In Touch
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with Broke Hall, Ipswich East, Ravenswood & Warren Heath Volume 8 • Issue No. 5 • MARCH 2018
Sunset over Felixstowe by Debbie Johnson
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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR Now don’t tell my boss, but on Tuesday mornings when I arrive at work before A Life Scientific on BBC Radio 4 has ended, I’m forced to sit in the car until it does. Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to leading scientists about their life and work, finding out what inspires and motivates them. I particularly loved his interview with Eugenia Cheng on the mathematics of mathematics. Though it was never my strongest subject, I continue to love maths, desperate to understand and to find the right answer, though I seldom do. What’s extraordinary about many of the people featured on A Life Scientific is how often a childhood interest or passion has led to a fulfilling career and it’s clear that doing something you love is a wonderful privilege. I’ll be playing the podcasts to my son when he’s a little older because whatever he does in life I want it to be what makes him happy. You may have read about the letter a teacher in Singapore sent to parents the week before her students were to sit exams. Here’s a short extract: “I know you are all really anxious for your child to do well. But, please do remember, amongst the students who will be sitting for the exams there is an artist who doesn’t need to understand math, an entrepreneur who doesn’t care about history or English literature, a musician whose chemistry marks won’t matter. There’s an athlete whose physical fitness is more important than physics. If your child does get top marks, that’s great, but if he or she doesn’t please don’t take away their self-confidence and dignity. Tell them no matter what they score you love them and will not judge them. Please do this and when you do, watch your children conquer the world. One exam or a low mark won’t take that away. And please don’t think that doctors and engineers are the only happy people in the world.” I hope you have or have had the opportunity to do what you love and that you can inspire others to do likewise. Driving to work at 6am on a cold January morning is never easy, but it’s a whole lot easier if you’re looking forward to the day ahead.
In Touch
with Broke Hall, Ipswich East, Ravenswood & Warren Heath
NEWS COMMUNITY MARKET CELEBRATES SPRING Get a vitamin boost at the first community market of the year at the CRESS Pavilion, Halifax Road, Ipswich IP2 8RE, on Friday, March 16, 10am to 12.30pm. Fresh produce, plot-ready seedlings and bedding plants to brighten up your garden or windowsill will be part of the offering. Our café will be serving up delicious allotment soup, homemade cakes and tea and coffee – so come and relax with a cuppa and get to know your neighbours. ActivSheds will be in full swing – find out more about this great woodworking and construction project, where our volunteers are busy making bird boxes for nesting time. For the green-fingered, there will be seedlings to get you started this season, including lettuce, cauliflower, cabbage, everlasting onion, rocket and herb sets. Fresh produce will include sprouting broccoli, chard, rocket leaves, kale, sprout flowers, fresh herbs and Jerusalem artichokes. Maidenhall Residents’ Association will be offering bric-a-brac, handmade cards and household items, while other organisations will be joining in with items for sale and local information. There is parking on site and in surrounding roads. The CRESS Pavilion is fully accessible with an accessible toilet. Future 2018 CRESS markets will be held on Fridays, April 13, May 11, June 15, August 10, September 14 and October 5. The July market is replaced by the Big Garden Party on Saturday, July 21. There will be no market in November as we prepare for our Christmas market on Friday, December 7.
Published by: Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd, 20 Wharfedale Road, Ipswich IP1 4JP Editor: Sharon Jenkins We also publish In Touch with... Email: sharon@intouchnews.co.uk • NEW Beyton, Drinkstone, Elmswell, 01473 400380 Haughley, Hessett, Norton, Tostock, Send editorial copy to: Wetherden & Woolpit ipswicheast@intouchnews.co.uk •B ramford, Offton, Somersham & Willisham Readers are invited to submit articles, illustrations •C apel St Mary and photographs for publication. The publishers •B arham, Claydon, Henley & Whitton reserve the right to amend such submissions and •B elstead, Bentley, Copdock, Tattingstone cannot accept responsibility for any loss. & Washbrook ADVERTISING •D edham, East Bergholt, Flatford Email: advertising@intouchnews.co.uk & Stratford St Mary 01473 400380 •B aylham, Gt & Lt Blakenham & Nettlestead •K esgrave & Rushmere St Andrew DISTRIBUTION •B rantham, Lawford, Manningtree & Mistley Tree Martin •M artlesham Heath & Old Martlesham Email: tree@intouchnews.co.uk •N eedham Market & The Creetings 01473 400380 •C helmondiston, Erwarton, Harkstead, Holbrook, Pin Mill, Shotley, PRINTING Stutton & Woolverstone Colourplan Print •B urstall & Sproughton Email: steve@colourplan.co.uk •S towmarket & Stowupland 01473 400379 • Ashbocking, Tuddenham St Martin, Disclaimer: Westerfield & Witnesham The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily •C hattisham, Hadleigh, Hintlesham, those of the publisher. Every effort is taken to ensure Holton St Mary, Layham & Raydon that the contents of this magazine are accurate but the publisher cannot assume any responsibility for errors •M elton & Woodbridge 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.
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IPSWICH GANG SHOW IS 80 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR Have you ever been a member of the show, on stage or behind the scenes? We are celebrating our 80 years with a dinner/dance at Trinity Park on Saturday, September 1 and would love to see anyone who has been connected to the show. For further details email: gangshow80@outlook.com
Ipswich and District Kidney Association (IDKA) aims to help improve the lives of people suffering from kidney disease through providing items of equipment and welfare grants, and by organising social activities. IDKA can also direct patients to a variety of specialist support services in strict confidence. Don’t suffer in silence. IDKA was set up by and is run by people who understand what you are going through and are keen to help. Contact Doug Swayze, chair of IDKA – chair@idka.org.uk / 01449 612090 / 20 Bures Close, Stowmarket IP14 2PL – or vice-chair Les Talbott – 01473 635749.
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OUT & ABOUT IPSWICH COUNTRY MARKET
THE MASQUE PLAYERS
March 5-11 is British Pie Week. Apparently 75% of people enjoy a pie at least once a month and 79% of people say they are willing to pay more for a homemade one, so why not come along to our market on Thursday, March 8 and try one of ours?
The Masque Players will be performing The Weekend by Michael Palin at Kesgrave War Memorial Community Centre from March 21-24.
Our pork pies contain locally reared pork with sausage meat, bacon and homemade pork stock! We also have steak & kidney pie, cottage pie, fish pie and Cornish pasties! Fruit pies are also available. All our pastry is made from scratch and we never use artificial additives. We are more than happy to tell you what’s in our food; in fact we are proud to do so! You can ask us what’s in our recipes, whether you want to check for food allergens or know how something is made. All items can be ordered in advance at the market so that you never need to be disappointed or without your favourite food. We also have a full range of crafts on offer, all created by members of our cooperative and locally made in their own homes. You can buy a traditionally made item using skills that hark back to an era when we all had time to make our own, be it sewing, knitting, bead or paper craft work. You can keep up to date with the market on our Facebook page – Ipswich Country Market – or at: www.ipswichcountrymarket.co.uk We are open on Thursday mornings from 10.15-11.30am at Rushmere Village Hall on Humber Doucy Lane (IP4 3PB). There is plenty of free parking, a warm welcome, home baked refreshments and free tea or coffee on your first visit.
GIPPESWYK SINGERS PRESENT BACH’S ST JOHN PASSION Gippeswyk Singers are delighted to present St John Passion by JS Bach on Good Friday, March 30 in partnership with Music in Felixstowe, conducted by Geoff Lavery. Gippeswyk Singers will be joined by four professional young soloists and the Classic Chamber Orchestra, consisting of the finest musicians in East Anglia, for this very poetic portrayal of the crucifixion story. The St John Passion is an expressive and dramatic oratorio which takes us through the fiercely sorrowful events of Good Friday with all its darkness and despair. However, it is also a deeply reflective and optimistic piece. Bach’s music becomes infused with light and hope as it leads us with great beauty to the promise of the redeeming love of the Resurrection. The soloists are Sarah Gallop – soprano, Chloe Pardoe – mezzo, William Searle - tenor (Evangelist), Michael Collins – bass (Christ) and Brian Latchem – bass (Pilate). Gippeswyk Singers are an accomplished and expressive chamber choir based in Ipswich, who have performed regularly for over 40 years throughout East Anglia as well as concert tours further afield. Musical director Geoff Lavery conducted their 2017 Snape Maltings debut in a sellout performance of Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius. Together with Beccles Choral Society and the Lambeth Orchestra, the concert received rapturous reviews. The performance takes place at St John’s Church, Felixstowe IP11 7PW at 7.30pm with conductor Geoff Lavery giving a pre-concert talk at 7.10pm.
Stephen and Virginia Febble are facing a weekend welcoming their daughter, boring son-in-law and precocious granddaughter together with dog. However, Stephen is not quite so welcoming and becomes very difficult much to Virginia’s dismay. The weekend slides into argumentative chaos, particularly over the Saturday dinner party with neighbours and an uninvited guest. The mood changes when Stephen realises it’s time to open up to Virginia about his past. This play takes a look at family values and is funny and thought provoking with a darker side. The production runs from Wednesday, March 21 to Saturday 24. Curtain at 7.30pm, doors open at 7pm. Tickets are all £9 each and can be reserved by calling 01473 725633.
MARTLESHAM BRASS Making music fun in East Anglia Please join our preliminary and beginners bands on Saturday, March 3 for Tea & Tunes at St Michael’s Church Centre, Martlesham Heath IP5 3PL, between 10am and noon. Admission is free and refreshments will be available. There will also be a cake and book stalls and a raffle. Everyone is welcome at our AGM on Friday, March 9 at 7.30pm, also at St Michael’s Church Centre. We will be reviewing the past year and electing our new committee. We would love to hear from new players, young and old, with or without experience. Our aim is to encourage anyone who feels they would like to play in a brass band to come and have a go! If you would like to join us, or if you already play or have previously played a brass instrument and would like to come along and meet us, please contact us via the website or use the contact details below. Publicity Officer Liz Howard: e_m_howard@talk21.com / 01473 625617 www.martleshambrass.co.uk
SUFFOLK CONSTABULARY MALE VOICE CHOIR Four choirs join in harmony to celebrate 50 years and support EACH. April 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Suffolk Constabulary Male Voice Choir. To celebrate this very special anniversary they will be joined for a charity concert by the Essex Police Choir, the Hertfordshire Constabulary Choir and the St Edmundsbury Male Voice Choir. The concert in aid of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices is on Saturday, April 14 at St John The Baptist Church, Cauldwell Hall Road, Ipswich, commencing at 7.30pm.
Tickets are available from choir members, from Stillwater Books in Felixstowe, 01394 670633 and paulgalley@btinternet.com. Please book ahead to avoid disappointment!
Choir secretary Stephen Wade said: “Choir members are all looking forward to this concert. We are delighted that Rachel Sloane has agreed to be our compere and very grateful to Jeffries of Bacton for sponsoring this event. It’s going to be a wonderful evening of music making with more than 100 singers participating.”
This season Gippeswyk Singers are supporting the following local charities: Bipolar UK (Ipswich) and Sound On Talking Newspaper (Ipswich & District).
Tickets are now on sale. Tickets purchased before the day cost £8 each. Subject to availability tickets costing £10 each can be purchased on the door.
www.gippeswyksingers.co.uk
For further information and to order tickets contact: 01449 672600
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OUT & ABOUT IPSWICH REMEMBERS COLLABORATIVE COMMEMORATION To mark the centenary of the end of the First World War, music, dance, poetry and animation combine to create an immersive, thought-provoking and moving performance at Ipswich Corn Exchange on Saturday, March 17. Ipswich Choral Society, in collaboration with creative groups from Ipswich and across the region, will remember the town’s part during that conflict with a very special event, Ipswich Remembers, learning about personal stories of Ipswich people, at home and on the front line. Choreographer Mary Davies, with dancers drawn from performing companies supported by DanceEast and community groups from across Ipswich, will bring these stories to life with music specially commissioned from composer Huw Morgan. The Suffolk Poetry Society and historians from Ipswich Choral Society will recreate the news and people’s experiences amongst songs from the war years. Throughout the performance, animated images depicting Ipswich life during wartime will be shown. The performance concludes with Eternal Light: A Requiem by Howard Goodall (composer of TV themes for QI, The Vicar of Dibley and more), which weaves the Requiem texts with moving and beautiful poetry. Joining Ipswich Choral Society and their Music Director Robin Walker will be soprano Gwendolen Martin and tenor Tom Randle. Tickets are available from the Corn Exchange box office, 01473 433100 and online at: www.ipswichcornexchange.com www.ipswichchoralsociety.org The image provided courtesy of Matthew Clarke, Ipswich and District Photographic Society shows Robin Walker and Mary Davies with Ipswich Choral Society members and dancers from the community cast.
SIDEGATE LANE COMMUNITY CENTRE Tuesday Tea Dance with Teresa Brown 2-4pm with refreshments, £3 for members, easy parking / 01473 42242 Wednesday Evening Classes 7-8pm: Continue learning, ideal if your class has closed down 8-10pm: Improvers ballroom and Latin dance steps and style, £3 for members, easy parking / 01473 422427 / 01473 723070 Sidegate Lane Community Centre, Ipswich IP4 4HZ www.sidegatelanecommunitycentre.org.uk/ballroom
FOLK ON A BOAT FINALE The final concert in the winter Folk on a Boat series aboard the Sailing Barge Victor is on Friday, March 16 when Silbury Hill will be performing live. The duo will be bringing their lively blend of folk rock to the Victor with a mix of original material from their own CDs, as well as a good helping of covers from artists such as Crowded House, Jethro Tull and Focus to ensure the curtain comes down on the series with a swing! Doors, and Victor’s well stocked bar, open at 7pm and the music is from 8pm. Tickets for the concert, which cost £15 per person and include the Victor’s legendary hot, hearty, buffet supper, are available from Ipswich Tourist Information Centre (01473 258070 / tourist@ipswich.gov.uk) or online from: www.ipswichregent.com
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CRAFTERS UNLIMITED A craft club for people who like to try different crafts in a light hearted atmosphere with refreshments, we meet on the fourth Thursday of each month in Rushmere Village Hall from 7.30-10pm. Our next meeting is on Thursday, March 22. There are always other projects available with assistance from the committee and other club members. New members are always welcome. For more details contact: Jill 01473 713534 / Emma 01787 373850
BROKE HALL WI We would be pleased to meet any new ladies who would like to come and see what we do and maybe join in. We meet at 7.30pm (doors open at 7pm) on the second Friday of the month at St Augustine’s Church Hall, Bucklesham Road, Ipswich IP3 8TH. We also have monthly clubs, walks, meals out, darts, crafts, theatre trips, outing and visits. FORTHCOMING MEETINGS Friday, March 9: Trek for Life (Everest Base Camp) by Tina Oldfield Friday, April 13: Fused Glass Demo by Alison Mayston Friday, May 11: Resolutions and Bag Beetle Friday, June 8: Memories of a Career in Teaching by Ted Wheatley Friday, July 13: The Baron, the Policeman and the Mayor (an Ipswich Riot) by Linda Sexton For more information contact Sue (01473 414746) or Cynthia (01473 726068)
BAWDSEY BIRD CLUB ANNUAL ILLUSTRATED TALK Gateway to the Broads: Suffolk Wildlife Trust at Carlton Marshes This year’s public illustrated talk will be given by Alex Jessop and takes place in Sutton Memorial Hall, Old Post Office Lane, Sutton, Nr Woodbridge IP12 3JQ on Saturday, March 24 at 7.30pm. Alex is a development officer with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, based at Carlton Marshes and will give us an insight into the continuing work and successes to date of this imaginative and important project. Alex explains: “Suffolk Wildlife Trust has the chance to buy and restore 384 acres of land for wildlife in the Broads National Park. The land links up three nature reserves that are home to some of the UK’s rarest wildlife. In every way, the scale of the opportunity Suffolk Wildlife Trust has now to buy the land flanking our Broadland nature reserve is unprecedented.” Alex’s stunning photographs and amazing enthusiasm for nature conservation will enhance what promises to be an evening not to be missed, so why not join us? Everyone is welcome and light refreshments will be available during the interval. Admission is £3, £1.50 for under 18s, and there is ample free parking. For directions and information contact: wa@sandlings.co.uk / 01394 411422
ORWELL FLOWER CLUB We started our spring meetings in January with a return visit from Helen Bird from Marks Tye with her demonstration entitled As the Days Lengthen. This was enjoyed by all who attended. We are looking forward to our next meeting on February 22 when local demonstrator Alan Smith presents Winter Creations, and on March 22 we will be having an Easter workshop tutored by Ann Marjorum. Visitors are welcome to all the meetings mentioned. The club meets on the fourth Thursday of the month at Tower Hall, Broadlands Way, Rushmere St Andrew IP4 5SU. Our demonstrations start at 7.15pm, but the doors open by 6.45pm to allow you to browse at our sales table and to buy raffle tickets for the arrangement created in the demonstration. Yearly subscriptions are due at the AGM in April; they are £40 and visitors are always welcome at £5 per meeting. For further details please contact Delcie Corbett: 01473 623371 / gil.corbett@btinternet.com
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OUT & ABOUT IPSWICH BRANCH, SUFFOLK FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY
ORWELL DECORATIVE AND FINE ARTS SOCIETY
Thursday, March 22, 7.15pm: Joy Bounds presents A Song of their Own – The Fight for Votes by Women in and around Ipswich
On Wednesday, March 7, Louise Schofield will present a talk entitled Rescuing Zeugma from the Floodwaters of the Euphrates.
In 1918 about half of the country’s women were able to vote for the first time. Joy tells of the long campaign by women for this basic right, the forms of protest used, and particularly what local women did to support the cause. A story of courage and determination. Did one of your family get involved in this campaign?
On Wednesday, April 4, John Benjamin, familiar to all those who watch The Antiques Roadshow, will give a talk to mark the Golden Jubilee of NADFAS. A History of Jewellery from Elizabeth I to Elizabeth Taylor is a lecture close to one given in early 1969 which looked at the evolution of design in jewellery. We will see beautiful things.
Local suffragette Constance Andrews is pictured surrounded by her supporters and bystanders on her release from Ipswich Prison in 1911.
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.
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 the latest events and news please visit: www.orwelldfas.org.uk
ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCING
For more information contact Howard on 01473 274300 or visit: www.suffolkfhs.org.uk
Think you might enjoy it?
IPSWICH & DISTRICT HISTORICAL TRANSPORT SOCIETY
For more information contact Helen (howefamily96@yahoo.co.uk / 01473 717979) or John (01473 710406 / angelajohnadams@btinternet.com)
Wednesday, March 28: The Southwold Railway Past, Present & Future, an illustrated talk by John Ridgeway
U3A HOPES MARCH WILL BRING SUNSHINE
We meet at 7pm 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
EAST SUFFOLK NATIONAL TRUST ASSOCIATION If you are a member of or a volunteer for the National Trust, then 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 March 22 when Luke Potter, the new East Suffolk General Manager for the National Trust, will give us an insight into the current work and future plans of the trust for our area. This will be preceded by a short AGM. The talk on April 19 is by Veronica Bennett, a volunteer speaker for the National Trust, who will tell us about Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk, popular for its architectural variety and beautiful garden and woods. 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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Then come along to St John’s URC Hall, Cowper Street, Ipswich on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 8pm.
The U3A outdoor groups haven’t all been hiding indoors during the earlier colder months of 2018. The walkers and gardeners have been busy. The architecture and church visiting groups have still been out and about and this month I know at least one of the petanque groups will be tidying up their piste and getting ready for the new season. March and April have some really great talks planned so members and visitors will have plenty to interest them. Even if you have been hibernating during the winter (and I don’t blame you), please get ready to help us celebrate our 30th anniversary later this year. All details plus how to become a member are available online. If you don’t have internet access our secretary can answer any questions you may have by telephoning 03001 233913. CAMPUS TALKS Felixstowe Salvation Army Hall Thursday, April 5, 10.30am: The Fall and Rise of Ermintrude, one of the oldest buses still certified to carry fare-paying passengers, by Tony Buckland. Market Hall, Saxmundham Thursday, March 8, 2pm: Plants with Mettle by Professor Alan Baker, the world of super plants that can colonise soils contaminated with toxic heavy metals. Thursday, April 12, 2pm: An Introduction to Gemstones by Jason Middleton Kesgrave Community Centre Monday, March 26, 2pm: Travels of a Botanical Artist by Reinhild Raistrick, a talk on painting rare and endangered flowers in the wild by an awardwinning artist. Please remember that visitors are welcome at one of our talks before becoming U3A members. Campus co-ordinators will be glad to give you joining details on the day. www.u3aeastsuffolk.org.uk
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OUT & ABOUT ORWELL PROBUS CLUB We meet for lunch on the second Thursday of each month at Greshams on the Tuddenham Road (opposite the Millennium Cemetery) 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
IPSWICH PHILATELIC SOCIETY We have two meetings in March. On Wednesday 7 we have a visit from the Colchester society who will display and talk on subjects that I am sure will entertain us all. Visiting societies are always interesting as you never know what you will see or hear. On Wednesday 21 we have a member’s competition, where members can display up to 10 pages of material of their choice. This usually provides us with a splendid evening as the displays are very diverse and often very unusual. Future dates for your diary April 4: Society Auction April 14: Society Stamp Fair Meetings are held at Cedarwood Primary School, 7 for 7.30pm, visitors welcome. For information contact Mike Smith: 01473 403904
FLATFORD WILDLIFE GARDEN – SPRING IS ROUND THE CORNER! One of the most intriguing aspects of wildlife gardening that we have learned over the last few years is how we can help our wildlife get through the winter. Some of it is quite unexpected. For instance, did you know that many frogs while away the winter in a state of torpor, deep in the mud at the bottom of ponds? Or that in bumblebee and wasp colonies, the only ones to actually survive the winter are the new generation of young queen bees or wasps, which hibernate after mating. If the weather is sunny and mild then it could well be that some bumblebees will emerge to seek for nectar among the first flowers of spring. At Flatford Wildlife Garden we make sure that throughout the winter we have some plants that are in flower. After winter slumber, the garden will open in time for Easter on March 30. Why not come along to the RSPB garden to see the changes we have made – from a whole new range of wood sculptures up to and including the all new Sisters Garden? Those of you who have visited before will know that a corner of the garden was taken up with an old derelict bungalow previously home to a tea shop run by the Richardson sisters for many years. They bequeathed the site to the RSPB and after much thought and planning we have converted this to a new feature for the garden. A key aspect of the work is provision of a rainwater harvesting system and a large pond. “It has been designed for wildlife, with a pond-dipping platform so that children can have first-hand experience of pond life,” says our head gardener, Shirley Sampson. It is anticipated that this activity, the development of which is of course dependant on the speed at which Mother Nature progresses, will commence during summer 2018. Come and see what we have done and bring the family this Easter. We will be open daily from March 30 and presenting our Easter theme of supporting sparrows as part of the RSPB #wildthings initiative. There will also be plants for sale, as well as plant supports woven from willow grown in the garden, and our unique wildlife cards designed by two of our volunteers. Do come along and enjoy the first signs of spring. No entry charge to the garden. Car park free for National Trust members, £4 for others. Please check our website periodically for more details: www.rspb.org.uk
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OUT & ABOUT / SCHOOLS SUFFOLK WRITERS’ GROUP Do you want to write a book in 2018? If you want to develop yourself as a writer then Suffolk Writers’ Group can help.
An early spring hello to you all. Hopefully by the time you read this spring will definitely be showing her face – but at the time of writing there’s snow on the ground and my tortoise is very much still in hibernation (and me too!). March is the start of the allotment gardener’s year and as ever soil preparation is a must if you want decent crops without too many weeds impeding their growth. Get your seed order completed as soon as you can and if you have a greenhouse, wash all the seed trays and pots in disinfectant. It’s best to buy fresh seed compost if you can and make a start sowing some seeds so you have a ready supply of plants to either grow on in the allotment (suitably sheltered from frosts) or ready to plant out in rows in May, when the last frosts are over. If you have bare rooted fruit bushes, now is a good time to get them in the ground as damp soil is easier to dig. The bushes will have a better start and should be well rooted by the autumn. If you have pruned your black currant, white currant and red currant bushes and have some long straight cuttings about 18” long then now is a good time to plant them. Mark out a straight line and push a spade its complete length into the soil about one foot apart. Wiggle the spade to make a slit trench and push the cuttings as far as they will go into the trench leaving about 9” showing above ground. By autumn you will have a row of fresh plants that will develop into new bushes and start fruiting in two years. Don’t forget to clear away any dead leaves on your strawberry plants and clean the ground in between them. Apply a top dressing of general fertiliser too and use some fleece if you have any to protect flowers from frost. The thought of those summer strawberries fills me with hope for the warmer months ahead. Growing Your Own is a wonderful way to get fit, stress bust, relax and make new friends… and the produce tastes amazing too! We have a few plots available at our Rushmere St Andrew site, and would love to welcome new members. For more information, please contact our membership secretary, Angela Brown: 01473 612283 / membership@kesgrave-allotments.org.uk Sally Peckham
BRIGHT STARS FUN ACTIVITY SESSIONS Fun activity sessions for pre-school aged children (0-5) from 10.30am-noon on the second and fourth Mondays of each month during term times at St Michael’s Church Centre, Martlesham Heath IP5 3PL. If you would you like a fun start to your week, come along to Bright Stars with your parents, grandparents, friends, family and/or carers. These mornings are free and usually involve singing, games, making crafts to take home and telling stories from the Bible for the first half hour. We then have refreshments when the adults can chat and the children can play until approximately noon. You are welcome to come along to any of our mornings; just turn up, no need to let us know in advance. We look forward to seeing you. The remaining spring term dates are March 12 and 26.
From my home in Ravenswood, I run small, friendly workshops on Tuesday and Thursday nights. The groups are welcoming and supportive, with a great sense of enthusiasm and love for the written word. One-to-one sessions are also available for that extra support to nurture your ideas into the short story or novel that you always dreamed of. Have a look at the website if you would like to know more: www.suffolkwritersgroup.com Alternatively you can contact me at: maiblackwriter@btinternet.com / 07942 068033
MARTLESHAM & KESGRAVE PLAYSCHOOLS Wow, what an exciting start to the year! At Martlesham we have been exploring and learning about the local community, creating cards, letters and parcels to post in our post box, shopping with real food and making tasty soup. We have had a special visit where the children were able to learn about and try out brass instruments. Later this month we shall be getting bouncy with our sponsored bounce! We are focused on making sure your children get the best start in life educationally as well as developing those all important social skills that create and drive future success. As a team we continue to broaden experiences and value the input of family, friends and our committee members. We are positive that the future will bring further growth to the playschool and to your children, so please come along to our open mornings at Martlesham on Tuesday, March 6 and Thursday, March 22, both 9.30-11.30am, to have a look around. We will have craft activities for the children and cake decorating. You will have the opportunity to meet our dedicated staff who will be on hand to answer any questions. Please come and join us, light refreshments available. This month Kesgrave Playschool has seen opportunities for observing the change in season. We have looked closely at plants and flowers starting to grow, we have explored the local woodlands and listened to the sounds around us. Within the playschool garden our bulbs planted last autumn have sprung into life and we have looked closely at the different parts of daffodils and crocus, creating some lovely pictures. This has led to looking at how the children grow and the differences between us all, comparing baby photographs to what we look like now, creating self-portraits and portraits of each other. Towards the end of the month the children will be taking part in a sponsored Easter Welly Walk and hunting for Peppa Pig and friends. We would like to welcome parents and children looking for a playschool place to our open day at Kesgrave on Tuesday, March 20, 10-11.30am. Pop along and see what fun we get up to. We have a few very limited spaces available at both Kesgrave and Martlesham Playschools; join us at our open days or contact us for a chat about how we can offer 15 or 30 hours funded childcare over both settings, with year round spaces at Martlesham. Martlesham Playschool: Gorseland School, Deben Avenue, Martlesham IP5 3QR / 01473 625986 / mplayschool@btinternet.com
If you would like further information please contact:
Kesgrave Playschool: Millennium Jubilee Hall, Millennium Way, Kesgrave IP5 2EN / 07746 907060 / mplayschool@btinternet.com
Sonya & Maureen Burrows: 01473 625196
Facebook: Martlesham and Kesgrave Playschools
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SCHOOLS / SPORT HEATHLANDS COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL & AFTER SCHOOL CLUB The children were excited to see the flurry of snow we had in February and enjoyed a short walk in it to post their Valentine’s Cards to their families. We held a lovely Loved Ones Lunch where parents and extended family were invited to come in and share a special lunch. We celebrated Chinese New Year with a noodle inspired snack and had a themed morning exploring Chinese culture. The children enjoyed making and tasting pancakes for Pancake Day. Plans for March are to make lovely cards and gifts for Mother’s Day and we look forward to supporting Comic Relief and having lots of fun in the process. We are holding a spring fayre on Saturday, March 24, 10am-2pm. There will be chance to paint and decorate wooden crafts, face-painting, hot food, cakes and a raffle. Put the date in your diary and come join the fun; everyone welcome. We will also be holding a spring bonnet parade for those wishing to take part. Heathlands is a well-established, committee-run pre-school situated in the grounds of Broke Hall Community Primary School. We can offer funded places for eligible two year olds and for all other children the term after their third birthday. A breakfast and after-school clubs are also available. We are pleased to accept applications for a place for terms starting April 2018 and beyond.
IPSWICH WANDERERS FC Wanderers received a massive boost when star player Danny ‘Percy’ Thrower made his comeback recently against Haverhill Borough. Danny has been out for four months after suffering a leg injury earlier in the season. In the meantime, he has been assisting Mark Goldfinch and James Buckle in management duties. However, a fit Danny is the best fillip that the 1st Team could receive in our battle to avoid the drop. Our young team have battled on since our surprise home victory against league leaders Felixstowe & Walton and defeats have been narrow. With Danny back in the side, optimism is spreading that we might just escape the bottom three. If Wanderers don’t succeed in this quest, we will probably play next season in the FA’s new Eastern Senior League (North). The projected new non-league structure in East Anglia has been announced but has not yet been finalised. The league will be run by the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League and will replace the existing ECL Division 1. Either way, there will be plenty of exciting semi-professional football at The Doucy in 2018-2019. We hope to see you at The Doucy in March. Admission is £7 (£4) on the gate. We have a well-stocked bar, hot food, programmes, raffle, 50/50 draw. Our home 1st Team fixtures this month are: Saturday, March 3: H v Fakenham Town (KO 3pm) League Saturday, March 31: H v Haverhill Rovers (KO 3pm) League Monday, April 2: H v Godmanchester Rovers (KO 3pm) League For details please check: www.pitchero.com/clubs/ipswichwanderers There will also be fixtures for our Under-18s, Ladies, Academy and Youth teams, and Wanderers Bingo in the clubhouse has started again. Check the website for details (the third Friday of the month, eyes down at 8pm).
IPSWICH RAVENS VOLLEYBALL This month we are very proud to report that we hosted the first ever open indoor volleyball tournament for junior girls to be held in Suffolk, which attracted two teams from as far away as Cambridge. The tournament is the idea of our junior coach JoaoPaulo Santos, having the goal to develop and raise the standard of girls’ volleyball by providing a competition open to clubs throughout East Anglia. We intend to repeat the tournament each month of the indoor season, and we have already received additional interest in the next month’s tournament from clubs in Norwich, Tendring and Boswells School in Essex. Our own girls section started about a year ago. The girls have applied themselves very well in training and as a result they have grown in ability and number. As a result we were able to enter three of our own teams in the four-a-side tournament which the girls named Ravens, Eagles and Panthers. The highlight of the event for us was an excellent win by the Eagles in the pool phase against an experienced Cambridge B team, helping them to overall first place in the round robin. Eagles were placed first due to having a better record in the games between the teams tied on three wins. The top three teams then went on to play in a final group, where the Cambridge teams had their revenge and the Eagles finished overall third. A very satisfactory outcome to an enjoyable tournament and the girls can’t wait for next month’s episode! So for once the adults took second stage, as we entered two teams as usual in the monthly six-a-side tournament held at Northgate School. In Division 1 our men’s team won both of our initial pool games against Stowmarket II and Ipswich II, putting us through to the final group where we lost to Ipswich I and the very strong Lakenheath to finish third overall. Meanwhile our ladies team showed how much it has improved recently, along with the help of new players we have attracted in recent months. We achieved our best ever result in Division 2, finishing top of our initial pool phase with wins against Bury Juniors, Seagulls and Fil-Suffolk Smashers. We therefore qualified for the final playoff, where we were beaten into overall second place by the mixed m/f team Diss Asters. If you have ever thought about giving volleyball a try, now is a great time to give it a go. It’s a fast and exciting sport, it’s perfect to help build fitness, and being non-contact it is largely free from injuries. At Ravens we are actively seeking new members and will welcome anyone, male or female, experienced or complete beginner, and any age from 13 upwards. Qualified coaches run the sessions with a mixture of training drills and friendly games, making them very enjoyable while helping participants to improve their skills and fitness. We meet every Saturday from 2-4pm and most Tuesdays from 7-9pm at St Alban’s School, Rushmere. If you are interested in joining this growing sport, call/text 07508 351875 or visit: www.ipswichravens.org.uk
Keith Lloyd
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SPORT / CHURCH NEWS KESGRAVE, NORTHGATE & ASSOCIATED KARATE CLUBS
Kesgrave, Northgate and Associated Karate Clubs had their annual presentation evening on January 6, which was, as always, a fantastic night! This is an opportunity for the club to come together and acknowledge the hard work put in by club members. Award winners are listed below. Northgate Student of the Month: Dylan Barnes Most Improved: Lewis Martin Best Beginner: Alayna Flower Northgate Red Dragons Student of the Year: Ava Nurse Most Improved: Miriam Scott Best Beginner: Finn Anderson Hurst Kesgrave – main class Student of the Year: Riagan Huq Most Improved: Eva Palmer Best Beginner: Rhys Hope Kesgrave Red Dragons Student of the Year: Holly Betthell Most Improved: Dalton Gifford Best Beginner: John Said Pair Kata Award: Alana Finch and Sofia Standring Team Kata Awards: Amelia Clow, Sophie Swann and Jessica Etherington Individual Kata Award: Lilly Melton Kumite Competitor of the Year: Georgina Lawson Overall Kumite Competitor of the Year: Ruby Hunt
BIXLEY FARM CHURCH AT THE TOWER In February, Bixley Farm Church will have been based at Tower Hall for six months and we are pleased to see more new people have joined our church family that transferred from St John’s and St Andrew’s. As a new church together we are looking forward to our first Easter on Bixley Farm. While the Christmas story is very familiar, the relevance of Easter and its message for all is not always clear and today has been overtaken by eating chocolate eggs, visions of daffodils and cute Easter bunnies. But the historical events surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ continues to offer its message of forgiveness and hope for all, even in the darkest of times. Whether the darkness is within us, in the failures and disappointments of our own lives, or in the lives of others and society generally, the church continues to declare and serve as witness to God’s ultimate restoration of all things. As the dying thief on the cross next to Jesus found, with God, it’s never too late to turn our lives around. So on April 1, Easter Day, come along a little earlier to our family event at 3.30pm at Tower Hall to find out about the real meaning behind Easter. We will have an egg hunt for the children and an opportunity to hear the Easter story retold for all to understand. This will be followed by our usual tea with cakes and hot cross buns. Everyone is welcome! As mentioned in a previous article, as Christians in Bixley Farm we are not only looking just to worship locally but we wish to be able to serve the local community in offering opportunities for people to join together. We are planning to start some midweek activities and will be announcing details at our Easter service. We would love to involve more local people in these so if you are interested please come along and find out. As always, everyone is welcome to join us each Sunday for our regular weekly service at Tower Hall from 4-5pm, whether you already have a Christian faith, whether you want to find out more why Easter matters or if you just want someone to talk to. There are opportunities to speak to clergy or other members of the church, time for prayer and Holy Communion is celebrated every other Sunday. Bixley Farm Church (CofE) was initiated by St John’s, Cauldwell Hall Road and St Andrew’s, Britannia Road (collectively called Mission Ipswich East). For further information/questions visit www.mie.org/bixley or contact: office@mie.org.uk / 01473 270978
The Northgate & Associated Karate Clubs Outstanding Student of the Year 2017 was Lauren Berry. In January, Tayler Evans and Ruby Hunt competed at the EKF KYU Grade National Championships in Leicester. Both fought really well but no medals this time. The club travelled to the Hamburg Open Karate Championships on February 2 where teams from all over Europe were in attendance. Lauren Berry took home a bronze medal for her performance in individual kata. Well done to all the competitors! There are several competitions coming up in both the UK and in Poland over the next few months so hopefully we will have news of more club achievements in next month’s article. After the huge success of the last one, the club is holding a second race night on Saturday, March 3 at Greshams. All family and friends are welcome. It’s a great way to help support these amazing young athletes and their families with the costs of entering competitions as all the money raised will be going into club funds. If you would like to (or know of anyone that would like to) sponsor a race, please contact admin@northgate-karate.co.uk or Nickie Witmore for more information.
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I’m sad to say it but some Christians give Christianity a bad name! Even those who reach the highest positions and call themselves followers of Christ can act in a very un-Christlike manner. We should always be on our guard to make sure that their (and our) actions match their (and our) words. When Jesus walked the earth as a man He taught that we should love one another so, with that in mind, all our actions should be done on the basis of loving and caring for others to the point of putting them first and ourselves second. This is, of course, much easier to say than to do, but we must try our utmost to follow that positive way of thinking. Join us on Sunday mornings at 11.30am (Café and Children’s Church 10.30am) at The Ark Church, The Drift, Nacton Road, Ipswich IP3 9QR. You can contact us via email at arkipswichuk@gmail.com and we can also be found on Facebook and on Twitter @arkipswich or online at: www.arkipswich.co.uk Visit www.arkipswich.co.uk for updates on what’s happening at the Ark and have a blessed March.
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