In Touch with Copdock - October 2015

In Touch

™ ™©©

with Belstead, Bentley, Copdock, Tattingstone & Washbrook

Volume 5 • Issue No. 12 • OCTOBER 2015

Happy Birthday Peter

Whole School Open Morning Saturday 3rd October 2015, 9.30am Sixth Form Open Evening Wednesday 14th October 2015, 7pm For further information please contact our Registrar on 01473 201034 admissions@ihs.gdst.net | www.ipswichhighschool.co.uk Comprehensive coach service across Essex and Suffolk

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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR I was busily, and rather angrily, removing ice-pop wrappers from down the side of the sofa when I heard Jack say “Is that a real boy mum? Is he really dead?” Needless to say I turned rather quickly to discover that Jack was sitting on the floor watching the news. It was the horrific story of Aylan Kurdi, the three-year-old who drowned as his family tried to flee from Kobani to Europe. The image of his tiny body being carried from the beach was still on the screen, but at that moment it was the shock on Jack’s face which made me catch my breath. What was I to say? Jack often sits to watch the news with me and we have had some good discussions about elections, bank robberies and the like, but was this a subject I was prepared to deal with?

I sat beside him on the floor and we listened to the end of the report together. Aylan drowned after the boat ferrying him from the Turkish beach resort of Bodrum to the Greek island of Kos capsized, killing 12 passengers. Aylan’s five-year-old brother, Galip, and his mother, Rehan, were also among the dead. His father, Abdullah, was the only family member to survive. Aylan’s journey was supposed to end in sanctuary in Europe; instead it claimed his life.

I then tried to explain why Aylan and his family were in the boat, but the subject is just too big and too complicated for a five-year-old to digest. The image of Aylan, pictured face down in his red shirt and blue shorts, has shocked the world and highlighted the plight of desperate people caught in the gravest refugee crisis since the Second World War. Suddenly my token donation to ActionAid felt entirely insufficient so I abandoned the sofa and Jack and I went to the post office to make a donation. Jack donated the contents of his money box saying “this is for Aylan’s daddy”.

NEWS SILENT AUCTION A silent auction in aid of St Mary’s Church, Belstead will take place in Belstead Village Hall on Sunday, October 11, 2-4pm, with final bids at 3.30pm.

Bidding numbers will cost £1 each.

We will have gifts and promises on offer and will be serving cream teas and cakes.

All are very welcome.

BENTLEY VILLAGE HALL – TABLES FOR SALE Bentley Village Hall has a number of heavy duty hard top serviceable six-foot folding tables which are now surplus to requirements, and are now offered for sale to any local club or society at £15 each. These may be inspected prior to purchase.

If interested contact the chairman, Mr John Blackmore, on 01473 310655 after 6pm.

We can learn a lot from children, not least how to be better humans.

In Touch

with Belstead, Bentley, Copdock, Tattingstone & Washbrook

In Touch with Belstead, Bentley, Copdock, Tattingstone & Washbrook

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

01473 400380 Send editorial copy to:

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We also publish In Touch with... magazines in the following areas:East Bergholt, Dedham & Flatford Needham Market, Creeting St Mary & Creeting St Peter Capel St Mary Sproughton & Burstall Claydon, Barham & Henley Bramford, Somersham & Offton Manningtree, Mistley, Lawford & Brantham Stowmarket & Stowupland Martlesham Heath & Old Martlesham Gt & Lt Blakenham, Baylham & Nettlestead Westerfield, Witnesham & Tuddenham St Martin Copdock, Washbrook, Belstead, Bentley & Tattingstone Ipswich East, Broke Hall, Ravenswood & Warren Heath Shotley, Chelmondiston, Pin Mill & Woolverstone Woodbridge & Melton

IN TOUCH WITH . . .

NOVEMBER DEADLINE 10 OCTOBER 2015 is the final date for both advertising & editorial copy

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NEWS BENTLEY, CAPEL & TATTINGSTONE FIRST RESPONDERS Did you know that the Ambulance Service have their own dedicated team of volunteers right here in our community? Bentley, Capel & Tattingstone First Responders are trained by the East of England Ambulance Service to provide first aid and basic life support in the event of certain types of emergency, typically chest pains, breathing problems, strokes, falls and diabetic cases. We carry a comprehensive medical kit including a defibrillator, oxygen delivery system and bandages.

If you call 999 and ask for an ambulance to Bentley, Capel St Mary or Tattingstone, if the call is of an appropriate type (First Responders are not sent to road traffic accidents for example), the control room will contact the on-duty First Responder who will immediately make their own way to you. It can take longer for an ambulance to arrive in a rural area such as this, so being based here in the community we can usually get there before the ambulance crew and begin providing life-saving support in the vital first few minutes, significantly improving a patient’s chances of survival and recovery.

We have recently been asked by some residents whether they can First Responder Group at Tattingstone Fete on Saturday, September 11

contact us directly in the event of an emergency. We are only ever despatched by the ambulance control room. There are a number of reasons for this. We are not here to replace ambulance crews, only to support them. The most important thing is to get an ambulance to the patient as quickly as possible. Contacting us first will cause an unnecessary delay in getting the ambulance to you. Also, as we are only trained and authorised to attend certain types of incident. The operator will make an assessment as to whether your call is appropriate for a First Responder to attend.

In the event of a medical emergency, always call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Although the Ambulance Service provide initial and ongoing training, our group is funded entirely from donations and run entirely by local volunteers. We are very grateful for your donations that help keep us functioning, but above all we need more volunteers to enable us to cover more hours. If you are aged between 18-70, physically fit, have your own car and can spare a few hours to be on call at times to suit you (day, evening or night), we would love to hear from you.

RECRUITMENT AND OPEN EVENING Tuesday, October 13, 7-9pm, Capel Community Church, Days Road If you are thinking of joining us, or would just like to find out more about what we do, then come along to our open evening on October 13. We will show you our kit, demonstrate some scenarios and tell you about our experiences. All our members will be there to support you – helping to save lives in our community is one of the most rewarding volunteer experiences you can have.

For more information • Visit: www.bct.first.responders.org.uk • Email us at info@bct.first.responders.org.uk • Follow us on Facebook (Bentley, Capel & Tattingstone First Responders) or Twitter @NZ580SuffolkCFR

IN OTHER NEWS EADT HEADLINE, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10: HADLEIGH MAYOR MEETS “SPRIGHTLY” 100 YEAR-OLD AT HIS CELEBRATION

unknown reason his name is not on Burstall’s War Memorial but is on the one in Hintlesham churchyard.

Thus the press recorded the tea party for Peter Jensen when his family and local neighbours gathered at Waterfield to toast his long life. His granddaughter-in-law had made the birthday cake and decorated it with 100 daffodils, stepping stones and ducks, a most beautiful reminder of the Willows. The Mayor of Hadleigh presented him with his card from the Queen, framed and ready to put on the wall, and he was given a Warm Wishes rose and a signed card from his many friends at the Brook Coffee Mornings. He was moved and delighted by all Private the congratulations.

William Chisnell of Tattingstone, Private 11062 of the Royal Berkshire Regiment, was born in Tattingstone in 1889, the son of Alfred and Sarah Chisnell.

He was killed in action on October 13, 1915 during the Battle of Loos (in which two Ipswich men won the VC, but survived). He is commemorated on the Loos Memorial which is the wall that surrounds the cemetery of Loos-en-Gomelle in France.

In Memory of

Edwin Mower

Research by Jean Austin, Loos photographs by Jennifer Jones

IN MEMORIAM 1914 - 1918

6286, 2nd Bn., Suffolk Regiment who died on 01 October 1915 Age 29

Son of the late John Mower; husband of Ellen Calver (formerly Mower), of Little Dodnash Farm, Bentley, Ipswich.

This month we record Remembered with Honour the centenary of two men from the villages of the Sanctuary Wood Cemetery North Samford Benefice.

Edwin Mower of Burstall, Private 6286 Suffolk Regiment, was born in Burstall in 1886, the son of John Mower and the husband of Ellen Mower (who later remarried and lived at Dodnash Farm in Bentley. Killed in action on October 1, 1915 he lies in Sanctuary Wood Cemetery in Belgium. For as yet an

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YET AGAIN THE SUN SHONE ON THE KNIGHTS’ CHARITY LUNCH It seems not to matter that the weather in the last week in August is always wet and blustery, it can almost be guaranteed that by first Sunday in September it will have changed for the better. And thus it has done again this year when Daphne and Eddie put on their annual fundraising lunch, this year in aid of the Copdock with Washbrook Church Heritage Trust which cares for the fabric of the parish church. They were delighted by the result – £400 – and send many thanks to all those who helped to raise it.

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NEWS REPORT TO PARISHES: DODNASH WARD, SEPTEMBER 2015 Babergh District Councillor John Hinton Government business is starting to get going again after the summer slowdown. It never stops but holidays and parliament recess means that important decisions are delayed.

The bid for devolved powers will have been submitted, but at the time of writing local councillors have not been told what has been requested. I think that Suffolk is too small to take on much in the way of extra powers, certainly without there being a net increase in costs! The lack of a physical barrier, we butt up to Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire, means that it is difficult to predict the effects of cross border activity. Housing for instance tends to be demand generated and that demand appears to be from migration, particularly from Essex. There are still several large developments working through the system, but the release of more planning documents make prediction of an outcome more difficult. Imagine a game of soccer where the goal gets bigger or smaller and even the ball changes shape and size! Welcome to the foggy world of development control!

I have recently caught a couple of the old Yes Minister / Yes Prime Minister repeats. The dialogue and manipulation of events make the real world look like a comedy programme!

I need a break, so please forgive an absence of comments and reports in the next issue as I am going on holiday. I will return refreshed and with new news as soon as I can. Hopefully there will be some positive news on the A12 campaign.

Councillor John Hinton Dodnash Ward, Babergh District Council

AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT NEWDAWN INDIA You may have heard of NewDawn India and wondered what we do. The charity was founded 25 years ago when Neville Cooper from Capel met Jim Jesudoss, a young social worker in southern India.

Neville was so impressed with Jim’s vision to set up an organisation to help street and slum children in the city of Madurai that he undertook to support his work. Together with four other trustees, Neville is still working closely with Jim and the charity is helping around 300 children at any one time.

Jim will be visiting Capel with his wife Sharmila in October, and there will be a great opportunity to hear more about his work directly from this inspirational man.

You are invited to an informal evening and talk on Thursday, October 15, at 7.30pm, at Capel Methodist Church. This is an open invitation, and there will be no charge. Refreshments will be served.

You are also invited to meet and chat with Jim and Sharmila on Sunday, October 11 with a cream tea between 3.30 and 5.30pm at Capel Methodist Church.

HOLBROOK AND SHOTLEY SURGERY Goodbye and good luck: I’m sure you’ll all join me in wishing Dr David King a long, healthy and happy retirement. Dr King has been at the practice for 26 years and will be missed by both staff and patients alike.

Dr Jonathan D’Souza will be joining us as a new GP partner on October 1 and will take on Dr King’s patients from that day.

Focus on our admin team Patients rarely see or speak to our admin team but I can assure you they are busy in the background. We have five data administrators, a secretary and a general administrator who are overseen by an admin manager.

Their job is to ensure that your medical record is summarised if you have moved from another practice, then updated with hospital letters, results of blood tests, smears, x-rays, A&E and out of hours visits and information from a number of other units. They are also responsible for inviting you for your annual disease management checks and ensuring that these have been done so that the doctor can update your medication.

Our general administrator deals with requests from insurance companies and solicitors for copies of medical records or to organise medical examinations. She also follows up on patients who did not attend their hospital appointment and processes new patient registrations and deducts those who are moving away. Our secretary types up letters to the hospital for advice on care and to refer patients to a specialist. Our admin manager not only oversees all these processes but also arranges the doctors’ and nurses’ rotas, makes claims for services provided outside our core contract and deals with all our IT problems. As you can see, a lot of work goes on behind the scenes.

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Training days: Our next training afternoons will be on October 14 and Thursday, November 12 when we will be shut from 1pm. Please ring 111 for advice if your query cannot wait until the following day.

Flu vaccination dates: Our flu days this year are on September 30 and October 13 at Holbrook, and October 8 and 22 at Shotley. If you are over 65, please note the dates in your diary and keep the date free. For those under 65 who have a respiratory or heart condition, an invitation letter will be sent once the criteria for this year has been established.

Julia Smith, practice manager

COPDOCK & WASHBROOK VILLAGE HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Registered charity 304731 Invite you to the AGM on Monday, November 16 at 7.30pm in the Roger Taylor Lounge.

For more information, please call: 07729 863223 In Touch online:

• Knowledgeable staff • Ample parking • Help loading if required Opening hours; Mon - Sat: 8am - 6pm, Sun: 10am - 4pm Copdock Mill, Old London Road, Copdock, IP8 3LA 01473 731117 gladwells.copdock@copdockmill.co.uk www.copdockmill.co.uk

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NEWS CONSTABLE COUNTRY MEDICAL PRACTICE Update following March CQC inspection We wrote to all patient households back in May informing you of the outcome of the CQC inspection on March 10 and assuring you that the practice was committed to addressing all the concerns highlighted by the CQC and improving the service we offer to patients.

Since then, we have been working very hard, and we hope this hard work is being reflected in the service you experience. Although the following list is far from exhaustive, I hope this update reassures patients that we are making good progress: •

We have changed the way we process clinical correspondence.

The practice receives literally hundreds of items of clinical correspondence every day including test results and hospital discharge letters. We now have a robust system for processing these and every single item is seen by a doctor.

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We have established a new Patient Participation Group (PPG).

We have 13 excellent PPG members who represent a wide spectrum of patients. We are working closely with them to ensure we understand patient needs and make improvements to the practice.

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We have launched a new appointment system which we hope will improve access to our clinicians. We don’t want patients to feel they need to queue at either site or phone at 8am to get an appointment. We now have more pre-bookable appointments and many of these are available to book online. Also, any patient who contacts the practice and needs advice from a doctor will get an appointment to see or talk to a clinician the same day.

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The practice has made a concerted effort to ensure we learn from any incidents. This includes positive events, for example genuine emergencies being handled in an effective manner, as well as problems experienced by patients.

The practice now has regular meetings where we review complaints and incidents, patient feedback from the website or comment cards, and our clinical performance, e.g. prescribing and referral rates. We review all this information with the aim of improving efficiency and offering our patients a better experience.

In such a busy environment, issues will inevitably arise. However, when this happens we aim to deal with them quickly and effectively, and to learn from them so they don’t happen again. Overall, I hope you can

see an improvement in the service we provide. If you have had cause to contact the practice recently then please let us know how we fared using either Friends and Family or PPG comment cards available in the waiting areas, NHS Choices, or via our website.

Syria Appeal Dr Ayache would like to thank all patients who have donated bedding to the Syria Appeal over the last couple of years. The response has been extremely generous and all items donated have been transported to Syrian refugees. Unfortunately, the cost of transportation is now prohibitive and we are unable to accept any further items.

Punctuality for appointments Occasionally, patients are late for appointments due to unforeseen circumstances such as traffic delays, and we try to accommodate these patients if possible. Recently, however, we have seen an increase in patients arriving up to 40 minutes late for their appointment. As our clinicians are generally fully booked through the day, accommodating these patients would cause our clinicians to run late which we don’t think is fair to others. If you are late for an appointment you may therefore be asked to rebook at another time.

Flu Clinics Eligible patients who are unable to attend our flu clinics on October 6 at East Bergholt or October 15 at Capel are asked to contact the practice after October 15 to book an appointment at one of our mini flu clinics which will be scheduled weekly. If patients wish to decline any of the vaccinations offered, please inform the practice.

Training days A reminder that the practice will be closed from 1pm on the following dates for staff training: Wednesday, October 14 Thursday, November 12 Wednesday, December 9 On these afternoons the doors will be closed so please ensure any prescriptions are picked up well beforehand. If you phone the practice the recorded message will ask you to ring 111 for medical assistance if your problem cannot wait until the next day.

Practice Manager Pete Keeble

PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP (PPG) From Kathy Pollard, chair of the Patient Participation Group (PPG) at Constable Country Medical Practice

practice and Healthwatch Suffolk to monitor your views. We are also looking at how other PPG groups operate so we can learn from them.

The Patient Participation Group (PPG) had its first meeting on July 22 and we have been meeting every two weeks since then.

An early priority has been to discuss the improvements being made by the practice following the inspection by the Care Quality Commission earlier this year. On your behalf we want to ensure that all issues highlighted for improvement are being addressed.

PPG members will be attending the two flu days in October. We will have badges on so we can easily be identified. A list of the 13 members is on display in both waiting rooms, along with photographs and contact numbers.

We have also discussed, amongst other things, how best to engage with you, the patients of the Constable Country Medical Practice. We’ve had two comment boxes installed in the waiting rooms and will be working closely with the

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Although our role does not include dealing with the details of individual complaints, we can advise on the complaints process. We do want to hear about issues which affect patients generally, such as difficulty getting appointments – and your experience, good or bad, with the new appointments system.

We would also like to be made aware of any

problems you have with transport to and from either surgery. East Bergholt and Brantham already have volunteer driver schemes and it would be great if we could set these up in all the villages covered by the practice. If you would like to volunteer to transport patients to appointments at either Capel or East Bergholt surgery we would be grateful if you would either fill in a comment card at the surgery or email us at: constablecountryppg@gmail.com PPG members have volunteered to attend parish council meetings across the practice area as part of making the group more visible and accessible. We also intend to publish meeting agendas and minutes on the practice website.

We look forward to hearing from you!

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NEWS NOTES FROM THE CASE – Suffolk’s first Co-operative Pub! Well done to all our supporters – we’ve reached our £100,000 fundraising target!

In September we reached another milestone for our community pub, raising £100,000 working capital following our community purchase of The Case is Altered.

When we launched our share offer in October 2013, our target was to raise £350,000 to buy, refurbish and reopen the pub, and have a contingency fund. The initial share offer barely raised enough money to buy the pub, and when we got the keys in February 2014 we had no working capital at all.

We therefore decided to adjust our plans and build the business gradually, initially operating with volunteers and serving drinks only, and postponing our major refurbishment until early 2015. We set a new target to raise the remaining £100,000 needed to achieve our objectives, with the running total displayed on a chalkboard outside the pub.

Over the past 18 months we successfully raised this amount from a variety of sources, including trading profits (boosted by our fantastic volunteers who have generously given their time and effort), new share subscriptions, grants and donations.

We have recently been asked whether it is still possible to buy shares in The Case, and can confirm that new share subscriptions are still very welcome. Although we have raised £100,000 it doesn’t mean we have this amount in the bank at present (most of this money has already been ploughed back into the business) and further improvements and repairs to the building will be required in future. Just as importantly, we want to encourage as many people as possible to become involved in the ownership and running of the pub – the more members we have, the more of a community pub we become!

COMING UP AT THE CASE • Quiz Nights: Saturday, September 26, October 31 and November 28.

Food served 6-8pm, quiz starts at 9pm.

• Children’s Halloween Party: Sunday, November 1, at 4pm.

• St Edmund’s Day: Friday, November 20 – a medieval theme night to celebrate England’s true patron saint.

• Mini Craft Fair: Saturday, November 28, 10am-noon • Senior Citizens’ Christmas Lunch: Wednesday, December 16 • Carol Singing: Sunday, December 20, from 4pm • New Years Eve Party Night From Saturday, October 3 our opening hours at the weekend (except when we have events on, see above) will be noon-3pm and 6-11.30pm on Saturday, and noon-4pm and 7-10.30pm on Sunday.

Our Christmas menu will be available from Wednesday, December 2 to Christmas Eve. Full menu and prices are shown on our website and available at the pub. Book now to avoid disappointment.

Please note we will be open on Christmas Day and Boxing Day but will not be serving food.

For more information on these events and details of our Christmas menu, please visit www.thecasepubbentley.co.uk, follow us on Facebook (www. facebook.com/SaveTheCaseBentley), call The Case on 01473 805575 during opening hours, or email us at: savethecase.bentley@gmail.com

SUFFOLK DEMENTIA HELPLINE Call 01473 353350

We are here to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The helpline can provide a listening ear as well as information and signposting to services that can help. The Suffolk Dementia Helpline can support anyone who needs to talk. Perhaps you have memory worries yourself or even a recent diagnosis and want someone to talk to. Maybe you have concerns about a loved one, or need support in your caring role. Perhaps it’s just information you are after, or a confidential chat with someone. The line can help anyone who is looking for practical support and is able to provide you with local information and get you in touch with organisations that can help.

So call us today, we are here to help.

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So Much More Than a Dance Class No Partners Required Any Age & Ability Very Welcome

Shimmy, Shake, Wiggle & Giggle to Dance Fitness Fun

"Strictly" style Dance-a-cise Classes St Mary's Church Hall

The Street Capel St Mary every Thursday morning & evening spaces are limited to reserve yours

Call Janet on 07506 350 455

classes also in: - Brantham - East Bergholt - Nayland - Hadleigh, & - Stratford St Mary

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janet@fundancing.co.uk www.fundancing.co.uk

FunDancing.Suffolk FunDancing

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NEWS / OUT & ABOUT CRIME REDUCTION ADVICE FROM SUFFOLK CONSTABULARY The county of Suffolk has always been a low crime area and a safe and beautiful place to live and work. Suffolk Constabulary is committed to ensuring it stays that way. Burglary is one of the most emotive crimes.

We all like to think our house is the safest place on earth so it can be a very distressing for victims.

If you see any persons or vehicle at a suspicious location, or they just look out of place, please record the location and time you see them, a description including the registration number of the vehicle and telephone the police on 999 if an offence is occurring there and then, otherwise please dial 101. Genuine people do not mind being questioned by police as to their entitlement to be on the premises.

Taking just a few steps can make a big difference in keeping your home safe from burglary. Here are a few tips: •

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Lock your doors and windows every time you leave the house, even when you’ve just popped out to the neighbours or to work in the garden, remembering to double-lock UPVC doors (lift handle and turn the key).

Consider upgrading locks if they do not reach current British Standards or Kite Marked approved, and fit window locks with keys to all downstairs windows and those upstairs that are easy to reach from flat roofs.

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Remove all keys from view, including car keys, and keep them out of sight but nearby should you need them (remember a device could be used to hook keys through the letterbox).

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Install an intruder alarm in the property, with a visual external box to deter offenders before they even try to set foot over the property.

Look on www.nsi.org.uk or www.ssaib.org for police approved alarm companies that operate in your local area.

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Install good outside lighting such as ‘dusk till dawn’ lights at the front door/s and on your garages and sheds if there is a chance that

FAMILY BONFIRE AND FIREWORKS EVENING A family bonfire and fireworks display is being held on November 5 at Copdock Hall Barn, starting at 6pm. Barbecue, refreshments, sweets and drinks will be available.

Gates open at 6m, the bonfire will be lit at 7pm and a fantastic fireworks display follows.

you or neighbours would see suspicious activity by having them.

Otherwise they just aide an offender.

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Get a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on your property if you are planning to go away, and ask them to pick up mail.

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Leave radios or lights in your house on a timer to make the property appear occupied.

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Remove valuables from view of ground floor windows and store any high value items (jewellery, passports) in a properly secured safe that’s bolted to the wall and floor.

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Make sure the fences around your garden are in good condition, and cut back hedging and shrubs so they don’t ‘hide’ an offender and help improve natural surveillance of your property.

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Secure bikes at home by locking them to an immoveable object inside a locked shed or garage.

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Keep ladders and tools stored away; don’t leave them outside where they could be used to break into your home.

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Ensure side gates are locked to prevent access to the rear of the property.

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Mark your property with your postcode and house number in a UV pen and register your property for free with www.Immobilise. com (UV pens can be purchased for £1 from Sudbury and Hadleigh Police Stations). Alternatively a property marking solution such as www.smartwater.com could be utilised.

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Consider joining or forming a Neighbourhood Watch scheme and call your local NHW Officer on 101 if you’d like more information.

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The Master Locksmith (MLA) has a list of approved locksmiths for your area. Visit www.locksmiths.co.uk to find yours.

www.suffolk.police.uk

BENTLEY CHURCH QUIZ A quiz night in aid of Bentley church funds is to be held in Bentley Village Hall on Saturday, October 17 with a 7.30pm start.

Tickets cost £6 a person bought in advance or £7 on the night.

Supper is included, and there will be a bar and a draw.

Contact Ray (311122) or Sandra (310383).

There is free parking on site at the Copdock Hall Barn events venue, Church Lane, next to Copdock Church.

Adults £5, children (under 16s) £2.

HARVEST SUPPER There will be a Harvest Supper at St Peter’s Church, Copdock with Washbrook, on Friday, October 9 at 7pm, with good food and entertainment.

Tickets are available from Ruth (01473 730430) or Daphne (01473 730659).

All welcome.

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COPDOCK HALLOWEEN FAMILY DISCO 2015 We invite you to join us at our annual family Halloween disco on Friday, October 30, 5-10pm, at Copdock Hall, Church Lane, Copdock.

Games, best ghoul, best dancing (parents and children), competitions and much more! Cakes, snacks, drinks and bar....

Join us if you dare!

Tickets (adults £3.50, children £1.50) available from Copdock School Office, or the PTA: 07777 693234

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OUT & ABOUT CAPEL LIBRARY NEWS Capel St Mary Library celebrated its 30 year anniversary with a special event on September 8 with previous staff members and library users.

The library was set up 30 years ago after local residents raised money to extend the village hall and create a permanent library. Jackie Harman has been library manager for the last eight years.

Pictured left: Library Manager Jackie Harman and former manager Eileen Blomfield

Jackie said: “It’s been really good to celebrate with the community. It’s not just Capel we serve, it’s East Bergholt, Tattingstone, Bentley, Copdock and Manningtree, so we are used by a wide network. We just want to say a big thank you to the support of the friends group and the village.”

The library is planning to launch additional activities soon, including a Minecraft Club on Sundays and is screening a performance of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors on Wednesday, September 30 at 1.45pm as part of the Suffolk Libraries Presents... arts programme. The screening is of a performance filmed at the Globe Theatre which is being screened using the latest digital equipment.

Tickets are £8. Call 01473 311699 for more information or visit: www.suffolklibraries.co.uk/presents The Summer Reading Challenge was an excellent success with 95 children finishing the scheme by reading six books throughout the summer break. Children were presented with their medals and certificates at a presentation on Sunday, September 13. All Capel Primary School children were also awarded a Book Smart badge in recognition of their achievement. Well done to all who took part. A big thank you goes to

Summer Reading Challenge participants

all our willing volunteers and to the younger volunteers who spent time with us during the scheme.

Baby bounce continues every Tuesday afternoon this month at 2pm.

Capel Library Book Group meets on Friday 16 at 2.30pm.

We will be a collection point for Samaritans Purse, otherwise known as The Shoe Box Appeal. Information leaflets will be available telling you what you can put in the box and how to make payment.

Opening times Tuesday: 9.30am-12.30pm & 2-5.30pm Wednesday: 9.30am-12.30pm Thursday: 9.30am-12.30pm Friday: 2-5pm & 5.30-7.30pm Saturday: 9am-3pm Sunday: 10am-3pm Tel: 01473 311699

FRIENDS OF CAPEL LIBRARY August 1 marked the third anniversary of the formation of Suffolk Libraries, and with it the establishment of friends groups at all the libraries in Suffolk. Capel Library was 30 years old at the beginning of September, so there is much to celebrate.

Suffolk is almost alone in that all its libraries are still open, with enhanced equipment and improved services to the community. When you consider that the budget has been cut by 30% from the old county council budget for 2010/11, you begin to appreciate the value that has been added by the friends groups. Given the cuts that Mr Osborne still intends to make, we suspect that more will be expected of friends groups in the future. But this is local service being delivered with the help and support of local people, and the friends group provides a forum where we can provide for our own local needs.

If you haven’t joined yet, make a resolution to do so.

The winners of the September draw were Clive Powell (£10) and Marion Parnell (£5).

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NEARLY NEW SALE Capel St Mary CEVC Primary School is planning a Nearly New Sale on Saturday, October 17, 1.30-3pm, in Capel Community Church, Days Road, Capel St Mary.

Maternity clothes, baby equipment, clothes (aged 0-11 years), toys, books and games will all be on offer.

There is a 50p entrance fee but children go free.

Do you have any baby or children’s items that you would like to sell? You choose the price – 70% goes to you, 30% goes to our charity (plus a £1 administration fee per seller).

For more information or a free seller’s pack, contact Lisa (01473 312248) or Jo (01473 730771).

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OUT & ABOUT PENINSULA PIX RAISE MORE MONEY FOR DIABETES CENTRE It was a full house for this year’s Peter Ward Memorial Movie when Pen Pix presented The Second Best Marigold Hotel on Thursday, September 3. Every chair in Tattingstone Village Hall was used and it was standing room only.

Our brilliant patrons donated a total of £300 in aid of The Ipswich Diabetes Centre where Peter was treated during his 50 years as a diabetic. This fantastic sum collected takes the total raised by Pen Pix to more than £1,000 during the last three years. Peter’s wife Janet and daughter Lucy were joined by friends and family for this annual occasion and were over the moon with the generosity shown by everyone who enjoyed the night. Janet would like to thank everyone who came along and commented: “Peter would have loved this film. I would like to thank everybody who came along tonight, and Pen Pix for their support since Peter passed away.” Pen Pix would like to add their thanks to everybody for making such a great night even better.

Don’t forget that our November film celebrates our 10 years, when we show Mama Mia – the singalong version, which was voted as the favourite film by Pen Pixers over those 10 years. So dig out your satin suits, gold lamé and platform boots and come along for a singalong night, and don’t worry, not many of us can sing so you’re not on your own.

The Imitation Game shows on October 1 at Tattingstone Village Hall when doors open at 7.30pm. Entry is £3.50 in advance or £4 on the door which includes a glass of wine during the interval.

See you there Ben Connor, chair

Artypix The Penpix film team are pleased to announce the fourth of our Arthouse/Independent films

‘London Road’

Rufus Norris' production about the murder by Steve Wright of five Ipswich women in 2006.

‘London Road was a mighty success on stage. Now it is a unique triumph on the movie screen’ - Peter Bradshaw ‘The effect is spine-chilling. What we take away is a powerful story of ordinary people who no longer wish to live with darkness.’ - Radio Times

Tattingstone Village Hall Thursday, October 22nd, 8.00pm £3.00 on the door

Next month’s film on October 1 is The Imitation Game starring Benedict Cumberbatch. The film tells the story of Alan Turing breaking the ‘unbreakable’ German Enigma code, while also exploring his sexuality and the way he was treated. Enraptured by artificial intelligence, Benedict Cumberbatchs’s character joins other top minds – including Keira Knightley’s Joan Clarke – at Blecthley Park to wrestle with the Enigma machine, eventually finding a common language.

We would like to sincerely apologise to anybody who was looking forward to Proms in the Park which we had to cancel due to circumstances beyond our control. We tried to get the message out there so hopefully nobody turned up outside the village hall with a picnic and a flag.

EAST BERGHOLT DRAMATIC SOCIETY East Bergholt Dramatic Society presents a mysterious thriller, 13 Past Midnight by Billy St John, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, November 26, 27, and 28 at 7.30pm in the Constable Hall.

The action takes place in the games room of Victor Winslow’s mansion.

Attendants at his party from the show-biz world are expecting to have a murder mystery party. Do they get more than they bargained for?

Be prepared… With a variety of characters, this play will keep you on your toes in suspense, as well as amusing you with its witty comedy.

Tickets will be on sale from October 28 at East Bergholt Post Office, priced £6 if ordered in advance and £7 on the door if there are remainders. You may also book by calling 01206 396674 or texting 07891 974844.

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OUT & ABOUT COPDOCK & WASHBROOK WOMEN’S INSTITUTE In lieu of a meeting in August we arrange an outing. This year it was a guided tour of Ipswich entitled 1915 Ipswich in the Year the WI Began which combined local historical interest with the centenary of the WI movement. I wasn’t able to join the walk, but one of my colleagues kindly wrote the following report.

On August 18 fourteen of us gathered at the Tourist Information Centre in Ipswich where we met our guide Mike. He was very amiable and had a sense of humour which was needed as it didn’t stop raining for the following hour-and-ahalf! Having said that, we had a very interesting time. Opposite the TIC is the Buttermarket Shopping Centre where we learnt there was a Saxon burial ground which had been excavated prior to the building of the centre. On the car park at the back of Carr Street there were four

mansions with beautiful grounds. Mike pointed out where the schools, factories and breweries had been on our way back to the Ancient House where our tour ended.

In late July, after my last report, a group of us went to Southwold for ‘tea and theatre’.

We made our way to Southwold in separate groups, with most of us choosing to arrive early and wander around the shops or walk along the coastal path before meeting the others for tea at The Swan Hotel. We all opted for the cream tea, which was absolutely delicious, and had a relaxing social hour with attentive staff in very pleasant surroundings. It was a short walk to the delightful little theatre where we enjoyed Anybody for Murder, a fast-paced farce packed with energy, laughs and plot twists. It was a varied and fun afternoon, which is always good

in the company of friends.

There are many good reasons to join the WI – we enjoy a wide variety of interests and outings; there are plenty of opportunities to learn new skills, improve your existing skills or just come along to the meetings for companionship and interesting speakers. You can come to three meetings as a visitor to see what goes on before deciding if you would like to join. All visitors and new members will be warmly welcomed.

We meet on the third Tuesday of each month (excluding August) at the village hall – the next meeting is on October 20 when the speaker, Mrs Kirkham, will tell us about her interest in weaving. Please arrive around 7.15 for a 7.30pm start.

VILLAGE LINK CLUB

BUMPER BOOK SALE

For our September talk, Gerald Jenkins spoke about the Berlin Wall, giving us some of the history which led up to it being built.

Following the defeat of Germany at the end of the Second World War, Germany was divided into three regions, British, American and Russian. Berlin was in the Russian sector, but it was agreed that, as the capital, it should also be divided into three sectors. As time progressed, the Americans, and to a lesser extent the British, were ploughing money into rebuilding and reviving the economy in their sectors. Russia did not have the funds to do the same in theirs, so ‘Russian’ Berliners were moving into the neighbouring sectors.

The Russians decided this had to stop so the wall was built. Russian funding eventually dried up and as the economy collapsed the East Berlin people were reduced to a life in poverty and began attacking the wall to get to a better life. The troops guarding the wall had also become dejected at not being paid and did not repel them. When the people realised this they became bolder and large breaches began to appear. Thus began the destruction of the entire wall.

On Saturday, October 17 at Manningtree Methodist Church, 9.30am-2.30pm. Free admission, everyone Welcome.

BURSTALL ORAL HISTORY PROJECT To launch the village oral history project Burstall WI members would like to invite all those who have lived in the village, have memories, souvenirs or photographs of Burstall, or an interest in local history, to a coffee morning/reunion on Saturday, October 31, 10am-noon in Burstall Village Hall.

There will be displays from the Burstall archive, teas, coffee and homemade cake. All are welcome, particularly present day villagers.

Please contact Ann (652619 / annfday@gmail.com) if you would like to be involved in the project but cannot come to the coffee morning.

In addition there will be the opportunity to purchase books from The Great Burstall Book Sale in aid of Bumblebee Children’s Charity.

Our next talk on October 14 will be on plant heritage, presented

by Jim Marshall.

Future talks Sound Safari; It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas; History of Advertising; Lady Alice de Breyne; NT coast of East Anglia; Secrets of the Royal Jewels; The Galapagos Islands.

Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month in Tattingstone Village Hall starting at 10am. Following the speaker we have refreshments (when there is time for a chat with other members) and a raffle. New members and visitors are welcome to join us. After the August and February meetings, we normally hold a members’ lunch – funds permitting.

Roger Felgate, 01473 311684

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TRANSPORT THEATRE PRESENTS THE EDGE New Wolsey Theatre, October 8-10

From October 8 to 10, Transport, the critically acclaimed Folkstone-based theatre company behind Invisible, 1001 Nights and Elegy will present a brand new devised production, The Edge, at the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich.

Inspired by real life narratives taken from the south coast of England and the Sundabans in India and developed in collaboration with leading lecturer in coastal oceanography Dr Ivan Haigh, The Edge is an extensive exploration of climate change and migration. Based on an encounter between two people from different cultures that encompasses myths from the sea, the history of human migration, the formation of rivers and seas, the piece has been devised and directed by Douglas Rintoul and the creative team behind Elegy.

A woman steps into the English Channel. A man is swept up by a great storm in West Bengal. Two decades later their children meet on a beach by an English town that’s been abandoned to the sea. She’s training to swim the Channel. He’s a climate change refugee.

Powerful and poetic, The Edge is a love story between two people from different continents and cultures, connected by weather patterns and the shared experience of a radically changing world.

Douglas Rintoul, Artistic Director of Transport Theatre, was awarded the British Council Connections through Culture Award to visit the Sundarbans in West Bengal India where he worked with the Kolkata based theatre company Ranan, drawing real life narratives from an area directly on the frontline of climate change.

The company also worked with young adults in Folkestone, developing an audio and visual work exploring narratives from the Kent Coast. Combining this quantative research from two different continents, Rintoul’s production questions what it really means to live on the geographical edge and explores the universal issue of climate change.

Developed in collaboration with leading lecturer in coastal oceanography Dr Ivan Haigh, with music by award-winning composer Raymond Yiu, The Edge fuses text, movement, music and projection to transport its audience between continents, exploring the place where the sea meets the land.

To book call 01473 295900 or visit: www.wolseytheatre.co.uk

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OUT & ABOUT COPDOCK AND WASHBROOK CHURCH HERITAGE TRUST Please note that the meeting of the trust will be on October 22 in the Church Room, Washbrook, not as previously advised.

Any queries please contact Eddie Knight, 730659.

BENTLEY TUESDAY CLUB Our second outing of the year took place at the beginning of August when 40 members and friends lunched at the Acorn Village at Mistley. The weather was kind to us and after a delicious lunch served in a marquee in the grounds by their very attentive staff, we journeyed on to Clacton where our driver drove along the front so we could enjoy the gardens along the promenade and, of course, the sea.

We concluded our trip with a visit to Parkers Garden Centre near Frinton, where our members, after browsing in the shop, enjoyed an afternoon cream tea in the restaurant – a great day out. Later in the month, Maria King once again entertained us by playing her keyboard and singing various well-known songs to which we could all sing along.

September saw a welcome return visit by master raconteur Tom Tyler.

He gave us a very entertaining afternoon telling us about his experiences while living in the Solomon Islands. He also brought a selection of cards, books, and jigsaw puzzles for members to purchase. We concluded this month with another session of chair aerobics, followed by cards and Scrabble.

Another milestone, on September 9 when our oldest member, Peter Jensen, celebrated his 100th birthday. What an achievement!

Forthcoming events Tuesdays, beginning at 2.30pm in the village hall October 6: Ipswich Tourist Board, a talk by Ann Day October 20: Turkey, a talk by Jenny Gibbs

ST MARY'S CHURCH LADIES GUILD, TATTINGSTONE

CRAFTERS UNLIMITED Monday, October 5: Corded Bowls (Debbie) Monday, November 2: Sequin Christmas Decoration (Jill) Workshop. November 21: Advent Calendar (Debbie) Samples of each months project are displayed the month before and other projects are available.

Workshops (10am-4pm) and meetings (7.30-10pm) are held in Wherstead Village Hall Meeting Rooms.

Contacts: Ann, 01473 780298; Jill, 01473 713534

EXCITING NEW POP CHORUS HAS STARTED IN THE CAMEO HOTEL Quirky choir, Pop Chorus, launched a new group at the Cameo Hotel in Copdock at the beginning of September with a small but enthusiastic group of singers. More members will be very welcome to join. There's no audition and you don't need to read music or have previous experience. Pop Chorus is a very friendly choir with the emphasis on having fun! Why not come along to see if it's something you might enjoy?

Members sing great pop songs in harmony to backing tracks. Their recent repertoire has included Blondie, Take That, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith. Rehearsals are very informal, with an emphasis on fun and gently developing members’ singing skills.

Pop Chorus is run by professional singer and vocal coach Yula Andrews.

She founded the first group in Framlingham in 2012, and the entire choir now boasts more than 120 members, with groups also in Kesgrave and Ipswich.

Pop Chorus Copdock meets from 7.30-9,30pm on Tuesday evenings at the Cameo Hotel. The first session is free with no obligation to join, and a full term (to Christmas) costs only £75 (concessions available).

For more information visit www.popchorus.org, email sing@popchorus.org or call Yula on 07788 585441.

SAMARITAN'S PURSE - SHOE BOXES We will be pleased to have made up boxes or items to go in them.

These we would like by October 28. They will be taken to Bentley where they are sorted and sent in containers overseas to children who will have very little at Christmas.

We are having workshops to make up the boxes at Holbrook Methodist on Wednesday, October 28, and Tattingstone CoE on Saturday, October 31. You are welcome to come and join us to make up the boxes, 10am-12.30pm.

Leaflets will be in both churches or look on the internet to know more about the work, including a list of the requested items.

Kath Chalkley, 328118

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OUT & ABOUT BABERGH AND SAMFORD DISTRICT FRIENDS OF GUIDING There will be a ploughman’s lunch in aid of the Babergh and Samford District Friends of Guiding on Thursday, November 5 in the Constable Hall, East Bergholt, 12.30-2pm. Tickets are £6 and include a glass of wine plus tea or coffee. If you would like a ticket please contact Margaret (01206 298627) or Sue (01473 310946).

CAMEO There isn’t much to report this month as we don’t meet in July and August, so this is just a re-cap of the purpose of CAMEO. The aim of Belstead CAMEO (Come And Meet Every One) is to provide an opportunity for residents to meet each other for tea, coffee, refreshments and chat on a drop-in basis. The club is not for profit and there is no charge, but a small donation towards refreshments is much appreciated. Non-residents are welcome at a charge of £1 – the set-up costs were part funded by the parish council so in fairness we need to levy a small fee for anyone not paying council tax to the parish.

BELSTEAD GARDEN CLUB The August meeting was held in the beautiful Belstead garden of Marilyn Wosahlo. Thirty-two members and friends enjoyed a lovely warm summer evening and although darkness comes earlier now the evening went on. A sumptuous tea of cakes and strawberry scones and cream with lashing of tea, plus chatter from every area of the garden, made this a very memorable occasion.

John Dyter, for many years involved with the flower tent at the Suffolk show, gave an illustrated talk entitled The Magic and Mystery of the Chelsea Flower Show at our

September meeting in Belstead Village Hall.

On Wednesday, October 21, Robert Booker from Ladybird Nursery is coming along to talk to us about his delightful nursery which is close to the village of Snape. The nursery specialises in growing the summer plants we love to buy every spring.

Meeting are held in Belstead Village Hall at 7.30pm.

Whether an avid gardener or just interested in nice gardens you are welcome to come along and join us.

Eileen, 01473 730498

Belstead is a friendly village and we want to increase this community spirit, both on personal and business levels. We aim to promote all types of local interests and have noticeboards showing events, along with information on businesses and charities. You would be amazed at the wealth of talent and scope of business in our small village.

We meet at Belstead Village Hall, usually on the third Monday of the month (excluding July and August), but are also planning to have another social evening in December. The dates for the rest of the year (2.30-4pm) are September 21, October 19 and November 16, and the evening of December 18.

BENTLEY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Our president, Peter Jensen, celebrated his 100th birthday on Wednesday, September 9. Coincidentally, he received his birthday card from The Queen on the very day that Her Majesty became the longest reigning monarch in our country’s history. Peter has been a member of our society for at least 40 years and our president for around 15 years.

Annual Horticultural Show During the afternoon of Saturday, August 15, members and visitors enjoyed the fine display of another successful annual show. During the morning the exhibits were independently judged by Mr John Mower and Mrs Enid Castle who congratulated all the exhibitors for the high standard. Our thanks go to all those who entered exhibits, particularly those who did so for the first time with some even achieving class wins.

Well done to everyone for your efforts.

Chairman Mr John Blackmore presented awards to the following class winners: The South View Cup The Neale Cup The Milton Cup The Carruthers Cup The Mills Cup The Norman Tollemache Cup The Farmers Cup The Jensen Cup The Booth Cup The James Cup The Saward Cup The Bentley Cup The President’s Shield

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(Flowers, Classes 1-3 incl.)

(Flowers, Classes 4 & 5) (Flowers, Class 6) (Flowers, Classes 7-12 incl.)

(Flowers, Classes 13, 14 & 16 (Fuchsia Competition) (Vegetables & Fruit, Classes 17-25 incl.)

(Vegetables & Fruit, Classes 26-35 incl.)

(Floral Art, Classes 36-38 incl.)

(Domestic, Classes 39-44 incl.)

(Domestic, Classes 45-48 incl.)

(Oversize Vegetable) (Most points gained in Show)

Veronica Howe Dorna Owen Veronica Howe Veronica Howe Pam Rivers Beryl Baker John Blackmore John Blackmore Gill Leafe Veronica Howe Dorna Owen John Blackmore Veronica Howe

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OUT & ABOUT / SCHOOLS CAPEL COUNTRYSIDE CLUB

CAPEL FLORAL CLUB It was lovely to catch up with friends and start our flower arranging year again in earnest at our first meeting after the summer. We made decorative floral handbags led very ably by our tutor Janet after a very short AGM.

For our September talk, Alex Bass spoke about Suffolk and the Brecks.

The Brecks is an area of land on the Suffolk/Norfolk border around Thetford. Once farmed by Stone-age people, it was abandoned when the soil became exhausted, allowing it to return to its current heathland state. Alex also talked about the coastal area which has a similar heathland nature. The Brecks is home to a variety of wildlife. Many of the photographs Alex showed were of birds not seen in gardens and their shy nature requires a telephoto lens to capture them. Some are residential all year while others are temporary residents either in transit or summer visitors.

Our next meeting is on October 14 at 7.30pm when we shall be flower arranging with a wedding theme and we will be having a go at making buttonholes, pew ends, and a wedding crate to be used as a table decoration. If any future brides are reading this article, please come and join us – it will be invaluable to you.

We have an extremely varied programme set for the year and feel sure that any ladies who would like to join us will find it very interesting.

Our next talk on October 13 will be Wildflowers of Britain presented by Barry Gayton.

Capel Floral Club meets on the second Wednesday of the month (excluding January, February and August) and subs for the year are £35. We are a group of ladies of all ages and abilities, even beginners, with a love of flowers and flower arranging. We meet in the library at Capel St Mary (plenty of parking), 7.30-9.30pm.

Future talks in 2015: What Happens Here in Suffolk and NT Ickworth.

Visitors are welcome to join us for these talks which take place in the lounge of Capel Methodist Church at 7.30pm on the second Tuesday of the month. Refreshments are provided after the talk.

If you would like any further information, please contact Janet (01473 313191) or Sylvia (719893).

Roger Felgate, 01473 311684

COPDOCK AND WASHBROOK PARISH FOOTPATHS On Sunday, October 11 we start our new programme of rambles. Taking heed of the NHS guidelines to ideally be walking 10,000 steps each day, we are stopping trimming the hedgerows (during the winter months) and concentrating on trimming our bodies by walking in the beautiful countryside. Each of our rambles will be a pleasant walk of about five miles lasting around two hours.

Our first circular ramble will take us alongside the River Gipping towards where it meets the River Orwell, and then back via Chantry Park – a

varied and interesting walk. All you need is sturdy footwear.

Our friendly group will be delighted to meet you and everyone is welcome, including children and dogs. Do join us on Sunday, October 11 at the Church Room in The Street, Washbrook at 1.30pm.

As we won’t be snipping while we walk, please do report any problems that you notice on the 22 miles of footpaths around the village to: tina@thegrindle.co.uk

THE ROYAL HOSPITAL SCHOOL GCSE Results show significant rise in the number of top A* and A grades There have been some outstanding GCSE results at the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, this year with 100% pass rate and one third of the year group achieving at least six A*/A grades. More than 95 pupils have qualified to go on to the sixth form at the school with 90% gaining a minimum of five A*to C grades including Maths and English and the number of pupils gaining A*s, As and B grades is up substantially.

Headmaster, James Lockwood, said: “I am absolutely delighted with the number of pupils for whom sheer hard work and commitment has paid off and with the wide range of abilities accepted into the school it reflects how well we are able to realise the individual potential of every pupil.

“This year’s A*/A pass rate is 40% and there has been an increase

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on the number of top A* grades awarded to RHS pupils compared to last year which, in the current environment of grade deflation, represents a significant achievement. I am particularly pleased with the results gained in the separate sciences with 70% of all Chemistry, Biology and Physics papers gaining an A* or A grade. The support and guidance given by our dedicated teaching staff has contributed to these successes.”

The achievements of the following pupils must be highly commended as each of them secured outstanding results: • • • •

•

Guy Cranfield, 11 A*s Sophie Atkinson, 10 A*s Rose Arbuthnot, 9 A*s and 1 A Sammi Chiu 9, A*s and 1A plus a top grade in Additional Maths Lexine Lee, 8A*s and 2 As

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SCHOOLS / SPORT BENTLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL Circus Ferrel returned to Bentley this month to thrill the children (and adults) with tricks and skills from the circus. We are grateful to Marty and company who provided workshops for all the children at no cost to the school. It was great seeing some of the children performing in the actual shows that the circus put on.

The parent workshops on coding were a great success. It really helped with gaining some insight and understanding to what coding is and how it is taught in the new curriculum. Parent support has always been a strength of our little school and it was good to see so many parents getting involved in this event.

Thank you to all of the members of the community who supported our Macmillan coffee and cake fundraiser. We hope to organise many more events during the year that involve the community. If you feel you have a particular skill or expertise that could be shared with the children, please do get in touch. We actively encourage the community to get involved with school life.

We’ve had a fantastically busy start to the new school year! Already in the short time we’ve been back we have had the circus visit us, held a workshop for parents on computer coding and had a coffee and cake afternoon for Macmillan. We have welcomed eight new children into our Reception class: Reuben, Hugo, Laura, Jack, Declan, Isla, Edward and Harry. We also welcome Jennifer who joins us in Year-2.

ROBIN’S NEWS BABY BEARS After a busy summer spending lots of time out in the garden and on the school field, we are now looking forward to starting our autumn activities and watching the seasonal changes outside.

We have been very busy over the last couple of weeks doing lots of artwork to display around our beautiful Baby Bears room. In August we went on a nature walk and collected lots of objects to make our pictures.

Toddling Tigers After a warm and busy summer it’s wonderful to say hello again to our new and existing Tigers! We have all enjoyed exploring new crafts and activities while settling in and meeting our new friends. We are very excited to experience our scissors week and to explore the different textures and objects we will be cutting. We shall also be busy fighting fires and exploring life as a fireman. Tigers to the rescue!

GRUFFALOS What a lovely few days we’ve had welcoming back our Gruffalos and getting to know our new children. We’ve been looking a lot at The Gruffalo story and what it means in pre-school to be a Gruffalo.

Chicken update – our hens are now laying! The children have been very excited about gathering the eggs and our Reception children had great fun making scrambled eggs on toast with the first batch of eggs.

Finally, we still have a vacancy for a Midday Supervisor. If this is of interest to you, please do call the school office: 01473 310253

COPDOCK AND WASHBROOK PRE-SCHOOL Welcome back everyone. Our new children are beginning to find their feet, learning our rules and routines, and making new friends.

We have a bumper crop of apples from our tree this year and we will be picking these and eating them during snack time.

Over the summer we have updated the building and had a new floor laid.

BELSTEAD CARPET BOWLS For the first time in several seasons we didn’t win our section of the summer league. Probably the biggest reason for this was a shortage of players.

With our focus being ‘fine motor’ we have been encouraging ‘Gruffalo fingers’! The children gather in small groups to participate in fine motor activities such as pegging, threading and playdough. The importance of fine motor activities is to build up the strength in our hands which is necessary when it comes to writing and navigating our mark making tools.

Since my last report we have had three matchers that finished 10-0 and we were on the wrong end of these in two away games at Brantham and Chelmondiston. In between these was a win against Copdock, but best we could hope for was second place.

The last game of the season was at Stutton who had been getting good results and at one time were in with an outside chance to win the league, but we finished with an 8-2 win to keep second place.

If you would like any information about Robin’s Childcare please contact Vicki on 01473 310767, visit www.robinschildcare.co.uk or follow us on Twitter/Facebook.

Our winter league season starts in October.

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SPORT / ON THE GRAPEVINE CAPEL PLOUGH FOOTBALL CLUB The village football club which was founded in 1969 ran for several seasons with just two teams, one Saturday and one Sunday before a youth team was started during the nineteen eighties.

This season sees the club create a record by running 13 sides, four adult teams and nine youth teams with more than 80 adults signed on as well as more than 120 youngsters. All this takes a lot of work and the club are very grateful to all those you give up their spare time to help run what is now one of the biggest football clubs in Suffolk.

The Saturday first team have now been in the Senior Division of the Suffolk and Ipswich League for 18 years and for those who like their stats this league is nine leagues below the league that Ipswich Town play in and 10 leagues below the Premier League. Food for thought.

After playing several friendlies the league season started with a 2-0 defeat against Felixstowe United but was followed by a terrific 2-1 win

BENTLEY BOWLS CLUB The season has now finished with us coming bottom in the Samford League and we will go down to the second division next season. However, we did come top in the Triples League Division 1 after nearly being relegated last season. Well done to all our players.

Our club competitions have now been completed with Martin Porter winning the men's 2-woods and Barry Ford runner-up.

Martin also won the 4-woods with Barry again runner-up.

We shall be having our green maintenance day at the end of September when we shall top dress the green and put it to bed for the winter.

over last season’s champions Crane Sports thanks to goals from captain Miles Donovan and Daniel Alderson.

We have some attractive games coming up in October with homes games against Bramford United on the 10th, Sudbury Town Reserves in the Suffolk Senior Cup on the 17th and the local derby against East Bergholt on the 31st. Refreshments are available at all home games so give us a look and support your local side.

Next month a look at our other three adult sides and youth set up. The club runs a 100 club with a chance to win some cash and the recent winners were as follows: May: 1. M Foxhall; 2. A Wilshaw; 3. M Hall June: 1. C Woolgar; 2. S Mayhew; 3. N Ward Bob The Ploughman

WANT TO DO SOME EXERCISE OVER THE WINTER MONTHS? Why not try Badminton?

Claydon & District Badminton Club is a social badminton club which meets on Mondays from 7 to 9pm during school term time in Claydon High School Sports Hall. Although we are a popular club we have some space and you would be very welcome. If you fancy a game and you want to find out about us why not drop by any Monday night? Our season started in September.

For more information please contact Don Golding: 01473 747596 / don.golding@btinternet.com

EBONY’S BLOG: LIFE AT THE SHELLEY CENTRE For the last three years, while on loan to The Shelley Centre, Thyme has proved himself to be a very versatile and willing pony, much loved by those special riders at Shelley for whom he provided valuable therapy and also became a great friend. He took readily to the new skill of carriage driving which he greatly enjoyed, and with his owner, Lucy, he has kept himself extremely fit doing Pony Club events, show jumping, cross country and endurance riding, as well as his ‘day job’ with the disabled children and adults at Shelley. So we will miss him as he has now moved on to a new home, but thank him and his owners for his time with us at Shelley and hope he enjoys the next stage in his life.

Difficult to replace, but we are now looking for another Thyme – a 14hh ride and drive pony with a good temperament, on permanent loan or to buy. If you know of such a pony we would really like to hear from you. Please contact Lyn, our stable manager.

Our new term is progressing well and we are delighted to see a few new faces in our team of volunteers. September saw a working party of 20 very keen volunteers from BT who came to lift ragwort, cut grass, hedges and tidy the garden, as well as some carpentry work. We

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are very grateful to them all for their enthusiasm and assistance, as well as for their donation of some tools for our future use.

We are also grateful to all who took part in the long distance sponsored ride, to those of our helpers and supporter who spent the day stewarding the route, also to the local landowners who allowed us to cross some of their private property which made the route so enjoyable for the riders.

Our next fundraising event is an evening of frog racing at Nayland Village Hall on October 17 with a fish and chip supper. For details contact Di on 01473 658552. Sounds like fun so do come and join us.

The Shelley Centre for Therapeutic Riding, Layham Road, Shelley, Ipswich IP7 5QY www.rda-east.org.uk/shelley.html / 01473 824172

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ON THE GRAPEVINE

QUESTIONS ON CASH

with Independent Financial Adviser Nick Plumb

Are you Active or Passive?

Anne from Great Blakenham asks: “I keep seeing articles about passive ‘tracker’ funds and actively managed funds. Is active fund management better than passive fund management, and what’s the difference?”

One of the most fundamental and enduring debates within the world of investments is over the issue of whether active fund management is better than passive fund management.

Passive fund managers buy and hold portfolios that are designed to replicate the market, or part of it. By buying each stock in an index, or a broad representation of the stocks in an index, passive managers generally deliver returns that match their index, so in theory at least there will be no nasty surprises. A passive fund might track a particular sector, such as the FTSE 100 or the FTSE 250, or it might be the benchmark for a particular asset class, such as corporate bonds or property, or it might just track an asset, like precious metals or other natural resources.

Passive investing advocates argue that markets are efficient - that is, that the market takes into account all the available information about any particular security and prices it accordingly. So they believe there is little room to take advantage of mis-pricing because prices already reflect true value.

However, the proponents of active management argue that the market is not completely efficient, allowing smart investment managers to beat the market. Active managers seek to build portfolios that outperform a market benchmark, usually through a combination of stock selection and market timing. In some years, some active managers will succeed in outperforming their benchmark, while others will fail. A small number do beat the market on a regular basis.

At Plumb Financial Services, we believe that holding a combination of both active and passive managed funds will provide the best opportunity for longer-term investment growth.

We offer our clients a range of model portfolios that usually contain Multi-Asset or Multi-Manager funds. The portfolios are usually split 50/50 between a passive fund and an active fund within that investor’s given risk profile. Each fund will typically contain up to 20 other individual funds within it, giving the investor access to around 40 funds in an economical format. Although they will be invested in just two main funds, their portfolio will actually contain a wide spread of investment assets spread over several geographic areas, providing diversity and reducing volatility.

No single fund manager is the top performer in all investment sectors and most fund managers have their specialist sectors or a sector in which they are known to have particular knowledge or ability. That is where the MultiManager and Multi-Asset funds come into their own, as the fund manager can cherry pick the best funds and assets for his or her portfolio.

Holding both active and passive portfolios will give the individual investor a balance between the passive and active positions, both of which are constantly managed to suit the identified risk profile of the investor at all times. We believe that this gives an investor the best opportunity to benefit from both styles of fund management within their identified risk profile, thus increasing the chances of better returns over the longer-term.

In other words, having a ‘bit of both’ is probably the best investment strategy.

Nick Plumb is an Independent Financial Adviser and Practice Principal at Plumb Financial Services. Post your questions to Nick at Plumb Financial Services, Baylham Business Centre, Lower Street, Baylham, Suffolk IP6 8JP, email nickplumb@aol.com, or call Nick on 01473 830301. Nick’s opinions and views in this column are provided only as a general guide and do not constitute personal financial advice. Any readers who require advice should contact Nick to arrange a complimentary initial consultation to discuss their own position and requirements. Plumb Financial Services is regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

CITIZENS ADVICE WARNS ABOUT ‘BOGUS SELF-EMPLOYMENT’ Citizens Advice says that people working for themselves could be bogusly self-employed, meaning workers miss out on holiday pay, government loses tax revenue and responsible businesses could be undercut.

In its new report, Neither One Thing Nor The Other, Citizens Advice reveals as many as 460,000 people could be ‘bogusly self-employed’ meaning workers miss out on holiday and have to pay extra National Insurance. The report also finds that bogus self-employment could cost the government up to £314m a year in lost tax and employer national insurance contributions.

Employers who want to do right by their staff can also lose out as firms forcing people into self-employment means the savings they make puts them at a competitive advantage to their rivals.

A combination of factors including work hours set by the employer, using the business’ equipment and having tax deducted from their pay by their employer could mean an individual should be an employee rather than self-employed.

Carol Eagles, manager at Mid Suffolk Citizens Advice said: “For many people in Suffolk self-employment is a fulfilling career choice. But Mid Suffolk Citizens Advice is concerned that some people are being forced into working for themselves, when in fact they have the right to be a regular employee and the benefits this brings. This can have a negative impact on workers and their income, as well as on local businesses who do right by their staff. If you are worried about your employment status or your rights at work then you can get in touch with Mid Suffolk Citizens Advice for help and support.”

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The research also identifies specific financial losses felt by the bogusly self-employed and the government: • An average of over £1,200 per worker per year is lost in holiday pay.

• People pay an extra £61 per year in National Insurance that they would not pay were they classified as employed.

• The loss of employer National Insurance contributions costs the government over £300 per person per year.

As part of Citizens Advice’s self-employment campaign it is calling on the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to use the government review into self-employment to address key issues including: • Clarity and consistency around the definition of self-employment.

• Support for people looking to save for retirement.

• Pay for parental leave.

Government departments, including the HMRC and the Department for Work and Pensions, have different definitions of self-employment, making it hard for workers and businesses to be clear about employee status.

The only way to prove employee status and secure the rights this provides is to go to an employment tribunal, a lengthy process which many cannot afford since fees were introduced in 2013. Last year research from Citizens Advice showed seven in 10 potentially successful cases are not pursued by people at employment tribunals.

The local CAB is at 19 Tower Street, Ipswich IP1 3BE, 01473 219777. The bureau can also be contacted at: www.ipswichcab.org.uk

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ON THE GRAPEVINE SUFFOLK CRUSE BEREAVEMENT CARE We are a charity set up to help bereaved people to understand their grief and cope with their loss.

We provide information, one to one support and offer advice, education and training services. We also have a specialist children and young people team.

If you would like to volunteer to support bereaved people, help on our area committee or with public-

ity and fundraising please contact us.

For help or information please telephone your local branch.

Ipswich: 01473 230888 Suffolk Coastal: 01394 670770 West Suffolk: 01284 767674 www.cruse.org.uk / www.suffolkcruse.co.uk

HEALTH TEAMS IN SUFFOLK LAUNCH NEW CHILDHOOD ILLNESSES APP

KENNY’S SESAW NEWS Oh dear! Kenny is so dog tired after his outing that he missed his deadline. Never mind, it’s Ollie to the rescue again with our news this month.

Our little mascot was a great hit at the IT Fleet Automotive Fun Day in Raydon and enjoyed meeting the lovely employees who are currently supporting several charities, including Sesaw.

Back at the sanctuary we have lots of black and black & white kittens this year. One poor girl had seven! Mother thinks herself quite the big game hunter, went out trapping and guess what?

Returned with more black cats!

Now the bonfire season is upon us please check for hibernating hedgehogs before you light up. There are so few of our prickly friends left to help in our gardens that each one is precious.

Our fundraisers are holding an autumn sale with a Christmas flavour on October 25 at Great Bentley Village Hall, 11am-4pm.

Our big Christmas Fair and Annual Draw will be held on November 15 at The Old School in Long Melford, 10am-3pm.

Kenneth may well fret over my little exposés, but I’ll save them for another time. Mother is in need of my company on her evening rounds, then it will be back to a nice warm hay barn for another 80 winks for me,

Councillor Tony Goldson and Dr Mark Shenton with health visitors and parents and children from Acorn Children Centre

Public Health Suffolk and Suffolk’s clinical commissioning groups have launched a comprehensive guide to common childhood illnesses aimed at parents and carers. The new childhood illnesses booklet and app will provide a helpful information package during times when they may need a bit of extra help or advice.

The free booklet, The Guide: Common Childhood Illnesses and Wellbeing in Suffolk, contains information on wellbeing, common illnesses and how to keep children safe and healthy. It also provides advice on when to consult the GP or health visitor and information on common illnesses such as chickenpox, colds, sore throats and ear infections.

Suffolk residents can also download and view the information on their phones and tablets via the App Store and Googleplay by searching Suffolk Child Health.

County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, said: “We’re very pleased that this handy tool will provide parents with vital information on many illnesses which can treated at home or by over the counter medicine. A child’s health and wellbeing is one of the most important things to a parent, and can also be their biggest worry.

“This guide is a fantastic idea that gives people an opportunity to learn more about their child’s health and to give advice on certain situations that could cause panic. As well as illnesses it also gives tips on healthy eating and breastfeeding and general tips to give Suffolk’s young people a healthy start to life.”

As well as a booklet, the information is available to view online in a downloadable form to be used by everyone, including children’s centres, health visitors and other healthcare professionals:

Councillor Tony Goldson, Suffolk

www.healthysuffolk.org.uk

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Ollie (the Black) Cat! Suffolk & Essex Small Animal Welfare, Stoke Road, Leavenheath CO6 4PP / 01787 210888 / www.sesaw.co.uk

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THE NORTH SAMFORD BENEFICE

Sproughton with Burstall, Copdock with Washbrook & Belstead and Bentley with Tattingstone For parish queries please contact:

COPDOCK FIREWORKS November 5 at Copdock Hall, starting at 6pm. Barbecue, refreshments, sweets and drinks will be available. Bonfire lighting at 6pm. Fantastic fireworks display at 7.15pm. Parking on site at Copdock Hall events venue, Church Lane, next to Copdock Church. Adults £5, children (under 16s) £2.

The Rev Annette Shannon The Rectory, Glebe Close, Sproughton, Ipswich IP8 3BQ revannettes@aol.co.uk / 01473 807674

SPROUGHTON FIREWORKS November 6 on the Millennium Green at 7pm. Barbecue, 7.15pm bonfire, 8pm fireworks. Large bonfire and great fireworks. Entrance is by donation: £4 adults / £2 children.

Benefice administrator Hayley Purnell northsamfordbenefice@gmail.com / 07713863023

Excellent barbecue selling reasonably priced food. This is a popular family event. Car parking at school and in village.

Can we sustain rural church ministry into the future?

Based on material from Canon Anna Norman-Walker Dear Friends, Unfortunately clergy’s ability to be a ‘good vicar’ is often compromised by ministering in multi-parish benefices. There are complexities and very real challenges facing rural churches in our country.

Congregations in our benefice on a Sunday usually number between 20 and 30, but local church goers are ageing, finances are strained and maintenance of church buildings has become almost an unsustainable task. Ordained ministry is thin on the ground with fewer clergy having oversight for more and more parishes and expectations on them inevitably set them up for failure.

This can create a vicious circle of feeling undervalued and overworked and seeing little or no fruit for their labors. Many blame a reduction in church numbers on the limited visibility of the village priest and the available time for general pastoral visiting. Morale among many rural clergy is at an all-time low.

Fortunately I am blessed with enthusiastic, supportive and generous licensed lay leaders and retired clergy who help to share the ministry.

Our churches continue to harness the commitment of local people to help finance the on-going life of the local church. Some have active ‘friends’ groups who are an enormous help. We are a dynamic, creative and productive lot in North Samford.

Where there has been suggestion in the past that a local church was due for closure people’s emotions ran high! Communities understand the village church as being ‘their church’ (even if they don’t attend on Sundays).

They do attend consistently for weddings, funerals, baptisms and ‘festival services’ such as Christmas (carols or midnight), harvest, remembrance, Mothering Sunday and Easter (although less so). There are local traditions which are part of the village stories, such as Christingle, school services, and social functions like the bowls competition, plant sales and firework displays which attract non-regulars to the church. The church buildings connect and unite people past, present and future. Loved ones are buried in the church yards, have walked down the aisle or have been baptised in the font. We are proud when our visitors’ books tell us that tourists or returners are pleased to find them open and well cared for and a haven of peace.

BURSTALL HARVEST SERVICE October 11 at 11am, with lunch to follow at 12.15pm.

TATTINGSTONE HARVEST SERVICE October 11 at 6pm with supper to follow.

COPDOCK HARVEST SUPPER October 9: information and tickets from Ruth Lincoln, 730430.

October 11: Harvest Service - gifts of tinned or packet food gratefully received and donated to West Villa for those in need of care and accommodation.

BENTLEY QUIZ NIGHT Saturday, October 17, 7.30pm. Tickets £6 in advance. Supper provided, bar and draw. Contact Ray (311122) or Sandra (310383).

BENEFICE PLANNING DAY October 10, 8.45 for a 9am start at Tattingstone Village Hall.

BELSTEAD CHRISTMAS MARKET November 28, 10am in the village hall.

FROM THE REGISTERS Funerals Mrs J Brown, Tattingstone Fredrick Rose, Copdock Baptisms Arielle Ejird Oghene Macaiver, Sproughton Max Alfred Broadley, Copdock Weddings James Baldry and Kim Marsh, Copdock Conor Ward and Amelia Olle, Sproughton Martin Dixon and Ruth Stewart, Copdock

But what if we begin to really struggle to be financially viable?

DIARY DATES

There is a new model of rural church being explored – festival church. Our benefice churches are not under threat of closure, but it is wise to follow such developments. Festival churches remain open to provide: occasional offices for those living in the parish (or with qualifying connection), a public act of worship on the major festivals (villages can opt in or out of which ever ones were deemed appropriate), and a maintained and insured building (watertight and wind proofed). The model raises some theological and pastoral concerns but promotes interesting discussions.

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The cost to ‘the village’ of becoming a festival church and saving a church from closure is determined by occasional office provision, cost of basic building maintenance and cleaning before festival services and occasional offices, the upkeep of church yard (if applicable) and insurance.

Keeping the church alive but reducing services would maintain the Anglican and diocesan connectedness to all the parishes in the diocese and retain the potential to ‘plant back’ into these buildings should a viable worshipping witnessing community develop in the future. And even more positively they can provide a catalyst in many rural communities for renewal and discipleship… food for thought.

Love and prayers, Annette

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Burstall Community Lunch, 12.30-2pm Bentley Coffee and Company, 10-11.30am Copdock and Washbrook monthly market, 10am Copdock PCC meeting Bentley Home Communions, 10am Copdock Havest Supper – Contact Ruth Lincoln, 730430 Sproughton monthly market, 10am Benefice Planning Day, Tattingstone Village Hall, 8.45am Burstall Harvest Service, 11am and lunch at 12.15pm Tattingstone Harvest Service and Supper, 6pm Copdock Harvest Service, 10am Burstall PCC meeting Bentley fundraising day Bentley Quiz Night, 7.30pm Ministry meeting at The Rectory, noon Copdock Home Communions, 18 Charlottes, Washbrook Sproughton Beetle Drive Tattingstone shoe box party packing up shoe boxes at the church, 10am-noon

In Touch online:

NOVEMBER 4 5

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Bentley Home Communion, 10am Burstall Community Lunch, 12.30pm Copdock fireworks Bentley Coffee and Company, 10am Sproughton fireworks Copdock and Washbrook monthly market, 10am Copdock PCC meeting Sproughton monthly market, 10am Ministry meeting Copdock Home Communions, 18 Charlottes, Washbrook, 10am Tattingstone PCC meeting Burstall coffee morning, 10.30am Sproughton Beetle Drive Belstead Christmas market in the village hall from 10am Sproughton Christmas Bazaar

SERVICES IN THE BENEFICE October 4 8am 9.30am 10am 10am 11am October 11 9.15am 10am 10am 11am 6pm

Copdock Burstall Bentley Copdock Sproughton

Sproughton Copdock Bentley Burstall Tattingstone

Holy Communion Holy Communion Family Service Morning Prayer Holy Communion

Croissant Church Harvest Service Holy Communion and Baptism Harvest Service Harvest Service

October 18 9.30am 10am 10am 11am 6pm

Burstall Copdock Bentley Sproughton Tattingstone

Holy Communion Simply Sunday Healing Service Holy Communion Holy Communion

October 25 8am 9.30am 10am 10am 10am 10am 11am

Sproughton Burstall Bentley Copdock Belstead Tattingtone Sproughton

Holy Communion Matins Holy Communion Holy Communion Morning Celebration Family Service The Fourth Sunday

November 1 8am 9.30am 10am 10am 10am 11am 4pm

Copdock Burstall Bentley Copdock Tattingstone Sproughton Sproughton

Holy Communion Holy Communion Family Service Morning Prayer Holy Communion Holy Communion Bereavement Service

November 8 9.30am Burstall 10am Copdock

10.15am Sproughton 10.50am Bentley War Memorial 10.50am Belstead War Memorial 10.50am Tattingstone War Memorial

Remembrance Service Remembrance Service and Holy Communion Remembrance Service Act of Remembrance Act of Remembrance Act of Remembrance

Church letters and copy for the November edition of In Touch to Hayley Purnell by November 4 please: northsamfordbenefice@gmail.com

CAPEL ST MARY AND HOLBROOK METHODIST CHURCHES FROM FEAR TO LOVE What is your reaction to the refugee/migrant crisis? My heart has been both touched and horrified by some of the reactions. There have been some amazingly gracious and generous responses. The applause from predominantly German people as people arrived at Munich station was such a contrast to the brutal tactics of the police in Hungary. The overwhelming generosity of volunteers of CalAid contrasts with the mercenary nature of the traffickers making excessive money from facilitating journeys to and across Europe and the callousness of crowding people onto flimsy unseaworthy vessels to cross the seas. There is also the contrast between those who say that no refugees, asylum seekers or migrants should come to our shores and those who believe we should offer sanctuary, and even those who have offered a room or two in their own homes.

But what is the right thing to do? There are no easy or simple answers and our politicians need our prayers and support in making pragmatic decisions in the wake of the humanitarian disaster which is far from over.

Most of us reading this article won’t be in a position to make the big decisions but we can influence the way we as a society responds to this situation. Many of us have already responded by giving (either money or clothing or food) to the variety of charities that are working with refugees, migrants and asylum seekers and that is wonderful.

Situations like this bring out both the best and the worst in people and some of the rhetoric has been disturbing. Some have used negative or offensive words in describing the people who are on the move which encourages us to treat them as less than human. Then if we think that they are less than human we can treat them badly. The history of the world is littered with some groups of people belittling others and then treating them badly. All of the people on the move are human beings, they have a mother and father, siblings and children. They are escaping war or

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persecution or abject poverty, they haven’t taken the decision lightly (but may have hurriedly left in imminent danger). They have each made an immense sacrifice in leaving homes, possessions and relatives behind and with no security for the future, but depending on the compassion and mercy of others.

Often what drives negative views of people is fear of people who are different from us, fear of our comfortable way of life being invaded by others, fear it may cost us more, and when we are fearful we put up barriers and turn away from need. Some newspapers, commentators, politicians by their rhetoric fuel these fears and increase hostility. For myself, I cannot be indifferent to need, I recognise that each one is a human being like me, each one has values and family. None of us can solve the problem on our own, but each of us can change our attitude from fear and hostility to love and compassion.

Andrew Sankey, Minister at Capel and Holbrook Methodist Churches 8 Roundridge Road, Capel St Mary IP9 2UG apsankey@gmail.com / 01473 311178 / 07726 299968 CAPEL ST MARY METHODIST Sunday 4 10.30am Worship with Alyson Ellis & Jim Jesudoss

6pm Prayer Sunday 11 10.30am Worship with Stephen Walker Sunday 18 10.30am Worship with Andy Jelfs Sunday 25 10.30am Communion with The Rev Andrew Sankey HOLBROOK METHODIST Sunday 4 10am Worship with The Rev Andrew Sankey Sunday 11 10am Communion with The Rev Michael Allen Sunday 18 10am Worship with The Rev Michael Cassidy Sunday 25 10am Worship with The Rev Jo Jacobs Something Different with The Rev Andrew Sankey

6.30pm

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