In Touch News with Needham Market – June 2018 by steve@intouchnews.co.uk

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with Creeting St Mary, Creeting St Peter & Needham Market Volume 5 • Issue No. 8 • JUNE 2018

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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR Do you know what a non-Newtonian fluid is? My eight-year-old son has just explained it to me, and even demonstrated it using cornflour and water. In case you are interested, a non-Newtonian fluid is one which changes under stress. It may become thicker and act like a solid (as Jack’s cornflour concoction did) or get more liquid (as ketchup does when you shake the bottle). Remove the stress and they will return to their earlier state. I think most of us are non-Newtonian beings. Most of the time we’re relatively reasonable! We deal with life’s typical trials and tribulations without too much fuss. We know how to manage our moods, we recognise our triggers and we manage them. We may even have a release value we engage when it all becomes too much. I rely on Leonard Cohen and chocolate, perhaps it’s jogging or maybe baking. Leonard had to work overtime yesterday! I take a cross country route to and from work and we all know how bendy our Suffolk roads are. As I approached a side road, I was overtaken by a car which came within a hair’s breadth of hitting an oncoming van head-on. I was forced to break hard to make space for the driver to pull back in (I’m still trying to find half the contents of my handbag). Thankfully the driver behind me had enough space to do the same. Two miles further along, the same car overtook two others in a 30mhp zone and again just missed an oncoming vehicle. Despite the driver’s haste I caught up with him again a few miles on and this time he pulled out at a junction and forced yet another shaken driver to slam on their brakes.

NEEDHAM MARKET LIBRARY OPENING HOURS TO CHANGE FROM JUNE Following a recent consultation with customers, Needham Market Library will be changing its opening hours in June.

The driver was on my mind all evening. I hope he made it home safely, but if he carries on driving like this I dread to think what might happen. Now the weather has improved there are more cyclists, runners and even horses on the roads, and more children playing outdoors. Please, please bear this in mind when you drive on our twisty roads and take extra care around blind bends.

The total number of opening hours will stay the same but the hours are changing on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays with the aim of providing more consistent hours in line with the needs of local residents. Local people were asked for their views on the proposals before the changes were approved recently by the Suffolk Libraries Board and Suffolk County Council.

As yesterday’s example shows, the time savings for speeding are pretty minimal. The risks don’t bear thinking about.

The new hours will take affect from Tuesday 5 June. The full details will be publicised via: www.suffolklibraries.co.uk

In Touch

Creeting St Mary, Creeting St Peter & Needham Market

Published by: Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd, 20 Wharfedale Road, Ipswich IP1 4JP Editor: Sharon Jenkins Email: sharon@intouchnews.co.uk

01473 400380 Send editorial copy to: needham@intouchnews.co.uk Readers are invited to submit articles, illustrations and photographs for publication. The publishers reserve the right to amend such submissions and cannot accept responsibility for any loss.

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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 Creeting St Mary, Creeting St Peter & Needham Market is published by Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd as part of the “In Touch with . . . ” series of magazines.

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Needham Market Library new opening hours from June 5 Monday: closed (no change) Tuesday: 10am-1pm and 2-5pm (the library is currently open 10am-3pm) Wednesday: 2-7pm (currently open 2-5pm and 5.30-7.30pm) Thursday: 10am-1pm and 2-5pm (no change) Friday: 2-5pm (no change) Saturday: 10am-1pm and 2-5pm (currently open 10am-5pm) Sunday: 11am-4pm (no change).

NEEDHAM MARKET COMMUNITY COUNCIL CRAFT FAIR Sunday, June 10, 10am-4pm Needham Market Community Centre Lots of stalls, plenty of free car parking, free entry, refreshments available.

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JULY DEADLINE 20 JUNE 2018

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NEWS BROADBAND SUMMIT HOSTED BY JO CHURCHILL MP

SUFFOLK ENERGY-FROM-WASTE FACILITY

A recent Broadband Summit hosted at Westminster by Jo Churchill MP held “robust discussions” around the 92 per cent broadband coverage already available across Suffolk and the challenges to delivering both broadband and mobile connectivity to the remaining premises. Jo Churchill MP has now called for a working group to be setup to see a “Bury and beyond” strategy developed in response to the discussions. The meeting brought heads of Openreach, BT, Suffolk Chamber of Commerce and Suffolk County Council together with Jo Churchill MP for Bury St Edmunds and Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Matt Hancock MP. Joining with them were representatives from the farming community and the church to help drive the need for “Suffolk solutions” to poor broadband connectivity. The meeting discussed various options including the use of church spires to deliver mobile and broadband masts and how farm land could be utilised. The meeting closed with a series of commitments from BT, Openreach and Better Broadband for Suffolk which will be picked up as a working group goes forward. After chairing the meeting, Jo Churchill said: “This has been a crucial opportunity to get around the table and to begin to address the challenges we will face to reach our ambition of 100 per cent coverage. This is no small task but our resolve is clear. That is why I have called for a working group to be established from the Summit, to ensure, together, we are hitting targets and, above all, communicating progress to local residents. “Following on from the meeting, we received positive news from residents in Great Bricett and Gislingham, some of the worst affected areas in the constituency, that some local resident will now receive fibre to their property and access super-fast speeds. I want to reassure my constituents that I will continue to do all I can to represent their concerns to Openreach, and ensure they receive answers and action to the source of so much frustration for many.” Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Secretary of State Matt Hancock MP said: “The government’s rollout of superfast broadband has already helped take superfast speeds to more than 92 per cent of Suffolk, but we know more needs to be done. Right around the UK we are reaching thousands more homes and businesses every week, and we are making high speed, affordable broadband a legal right for everyone in the UK by 2020.” Openreach CEO Clive Selley said: “I would like to thank Jo Churchill for getting everyone back together. I am grateful for the opportunity to give an update on all the work we have been doing to improve broadband connectivity in the area and to reinforce our commitment to continue working closely with all parties to help resolve issues raised.”

On site we are very pleased to welcome 60,000 new resident bees on the meadow. Two bee hives have been supplied by a local bee keeper and are making themselves at home here at the Suffolk energy-from-waste facility. By the end of the summer the colony will have almost tripled to around 150,000 bees. With bee populations reducing rapidly we are very happy to offer these bees a safe home so they can pollinate the local land. SUEZ Communities Trust The Suez Communities Trust provides funding to projects that improve community life and the natural environment. Last year £10,000 was given to local projects. It distributes money donated by SUEZ recycling and recover UK, although it is independent and has its own board, which decides which projects to support. Funding is available for projects within a three-mile radius of the Suffolk energy-from-waste site and applications can be made online. If you know a project that could be deserving of the funding please visit: www.suezcommunitiestrust.org.uk Come and have a look around. The Suffolk energy-from-waste facility is holding a series of open days over the summer, which will include a tour of the facility and time to explore our visitor centre. Places are currently available on the following days: Thursday, July 26, 2-4pm Tuesday, August 21, 6-8pm Wednesday, September 5, 10am-noon There are 20 spaces on each day and you must pre-book. To book your place, please email suffolkefw@sita.co.uk with your preferred dates and we will confirm your place by email. If you would like to come but cannot make these dates, you can email us to register your interest and we will let you know when the next open days are planned. OTHER USEFUL CONTACTS Environment Agency: 0800 807060 SUEZ Communities Trust: 01454 262910

EXHIBITION FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED IN STOWMARKET The East Suffolk Association for the Blind has organised an exhibition of equipment suppliers and service providers for anyone with a visual impairment in Stowmarket from 10am until 3pm on Friday, June 8 for which entry is entirely free. The exhibition will be held at the United Reformed Church Hall in Ipswich Street, Stowmarket IP14 1AD. Light refreshments will be available throughout. Representatives from a number of service bodies will be on-hand to inform about their services and answer your questions. In addition there will be

some suppliers who can demonstrate and sell a range of daily living aids. The following organisations will be attending: Optelec, Dolphin, Calibre, Blind Veterans UK, Cobolt, Sensing Change, RNIB, British Wireless for the Blind (BWFB), Newstalk (Stowmarket Local Talking Newspapers), West Suffolk Sight and East Suffolk Association for the Blind. This is a fabulous opportunity to see and learn so much under one roof in Stowmarket so please do not miss the chance to visit it. For further information, please call: 01473 611011

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NEWS ANNUAL REPORT BY KEITH WELHAM District Councillor for Creeting St Peter and Stowupland Planning Work is still underway in the preparation of a new Joint Local Plan. The first round of public consultation generated over 1,000 responses. The next draft should be ready for consultation in September 2018. Submission of the member approved document is planned for January 2018 with an Examination in Public by an independent inspector later in the year. A Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Expenditure Policy has been agreed and a first round of bidding runs from May 1-31. This is an opportunity for parish councils and community groups to put forward local projects to be funded from the MSDC slice of CIL. Housing A new joint in-house maintenance team (BMBS) has been formed to oversee all the repairs and improvements to the council housing stock. It is hoped that this will eventually create savings for both councils and an improved level of service for tenants. During the year I received queries relating to three council-owned properties in Creeting St Peter. I believe that all were dealt with satisfactorily. Finance and Organisation Core funding from the government has decreased again and will reduce to zero by 2019/20, so there has been another 0.5 per cent increase in Council Tax to create a balanced budget for next financial year. The council has moved its offices to Endeavour House in Ipswich and is making claims that this will save £5.8m over the next 10 years. However this figure is for both Mid Suffolk and Babergh District Councils so is actually only approximately £2.9m and that’s for both capital and running costs. And it isn’t saving we will see. If the councils hadn’t moved to Ipswich, they would have retained only one office as a head office so the true ‘saving’ is even less. And had the two councils moved into a single office in either district there would also have been some considerable savings made. A Capital Investment Strategy to create ‘profit for purpose’ is now underway, borrowing at low interest to invest in property or projects to provide an income to support council provided services. Some of the proposed £25m has been invested in commercial and retail premises outside of the district. MSDC has again not spent its budget (underspending has been on average £700,000 for each of the last seven years). Over roughly the same period of time, they have been squirrelling away about £10m from government grants received for getting homes built (New Homes Bonus).

Enterprise Land earmarked for the Stowmarket Enterprise Zone (Gateway 14) has been purchased by the council as an investment. The council have invested £2.56m into the Regal Theatre in Stowmarket to create two more screens. A new joint Economic and Tourism strategy has been created to help attract businesses to the districts. Communities Over £81,000 was awarded in capital grant projects across the district, which has enabled another £500,000 of external funding to be allocated. Individual members of the council were given a locality budget of £6,250 to allocate to projects within their wards. Projects benefitting from this in Creeting St Peter were new tables and chairs in the Church Hall, a barbecue set for use on pub nights and other community events and fencing works at Fen Alder Carr Nature Reserve. Now is a good time to think about projects for funding from my 2018/19 Locality allocation. Any project which will give a community benefit will be considered. Boundary Review The Boundary Commission is currently reviewing the ward boundaries within the district and there will be a reduction in the number of councillors for the election in 2019. The final round of consultation ended on April 30 and it looks likely that Creeting St Peter will be included in a two-member Needham Market ward, along with Creeting St Mary. The final recommendations should be published in August. I will be very disappointed if this comes to fruition; I had hoped to continue to represent Creeting St Peter after the next elections. Is the merger with Babergh still likely? Mid Suffolk and Babergh District Council proposed a merger and this was approved by both councils subject to a detailed business case showing that the merger would be beneficial in terms of finance and service delivery. At the end of March, Colin Noble (Leader of SCC) appointed consultants to consider alternative local government structures for Suffolk including disbanding all district and borough councils within the county and setting up unitary authorities (or a single county-wide unitary). This has caused the proposal to join MSDC with BDC to be called into question. Since then, the consultant’s work has been stopped. It is therefore almost certain that there will be no merger before the May 2019 district council elections. Keith Welham: keith.welham@midsuffolk.gov.uk / 01449 673185

CHERNOBYL CHILDREN’S LIFELINE As we prepare for the arrival of the summer group we are also turning our thoughts to our trip to Belarus which will take place not long after the summer group have returned home. The majority of the people joining this trip have never been to Belarus before and by travelling under the protection of the charity they will be able to see the ‘real’ Belarus, not as a tourist would. One of our first stops will be the children’s Cancer Hospital in Minsk and recently we have received a request for two particular items that we hope our supporters may be able to help with. The first is MacDonald’s Happy Meal toys. These small toys are used to give the children as rewards or incentives when they have to have a medical procedure which at times can be very painful. McDonald’s has not long opened in Belarus and so the Happy Meal toys are quite a novelty, but generally, most people cannot afford to eat there so it is usually frequented by richer visitors from Russia and other countries. The second request came in the form of this message from the psychologist we know at the hospital. “I did not know that such a thing as Lego Hospital existed until someone told me recently. This would be a great aid for us to teach the children how to deal with their stay in hospital, but unfortunately it is much too expensive for us to buy, do you think you could help?”

So, if you have either of the above you could donate please either drop into the charity shop in Needham Market or give me a call and I will be happy to arrange to collect. CHARITY SHOP We have recently received a donation of a large quantity of pop up bags which are ideal for use to store toys, craft and bric-a-brac or could be used for children’s laundry. They come in four bright colours, fold away when not in use and are only £1 each so drop in and pick up a bargain. As always we have a great selection of top quality clothing for adults and children with changing room facilities, shoes, bags, books, toys and many other items too numerous to mention. We look forward to welcoming all of our supporters and customers in the coming months; let’s hope the good weather continues and you can join us in our little garden. We are now pleased to announce that we can accept payment with all major credit and debit cards. So little can mean so very much; thank you for remembering us. Link Chair Elizabeth Parker 01449 760343 / 07771 550868

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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

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NEWS MID SUFFOLK DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORT TO NEEDHAM MARKET ANNUAL TOWN MEETING, APRIL 30 Mid Suffolk Council Offices move to Endeavour House This is probably one of the biggest things that Mid Suffolk has done this past year. There was a very long debate at Full Council, which was relayed to the staff as they were not happy about the move. We spoke strongly against it, however the majority voted in favour of the move. This was estimated to save both councils (Babergh and Mid Suffolk) £5.8m in running costs over 10 years, but according to Mid Suffolk’s Scrutiny Committee, Needham’s running costs were £439,000 per year, and Hadleigh’s £631,100 per year. Endeavour House running costs will be £6,263,000 over the next nine full years or £695,889 per year. Split between the two councils this is a cost of £347,944 per year for Mid Suffolk. This is a saving in running costs to Mid Suffolk of £91,056 per year or £910,560 over 10 years, nowhere near £5.8m for both councils, or just under £3m for Mid Suffolk. So the move is not saving as much money as estimated. Even those councillors who voted in favour are saying it was much easier to get off the A14 into Needham Market, than travelling into Ipswich with the traffic congestion. It has been a loss of public access for Needham Market and the local area, and a loss of business to local traders in Needham Market. Consultation on the redevelopment of Needham Market council office site The older part of the building, which is listed and cannot be demolished, will be converted to flats. The remainder will be housing, with possibly retail. There is concern about the loss of public parking. We have requested this is considered, and there may be an adjustment in the plans to improve the public parking, we hope. Also that the housing is of good design, next to a conservation area and listed buildings – some of them grade 1*. Consultation on the redevelopment of the middle school site The closing of the middle school was a county council decision (which we didn’t agree with), but Mid Suffolk has bought the site and it will be developed as housing. There is concern, that it should be mixed housing, and also about the infrastructure to go with all of this new housing, education, health centre, public transport, and so on. It always seems that the housing comes first, and then the infrastructure follows. The developer will have to contribute to the infrastructure through CIL, community infrastructure levy, or Section 106. Merger between Mid Suffolk and Babergh This was the next big item during the year. The chief executive advised Mid Suffolk’s Cabinet that as this was an ‘endorsement’ and not a decision it could not be called into Scrutiny. Mid Suffolk’s Cabinet approved a merger and a telephone consultation. However, Babergh’s Cabinet was advised by the Monitoring Officer that it could be called into Scrutiny, which it was, and Scutiny voted that there should be a referendum. To be fair and democratic, our view is if one council has a referendum, then so should the other. However, the whole decision about to merge has been put on hold as the county council is looking into the question of unitary government, and there couldn’t be any new council formed until 2020. District Council Ward Boundary Review The number of councillors on Mid Suffolk is to be reduced from 40 to 34, and the number of wards from 30 to 26, therefore each councillor will represent a larger area. The proposal for Needham Market is that it will still be a two district council ward, but will include the villages of Badley, Darmsden, Baylham, and Creeting St Mary and Creeting St Peter. This is to be confirmed, or otherwise, and will take affect from the District Council Elections in May, 2019. Council Tax Increase Mid Suffolk’s Council Tax increase is to be only 0.5 per cent (some good news!). Big investments Both Babergh and Mid Suffolk are borrowing £25m each from the Public Works Loan Board at a low interest rate for commercial investments, and not necessarily in the district. This is risky, and not what the PWLB was intended for. You may have seen letters and articles in the local and national press expressing how risky it is for councils to be doing this.

www.keepingintouchwith.com/needham

Gateway 14 and the Regal Cinema, Stowmarket Mid Suffolk is again borrowing a large amount from the Public Works Loan Board for the infrastructure at Gateway 14 (the Cedars Link) for commercial development, with one of the first developments to be an iconic structure, something like Suffolk Food Hall. Originally Mid Suffolk and Stowmarket Town Council were proposing to spend £6m on improvements to the Regal Cinema, but they decided not to include a new restaurant because there are already a lot of restaurants in Stowmarket High Street, and so the cost has been reduced. We hope it is a success. Local Planning, Needham Market Sixty-four dwellings off Stowmarket Road, plus two off Hill House Lane, were approved. There is ongoing concern about increased traffic on the already busy Stowmarket Road, and development on the countryside going towards Stowmarket. The planning application for 152 houses off Barking Road, to the rear of Foxglove Avenue, Needham Market was refused because it was felt only one access onto the dangerous Barking Road where there have been fatal accidents was not adequate. Hopkins Homes may come back with an improved application. Needham Market Town Council has been working hard on the Neighbourhood Plan and Mid Suffolk on the Local Plan. The Limes Hotel We are pleased this beautiful hotel, which is an asset to the town, has been able to renew its licence under the new management. Mike and Wendy attended the Licencing Committee,and supported its renewal. Skateboard Park, Needham Market Mike and Wendy attended a meeting about this in the Internet Café; as a result of this meeting a trial mobile skateboard park was installed at Crowley Park to test how popular it would be and how it would affect the residents in the neighbouring houses. A large number of children enjoyed the opportunity to use it, with some adults accompanying them. Wendy went along to see it. Improved access for Needham Market train station We have been pressing for this for a long time, getting a feasibility study done way back in 2011, which suggested lowering the Cattle Tunnel and a sloping path up to the far platform, and last year a local resident, Jen Overett, started a petition, which as district councillors we have supported, and called meetings with county, district and town councillors and Network Rail and Greater Anglia Officers. County Councillor Anne Whybrow and Member of Parliament Jo Churchill have been very supportive and we presented the petition at Wendy’s suggestion to the Minister of Transport, Chris Grayling in London, who was very encouraging. Nusrat Ghani, the Disability Minister, has asked to see a small group of us in London on Wednesday, June 13. Also our MP is coming to our local group in Needham Market on Tuesday, May 29. We wish to apply for the Access for All grant and a letter compiled by a Suffolk County Council Senior Public Transport Officer and signed by a senior county councillor and by our local county and district councillors was sent to the minister at the beginning of the year. We have had the support of rail groups MARPA and Rail Future. So we couldn’t be trying harder to get this grant. Our MP has suggested we get more signatures on the petition, which we are trying to do. There are two flights of stairs at either end of the subway which are impossible for wheelchair users, difficult for mums with buggies and the elderly with heavy luggage and cyclists. Network Rail say should the AfA grant be approved they would do their own feasibility study which may suggest a lift similar to the one which has been recently installed at Manningtree. We were told in 2011 that larger stations were getting priority, but are hoping by 2018 they are now looking at medium sized stations like Needham Market. Mid Suffolk District Councillors Mike Norris: mike.norris@midsuffolk.gov.uk / 01449 720871 Wendy Marchant: wendy.marchant@midsuffolk.gov.uk / 01449 720965

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09/05/2018 16:33

NEWS REWARDING VOLUNTEERING WITH HOME-START Volunteering can be an extremely rewarding role when you make a real difference to someone’s life. Home-Start in Suffolk is a local charity supporting families in Suffolk. We are recruiting individuals, especially in West and Mid Suffolk to join our team of volunteers supporting our Home Visiting Service projects.

THE REGAL IN JUNE It wasn’t so long ago that you used to have to wait 20 years between Star Wars films, but following the hugely successful The Last Jedi in December, we have Solo: A Star Wars Story from May 24, complete with a midnight screening for the mega fans! We have some fantastic charity film screenings in aid of some very worthy causes in June, with Jumanji and Sunshine on Leith on Sunday 17 and Rough Night on Sunday 24. Live on stage we have The Hollies & Searchers Experience on June 10, country music with John McNicholl on June 25 and Neil Sands with his new show Land of Hope & Glory on June 28. Solo: A Star Wars Story: sci-fi adventure starring Emilia Clarke, Paul Bettany and Woody Harrelson. During an adventure into a dark criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his future co-pilot Chewbacca and encounters Lando Calrissian years before joining the Rebellion. Sherlock Gnomes: family animation voiced by Emily Blunt, Johnny Depp and Michael Caine. Garden gnomes, Gnomeo and Juliet, recruit renowned detective Sherlock Gnomes to investigate the mysterious disappearance of other garden ornaments. Deadpool 2: adventure, starring Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin and Morena Baccarin. Wisecracking mercenary Deadpool joins forces with three mutants, Bedlam, Shatterstar and Domino to protect a boy from the all-powerful Cable.

Home Visiting Service Our volunteers are trained to support families for whom the pressures of family life become too much to cope with alone. This can be for various reasons: isolation, illness, bereavement, or post natal illness. Volunteers visit a family in their own home once a week for three-four hours. How they help is really down to the family itself. Some need someone to talk to, others need more practical support with meal planning and cooking, reading to the children, going to the local park, or finding out about local services. Volunteers don’t need qualifications; friendliness and a caring attitude are essential as well as an understanding of the pressures of parenting. We value people who don’t judge others and who will respect the fact they have been invited into a family’s home. All volunteers undertake a minimum 30hours CERTA accredited preparation course before they are matched to a family who would benefit from their skills and experience. All volunteers are subject to enhanced DBS and reference checks. Volunteers can get a lot out of volunteering with Home-Start, a boost to self-esteem and confidence; even a foot on the job ladder as well as regular ongoing training and support sessions. We also hold social events and opportunities for our volunteers to get together. If you are interested in volunteering with Home-Start please contact HomeStart to have a chat: headoffice@homestartinsuffolk.org / 01473 621104

Life of the Party: comedy starring Melissa McCarthy, Debby Ryan and Christina Aguilera. After her husband abruptly asks for a divorce, a middleaged mother returns to college in order to complete her degree. On Chesil Beach: drama starring Saoise Ronan, Emily Watson and AnneMarie Duff. Based on Ian McEwan’s novel set in 1962 England, a young couple find their idyllic romance colliding with issues of sexual freedom and societal pressure, leading to an awkward and fateful wedding night. Book Club: comedy starring Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Richard Dreyfuss and Andy Garcia. Four lifelong friends have their lives forever changed after reading 50 Shades of Grey in their monthly book club. Entebbe: thriller starring Rosamund Pike, Eddie Marsan and Daniel Bruhl, inspired by the true events of the 1976 hijacking of an Air France flight en route from Tel Aviv to Paris, and the most daring rescue mission ever attempted. www.regalstowmarket.co.uk / 01449 612825

STOWMARKET AND DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Friday, June 1, 10am-noon: Coffee and Networking Needham Market Community Centre, School Street, Needham Market Friday, June 15, 6.45am: Breakfast Finborough Hall, Great Finborough, Stowmarket IP14 3EF To book online, follow the link on: https://stowmarketchamber.co.uk/networking-events

WADE WINDOWS CELEBRATE 30 YEARS IN BUSINESS Wade Windows Ltd are one of the longest family-run double glazing companies in the local area and are proud to be celebrating their 30th year in business. Established in 1988 by Maurice and Sue Wade, the business has grown to be more and more successful over the years. Maurice and Sue have retired themselves over the past few years, but Wade Windows continues to thrive and grow, being run on a daily basis by director Nathan Wade. Determined to keep up with the growing trends, they can offer the following: conservatories, garden rooms, orangeries, warm roof, windows, doors, roofline… the list goes on! And all these in UPVC, aluminium and wood with a choice of many different colour options.

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Most of all, Wade Windows pride themselves on being a friendly familyrun firm with good customer service. With two fitting teams with many years’ experience between them, they thrive on customer satisfaction. By having two fitting teams Wade Windows are able to keep up with customer demand while keeping a personal touch, something which separates them from their rivals. Wade Windows have a newly refurbished showroom at The Barn, Lower Farm Park, Norwich Road, Barham IP6 0NU and welcome anyone who would like to pop down for look around. The showroom is open Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm and weekend appointments are available by arrangement. If you would like a free, no obligation quotation with no hard sale then Nathan will be more than happy to help. Contact: 01473 832835 / sales@wadewindows.co.uk www.wadewindows.co.uk

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NEWS / OUT & ABOUT ST ELIZABETH HOSPICE LAUNCHES £3M APPEAL TO HELP PEOPLE DIE AT HOME In Ipswich and East Suffolk only one per cent of people would like to die in hospital, but locally, our CCG reports a rate greater than 40 per cent. This stark statistic is behind St Elizabeth Hospice’s latest campaign, ‘No Place Like Home’, which is aimed at helping people who are at the end of life, out of hospital to their preferred place of death be that a care home, hospice or even their own home surrounded by loved ones. St Elizabeth Hospice is working with the East Suffolk End of Life Programme Board to transform the way in which end of life care is delivered in the area. As well as offering increased levels of care from its own team the hospice will act as a care co-ordinating hub bringing together organisations caring for those at the end of life to make sure patients are cared for by exactly the right person at the right time. The hospice already acts as a central point of access to information, care and round the clock support and advice for many people and care organisations, but this project provides the opportunity for that to be expanded to encompass all who need it. Mark Millar, St Elizabeth Hospice’s CEO, told us: “Too many people who don’t want to or need to die in hospital in Suffolk currently do. We are determined to help improve this situation. The hospice has already strengthened our community team and through this appeal we will continue to do so. “We have received an initial grant of £400k from the Programme Board to kick start the ‘No Place Like Home’ initiative, but this is a small fraction of what it is going to cost to deliver the full project. We estimate to deliver patients choice, in addition to statutory funding, St Elizabeth Hospice will need to raise an additional £3m over the next three years to be able to sustain the project. The initial aim, working with the hospital, is to identify the people who are at end of life who don’t want to be there and quickly get them to where they want to be. ” Sarah Godfrey, head of St Elizabeth Hospice’s Community Team said: “Not many people realise that around 70 per cent of the care the hospice provides is in the community. Our team of clinical nurse specialists, community healthcare assistants and volunteers work in people’s homes to manage the symptoms of our patient’s illnesses and look after their wider care needs. They are our own hospice staff, employed by St Elizabeth Hospice, and are not Macmillan Nurses, as some people may think. Macmillan does not provide a community nursing service in our area as the hospice were asked to take over that responsibility from them some years ago. Supporting the ‘No Place like Home’ appeal will enable us to help more people access the care and support they need and deserve in the place that they want it.” Anna Howe, the granddaughter of hospice patient Walter Frost, recalled how St Elizabeth Hospice helped her grandfather: “When grandad was dying, he had one last wish. To be in the place he loved most – his home. Grandad faced the prospect of being in hospital at the end of his life. Everyone in the family knew this wasn’t his wish. We wanted to care for him at home and called the St Elizabeth Hospice Community Team, who quickly arranged for a hospital bed and medication to be delivered. Over the next two days, the hospice’s nurses visited to check grandad’s medication, wash him and make him more comfortable. On the night of his death, the hospice arranged for a healthcare assistant to stay over to support us. Grandad slipped away peacefully in the early hours. We can’t thank St Elizabeth Hospice enough for the amazing care they gave my grandad at home during his final days.” To support to the ‘No Place Like Home’ appeal visit: www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/noplacelikehome17

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SUPPER WITH THE STRUMMERS Pie and Mash* – Dessert – Music – Sing-along Needham Market Community Centre Saturday, June 2, 7-10.30pm Tickets £9 from Dave Primmer: 01449 721514 Peter Down: 01449 721235 Beneficiaries: RBL and EACH (*vegetarian option)

ARTISTS ANNOUNCED FOR EIGHTH ANNUAL STOWBLUES FESTIVAL Popular Stowmarket Festival StowBlues returns on Saturday, June 9, 2-10pm with a fantastic line-up of local, national and international talent. Eight live acts will provide a day full of electrifying blues music as audiences relax in the stunning setting of the Museum of East Anglian Life. The line-up includes Kent Duchaine, who has rocked out at major blues festivals in the USA and at over 100 tours in the UK and Europe, fnky riffs and incredible vocals from Clare Free and the youth movement of British Blues with performances from Chris King Robinson and Hot Tramp. Perennial StowBlues favourites Back Porch will be back as well as the smooth vocals of Malaya Blue. Cold Norton and The Mighty Bosscats round out the festival line-up. Organised in conjunction with BBC Radio Suffolk and compered by DJ Stephen Foster, the event has been able to attract a succession of quality bands. The event also benefits from the expertise of Mike Rushmore, a well-known name in the East Anglian blues scene. With a CAMRA supported real ale bar, the event hosts a selection of ales from brewers from across the region including Grain, Earl Soham Brewery and Colchester Town Brewery. There will also be a selection of food available throughout the day, providing a fun festival atmosphere throughout the afternoon and into the evening. No form of alcohol brought in from off the premises is permitted at the festival. Tickets (£10 on the day, £8 in advance) are available now from Stowmarket Tourist Information Centre and online at: www.eastanglianlife.org.uk

STOWMARKET CHORALE Stowmarket Chorale and Dorian Singers combine for a pair of concerts in aid of Alzheimer’s Research UK, Captain Noah and his Floating Zoo by Michael Flanders and Joseph Horowitz, and Songs of the Fleet (by Charles Villiers Stanford). Saturday, June 23, 7.30pm at Trinity Methodist Church, Hamilton Road, Felixstowe IP11 7AN. Tickets £12 including refreshments. Saturday, July 7, 7.30pm at the United Reformed Church, Ipswich Street, Stowmarket IP14 1AD. Tickets £12 including refreshments. Stowmarket Chorale take part in Ipswich Music Day on Sunday, July 1. Further details available soon. On Saturday, November 3 we perform Handel’s Messiah at St Peter and St Mary’s Church in Stowmarket. We would welcome guest singers to join us for the autumn term at our weekly rehearsals to sing this marvelous work. Further details available soon. www.stowmarketchorale.org.uk

OUT & ABOUT OLD NEWTON COUNTRY FAYRE & DOG SHOW We are delighted to be holding our annual Country Fayre and Dog Show again this year on Sunday, July 15 to raise much needed funds for a refurbishment of our village hall. The hall provides immense value to our community and to many other village organisations. One of our star attractions this year is Andy Hulme and his birds of prey displays. Andy has been a falconer for 30 years, working at various birds of prey centres nationwide and has successfully bred many species of raptors. He will be bringing a few birds including Button the Merlin and Skye the young Barn Owl. They are both native species. Please come and see the birds and Andy, who will be on hand throughout the day to answer any questions you may have. Come and join in the dog show with pedigree and fun classes. The dog show starts at 10.30am, £1 per class. The Country Fayre promises to be a fun filled family day with dog agility, owl displays, music, licensed bar, tombola, marching band, Punch and Judy, bouncy castles, trade stands and many other attractions. We really hope you can join us. If you have any questions about the event or would like to discuss any finer details please contact Diane Tween: 01449 775504

STOWUPLAND LOCAL HISTORY GROUP Wednesday, June 6: AGM and Ipswich Suffragettes by Joy Bounds This year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 1918 Representation of the People Act which granted women (over 30) the right to vote for the first time. Joy will look at the long campaign which led to this in Suffolk and especially Ipswich women who were involved. She has covered the subject of Ipswich suffragettes in her book A Song of their Own. A very short AGM, starting at 7.30pm, will precede the talk. Wednesday, July 4: A Virtual Tour of The Green by Group Members Last summer we led a walk around Thorney Green looking at its role in the life of the parish. Houses and cottages around The Green were often built from clay dug on site, the resulting pits becoming ponds that were at one time the only water supply. The Green was undoubtedly a busy place with commoners exercising their right to graze animals along with traffic between shops, windmills, beer houses and the surrounding farms. We shall revisit the stories of The Green in this illustrated talk. Wednesday, August 1: Archive Evening This meeting will provide an opportunity for the group and individual members to display material relating to Stowupland: documents, photos, artefacts or the results of family history research. Please bring anything of interest – we have plenty of tables. Items new to our archives relating to Stowupland Flower Show and the village hall will be on display. These were collected by Ena Carter, who was closely involved with both. The flower show in various forms was a big event in the parish for almost 90 years until it ceased in 1969. We meet at 7.30pm in Stowupland Village Hall IP14 4BQ where there is an ample car park. Visitors are always welcome and refreshments are available. Admission is £1 for members, £3 for non-members. For more information, please contact Judy Clarke: 01449 615386

STOWMARKET AND DISTRICT CAMERA CLUB John Wrigley visited the club on April 9 to judge our portraiture and audio visual competitions. He was in his usual good form as he went through the portraits and decided that several should be held back for greater scrutiny. Eventually John decided that there should be two winners, ‘Steve’ and ‘Carol’. Both pictures were entered by Roy Fidler, to whom John presented the Colin Stubly Shield for portraiture. Next he judged the AV entries, of which there were unfortunately only two. Both entries were good – and well done for entering – but the salver went to Chris Hale whose AV was excellent. On April 23 we held our AGM. All the current officers were re-elected and after AOB we watched the video of entries to the annual show. While some were not to everyone’s taste, all were of a very high standard. We are very excited to be meeting Justin Minns at our next meeting. He will be delivering a talk on landscape photography, and as one of his pictures features on the cover of Landscape Photographer of the Year – Collection 10 we are looking forward to his talk. NEXT MEETINGS Monday, June 11: Open 5 Competition to be judged by George Buxton Sunday, June 24: End of season photoshoot – venue Southwold Monday, September 10: The new season starts with this meeting, when we welcome prospective new members and catch up with existing members. Please note that the first meeting for prospective new members is free of charge, whenever they attend for the first time. New members are always very welcome. All you need is a camera – any camera – and a real interest in using it. Our members use DSLRs, mirrorless, compacts and bridge cameras. Regular meetings are held at Stowmarket Community Centre, Hillside, Stowmarket IP14 2BD, usually on the second and fourth Monday of the month between September and June. We start arriving at around 7pm for a 7.30pm start. We’d love to see you there, so why not join us? For more information visit: www.stowmarketanddistrictcameraclub.onesuffolk.net

IPSWICH AND DISTRICT SOROPTIMIST CLUB Our annual charter dinner celebrating the launch of our club in 1952 was held in May. The early minutes are intriguing. The members recruited give an interesting insight into the status of Ipswich women in business and the professions. One early success was persuading local coal merchants to change their delivery systems to meet the needs of poorer women. Internationally the main concern was the plight of people displaced in Europe by the war. Maybe the issues keep changing, but our purpose doesn’t. At least we don’t have to wear hats at meetings now! May was the start of a new club year. We want to raise our own awareness of the lives of different groups of women in Ipswich. As a start a speaker from the Street Pastors will discuss her experiences with us on June 13. We’d be very happy if you would like to join us. In contrast we have booked a stall at Sproughton Village Fete on June 24. We shall be raising money for our new regional project, the Pelandaba Orphans’ Project in Zimbabwe. It was started by one visitor shocked to see orphan children out on the streets because they had nobody to pay their school fees. So she did something about it. Our club is particularly pleased to be contributing in a small way to a country which has had so many troubles. A few years ago we had a close link with Soroptimists in Harare and we partnered with the club in Ipswich Australia to fund the training of two African teachers. More history! If you are interested in coming to hear our speaker on June 13, please contact Joyce, our secretary, for more information and directions: 01394 615659

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OUT & ABOUT STOWMARKET RAMBLERS Sunday, June 3: 5 mile walk in the Needham Market, Barking and Battisford area. Park and meet at Hurstlea Road car park in Needham Market at 10.30am / GR: TM 085552. Leader: 07919 350170 Sunday, June 10: 6 mile circular walk from Stowmarket via Harleston Church. Park and meet at Stowmarket Football club at 10.30am / GR: TM 046596. Leader: 01449 612093 Sunday, June 17: 5 mile walk around Rattlesden. Park in Rattlesden where legal and meet outside Rattlesden Church front porch at 10am / GR: TL 978591. Leader: 01449 676533 Sunday, June 24: 5.5 mile walk in the Saxmundham area. From Saxmundham town centre traffic lights go north along the High Street and take second left; the car park is on the right. Meet here at 10.30am / GR: TM 386632. Leader: 07359 536673

Spring is here, the old containers have gone, and by now should have been replaced with new ones. They may have been planted up by the time you read this. They will be very different and by cramming them with flowers, should make a good display. There will be no official competition for the High Street this year, but we hope that those who live and work there will still fill some pots. It really does make the town attractive. Work is on-going in the sensory garden. The ivy has been cut back, allowing more room for plants. All gaps will be filled for the summer making this a peaceful place to stop for a few minutes. We are also maintaining our area at the burial ground. We are a small, mature group and we give our time freely to maintain our areas. Needham Market is a large community and it would be nice to see some new faces at our meetings. The next meeting is at the community centre at 10am on June 2. If you care about the appearance of the town and think you could contribute in any way, we especially need young, fit volunteers, please contact Vera: 01473 723424

STOWMARKET AND DISTRICT FLOWER CLUB This month’s meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 27 at 7.30pm in Woolpit Village Hall. It is a members’ evening entitled Midsummer Madness, when six members will demonstrate a mix of traditional and contemporary designs to be raffled at the end of the evening. Sales table, club stall, fun and friendly time with flowers; visitors always welcome, £6 on the door.

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SCHOOLS TUESDAY TOTS Calling all mothers, grans and carers! Come along to The Ark on King William Street on Tuesday mornings from 9.30-11am in term time for fun, crafts, songs and stories for your little ones. Only £1 per family to include refreshments.

STONHAM ASPAL PRIMARY SCHOOL Since our last newsletter we have had Class 1 assembly where the class had the opportunity to share their learning with their parents and carers. It was lovely that so many of you could come along. Class 1 were very impressive with how confidently they used the microphone to share their learning. So many curriculum areas were covered as well. Thank you very much to the children and the staff for a wonderful assembly. Class 6 are very busy preparing for their SATS which start next week. They have worked extremely hard and I wish them all the very best of luck. Class 5 have launched their topic about Great Britain with an afternoon tea which was enjoyed by one and all. Classes 3 and 4 are very busy finding out about Egyptians including producing some amazing Shaduf’s. “A shaduf is a hand operated device used for lifting water out of a well or reservoir. It was invented by the Ancient Egyptians and is still used today in Egypt, India and other countries.” Classes 1 and 2 are learning about keeping fit and healthy. This has included weekly visits from Onelife Suffolk; so far they have looked at how their bodies digest food, the food wheel and portion sizes. Class R are learning about growth which has already included planting bean seeds and writing a bean diary to record how they grow. If you would like to know more our website is a good source of information, or contact the office to arrange to come and visit us. Headteacher Mrs Sharon Waldron www.stonhamaspal.suffolk.sch.uk

Phoenix Counselling Practice professionals you can trust We match clients to one of our qualified and experienced counsellors to provide the kind of counselling needed. Fees are negotiable according to income and we also offer a low cost counselling service. To talk to a counsellor or make an appointment please call

Tel: 01449 675974 or visit our website www.phoenix-counsellingpractice.com

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SPORT NEEDHAM MARKET BOWLS CLUB

SCORPION ACADEMY

Hello again, from NMBC. The opening drive was a great success with 32 bowlers taking part. Gill Cantwell took the prize for most points scored and John Cook won the Spider.

Eleven members of the academy recently passed their blackbelts in universal karate and kickboxing after a five hour exam, a 10 mile run for the kickboxers, a 200 question exam paper and essays, plus all eleven had attended many extra classes.

The outdoor season got off to a cold and wet start, but we were successful on the greens with all our teams winning their matches in the first week. As I am writing this article on May Bank Holiday Monday the sky is blue and it really feels like summer so hopefully we will be able to really enjoy our bowling. Congratulations to the green team all their hard work over the winter has paid off and the green is bowling really well. Work is underway on constructing a new patio area where we can hold our annual barbecue and people can sit and watch the bowling. We shall be holding our President’s Day match with teams representing the president and club captain competing against each other. There will be a club triples and pairs competitions (same format as last year). These events will be held later in the season, actual dates will be announced later.

Blackbelts were awarded to the following students: Emmy Cooper – 1st dan in Universal Karate Lucy Daly – 1st dan in Universal Karate Luca Gambling – 1st dan in Universal Karate Vaughn Ruffles Francis – 1st dan in Universal Karate Stephen Sumpton – 1st dan in Universal Karate Kiera Holder – 2nd dan in Universal Karate Maisie Allen – 2nd dan in Universal Karate Jamie Gilson – 1st dan in Kickboxing Damian Murphy – 1st dan in Kickboxing Gerry Murphy – 1st dan in Kickboxing Alex Utteridge – 1st dan in Kickboxing

MEET AND GREET DAYS AT CROWLEY PARK Our meet and greets were disappointing this year mainly due to the weather. However, for anyone interesting in bowling we have social bowling every Wednesday at 2pm where you will be made welcome and can either just watch or take part. Tea/coffee and biscuits are also available. Although bowls is an ideal sport for the active older person... remember YOU ARE NEVER TOO YOUNG TO BOWL. Contacts: Pat Hadden 01473 831308 / Alistair Bailie 01449 720759

STOWMARKET TENNIS CLUB Another month, another crop of injured players. Andy Murray decides not to play in the new Glasgow tournament in order to give his January hip surgery more time for recovery. If he decides to miss the grass court season as well we may not see him play again until the hard court tournaments in late August. Novak Djokovic is still struggling with his recovery after elbow problems and admitted that he returned to competitive play too soon; quite an admission for a professional athlete and a question mark over the advice he received. Many of the top touring players have been asking for the schedule to be reduced although there’s no requirement to enter every event. Several players, either those with a favoured surface or those of advancing years, often choose the events in which they compete. This gives them a little more time to recover between hectic periods of activity and travelling plus a slightly higher chance of gaining those all-important ranking points. No such troubles down at our club; we play for the sheer fun of it plus the chance to race around the court staying reasonably fit at the same time. There’s plenty of competitive match tennis on offer at the moment with the summer league fixtures in full swing. We have two ladies teams, three men’s teams and three mixed teams which gives a large number of the members the chance to represent the club in the Ipswich & District League. Home matches are always on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday from about 6.30pm so if you popped into the club you’d get a taste of what it’s all about. These matches will continue right through to the end of July with the prospect of promotion always dangling in front of the stronger teams. The coaching program continues all through the school term with new faces appearing after seeing a tennis assembly at school. We run separate starter sessions for different age groups, and also for adults, so there’s bound to be a group just right for you. Rackets can be borrowed so if you fancy being the next Johanna Konta or Andy Murray come along and give it a bash. And if you take it easy to start with hopefully you won’t end up injured like some of the pros. See you on court. Senior Club Coach Chris Cunningham chris@chriscoaching.plus.com

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The grading panel consisted of Senior Master Andy Lewis (5th dan blackbelt), Master Hannah Povah (4th dan blackbelt), Coach Josh Trent (3rd dan blackbelt), Senior Instructor Mel Walmsley (2nd dan blackbelt), Senior Instructor Mike Oglesby (2nd blackbelt), Coach Rob Bird (3rd dan blackbelt), our invited guest instructor from Scunthorpe in North Lincs, and Grandmaster Mark JR Trent (8th dan blackbelt).

Inspired by our new blackbelts, everyone at the academy is now working towards the coloured belt exams in July. At the invite of Hayley and Russell Langley, Mark JR Trent recently taught selfdefence to a wonderful group of youngsters at Stowmarket Saturday Club who meet at Red Gables. Simple to learn but highly effective moves were taught and the legal aspects regarding self-defence. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the session. Mark specialises in self-defence and safety having spent the last 30 years involved in security business and 40 years in the martial arts. Any club or group wishing to hold a self-defence course is most welcome to contact Mark to discuss running a session. Scorpion Academy has the Combs Fete demonstration on July 7 plus the Stowmarket Carnival on July 14 to look forward to, plus a seminar with Grandmaster Brian Dossett, 10th dan blackbelt and world famous martial artist, on July 29. Recently we held another one of our hugely successful Nerf gun and Star Wars light sabre training sessions. A big turnout of juniors thoroughly enjoyed the training and a big thank you to Paul Leech for supplying the light sabres. Since 1990 the academy has been teaching martial arts (kickboxing, muay thai, universal karate/tkd) to the local community and has produced many excellent blackbelts and masters, plus kickboxing champions. One month free to all new members joining us. Please contact Mark JR Trent for further details: 07708 644162 / scorpionacademy@live.co.uk

CHURCH NEWS CHRISTCHURCH, NEEDHAM MARKET Methodist/United Reformed Church, High Street, Needham Market

ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH

Ministers The Rev Mary Playford (URC): 01449 711798 The Rev Rita Carr (Methodist): 01449 612619

The Rev Diane Williams For weddings, baptisms and funerals please ring: 01449 720316 / 07714 016554

Sunday Morning Worship: 10.30am (including crèche and Sunday Club) Service of Holy Communion: Second Sunday

Churchwarden: Linda Ruby, 07546 222947

WEEKDAY ACTIVITIES IN CHRISTCHURCH HALLS Tiddlers: Monday 9.30-11.15am in term time. Contact: 07725 037026 Scrabble Club: Monday 2-4pm. New players please contact Sheila Norris: 01449 720871 Knit for Peace: First Wednesday 2.30-4pm. Contact Sheila Norris: 01449 720871 Christians Together Ecumenical Group: Thursday 10am, Room 4 Christchurch (term time). Contact Ann Devereux: 01449 721575 Coffee Morning: Second Saturday 10am-noon, always with a selection of cakes for sale. OTHER REGULAR BOOKINGS Weight Watchers: Saturday 8-10am / Monday 7-9pm Moosical Fun for your Little One: Tuesday 9.15am-noon in term time Osteo Stretch & Exercise: Tuesday 12.30-1.30pm Karate: Tuesday 6.30-8.30pm / Wednesday 5.30-7.30pm (term time) / Friday 6.30-8.30pm Rainbow Guides: Thursday 5.30-6.30pm (term time) Brownies: Thursday 6.30-7pm (term time) Exercise Classes: Friday 9-11am HALL LETTINGS: There are spaces available for hire. To arrange a visit to view or for further information ring: 07851 742847 CHURCH CONTACT: Ann Devereux, 01449 721575 www.christchurchneedhammarket.co.uk I’ve just returned from holiday – Nordic Walking in Derbyshire followed by a weekend with my family who live ‘in the North.’ For the walking part of the week, I have to say that the weather could have been better, but the company was good, the routes challenging and beautiful. In church the week before I went away I had chosen a hymn which includes the phrases ‘steep and rugged pathway’ and ‘through endeavour, failure, danger...’. As I struggled up Dovedale and through Milldale those words kept running around my head! A case of two parts of my life colliding you may say! But do our lives really consist of separate parts or different compartments? Instead aren’t they actually made up of a number of interconnected parts which result in a complex and fabulous whole. I was further reminded of this when I was with my family and I was simultaneously daughter, sister, sisterin-law and aunt, while still also being mother and grandma even though my daughter and granddaughter were not around. Many titles and roles within the family which come together to make up ‘me’! On the first evening back from holiday I attended Needham Market’s Annual Town Meeting where reports from various organisations were presented, from councils to community centre, from community cafe to churches, with many others in between. It really brought home that a huge variety of things happen in this small town, and each one is dependent on others for its existence: the volunteers who take on various roles running the clubs, the charities who provide grant funding, the elected councillors who take on responsibilities, and organisations like the community centre and the churches who offer space for people to meet and form friendships. Most of the people attending the meeting have more than one role within the town or are part of more than one organisation. I do hope that each one of you reading this feel you have a place within this town, and indeed feel valued and part of the community. Have a look at this newsletter and perhaps resolve to try something new this month – I’m sure you will be welcome.

The ARK Enquiries: 01449 721672 The parish church is closed for essential work. Services will be held in The ARK (Church Hall, King William Street) or the function room at the Limes Hotel on High Street. SERVICES FOR JUNE Sunday 3: 8am Holy Communion in The ARK 10am All-Age Worship in The ARK Sunday 10: 10am Sung Eucharist at The Limes Sunday 17: 10am Sung Eucharist in The ARK Sunday 24: 10am Patronal Festival Eucharist at The Limes Meditation Group: Third Monday of the month / check pew sheet Children’s Sunday Club: please check pew sheet Pause for Prayer Group: 11am-noon on Tuesdays at 12A Uvedale Court / June 19 at 137 High Street Home Worship: First Monday of month, 10am at 137 High Street Uvedale Hall Communion and Bible Fellowship: see pew sheet Mothers’ Union: Third Wednesday at noon in The ARK Tuesday Tots: 9.30am in The ARK (term time) Christians Together: 10.30am on Thursday mornings at Christchurch Produce Stalls: June 2, July 7, August 4, September 1 and October 6 on the pavement close to church Coffee Mornings in The ARK: 9.30-11.30am on the first Saturday Everybody is welcome at all our services. www.needhammarketparishchurch.co.uk

HOME WORSHIP As Christian Aid Week is in May we always have someone from Christian Aid to lead our Home Worship on the first Monday morning in May. This year it was Chris Wilkes, a churchwarden at Debenham Church. He told us that this year Christian Aid is focusing on ‘Displaced People’, those still living in their own country, but under difficult circumstances. He gave examples of those living in bombed out houses in Syria and the people in Haiti after the earthquake, followed by a hurricane, whose homes and almost every other building was flattened. Christian Aid, together with a partner organisation Koral, built a house for the neediest family after the earthquake. Then the hurricane came along – nearly 50 people sheltered in that house from the hurricane, and it was the only house left standing in the area, and so saved all of those lives. This is just a small beginning. A local builder could train to build such a house for £200.

I hope that whoever you are and wherever you go, you will find a welcome

Home Worship takes place on the first Monday in June will be lead by Tony Leigh-Pollitt from Needham Market Parish Church. We always meet at 10am at 137 High Street, Needham Market. After worship we have tea, coffee, biscuits and a friendly chat. All welcome.

Reverend Mary Playford

Wendy Marchant

There’s a song we sing at Christchurch where the first line is this: “Let’s build a house where love can dwell, and all can safely live...” The chorus then goes like this: “All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place.”

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