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with Baylham, Gt. & Lt. Blakenham & Nettlestead Volume 7 • Issue No. 4 • FEBRUARY 2017
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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR The oldest member of my family died just before Christmas. Kathleen, my great-aunt and surrogate ‘godfather’ since the death of her husband Jimmy when I was 15, died at the remarkable age of 97. She died peacefully at home, surrounded by her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews (including my dad). Despite her age, Kathleen maintained an aura of quiet authority which I’ve always admired. She wasn’t scary or aloof, as often those we defer to can be, but somehow demanded respect from all who knew her. She always had time to chat, putting the kettle on before you’d even sat down. The fact that she was tall and had a very distinctive voice made her standout from the other women I knew as a child. I was never afraid of her, but I would never have wanted to be in her bad books either. Kathleen’s death has inspired me to do a little research into my family tree. I don’t plan to take it too seriously just yet, but just want to get the last couple of generations in place so I know who’s who. It has been fascinating. My dad helped with his side of the family and we did quite well, though he knows very little of his American cousins and nothing of all about their families. Most of my mum’s family still live in Ireland so that side of the tree is a bit more complete. They had big families back then. My dad had 15 aunts and uncles! One child, as I have, would have been a complete anomaly. And the same names came up again and again. I know my parents had intended to call me Elizabeth after my grandmother, but my dad decided he didn’t want my life to be as difficult as hers so broke with tradition and found a name which made its first appearance in the Burke family tree (to some astonishment) in 1969. Elizabeth is my second name. I now wish I knew more about the people who are my family, however distant, and also wonder how I will be perceived when my name is added to a family tree in years to come, perhaps by my great-grandniece. Mostly I wish I could spend time with my long-lost grandparents to talk about their lives. I have so many question. If you can do so, make the most of every opportunity to know those who can still share their lives with you. I also hope I’ll be doing The Times crossword every day when I’m 97, just as Kathleen did.
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with Baylham, Gt. & Lt. Blakenham & Nettlestead
In Touch with Baylham, Gt. & Lt. Blakenham & Nettlestead is published by: Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd, 20 Wharfedale Road, Ipswich IP1 4JP Editor: Sharon Jenkins Email: sharon@intouchnews.co.uk
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NEWS SnOasis PARISH ALLIANCE (SPA) If you live in the area around the proposed SnOasis development in Great Blakenham, you may be aware that the developer, Onslow Suffolk, have put in an application to Mid Suffolk District Council for SnOasis Reserved Matters to be considered – Planning Application no. 4494/16. This is not a renewal of the original planning approval, which still stands, but is the detail of the following matters: design, appearance, transport, drainage, ecological mitigation, etc. Full details can be found on the Mid Suffolk District Council website at: www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/planning-andbuilding/planning/snoasis/ Claydon and Whitton, Barham, Great Blakenham, Somersham and Little Blakenham Parish Councils, along with Nettlestead and Baylham Parish Meetings have agreed to form the Snoasis Parish Alliance, a group to work together to consider the details of the SnOasis Reserved Matters and to exert more influence than we can as individual organisations. An invitation to join us has been sent to all the other councils who are being consulted by Mid Suffolk District Council over Reserved Matters and we are expecting membership of the SPA to increase. Individual councils will still be making their own responses to Mid Suffolk District Council, but we believe that sharing both expertise and the workload will benefit both councils and residents. We are committed to working with Mid Suffolk District Council to obtain the information necessary for councils to be able to make informed and constructive comments. It is also intended that existing expertise amongst the councils will be used to analyse and comment on the vast amount of very detailed (and sometimes very technical) information that we are expecting the developer to provide. As more information still has to be provided by the developer it is anticipated that the process of commenting on Reserved Matters will continue for several months. The SPA has also set up a web page to inform residents of what is happening. It is hosted on the Great Blakenham Parish Council website: http://greatblakenham.onesuffolk.net/snoasis-parish-alliance/ For further information, please email Janet Gobey, the clerk to the SPA: snoasispa@icloud.com Steve Plume Chairman SnOasis Parish Alliance
BAYLHAM VILLAGE HALL Work has begun on refurbishments to Baylham Village Hall following receipt of a grant from SUEZ Communities Trust. The management committee of the hall are very grateful to SUEZ for enabling much-needed improvements to be made.
STOWMARKET AND DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Regular networking opportunities for February 2017 Friday, February 3, 10am-noon: Coffee Morning Networking at Needham Market Community Centre Friday, February 17, 6.45am: Networking Breakfast at The Mix, Ipswich Street, Stowmarket
Please check the online events page for further details and to book: www.stowmarketchamber.co.uk
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NEWS COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLOR’S REPORT JOHN FIELD’S REPORT TO GIPPING VALLEY: JANUARY 2017 The Latest Budget Situation The local government settlement is now with us. It is essentially in line with the predictions although the county can now bring forward the social care ‘precept’ or council tax, making it 3% per year for the next two years rather 2% per year for three years. This precept yielded £5.4m in 2016-17 and will rise to £24m in 201920. An improved Better Care Fund of £0.9m in 2017-18, rising to £20.3 in 2019-20, will be diverted from the New Homes Bonus that district councils receive. These changes will help the county cope with a reduction in its Revenue Support Grant from £68.3m in 201617 to £16.3m in 2019-20. However, you can see the size of the cuts even before the increasing need is considered. The problems funding social care and the knock-on effect on the NHS that we all hear about continually will continue. This is a service where some grown-up discussions about funding are required. Highways Scrutiny of highways revealed much hope that the contract can be made to work, but not a lot of evidence that progress is being made. However, the backlog of schemes funded from councillors’ highways locality budgets is reducing quite significantly and the allocation of a budget to flooding issues is resulting in action. An issue at the end of Pest House Lane in Barham has been fixed. We were told that the Highway Maintenance Operational Plan (HMOP) was either ill-defined or not followed and it has been replaced with a more focused document. The plan to move away from reactive work to the less costly preventative maintenance work has led to the number of reactive repairs (pothole fixes, etc.) falling from 2,123 in July 2015 to 1,361 in July 2016. A trial of a ‘temporary closure 15-minute delay’ sign as an alternative to a full road closure was successful. In many instances, roads were not carrying traffic at the time work was to be done and traffic could be safely steered past the site without any delay. This process will be used widely with substantial savings in time spent on diversion routes and in cost to the county. The integration of the county and Kier highways teams continues and I hope improvement will accelerate. Overall, this contract has been a rather disastrous move from the in-house Suffolk County Council highways teams to Kier, but is now perhaps heading in the right direction. In a considerable list of recommendations, we insisted that communication with councillors, parish councils and communities should be improved.
Roads Mud covers some roads in Somersham and Great Blakenham. I am pressing for action, but as with the schemes for bollards and yellow lining the current turmoil in highways is causing delays. Park and Ride Changes planned for the Ipswich Park and Ride are dependent on a number of road improvements. The total estimate for these exceeded £2m, a sum the administration thought impossible to provide. The county will therefore transfer the service back to First who believe that it can be run as it is, without a subsidy but with buses at 15-minute intervals. As no other similar service runs without a subsidy, it will be interesting to see how long this continues. Planning-Kingfisher Drive At the planning meeting on January 11, we agreed to allow MSDC to convert 11 of the 23 affordable houses to shared ownership. They intended to offer these to local people for just one month before release on a wider market. This appeared ridiculously short: local people need time to react. I asked for an increase and three months was agreed. One good point was that the money from this development for the Zebra Crossing is still in place. With the first houses ready for occupation soon this could be released in the next couple of months. We may see the zebra in place by the summer. District Council Financial Forecasts The changes to the New Homes Bonus have been firmed up in local government settlement. This bonus gives a sum equivalent to the council tax to the district council for a number of years for each home built in the district. Where expansion is over 0.4% the reward will be paid for five years in 2017-18 then for four years. This will cost Mid Suffolk £450k in 2017-18 and £855k in 2018-19. This shows how important house building and the New Homes Bonus is to the district council. Executive or Cabinet Mid Suffolk and Babergh are to change from the current system where a cross party executive is in ultimate political control to a single party cabinet. This is a strange decision given the current problem where large numbers of people feel their opinions are never heard. If you have queries please call me on 01473 831306 (you will need to say your name and press #) or email: john.field@suffolk.gov.uk www.john.field@suffolk.libdems.org
Dad always brought her roses, today was no different It’s the little things that make a funeral special Here for you every hour of every day
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March Accounting & Taxation Services Ian Coombes FCCA MBA
• FREE initial consultation to discuss any tax, accounting and general business issues • Payroll, Auto Enrolment,VAT, Self Assessment, and full accounting service • Personable and professional tailored support • Fees agreed in advance • Out of office hours service available Individuals, self employed and limited companies
Please call Ian on: 01449 740285 / 07939 837939 E: ian@marchconsultingltd.co.uk
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NEWS GREAT BLAKENHAM PARISH COUNCIL We have good news on the allotments as the one year licence between the council and the landowner has been signed. By the time you read this, notices will have been posted on the village noticeboards, website and at the allotments asking plot holders to contact Janet Gobey, the clerk, to confirm whether or not they wish to continue with their plots. If you haven’t contacted Janet already, we would be very grateful if you could do so as soon as possible.
local councils who agreed to form the SnOasis Parish Alliance. The alliance is planning to work together to share the enormous workload produced by the Reserved Matters documentation and give a united voice to provide well thought out comments and raise concerns with Mid Suffolk District Council’s SnOasis team. For further information, Great Blakenham Parish Council has set up a page on our website: www.greatblakenham.onesuffolk.net/snoasis-parish-alliance
New agreements between the council and plot holders will be issued, but you can keep working your plot in the meantime.
Regarding the council itself, we are still working to fill the final vacancy for a councillor. If you are interested or would just like to know more about what being a councillor involves, please phone me for an informal chat.
We anticipate that some plots may become vacant, so if you already have a plot and would like another or if you would like to start being an allotment holder for the first time, please get in touch with Janet: pc@greatblakenham.suffolk.gov.uk / 01473 833520 Your parish council is committed to working closely with the landowners and their agents to obtain a longer term and more secure agreement and we will be pressing for this during the one year licence period. Any news on this will be put on our noticeboards and website, Twitter and Facebook accounts, as well as being posted up at the allotments, so please keep checking them. As new developments – housing and commercial – continue to be built in the village and surrounding areas, there is increasing pressure on local services, including education, health and particularly transport. We will continue to work with the county and district councillors to apply pressure at every opportunity to seek benefits for our parish. You will be aware that the Snoasis Reserved Matters planning application has been received. Only part of the Reserved Matters documentation has been received to date, so I anticipate that we will still be involved in the consultation process when this is published. As we receive further information and news, the website, Twitter and Facebook accounts will be updated, so please keep an eye on them. Great Blakenham Parish Council is one of the founder member
COMMUNITY TRUST WELCOMES APPLICATIONS FROM LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS Claydon and Barham Local Community Trust welcomes applications from local community groups within Claydon and Barham catchment area for small grants. Please supply a brief description of what the funding is required for. Also please inform us of when the funds are required and how it will benefit the community. All applications to be emailed to info@candbcc.co.uk or a letter sent to Claydon and Barham Community Centre, Church Lane Claydon IP6 0EG to arrive no later than Sunday, March 5. All applications will be considered by the trust committee and those volunteers who deliver your magazines at a meeting in April. It is now six years since Claydon and Barham Local Community Trust Ltd took over managing the distribution of your In Touch magazines, for which we receive financial remuneration. During this time we have been able to disseminate funds to a number of worthy causes, and are again in a position to accept funding applications for 2017. We have £1,000 to distribute. We take this opportunity to publically thank everyone who, month after month, in rain and sunshine, deliver more than 1,700 magazines, including those who help sort the magazines into 35 routes. Without everyone working together magazines would never reach your door. We are always looking for more volunteers to help and currently have two vacancies, one for Station Road and another for York Crescent. Magazines are delivered to your door during the last week of each month and you are asked to deliver them to a set group of properties by the end of the month at your convenience. If interested please contract Gail Cornish on 07932 478878 or Peter Avis on 07921 864042.
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As always, members of the public are very welcome to come along to our council meetings on the second Wednesday of each month at the Parish Rooms on Mill Lane. We have a new start time of 7pm – dates are listed on the website and on the parish council noticeboards around the village. If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, you will get a reminder when a meeting is coming up. At the beginning of each meeting, 15 minutes are allocated in the agenda for members of the public to ask questions and raise any issues that are related to the council’s work. If you wish to raise something in the public forum, please arrive at the meeting at 7pm. We have very full agendas at the moment, so we need to keep to our timetable. We post information about the parish council and its work and items of local interest such as road closures, the allotments and the current avian flu outbreak on Facebook and Twitter where you can also message us. Our website has information about the work of the council, as well as copies of agendas and minutes of meetings. Facebook @greatblakenhampc / Twitter @pcgtblakenham www.greatblakenham.onesuffolk.net Steve Plume, Chairman Great Blakenham Parish Council
GREAT BLAKENHAM VILLAGE HALL & RECREATION GROUND Thank you to all who attended our New Year’s Eve party. It was a fantastic night and we hope you all had a great time. All monies raised from ticket sales and the raffle will be going to charity, more details of which will be published in next month’s edition. We have a few Saturday nights available for hire in March and April. If you wish to hire our popular hall in the coming months please contact the bookings secretary as early as possible to avoid disappointment: 01473 830312 We also have availability around weekly events and Friday evenings are currently available. Regular weekly events • Monday evening – Keep Fit and Bowls • Tuesday afternoon – Ballet • Tuesday evening – Badminton • Wednesday morning – Parent and Toddler Session • Wednesday evening – Kick-Boxing • Thursday evening – Bowls • Every third Saturday – Country and Western Dancing If you require further information on any of the above sessions please get in touch. We also have a conference room available for hire; see our website or Facebook page for further details. Enquiries to: halladmingbvh@btconnect.com / 01473 830312 Follow us on Facebook and check out our website which we update weekly. If you wish to advertise something on our website or Facebook page please email: halladmingbvh@btconnect.com
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NEWS / 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: 8am-1pm A happy 2017 to all our customers and volunteers – we look forward to seeing everybody in the shop in the coming year. Many thanks to all the volunteers who gave of their time to keep the shop open over the Christmas and New Year period, your efforts were much appreciated. Our Christmas Hamper raffles were popular and we had two happy winners. Our Tea and Chat afternoons continue and we have two more to go in 2017: Wednesday, February 22 and Wednesday, March 29, 2-4pm. Come along for a hot drink, a piece of cake and a chance to meet up with others for a chat during the cold weather. Also going well is the Petrolheads afternoons when those with an interest in all things motor driven meet for a chat and a cup of tea and a biscuit on the first Wednesday of each month in the Coffee Corner, 2-4pm. So if this is your thing you will be very welcome by other likeminded people Volunteering in the shop is an excellent way to meet new people and learn new skills. It’s also an excellent way to gain work experience to put on CVs for anybody wishing to join the world of work or going forward with education. We always welcome new volunteers, so if you are recently moved to our locality, recently retired or have a bit of time on your hands and wish to get to know more people, our community shop is an excellent facility for providing a heart to the local community and a place to meet up with other people. Of course the main purpose of the shop is to provide our customers with good quality, reasonably priced produce. We aim to support local producers and to that end we offer an excellent range of fresh local produce, eggs, bread, pies and cakes, all produced within a very short distance from us. These goods can also be pre-ordered so that you can be sure that what you require is there. We also have frozen foods and a whole range of other household goods. Our other services are there for all to use, please come in and you will be greeted by our friendly volunteer staff. • Orders can be taken for regular or one-off meat, bread, cakes • The coffee corner is a good place for a relaxing chat
CLAYDON & BARHAM COMMUNITY CENTRE Church Lane, Claydon IP6 0EG Santa visited with great success on his busy schedule and parents and children enjoyed the evening. The New Year’s Eve dance was well supported and all had a chance to shake themselves on the dance floor. Thank you to everyone who has supported the community centre; we look forward to your continuing involvement in 2017. FUTURE EVENTS Saturday, February 18: Valentine Celebrations with music supplied by Curt ‘n’ Rod, 7.30pm Saturday, February 25: Barham Athletic Race Night (see page 17) Wednesday, March 22: Pre-School Fundraiser (see page 10) Friday, April 7: Dan Poulter Surgery We have a wide and varied range of draft and bottled ales, ciders and lagers. Guinness and mild are also available and our premium lager, San Miguel, is now on tap. Pints of bitter start from just £2.50 and lager from just £2.90. The Community Café is proving to be extremely popular and their high teas are particularly worth indulging as a special treat. www.candbcc.com / 01473 831805 Facebook: Claydon Community Centre
IPSWICH MOBILE LIBRARY ROUTE 5 Route 5 MIP/5A MIP/5B MIP/5C MIP/5D MIP/5E MIP/5F MIP/5G MIP/5H MIP/5I MIP/5J MIP/5K
Town/village Location Time Sproughton Church Lane 9.10-9.25am Sproughton Wild Man 9.30-9.45am Bramford St Mary’s Close 9.50-10.05am Bramford Paper Mill Lane 10.10-10.25am Great Blakenham, Chequers 10.35-1055am Great Blakenham, Blue Leighs Mobile Home Park 11-11.15am Baylham Post Box 11.25-11.45am Claydon Crown 11.55am-1pm Claydon Edinburgh Gardens 2.05-2.20pm Barham Bacon Road 2.25-3.50pm Bramford Packard Place 4-4.30pm
2017 DATES February 14, March 14, April 11, May 9, June 6, July 4, August 1, August 29, September 26, October 24, November 21, December 19
• Find something new to read in the book exchange •A dry-cleaning service, at present it is collected by the cleaners on Tuesday mornings •W e also promote reuse and recycling in the shop and are always happy to receive reusable plastic carrier bags and egg boxes •N ewspapers and magazines can be ordered for collection at the shop •D elivery service for those with mobility problems So, not only a good place to shop and find local produce, meet up with people you haven’t seen in ages, but it also gives real heart to the local community. We look forward to seeing you there. MANAGEMENT TEAM Lucy Barrett, 831890; Terry Fordham, 831529; Jenny Hitchcock, 832060; Peter Jousiffe, 833577; Anne MacFadyen, 831288; Steve Woolhouse, 831080
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OUT & ABOUT GREAT BLAKENHAM CRAFT CLUB
EAST ANGLIA POTATO DAY
The new club year starts on February 6. The club meets every Monday other than bank holidays in the Parish Room on Stowmarket Road in Great Blakenham from 2-4pm from February to December. Members pay £2 per meeting to cover hall hire, refreshments, the monthly workshop goody bag and weekly raffle prizes.
Saturday, February 11, 9.30am-1.30pm, at Mid-Suffolk Showground Stonham Barns, Stonham Aspal, nr Stowmarket IP14 6AT
2017 PROGRAMME
As well as more than 80 varieties of seed potato available to buy per tuber, we also have onion sets and various stall-holders including Rougham Nurseries, King Seeds, master composters, chip tasting, seed swap, Hedgehog Rescue, tools, Suffolk Smallholders Association, bird boxes from Street Forge Workshops and advice from NSALG. For more details visit: www.eapd.btck.co.uk
February 6: 21 Century Advances st
March 6: A Bit of Dancing April 3: Wedding Season May 8: Stamping Techniques June 5: Guinness Book of Records July 3: Backgrounds August 7: Painting and Decorating September 4: Boxed Up October 2: Kantha November 13: Mini Makes Month December 4: Christmas Party If all this sounds interesting there is currently room for new members so if you would like to join us please get in touch. Although the club is all ladies at present gentlemen who would like to learn crafts are welcome, but unfortunately I cannot accommodate children. Jackie Durrant, 01449 672690
GREAT BLAKENHAM OVER 50s CLUB Great Blakenham Over 50s Club is open to anyone of that age living not just in Great Blakenham, but anywhere in the surrounding area. We meet from 2-4pm on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month in the Parish Room on Stowmarket Road in Great Blakenham. 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. Members take it in turns to make the tea. The Parish Room is the building with a green door more or less opposite the Chequers Public House. There is a parking area at the rear and the building is fully accessible and has disabled facilities within. Our programme for 2017 is still being worked on, but we will meet on February 8 and 22 (weather permitting). New members are always welcome, but if you would just like to come along and see what goes on we will be pleased to see you. Jackie Durrant, 01449 672690
Henley Players Presents….
Junior Summer Show Friday 2nd Sat 3rd June 2017
henleyplayersboxoffice@gmail.com
Potato Day is a gardening event with all our customers and volunteers being gardeners who grow spuds, be it on an allotment, smallholding, garden or in pots on the patio.
Previous visitors over the years will remember a very cold barn with canvas walls and a clinker floor, but recent building works have now transformed the barn into a solid building that has doubled in size with heating, carpet, space for a proper seating area for refreshments and the luxury of indoor toilets. 2017 will be the 22nd year and is a joint venture by members of three organic gardening groups: Suffolk Organic Gardeners, Norfolk Organic Group and Ipswich Organic Gardeners Group. Admission is £1.50.
4EVER YOUNG MEN’S CLUB The 4Ever Young Men’s Club meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 10.30am in the Crown at Claydon. Our Christmas lunch was a great success – good food, good company and a quiz that tested our memory because we used a lot of questions from the year before! We’re working hard to put together a timetable for 2017. Some good ideas came up at our last meeting which we’ll be trying to incorporate. We’re always looking for members and speakers, but if we don’t get the members, we can’t afford to pay for the speakers, so if you fit the bill (Forever Young) please come along to listen or talk, or both. The Crown at Claydon very kindly accommodates us and provides coffee for our meeting, and a number of us stay for a spot of lunch afterwards. The meetings give us the chance to sit and chat with old friends, meet new friends and learn of new interests and ideas. For more information, contact Mike Biddle on 07805 507497 or just turn up on the third Wednesday of the month. You will be very welcome.
LOOKING TO THE PAST AT ORCHARD BARN At Orchard Barn we learn from the past to improve the future. Past generations couldn’t pop down to the nearest DIY store to purchase their building materials, instead they used what was at hand. Clay dug from the ditches was used to make daub, hazel was coppiced to make wattle, trees were felled to create timber frames and shingles for the roof, flint used to face walls. Very little material was transported any distance and often it could be reused. We have clay lump blocks several hundred years old that can still be used. Want some string? Stinging nettle or rosebay willow herb fibre can be braided to create cordage. They didn’t have to worry about carbon foot prints! Of course some of these techniques take time but our ancestors didn’t have TVs, computers or mobile phones to fill their days. If you’d like to learn any of these skills visit www.orchardbarn.org.uk or contact us on 01473 658193 or 07766 054042.
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OUT & ABOUT MEET ‘N’ EAT LUNCH CLUB The Meet ‘n’ Eat Lunch Club meets at noon on the first Friday of each month at the Parish Rooms in Great Blakenham. Our regular meetings will continue throughout 2017 where for only £4 we serve a choice of soup with a roll and butter, home-made puddings with cream or custard and a cup of tea or coffee. In February, we are also offering a jacket potato with a choice of filling; a straw poll at the last meeting suggested they will be a sell-out. In addition, we offer the chance to sit and chat with old friends, make new friends, play a game of bingo, win the raffle and have a bit of fun. We have recently registered the club with Babergh and MidSuffolk District Council’s Food and Safety Team, who are helping us to comply with current regulations and to work towards a ‘Very Good’ food hygiene rating. A quick diary date – our first Friday in April will in fact be on March 31! We’ll keep reminding you. If you need more information, please contact Mike on 07805 507497 or just come along on the first Friday of the month with your friends. You will be very welcome.
IPSWICH BRANCH, SUFFOLK FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Thursday, February 23 at 7.30pm: Breda Stringer presents Victoria and her Children – The Ultimate Family History Tree Queen Victoria’s many children forged fascinating links to the Royal families and aristocrats across Europe. Breda takes us on a fascinating journey. We meet at the Co-op Education Centre where the pedestrian entrance is at 11 Fore Street, Ipswich IP4 1JW, and the car park entrance is in Waterworks Street IP4 1JG. Admission is £2 for society members and £2.50 for non-members, who are warmly welcomed. You can join the society at the meeting if you wish. Tickets are not required, just turn up and pay on the door. For more information contact Howard on 01473 274300 or visit: http://suffolkfhs.org.uk
SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARFS Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs by James Barry will be Needham Market Entertainment Company’s 20th pantomime. Join us at Needham Market Community Centre for this fun filled family community production on Friday, February 17 at 7.30pm or Saturday, February 18 at 1pm and 5pm. Tickets (adults £7 / senior and junior citizens £5) available at Elton House or from: 01449 723171
J O I NT H EA D V EN T U R E L e ade rs and H e l pe rs R e q uire d Every year we help over 450,000 young people in the UK enjoy new adventures; to experience the outdoors, interact with others, gain confidence and have the opportunity to reach their full potential. And it’s not just young people who can get in on the action. Working alongside our youth members are thousands of adult volunteers, with a huge variety of roles and opportunities available.
1 stC l ay do n Be av e rs |C ub s |Sc o ut s
Join a successful and growing group and make a real impact in the lives of young people. No previous experience is necessary we will train and guide you every step of the way. I N T ER EST ED ? Contact: Mark Pearson, Assistant Group Scout Leader 07802 249 686 | markpearsonfreshfields@outlook.com
C A NY O UI N SPI R E? © Copyright The Scout Association Registered Charity number 306101/SC038437. 1st Claydon Charity No: 293366
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SCHOOLS CLAYDON HIGH SCHOOL Favourite School Subject: My favourite subjects include maths and science because I like to challenge myself. Hobbies: My hobbies include athletics (I train for a local club), cross country and ballet. Career Aspiration: I would like to work in medicine. James Shipp – Deputy Head Boy We would like to introduce you to our newly appointed Student Leadership Team. Nick Borrett – Head Boy Favourite Book: The Harry Potter series of books by JK Rowling Favourite Film: Deadpool Favourite School Subject: All the science subjects because I find them very interesting and demanding. Hobbies: Sports (I swim competitively for Stowmarket) and going to the cinema. Career Aspiration: I would like to become a doctor. Grace Linford-Wood – Head Girl Favourite Book: My favourite book is Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling. I enjoy this book because I find it gripping and intense. Favourite Film: Insurgent from the Divergent series of films.
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Favourite Book: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It’s a real page turner as it contains action and suspense throughout. Favourite Film: Doctor Strange Favourite School Subject: Computing – I love to be able to create something from scratch because it gives you the freedom to be able to make it exactly how you want it to be. Hobbies: Rugby, tennis, golf, computing and playing the guitar. Career Aspiration: I would like to program useful apps/software for big companies like BT. Emma Fraser-Mills – Deputy Head Girl Favourite Book: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. It’s one of the most intriguing books I’ve ever read. Favourite Film: The Notebook Favourite School Subject: Chemistry – it’s very interesting. Hobbies: Dance – mainly ballet. Career Aspiration: To work in a medical science area like pharmacology.
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FINANCIAL HEALTH CHECK Neil Hewitt suggests some tips for a healthier financial lifestyle. If your children have left home and your mortgage is paid, you may find yourself with of a number of financial assets and savings. But do you know how to generate income from these resources? The start of the new tax year is a good time to review your financial plans and make changes in order to use the allowances available to you. ISAs One of the most common financial products to invest in over the past few years has been an ISA. It is worth remembering that if you don’t use your individual allowance of £15,240 each year then you will lose it. For a couple, an ISA is a valuable way of generating tax efficient income to supplement their retirement funds, and to shelter their savings from income, capital gains or possible inheritance taxes. Recent product innovations in buy-to-let ISAs have allowed younger people to build up funds for a property deposit whereby up to £12k can be saved with the government providing up to …… tax free at the time of house purchase. Many people are now considering transferring cash based ISAs into diversified ISAs due to the increase in the tax free savings allowance. Income Tax Relief There are a number of Income Tax Relief products which allow the deferment of capital gains tax and can achieve inheritance tax savings.
Pensions The pensions landscape has been continually changing over the past few years and for many people it has proved difficult to maximise the tax advantages. The much expected loss of tax relief/higher rate tax on pensions didn’t happen in the Budget or the Autumn Statement but is this just deferred? Consider maximising your pension now. Alternative products In recent years due to the increased restrictions in pension funding, the popularity of more esoteric tax planning products has increased. Enterprise investment schemes and venture capital trusts provide Income Tax Relief for up to 30% of the amount invested. Unlike pensions these products have fixed investment terms and allow further planning opportunities and access to funds. However, whilst there are valuable tax benefits to be gained from these products, clients should not consider these without taking independent advice first. Scrutton Bland can help you with tax advice and the implementation of a pension, and we have a number of independent financial advisers who can talk through your options. For more information please contact me on 01473 267000 or email neil.hewitt@scruttonbland.co.uk or check our website www.scruttonbland.co.uk Scrutton Bland Limited is Authorised and Regulated by The Financial Conduct Authority
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SCHOOLS / SPORT CLAYDON PRE-SCHOOL Well the term is already off to a flying start and the children are having a great time. We are all waiting for the warmer weather to arrive now. There are lots of exciting things coming up for the children to take part in and lots of items to create and take home. We also have an evening with Ryan Gooding Psychic Medium on Wednesday, March 22, starting at 7.30pm at Claydon and Barham Community Centre (see page 10). Tickets can be purchased from Claydon Pre-school, the community centre or by calling/texting: 07856 845163 The pre-school is open Monday to Friday from 9am-3.30pm during term time. Children can start from the age of two until they go to reception. Session fees are £9.60 and we offer a lunch club (noon-12.30pm) for £1.60. We are happy to accept childcare vouchers and we offer two year funded places for any eligible children. If you would like more information regarding any of the above events or just to find out more about Claydon Pre-school, please contact the administrator, Lisa Read: admin@claydonpreschool.co.uk / 01473 831648
CLAYDON PRE-SCHOOL 100 CLUB December prizewinners No. 41 Katie Lee, £17.10 No. 66 Alex Radcliffe, £8.55 No. 25 Bridget Wyatt, £2.85 New members are welcome at any time. Entry is just £1 a month and the draw takes place on the last Friday of each month from September through to July. The more entries we get the greater the prize money and all money raised is used to enhance the lives of our children within the pre-school. For an entry form please contact Nadine Harrison: 01473 831857 / admin@claydonpreschool.co.uk
CLAYDON AND BARHAM YOUNG FAMILIES Claydon and Barham Young Families is a Mothers’ Union project which has been run by Mothers’ Union members and supporters for 25 years. We welcome, mums, dads, carers and grandparents from Claydon, Barham, Great Blakenham and the surrounding villages with babies or children under five. Entry is just £1.50 per family. This month we meet on February 9 and 23 from 9.30-11.30am in Claydon and Barham Village Hall. At our regular sessions we welcome anyone with babies or children under five for imaginative play, song time and lots of fun. Families can enjoy a different craft activity with a theme where children can be creative and try out different materials to produce an individual masterpiece. Playdough and all sorts of toys that encourage children’s imaginative play and physical and social development are available. We also share song time for a bit of noise. It’s s a good opportunity for parents/carers to meet others with pre-school children or babies. There is also a prize draw for the children. Why not come along and join in the fun, you can make friends and enjoy some valuable play. Hope to see you there. For more information contact me on 01473 833788 or check our listing on Netmums.com. Michelle
BRAMFORD UNITED Belated Happy New Year Greetings. Since my last round up of matches we finished off 2016 with a run of three back-to-back wins for the First Team. December 3 saw Leiston-StMargarets make the long trip to The Acton which saw them having an unhappy trip back home as we overcame them 4-0. On December 10 we made a short trip to Bourne Park, Ipswich to face Ipswich Athletic on a very damp, misty afternoon which saw us run out winning 5-2 to give us our second ‘double’ of the season. Our last match of 2016 saw us entertain Westerfield who we beat 6-0 earlier in the season. A much improved Westerfield side made us battle hard for a 1-0 victory. Stanton were our first visitors of 2017 on Monday, January 2. We had beat them 4-0 earlier in the season, but they too had improved somewhat as again we had to battle hard for our 2-1 victory. Saturday, January 7 saw
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us bow out of the Bob Coleman Cup where we were sounded beaten 4-0 by a rampant Achilles Team winning 4-0 (this gave them a tally of 28 goals they had scored in three matches). Although we held them 0-0 at half time, they took an early second half lead and despite having a man sent off, they still managed to score three more goals. The Reserves had two wins in December beating Capel Plough Res 4-0 and Stowupland Falcons 2-1 which at the time of these notes saw them in third spot in the league. The Bramford United 100 Club has now been increased to two prizes: 1st £100, 2nd £25. December winners were Julie (No 36) £100, Dale Munson (No 9) £25. For up-to-date fixtures visit: www.pitchero.com/clubs/bramfordunitedfc Brammie
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SPORT / CHUCH NEWS CLAYDON FC
OLD THINGS MADE NEW
Coming through the Christmas period and into the New Year it has been a bit of a landmark year for Claydon Football Club.
In 2014, a sinkhole opened up under the National Corvette Museum in Kentucky, swallowing eight irreplaceable, vintage Chevrolet Corvette sports cars. The automobiles were severely damaged, some beyond repair.
The club has secured the lease on Blue Circle, though we have yet to sign the contract. This has enabled us to refurbish the main pavilion and we can now provide after-match refreshments on Saturday afternoons. Under the terms of the lease the club will receive funding for improvements around the perimeter of the ground and car park area with further opportunity to complete phase 2 of the pavilion, changing rooms and showers. The ground is ‘Senior Status’ compliant owing to the work and investment we put in when the men’s team was promoted in 2014. When we do get to senior football the club is ready to face the SIL top flight again. December was the first year anniversary of the Claydon FC Café serving refreshments to the youth and senior games at Blue Circle on Saturdays. We have received numerous compliments from away supporters who now enjoy bacon rolls and hot drinks on Saturday mornings and afternoons. The new senior coaching team has settled in and are now officially past their ‘honeymoon’ period which has seen the First team at the top end of the table for most of it. The Reserves are beginning to shape up after an ‘all new’ start with practically all new players. However, it’s early days yet and we are very conscious of maintaining the momentum so no complacency here. The executive team have again been very busy with the day-to-day machinations, but also with the provision of extra-curricular activities for young players and running the Christmas draw. Our thanks go out to all those who have helped the club with any event thus far.
One car in particular received a lot of attention. The one-millionth Corvette which had rolled off the assembly line in 1992 was the most valuable in the collection. What happened to that smashed up gem after it was pulled from the sinkhole is fascinating. Experts restored the car to absolute mint condition, mainly by using and repairing its original parts. Although this little beauty was broken and in terrible shape, it now looked as good as it did the day it was built. The old and damaged was made new. Perhaps you feel that life hasn’t gone as you’d planned or that you’ve made some choices that you regret. If that’s you, there is good news: God is a God of redemption and restoration. However low you may have sunk God is able to lift you up and make you new again. That Corvette was special because it was the one-millionth off the production line. Well there are more than seven billion people on the planet today and the Bible says that God cares for everyone: “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to a knowledge of the truth”. For those in need of restoration, He promises that He is able and willing to restore wasted years. The greatest act of redemption and the best second chance of all is offered to us through His son Jesus Christ. However we’ve failed or spoiled our lives by doing wrong things, Jesus is able to wipe that all away and begin the work of restoration in our lives. Ultimately the Bible says that He will make all things new and that even creation itself will one day be restored to how it ought to be.
Players and parents, look out for the Claydon FC Race Night at the Community Centre on March 18.
“…and he who was seated on the throne said, ‘behold I am making all things new’.” Revelation 2.5
The pitches are still looking great and again this is down to the relentless hard work of our groundsman and the support he receives. The club will once again enter the Groundsman of the Year competition, this year run by Suffolk FA.
WEEKLY EVENTS
Any club in this day and age requires support through sponsorship and we are privileged to have the senior squad’s kit sponsored by Haxley & Ruffles and Coggins Transport respectively, along with tracksuit tops and polo shirts from our very own First team coach’s company Care to Educate. This applies to youth teams especially and I offer my personal thanks to sponsors, coaches, assistants, volunteers, parents and, of course, players of Claydon FC.
Friday: Children’s Club (primary school age), 6.30-7.30pm
Tuesday: Weekly Prayer Meeting, 9.30-10.30am Wednesday: Home Group, 10-11.45am Thursday: Home Group, 7.45-9.30pm Sunday Morning Service: 10.45am-noon For more information contact: info@blakenhambaptist.org.uk / 01449 720357 www.blakenhambaptist.org.uk
We are hopeful of completing the very long saga of the lease and funding for Blue Circle, but it does seem that it will continue for a while as yet. The public sector machinations in this instance has been, to say the very least, exasperating! In amongst all of this we have the lease for Barham Picnic Site with the continuing objective of converting it into football pitches. Claydon FC is a big ‘junior’ club and even with all the voluntary support it receives there is always something else we can do, such as the conversion project at Barham Picnic Site. Unfortunately the club had a setback a couple of years ago and it continue to be in ‘mothballs’ while we work through our priorities in other areas. However, the club remains committed to getting football down there and it is certainly required as we are over capacity at Blue Circle. Tim, Claydon FC Chairman
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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. Enquiries about baptisms, weddings and funerals Priest-in-Charge: The Rev Carl Melville, Claydon Rectory 01473 833542 / carlmelville@hotmaill.com Or visit: www.claydonchurches.com HALL BOOKINGS Barham Church Hall: Zoe Groom, 831804 Gt Blakenham Parish Room: Paul Corbett, 830201 Henley Church Vestry: Margaret Gerrard, 831463 SERVICES IN FEBRUARY Barham Church: every Sunday at 10am Henley Church: every Sunday at 10am Gt Blakenham Church: every Sunday at 11am Sunday, February 5: Candlemas 8am Holy Communion 10am Holy Communion 10am Quiet Communion 11am family@blakenham 6pm Prayer and Praise
Barham Church Barham Church Henley Church Gt Blakenham Gt Blakenham
Sunday, February 12: Third before Lent 8am Holy Communion Barham 10am Holy Communion Barham 10am family@henley Henley 11am Holy Communion Gt Blakenham Sunday, February 19: Second before Lent 8am Holy Communion Barham 10am family@barham Barham 10am Holy Communion Henley 11am Holy Communion Gt Blakenham Sunday, February 26: Sunday before Lent 8am Holy Communion Barham 10am Holy Communion Barham 10am Café Church Henley 11am Elevenses@GB Gt Blakenham 4.30pm families@4.30 Barham 6.30pm Evensong Henley Wednesday, March 1: Ash Wednesday 7pm Holy Communion Henley Sunday, March 5: Lent 1 8am Holy Communion 10am Holy Communion 10am Quiet Communion 11am family@blakenham 6pm Prayer and Praise
Barham Church Barham Church Henley Church Gt Blakenham Gt Blakenham
Further services can be found on the website. FAMILY AND ALL AGE SERVICES Our All Age Worship is suitable for families, couples and individuals of any age. There is an engaging activity, hymns and songs and plenty of fellowship. Come along in February when we’ll be thinking about all things LIGHT! family@blakenham is on Sunday, February 5 (every first Sunday) at 11am. Come early for refreshments. family@henley is on Sunday, February 12 (every second Sunday) at 10am and family@barham is on Sunday, February 19 (every third Sunday) at 10am, followed by bacon butties. DEPARTED We offer our sympathy, love and prayers to the families and friends of those who have recently died, including Bernard Rushbrook (Akenham), Arnold Hornsby (Henley) and Christine Last (Claydon).
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NEWS Gt Blakenham Church is now open during daylight hours for quiet time, prayer or just to visit our beautiful church. You are welcome to visit and if you do please sign our visitors’ book. Families@4.30: The next families@4.30 takes place on Sunday, February 26 at Barham Church. Families are welcome to come along for games, crafts and food, which will have a Lent theme this month. For more details and to book, please contact: rogercolthorpe@aol.com / 01473 831079 Lent is approaching fast. There will be a Service of Holy Communion at Henley Church on Wednesday, March 1 at 7pm in which we’ll be marked with black ash on our foreheads to help us prepare for Easter. Elevenses@GB: a new style of church taking place on the fourth Sunday of every month (February 26, March 26) at St Mary’s, Gt Blakenham at 11am. Come along for bacon butties and some worship in a relaxed environment – suitable for all the family. Café Church: a new venture at Henley Church on the fourth Sunday of every month (February 26, March 26) at 10am. Church like never before – pop in for a coffee and breakfast treats, a prayer and some informal worship. Wedding Festival: over the weekend of May 27-29 we’re holding a Wedding Festival at St Mary’s, Gt Blakenham. We’re asking couples who have married at St Mary’s to display their wedding dress or photographs in the church. There will be exhibitors in the parish room. In addition we’re looking for couples who wish to renew their wedding vows on Sunday 28 in a special service with favourite wedding hymns. For more information, contact Wendy: 01473 846642 OTHER SERVICES AND EVENTS Thursday, February 9 Young Families, Claydon Village Hall, 9.30am Friday, February 10 Puzzle Evening, Henley Community Centre Saturday, February 11 Coffee Morning, GB Parish Room, 10am Thursday, February 16 Sunshine Service, Claydon Village Hall, 10am Saturday, February 18 Vestry Café, 10am-1pm Henley Church Thursday, February 23 Young Families, Claydon Village Hall, 9.30am Wednesday, March 1 Ash Wednesday Service, 7pm, Henley LETTER FROM THE VICAR With Valentine’s Day, February is the month of love! On Saturday, February 25, Barham Church will welcome all the couples who wish to be married in our three churches over this coming year. Of course, the Church of England does the best weddings, but we also celebrate all sorts of relationships. Whatever relationship you’re in, why not think about celebrating it with us at church this month? Love is not always easy, particularly the love we have for those no longer with us. Over the past month the church community has lost a few of its key members. We had to say goodbye to Bernard Rushbrook and Arnold Hornsby, whom we still love very dear. I know there have been other significant losses in our communities recently. For us, Jesus makes it possible for our love to continue even beyond death and beyond the grave. Jesus tells us that love is the winner, not death. That is why we as Christians are always talking about love. Love is not merely an emotion, a crush, or a nice ‘feeling’. Love is about who God is – God is love. Love is worth celebrating. Whatever type of relationship you’re in and wherever you are at in your relationship, why not celebrate with us? The Rev Carl Melville www.claydonchurches.com
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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 / stmarybramford@aol.com Assistant Curate: The Rev Julian Fennel, 01473 833250 www.stmarybramford.co.uk Please check porch notices for any changes. Wednesday, 9.30am: Quiet Reflective Communion Service SERVICES IN FEBRUARY Thursday 2 3pm United Service
Cherryfields
Sunday 5 10am
Fourth before Lent Parish Communion with Prayer for Healing
Bramford
6pm
Evening Prayer
Baylham
Sunday 12 8am
Third before Lent Holy Communion
Bramford
10am
Parish Communion
Nettlestead
5pm
Five o’clock Service
Bramford
Tuesday 14 11am
Communion Baylham Care Centre with Reserved Sacrament
Sunday 19 10am
Second before Lent Parish Communion Bramford
10am
Parish Communion
Baylham
opportunities to explore their spirituality in small groups. I am happy to look at putting together small groups for prayer or Bible Study and discussion, so please let me know if that is something you are interested in. Blessings Jenny Church events This month we will be having a book sale on Saturday, February 11 and, of course, our coffee morning will be on Saturday, February 25. How clean is our church? We are looking for volunteers to help with cleaning of the church. No experience needed! Those stalwarts who have for years shared the cleaning duties are getting fewer. We need to boost their numbers – the more people involved the less often your turn will come. If you can spare some time please contact Stewart: 01473 462231 Cleaning Rota: Mrs Bardwell Flower Rota: February 4 – J Paterson, 11 and 18 – D Heasley Floodlighting of the spire of St Mary’s Church January 17: In memory of Philip Stewart January 22: In memory of Maria Whight on her birthday February 22: In memory of Douglas Brown If you would like to have the spire floodlit please ring Stewart on 01473 462231. The requested donation is £10 per week. Bible readings for our Sunday Worship are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary. It’s good to share the reading of scripture with Christians, both Catholic and Protestant, across the world.
Tuesday 21 2.30pm The Gathering
Church Room
Saturday 25 10am-Noon Coffee Morning
February 5 Isaiah 58: 1-9a (9b-12)
Church Room
Sunday 26 8am
Sunday before Lent Holy Communion
February 12 Deut 30:15-end
Bramford
10am
Family Worship
Bramford
Dear friends At the beginning of February it seems a long time since Christmas, but as I write we still have our Christmas decorations up and are trying to ignore the last Christmas chocolates. I am also starting to plan services for the year and look at new projects that we can become involved in as a church and community. After several years’ discussion at Little Blakenham, we have taken the decision, with the agreement and support of the bishop, to suspend our regular legal services and re-designate the church as a ‘festival church’. We hope that this will be a really positive move as the monthly services in the church have not been well attended for many years. Instead we will hold four or five specially planned ‘festival’ services each year alongside other events. This gives us the freedom to explore and have some fun, so watch this space! At Bramford we are putting some more unusual services in with our standard weekly communion. Our 5pm service has proved really popular with families. It’s great fun with storytelling, crafts, songs and time to socialise. Come along and give it a look. We are also hoping to relaunch our fourth Sunday 10am service this month to provide a link with the 5pm service. We hope that it will provide a crossover between the two, being held in the church and appealing to all ages. Again come along and give us a try. Church in your community is really changing. We have our traditional services, but we are also keen to try new things and provide worship for anyone who wishes to explore their spiritual side. With a view to this, several people have mentioned to me that they would like more regular
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February 19 Gen 1:1-23
February 2 Exodus 24:12-end
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany 1 Cor 2:1-12(23-END)
Green Matt 5: 13-20
Third Sunday before Lent 1 Cor 3: 1-9
Purple Matt 5: 21-37
Second Sunday before Lent Romans 8:18-25
Purple Matt 6: 25-34
Sunday before Lent 2 Peter 1:16-end
Purple/Green Matt 17: 1-9
BRAMFORD METHODIST CHURCH Minister: The Rev D Grimshaw, 01473 805486 / dkgrimshaw@msn.com Church Steward: Ms R Palmer, 01473 831117 Sunday Worship: 10.30am February 5: The Rev C Jowett February 12: The Rev T Brookes (Holy Communion) February 19: The Rev D Grimshaw February 26: Mr R Theobald The Computer Club meets each Monday evening from 7.30-9.30pm and Wednesday morning from 10am-noon during term. February 2: United Service at Cherryfields, 3pm February 14: Guest speaker The Rev J Fennel, 2pm February 18: Coffee Morning at Cherryfields, 10-11am February 19: Families@4, a very informal social get-together, 4-6pm. Come and go as you please, with tea provided. All welcome. February 28: Guest speaker Mr Tyler, River Gipping Trust, 2pm
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ON THE GRAPEVINE
DR DAN POULTER, YOUR LOCAL MP, REPORTS BACK It seems hard to believe that Christmas and New Year are already behind us, but with all the planning, shopping and cooking, and the huge anticipation leading up to the big day itself, it’s no wonder that many of us succumb to the post-Christmas blues as things seem to settle back down into normal day to day life. I certainly enjoyed making the most of my time here in Suffolk without the pressures of the daily routine over the Christmas and New Year period and I’m sure most of us have eaten and drunk more than usual as we relaxed and enjoyed catching up with friends and family. Only recently new figures were announced confirming that a staggering eight in every 10 adults aged between 40 and 60 in England are overweight, drink too much alcohol or get too little exercise. So what better time to get motivated and kick start a healthier New Year than by getting out in the beautiful Suffolk countryside and enjoying all that is on offer right here on our doorsteps. At this time of year, with magazine and television advertisements encouraging us to make commitments which many will struggle to maintain, it’s all too easy to be lured into costly gym memberships and expensive holidays or leisure activities, but walking is something which we can all enjoy with minimum or no cost involved, no specialist equipment required and the opportunity to meet new and likeminded people. Walking isn’t competitive, yet it brings with it a raft of recognised health benefits, not to mention being affordable and accessible to all. Simple things can quickly add up – taking the stairs instead of the lift, or walking instead of hopping in the car for short journeys. I’m lucky that I have two dogs to exercise and they don’t let me forget that I need to get outdoors into the fresh air every day, but for many, it’s easy to become complacent and to not make the effort. Walking to fulfil the recommendations of 150 minutes of moderate physical exercise every week can make a huge difference – it’s estimated that it could save up to 37,000 lives every year and could also lead to almost 300,000 fewer cases of type 2 diabetes. Aside from the physical benefits, walking brings with it a whole range of other benefits. We feel more connected to our natural environment – for families with young children perhaps a competition for them to spot wildlife tracks or collect 10 different types of leaves might turn what they deem to be a dull activity in something far more engaging. When experiencing times of stress or anxiety, walking can help us to clear our heads and regain some order in our busy lives. It’s the perfect tonic for a busy and hectic lifestyle, helping to fight depression and reduce anxiety and boosting our mood and psychological wellbeing. Suffolk lends itself perfectly to walking, with plenty of easy terrain, but also more challenging routes for those who are more able. For year round information on walking, there is a huge range of information at: www.discoversuffolk.org.uk
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QUESTIONS ON CASH With Nick Plumb This month, I have responded to two questions from In Touch readers that landed in my email in-basket over the Christmas period. Alan from Ipswich asks: “I have just started receiving my state pension and a company pension of £14,000 a year from the old GEC scheme. The state pension is paid to me gross with no tax deducted, but my GEC pension has income tax deducted and is paid to me net of that tax. Why is there a difference, and should I be paying tax at all?” Yes, you will pay a certain amount of tax on both pensions, as your total pension income is above your annual personal income tax allowance of £11,000, which is what you are allowed to earn before income tax is deducted at basic rate (currently 20%). Pension income (from state or private pensions) is classed as ‘earned’ income and is therefore taxable above £11,000 a year. Although your state pension is paid to you gross, this does not mean that you don’t pay tax on it. The tax is actually collected by an adjustment to your tax code. Check your last notice of coding, and you will see that your tax code is different to when you were working. The pension system would not be able to cope with working out everyone’s individual income tax, so they leave the tax to HMRC, who alter your tax code to compensate. The GEC pension is taxed at source, and tax is deducted by the company pension administrators before the pension is paid to you. However, it is important to check that you have been put on the correct tax code as I have seen many examples of people paying too much tax on their company pensions over the years. Peter from Needham Market asks: “I am the director of a limited company employing 12 members of staff. I would like to introduce a free life insurance scheme that pays out a lump sum to the staff member’s family if they died. What is the best way to do this through the company?” A ‘death in service’ scheme for a group of employees is usually arranged as a Group Life Insurance scheme, which falls under the ‘tax approved’ rules that also apply to group pension schemes. Such schemes offer various tax advantages for you as the employer and for your employees. The premiums the company pays are tax-deductible as a business expense and the premiums are not treated as a ‘benefit in kind’ for your employees, so they will not suffer a tax charge on them. Any Lump-sum death benefit paid on the death of an employee would be paid free of income tax and, if it is paid out under a discretionary trust, it will not normally be liable for inheritance tax when paid to the beneficiaries of the deceased staff member. Nick Plumb is an independent financial adviser and practice principal at Plumb Financial Services of Baylham in Suffolk. The information within this column is provided only as a general guide and does not constitute personal financial advice. If you would like to take advantage of a complimentary meeting to talk over your options for your own investments or financial planning you can contact Nick by email at nick@plumbfs.co.uk or by calling the office on 01473 830301. Plumb Financial Services is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
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