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In Touch with Stowmarket
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& Stowupland Vol. 19 • Issue No. 2 • NOVEMBER 2013
FREE to STOWMARKET & STOWUPLAND 50p where sold Volume 21 • Issue No. RESIDENTS 7 • APRIL 2016
Image by Martin Chambers
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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR In a month when many of us will celebrate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday I will also be thinking about another wonderful lady who has had an incredible impact on those who have known and loved her, my husband’s Grandma Ida. Sadly she is no longer with us but I think of her often and invariably find myself smiling when I do. Ida wasn’t just a perfect grandma, she was the life and soul of the party. There are too many stories to recount here, but Daniel often talks about playing Sardines with his then 83-year-old grandma who deviously abandoned the search and hid herself away in the shower, patiently waiting for her grandchildren to realise the game had taken an unexpected turn! Ida was the first older person I ever developed a genuine relationship with and I can honestly say she changed me for the better. She stirred both my curiosity and my respect. Meeting someone who was born 70, 80 or 90 years ago can be fascinating if you take the time to get to know them. In doing so you too will come to appreciate the fact that age in itself is a mark of achievement! Just imagine how many challenges and changes an 80-year-old has encountered and overcome, how many moments of despair and possibly even heartbreak they may have endured. The technological revolution is one of the most significant challenges my generation has encountered. Ida faced and overcame far more serious challenges and still had a twinkle in her eye at 90. Perhaps we need to remind ourselves now and again just how lucky we are (most of the time) and to acknowledge that a lack of interest in or respect for older people speaks volumes about our own character. Enjoy the celebrations and take a moment to consider how you might like to be treated when you ‘are old and grey and full of sleep’ (WB Yeats).
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NEWS STOWMARKET TOWN PASTORS Stowmarket Town Pastors have been in operation on the streets of our town since 2009, with a team going out every Friday evening from 8pm-midnight, or later in the summer, and on pay day Saturdays once a month and bank holiday weekends, as resources permit. Town pastors are fully trained and equipped volunteers from many churches in and around Stowmarket who go out in pairs (a man and a woman) to provide a presence of friendliness and care to anyone they meet. People who have been on a night out are often grateful for a bottle of water or a sugar boost, the offer of a pair of flip flops to ladies who have abandoned their high heels or help to get a taxi or to contact a friend in order to get home safely. Pastors escort lone females (and sometimes males) to their cars, station or home, keep an eye out for anti-social behavior and provide a listening ear to those who want to unburden their worries and sadnesses, caring unconditionally and without judgment for anyone and everyone. However, our numbers are currently at an all time low and several of our patrols have had to be cancelled recently. We would be very pleased to hear from anyone who might consider joining our pastors or prayer teams. We are holding our seventh AGM at the Salvation Army, Violet Hill Road, Stowmarket at 2pm on April 30 and anyone interested in our work will be welcome to join us. For more information, contact the co-coordinator on 07881 458119 or visit: www.stowmarkettownpastors.org.uk
In Touch with Stowmarket & Stowupland is published by: Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd, 20 Wharfedale Road, Ipswich IP1 4JP Editor: Sharon Jenkins Email: sharon@intouchnews.co.uk
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NEWS GUIDED WALK AROUND STOWMARKET A guided walk around Stowmarket will take place at 6.30pm on Tuesday, April 21, starting from the Iliffe Way car park.
LOCAL CLUB INVITE PUDSEY TO CELEBRATE ANNIVERSARY
The walk will be led by Mr Darren Dordoy and will take in the historical sights of our town. Tickets are £5 each which will include light refreshments served in the John Peel Centre at the end of the walk. All proceeds will go the mayor’s chosen charities, Mid Suffolk Brass, Combs Ford Pre-school and the Stowmarket Branch of the East Suffolk Association for the Blind. For tickets please contact Sue Leedham: 01449 612060 / suel@stowmarket.org
RECYCLING COLLECTIONS If you have had a spring clean and have found any of the following that you don’t want any more we would love to recycle them for Stowmarket Parish Church. Jewellery – gold and silver, costume jewellery including broken or odd items; banknotes and old coins and unchangeable currency; foreign coins – new and old; postcard collections; mobile phones; video cameras; cameras of any age including film cameras and lenses; Sat Navs; game consoles, games and accessories; iPods, MP3 players, laptops and tablet computers.
Helen Kimpton, Pudsey and Alison Holloway cutting the cake
Children, families, friends, staff and committee members of Stowmarket ASD Saturday Club were invited to meet a very special guest on Saturday, February 20 at the John Peel Centre in Stowmarket. The club, which was set up 12 years ago by a group of local parents, provides social activities for children and young adults with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
The club provides invaluable opportunities for the children to socialise with others in a non-competitive environment where ASD is completely understood and taken into account. The club, which is supported by BBC Children in Need, invited Pudsey along with BBC Radio Suffolk to meet the children and help cut the anniversary cake. Other guests included the mayor and deputy mayor of Stowmarket, representatives from AJ’s Legacy, Stowmarket Town Council, Combs Scout Group and Stowmarket Lions Club who also support the club. In the evening the club held a red carpet themed awards ceremony to celebrate the achievements of children, staff and individuals without who’s commitment and support the club would not be able to continue. The club would also like to thank local businesses for their generous donations and the support of all the families who made the whole day a very special one.
There are collection boxes in Stowmarket Library, at the town council offices, Stowmarket Parish Church and Hillside Community Centre. Please put any of the above in these boxes and save on landfill and support the local community. Thank you. www.stowmarketparishchurch.co.uk @stowmarketcofe
STOWE SCHOOL OF DANCE RAD Ballet, ISTD Ballet,
ISTD Modern, ISTD Tap For enquiries please contact
Fiona Drew on 01449 616623.
RAD TeAching DiplomA, AiSTD
If you would like further information about Stowmarket ASD Saturday Club please contact the club coordinator at leah@stowmarketsaturdayclub. co.uk or visit: www.stowmarketsaturdayclub.co.uk
LIVING WELL IN LATER LIFE Creative Activity Day at the Museum of East Anglian Life Come and join in meeting new people and making memories at our Living Well in Later Life – Creative Activity Day on April 14. The event, hosted by United Response and Suffolk Museums, offers a choice of four activities to enjoy in a morning or afternoon session. • • • •
Photography led by a local professional photographer Music and dance led by a local professional dance school Creative writing led by a local poet Taster exercise sessions led by Stowmarket Leisure Centre
There will also be professionals and organisations available to provide information, support and advice on care, health and wellbeing. The cost of this event is just £10 a person with partner/carer free of charge and bookings can be made by contacting Fiona Palmer: 01473 836160 / fiona.palmer@unitedresponse.org.uk We look forward to welcoming you to this event, meeting new people and creating wonderful memories.
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NEWS A WELL-KEPT SECRET Probably one of the best-kept secrets in the Stowmarket area is Stowmarket Meadlands Recreation Club, a beautiful 16th century Tudor building on Needham Road. Previously part of ICI Sports and Social Club, it has been running for 61 years with very low prices on drinks for its members. The club puts on many live acts, bingo, karaoke and other fun evenings and has a safe garden area for children and a covered patio area. The club has one of the largest indoor bowls rinks in the county and four full size snooker tables – social and league games are played in both bowls and snooker. Added to this are sections for archery, crib, petanque, darts, badminton, sea fishing and angling.
There is a club shop with fantastic prices on paint and decorating materials (all lower than DIY shops), along with household goods and many other products. If you have a lot of decorating to do the membership cost alone would probably be saved in paint purchases. Single membership is £18 a year and for a family is £30. Playing sections are £30 a year (although some do have additional charges) and junior members (under 18 years old) pay £10. For more information visit www.stowmarket-meadlands.co.uk, call 01449 773376 or drop in (follow signs to Needham Road West Industrial Area – the club is on the left, the car park and bowls/snooker on the right). I bet you didn’t know about this sports and social club! Now you do.
BATTISFORD PUNCH BOWL RECEIVES GRANT FROM SUFFOLK GIVING FUND
Battisford Punch Bowl Community Interest Company has received £1,000 from the Suffolk Giving Fund which is financed by Suffolk County Council and managed by Suffolk Community Foundation. Suffolk Giving Fund provides grants of up to £2,000 to charities, community groups and not for profit organisations working in Suffolk. It aims to recognise initiatives where either a number of organisations (voluntary, public and/or private sector) have worked together to achieve more than they could have achieved on their own or a number of people from a community have come together to achieve something that has a positive impact on the wider community. Councillor Sarah Stamp, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Communities, is pictured presenting the cheque along with Emma Rawlingson, Suffolk Community Foundation’s Grants Officer. Councillor Stamp said: “I have visited and been privileged to present some fantastic awards to community groups across Suffolk who have shown exceptional collaborative working.” The directors of The Punch Bowl will be using the grant to help to improve facilities and resources for this community pub.
2016 HERO RIDE Is anyone interested in cycling to the Imperial War Museum for breakfast on July 3 as part of the 2016 Hero Ride? A group of us are leaving in the ‘wee small hours’ to be part of this Help for Heroes fundraiser. As things stand at the moment we have a van and driver to return with the bikes (no cycling back unless you want to!) and some of the team are organising a return coach. This is not a race but a social cycle with a few laughs chucked in along the way I’m sure, and regular grub stops to keep everyone fully fuelled. Please contact me if you fancy the idea. It’s a special year for me as its 25 years since I was involved in the first Gulf War so I know what a difference organisations like Help for Heroes make. Andy White 01473 830135 / 07854 876722 / wandywhite216@aol.com
STOWMARKET AND DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE • Coffee ‘n’ Cake networking Friday, April 1, 10am-noon, at Needham Market Community Centre. You’d be “foolish” to miss it!
• Networking Breakfast Friday, April 15, 6.45am, at our summer venue, Stowmarket Golf Club
Book online at: www.stowmarketchamber.co.uk Coming in June, our latest in the Learn, Laugh and Loiter series will be all about taking care of your customers. Watch out for details. Sign up for our e-newsletter via the website for updates on all our activities.
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NEWS CONSERVATIVE & INDEPENDENT GROUP COUNCILLORS / STOWMARKET WARDS Branch re-launch The Stowmarket and Conservative Branch held its annual meeting last month at the Needham Market Community Centre. Anne Whybrow, (anne@whybrow.org) was elected as chair for the coming year along with other officers. Kay Oakes continues as our secretary and she can be contacted (07702 339971 / kay.oakes@aspects. net) bout any aspect of the branch’s work and how to become a member. The branch has both a Facebook account (Stowmarket Conservatives) as well as a Twitter account (@SMK_Blues). The branch will be organising a number of social events in the rest of the year so watch out for these on social media. Cedars Park Phase 6c Application refused Local councillors Dave Muller, Barry Humphreys MBE and Gary Green and residents are delighted at the decision by Mid Suffolk District Council to refuse Crest Nicholson’s application to build 97 houses off Wagtail Drive (Cedars Park Phase 6c). The local residents, led by Paula Mayhew, formed the Cedars Park Action Group to campaign for the voice of the people living in the area to be heard. And heard they were with nearly 100 objections being lodged against the plan, the majority of these highlighting difficulties with the access route and the safety of people living in the area. Other major concerns included the impact the development would have on the landscape, the number of mature trees that would be felled as a result of the development and the protection of those left behind. The grassland meadow at the south of the site is designated as a “key biodiversity area” in the most up to date Stowmarket Area Action Plan (2013) and the woodland which runs through the centre is a “Priority Habitat” which must be retained. The group, a very dedicated bunch, worked hard for several months campaigning and posted regular updates on the Facebook page Save Stowmarket Wildlife Meadow. With the support of their local councillors, Dave Muller, Barry Humphreys MBE
and Gary Green, they were finally able to get the decision to refuse the application as it stands.
employment, either for the first time or after a change.
The decision notice can be found on the MSDC planning website (ref: 3308/15) and states: “The proposed development by reason of its design layout and access arrangements would not protect or enhance natural landscape features within the site including existing trees shrubs and hedgerows.” It also mentions that the ‘green lane’ off Stowupland Road would be unacceptable as an access for construction traffic, one of the key claims of the Cedars Park Action Group.
This work is already paying dividends with young people being supported to make work and training choices without having to be unemployed to access help. Phase two of MyGo is expected to be rolled out in 2016 in the form of pop-up shops across various locations in Mid Suffolk. Suffolk County Council is awaiting confirmation that a bid for additional funding to support this work has been successful.
Crest Nicholson will no doubt appeal the decision but it is to be hoped that when they do they will have taken into consideration the objections raised by local residents. Yes, we want development because we need more housing but not at any cost. Another housing development in Stowmarket did get planning approval. In this case what was Jokers Night Club will be turned into apartments. The Regal and All-Weather Football Pitch The Conservative led town council are pressing ahead with plans to re-develop the Regal Theatre into a two/three screen entertainment centre and we will be consulting with the community in the near future. We are also progressing with the creation of an all-weather football pitch at Millfields in partnership with the Suffolk FA. Stowmarket Town Awards On April 14 the town council will be launching the 2016/17 Town Awards and will be seeking nominations for the various categories. For further details visit: http://stowmarket.org/town-awards MyGo / www.its-mygo.co.uk MyGo Stowmarket was officially opened in January. Situated at The Mix in Stowmarket, MyGo engages with and supports young people to improve their skills and training opportunities by providing mentoring support to young people for an extended period of time as they enter
In the meantime, do drop into their excellent cafeteria which offers a wide variety of tasty snacks, cakes and soups all made on the premises. Still with young people, Mid Suffolk has provided funding for a schools project which is aimed at adding value to the existing career programmes and work experience opportunities in our schools. The project will engage with Year 8 (age 12) and provide support and evaluation through to work experience in Year 10 (age 15). The project will undertake a series of employer supported events in schools that will focus on the young person, understanding their skills and preferences and how that can relate to and support career choices. It is also aimed to create an improved work experience programme, supported by employers. The funding the council have provided will enable all Mid Suffolk secondary schools to access the programme. Promotional literature for schools employers and parents will be available in the very near future. Watch this space for more news on efforts to help young people prepare for the world of work. Until next time… Your Conservative and Independent Group councillors in Stowmarket are: Lesley Mayes, Gerard Brewster, Paul Ekpenyong, Gary Green, Nick Gowrley, Barry Humphreys and Dave Muller
REPORT FROM KEITH WELHAM / District Councillor for Stowupland Ward Applications for housing developments are still a major concern for most residents of Stowupland. Mid Suffolk planners are preparing for the Public Inquiry into the refusal of permission for the development between Gipping Road and Church Road. We have a very experienced barrister putting forward the case for refusal. The inquiry starts at 10am on Tuesday, April 26 and is likely to sit Tuesday to Friday for two weeks. It is open for the public to come along to listen to the arguments put forward by both sides. You can come along for part of a morning or part of an afternoon; there are frequent breaks in the proceedings so that you can come and go. You might like to come along for the first session on April 26 to hear what the programme for the inquiry will be. If this development were to go ahead, it will affect a wider area than just Stowupland. You don’t have to be a Stowupland resident to attend. As a result of the village hall being used for the inquiry, the polling station for the Police and Crime Commissioner election will be the sports and social club behind the village hall. You will be notified of this on your polling card and your way to the polling station will be signed from Church Road. An application (0195/16) for 75 houses on land west of Thorney Green Road, with an access on to B1115 between Dents Corner and the A14 bridge, is being considered by district council planners and is likely to be decided at a planning committee meeting in April or May. It’s not too late to make
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your views known if you act quickly and write to the planning department in Needham Market. Details of the application are online or may be viewed at MSDC head office. There has been concern expressed to me by a number of tenants whose homes have not received solar (PV) panels. The initial contract for installations was due to be completed by December 31 but overran slightly. The reduction in the feed-in tariff – the payment for electricity fed into the National Grid – was less than anticipated and further installations may be considered in the future. One of the reasons for failure to complete all the planned installations was the lack of UK Power Network infrastructure. In some areas, unless cabling and transformers are upgraded, the infrastructure cannot take any more electricity fed in from separate properties. Also, some properties earmarked for solar panel installations require maintenance work to the roof (in some cases complete re-roofing) before they can be re-considered. The district council has agreed its budget for 2016/17 and has set a precept 1.9% higher than the current year. This will mean a total council tax bill of £1,531.77 for a band D property in Stowupland, compared with £1,503.45 for 2015/16. Keith Welham keith.welham@midsuffolk.gov.uk
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LAUNCH OF STOWMARKET HOME FREEDOM PARTNERSHIP which run from 1.30-3.30pm each week, offer an opportunity to meet new people, try new activities and speak to advisors and specialists about a range of services and products that are all easily accessible through the project. From qualified opticians offering free sight tests, to experienced audiologists and a professional pharmacy team on hand to arrange for home delivery of prescriptions, the scheme is designed to make it easier for people with care needs, supporting them to live at home as long as possible. Each session will feature a different East of England Co-op service, including access to bereavement support councillors and sessions with a travel team that can organise trips for people living independently or access holidays for carers in need of a break. There will also be an opportunity to order weekly food shopping and have it delivered by one of the East of England Co-op’s friendly drivers. Doug Field, Joint Chief Exec for East of England Co-op, Caroline Coleby, independent Living Advisor for Mears Group and Alan Long, Executive Director at Mears Group Representatives from local councils, support groups and charities came together in March to celebrate the official launch of the Home Freedom Partnership, a pilot project being run by the East of England Co-op and home care provider Mears Group.
A series of friendly ‘Meet and Mingle’ sessions take place on Friday afternoons at Stowmarket Community Centre, tackling social isolation and offering local people an opportunity to make new friends and access free health and wellbeing services all in one space. The sessions,
Mears Group will also be offering a variety of services including personal care and support, cooking and cleaning services, support with getting out and about, respite care and more. Care advisors will run activities including food tastings, group games, puzzles and prize draws to encourage people to meet up with old friends and make new ones in an inclusive and welcoming environment.
‘Meet and Mingle’ dates for your diary A series of friendly ‘Meet and Mingle’ sessions are taking place on Friday afternoons at Stowmarket Community Centre, offering local people an opportunity to make new friends and access free health and wellbeing services.
Friday, April 1: local food tastings and free home delivery on weekly shopping Friday, April 8: Fun spring themed quiz and free access to a professional pharmacy team Friday, April 15: Let’s play Countdown - interactive games and free sight tests. Call 07595 962230 to pre-book your free sight test. Friday, April 22: St George’s Day tea party and free hearing checks. Call 07595 962230 to pre-book your free hearing check. Friday, April 29: Vintage logo quiz, one-to-one bereavement support and free home delivery on weekly shopping There are lots of reasons to pop down to a ‘Meet and Mingle’ session in April. At the first session of the month, there will be a food tasting activity with a selection of locally sourced jams, chutneys and juices supplied by the East of England Co-op on offer to try. There will also be a chance to team up with old and new friends at some of the sessions to test skills and knowledge through quizzes and games including a spring themed general knowledge quiz, an interactive game of Countdown and a vintage logo quiz looking at branding and packaging from years gone by. On Friday, April 22 the ‘Meet and Mingle’ session will have a St George’s Day theme, with tea, biscuits, music and a chance to reminisce as a group. There will also be an optional dress code of red and white to celebrate the occasion!
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Friday 1st April Local food tastings Order your weekly shop for FREE home delivery Friday 8th April Seasonal quiz FREE pharmacy consultations
Meet & Mingle Every Friday 1:30-3:30pm
Friday 15th April Lets play Countdown FREE sight tests
at Stowmarket Community Centre, Hillside
Friday 22nd April St George’s Day Party FREE hearing checks
Meet new friends and access FREE health and well-being services
Friday 29th April Know your groceries & logo quiz Order your weekly shop for FREE home delivery One-to-one bereavement support
For more information, call Caroline on 07595 962230
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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.
Needham Market Opticians Gail Gordon-Brown, BSc FCOptom We will make your visit an enjoyable one.
102 High Street, Needham Market IP6 8DG Tel: 01449 723180 (opposite Barratts Lane/Barclays)
The Beauty Spot is a new, modern salon based in Coddenham where therapists Donna Willoughby and Tiffany McMurray offer a wide variety of treatments. Donna, who has been in the industry for 12 years and previously worked in Needham Market and Bury St Edmunds, specialises in massage and facials. Tiffany, who has five years experience working in a spa, specialises in eyelash extensions and nails. Together they make The Beauty Spot the perfect place to be pampered.
To talk to a counsellor or make an appointment please call
Tel: 01449 675974 or visit our website www.phoenix-counsellingpractice.com
Are you in pain? Chiropractic may help with many problems including lower back pain, neck pain and related headaches as well as arm and leg pain.
The Beauty Spot is in an old chapel set back off the main road in Coddenham. Don’t be fooled by the old building as inside is a very up-to-date salon with all the latest equipment. The girls use Dermalogica for their skincare and body range, a professional brand that can treat any skin concerns leaving you with best results. For all nail care they use award winning OPI and artistic colour gloss.
STOWMARKET CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH CLINIC
You will find The Beauty Spot on Facebook and Instagram. Follow them to find out what special offers they have on and for all prices.
Street Dance, Rock ‘n’ Roll & Disco Freestyle
Michael T E Bailey
Local, London and International show work Musicals & pantomime opportunities
Registered with the General Chiropractic Council
I.S.T.D/I.D.TA. QUALIFIED & CRB TEACHERS
For further details contact Principal Cara-Lea Beesley, (L.I.S.T.D.) Tel: 01449 614006 E: caraleadance@hotmail.co.uk
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Fees are negotiable according to income and we also offer a low cost counselling service.
Doctor of Chiropractic 7 Stowupland Rd Stowmarket IP14 5AG
Tel/Fax 01449 612620 www.michaelbailey.net
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PERSONAL ADVICE, HEALTH & BEAUTY Suffolk Foot Health Jane Robinson MCFHP MAFHP
ALLERGY THERAPIST at StowHealth (Violet Hill)
Calluses Corns Verrucas Ingrowing Nails Fungal Infections Athlete’s Foot Nail Trimming Diabetic Foot Care
Testing for food, environmental and chemical sensitivities – as well as vitamin and mineral deficiences which can cause unpleasant symptoms and illnesses.
HOME VISITS
Dip Allergy Therapy, Food Studies Cert.Ed, B.I.A.E.T.
Tel: 01449 612600 Mobile: 07916 143618 Email: jane@suffolkfoothealth.com
For an appointment contact Helen Parsons
Tel: 01531 670746
Beauty in your own home
Mobile Service Waxing ..massage.. spray tan..eyelash extensions.. eyelash & eyebrow tinting.. pedicure..manicure..gel polish.. nail extensions..facials.. Over 20 years experience
Please call
07757 813023
THESE FEET WERE MADE FOR WALKING Feet are a fascinating thing – very underrated by most people. A lot think of them as being ugly, but when you consider how well engineered they are its hard not to love them. They have to put up with an awful lot, the force going through the heel when you run is four times body weight. Yet the foot is designed to absorb all this force as we land, whether walking, running or jumping the 26 bones of the foot separate slightly to cushion us as we land, acting like a bag of loose bones. Then milliseconds later these same bones are pressed together to form a rigid lever which helps to propel us forwards on our onwards journey. To replicate this kind of system where something can be a shock absorber and then a fraction of a second later be rigid to push off from, you don’t find very often – its high tech mechanics and formula one car technology. How great then, that we possess this kind of technology within our own bodies. The human body is the most complicated machine that you will ever get to own and operate. When things work well the foot works well, but when things don’t go accordingly it can upset all types of things from the foot to the hips, back and even higher up the body. Take for example a straightforward twisted ankle. After a few weeks the pain and swelling should settle but if you don’t get the full movement back in the ankle that can spell trouble. It’s very common to lose ankle movement after an injury without even realising it. See normally as we walk and run we rock over the ankle joint. If there is insufficient movement to do so we need to compensate somewhere else along the chain. The easiest of these is to twist the feet inwards and collapse in from the knee to be able to swing the foot through. In turn this places extra load through the knee joint, puts a twisting force through the calf muscle and Achilles tendon and can lead to extra rotation to the back and even sheer force to the skin of the feet. Pain, swelling, blisters; corns and calluses can all result. Some people even inherit some bony alignment issues, which will lead to additional stress and strain going through the system. Injuries can result through no fault of the person, its just how they were born. Having your feet checked out and any injuries assessed by a healthcare professional is prudent to avoid unnecessary pain and discomfort and make sure that your feet and lower limbs are working in healthy union. Robert Grainger MSc MCSP MHPC CSCS Practice Principal PhysioFixx Physiotherapy Clinic Sports Physiotherapist
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NEWS Come along and join in the fun and enter for a chance to become part of the 2016 Carnival Court.
CHERNOBYL CHILDREN’S LIFELINE MID SUFFOLK LINK Once again we are collecting clothes and medicines for the group who will arrive this year. If you can help with donations of good quality secondhand clothing for ages six-13 we would be very grateful. All contributions are great appreciated and can be dropped in to our charity shop in Needham Market or I am happy to arrange collection. Also required are basic medicines and for each child we try to collect the following items: good quality plasters, blister plasters, Lemsip, paracetamol (caplets not capsules so can be halved), ibuprofen (caplets not capsules so can be halved), Lockets or Strepsils throat sweets, thermometers, mouth ulcer cream for children, decongestant capsules or drops, vapour rub, menthol nasal sticks, cold sore cream, Drapolene cream, menthol crystals, lip chap sticks and Immodium.
our barn dance event last year. A pulled pork supper will be included with 23rd April at 2PM a full bar will be open. dessert and2016 of course Tickets (£12 Stowmarket / £6 for under 14s) are available from the charity shop in Meadlands, Needham Market or Stowmarket Tourist Office. A big thank you as always to everyone for all their support Link Chair Elizabeth Parker 01449 760343 / 07771 550868
Come along and join in the fun and enter f chance to become part of the 2016 Carnival C 23rd April 2016 at 2PM Meadlands, Stowmarket
By the time you read this I will be on my way back from Belarus having travelled out to visit the children who will be coming in this years summer group. Apart from my usual visits to the people wealong support, thefun and enter for a Come andincluding join in the chance to become of the 2016 Carnival Court. Children’s Cancer Hospital in Minsk, I will be visiting a homepart orphanage rd April 2016 at 2PM or foster home where nine children are being looked23after by foster parents. Although there are still many, many orphanages in Belarus there Meadlands, Stowmarket is a slow move away from these and children are being placed in these (Terms: Queen Aged 18+, Prince / Princess Aged 8+) home units which are of course far better than the current antiqued Saturday, April 23 at 2pm systems. Meadlands, Stowmarket
Come along and join in th chance to become part of th
23rd April 201
Meadlands, Sto
FAMILY FUN DAY
(Terms: Queen Aged 18+, Prince / Princess Aged 8+) Our original intention was to ‘adopt’ this foster home and help to support Come and join in the fun and enter for a the children in the family with Christmas and birthday presents and to chance to become part of the 2016 Carnival Court. pay for any essential items they may need to help relieve the financial (Terms: Queen aged 18+, prince/princess aged 8+) (Terms: Queen Aged 18+, Prin pressure on the foster parents. However, a new development has taken (Terms: Queen Aged 18+, Prince / Princess Aged 8+) place that is going to hinder this but we will work to find a solution.
As from April of this year the authorities in Belarus are trying to tighten controls on all imports. There has been a decree passed that states no citizen may receive goods from outside of the country to a value more than 22 Euros (£15) per month. This is going to have an impact on everyone who currently helps a child in Belarus by sending them a present for birthdays and Christmas. Parcels can no longer be sent in the name of the child as they are not old enough to be registered for tax/customs duty purposes. It is therefore important that any parcel is sent to the adult in a family only and with the name in full, including patronymic name. If you need assistance to find a parent or relative’s full name please get in touch and we will do what we can to help. SAVE THE DATE Do you like country and western music? We will be holding a country and western themed evening on Saturday, May 14 at the Cedars Hotel in Stowmarket. This event will see the return of Boxcar Kelly & the Railroaders, a six-piece band back by popular demand after featuring in
HORSE RACING EVENING Come and join in the fun at the Meadlands Saturday, April 23 from 6pm Study the form and try your luck on the horses!
Come and join in the fun at the Meadlands For tickets (£5 / Under 15s £2.50) rd contact Rachel on Stowmarket on 706330 Saturday April 2016 at 6pm 01449 or buythe from23 the Meadlands. Includes either burger/hotdog or vegetarian option
Come and study the form and try your luck on the horses This event is in support of Stowmarket Carnival 2016. Contact Rachel on 01449 706330 for tickets, please email: orFor buymore from information the Meadlands, Stowmarket carnivalcourt@stowmarketcarnival.org.uk
Adult - £5.00
Children (Under15) - £2.50
Includes either burger / hotdog or a Vegetarian option This event is in support of Stowmarket Carnival 2016. For more information please email carnivalcourt@stowmarketcarnival.org.uk
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OUT & ABOUT THE REGAL IN APRIL An early Easter means we have a fantastic variety of films this month, from the animal world of Zootropolis to the end of the world in 10 Cloverfield Lane. We also have some great Event Cinema treats, with an encore performance of La Traviata on April 10 and Shakespeare Live! starring David Tennant, Judi Dench and Ian McKellen on April 23. Live on stage we have country music legend Anne Breen on April 18 and 60’s Explosion on April 24. Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice: superhero adventure starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavil and Amy Adams
In a city of anthropomorphic animals, a fugitive con artist fox and a rookie bunny cop must work together to uncover a conspiracy. Kung Fu Panda 3: family animation voiced by Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman and Bryan Cranston Continuing his “legendary adventures of awesomeness”, Po must face two hugely epic, but different threats – one supernatural and the other a little closer to his home. Grimsby: comedy starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Strong, Rebel Wilson and Johnny Vegas A new assignment forces a top spy to team up with his long-lost football hooligan brother. The Finest Hours: adventure starring Chris Pine, Holiday Granger, Casey Affleck and Ben Foster The Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952. High-Rise: thriller starring Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller and Luke Evans
Fearing the actions of Superman are left unchecked, Batman takes on Superman while the world wrestles with what kind of a hero it really needs. With Batman and Superman fighting each other, a new threat, Doomsday, is created by Lex Luthor. It’s up to Superman and Batman to set aside their differences along with Wonder Woman to stop Lex Luthor and Doomsday from destroying Metropolis. Zootropolis: family animation voiced by Idris Elba, Jason Bateman and JK Simmons
and high-speed elevators. But at the same time, the building is designed to isolate the occupants from the outside world, allowing for the possibility to create their own closed environment. 10 Cloverfield Lane: thriller sttarring John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Bradley Cooper After getting in a car accident, a woman is held in a shelter by two men who claim the outside world is affected by a widespread chemical attack. Eddie the Eagle: comedy drama starring Hugh Jackman, Taron Egerton and Keith Allen The story of Eddie Edwards, the notoriously tenacious British underdog ski jumper who charmed the world at the 1988 Winter Olympics. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2: comedy drama starring Nia Vardalos, John Corbett and Michael Constantine Set 20 years after the much loved original, a Portokalos family secret brings the beloved characters back together for an even bigger and Greeker wedding. Rock the Kasbah: comedy starring Bill Murray, Bruce Willis and Kate Hudson
A new high-rise seems to give its wellestablished tenants all the conveniences and commodities that modern life has to offer: swimming pools, its own school, a supermarket
A down-on-his-luck music manager discovers a teenage girl with an extraordinary voice while on a music tour in Afghanistan and takes her to Kabul to compete on the popular television show, Afghan Star. See page 17 for a detailed schedule.
WHO OWNS THE FENCE ON A BOUNDARY? By Robert Jackson of Gudgeons Prentice Solicitors One of the most common questions that I am asked is over ownership of a person’s fence. Sometimes it’s an easy question to answer; while in other cases there may not be a definite answer at all.
change over time. It may be that one neighbour wrongly assumes responsibility for the fence, or even replaces it with one that he or she has paid for. That may give rise to questions of who then owns the new fence. Or neighbours may jointly pay for a new fence to be put in. Does that mean that they now jointly own the new fence?
The starting point, as with any question about land, is with the title to the property. Most property (though not all) is now registered at the Land Registry, and the title is comprised of an Official Copy of the Register of Title. The information may be shown there, or, more commonly, referred to a previous transfer of the land. (This might be from when the original builder sold the land as part of its development.) In this case, there is usually a plan which marks the ownership of the fences. The way this is shown is with an inward facing “T” mark: the property with the “T” mark within its boundary is said to own that fence.
If there are no “T” marks on the plans within the deeds, and this is often the case in many older properties, then who owns a fence will depend on who has done what over the years. There is no legal presumption that the fence to the left belongs: in fact, any or all could belong, if there is no indication in the deeds. Then it all comes down to the particular facts of the case, and who has done what over the years.
This is not necessarily the final answer though, because things can
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Buttermarket, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 1ED Telephone: 01449 613101 • Fax: 01449 615087 Email: info@gudgeons-prentice.co.uk In Touch online:
WATCHDOG SEEKS VIEWS ON DIABETIC FOOT CARE SERVICES IN SUFFOLK Healthwatch Suffolk is working with a leading Consultant Physician of Diabetes and Endocrinology at the Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust Diabetic Centre to explore local experiences of using diabetic foot care services in Suffolk. Good foot care is essential for people living with diabetes because it can prevent complications caused by high blood glucose levels including damage to nerves and blood vessels. In fact, active foot disease is a leading cause of amputation in the UK. That is why Healthwatch is keen to explore whether people at high risk of developing foot disease in Suffolk are receiving appropriate care. It is interested in your experiences about the full range of services that may care for your feet and this includes those accessed in GP practices, hospitals and in the community. Andy Yacoub, Chief Executive of Healthwatch Suffolk, said: “Our aim is to ensure that these essential services are shaped by the experiences of people using them. This survey will help us to independently check that patients are receiving the right messages to help them manage their condition and that there is fair and appropriate access to foot care services across the county. If you have diabetes or know someone that does, please take part. It only takes a moment and your views could make a positive difference to care in Suffolk.� To take part, visit: www.surveymonkey.com/r/suffolkdiabetes You can also contact Healthwatch Suffolk on 01449 703949 or by email to info@healthwatchsuffolk.co.uk to request a hard copy survey. This survey will close on April 30, 2016.
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OUT & ABOUT SODS’ SOMETHING TO HIDE Are you a fan of Midsomer Murders, Inspector Morse, Columbo or Agatha Christie murder mysteries? If you enjoy television detectives then you’ll love Stowmarket Operatic & Dramatic Society’s spring play, Something To Hide, live on stage.
WOOLPIT DRAMA CLUB Shakespeare, but not as you know it, will be the source of the next Woolpit Drama Club production.
Karen Holt (Angie Welham-Hagan), Howard Holt (Jon Wray) and Julie Written by Leslie Sands, whose work Grant (Jo Chadwick) in Something includes episodes of Z Cars and Van Der Valk, it’s a gripping murder to Hide, photo by Peter Hawkes
mystery set in a converted toll house in a small Essex village. It’s the part-time home of successful novelist Howard Holt and his wife Karen, who is also his publisher. Late one night, Karen arrives home in her car unexpectedly and accidentally runs over Howard’s mistress. When a detective arrives, investigating seemingly unrelated matters, it triggers an increase in tension that builds to an almost unbearable pitch. The show runs at Stowmarket’s Regal Theatre from Wednesday, May 18 to Saturday 21 at 7.30pm with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets are on sale now from: 01449 612825 / www.regalstowmarket.co.uk
STOWMARKET MODEL RAILWAY EXHIBITION
(l-r) Paul Gort, Rachel Sumerling, Paquita Savill and Gareth Hatton are inspired by a statue of William Shakespeare The Shakespeare Revue by Christopher Luscombe and Malcolm McKee is a sparkling cabaret of songs and sketches inspired by The Bard, with material from contributors like Victoria Wood, Stephen Fry, Cole Porter, Alan Bennett, Stephen Sondheim and many more. On the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, companies all over the world are celebrating his work, and here in Suffolk we are taking a look at the way his words have become part of the way we speak and think. The Shakespeare Revue was devised for the Royal Shakespeare Company and first presented by the RSC in Stratford and the West End in 1994. An enchanting collection of witty songs and sketches, this revue gathers together some of the finest comic material inspired by Shakespeare, from music hall to Monty Python. It has been a hit with audiences all over the world
It’s full steam ahead for Stowmarket Railway Club’s annual Model Railway Exhibition on Sunday, April 24 at Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre in Gainsborough Road, Stowmarket, 10.30am-5pm. This popular event, the largest in the area, is a high point in the railway enthusiasts’ calendar which attracts exhibitors and visitors from far and wide. The exhibition has an excellent reputation for the high quality of its exhibits. This year there will be 12 layouts on view in a variety of scales, including Oldshaw (EM), Georgemas Junction (OO), Hadderton (N), Tirencester (OO), Bastoogne Rue De Clervaux (HO), Norfolk Coke & Tar Company (O), Rolvenden War & Peace (OO), Yellow Ridge Mine (1:24), Knights Yard (1:16), Garden Railway (G), Watford High Street Station (OO), Bishops Lane Brewery (O). There will also be plentiful trade stands where models, books, tools and equipment will be on sale. In addition, refreshments will be available, there is wheelchair access and free parking. Admission: adults £4, concessions £3, children £2. For further details telephone 01449 771360 or visit: www.stowrailclub.org.uk
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Four talented performers – Paquita Savill, Rachel Sumerling, Paul Gort and Gareth Hatton – will play all the parts. Regular audience members will remember Paquita and Gareth from Black Comedy last year, Paul from When We Are Married and Rachel from Salad Days and Calendar Girls. So expect some sparkling comic performances. David Cordon directs with his usual flair, and the impeccable Christopher Moore will be acting as musical director and providing polished piano accompaniment. The Shakespeare Revue will be performed in Woolpit Village Hall from April 21 to 23 at 7.30pm plus a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets (£10 / £6 for under 16s) are on sale at Elm Tree Gallery in Woolpit or 01359 242283. For more information, email wooldramclub@gmail.com or visit: www.woolpitdrama.co.uk
FASHION SHOW AT STOWMARKET URC Come and see the latest fashions from M&Co at Stowmarket United Reformed Church on Wednesday, April 20 at 7pm. Tickets at £5 each can be obtained from the church office, 01449 675045, or on the door and include a glass of wine/non-alcoholic drink and nibbles. Garments can be purchased after the show and there will also be a draw. Proceeds from the evening will support the church and M&Co charities.
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STOWMARKET’S LOCAL PRINTER
Polstead Press
Design & Print 01449 677500 sales@polsteadpress.co.uk www.polsteadpress.co.uk
STOWMARKET’S LOCAL PRINTER
5A THE MALTINGS, STOWUPLAND ROAD, STOWMARKET, IP14 5AG
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OUT & ABOUT FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY AT MENDLESHAM STREET FAYRE Mendlesham Community Council Street Fayre will take place on Monday, May 2, starting at noon with a procession and street entertainment and finishing with the grand draw at 4.45pm. Entertainment will be provided by professional magician The Tricky Twister, The Mad Hare Marching Band, East Suffolk Morris Men, Urban Allstars Majorettes, Harbour Lights and step dancers 6’ Foot 3’. There will be birds of prey, children’s rides, a craft fayre, hog roast, the church armoury will be open and plenty of refreshments around the village. Ralph and Daphne’s garden will be open with vintage farm machinery on display. Heronbuild have sponsored the draw and we have had sponsorship from Jaiger Process Engineering, Galloways, Tramspread, Bluesky, Classic Renovations, Classic Stoves & Fireplaces and Baronia Developments. Entry by programme for sale during April from Mendlesham Bakery, Mendlesham Post Office or Michael Denny Hairdresser, Mendlesham: £2 in advance, £3 on the day, under 16s free. Stall bookings contact Angela: 01449 766483
FROCKS AND FLOWERS A DISPLAY OF DRESSES AND FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS St Mary’s Church, Woolpit Saturday, April 9, 10am-5pm Sunday, April 10, 10am-5.30pm, followed by Songs of Praise
Refreshments available throughout the weekend. Admission £2.50 / children under 12 free.
ALL PROCEEDS IN AID OF ST MARY’S CHURCH
BLUE CROSS SUFFOLK Our new flagship centre at Bourne Hill in Wherstead is now open for business and we are able to help even more abandoned, unwanted, ill or injured pets in their quest to find their forever homes. To enable us to do this we have to raise much needed funds which we do by holding fundraising events. As well as selling our own branded goods we also sell donated items. We cannot take jumble or electrical goods but anything of good quality such as jigsaws, soft back books, CDs and DVDs is very acceptable. If you are able to help we will happily collect. Please contact Ian Hendry: 01449 767747 / gmhendry@hotmaill.com
STOWMARKET CONCERT BAND Kicking off 2016 with a St George’s Day concert The main band and the training band have been busy working on new music in recent months, with new pieces and arrangements to try out and concerts being planned. Preparations have been taking place for the band’s first big concert of the year. The band is joining with The Jubilee Ladies Choir for a St George’s Day patriotic themed concert at the United Reformed Church on Saturday, April 23. The programme will feature some well-known anthems with individual performances from the groups and some joint pieces as well. Tickets are available in advance or on the door, £6 adults and £3 under 16s. To book call 01449 677924 or email: info@stowmarketconcertband.org.uk The training band will also be performing and have been preparing for this while some of the players begin working towards their next ABRSM music medals. The band were very grateful to Stowmarket Town Council who made a grant to help subsidise the cost of these assessments for members in December. Following this concert, the band heads into the rest of the year with a steady supply of concerts and plenty of opportunity to see them perform in Stowmarket. They look forward to helping The Regal Cinema to celebrate its birthday as well playing at StowFest and supporting Stowmarket Carnival. For details of upcoming concerts and more details on booking and joining the band visit: www.stowmarketconcertband.org.uk
EASTER AT THE MIX Come and visit us this Easter holiday and have fun, no matter what you’re into. Make the most of our facilities which include table tennis, a pool table, air hockey and games consoles. Join us and chill out, our friendly team are on hand throughout to listen, have a chat to or challenge you to a game! We have free Wi-Fi, and our café is open for drinks and snacks. Throughout the hang out sessions there will be dodgeball, an Easter egg hunt, Easter egg decorating and many more activities. We are open each Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of the Easter holidays from 11am-4pm. We hope to see you there!
www.keepingintouchwith.com/stowmarket
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email: enquiries@haywards-solicitors.co.uk www.haywards-solicitors.co.uk
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Stowe Veterinary Centre
Moreton Hall Veterinary Centre
Ipswich Veterinary Centre
The Mustard Pot Veterinary Surgery
The Old Tea Room Veterinary Surgery
54 Bury Road, Stowmarket
2 Boldero Road, Bury St. Edmunds
Scrivener Drive, Ipswich
Coddenham Road, Needham Market
Station Road, Elmswell
Tel: 01449 613 130
Tel: 01284 747 000
Tel: 01473 555 000
Tel: 01449 722 198
Tel: 01359 241 761
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OUT & ABOUT SPRING FASHION SHOW And shop ‘til you drop!
With Style@stow on Thursday, April 21, from 7.30pm Join us for fun and fashion amongst friends at Pettiward Hall, Great Finborough IP14 3EA. Tickets (£6.50) include a glass of fizz and light refreshments. To book contact Irene Bugg: 07777 670483 / Style@stow / 01449 771315 / 15 Bury Street, Stowmarket All proceeds on the night will go to St Andrew’s Church, Great Finborough.
CHILDREN’S CHARITY MORNING Saturday, April 23 at Stowmarket URC Hall, Ipswich Street, 10am-1pm Pre-loved children’s clothes, books and toys, cake and sweet stalls, tombola and raffle, face-painting, tea and coffee, plus other stalls and games. Please help us to raise money for Sport Relief who do so much for children in need. For more information, or if you have items you could donate, please email: jofsparkes@gmail.com
DRINKSTONE SALE TRAIL Saturday, May 7, 9.30am-2.30pm
CHARITY SHOPPING DAY Wednesday, April 27, 10am-2pm Chamberlin Hall, Chamberlin Close, Bildeston IP7 7EZ Lots of lovely things for ladies of all ages. Everyone welcome! HotFooted shoes and sandals, ladies clothes, jewellery, accessories and lots more... The hall is well signed from the village. Ample free parking. £3 entrance to CANCER RESEARCH UK (£2 after 1pm). Refreshments available. www.facebook.com/charityshoppingday
EXHIBITION TO CELEBRATE THE QUEEN’S NINETIETH BIRTHDAY
Drinkstone Village and Village Hall, IP39 9SZ Garage sales open around and about the village, table top sales, refreshments, disabled facilities and car park at the village hall. All profits to the Drinkstone War Memorial Institute (Village Hall) Registered Charity No: 304876 Admission free, maps on sale. Contact: 01449 736314 / suefoulshamster@googlemail.com
JUBILEE LADIES CHOIR FUNDRAISING CONCERT The parish church of St John The Baptist, Needham Market presents an evening of musical entertainment with The Jubilee Ladies Choir, conducted by Simon Welham and accompanied by Rebecca Welham, on Friday, May 6, at 7.30pm. Tickets are £7.50 and include light refreshments. There will also be a raffle.
Does your group or organisation have a link with the Queen?
All proceeds to the roof repair fund.
Is there something you admire about the Queen?
Tickets available on the door or from: 01449 720845
Can you recall or share a local link with the Queen or the Royal Family? Do you have a local story from the last 90 years? Can you highlight an aspect of life over the last 90 years? If so we would like to invite you to put on a display in the exhibition which Stowmarket Parish Church will be hosting from June 4-12 to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. We will allocate a space for you to have a display for all to see. There is no cost to take part – just a willingness to let everyone see your story. The parish church is a large venue so there is lots of space. We are aiming to make it the biggest event to celebrate the Queen’s birthday locally. If you are interested and would like an application form or would like to know more please contact the church office on 01449 774652. This is open to groups, organisations, businesses, charities, schools and individuals. www.stowmarketparishchurch.co.uk @stowmarketcofe
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SPRING FLOWER FESTIVAL AND CRAFT FAIR A spring flower festival and craft fair will take place from Saturday, April 30 to Monday, May 2 at Holy Trinity Church, Stowupland and the village hall (IP14 4BG). The church will be open to view the flowers on all three days from 10.30am-5pm. The craft fair in the village hall will be open on each of the three days from 10am-5pm. Entry to the craft fair is free, excellent lunches and refreshments will be available at very reasonable prices, and Name the Bear will be there as usual. The festival weekend will kick off with a concert by the renowned Castleton Brass in the village hall on Friday, April 29 at 7.45pm. Tickets at the door cost £8 and include a buffet.
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OUT & ABOUT STOWMARKET AND DISTRICT CAMERA CLUB
A CELEBRATION OF PATCHWORK IN EAST ANGLIA
The Ray Giffin Tankard for Wildlife was judged by Phil Chatfield on February 8. Members really stepped up for this competition and this made it difficult for the judge to find a winner. However, Geoff Walker won with his fabulous picture entitled Butt Out – two antelopes butting each other.
Blackthorpe Barn near Bury St Edmunds will be the venue of a stunning exhibition of work by patchworkers and quilters from across Suffolk and Essex, celebrating the best of their region between Saturday, April 30 and Monday, May, 2. The big exhibition also features work from quilters throughout East Anglia as well as an exhibition from the Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles’ Miniature Group, work by Young Quilters and displays from a large number of affiliated groups. “We want to celebrate the fantastic work done by quilters in our region,” said Helen Vivian, Quilters’ Guild co-ordinator in Suffolk and Essex. “Blackthorpe is a stunning venue and we are looking forward to welcoming visitors and showing them what we as a region are capable of.” There will be a range of workshops and demonstrations over the three days as well as a large number of traders. Refreshments will also be available. Entrance is £5 adults, children free.
On February 22 Roger Hance gave a very informative and interesting talk entitled Speed and Action. His fabulous photographs were of athletics, white water canoeing, Brands Hatch superbikes, motocross, rugby, boxing and other sports. He gave us lots of tips regarding camera settings and places where these activities take place. He also told us the best places to stand and the best angles to capture. I think we all learnt a lot. Next meetings April 11: Colin Stubly Shield for portraiture and the audio visual trophy. Judge Vic Hainsworth. April 25: Open Competition (5) incorporating the Len Backhouse Trophy for the best PDI on the night and the Cyril and Mary Hall Salver for the best print on the night. Judge George Buxton. New members are always very welcome at the club. All you need is a 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 Mondays 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.
For more details contact Helen Vivian 01621 784950 or visit: www.region-8.quiltersguild.org.uk
A jumble sale will be held at Stowupland Village Hall on Saturday, April 9 at 2pm. In addition to jumble there will also be a cake stall, a draw, brica-brac and a tombola. Admission is 20p and teas will be served. Proceeds to Stowupland Chapel. Please come and support us.
NEEDHAM MARKET RAFT RACE 2016 Sunday, June 12 – our 15th year!
www.stowmarketanddistrictcameraclub.onesuffolk.net
SUFFOLK REGIMENT OLD COMRADES ASSOCIATION, STOWMARKET BRANCH Only 12 members attended the February meeting due to holidays and illness. Our speaker gave a most interesting illustrated talk about the Apache helicopter and its role in problem areas around the world. A big thank you to Barry. The evening concluded with members asking questions. Why not come along and join us if you were in the army? We would welcome you to our meetings on the last Wednesday of each month at 8pm in the Royal British Legion Club. You don’t have to be a member of the RBL. For more information call D King: 01449 675318
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A fantastic day out for all the family. Food, drink and ice cream available. Local groups and charity stalls. This year’s theme is Movie Madness, so come along and cheer on your favourite raft.
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OUT & ABOUT ROYAL BRITISH LEGION WOMEN’S SECTION Our February guests, Julie and a team of four, demonstrated Tui Na massage, a form of massage which began 1,000 years ago in the Far East. Members took turns on a bed or chair to have vigorous massage on whatever part of their bodies needed treatment. I think everyone really enjoyed it and several members intend to have some more. Shirley Cobbold thanked Julie and her team and we then held our meeting with 25 members present. Our jumble sale took place in the community centre on March 5 and our group meeting was on March 10. On June 25, Armed Forces Day, there will be stalls on Pikes Meadow and we have to decide what ours will be. Names were taken for our mystery trip on April 13. There were several entries in our competition for a scent bottle: first Lynda Farr, second and third Carol Penton. Hope to see you all at our next meeting. Maureen Stammers
REMEMBERING MAUREEN A quiz evening in memory of a church member who died in January. Saturday, April 23 at 7pm St Peter’s Church Hall, Church Walk, Stowmarket IP14 1ET Teams of six or come and make up a team Tickets £4 in advance or £5 at the door Contact 07764 661737/07917 678466 or the church office on 01449 774652 Bring your own refreshments Raising money for St Elizabeth Hospice and The Motor Neurone Disease Association
STOWUPLAND LOCAL HISTORY GROUP Wednesday, April 6: Ransome Sims and Jefferies by Brian Bell Ransomes & Co. was founded in 1789 by Robert Ransome, an ironfounder from Norwich. The company was well known for its ploughs, agricultural implements and machines and was later one of the first to produce lawnmowers. Wednesday, May 4: The Cupola House and the Macro Family with Pat Murrell Built in Bury St Edmunds in 1693 by Thomas Macro, and for many years used as an apothecary shop, this Grade 1 listed building was a wine merchants in the 19th century and then a pub. From the mid-1990s onwards it was a restaurant. It was severely damaged by fire in June 2012. Work began in January 2014 on a rebuilding project. Pat Murrell looks at the house and the Macro family. We meet at 7.30pm in Stowupland Village Hall IP14 4BQ. 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
BACTON & COTTON LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY Tuesday, April 19, 7.30pm, Bacton Village Hall: The Domesday Book by William Doig When William I found that our country’s financial reserves were almost empty he proposed an assessment of his subjects’ lands so that taxation could fund a permanent military force. The result was The Domesday Book in which not even an ox, cow or pig was left out, as William will tell us. Admission is £2 to members, and £3 to non-members.
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STOWMARKET LOCAL HISTORY GROUP Monday, April 18: Moated Sites in Suffolk by Edward Martin Monday, May 16: Annual General Meeting, followed by a talk on The History of Suffolk Lawnmowers by Arland Shaw-Taylor Meetings are held at 7.30pm at The Salvation Army Hall, Violet Hill Road. Members £1, non-members £3. For further details, contact Jeannette Baldry: 01449 675271 www.stowmarket-history.co.uk
STOWMARKET RAMBLERS Sunday, March 27: 5.75 mile walk Meet/park 10am at Earl Soham Triangle / GR 232630 Leader: 01449 673131 Sunday, April 3: 10 mile walk Meet/park 10am at Needham Market Railway Station / GR 091549 Leader: 01379 783658 / please bring picnic lunch Sunday, April 10: 5.5 mile walk Meet/park 10am at Playford Village Hall / GR 214477 Leader: 01449 710307 Sunday, April 17: 6 mile walk Meet/park 10am at Shotley Community Centre, next to Rose Public House / GR 234351 Leader: 01449 676491 Sunday, April 24: 5.4 mile walk Meet/park 10am at Whatfield Village Hall, off Semer Road / GR 022463 Leader: 01449 672168
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OUT & ABOUT STOWMARKET ROTARY CLUB On Monday, February 15, Oliver Miller of Bishop & Miller specialist auctioneers talked to our club. Oliver, who has considerable experience in the profession, opened his auction house on The Charles Industrial Estate a year ago and despite the depression the new venture prospers. They only deal in items of higher value such as jewellery, clocks and watches, paintings and other artwork, pottery and ceramics and so on. Sales are held every two or three weeks and now attract buyers worldwide. Oliver showed us some examples of the items to be sold in the next auction including a Georgian silver tankard and a 19th century flintlock pistol, but the ladies were all taken with an exquisite 6.67 carat diamond ring which may fetch some £90,000! Our quiz evening in aid of Bumblebee Children’s Charity, an independent pre-school for children who have difficulties with movement and coordination, was held at the Cedars Hotel in Stowmarket on February 12. With more than 70 participants, £850 The winning team from The Chestnut was raised. Sincere thanks Horse with Rotarian Tom Lund-Lack to all.
On February 29 retired vicar Keith Lovell talked to us about beer. We were surprised to find that Old Speckled Hen was named after a car, an MG with a lightweight four-seater body used at the works as a site runabout. It was usually parked next to the paint shop and became Keith Lovell and Rotarian Malcolm Cook known as Old Speckled One for very obvious reasons. This developed into Hen and when MG celebrated their Golden Jubilee the local brewery, Morlands, produced the beer in celebration. Keith explained that the Canaries (the islands not the team!) was based on the Latin Canis as the islands suffered from packs of feral animals. In the 19th century, Norwich City played in a blue and white homestrip, but the manager, when in benevolent mood, addressed the players as his canaries and the ground was the nest. When the club moved to Carrow Road early in the 20th century the strip finally became the green and yellow of today and a Lowestoft brewery produced a celebratory beer. Keith told us of the connection between Sudbury and Charles Dickens and Bah Humbug ale, Adnams and their Broadside and Gun Hill brews and Red Herrings as used by the earliest hunt saboteurs. Unfortunately Keith had no samples to hand and the time available was too short. An excellent meeting.
LIONS CLUB OF STOWMARKET & DISTRICT STOWMARKET & DISTRICT MONDAY CLUB More than 300 exhibits from some 80 local artists and photographers were displayed at the club’s fourth annual art show and sale at the John Peel Centre for Creative Arts in March raising more than £1,400 for Lions local charities. International and Ipswich Town football celebrities Terry Butcher and John Wark attended the preview evening on Friday, March 4 where they signed prints of portraits by local artist Fred Chowles which will be auctioned for charity.
Members recently enjoyed an evening of bygones with over 50 old farming, gardening and household items brought in by the helpers. It was great fun trying to guess what everything was used for. The recent craft evening was as popular as ever with members making Easter cards to send to their friends and family. In the run-up to the Easter break we are looking forward to a visit from Stowmarket Concert Band, followed by an Easter dance with music kindly supplied by Yesterday. This is combined with an Easter Bonnet Parade. We resume activities on April 4 after the Easter holiday. Stowmarket & District Monday Club is a club for adults with learning difficulties which meets every Monday from 7.30-9.30pm at the Community Hub in Crown Street, Stowmarket. We are run entirely by volunteers and new members and helpers are always very welcome. If you would like further information, please contact us on 01449 672123 or just come along on a Monday evening.
(l-r): Lion Ernie Pearce, Terry Butcher, John Wark, Art Show organiser and deputy President Lion Kevin Standrin and Lion President Peter Elford The Stowmarket Lions perform all their fundraising work on a voluntary basis and since its inauguration in 2013 the art show has raised thousands of pounds to help our local community.
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STOWMARKET AND DISTRICT FLOWER CLUB The meeting on Wednesday, April 27 at Woolpit Village Hall at 7.30pm will be a demonstration by Jo Poulter of Peterborough. New members and visitors always welcome.
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OUT & ABOUT WE NEED YOUR USED STAMPS
STOWMARKET CONTACT CLUB
Stowmarket Girlguiding is asking for your help to collect used stamps to raise much needed funds for their new guide hall.
Have the icy cold conditions, wind and rain been keeping you indoors for too long? We and the flowers and the birds thought spring had come early a few weeks ago but alas the fine spell didn’t last long and we were then back to the comforts of our own homes. Nice as they might be, does the chance of getting out for a couple of days a week sound interesting to you?
Please save your used stamps (leaving 1cm of envelope around the stamp) and either give them to a Rainbow, Brownie, Guide or Senior Section member or place them in one of our collection boxes at Stowmarket Library, MEAL or Wedgewood Dental Practice. We need lots and lots so please remember us and help the young members of Stowmarket Girlguiding achieve their dream of a new Hall to meet in. Thank you.
A GIANT LEAP FORWARD A group of enthusiastic Orchard Barn volunteers recently completed a ‘hands on’ five-day traditional timber framing course. Grateful thanks go to tutor Rick Lewis from Traditional Oak Carpentry and to the European Social Fund for enabling the course. Volunteers learnt how to craft new studs, make mortices and tenons, scarf joints, pegs and how to identify and restore historic timbers. They only used hand tools including saws, chisels, mauls, planes and augers which were new to some of the group. The importance of sharing experience and team working quickly became apparent! The new studs and wall plates were assembled and Rick demonstrated the techniques for ‘fine tuning’ the timber frame to achieve a perfect fit. Volunteer skills available within Orchard Barn are now greatly enhanced as a result of the course. Orchard Barn runs regular courses in traditional building techniques running on live projects. For more information visit www.orchardbarn. org.uk or phone 01473 658193. Alternatively come along any Wednesday – we are SW of Mill Road, Battisford.
OLD NEWTON OPEN GARDENS Old Newton Open Gardens will be on Sunday, June 12, forming part of the village’s festivities to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. Many and varied gardens around the village will be open and there will be refreshments served in two of them. A scarecrow competition will have a royal theme. Please make a note of this in your diaries.
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Stowmarket Contact Club is a locally funded organisation that would like to invite you to join them. It’s a very friendly group for both ladies and gentlemen living in and around the Stowmarket/Stowupland area. If you are interested in spending some time with other people for friendly conversation and social interaction or getting out and about, going on some trips and perhaps making some new friends, why not get ‘in touch’ with us. The group meets every Monday and Wednesday. It comes together for about two hours or so each day from around 11am. Depending on what has been arranged, Mondays are generally spent in Stowmarket, meeting in a pub, sandwich bar or coffee house for lunch, a snack, a drink or just a chat. Generally, on Wednesdays an outing is arranged to places of interest within a 30 mile radius suggested by the members themselves. Members are asked to make their own transport arrangements, if possible, to a meeting place. However transport can be provided, when required, for a nominal fee. Make this a year for you to do something a little different by coming along and enjoying our company. For further information, please contact Mary: 01473 730283
ROYAL AIR FORCES ASSOCIATION, STOWMARKET BRANCH In December we enjoyed an excellent Christmas dinner at the Royal British Legion Club, prepared and served by Kelly and her team. Here we see branch president Ron Saunders offering ‘words of wisdom’ at the dinner. We didn’t meet in January so our first speaker of the year was Ken Snow who told us of his experiences during his many expeditions, all in the aid of charity, his destinations including the Himalayas, Peru and Vietnam to name but a few. After our annual general meeting in March one of our own members, David Griffith, gave us a very amusing talk on his experiences as a schoolmaster in the East End of London. In April we will be having a talk about the work of the Suffolk Accident Rescue Service. We have several outings arranged for the summer months and we are always pleased to welcome any prospective new members. You don’t have to have been in the Royal Air Force to attend and can join as an associate member. For further information contact our secretary on 01449 676871 or visit: www.rafassocstowmarket.onesuffolk.net
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OUT & ABOUT / SCHOOLS / SPORT PLANT HERITAGE SUFFOLK GROUP Plant Heritage Suffolk Group warmly invites you to a talk entitled A Cornucopia of Fruit and Vegetables Grown Within the Walled Gardens at West Dean Gardens, West Sussex by Sarah Wain. Sarah has gardened in Australia and England for 40 years. She has worked as gardens supervisor at West Dean Gardens with husband Jim Buckland since 1991. The talk will take place on Saturday, April 23 at 2.30pm in Stowupland Village Hall IP14 4BQ. There will be a plant stall including rare and unusual plants. Delicious refreshments will be available for purchase. Admission: free to members, £5 entrance fee for non-members. New members and non-members are most welcome. No need to book. www.suffolkplantheritage.com
SCORPION MARTIAL ARTS ACADEMY A great turnout of students (more than 100) took part in the first interclub sparring tournaments of 2016. Everyone demonstrated superb fighting skills with control and fantastic sportsmanship. Each of our kickboxers had two fights, one in our club boxing ring and the other on the mats. For several of our members these were their first ever sparring fights and these all count towards their grades (belts). Scorpion instructors, coaches and masters also took part, demonstrating that the best form of leadership is that by example. Medals supplied by Starmark Sports of Stowmarket were presented to all who took part. We teach and offer training in MMA (mixed martial arts), kickboxing, muay thai and universal karate and run classes throughout the week. We also offer one-to-one and small group training specialising in self defence or fitness based.
LOCAL SCHOOL SAVES LIVES Students at a local school have raised hundreds of pounds to save lives, shelter the homeless and feed the hungry. Youngsters at Stowmarket High School raised £420 for Oxfam and the 658 books they collected are expected to raise hundreds of pounds more when they are sold in the town’s Oxfam store. The students worked together (l-r): Literacy Lead Hayley Frankland, to help the needy around the English Teacher Vaughan Freeman, Oxfam Volunteer Bill Mackintosh and Chloe world, and support the work Ainger, Year 9 of the charity Oxfam, as part of World Book Day. The fun event also included scores of students and staff at the school dressing up as their favourite book characters. Students brought in so many of their own books to be sold in the town’s Oxfam store that Oxfam Volunteers Bill Mackintosh and Sue Hollands had to make numerous journeys to collect them all. Bill said: “The hard work and generosity of the students has been overwhelming.”
During the year we will be holding coloured belt and black belt gradings, seminars with invited masters and grandmasters, fun runs, sparring tournaments, fundraising events, special workshops and lots more. All new members joining will receive one month free and details about the Scorpion Academy and the UFKKA worldwide association can be found on our websites and Facebook pages. For further details please contact Mark JR Trent: 07708 644162 / scorpionacademy@live.co.uk www.ufkka.org.uk / www.scorpionacademy.co.uk
MINI MUSIC MAKERS
Does your toddler enjoy music and singing? If the answer is yes then why not join our small and friendly group at The Ark in Needham Market? We meet every Friday morning during term time from 9.45-10.45am. Each session is designed to be a fun introduction to music for children of pre-school age. We have themed weeks with songs about animals, shapes, colours and many more and have a wonderful selection of instruments for them to try including chime bars, lummi sticks and ethnic instruments. If you are interested in joining us please contact Helen on 01449 722991. We have some spaces at the moment and each session costs just £2.
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SPORT STOWMARKET TABLE TENNIS CLUB
STOWMARKET LADIES NETBALL CLUB
As the season draws to a close, Stowmarket’s teams and its junior members continue to pave the way for the best season in the club’s history. In Division One of the Bury and District Table Tennis League, Stowmarket Pumas remain unbeaten with 17 victories and one draw. This provides them with a 26 point cushion over their nearest competitors, British Sugar, who have played the same number of games. Division Two leaders are Stowmarket Lynx with a 17 point lead over British Sugar Blades, with both teams having played 19 games. The senior players’ success is matched however by that of the juniors. In the East of England Regional Qualifying Championship, James Davies-Stokes won the Under 15s event and will go forward to represent the region in the inter-regional competition in May. Jamie Hyde was a finalist in the Suffolk and Cambridge Junior League Division Two tournament. Finally, Stowmarket Table Tennis Club represented by James and Luke DaviesStokes, Jack Samson, Natalie Wills and Ellen Pengelly won the National Junior League event comprising teams from Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
On Sunday, February 14 Stowmarket Ladies Netball Club took part in the Guinness World Record charity match. To mark 90 years of the game, England Netball Club decided that something special should be done. The whole of England’s netball community was invited to come together to attempt to break a Guinness World Record for the Largest Netball Exhibition Match ever and attempt 90 hours of continuous netball. The event was also a great way to raise money for Sport Relief.
STOWMARKET TENNIS CLUB We’re definitely approaching ‘silly season’ at the club with an explosion of activity due very soon. The club has been incredibly busy over the winter with great attendances at club sessions during the mornings and evenings. The mild weather has helped considerably but the main factor is our airhall that keeps us dry whatever the conditions outside. We’re due to take down the airhall in early April ready to enjoy a long sunny summer season (fingers well and truly crossed on that one). I expect that our recent Davis Cup victory has increased awareness of the club along with the assemblies I’ve delivered and there are new faces coming along to try out tennis for the very first time. The 2016 Davis Cup started with Great Britain beating Japan on Sunday, March 6. The final rubber wasn’t needed as Andy Murray won his second singles to seal the win. The next round is late June/early July, venue to be decided. Hopefully the whole three days of action will once again be screened live on BBC 2 so everyone can get to see the world cup of tennis. A great advert for the sport and always exciting whether you’re a player or not. BOOK NOW FOR EASTER CAMP Easter Camp is filling up fast with the three-day event starting on Tuesday, March 29. We’ll still be inside the airhall for this one so there will be no weather worries. You have time to book a place but I wouldn’t delay as spaces are limited. Easter and summer camps have always been a really good way of getting started as the children receive six hours of coaching over three mornings – enough time to see if you like the game and certainly enough time to win a few prizes. There are lots of sessions for both juniors and adults wanting to get started so give me a ring if you need some advice.
The charity match took place in Whitechapel, London from Friday, February 12 all the way through to Monday, February 15. During the 90hour netball match each team took it in turn to play for a minimum of one hour, some playing up to five hours. Stowmarket ladies wanted to get involved with such a momentous occasion and put together a team to play at the London event. Donna Cooper, Stowmarket’s vice chairwoman, said: “We felt as a club this was something not to be missed and wanted to be part of the world record. We even won 77-25.” The event was a great success and a new world record set with 1,322 players taking part and it’s fantastic that SLNC were part of achieving this.
WOODFIELD BOWLS CLUB At the 2015 annual general meeting Woodfield Bowls Club decided to offer new members half cost membership for their first year. To follow up this offer the club is opening for a special day on Sunday, April 17 to let anyone interested enjoy a full afternoon or evening experience. Coaching assistance will be available to help those who want to try out or improve their game.
See you on court.
Please register your interest by contacting Mrs Jan Truin: 01284 828344
Chris Cunningham, senior club coach 01449 673246 / chris@chriscoaching.plus.com
Woodfield Bowls Club, Lockington Road, Stowmarket
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SPORT
STOWMARKERS JUNIOR NETBALL CLUB Stowmarkers Junior Netball Club are busy preparing for a High 5 Tournament taking place in June. This tournament is open to all netball clubs in Suffolk and takes place on a Saturday at the club’s summer venue, the outside courts at Needham Market Community Centre. High 5 is open to under 11s and up to two boys can participate in each team. The only requirement for each club is to bring along somebody who can umpire. On the day there will be refreshments available to purchase and a tombola as Stowmarkers would like to raise some money for their club for next year’s Disney Netball festival. Further information on this High 5 event can be found on the club’s website as the date is just being finalised. The club is very different from other clubs as they are really focused on team spirit and encourage boys and girls to play this sport as well as providing opportunities for the players to learn to umpire and coach. If you are interested in joining a club then this is the one to choose, all the players are lovely and the club adheres to a strict anti-bullying policy so you can be sure that your daughter or son enjoys playing this wonderful game. Back to the tournament, Stowmarkers would love a local company to sponsor this event so they can purchase medals for participants. In return Stowmarkers can put company banners up on the courts and mention the company on their website and FB page. If you are a local company and would be interested in helping the juniors please contact Louise Symons via: www.stowmarkers-netball-club.co.uk
STOWMARKET CRICKET CLUB The new season is almost upon us, and here at Stowmarket CC we welcome new players of all ages and abilities. A reminder that weekly youth coaching takes place on Monday evenings from 6.15pm and adult nets on Thursday evenings from 6pm. Our first home game of the new season is against Eye and District on Saturday, April 16 at 1pm. The first of 38 youth games takes place on Monday, May 2 when our Under 15s entertain near neighbours Battisford at Chilton Fields, Stowmarket. Stowmarket runs two Saturday, one Sunday and a mid-week Wednesday evening team, all playing in local leagues. Our junior teams cater for all ages and abilities, boys and girls, where our Under 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15 teams play in regionalised Suffolk leagues. For further information please contact Clive Witherly: 01359 240019 / wigg51@btinternet.com www.stowmarketcc.co.uk
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CHURCH NEWS CHRISTCHURCH, NEEDHAM MARKET
Methodist/United Reformed Church, High Street, Needham Market IP6 8AP Ministers The Rev Mary Playford (URC): 01449 711798 The Rev John Boardman (Methodist): 01787 372738 Sunday Morning Worship: 10.30am, including creche and Sunday Club Service of Holy Communion: Second Sunday WEEKDAY ACTIVITIES IN CHRISTCHURCH HALLS Tiddlers: Monday 9.30-11am (term time) For mums and toddlers, 12 months to four years. Contact Hannah: 07969 482360 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 Women’s Fellowship: Second Wednesday 2.30-3.30pm Contact Linda Hills: 01449 721258 Christians Together Ecumenical Group: Thursday, 10am Contact Ann Devereux: 01449 721575 Coffee Morning: Second Saturday, 10am-noon Always with a selection of cakes for sale. OTHER REGULAR BOOKINGS Weight Watchers: Monday, 7-9pm Karate: Wednesdays – juniors 6.30-7.30pm / adults 7.30-8.30pm Rainbow Guides: Thursday, 5.30-6.30pm / Brownies: 6.30-7.30pm (term time) Self Defence: Thursday, 8-10pm Samurai Training: Fridays, 7-9pm
particularly without the weather forecaster’s scientific knowledge and equipment. For those of us who are football supporters we hardly dare to predict the forthcoming end of season – and that’s equally true whether our team is Needham, Ipswich or Norwich. I’m sure we all started the 2015-16 season with a spring in our step and hope in our hearts, each of us hoping that this season would be ’the one’ and that by the end of April promotion or a high league place would be ours for the taking. We shall see... Prediction, forecast, calculation or guesswork – whatever we use to try to glimpse the future, none of us knows what even tomorrow will bring. We’ve all had days when we climb back into our beds at night and think “What a day! I hadn’t expected all that to happen.” Yet even as our heads hit the pillow we know with certainty that the sun will rise in the morning and that tomorrow will indeed be another day So, whatever the weather, and wherever your team finishes I hope you can look forward as the poet Robert Browning did in this poem: “The year’s at the spring And day’s at the morn; Morning’s at seven; The hillside’s dew-pearled; The lark’s on the wing; The snail’s on the thorn; God’s in His Heaven; All’s right with the world!” The Reverend Mary Playford
MOTHERING SUNDAY SERVICE WITH THE REV JOHN PROCTOR
Hall lettings: 07851 742847 Church contact: Ann Devereux, 01449 721575 www.christchurchneedhammarket.co.uk ALL ARE WELCOME! Because of deadlines I’m actually writing this early in March. I’m looking forward to the Easter celebrations at the end of the month but am slightly perturbed by weather forecasters speculating about a ‘White Easter’. By the time you read this we will know if they were correct with that prediction. It can be a risky business predicting what will happen in the future,
The Rev John Proctor, national secretary of the United Reformed Church, preached at the Mothering Sunday Service in Stowmarket. The Rev Proctor, who is no stranger to the church, returned by invitation to lead worship on March 6, the occasion of its 61st anniversary. The current premise was built following the demolition of the former gothic building by a stay bomb in the Second World War. John has previously served the national church at Westminster College in Cambridge, teaching ministerial students New Testament studies. It was during this time that he also took on the responsibility of overseeing the Stowmarket congregation when it was without a minister. The Rev Proctor, who was accompanied by his wife, thanked the worshippers during a ‘bring and share’ lunch for the opportunity of returning to the Suffolk church before leading an interesting seminar on the use of parables in worship. Our picture shows many of those who attended watching on as the minister, The Rev Chris Wood, thanked John for leading the day’s celebrations.
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CHURCH NEWS ST MARY’S COMBS Join us on Sunday, April 3 from 10.30am for bacon rolls.
Worship and Messy Church at 11am. Many varied children’s activities – all welcome.
Each week we celebrate Holy Communion Worship at 11am, welcoming accompanied children to our Sunday School in church. Our sister parish of Lt Finborough (IP14 2LE) welcomes the Cathedral Dean, The Very Rev Dr Frances Ward, as our preacher at 6.30pm on Sunday, April 10. All welcome
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YOU GROW IT I’LL MOW IT
GROUNDS & GARDEN MAINTENANCE We offer the following services all year round: Grass cutting • Garden clearance Fences & Gates • Patios & Paths Hedge Cutting • Tree Cutting Sheds • Summer Houses Digger & Dumper work
For a free quotation please call Nigel Coton 01449 721025 or 07801 515505
Fruit Tree Pruning
Professional pruning of fruit trees and soft fruit. Also wall trained and espalier bushes and canes. Apples and pears pruned October to April. Plums and other “stone fruit” when in leaf May and June. Restoring old fruit trees a speciality. Telephone: Nigel Payne on 01359 253545 or Mobile: 07816 130934 www.fruittreepruning.co.uk
SAXON MONUMENTAL CRAFT Best quality memorials, pet stones and marble for fireplaces Contact Sally Nice on: 01284 754512 / 01284 735797 07799 376105 (mobile) sallynice@hotmail.co.uk 55 St Andrews Street North, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 1TZ
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M.R. Mallett
Plumbing & Heating Solutions • Full central heating installations • Servicing, replacement and repairs on oil, gas & LPG boilers • Vented & unvented systems, system repairs & upgrades • Cookers & gas fires installed • Landlords certificates
No. 525209
01449 710852 / 07850 276021
ELECTRICAL Tel/Fax: 01449 612537 Your local electrical service contractor for expert advice
• Rewiring • New Installation • Testing and Repair Work • Supplier of Electrical Equipment Unit 5, Glebe Farm, Onehouse, Stowmarket
S J Wallace Builders Ltd Est. 1987
Specialising in Extensions, Kitchens & General Building Residential and Commercial Visit our website at
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John Bull motors ltd Petrol and diesel MOT Testing Servicing, repairs & diagnostics
Unit 7B, Charles Ind. Estate, Stowmarket
Tel: 01449 774150 Fax: 01449 675898 johnbullmotors@btconnect.com
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& Stowupland Vol. 19 • Issue No. 2 • NOVEMBER 2013
FREE to STOWMARKET & STOWUPLAND 50p where sold Volume 21 • Issue No. RESIDENTS 7 • APRIL 2016
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