In Touch
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with Baylham, Gt. & Lt. Blakenham & Nettlestead Volume 8 • Issue No.9 • JULY 2018
Image by Dawn Hynes (see p9)
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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR You know what it’s like when you have a few precious minutes to catch up on a million tasks. It’s usually a mad dash involving at least one bruise, multiple encounters with people you’d love to chat to at any other time (just not right now) and, almost always, a whole lot of frustration. Well, last Saturday I left home with a mile-long list and 30 minutes to complete them. Parking took at least 10 minutes so the pressure was on from the get-go. First, the library where I grabbed the first Jo Nesbo book I saw (turns out I’d read it before but I’m enjoying it nonetheless). Then I lost precious minutes standing in a queue at the pharmacy. Next the pet shop and then back to the car with a bale of hay. Round two took me first to the gift shop for a baby gift and card, then to the homeware shop for window cleaner and a new squeegee (still unused by the way) and finally to the hairdressers to make an appointment (which I’ll probably have to cancel). I’m exhausted just writing about it, but as I raced from shop to shop and criss-crossed the market square at least four times, I noticed a father and son sitting on a bench under a shady tree. Each time I raced by I was struck by how still they were, dad with his arm draped over his son’s shoulders as they sat close together in silence watching the world go by. I stopped at one point to watch them from behind and in that moment I felt like a complete lunatic. I tried to remember the last time I’d simply sat with my son, doing nothing, just being together, and it had been a while. With one last admiring glance at the relaxed pair on the bench, I headed to the car and home to Jack. After a quick kick around (always his first choice) we snuggled up on the sofa to watch a movie. Of course, I do wonder what the wife/mother was doing while the dad and son relaxed! Perhaps she was tearing about like me, but I hope not. That list of things to do will always be there, but I’m determined to find that happy balance and to spend more time with my nearest and dearest. Now who’s going to clean those windows?
In Touch
NEWS
Great Blakenham Village Hall Sunday, July 1, 10am-1pm £5 per table Sell your unwanted items or make space for your new summer wardrobe! To book a table contact the village hall secretary: 01473 830939 / halladmingbvh@btconnect.com
The 2018 Ride & Stride sponsored cycle ride takes place on Saturday, September 8. Is there anyone willing to take part and raise money for Baylham Church? If so, please contact Wendy on 01473 832885 for details and forms.
with Baylham, Gt. & Lt. Blakenham & Nettlestead
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Doggy Day! Great Blakenham Parish Room & garden Saturday 21st July 11am-3pm
Dog grooming;dog creche; mobile dog wash; dog treats; tombola; raffle; fun competitions for doggies! Refreshments available for humans and dogs!
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NEWS JOHN FIELD’S REPORT TO GIPPING VALLEY: JUNE 2018 Suffolk County Council’s School Transport Plans Of the 3,600 responses to Suffolk County Council’s Home-to-School Transport Consultation, 85 per cent ‘strongly oppose’ the proposals. Clearly parents, teachers and communities have very serious concerns. My group has opposed the changes since they were first announced. We are concerned that, as demonstrated in Essex, savings produced will be way short of expectations and not warrant the damage caused to families and schools. New Council Leader Elected At the Annual Council Meeting, Councillor Matthew Hicks was elected Leader of Suffolk County Council. His deputy will be Councillor Mary Evans, the former chair of Scrutiny who will be replaced in that role by Councillor Mark Bee. Councillor Hicks emphasised that he has strong Conservative beliefs, but has promised a ‘new era’ of politics at the council with a focus on mutual respect, collaboration and co-operation. Ofsted inspections long overdue at ‘Outstanding’ schools In Suffolk, 23 schools – almost half of those rated ‘outstanding’ – have not been inspected for at least six years. For six of these schools, their last inspection was over a decade ago. There is no certainty that standards will have been maintained over such a period. Councillor Penny Otton raised her concerns with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Education, Gordon Jones, who assured her that he shared her views and would raise it with the head of Ofsted. Road Issues: 30mph Roundels in Barham The current delay to the roundel project is, I am afraid, down to me. I failed to notice a request for authorisation in November last year at the time when I was pushing the Bells Cross Junction signage improvements. The task is now underway again, but there will be a delay while the work is ordered. Diversion Routes I assume many of you will have suffered when the A14 has been closed. I spent two hours getting home from a council meeting recently so I experienced the issues at first hand. There are of course no real alternatives to routing traffic through Claydon and Great Blakenham under such circumstances. However, clearer information on just what is closed and where there is congestion, would allow us to decide if an alternative route would be beneficial. Pothole Repairs It was recently reported that Suffolk County Council had repaired 6,500 potholes since the start of the year. However, there are still issues with the way Highways carry out their repairs, and this headline figure does not paint an accurate picture. The Highways team are currently struggling to keep up and are resorting to temporary repairs which are quicker to complete. They have recently introduced a more expensive temporary repair material that lasts longer. However, it damages the surrounding road material and will need to be replaced within about 18 months. Planning The Planning Referrals Committee decided it was ‘minded to refuse’ the application for 300 houses on Barham Church Lane. The developers have proposed changes they think will address the concerns, including a reduction in the number of houses, reduced impact on the church and on wildlife. Certainty about the spine road has been given and the possibility that the layout will be substantially as the outline. We must judge these changes when the application returns.
SnOasis PARISH ALLIANCE (SPA) In the autumn of 2016, Onslow Suffolk Ltd put in an application to Mid Suffolk District Council for SnOasis Reserved Matters to be considered – Planning Application no. 4494/16. Full details can be found at: www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/planning-and-building/planning It is important to be aware that this is not a renewal of the original planning approval for SnOasis, which remains in place. Reserved Matters cover the detail of such topics as design, appearance, transport, drainage and ecological mitigation. Our questions and comments about Reserved Matters were summarised in a document which was submitted to MSDC in the summer as the comments from the SPA and all its member parishes, giving the comments extra weight because they come from a significant number of local communities, representing over 11,000 registered voters. The SPA member parishes are Baylham, Barham, Bramford, Claydon and Whitton, Great Blakenham, Little Blakenham, Needham Market, Nettlestead and Somersham. As I have recently reported, SPA recently held a meeting with representatives from SnOasis and their planning consultants to discuss our concerns and queries about Reserved Matters. We have received their response but note that many critical areas still remain unclear and have sought clarification on these. We have also contacted BMDSC to raise our continuing concerns and also to attempt to establish what the timescale is for progressing Reserved Matters. For your information, I attach the content of the email: “As you know, the SPA have opened dialogue with the SnOasis team and received a response from the SnOasis team to the comments and questions on our spreadsheet. Members agree that these do not answer all our questions. We remain concerned about a number of issues, such as transport, traffic, emergency access, drainage and run off. “However, our greatest concern is the ongoing failure of the developer to provide the necessary information. “In the light of this, the SPA would like to know what the current status of the application is. Is there any date (or even a proposed timescale) yet for it to go to committee? What will the process be? We are all aware, of course, that there is still outstanding documentation and information required to fully assess the application. Will this be arriving before the committee meets and sent out to consultees for comments so that the committee members will be aware of the latest SPA comments, as well as the initial comments on the SPA spreadsheet? “Members felt that they had not been able to comment as thoroughly as they would have wished because of missing and outdated information and queried how, if they felt this way, how could Planning feel confident that there was enough information for committee to make their decision? What steps are being taken to get the information and what is the timescale for this? “Members expressed their dismay at the length of time this process has taken with no end in sight. They queried how long it would be before the developer was given a final deadline that would be enforced and would be interested to have your thoughts on this. “Members agreed that the SPA would consider the possibility of seeking a judicial review over the handling of this application and the lack of crucial information on which to proceed. “The SPA looks forward to your comments.”
If you have any queries, please phone me on 01473 831306 (you will need to say your name and press #) or 07545 423808 or email me at: john.field@suffolk.gov.uk
We await responses from both the developer and Planning.
I do have Twitter (@JohnFieldjd) and Facebook (fieldjd) accounts and my website is at: www.johnfield.suffolk.libdems.org
SnOasis Parish Alliance Chairman Steve Plume
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For further information, please email SPA clerk Janet Gobey: snoasispa@icloud.com
In Touch online:
www.keepingintouchwith.com/gtblakenham
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NEWS / OUT & ABOUT GREAT BLAKENHAM PARISH COUNCIL
LITTLE BLAKENHAM PARISH COUNCIL
As I write this, the sun is shining and it seems as if summer has finally arrived! If you are taking advantage of the fine weather to go out and about with your dog more often, please remember to collect your dog’s waste and dispose of it in the bins that the council provide for this purpose. Dog waste should not be put in the ordinary rubbish bins. If you feel that it would be useful to have an extra dog waste bin somewhere in the village, please contact the clerk and the council will consider it. Unfortunately it is not possible to have bins along the River Gipping path because the bins need to be close to a road for access by the collection van. The council receives numerous complaints about this issue, especially about dog waste bags left along the River Gipping path – please be a responsible dog owner and leave the paths clean and free of hazards to health!
Little Blakenham Village Hall is available for hire at very reasonable rates (£10 for the whole day, plus the cost of electricity used). There is an outside area which could be useful for games if you are planning a party for lots of energetic children. The hall has plenty of parking and a kitchen area. If you would like to book it for an event or a party or would like further information, please contact Nathan Elvin: nathan.elvin@btinternet.com / 07913 586188
Your council is having some work done at the cemetery on Chalk Hill Lane. The gaps in the hedges have been filled in and the shed has been removed. It has a new home down at the village hall. The next thing to be done is replacement of the gates with wrought iron ones. These will be lighter and easier to open and shut, especially during wet weather when the old wooden gates would swell and make it difficult to open and shut them. The council is looking for local building companies who can quote to carry out some repair and improvement work on the two bus shelters that we own in the village. This will involve brick work, painting, repairs to the roof and guttering and installing seating – all of which will improve the bus shelters for users. If you are interested in quoting or know a company who would be, please contact the clerk (details below). Have you ever considered getting involved with your parish council? As you can see from the above, the council is responsible for a lot of different areas in the village, so there is plenty of variety in our work. We have vacancies for councillors so, if you are interested, please contact our clerk or come along to our next meeting to see what it’s all about. The next meeting is on Wednesday, July 11 in the Parish Room. Everyone is welcome to attend and there is a 15-minute public forum where you can ask questions or raise issues related to the work of the parish council. Parish Clerk: pc@greatblakenham.suffolk.gov.uk / 07508 830777 Facebook: @greatblakenhampc / Twitter: @pcgtblakenham www.greatblakenham.suffolk.cloud Chairman Steve Plume
If you have any queries on the work of the parish council, please contact the clerk, Janet Gobey: littleblakenhampc@outlook.com / 01473 833520 Please remember that members of the public can come along to any of our meetings to raise issues and ask questions. Meetings take place on the third Tuesday, every other month. Here are the dates for your diary: July 17, September 18, November 20, January 25, March 19, May 21 (annual meeting of the parish and annual meeting of the council). All meetings start at 7.30pm in the village hall. Chairman Wally Binder
THE COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES GROUP In order to make the running of the Four Communities Action Group simpler, the committee decided to put forward a motion to dissolve the group in its current form and place the five activities under the umbrella of the PCCs of Claydon & Barham and Great Blakenham churches under the new name The Community Activities Group. The aim remains the same – to work together to develop new activities and support networks and provide spiritual support and encouragement with a view to enhancing the lives of all members of the community. A general meeting will take place at The Rectory, Back Lane, Claydon on Thursday, July 12 at 11am. All members of the groups are warmly invited to attend. The Knitting Group: Meets in the lounge at Alasdair Place on the first Thursday in the month from 10.30-noon. The Book Club: Meets on the last Thursday in the month at The Crown at 10.30am. Come along and join us for a light-hearted discussion on the book we’ve chosen to read.
SAVE THE DATE Our very popular New Year's Eve Party will be taking place for the fourth consecutive year – with this year possibly having a 70s and 80s theme. Please see posters/details around the village and on our Facebook page and website later this year.
The Gipping Valley Art Society: In February 2018 our president, Jennifer Sendall, resigned from the committee. Jennifer now has her Master’s Degree in Art and we wish her the very best for the future and thank her very much for starting the society, which has brought so much enjoyment to the members. Mike Wootton was elected as our new president; he has been a member for around three years, has a wealth of experience and has always been very helpful and encouraging to us all. We continue to meet weekly at Great Blakenham Parish Room and though we are currently at full capacity we do have a waiting list for anyone interested in joining. Contact Ann on 01473 831031 or Margaret on 01473 830135.
We continue to hold regular weekly events at the hall: Every Monday: Keep Fit (early evening) / Bowls (evening) Tuesday (three out of four): Badminton / Cycle Speedway Every Wednesday: Parent & Toddler Session (morning) / Kick-Boxing (evening) Every Thursday: Bowls Every third Saturday: Country and Western Dancing
4 Ever Young Men’s Club: Meets at The Crown on the third Wednesday of each month. We are looking for new members to both join the club and lend a hand in helping to run the group, arrange and organise activities, speakers and events and make the club what you want it to be. Pop in and meet us for a chat, the chance to make new friends and maybe a pie and a pint at lunchtime!
If you require further information on any of the above sessions please get in touch.
Meet ‘n’ Eat Lunch Club: Meets on the first Friday of every month. We are actively looking for volunteers to take on some of the responsibility of running the event every month, covering the administration, food safety training, preparation and service, and the inevitable washing up! For more information, contact Rev Carl or anyone at The Community Activities Group.
GREAT BLAKENHAM VILLAGE HALL & RECREATION GROUND
The village hall is a great venue to hire for birthday parties, wedding receptions, etc. We still have some availability throughout the year, so if you wish to hire it we would love to hire it to you! Please book early to avoid disappointment. We also have a conference room available for hire – please see our website or Facebook page for further details. Enquiries: halladmingbvh@btconnect.com / 01473 830312
BAYLHAM COFFEE MORNING
Follow us on Facebook and check out our website – we aim to update these weekly! If you wish to advertise something on our website or Facebook page please email: halladmingbvh@btconnect.com
Thank you to everyone who either came to or donated to the coffee morning held in Baylham Village Hall on May 12 in aid of Ipswich Hospital Blossom Appeal. We made the magnificent sum of £670.
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In Touch online:
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OUT & ABOUT SOMERSHAM AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY SHOP
A Community Shop for the local community, run by the local community The Playing Field, Princes Gardens, Somersham / 01473 833416 OPENING TIMES Monday to Friday: 8am-6pm / Saturdays: 9am-1pm Come along to the shop on Saturday, July 14 when we are offering a drink and biscuits to all our customers to celebrate the anniversary of our opening. During the past six years it has been a real success for our locality to have such a friendly and useful village shop, and it’s all thanks to the people in the community – so have a cup of something with us as a thank you to all. We look forward to our seventh year of trading and to having all our volunteers and customers continuing to make the shop the success it is. Without community support it just wouldn’t happen As always we offer locally produced goods in the shop, cakes, juices, pies, local cheeses, local meat, local vegetables and, of course, local eggs. All these things give employment to local people and help the local economy to thrive, plus they cut down on travel miles. Have a look on the wall-board to see where these things come from. We recycle egg boxes, plastic carrier bags and batteries. All add up to a cleaner, healthier and friendly environment in which to live. We have all the above items on daily display, but it is also possible to order anything you require as they go very quickly. If you have any favourites, let us know and they can be bought in specially. We also have dry cleaning, newspapers can be ordered, coffee corner, a book exchange and deliveries to those with mobility problems, so lots to offer from our local shop. You may have noticed the village diary in the coffee corner. It’s there for all to use and is very handy to put in any events and happenings in the village or locality so that clashes do not occur and you can make sure your event is the one which will attract the most people on the day. It also keeps everybody informed about what’s going on in the local villages. Remember also the Golden Link get-togethers on alternate Tuesday afternoons in the coffee corner and Petrolheads on the first Wednesday afternoon of each month – great times to meet up with like-minded people. During the summer months we are very much hoping that there are some students (or anybody) with a bit of time to spare who will be able to help out by volunteering over the holiday period as many of our regular volunteers take their holiday breaks. It’s good fun, gives experience which is good for CVs, and you get to meet lots of people at the same time. If you think you could volunteer, either for personal interest or to gain experience, then come along and we will be very happy to see you. Management Team: Lucy Barrett – 831890; Sue Browne – 831321; Terry Fordham – 831529; Peter Jousiffe; Natasha Leach; Anne MacFadyen – 831288; Steve Woolhouse – 831080
BARCLAY MUSIC MAKERS If you are interested in being part of Bar-Clay Music Makers’ next production, Rapunzel, please make a note of two important diary dates. The read-through will take place on Wednesday, July 4 at 7.30pm in Claydon and Barham Village Hall and auditions will be held in the village hall a week later (July 11) in two sessions: junior chorus at 6.30pm and adults at 7.30pm. If you’re not sure about being part of the show (on stage, behind the scenes or front of house), then do come along to the read-through and find out more. Rehearsals start on September 5 for the panto at the end of January 2019 and everyone is welcome. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and be part of a lively and creative group. If you can’t make the read-through but would like more information or to register an interest (no commitment), please contact Vera: 01473 836972 / vera.rogers1@btinternet.com
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OUT & ABOUT / SCHOOLS GREAT BLAKENHAM CRAFT CLUB
GREAT BLAKENHAM 200 CLUB
Open to anyone living in Great Blakenham and the surrounding areas, the club meets every Monday other than bank holidays in Great Blakenham Parish Room (opposite the Chequers PH) from 2-4pm. The building is fully accessible. Members pay £2 per meeting to cover hall hire, refreshments, the monthly workshop goody bag and weekly raffle prizes. If you prefer to bring your own project the charge is £1.50.
Winning tickets for May 2018 £25 Don Anderson (180) £15 Robin Hood (141) £10 Avril Hammond (295) £10 Mr McLevy (68) £5 The Sackers (124) £5 Mr Claydon (19)
Layers for the Lads was the title of our workshop in May and members were given a selection of card and paper to make men’s cards using different shapes and layers. For our June workshop, Bag Ladies, we set about making little drawstring bags and shopping bags from the large quantity of material we received recently.
Winning tickets for June 2018 £25 The Birds (31) £15 Mr Bickers (43) £10 Kevin Clarke (171) £10 John Phillips (35) £5 Joyce Bumpstead (225) £5 Kerry Burrows (98)
Thank you to everyone who has bought tickets for the 200 Club. All money raised by your membership goes toward the repair and preservation of St Mary's Parish Church. You can join at any time and only pay for the months remaining in the year. If you would like the chance to win a prize and help maintain the beauty of our ancient church building, please contact Marion: 01473 830915
CLAYDON HIGH SCHOOL This year seems to have gone incredibly quickly and I can’t believe that we are in our final few weeks of the academic year. However, there is just time to catch up on what has been happening and what we can look forward to in our very busy last few weeks of term.
Our remaining programme for 2018 July 2: Felting August 6: It’s a Jungle out There September 3: No Tune on this Accordion October 1: Christmas Stockings November 5: Christmas Card Making December 3: AGM and Christmas Party If you think this all sounds interesting there is currently room for new members so please get in touch if you would like to join us. Although the club is all ladies at present, gentlemen who would like to learn crafts are welcome. Unfortunately I can’t accommodate children. Jackie Durrant: 01449 672690
GREAT BLAKENHAM OVER 50s CLUB Open to anyone over-50 living in Great Blakenham and the surrounding area. We meet from 2-4pm in Great Blakenham Parish Room (opposite the Chequers PH) on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. The cost per meeting is £1.50 which includes whatever activity is programmed for the afternoon, refreshments and raffle. On afternoons when we may play a couple of games of bingo the tickets are £1 each. The building is fully accessible. At our first meeting in May we were pleased to welcome Andrew Bingham from Andrew Bingham Funeral Services in Stowmarket who gave us an insight into his life and how he came to be in Stowmarket and the many facets of the work of a funeral director. One particular aspect (one which tends to be put off) highlighted is making sure our families know what we would like in regard to a funeral service and he has produced a very handy brochure in which things like favourite music and hymns can be noted to help families prepare. Our second meeting of the month was a social afternoon led by Brenda which everyone enjoyed. FORTHCOMING PROGRAMME July 11: Social Afternoon with Sandra July 25: Summer Party before our summer break New members are always welcome; if you would like to come along to see what goes on we will be pleased to see you. Jackie Durrant, 01449 672690
www.keepingintouchwith.com/gtblakenham
Year 11 students have now left school and while it is sad to see them go, I am very proud of their successes and achievements, both personal and academic, over the last five years and I wish them all the very best for the future. Students have enjoyed trips to Ipswich Town Football Club and the University of Suffolk for careers and taster days. PE students visited Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey to see the professionals and celebrities teeing off. Food and Business students enjoyed a trip to the Food and Farming Fair at Hollow Trees Farm where, supported by over 50 farming professionals, they had the chance to explore this industry as a career choice. Drama students visited London’s West End to watch The Woman in Black and the very funny The Play That Goes Wrong. Language students visited Cambridge University to experience university-style language teaching in French and Spanish. The Arts Faculty has been particularly busy this term. Staff are preparing for the GCSE Art, Textiles and Design Technology Exhibition on July 10, showcasing some incredible artistic talent. We have a planned trip to the PhotoEast International Photography Festival at the University of Suffolk, practice is underway for field and track events ahead of Sports Day and drama and music rooms are buzzing with the sound of students rehearsing for the upcoming production of Madagascar at the end of June. We look forward to updating you with more news of this in the next edition. On Tuesday, July 3, Year 6 parents/carers are invited to an induction evening to meet staff, hear about how they can be involved with the school and to discuss any concerns. Year 6 students will then attend an induction day on July 4 where they will enjoy lessons, be introduced to some of their teachers and make new friends in their form groups. Year 7 is a special year for the young people who join us and we want to make sure they are happy, confident and prepared for this next exciting stage of their education. We still have many events, such as the Community Tea Party, Praise Tea Party, Year 5 Arts Festival and Sports Award Evening to look forward to before we break up. The PTA have also organised a quiz night on July 5, 7-9pm at the school. Please do join us; your support at these events is greatly appreciated. If you would like to visit the school and see us in action, please contact my PA, Ms J Saunders on 01473 836110 to book a place on one of our open mornings in the autumn term. Headteacher Ms M Taylor
Dawn Hynes Photography Dawn Hynes specialises in pictures of stunning Suffolk scenery and pet photography, as modelled on the front cover by Hugo the French Bulldog. Her passion for photography and many requests for prints has led her to build a website portfolio and turn her talent into a business. To view Dawn's work please visit: www.dawnhynesphotography.co.uk
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SPORT WIMBLEDON IS HERE, TIME TO PLAY TENNIS! By the time you read this the grass court season will be in full swing, culminating in the biggest tennis tournament of the year at Wimbledon 2018. Andy Murray may return from injury and Kyle Edmund and Jo Konta will also fly the flag for the Brits! Don’t just watch the tennis; why not come and have a go? We welcome all ability levels at both adult and junior level and special membership for first time members starts from as little as £25 a year for adults, £10 a year for juniors and just £60 a year for families. As a member of the club you will also have a chance to win options on tickets for Wimbledon in 2019 so why not join today while our special membership offers last? Great British Tennis Weekend, Second Serve Following on from the success of our original free tennis day in May, we are putting on a further free open day on Saturday, July 21 between 2 and 4pm. Why not join us for fun competitions, meet our coach, try some tennis cardio workouts, or even take on our ball machine challenge? We are a small friendly village club and members from the club will be available on the day to provide a warm welcome. Our exclusive special introductory membership offers will also be available on the day. Junior Tennis Camps Following our highly successful Tennis for Kids programmes, we will be running several tennis summer camp activity sessions throughout the holidays. Each session will be themed around a stroke or tactical aspect of the game and will use a mix of simple drills and fun games to help kids improve their tennis. There will also be a range of prizes on offer too! Go to the club website for further information and to book your place. To find out more at about any of the items mentioned above please contact our coach, Carl Douglas, on 07553 966380 or visit: www.clubspark.lta.org.uk/BramfordTennisClub www.facebook.com/BramfordTennisClub
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The cycle speedway season is well under way. Since last month’s issue we have raced Norwich away. We won Division 1 and Division 2 matches, but sadly lost the youth match. We have also raced Kesgrave at home, winning the Division 1 meeting and losing the Division 2 and youth meetings due to lack of riders. We are always looking for new riders, especially in the youth team so if you have a son or daughter who is under 16 and would like to have a go, please get in touch. We are top of the league for Division 1 and third in Division 2. Our next fixtures are as follows: Sunday, July 1, 2pm: Great Blakenham v Hethersett (following the table top sale in the village hall) Sunday, July 15, 1pm: Great Blakenham v Norwich
GREAT BLAKENHAM CYCLE SPEEDWAY CLUB
Wednesday, July 25, 7pm: Suffolk Grand Prix for under 13s, under 21s and veterans at our sister track at Somersham Entry is free – so come along, join in the fun and support your local club. Our Home International meeting at the Great Blakenham track takes place on Saturday, July 7. The racing starts at 10am and the best riders from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland will be in competition with each other. The day comprises four matches so will be a full day’s event. Let’s hope the sun shines! Again, free entry to watch, with hot and cold refreshments being served all day. If you have watched cycle speedway previously and fancy a go, come and join us at the track. We train every Tuesday evening – children from 6pm and adults from 7.30pm. You will receive a very warm welcome from us all. Just ensure you wear long sleeved and long legged clothing. Bikes, helmets, etc. will be provided for a trial session if you don’t have any – there really is no excuse not to try it!
CLAYDON FOOTBALL CLUB Claydon Football Club is looking for new managers and players for the 18/19 season. If you are interested in any of the below please contact: admin@claydon-fc.co.uk
We need an Under 7 manager (you will be required to take an FA level one course as well as undergoing a CRC check), Under 7 players, Under 8 players, an Under 11 manager and Under 15 players.
Our current Under 14s are also looking for new players for next season to enhance the squad. They play in the SYL Division 2 on Saturday mornings and train on Tuesday evenings.
Find our more at: www.claydon-fc.co.uk / Facebook
In Touch online:
www.keepingintouchwith.com/gtblakenham
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CHURCH NEWS ST MARY THE VIRGIN BRAMFORD, ST MARY NETTLESTEAD, ST MARY THE VIRGIN LITTLE BLAKENHAM, ST PETER BAYLHAM Priest-in-Charge: The Rev Jenny Seggar 01473 748914 / revjseggar@outlook.com www.stmarybramford.co.uk Quiet Reflective Communion Service: Wednesday, 9.30am Sunday, July 1: Trinity 5 10am Holy Communion with Prayer for Healing, Bramford 6pm Evening Prayer (BCP), Baylham Thursday, July 5 3pm United Service at Cherryfields Sunday, July 8: Trinity 6 8am Holy Communion, Bramford 10am Parish Communion, Nettlestead 5pm 5 o’clock Service, Bramford Wednesday, July 11 11am Communion from Reserved Sacrament, Baylham Care Centre Thursday, July 12 7.30pm Healing Service, Methodist Chapel Sunday, July 15: Trinity 7 10am Holy Communion, Bramford 10am Holy Communion, Baylham
Everything we do in ministry costs someone something, our hospitality, our buildings, our ministers, craft activities for our children, safeguarding, weddings, funerals and baptisms, our wonderful 5pm Service… honestly, the list is endless. This is not a whinge; it is fact, just as our homes cost to run. The money comes from those of you who attend church and our fundraising activities. So, even though it feels thankless, we could not spread the gospel or tell our stories if we didn’t have money coming in. One of the hardest things I have to do is ask all of you to look at what you give; many of us do not review our giving year to year and, of course, our costs have risen with inflation. We will all need to review this and adjust our giving if the church is to continue to flourish. The Rev Jenny Seggar PARISH REGISTERS Baptisms May 13: Mason Jude Lloyd, Bramford May he grow in grace and the knowledge of God. Funerals June 6: Joy Beck, Bramford We extend to her family our sympathy and prayers. Cleaning Rota: V Mather and K Orvis Flower Rota: July 7 and 14, S Heath
Tuesday, July 17 2pm The Gathering, Church Room
Floodlighting of the Spire of St Mary’s Church
Saturday, July 21 10am-noon Coffee Morning, Church Room
June 30: In memory of Winifred Hawkings on the centenary of her birth
Sunday, July 22: Trinity 8 8am Holy Communion, Bramford 10am Fourth Sunday Service, Bramford Sunday, July 29: Trinity 9 8am Holy Communion, Bramford 10am Group Communion, Baylham 6pm Summer Evensong, Lt Blakenham Forthcoming services at Little Blakenham Monday, July 30: Evensong for a Summers Evening, 6pm Sunday, September 30: Group Harvest Service, 10am Sunday, October 28: Traditional Prayer Book Evensong, 6pm Please check porch notices for any changes. Dear Friends As I write this at the beginning of June, my mind is turning to parish finance. I have just attended a deanery synod meeting with a rundown of who has paid what so far to the diocese. We fought hard for a reduced share last year, which we received, and it feels as if we are nicely on track to meet our targets. Thank you all so much for your hard work; we must not relax as the money we give is vital to the running of the diocese.
June 23: In memory of Jim Thacker If you would like to have the spire floodlit please ring Stewart on 01473 462231. The requested donation is £10 per week. Lectionary Bible Readings for our Sunday Worship are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary. It is good to share the reading of Scripture with Christians – both Catholic and Protestant – across the world. July 1 2 Sam. 1:1,17-27
5th Sunday after Trinity 2 Cor. 8:7-15
Green Mark 5:21-43
July 8 2 Sam. 5: 1-5, 9-10
6th Sunday after Trinity 2Cor. 12:2-10
Green Mark6:1-13
July 15 2 Sam. 6: 1-5,12b-19
7th Sunday after Trinity Eph. 1:3-14
Green Mark 6: 141-29
July 22 2 Sam.7:1-14a
Mary Magdalen Eph.2:11-22
White Mark 6:30-34,53-56
July 29 2 Sam. 11:1-15
9th Sunday after Trinity 2 Kings 4:42-44
Green John 6:1-21
It feels as if this money disappears into some kind of whirling black hole, but in fact every penny we raise is used very wisely. The diocesan office deals with our buildings, legal matters, mission and ministry support, legal matters (of which there are many), communications and a raft of other things, all of which are extremely necessary and support our work here in the parishes. I do feel sometimes as if this is much of my focus and was mulling over just what the finance of the church has to do with our basic work of spreading the gospel. Unfortunately, ministry costs, even Jesus had a small group of people (interestingly mostly independent women) helping to finance his ministry. After all, the disciples had to eat!
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Can you help us on the day, either to set up, work on the stalls or to clear away? If you can help please contact either Caroline (01473 742826) or Stewart (01473 462231)
In Touch online:
CHURCH NEWS SUMMER HAS ARRIVED
BRAMFORD METHODIST CHURCH
When wanting to know the date when summer was to start this year, I discovered that there are two, the meteorological and the astronomical.
At the Heart of Community
The meteorological seasons consists of splitting the seasons into four periods made up of three months each. These seasons are split to coincide with our Gregorian calendar, making it easier for meteorological observing and forecasting to compare seasonal and monthly statistics. By the meteorological calendar, summer starts on June 1.
Please feel free to contact either of us with any queries. Baptisms, marriages and funerals by arrangement with the minister, who will also arrange Holy Communion for the housebound.
This year the astronomical summer begins on June 21 and ends on September 23. The astronomical calendar determines the seasons due to the 23.5° tilt of the Earth’s rotational axis in relation to its orbit around the sun. Both equinoxes and solstices are related to the Earth’s orbit around the sun. Solstices and equinoxes are considered to be the astronomical transition points between the seasons and mark key stages in the astronomical cycle of the earth’. Source: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/seasons So the astronomical summer starts either on June 20 or 21. Having had a good end to May a good start to June maybe this year the meteorological guys have got it right. What we don’t fully know is what kind of summer we will have. The weather forecasters will give us an idea of what to expect with their short and long view forecasts. Will it be wet, dry, warm, cold or sunny or even a combination of two as one year it was both the wettest and warmest? Knowing what the weather is going to be helps in knowing what clothes to pack for a summer holiday and what to take. When we went to Northern Ireland this past half term I hadn’t looked at what the weather was going to be, but presumed that it would be cooler with the likelihood of rain. I certainly wasn’t expecting to have the hot weather we did have. I didn’t pack for glorious sunshine and took an umbrella too. The Bible tells us what will happen in the future and how to live now in preparation for it. To presume what will happen or perhaps not even to think about it will mean not being ready for it. Jesus spoke to His disciples before and after His death, burial and resurrection about the future and gave them the task of telling the world the good news of life now and forever through Him. If you would like to join us for LIFE Explored on Friday mornings at 11am you would be very welcome. If Fridays don’t suit you, get in touch to arrange a time that does. For more information on Life Explored visit: www.ceministries.org/ Groups/274684/Courses/Life_Explored/Life_Explored.aspx WEEKLY EVENTS Monday fortnightly: Little Owls Toddler Group, 10am-noon Tuesday: Weekly Prayer Meeting, 7.30-8.30pm Wednesday: Coffee Morning, 10am-noon / all welcome Thursday: Home Group, 10-11.45am Friday: Children’s Club (primary school age), 6.30-7.30pm Sunday Morning Service: 10.45am-noon
Minister: The Rev Derek Grimshaw 01473 805486 / dkgrimshaw@msn.com Steward: Ms R Palmer, 01473 831117
Sunday 10.30-11.30am*: Morning Worship with Holy Communion (every second Sunday) 10.30-11.30am: Lighthouse Club for ages 5+ (term time only). Bible stories, painting, card making, biscuit decorating, etc. plus free leaflet to take home. 4-6pm: Families@4, an informal get-together with afternoon tea and a children’s activity; come and go as you please (once a month – please check diary). Not a service but our minister usually joins us. Monday 2-3pm: Bible Study, an informal look at issues that those present wish to discuss (every third Monday) Tuesday 2-3pm*: Network/MWiB, our ladies meeting, but gentlemen are always welcome (second and fourth Tuesdays from October-April and second Tuesday from May-September) Wednesday 10am-noon: Computer Club (term time only) 7.30-8.30pm: Prayers and Laying on of Hands for Healing (second Wednesday) Thursday 3-3.30pm*: United Service (very informal) at Cherryfields (first Thursday) Saturday 10-11am: Coffee Morning at the Methodist Church or at Cherryfields (see below / third Saturday of month) *followed by tea/coffee DIARY FOR JULY Sunday 1: All Age Worship, 10.30am Thursday 5: United Service at Cherryfields, 3pm Sunday 8: Morning Worship with The Rev D Grimshaw, Holy Communion, Action for Children Sunday, 10.30am Tuesday 10: Network/MWiB, 2pm / Jenny Gibbs on Natural Home Remedies Wednesday 11: Prayers and Laying on of Hands for Healing, 7.30pm Sunday 15: Morning Worship with Mrs A Ellis, 10.30am Monday 16: Bible Study, 2pm Saturday 21: Coffee Morning at the Methodist Church, 10am Sunday 22: Morning Worship with The Rev C Jowett, 10.30am Sunday 22: Families @ 4, 4-6pm Saturday 28: All are welcome to a garden party at the home of The Rev Derek and Mrs Karen Grimshaw, 2 Henley Avenue, Ipswich, from 2-5pm. In aid of church funds. Please support this and do tell your family and friends. Sunday 29: Morning Worship with Mrs A Holmes, 10.30am
HOLIDAY BIBLE CLUB Wednesday, August 29 – Friday, August 31, 10am-noon Primary school age. For more information and to book contact Michael Lawrence. Discover & Do: September 1, 4-5.30pm For more information contact Michael: 01473 839785
www.keepingintouchwith.com/gtblakenham
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CHURCH NEWS THE CLAYDON GROUP OF CHURCHES The Church of England in Claydon and Barham, Henley and Great Blakenham We offer you a warm welcome to all our events and services. For enquiries about baptisms, weddings and funerals contact Priest-in-Charge: The Rev Carl Melville 01473 833542 / carlmelville@hotmail.com SERVICES IN JULY Henley Church: every Sunday at 9.30am Barham Church: every Sunday at 10am Gt Blakenham Church: every Sunday at 11am St Peter’s Church, Claydon is usually open during daylight hours Sunday, July 1: Trinity 5 8am Holy Communion 9.30am Holy Communion 10am Holy Communion 11am family@blakenham
Barham Church Henley Church Barham Church Gt Blakenham Church
Sunday, July 8: Trinity 6 8am Holy Communion 9.30am Holy Communion 10am family@henley 11am Holy Communion
Barham Church Henley Church Barham Church Gt Blakenham Church
Sunday, July 15: Trinity 7 8am Holy Communion 9.30am Holy Communion 10am family@barham 11am Holy Communion
Barham Church Henley Church Barham Church Gt Blakenham Church
Sunday, July 22: Trinity 8 8am Holy Communion 9.30am Holy Communion 10am Holy Communion 11am Elevenses@GB 4pm Pet Service 6.30pm Evensong
Barham Church Henley Church Barham Church Gt Blakenham Church Gt Blakenham Church Henley Church
Sunday, July 27: Trinity 9 10am Benefice Holy Communion
Gt Blakenham Church
SAINTS: LET US RUN THE RACE God has given us great heroes and Saints of our faith. Gt Blakenham Church, July 3, 11am Henley Church, July 10, 9.30am Barham Church, July 17, 10am Refreshments available at all of our services. NEWS 140 Anniversary Walk: You may not be aware, but many years ago Claydon and Akenham were central to a burial scandal that caught national headlines. We are marking the 140th anniversary over the weekend of August 24-25 with a walk and other events. On Saturday 25 we’ll begin at noon at Claydon Church. We will then walk to Akenham Church (and back), sharing a picnic lunch at Akenham. Please wear suitable boots and bring a picnic and water supply! For more details please visit the website or go to page 19. th
J-Team 2018: Barham Church from August 8-10. For only £10 per child, there is loads of fun to be had – crafts, games, stories, singing! To book please contact Ann Colthorpe on 01473 831079 or visit the church website and click ‘JTEAM’. Sunday’s Cool: Meets on the second and third Sundays of every month in Gt Blakenham Parish Room from 10.30am (July 8 and 15). It’s free – no need to book! Contact Irene for more information: 01449 676567 Pet Service: Sunday, July 22, 4pm at Gt Blakenham Church. Do bring your beloved pets along to what is a fun and light hearted service where the animals receive a blessing. Prizes for the most unusual pets and of course treats for the dogs!
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Vestry Café: Meets on the third Saturday of every month (July 21) at Henley Church. Come along for coffee, cake and a good lunch. Tots Groups: We have tots groups attached to each of our churches. Henley Tots meets in Henley Church on the first and third Fridays. The Claydon group meets on alternate Thursdays in the village hall and the Gt Blakenham group meets on second and fourth Fridays in the Parish Room. See our website for more details. Barham Hall Picnic Concert, July 7: At the time of writing all tickets have sold out! Meet ’N’ Eat; Fancy a good lunch in the company of others? Know someone who is lonely, needs a chat or wants company? Meet ’N’ Eat takes place in Gt Blakenham Parish Room on the first Friday of the month between noon and 2pm. A tasty two-course meal with tea or coffee for £4. All welcome. OTHER SERVICES AND EVENTS IN JULY Tuesday 3 Holy Conversations, The Rectory, 7pm Tuesday 3 Midweek Communion, Barham Church, 10am Friday 6 Henley Tots, Henley Vestry, 9.30-11.30am Friday 6 Meet & Eat, Gt Blakenham Parish Room, noon-2pm Saturday 7 Band Concert – Barham Hall Tuesday 10 Midweek Communion, Barham Church, 10am Friday 13 Blakenham Tots, GB Parish Room, 9.30-11am Sunday 15 Church family BBQ, Barham Church Tuesday 17 Midweek Communion, Barham Church, 10am Wednesday 18 Communion at St Peter’s Court Friday 20 Henley Tots, Henley Vestry, 9.30-11.30am Saturday 21 Vestry Café, Henley Church Saturday 21 Doggy Day, Gt Blakenham Parish Room, 11am-3pm Sunday 22 Pet Service, Gt Blakenham Church, 4pm Friday 27 Blakenham Tots, GB Parish Room, 9.30-11am Further dates can be found at: www.claydonchurches.com CHURCHWARDENS Barham Church: Dorothy Lay and Robert Clarke Henley Church: Richard Self and Marion Self (Honorary) Gt Blakenham Church: Caroline Ray and Wendy Hooper Facebook & Twitter: The Claydon Group of Churches HALL BOOKINGS Barham Church Hall: Zoe Groom, 831804 Gt Blakenham Parish Room: Reg Barton, 839958 Henley Church Vestry: Margaret Gerrard, 831463 Letter from the Vicar I love this time of year. Summer is packed full of weddings and celebrations. Over the coming few months people will come to our churches to marry and celebrate their relationships. Churches are great places to mark life’s milestones – christening, funerals, blessings and weddings. Throughout the ages, countless people from the community have marked life’s milestones in our church buildings. The Royal Wedding back in May was the perfect way to kick start the wedding season. That wedding was certainly beautiful and exciting, but it wasn’t necessarily unique. Couples throughout England can have the same service as that – the same words, the same vows, great music and so on, albeit without The Queen and the Royals present! We believe a church wedding is the best way to start your married life together – whether or not you’re Christians or church-goers. We are already taking bookings for 2019/20, so if you’re planning a wedding, why not book your ceremony with us? Jesus loves a good wedding – it was at a wedding he performed his first miracle turning water into wine. It was a sign of God’s abundant love for us. Why not mark your special day with us? The Revd Carl Melville
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