga all in one night!

This month starts off with a huge show at the Spa. Join the fabulously talented and versatile singer Vicky Jackson for one night only, Saturday 3rd February as she performs - Pink, Winehouse and Gaga - ‘Live!’

One of the UK’s foremost entertainers, Vicky brings three of her favourite ‘characters’ for a special night supported by her live band. Featuring a cameo appearance from Amy Winehouse, followed by two rocking sets from Lady Gaga and Pink for one night only from 7.30pm The following day (Sunday 4th February) from 3pm the stage comes alive once more with the rescheduled show Rat Pack Live. A talented trio combine to sing the hits of Frank, Dean and Sammy spectacularly and swingsationally. As you might expect this show features all the patter and razzamatazz of the Rat Pack’s infamous live stage show.

Saturday 10th sees Let the Music Play a celebration of Barry White at 7.30pm - Two times Grammy winner he was best known for his distinctive, smooth, smoky deep baritone bass voice. The show will feature memorable hits such as “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love Babe”, You’re The First My Last My Everything”, “Never Never

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Gonna Give You Up”, “Ecstasy”, “Your Sweetness Is My Weakness”, and “Love’s Theme”.

There’s no let-up in the entertainment with Saturday 17th from 7.30pm featuring another huge show - Walk Like A Man - The Sounds of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. With some of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll songs of a generation, pumping out classics such as Sherry, Beggin’, Big Girls Don’t Cry, and of course Walk Like a Man. Saturday 24th, to celebrate what would have

been the birthday of the Man in Black, the Spa features Ring of Fire - The Johnny Cash Birthday Bash from 7.30pm. The amazing vocals of Rick McKay bring alive this totally authentic Johnny Cash show at The Spa Pavilion. So much more than a tribute to one of the giants of music. This show is a complete look at the life and music of the Man in Black. With his band Rick performs all of the hits live and Jodie Mckay also stars as June Carter Cash.

Looking ahead to March, Thursday 1st from 7.30pm the Bad Boy of Comedy is back - Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown! Finally don’t miss the Story of Lionel Bart from 7.30pm on Saturday 3rd March.

West End Star John Barr gets into character as he tells you the tragic story of this song-writing genius – is there a happy ending?

All shows on sale are available from the Spa Pavilion’s Box Office which is open from 11am until 4pm, 01394 284962. You can also buy your tickets on line, 24 hours a day, at www.felixstowespa.co.uk Both of the bar restaurants are open every day from 9.30am to 5pm and two hours before performances for pre-show dining. You can also follow the Spa Pavilion on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest news and show updates.

INSIDE THIS MONTH FEBRUARY All About Pets This month we have advice on microchipping cats, what to do with that wayward puppy plus news on an exciting event for dogs and their owners.

Competitions:

This month we have the chance to win tickets to see some Icons of the 80s plus a great boxed DVD set of TV's "Delicious"

9&11 Weddings:

12-13 Holidays:

Christmas is over and now is the time to start looking to your next break away!

Are you getting married? If so you will find everything you need to know in our Pull-Out special.

Advice on all aspects of preparation for your Biggest Day!

CENTRE 14-15

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At Home:

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Spring is on the way and many people are looking to either improving their homes or getting out in the garden. You'll find lots of help in our lifestyle section.

Events Diary:

Looking for something to do? We have something for everyone in our day-by-day guide to February. From music events to places to go and things to do.

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n Exhibition: Every PC Help Picture Tells a Story

with Paul Atkin of PC Help

TWO well-known local artists are holding a FREE exhibition in Ipswich - exploring the stories behind the artwork.

Every Picture Tells a Story features 20 works from Jenny George and Anthony Wooding, whose art has been snapped by buyers in the past.

Anthony, who is also the managing partner of Kerseys Solicitors, has previously displayed work inspired by the Native American thinker Lame Deer at the Town Hall.

The exhibition will be held at the law firm’s headquarter’s in Lloyds Avenue from mid-February for six months.

Anthony, who has practised law for over 30 years, has a history of supporting the arts in the area and regularly promotes local artists at Kersey’s offices. The former Oxford University student, whose work goes under the name of ‘Ant Artist,’ said, “The work is not intended to simply adorn a wall, but to create a relationship with the viewer. We hope it will resonate with people and give pause for thought.

“We’ve previously exhibited the work of local artists and the time was right for me to exhibit some of my own work. I’m grateful to the team at Kerseys for all their support.”

The work on display will explore the use of colour and texture and invite people to reflect on the subjects portrayed. It will look at history, culture and nature.

Jenny, whose quirky take on a well-known local landmark, The Wine Rack, proved a hit, has exhibited her work at galleries across Suffolk.

She added, “We want to convey a story with a work.

Within the paint and the ink, within each brush stroke and line, there is the intertwined story of history, of family, of local and distant cultures, of existence, and of nature.”

Every Picture Tells a Story exhibition will be held at Kerseys Solicitors, Lloyds Avenue, Ipswich, and will run for six months. It will be open daily from 9am to 5.15pm.

Personal, Mobile, Footwear Service Based in Kesgrave, Bettacare is a personal mobile footwear service that provides shoes and slippers for both ladies and men – their motto is ‘No feet too difficult!’ and this is true as the locally based company stock a wide range of footwear that is specially designed for people with foot health issues who might otherwise struggle to find comfortable shoes.

foot care programme could reduce the number of falls by 36%. It stated that foot and ankle exercises, foot orthoses and particularly, wearing the appropriate footwear are all key to preventing falls.

Every year in the UK about one-third of people aged over 65 will fall and wearing the correct footwear is essential.

Cosyfeet shoes fulfil all the criteria for safe footwear and are specially designed for people with swollen feet, but are unsuitable for ‘normal’ or ‘narrow’ fittings.

There are some simple things that people can do to help themselves stay steady on their feet. A study published in the British Medical Journal found that a multi-faceted

Bettacare are the local mobile stockist for Cosyfeet. If you are less mobile, they can do home visits to show and fit their footwear, enabling you to be confident of the correct size and style needed.

• To find out more about Cosyfeet, for both men and ladies, and advice on wearing the correct footwear, contact Bettacare on 01473 333417.

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If you use a PC, it’s important to be aware that the files you hold on it could be destroyed at any time. Disk drive failure, malicious software, human error, lightning strikes… the list goes on!

The way to deal with these risks is to have copies of your files stored outside your PC, i.e. backup. It’s best to have software do this job for you. There are many backup programs available; on PCs up to Windows 7, my choice is Genie Timeline (free) – it can be set up automatically but also lets you choose the files and folders to be backed up. I don’t recommend the inbuilt Windows backup on these PCs. For PCs with Windows 8 onwards, File History is a much improved inbuilt backup feature that can be used, although Genie Timeline is better at nagging!

It’s best to disconnect your backup device when backup is complete.

We can also now back up to ‘the cloud’. There are many ‘cloud’ services and they usually give you some free storage to get you started. Onedrive is Microsoft’s offering and so would seem to be an obvious choice for Windows PCs; however, I have found it so slow as to be unusable.

Finally, you can back up your entire PC with disk imaging software that enables quick recovery from hard drive failure.

I have been using Macrium Reflect (free) for this for some years now – it does everything needed and I have found it to be very reliable.

For more information contact Paul Atkin on 01473 421550 or 07931 296124.

Exciting calendar of events announced by Hospice The fundraising calendar for 2018 is filling up fast for St Elizabeth Hospice and planning for some of its major events is well under way.

With spring around the corner the hospice is delighted to launch its Great Garden Trail with the opening of its first garden in March. Local garden owners in Suffolk have been signing up to show their gardens to the public to raise much needed funds for the hospice, and on 25th March keen and aspiring gardeners can visit The Old Coach House at Brockdish, Diss, IP21 4JY to enjoy the first burst of spring flowers in two acres of woodland gardens which lead down to the River Waveney. The garden will be open from 10am until 4pm with entry costing £2.50 for adults/children free.

Neon and sparkle theme for Midnight Walk 2018

On 12th May the hospice’s flagship event the Midnight Walk takes place with walkers setting off from a new venue at Trinity Park for either the six or ten mile route. Men, women and children aged 10 years and over will join together to complete the route, starting out at 10pm. Walkers often participate in memory of a loved one, and the walk is an opportunity to raise funds for the hospice and reflect and remember their families and friends.

Walkers can get creative with the neon and sparkle theme and enjoy the camaraderie that the walk undoubtedly brings each year. People can register at www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/midnightwalk or call 01473 707043 for more information. Tickets cost £15 per walker.

Last year around 100 gardens opened their gates in support of the hospice, collectively raising over £35,000. The hospice has already signed up 80 gardens to open for this year’s event, and for anyone who feels inspired to join in the trail, they can register at www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/ greatgardentrail.

The majority of the gardens open during May, June and July and many offer tea and cake plus plants for purchase, and many have wheelchair access.

Full details can be found on the hospice website and the trail map will be available in March.

RideFest2018 – get in the saddle to support the hospice

For individuals or organisations looking for a challenge with a difference, the hospice is launching its second RideFest this month. As well as an individual and corporate cycle challenge, this year keen cyclists can sign up to the sportive of either 25 or 50 miles taking place on 18th March.

RideFest will run throughout February and March and is a flexible way of challenging yourself or colleagues to get moving, get a bit fitter and support a local charity.

The support of individuals and businesses is vital to enable the hospice to continue to provide its services. Hospice care is provided free of charge, but with demand on services expected to double it can only continue with the generous support of local people who provide the majority of hospice income.

n Guided Walks with Afternoon Tea

The series of “Afternoon Tea” Guided Walks, arranged by Ipswich Tourist Guides, continues throughout February.

The walks, each with a special theme, explores a different aspect of Ipswich’s history and heritage and finishes in one of the town’s independent Tea Rooms for a welcome cuppa and a piece of cake.

The walks in February include: (Wednesday, 7th) “Happy Birthday Mr Dickens” - Exploring Ipswich’s connections with Charles Dickens - (Friday 16th) “Wolsey’s Angels” – hear about Ipswich’s most famous son, Thomas Wolsey, his rise to power and fall from grace - and (Thursday 22nd) “William Leggett’s Legacy” – explore the sites of bygone Ipswich painted by the acclaimed Ipswich-born artist.

• Tickets cost £8.00 per person, which includes the refreshments, and may be purchased from Ipswich Tourist Information Centre (call 01473 258070 for more information or pick up a free leaflet) or at www.ipswichregent.com.

Dad always gave her roses. With their help, today was no different Here for you every hour of every day

01473 851731

or visit www.eastofengland.coop/funerals 5

n Curry Night for Charity Join the Mayor of Felixstowe for his Charity Curry Night at Bombay Nite, 285 High Street, Walton on Monday 5th February at 7pm for a night of delicious food and entertainment.

The evening will help to raise funds for the Mayor's charities - Level Two Youth Project, FACTS (Felixstowe Community Transport) and the Felixstowe and Walton United Football Club and costs £20 per person. Pre-booking essential by contacting Lorna at Felixstowe Town Hall 01394 288193, Wendy at Level Two 01394 272521, Bryan at FACTS on 01394 282857 and Chris at the Felixstowe and Walton United Football Club 01394 282627. www.felixstowe.gov.uk

Five steps to greater happiness in later life The Oddfellows has more than 200 years’ experience in helping people to get more out of life and to form lasting friendships, so we thought we’d share a little of what we’ve learnt along the way.

Step 1 – Keep your brain busy!

At Ipswich Oddfellows we offer a monthly “Company and a Cuppa” games club; interesting speakers, quizzes, and plenty of opportunities for conversation. Research shows that staying mentally active can increase your brain vitality.

Step 2 – Helping others.

Many retirees find great satisfaction in volunteering, and giving back to the community. Ipswich Oddfellows is run by its members for its members and relies on its volunteers to oversee the business, organise events and to support those who are ill.

Step 3 – Join a local club or society.

Being part of a group, making regular contact with those who share similar interests, will result in meaningful friendships. Research has shown that, later in life, people with a wide circle of friends tend to be happier and healthier. Ipswich Oddfellows’ social programme offers a variety of events to enjoy from coffee mornings to cruises!

Step 4 – Get physical! (Don’t panic, we’re not suggesting the Olympics!)

There are so many benefits to regular exercise. It gives your mental health a boost, by helping to combat stress, anxiety and depression. So “ditch the slippers” and join the activity session at Ipswich Oddfellows on Thursday mornings 10.15am (£2.50). Or find a friend and enjoy regular walks together.

Step 5 – Seize the day and make the most of every minute of every hour of every day.

Forget routine and do more of what you love – meet friends for lunch; take a walk together; use your bus pass to visit new places; visit the cinema/theatre together or book a holiday.

The Oddfellows can help you achieve steps 1-5.

All YOU have to do is contact Lynne or Wendy 01473 251867, email ipswichevents@oddfellows.co.uk or check out www.facebook.com/ ipswichoddfellows.

with Daniel Ford

It is the hope that kills you as they say! Being an Ipswich Town fan I couldn’t agree more! After a very promising start to the season the Super Blues have badly dropped off thanks to a woeful Christmas period. So what has gone wrong? And is it finally time for Mick McCarthy to go?

First of all, being the fair man that I am, I am ready to acknowledge that the squad has been crippled by a bout of injuries. Summer signings Emyr Huws and Tom Adeyemi have hardly featured all season thanks to persistent niggles, Teddy Bishop once again faces a long layoff after a hamstring tear and defender Adam Webster is struggling to stay fit.

Without doubt this crisis has badly affected the team, especially in the midfield where Town are left bereft of any sort of creativity in Huws and Bishops absence. However, this is where one of the fundamental problems with this squad is flagged up; there isn’t enough strength in depth. With all respect to midfielder Kevin Bru, although one can never fault his application, he simply isn’t good enough to be competing at this level.

Secondly, Mick himself must take criticism for the dreadful Christmas run that has derailed Town’s season. After an expected defeat against Wolves, it was widely expected the team would bounce back against a poor QPR team. Inexplicably, Town put in an inept lifeless performance, much of this down to the fact that Mick failed to bring on creative spark Bersant Celina to change the game. Following this Town put in another poor show in a defeat to Derby, and then came the humiliation of Fulham! After a quite frankly brain dead challenge from Jordan Spence earned him a red card, Town capitulated as they conceded four goals in seven minutes to lose the game 4-1. That doesn’t happen to Mick McCarthy teams! Attending the following game I fully expected some sort of response, especially against essentially Sheffield United’s B team in the FA Cup. Clearly I expected too much! The Blues failed to manage a single shot on target in a 1-0 loss, after which McCarthy had the cheek to say that he was pleased with the performance! I’m the first one to defend Mick due to the lack of funds he has, but player for player we are a better team than the Blades, yet Town played like a side without any motivation.

Sadly I get the feeling that the club is just winding down to the end of the season when it is likely McCarthy will leave, whether this is the case or not both the players and the manager need to have a long hard look at themselves. As fans we don’t expect our team to play like Barcelona, but we do expect the team to show some fighting spirit, until that returns we aren’t going anywhere…

Exhibition about Ipswich and you!

An exciting new exhibition, You Are Here: The Making of Ipswich! will be at the Ipswich Art Gallery in High Street.

Get more out of life with the Oddfellows Events and activities to suit everyone Contact Lynne on 01473 251867 email lynne.wyatt@oddfellows.co.uk

The Oddfellows is the trading name of The Independent Order of Odd Fellows Manchester Unity Friendly Society Limited, incorporated and registered in England and Wales No. 223F. Registered Office: Oddfellows House, 184-186 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3WB

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Ford’s Focus

This is all about you and your community – where your own piece of Ipswich fits into the story of our historic town.

You Are Here also explains where Ipswich’s treasures came from – all those wonderful exhibits in the Museum and Christchurch Mansion.

Find out about what has made Ipswich a diverse urban centre and of the peoples who have come here over the centuries and helped to shape it.

Ipswich is acknowledged as the oldest English town but our story starts far earlier, in prehistoric times.

So, come along to the exhibition and join a conversation about our town’s rich and vibrant past.

Councillor Carole Jones, the Borough Council’s Museums Service portfolioholder, said, “This is a wonderful opportunity to explore our town and the part we have all played in it. It’s a great story and one that will be fascinating and fun for everyone from nine to ninety!”

You Are Here: The Making of Ipswich! runs from until 15th April. Entry is free.

The Gallery (next to Ipswich Museum) is open Tuesdays to Saturdays 10am to 5pm and on Sundays 11am to 5pm.

n Big jump in Viva Las Vegas Night museum visitors … at Stonham Barns Cardinal Wolsey’s Angels have proved to be a big attraction since his special exhibition opened at Ipswich’s Christchurch Mansion last year.

The exhibition, put on thanks to the V&A museum in London, which lent Ipswich the prized angels designed for the great man’s tomb, has seen 5,000 visitors through the doors so far.

Now, museum bosses have decided to extend the exhibition until 22nd April, so, if you haven’t seen the angels yet, you still can!

The other major exhibition currently on at the Ipswich Art Gallery is You Are Here!

The Making of Ipswich.

Exploring the development of England’s oldest AngloSaxon town into a culturally diverse regional centre, this story runs until 15th April.

The town’s museums have reported a big rise in visitor numbers over last summer – and that was before the Thomas Wolsey: Ipswich’s Greatest Son exhibition even arrived.

Last year, between April and September, more than 53,000 visited the Museum and Art Gallery in High Street and Christchurch Mansion. Of those, nearly half, 25,700, went to the Mansion. In 2016, the figure was 48,000 for the same period.

Join Stonham Barns for a fabulous evening of Las Vegas style entertainment on Saturday 17th March from 7pm11.30pm, when they will be hosting Viva Las Vegas Night, there will be singing, magic, a casino and fine dining.

The show includes an excellent three course dinner (excludes drinks) created by their in-house caterers and an evening of entertainment from the award winning ‘Elvis’ entertainer Andy Otley who will be performing all the hit songs and a top magician and illusionist with an amazing stage act.

Try your luck with the roulette, poker and wheel of fortune tables with professional croupiers.

Chips and fake money will be provided for your enjoyment.

Tickets are only £49.00 per person and are available to buy online at www.stonhambarns.co.uk or contact the Events office by telephoning: 01449 711111 or email events@stonhambarns.co.uk Come along and enjoy this exciting night out!

Schoolchildren visitors rocketed during those six months last year – up to 758, compared with 428 in 2016.

n The Mayor’s Charity Ball

If you want to listen to fine music, eat delicious food and help three local charities while you are doing so, the Mayor of Ipswich would like you to get in touch.

Tickets are now on sale for Mayor Sarah Barber’s Charity Ball in the appropriately named Grand Hall of the Corn Exchange.

It’s all happening on Saturday 24th March and the evening starts at 7pm with a Mayoral Reception, with music provided by Manoj and Bollywood Touch to add spice to a glittering occasion. Then there is a four-course dinner with a goat’s cheese tartlet, rib of beef or spiced vegetable tagine and a choice of desserts taking pride of place at table.

A traditional tombola and auction and an opportunity to dance to the amazing Soul Riot Band will round off the evening.

Ticket prices have been pegged at £65 (£600 for a table of 10, so invite work colleagues, friends or families).

The Mayor’s Charities, which will benefit from the event, are the Ipswich Hospital Charity, Families in Need (FIND) and Lighthouse Ipswich Women’s Aid. The Mayor said, “The annual Charity Ball is one of the highlights of the Ipswich calendar and Luke, my consort, and I are looking forward to meeting many new people at the Corn Exchange. It’s all in a good cause, so what are you waiting for?”

• To book your tickets (please say whether you would like the vegetarian option) please email mayor@ipswich.gov.uk 7

Recreate your favourite movie scene The “flying” scene from Titanic, the “lift” in the last scene of Dirty Dancing and Meg Ryan’s restaurant outburst in When Harry Met Sally are among the most recreated movie scenes, according to a new study.

9. Lady and the Tramp - spaghetti eating scene

Researchers from Panasonic polled almost 2,000 Brits and revealed that six in ten of us have attempted (some more successfully than others) to recreate a memorable movie moment – with 41 percent having attempted the Dirty Dancing “lift” when on holiday or in a swimming pool.

A further 40 percent have acted out the Titanic flying scene on a cross-channel ferry, while 21 percent have attempted it on a cruise ship.

Another favourite moment to re-enact is the famous “Are you talking to me?” monologue Robert De Niro performs in front of his mirror in the 1976 film Taxi Driver, the poll by Panasonic found.

A raucous 37 percent of adults have acted out the restaurant scene Meg Ryan performs in an American diner in When Harry met Sally.

But the research also revealed a staggering 12 percent of Brits have been told off at work for recreating a movie scene and 27 percent have embarrassed their other half after their theatrical performance.

11. I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse (Marlon Brando/The Godfather)

TOP TWENTY MOST RECREATED MOVIE SCENES

1. Titanic “I’m Flying” scene (Leonardo DiCaprio stands on the ship’s railings behind Kate Winslet) 2. Dirty Dancing lift (Patrick Swayze lifting Jennifer Grey above his head in the finale) 3. You talking to Me? speech (Robert De Niro talking to himself in the Mirror - Taxi Driver) 4. Saturday Night Fever (John Travolta’s disco moves)

12. The Potter’s Wheel scene (Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze’s romantic moment from Ghost) 13. Scarface - Say Hello to me Little Friend scene (Al Pacino) 14. Wizard of Oz yellow brick road dance 15. Home Alone scream (Macaulay Culkin realises his family has left him alone) 16. Show me the Money (Cuba Gooding Jr - Jerry Maguire)

5. Grease - (John Travolta/Olivia Newton John One that I Want dance)

17. Pulp Fiction dance (John Travolta/Uma Thurman)

6. Here’s Johnny scene (Jack Nicholson sticks his head through smashed door in The Shining)

18. Sharon Stone crossing her legs (Basic Instinct)

7. Rocky - (Running up the steps)

19. Opening scene from Jaws (skinny dipper gets pulled underwater by Great White)

8. Meg Ryan’s orgasm scene (When Harry Met Sally)

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10. Bohemian Rhapsody scene Wayne’s World (Mike Myers/Dana Carvey)

20. Upside-down Kiss from Spider-Man

WIN: Delicious DVD Box Set

Following the hugely popular first series, Sky One serves up a second season of Delicious, one of its most successful series, bringing the perfect pairing of Dawn French and Emilia Fox back to our screens.

It’s set to arrive on DVD on 5th February 2018, alongside Delicious Series 1 and 2 Box Set, courtesy of Acorn Media International.

We return to the tranquil, stunning setting of the Cornwall coastline and The Penrose hotel run by Gina (Dawn French), the ex-wife of the recently deceased head chef Leo Vincent (Iain Glen), and his widow Sam (Emilia Fox). Their shaky friendship has endured and with business booming it’s time to take on a new chef.

But there’s trouble brewing and the delicate balance comes under threat, not least when Gina’s estranged father (Franco Nero – Camelot) arrives out of the blue.

And there’s more surprises from the past too, while the added impact of Leo’s legacy puts a further strain on their fragile bond. Can the pair really ever be true friends and business partners?

The stellar cast including Sheila Hancock, Tanya Reynolds, Ruairi O’Connor all make a welcome return and Aaron Anthony joins the cast as the new recruit at The Penrose.

— COMPETITION — Ipswich24 has got three copies of the Delicious Box Set to give away to lucky readers. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning this great prize is send your answer to the following question, along with your name, address and a contact telephone number to: Delicious Competition, Ipswich24, Fizzwig Designs, 12A Britannia Road, Ipswich, IP4 4PE or you can enter online at www.ipswich24.co.uk.

The closing date for entries is Wednesday 28th February 2018.

PRIZE COMP

If You’d Like to Cuddle a Lamb February is fast approaching and life on the farm is getting quite hectic.

Baylham House Rare Breeds Farm opens their doors on Saturday February 10th and they will be starting the new season with lambing (and hopefully a litter of piglets).

The new lambs love to sit on your lap and if you are very lucky you may even see more being born.

As well as cuddling a lamb you can also meet the bunnies in the bunny barn, help to groom the Farm’s goats and their pigs, feed the chickens and collect their eggs, or even have a go at building a den in the wood. All this and all the other animals who always look forward to meeting someone who'll feed them!

When you’re done wandering the kids’ play area means they can keep busy, while you can relax with a cup of coffee and a delicious cake.

Baylham House Rare Breeds Farm is six miles north west of Ipswich, off the B1113 between Great Blakenham and Needham Market. They are open Tuesday to Sunday and Bank Holidays 10am until 5pm. With entry prices at £7 for adults, £6 for concessions, £3 for children (aged 4-16) and free entry for under fours, it would be difficult to find a more diverting and better value attraction in Suffolk. A family ticket (2 Adults and 2 children) is also available at £18.

• For more information visit www.baylham-house-farm.co.uk or www.facebook.com/BaylhamFarm or call 01473 830264.

Q. Can you name the ‘Vicar of Dibley’ comedian that stars in Sky One's Delicious?

Interested in family history?

Want to date your old family photos?

Have you got any old family photographs which you can’t put a date to? Bring them along to a Special Family History Open Day at the Long Shop Museum in Leiston from 11am until 4pm on Saturday 24th February and let their expert advise you.

Parham Airfield Museum will also be putting on a display about ‘Britain’s Secret Army’, the hush-hush underground WW2 British Resistance Organisation which was active in this area.

A variety of exhibits will be on show, including local graveyard surveys, war memorials, directories, parish registers, census returns, and old maps of the area – and there will be computers available with (hopefully) Internet to help with your research. Advice and help will be available from experienced researchers.

Free entrance, but donations to the Long Shop appreciated. Light refreshments.

• For more info visit www.aldevalleyfamilyhistorygroup.onesuffolk.net/ or contact Angela Skelcher on 01728 830949 9

The Knot | Didy Veldman's Umanoove Didy Veldman’s Umanoove will return to DanceEast with the premiere of The Knot at the Jerwood DanceHouse on Friday 9th February following its sell-out production The Happiness Project in 2016.

The highly anticipated performance will examine the social and personal concept of marriage in Western society.

This unique production invites the audience to form a wedding party as the performers take on the roles of the bride, groom, best man and bridesmaids, exploring familiar scenes of tying the knot. The role of ritual, religion, gender and doubt will be scrutinised alongside romanticised notions of Walt Disney, challenging our notions of matrimony.

With the exploration of the authenticity of vows, the formidable wedding speeches and photography, The Knot uniquely examines what a wedding means and how it feels.

Choreographer Didy Veldman was a recipient of DanceEast’s Choreographic Development Award and was selected for the 8th Rural Retreat for future leaders in dance at DanceEast.

Veldman launched her company in 2016 with The Happiness Project at DanceEast and has an extensive portfolio of work, including commissions

by Rambert, Northern Ballet and Scottish Dance Theatre.

The Knot will be performed by seven exceptional performers handpicked by Veldman to interpret her extremely physical and theatrical movement style. Among the highly skilled dancers is Dane Hurst, who returns to the company after featuring in The Happiness Project and has performed as a member of Rambert. In 2014 Hurst was awarded the Best Male Dancer Award by the Critic’s Circle National Dance Awards, UK. Also returning to the company is Mathieu Geffré who has performed with Dansgroep Amsterdam and National Dance Company Wales.

The Knot was commissioned by DanceEast, with support from Studio Wayne McGregor and funds from The Linbury Trust, The Master Charitable Trust – The Marina Kleinwort Trust, Beth Krasna and an anonymous donor.

To book tickets visit www.danceeast.co.uk or telephone the Box Office on 01473 295230.

February Folk on a Boat

The popular monthly “Folk on a Boat” concert series, aboard Sailing Barge Victor, continues in February and features “Double Take” Double Take is a trio with Jackie Ord on vocals and guitar, John Fodor on double-necked guitar, and Peter Corp on bass. They will be playing aboard the historic Sailing Barge, moored outside the Old Custom House on Ipswich Waterfront, on Friday 16th February Tickets for the concert aboard “Victor” cost £15.00 per person, which includes a hearty, hot buffet supper. Tickets are available from Ipswich Tourist Information Centre or www.ipswichregent.com

STOPGAP DANCE COMPANY PRESENTS

THE ENORMOUS ROOM

Take That musical coming to Ipswich Brand new musical “The Band”, featuring the spectacular songs of Take That, is coming to Ipswich’s Regent Theatre next year – and tickets are on sale now!

“The Band” is the fastest selling musical theatre tour of all time and there are eight performances in Ipswich in February 2019.

Ipswich is one of several new venues added for next year due to overwhelming public demand.

“The Band” tells the story of what it is like to grow up with a boyband. It’s 1992 and we meet five 16 year-old girls for whom ‘the band’ is everything. Join them on an emotional rollercoaster as this group of girls reunite after 25 years apart and try once more to fulfil their dream of meeting the boyband whose music became the soundtrack to their lives.

The show by Tim Firth features the music of Britain’s most successful boyband ever.

Songs like Never Forget, Back for Good, A Million Love Songs, Greatest Day, The Flood, Relight My Fire, Shine and Rule the World defined a generation.

“The Band” is showing at the Regent Theatre from Tuesday 12th to Saturday 16th February 2019.

• For tickets visit www.ipswichregent.com or telephone the Box Office on 01473 433100.

FRIDAY 23 FEBRUARY | 7.30PM Stopgap Dance Company present a portrait of grief and loss. Combining exquisite detail in movement with evocative text and design, the production takes the audience somewhere between this world and the next.

Tickets from £12, £9 10

Conductor: Adam Gatehouse

WIN: Tickets to Icons of the 80s

It’s Panto Time again

featuring legends –Go West, Nik Kershaw & Cutting Crew Entertainers is proud to bring together your favourite eighties artists all on one stage! The latest line-up includes Go West, Nik Kershaw and Cutting Crew together in one unique concert.

The eighties are back and these legendary stars have joined forces for a truly incredible, once in a lifetime, concert experience.

With millions of albums sales and hits like We Close Our Eyes, Call Me, King Of Wishful Thinking, Wouldn’t It Be Good, The Riddle, I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me, I’ve Been In Love Before and the classic (I Just) Died In Your Arms, this authentic 80s triple header is not to be missed.

Go West

It has been over 30 years since Go West had their first hit single We Close Our Eyes. Other hits followed including Call Me, Goodbye Girl and Don’t Look Down, Faithful and the smash hit theme song in the film Pretty Woman King of Wishful Thinking.

Nik Kershaw

Nik Kershaw first achieved chart success in 1984 with Wouldn’t It Be Good?, followed by other classics such as Won’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me and The Riddle. A prolific writer for other artists, Nik also penned the number one single The One and Only for Chesney Hawkes.

Oh Yes it is…!

Pic: Berry Photographics

Whilst you may think panto season is well and truly over, the Company of Four Musical Theatre Society are busy rehearsing and putting the final touches to their traditional family pantomime which is taking place at The Riverside Theatre in Woodbridge, during February half term from the 9th until 17th February.

With a 13 show run there is still time to grab those tickets – but don’t leave it too late as their pantomime always sells out, especially the matinees!

This year the well renowned company present their latest version of a beautiful and classic fairy story. It’s the tale of Cinderella, who works in the house of her overbearing Stepmother and her larger-than-life twin Stepsisters. With the help of her dear friend Buttons, she gets through each day in the town of Lower Uppingham, dreaming of a much better life. One day, Prince Charming comes to town accompanied by his friend Dandini and a couple of his entourage called Bitz & Bobz and, by a strange quirk of fate, they meet and instantly fall in love. But as with panto tradition the course of true love doesn’t run smoothly – the Prince forgets to ask for her name, Cinderella’s ticket to the ball suffers a misadventure and, despite the instructions of her Fairy Godmother, Cinderella loses track of time when she gets there… will everything turn out alright in the end? You’ll have to come along and find out!

Cinderella opens on Friday 9th February and runs through every day (apart from Monday 12th) to the 17th. Performance times are 7.30pm for the evening and 2.30pm matinees on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th, Wednesday 14th, Friday 16th and Saturday 17th. Tickets are available by calling the Box Office on 01394 382174.

Cinderella has something for everyone, music, laughter, fun and happiness – a fabulous treat for this half term.

Cutting Crew

Originally formed in the mid-80s, this Grammy nominated, Anglo-Canadian rock band will always be remembered for their classic song (I Just) Died In Your Arms, which helped define the musical sounds of the club scene during the eighties and is still played widely today.

Over twenty years later, with millions of album sales, original singer/songwriter Nick Van Eede has signed new recording publishing deals and is back on the road promoting his awesome new material Icons of the 80s will be at the Ipswich Regent Theatre on Friday 2nd March.

To book tickets contact the Box Office on 01473 433100 or visit www. ipswichregent.com

ZE PRI P COM

— COMPETITION — Ipswich24 has got a pair of tickets to give away to a lucky reader to see Icons of the 80s at the Regent Theatre on 2nd March. To be in with a chance of winning this amazing prize just send your answer to the following question, along with your name, address and a contact telephone number to: Icons of the 80s Competition, Ipswich24, Fizzwig Designs, 12A Britannia Road, Ipswich, IP4 4PE or you can enter online at www.ipswich24.co.uk.

The closing date for entries is Friday 23rd February 2018.

Q. What year did Nik Kershaw first achieved chart success with Wouldn’t It Be Good?

11

Government crackdown on illegal puppy breeders and smugglers The RSPCA has welcomed plans announced by the Government to crack down on dog breeders in England who put profits ahead of the health and welfare of the animals - as the charity revealed 2017 was its busiest year yet tackling the illegal puppy trade.

Defra has recently announced proposals to tighten regulations around the breeding and selling of puppies in England - in a move which it’s hoped will help eradicate the underground, illegal puppy trade which is worth millions of pounds a year. It is the biggest change in pet vending for 66 years.

The Government has announced that it is developing proposals, including: - Ensuring that licensed dog breeders must show puppies alongside their mother before a sale is made.

- Tightening regulations so that puppy sales are completed in the presence of the new owner – preventing online sales where prospective buyers have not seen the animal first and only allowing sales of puppies from the premises - Insisting licensed dog breeders can only sell puppies they have bred themselves; - Regulating adverts, including on the internet, by ensuring licensed sellers of all pets, including puppies, include the seller’s licence number, country of origin and country of residence of the pet in any advert for sale.

Under the new rules puppies bred by licensed breeders will have better protection under law; anyone selling a puppy, including online, will need to get a licence and display that licence number; and buyers will need to see the

puppy with the mother at the place it was bred before being able to complete a purchase.

RSPCA interim chief executive Michael Ward welcomed the announcement, “This is good news for the hundreds of thousands of dogs bought and sold in England every year.

“This year our inspectors, working with the police and councils, rescued hundreds of puppies and breeding dogs being kept in miserable, squalid conditions by heartless people cashing in on the growing market for puppies.

“We hope these proposed licensing conditions for England, which include a ban on breeders selling puppies other than from their licensed premises, will improve the welfare of puppies and their parents and also crackdown on the multi-million pound illegal trade making it less likely that people are duped by rogue dealers.

“We also welcome moves to stop the illegal smuggling of puppies which is a vile trade resulting in the suffering and death of countless dogs.”

The RSPCA is opposed to third party sales of puppies and hope these new measures will go some way to achieving that goal.

The RSPCA is also pleased to see Defra pledging to look into future measures to tackle the illegal smuggling of puppies, which is another major welfare issue within the underground puppy trade.

The RSPCA recently revealed it rescued 295 dogs from puppy farms and unscrupulous breeders in 2017 (up to 20th December) - bringing the total number of dogs rescued since 2013 up to 1,749.

The RSPCA always encourages people to consider rehoming a rescue dog and encourage anyone thinking of taking on a dog to look on their website www.rspca.org.uk. For those who want to buy a puppy, they urge them to download the free Puppy Contract to help ensure they buy a happy and healthy dog.

Save the date for Mutt Strut

The Lions Club of Ipswich are again organising their popular their Lions Charity Challenge Mutt Strut, a self-guided charity walk around Alton Water on 3rs June 2018.

The event is one of the many walks which form part of the Suffolk Walking Festival. The Lions Charity Challenge Mutt Strut is a distance of about eight miles, and will be a challenge for both walkers and their dogs.

Alton Water have kindly agreed that The Lions can use their beautiful venue for the day, which is home to a plethora of wildlife.

The Mutt Strut is open to all, however walkers must be physically fit and their dog must be used to walking long distances. This walk is not for the faint hearted, and as it is around the Reservoir, there are no short cuts.

There will be check points along the way to ensure all walkers and their canine friends are safe and well, and there will be goodie bags for all dogs, in what promises to be a great day out in the wonderful Suffolk countryside.

Tickets will be on sale soon and places can be booked by visiting www.suffolkwalkingfestival.co.uk The Lions Charity Challenge Mutt Strut will raise funds for the Lions Club of Ipswich charities. The Lions Club of Ipswich is a not for profit organisation which is run entirely by volunteers 12

It’s not always Puppy Love Puppies are consistently top of people’s Christmas wishlists but between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, the Dogs Trust received nine calls an hour from people wanting to hand over their dog, amounting to nearly 600 calls over the festive period - a 14% increase on the same period last year.

A third of these calls were made because owners couldn’t cope with their dog’s behaviour. Last year over 20% of the dogs the charity took in (3,000 dogs) were handed in for behavioural reasons, 200 of these simply because their owners couldn’t handle their puppy’s behaviour – a figure that is expected to rise this year. But all is not lost as they have just released some new videos to help puppy owners understand their dogs better.

A recent survey found that a quarter of dog owners wish they could teach their dog to settle when out and about and 18% wish their dog would come back when called. With 27% of people admitting to looking online for training as a first port of call, Dogs Trust is launching a series of online videos designed to help owners train their dogs and ultimately help prevent people giving up on their pooches.

The Dogs Trust are hoping that their easy-to-follow at-home tutorials will help dog owners live a harmonious life with their pet pooches and avoid more dogs finding themselves homeless in 2018 as a result of a lack of training.

Maria Wickes, Head of Dog School at Dogs Trust says, “A dog is for life, not

just for Christmas® but last year, Dogs Trust took in 200 dogs because their owners couldn’t handle their puppy behaviour. Often we find that people get a dog for Christmas and hand it over in the weeks and months afterwards because they haven’t realised how much work goes in to owning a puppy. The good news is that it’s not so hard with a few simple tips.

“Dogs Trust Dog School classes are an amazing resource and through our team of expert behaviourists, we helped over 6,000 dog owners train their fourlegged friends last year, but in 2018 we also wanted to create something that dog owners everywhere could access at any time of day. Our brand new at-home tutorials are designed with busy lifestyles in mind and cover all the basics from recall to preventing separation anxiety, noise fears and toilet training. We hope that by providing these essential tips and techniques via short, interactive videos, owners will be equipped with the skills needed to enjoy a lifetime together with their dogs.”

• The Dogs Trust online Training Videos can be found at: www.dogstrustdogschool.org.uk/training/i-want-to-train-my-dog

Microchip your cat now!

78% of cats helped by Blue Cross last year were not microchipped.

National pet charity Blue Cross reminds cat owners to microchip their pets now or risk losing them forever if they stray.

Out of the 5,760 cats that were admitted into the charity’s rehoming centres and hospitals across the country last year, a staggering 78% (4,517) were not microchipped or had needed to be microchipped by Blue Cross.

The charity, dedicated to helping sick, injured and homeless pets, sees all too often how heart-breaking it can be when a beloved pet goes missing without a microchip or with an out-ofdate microchip.

Many of the cats brought in to Blue Cross are believed to be stray; although sometimes in a good, healthy condition meaning they’re likely to be a family pet who has gone for a wander.

The sad truth is that sometimes unmicrochipped stray cats are pets who after a week of being kept a rehoming centre end up needing to be rehomed as there is no way of contacting the original owners.

Blue Cross has also seen happy cases of reunions after long periods of time because the cat had been microchipped; one cat managed to stray 20 miles away from his home, but thankfully his microchip details were up-to-date, so he was able to be returned to his worried family.

Microchipping and keeping the chip details up-to-date gives owners the best chance of a being reunited with their missing feline friend.

For more information on microchipping, or to donate to help give back to pets in the care of Blue Cross please visit https://www.bluecross.org.uk 13

Time for a Break!

Great Holiday Ideas

Camping and caravanning makes you happier!

Everybody should put ‘24 hours outdoors’ on their list of things to do in this year, according to the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show 2018, with research showing those who camp are happier, healthier, less stressed, and spend more quality time with family and friends.

Research conducted by The Camping and Caravanning Club revealed that 93% of campers agree with the notion that camping makes people feel happier. Nearly half of non-campers also agreed. 97% of campers said camping generates happy memories, while 76% of campers are satisfied with their quality of life compared to just 59% of non-campers. 70% of campers believe camping and caravanning is a good way to make new friends, of which 40% said they’ve made ‘friends for life’. Those who camp say it’s a great social leveller and is accessible to everyone regardless of income.

With The World Health Organisation estimating depression-related illnesses will become the greatest source of ill-health by 2020, 85% of adult campers feel camping can make individuals healthier and almost half think it should be prescribed on the NHS. Campers aged 55 and over are more likely to regard themselves as fit and healthy for their age than non-campers. 79% of youngsters who have never camped say they would like to go camping and one in three believe camping would make them healthier.

Approved Workshop

Caravan Sales Insurance Approved Repairs

Repai Damp Repair Specialist For peace of mind, all of our caravans, come fully serviced, are CRIS registered and checked, have 6 months warranty and a free starter pack, we also perform a detailed handover demonstration

2007 Knaus Starclass, exceptional build quality, 4 berth, very high spec, fully equipped, end washroom, very sought after model ...................£7995 2007 Sterling Eccles Topaz, 2 berth, end washroom, motormover, cd player, alloys, stabiliser, fully equipped and immaculate throughout .........................................................................................................£6495 2006 Coachman Pastiche, 2 berth, al-ko stabiliser, motormover, bbq point, alloys, fully equipped throughout, large rear washroom, superb condition ..........................................................................................£5995 2005 Compass Rallye 540, fixed rear bed, air con, cd player, alloy wheels, microwave, high specification tourer, excellent condition ..................£5995 2005 Lunar Quasar, 5 Berth, end bedroom layout, bbq point, blown air heating, great build quality, very well equipped, great family caravan .........................................................................................................£5795 2004 Bailey Arizona, High spec 4 berth caravan, on board water tank, large rear washroom, alloys, stabiliser, cd player, excellent condition .........................................................................................................£5495 2004 Bailey Pageant Monarch, wonderful 2 berth caravan, equipped with motormover, blown air heating, large rear washroom, omnivent system, stabiliser, immaculate condition ........................................................£4795 2002 Bailey Ranger 470/4, great 4 berth caravan, large rear washroom, side dinette, fully equipped, blown air heating, in very nice condition throughout........................................................................................£3995 2000 Abbey County, 2 berth touring caravan, ideal starter caravan, rear corner washroom, end kitchen, really great condition .....................£2995 1997 Elddis Elusion, 4 berth, really well equipped including, heater, water heater, oven, fridge, cassette toilet, immaculate throughout and comes with awning ......................................................................................£2795 1995 Lunar Clubman, spacious 2 berth caravan with all the equipment, blown air heating, large rear washroom, cassette toilet, shower, great starter caravan ................................................................................£2500

Foxburrow Farm, Waldringfield Road, Brightwell, Ipswich, Suffolk

Telephone: 01394 448609 www. oakscaravansales.co.uk 14

Studies also show that families who camp together have better relationships, with eight in ten campers agreeing that camping brings families closer: 91% of children say spending time exploring the outdoors with a parent would make them feel happy. Children who have camped are significantly more likely to have experienced activities such as kite flying, tree climbing, denmaking, and cooking on a campfire.

73% of all adults say camping is something every child should experience, with 46% of campers believing camping improves children’s behaviour.

Parents who take children camping cite the top benefits as kids’ freedom within a safe environment, an escape from technology and enjoying a simple life outdoors. Other benefits include family interaction, developing community values and social skills as well as the opportunity to explore new places and cultural attractions.

Parents also feel that camping and caravanning has a positive effect on their child’s education, with 82% saying camping broadens experiences, encourages them to think for themselves, gives insight into nature and topics such as geology and provides stories to share in class. 52% of tent users felt that cooking when camping had a positive effect on their child’s learning and 77% of campers say camping introduces new skills. 60% of non-campers also acknowledged this to be true. www.ccmshow.co.uk

Come-Camping for camping accessories and more

Stockists of the BioLite Stove which turns fire into electricity, as well as Victorinox and Leatherman Multi Tools, space saving collapsible items, and a comprehensive range of products for camping and bushcraft.

ING SLEEP BAGS m

fro

£19.99

Tel 01449 711888

Unit 21A, Stonham Barns, Pettaugh Road, Stonham Aspal, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 6AT. Opening Hours: Mon - Saturday – 10am - 5pm Sunday – 10am - 4pm

Email come-camping@hotmail.com www.comecamping.co.uk

Time for a Break!

Great three-night breaks away Do something that little bit different this year for Mother’s Day and book a three-night break in one of Waldegraves Holiday Park’s luxury holiday homes for Mother’s Day Weekend (Friday 9th – Monday 12th March 2018) from only £189 per stay.

Relax and unwind with your family in one of the luxury holiday homes by the coast, which comes fully equipped with everything you need for the perfect family break. The holiday homes comfortably accommodate six people, with a master bedroom and two twin bedrooms. Waldegraves Holiday Park cater for all tastes, budgets and requirements, with Platinum and Gold options.

They also have pet friendly and wheelchair accessible holiday homes available. You can even add Half Board breakfast and two course evening meal to your stay from as little as £15 per person, per day. The Granary Restaurant offers a superb selection of hot and cold meals taking advantage of the masses of quality fresh produce local to Mersea Island.

Unveiled: the UK & Ireland’s best-rated travel agents

There will be evening entertainment you can enjoy with your Mum including the most popular game of Bingo!

Waldegraves kids are at their happiest in the Teamstars Club, joining in the activities with the Holiday Park’s team of entertainers who will give them a great welcome and provide lots of fun and games. The fun and games don’t end there as guests can also enjoy a game of Crazy Golf, Pitch & Putt or UK Footgolf – a wacky combination of football and golf.

There’s also a family games room with a selection of gaming machines plus pool tables, table tennis, darts, air hockey and much more.

Waldegraves Holiday Park’s four lakes are stocked full of top quality Carp, Bream, Tench, Roach, Rudd, Perch and Gudgeon which are guaranteed to meet the expectations of the keenest angler. There is no better time to take advantage of some incredible fishing breaks and enjoy unlimited ‘free fishing’ for the duration of your stay in the holiday homes. Please ask for the special fishing dates.

The Holiday Park also offers camping and touring pitches starting from only £20 per night, with plenty of open space and hedging bordering the pitches, ensuring privacy for guests whether camping or touring. There are also a great range of static holiday homes for sale at this holiday park on the coast.

Here you can escape to your own little slice of the seaside whenever you want during the 11 month season.

• Call now for your free brochure on 01206 382898 or visit www.waldegraves.co.uk – Waldegraves Holiday Park, Mersea Island, Colchester, Essex CO5 8SE

A high street travel agency • The Deben Travel team in Woodbridge has been shortlisted as one of the best travel agencies in the British Isles.

Deben Travel has been selected as one of the top five high street agencies in the East Of England region, as part of a power-list of the nation’s best agents by industry bible the Travel Trade Gazette.

More than 900 travel agencies and branches put themselves forward for consideration for TTG’s Top 50 Travel Agencies 2018 – in association with Kuoni from which a shortlist of 95 finalists across 19 categories has been devised.

On April 26, 2018, the 50 agencies that have ultimately earned a place in the Top 50 list for 2018 will be announced at a glittering ceremony at The Vox Centre in Birmingham.

TTG editor Pippa Jacks said, “Now in its third year, our Top 50 Travel Agencies initiative takes us the length and breadth of the country to uncover stories of brilliant agents going the extra mile for their customers, giving great value, and serving their communities.

“With extremely stiff competition once again this year, any high street agency that has made it onto the shortlist should be extremely proud.”

Lee Hunt managing director Deben Travel said, “We are extremely proud to have been nominated once again. We made the Top 50 in 2017, which was huge recognition for a small independent business. We are now moving into our sixth year and honestly believe we deliver exceptional service from an experienced team” The shortlisting stage was undertaken by a panel of 60 travel suppliers including airlines, tour operators, cruise lines and car hire providers, who rated hopeful agencies according to their business performance, customer service and innovation. In the next stage of judging, a TTG journalist will visit each shortlisted agency to carry out an assessment.

• Find the full Top 50 shortlist and more information on the process at ttgtop50.com 15

Every Monday

Carpet Bowls, Tuddenham St Martin Village Hall, 6.30pm, New members welcome - come and try to see if you like it, only £1 per session. For more details contact Ray 01473 610067 Beginners Ballroom and Latin Class, Kesgrave High School, Main Road, Kesgrave, 7pm, Tel: Sharon (AISTD) 07946 347167 Graham (AISTD) 07790 230651, All levels welcome, No partner necessary, £5 Body Moves & Dance Class, with Linda, St James Catholic Church Hall, 482 Landseer Rd, Ipswich, 7.45pm - 9.15pm, A Fun & Friendly class, try a free taster session for more info Call Linda 01394 273033 Al-Anon Family Groups support for families and friends of alcoholics, Museum Street Methodist Church Hall, 17 Black Horse Lane, Ipswich, The meeting is located in the hall behind the Museum St Methodist Church, accessed from Black Horse Lane, 02074030888, www.al-anonuk.org.uk for other groups in the Ipswich area, (not held on bank holidays.)

Badminton, Sidegate Lane Community Centre Ipswich 7.30pm -10pm £2.50 per session new members welcome for info contact Ann 01473 726423 Pilates, Sidegate Lane Community Centre, Ipswich, 1.45pm - 2.45pm, £5 per class, New members welcome. For further details contact 07763 456078.

Badminton, Handford Hall School, Gatacre Rd, Ipswich, 7.15pm - 9.30pm, experienced players and beginners always very welcome, for a free taster session or more information please contact Adrian on 01473 464920 Ballroom and Latin Class, Goals Centre, Suffolk New College, Grimwade Street, Ipswich, IP4 1LT, 6.30pm - 7.30pm, 01473 251323, 07736306519 Yoga, Sidegate Lane Community Centre, Ipswich, 10am - 11am, £3.50 per session, New members welcome, For further information contact: 07773 456078 Suffolk Promenaders Square Dance Club Rushmere Village Hall, Humber Doucy Lane, Ipswich, 7.30pm - 10pm, Only £3.00, tea and coffee provided, Contact 01473 415785 or 01473 422663 for further details.

Badminton, Suffolk New Academy Sports Centre, Birkfield Drive, Ipswich, 6pm - 7pm, Beginners and experienced players welcome, Come along for your free first session or call/text Gill 07706 044861 or Peter 07802 173041 for more information.

Ipswich Croquet Club, Fynn Valley Golf Club, from 1pm. Beginners always welcome.

01394 671642 or fran@franrousham.plus.com

Every Tuesday

Tea Dances with Teresa at Sidegate Lane Community Centre, Ipswich, IP4 4HZ. 2-4 pm, with refreshments, Ballroom, Latin and sequence dancing. £3.00pp members. 01473 422427.

Carpet Bowls, Nacton Village Hall, IP10 0EU, 7.30pm, Come and have a go. First three visits free, then £2 per evening if you like us and want to stay, A sociable and fun evening, just turn up!

Craft Club, The Salvation Army Priory Centre, Queens Way, Ipswich, 10am – 12pm, A relaxed friendly group for all abilities. Sewing, knitting, crochet and other crafts, £1 per session, Refreshments and lunch available, for more info 01473 710721, ipswich.priory@salvationarmy.org.uk Do you have one hour for Fun? Music?

Dance? Join Jane of Suffolk Keep Fit Association at Woodbridge Community Centre Woodbridge. 9.45am 10.45am, Contact Jane 07860 824747

Carpet Bowls, Sidegate Lane Community Centre, Ipswich, 7.30pm – 10pm, £2.50 per session, New members welcome. For more details contact Tony Crane 01473 410740.

Table Tennis. All standards and ages 7.30pm to 9pm, Lindsey Village Hall (next to the church), Lindsey (near Hadleigh), IP7 6PP, £2, further information 07768 828362 Art Group, Castle Hill Community Centre, Highfield Road, Ipswich, 1.30pm – 3.30pm, all welcome, for details phone 07443 630072 Co-op Ladies Choir meet at The Co-op Education Centre from 2.15pm to 3.30pm, Come and join this busy choir, performing on average 15 times a year, A friendly group, who enjoy singing to a high standard, If you would like to join us please contact Lynn Scannell 01473 710820 Lets Dance, Ballroom Latin & Sequence, Social Dance. At the Manor Ballroom Ipswich, 7.15 - 9.45, (from 9th January). New Members Welcome £5.00 for info 07773 185494 Senior Singers, Co-op Education Centre, Fore Street, Ipswich, 10.30am – 12pm, Male & Female singers, 55 plus, join in this long established & friendly group of singers, No auditions. Call 01473 879817 Martlesham Heath Country Market, The Pavilion, The Square, Martlesham Heath, 9am, home-made, home-grown, and home-crafted items for sale.

For further information Tel 01473 623849 or www.martleshammarket.co.uk Memory Lane Cafe for people living with dementia, including carers, cared for and bereaved. 11am - 3pm - £1 entrance fee - light lunches and activities available - The Rosary Club, Bramford Road, Ipswich Tel 07795 587425 for more info

Every Wednesday

11th Ipswich Wednesday Cubs, Chesterfield Drive Scout HQ, every Wednesday, during term time, 6.30pm to 8pm, For boys and girls from seven and a half to ten and a half years, Join for fun, friends, outdoor adventure, camps and visits, Call Mary on 07821 979509 for further information, Orwell Panthers Athletic Club for athletes with disabilities, aged 10+, Northgate Sports Centre between 6.15pm - 7.30pm, See website “orwellpanthers.co.uk” for more information Ipswich Croquet Club, Fynn Valley Golf Club, from 1pm. Beginners always welcome. Tel: 01394 671642 or fran@franrousham.plus.com Transcendental Meditation Suffolk®, Free introductory talks 10.30am/7.30pm Maharishi Peace Palace, Gardenia Close, Rendlesham, IP12 2GX. To register online visit uk.tm.org/suffolk or phone 01394 421 136 Dance Classes at Sidegate Lane Community Centre, Ipswich, IP4 4HZ, learners from 7-8pm.

Inprovers 8-10pm. £3.00pp. 01473 422427 or 01473 723070.

Creative Writing Group, Arlington’s Brasserie, 13 Museum St, Ipswich IP1 1HE, 7.30pm - 9.30pm, First session free, for further information ring Mai on 01473 711639 or go to suffolkwritersgroup.com Tea Dance, Hintlesham Community Hall, Timperleys, Hintlesham, 2pm - 4pm at £4 per person, coffee/tea and biscuits/cakes provided, Sequence/ballroom/latin dancing, contact Teresa 01473 422427 Art & Craft Group, Castle Hill Community Centre, Highfield Road, Ipswich, 7.30pm – 9.30pm, all welcome, for details phone 07443 630072

EVENTS

guide

Co-op Singers meet every Wednesday in term time from 7.30pm to 9pm, Co-op Education Centre Fore Street Ipswich. Car parking is available - entrance from Waterworks St. New members welcome, no auditions, For further information telephone Margie 01473 727829 or Julie 07986261503.

The Phoenix Women’s Group Meeting, The Quakers Friends Meeting House, 39 Fonnereau Road, Ipswich, From 10am -12pm, For more information please telephone 07976768763 or email: Ip.Phoenix@Virginmedia.Com

Every Thursday

Thursday Forum at Christ Church, Tacket Street, Ipswich – light lunches from 12.00 followed by free talk from 1.10 till 1.50pm. www.christchurchipswich.org.uk All welcome Body Moves & Dance Class with Linda, Girl Guiding Building, Garrison Lane,Felixstowe.

7.30pm to 9pm, A Fun & Friendly Class. Info call Linda 01394 273033 Cafechat, The Salvation Army Priory Centre, Queens Way, Ipswich, 10.30am -12pm, A free drop in group for the elderly with a mixture of activities including armchair exercises, table top games and discussion, Refreshments and prebooked lunches available, For more info 01473 710721, ipswich.priory@salvationarmy.org.uk Woodbridge Tap Dance Classes, St John’s Church Hall, 10am -11am, Friendly, informal tap class for Adult Improvers, More info: woodbridgetapdance.weebly.com or Call/Text Jill Streatfeild on 07778 746315 Yoga, Sidegate Lane Community Centre, Ipswich, 10am - 11am, £3.30 per class, New members welcome, For more details contact 01473 727796 Art Group, Harkstead Village Hall, Harkstead, 10am – 12pm, all welcolme, 01473 787633 Badminton, Handford Hall School, Gatacre Rd, Ipswich, 7.15pm - 9.30pm, experienced players and beginners always very welcome, for a free taster session or more information contact Adrian 01473 464920 Carpet Bowls, Sidegate Lane Community Centre, Ipswich, 2pm – 4.15pm, £2.80 includes tea & Biscuits, for further information telephone 01473 725274, Woodbridge Country Market, Woodbridge Community Hall, next to Deben Pool, 10am - 11.15am, Local Home Produced Food, Plants, Vegetables and Hand made crafts for sale, Comfortable tea room to meet your friends, Open to all Free Entry.

Ipswich Country Market, Rushmere Village Hall, Humber Douncy Lane, Ipswich, 10.15am - 11.30am, Lots of home baked and handcrafted items available as well as Gluten free produces and local honey. Seasonal fruit and vegetables hand-picked the day before. Free parking and tea and coffee refreshments available, great meeting place for new and old friends.

Coffee and Chat: informal coffee morning with activities, 10am – 12pm, All Saints Church Hall Blenheim Road, Ipswich

Every Friday

Felixstowe Country Market, Trades & Labour Club, High Road West, Felixstowe, 10am – 11am, www.country-markets.co.uk Art Group, The Salvation Army Priory Centre, Queens Way, Ipswich, 10am – 12pm, £2 per session, An informal group of mixed abilities with lots of chatter, Refreshments and lunch available, For more info 01473 710721, ipswich.priory@salvationarmy.org.uk

Ipswich24 cannot be held responsible for cancellation of events, if in doubt contact the venue before travelling. More events can be found at www.ipswich24.co.uk 16

*Submissions listed subject to space availability.

Have your Event or Gig Listed Free!!* Email: info@ipswich24.co.uk Post: 12A Britannia Road, Ipswich IP4 4PE

Carpet Bowls, Sidegate Lane Community Centre Ipswich, 2pm - 5pm, £2.50, per session, New Members very welcome, for more details contact Tony Crane on 01473 410740

Every Saturday

The Lion’s Club of Felixstowe Car Boot Sale, Sunday Market site, Sea Road, Felixstowe, 8am – 1pm, Free entry to the public, Car boot pitches £6 for up to 3 tables (No traders allowed).

Volleyball with Ipswich Ravens, St Alban’s School, Ipswich, 2pm - 4pm, Beginners or experienced, adults (£6) and juniors age 13 upwards (£3), Call or text Steve 07584 636669 Free Volleyball with Ipswich Ravens, 2pm - 4pm in Christchurch Park, Beginners or experienced, adults and juniors age 9 upwards, Call or text Steve 07584 636669 Saturday Story Time, Woodbridge Library at 10.30am. For 2-5 year olds. Drop-in sessions so no need to book. Free!

Sat 17th Feb

Fri 9th-Sat 17th Feb

Walk Like a Man, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Felixstowe Spa, 7.30pm. Book 01394 284962 www.felixstowespa.co.uk

Thursday Forum at Christ Church, Tacket Street, Ipswich – light lunches from 12.00 followed by free talk by Brian Tobin on the work of Iceni, from 1.10pm till 1.50pm. All welcome.

The Company of 4 present Cinderella. Riverside Theatre, see website for times, www.cof4.co.uk or call 01394 382174

Fri 9th Feb

The Knot, Didy Veldman’s Umanoove at Jerwood DanceHouse. Book 01473 295230 or see www.danceast.co.uk

Sat 10th Feb

Frog Squad Sunday Kids Club, Salvation Army Bramford Road, 11.30am to 12.15pm, all children from 3 to 12 very welcome for stories singing and games Kid’s Club Craft Activities, Woodbridge Library, 10.30am-12 noon.

Thu 1st – Wed 28th Feb

Tue 13th Feb

ArtLib – Work by Textile Art Group Suffolk (TAGS) at Woodbridge Library.

Thu 1st Feb

Walking Ghost Tour, 8pm, meet outside Tourist Information £7.Edmund.nicholls@btinternet.com Book Group, discussing “The Tidal Zone” by Sarah Moss. Please come along if you have read this title and would like to join in the discussion.

Woodbridge Library. (Meets the first Thursday of the month at 2pm) Thursday Forum at Christ Church, Tacket Street, Ipswich – light lunches from 12.00 followed by free talk by Jane Lane on “Call the Midwife” from 1.10 till 1.50pm. All welcome.

Sat 3rd Feb

Pink Winehouse, GaGa: “Live” (Vicky Jackson), Felixstowe Spa, 7.30pm. Book 01394 284962 www.felixstowespa.co.uk

Sun 4th Feb

Rat Pack Live, Felixstowe Spa, 3pm. Book 01394 284962 www.felixstowespa.co.uk

Tue 6th Feb

Company and a Cuppa at The Oddfellows Hall, 37 High St Ipswich IP1 3QH 1.30pm- 3.30pm. Join like-minded people for a fun social time. Board games, cards, brainteasers and jigsaws available to enjoy over friendly chat and a welcome cuppa. £2pp. Contact 01473 251867 Woodbridge & District Safer Neighbourhood Team. Woodbridge Library, 10-11.30am. Come along to the mobile police surgery and talk to members of the local Safer Neighbourhood Team about any concerns you have.

guide

Thu 8th Feb

Bonnie Diamond & Coe at Kesgrave Social Club, Edmonton Road, Kesgrave. 8-11pm, members £3, guests £5.

Potato Day, 9.30am-1.30pm. Stonham Barns Leisure and Shopping Village, Pettaugh Road, Stonham Aspal, IP14 6AT. For more information go to www.stonhambarns.co.uk or call 01449 711111 Let the Music Play - Celebration of Barry White’s music, Felixstowe Spa, 7.30pm. Book 01394 284962 www.felixstowespa.co.uk

Every Sunday

EVENTS

Pancakes, Pancakes, family afternoon, 1.303.30pm, Foxburrow Farm, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Melton near Woodbridge IP12 1NA. Child £4, adults free. Book www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org.

Tel: 01473 890089

Wed 14th Feb

Nest Box Building. 1-3pm, £6 per box.

Foxburrow Farm, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Melton near Woodbridge IP12 1NA. Book www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org. Tel: 01473 890089 Tea Dance at Christ Church, Tacket Street, Ipswich. Start 2pm, £2 admission includes refreshments. Proceeds to Ipswich Deaf Social Club. All welcome.

Erasure, 7pm, Ipswich Regent. To book call 01473 433100.

Thur 15th Feb

Young Wardens ‘Living Willow’ for 11 - 16 years.

1-3pm. £5. Foxburrow Farm, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Melton near Woodbridge IP12 1NA. Book www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org. Tel: 01473 890089

Fri 16th Feb

Activity Day ‘The Enchanted Wood’ for Children aged 6-12 years, 10am – 2pm.

Foxburrow Farm, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Melton near Woodbridge IP12 1NA. Child £7. Book www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org. Tel: 01473 890089 The New Orleans Jazz Delights will be playing at Tower Hall, 5 Broadlands Way, Rushmere St Andrew IP4 5SU. From 2.15- 4.30pm. Entrance fee £5. Tel 01473 720524 to book.

Folk on a Boat, evening of folk music with Double Take folk trio. Onboard SB Victor. Tickets £15 including buffet supper, available from Ipswich Tourist Information Centre, St Stephen’s Lane

Jumble Sale, 24th Ipswich Scout Group,1pm3pm, 24th Scout HQ 330a Bramford Road Ipswich [beside the Railway Bridge]

Mon 19th Feb

“Once Upon a time……” at The Oddfellows Hall 37 High St Ipswich IP1 3QH, 1.30pm-3.30pm.

We can’t guarantee a novel in an afternoon, but we can have a stab at a story! No writing required but pen and paper supplied for those wishing to jot down ideas. Come along, join in the fun and let your imaginations run free! All welcome £3 Refreshments included. Contact 01473 251867

Tue 20th Feb

Activity Day for home educated children aged 6- 12years ‘Alive and Deadly’, 10am – 2pm, £7. Foxburrow Farm, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Melton near Woodbridge IP12 1NA. Book www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org. Tel: 01473 890089

Thu 22nd Feb

Thursday Forum at Christ Church, Tacket Street, Ipswich – light lunches from 12.00 followed by free talk by Roger Kennell on “Shops & Shopping in Ipswich” from 1.10 till 1.50pm. All welcome.

Fri 23rd Feb

The Enormous Box at Jerwood DanceHouse, Ipswich, 7.30pm. Book 01473 295230.

Sat 24th-Sun 25th Feb

A Winter’s Exhibition, Great Glemham Village Hall, Low Road IP17 2DH. 10.00am-5.00pm. Free admission.

Special Family History Open Day at the Long Shop Museum in Leiston from 11am until 4pm.

Discover your familiy’s past. See page 9 for more information.

Sat 24th Feb

Ring of Fire: Th Johnny Cash Birthday Bash, Felixstowe Spa, 7.30pm. Book 01394 284962 www.felixstowespa.co.uk

Mon 26th Feb

History and Mysteries of the Oddfellows, at The Oddfellows Hall 37 High St Ipswich IP1 3QH, 1.30-3.30pm. Discover the history of one the country’s oldest and biggest Friendly Societies, at this informal presentation. All welcome Entrance FREE and refreshments served. Contact 01473 250867

Wed 28th Feb

Lost Railways of Suffolk illustrated talk by Nathan Dodd, The Ipswich & District Historical Transport Society at Salvation Army Citadel, 558 Woodbridge Rd, Ipswich IP4 4PH, 7.30pm.

Visitors welcome via rear door £3.50 members £1.50 includes refreshments. Details 01473 422145/ 01394 420490

All contributions for March issue must be received no later than Friday 9th February please.

Email listings@ipswich24.co.uk or post to 12A Britannia Rd, Ipswich IP4 4PE

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*Submissions listed subject to space availability.

Have your Event or Gig Listed Free!!* Email: info@ipswich24.co.uk Post: 12A Britannia Road, Ipswich IP4 4PE

Valentine's —A Day of Love Who was Saint Valentine?

February has long been a month of romance, connected with Valentine’s Day merriment.

We have, time and again, heard the name St. Valentine being uttered before us in this season of love. But just who is this St. Valentine and why is this month associated with love and romance?

The origin of this lovers day goes back as early as 270 A.D and ongoing with the clash connecting a kindly priest and a mighty leader. Some say the day is named after a bishop named Valentine, who was stationed in the Roman kingdom. Claudius II was the Emperor at that time.

He thought that bachelor men made better soldiers, so he was determined to make it a law that young men could not get married.

Around 270 A.D. Valentine took pity on the ostracised soldiers who were not permitted to get married or see their sweetheart.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

Bishop Valentine became Saint Valentine with his fame extending to England and France. After his death, Valentine then became what is known as a “Patron Saint.”

Some measured him the saintly overseer of a yearly festival in which young Romans would share out cards of friendliness to those they wished to formally see. This festival was held each 14th February.

With the most romantic day of the year, Valentine’s Day, just days away, 42 per cent of the nation will buy flowers to show loved ones we care. 16 per cent will treat their wife, 11 per cent their girlfriend and eight per cent their mum. However, men aren’t left out – five per cent of husbands and four percent of boyfriends will receive a bouquet of blooms. Five per cent will buy them for a friend.

But many flowers have unexpected symbolisms. Developed by the Victorians, ‘floriography’ was commonly used to convey secret messages that etiquette of the day deemed unacceptable to share openly. Over time, opinion and understanding of flower symbolisms has changed and developed, but it’s incredibly interesting to look back at some of the messages our ancestors were trying to give through their bouquets.

To mark Valentine’s Day, Waitrose Florist asked 2,000 Brits whether they can identify the meaning of blooms, to help the nation understand the original symbolisms of some of our favourites. Here’s what they found:

Freesias

Freesias are named after German botanist and doctor Friedrich Freese and were brought to Europe from their native home of southern Africa, in the eighteenth century.

34 per cent of respondents don’t know what freesias symbolise and a further 19 percent think they have no meaning. However, nearly one in 10 (nine per cent) rightly chose the meaning of ‘lasting friendship’.

Red Roses

Perhaps predictably, as the go-to romantic flower of choice, 70 per cent of people rightly identified the original symbolism of red roses as being ‘love’. However, one in ten (10 per cent) still had no idea what this colour of bloom represented.

And many people are unaware that different colours of roses have alternative meanings – pink blooms symbolise ‘grace’, orange mean ‘fascination’, burgundy signify ‘unconscious beauty’.

Tulips

Tulips originated in the Middle East, before being brought to Europe in the sixteenth century. However, 39 per cent of Brits don’t know what tulips symbolise and a further 20 per cent think they symbolise nothing.

Bespoke Craftsman Jeweller All jewellery handmade to order Restorations and repair to fine jewellery

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Only five per cent of romantics identified their true meaning – ‘a declaration of love’.

Orchids

Orchids were well known in the Victorian era, when almost 2,000 species were in existence – coming to Europe from Central America, Africa, India and the Far East. 31 per cent of people are unaware of what orchids symbolise, but 14 per cent rightly guessed ‘refined beauty’ as their meaning – perfect as an alternative to red roses as a Valentine’s choice.

Lilies

The white Madonna lily is one of the oldest in cultivation and was thought to have been dispersed throughout Europe by Roman soldiers. 39 per cent of people think lilies mean ‘sympathy’, when in fact, their original meaning is ‘majesty’, which is best described as ‘impressive beauty’.

Only five per cent correctly identified this and a further 17 per cent had no idea of the symbolic meaning of the bloom.

Pink Carnations

Carnations originated as a plant from southern Europe and the Victorians were particular fans. Pink carnations could be a choice for a lost love, or the one that got away – their true meaning is ‘I will never forget you’, which only eight per cent of the nation rightly identified.

Irises

Irises have been in Britain since the sixteenth century. They have an unusual meaning – ‘message’ which only 4 per cent of people rightly guessed. In Victorian times, this translated to ‘My compliments.

I have a message for you.’ 38 per cent of people couldn’t identify what they symbolised and 17 per cent thought they had no meaning.

Weddings

2018

Wedding Day on a Budget!

Traditionally, the bride’s family paid for the costs of a wedding while the groom would incur the expense of the honeymoon.

These days it is not uncommon to find many couples paying for their own wedding from their own funds. However, you don’t have to spend a fortune or go into debt to have a beautiful wedding. Determine the amount of your budget and stick to it. Keep track of all your expenses and receipts in a folder or binder so that you can stay organised and accurately keep track of where your money is going. Here are some helpful tips to help you stay within your wedding budget.

Wedding Dress

• Avoid overly elaborate dresses because they will be more expensive.

• Look for your dress during prom season or consider wearing a bridesmaid dress.

You can find a beautiful white or cream coloured dress that would be perfect for a wedding at a fraction of the cost of a traditional wedding dress.

• Look at the classified ads. Wedding dresses are generally only worn once so you can get a gently preloved dress at a huge cost savings.

Reception

• Keep the number of guests down. You and the groom should look at the first draft of the guest list and carefully consider who can be taken off the list.

• Have a cash bar instead of an open bar. Or you can also just provide wine and beer to keep the costs down.

• Hold the ceremony and reception in the same location. You will be able to cut the cost of the location for the ceremony, decorations and transportation to the reception.

Flowers

• Purchase your flowers wholesale and just pay for the labour of a professional florist to arrange them.

• Arrange the flowers yourself. A bouquet made of all roses with a little eucalyptus filler and tied with ribbon makes a stunning bouquet and you do not need to be a professional to put this together.

Photography

• Find a photographer with reasonable hourly rates and pay only for the time to do your formal poses. You can then designate friends or family to take the candid shots throughout the rest of the reception.

• Put disposable cameras at each table with a note asking guests to take pictures to help you capture memories.

Invitations

• Print your own invitations using your home computer. Visit your local arts and crafts store or search online and purchase a do-it-yourself invitation kit.

Miscellaneous

• Make your own wedding favours. Wrap up sugared almonds or other sweets in lace and tie with ribbon pre-printed with your names and wedding date.

Gina Brown

Roben Beauty Makeup Makeup tailored to you

Proms, Weddings, special occasions and the extraordinary.

Get 10% Off when you quote ‘IPS2418’ enya@robenbeauty.com — call: 07947 899794

www.robenbeauty.com

Facebook & Instagram @robenbeauty.makeup

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The Savvy Wedding Show is back at Henley!

The Savvy Wedding Planner is very excited to be working with Henley Community Centre again bringing the Savvy Wedding Show, and, new for this year Pre Loved Sale to this great countryside location.

It is event not to be missed with a selection of Suffolk’s finest wedding suppliers all under one roof.

They will be on hand to offer their professional services to make your special day as stress-free as possible.

For anyone who pre books tickets via www.ticketgun.com/events/the-savvywedding-show-pre-loved-sale you will get free entry into a prize draw, glass of prosecco on arrival and a goody bag.

Refreshments will also be available on the day and the drapes will be up in the main hall to give you a real feel of what it could be like for your special day.

There is also a pre-loved sale this time round so you can grab a few bargains and even try on a few dresses. There will be something for brides, grooms, families and guests from outfits to accessories for yourselves or decorations or your big day.

Keep an eye out for updates on the Savvy Wedding Planner Facebook event page, on Twitter & online at www.savvyweddingplanner.co.uk The Savvy Wedding Planner looks forward to welcoming lots of brides and grooms to be and helping them plan their special day.

Save the date with The Savvy Wedding Planner who will help you plan your special day in any way.

Date: Sunday, 25th March Venue: Henley Community Centre, Ashbocking Road, Church Meadows, Henley, IP6 0RP Time: 11am to 3.30pm Price: Free entry and free car parking

This event will help to support local charity Inspire Suffolk, who strive to make a real difference to the lives of local young people who are in need and with your support we can do so much more. This Wedding Show will also be an opportunity for Inspire Suffolk to establish links with local businesses to create future partnerships. To read more about the important work the charity does in our communities – thank you for your support.

Wedding Dresses: How to Select the Best One for You

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VERY bride would agree that her wedding dress should be perfect - not only does she want to look her best, on her special day, but her wedding dress also is the centre of everybody’s attention. But how do you select the best one for you? Here is advice about choosing the ‘right’ dress for your wedding.

Your wedding dress style should match the wedding style

Do you plan a very formal wedding in a cathedral or is it going to be a more informal ceremony? Before deciding on the dress, you should decide how formal your wedding is going to be. A long and puffy princess style wedding dress is no longer your only option - informal weddings and beach or outdoor weddings are progressively becoming more popular. So now you can find all kinds of affordable wedding dresses - short or tea length dresses, coloured wedding dresses and even white sarongs, for a Hawaiian wedding…

One advantage to an informal wedding dress is that it is much cheaper and more comfortable. Also, while a formal wedding gown almost always needs serious alteration, an informal dress is much easier to fit. So if you don’t have that much time left before your wedding, an informal dress could be a good choice.

How to chose the right bridal boutique

If you want to find the best dress, you will need to spend a couple of days visiting different boutiques. However, before you visit a bridal shop it is a good idea to call them and ask a few questions - this will save you trips to places that would only waste your time. When ringing a bridal shop you should ask:

- Can you just come to the shop or is an appointment required?

- What dresses styles do they have and what is the price range?

- Are alterations free and, if not, how much do they cost?

- If they don’t have dresses in your size, can one be ordered?

- Do they also carry bridal accessories, like hair decorations, veils and shoes?

- Can they hold a dress you like for a couple of days?

When you get to the shop, try as many dresses as necessary, until you find the perfect one. Don’t listen to the sales person, when they say that the first dress you try on is great and you should take it. Remember they want to sell the dress and it is their job to say it looks great, even if in fact it is hideous.

When you finally find the dress that you always dreamed of, ask them to put it on hold; don’t let them convince you that you should buy it straightaway. Return to the shop the next day and look at your dress again - you would be amazed how often something that seemed perfect, after trying on 10 different dresses, won’t impress you when you see it with a fresh eye. However, if you look at your dress again and feel “yes this is the one”, than it is time to buy it.

Tanya Turner

A family run business based in the beautiful market town of Woodbridge, we are retailers of quality Sterling Silver, precious and semi precious Jewellery. gemstone Jeweller 3 Elmhurst Walk, Woodbridge IP12 1DB

Telephone: 01394 382114 Email: Silversunjewellery@gmail.com Open: Monday - Saturday 10:00am – 5:00pm Sundays – Please phone in advance

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inding a florist that is highly experienced in handling wedding flowers and bouquets is vital if you want your flower arrangements to be memorable.

When the flowers are carefully selected, they will showcase the event, the dresses and the location. That’s why it’s so important to deal with a florist that not only knows what they are doing but also offers you a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Today’s bride has a massive range of choices when it comes to wedding flowers. With more and more people using the Internet to order products and services like wedding flowers it allows for more choices of flowers to be available to all year round. When it comes to wedding flowers every detail is important. Matching the colours of your wedding theme or fabrics to your wedding flowers and wedding bouquets is always a great place to start.

Matching colours of flowers with bridesmaids dresses, the theme of the wedding and the type of arrangements you want will be made easier if you have samples handy when talking to a florist.

Stunning Wedding Flowers Little Village Salon — Hair & Beauty —

Too take the stress out of organising your wedding flowers make sure you give yourself plenty of lead in time and give the florists plenty of time to order and prepare your flowers. As a good rule of thumb, the bigger the wedding the more lead-in time is required.

The best Florists are those that have years of experience in designing and arranging Wedding Flowers. They’ll be able to show you many examples of the amazing work they have done. Most of all they will be able to create stunning wedding flowers that people will talk about and remember for ages.

So, how much should you budget for wedding flowers?

Let’s say that an average spend for wedding flowers would be up to 10% of the overall wedding budget.

A good florist is able to help you choose the perfect arrangements no matter what your budget is.

If you want your special day to be one that you will remember and talk about for years to come then make sure that you take the time to find a specialist wedding florist who has years of experience in making weddings a memorable and joyful occasion.

Michael Atma

An unforgettable experience - make your own wedding rings at Woodbridge Jewellery Workshop

Your wedding rings symbolise your love for each other. They should be as unique and special as that love, and they can be - if you make them yourselves!

Bespoke jewellers Rick and Maggie Chapman run day courses for couples to make their own wedding rings in their delightful Grade 2 Listed workshop.

“It really is a very special day.” said Rick, “We guide you through each and every step helping you to make your rings using traditional methods and by the end of the course you will have a wedding ring that is completely unique. The day includes a delicious homemade lunch, and a glass of bubbly to celebrate at the end of the day” Rick is well qualified to teach - he completed his apprenticeship at Aspreys of Bond Street, and has had over 40 years experience at the bench, making everything from rings, pendants, cufflinks to tiaras. The wedding rings can be made in gold - yellow, white or rose - or Palladium or Platinum.

They can be shaped to fit with an existing engagement ring, diamond set or engraved.

With so much to plan for the wedding day, sometimes it is easy to forget the importance of the rings - you wear them for the rest of your life. Don’t you deserve something really special?

• Contact Woodbridge Jewellery Workshop on 01394 647117 or via the website www.woodbridgejewelleryworkshop.co.uk and see the great reviews on their Facebook page!

Bespoke Craftsman Jeweller All jewellery handmade to order Restorations and repair to fine jewellery

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Take the stress out of Wedding Planning Planning your wedding and getting married should be a wonderful memorable experience. Without great planning, your wedding can be stressful and you can quickly feel overwhelmed by the escalating costs, the family politics and the sheer volume of what you need to do. To ensure your wedding goes without a hitch and you remain sane throughout the process follow these simple wedding planning tips.

Things to do:

Book the church or wedding ceremony venue.

Give yourself ample time to plan for the wedding and for guests to ensure they are free on the day. Anything from one year to two years is usual for an advance wedding venue booking.

Set the budget:

The size of the budget will determine every other action you take in planning your wedding, so spend time practically working out an accurate wedding budget based on what you can afford and what you believe is reasonable to spend on this one special day. Parents of bride and groom may offer financial support. Do not take this for granted. If parents do announce they will cover the cost then they will presumably set the wedding budget for you. Ensure you respect the limit imposed.

Once you have the budget you need to divide it up to cover the many costs associated with wedding planning and execution.

Things to consider are detailed below: • Guest List

• Who is coming?

• How many can you afford to cater for?

Should they attend the marriage ceremony, the cocktail hour and the wedding party reception or just the reception?

Some people have only close friends and family for the wedding ceremony and include a larger guest list for the evening reception entertainment which may include work colleagues and casual friends. Children are a consideration as some prefer not to have children at their wedding while others are more than happy to encourage a family wedding environment. If you are including children in your guest list remember to accommodate their needs when catering the reception and planning entertainment.

You can buy a wedding stationery suite that will include co-ordinated items for all the above or you could make your own!

Caterering including beverages Flowers including bridal bouquet, ceremony venue flowers and center table arrangements Decorations for ceremony and reception - ribbons, flowers, bunting, balloons Bridal Dress, underwear, reception outfit, shoes, jewelry, accessories Groom suit, cufflinks, accessories, shoes Bridesmaid dresses, shoes, nails Page boy suits Best man outfit Hairdressing, makeup fees Car Hire for bride, groom, family Wedding cake Gifts for brides mum, bridesmaids, best man etc.

Honeymoon • For more tips, advice and trending wedding theme ideas please visit the website www.weddingdesignchic.com

Wedding Theme

Marriage Ceremony Venue

Knowing your wedding theme will help determine where you want to get married.

Select somewhere that sets the tone for your themed wedding. A small chapel or church for a traditional wedding for close family and friends or an outdoor garden ceremony for a more rustic, country themed wedding. Weather will be a factor as will guest numbers and budget.

Wedding Reception

When deciding where you would like to hold your wedding reception, evening party or cocktail hour consider how your guests might travel from the ceremony venue to the reception and how long they might be at a loose end in between.

You may need to budget for transport for guests, allow for ample parking and prepare detailed directions. For guests who have to travel some distance to attend your wedding, you may also need to arrange overnight accommodation or provide a list of local hotels.

Once your budget, venue and guest list have been determined you can enjoy choosing the details that will make your wedding unique to you.

These may include: Wedding invitations - personalised RSVP Cards

Save The Date Magnet or card

Thanks to Gina Manning Photography

Most brides like to have a ‘theme’ for their wedding, even if only to establish that it will be a traditional white wedding theme. When considering a theme for your wedding consider what reflects the personality of you and the groom and what can easily be managed within the scope of the wedding budget.

Set on the Ipswich Waterfront, Isaacs on the Quay offers a perfect location for your wedding day.

Views of the waterfront and historic indoor features make for stunning photographs. Isaacs on the Quay is a venue that will both wow your guests and make your day extra special. We are a venue that is unique to you, from the Ceremony Room to the Reception Rooms they are all filled with unique character and charisma. o Isaacs on the Quay offers a magical location for your wedding day. Situated close to the town centre, we are easily accessible from all major routes and the train station is only a 20 minute walk away.

The venue ...

Of course, it's more than a party; it's your wedding day.

It's too important to leave details to chance.

We love what we do and we take organising a wedding very seriously. Behind the scenes it takes almost military precision and fanatical attention to detail to make everything look this relaxed!

Our professionalism, experience and organisational flexibility are on hand to ensure you simply have to focus on enjoying your day.

Our role on the day is to be there when you need us but to be virtually invisible when you don't.

We are in the background providing a discreet helping hand, making sure everything happens when it should and ensuring your guests are happy, relaxed and well looked after.

Please call Marcella on 01473 284000 (option 2) weddings@isaaclord.org

Wedding Programs Menu

Table cards

Seating Chart v

Five Ideas for Creative and Unusual Wedding Cakes As the centerpiece of your reception, wedding cakes are a bride’s opportunity to make a major style statement. But many brides don’t particularly like the taste of wedding cake, and some simply prefer to serve something a little more distinctive for the dessert course.

Looking for something different? Browse these ideas for a refreshing spin on the traditional wedding cake.

1. Break the Mould

Cupcakes and doughnuts are trendy alternatives to traditional wedding cakes, but good old jelly might be the most creative new option. When moulded into cake form with a touch of class and ingredients like tropical fruit, champagne, and lychee, the family picnic favorite can be transformed into an elegant and refreshingly light treat perfect for a summer or outdoor wedding. Plus, it’s bound to be an instant conversation starter.

will actually eat, consider a wedding “cake” made of cheese. Literally a cake made of cheese stacked in tiers and decorated to look like a wedding cake. Adornments like foliage, grapes, berries, nuts, and flowers transform a creamy Lancashire or unpasteurized cheddar into an elaborate wedding cake that can match your decor scheme.

2. Blinged out Baked Goods

When it comes to wedding day bling, bejeweled brides have some competition. Now your cake can don jewellery too! That’s right, the latest adornments to hit wedding cakes are hand-made Swarovski Crystal Cake Jewellery. Design a sparkilicious cake bedecked with crystal monograms, hearts, flowers or butterflies.

3. Wedding Cakes Made of Cheese

Scattered plates with barely nibbled pieces of wedding cake are an alltoo-familiar sight at receptions. If you want to serve a dessert your guests

• Celebration in cheese from M&S

4. Flavourful Fountains

Chocolate fountains in lieu of wedding cakes have been done. So put a new spin on the chocolate fountain with a colourful, flowing display of fruit coulis, which is that powerfully tangy syrup made from raspberries, mangoes, or other fruits and often comes drizzled over something like a flourless chocolate cake. In its fountain form, dip brownies, shortbread, and other cakes and cookies for a sweet, fruity treat.

5. Cake Fake Out

If you like the look of iced tiers, but want something truly surprising, have rich, velvety gourmet cheesecakes stacked and decorated like a traditional wedding cake.

Your guests will be none the wiser until it is time to slice up. Plus this can save you money as your ‘cake’ will also double up as dessert.

Weddings at The Centre Weddings at Kesgrave Community and Conference Centre – The Venue for all occasions and events.

Set in twelve acres Pic: www.himandherweddingphotography.co.uk of land, Kesgrave Community and Conference Centre is a spacious and attractive venue within close proximity of the local church and easily accessible from the A12 and A14 trunk roads.

Whether you are looking for a reception venue, the perfect location for a celebrant ceremony or seeking to combine the two, The Centre offers flexible catering options, a fully licensed bar, a beautiful garden area and a choice of five function rooms suitable for an intimate gathering of 25, a larger celebration for up to 250 guests, or if you prefer you can have exclusive use of the whole venue for your special day.

The Centre boasts easy to get to and free parking, and the friendly professional staff are always on hand to help you plan your perfect day.

At The Centre they can also cater for hen parties and stag parties, engagement parties, in fact The Centre is ideally placed for any celebration.

With its attractive, peaceful location Kesgrave Community and Conference Centre makes the ideal venue for your big day.

Kesgrave Community and Conference Centre can be found at Twelve Acre Approach, Kesgrave.

For more information about this great venue and the facilities on offer please call 01473 612648 or visit www.kwmcc.co.uk Date for your diary – A Spring Wedding Show and open day will be taking place at The Centre on Sunday 13th May 2018, 11.00am - 3.00pm.

Weddings at The Centre • Traditional & Frame Marquee Hire • Firework Displays • Stylish Prop Hire • Afternoon Teas & Buffets • Garden Games

THE BENEFITS OF CHOOSING THE CENTRE Choice of five function rooms Easy to get to and free parking Licensed bar and flexible catering options Friendly professional staff Attractive, peaceful location

For more information 01473 612648 or visit www.kwmcc.co.uk Kesgrave Community and Conference Centre (KWMCC) Twelve Acre Approach, Kesgrave, Suffolk IP5 1JF

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Pictures:www.himandherweddingphotography.co.uk

• Furniture & Dance Floor Hire • Outside Bars

The Venue for all occasions and events

Essential Wedding Tips

1. Be aware of time: at the start of your day time moves slower than normal (“It’s only 10am, I’ve been up hours”), but once you’re an hour away from the start of proceedings time goes into overdrive; and make sure you take time out to be together during the day – it will be over before you realise.

2. Allow plenty of time for marks from bra straps and socks to fade before your big day.

3. If you’re getting ready in a hotel, make sure you have a pair of scissors for cutting the tags off new items.

4. Leave plenty of time for doing up the dress if it has lacing at the back. It looks easy in the shop when they show you how to do it, but on the day it can add to the stress levels if you’re short of time!

5. If you have guests joining you later in the day, designate someone to meet and greet – nothing worse than turning up to a party in full swing and not knowing where to go, or what to do if the speeches are still going on because things are running late.

6. Plan the day and then hand over the detail to someone else. If necessary, hire a professional wedding coordinator for the day so that you don’t have to worry about anything. And if things don’t go to plan, don’t worry, your guests will probably not even notice.

7. Don’t ask your photographer for too many posed family shots as you will get tired/bored/fidgety and miss the chance to be with your guests – and prevent your photographer from getting those special informal images.

8. Ladies hats: make sure that there is an understanding that hats will or won’t be worn during the wedding breakfast; and if not that there is somewhere for them to be kept; photographers, incidentally, prefer it without hats!

9. Timing: a one and a half hour interval between the start of the reception and the wedding breakfast is usually good; this will allow plenty of time to mingle with guests as well as for photographing the couple and the family shots. But see next point.

10. Receiving lines: the irony here is that if you have a lot of guests and want to make sure that you meet all of them, then a receiving line will do that for you, but will also take a considerable time (an hour for 125 guests at a recent wedding). It may be better to wander around the tables between courses.

11. Have an emergency kit: (sewing kit for the groom to repair his trousers?), scissors, hair grips, rubber bands, plasters etc. Make sure that the groom has cuff links if his shirt needs them.

12. Confetti: if there’s going to be confetti thrown, get the ushers to organise a couple of lines. If it is just handed out to the guests without a plan, they will eventually wander up to you and throw some – usually against the wind!

13. A lipstick tip from makeup artists: to avoid leaving some of it on your glass, wet the lip of the glass before bringing it to your lips – how you do this is up to you!

14. The weather: a nice day is a great bonus – but if it rains, just smile and

enjoy. And as far as photographs are concerned, if you want to go outside, make sure that it’s the photographer that gets wet, not you!

And remember, this checklist is only a guide. It’s you who will be living out the day with your friends and family. Do your best to prepare

and when the big day finally arrives relax in the knowledge that you’ve done everything possible to make it a success. After all the hard work is done, your job is now to have fun and enjoy each memorable moment that happens on your wedding day.

Richard Galloway

‘I do’

If you are planning a Hen Party, attending a wedding, have an anniversary to celebrate or just want to say ‘I love you’, Pennikkity Pots Ceramics Café can help you mark the occasion with a personal event or keepsake.

This cosy independent ceramics studio and cafe, based in the centre of Ipswich, is the perfect place to create your bespoke gift. Don’t panic if you have never painted pottery before because the friendly staff will be on hand to guide you through the process and give you handy helpful hints. Alternatively, one of the talented in-house artists can paint an item for you to a design of your choice. These unique items can be as individual as the people they are being created for.

The café is a great place to celebrate a Hen Party and suitable for all age groups plus the studio can also be hired privately in the evening as well, and a mobile service is also available either with or without staff.

For the ultimate keepsake why not create a signing item. Purchase a piece of ceramic and take it along to your event and get everyone to write a message on with a pencil.

Once it is returned to the studio the amazing artists will hand finish the piece by painting over every message keeping exactly to the handwriting, finish the piece off with a design of your choice, glaze and fire it to create the perfect memory of your big day. The modern day alternative to the message book!

Open seven days a week and there is no need to book to paint in the studio and no time limit on your visit. Don’t forget to cut out and use the discount voucher which entitles you to £2.00 off ceramic painting.

STOP PRESS - Special late night opening on Wednesday the 14th February for Valentines. Treat the one you love to some quality ‘just you and me time’! A fun and relaxing evening out, book your table for two today on 01473 216865. In addition to our painting see our ultimate pamper package below.

Valentine's Evening Event Wednesday 14th February 2018

Looking to treat your partner to the ultimate, if not slightly quirky romantic as evening? much as you can beforehand Think of one of the most iconic romantic movie moments, think Demi and Patrick, cue the music, and yes, of course, the potter’s wheel!

Pennikkity Pots have teamed up with Escape Beauty Rooms to offer a fantastic two hour ‘pamper package’ cream tea for two with complimentary glass of fizz, a keepsake ceramic to paint to celebrate the day, a taster session on the wheel, plus couples’ back, neck and shoulder massage.

All for £75 per couple. — Booking is essential as places are limited.

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eddings can be a stressful event as things may happen on the day that are completely out of your control but with enough preparation and support from your friends and relatives it can be the most memorable and joyous event you’ll remember for a long time to come. Here are some handy tips to bear in mind to ensure that your special day goes as smoothly as possible:

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How to Enjoy Your Wedding Reception

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OUR wedding reception will most likely be a whirlwind event that is over before you know it. It will be filled with friends and family as well as food and dancing. Yes, this is a party to celebrate the ceremony that preceded and it is a time to celebrate you and your new spouse as a couple.

3. Take a quiet moment. There is a ton of action and traditional events that occur at wedding receptions. From the bouquet toss to the first dance, the reception will be filled with activity. Be sure and take a few quiet moments with your new spouse to remember that you are now married and that the party is for the wonderful life you are beginning. Don’t let the reception go by and then remember that you haven’t even had a moment of piece just to gaze into each others eyes.

Making sure you enjoy the reception is critical. Believe it or not, things can get overwhelming and chaotic if you don’t plan ahead and know going into your reception what you need to do in order to ensure that you enjoy it.

1. Visit Each Table. If you don’t have a receiving line then you and your spouse must have a plan to visit each table. Typically the easiest time to do this is right after people are done eating. This will give you the opportunity to thank everyone for coming and make sure that you spoke with everyone. Take your photographer around with you so that he can get shots of you with your various guests. There will come a day when you forget who attended your wedding and photos are a great way to keep those memories alive.

2. Family Pictures. Be sure to get pictures at the reception of all your family members. Sometimes relatives will get lost in the crowd and your photographer may not know who is related to you.

This is especially critical if you have family members who won’t be out on the dance floor. Photographers tend to drift towards where the action is in order to capture the candid moments of your reception. If you have family who aren’t likely to be in the midst of the action, be sure to let you photographer know ahead of time.

4. Eat! Eat! Eat! This maybe one of the most critical items on this list. It is so important that you eat at your reception. Yes, you may have a lot of people to say hello to and yes, you may feel that you need to get the party started by being out on the dance floor, but none of that will be truly enjoyed unless you have a full stomach and a clear head. The stress of the day and the cocktails of the night will catch up to you quickly if you don’t take the time to eat. And let’s face it, you have paid good money for the food, so be sure and partake.

5. Gift and Flower Plan. It is really important to have a gift and flower plan prior to the day of your wedding and reception. Have a designated person or persons who will be responsible for getting all your gifts either back to your house or to wherever you plan to open them. The flowers also need to be assigned to someone. These make great decorations for the morning after brunch or select a place that takes flower donations. Don’t leave this decision until the last few minutes of the reception and end the night by scrambling to find someone who has a vehicle large enough, knows where to go and is willing possibly late at night to deliver these items for you.

K. Marsillo

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Shrove Tuesday Ash Wednesday Fat Thursday Doughnuts with Sue Hall of Maid2Clean

February – officially the last month of winter! And the shortest month of the year. I remember as a child the rhyme that helped us remember which months had which days.

Thirty days has September, April, traditions to follow at this time. In June, and November. All the rest Brazil, Venice, New Orleans and have thirty-one. except the second many other places, you would see month alone. To which we 28 assign, colourful street parades. I like what 'til Leap Year gives it 29.

Poland has been doing since the My favourite thing about February 17th century - they make and eat though is Fat Thursday! It literally doughnuts! Normally the shelves of translates as Fat Tuesday and is also their bakeries are filled with different referred to as Mardi Gras; carnivals kinds of cakes - chocolate eclairs, are celebrated for the whole week. honey gingerbread, puff pastries, jam Fat Thursday this year is on February buns. But on Fat Thursday, you will 8th – it signifies the feasting and see queues standing outside their celebration period before the fasting bakeries to purchase a Pączek or period of Lent. The holiday is aptly two. It is a large fried doughnut filled named, as just about everything you with marmalades and glazed with are supposed to eat on that day is sugar, and depending on the bakery deep fried, sugary, and delicious. you go to, it might be topped with February is party month! candied orange peel.

Traditionally it is a day dedicated to Among bakers and confectioners, eating (let me hear you say wayhay!), Fat Thursday is regarded as one of when people meet in their homes the busiest days of the year, with or cafés with friends and relatives many cake shops open from the and eat large quantities of sweets, early hours of the morning after a cakes and other meals usually not marathon night of frying. Statistics eaten during Lent. Cleaning out fatty for the past few years show that foods reminds us that Lent is a time around 100 million are eaten on Fat to “shrive” (think Shrove Tuesday and Thursday in Poland, with the average our dear pancakes!) or “clear out” all Pole eating two and a half doughnuts. sorts of things that might not be good It has been estimated that the money for us as we settle into the 40 days of spent on Fat Thursday delicacies Lent, not celebrating with food again today would buy 200 apartments of until Easter (think hot cross buns and 50 square metres in Warsaw! chocolate eggs).

Is it me or does the idea of all Lots of countries have their own these amazing doughnuts beat our

pancakes? I love the idea of binging on stuff that we know is bad for us and then cleansing afterwards. I have been doing some intermittent fasting as part of a new eating regime and so far, so good. Not sure doughnuts are allowed on any diet but if you have Polish neighbours, you may be asked to share some of their doughnuts on this day!

But whether you are clearing out your fridges, cupboards or your homes, if you need some help, you know where you can find us. Happy Fat Thursday from the Maid2Clean team. Taking the hard work out of your housework. 0800 878 6388

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Top decluttering tips Whether preparing for a move or just wanting to cut down on stuff, the start of the year is the perfect time to declutter, get rid of the junk that is no longer used, needed, wanted or even remembered.

A successful “home edit” can also help clear the mind. Here is a list of top tips for decluttering both home and life, to help home owners and home movers clear up or clear out.

Damien Seaman, Head of Brand at buzzmove said, “Clearing out the junk from our homes has more benefits that just freeing up space or cutting removal costs if you’re on the move. It cuts chaos, simplifies life and declutters the mind too. But to get the best out of a decluttering exercise, it’s important to tackle it the right way. That’s why we’ve put together a list of practical steps to make decluttering effective and efficient, and maybe even enjoyable.”

Top Decluttering Tips Declutter one room at a time – This way you’ll see clear progress as you tackle and complete one task at time. It avoids getting overwhelmed.

Do not be constrained by someone else’s timeline - Find the time that works for you,

whether after work while watching a bit of Netflix, over the weekend, or a couple of hours here and there. This way you’ll feel motivated to do more, not get burned out by the process.

Do not buy packing boxes before you’ve worked out what to keep - Organise first, buy second. If your decluttering is effective, you may find you don’t need as many storage boxes as you first thought.

Do not hoard - Be completely honest with yourself about what items you really NEED. Give things away either to someone you know, or to charity – you’ll feel better for it. Try freecycle!

Do not start a new task before finishing the last one - Complete each task completely before moving on – once you have decided where something is going to go, take it there.

Do not forget to ask yourself: does everything have a function? - Seriously, do you really need all those DVDs when you have subscriptions to more than one online TV and film streaming service? The same goes for all those CDs. Don’t go too far in search of perfection Good is good enough. Your home will never look like a catalogue because it is actually lived in.

Take time to appreciate how far you’ve come. If perfection is your goal then you will always be disappointed.

Don’t keep clothes you never wear - Try the wardrobe hanger experiment. Turn around the hooks on all the hangers in your wardrobe.

Once you wear an item, turn the hanger back the other way. After a year, get rid of any clothes on hangers still hooked on the wrong way – you don’t need them.

Don’t forget to ask for another perspective Ask for help from a work colleague or friend - they should be able to give you an objective opinion on what they think you do and don’t need.

Don’t overlook the fact that you’re only keeping it because of nostalgia - Why not take a photo of it instead, then you’ll feel better about giving or throwing something away.

Don’t think that once you’ve organised your space you’re done - Recognise your new, efficient, and logical system for processing and managing incoming and outgoing items and keep it up.

Don’t forget to simplify your personal life Decluttering your diary is essential for simplifying your life and giving yourself a bit of headspace.

You can reduce your commitments and say no to non-essential things.

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Live Life in COLOUR! So many homeowners want to recreate the swoon-worthy interiors seen in glossy magazines or on Instagram feeds, but the fear of using colour creeps in and they retreat back to… magnolia. Top interior designer Sophie Robinson shares the secrects to discover the best ways for UK homeowners to live a life in colour.

Known for her passion for colourful interiors, who better to provide inspiration and advice on how to allow your personality and individuality shine through in your home than Sophie Robinson.

Sophie commented, “If I had one mission in life it would be to play a part in making people’s homes more colourful. While I splash colour around my own home with wild abandon, I’m aware that for most folk it can be a thing of terror and dread.

I’ve therefore pulled together six top tips to tempt selfconfessed colour-phobes to experiment with a multitude of different hues, and to embrace the endless possibilities and transformational qualities of colour.”

which colours and hues resonate with you. If you’re stuck on where to start you can begin by looking in your wardrobe to see the colours you naturally pick out.

5. Start with a sample

I often start with a colourful wallpaper swatch or a fabric sample to build a colour scheme around. You’ll find a combination of colours which all sit nicely together, neutrals through to brighter accent colours.

6. Magic number three

I find that three is a bit of a magic number when pulling a scheme together with the hero colour being around 60-70% of the scheme (think walls, floors or large pieces of furniture) then the secondary colour being around 20-30% (for example soft furnishings) with the final accent colour around 10-5% (that’s cushions, artwork and vases).

You can add neutrals in with this, I call them a free colour, and can be found in wood flooring and furniture for example.

www.anglianhome.co.uk.

1. Paint it!

First up invest in a pot of paint. I’m serious, for a price of a tub and a weekend with a roller in your hand you can totally transform the look, feel and vibe of your room. My mantra is just go for it, it’s only paint!

2. Expect the unexpected…

Use colour in unexpected ways. I’ve got a thing at the moment for painting the doors in my house surprising colours because it just makes me smile.

But why not start off with a bold new hue for your front door. Nothing gives a great first impression than a bonny bright colour, so don’t be afraid to stand out.

3. Accessorise with colour

For the faint hearted I’d suggest going neutral for the big ticket items like the sofa, flooring and curtains and then adding the colour with accessories.

A bold feature floor rug, brightly coloured lampshades, scatter cushions and wall art all combine to make an interesting scheme – but can easily be changed and updated over time.

4. Find YOUR colour

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Choose a cohesive colour palette and use this to design all the rooms in your home so there is some flow. While you’ll want each room to be different it helps if they work as a set. It’s really important to dig deep and work out

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A beautiful small orchid that can be grown outdoors as well as indoors.

They prefer a sheltered site, with a little bit of shade along with well-drained soil.

Perfect for rockeries, front borders and pots. The flowering time is from April to May, growing to a height of 7-10cm (4 inches).

They re-apperar each year and also produce pseudobulbs (bulblets), which can be collected in late spring and potted up. wonderful Pleione are extremely easy to grow and are a wonde addition to your home or garden.

Winter at Flatford Wildlife Garden

by Shirley Sampson, Warden

Sun shining? Crisp chill in the air? If you feel like a bit of fresh air, or somewhere to give the kids a run for an hour or two, why not visit Flatford Wildlife Garden?

We’re open for two Snowdrop Weekends in February on 17/18th and 24/25th. The garden is full of drifts of lovely snowdrops to enjoy at this time of year… We’ll also have potted snowdrops for sale, and seasonal advice on wildlife gardening for you to take home.

After a bracing stroll in the garden or along the river, retire to the National Trust tea room for a well-earned cuppa and to warm up!

The garden at Flatford is designed to inspire people to help wildlife in their own gardens. Many people don’t realise that they could very easily be helping conserve local wildlife by thinking differently about their gardens. For creatures like honeybees, bumblebees, butterflies, and many birds, gardens can allow them to travel across the landscape with access to food and shelter, which is vital to their survival. Gardens are no less important for creatures without wings - many gardens offer ideal habitat for hedgehogs, provided that the gardens are all connected.

Surprisingly, hedgehogs need to travel up to two miles per night in order to find sufficient food, and therefore they not only need to be able to get INTO your garden, but also into your neighbours’ gardens from there.. Once they’re in, apart from being charming in their own right, they will munch on your slugs and snails!

Here are some ideas to transform your winter garden into a mininature reserve: 1. Safe and warm in winter Don’t cut back the summer’s growth come autumn, but be patient and leave the summer’s bounty until

spring. The dead plant material and autumn leaves will create an insulating blanket over the soil’s surface, creating a warm, dry haven for many small creatures hibernating away the winter months.

You may then be lucky enough to have songthrushes and other hungry insect eaters rummaging in the leaf litter, searching for insect food in the depths of the winter. You can then have a satisfying tidy-up in early spring, once the worst of the winter is over.

2. So mulch more…

Mulch your borders – choose something with an organic origin – homemade compost, well-rotted woodchips or bark chippings. This mulch not only nourishes the soil and plants, but also provides a source of food for soil invertebrates.

Healthy populations of earthworms and other invertebrates have real benefits for the soil, and hence the plants, but will also provide food for a long list of carnivorous garden friends, such as hedgehogs, all the amphibians, song thrushes, blackbirds, robins, and many more.

3. Winter hibernation sites Train a dense evergreen up your walls or fences, it will provide a safe haven for birds to nest, or butterflies to hibernate in winter.

The five common garden butterflies, namely the comma, the small tortoiseshell, brimstone, peacock, and increasingly the red admiral, all overwinter by hibernating as adult butterflies, and need somewhere dry and insulated to shelter. In many cases, a thick evergreen climber such as ivy up against a fence or wall, provides an ideal hibernating place.

More information at www.rspb.org.uk/flatford Park at the National Trust car park at Flatford (£4 per day)

Deben Flower Club

9 Bulbs for £16.50

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The next meeting of the Deben Flower Club will be held on Tuesday 13th February at 7.30pm in the Church Hall, Church Lane, Kirton. IP10 0PU. The evening will take the form of a demonstration by club members. This will be an informal event with members and visitors having the opportunity to move around the hall and ask questions of those producing the arrangements.

Tea and coffee will be available and there will be stalls selling cakes, chocolates, edible goodies and flower arranging sundries. There will also be a raffle of the flower arrangements.

Visitors are always assured of a warm welcome. Please telephone 01394 411422 if you would like further information. Visitors £4.00

n Community Rail Project set to transform Station Garden A Community Project to create a new garden and wildlife haven at Melton Railway Station recently took place with volunteers from the Community Rail Partnership and local residents joining staff from Suffolk Coastal District Council and Suffolk Coastal Norse to plant over 250 shrubs.

The planting scheme is the culmination of several years work at the station by volunteer station adopter Aaron Taffera in which a significant amount of overgrown foliage has been cut back and removed along with other debris.

Aaron, who is also Chair of the East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership, has been Station Adopter at Melton for the past five years.

Aaron said, “I am thrilled that the planting is now underway and I’m looking forward to observing the garden as it evolves and changes over the seasons.

I’d particularly like to thank the volunteers that have given up their time to assist in the planting this week and hope that as the plants mature they will provide an attractive year round welcome to Melton” Joint funded through the Community Rail Partnership, Suffolk Coastal District Council and the Department for Transport via a grant from the Association of Community Rail Partnerships, the scheme is set to provide an attractive gateway at the station and improve the environment with all species of plant being native to England and many specifically chosen to help sustain Bees and other wildlife.

Opened in 1859, Melton Station played an important part in World War 2 as the railhead for RAF Bentwaters. Passenger services were withdrawn from Melton in 1955, long before the cuts of the Beeching era however when the East Suffolk Line was re-configured in the early 1980s, a successful local campaign saw the station re-opened to passengers in 1984. Part of the original station buildings now house a popular butchers shop and passenger numbers continue to climb with around 70,000 people using the station last year, up 7.6% on 2015/16.

n Charity aiming to cut food waste Food redistribution charity FareShare East Anglia has officially launched in Ipswich with the aim of supplying hundreds of local charities throughout Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex with good food that would otherwise go to waste.

These frontline charities, estimated to be as many as 1,552 in the region, will use this surplus food to support vulnerable people in need. The charity expects to deliver the equivalent of more than 150,000 meals in 2018 from its new Regional Centre in Ipswich.

FareShare East Anglia has been operating a pilot phase since last summer and is already redistributing good quality, in-date food to 20 local charities and community groups. During this time it has delivered 46,191 meals and helped nearly 800 people a week.

FareShare East Anglia is saving good food from going to waste and is in need of more charities and community groups to receive it and extra volunteers or ‘food heroes’ to help sort, pick, pack and deliver the food.

If you are a charity or community group interested in becoming a food member to access good quality in-date food, visit http://fareshare.org.uk/ fareshare-centres/east-anglia/ • Alternatively, if you are free to volunteer a few hours a week to drive surplus food to local charities and groups, visit http://fareshare.org.uk/ get-involved/volunteering/apply-to-volunteer-east-anglia/

Melton is served by Greater Anglia trains to Lowestoft and Ipswich via the East Suffolk Line and is situated just over a mile from the National Trust managed Anglo Saxon Burial Site at Sutton Hoo. It is also a popular location for walkers with various routes including the riverside path towards Woodbridge.

Enhancing the station garden is the latest in a number of Community Rail supported initiatives in the East which have most recently included an award winning restoration at Wickham Market Station. The partnership has also produced a series of publications including a new tourist map and guide and a popular book of railway walks.

The planting scheme at Melton has been devised with the support of local suppliers who recommended species which can survive with little water and enhance opportunities to support wildlife whilst complimenting surrounding vegetation. During preparations for the works, twelve Toads were carefully re-homed within another part of the site.

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Rare and flavoursome varieties to dominate East Anglia Potato Day Potatoes with blue, red and violet flesh as well as rare ‘heritage’ varieties some of which look like extras from Star Trek will be on sale alongside more than 80 other types at the 23rd East Anglia Potato Day. Visitors to the event on 10th February will also be able to taste chips made from different varieties, get advice on smallholdings and allotments and swap vegetable and flower seeds with each other.

Single tubers rather than just large bags of individual varieties are available to buy and shoppers will be able to get advice on about how to grow productive potato plants from them – including tips on whether to grow them in containers, how to best combat disease and how much watering is required.

Favourite varieties expected at the event include Mayan Gold, a buttery and creamy variety with genes from a near relative of the potato; the red and white skinned Mayan Twighlight and Sarpo Mira, a heavy-cropping, blight resistant and flavoursome variety of potato.

Stalls from producers such as organic suppliers and producers Hodmadods – winners of the BBC Radio 4 2017 food and farming award – Ipswich Wildlife Trust, the National Allotment Association, Street Forge Workshop, British Trust for Ornithology as well as

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a host of other suppliers will be at the event.

East Anglia Potato Day (www.eapd.btck.co.uk) takes place under cover at Stonham Barns, Stonham Aspal, between Ipswich and Stowmarket. The event starts at 9.30am and concludes at 1.30pm. Admission is £1.50 on the gate.

Julian Turner, one of the organisers of the event, which has been running since 1996, said, “All potatoes are the same. Or are they? East Anglia Potato Day likes to offer the varieties that are not a matter of taste alone but look different.

“Highland Burgundy Red and Salad Blue have been around for a long time. Cut them open and something is different! Cook them and the colour is still there. A newcomer is Red Emmalie and some of us think it tastes better than those two varieties. We also offer Violetta, which as its name suggests, is deeper blue than Salad Blue and has a pleasant flavour.

“Ideally you will have a light coloured soil as the blue skins can look very black and get missed when you are cropping.

“We also expect another old favourite, Shetland Black. Don’t worry – it has just a ring of mauve colour when you cut it open. Shetland Black is a second early crop and is very starchy, so a very tasty addition to anyone’s kitchen garden.”

He added. “We also offer Pink Fir Apple each year. Spock might have said: ‘It’s a potato Jim, but not as we know it.’ A potato it is however and a very tasty one.

It is ‘heritage’, originating in the 1850s and is the only survivor of its sisters White Fir Apple and Red Fir Apple if we are to believe the history books.

“It grows very tall in its long growing season and then falls over to a metre distance of where you plant it unless you tie it up. In a good season, you get a terrific yield. It grows so well that the tips push through the soil and get greened.

“So why isn’t everyone growing them?

Well, it does not stand up to some diseases, particularly late blight. It’s kept going because we know it is so good. We often suggest growers try a few and plant them as early as they can.”

• For more information call Jill on 01206 570859 or visit www.stonhambarns.co.uk

Camellias for some early colour Few hardy shrubs signal the end of winter better than camellias, highly valued for their stunning floral displays and fresh, glossy, evergreen foliage. With dozens of varieties available you’ll be spoilt for choice, so pick from camellias in shades of pink, red, white and cream.

Their ultimate size, habit and rate of growth vary immensely too, so consider how much space the camellia will need as it grows.

Whether you’d like something that stays small and compact or will grow into a bold shrub or even a flowering hedge or screen, the choice is yours.

3. Grown in chalky soil or irrigated with hard tap water the leaves of camellias usually turn pale and yellow. Feeding these plants with an ericaceous plant food or iron sequestrene can help them regain their glossy green appearance.

4. Camellias start forming flower buds during late summer and autumn, so make sure plants never go short of water through the year or poor flower development and bud drop can result.

5. Make the most of the green framework of camellias to provide support for summer flowering clematis. Plant clematis in the shade at the base of camellias, and let shoots scramble up and over stems to support their summer displays. Hta.org.uk

Camellia flowers vary in size and shape too, and their forms can be divided into six descriptive groups depending on the number of petals and their pattern or arrangement within the flower. These forms are described as Single, Semi-double, Anemoneform, Peony-form, Rose-form double or Formal double, so take your pick from the ones that most appeal.

Like azaleas and rhododendrons, camellias are ericaceous plants, and this means they need to grow in an acid or lime-free soil to ensure they stay healthy. A simple soil test kit available from garden centres can be used to check your soils acidity/alkalinity (often called its pH), and composts and fertilisers can be added to help make soil more acid.

Alternatively, compact varieties of camellia grow well in large pots or halfbarrels filled with ericaceous compost, available in garden centres.

Grown in the right soil and position camellias usually flower reliably with little care and attention, growing larger over time to develop into impressive flowering shrubs. Most camellias rarely need pruning, but if they outgrow their position individual shoots can be shortened, and plants can even regrow well if cut back hard into old wood.

Where space is available to develop a seasonal bed including a camellia or two and other evergreens and early flowering plants to provide welcome colour through late winter and into early spring.

Top tips for growing colourful Camellias 1. Early flowering camellias can be damaged by frost, so position plants in a sheltered part of your garden. Move pots to sheltered sites during bad weather. Cover bushes with sheets of fleece to protect buds and blooms on frosty nights, removing it once conditions warm-up in the morning.

2. Water camellias with collected rainwater if possible. Some tap water contains high levels of lime (often referred to as hard water), so avoid using this to water camellias and other ericaceous plants.

Orchid Society hold Spring Show The Suffolk Orchid Society will be holding its Spring Show on Saturday 10th March 2018 at St Michael’s Church Centre, (near Douglas Bader Public House), Martlesham Heath, IP5 3PL, between 10 am and 4 pm.

In addition to a magnificent display of the member’s orchids there will be first class orchids for sale, re-potting demonstrations and advice on the cultivation of orchids including solving problems that may be encountered in their care. Refreshments including light lunches will be available during the day. Admission £1.00

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Schoolchildren on lookout for favourite birds Woodpigeons, blackbirds and black-headed gulls are at the top of the checklist for school children across Suffolk this month as the world’s biggest schools’ wildlife survey kicks off.

The RSPB Big Schools Birdwatch – which takes place during the first half of the spring term (2 Jan – 23 Feb) – is a chance for children to put down their books and get outside to experience and learn about the nature that lives in their local c o m m u n i t y.

The Birdwatch involves children spending an hour watching and counting the birds that visit their outdoor space, before sending the results to the RSPB. A recent survey of 200 teachers and 1200 school children from around the UK revealed that 96% teachers believed it was important for children to experience nature at school, while 77% of pupils agreed. With close to a million school children taking part since its launch in 2002, the RSPB Big Schools Birdwatch is the perfect opportunity for schools to get outside, learn and make their first discoveries in nature.

Last year, 750 children and teachers in Suffolk contributed to the 73,000 who took part nationally, counting more than 100,000 birds across the country.

The woodpigeon was the most common playground visitor in the county with an average of between seven and eight woodpigeons being spotted in each school. Blackbirds, black-headed gulls and starlings also featured prominently in the results. With over 70 different species recorded in the 2017 survey, it is likely there will be a few surprises in schools this year too.

Sharon Sanderson, RSPB Education, Families and Youth Manager in the East, said, “The Big Schools Birdwatch is the chance for children to get a taste of the wild side where they live and go to school. It’s fun, easy and simple to set up, it works for all ages, and even if it’s a dull, rainy January day you can still gaze out of the classroom and see a flash of colour.

For the first time the RSPB has partnered with Cbeebies favourites Twirlywoos to provide exciting new activities and resources specifically tailored to Early Years, to help get their mini Birdwatches off to a flying start.

• To take part in the Birdwatch and help the next generation of children start their own wildlife adventure, visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

n Green Light given for Museum Trainee Project Colchester + Ipswich Museum Service in partnership with Suffolk Museums have successfully secured £568,000 of National Lottery funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) under its Skills for the Future programme for the ‘Transforming People to Transform Museums’ project.

They will work in partnership with Suffolk County Council, the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket, the Long Shop Museum in Leiston and Palace House, Newmarket: National Heritage Centre for Horseracing & Sporting Art to invest £660,000 in supporting 27 trainees over three years.

In March this year, the partnership was awarded £2,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop its second stage application and training plan. Now the funds have been granted and the project will begin in January 2018.

The ‘Skills for the Future’ project in Suffolk will invest £660,000 in supporting the 27 trainees over three years. Placements will last for one year, with nine trainees being supported each year.

The trainees will get the opportunity to learn transferrable practical skills in managing events, producing displays, marketing, retail, identifying new income streams, building a business case, managing budgets, and analysing the returns. They will also learn core heritage skills such as collections management, research, documentation, conservation, and interpretation.

Colchester + Ipswich Museums will host four trainees, including two in Ipswich and two in Colchester. The Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket and Palace House, Newmarket: National Heritage Centre for Horseracing & Sporting Art, will each host two trainees and the Long Shop Museum in Leiston will host one trainee.

CHIMNEY SWEEP TL CHIMNEYS Marcus Webb

Tel 01473 712703 - Mobile 07733 420611 Email marcus@tlchimneys.co.uk

www.tlchimneys.co.uk

SUFFOLK • NORFOLK • ESSEX 26

wellbeing

n Could everyday stimuli be to blame for unhealthy eating choices?

Even when you know how packed full of sugar and unnecessary calories that biscuit contains, or how unhealthy and processed that burger and chips is, do you still cave and eat it?

Research from psychologists at the University of Amsterdam suggests that this is a common occurrence for many of us. The study investigated the effects of health warnings on food choices in the presence or absence of food-associated stimuli. This included stimuli of all kinds, from adverts that can trigger thoughts of a tasty snack, or stimuli that appeals to your senses such as the sight or smell of food, which can then lead to cravings.

The study suggests that picking unhealthy choices could be due to learned associations in that particular environment, so if someone see’s an ‘M’ logo it can cause cravings for a burger and could trigger the learned behaviour to head to a fast-food restaurant.

Ipswich24 has asked the experts for their top craving busting tips, to prevent stimuli choosing what we eat…

1. Get planning

“Plan your meals a few days or a week in advance. By already knowing what you’re going to eat, you eliminate the factor of spontaneity and uncertainty. If you don’t have to think about what to eat at the following meal, you will be less tempted and less likely to experience cravings,” explains Pippa Campbell, Nutrition & Weight Loss Coach

2. Out of sight, out of mind

“Avoid situations when you might be tempted to eat unhealthy foods.

Tell your colleagues in the office not to offer you the biscuits and cakes.

The smell and sight could get you craving sugar again,” suggests Pippa.

3. The ‘F” word

“Foods high in ‘good’ fats – such as oily fish, avocadoes, raw nuts, seeds and cold-pressed oils made

from seeds can help slow the release of sugars into the blood and make us feel fuller, preventing cravings,” says Dr Marilyn Glenville, the UK’s leading Nutritionist, author of Natural Alternatives.

4. Snooze away from cravings The importance of sleep has been making headlines practically every week, but did you know that quality sleep has been found to deter urges for junk food, according to research? The study also found that having a good night’s sleep prevented participants from eating bigger portions of unhealthy food, especially after a stressful day of work, when usually after a poor sleep they would have given into their cravings.

5. Water is key

“It’s actually relatively common for people to confuse thirst for hunger, that’s why keeping your fluid intake up is really important. Try drinking a large glass of water when you are feel those hunger pains and see if they dissipate,” says Marilyn.

New Support for Ipswich Tinnitus Sufferers

Would you like help on hand 24 hours a day?

Tinnitus is experienced by around one in ten people, which is over 13,000 people in the Ipswich area alone.

Our friendly and fully trained live-in carers enable you to stay at home with care available as you need it.

The group is being organised by local volunteer Maria Waller who says, “Having had tinnitus all my life I understand how easily it can be to go from a good day to unbearable. I am hoping this group will provide fellow sufferers with information, support and offer ways in which to manage tinnitus.”

Colette Bunker, BTA Volunteer and Support Group Manager comments, “Being among people who have tinnitus, listening to their experiences and how they manage it, can be a tremendous help. I witness this first hand when attending group meetings. It is amazing seeing the difference it makes to people, especially those who have recently been diagnosed.”

Tinnitus is defined as the experience of sounds with no external source, most commonly ringing or buzzing, but sometimes experienced as whooshing, clicking or even music. Many people aren’t troubled by sounds they hear, but for around 10%, the condition has a significant impact on their quality of life, often linked to stress, anxiety or sometimes depression.

Colette adds, “Tinnitus can be an isolating condition, with friends and family struggling to understand how it feels to adapt to the presence of loud or persistent noises. Some people choose to bring a partner or family member to the meetings, which can often help both parties understand more about the condition and the experiences or behaviours it can bring.”

The new group to support local people with tinnitus will take place at Suffolk House, 2 Wharfedale Road, Ipswich. If you would like to find out more, please contact Maria Waller on 01473 286060 or maria.waller@hhas.org.uk

When Muriel became forgetful her daughter arranged live-in care with Purely Care. A 24 hour carer has allowed Muriel to retain her independence and remain safe. Muriel can still decide where she goes and when, the carer helps her choose an outfit and makes sure she gets to her appointments on time and finds her way back home safely. Muriel loves having someone to chat to and remind her when to put the TV on to watch her favourite programmes.

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wellbeing

n Wedding or special occasion coming up?

Do you want to lose weight and tone up so you are in better shape?

If you’re getting married this year, or maybe attending a wedding or other event and want to look your best for those photos then who better to talk to about reaching your weight loss goals than Kay Fletcher.

Kay and her team have over 10 years experience of helping their members to loose weight and lead a healthier lifestyle, Ipswich24 caught up with Kay to find out what her top tips are to get you on the way to a achieving a new fitter you.

“The most important thing is to get started early.”

Kay told us, “Your wedding celebration may be several months away but it will come round sooner than you think. So to give you the best chance of looking your best get started TODAY. “Set yourself a realistic goal and then plan how you are going to achieve it -this is where Kay Fletcher Fitness can help. All too often people join our classes with unrealistic goals and get frustrated when they don’t achieve them. We will talk through their goals and expectations and help them put together a plan to get them there” Kay Fletcher Fitness has lots to offer in the area so if you are happy with your weight but want to

tone up and feel fitter then they have a choice of workouts for you to choose from and you can just exercise without weighing at all their regular classes.

Kay also told us about her new class Totally Shredded which is an equipment free combat inspired HiiT (High Intensity Interval Training) class that is run on Tuesday and Wednesday nights at Kesgrave High School.

“This is an excellent class for those people who want to burn fat and tone up in a short session.

Each class is 45 minutes long and incorporates Punching, kicking, cardio and conditioning drills to Drum and Base music. With the Hiit style of exercise you continue to burn fat for several hours after working out” For more information on Totally Shredded Kesgrave please see the advertisement below.

So, if you want to look good, lose some weight and tone up why not give Kay of Kay Fletcher Fitness a call and see how they can help you be the best you can be in time for that special occasion.

For full details of all classes please visit the websites www.KayFletcherFitness.com or www.TotallyShreddedKesgrave.uk or call Kay on 01473 613397

KAY FLETCHER FITNESS Class Timetable:

MONDAY: NEW VENUE

CLASSES IN KESGRAVE Sports Hall, Kesgrave High School

EVERY TUESDAY 7.30-8.30pm & WEDNESDAY 6.45-7.45pm TO BOOK A PLACE PLEASE GO TO: www.TotallyShreddedKesgrave.uk or call

28

01473 613397

Inspire Suffolk Lindbergh Rd, Ipswich IP3 9QX 6.15 pm - 7.30 pm (Cardio Workout)

TUESDAY: NEW VENUE

Inspire Suffolk Lindbergh Rd, Ipswich IP3 9QX 9.30 am - 10.45 am (Cardio Workout) Kesgrave High School (Gym) Main Road, Kesgrave, IP5 2PB 5.45 pm - 7.15 pm (Cardio Workout)

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Tower Hall, 5 Broadlands Way Rushmere St. Andrews, Ipswich IP4 5SU 9.15 am - 10.30 am (Cardio Workout)

Kesgrave Community Centre Twelve Acre Approach Kesgrave, IP5 1JF 9.30 am - 10.45 am (Cardio Workout)

10.30am - 11.45 am (Zumba)

Kesgrave High School (Front Hall) Main Road, Kesgrave, IP5 2PB 6.30 pm - 7.45 pm (Zumba)

Kesgrave High School (Front Hall) – NEW VENUE Main Road, Kesgrave, IP5 2PB 5.45 pm - 7.15 pm (Cardio Workout) 7.15 pm - 8.30 pm (Cardio Workout)

St. Alban’s School (Front Hall) Digby Road, Ipswich, IP4 3NJ 6.30 pm - 7.45 pm (Cardio Workout)

Exercise Only Option Available at All Classes

Mid-February? Last week my friend and colleague, Phil, quoted a statistic at a “The power of new beginnings” workshop suggesting that by this time of the year 80% of people’s new year’s resolutions will have been abandoned! Sure, you can question just how accurate this kind of market research can be but … we get the point?

Martin Wilks, C.Psychol.

Margaret Mead, the mother of the study of anthropology, once said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

And in a similar vein at another time she stated: “Never depend upon institutions or government to solve any problem. All social movements are founded by, guided by, motivated and seen through by the passion of individuals.”

I want to tell you about a "community interest company, CIC" comprising myself and four other trusted / respected colleagues called “Being well in Suffolk, BWIS”. We haven't fully launched yet; we’re spending a long time defining our principles and practices of working together in order to properly walk our talk.

We share a passion for investing – through our work as coaches, therapists, psychologist - in the emotional / psychological health and well-being of the community in which we live. One of the things that is already up and running for a couple of years is something called “The life lounge” - it’s the second Thursday of each month and it takes place at the Quay Heritage and Well-being centre at the renovated St Mary’s Church, Key St Ipswich.

It has a “life coaching” flavour - and Phil started our 2018 program with a workshop entitled “The power of new beginnings”. He did a great job exploring the underlying stresses and strains that challenge our intentions to make changes for the better as we stretch beyond the bounds our default comfort zone.

Our next one – co-facilitated by three of us will be “The power of Play” … and in early March I will be offering “The Power of Mindfulness”.

I have, indeed, found that it is true that working with a small group of people committed to similar intentions can help sustain and grow those intentions! If you’d like to join us at one of our regular workshops, (usually between 10-20 people) then visit: www.bwis.online/ For more information email: bwis@bwis.online.

My own new year Mindfulness courses, in Ipswich and Woodbridge, have both got off to a good start – the next one’s begin after Easter.

So I will spare you the usual graphic advertising my next course and share instead the logo of our community interest company, and our mission statement:

Our vision is for a world where: • People feel able to express themselves authentically and seek to achieve their full potential • People have respect and compassion towards themselves and others

wellbeing

Good Hydrations

Water is the one constant in the history of civilisation. Our planet, Earth, is 70% water. Humans comprise of around 60% water. Water lubricates everything. Without it, well, you wouldn’t be reading this.

The importance of water’s life-giving properties is thrown into sharp focus at the turn of each New Year. The annual festive indulgence is followed by a desire to get healthy come January. Alongside taking up a new exercise, drinking more water is a common New Year’s resolution.

The recent advent of campaigns such as Dry January has only heightened the public’s awareness of water’s health benefits. With that scenario in mind it’s little wonder that water - or to be specific, bottled water - is such a lucrative business these days. Sales of bottled water are an incredible 100 times higher today than in 1980, currently estimated to be worth sales of £2.5billion per year.

However, in our rush to embrace bottled water’s elixir of life, we have set in motion a potentially cataclysmic environmental trend.

According to research by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, between 5 million and 13 million tonnes of plastic leaks into the world’s oceans each year. Once there, it’s ingested by sea birds, fish and other organisms. Even more damning, it’s estimated that by 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic by weight than fish.

Plastic’s devastating effects are well documented. It takes centuries to break down. And yet, rather than decrease production, it’s predicted that over the next 30 years, the annual manufacture of plastic is predicted to soar to 1.8 billion tonnes - the same weight as almost 250,000 Eiffel Towers.

Why not just drink tap water then? The UK’s water supply is among the safest in the world. But that doesn’t mean we can’t improve the quality of the water we drink. Scare stories about the presence of harmful chemicals in our tap water are thankfully few and far between. However, in our kneejerk, online world any such story can place doubt in a person’s mind.

So, what should the health conscious and environmentally-friendly consumer do? One of the UK’s foremost high street retailers Robert Dyas has a range of solutions to both increase our consumption of water and avoid any environmental damage.

“Drinking adequate amounts of water is vital to our health,” says Robert Dyas COO Rachel Brain, “However, not everyone likes the taste of tap water and single-use water bottles are an environmental ticking time bomb. That’s why we offer a variety of convenient water filters to suit every budget.”

Water impurities and chemicals in water (namely chlorine and fluoride), make a water filter the ideal solution.

So if getting healthy and looking out for the world around you are among your top priorities for 2018, it’s time for some good hydrations.

• We live in a sustainable society that cares about the wellbeing of current and future generations.

Our mission is to create an expanding community of people who are in broad agreement with this vision by offering a range of services to help people learn, grow, and live satisfying and fulfilling lives.

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wellbeing

Bad Breath?

Kiss goodbye to a second date Before seeking out your Valentine this year, make sure your oral health is up to a loveable standard. Bad breath has topped the list of reasons putting people off asking for second dates, research has shown.

A study by the Oral Health Foundation revealed 35% of people find bad breath to be the biggest turn off, followed by ‘bad chat’ with 11% of respondents. Being badly dressed was named by only 2% of respondents as their biggest turn off.

Passion killer

Bad breath can be a real passion killer, says Malcolm Harbour from Harbour Dental Care in Ipswich.

It is a common problem that is usually caused by the gases released by bacteria that coat the teeth and tongue, and can often be a sign of advanced gum disease. Fortunately, the problem can be easily solved by the simple oral health routine of brushing our teeth for two minutes twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.

Knowing you have fresh breath does wonders for your self-confidence and relationships. The opposite is true for people with bad breath.

“This research highlights the very important, and close, relationship between oral health and attraction,” said Dr Nigel Carter OBE, CEO of the Oral Health Foundation.

Improving our oral hygiene

“We all know that a healthy smile can be a very powerful instrument for attracting a partner and avoiding bad breath is a key part of achieving this.”

Some medical problems may be the cause of bad breath including sinusitis, bronchitis, diabetes, liver or kidney problems, and infections of the nose, throat and lungs. However, bad breath is most often caused by a lack of good oral hygiene.

We’re here to help

If you are worried that your breath isn’t as fresh smelling as it could be, don’t worry – and please don’t feel embarrassed. Our dentist and

hygienists deal with this problem all the time, so please ask for their help and advice.

Our door is always open to new patients, so please feel free to pop into our lovely, welcoming practice on the High Street. We look forward to meeting you soon.

27 High Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 3QH 01473 253599 www.harbourdentalcare.co.uk

Don’t let bad breath be a passion killer Pucker up for that perfect Valentine’s kiss with a dental and hygiene visit now £83* *Quote ‘Ips24’ when booking. Offer ends 31.3.18. Full price is £108.

Gentle dental care

Improving wellbeing

Transforming smiles

Our welcoming team takes a preventive approach to dental health and wellbeing

Research links gum disease to serious illnesses - so visit us to keep your gums healthy

Our talented dentists offer private cosmetic solutions and tooth whitening

01473 253599 30

27 High Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 3QH

www.harbourdentalcare.co.uk

wellbeing

Aldi Ipswich Staff and Customers raise cash for Teenage Cancer Trust Kind-hearted customers and staff from across Aldi’s three stores in Ipswich have raised more than £8,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

This sum has been raised after colleagues and customers completed a range of activities including raffles and fancy-dress days, and a Store Manager also ran the London Marathon.

Aldi’s partnership with the Teenage Cancer Trust began in January 2017 and aims to raise £5m over five years to support the charity’s work with young people across the country.

The amount raised nationally so far has exceeded the first-year target and all three local stores have further fundraising events planned for 2018 and beyond.

Ross Gabriel, Area Manager at Aldi UK said, “Our colleagues and customers have gone to great lengths to raise funds for this fantastic cause.

“The Teenage Cancer Trust makes a huge difference to people’s lives in our local area and we have been overwhelmed by the support and generosity our employees and customers have shown. We’re looking forward to raising even more in the months and years to come.”

Kate Collins, Interim Chief Executive Officer at Teenage Cancer Trust, said, “We are hugely grateful for the support Aldi has shown us so far, and to the customers and staff who have come together to raise this sum.

“This money will be used to ensure young people with cancer have the best treatment, care and support – and ultimately ensure that no young person faces cancer alone.”

Teenage Cancer Trust delivers world-class cancer care and support to young people diagnosed with cancer aged 13 to 24.

It works in partnership with the NHS to provide highly-trained expert staff and specialist cancer units in

NHS hospitals across the UK. The charity is there at every stage from diagnosis, through treatment and after treatment. It also brings young people with cancer together so they can support each other.

Millions work too hard at the gym A poll of 2,000 gym-goers revealed adults will hit the gym to keep up with friends but in doing so they fall foul and treat a simple fitness session as a competition.

Some push harder to be better than fellow health buffs and others will test their boundaries in a bid to impress, whatever the reason, this ‘go hard or go home’ mentality is resulting in injuries up and down the country.

Over two thirds agree a lack of sleep can also be the possible cause of injury, with 43 per cent saying they will often try and get a better night’s kip when they have hurt themselves following exercise.

Andrew Thomas founder of natural health company BetterYou, which commissioned the research, said, “This research shows that people are pushing themselves to the limit without establishing a suitable warm up and, most importantly, recovery routine.

“Poor sleep patterns, muscle tension and aches and pains are all symptoms of a potential magnesium deficiency. This powerhouse mineral is vital for anyone starting a new exercise routine this New Year.”

The study also found just under two thirds will forget to conduct a proper warm up, cool down and stretch routine during workouts. And 60 per cent confessed they don’t know how to carry out such a regime safely without hurting themselves. As a result, two fifths agreed failing to warm up properly is a common cause of aches and pains.

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Millions of adults are experiencing cramps, back pain and stiff muscles during exercise with over a third agreeing it has affected their job as a result.

People admit to struggling to walk, pick things up off the floor and going up and down stairs because of niggling aches and pains. Others said they even struggle to sit on the toilet, hug people or type.

With the majority of pain from fitness routines setting in within 12 hours after exercising and lasting an average of two and half days, it’s a wonder where people fit in the time to recover.

With the typical health enthusiast doing the equivalent of just over 25 minutes of exercise a day, it’s no wonder they are experiencing aches and pains more than once a week.

The research found just over one in five agree not having enough rest days is a likely cause of injury. In spite of this, just one quarter will always allow themselves rest days between workouts. Just under three quarters said recovery is important to them, but just over a third will treat their aches and pains with rest. And gym buffs will typically give themselves just over a day to recover between workouts.

Andrew Thomas added, “Many of us are time poor and yet recovery is essential to ensure that we can hit the next exercise session sooner and harder.” www.betteryou.com

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Drivers warned to take care in emergency The RAC has taken the unusual step of releasing photographs of an horrific accident which occurred on the westbound hard shoulder of the M4 near Swindon to draw attention to the significant risk of breaking-down on the motorway.

There have been two tragic motorway fatalities this year of roadside operators – one on the M25 and one on the M69.

This latest serious accident on the M4 starkly illustrates the dangers that roadside technicians face when attending motorway breakdowns.

In response the RAC is launching The RAC patrol van struck by a car on the westbound a campaign to hard shoulder on the M4 near Swindon at 8.00pm on encourage drivers to Thursday 23 November. reduce their speed and increase the gap between their car and any vehicle and people on the hard shoulder, or indeed, in an emergency refuge area on a smart motorway.

RAC health and safety consultant Steve Robinson said, “The RAC is calling on drivers to ‘slow down, make space and move on’ when passing motorway breakdowns leaving plenty of space between their car and any vehicles and people on the hard shoulder.

“With traffic volumes rising and several recent serious accidents involving roadside assistance patrols and breakdown contractors we need motorists to consider a new approach to how they drive past stricken vehicles, drivers

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and passengers, and those working in vulnerable locations.”

“By following this simple message we can significantly reduce the risk of a collision and, importantly, the fear factor for those standing or working at the side of the motorway.”

Slow down – take care when passing any vehicle and people on the side of the motorway, reduce your speed and reduce the risk Make space – widen the gap between your car and the broken-down vehicle and roadside workers. Use all of your lane by moving over to the right, only change lane if it is safe to do so Move on – get safely past the breakdown situation and avoid ‘rubbernecking’, or the temptation stare at someone’s else’s misfortune – it’s a unnecessary distraction from your focus on the road ahead In the latest accident roadside technician Andrew Barrett, an RAC patrol for 14 years, was assisting a motorist whose car had suffered a puncture and was stopped on the hard shoulder near junction 15. He had positioned his patrol van, correctly as trained, with lights and beacons flashing a distance from the member’s vehicle and asked them to stand well back on the grass verge. Andrew was changing the wheel on the off-side of the vehicle when another car travelling at speed collided with his patrol vehicle.

The collision was of such force that it rolled the three-tonne patrol vehicle, pushing it along the hard shoulder. The RAC member is believed to have struck his head and was knocked unconscious as he moved out of the way. Surprisingly, the driver of the car which struck the patrol van, although injured, was able to climb out of his vehicle.

www.rac.co.uk

n Nearly 5 million admit to drink-driving Around five million drivers believe they have got behind the wheel while over the limit in the past year, according to RAC research.

In total 16% of the 1,727 motorists questioned by the RAC say they think they have been guilty of drink-driving, either immediately after consuming alcohol or the morning after a late night drinking session.

Five per cent of motorists surveyed felt sure they were over the limit shortly after having a drink while 3% think they ‘may have’ been over. Worryingly, a larger proportion admit to believing they have driven when over the limit the morning after drinking heavily the night before. Of the 10% who said this, 2% were sure they had done so while 8% think they might have done.

The study also found that men are more likely to risk drink-driving than women, both straight after drinking and the morning after. RAC road safety spokesman Pete Williams said, “Anyone who has been out drinking should be very mindful of not being over the limit when they go to drive the next day. Anyone who thinks they are likely to have sobered up enough to drive just because they went to bed for a few hours may just be about to ruin someone else’s life as well as their own.

“It is vital that everyone who has been drinking leaves sufficient time for their body to process the alcohol they have consumed. The trouble is everyone metabolises alcohol at different rates so the message has to be to err on the side of caution by leaving extra time before deciding to drive, or better still to use an alternative form of transport such as bus, taxi or train, or get a lift from a friend or colleague. If you are having to think whether you are sober enough to drive then the answer is you probably aren’t.”

As of this year the drink-drive law and the roadside breath test have been in force for 50 years and in that time the legal blood-alcohol limit in England and Wales has not been reduced. While the 80mg (milligrams) of alcohol per 100ml (millilitres) of blood limit has been in place since a legal maximum was introduced, Scotland took the decision to cut to 50mg in December 2014 and Northern Ireland is in the process of doing the same.

England and Wales are not only lagging behind their neighbours, but are also out of kilter with the rest of Europe where, with few exceptions, 50mg per 100ml is the legal limit.

Mycarcheck.com’s valuation experts reveal significant trends in the UK used vehicle market and choose a car and bike of the month.

Used car of the month: Clio RenaultSport 200

Vehicle valuation manager at mycarcheck.com, Jon Wheeler, said, “A treat is the Clio RenaultSport 200 is a popular used hot hatch option, offering highperformance fun at a tempting price. Cosmetically, it is essentially a facelifted 197, but there’s much more to it than that – chassis tweaks, engine control unit and gearbox upgrades, steering improvements, the list goes on. These changes add up to a fantastic wellbalanced car that’s sure to put a smile on your face. You can pick up a 2009 model for around £6k, but be vigilant when buying as some will have had a hard life and spent time on the track. More than a quarter (29.76%) of all Renaultsport models we checked in the first half of 2017 had been previously written-off.”

As to market trends, Wheeler said, “Looking back on 2017, the UK new car market has faced some challenges. Diesel registrations in November were down a massive 30.6% on the same month the previous year, despite Euro 6 diesel engines being some of the most efficient around. Alternative fuel sales are increasing slowly but the used market will likely be dominated by petrol and diesel for at least the next decade. As we head into 2018, we don’t expect any dramatic increases in registration levels, hopefully making for a more sustainable market longer term.”

‘Names’ top of list for a personalised regs Given the choice, three out of four motorists would wish for their own name on a number plate if they were given a personalised registration as a gift, according to a recent survey.

The DVLA spoke to around 1,000 motorists to get their thoughts on personalised registrations for cars. Whilst names or nicknames topped the list, registrations that represented a business were also a popular choice.

This was followed by registrations that represented a favourite sports team or pet. one in 10 of those surveyed who had a personalised registration had received it as a gift.

Currently, the top most wanted registrations searched for on the DVLA Personalised Registrations website include BE11 CKY and SB51 MON. DVLA’s Personalised Registrations has over 50 million registrations available to buy online Whilst some personalised registration numbers can sell at auction for hundreds of thousands of pounds, those looking numbers on a smaller budget will find registrations starting at just £250.

Jody Davies, DVLA Personalised Registrations’ Senior Sales Manager, said, “With names topping the list of preferred personalised registrations we know that people value the thought that goes into the gift. Using our website’s search facility customers can try different combinations to find the perfect personalised plate for them.”

Personalised registrations can be bought online 24 hours a day at www. dvlaregistrations.direct.gov.uk. A dedicated team can also help customers find the registration they want over the phone by ringing 0300 123 0883.

Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 4.30pm.

Used bike of the month: Ducati Desmosedici RR

On the motorbike, scooter and moped sector, mycarcheck.com’s Mark Field said, “The mighty Ducati Desmosedici RR is every biker’s dream, the closest thing to a road-going Moto GP bike with a semi-attainable (maybe!) price tag. Our choice, the 2007-2009 model, features the same chassis layout, bodywork and engine design as the 2006 Moto GP bike, with carbon fiber bodywork, magnesium wheels, titanium exhaust and engine components.

A pristine example will set you back over £40,000, but they are so desirable depreciation should be minimal. As with any used purchase, an impeccable service record is a big plus and always check before you buy.”

As to market trends, Field said, “2017 has been a tough year for the bike industry, with new sales down 15% on the previous year. The scooter sector was down by nearly 30% and the only category showing any improvement was the adventure sport sector. There’s little doubt the Euro 4 engine regulations triggered a surge in pre-registration activity, but it is unclear how much this skewed the figures. Looking for positives, the beginning of the year saw the largest number of bikes licensed on the road since 2010, and last month’s bike show at the NEC was a massive success. The promised multi-million-pound investment in electric vehicle technology has boosted optimism about the future of electric motorcycles and scooters, particularly for those in low emission zones.”

With information from the police, DVLA, insurers and finance houses, My Car Check holds comprehensive data on every vehicle on UK roads – things that buyers should be aware of before making an offer.

CDL Vehicle Information Services, which owns My Car Check, performs over a million look-ups a day for companies including AutoExpress, CompareTheMarket, Go-Compare, Moneysupermarket, Swiftcover and Tesco.

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DO YOU WANT TO EARN AS YOU LEARN? As a result of expansion and a move to new premises, Fizzwig Designs Ltd (the publishers of Ipswich24 Magazine) are now looking to recruit an enthusiastic indvidual to join their expanding sales team.

The role on offer is an apprenticeship in sales and the successful applicant will be selling advertising space in Ipswich24 Magazine.

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IPSWICH24 COMPETITION RULES & CONDITIONS: The editor’s decision will always be final. No competition entry will be entered into. Ipswich24 cannot be held responsible for cancellation of events (in the event of cancellation no transfer will be offered or cash alternative). We cannot be held responsible for failure of entries not arriving by deadline. There is no cash alternative to any prize. If you send entries for several competitions in one envelope, each competition must be on a separate postcard with the answer and your details, including a contact telephone number (failure to do this will result in your entry not being included).

Ipswich24 reserve the right to pass on competition entry details to third parties, If you do not wish you details to be passed on please state so on your entry.

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NEW NETWORK CHANGES 18th February 2018

The X1,X2 & X3 will be ren amed 1, 2, & 3.

Routes 1 & 2 provide a 15 min ute frequency through Ravenswood The X5 will be renumbered

Great News the Family ticket has a new price of £5 and there are not restrictions on what time of day you can use it! · FAMILY TICKET for 1 adult and up to 4 children or 2 adults and up to 3 children.

5 The Rushmere & Northgate area the service will be known as Route 6, the eve ning service will be Route 5E* The South East leaflet will be routes 12, 13, 15/15A & 16 The South Suffolk will have slig ht changes to the Colchester timetable.

We are have great value multi journey tickets too.

COMING SOON:

*Visit us at ipswichbuses.co.uk for more details