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with Bramford, Offton, Somersham & Willisham Volume 6 • Issue No. 7 • MAY 2016
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In Touch online:
A WORD FROM THE EDITOR
NEWS
Yesterday we had thunder, lightening, rain, hailstones… Today the most glorious spring day of the year so far. I think this is it! I can feel it in my bones. Summer is finally on the way. Time to get out the sun cream, to pack away the woolly jumpers and to open the doors and windows and let the fresh air in. At last! It’s a busy, busy year with many extra events to celebrate the Queen’s 90th Birthday in addition to annual fun days, galas, regattas, fairs and fetes. There isn’t a single weekend between now and the end of June when there isn’t at least one event every Saturday and Sunday and many more on Bank Holiday Mondays. I’m currently trying to organise a Star Wars birthday party for my six-year-old son and the kitchen table is covered in scrapped invitation cards (Jack was writing the names!), lists (food, games, shopping, goodie bags, decorations), recipes (Chewy Wookiee Cookies look particularly challenging!), and information about keeping rabbits! Don’t ask! This I have to do but those who plan, organise and promote local events often do so by choice and I can only imagine how much time and energy, never mind the blood, sweat and tears, they invest to bring it all together and pack it all away again.
SPROUGHTON PRIMARY SCHOOL SET TO PACK A MIGHTY PUNCH Sproughton Primary School, one of the smallest schools in Suffolk with just 105 pupils, is set to pack a mighty punch, slip, slide and other fun and raise some much need funds this summer at the first annual Sproughton Family Knockout – and they need you!
I’m hoping at least 10 of Jack’s friends turn up, but at least I’ll know in advance and can plan accordingly. I may not need 16 inflatable lightsabers after all and I’ll probably be eating Obo-Wan Kabobies for a month, but I’m not sure I could cope with not knowing if anyone would turn up! Yet our valiant teams of local event organisers do it year after year, hoping the weather will play along, hoping their neighbours will roll up, hoping there will be a sufficient number of people to make all the effort worthwhile, hoping to raise a significant sum for the cause, whatever it may be. Surely the least we can do is turn up. Let’s make the effort this year and we might all find new reasons to appreciate our local community.
In Touch
with Bramford, Offton & Somersham
In Touch with Bramford, Offton & Somersham 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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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 Bramford, Offton & Somersham is published by Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd as part of the “In Touch with . . . ” series of magazines.
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The fun and frolics will take place on Saturday, July 2, 10am-4pm, at Jimmy’s Farm and local businesses, friends and families are invited to enter a team or simply come along and watch the hilarity as the charity teams pit their agility and wits against their peers as they are pushed to their absolute limits. Giant inflatable courses, water and full-on games warfare, the event is all in the name of some jolly good fun and all for a worthy, local cause. Paul Baker, chair of Sproughton School Association, said: “We are really excited about the It’s a Knock Out event and are looking for teams to compete and join in the fun. The event is to raise much needed funds to replace the playground equipment at Sproughton Primary School and simply by entering you will help the school and have a great laugh!” There will be free entry for families to come and watch the tournament, visit the market stalls, enjoy the children’s entertainment, take up the sport and health opportunities on offer and to savour some of the most spectacular summer activities seen in the area, sponsored by First Strokes Swim Schools. An event simply too good to miss! To learn more about booking a charity team to compete for your chance to win great prizes please visit: www.pta-events.co.uk/sproughton
IN TOUCH WITH . . .
JUNE DEADLINE 10 MAY 2016 is the final date for both advertising and editorial copy
www.keepingintouchwith.com/bramford
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NEWS THE BRAMFORD ANGEL In 1763 it was sold to the Acton Estate for £735 and included 25 acres of land. The Angel was the centre of many activities in the village but one of its sadder functions was to host the local Coroners Court.
The Angel as seen from the top of Ravens Lane c1900 It’s always sad to see any village pub close its doors for the last time, especially one that has served the community for hundreds of years. The Angel, at the top of The Street, has been an Inn for at least 400 years. The 17th Century The earliest reference is in the parish registers where it is recorded that Thomas Brooke, the landlord of The Angel, was buried in 1608. In fact the Brooke family appear to have owned the pub, if not actually running it, until it was sold to the Acton family of Bramford Hall in 1763. National events didn’t pass it by during this turbulent century as it is recorded that Dorcas Wood, a maid living at the Angel, died of the plague in 1666. The 18th Century During the 18th century it clearly became more than just a village pub, but was also a centre of entertainment in the area, judging by these advertisements in the Ipswich Journal:
The 19th Century The 1841 census records Thomas Markham, aged 45, listed as the landlord of The Angel but by 1851 it was in the hands of the Rodgers family. Moving on to 1861 we see the Palmer family taking on the business. Henry Palmer, 37, was described as a farmer of 30 acres as well as a publican. The 1861 household was the largest yet with three children – Henry Arthur, Julia and Frank James – with Henry senior’s brother, William. Six employees are listed; an ostler, cook, housemaid and three farm labourers. In 1871 business was certainly booming with Henry now farming 160 acres and employing six men and five boys. By 1881 Henry and Elizabeth were still running the pub but sons Henry junior and Frank had taken over the farming side of the business. Henry senior died in 1885 having run the Angel for approximately 30 years and Henry junior took over. Henry junior died in 1894 aged only 39 and Frank took over the running the pub with his wife Ellen. Ellen King was the daughter of the village wheelwright and postmaster – the couple had married in 1882. The staff of The Angel in 1897
Back row: Jimmy Keeble, Mildred Sheppard, Geo Pryke Front row (l-r): Lizzie Mutimer, Geo Riches, Polly Woods, Ephraim Keeble, Lizzie Keeble Just after this photo was taken the pub was leased to Tollemache Brewery by Lady Loraine-Broke for 21 years. The 20th Century In 1901 Frank and Ellen are listed at The Angel, but by 1911 they were running the Horseshoes Hotel in Eye and the Elmer family had taken over the pub. Thomas Elmer had previously worked as a blacksmith. He lived with his wife Eliza and their only son Thomas Ebner Elmer. Thomas Ebner was aged 26 in 1911 and working for his father and mother in the pub. Thomas Ebner died in 1916 shortly after being called up to serve in the army. He died in Bury St Edmunds Military Hospital and is buried in Bramford Churchyard. He is commemorated on the village war memorial. Scotland Field was on the road between Bramford and Great Blakenham, roughly where the Water Park and Golf Centre is now. 4
The Angel continued throughout the years of the 20th century, very much as it had done from the early days, as a place to drink, eat and stay, but finally closed its doors in 2012. In Touch online:
www.keepingintouchwith.com/bramford
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NEWS BRAMFORD FUN DAY
SOMERSHAM AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY SHOP
Saturday, July 2 It’s time to start planning for the summer and plans are already underway for another fantastic Fun Day in Bramford. This year we will be celebrating the Queen’s 90th birthday with lots of events already organised, and as always we will entertain you and your family throughout the afternoon. So put the date in your diary, pray for fine weather, and we look forward to seeing you there. If you would like to have a stall please get in touch. Places are limited, first come first served; stalls cost £10 with funds raised going to St Mary’s Church. We are also looking for volunteers to help set up and man stalls, so please, if you can spare us a few hours on the day it would be much appreciated. Please get in touch. The village flower show will be on the same day for you all to show your crafts and creations, so start planning your entries now! See you there. Caroline Wolton 07919 993543 / cags.wolton@btinternet.com
2016 BRAMFORD
FUN DAY
SATURDAY
JULY 2
ND
FROM 1:30PM AT BRAMFORD CHURCH
FUN
AND GAMES for all the family
Crazy Golf
Stalls & Crafts Competitions Bric-a-brac Raffle & Tombola
Dance Displays Live Music BBQ
Bouncy Castle Face Painting
Fundraising for St Marys Church, Bramford For more details or if you or your group would like to run a stall on the day please contact Caroline Wolton: 07919 993543 / Cags.Wolton@Btinternet.com
Bramford Church Room Saturday, May 28, 10am-noon Also bring & buy and cakes – and tea!
A community shop for the local community, run by the local community. When the only shop in the village closed in 2007 we were a village without a shop, not a happy prospect. A public meeting was held in 2008 to ascertain interest in founding a community shop, and from that a steering group was formed. It meant lots of hard work in locating a suitable place in the village to have a shop (thanks to the Community Association), raising funds, gaining planning permission, dealing with legalities, overseeing the building and finally setting up shop. Now in our fourth year of trading, it’s very gratifying for the small team that set out in 2008 to see the proposed project working so well. To celebrate our fourth birthday and entering a fifth year of trading we will be holding a coffee morning on Saturday, July 2 to thank all our customers and volunteers for their involvement in keeping our shop working as such a great asset to our community. Without volunteers to man the shop and customers to keep it viable there would be no shop – so if you haven’t been before come for a cup of tea or coffee and a slice of celebration cake, and see what is happening in our community. Watch out for more information on this later. SUNDAY OPENING We have been asked many times if we are open on a Sunday. We would like to open for at least a couple of hours on a Sunday morning, but for this we need volunteers to cover that time. If you are interested in helping out and getting to know people locally, but have commitments during the week, this may be an opportunity to get involved. We would need to have a team of at least eight people so that would mean just two hours a month for each volunteer. If this is of interest to you, please get in touch with one of the committee members and we will see if this can be something to get off the ground. Recently an article appeared in the local press about walks around our footpaths, and the shop was mentioned as a place to visit for coffee and cake. We have had several walkers from outside our district visit already and we look forward to welcoming many more over the summer months – a great boost for our shop. Local walkers would be very welcome as well of course for a well-earned rest after a pleasant walk. With summer coming our ice-cream cabinet is newly stocked, and all our locally sourced products are there as well, our fresh farm eggs, vegetables, bread, cakes, pies and meats. We like to support our local suppliers and are pleased to have their fresh produce available. We have a new line of wine, cider and beer, with much cider and beer being produced locally (especially local beer brewed just down the road from the shop). Our services include: orders taken for bread, meat, pies and other produce; coffee corner is a good place for a relaxing chat; a new read in the book exchange; dry-cleaning service, at present collected on Tuesday mornings; reuse and recycling in the shop, always happy to receive reusable plastic carrier bags and egg boxes; newspapers and magazines can be ordered for collection at the shop; village diary so events don’t clash; delivery service for those with mobility problems. So, not only a good place to shop and find local produce, meet up with people you haven’t seen in ages, but also it gives real heart to the local community. We look forward to seeing you there. Management Team: Lucy Barrett, 831890; Terry Fordham, 831529; Jenny Hitchcock, 832060; Peter Jousiffe, 833577; Anne MacFadyen, 831288; Steve Woolhouse, 831080 The Playing Field, Princes Gardens, Somersham / 01473 833416 Opening times: Monday to Friday 8am-6pm / Saturday 8am-1pm
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In Touch online:
BRAMFORD ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Entertainment for May www.bramfordrblclub.co.uk Tel: (01473) 745198 or join us on Facebook
Sat 7
Scorpio Rising
Thurs 12
COUNTRY AND WESTERN with The Dave Drain Band
Sat 14
Handle with Care
Thurs 19
Quiz
Sat 21
Mel Stevens and the Classics
Wed 25
Karaoke
Thurs 26
Bingo
Sat 28
Memphis Index
Bingo every Sunday night from 8pm.
As well as a snooker room and pretty outside seating area we now have hot drinks available at the bar, so come and join us for coffee or beer.
www.keepingintouchwith.com/bramford
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NEWS DAVID CARD, MID SUFFOLK DISTRICT COUNCILLOR
SAVE THE DUKE UPDATE
Covering the parishes of Barking, Baylham, Darmsden, Nettlestead, Offton, Somersham and Willisham Housing growth Last month I reported the mounting pressure for more new homes to be built in Suffolk. Several controversial applications have been reported in our local press. Local councils have incentives to support this drive for more homes. The Community Infrastructure Levy (about £10,000 for each new home built) aims to provide funding for much needed infrastructure to sustain these developments. In addition, the New Homes Bonus (worth about £1,000 paid every year for up to six years) may allow current council service and spending levels to be maintained. As I go around the ward some unease is being expressed about these large development applications. To keep you informed I plan to arrange a meeting where interested residents can learn more and ask questions on the plans our council’s officers have on these planning matters. Affordable homes to rent Any resident who is looking to take a tenancy ought to consider registering their interest with Gateway to Home Choice: 01473 825757 / homechoice@midsuffolk.gov.uk / www.gatewaytohomechoice.org.uk Three for rent properties are in the course of construction in Barking right now. Devolution The government’s Devolution Bill deliberations, conducted behind closed doors, may finally be shared with us all in the next few weeks. While the government pushed for a joint Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough bid, Cambs County Council, Cambs City Council and their Local Enterprise Partnership have rejected that approach. The government’s idea for an East Anglian mayor needs close scrutiny. The devolution benefits claimed must be proven and must outweigh the disadvantages of yet another tier of government and bureaucracy. It worries me that a province of East Anglia could lead to Suffolk losing its historic identity. As your district councillor I am sceptical and will need to be persuaded that the devolution bid led by others on our behalf really is in Suffolk’s interest. For further information contact David Card: 01449 722267 / david.card@midsuffolk.gov.uk
Buying the Pub, Adapting the Plans The priority is to get enough money to buy the pub and open the doors. Loans and selling a few more shares will help us to do this. It’s taking longer than we’d have wanted, but we will get there! We can start off with voluntary staff, opening at the most popular times and offering simple food on a limited basis. That way a cash flow can be built up. Once there’s enough profit, we can look to employ people. We’ve seen firsthand how other community-owned pubs have done it. They have gone on to flourish, run by paid staff or a combination of paid staff and volunteers, and providing great menus. We will do it! Loans We’ve been expecting HRMC approval for the SITR 30% tax relief on loans for some time – and are hoping that by the time In Touch is published we will have confirmation. If so, we’ll be talking to lenders who have promised support to organise the loans. Then there will be nothing stopping us from putting in an offer on the pub. Exciting times! Pub For Sale The current owners are keen to sell, and have put the Duke on the market again. You may have seen the sign up. By way of re-assurance, the property has not been de-licensed and can’t be sold off as a house. It has been listed as an Asset of Community Value (AVC), which means the community will have first option over a period of time. In the end, we want the pub to open again and to secure its long term future.
In my election address I said I would use my “single voice to unite my like minded colleagues to continue to put local people first”. As some of you know I have some significant differences of opinion with the strategies and the way Mid Suffolk District Council conduct their affairs.
Fundraising Campaigners hosted The Bash in the Barn, a party and auction designed to raise money for the Duke campaign. It seemed to go down a treat, with 180 people attending and raising an impressive £3,300 for the campaign. The community banded together to provide food, live music and auction prizes.
I have concluded that in the foreseeable future my time and talents will not succeed in altering the strategies, approach and culture of this organisation.
Thanks to Lucy for taking control and doing such a great job, to all those who helped her with the organisation and running of the event, and to the many people who brought along scrumptious desserts!
Life is too short to waste. I have enjoyed working with the parish councils, who do an excellent job, and who so often are ignored. Helping my constituents has also being very rewarding. Debating issues with the Green and Liberal opposition members has been stimulating and I have to say even enjoyable! My best wishes to you all for the future. David 8
We head into spring full of optimism as the campaign continues to raise money and step closer towards re-opening the pub doors and ‘Saving the Duke’. Having raised over £200,000, and nudging nearer £210,00, the goal is in sight. Still more help is needed and anything more you can do to chip in or encourage others to chip in will help make it into a reality!
There were even some signed Coldplay goodies donated by Rupert Berryman, father of Coldplay bassist Guy Berryman. Ed Sheeran isn’t the only celebrity who wants to see the Duke re-open! Chipping in a bit more We hope to be back soon with news of SITR confirmation. In the meantime, if you could afford to buy shares or simply donate a sum to the cause, please visit our website. You can do it all on our investment pages at: www.savetheduke.net If you’d rather send a cheque or make a BACS payment please contact Gerard, our treasurer: grdkroon@gmail.com / 01473 657178 In Touch online:
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The East of England Co-op has been your local funeral service for 90 years. We are not part of the national Co-operative Funeralcare chain based in Manchester.
www.keepingintouchwith.com/bramford
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In Touch online:
OUT & ABOUT COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLOR’S REPORT John Field’s Report to Gipping Valley: April 2016 Parking Sorry to preach, but his month I have had many complaints about parking. There are problems at the three primary schools in Gipping Valley as parents and carers take children to, or collect them from, school. Drivers leave cars and vans on Old Ipswich Road while they catch a bus or share the journey to work. In Coopers Road, it’s just people parking work vehicles. The local schools were built before so many of us could afford cars and at a time when parents had local jobs and the time to walk their children to school. Of course, the walk to school keeps parents and children fit and prolongs life, but requires a bit of time. It would be easy to paint even more yellow lines, but that tends to move the problem around rather that providing a solution. Doing nothing is even easier, but it doesn’t help people who find they cannot see oncoming vehicles as they leave their road or drive. Perhaps if drivers could try harder not to make residents life difficult and residents could be a little more tolerant we can avoid the legal expense and the conflict attached to yellow lines. Scrutiny We held a workshop session to determine the scrutiny programme. The next session will cover the apparently endless consultations that are undertaken, trying to determine why some are effective and some are not. We will use the Fire and Rescue Service and the Children’s Centre consultations as examples to determine what leads to a good consultation and what is best avoided. Consultations should ask for opinions that will form the basis for decisions. Often it appears that decisions are already in place and there is little or no chance of change. If the intention is just to inform then we believe that is acceptable if it is made clear. I will let you know what we recommend. The Education and Learning Infrastructure Plan Cabinet agreed an update on last year’s plan. It responds to the rapid expansion of house building in the county. The need for expansion to Claydon and Bramford Primary Schools to accommodate the Blakenham Fields and Fisons developments is included. However, it does not yet recognise the latest crop of development proposals at Acton Road in Bramford, on land between Chequers Rise and the allotments in Great Blakenham or the very recent proposals for Barham Church Lane. I was assured that these proposed developments, some of which are very tentative, would be considered in the next revision, which is already underway.
SUFFOLK ENERGY-FROM-WASTE FACILITY SITA Trust is a funding organisation which distributes money provided by SITA UK (now SUEZ). In the last four years £553,000 has been given to Suffolk projects, most of which has been spent within a three-mile radius of the Suffolk Energy-From-Waste Facility. The Enhancing Communities Fund has been available in this area since construction of the site began in January 2012. This funding is only available to projects close to a qualifying site. The first project was awarded funding in April 2105, and so far 14 projects have shared around £403,000, including: Great Blakenham: £103,000 to the village hall, bowls club and scout group Claydon: £80,000 to the football club (actually in Great Blakenham) and the community trust Bramford: £62,500 to the playing field, Lorraine Victory Hall, British Legion and tennis club Sproughton: £49,000 to the church www.keepingintouchwith.com/bramford
Trading Standards Cabinet also agreed to develop plans for a joint Suffolk and Norfolk Trading Standards service. Suffolk Trading Standards is a high performing efficient service. They focus on traders who are a problem but not those who operate fairly, honestly and within the law. The proposed amalgamation will reduce overheads by combining the management structures of the two counties. Suffolk does of course have the country’s largest container port, but I was told that does not affect the logic behind the move. Emergency Services Mobile Communications The emergency services plan a replacement for the Airwave system. It uses a technology with poor support for data. The replacement will use the 4G LTE technology, as in your current fourth generation of smart phones. It provides secure voice and high speed date. We were told that the company involved has purchased the Airwave system and will use the mast sites as part of the new programme. Costs should reduce and capability increase without a forest of new masts. Full Council The meeting opened with a petition presented by a firefighter and signed by some 3,675 people asking that full council, and not just the cabinet, should vote on the Fire Service reductions. That view was rejected. We then debated at length a Liberal Democrat motion, seconded by Labour and supported by all opposition members, to reverse the proposed reductions in the Fire and Rescue Service that in the Ipswich area amount to 50%. In Ipswich, there are high-rise buildings that require four appliances in attendance before rescue work can begin. In a fire they are particularly hazardous structures. The fourth appliance would take time to get from Needham Market, Felixstowe or another station. We were also concerned that across the county resources will reduce to such an extent that risk to property and life will increase significantly. The argument for reduction in staff and appliances is based on a reduction in call outs produced by the preventative work undertaken by the service. Improvements in building construction standards, materials and safety rules have also helped. In the motoring arena improvements in vehicle safety features, seat belts, airbags, reduction in risk from materials and improvements to the basic strength of the passenger compartment have had similar effects. However, if you are in an accident you still need urgent help. We must wait the response to the consultation. If you have queries please contact me: 01473 831306 / john.field@suffolk.gov.uk www.john.field@suffolk.libdems.org Somersham: £22,000 to the tennis and football clubs Little Blakenham: £4,000 to St Mary’s Church Applications for funding must be done online and the next deadline is July 25, 2016. Grants of up to £20,000 are available for smaller projects with a total value up to £40,000 and grants of up to £50,000 for projects with a total value up to £250,000. SITA Trust also has other funds available, which are not specific to this site, and in January this year Little Blakenham Parish Council was awarded just over £9,000 from The Big Play fund to refurbish a play area. Suffolk Wildlife Trust has had over £130,000 for various projects including protecting dormice, saving Suffolk barn owls and improvements at Rendlesham Forest. SITA Trust funding officer for this area is Pete Sessions: 01454 262943 www.sitatrust.org.uk USEFUL NUMBERS Site offices: 01473 839149 To book a visit: 01473 836812 Environment Agency: 0800 807060
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OUT & ABOUT PLANT SALE AND LUNCHES We are holding our popular plant sale at Bramford Church Room on Saturday, May 14. Lunches will be available between noon and 2pm. Come along and find a variety of different plants. I’m sure that there will be advice, if you need it, at no extra charge. Then sit down and enjoy a lunch. Proceeds go towards the upkeep of the village church. Stewart McGinty
IPSWICH HOSPITAL BAND CELEBRATES 40th ANNIVERSARY Ipswich Hospital Band is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and is holding a celebratory concert on Saturday, July 9 to mark the occasion. We would particularly like to invite past conductors and band members, including those who have learnt to play as beginners in our training band, to celebrate with us at the concert which, as well as playing some of our favourite music, will be a trip down memory lane. Past conductors and members are invited to join current members for a get together party after the concert. Tickets are £5 and will include concert admission and after party refreshments. Admission to the concert will be by ticket only. We are hoping that many will come along to celebrate with us. To reserve a ticket please contact Betty Green: bgreen144@btinternet. com / 01473 725144
Henley Community Centre Friday 3rd June 7:30pm Saturday 4th June 2:30pm & 7:30pm
01473833226
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SUFFOLK BLUE CROSS ANIMAL REHOMING CENTRE This year’s Paws for Tea event is at our new flagship centre at Bourne Hill, Wherstead, Ipswich IP2 8NQ on Saturday, May 14, 11am-3pm. Entry is free, but donations will be gratefully received. Do come and support us.
IPSWICH MOBILE LIBRARY ROUTE 5 Route 5
Town/village
Location
Time
MIP/5A
Sproughton
Church Lane
9.10-9.25am
MIP/5B
Sproughton
Wild Man
9.30-9.45am
MIP/5C
Bramford
St Mary’s Close
9.50-10.05am
MIP/5D
Bramford
Paper Mill Lane
10.10-10.25am
MIP/5E
Great Blakenham
Chequers
10.35-1055am
MIP/5F Great Blakenham
Blue Leighs Mobile Home Park
11-11.15am
MIP/5G
Baylham
Post Box
11.25-11.45am
MIP/5H
Claydon
Crown
11.55am-1pm
MIP/5I
Claydon
Edinburgh Gardens 2.05-2.20pm
MIP/5J
Barham
Bacon Road
2.25-3.50pm
MIP/5K
Bramford
Packard Place
4-4.30pm
DATES: May 10, June 7, July 5, August 2, August 30, September 27, October 25, November 22, December 20
GREAT BLAKENHAM OVER 50s CLUB The club is open to anyone of that age living in Great Blakenham and the surrounding area. We meet from 2-4pm on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month in the Parish Room, Stowmarket Road, Great Blakenham. The cost per meeting is £1.50 which includes whatever activity is programmed for the afternoon, refreshments and a raffle. On afternoons when we play a couple of games of bingo the tickets are £1 each. Members take it in turns to make the tea. The Parish Room is the building with a green door more or less opposite the Chequers Public House and it has its own parking area at the rear. It is fully accessible for anyone in a wheelchair and has disabled facilities within. We had a very enjoyable meeting in March when Mr Tyler of the River Gipping Trust presented a slideshow of the work the trust has been doing along the Gipping with pictures of the various locks and sluices along the route. Our meetings for the next few months are: May 11: Social Afternoon May 25: Mrs Jane Paley with her lighthearted talk What do you know about tea? June 8: To be confirmed June 22: To be confirmed July 13: Mrs Pauline Walker on The History of the Co-Op Juniors Theatre Company July 27: Social afternoon including quiz time with Brenda Cooper We would be pleased to welcome anyone who would like to come to one of the talks. There is no obligation to become a member, so do come and join us. Jackie Durrant, 01449 672690 In Touch online:
OUT & ABOUT GARAGE SALE
Saturday, May 14 and Sunday 15, 10am-4pm 5 Chapel Lane, Somersham IP8 4QE Charity stalls in aid of Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline, Somersham Church, Ipswich and District Animal Welfare and the 4YP Health Project.
HADLEIGH HIDDEN GARDENS Saturday, June 11 Plans are progressing for this popular and enjoyable day. A variety of gardens, both large and small, will be open from 11am5pm. Refreshments will be available in the church and The Row Chapel will be open for visitors who can also take a guided tour of the medieval Guildhall Complex. This event is organised by The Friends of St Mary’s Church, a charitable organisation dedicated to preserving the architectural heritage of Hadleigh’s magnificent historic church and deanery tower. It is perhaps not as widely known as it should be that some 92% of the buildings in Hadleigh’s long High Street are listed, one of them at Grade 1. How many towns can claim this? Many of these buildings were refronted in earlier times, but the rear elevations often give the game away. So visitors should not limit their time to admiring the three Grade 1 buildings surrounding the churchyard, but get into the town where there are still many attractive town houses and local shops and several side streets also likewise well endowed. www.hadleighgardens.co.uk
WHERE? THE CEDARS HOTEL Needham Road Stowmarket IP14 2AJ Western Dress encouraged but not essential PRIZE FOR BEST WESTERN DRESS
£12.00 Adults £6.00 under 14’s
Tickets from either: CCLL Charity Shop Needham Market 9 Coddenham Rd. Stowmarket Tourist Office ( 01449 760343/07974 424374 * enquiries@ccllmidsuffolk.org.uk
A Charity Event for Chernobyl Childrens’ Lifeline Reg Charity No: 1014274
By the time you’ve read this magazine another child will have come into care. In all likelihood you read faster than I give you credit for, but still recent statistics from the Fostering Network suggest that on average in the UK one child comes into care every 20 minutes. Why? The fact remains there are many reasons for a child to come into care: poverty, debt, homelessness, breakdown of relationships, war, drug and alcohol addiction, domestic violence, ill mental health, sexual abuse – the list goes on. The reasons are varied and as a result the needs of the children in care differ greatly. However, many of these children are looking to foster care to support them. The Fostering Network estimates that fostering services in England need to recruit approximately 7,600 foster carers
this year to stand a chance of meeting this ever-growing demand. “There is a massive shortfall of foster carers in this region,” says Eleanor Vanner, director of Eastern Fostering Services, an independent agency providing services in Essex and Suffolk. “People often don’t know why children can’t live with their birth families and labour under misconceptions around who can and can’t foster.” Common themes are cited as barriers to fostering: being in full time employment, being a single parent, not owning your own home, being too young or too old, not fitting the mould. Eleanor says that very few applications to foster are rejected for any of these reasons: “Children come in all shapes and sizes and so should foster carers so that the differing needs of all children can be met.” If you would like to find out more about fostering please visit: www.easternfosteringservices.com
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
www.keepingintouchwith.com/bramford
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OUT & ABOUT BRAMFORD TREFOIL GUILD We spent our April meeting at Stoke Ash, the Suffolk Guiding HQ. Oh my word, what a transformation from the last time I went there. Then it was quite grubby and unkempt, having not been used for sometime. Thanks to volunteers it is now clean, bright and a marvellous place for meetings, camps and pack holidays. After the business part of the meeting members were free to wander round to see just how lucky Suffolk is to have such a lovely place. We then had a cream tea and there were various quizzes to be tackled. The afternoon ended with Taps being sung and a group photograph of 24 members to go into the Suffolk Trefoil magazine. I would like to welcome Delia and Mary, our two newest members. In June we plan to visit! Beth Chatto Gardens and Wivenhoe by coach. All we need is a nice day! For further information contact: 01473 402152 / pandj83@gmail.com Pat Caddick, chairman
BRAMFORD WI Our next meeting is on Monday, May 9 at 7.30pm in The Loraine Victory Hall. We will be celebrating The Queens 90th birthday. There will be a sing-a-long to ABBA/Beatles with cheese and wine. We will also be voting for the WI Resolutions. The competition will be A Royal Souvenir. Visitors are very welcome: £3.
SOMERSHAM & DISTRICT GARDENING CLUB Our next meeting is on Monday, May 9 in Offton & Willisham Village Hall at 7.30pm. Linda Sexton will be giving a talk on the Winter Garden at Anglesey Abbey. For anyone who knows Anglesey Abbey, this should be a very interesting talk. We are holding our annual plant sale in Somersham Village Hall on Saturday, May 14, 10am-noon. This is our main fundraiser for the club. There will be numerous plants for sale at very reasonable prices, plus refreshments, a tombola and a cake stall. Entry is free, so come and have a look. For any further information on either of these events please contact: 01473 830600
GARDEN OPEN IN AID OF AGE UK SUFFOLK Sunday, May 22, 2-5pm, at Windmill Cottage, Mill Hill, Capel St Mary IP9 2JE Tea/coffee, homemade cakes, books and plants for sale. Admission £3 (children free / no dogs). If anyone would like to make a cake or has any books for the book stall, please let me know. Any books left over will go to the Age UK shop. We hope, with a bit of luck, that our very rare and beautiful tulip tree will be out. Eddie Cox, 311121
BRAMFORD CRAFT AND CHATTER GROUP HENLEY PRE-SCHOOL Our two mornings this month are on Tuesdays, May 10 and 24. We will be in the Loraine Victory Hall from 9.30am until noon doing woodwork, painting, marquetry, sewing, knitting, making decorations or playing Scrabble (not all at the same time of course!). Why not join us for a crafty, chatty, friendly morning? We just ask for £3 to cover the hire of the hall.
BRAMFORD LOCAL HISTORY GROUP This month Mark Mowers will present a talk entitled Suffolk Murders. Let’s hope there haven’t been too many in Bramford. The meeting will be on Thursday, May 19 in the Church Room at 7.30pm as usual. Visitors are welcome: £3.
ST MARY’S CHURCH GATHERING Every third Tuesday in the month, 2.30-4pm, in the Church Room. Do come and join us; we will be very pleased to see you. If transport is required please contact Janet: 741331
SPROUGHTON SENIOR CITIZENS CLUB By the time you read these notes we shall have held our AGM and, hopefully, will have a full committee and some proposals for our 2016 outings program. I will supply details in my next report. John Bates 14
Now the children have settled back into the summer term following the Easter break, we are making the most of the warmer weather and the extra hours of sunshine by getting the children out in the garden to learn and play. We feel that it is important for children to get fresh air so, weather permitting, the children are outside playing in the garden every session, be it with the bikes, trykes, toy buggies, in the water or sand pit, with bats and balls or simply with their own imagination. The children will be planting flower and vegetable seeds in our new garden and flower beds, and watching them grow throughout the term. We hope to enjoy the fruits of our labour by the end of term, with some wonderful vegetables and beautiful flowers to brighten up the setting. We will spend this term looking at staying healthy and healthy eating. This will work in with growing our own vegetables, and the children will learn about the joys and benefits of being active and the importance of a varied and balanced diet. We hope to make budding young gardeners out of them by the end of term! We are a small rural pre-school situated in the light and airy Boughton Room within Henley Community Centre which is less than a ten minute drive from Ipswich town centre (straight out on Henley Road). There is a large car park on site making drop off and collection of your child a safer and easier experience. We have both grant funded and paid sessions for two to five year olds. We also accept childcare vouchers. Lunch club is also available (noon1pm). You don’t need to live in the Henley catchment area to come and play with us – we have children from Ipswich, Claydon, Needham Market and other surrounding areas. If you would like to come and join in the fun, please call 01473 833848 during session time any weekday morning or Monday, Wednesday or Friday afternoon before 3pm. Out of hours, or if you wish to leave us a message, please call: 07979 468467 www.henleypreschool.co.uk In Touch online:
SPORT BRAMFORD UNITED
BRAMFORD TENNIS CLUB
Five First team matches to report on as our up and down season of results continue.
Greetings guff lovers
East Bergholt’s visit saw us repaying our 3-0 defeat earlier in the season by beating them with the same scoreline. Although they started the brighter, Paul Dodsworth put us one up after only eight minutes. The match then turned into a competitive affair which saw missed chances by both sides, and we took another 80 minutes before we scored our second. Paul Dodsworth was on target again then two minutes later Daryl Alexander completed the score. On the back of this win we looked to overcome Wenhaston Utd in an away fixture. At 2-0 up with goals by Paul Dodsworth and Harry Evans we looked comfortable, but we conceded a goal just on half time. With their tails up Wenhaston put us under pressure in the second half and they equalised in the 79th minute and then, as they are our ‘bogie’ side, got the winner with a minute of time left. A midweek trip to Framlingham under floodlights saw us come back from 2-0 down, but we finished up losing 4-3 on a cold wet night. Next up a trip to relegation threatened Wickham Market saw us go a goal down, but we clawed back to run out 4-1 winners with Dale Munson, Paul Dodsworth, Jamie Cowan and Harry Evans our scorers. The last match in this round up saw Grundisburgh visit on April 9, a cold wet afternoon. Not a classic match as we scored an early penalty courtesy of Paul Dodsworth following a push on Jamie Cowan. Both sides had chances to score, but the goals never came. A quiet spell for the Reserves with only two matches played with a 4-1 loss against Trimley and a 1-1 draw against local rivals Claydon. By the June edition the season will be well and truly over so a final round-up report on the season and finishing places in the league will be reported. The winner of the March 100 Club draw was Paul Barber, number 50. Brammie
CLAYDON FC CLAYDON FC SCORES NEW GOALS Claydon Football Club entered the Harrod UK competition to find the areas saddest goal posts and tweeted a picture of our senior portable training goals which are well past their best and not portable any longer. We were delighted to find out we had won one of the sets available to the Suffolk entrants and so we will be receiving a new set of senior goals for the adult and older junior teams. The club would like to thank Harrod UK for this fantastic prize and look forward to using the new goals for a long time to come. NEW MEN’S 1st TEAM MANAGER APPOINTED Claydon Football Club are pleased to announce the appointment of a new men’s First team manager who takes over with immediate effect. Richard ‘Kenny”’ Kennedy lives in Claydon and previously managed the Reserves, but left in 2011 to manage Somersham who he took to Division 1 before leaving in October 2015. He will assume First team duties for the last match of the season on Saturday, April 23 against Coplestonians at Greshams Sports Club. Club chairman Tim Carr said: “We had a few applications for the role and the standard and competition was very high which shows the quality and commitment of coaching in local football. This made our job all the more harder in selecting someone who shares the ethos of the club and will drive the senior section forward, improving the status of not only the men’s standard of football but also provide a focus for the youth section of the club to aim at.” www.keepingintouchwith.com/bramford
Spring has sprung! Though with the state of my Achilles’ tendons there isn’t much springing about on the courts these days. For league players, April means waving goodbye to the winter league, though in the case of Matt and Adam they had the added satisfaction of finishing above their dad, Graham, who with Nick did a Leicester and just avoided relegation. For social players summer usually involves the annual racquet hunt which, depending on where you left it last, can be quite an athletic pastime. No such problems for me as I always know where mine is, though it also means we don’t eat any spaghetti from now until September as we don’t have anything to strain it with once I put it into the sports bag. The AGM last month saw a new (smaller) committee formed which means that there are vacancies for anyone who wishes to join. We have had some new members join and hope that with the proposed new developments in the village we will see membership rising again. Nick and myself have been asked to play a few games against each other so that potential members aren’t daunted by the thought that our standards are too high. We have entered one men’s team this season as injuries and other commitments have meant the ladies availability is seriously affected, especially as the summer format involves three doubles pairs, as opposed to two doubles pairs in the winter. We are seeking friendly fixtures during the season for those interested in competitive play, though the best competition is often seeing who can persuade Graham to buy a round afterwards! We are hoping to get the courts cleaned to remove the winter algae build up. This wasn’t helped when Nick was seen pouring thick dairy products over himself before he started playing last week. He claimed to have read that it helps you to relax and improve your flexibility. I had read the same article and pointed out that it referred to ‘yoga’ and not ‘yoghurt’! New club sessions are on Sunday mornings from 10.30am and Tuesday evenings from 6’ish. To prevent players turning up and finding insufficient partners we are planning on a group texting system to assure any players thinking of attending that there will be enough opponents on the courts. Joke of the month A woman is placing flowers on a grave when she sees a distraught man standing over a headstone repeatedly saying: “Why did you have to die?” Concerned, she asked him if it was his wife’s grave. “No,” replied the man, “it’s my wife’s first husband!” More guff next month, Mick Russ
GIPPING NETBALL Over 16s club with two teams in the South Suffolk Netball league. This season has been full of ups and downs for both squads. The First team are currently second in the league with only six games left. This fantastic result is testament to everyone’s hard work and commitment. The Second team, who got promoted to Division 2 last season after a three year unbeaten streak, have had a mixed season so far. However, they continue to fight hard to win every match and will hopefully finish mid-table. With the end of season fast approaching this is a great time for any budding netball players to join our club. We train from 7-8pm once a week at Needham Market Community Centre. Come along and join us for a training session or contact Emily for more information: 07963 377007 / elp653@gmail.com 15
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In Touch online:
SPORT BRAMFORD COCK FC Sunday, March 20: Away to Kitchener Taverners Team manager Gary actually had 11 players and the luxury of a substitute. Bramford started the better and went close after only five minutes, Tre finding his angled shot going just past the far post. Play went from end to end and the hosts made the first break by scoring after 15 minutes. Both teams were playing some good passing football aided by the superb Whitton Sports Centre pitch. Bramford equalised on the half hour following a good move down the right when Tre, who had come close on a couple of occasions, slotted home from 12 yards. An entertaining first half looked to be ending with the scores level. However, from a corner in the 43rd minute, the impressive Yani found himself unmarked and glanced home a header from 10 yards. Half time: 2-1 Unfortunately, the second half didn’t have the same flowing football and was not played in as good spirit as the first. Both sides were guilty of petty fouls and play was stop-start. In between the niggles the hosts equalised on 47 minutes when the Bramford defenders seemed to switch off. Play continued to be a niggling affair with a couple of players from each side finding themselves in the referee’s notebook. However, there was some good football played and in particular, Tre and Yani worked hard up front. Matty Sharland was having a good game in midfield, while in the centre of defence both Leon Studd and Damo Brown were solid. As expected, the game fizzled out with neither side really going close to getting the winning goal. Final score: 2-2 Man of the Match went to Leon Studd who had an excellent game in the centre of the defence.
Sunday, March 27: Away to Ambassadors FC at Gainsborough Sports Centre Both teams fielded 10 players which seems to be normal with Sunday morning football at the moment. However, the lads started brightly and almost took an early lead, but the home goalkeeper saved well.The home side was playing some good football and was rewarded when they scored in the 15th minute. Try as much as they could, Bramford could not find the final touch required to bring the scores level. Half time: 1-0 Unfortunately, the second half was not very exciting. The strong wind was making passing football difficult and both sides could not produce any flowing football. The home side finally scored their second goal in the 80th minute. Bramford pressed forward and Leon Studd scored in the 85th minute with a volley from 12 yards. With our forwards not having one of their best games, a second goal was not forthcoming. Final score: 2-1 This result leaves Bramford in fifth place in the Premier League and with just three games left, it is possible that fourth place could be in their grasp. The club will be hoping full strength teams will be available for those games as we are fined by the league for not having 11 players and having no substitutes. The past few weeks have cost the club, not only in lost points but vital club funds. Sunday, April 10: Home to Martlesham Old Boys The match was called off as Martlesham could only raise six players. This meant three points were awarded to Bramford for not even kicking a ball. It seems that the problems we have fielding 11 players is one affecting a number of Sunday morning teams. What makes it worse in one way for teams in our division is that it’s not a very good advert for what is the Premier Division.
SPROUGHTON TENNIS CLUB
SPROUGHTON BOWLS CLUB
Sproughton Tennis Club is holding an Open Day on Sunday, May 15 from 2pm.
Founded 1913
This is part of the LTA Great British Tennis Weekend and is your opportunity to come along and play for free for the afternoon. We expect families to come along between 2 and 4pm while from 4 to 6pm it’s the turn of over 14s and adults . We hope to see people of all ages, not only juniors. So, if you have played tennis in the past or just want to try something new, dig out that racket and come along. If you don’t have a racket, come along anyway and we will find you one to play with. We’re hoping for fine weather and there may even be prizes available too. The club can be found at The Playing Fields in Church Lane, Sproughton IP8 3AX. For further details visit: www.sproughtontennis.co.uk/gbtw
BURSTALL CARPET BOWLS CLUB Looking for new members The club meets twice a week on Mondays and Fridays at 7.45pm in Burstall Village Hall IP8 3DR. In addition to social play, the club competes in the winter and summer Suffolk Carpet Bowls Leagues and individual members play in various other inter-club competitions. We are looking for new members of all ages, including families from the village or the surrounding area. The game is easily learnt and lots of help www.keepingintouchwith.com/bramford
By the time you read this, the green will have been opened and the first silverware of the season awarded to the winners of the Club Blocks competition played on the day after the opening drive. As we move towards the start of the league season, we will also have played friendlies against Trimley and East Bergholt as well as matches against Bramford for the Peter Taylor Cup and Woodbridge for the Roy Mills Memorial Trophy. Both cups are played for annually and both currently reside in the Sproughton Trophy Cabinet. Results next time. We run 10 teams every week in various league competitions, starting from the first week in May, so the summer promises to be a busy time for all. If you would like to find out more about our club or just follow our results, please visit: www.sproughtonbowlsclub.com
and encouragement will be offered to anyone thinking of taking it up. All equipment is provided so there is no expensive outlay. Please call in and join us at any time. OPEN DAY We are holding an open day on Saturday, June 11, 10.30am-4pm, so come and have a try at this friendly sport. For more information contact Wendy Minchin (01473 652487) or club secretary Jane Sago: 01473 742468 / j.sago@btinternet.com Further bowls information can be found at: www.carpetbowls.org/suffolk 17
CHURCH NEWS ST MARY THE VIRGIN BRAMFORD, ST MARY NETTLESTEAD, ST MARY THE VIRGIN LITTLE BLAKENHAM, ST PETER BAYLHAM Priest in charge: The Rev Jenny Seggar, 01473 748914 / stmarybramford@aol.com Assistant curate: The Rev Julian Fennel, 01473 833250 www.stmarybramford.co.uk Morning Prayer at Bramford: 8.30am Monday to Friday Wednesday morning quiet reflective Communion Service: 9.30am at the vicarage, unless otherwise advised. Please check porch notices for any changes.
facing some of the most testing times that the church has faced for many generations. We have weathered the reformation, civil war, puritanism, new services and new types of ministry, but now we are facing indifference and the rise of a secular society. I am really aware that at some point we will start to lose our smaller parish churches unless something innovative is done to try to save them. Funnily enough, this is probably not up to our ministers and shrinking congregations, but it is up to you out there in the community. If you want us, we will be here serving you for many years to come, but if you don’t need us any more then at some point we will quietly disappear.
May 1, Rogation Sunday 8am BCP Holy Communion 10am Holy Communion with Prayer for healing 6pm Evening Prayer for rogation
Little Blakenham Bramford Baylham
May 5, Ascension Day 3pm United Service at Cherryfields 7pm Ascension Day Service
I don’t expect a huge revival in Sunday church going, but it’s a start if you take an interest in our wonderful historic buildings. Also I don’t believe the media hype, Christianity has had a really bad press over the past few years. Actually the church is still here quietly serving you when you need us, no ulterior motives, no prejudice or demands for money, just as we always have, trying to serve our community in whichever way we can.
Bramford
May 7 3pm
Blessings to you all, Jenny
Bramford
Wedding
May 8, Easter 7, Sunday after Ascension 8am Holy Communion 10am Parish Communion Noon Baptism 1pm Baptism 5pm Five o’clock Service
Bramford Nettlestead Bramford Bramford Bramford
May 10 11am Communion from Reserved Sacrament, Baylham Care Centre May 11 7.30pm Healing Service
Methodist Church
May 14 1pm Wedding
Bramford
May 15, Pentecost 10am Holy Communion 10am Holy Communion
Bramford Baylham
May 17 2.30pm The Gathering
Church Room
May 22 8am 10am 10am
Holy Communion Family Service & Baptism Morning Prayer
May 29, Trinity 1 10am Group Holy Communion
Bramford Bramford Nettlestead Bramford
Dear Friends This May marks my five year anniversary as priest in charge (vicar) of St Mary’s Bramford, St Mary’s Little Blakenham, St Mary’s Nettlestead, and St Peter’s Baylham. This kind of anniversary always makes me look back and reflect. So much has happened. My daughter Emma has done her GCSEs, A Levels, and is now in the second year at university, an independent young woman. We have introduced new services in most of the parishes, changed service times, we have lost some folk, and gained others. However, I am aware that five years is a very small time in the life of a church which has been here for around 1,000 years. I am also aware that I am just one in a long line of priests in our villages. However, I think we are 18
FUNDRAISING EVENTS Saturday, May 14: Our annual plant sale combined with lunches and a few books for sale. If you have any surplus plants or have sown too many seeds we would welcome donations. (See page 12) Saturday, May 28: Coffee morning, a very popular event and great for meeting friends and family. (See page 6) PARISH REGISTERS Baptism April 3: Max Daniel and Oliver Edward Mowbray May they grow in grace and the knowledge of God. Cleaning Rota: Mrs Bardwell Flower Rota: May 7, 14 Weddings, May 28 J Patterson Floodlighting of the Spire of St Mary’s Church April 7: In memory of Jim Thacker on his 65th birthday April 8/10: In memory of Brian Corker April 19: In loving memory of Margaret Heasley on her birthday May 4: In memory of Phil Sawyer on his 70th birthday May 4: For Robert Orlando Cracknell’s 90th birthday If you would like to have the spire floodlit please ring Stewart on 01473 462231. The requested donation is £10 a week. Lectionary Bible Readings for our Sunday Worship are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary. It is good to share the reading of Scripture with Christians – both Catholic and Protestant – across the world. May 1 Fifth Sunday of Easter (Rogation Sunday) White Acts 16:9-15 Rev. 21:10, 22-22:5 John 14:23-29 or5:1-9 May 8 Acts 16: 16-34
Sunday after Ascension Rev 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21
May 15 Acts 2:1-21
Pentecost Romans 8:14-17
May Prov. 8:1-41
Trinity Sunday Romans 5:1-5
May 29 1 Kings 18:20, 21
White John 17:20-26 Red John 14:8-17 (215-27) White John 16:12-15
First after Trinity Green Gal.1:1-12 Luke 7:1-10 (22-29) 30-39 In Touch online:
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