In Touch
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with Belstead, Bentley, Copdock & Washbrook and Tattingstone Volume 9 • Issue No. 12 • November 2019
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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR There’s an elderly gent I see almost every day walking very, very slowly from the local supermarket carrying the same small plastic bag. I say ‘gent’ because he’s always ‘properly’ dressed in a suit and tie. I like to think he would have worn a hat in his younger days. I wish he still did. His clothes may have seen better days, but there’s a curious dignity about him. He doesn’t appear to make any effort to engage with others, barely lifting his gaze from the path as he proceeds. Nobody stops to speak to him and, despite my curiosity, neither have I. I’ve smiled and mumbled good morning on one or two occasions, but he has never responded. It may be that he didn’t hear me, but it seems more deliberate than that, as if he’s either totally focused on the task in hand or is holding the world at arm’s length for some reason. If this is the case, and my instinct tells me it is, I respect his right to privacy. However, I have created a whole lifestory for him. I think of him as Robert. His wife Celia died several years ago and since then he has been brokenhearted and alone, locking out the world because the pain of her loss is his most precious possession. Celia is with him in everything he does, walking by his side each morning and straightening his tie before he leaves the house. I worry about him too. If I don’t see him for a day or two, I start to panic. I have no idea where he lives or if he has anyone to look out for him. Thankfully he always turns up, but one day he won’t and he’ll never know how much I miss seeing him. Isn’t it odd how strangers find their way into our hearts! Of course, many of us admire, even love movie stars, musicians and football players and look up to people we respect for one reason or another. We are often inspired by the actions of someone we may never meet, Greta Thunberg being a perfect example. It’s important, especially for children, to have role models but I don’t think we have to look very far to find them. Every older person is just someone who was born before us, done most things before us in fact. Everyone has a story. All we have to do is stop to listen. I’m going to make one more attempt with Robert. Perhaps you can find someone who deserves a moment of your time.
Published by: Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd, 20 Wharfedale Road, Ipswich IP1 4JP Editor: Sharon Jenkins T: 01473 400380 Send editorial copy to: sharon@intouchnews.co.uk Readers are invited to submit articles, illustrations and photographs for publication. The publishers reserve the right to amend such submissions and cannot accept responsibility for any loss.
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In Touch Titles • Stowmarket & Stowupland • Kesgrave & Rushmere St Andrew • Melton & Woodbridge • Manningtree, Brantham, Lawford & Mistley • Hadleigh, Chattisham, Hintlesham, Holton St Mary, Layham & Raydon • Ipswich East, Ravenswood, Broke Hall & Warren Heath • Elmswell, Beyton, Drinkstone, Haughley, Hessett, Norton, Tostock, Wetherden & Woolpit • Needham Market & The Creetings • Shotley, Chelmondiston, Erwarton, Harkstead, Holbrook, Pin Mill, Stutton & Woolverstone • Martlesham • Claydon, Barham, Henley & Whitton • East Bergholt, Dedham, Flatford & Stratford St Mary • Bramford, Offton, Somersham & Willisham • Capel St Mary (Capel Capers) • Copdock, Belstead, Bentley, Tattingstone & Washbrook • Gt & Lt Blakenham, Baylham & Nettlestead • Westerfield, Ashbocking, Tuddenham St Martin & Witnesham • Sproughton & Burstall We also publish Spotlight on Felixstowe
Sun 10 November is the advertising and editorial deadline for the December edition
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NEWS COPDOCK & WASHBROOK VILLAGE TIDY-UP DAY Saturday 9 November, 10am-1pm Now the undergrowth is dying back, once again we can see the rubbish discarded by passers-by alongside our roads and overhanging vegetation is making it difficult to walk on some of the footways. So Copdock & Washbrook is holding an Autumn Village Tidy-Up Day on Saturday 9 November. We meet at the Church Room in The Street, from where we will set off in pairs or groups to tackle problem areas. Rubbish sacks, litter pickers, secateurs and hi-vis vests are available. Please bring your own gloves. Do come and join us for just an hour or so, or longer if you can, anytime between 10am and 1pm. Upon returning to the Church Room, delicious seasonal refreshments will be available for all our volunteers. For further information about this worthwhile and enjoyable village event, please contact Tina on 01473 730162.
TIFFERS THE BUS SHELTER Tiffers The Bus Shelter is a converted double-decker school bus for homeless people in Ipswich. The bus has been at the top of Freston Hill for a number of months. Suffolk County Council has been working with them to find a more suitable parking spot. The former SCC surface dressing chip store at the top of London Road, by the entrance to the underpass and park and ride, is their chosen site. Having looked at a number of sites around Ipswich, deliberately avoiding the town centre area, they informed the parish council that the former chipping site is the most suitable. They have converted a double decker bus into a night shelter for the rough sleepers of Ipswich. The bus offers overnight accommodation to people living on the streets of Ipswich and will help guests to access support services to enable them to get back into society and long-term housing. The parish council has suggested two other locations in the village which are to be investigated. It is likely the bus will be moved before the alternatives are fully explored. The location is considered as a short term location but a long, short term. Nevertheless, give them a cheery wave and welcome to the village. Terry Corner, C&W Parish Chair
COULD YOU BE AN EAST ANGLIA CHILDREN’S HOSPICES VOLUNTEER? Could you spend a couple of hours a week, or even an hour a month helping a family with a child who accesses our hospices in their own home? Caring for a seriously ill child or young person can put a lot of extra demand on a family. The aim of the Help at Home service is to put a caring individual into a family’s home to provide everyday practical support such a cooking, sibling support, cleaning and gardening. We provide you with the necessary support and training; all you need to do is provide some of your precious time. If you would like more information or to apply, please contact Hugh: hugh.mcelhinney@each.org.uk / 07714 737139
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NEWS SPORTING MEMORIES GROUPS COME TO BABERGH
COPDOCK & WASHBROOK PARISH COUNCIL CASUAL VACANCIES FOR COUNCILLORS Two casual vacancies have arisen for parish councillors on Copdock & Washbrook Parish Council. If you care about where you live and are passionate about your community, come and join us! The parish council is very active, currently with six other parish councillors all taking on various roles for the council. There are 11 meetings a year, held on the first Tuesday of each month (not August) which you would be expected to attend. There are also working groups. If you are interested please contact the clerk for more details: copdockparishcouncil@hotmail.co.uk / 07849 055699
A new lottery funded project has launched in Babergh, bringing together older residents over their shared sporting memories. A range of partner organisations, volunteers and sports fans all came together in Sudbury Town Hall on Thursday 26 September to launch the new project, which will see Sporting Memory Groups meet in Glemsford, Lavenham, Long Melford and Sudbury. For details of when and where each session is to take place visit: www.sportingmemoriesnetwork.com/suffolk-clubs Funded by the National Lottery and Babergh District Council, the project is driven by positive and committed volunteers who love talking sport and supporting people in their area. Anyone interested in joining these volunteers should contact Phil: phil@sportingmemoriesnetwork.com These sessions will be open to all over 50s and are free of charge. The volunteer-led sessions help individuals explore and rekindle those favourite memories, including those living with dementia, depression or loneliness who connect with others via cherished sporting memories. Councillor Derek Davis, Babergh District Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “Sport brings us all together and recalling memories is great for body and soul, whether over a pint or a cup of tea with friends or as an icebreaker for friends to be. We’ve seen some really wonderful projects fight rural isolation in Babergh, from the Rural Coffee Caravan to Together Tuesdays, and I’m delighted to welcome Sporting Memories to the area. We all have great sporting moments indelibly carved into our memories and using these to connect people is an outstanding idea that I am certain will create new groups and new friendships throughout our district.” Pictured left to right are Philip Lown – Partnership Programme Manager at Suffolk County Council, Councillor Adrian Osborne – Vice Chairman of Babergh District Council, Councillor Jack Owen – Deputy Mayor of Sudbury, Councillor Derek Davis – Babergh Cabinet Member for Communities.
www.copdockwashbrook.onesuffolk.net/parish-council
SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD TEAM During the summer we experienced the theft of several cars that use keyless entry. Criminals are arming themselves with equipment which can receive the radio frequency emitted by the fob and send it to a second unit close to the car. This second unit then emits the same signal, fooling the car into believing the fob owner is within range, opening the doors and allowing the vehicle to be driven away without any need for a key or the original fob. Please visit our website for information to help prevent these crimes. Operation Sceptre, the national week of action against knife crime, took place between 16 and 23 September. The operation highlights the risks that carrying a bladed weapon can bring, as well as targeting offenders who use and carry knives. Officers recently undertook patrols and executed drug warrants at six Suffolk addresses. One of these resulted in £25,000 cash being seized. Eight people were arrested in connection with knife crime offences. Since March 2019 when the bins were last emptied, 1,427 items have been deposited in the amnesty bins. The Bin a Blade campaign was launched in Suffolk in 2011 and since then 24,283 bladed items have been deposited and destroyed. You can report a number of non-urgent crimes online via: www.suffolk.police.uk/contact-us You can also call the police on 101 to report crimes and other concerns that do not require an emergency response. In an emergency, always call 999. Keep safe and look after each other. Kindest regards, PC Sarah George and PC Diane Porter
BELSTEAD VILLAGE HALL AGM Thursday 7 November at 7.30pm Do come and support your committee and see how the renovations are coming along. Refreshments and cakes!
DEMENTIA Together Call Free 08081 688 000 Email: SRYC. DementiaTogether@nhs.net Visit: www.dementia-together.com Mon to Fri: 9am - 6pm / Saturday, Sunday & Bank Holidays: 10am - 4pm
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Karen Finch RHAD FSHAA FRSA
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NEWS / Out & about PARTNERSHIP TO CREATE SPACES FOR 469 NEW SUFFOLK SCOUTS Community Action Suffolk (CAS) and Suffolk Scouts are joining forces to find more adult volunteers in order to enable more young people to learn skills for life. CAS will offer an updated, easy to use website to help potential volunteers. Although we have many great teams in Suffolk already running everything from youth sections, finances, web masters, marketing, training courses and many more, to support our growth we need more volunteers. Many skills that you may have can apply to Scouting too – accountants to treasurers, teachers and trainers to leaders and construction workers to activity centre managers – or you may feel you want to put you hand to something new. Joining together with CAS enables Suffolk Scouts to reach a wider audience than existing parents and supporters, and aims to attract new volunteers to the movement. In the first move of its kind in Suffolk Scouting’s 112-year history, flexible volunteering is an option for those who want to help but cannot commit to every week. Volunteers gain valuable skills as well as the reward of seeing young people in their community gain the skills they need for life. Over 90 per cent of our volunteers believe that the skills and experiences they have gained through Scouting have helped them in their working or personal lives. Plus adults get to have fun and make new friends too! Mark Pearson, the new County Commissioner for Suffolk Scouts, says: “No matter who you are, we would love you to be part of Suffolk Scouting, joining a dedicated, positive team of individuals and made to feel part of the Scouting movement. It will change your life and the lives of many more young people in Suffolk.” Andy Simpson from CAS added: “Community Action Suffolk is very excited to be working in partnership with an organisation as well established as the Scouting Association. Together we can promote the flexible and diverse range of volunteering opportunities within the Scouts to businesses, community groups and individuals across the county. With the award winning training available to volunteers we see this as a real win-win volunteering opportunity.”
HOLBROOK & SHOTLEY SURGERY GP & Staff Training Afternoons Our next training afternoons are Wednesday 6 November and 11 December. The practice will be open for patients to come in to collect or drop off prescriptions and book appointments or make enquiries at reception. However, there will be no clinical staff on site and our telephone lines will be switched over to the out of hours’ service. Please ring 111 for advice if your query cannot wait until the following day. In an emergency, dial 999. Home Visits We now have a paramedic, Kate Whiting, working with us on Mondays and Fridays who will cover the majority of our home visits on these days. Please ensure that if you need a home visit, you contact the practice before 10am where possible. This will allow us to plan the workload more efficiently. We have a large and very geographically spread area and need to use our resources effectively. Patients of Dr Midforth If your registered GP was previously Dr Midforth, we will write to advise you of your new registered GP. This is a complex issue and we allocate so each GP has a fair proportion in relation to the number of sessions they work. Unfortunately, we cannot take patient requests for this, but you remain able to see any GP at either of our sites. Practice Manager Julia Smith
BELSTEAD CHRISTMAS SALE Saturday 23 November, 10am-noon at Belstead Village Hall Get into the Christmas spirit at our annual sale with Christmas gifts, decorations, games and seasonal refreshments We will be pleased to welcome everyone In aid of St Mary’s Church, Belstead
To see what opportunities will suit your life, visit: www.volunteersuffolk.org.uk
BENTLEY COMMUNITY SHOP: Best Possible Service When we started our shop we said we would try to sell as many locally sourced products as possible. We continue with this policy and as an example, we now sell small bottles (25cl) of apple juice, pear, apple and ginger, all from Battisford. Our bread comes in daily from Capel St Mary bakery. With winter nearly here, our Country Pies from Capel are delicious and come in various sizes, as well as scotch eggs, pork pies, packs of small sausage rolls and pasties. Our new charity plant sale stand has proved very popular with more villagers giving plants for sale, Pansies, violas and cyclamen have proved very popular and all money raised this autumn is going to Macmillan Cancer Support. Our keen gardeners in the village are keeping the stand well stocked.
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novel about the founding of Dodnash Priory (Sheriff and Priest) and a book of children’s short stories, Henry Baker and the Magic Pencil. Bentley honey comes in regularly as well as handmade cakes. Our laundry and dry cleaning services are provided by Press Gang of Hadleigh as we like to use local companies whenever possible. With colder weather looming, you’ll be pleased to know we stock matches, firelighters and candles, as well as over the counter medication for those inevitable coughs, colds and sneezes! While we concentrate on feeding humans, we also have a good range of dog and cat food, and poop bags to keep our village tidy! Not forgetting our wildlife, we have sunflower hearts, suet fat balls and peanuts.
Should you be looking for greeting cards, we have two handmade ranges, in addition to our normal wall display.
We are entirely volunteer-run and exist for the benefit of our customers and our local community. Pop in and see us between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday and 9am and noon at weekends and on bank holidays.
Nicky Moxey, our local author, sells two books through us – a historical
info@bentleystores.co.uk / 01473 310182
In In Touch Touch online: online:
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Out & about PENINSULAR PIX
NOTES FROM THE CASE The Peninsular Pix film for Thursday 7 November, 8pm at Tattingstone Village Hall, is Danny Boyle’s Yesterday. This film has received audience and critic ratings that are over the moon, over Mars even. The old days where cinemagoers queued around the block were back for this one, though you won’t have to wait to get into your favourite chair at Pen Pix.
The story is that after being knocked out during a strange blackout, pub singer Jack (Himesh Patel) wakes up in a world where The Beatles never existed. He reconstructs their songs from memory and is soon a major star in the entertainment scene. Can he live with the lie? Will his relationship with Ellie (Lily James) survive? Heck, I don’t know, but you will once you see the movie. We all know some of The Beatles songs, if not every verse, then pieces of them. Will you sit there humming the tunes or stumbling over the words and remembering them differently? Heck, I don’t know that either, but I’m looking forward to a great evening. I’d like to say The Beatles were a part of my childhood, but I was married with two kids when I first heard John Lennon and Paul McCartney oooooooing into the microphone. We’re offering a free chocolate ice cream to anyone in the audience whose first name is genuinely ‘Jude’, but we’ll need identification to prove it. ‘Hey Nigel’ won’t work for us, I’m afraid. See you all at the Thursday pics.
Suffolk’s first Co-operative Pub! Firstly we’d like to give a huge thank you to all the volunteers who made our second Macmillan Coffee Morning such a wonderful success. The weather wasn’t much better than last year, but again we had a brilliant turn out of cakes, biscuits and savouries that enabled us to raise a fantastic £1,226.60. Well done everyone! Now that the weather has changed, the clock really feels like it is ticking down towards Christmas but as we’ve still got a few more weeks to go, we have lots of other events to keep you all busy. Our October quiz will be held a week late due to the Bentley Fireworks so it’s on Saturday 2 November, starting at 8.30pm. As always, teams can be up to six members and entry is £2 per person. Winning teams receive pub vouchers and a wooden spoon for those not quite so lucky. All profits from this and the raffle will be donated to our charity of the year, FIND. The November quiz will be on the Saturday 30 November as usual. And talking of quiz nights, we are pleased to announce we are re-introducing our very popular Curry Suppers and Quiz, starting on Saturday 30 November. We are hoping to offer this as a bi-monthly attraction. Places are limited for curry so booking will be essential. Please ask at the bar for further details. Curries will be available from 6pm, with the last sitting at 8pm. Open Mic Night is on Tuesday 5 November. Music starts at around 8.30pm. Come along to perform or just to enjoy. For more details contact Dave: 07885 963882 Brooke Telling, one of our regular young performers and a real star in the making, is about to release her first CD and to celebrate its launch she will be playing solo and later with members of her band at The Case on Saturday 7 December from 8.30pm.
CHRISTMAS MARKET AT COPDOCK HALL
This year it has been decided to start our winter Games Evenings a little earlier. Instead of waiting until January we will be holding the first games evening on Saturday 9 November. If you have a favourite board game, bring it along. We do have quite few well-known (and some not so wellknown) games for you to use too. These evenings will be held every second Saturday of the month.
Sunday 1 December, 1-4pm Christmas Gifts & Homemade Cakes Chutneys, Preserves and lots more Refreshments
NEW AND FREE: EAST COAST COLLECTIVE Singing opportunity at the Red Lion, South Street, Manningtree A new a capella mixed choir/chorus called the East Coast Collective has started at the Red Lion in Manningtree on Mondays from 7.30-9.30pm. The sessions are currently free to attend and while you don’t need to be able to read music, the ability to hold a tune is pretty important. We will start with some basics and progress gradually and we hope to be able to perform eventually if members want to. There will be training and coaching on how to sing close harmony unaccompanied, which will undoubtedly help anyone who currently sings in any other context, but no previous choral experience is necessary. Please don’t think you’re not good enough. We need men and women of all ages and abilities, so why not give it a try? We would love to see you there and think you will find singing in a group like this very rewarding, just as we do.
And finally, we will be holding our annual Carol Singing Concert on Sunday 22 December with more information to follow soon. 01473 805575 / www.thecasepubbentley.co.uk www.facebook.com/TheCaseBentley
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OUT & ABOUT COPDOCK CHURCH ROOM COMMUNITY GET TOGETHER All welcome for tea, coffee and cakes 2-4pm on the last Friday in the month
CAPEL LIBRARY Have you come to the library lately to check out the fantastic new children’s area and library equipment? This was paid for by The Friends of Capel Library and S106 money for which Capel Library and Suffolk Libraries are very grateful. It is fresh and makes the library look more spacious and brighter. A big thank you from Capel Library to everyone who celebrated Suffolk Libraries Day, a great time was had by all. The Friends of Capel Library would also like to say a thank you to those who helped make our Annual Quiz Night another great success. Without everyone’s support, The Friends of Capel Library would not be able to give Capel Library the support that it does. Community Cinema Rocketman, November 19 at 7pm, tickets available in the library.
STOUR VALLEY ARTS & MUSIC Sun 10 Nov, 4pm at St Mary’s Church. East Bergholt: Trio con Brio Copenhagen Founded in Vienna in 1999 with the concept of pairs coming together, sisters Soo-Jin and Soo-Kyung and Jens Elvekjaer have since then been exploring the piano trio repertoire with freshness and curiosity, as well as with respect and reflection. They are now well established and regular visitors to East Bergholt, which is a great privilege for us! Sun 24 Nov, 5pm at the Assembly Rooms, Dedham: Miscarriages of Justice I have Known by William Clegg William Clegg QC has defended in over 100 murder and manslaughter cases, including some of the most notorious to come before the courts in recent years. He was called to the Bar in 1972 and has been Head of Chambers at 2 Bedford Row, specialising in criminal law for 25 years. He is the author of the bestselling book Under the Wig. For more details or to book tickets: 01206 298426 / svamtickets@btinternet.com / www.svam.org.uk
EAST BERGHOLT DRAMATIC SOCIETY Proudly presenting The Inaccurate Conception, a comedy by Richard Ahsam and Geoff Saunders. The school nativity play is usually everyone’s first brush with the theatre. This hilarious production in which seven-year-olds, teachers and parents alike are played by adults, follows a young primary teacher’s efforts – against the odds – to produce just such a play. Playing at the Constable Hall in East Bergholt from November 28-30 at 7.30pm. Tickets (£7) are available from The Fountain House Tearooms in East Bergholt and from 01473 311555 / 07803 475750.
THE ORCHARD PLAYERS 2020 PANTO Rehearsals are now underway for Red Riding Hood, our 2020 panto which runs from Thursday 9-Saturday 11 January at Capel St Mary Community Centre. Tickets (£8/£6) for 7.30pm performances on Thursday 9 and Friday 10 January, and 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday 11 are now on sale. Box Office Number: 07793 820215
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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Tot Rock: Every Thursday from 9.30-10.15am. Nursery rhymes and storytime for under-fives. Scrabble Club: Every Friday from 2.30-4.30pm, all abilities welcome, games boards are provided. Capel Creators: Saturday 23 November, 10.30am-12.30pm. For children and adults of any age. Come along and see what fantastic models you can build with lego! £1 charge includes a drink and a biscuit. Children under eight must be accompanied by an adult. Minecraft: Sundays 3 and 17 November, 10.30am-12.30pm. Children of all ages welcome and those under eight must be accompanied by an adult. Please bring your tablet or phone equipped with Minecraft Pocket Edition or Minecraft Windows 10 Edition. Try to remember to charge your device beforehand! Capel Library Book Group: Friday 15 November. This adult group meets on the third Friday of each month in the library from 2.30pm. Come along, pick up the book they are currently reading and join in. We have a great selection of books for sale which are perfect for holiday reads. Don’t forget we also sell book tokens and books of stamps. Don’t forget to check out our jigsaw swap trolley. OPENING TIMES Monday: Closed Tuesday: 9.30am-12.30pm & 2-5.30pm Wednesday: 9.30am-12.30pm Thursday: 9.30am-12.30pm Friday: 2-5pm & 5.30-7.30pm Saturday: 9am-3pm Sunday: 10am-3pm Tel: 01473 311699
BELSTEAD VILLAGE MONTHLY MARKETS A market takes place in Belstead Village Hall from 10am-1pm on the first Saturday of every month to raise vital funds to support refurbishment of the kitchen and ladies toilet. With an extensive range of tables, a raffle and refreshments, the market is the perfect place to meet with friends for a chat over a cuppa and a piece of cake while supporting this essential local amenity. You can also support our chosen charity at a table laden with homemade goodies for sale. If you can sew, make or create and would like to hire a table (£10) please contact: 07981 335859 / market@belsteadvillage.co.uk
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OUT & ABOUT BOOK SALE AT MANNINGTREE METHODIST CHURCH An end of year book sale is happening at Manningtree Methodist Church in South Street on Saturday 2 November between 10am and 3pm. Once again most hardbacks will be priced at £1 with paperbacks at 50p. All children’s books are 10p each Crispy Bob and his bacon rolls will be available together with tea, coffee and a selection of cakes A warm and friendly welcome awaits everyone as admission is free.
STOUR VALLEY U3A On Wednesday 9 October, Jenny Gibbs presented An Englishwoman’s Life in Rural Turkey. Her stories capture a simple, serene, pastoral way of life in a Turkish mountain village unchanged for centuries. On November 13 Magistrate Graham Higgins will talk of Tales From The Bench. He will look at our legal heritage, particularly the part played by Suffolk. He will relate how the role of magistrates and local events have played a part in this history and will bring us up to date with an opportunity to decide how a defendant should be sentenced by briefly outlining a case. He will also include some of his unusual experiences on the bench. We meet at Constable Hall, Gandish Road, East Bergholt CO7 6TP at 2.15pm. Annual membership is £12 which entitles members to attend meetings on the second Wednesday of each month. We don’t hold a speaker meeting in December but instead enjoy a Christmas lunch which this year is on Wednesday 11 December at the Ipswich Best Western Hotel, Copdock IP8 3JD. This is always a very popular event so an early reservation is advised. On January 8 Chris Parfitt, a retired teacher, will enlighten us on The Mysteries of Easter Island in an illustrated talk in which he will look at life on this remote island and explore its unique history. Each month The Coffee Grinders meet at The Lambe School, Gaston Street, East Bergholt CO7 6SD from 10am to noon. This meeting especially welcomes new members and gives all members the opportunity to meet the activity group leaders and the committee while enjoying a cup of coffee. The next meeting is on Friday 29 November.
STOUR VALLEY MEN’S PROBUS CLUB Andy Malcolm will talk about the good work undertaken by The Fishermen’s Mission on November 6 and on November 20 Sara Waterston of local Hunnable Funeral Directors will talk on The Humourist Side of Funerals. Our speaker on December 4 is Simon Gallop with The Unknown Constable Country and we end the year with our popular annual Christmas quiz. It’s rumoured that there are some valuable prizes to be won on this occasion! We will not meet on January 1 so our first meeting in the New Year will be on Wednesday 15 January when fellow member Michael Hole will present a talk entitled First and Second World War Prisoner of War Camps. Our club endeavours to be simple in structure, free of the constraints and obligations of service clubs and involve members at minimal cost. The club is directed primarily to providing fellowship between members who are compatible with each other and the opportunity for development of acquaintances. New members are welcomed. We meet on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at St John Ambulance HQ, Manningtree CO11 1EB, 10 for 10.30am. For further details please contact speaker secretary Dave Carman: 01255 880202
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COPDOCK & WASHBROOK WI We had a very entertaining meeting in September with Anne Reeder, a milliner from Ipswich, telling us about the history of hats and headwear. She also brought with her several of her eclectic millinery creations which were so artistic. We had fun trying some of these on and enjoyed hearing about how they are created. She offers workshops that we are hoping to enjoy in our 2020 programme. Our October meeting will feature Frances Sparrow with a talk entitled History and the Weather, which seems particularly appropriate at the moment as it is so changeable. Sales of our centenary cookbook are going really well. They can be purchased from Suffolk Heritage Antiques Centre and The Brook Inn and are priced at £6 – what a bargain for over 120 recipes! Great stocking fillers, but hurry they are selling quickly. There are many good reasons to join the WI in Copdock and Washbrook. We are a diverse group, sharing a wide variety of interests and we enjoy some wonderful outings and events. There are opportunities to get involved or just come for friendship. All visitors and new members will be warmly welcomed. If you want to join us you can come to three meetings as a visitor; the first is free in order to see what we get up to before deciding if you would like to become a member. We meet at Copdock Village Hall on the third Tuesday of each month (excluding August). Please arrive around 7.15 for a 7.30pm start.
IPSWICH TRANSPORT SOCIETY Monday 18 November: The Variety of Traction on the Wherry Lines from the 1980s to the Present Day by Al Pulford Monday 20 January: Grey’s Coaches from Ely – 70+ years of Service, from the Beginning by Richard Grey Monday 17 February: Annual General Meeting followed A 1982 Summer in New York (Shipping) by Ron Davies Monday 16 March: Bahamas Locomotive Society – The Story So Far by John Hillier Monday 20 April: City of Norwich Aviation Museum – The Collection & the Story by Trevor Eady All meetings take place at Greenfinch Church Hall, Greenfinch Avenue, Ipswich at 7.30pm. Refreshments available.
ICUSTEPS SUPPORT GROUP For critical care patients on the road to recovery We meet at Bluebird Lodge Community Hospital, 100 Mansbrook Boulevard, Ipswich IP3 9GJ from 6-8pm on November 6 and December 4. For more information email outreach.event@ipswichhospital.nhs.uk or visit: www.icusteps.org
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OUT & ABOUT EAST SUFFOLK NATIONAL TRUST ASSOCIATION If you are a member of, or a volunteer for, the National Trust, we invite you to get more out of your membership by joining our association where a warm welcome awaits you. On Tuesday 19 November, Peter Lawrence will entertain us with a talk on timber framed buildings in Suffolk and Essex. We regularly walk past these old buildings without knowing too much about their construction and history. Peter’s talk will help fill a few gaps in our knowledge.
IPSWICH & DISTRICT HISTORICAL TRANSPORT SOCIETY Wednesday 27 November: The Duke of Gloucester Steam Loco, History & Restoration, an illustrated talk by Steve Wakeland We meet at 7.30pm at the Salvation Army Citadel, 558 Woodbridge Road, Ipswich; entrance via the rear car park, visitors £3.50, members £1.50 including refreshments. 01473 422145 / www.idhts.co.uk
There’s no meeting in December; we meet again on 21 January. We meet at Kesgrave War Memorial Community Centre IP5 1JF at 7.15pm. Visitors (even if not National Trust members) are welcome; the entrance fee is £3. National Trust members and volunteers can join us for £8 per year (£12 per couple at same address). We publish three newsletters a year for members and enjoy interesting day outings and other events. For more information, including details of future events and outings, contact our membership secretary: membershipesnta@gmail.com / 01473 723761 www.membershipesnta.btck.co.uk
VILLAGE LINK Our next meeting is on November 13 at 10am in Tattingstone Village Hall when Iestyn Edwards will present an amusing talk and act entitled My Tutu Went AWOL. Our aim is to bring communities together and over the years we have attracted members, men and women of all ages, from many villages. Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month from 10am-noon. I would like to welcome back any former members and to see new members from all local villages at our meetings, either as visitors or members.
BELSTEAD GARDEN CLUB Wednesday 20 November Chelsea Gold medal winner Peter Skeggs-Gooch from Thorncroft Clematis is our speaker, a great opportunity to hear an expert in his field. Get there at 7.15 for a 7.30pm start. All welcome.
CAPEL COUNTRYSIDE CLUB Our talk on Tuesday 12 November at 7.30pm in Capel Methodist Church is by Alex Bass on the wildlife and landscape of the North Norfolk Coast. This promises to be a very good evening as the speaker is very knowledgeable, and a good photographer, so do come and join us. Visitors welcome. In October we had an excellent presentation on the Isles of Scilly and its wildlife and flora by Chris Parfitt. It was a pity not many people came; they certainly missed an excellent evening. It was surprising to learn that there are 145 islands, of which 140 are inhabited. St Mary’s is the largest with a population of 1,500.
Chairman Linda Evans: 01473 311262 Registered charity no: 1085900
KNIT ‘N’ STITCH / crafting afternoon If you can sew, knit or crochet, or like to make or create in any other medium and fancy working alongside others with a creative streak, come along to our new club. Bring your own project or get inspiration to start a new one. We meet at Belstead Village Hall every Tuesday afternoon from 1.30-3.30pm. Refreshments available. For more information contact Diane: 07981 335859
CRAFTERS UNLIMITED A craft club which meets on the first Monday of the month (except for bank holidays when it’s the following Monday). Saturday workshops (10am4pm) and Monday meetings (7.30-10pm) are held in Wherstead Village Hall Meeting Rooms. Samples of each project are displayed the month before and other projects are available. In September we enjoyed a very successful and jolly AGM for our 10 year anniversary celebration with refreshments and cake. Most members made a very pretty lava beaded bracelet and some finished their felt puffins Monday 4 November: Honeycomb Greeting Card (Jill) Monday 2 December: Christmas refreshments and we will also create a Pompom Holly Card The first meeting of 2020 will be on Monday 6 January. Contacts: Ann 01473 780298 / Jill 01473 713534
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9 Put your best feet forward for the cosiest dress-down day of the year!
Host your own Dress-Down Day between October and December Simply don your comfiest slippers or pyjamas for the day, in your workplace, school, community or home. Donate £1 (or more!) and raise money to help older people in Suffolk who may be lonely or isolated. More than 1 in 10 people over 65, say that they are often or always lonely. £50 could help to pay for a telephone befriender for a year for a lonely, isolated older person, who may not see or speak to anyone for a week, month or more. Every penny we raise, stays in Suffolk to help improve the lives of older people in the county. Email fundraising@ageuksuffolk.org for a Fundraising Pack, or call 01473 298683 for more details on how you can get involved. SUPPORTED BY
Improving the lives of older people across Suffolk
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Schools BENTLEY & COPDOCK PRIMARY SCHOOLS We rounded off our amazing Foxes and Adders activity week with a trip to Flatford Mill. The older children have enjoyed a science day at East Bergholt, a music festival at Ipswich High School, and an exciting Crumble Taster Day (programming robots) at BT! If you would like to know more about any of these events please take a look at the school website. Once again, both schools hosted a Macmillan Coffee Event, and as a Federation we raised £339 for the charity. That was a brilliant effort – a big well done and pat on the back to everyone who contributed to the total. We celebrated Harvest with some learning at the church followed by a service which parents attended. All our donations for Harvest have been shared with homeless charities in Ipswich. We thank all our families for their generosity. The children across the Federation have had their photos taken looking smart in their uniforms, and on November 5 the Reception children will have their first class photos published in the local newspaper. This year we have invited a guest speaker into our schools to discuss Remembrance with the children in our assemblies and we will be holding the traditional minute silence. After half term, we invited parents to come into our schools to see how maths is being taught in class. The children then shared their learning across the curriculum with their parents. We are once again opening our schools up for parents to look around ahead of applying for a Foundation Stage place from September 2020. Both schools will host an open evening and also a daytime opportunity for parents to see the schools in action. The Copdock open event will be held on Wednesday 13 November at 9.45am and 6.30pm. Bentley will be holding their open events on Tuesday 19 November at 1.30pm and again at 6pm in the evening. If you would like to know more, please visit the website or contact the relevant school directly. We would appreciate if you could let us know if you intend to come along to our open events so that we have an idea of numbers. If you are unable to make any of these dates, please contact the school office directly to make an appointment to look around at another time. We are now beginning to look towards Christmas and our annual celebrations. The children will soon be practising carols and learning their plays. Bentley and Copdock Schools will be sharing their Christmas performances in early December. Our Christmas Fayres will be taking place on Friday 13 December at 3.15pm for Bentley and, at the time of writing, we haven’t confirmed the date for Copdock, so please keep an eye on the website for more details and support our fundraisers in any way you can.
Baby Bears Staff in the baby room have been busy making changes. We have a new and improved ‘cosy corner’ utilising our adult chair, cosy blankets, cushions and books. We have also introduced a new craft station where the children can self-select from a variety of craft supplies including paper, crayons, paintbrushes and stickers. The babies have enjoyed having more freedom with the resources they encounter. Toddling Tigers We have been working closely with the parents who kindly donated unwanted ‘real’ resources from home. We have revamped and upcycled many items to create an exciting new learning environment which has sparked the children’s curiosity, provided many new learning opportunities and continues to broaden their imagination. New skills have been developing quickly within our ‘in the moment’ planning ethos which encourages children to explore new skills straightaway, rather than planning for these moments to take place ‘next time’. We are now working with the children when they show an interest and this readiness to adopt new learning experiences has heightened positive outcomes. Grufflalos In the Gruffalo room we are continuing to embrace the Curiosity Approach. A key element of this approach is celebrating the seasons. During October we have explored autumn, both outdoors and at Forest School and within the room. We visited the allotments (many thanks to Sue, Graham and Steve for making this possible) to explore autumn there and the children have helped to create an autumn display using conkers, pumpkins and autumn leaves. Forest School
Forest School is back and we are already learning about what autumn means in the natural world and the lovely colours Mother Nature treats us to at this time of year. Leaf play, conkers, acorns, and blackberry picking have played a rich part of our first few weeks of autumn exploration, introducing new language skills and developing senses. We’re busy planting daffodil and tulip bulbs to see what pretty surprises we get in spring. The babies are enjoying naps in the hammock with the leaves falling around them. Our new outside mud kitchen has been very busy with lots of delicious treats being made.
If you would like to get involved in either of our PTAs please visit the website or contact the school offices direct for more details.
Over the next few weeks, we will be busy tidying the vegetable garden, making homes for the animals in the winter and the Gruffalos will have their first campfire.
For more news and up to date information about the schools, please visit: www.bentleycopdock.co.uk
If you would like further information about Robin’s Childcare, please contact Emma on 01473 310767 or email us at: info@robinschildcare.co.uk
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sport / on the grapevine EAST BERGHOLT FC
BELSTEAD CARPET BOWLS
We are pleased to announce Smy IT Specialists as shirt sponsor for all three of our adult men’s teams this season. The club is very grateful for this support. On the playing side, the 1st Team games have been high scoring with nine coming in a 7-2 home victory over Trimley Red Devils and eight in a 4 all draw away at Bildeston Rangers. These were either side of Suffolk Senior Cup exit at Cranes. The Reserves have still to register a victory, but have played only two games to date while the A Team have a loss, a draw and a win so far. Upcoming Fixtures 1st Team – Senior Division 2 Nov: Leiston St Margarets (H) 9 Nov: Coplestonians (A) 16 Nov: Crane Sports (A) 23 Nov: Westerfield Utd (H) 30 Nov: Henley Athletic (A) Reserves – League A 26 Oct: Claydon Res (A) 2 Nov: Bramford Utd Res (A) 9 Nov: Old Newton Res (H) 16 Nov: Bacton Utd 89 (H) 23 Nov: Haughley Utd Res (A) 30 Nov: AFC Kesgrave Res (H)
We haven’t entered the Joe Rice Cup for a couple of years so it was nice to get off to a winning start when we visited Bentley in the preliminary round, where after some good displays we finished with an 8-2 win. The return game was played in the usual friendly spirit associated with our visitors and with one tight game and three comfortable wins, we ran out 10-0 winners. Now we look forward to playing Knodishall in the next round. Let’s hope that these two games have got us in mood for the winter season ahead.
EBONY’S BLOG: Life at The Shelley Centre By the time you read my November blog, the clocks will have gone back and we’ll all be in darkness by teatime. That’s why I’m showing off photos of the Pony Day we had in early October when the weather was lovely, nobody got cold or wet, and the six participants thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Well done everybody.
A Team – League C 26 Oct: Coplestonians A (H) 2 Nov: Sporting 87 A (A) 9 Nov: Henley Athletic Res (H) 16 Nov: Wenhaston Ud Res (H) 30 Nov: Wickham Market Res (A) Fixtures are subject to change. Please refer to: http://fulltime.thefa.com/Index.do?league=4358069 Sponsorship We would like to thank this season’s sponsors: Smy IT Specialists, JAK, Riverside Taxis Manningtree Marquis, Bergholt Travel, G & C Timber & Joinery Ltd, Primus and Kitchen Worktops Online. If you would like to sponsor the club in some capacity we would also be delighted to hear from you. Ladies and Juniors We are looking for new teams, boys or girls, of any age group to join us as we look for the club to grow. Also ladies who would like to join are welcome. If you are interested please contact David George at: davidgeorge5000@hotmail.com
We had a presence at the Hadleigh On Show event on the same day and saw many old friends and riders as they passed our table. I got to have my very own poster, which generated lots of interest. We think we may have picked up some more helpers, you know who you are! It will be great to have you on board. Getting cold and wet is part of the joy of involvement with horses, as many of my readers will know. The maintenance team has a brilliant way of keeping warm, however, and if you’d like to find out what it is, do come and join it!
Events This upcoming season is the 125th anniversary of the club and there will be special events to mark this momentous achievement. We want to get in touch with as many former players and officials as possible. Please let us have your details by replying to the secretary or on our Facebook page. Keep in touch for detail, but keep Easter Sunday 2020 free. The FIFA tournament will be repeated and is open to all-comers so keep an eye out for the next one. It is also anticipated that the darts tournament will become a regular event and will be open to all, so look out for the next event to be held in January 2020. Follow us on: Facebook: Ease Bergholt United Football Club Instagram: east_bergholt_united_fc Twitter: @EBUFC1 Steve Butcher (Secretary): stevebutcher55@btinternet.com
Pumpkins, fireworks and rehearsals for Christmas nativity plays all contribute to the rapid pace of the autumn term. Here we push on for our riders’ achievements and progress and everyone enjoys the signs of success, however great or small they may be. I know Margaret will be looking out for a baby to take the part of Jesus at our carol service on December 7. What are you up to this month? If you feel time is dragging, or your own four walls are closing in on you, why not try something new? There is a valuable slot here for everybody, whatever your skills, or lack of them. We horses need help with everything, from making coffee for the volunteers to working a computer, our four hooves do a remarkable job for disabled riders but we can’t manage the practicalities at all. www.shelleyrda.com / 01473 824172
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On the grapevine / Church News TATTINGSTONE FETE & DOG SHOW Tattingstone Fete Trust are pleased to announce that after costs were taken into consideration, the profit from this year’s fete was £1,989 which has been made up to £2,000.
Tattingstone Playing Fields: £100 This donation is to say ’thank you’ for allowing the fete to use the village playing fields and to assist in its upkeep.
The breakdown of donations is as follows:
Tattingstone News; £40 This donation was made earlier in the year to help our local publication and to ensure a front page advert promoting the fete.
Tattingstone Speedwatch: £750 Speeding is such a major issue throughout the village and we hope that this donation will benefit everyone. Blossom Appeal: £350 This donation is for the local charity set up by Ipswich Hospital to improve care for anyone touched by breast cancer.
We still have some unclaimed raffle prizes including the signed ITFC shirt, silver plated goblets and Waitrose hamper, so if you still have your tickets (Green 249, Yellow 689, Pink 410, Blue 729, Blue 630), please contact me before December 5: suegipps@btinternet.com / 07850 214928
Tattingstone Primary School: £260 The trust has already donated £131 to the PTA this year for the 2019 Pen Pix licence. Hopefully this donation can cover some items needed for the school as well as their 2020 licence.
Tattingstone Fete & Fun Dog Show 2020 Tattingstone Fete Trust has been made aware that there are members of the village who wish to put on an event next year, very similar to the annual Fete & Fun Dog Show. It has therefore been decided not to put on our usual event in 2020, giving others the chance to put on a fete with their own ideas.
Tattingstone Good Neighbours: £250 This committed group of people help improve the lives of the elderly in the village and we wanted to ensure its continuance.
We are planning to hold various events throughout 2020, aiming not just to give villagers more choice, but to also raise money for local charities. More details to follow.
Tattingstone Christmas Pensioners Lunch: £250 The trust hopes that this will not only buy the turkeys, but allow the pensioners a tipple or two to accompany their meal.
CAPEL & HOLBROOK METHODIST CHURCHES An Outer Veneer Under the showroom lights, it looked a wonderful piece of furniture. I was taken in. I imagined it was solid wood, built to last. Within the year, a thin layer of veneer started to come away and soon cracked to expose chipboard beneath. In time other bits peeled away and it was looking a tatty bit of furniture which needed to be replaced.
Rev Andrew Sankey, Minister at Capel & Holbrook Methodist Churches 8 Roundridge Road, Capel St Mary IP9 2UG apsankey@gmail.com / 01473 311178 / 07966 187216
Sometime people can be the same. We superficially look the part, but after a few knocks and bruises, we are a mess. I’ve just read about a case from a different continent where four policemen have been charged with the kidnap and murder of three Christian workers who were working to support poor people suffering from injustice. The four policemen had the outer respectability of a police uniform, but underneath were murderers.
Sunday 3 10.30am 6.30pm Sunday 10 9.45am 6.30pm Sunday 17 10.30am Sunday 24 10.30am 6.30pm Saturday 30 3.30pm
There have been cases in this country where what seem like respectable people, serving in the community or church, yet in the dark side of their lives, committing bad and sometimes criminal acts. We can all think of examples in many walks of life where politicians, social workers, teachers, church leaders, doctors and so forth have been caught doing something wicked, bringing their profession into disrepute. It’s not new: 2650 years ago a prophet called Amos spoke to the religious people of his day about the hollowness of the rituals they went through. They may offer their worship and their sacrifices, but God sees through their pretence – the outer veneer, he knows what is at the heart of these people. We all to some extent or other, put on masks to cover the real self, to cope in a world with the pressures to conform. But there is one place, which is open to all, where we can go and be totally open and honest, admitting our shallowness, our veneer, our failures. That place can be anywhere and everywhere – it’s a place to talk with God who knows everything about you without you saying a word, and he loves you, despite the worst things you might have done. If you are honest with him, you will know a peace that the world cannot give. If there is criminal wrongdoing, justice may need to be done (as we hope for the court case of the four policemen – one of whom has made confession to the court). Amos says; “let justice cascade down like a mighty river, and righteousness like an inexhaustible stream.” The promise of our honesty before God, a stream of righteous acts flowing through our lives to bless others. Acts, not from the outer veneer of superficial rituals, but from a solid foundation of a relationship with Jesus Christ.
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AT CAPEL METHODIST Home Groups on various days and times – contact the Minister Worship with Mr Simon Scott Prayer Remembrance Service with Rev Andrew Sankey Worship with Rev Andrew Sankey Worship with Mr Stephen Walker Worship with Rev Andrew Sankey United Prayer at Capel Community Church Messy Church
AT HOLBROOK METHODIST HCT – Holbrook Churches Together Tea and Chat: Mondays, 2.30-4pm (HCT) Home Groups: Second & fourth Tuesday at 7.30pm Saturday 2 10-11.30am Coffee Morning Sunday 3 10am Worship and Communion with Rev Sankey Friday 8 3.30pm Messy Church (HCT) Sunday 10 10am United Service at All Saints – Remembrance Sunday Sunday 17 10am Family Friendly Worship with Mrs Jane Paterson Sunday 24 10am Worship with Rev Diane Smith 6.30pm Something Different Please see the notice board on the front of the chapel for all events in November. For more information about Messy Church and Tiddlers (HCT) contact Gerald Laws: geraldolaws@aol.com / 01473 328507 Holbrook Methodist Church will respond to the FIND (Families in Need) charity this Christmas as part of their Christmas Appeal for gifts to be included in the food parcels available before December 25. We will not be supporting the Shoe Box Appeal this year. Thanks.
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CHURCH NEWS HOLY FAMILY ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Ipswich Road, Brantham CO11 1TB Parish Priest: Fr Paul Vincent 180 Hawthorn Drive, Ipswich IP2 0QQ / 01473 684963 www.stmarksparish.org.uk SERVICES FOR NOVEMBER Sunday 3 9am
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass
Tuesday 5 9.30am Morning Prayer 10am Mass Sunday 10 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 9am Mass Tuesday12 9.20am Eucharistic Adoration 10am Mass Sunday 17 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 9am Mass Tuesday 19 9.30am Morning Prayer 10am Mass Sunday 24 Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of The Universe 9am Mass Tuesday 26 9.20am Eucharistic Adoration 10am Mass CATHOLIC COMMENTARY Pope Francis invites us to “look upwards” because, thanks to Mary’s assumption, “Heaven is open and we need no longer be afraid”. In St Luke’s Gospel, the Evangelist recorded the words of Our Lady as she prayed: “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour”. Before reciting the Angelus, Pope Francis reflected on the two verbs in that prayer: to rejoice and to magnify. “We rejoice when something so beautiful happens that it is not enough to rejoice inside, in the soul, but we want to express happiness with the whole body. Mary rejoices because of God, she teaches us to rejoice in God, because He does great things.” “To magnify means to exalt a reality for its greatness, for its beauty,” continued Pope Francis. “Mary proclaims the greatness of the Lord. She shows us that if we want our life to be happy, God must be placed first, because He alone is great.” He warned of getting lost in the pettiness of life, chasing after things of little importance, “prejudices, grudges, rivalries, envy and superfluous material goods”. Mary, on the other hand, invites us to “look upward at the ‘great things’ the Lord has accomplished in her”. “Let us be attracted by true beauty,” the Pope concluded, “let us not be drawn in by the petty things in life, but let us choose the greatness of Heaven”. Pope Francis concluded by praying that the Blessed Virgin Mary, Gate of Heaven, may help us daily to fix our gaze with confidence and joy “on the place where our true home lies”. EVENTS AND DIARY DATES The 100 Club draw took place on October 13 at Holy Family when three lucky winners shared a £165 prize pot. The next draw takes place on Sunday 24 November. The club, set up to support the life and mission of our parish, has grown from strength to strength since its launch. New members are always very welcome and the newsletter, that includes an application form, can be found at the rear of the church or at: www.stmarksparish.org.uk Every last Thursday of the month a Bring & Buy Coffee Morning takes place at Viv and Wyn’s home, Paddock Gate, Whitehorse Road, East Bergholt CO7 6TR from 10.30am to noon. We are raising funds for the new carpet in the Parish Room and all are very welcome to join us.
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CHURCH NEWS THE NORTH SAMFORD BENEFICE Sproughton with Burstall, Copdock with Washbrook and Belstead & Bentley with Tattingstone For parish queries please contact: The Rev Annette Shannon The Rectory, Glebe Close, Sproughton, Ipswich IP8 3BQ revannettes@aol.co.uk / 01473 807674 Benefice Administrator Hayley Purnell northsamfordbenefice@gmail.com / 07904 972116 My Faith Process I was baptised, received my First Holy Communion and was Confirmed in my faith within the Roman Catholic Church in the seventies in Vitoria-Gasteiz, my hometown in Navarre (also known as the Basque Country). This was all made possible thanks to the unwavering faith, love and guidance of my mother. Nevertheless, as time went by, I become inexplicably uncomfortable as a Roman Catholic fellow. The big clash came when I started studying theology some months after I had my first encounter with God, and I received my call to priesthood. There were fundamental things I couldn´t agree with regarding the way the Roman Catholic church works on a daily basis. However, I couldn´t find it in my heart to cross the red line and join a protestant denomination. Therefore I took up my cross: I finished my theological studies (five years) and regardless of the fact that I had been accepted as a member of the community in my hometown´s seminary, I finally rejected the idea of becoming an ordained minister for one reason: I did joyfully accept the poverty and obedience vows but I couldn´t accept the burden of celibacy. I wasn´t able to reconcile the fact that I was being called to be a priest with the fact that I couldn´t conceive a life without marriage. That inflicted a deep wound which I have been trying to heal for nearly 20 years. Unfortunately, after leaving the faculty, the good habits I had cultivated over the years (the ones that any good Christian usually adopts: personal prayer, theological readings, sacraments, and attending and belonging to a Christian community) began to feature less and less in my daily life. Eventually, I became a shadow of the man I used to be. I lost sight of the purposeful life I used to be driven by. Nevertheless, the glowing embers of my faith prevented me from rejecting God or to lose my great respect for the Christian Faith and the Universal Church. In the end it was not too late to rekindle my faith with the blessing of a second opportunity afforded by Our Father because the time is always perfect according to His standards. Four years ago I met an Anglican fellow in my hometown (which was as likely as to find an alligator in the North Pole!) and one year ago I married my English wife. I don´t believe in coincidences. After a whole life of spiritual pilgrimage, trying to find the right place, I had found it together with the redemption and peace of mind my soul has been searching for, for so long. To become a member of the Church of England is something I will never take for granted. I want to give you thanks not only for opening the doors of your home but also for enabling me to commence my process of vocational discernment, and walking with me on this path until I become an ordained minister, if that is God´s Will. Raul Arkaia North Samford Baby and Toddler Group 9.30-11.30am at Sproughton Church Hall on Mondays in term time. Suggested donation £2 per family. Leaders: The Rev Annette Shannon (01473 807674) / Doreen (01473 311122) End of the Conservation Area The churchyard at All Saints Sproughton has included a managed wildlife area for many years to encourage the churchyard flora and fauna. Unfortunately the PCC are no longer able to maintain the area. It requires raking after the autumn cutting involving approximately six hours of very tiring work. Sadly we no longer have the resources available to us.
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Sproughton Bonfire, Fireworks and Barbecue Sproughton Millennium Green, Lower Street, Sproughton IP8 3AD on Friday 1 November. Entrance is by donation of £6 for adults and £3 for children (under-4s free). Excellent barbecue selling reasonably priced food. This is a popular family event attracting 1,800 last year. Parking available at the school in Church Lane (if not too wet – £1 per car) or in the village. Limited disabled parking available on the green – please report to the steward on duty at the gate. No other gimmicks for the children to nag for! This event will go-ahead even in the rain! Card payments accepted at entrance gate and barbecue. Schedule: 7pm barbecue, 7.15pm bonfire, 8pm fireworks. To check the latest times or cancellations call: 01473 857955 Christmas at Kew Gardens Light Show Thursday 5 December with time in Windsor for shopping or visiting the castle beforehand. Tickets including coach from Tattingstone and entrance to the Light Show are £45. Contact Lyn Tomlinson: 07762 326254 / lyn_tomlinson@btinternet.com Special Confirmation Service Sunday 8 December at 4pm led by Bishop Mike Copdock Christmas Market Saturday 7 December from 10am in the Church Room FROM THE REGISTERS Baptisms Amelia Treanor – Copdock Alfie Boyle – Bentley Weddings Felicity Talbot & Alexander Neaves – Copdock Funerals Ethel May Steward – Copdock Robert Bass – Tattingstone NOVEMBER Friday 1 Saturday 2 Wednesday 6 Thursday 7 Wednesday 20 Saturday 23 Sunday 24
Sproughton Bonfire, Fireworks and Barbecue, 7pm Copdock Monthly Market, 10am Bentley Home Communions, 10am Bentley Coffee & Company, 10am Burstall Community Lunch, 12.30pm Tattingstone PCC Copdock Home Communions, 10am Sproughton Beetle Drive, 7.30pm Sproughton Christingle (see p13)
SERVICES IN THE BENEFICE Sunday 3 November 8am Copdock 9.30am Burstall 10am Bentley 10am Copdock 11am Sproughton 3pm Tattingstone
Holy Communion Holy Communion Family@Church Morning Prayer Family@Church Bereavement Service
Sunday 10 November 9.30am Burstall 10am Copdock 10.15am Sproughton 10.50am Bentley War Memorial 10.50am Belstead War Memorial 10.50am Tattingstone
Remembrance Service Remembrance & Holy Communion Remembrance Service Act of Remembrance Act of Remembrance Act of Remembrance
In Touch online:
CHURCH NEWS Sunday 17 November 9.30am Burstall 10am Copdock 10am Bentley 11am Sproughton 3.30pm Tattingstone
Holy Communion Simply Sunday Family Service Holy Communion Family@Church
Sunday 24 November 8am Sproughton 9.30am Burstall 10am Bentley 10am Copdock 10am Belstead 6pm Tattingstone 5pm Sproughton
Holy Communion Matins Holy Communion Holy Communion Morning Celebration Holy Communion Christingle
To advertise in this section, which appears in 18 magazines in areas across Suffolk and Essex, please contact a member of our sales team on 01473 400380
Please submit church letters and copy for the December edition of In Touch to Hayley Purnell by November 4: northsamfordbenefice@gmail.com
We are now looking for people who would like to open their garden to raise funds for The Blossom Appeal between April and September 2020.
All types and size of garden are very welcome and you choose your preferred day and opening times.
To help make your Open Garden a success, we will send you a fundraising pack and personalised marketing materials. We will also help promote your special day to ensure everyone knows about it.
REGISTER YOUR GARDEN NOW:
www.colchesteripswichcharity.org.uk/opengardens The Blossom Appeal is helping to raise ÂŁ2.5m to build a new breast care centre at Ipswich Hospital. The new centre will bring all elements of breast care under one roof for the first time. We want every breast care patient to have the best possible experience when they visit the hospital and need your help to make our dream a reality.
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Dry Carpet Cleaning Professional Local Service For a FREE no obligation quotation
call John Burch: 07870 347486
Tel: 01449 721441
0300 770 1369 charity@esneft.nhs.uk www.colchesteripswichcharity.org.uk
www.keepingintouchwith.com/copdock
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HODIE!
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