In Touch with Shotley - May 2016

In Touch

™ ™ ©© ™©

with Chelmondiston, Erwarton, Harkstead, Holbrook, Pin Mill, Shotley, Stutton & Woolverstone Volume 6 • Issue No. 6 • MAY 2016

Image by Peter Cutts

2

In Touch online:

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR Yesterday we had thunder, lightening, rain, hailstones… Today the most glorious spring day of the year so far. I think this is it! I can feel it in my bones. Summer is finally on the way. Time to get out the sun cream, to pack away the woolly jumpers and to open the doors and windows and let the fresh air in. At last!

It’s a busy, busy year with many extra events to celebrate the Queen’s 90th Birthday in addition to annual fun days, galas, regattas, fairs and fetes. There isn’t a single weekend between now and the end of June when there isn’t at least one event every Saturday and Sunday and many more on Bank Holiday Mondays. I’m currently trying to organise a Star Wars birthday party for my six-year-old son and the kitchen table is covered in scrapped invitation cards (Jack was writing the names!), lists (food, games, shopping, goodie bags, decorations), recipes (Chewy Wookiee Cookies look particularly challenging!), and information about keeping rabbits! Don’t ask! This I have to do but those who plan, organise and promote local events often do so by choice and I can only imagine how much time and energy, never mind the blood, sweat and tears, they invest to bring it all together and pack it all away again.

I’m hoping at least 10 of Jack’s friends turn up, but at least I’ll know in advance and can plan accordingly. I may not need 16 inflatable lightsabers after all and I may be eating Obo-Wan Kabobies for a month, but I’m not sure I could cope with not knowing if anyone would turn up! Yet our valiant teams of local event organisers do it year after year, hoping the weather will play along, hoping their neighbours will roll up, hoping there will be a sufficient number of people to make all the effort worthwhile, hoping to raise a significant sum for the cause, whatever it may be.

Surely the least we can do is turn up. Make the effort this year and you may find new reasons to appreciate your local community.

In Touch

with Chelmondiston, Erwarton, Harkstead, Holbrook, Pin Mill, Shotley, Stutton & Woolverstone In Touch with Shotley, Pin Mill & Woolverstone 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: shotley@intouchnews.co.uk Readers are invited to submit articles, illustrations and photographs for publication. The publishers reserve the right to amend such submissions and cannot accept responsibility for any loss.

Advertising Email: advertising@intouchnews.co.uk

01473 400380 Distribution Tree Martin Email: tree@intouchnews.co.uk

01473 400380 Printing Colourplan Print Email: steve@colourplan.co.uk

01473 400379 Disclaimer: The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Every effort is taken to ensure that the contents of this magazine are accurate but the publisher cannot assume any responsibility for errors or omissions.While reasonable care is taken when accepting advertisements or editorial, the publisher/editor will not accept responsibility for any unsatisfactory transactions and also reserves the right to refuse to include advertising or editorial. They will, however immediately investigate any written complaints. © Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, either wholly or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. © In Touch with Kesgrave & Rushmere is published by Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd as part of the “In Touch with . . . ” series of magazines.

We also publish

IN TOUCH WITH...

• Hadleigh • Stowmarket • Capel St Mary • East Bergholt, Dedham & Flatford • Needham Market, Creeting St Mary & Creeting St Peter • Sproughton & Burstall • Claydon, Barham & Henley • Manningtree, Mistley, Lawford & Brantham • Kesgrave & Rushmere • Bramford, Offton & Somersham • Woodbridge & Melton • Gt. & Lt. Blakenham, Baylham & Nettlestead • Westerfield, Witnesham & Tuddenham St. Martin • Copdock, Washbrook, Belstead, Bentley & Tattingstone • Ipswich East, Broke Hall, Ravenswood & Warren Heath • Martlesham Heath & Old Martlesham

IN TOUCH WITH . . .

JUNE DEADLINE 10 MAY 2016 is the final date for both advertising & editorial copy

www.keepingintouchwith.com/shotley

NEWS LEGAL CHALLENGE TO HMS GANGES DEVELOPMENT – LATEST Woolverstone’s long campaign to protect Shotley Peninsula from more traffic, urbanisation and overdevelopment has entered a decisive stage.

Our move to judicially review Babergh’s decision to approve 285 new houses, a hotel, care home, and business units on the site of the former HMS Ganges at Shotley has been given the go ahead by the High Court. A judge has now said we have an arguable case to take forward.

We have always supported redevelopment of the Ganges site, but only on an appropriate scale. The current proposal – in addition to the Marina development of 150 houses – will overwhelm the B1456, the only route in and out of the peninsula, causing unacceptable environmental damage to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and our designated conservation village. Local housing needs can be met without it. In 2006 all the peninsula parishes united to oppose the original plan to build 500 houses, then reduced to 325. Together we fought and won a public inquiry when the secretary of state rejected the scheme pointing out: “…the inaccessible, unsustainable nature of the proposal site and the harm to the environment arising from the increase in traffic that would be generated... the site is not within an urban area, nor is it an urban extension nor is it located around any node in a good public corridor.”

Babergh itself classified the location as ‘non-sustainable’. It’s on the tip of a peninsula at the end of a 10-mile narrow twisting road liable to flooding. (See YouTube video B1456 – Road on Overload).

This current plan is on a similar scale. It does not address the criteria for sustainability, nor take into account the effect on neighbouring villages.

The developer’s own figures indicate a traffic increase of 30-38% – a huge number of additional vehicles on the road making upwards of 3,000 extra trips a day. The developer’s guaranteed contribution of £1M to mitigate impacts on the community is wholly inadequate. A possible additional £5m is entirely dependent on the scheme making a profit of over 20%, which in the current economic climate is far from certain.

Change is inevitable, but we want change for the good. Sustainability is about meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. What we are facing – the increased volume of traffic, danger, noise, vibration, emissions and community severance – would degrade and destroy our environment irrevocably for all time, for our children and grandchildren.

If you care about the beauty and tranquillity of Shotley Peninsula you can help by supporting our fundraising activities and/or by signing the enclosed pledge form. Just £5 from everyone on the peninsula would cover our legal costs.

Laurie Mayer For more information contact Simon Pearce, chairman of Woolverstone Parish Council: 01473 780009

HOLBROOK GARDEN PARTY From 2.30pm on Sunday, June 12 there will be a party at Holbrook Village Hall to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. All residents of Holbrook are invited to join in the celebrations, please bring food to share with others. There will tea and coffee provided along with squash for the children. We hope to arrange games for the children.

Tables and chairs will be set up on the village hall green, but in the event of rain the party will go ahead in the hall.

3

NEWS SHOTLEY MARINA

HOLBROOK PARISH COUNCIL

This may help to allay certain fears and correct some misapprehensions regarding a recent application to vary conditions to a long-standing building application by Shotley Marina, Reference B/15/00641/ROC.

Key points from the parish council meeting held March 21

The fact is, the marina have had permission to use Bristol Hill for construction traffic to build the first phase (70 homes) of a 150 home development since December 2006. That’s nearly 10 years. Since then major improvement to the road along from the Bristol Arms to the marina has been undertaken, and I’m sure most people would agree it has made a significantly positive impact to the area, especially safety.

Also, plans for the marina to use a spine road through the Ganges site have been frustrated by various delays.

These were two of the factors which prompted the marina to ask for a condition to be lifted. After consultation with Suffolk Highways and others, it was agreed traffic calming measures would be included as part of the S106.

The matter was heard at a planning committee meeting at Babergh and while there were people who spoke in favour, not one objector chose to attend or speak. I encompassed all concerns when I spoke at the meeting, including those from people who had contacted me. The application was approved by the planning committee.

It should be noted that contractors carrying out work have been using Bristol Hill, and the road through Ganges, for the past four months without any complaints or inconvenience as far as I’m aware.

Walkers are welcome We are fortunate to have many walking routes on the peninsula and I’m delighted to be invited to get involved in a national initiative called Walkers are Welcome. The idea is to make Shotley Peninsula a designated Walkers are Welcome area and I would love to garner your thoughts on this not-for-profit community initiative.

For more information visit www.walkersarewelcome.org.uk or contact me if you would like be be involved.

Get in touch Feel free to get in touch regarding any district council matters I may be able to help with. I endeavour to respond to all enquires as quick as possible.

Derek Davis derek.davis@babergh.gov.uk / 07824 167196

Reade Field Progress is being made on the list of maintenance tasks for the play equipment.

Light in the bus shelter The light in the bus shelter near the Compasses has been reported to Suffolk County Council as it is on during the day for considerable periods of time. This was found to be a fault at the top of the supply pole. UKPN have been investigating.

Vacancy for parish tree warden It was noted that Mr Paul Larkin is standing down as tree warden after many years of valuable service and support to the parish council and the village. The clerk has written a letter of thanks and has also advertised for a new tree warden. Anyone interested should see the poster on the noticeboard or the village website for further details.

The way forward for future improvements on Reade Field A discussion took place about the various improvements that could be made to Reade Field, including the idea put forward by the primary school governors that facilities for young people should be made available, and the possibility of fencing in the playground. It was agreed that this would be put on the agenda for the parish meeting as it would be appropriate to include other non-council representatives on a sub-committee. This would help to ensure that local needs were met, and also provide good support for any grant applications that may be made. It was suggested that a short and longer-term plan be established by the group to ensure that all types of funding opportunities could be maximised.

Alton Green Following a complaint from a member of the public, the chairman and the clerk had investigated a large quantity of rubble which had been placed on the green. The builders were of the understanding that this should have been removed by a local farmer in a more timely fashion, and had plans in place to make good any damage that had been done.

There has been on-going communication between the builders and the clerk and this matter should be resolved very soon. It was also noted that tree work had been undertaken on the trees belonging to HPC on the green, and that urgent works were required on a rotten ash tree. This has been approved because of the risk it presents.

Full minutes can be found at: www.holbrook.onesuffolk.net FLY A FLAG FOR THE COMMONWEALTH

SHOTLEY VILLAGE HALL The committee wishes to thank dog owners for the improved state of the grass surrounding the hall. The ‘poo’ bag dispenser has been well used. We do appreciate your care as many people use the grass, particularly the young and very young.

REFERENDUM DEBATE 7.30pm on Thursday, May 26 at Harkstead Village Hall We will be staging another one of our popular hustings, this time to give everyone the chance to listen to the pros and cons of Britain remaining in the European Economic Community. We will have a panel of politicians and other experts, including MP Ben Gummer, to answer your questions.

This is probably the most important decision that British people have had to make since the referendum of 1975, when we chose to stay in the Common Market, as we then knew it.

Come along and make your views known!

For details contact Kester Clarke: 01473 780564

4

On Monday, March 14, HPC chairman Simon Page and the clerk were invited to celebrate Commonwealth Day with the pupils and staff at Holbrook Primary School. Following a special assembly about the Commonwealth led by the headteacher Mrs Hookway, everyone gathered around the flag pole to hear the affirmation read out by Councillor Page and to see the Commonwealth Flag raised. Unfortunately there was very little wind that day but the children cheered nevertheless. The flag has been donated to the primary school by the parish council so that the event can be celebrated again in future years.

Questions or comments about parish council matters should be addressed in the first instance to the clerk, Mrs Ferial Rolfe: holbrookparishclerk@outlook.com / 07999 58 017

In Touch online:

www.keepingintouchwith.com/shotley

5

NEWS TEN TOP TIPS FOR SHED AND GARAGE SECURITY Sheds and garages have always been easy-pickings for thieves. While the police are doing everything they can to prevent, deter and detect these offences, homeowners also have a clear part to play if we are to reduce these thefts and keep your possessions where they should be – in your shed or garage, not in the thief’s. Please take a moment to read through these ten top tips and implement as many of the suggestions as you can.

1. Site the shed as close to your house as possible. This will make it harder for the thief to break-in without being noticed.

2. Add a perimeter of crunchy gravel around the shed or garage, and plant some nice thorny plants under the windows. Pyracantha, Berberis and Common Hawthorn are popular and effective.

3. Obscure shed and garage windows with net curtains or whitewash. A burglar seldom steals what he can’t see.

4. If your garage has a rear door, fit it with a 5-lever mortise lock certified to BS 3621. Try to do the same for your shed, but if the door is not suitable, fit a close-shackled padlock instead and ensure that the fittings are bolted into the shed, not just screwed.

5. For garage rear doors, fit hinge-bolts in the back edge of the door.

These prevent a thief from opening it by removing the hinges.

6. For sheds, if the door isn’t suitable for hinge bolts, make the hinges harder to remove by bolting them to the door or by drilling out the screw heads.

7. If your garage has an up-and-over door, you can secure it from the inside by drilling a hole in each runner, just above the wheel (with the door in the closed position). Snap a padlock through each hole and you now have a simple device to block the wheel’s movement and stop the door opening.

8. Secure cycles, mowers, strimmers, hedge-trimmers and the like with a lockable steel cable and ground anchor. Thieves like to work fast, so slow them down!

9. Visibly mark removable items. Thieves seldom steal property that can be traced back to its owner. Visible marking makes it obvious to a thief that the item is traceable.

10. Fit an alarm. If you have a house alarm, you should extend it to cover your garage. Otherwise, you can always invest in a simple batteryoperated alarm to protect your shed, garage, caravan or boat. Most have a volume of around 130db and few burglars will be able to stay in the protected area for more than a few seconds.

Lighting There are mixed views about lighting these days.

Movement-activated lights are not the deterrent they once were because they can be switched on by animals and moving trees. Accordingly, very few people react when their light comes on, and once you’re asleep, would you even know about it? To be effective, you need to be able to adjust the sensitivity so that only something human size will activate it. You should also try to find the type that has a buzzer plug that you can plug into your bedroom socket. This will buzz whenever the light comes on. If it’s properly adjusted, you shouldn’t get any false alarms.

CCTV Domestic CCTV is becoming increasingly popular and it can be acquired from many different retail sources such as catalogue showrooms and the Internet. There is currently no legislation that applies to domestic CCTV. As an individual, you cannot breach someone else’s Human Rights, and the Data Protection Act does not apply to you. However, as a good citizen, you should avoid allowing your camera/s to intrude upon your neighbour’s privacy.

CCTV tends to be reactive, so it’s important that cameras are wellplaced to give the best evidence. Here are a couple of tips for you about installing CCTV at your home: 1. Avoid just having wide-angle views of your house. It is pointless watching an offence being committed if the suspect is too small on the screen to be identified.

2. Use pinch-points. Choose an area such as a gateway that a suspect is likely to use and fit a camera that will capture him or her full face. Ensure that the image occupies a minimum of 50% of the screen. As long as you have at least one pinch-point covered, you can then use other cameras for wide-angle views to see what he or she gets up to.

3. Ensure that there is sufficient light for the cameras to work at night. If not then you should install some additional lighting, or use cameras fitted with infra-red lights. If the latter, ensure that the IR lights provide enough light for the cameras to see across the distance you want to observe.

4. Ensure that the equipment applies a time and date stamp to all the images.

Please note that the advice given does not guarantee that you will not be a victim of crime, but merely suggests measures that might deter criminal activity.

NEWS FROM HOLBROOK AND SHOTLEY SURGERY Training days Our next training afternoons will be on Thursday, May 19 and Wednesday, June 22 when we will be shut from 1pm. Please ring 111 for advice if your query cannot wait until the following day. In an emergency dial 999.

These dates are subject to change at short notice due to junior doctors strike action.

Goodbye and Welcome Karen Irwin has been a nurse at the practice for more than 12 years, but having agreed to extend her hours at Ravenswood Surgery she will be leaving us on April 22. We wish her the very best of luck for the future.

Our new nurse, Mary Brown, will be starting on April 18 and we look forward to welcoming her to the team.

Dementia Fidget Quilts The first batch of quilts is now ready to send to Ipswich Hospital and they

6

look beautiful. We will continue to collect these and have a small supply of wool and buttons, zips and accessories to add to quilts if anyone needs them. Please ask at Holbrook reception.

Sponsored Walks Mr Colin Redmonds is kindly undertaking the Orwell Walk on June 26 at the age of 83. He will be walking 25 miles to raise money for our surgery fund, which we use to buy equipment to benefit our patients. This has recently funded new chairs for the nurses’ rooms, two pulse oximeters and an ECG machine totalling over £2,000. Two of our staff are also taking part in the Midnight Walk for St Elizabeth Hospice on May 7. If you would like to sponsor either of these events, please complete a sponsorship form at Holbrook or Shotley surgeries.

Practice Manager Julia Smith

In Touch online:

Trusted by local families since 1925 47 St Helens Street Ipswich 01473 257242 283 Norwich Road Ipswich 01473 232837 Station Road Manningtree 01206 391855 139 Main Road Kesgrave 01473 860030

The East of England Co-op has been your local funeral service for 90 years.

We are not part of the national Co-operative Funeralcare chain based in Manchester.

www.keepingintouchwith.com/shotley

7

8

In Touch online:

OUT & ABOUT BATTLE OF JUTLAND DISPLAY AT HMS GANGES MUSEUM

SHOTLEY VILLAGE HALL AUCTION Our next auction is on Saturday, June 25. Doors open at 8.30 for a 9.30am start.

Book lots with Jim Catling (01473 788499 / james.catling@yahoo.co.uk) or Norman Bugg (787358).

Lots can be delivered to the hall on Thursday, June 23 from 10am-noon and 2-7pm. Viewing is available on Friday, June 24, 10am-noon and 2-7pm.

We accept general household goods, tools, collectables and small items of furniture.

The HMS Ganges Museum is now open for the summer season with an even greater number of fascinating artefacts donated by former trainees and staff.

This year the museum is focusing on two historic moments, the Battle of Jutland in 1916 and the closure of Ganges as a training base in 1976.

A special display highlighting the role ex-Ganges boys played in the famous North Atlantic battle is featured in the heroes room.

The museum, based at Shotley Gate, is open from 11am to 5pm, Saturday, Sunday and bank holiday Mondays.

Facebook / Twitter

AN EVENING OF OPEN VERSE All are welcome to join us at The Baker’s Arms in Harkstead for an evening of verse recital. Come along to listen or feel free to recite a poem, prose or folk song of your choice, or share your very own creation, followed by a delicious buffet.

2016 PROGRAMME Thursday, May 26: May Queen Thursday, June 30: Busting Out All Over Thursday, July 28: Abundance Thursday, September 29: Mellow Fruitfulness Thursday, October 27: Witches & Wizards Thursday, November 24: Earth, Wind, Fire & Water

We hope you all had a happy Easter and that the spring warms up for us all. We also hope you have been busy with your camera, preparing for our photographic show in September.

Holbrook’s one rather dubious claim to fame is that it is the home of England’s last case of the Bubonic Plague. With this in mind, we have asked Pip Wright to tell us more and we hope you will join us for Suffolk at the time of the Plague on Friday, April 29 at 7.30pm in the village hall / £3.

Pip, a local writer, will talk about the Bubonic Plague, with special reference to Ipswich in 1665 – and his response to the infamous Holbrook outbreak of 1912.

We do hope we shall see you there.

And more being planned! If you have ideas/requests do let us know: holbrooksociety@gmail.com

We meet at 7.30pm and break for the buffet at 8.30pm. £3 to cover buffet costs.

BATS PRESENT HOLIDAY SNAP ST MICHAEL’S MONTHLY MARKET The next monthly market at St Michael’s, The Church on the Park, Woolverstone is on Saturday, May 4, 9am-12.30pm.

A chance to buy a whole range of products from local people including fruit, vegetables, cakes, bread, meat from Woody’s butchery, sausage rolls, pastries and cheese.

There is also an interesting range of handcrafted items such as jewellery, cards and crochet items and we may also have pottery and antiques.

Outside you will find a selection of plants and small trees for your garden.

Come along to mingle with your friends, have a cup of coffee, a bacon buttie and enjoy the lovely venue.

www.keepingintouchwith.com/shotley

Holiday Snap, a comedy by Michael Pertwee and John Chapman, runs from Thursday, June 9 to Saturday 11 at Brantham Village Hall with performances at 7.30pm.

This tale of comic predicament and mistaken identity unfolds with real wit and style. A Portuguese time-share villa has been double-booked, but the company rep, the myopic tippler Commander ‘Chitto’ Chittenden, is in the dark. When Mary and Henry arrive shortly after Eve and Leslie, Chitto manages to remain unaware that there is more than one couple on the scene. Watch the confusion compound with the missing housekeeper and her husband. How will the arrival of Henry’s mother-in-law cause even more problems? Who is the real Sir Piers? Answer these questions by coming along to see this hilarious play.

Tickets are £7 and available from: Bakes & Blossoms Café at Acacia Court / 01206 396674 / 07891 974844 (text).

9

Choosing an Anchor care home for dad’s recuperation took a load off my mind Cared for day and night, he is warm, safe and eating freshly cooked meals. The friendly carers provide interesting activities and great company - he’s even made new friends. Soon, he’ll be back on his feet coming home rested and his old self once more.

More than 45 years’ experience. Not-for-profit group.

25% off* a short stay

Enjoy 25% off* your short stay at: Blackbrook House – Dedham (near Colchester) Canterbury House – Hadleigh (near Ipswich) St Mary’s – Holbrook (near Ipswich) The Firs – Felixstowe Devonshire House – Cavendish (near Sudbury) St Joseph’s – Sudbury

Call us FREE on 0808 115 3201 or visit www.anchor.org.uk/offer for more information *Valid 1/05/16 – 30/06/16. Terms and Conditions apply- call us or see website for details.

Dementia Friends Sessions at St Mary’s care home Tuesday 17 May 2016 11.30am, 2.00pm, 3.30pm and 6.30pm St Mary’s, Anchor’s residential care home in Holbrook, will be holding informative, fun and interactive sessions to aid a better understanding of dementia and help create a more dementia friendly community.

Each session will last an hour followed by refreshments. Participants will be awarded an information booklet and Dementia Friends badge to wear with pride.

What is Dementia Friends?

The Dementia Friends’ programme is The Alzheimer’s Society’s biggest initiative aimed to change perceptions of dementia. It sets out to transform the way the nation thinks, talks and acts about the condition. Dementia touches the lives of millions of people across the UK and Dementia Friends was launched to tackle the stigma and lack of understanding that can often lead to loneliness and social exclusion amongst people with the condition.

I don’t know anyone with dementia - can I still be involved?

Absolutely! A Dementia Friend is someone who has a better understanding of dementia so will know

how to act more sympathetically towards people with dementia, whether within your community or your workplace. From telling friends about the Dementia Friends programme to visiting someone you know living with dementia, every action counts.

Call to book your place If you and your work team or group wish to become a Dementia Friend, call St Mary’s now to book a place on 0800 085 2811 or email allison.lee@anchor.org.uk St Mary’s, Woodlands Road, Holbrook, IP9 2PS

OUT & ABOUT SHOTLEY OVER 60s CLUB We have a number of different outings this year and everyone is welcome to join us.

The first is on May 18. At this time of year the gardens at Bury St Edmunds Cathedral should be in full flower. We leave Shotley at 9am and depart from Bury at 2-2.15pm. We are taking names now.

On Wednesday, June 1 we are going to the Suffolk Show, leaving Shotley at 8.30am.

On Wednesday, June 22 we are going to Dunwich for lunch and a tour home. We leave Shotley at 9.15am.

On Tuesday, August 16 we have a visit to the Dad’s Army museum at Bressingham, leaving Shotley at 9am.

This June some of our wonderfully talented local artists will be opening their studio doors to welcome in the public.

The Shotley Peninsula Trail opens with a preview exhibition at St Mary’s Church, Harkstead on May 21 and 22, 11am-5pm. The artists will be there to meet, greet and show you around and refreshments will also be available.

On the weekends of June 4/5 and 11/12 each artist will open up their studios from 11am-5pm each day. They will show you their work, their studio space and talk about their work and the processes behind them.

There will be work for sale at the studios and at the exhibition, including pottery, mosaics, paintings, drawings, illustration, pastels, cards and gifts.

Come along and support these craftspeople who often work away in the confines of their studios, pouring their hearts and souls into their work.

For many art is their job, so on occasions like this they totally revel in the fact that others want to see and buy their work and learn from them.

In addition to the wonderful Suffolk Open Studios directory listing all the artists opening their studios, the artists on the Shotley Peninsula Trail have produced a local guide/map to help you. Both of these are available free from local businesses and from the artists themselves, so pick one up and plan a day out to be inspired and hopefully even treat yourself to a beautiful piece of work.

The artists on the peninsula trail for 2016 are Nick Carter, Chris Deacon, Rodney Freeman, Emma Graham, Janeanne Griffin, Louise Harward, Jill Hodgson, Usch Spettigue and Sue Stannard, all of whom look forward to seeing you.

In addition, two of the artists will be opening their studios on June 18, 19, 25 and 26.

For further information visit: www.suffolkopenstudios.org / www.facebook.com/Shotleyart.trailSOS2016

On Wednesday, November 23 we have a day trip to Taverham. This is a lovely day out with one large shop and quite a number of small shops.

We leave Shotley at 9.15am. Another year sorted.

Our forthcoming meetings are on Thursdays, May 12 and 26 and June 9, all from 1.50-4pm. Lifts are always available.

For information about the club or outings contact Norman and Eileen: 787358

SHOTLEY WALKING CLUB Seven members enjoyed a lovely walk around Freston on April 10, passing Freston Tower and the wonderful scenery across the River Orwell. The tide was very high so we had to go back and follow the path opposite the Old Boat Pub, before walking to the woods where the bluebells were coming out. Quite a lot of people were walking in the village and we walked around the lovely church and back to the start. The weather was nice, dry and sunny. Glenda joined us and enjoyed the walk for the first time in several years.

New faces are always welcome. Our next walk and meal will be on May 8.

The meal will be at the Stutton King’s Head at 12.30pm. The walk around Stutton and Alton Water will start from the pub at 2.30pm. Please let me know by May 1 if you are coming for lunch.

Jill, 787504

SHOTLEY CHURCH HERITAGE 700 CLUB March winners 1st £25 2nd £20 3rd £15 4th £8 5th £7

130 078 099 073 158

Mrs C Colman Mrs A Taylor Mrs E Bugg Mrs H Gent Mrs A Rudland

IPSWICH HOSPITAL BAND CELEBRATES 40th ANNIVERSARY

New members are always welcome. To join contact Norman on 787358.

The cost is £1 a month and can be paid quarterly, half yearly or annually.

Ipswich Hospital Band is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and is holding a celebratory concert on Saturday, July 9 to mark the occasion.

CHELMONDISTON OVER 60s

We would particularly like to invite past conductors and band members, including those who have learnt to play as beginners in our training band, to celebrate with us at the concert which, as well as playing some of our favourite music, will be a trip down memory lane.

Past conductors and members are invited to join current members for a get together party after the concert. Tickets are £5 and will include concert admission and after party refreshments. Admission to the concert will be by ticket only. We are hoping that many will come along to celebrate with us. To reserve a ticket please contact Betty Green: bgreen144@btinternet.com / 01473 725144

www.keepingintouchwith.com/shotley

In March we all enjoyed a musical afternoon with local musician Mike Reed and hope to have him back later in the year.

Our next outing has been arranged for Monday, June 13. We will enjoy a 2.15pm matinee performance of 90 Glorious Years, a celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s life in music from all the decades of her life, at the Spa Pavilion in Felixstowe, and a meal fterwards at the Shipwreck Shotley.

It’s just £20 per head with free return coach travel from Shotley and Chelmondiston. To book ring Mike or Michele Rutherford: 01473 780718 New members are always welcome to our Thursday meetings in the village hall, 2-4pm.

11

OUT & ABOUT SHOTLEY AND ERWARTON WI

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION: HOLBROOK & DISTRICT BRANCH Our annual Armed Forces Day Tea will be held at Holbrook Village Hall in The Street on Saturday, June 25, starting at 2.30pm.

Please make a note in your diaries of this opportunity to meet up with friends and neighbours. Everyone is welcome.

Our March meeting was nostalgic for many of us. Mr David Chadwick entertained us with songs from the 40s, 50s and 60s which we joined in with. The songs were interspersed with memories of events that took place during these years and he reminded us of the singers who made the songs famous. He was warmly thanked by Wendy.

Maureen Coulson gave a comprehensive report on the recent AGM at Trinity Park and told us that a tea towel had been produced depicting the bunting that had been made by the WI members (available for sale £5).

The coffee morning that was held on March 11 was well attended and more than £200 was made for the Meningitis Trust.

Our guest speaker will be Joyce Kimber, BA, LRAM and her talk will be followed by refreshments.

There were lots of clever entries for the competition of a peg doll dressed in one of the three eras our speaker mentioned and it was won by Elaine Flemming. Birthday posies were presented and the raffle drawn, ending a very enjoyable evening.

CRAFTERS UNLIMITED

For more information about the group, contact Jo (787311) or Lyn (788203).

Monday, May 9: 3D Decoupage Cards Monday, June 6: Talk and demonstration on basketry

VILLAGE LINK CLUB

Other kits available on the evenings. Samples of each month’s project are displayed the month before and other projects are available.

Our next meeting is on May 11 when Lesley Krohn will present a talk on Galapagos Islands Diving. This will be followed by our AGM.

The Saturday workshops (10am-4pm) and Monday meetings (7.3010pm) are held in Wherstead Village Hall Meeting Rooms.

Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month in Tattingstone Village Hall 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.

For more information contact Ann (01473 780298) or Jill (01473 713534).

SHOTLEY WHIST DRIVE The next drives are on Thursdays, May 19 and June 2, 1.50-4pm.

We play 12 games of whist before refreshments, including homemade cakes! We then have a draw before playing 12 more games.

Roger Felgate, 01473 311684 By the time you’ve read this magazine another child will have come into care.

We are always looking for new players to join us, any age from 21 years, male or female.

In all likelihood you read faster than I give you credit for, but still recent statistics from the Fostering Network suggest that on average in the UK one child comes into care every 20 minutes.

Lifts are always available.

Why?

For more information contact Norman and Eileen: 787358

The fact remains there are many reasons for a child to come into care: poverty, debt, homelessness, breakdown of relationships, war, drug and alcohol addiction, domestic violence, ill mental health, sexual abuse – the list goes on.

STOUR VALLEY MEN’S PROBUS CLUB On April 6 David Carman interviewed Hew Naylor, our new president, on his Desert Island Discs. It was interesting to hear of Hew’s views, life and achievements. On April 20 David Ablewhite spoke on George and Mary, the First Windsors.

On Wednesday, May 4 we have a musical event planned when Grant Elliot will talk about the history of jazz and on Wednesday, May 18 Harry Parsons will talk to us about the building of the Millennium Tower at Bury St Edmunds. We meet at the convenient St John Ambulance HQ, Manningtree CO11 1EB. Our club endeavours to be simple in structure, free of the constraints and obligations of service clubs and involve members at minimal cost.

The club is directed primarily to providing fellowship between members who are compatible with each other and the opportunity to develop acquaintances. New members are welcomed. We meet on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 10.30am.

For further details please contact Brian Rolfe: 01206 393665

12

The reasons are varied and as a result the needs of the children in care differ greatly. However, many of these children are looking to foster care to support them. The Fostering Network estimates that fostering services in England need to recruit approximately 7,600 foster carers this year to stand a chance of meeting this evergrowing demand.

“There is a massive shortfall of foster carers in this region,” says Eleanor Vanner, director of Eastern Fostering Services, an independent agency providing services in Essex and Suffolk. “People often don’t know why children can’t live with their birth families and labour under misconceptions around who can and can’t foster.”

Common themes are cited as barriers to fostering: being in full time employment, being a single parent, not owning your own home, being too young or too old, not fitting the mould. Eleanor says that very few applications to foster are rejected for any of these reasons: “Children come in all shapes and sizes and so should foster carers so that the differing needs of all children can be met.”

If you would like to find out more about fostering please visit: www.easternfosteringservices.com

In Touch online:

www.keepingintouchwith.com/shotley

13

Riverside Restaurant Lunch Special

Monday ~ Friday 12noon ~ 4pm

2 Course meal £13.95 3 Course meal £16.95 Choice of 5 starters, mains & desserts

Breakfast

Served from 8am Saturday & Sunday 9am Monday ~ Friday

14

Enjoy a meal... with a View...

In Touch online:

Woolverstone Marina Steak Evenings for Two Tuesday ~ Friday from 5pm

2 x 8oz Rump £19.95 2 x 8oz Sirloin £ 22.95 2 x 8oz Rib-Eye £22.95 2 x Rack of Ribs £19.95

All served with chunky chips, peas or salad

( offer ends Friday 27th May 2016.& excludes bank holidays )

Tel. 01473 780 803

Seating for 55 inside & 80 outside www.keepingintouchwith.com/shotley

15

OUT & ABOUT 1st SHOTLEY SCOUTS Community Garden As you may have seen, there have been some changes in the village hall car park. Our wonderful group scout leader decided that we needed another local project and this took on the form of the community garden.

Some of you may remember that this was a group of bushes/trees in the centre of the car park.

We started with our scouts using saws and axes to cut back as much of the growth as possible. This got it back to ground level and a full trailer of garden waste was taken to the tip. Next came getting the roots out, but after two leaders broke forks trying to dig out the roots, we had to call for help and thank Mr G Frost of B&H building services for his assistance. We finally managed to get the ground clear of roots which left us with clear ground ready to re-plant. As luck would have it, we had been donated fruit trees from the Suffolk AONB as part of their community orchard project. We then planted three of the trees in this patch with the others going along the side of the scout hut.

When Shotley was awarded village of the year, part of the prize was a £50 garden voucher which the parish council donated to the scout group.

This was exchanged at Wyevale Garden Centre for some lavender and alpine plants. We are informed these are the best types of plants for the soil conditions in the car park.

Thanks to MSCM construction for letting us take some of the pallets from the building of the two houses near the post office. With the help of a hammer, saw and some elbow grease, these were transformed into the small fence around the area.

Hopefully the community will be able to enjoy the ‘fruits’ of our labour in the years to come.

First camp of the season The first weekend in April saw the cubs, scouts and young leaders doing the first camp of the year. We spent a long weekend camping at a very nice self-contained site at Bures we hadn’t tried before. We packed the trailer with everything from axes to sleeping bags, Trangias to rope and enjoyed the sunshine while setting up the camp. This included putting up the four new tents that we had just purchased.

We had a good, but wet weekend. The scouts did a 12-mile cycle ride (starting on their cycling badge early), finding all the valleys and very large hills (slight inclines as the scout leaders told us). We are very proud of all the scouts for managing this and we only needed one pit stop to change a tire.

The cubs were not to be outdone and they went on a dragon hunt. Local legend said that many years ago the local people had problems with dragons, so we thought that we would find the dragon and get the cubs to chase it away. After a gentle walk around the area we did indeed find the dragon. He is now carved into the side of the hill! No chasing needed.

We spent a lot of time on the camp site going over the basic skills of

SHOTLEY ART GROUP We are now in our fourth year.

The group comprises absolute beginners and mature painters who use a number of mediums including watercolours, acrylics and pastels. The group meets every Friday from 1-4pm with a break for refreshments. Tutoring is available at no extra charge. We have some spaces to fill so why not come and join us in the large meeting room at Shotley Village Hall? You will be made very welcome. If you would like more information please contact Jim Kemp: 01473 787864

16

pioneering, whittling, backwards cooking and den building, and even had a go at rifle shooting. We even had a camp fire in the rain (and thunderstorm). There’s nothing better than wet smores!

It was a good first camp, hopefully the first of many this term. Thanks to all the leaders and helpers, especially those parents who made cake.

Our luck ran out Unfortunately we had some very bad luck when we got the wet tents back from camp. As they needed drying, Sarah from the Rose pub allowed us to put them up on the football field at the back of the pub.

However, while they were drying we had some freak gusts of wind and one of our new tents was ripped from the ground (tent pegs and all) and was found sitting in a hawthorn bush. It had suffered several tears to the fabric and a shattered pole. If that wasn’t bad enough the cook’s tent (a three metre by three metre marquee) flew over an eight-foot hedge and landed in the field next door, breaking into a number of pieces. It’s beyond repair. Luckily the rest of the tents remained unharmed but it has been estimated that we have lost more than £2,000 worth of equipment.

We have contacted our insurance company and are hoping that it won’t take too long, so we should be ready for the next camp. Luckily no one was hurt during this incident as the tents were empty while drying. I would like to thank the Sago family for their help in chasing after the tents and all the leaders who helped save the rest of the tents.

New term With the new term started all sections have been trying to make the best of the lighter evenings and getting the children out and about. You may have seen them in the local area. We are always pleased to stop and say hello. So on that note here are a few details just in case you have a child who is aged between six and 18. We have space for you! Our beavers are aged 6-8, our cubs are aged 8-10½, scouts 10½-14 and explorers 14-18. If you would like information about any section please contact Jane: 01473 787416

CHELMONDISTON & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Meetings are at 7.30pm in Chelmo Village Hall.

Tuesday, April 26: Simon Leatherdale will present a talk on Maritime Woodland.

Schedules for the show on July 26 will be available at this meeting.

Tuesday, May 31: Quiz night and buffet We have decided to arrange a trip to Bressingham at the beginning of July. This will be open to all, members and non-members. If you are interested, watch this space for more information.

In Touch online:

www.keepingintouchwith.com/shotley

17

18

In Touch online:

OUT & ABOUT / SCHOOLS 1st SAMFORD VALLEY SCOUT GROUP (HOLBROOK) We’re really pleased to welcome a new member to our team. Brad Purse lives in Holbrook and will be joining us as an assistant scout leader, running weekly meetings, camps and other adventurous activities alongside our scout leader, David.

Brad grew up in South Africa, which is where he has done all his scouting so far. We thought this sounded interesting so sent James, one of our young leaders, along to ask him a few questions.

How did you get involved in scouting?

I first joined Nahoon Sea Cubs when I was nine as I was looking for a club where I could do a wide range of activities. I stayed on for scouts and once I was 18 became a scout leader in a land based troop for a couple of years before I moved to the UK. What was your best scouting moment?

That would have to be getting my Springbok Award (the South African equivalent of the Queen’s Scout Award). It had been 20 years since anyone from my troop had got it.

My Patrol Leader Training Unit would be a close second. That was two weeks of camping where we were entirely responsible for our camp and had to carry out pioneering projects (building with wooden poles and ropes) and other leadership and teamwork tasks. I made lifelong friends on that camp and it led to me taking part in national jamborees and then to my Springbok Award.

Which activities do you hope to do with our scouts?

I love water sports so I hope we’ll be able to do plenty of kayaking and sailing, along with traditional scouting activities like camping and pioneering.

What differences do you think there will be between scouting in South Africa and scouting here?

Of course in South Africa the weather meant we could meet outdoors all year round, which was great. It was also less risk averse than scouting in the UK probably is. We once set up camp on rafts we had built ourselves, anchored near a river mouth. A storm blew up overnight and we had to be rescued by the leaders (who were sleeping on dry land). I don’t think we’d get away with that here.

What’s the best place you’ve ever camped?

Definitely the Cederberg Mountains in the Western Cape. We spent three weeks wild camping – no toilets, showers or running water, just the stream running through the campsite. We could hear the baboons calling to each other at night – and we knew that leopards and snakes weren’t too far away either.

SHOTLEY GARDENING CLUB As I write the rain continues to fall and I have just cancelled the planned visit to RHS Hyde Hall. I hope we will be able to reschedule this outing later in the year.

The club’s annual holiday to Shropshire begins on May 16 and is now fully booked and ready to go.

Graham Procter of Crown Nursey will be talking about Summer Colour in the Garden at our meeting on Monday, May 9 in the village hall. Graham usually brings a lot of very nice plants with him and is one of our regular and very popular speakers. Visitors to this meeting will be very welcome; we only ask £1 for a first visit.

STOUR VALLEY U3A On Wednesday, April 13 Rebecca Parry BSc, director of conservation, education and research, spoke on zoos and conservation. Her talk included the history of zoological collections, including Colchester Zoo, the zoo’s current modern roles, its breeding programmes and conservation projects in the wild.

On Wednesday, May 11 Dr Roger Simpson BFA Calgary, MA Victoria and PhD Essex University, will present a talk entitled John Constable – Man in a Landscape. Perhaps we have seen The Hay Wain so often that we no longer see it at all. Was Constable one of the greatest religious painters that this country has ever produced?

We meet at Constable Hall, Gandish Road, East Bergholt CO7 6TP at 2.15pm. Annual membership is £12 and this entitles members to attend the meetings that take place on the second Wednesday of each month, except August and December.

Our main purpose is to encourage lifelong learning for those who are no longer in full time employment and emphasis is always placed on making learning active and fun as well as helping in developing friendships. We have a wide range of groups including language study, country walking, computer studies and gardens, churches and historic buildings. In the main, membership is drawn from communities in the lower Stour Valley and adjacent areas including Brantham, Capel St Mary, Dedham, East Bergholt, Holbrook, Lawford, Manningtree, Raydon and Stratford St Mary. We are affiliated to the ThirdAge Trust and have more than 200 members and 18 groups.

For further information please visit www.stourvalleyu3a.org.uk where membership secretary Val Pretty can be contacted.

STUTTON PRIMARY SCHOOL The school was a very busy place during the Easter Holidays when parents, teachers, children and governors gave the school a make-over. New curtains, cushions, plants and resources have been made or donated by volunteers and we have a very full term of activities planned.

We are delighted to welcome Kim Jervis as our senior teacher, and Ana Magalhaes as our KS1 teacher. Both have worked hard to create vibrant learning environments for our children.

We are taking part in the Great Suffolk Wellie Hunt: Key Stage 1 is collecting old wellies which they will upcycle and transform into a beautiful plant display. You could help by donating any unwanted or outgrown wellies. Watch out for the colourful display later in the term and updates on the website.

Another new initiative is The Daily Mile. Research has shown that children benefit physically and academically from the opportunity to run or walk a mile each day, so we are going to give it a go at Stutton. On three days a week the children will try and run or walk a mile around the school field. We will keep you updated on their progress and include some photos in the next issue of In Touch.

Alongside this and hard work towards the SATs early in May, the children will be exploring the Olympics in their creative curriculum, culminating in a visit to the Olympic Park in Stratford in July. Lots to look forward to.

Meetings are held at 7.30pm in the committee room; entrance beside the scout hut. Why not come and meet us?

If you would like to visit the school, you will be most welcome. Also, if you have any skills you would like to share with the children, please don’t hesitate to get into touch with us.

The competition is a photograph of a flower growing/grown in a member’s garden.

Contact: 01473 328531 / ad.stutton.p@talk21.com

June Edwards

www.keepingintouchwith.com/shotley

www.stutton.suffolk.sch.uk

19

SPORT CHELMONDISTON CARPET BOWLS This is why I love Pin Mill and the club. This photo was taken at a special Easter Sunday lunch when we enjoyed delicious food provided by the Hardings, with Jackie as chef, ably assisted by waiter and sous-chef Malcolm.

The inclement weather put a stop to the now traditional Pin Mill Duck Race, but it was only delayed. Let’s hope for better weather for the replay on Bank Holiday Monday, May 2.

After a series of delicious lunches provided over a six-week period by club members to keep up the strength of members fitting out their boats, we are now getting close to launch time and the start of sailing.

We have just finished our winter league fixtures and managed to avoid relegation by four points. It has been a very tough winter playing in the first division of the Suffolk Carpet Bowls League.

Played 16

Won 6

Drawn 1

Lost 9

Points 64

Nethertheless we are looking forward to the summer games which tend to be less intense. We welcomed several new players and hope that they enjoy the competition and social side of our club.

Our club competitions are soon to be played and we are sure of a good turnout. I will publish the results in the next edition.

Alan Storey

SHOTLEY ROSE BOWLS CLUB

A talk on April 2 was a good moment for club members to hear about the work of the Woolverstone Project which operates from Royal Harwich and Alton Reservoir, making it possible for anyone to go sailing, whatever their disability. If you want to know how this is achieved, visit: www.woolverstoneproject.org.uk

Under the guidance of Len Haines a number of members have worked hard since the end of the last playing season to improve the playing surface and facilities of the club.

Watch this space for more action and entertainment!

EAST BERGHOLT UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB

www.pmsc.org.uk / Facebook: PMSCSocial

IPSWICH RAVENS VOLLEYBALL Last month was the final tournament of the 6-a-side Suffolk Indoor Series, bringing an excellent season to a close. This year the standard of Division 1 has risen substantially thanks to the addition of two very experienced teams from Diss and Norwich, the latter bringing several players who compete regularly at National League level. They have made a big contribution to raising the standard of play across all the clubs in Suffolk, and we owe them a correspondingly big vote of thanks.

Ipswich Ravens First team ended the season overall third in the Division 1 Series, and our Second team also finished overall third in the Division 2 Series. These were hugely creditable results considering this is only our second year in the competition, and the photos show us proudly wearing our medals.

Our players are really gelling together well now and benefiting from some excellent support work behind the scenes by our coaches, who work with all players from the most experienced down to complete beginners.

With the indoor season now over, our attention turns to our outdoor activities. We will once again be running open friendly volleyball games every Saturday in Christchurch Park from 2-4pm (weather permitting).

These sessions are completely free and open to anyone who wants to play, whether experienced or beginner, adult or junior, male or female. The sessions are run by our qualified coaches who will give help and advice to anyone who needs it to get started.

If you have ever been tempted to give volleyball a try this is a perfect opportunity. Just come along any Saturday afternoon wearing normal outdoor sports kit. You can even bring a friend or relative if you wish.

If you are interested in joining this growing sport, visit www.ipswichravens.org.uk or call/text: 07508 351875

20

The last month Inactivity as a result of Storm Katy and a couple of indifferent results had seen the First team concede top spot in the senior division. The team has still seven fixtures to play in April, which is quite a tough task. However, that is also true of our rivals for the title and fixture congestion often brings some odd results, so there is still everything to play for.

The Reserves have continued their good run of results and now look likely to finish as runners up.

The A team has now completed their fixtures and will finish in a very creditable third position in the table.

You can follow the progress of our teams at http://touchlinesil.co.uk/, referring to the Fixtures and Results tab, and selecting the appropriate date(s) and competitions.

Fixtures Tuesday, April 26: First Team v Capel Plough (H) Thursday, April 28: Reserves v Capel Plough Res (A) Saturday, April 30: Final matches of the 2015/16 season First Team v Grundisburgh (A) Reserves v Ipswich Valley Rangers Res (H) Fixtures are subject to change. To confirm please refer to http://tinyurl.com/hlv54p6 and chose the appropriate competition.

Events Saturday, May 21: Awards Dinner We are always looking for people who can help the club as a committee member, whether it be on the playing side or just in the background.

If you would like to sponsor the club in some capacity we would also be delighted to hear from you.

EBUFC is a community club with very strong village traditions. The majority of the players either live in, or have links to, the village. Please come along and give us a look sometime.

Steve Butcher, secretary: stevebutcher55@btinternet.com

In Touch online:

www.keepingintouchwith.com/shotley

21

First Impressions Beauty Salon Gate Farm Road, Shotley Gate

Celebrating 16 years of serving the Shotley peninsula Your first choice for waxing and permanent hair removal, Shellac manicure and pedicure, Eve Taylor facials and massage, lash and brow treatments, Sienna X spray tanning.

Easy parking on the premises - Opening hours to suit you Fully insured with BABTAC for all treatments For details of treatments and offers Visit 1stimpressionsbeauty.co.uk Call Lin on 01473 787429

22

In Touch online:

SPORT THERE IS MORE TO NEPTUNE YOUTH GROUP THAN SIMPLE SAILING T: I have also gained my Powerboat II and first aid qualifications which are both very useful for any future in water sports.

In Touch interviews Alessia Daniels and Tabitha Parker (both 15) who joined the Neptune Youth Group in Woolverstone aged 10. This summer they are both working towards becoming qualified Dinghy Instructors.

When did you start sailing?

A: When I was about eight at Bawdsey Sailing Club.

T: At the Royal Harwich from a really early age. Neptune has run all the training courses I have been involved with both at the Royal Harwich Yacht Club and through the Youth Group.

When did you join Neptune Youth Group?

A: In Year 6, when I turned 10 and I loved it because it was a small sailing group that wasn’t daunting. I started the sessions through my school, but then enjoyed it so much that I took part in the evening courses.

T: I joined Neptune Youth Group as soon as I could, when I was 10. I know the instructors really well, and they know how I sail, so every year I have consistent training and get better by being in a really supportive group of friends and instructors. Neptune’s a really friendly environment and the teaching is excellent. You go to the hut and it is an instantly relaxing place to be – it’s our sailing home.

What qualifications have you achieved with Neptune?

A & T: RYA 2-4, Ready to Race, Seamanship and we are working as Assistant Instructors, preparing for our Dinghy Instructor qualification this summer.

What have you gained most from your experiences at Neptune Youth Group?

A: You get to know loads of people – it’s a really social sport. You meet a range of different ages from different schools so it broadens your social network. Being an AI, you also learn how to take on responsibility, sharing your passion for sailing and sharing your teaching experience with other people.

T: Neptune is great fun socially and on the water! As well as learning sailing skills, I have really learned a lot about how to teach sailing to younger and older people, and to take responsibility for all aspects of dinghy sailing from rigging a boat, racing with spinnakers and safety on the water.

What do you hope to do in the future with your qualifications?

A: My Assistant Instructor volunteering at Neptune has counted towards my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. Becoming an instructor offers really good skills that we can apply elsewhere and it is a positive addition to any sixth form and university applications.

T: I would like to travel to foreign locations to teach sailing and also be in a sailing team at university. I would definitely consider a career in sailing and watersports.

How do you enjoy the practical aspect of sailing?

A: Sailing makes you feel alive, whatever the weather. If I was at home, I would be watching TV or working – and I don’t like running, so it’s brilliant exercise!

T: Sailing is great for stress release. We tend to chat a lot on the water and it’s really relaxing and therapeutic; we laugh a lot! When it’s really windy, being on a boat is exhilarating.

In one word – how would you sum up your experience at Neptune?

A: Fulfilling T: Fun To find out more about the courses on offer at Neptune Sailing and how to join the Neptune Youth Group, please visit: www.neptunesailing.org.uk

SHOTLEY POINT SAILING CLUB PUSH THE BOAT OUT Shotley Point Sailing Club, Shotley Sailing Club and Shotley Marina invite you and your families to come down to Shotley on the weekend of May 21 and 22 to experience the joys of sailing. We will have free taster sessions on both days in both yachts and dinghies.

Whether you are a complete novice or want to get back on the water, Shotley has plenty to offer. At Shotley Sailing Club we sail dinghies for pleasure and race them. We also have a fishing group within the club.

At Shotley Point Sailing Club they have motorboats and sailing cruisers, plus the use of facilities at the marina.

We start at 10am on Saturday and Sunday with lots going on throughout both days.

we are also doing an Italian themed meal. Numbers are limited to 30 so early booking plus a £5 deposit is required by May 14. To book call: 01473 787731 All the proceeds from food at Shotley Sailing Club will be donated to Action Medical Research for Children. We will also be having a raffle.

There is plenty going on throughout the weekend at both clubs. There will be talks on sailing, cruising, racing and fishing, as well as games and activities, so something for everyone. The RNLI will also be in attendance, along with other organisations to let you know what is going on in the community

Food and drink are available at the Shipwreck throughout the weekend.

No need to book – just come along and discover the sailing venues available to you.

Shotley Sailing Club offer morning coffee/tea and cake from 10am on Saturday and afternoon tea from noon on Sunday. On Saturday evening

For more information visit the Shotley Sailing Club Facebook page or just pop in and see us at the club. Hope to see you on the water.

www.keepingintouchwith.com/shotley

23

ON THE GRAPEVINE

QUESTIONS ON CASH With independent financial advisor Nick Plumb A platform for investment success?

Allan from Ipswich wrote to me to ask about investment platforms. He asked: “Our financial adviser is suggesting that my wife and I should move our existing investments onto a platform with Novia.

We have ISAs with different companies and Investment Bonds with Aviva and Prudential. Surely we would be better to keep these spread between several different companies rather than having all our eggs in the same basket?”

Investment platforms have become very popular in the last few years, for a number of reasons. Primarily, the main attraction of these platforms is investment choice. An investment platform will usually offer access to a range of investment wrappers, such as ISAs, collective investments, bonds and pensions, within which investors will have access to hundreds and, in some cases, thousands of individual investment funds and, in particular, to managed portfolios where a professional fund manager actively manages a portfolio of investments for you in line with your chosen risk profile.

No single fund manager will ever be top in all investment sectors and most fund managers have a specialist area in which they are known to have particular knowledge or ability. That is where a ‘portfolio’ manager will come into their own, as they can pick the very best investment managers and funds from each sector, thus giving you as an investor access to a wide choice of the best funds, rather than a range of funds that are ‘jack of all trades but master of none’.

You can also save money on charges by using a platform, particularly when you have older investments with high ongoing management charges, or if you currently have your ISAs with a lot of different fund managers. For example, in the case of Novia, our clients can access their platform for just 0.40% per annum with no initial charges deducted when you invest.

Most platform managers will also have negotiated discounted initial and ongoing charges with many top fund managers, so you can often end up paying less to access those funds through the Novia platform than you would by investing direct with the individual fund or portfolio managers.

Having all your investments on a platform is not really a case of ‘having all your eggs in the same basket’, as the platform manager would not actually hold your money. Your investments would actually be held by each of the fund or portfolio managers that your money would be invested with, so your exposure to any one company will be greatly reduced as your investments are likely to be spread across several different investment managers and funds.

A final benefit of using a platform is simplicity and ease of access to information. Although you can hold many different investments on the same platform, you will receive just one statement from the platform provider, showing all your individual investments and their values. You can also access your account online at any time and get up-to-date investment valuations in between your usual statement dates, arrange a withdrawal or income payment, and even conduct investment fund switches if you wish to.

All in all, a platform can be a good way to simplify your current investment arrangements, and reduce your ongoing charges.

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 telephone Nick on 01473 830301. Nick’s answers to reader’s questions 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.

24

In Touch online:

CHURCH NEWS CHELMONDISTON AND HOLBROOK METHODIST CHURCHES AUTHENTIC

Sunday 1

10am

I entered the darkened room, the curator shone her light to the floor to direct us in, but it was as though the darkness swallowed the light.

There were two fixed benches in the middle of this space and a video installation was just beginning. It was complete darkness. I turned the screen of my mobile on to find the benches, but it made no impression in the darkness and I had to cautiously move forward, feeling with my hands to find them. We sat to watch a Bill Viola video/sound installation at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (Tristan’s Ascension & Fire Woman). It was immersive art, with visual images, amazing sound touching some of the deep questions of life and death using people, water and fire. It is impossible to describe the experience and the emotions it touched. His art springs from his experience of life and death, a near death experience of almost drowning when he was a child and later watching his father die. In his installations, he seeks to be authentic, so it is real water and a proper drenching and real fire and the sound of fire. The audio is finetuned to fit the space in which this was installed, so you feel as though you are there. It was an immersive experience that you cannot replicate by watching a video clip of it. It is difficult to describe the experience in words, but it was profound.

Saturday 7

10-11.30am Coffee Morning

Sunday 8

10am

Worship with Rev Andrew Sankey

Thursday 12

2pm 7.30pm

Fellowship Group at 16 Ipswich Road Fellowship Group at Chapel

Friday 13

9am Tiddlers / 10am Family Live / 3.30pm Messy Church (HCT)

We stopped off at this sculpture park as we were returning from a conference at the Scarborough Spa where the theme had been Authentic – as the maker intended! We looked at Authentic Living, Authentic Giving, Authentic Mission and Authentic Community. Again you cannot convey five days of material in a few words. Authentic means real, genuine, and I certainly want to be real. I don’t want to put on a mask to pretend to be someone I am not, but how often do we try to live up to other people’s expectation of us? I want to live in a community which is authentic, people being real and true to themselves and caring for one another. There are some wonderful communities around, villages and suburbs and urban areas where there is genuine care for one another, but there are probably more where there is discord, hatred, fear and isolation. However, even within these places, small groups of people can and do learn to love one another and to be a transforming force within a fractious community. I believe I am called to live authentically as Jesus intended, to be part of an authentic community that is learning to love and care. This then gives us an authentic mission to make a difference in our authentic giving to one another. To receive this teaching on authenticity and then to be immersed in the video/sound installation of Bill Viola was truly life enhancing.

The Rev Andrew Sankey Minister at Chelmondiston and Holbrook Methodist Churches 8 Roundridge Road, Capel St Mary IP9 2UG apsankey@gmail.com / 01473 311178 / 07726 299968 CHELMONDISTON METHODIST Sunday 1 10.45am

6.30pm

Worship with Mr Bryan Nichols Worship and Communion with Rev Andrew Sankey

Sunday 8

Worship with Mr Martin Ellis Worship with Rev Diane Smith

10.45am 6.15pm

Sunday 15 10.45am

6.15pm

Worship and Communion with Rev Sankey Worship with Rev Michael Allen

Sunday 22

10.45am 6.15pm

Worship with Mr Bob Molton Songs of Praise

Sunday 29

10.45am 6.15pm

Worship with Rev Michael Ayden Worship with Rev Martin Dawes

HOLBROOK METHODIST / Holbrook Churches Together (HCT) Mondays

2-4pm

Tea and Chat (HCT)

www.keepingintouchwith.com/shotley

Sunday 15 10am

Worship with Mr Harry Chicken

Pentecost Family Service with Mrs Alicia Holmes

Wednesday 18 11am-4pm Knit In with soup lunch (HCT) Sunday 22 10am

6.30pm

Worship with Mrs Heather Bentley Something Different with Rev Sankey (HCT)

Tuesday 24

7.30pm

Fellowship Group at Chapel

Thursday 26

2pm

Fellowship Group at 16 Ipswich Road

Friday 27

9am Tiddlers / 10am Family Live (HCT)

Sunday 29

10am

Communion Service with Rev Allen

Please see the noticeboard on the front of the chapel for all events in May. For more information about Messy Church, Tiddlers and Family Live, contact Alicia Holmes: ajnholmes@gmail.com / 01473 658478

NOW RECRUITING JUNIOR ARTWORKER Mansion House Publishing, Ipswich seeks to recruit a junior artworker who is competent in InDesign and Photoshop to join our small and very busy team.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS At least one year’s experience in a studio environment The ability to work well within a team To work effectively under pressure and to tight deadlines A keen eye for detail Natural creative flair If you meet the criteria outlined above, or wish to discuss the position further, please contact our studio manager Jo Wain as soon as possible: jo@intouchnews.co.uk / 01473 400380 To see some of the publications we produce visit http://issuu.com/mansionhousepublishing or www.GrapevineLIVE.co.uk Mansion House Publishing 20 Wharfedale Road • Ipswich IP1 4JP

25

CHURCH NEWS SHORELINE BENEFICE

TWO RIVERS BENEFICE

ST ANDREW’S, CHELMONDISTON

ST PETER’S, STUTTON

May 1 9.15am May 5 7.30pm

May 8 9.15am May 15 11am

May 22 9.30am May 29 11am

May 1

May 8 May 15 May 22

Holy Communion Benefice Holy Communion at Harkstead (Ascension Day) Holy Communion Benefice Holy Communion and BBQ at Shotley (Pentecost) Family Service Benefice Holy Communion at Erwarton

ST MARY’S, ERWARTON May 1 11am May 5 7.30pm

May 8 11am May 15 11am

May 22 11am May 29 11am

Matins Benefice Holy Communion at Harkstead (Ascension Day) Holy Communion Benefice Holy Communion and BBQ at Shotley (Pentecost) Family Service Benefice Holy Communion

8am Holy Communion 10.30am Worship for All at Stutton Primary School 9.30am Holy Communion Benefice Pentecost Service in Woolverstone, 11am 11am Informal Service

ALL SAINTS, HOLBROOK May 1 May 8 May 15 May 22

9.30am Holy Communion 9.30am Matins Benefice Pentecost Service in Woolverstone, 11am 9.30am Holy Communion

ST MARY’S, WHERSTEAD May 1 May 8 May 15 May 22

11am Holy Communion 3pm Rogation Service Benefice Pentecost Service in Woolverstone, 11am 11am Morning Prayer

ST MARY’S, HARKSTEAD

ST PETER’S, FRESTON

May 1 9.30am May 5 7.30pm May 8 9.30am May 15 11am

May 22 9.30am May 29 11am

May 1 May 8 May 15 May 22 May 29

Holy Communion Benefice Holy Communion (Ascension Day) Morning Prayer Benefice Holy Communion and BBQ at Shotley (Pentecost) Family Service at Chelmondiston Benefice Holy Communion at Erwarton

ST MARY’S, SHOTLEY May 1 10.45am May 5 7.30pm

May 8 10.45am May 15 11am May 22 10.45am May 29 11am

Worship for All Benefice Holy Communion at Harkstead (Ascension Day) Holy Communion Benefice Holy Communion and BBQ (Pentecost) Holy Communion Benefice Holy Communion at Erwarton

Please check the website or the church noticeboards for any change to the service times and places.

11am Matins No Service Benefice Pentecost Service in Woolverstone, 11am No Service 11am Benefice Service in St Michaels

ST MICHAEL’S, WOOLVERSTONE May 1 11am Café Church Mon, May 2 Spring clean church and tidy churchyard, 10am-3pm

Followed by barbecue and beer for the workers!

May 8 11am Holy Communion Sat, May 14 Monthly Market, 9am-12.30pm May 15 11am Benefice Service followed by a soup lunch to

support Christian Aid May 15 7pm Pentecost Worship Taize style May 22 11am Worship the Woolverstone Way May 29 11am Benefice Service

Theme: Growing in God, Growing in Prayer

HOLY FAMILY ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, BRANTHAM Services for May Sunday 1 Sixth Sunday of Easter 9am Mass Tuesday 3 Ascension of The Lord 9.30am Morning Prayer 10am Mass Sunday 8 9am Mass Tuesday 10 9.20am Eucharistic Adoration 10am Mass Sunday 15 Pentecost Sunday 9am Mass: Children’s Liturgy Tuesday 17 9.30am Morning Prayer 10am Mass

26

Sunday 22 The Most Holy Trinity 9am Mass Tuesday 24 9.30am Morning Prayer 10am Mass Sunday 29 Corpus Christi 9am Mass Tuesday 31 9.30am Morning Prayer 10am Mass Parish priest: Fr Christopher Smith, 180 Hawthorn Drive, Ipswich 01473 684963 We are part of St Mark’s RC Parish, Ipswich. For up to date information please visit: www.stmarksparish.org.uk The weekly newsletter is displayed in the cabinet alongside the church front door.

In Touch online:

March Accounting & Taxation Services Ian Coombes FCCA MBA

• FREE initial consultation to discuss any tax, accounting and general business issues • Payroll, Auto Enrolment,VAT, Self Assessment, and full accounting service • Personable and professional tailored support • Fees agreed in advance • Out of office hours service available Individuals, self employed and limited companies

Please call Ian on: 01449 740285 / 07939 837939 E: ian@marchconsultingltd.co.uk

MID-SUFFOLK FENCING

SPECIALISTS IN QUALITY TIMBER FENCING

SUPPLY • ERECT • REPAIR

TIMBER & STEEL GATES DECKING PATIOS WOODEN BRIDGES FREE ESTIMATES 31 Alexander Drive, Needham Market IP6 8XG

www.midsuffolkfencing.co.uk

YOU GROW IT I’LL MOW IT

Dry Foam Upholstery Cleaning

GROUNDS & GARDEN MAINTENANCE We offer the following services all year round: Grass cutting • Garden clearance Fences & Gates • Patios & Paths Hedge Cutting • Tree Cutting Sheds • Summer Houses Digger & Dumper work

For a free quotation please call Nigel Coton 01449 721025 or 07801 515505

Dry Carpet Cleaning Professional Local Service For a FREE no obligation quotation

call John Burch: 07870 347486

Tel: 01449 721441

To advertise in this section, which appears in 17 magazines in areas across Suffolk and Essex, please contact a member of our sales team on 01473 400380

www.keepingintouchwith.com/shotley

27