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with Barham, Claydon, Henley & Whitton Rural Volume 8 • Issue No. 7 • MAY 2018
Image by Caroline Wolton
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NEWS
A WORD FROM THE EDITOR I’m sitting at my desk with aching limbs after an unexpectedly adventurous morning. At approximately 7.30am I heard by son shout “Oh my God” from the sitting room. I could tell it wasn’t a normal ‘I’ve just spilt my cereal on the sofa’ howl so I ran to him. I found him staring at what can only be described as a flash flood running through the garden. We both ran to the front door and sure enough it was there too, rushing down our neighbour’s drive, into our garage and garden, and a short time later, into my kitchen.
HENLEY VILLAGE WW1 STREET PARTY Join us to celebrate the centenary of the end of WW1
I’ve often wondered how I would cope in an emergency situation and now I know. I shout very loudly! “We have an emergency down here,” I roared to Daniel as I grabbed my wellies and coat and went to investigate. When Daniel arrived on the scene I was waist deep in the ditch with a garden hoe, having assumed the culvert where it goes underground was blocked. On further anaylsis we realised the problem lay elsewhere and Daniel set off to find the source. I won’t go into the details here, but while others tried to fix the cause we set about trying to divert the flow away from the house and outbuildings using everything we could lay our hands on. Meanwhile Jack used every towel he could find (even the good ones we keep for guests!) to mop up in the kitchen. It was quite a team effort (practically a ‘meitheal’ as we might say in Ireland) and soon others, including neighbours, joined in and a pump was set up to divert water into the brook.
Saturday, June 23 3-5pm at Henley Primary School Come in WW1 dress and celebrate with us!
I left them to it at this point (it was deadline day after all) but I’m not sure I want to go home tonight! Just imagine how many towel washes I’ll have to do? And grandma’s garden hoe is still firmly lodged in the ditch!
Bring some food to share, tea and squash provided
Thank goodness better weather is predicated for next week and summer is on its way. And there’s still plenty of Easter chocolate in the cupboard! Perhaps the one positive I can focus on is the satisfaction of working together with others which I highly recommend. You’ll find many opportunities in the following pages.
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with Barham, Claydon, Henley & Whitton Rural
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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01473 400379 Disclaimer: The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Every effort is taken to ensure that the contents of this magazine are accurate but the publisher cannot assume any responsibility for errors or omissions. While reasonable care is taken when accepting advertisements or editorial, the publisher/ editor will not accept responsibility for any unsatisfactory transactions and also reserves the right to refuse to include advertising or editorial. They will, however immediately investigate any written complaints. © Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, either wholly or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. © In Touch with Barham, Claydon, Henley & Whitton Rural is published by Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd as part of the “In Touch with . . . ” series of magazines.
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ST PETER’S CHURCH, HENLEY
WW1 100 YEARS Friday, June 22 10am-4pm: 100 Years Flower Festival Church open for viewing and refreshment 7.30pm: WW1 Concert in Church Saturday, June 23 10am-4pm: Church and Festival Open 3-5pm: Henley WW1 Street Party at Henley Primary School (above) Sunday, June 24 11am: 100 Years All-Age Service in Church and Picnic Church and festival open till 4pm 4pm: 100 Years Songs of Praise
SUNDAY EVENING SOUP KITCHEN Two of our leaders are moving, so we need one or two people to collect the equipment from Barham Church, heat the soup and co-ordinate the group. It’s an eight-week rota and we will give guidance to help with this vital service. We feed between 25 and 35 people most Sunday evenings in the lay-by in Elm Street outside the Magistrates Court. For more information ring Ann Colthorpe: 01473 831079
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NEWS CLAYDON AND BARHAM IN DAYS GONE BY An exhibition of the above is planned in Barham Church over the weekend of the Church Fete (actual Fete Day is June 16). We would appreciate and need contributions and help to make this happen, especially from anyone whose ancestors ran businesses within our local area plus the history of now defunct local organisations (e.g. Claydon Cycle Speedway, the Quoits Club). Some of you have been in touch, but we need more! Please contact Trevor Messenger (tjmclay21@googlemail.com / 01473 219431), Roger Colthorpe (rogercolthorpe@aol.com) or Kieron Kitchen (kieron. kitchen@btinternet.com). Your help is essential. Do you have any photographs, documents or artefacts in your family relating to past life and activities in Claydon and Barham? What about buildings that have been demolished (such as Claydon Mill, the WI Hut or Claydon Bowls Clubhouse) or buildings massively altered; past shops, garages, pubs, etc. Do you have any details or stories about employment, including in Great Blakenham. What about our current clubs and organisations, churches, chapels, wartime life, housing development, road building, etc? The route of the 1st Turnpike Trust in Suffolk ran through Claydon and Barham in 1711; the tollgate house is one of the last 10 surviving. It is thought that there was a third ale supplier in Claydon run by Jabez Dedman, who also made whittle fencing; do your house deeds give us any further clues to this brewer or any other use. There are a lot of fascinating facts and photographs out there, lets share them. Did you know that this year is the 71st successive church fete since the Secord World War? The first in 1947 was held in the Rectory Gardens in Norwich Road and opened by Little Miss Muffat and Little Boy Blue. One of the attractions was a man with his feet where his head should be and there was a raffle for a live duck! I agree you have much more interesting stories; we are waiting to hear them and see your photographs. We have some A1 size (65cm x 80cm) display boards for your display, which you can borrow, or we can set them up for you, but would need your display items by June 9. Obviously all display items will be returned to you.
BARHAM PICNIC SITE We want our picnic site back! This site was mothballed in 2010 and has since gone to rack and ruin with the buildings being vandalised and trees cut down and left to rot. There are going to be 500 new houses built in the near future and this is the only green space for the community. This is a seven acre site which should be used by everyone who wants to do so in the community of Barham and Claydon and surrounding areas. We have put a proposal forward to Barham Parish Council to make a safe jogging trail, a wildlife garden, a bluebell wood, community veg patches, a community cafe and to regenerate the children’s play area. We want BBQ areas for families to use for free and a wildlife pond. This will not cost the parish council anything. So far the parish council will not respond so please help us to claim this picnic site back for the community, for everyone from the age of two years to 102 years. There will be something for everyone with benches to sit on and watch the world go by in peace. We have the backing of the local councillors so can we please have yours? We do not want or need more houses on this site, or another football field just for weekends for just a few – this is a place for young and old and all in between. This is just wasted space which needs our care to bring it back to what it should be. If you want to help, even if it’s only in a small way, please join us. We need canvassing for a petition to show the parish council that we are united in this and that they should be helping us to achieve it. We just want them to listen and at least discuss it with us, instead of just another football pitch If you’d like to help or wish to see our proposal please contact me. Brenda Mitchell brenda7mitchell@yahoo.co.uk / 01473 878240
Trevor Messenger
NEW COMMUNITY CAFÉ Claydon & Barham Local Community Trust has decided to open a café. It will be named THE Community Café. The community centre’s main hall will be the location for THE Community Café. It is hoped that it can be largely staffed with volunteers.
FEMALE
MALE
WANTED! RECORDS OF STAG BEETLE SIGHTINGS
Would you like to get involved with THE Community Café?
Please look out for stag beetles from the beginning of May to the end of August 2018 and report them to Colin Hawes using the contact details below. Details required are date seen, where seen (address and post code, or a map reference). If possible include a photograph of the beetle. This request is made to enable as many records of stag beetle sightings as possible to be gathered in order to complete a distribution map of this species for the county of Suffolk.
We hope that by you getting involved as a volunteer, we will bring in extra income to our community which will allow us to continue providing further opportunities for groups and individuals.
Suffolk appears to be a hot-spot for this declining beetle, which is listed nationally as ‘Near Threatened’. The beetle is regarded as a ‘Flagship Species’ for insect conservation both here in the UK and in Europe.
THE Community Café is at the bequest of the local community. Profits over and above the overheads/running costs will be invested into the trust and it is hoped that these profits can be shared within the communities’ organisations/charities. This is the aim of the trust.
We are inviting people to apply for the position of team leader. For Further information please contact us via: info@candbcc.co.uk
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Colin Hawes, Lead for Conservation of Stag Beetles in Suffolk hawescolin@gmail.com / 3 Silver Leys, Bentley IP9 2BS
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NEWS
COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLOR’S REPORT JOHN FIELD’S REPORT TO GIPPING VALLEY: APRIL 2018 Final school transport proposals? The cabinet will make a final decision in June after looking at the response to the consultation. The opposition, Labour, Lib Dems, Greens and Independents tried to get an open debate where councillors who represent the most affected could raise their concerns and fully represent those who elected them. This was rejected. From the very beginning, we have fought against these proposals. We are deeply concerned that a change in school transport policy will not achieve any significant savings, while causing harm to thousands of rural families. In this area it is children who don’t go to their local primary, to Claydon High, or who are over 16 who will be affected. Options for public sector reform in Suffolk Councillor Noble, Leader of Suffolk County Council has commissioned ResPublica to look at public sector reform in Suffolk. The think-tank will examine the current arrangements in Suffolk and will report back on the merits of making a bid to the government for a reformed system. The review is expected to cost £68,000. It will look once again at the possibility of a unitary county council in Suffolk. However, Councillor Noble has also insisted that other options will be considered, such as East and West Suffolk unitary councils, a Greater Ipswich unitary council, or enhancing the existing two-tier system. Potholes – funding boost Following the bad weather in February and March, Suffolk County Council has received £2.5m from the government to help with road repairs and potholes. If you could help using highwaysreporting.suffolk.gov. uk it would make the size of the problem clear. Highways have already received over 11,000 reports in 2018. Rise in insurance claims Insurance claims against Suffolk County Council due to ‘carriageway surface defects’ such as potholes, have risen in recent years, from 363 in 2013 to 647 in 2017. A total of 2,239 claims were made in this five-year period, but 84.7% were rejected. Despite this, Suffolk County Council paid out £226,432 in compensation and legal fees. The cost of damage to resident’s cars is, of course, not known, but can be estimated. The county paid 330 cases at £226,432 so the 2,239 total would have cost £1,476,611. The cost of our savings on pothole repairs is clear. Suffolk County Council’s gender pay gap Suffolk County Council’s pay report revealed that, although the council employs nearly three times as many women as men, there is still a
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significant gender pay gap in favour of men. The county council’s mean gender pay gap is 14.8%, while the median pay gap is 18.6%. In other words, although Suffolk County Council employs relatively few men, they are overrepresented in the better paid sectors. All the statistics refer to the average hourly pay rates. When discussing the report during council on March 22, the Conservative Deputy Leader commented: “we employ women [in low paid roles] because that is probably better suited to their characteristics… Most women are naturally caring”. This response is concerning. We need to be confronting these gender stereotypes, not reinforcing them. Suffolk Waste Partnership awarded £10,000 The Suffolk Waste Partnership has been awarded £10,000 from the government’s Litter Innovation Fund to run local projects aimed at reducing litter. It aims to: • Trial new style litter bins at key layby locations and improve labelling and signage of litter bins along the A11, A12 and A14 in Suffolk. • Trial new remote monitoring technology to help councils coordinate litter bin emptying more efficiently and effectively. • Ensure that any person taken to court and convicted for a littering offence anywhere in Suffolk is named and shamed publicly. • Run an awareness campaign to remind residents and visitors alike about the issues and the consequences of littering. • Educate residents and businesses about how to prevent their waste inadvertently escaping their control and ending up as litter. Highways The roadworks in Great Blakenham will continue with a four-week closure of Bramford Road to allow gas main replacement. I am assured the work is necessary and that it is not possible to keep the road open. Mid Suffolk District Council The proposal to merge Mid Suffolk and Babergh has been abandoned for the present as the wider options for Suffolk are considered. It was difficult to get the plans completed before an election in May 2019. If you have any queries, please phone me on 01473 831306 (you will need to say your name and press #) or 07545 423808 or email me at: john.field@suffolk.gov.uk I do have Twitter (@JohnFieldjd) and Facebook (fieldjd) accounts and my website is at: www.johnfield.suffolk.libdems.org
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ADVERTORIAL
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of tradespeople perhaps don’t focus on customer care as much as they should do, we make sure we turn up when we say we will, do the job the customer requires and leave their house as clean as a whistle. Locally Cloudy2Clear service the Ipswich, Woodbridge, Manningtree, Hadleigh, Stowmarket & surrounding areas and manager Andy Kerridge agrees that this approach is a major factor in his success. ‘The truth is that it’s not just the personal satisfaction that I get from doing
a good job but also it makes good business sense. I get a huge amount of business from friends and family of people I’ve done work for, which just goes to show how much a little bit of effort is appreciated as both my customers and, obviously a body as nationally important as Which? now recognise.’ So, if your windows are steamed up, broken or damaged give Andy a call for a free quotation on 0800 61 21 118 and he’ll be happy to help!
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Wills month May 2018 What will you do today for the future? Start planning for your future and make an appointment to create a will with one of our friendly solicitors or will writers. They will write your will and invite you to make a suggested donation. All you have to do is choose from the list below and book an appointment between 1 and 31 May 2018. Your gift could blossom into a vital legacy for the hospice, helping local people now and in the future.
Suggested donation Single will
£125
Mirror / Double will
£165
Codicil
£50
Choose your local solicitor or will writer from the list below and book direct Attwells 01473 229881 Barker Gotelee 01473 611211 Blocks 01473 230033 Christchurch 01473 355160
Fairstep 01394 277941 Fairweather Law 01728 724737 Goodwin Cowley 01502 712999 Haywards 01449 613631 Marshall Hatchick 01394 388 411 Michael Smith & Co 01473 228017
Norten Peskett 01986 872513 Prettys 01473 298364 Ross Coates 01473 621800 Taylor Haldane Barlex LLP 01473 226577 Watkins Stewart & Ross 01473 226266 Will Plans Ltd 07910 019745
For more information, please visit: stelizabethhospice.org.uk/willsmonth
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NEWS CLAYDON & WHITTON PARISH COUNCIL
New Parish Councillor At the last parish council meeting we were pleased to co-opt Stuart Price as a parish councillor. We wish him all the best in his new role. There have been a number of changes to the parish council over recent months. The names and contact details of your current parish councillors are: Chairman: Councillor Chris Studd, Valley View, Church Lane, Claydon IP6 0EG 01473 831816 / chrisjstudd@btinternet.com Vice-chairman: Councillor Gail Cornish, 4 Alasdair Place, Drury Road, Claydon IP6 0ET / 01473 834035 / gailcornish974@btinternet.com MEMBERS Councillor Peter Avis, 5 Back Lane, Claydon IP6 0EB 01473 831553 / pjasuf@yahoo.co.uk Councillor Caroline Barber, The Beeches, Old Ipswich Road, Claydon IP6 0AB 01473 843001 / caroline.e.barber@icloud.com Councillor Nigel Gutteridge, 54 Thornhill Road, Claydon IP6 0DZ 01473 830072 / nigelandjanetg@btinternet.com Councillor Gerald James, 6 Laurel Way, Claydon IP6 0DD 01473 805988 / gerald.james54@gmail.com Councillor Stuart Price, 30 Exeter Road, Claydon IP6 0DD 01473 833948 / stuart.2.price@btinternet.com Councillor Glenn Risbridger, Fieldview Cottage, 7 The Slade, Claydon IP6 0EX 01473 832590 / glenn.risbridger@suffolk.gov.uk Councillor Alex Thomas, Tall Trees, Church Lane, Claydon IP6 0EL 01473 833846 / alexandercyrusthomas@gmail.com Councillor John Whitehead, 9 Highfield Drive, Claydon IP6 0EY 01473 833279 / jcw1955@btinternet.com Bottle Bank The bottle bank situated in the corner of the Greyhound Car Park is strictly for glass bottles only. At the moment it is being used to dump rubbish of any kind which is left around the bottle bins. The parish council has to pay one of the street cleaners to remove and dispose of this rubbish which means that this unnecessary expense is being met from the parish council’s budget, using limited funds that could be put to a much better use. Therefore, please only use this area for recycling glass bottles and take plastic bags and boxes away with you. Thank you for help. Meetings in May The next parish council meeting will be held on Monday, May 14 at 7.30pm at the offices of the Suffolk Association of Local Councils, Hill View Business Park, Old Ipswich Road, Claydon IP6 0AJ. Members of the community are very welcome to attend and opportunity will be given at the beginning of the meeting for them to speak on items included on the agenda or other issues about which they have concerns. Agendas will be available prior to the meeting from our parish clerk, Mrs S Eagle: 01473 687384 (answer machine available) / claywhit@btinternet.com / 7 Leicester Close, Ipswich IP2 9EX For the very latest news and information about village life and other items of interest, please visit: http://claydonandbarham.onesuffolk.net / Twitter: @claywhitpc
DEMENTIA Together Call Free 08081 688 000 email: SRYC. DementiaTogether@nhs.net visit: www.dementia-together.com 8
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NEWS BARHAM PARISH COUNCIL Following Barham’s objections to the proposed development off Ely Road, the developers, Scott Properties, wrote a letter in response to the council. This letter has been published on the website under the planning section. A copy can also be viewed on the noticeboards. It has been brought to the attention of the council that there have been two recent near accidents on Coopers Way due to an increase in inconsiderate parking again. The council has agreed to write to the police regarding this problem. If you are having issues with parking on Coopers Way please feel free to contact our clerk or attend a parish council meeting to have your say during our questions from the public section. Our Annual Council Meeting takes place at Claydon and Barham Village Hall on Monday, May 14 at 7pm. Residents are welcome to attend. The agenda will be available via the website or can be viewed on the village noticeboards, which are located near the Co-op entrance and at Barham Green. For those that may not be aware, Mid Suffolk District Council has finally, after a number of applications, granted planning permission for 10 dwellings on the land between the Coopers Development and Henry VIII Farmhouse. The developers, Taylor Wimpey, hope to have this underway before Christmas. For the latest news and information relating to the villages visit: www.claydonandbarham.onesuffolk.net Parish Clerk Jo Culley: 07958 402335 / barhampc@outlook.com
FOUR COMMUNITIES ACTION GROUP The Four Communities Action Group (4CAG) was created in 2010 by members of the churches of Barham, Claydon, Great Blakenham and Henley. We aim to work together as four parishes to develop new activities and support networks and provide spiritual support and encouragement with a view to enhancing the lives of all members of the community. We currently have five organisations under our umbrella. The Knitting Group Do you enjoy knitting or want to learn how to? This group meets in the lounge at Alasdair Place on the first Thursday in the month from 10.30am-noon. Do come along and see us there. The Book Club Do you fancy reading something different to what you would usually choose? We have a few places for new members on the last Thursday in the month at The Crown at 10.30am. Just come along and join us for a light-hearted discussion on the book we’ve chosen to read. Gipping Valley Art Society This small, friendly group meet every Tuesday afternoon at Great Blakenham Parish Rooms. Membership is free but we pay a weekly subscription to cover room hire, refreshments and so on. We are now taking contact details as we are currently at full capacity: contact Ann (01473 831031) or Margaret (01473 830135).
HENLEY PARISH COUNCIL At the last parish council meeting a presentation was made by John Lefever, Land and New Business Manager of Hastoe Group. Hastoe has a track record as a housing association in completing a number of Suffolk developments as well as elsewhere in the country including Essex and East and West Suffolk. To find out more about them visit: www.hastoe.com The background is the need, identified by a public meeting in the village in November 2013 and then by the Housing Needs Survey conducted in 2017, for up to 30 new houses in Henley, about half categorised as affordable and also including a number of bungalows. Mr Lefever said that Hastoe specialises in community-led developments, including a mix of affordable and open-market housing to designs sympathetic to the locality. If Henley chooses to go with Hastoe, step one would be to identify a suitable architect, step two to find land, and step three to consult the community about the plans before going into the planning permission process. Hastoe houses are said to be energy efficient, ineligible for rightto-buy and closely managed to protect quality and standards. ‘Affordable’ houses would mainly be on the basis of shared ownership between the individual and the association. The aim would be to meet the needs of local people. The whole project would be financed by Hastoe. Further consideration was deferred to a future meeting. Also at the last meeting, the parish council was delighted to co-opt Beverley Thomas as a parish councillor, filling one of the two current vacancies on the council. Beverley will be known to many as the owner of Henley Flowers and a resident of Gascoigne Drive. The Annual Parish Meeting will be held at the community centre on Tuesday, May 8, starting at 7.30pm. Everyone is more than welcome to attend this event which gives village groups and organisations a chance to report on their activities in the past year and plans for next. It’s also an opportunity for residents to raise any issues of interest or concern. The meeting will be followed immediately by the Annual General Meeting of the parish council at which officers will be elected for 2018/19. If you are not on our village email list and would like to be, just send a simple request to henleyparishcouncil@gmail.com or rodcaird@ yahoo.co.uk and we will sort it out. And don’t forget to keep an eye from time to time on our own website where we publish all sorts of useful (we hope!) information and contacts. Henley Parish Council Clerk Rod Caird: 07785 331217 www.henley.onesuffolk.net
4 Ever Young Men’s Club Meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 10.30am in The Crown at Claydon. We are looking for new members to both join the club and lend a hand in helping to run it, arranging and organising activities, speakers and events and making the club what you want it to be. Pop in and meet us for a chat, the chance to make new friends and maybe a pie and a pint at lunchtime! Meet ‘n’ Eat Lunch Club The Meet ’n’ Eat Lunch Club is unable to continue at the present time. We are actively looking for volunteers who would be able to take on some of the responsibilty of running the event every month, covering the administration, food safety training, preparation and service and the inevitable washing up! For an informal chat, please contact Mike: 4CAG@bigvax.co.uk / 07805 507497
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NEWS SnOasis PARISH ALLIANCE (SPA)
SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD TEAM
In the autumn of 2016, Onslow Suffolk Ltd put in an application to Mid Suffolk District Council for SnOasis Reserved Matters to be considered – Planning Application no. 4494/16. Full details can be found at: www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/planning-and-building/planning
The weather is finally getting warmer so it’s time to get out into your gardens. There are small changes that can be made outside your house to make it more secure.
It is important to be aware that this is not a renewal of the original planning approval for SnOasis, which remains in place. Reserved Matters cover the detail of such topics as design, appearance, transport, drainage and ecological mitigation. Our questions and comments about Reserved Matters were summarised in a document which was submitted to MSDC in the summer as the comments from the SPA and all its member parishes, giving the comments extra weight because they come from a significant number of local communities, representing over 11,000 registered voters. The SPA member parishes are Baylham, Barham, Bramford, Claydon and Whitton, Great Blakenham, Little Blakenham, Needham Market, Nettlestead and Somersham. The SPA recently held a meeting with representatives from SnOasis and their planning consultants to discuss our concerns and queries about Reserved Matters. They have agreed to respond to each individual comment or query made by the SPA in our Reserved Matters consultation response. This information will be published on the Great Blakenham Parish Council website once it is available. The SPA took the opportunity to raise the concerns felt by residents over the length of time this application has taken and the lack of certainty about what will be happening to the site. We suggested that the developer should run an open event for the public to see what the latest plans and timescales are, as well as being able to ask questions and discuss their concerns. All concerned felt that this was a good idea and the developer has agreed to it. There is no date as yet, but when one is fixed, we will be publicising it widely so that anyone who will be affected by the development will have the opportunity to come along. There is still no date planned for the application to be considered by the Planning Committee and there are still several major issues where information is still required or where the technical experts have not yet made their comments. These include wildlife and the environment and transport to the site. Major concerns remain over drainage and the management of water run-off. The SPA has been able to obtain expertise on this point which was reflected in the detailed scrutiny that was given to this area in our comments. We are encouraged that BMSDC Planning are also determined that any possible development on the site will not lead to flooding and other problems for local communities.
For example having shingle put down instead of block paving or slabs will deter unwanted visitors because of the noise it makes on approach to your house. Making sure your fences and hedges around the perimeter are all secure and that repairs have been done after the winter. Perhaps having CCTV installed or a security light put up. All will keep your home more secure. Make sure you put your garden furniture and garden tools away at the end of the day, preferably in a locked shed. You could also have a shed alarm fitted for added security. Try marking your property with a UV marker pen which is only visible using a UV light. Finally, we have received a number of reports of vehicles being broken into. Please do not leave any valuable items on display, including sat navs, even if your vehicle is parked on the driveway. Take them indoors or lock them away in the boot. And keep your keys safe. If you require further crime prevention advice please do not hesitate to call 101 and ask to speak to a member of the Safer Neighbourhood Team. And remember to call the police on 999 in an emergency and 101 in a nonemergency. Have a great month, PCSO 3048 Denise Ford Safer Neighbourhood Team, Hadleigh Police Station, Magdalen Road, Hadleigh IP7 5AD
The SPA were pleased that the developer is at last willing to enter into dialogue with us. Throughout this long drawn out process, the SPA has made the point that the concerns of the many residents who will be affected by this development should be seen as the highest priority. We have, and will continue to, use every opportunity to press for the best result for our community. For further information, please email SPA clerk Janet Gobey: snoasispa@icloud.com SnOasis Parish Alliance Chairman Steve Plume
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NEWS / OUT & ABOUT SUFFOLK ENERGY-FROM-WASTE FACILITY CHERNOBYL CHILDREN’S LIFELINE
During this planned shutdown, the turbine and generator, which use the steam produced by the heat from the energy-from-waste process to generate electricity, are undergoing a minor service. The superheaters in the boiler are also in the process of being replaced in part. As usual during shutdowns, there are contractors on site to carry out the inspections and maintenance, but there should be no impact to the local community. Want more Suffolk energy-from-waste facility news? You can now sign up for our twice-yearly e-newsletter. The e-newsletter is packed full of news, from how much waste we have processed to visitors we have welcomed on site. If you would like to receive these then sign up at: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/suffolkefwnewsletter Paper copies of the newsletter are available on request by contacting: 01473 839149 / suffolkefw@sita.co.uk If you would like to keep in touch more regularly, Suffolk energy-from-waste is now tweeting site updates and tips on how to reduce, reuse and recycle your waste. Follow us on Twitter: @suffolkefw A busy year for our visitor centre We regularly host visits from Suffolk schools and community groups, offering the opportunity to tour the facility and explore the information and activities in our purpose built visitor centre. So far in 2018 we have welcomed 567 visitors through the doors, including 11 school groups, and we are fully booked until August. If you are interested in arranging a visit, please get in touch using the contact details below. If you have any queries about our operations, please do not hesitate to contact the facility on 01473 839149. OTHER USEFUL CONTACTS To book a visit: 01473 836821 Environment Agency: 0800 807060 SUEZ Communities Trust: 01454 262910
CLAYDON & BARHAM VILLAGE HALL Dates for May Thursday 3
Silver Surfers Slimming World
11.30am-2pm 5.30 & 7.30pm
Tuesday 8
Women’s Institute
7.15-10pm
Thursday 10
Young Families Silver Surfers Slimming World
9.30-11.30am 11.30am-2pm 5.30 & 7.30p
Monday 14
Craft Addicts Barham PC
1-4pm 7-10pm
Thursday 17
Silver Surfers Slimming World
11.30am-2pm 5.30 & 7.30pm
Saturday 19
WI Tea Party
1-4pm
Thursday 24
Young Families Silver Surfers Slimming World
9.30-11.30am 11.30am-2pm 5.30 & 7.30p
Monday 28
Craft Addicts
1-4pm
Thursday 31
Sunshine Service Silver Surfers Slimming World
10am-noon 11.30am-2pm 5.30 & 7.30pm
Because of work on the Claydon and Barham website the online booking process has changed a little. Please follow the notes on the bookings page. If you have a problem please email us at cbvillagehall@btinternet.com or phone Geoff on 01473 836972.
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We are busy preparing for an extremely busy year ahead. In June two children will arrive for a two-week visit and on the day we return them to the airport we will collect the 15 children who are coming for the month-long summer group visit. They return to Belarus at the end of July and two weeks later we will welcome a family of four to stay with us. This family is rather special to us as we will see the return of Nastia, now 19, who, at seven years of age was the very first child we hosted and the beginning of this CCLL Link. If we are able to obtain the visas required we are hoping to bring her with her sister and parents for a two-week visit. When they return to Belarus at the end of August we will also be taking 13 people from Mid Suffolk to join with people from other Links for a week’s goodwill visit to Belarus. So, a very busy time indeed! As always we are appealing for donations of clothing to cover the complete age range of children we support and for siblings at home, so from birth to 18 are always welcome together with good quality secondhand footwear. Also required are basic medicines and for each child. We try to collect the following items: Lemsip, decongestant capsules or drops, vapour rub, menthol nasal sticks, Immodium (or similar), menthol crystals, Sudacrem cream, oil of cloves or similar, digital thermometer, cold sore cream, Iglue mouth ulcer cream, paracetamol or ibuprofen tablets. We would like to thank Stowmarket Football Club who have kindly allowed us to base our group activities at the club and this is where the children will meet throughout the summer to take part in the various events and activities that have been organised for them. Charity Shop The CCLL Charity Shop in Needham Market provides a great focal point for us and helps to raise awareness for our work. Although we have Links across the country we are not a national chain of shops. All staff is volunteers, we don’t pay for any management and neither do we buy in any of the goods on sale. Everything is donated to help support the children. We really do need people who are able to offer a few hours a week to help out covering for holidays and sickness. Each session is only three hours so if you think you could be available to help with ‘spot cover’ we would love to hear from you; no experience is necessary and you’re never on your own. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming. We are now pleased to announce that we can accept payment with all major credit and debit card issuers. So little can mean so very much – and thank you for remembering us. Link Chair Elizabeth Parker 01449 760343 / 07771 550868
Henley Players Presents.. Saturday 23rd June 2018 2.00pm & 7.00pm
Peter Pan
Spring Shutdown The facility is undergoing routine inspections, cleaning and maintenance between April 15 and May 14. This takes place twice a year to ensure the structural integrity and longevity of the facility.
£8.00 Adults, Concessions £5.00 Family of 4 £21.00 Book your Tickets on line at…
www.henleyplayerssuffolk.com or email us @ henleyplayersboxoffice@gmail.com Limelight Scripts
Henley Community Centre Ashbocking Rd, Church Meadows Henley Nr Ipswich Suffolk IP6 ORP
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OUT & ABOUT CLAYDON AND BARHAM COMMUNITY CENTRE
CLAYDON PRIMARY SCHOOL HSA QUIZ AND CHIPS
The community centre is open to all ages. It also has a wide variety of activities and classes to suit everyone throughout the week.
Back by popular demand on Friday, May 11, 7pm at the school hall. Come join us for an evening of fun with games to play, food to eat and a chance to exercise that brain! Bring your own refreshments, nibbles, cutlery and, of course, spare change for games and raffle Tickets/forms are £8.50 and are available from the school office (01473 830439); the deadline for ordering is Thursday, May 3 Teams of up to six adults. Choice of fish, sausage, veggie burger/spring roll, Pukka pies, all with chips First prize – a case of wine!
Monday: Fitness Class, 6-7pm / Short Mat and Carpet Bowls, 7-10.30pm The bar will be open during the short mat season; season starting again soon. Tuesday: Karate 5.30-7pm (all ages) / Indoor Carpet Bowls / Ladies Darts Bar open from 7pm-midnight Wednesday: Pendrill Dance (free style, hip hop street, rock & roll) 5-6pm / Bingo / Crib / Bar open from 7-11pm Thursday: Pendrill Dance (free style, street dance) 6.30-8pm – advanced class with competition training Friday: Karate 5.30-7pm (all ages) / New to the centre – Weight Watchers, 5.30-6.30pm in the Compton Lounge. Enter at the rear gate on the school side of the community centre.
THOMAS KING MEMORIAL GOLF DAY AT HINTLESHAM GOLF CLUB
MONEY BOX: A new competitive game held at 10pm on Friday. Purchase a ticket and if your ticket is drawn, you select a key from the secret container. If your key opens the money box you win the accumulative cash contents of the money box. At the time of writing this article the prize is a staggering £74 with 12 keys left. Saturday: Bar open from noon-3pm and 7pm-12.30am Sunday: Bar open from noon-4pm / Christmas Savings Club and a traditional meat draw We are looking for groups, entertainers or solo performers to use our stage; contact us to book your slot. The bar is fully stocked with popular lagers, draft and bottled ciders, cask ales and a wide range of spirits.
Keen golfers in the Hintlesham and Ipswich area are invited to play in the Thomas King Memorial Golf Day at Hintlesham Golf Club on Sunday, June 10.
The main hall or Compton Lounge is available for hire. For groups from five to 175 contact us to see if your dates are available.
Jack and Larissa King are organising their second golf day event to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) who supports families who have children in hospitals far away from home.
Don’t forget the full size pool table with three games for £1. Available for use when the bar is open unless there is a room booking. THE Community Cafe at the community centre is opening soon (see page 4).
Jack and Larissa’s son Thomas was born with a heart condition and rushed to Evelina Hospital in Central London. He was looked after for six weeks until he sadly passed away from his condition.
We have a lot of exciting events coming up with the first on May 12, a fantastic cabaret evening with the very funny, multi-talented musician and comedian Mr Ian Larkin complemented by the incredible musical maestro Mr Terry Lee Travis.
They continue raising money for RMHC after raising almost £4,800 at last year’s event. The charity allows families to stay free of charge in a house which has 59 rooms, kitchens and other essential facilities and support networks to enable families to live near their children who are being cared for in intensive care units in such hospitals.
Doors open at 7pm. Tickets (£7.50 for members / £8.50 for non-members) available now from the community centre bar. Children under 16 half price. An evening for the whole family to enjoy.
The golf day is £45 per player which includes 18 Holes at Hintlesham Golf Club and a meal following your golf round. Competitions on the day include individual prizes for first, second and third including an engraved claret jug for the winner to keep for a year. There will be team prizes and individual prizes for nearest the pins, longest drives and holes in one (TBC) and a raffle on the day.
Michelle: adsipswich@aol.com
COFFEE MORNING AT ST PETER’S COURT, CLAYDON First Tuesday of every month There are table top sales and raffles and all the money raised goes to the Air Ambulance. All welcome.
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Jack and Larissa are also looking for hole sponsors with good exposure on the day and through their Facebook event page, and prize donations to help them raise money for this important but relatively little known charity. If you would like to participate or support the day through sponsorship or donations please contact: Jack King 07971 210690 / Larissa King 07707 785868 / thomas_kingfundraising@hotmail.com Facebook: Thomas Kings Memorial Page
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OUT & ABOUT MENDLESHAM STREET FAYRE On Bank Holiday, Monday, May 7 the village of Mendlesham will be holding its 38th annual Street Fayre. The fayre will start at noon with a procession of May Princess and the May Queen accompanied by Stowmarket Boys Brigade Band. Old Market Street will be closed to traffic and full of stalls selling crafts, bric-a-brac, plants, jewellery and tickets for our grand draw. Throughout the afternoon there will be live music on stage from the The Emmatones, Suffolk School of Samba with dancers, dancing from East Suffolk Morris Men, clog dancing from the Haughley Hoofers and the Tricky Twister to entertain the children. Visit Wings Elite Birds of Prey and the craft fayre in the community hall and the famous armoury in St Mary’s Church will be open. This year The Mix in Stowmarket will be bringing their portable skate park for you to try with instruction for children and adults. You will find plenty of refreshments including a hog roast, hot dogs, teas, sandwiches and cakes, all provided by village charities. Not forgetting the bygone farm machinery. Entry is by £3 programme for adults with under-16s free and a free car park. To book a space in the street contact Angela on 01473 766483 (no food outlets needed). The event is run by Mendlesham Community Council and the money raised each year goes to help support village charities, the school and the community.
SALVATION ARMY CHARITY MOTORBIKE RIDE Fifty-mile round trip through beautiful Suffolk countryside on Saturday, May 26: 10am: Meet at Stowmarket Salvation Army Corps 11am: Ride starts 12.30pm: Finish time back at the Corps Tea, coffee and hot snacks available at the beginning and a barbeque at the end. Suggested £5 donation please. Money raised will go to the Stowmarket Salvation Army Youth Ministries and Stowmarket Town Pastors. Please contact Jenny: 07940 364028 / jenny.johnson@salvationarmy.org.uk
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Stowmarket Salvation Army, Violet Hill Road, Stowmarket IP14 1NE Please note: There will only be parking available at the venue for bikes with ample parking nearby at ASDA for cars.
QUAKER QUEST An opportunity to explore some important issues with Quakers on four evenings in June. June 6: Faith June 20: Prayer
June 13: Jesus June 27: Sin
There will be two short introductions to each subject, followed by large and small group discussion. We meet at Quaker Meeting House, 39 Fonnereau Road, Ipswich IP1 3JH. Quaker Quest will be from 7-9pm with refreshments available from 6.30pm. Everybody welcome. For more information contact Virginia Marshall: ipswichquakers.org.uk / 01394 383006
www.keepingintouchwith.com/claydon
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OUT & ABOUT IPSWICH MOBILE LIBRARY ROUTE 5
CLAYDON & BARHAM WI
Route 5 MIP/5A MIP/5B MIP/5C MIP/5D MIP/5E MIP/5F MIP/5G MIP/5H MIP/5I MIP/5J MIP/5K
We had a most interesting evening on April 10 when veterinary nurses from Stowmarket spoke to us about their career paths and about the practice they work at. They were accompanied by a small spaniel puppy and a lovely laid back black cat. After refreshments Audrey led us in a quiz about Suffolk villages.
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
Coming soon: Afternoon tea in aid of the Air Ambulance; further details to follow. At our meeting on May 8 we will be discussing and voting on the mental health resolution, the results of which will go forward to the national AGM in the summer.
2018 DATES: May 8, June 5, July 3 & 31, August 28, September 25, October 23, November 20, December 18
BRAMFORD TREFOIL GUILD
Please note that Mobile Library Route 13 stops off at the Sorrel Horse in Barham from 11-11.10am on the following dates: May 18, June 15, July 13, August 10, September 7, October 5, November 2 & 30, December 28
At our April meeting we got crafty making fridge magnets with tea, coffee and biscuits to follow. For our next meeting in May we are meeting at Hallowtree Scout Activity/Campsite for a cream tea. For our home meetings we meet on the first Monday of the month at Bramford Guide & Scout HQ and welcome visitors and new members.
SUFFOLK BOOK LEAGUE
For further information please contact Linda: 01473 462317
Thursday, May 3: Words and Women Words and Women are a literary agency based in Norfolk, supporting and promoting female writers living and working in the East of England. They set up in 2011 and in the last seven years they have published books, distributed £30,000 in prize money and commissions as well as organising a myriad of events around the East of England. They have decided to put the project on hold and this event will be the last for the time being. For more information visit: http://wordsandwomennorwich.blogspot.co.uk Join us at Ipswich Institute Reading Room, 15 Tavern Street Ipswich IP1 3AA. Doors open at 7pm and the event starts at 7.30pm. Members £4, nonmembers £8, students free with ID. To avoid disappointment on the door seats can be reserved by emailing: tickets@sbl.org.uk Payment required on arrival, preferably by cash (no cards accepted). Tickets for reserved seats need to be collected by 7.15pm. Pop-up bookshop courtesy of Woodbridge Emporium.
HENLEY SENIOR CITIZENS Since our last report the club has had the usual round of bingo, dominoes and social meetings. However, on March 21 we had a pre-Easter treat of a fish and chip lunch cooked by Fircroft Chippie which was thoroughly delicious. We were entertained for the rest of the afternoon by Peter, from Claydon, and his two friends on their accordions and there was a lot of singing, tapping of feet and some members even did some dancing. Afternoon tea was a bit special as Dorothy supplied a selection of cakes to celebrate a ‘certain’ birthday.
Henley Mothers’ Union A quick reminder that Councillor Roger Fern is coming to talk to us about Dementia Friends on May 14. Anyone is very welcome to join us to learn about dementia and how we can help people living with it and their carers. Why not come along with a friend? Much of Mothers’ Union fundraising in the UK is done to help finance projects overseas. For a long time MU has funded very successful literacy projects abroad, now usually done in conjunction with financial education. For example, 17,000 illiterate adults in South Sudan learnt to read and became numerate as a result of an MU funded project. This reduces the risk of people being short-changed when they go to the market, and puts them in a better position to start earning enough to support their families. They also gain selfesteem and recognition within their communities. If you would like to know more about Mothers’ Union take a look at our website or come along to one of our meetings: May 14, 7.30pm: Roger Fern on Dementia Friends in St Peter’s Vestry, Henley June 11, 7.30pm: Discussion on the film Victoria & Abdul at 32 Exeter Road, Claydon For more details contact Clare Thomas: clare.thomas@btinternet.com / 01473 832808 www.musuffolk.org.uk
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OUT & ABOUT HENLEY WI
We were especially delighted to welcome David Webb from Hi-de-Hi fame to our March birthday meeting. David, pictured here with members and Chairman Jane Sago, recalled how he and his brother got started in the business and how they eventually joined Hi-de-Hi which ran from 1980-1988. Set in the fictional holiday camp Maplins during the late 50s to 60s, the show was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft who co-wrote Dad’s Army and It Ain’t Half Hot Mum. He produced taped scenes and interviews with some of the actors giving their funny accounts, including the living conditions that they initially endured at the early stages of production until they got rehoused in one of the local hotels. He recalled humorous tales, storylines and provided taped interviews with Sue Pollard (Peggy) and Paul Shane, who was the camp comedian Ted Bovis. They gave an insight into what it was like when they all started, some as unknown performers, and how it developed into a national favourite, making them into stars. Genuinely one of the best guests we have ever had the pleasure to host as he definitely captured the audience. President wins The Denby Cup Congratulations go to our president, Sue Herbert, for winning The Denby Cup for her national award-winning poem. She entered the WI Life Competition in 2017 where they were asked to write about what they love that could be lost to climate change. Jane Sago presented Sue with the Chairman’s Award at the AGM in Trinity Park in March. Ladies, young and old, please come and give us a try! For information please contact our secretary, Alice Robertson: 01473 831281
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SILVER SURFERS A reminder that a regular local Silver Surfers group meets from noon1.30pm on Thursdays in Claydon & Barham Village Hall. We are a friendly, supportive group offering help for you to get the most out of your computer, tablet or phone, and recently ensured that people’s personal details are properly protected. No need to worry if you have never used a computer, there is something of interest for all and we are very patient. Just give it a try, you may enjoy it! In a world where almost everything is now online we realise that it can be difficult to get started. We can also help if you just need to fill up an online application but don’t have a computer or printer. For more information contact John (01483 830084) or just drop in to one of our sessions.
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OUT & ABOUT GREAT BLAKENHAM CRAFT CLUB Open to anyone living in Great Blakenham and the surrounding areas, the club meets every Monday other than bank holidays in Great Blakenham Parish Room (opposite the Chequers PH) from 2-4pm. The building is fully accessible. Members pay £2 per meeting to cover hall hire, refreshments, the monthly workshop goody bag and weekly raffle prizes. If you prefer to bring your own project the charge is £1.50. We received a very nice letter of thanks from the neonatal unit at Ipswich Hospital for the bonding squares we made so were pleased with our efforts. As promised last month, a picture of the completed projects from our oriental themed workshop in March is shown above. For our Take a Piece of Card workshop in April, members set about constructing a 3D card and paper decorated watering can. A picture of the completed projects will follow next month Our remaining programme for 2018 May 14: Layers for the Lads June 4: Bag Ladies July 2: Felting August 6: It’s a Jungle out There September 3: No Tune on this Accordion October 1: Christmas Stockings November 5: Christmas Card Making December 3: AGM and Christmas Party If you think this all sounds interesting there is currently room for new members so please get in touch if you would like to join us. Although the club is all ladies at present, gentlemen who would like to learn crafts are welcome. Unfortunately I can’t accommodate children. Jackie Durrant: 01449 672690
ORWELL DECORATIVE AND FINE ARTS SOCIETY
GREAT BLAKENHAM OVER 50s CLUB Open to anyone over-50 living in Great Blakenham and the surrounding area. We meet from 2-4pm in Great Blakenham Parish Room (opposite the Chequers PH) on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. The cost per meeting is £1.50 which includes whatever activity is programmed for the afternoon, refreshments and raffle. On afternoons when we may play a couple of games of bingo the tickets are £1 each. The building is fully accessible. At our first meeting in March we had a quiz all about Suffolk; I think we all learned a lot that afternoon! For our second meeting, a favourite with the members, we had a beetle drive which always provides a lot of fun. FORTHCOMING PROGRAMME May 9: A visit from Andrew Bingham, Independent Funeral Service May 23: Social afternoon with Brenda June 13: TBA June 27: A visit from Malcolm Crowe, Capricorn Crafts Toymaker July 11: Social Afternoon with Sandra July 25: Summer Party before our summer break New members are always welcome; if you would like to come along to see what goes on we will be pleased to see you. Jackie Durrant, 01449 672690
STOWMARKET STROKE SUPPORT GROUP Come and join us at our 10th Anniversary Celebration with coffee and home-made cakes at the United Reform Church Hall, Stowmarket on Saturday, May 19 from 10am to 12.30pm. Everyone welcome. Our group meets weekly to support local people of all ages who have had a stroke. For further information please contact Mrs Anne Helliwell: 01449 673237
“Together we can conquer stroke”
Wednesday, May 2: Image and History: Art at the Landsdowne Club by Pamela Campbell-Johnston Landsdowne House, now a private club, has a wonderful art collection. Robert Adam’s original plan and changes made by later renowned architects will be explored. Eighteenth century prints, oils, mixed media and modern acquisitions are all part of the collection. We are promised stories of intrigue and passion as we learn the history of this fascinating building. Why not join us and enjoy good company and interesting talks? We meet at Tower Hall, Broadlands Way, Rushmere St Andrew on the first Wednesday of most months. Talks last about an hour, commencing at 2.15pm, with tea and coffee served from 1.30-2pm. Guests and non-members are welcome provided we have enough space. Exceptionally popular lectures will have a visitor limit of 20 spaces. Please contact Wendy Robbins in advance on 01394 823807 to check if there is available space. For the latest events and news please visit: www.orwelldfas.org.uk
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ORWELL PROBUS CLUB We meet on the second Thursday of each month at Greshams on Tuddenham Road (opposite the Millennium Cemetery) for lunch and usually a speaker entertains us afterwards. Probus clubs provide an opportunity for active retired or semi-retired gentlemen to attend regular meetings and enjoy the camaraderie of likeminded people who appreciate similar interests. We have social events, outings, and holidays which, of course, include spouses, partners and friends. If you think Orwell Probus Club could be for you, please contact our secretary, Graham Balfe, for further details: 01473 729012 / grahambalfe@tiscali.co.uk
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OUT & ABOUT IPSWICH & DISTRICT HISTORICAL TRANSPORT SOCIETY Wednesday, May 23: Norfolk Railway Society presentation illustrated by NRS members 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. Details from Martyn (01473 422145) or Peter (01394 420490). www.idhts.co.uk
SOMERSHAM AND DISTRICT GARDENING CLUB Our next meeting is on Monday, May 12 at 7.30pm in Offton and Willisham Village Hall. Ian Barker will be giving a talk on hanging baskets and container plants, so if you want some new ideas for your gardens please come along. Before that on Saturday, May 12 we have our annual plant sale. This will be held in Somersham Village Hall from 10-11.30am. There will be a large selection of plants to buy plus a tombola, cakes and refreshments. Entry is free. If you require any further information on either of these events please ring: 01473 254941/830600
STOWMARKET AND DISTRICT FLOWER CLUB David Wright from Norwich will present a demonstration entitled It’s an Education on May 23. Meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month, except August and December, at Woolpit Village Hall at 7.30pm. New members and visitors are always welcome. For further information, please contact our chairman, Vicki Hease: 01449 77090
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. We meet at Ropes Hall War Memorial Community Centre, Twelve Acre Approach, Kesgrave IP5 1JF. The start time is 7.15pm. Our next meeting is on May 15 when Peter Lawrence will be speaking on the stately homes of England. For several hundreds of years these homes have become a central feature of cultural life in England. Peter will be looking at some of these homes and show how individually they reflect the wealth and power of their owners. The May meeting is the last before our summer break. We meet again on September 18 when Andrew Wiltshire will be looking at the secret code used by Beatrix Potter to record her secret thoughts and observations, and the work carried out by one man to find the key to this code. Visitors (even if not National Trust members) are welcome, entrance fee £3 each. National Trust members/volunteers can join us for £8 a year (£12 a 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 – or visit: www.membershipesnta.btck.co.uk
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Schools / SPORT HENLEY PRE-SCHOOL STONHAM ASPAL PRIMARY SCHOOL It is truly hard to believe that we are now at the end of the spring term, which means that we are two-thirds of the way through the 2017-18 school year. Since the last newsletter there have been a number of events to share and celebrate.
We have recently enjoyed an outing to Easton Farm Park which was funded by the quiz and curry night in February. Thanks again to everyone who supported this event. This is so popular we have already booked a date for next year, Friday, February 1. On May 18 we will be having a sponsored toddle waddle around the school field in fancy dress where all children will be invited to take part to raise funds for some new resources. We have recently had visits from both the fire and police services as well as a visit from a schoolteacher who did great story telling with the use of puppets. We are looking forward to a visit from a farmer who will arrive at pre-school with his tractor and short walks to the local garage (Five Ways, Henley) to watch the mechanics at work. The garden is being improved with new resources which will include a builder’s area and further planting areas. Many thanks for the continued supported and time given by Bob, our volunteer gardener, without whom these projects wouldn’t happen.
Class 5 spent Tuesday, March 13 touring the River Deben. This was part of their geography river topic. Initially they walked in the river collecting data; a few wellies were breached but dry supplies were onhand. The trip finished at Bawdsey where the children could explore where the river meets the sea. This was an excellent trip and really helped to enhance their understanding of their topic. Over the last couple of weeks Classes 3, 4 and 6 have held their sharing assemblies for parents and carers. Thank you to all those who were able to attend; the children love sharing their learning. The content and performances were extremely impressive. A big well done goes to the staff and children for all the hard work that went into producing them. On Friday, March 23 the staff and children enjoyed dressing up in something sporty in aid of Sports Relief. In assembly we got up to 17 sports being represented, but there were probably more! An amazing £159.71 was raised. Thank you very much for supporting such a great cause. During the day most classes managed to fit some extra sporty activities as well. Also on Friday, March 23 the PTA hosted a school disco. A great time was had by all. The hall was full of dancing children, glow sticks and lots of sweets being eaten. Thank you very much to all who helped to organise it and help on the night. Thank you too, to the parents and carers for supporting the disco. Finally, I sadly need to share that from September 2018 Mr Mabbitt will no longer be with us. He will be taking up a new position as deputy head at Norton CEVC Primary School. Congratulations, Mr Mabbitt. While this is sad for our school we wish Mr Mabbitt huge success in his new position and hope that he keeps in touch with us. The school has already started the recruitment process to replace him.
Open to everyone, our family fun morning will be held on Saturday, July 14 from 10am to 12.30pm in the Boughton Room at Henley Community Centre. There will be lots of games and stalls and fun for all the family. We are excited to announce the launch of our new website; please take a look to find out more about the setting and how to register your child. Also check out our Facebook page and ‘like’ us. Our sessions are currently full, but we will have spaces for those children who wish to start in September 2018 and would encourage parents/carers to apply as soon as possible. For further information please call 01473 833848 during session time (9am3pm) or email Bridget Wyatt at: enquiries@henleypreschool.co.uk www.henleypreschool.co.uk
GIPPING VALLEY BOWLS CLUB By the time this is printed we will have had our pre-season meeting and one of our open days on April 28, as advertised in April’s In Touch. Hopefully we will have had a good response to our advert and encouraged lots of you to play bowls. However, if you missed the open day on April 28, we are holding another on Saturday, May 12 and anybody of any age is welcome to come along and have a go. If you require further information please contact our secretary, Rita Adams: 01473 830845 Our green officially opened on April 23 and we have commenced league matches. We play in leagues on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and hold practice sessions and roll-ups on Thursday, plus interclub competitions. We wish all our players an enjoyable season and good luck to all those who are entering county competitions.
If you would like to know more our website is a good source of information, or contact the office to arrange to visit us. www.stonhamaspal.suffolk.sch.uk
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SPORT / On the grapevine TALES FROM THE 19th HOLE BRAMFORD TENNIS CLUB The tennis season is finally upon us and we are excited to share the news that at our recent AGM we agreed to maintain our fantastic special membership offers for first time members, while also reducing the annual membership price for full members. This means that adult memberships now start from as little as £25/year for new members, rising to a maximum of £55 over a three-year period. Junior memberships start from as little as £10/year rising to a max of £20. We strongly believe we offer the best membership rates in Suffolk so get in touch to find out how to join us while the offer lasts! JOIN US FOR THE GREAT BRITISH TENNIS WEEKEND Come and join us for a day of free tennis activities on Sunday, May 13 from 10.30am-2.30pm. We will have some fun competitions, you can meet our coach, try some tennis cardio workouts or even take on our ball machine challenge. We are a small friendly village club and members from the club will be available on the day to provide a warm welcome to prospective new adult, family and junior members. Our exclusive special introductory membership offers will also be available on the day. TENNIS FOR KIDS 2018 This flagship programme from the LTA in which kids receive six weeks of coaching for just £25, plus a racket, a personalised t-shirt and a pack of mini-tennis balls, officially launched on April 5. Sign up at Bramford Tennis Club has been strong with the first course aimed at four to seven year olds selling out on the first day! The second course aimed at kids aged seven to 11 still has a few remaining places so act quickly if you want to secure one of the few remaining slots by contacting Carl on 07553 966380 or by following the link at the bottom of this article. To find out more at about any of the items mentioned above please visit our website or call/text our coach, Carl Douglas: 07553 966380 https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/BramfordTennisClub
With us not playing again until April 22, a couple of weeks after publication deadline day, I report further on our outing in late February at Ufford Park. I previously advised that this was Brian Shaw’s first meeting as captain and, under his tenure he has introduced a new fine system. All contributions will be made to charity at the end of the year, an innovative and well-founded gesture. Having played with Keith on the day, the nuances and randomness of the fine system will no doubt have been fully explained and absorbed; we now need to watch our steps on home soil and not just in France this year. I also made mention that Ian Addicott had a far from successful initial nine holes, but recovered to finish in equal fourth position. Ian must have subconsciously had it in for the greenkeepers. He sliced his fourth hole tee shot way right and crashed onto the greenkeeper’s metal hut, hidden within the adjacent wooded copse, with a loud bang. As we meandered around to the eighth hole, Ian had the honour and went to tee off. Just as he was on his down stroke a bell was ‘clanged’ on the dog-leg fairway causing a twitch which resulted in another slice into the opposite side of the very same shed. It was difficult not to chuckle, particularly when a minute later a greenkeeper was spotted crossing our fairway, lunchbox in hand, heading towards another shelter. He was clearly not going to have a peaceful lunchbreak while Ian was on the course. Wildlife around the course can often be a pleasant element to a round of golf with both human and animal coexisting cordially. However, at the 16th hole the question “when does a seagull become a duck?” was posed. The answer is when its life is dependent on avoiding a drive from Scott, successfully in this instance. The chattering crow overlooking the 15th was more brazen and did appear to be laughing at our group as we all tried to master the undulating green with several misses. It should have been on the third hole where it could have had another chuckle at poor Steve Brock. Normally hitting the flag is a sign of an accurate approach into the green and can result in holing your ball. However, in ‘Golden Boot’ winner Steve’s case he hit the flag following an unsuccessful heavy putt, it having been laid on the green well away from the hole. Things can only improve next time out, As we approached the 18th green I thought to myself that, on balance, we had performed reasonably well as a four-ball, particularly this being the first outing for a few months for most of us. The song Reasons to be Cheerful (Part 3) started to swim around my head. As we shook hands I did comment to my playing partners that the round reminded me of the Ian Dury song but, quick as a flash, Terry Aldiss retorted: “What a waste?”. So much for optimism!
DR DAN POULTER MP REPORTS BACK Mobile phones have been around for about 30 years now, in one form or another. In that time, they have been completely transformed and completely transforming. As the great brick-like contraptions that became synonymous with the social and economic changes of the 1980s gave way to the sleek, all-encompassing smart phones of today, so the way people have used them has changed beyond recognition, and the impact on our lives of those changes has been dramatic and, on the whole, hugely beneficial. While almost anything and everything can be done via your mobile phone, its original purpose remains fundamental: the ability to make a phone call; to speak to other people. It is in this area that technology just hasn’t kept up. In Suffolk, as elsewhere, mobile phone reception is extremely mixed. It seems extraordinary that it’s possible to speak to someone, with complete clarity, living thousands of miles away, and yet struggle to make a call from many of the towns and villages across our county. It is in that context that the ‘No More Not Spots’ campaign has been launched by the British Chamber of Commerce, and strongly supported
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by the CEO of Suffolk’s Chamber of Commerce, John Dugmore. As John rightly said: “It’s particularly important in Suffolk because we have a number of key strategic arteries such as the A12 and A14 with terrible notspot areas.” I’m sure we can all add to that with the areas we’ve struggled to make or take a phone call. Quite simply, we must do better. Both for existing businesses, and to attract and encourage new ones, this is a must. Suffolk has such great economic potential, but in a highly-competitive world, we need to keep advancing, in order to retain and build on our competitive advantages. The aim of the campaign is to encourage people to share the details of not-spots they have experienced – which you can do via the Chambers of Commerce website. The Chamber will then take these details to the big network operators, as well as councils and the government, with the laudable aim of achieving 100% coverage by 2020. We can all do our bit, and I will certainly push this matter with my colleagues in parliament. So, spread the word and #shareyournotspots. For more information, please visit: www.drdanielpoulter.com
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On the grapevine
MAN’S BEST FRIEND TO HEADLINE STONHAM BARNS MAY EVENTS
MASQUERADE CHARITY BALL IN AID OF THE BLOSSOM APPEAL
Doggy wellbeing, behavior and all-natural food is topping the bill at a full programme of Stonham Barns events this May.
The Ipswich Hospital Charity is excited to announce the Masquerade Charity Ball at The Venue at Kersey Mill on Friday, June 22 at 7pm in aid of The Blossom Appeal.
The Natural Dog Show 2018, on the first weekend of the month, kicks off a full bill of family and educational events at the Stonham Aspal venue. Canine owners can book themselves on to specialised training, natural nutrition and ‘canine enrichment’ talks and seminars at the event which is tailored to everything a health-conscious pooch could ever wish to enjoy. Visitors will learn how to improve the holistic health and wellbeing of their beloved pet from a host of renowned experts including Sue Williamson, an expert in TTouch, a technique aimed at reducing stress and boosting wellbeing in dogs through improving body posture. Zoe Willingham, a dog trainer and behaviourist, will also be on hand to teach visitors about canine body language while expert canine nutritionists such as Jessy Chaston, from Doodledales which is organising the event, will talk dog owners through the best nutrition for their animals.
This glamorous evening will include a night of live entertainment with a drinks reception and a three course meal with wine in a beautiful location. JS and The Lockerbillies, who have previously played at Glastonbury, will be our band for the night so get your dancing shoes on and get ready to rock ‘n’ roll! All money raised will go towards The Ipswich Hospital Charity, supporting The Blossom Appeal. Help us build a new £2.5million Breast Care Centre at Ipswich Hospital where every breast care patient can have the best possible experience when they come to hospital. The new centre will bring all elements of breast care at The Ipswich Hospital under one roof and provide an environment where patients can be imaged, biopsied where necessary, and see their clinician in one appointment without the need to get dressed and undressed several times. There will also be new dedicated clinics for men and young people.
The Natural Dog Show is on May 6 and 7 between 10am and 5pm. Tickets are £6 for adults; £5 concessions; five-15 year olds £3 and a family ticket of two adults and two children £14; under-fives are free. Later in the month, the Steam and Vintage Show rolls into Stonham Barns, a brand new educational event shining a light on rural history. There will be a gathering of traction engines, steamrollers and other historic exhibits. Aimed at providing a practical backdrop to school-based educational Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programmes, visitors will also be encouraged to learn about and have a go at practical crafts such as metalwork, woodwork and blacksmithing. Tickets cost £7.50 for adults; £5 for concessions and four-15 year olds; £20 for a family ticket (two adults, two children); under-fours go free. The Steam and Vintage Show takes place on May 19 and 20 from 10am-4pm. New to Stonham Barns this year is the Children’s Fest, a two-day extravaganza of everything designed to keep your little ones busy during the May half term. There will be a silent disco, puppet making, theatre, sports, music, arts, circus skills and dance workshops and the inflatable world will allow them to let off some steam. For older children there will be an open mic event and some demonstrations from local artists and performers. A specially commissioned family and children’s market will be selling gifts, books, toys and clothes while hot food, picnic packs and drinks will be available throughout the day as well as disabled facilities, showers and baby changing areas. In addition, Stonham Barns has a wide variety of attractions suitable for children including the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, Tumbledown softplay barn and a giant bouncy pillow. Pre-book your packed lunch for just £5 containing a sandwich, fruit, crisps, snack bar and drink via: www.ticketsource.co.uk/stonhambarns-/events The Children’s Fest takes place on May 19 and 30. Tickets for three-15 year olds cost £10; accompanying adults, those aged 16 or over and under-threes are free. All adults and over 16s must be accompanied by a paying child. Stonham Barns is located on Pettaugh Road, Stonham Aspal IP14 6AT. www.stonhambarns.co.uk
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Your support can help patients like Jo: “There is a lot of getting up and down and walking to and from for imaging and treatment, and it’s a very impersonal space.” Former breast cancer patient Jo Whitelaw remembers the experience of visiting the hospital all too well, but the now 55-yearold also remembers the amazing care she received. She said: “The hospital was my security blanket. I got all the support and reassurance I could’ve asked for from the team. They were always there when I needed them.” Jo, from Great Blakenham, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 after discovering a lump in her breast. Initially she thought it was benign as she’d had others removed in the past, but it did turn out to be cancerous. When the lump was removed cancer cells were still found so Jo went on to have her breast removed and gruelling chemotherapy and drug treatment to fight the disease. She said: “It’s a very open and impersonal space. I remember when I first went to hospital I sat there and looked at all the people in the waiting room and felt very alone. The new centre could be more personal, but then there would be opportunities and spaces to talk if people wanted to.” Jo, married with two children, four grandchildren (and another on the way) has now been clear of cancer for five years. While the hospital team were Jo’s security blanket, she turned to the animals in her yard to relax. A keeper of horses, sheep and chickens, Jo credits them with helping her relax both during and since her cancer. Help us build a new Breast Centre at Ipswich Hospital while enjoying a glamorous night. To purchase tickets (£50) please visit www.ipswichhospitalcharity. co.uk or contact: 01473 702929 / charity@ipswichhospital.nhs.uk
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On the grapevine / CHURCH NEWS ST ELIZABETH HOSPICE St Elizabeth Hospice has been part of our local community for nearly 30 years and it’s a local charity that many people have come into contact with in that time, either through receiving care themselves or by knowing someone who has. Each year the hospice needs to generate £10.5million with over 75 per cent of that coming from the local community – from people like you. This month we take a look at a few of the ways you could support the hospice including a new family friendly event. This June the team behind Bubble Rush, The Midnight Walk (May 12) and Who’s Afraid of the Park? will be bringing a brand new family friendly event to Ipswich to test your nerve and agility. The hospice has recently announced that they will be bringing Extreme Ninja Assault to Ipswich Rugby Club in Humber Doucy Lane on Saturday, June 16. The Great Garden Trail also returns this year with some favourite gardens re-opening for all to explore along with some new ones showcasing their owner’s horticultural talents. Trail maps are available in locations across Suffolk, including the hospice shops, or to find out more about the gardens that are open visit: www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/greatgardentrail
RSPCA PROJECT WINSTON Help us complete Project Winston, a £420,000 building project at the RSPCA Animal Centre at Martlesham, which will replace six of our old dog kennels with new, up-to-date blocks, as well as improving staff, volunteer and visitor facilities. Half of the new kennels will be bigger than normal, to provide better accommodation for bigger dogs, like Winston. Winston was a sweet Newfoundland dog who came into the centre as a cruelty case, but he finally found his forever home with a family that loved him dearly. The branch already has £316,586 in grants, donations and legacies, and we’re raising the additional money through activities, including collections, events, a sponsorship scheme and asking our supporters to organise fundraising events on our behalf. This project is for Winston and all the animals that are still looking for the thing they want most – a loving forever home. Find our more and make a donation at: http://ipswich-rspca.org.uk/project-winston-fundraiser
SPRING, NEW LIFE NEW BEGINNINGS BAND ACADEMY AT THE MIX Here at The Mix HQ, we are really pleased to extend a warm welcome to Band Academy who have taken over the operation of the Vorpal Music Studio. Both Adam and Jake of Band Academy are experienced youth workers and have been involved with The Mix for some time, but they are also extremely talented musicians. Jake said: “We are delighted to announce the re-opening of Vorpal Studio at The Mix. We’re extremely excited to get to work and are pleased to be able to offer a range of new services, focusing our efforts towards young people with an interest in music and media. “We’d like to extend our thanks to Ryan at The Mix for his incredible and tireless commitment to the studio over the last four years and to The Mix team for their trust, belief and support in allowing us to take sole ownership. We aim to continue the amazing work they do by enabling the immeasurable potential every single young person has, through the four walls of our recording studio. “What are we offering? Besides being accessible during the regular dropin services currently provided, we will also be offering one-to-one or oneto-band coaching in music and videography, viral-style videos for bands/ singers wanting to reach more people with their music and bespoke projects co-ordinated with partnered charities and schools. “We’ve already seen the positive impact music has on the young people we currently work with through Band Academy and cannot wait to see Vorpal Studio develop their skills and continue offering an alternative outlet for music and media.” Please contact us at info@vorpalstudio.com or visit: vorpalstudio.com Good luck Adam and Jake; we are really looking forward to seeing the results of all your hard work and the benefits it will bring to our young people.
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My wife and I returned to Suffolk at the end of November after three years living and working in Malawi. It is one of the poorest countries in the world but is blessed with the friendliest of people, beautiful countryside and the loveliest of climates. No cold dark winters in the city of Blantyre. Sitting at an altitude of 3,400ft, it has between 11 and 13 hours of daylight all year round, and temperatures of 17 to 24o Celsius! In such idyllic surroundings why would anyone miss the UK weather? Well we did eventually find ourselves missing the familiar changing pattern of the seasons, and especially the wonder of an English spring as a seemingly dead and barren land breaks out in new life full of new beginnings. So, perhaps more than most people we were waited very impatiently for this year’s late spring to arrive – as it finally did in early April as I wrote this piece. In life we too can often feel emotionally and spiritually dead and barren, and despair of whether the future holds anything new for us. But the wonderful good news of the Bible is that any, and all, who are willing to commit their lived to the historical Lord Jesus Christ receive the ultimate gift from God: of a spiritual spring, of eternal new life and deep rooted new beginnings. Apostle Paul put it this way in one of his letters to the church in Corinth: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come!” Do you feel as dead and barren as our last Suffolk winter? Does Paul’s message seem fantastical and unbelievable? Why not come along and find out more at our next Discover and Do event on May 6, 4-5.30pm at Great Blakenham Baptist Church in Chapel Lane. You will find crafts, songs, Bible stories, food and fun for all ages. Just turn up on the day or for more information email: michaelblakenham2014@gmail.com. Myles WEEKLY EVENTS Monday fortnightly: Little Owls Toddler Group, 10am-noon Tuesday: Weekly Prayer Meeting, 7.30-8.30pm Wednesday: Coffee Morning, 10am-noon / all welcome Thursday: Home Group, 10-11.45am Friday: Children’s Club (primary school age), 6.30-7.30pm Sunday Morning Service: 10.45am-noon For more information contact Michael: 01473 839785
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CHURCH NEWS THE CLAYDON GROUP OF CHURCHES The Church of England in Claydon and Barham, Henley and Great Blakenham We offer you a warm welcome to all our events and services. For enquiries about baptisms, weddings and funerals contact Priest-in-Charge: The Rev Carl Melville 01473 833542 / carlmelville@hotmail.com SERVICES IN APRIL Henley Church – every Sunday at 9.30am Barham Church – every Sunday at 10am Gt Blakenham Church – every Sunday at 11am St Peter’s Church, Claydon is usually open during daylight hours. Sunday, May 5: Easter 6 8am Holy Communion 9.30am Holy Communion 10am Holy Communion 11am family@blakenham 3pm Godparent Service
Barham Church Henley Church Barham Church Gt Blakenham Church Barham Church
Thursday, Mary 10: Ascension Day 7pm Communion & Wave of Prayer, Barham Church Sunday, May 13: Easter 7 8am Holy Communion 9.30am Holy Communion 10am family@henley 11am Holy Communion
Barham Church Henley Church Barham Church Gt Blakenham Church
Sunday, May 20: Pentecost 11am Pentecost Praise and Holy Communion at The Rectory, Claydon Followed by a picnic Sunday, May 27: Trinity Sunday 8am Holy Communion 9.30am Café Church 10am Holy Communion 11am Elevenses@GB 4pm Wedding Songs of Praise 6.30pm Evensong BCP
Barham Church Henley Church Barham Church Gt Blakenham Church Gt Blakenham Church Henley Church
MAY – PENTECOST: SPIRIT, LIFE TO THE CHURCH The Holy Spirit fell on Jesus’ followers so that they may have power to tell the world the love of Him. 11am Pentecost Praise and Holy Communion at The Rectory, Claydon, followed by a picnic All welcome! Wave of Prayer: Lasting for 10 days from May 10 with a special service at Barham Church at 7pm. All welcome. Sunday’s Cool: Meets on the second and third Sundays of every month in Gt Blakenham Parish Room from 10.30am (May 6 & 13 / June 10 & 17) with stories, games, songs and loads of fun! It’s free – no need to book. Contact Irene for more info: 01449 676567 Godparents’ Sunday: If you have godparents come along to Barham Church at 3pm on Sunday, May 6 for a special service followed by crafts, games and an afternoon tea. Please let Ann and Roger Colthorpe know numbers for catering purposes. WW1 100 Years Festival: See page 3 Claydon and Barham in Days Gone By: In Barham Church from June 15-18. Come along and see, reminisce or discover what your community was like in the past. Wedding Festival: See page 17 Annual Claydon and Barham Church Fete: Now in its 71st year, this will take place at 2pm on Saturday, June 16 in the grounds around Barham Church. All the usual attractions.
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Tots Groups: Henley Tots meets in Henley Church on the first and third Fridays, the Claydon group meets on alternate Thursdays in the village hall, and the Gt Blakenham Group meets on second and fourth Fridays in the Parish Room. See our website for more details. Families at 4.30 for Pentecost: Crafts, food and fun for the family at 4.30pm at Barham Church on Sunday, May 20. If your family plans to attend please let us know for food and materials: rogercolthorpe@aol.com / 831079 Barham Hall Picnic Band Concert, July 7: If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, don’t delay. At the time of writing they have been selling fast at the early discount price of £11 each before going to full price of £14 on June 1. OTHER SERVICES AND EVENTS MAY Tuesday 1 Friday 4 Thursday 10 Friday 11 Wednesday 16 Friday 18 Saturday 19 Sunday 20 Wednesday 23 Wednesday 23 Friday 25
Holy Conversations, The Rectory, 7pm Henley Tots, Henley Vestry, 9.30–11.30am Wave of Prayer begins Pram Service, GB Parish Room, 9.30–11am Midweek Communion, Barham Church, 10am Henley Tots, Henley Vestry, 9.30–11.30am Vestry Café, Henley Church, 10.30am–1pm families@4.30, Barham Church Midweek Communion, Barham Church, 10am Communion at St Peter’s Court Pram Service, GB Parish Room, 9.30–11am
Further dates can be found at: www.claydonchurches.com LETTER FROM THE VICAR Each year the church holds its AGM where we elect new wardens and members of the staff team, as well as review the past year and look forward to the year ahead. Churchwardens: Barham Church: Dorothy Lay and Robert Clarke Henley Church: Richard Self and Marion Self (Honorary) Gt Blakenham Church: Caroline Ray and Wendy Hooper Over the year we’ll be using a passage from the Bible as our inspiration in all we do: Colossians 3: 12-17; 4: 2-6 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 12
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, 4 so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should. 5 Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. 2
The Rev Carl Melville: carlmelville@hotmail.com Facebook & Twitter: The Claydon Group of Churches HALL BOOKINGS Barham Church Hall: Zoe Groom, 831804 Gt Blakenham Parish Room: Reg Barton, 839958 Henley Church Vestry : Margaret Gerrard, 831463
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