In Touch with Sproughton - March 2016

In Touch with...

The best place to advertise your business services Delivered FREE to your door!

In Touch

™© ™©

with Burstall & Sproughton

Volume 6 • Issue No. 5 • MARCH 2016

Sproughton Mill by Peter Cutts Stowe Veterinary Centre

Moreton Hall Veterinary Centre

Ipswich Veterinary Centre

The Mustard Pot Veterinary Surgery

The Old Tea Room Veterinary Surgery

54 Bury Road, Stowmarket

2 Boldero Road, Bury St. Edmunds

Scrivener Drive, Ipswich

Coddenham Road, Needham Market

Station Road, Elmswell

Tel: 01449 613 130

Tel: 01284 747 000

Tel: 01473 555 000

Tel: 01449 722 198

Tel: 01359 241 761

2

In Touch online:

NEWS

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR I went along to an e-safety workshop for parents at Jack’s school last week and I’m still shaking my head in horror. I’m relatively tech-savvy, or at least I though I was, but I’m not what they call a ‘digital native’, i.e. a person born or brought up in the age of digital technology and familiar with computers and the internet from an early age. In fact I can remember being introduced to a fax machine in my first year at university and being utterly amazed that we could send a sheet of paper from one side of the room to the other! Those of us who aren’t digital natives acknowledge the wonder of digital technology and most of us use it daily, some more effectively that others, but I don’t suppose I will ever truly appreciate how ‘normal’ it is for natives like Jack. That said it is my responsibility to protect him from the negative aspects of digital communication ­– such as the possibility that someone could be watching him through the webcam on my iPad using a remote access tool! How creepy is that?

Taking what I’d learned at the e-safety session I went into Settings on the iPad and set all the appropriate restrictions. I also downloaded a child-friendly version of YouTube called YouTube Kids and a childfriendly browser. Jack hasn’t actually noticed the difference yet, but I know he’s not going to be bombarded with inappropriate content or accidentally follow links to sites which aren’t age appropriate. For now he’s safe, but kids being kids, I know he will challenge the boundaries and find ways to circumvent my efforts to control his digital adventures so I have to stay one step ahead at all times. Ironically there are some very useful websites you can visit to learn more about setting restrictions and understanding how young people use social media.

The e-safety session ended with a question: “Would you abandon your children in central London unsupervised and unaccompanied?”

If No is your answer, find out what you can do to protect them online.

LOCAL FLORIST HOPES TO RAISE £4,000 FOR CHARITY Lucy Ransome of Barham has donned her running shoes and embarked on a challenging training programme in preparation for this year’s 26.2 mile London Marathon. This will be Lucy’s first marathon and she will join approximately 36,000 other runners as they pound the streets of London on April 24 Lucy hopes to raise around £4,000 for the NSPCC and the critical care unit at Ipswich Hospital, the latter being a personal motivation after one of her closest friends spent four weeks on the ward before unfortunately loosing her battle. Lucy said: “The support, care and courage of the staff was amazing and they were there 24 hours, seven days a week.” Lucy hopes to turn a huge negative into a positive and by raising funds she hopes to help others in a similar life threatening/life changing situation.

As well as running her busy floristry business, Lucy Jane Flowers at Debenham, she is also working hard organising fundraising activities prior to the marathon. One of these is a Charity Family Night at Claydon Community Centre on March 19, 7-11pm.

0

The evening will be great fun for all the family and will include a disco, ploughman’s supper and a raffle with Family Charity Night @ Claydon Community Centre some fantastic prizes generously donated Saturday 19 March 2015 – 7pm – 11pm by local businesses. The list of prizes Tickets: Adult £10 Child £5 (14 and under) include a mini cruise for two to Honfleur from Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, afternoon tea at The Limes in Needham Market and a round of golf for four at Fynn Valley Golf Club, plus so many more fabulous prizes. Tickets for the event are £10, children £5. Tickets are available by contacting Lucy on 07885 909713 or 01728 860190. Raffle tickets are also available so please pop by the shop in Debenham or contact Lucy. th

In Touch

with Burstall & Sproughton

In Touch with Burstall & Sproughton 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: sproughton@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 Burstall & Sproughton 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 NEW • Stowmarket • Capel St Mary • East Bergholt, Dedham & Flatford • Kesgrave & Rushmere • Shotley, Chelmondiston, Pin Mill, Holbrook, Woolverstone & Erwarton • Claydon, Barham & Henley • Manningtree, Mistley, Lawford & Brantham • Martlesham Heath & Old Martlesham • 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 • Needham Market, Creeting St Mary & Creeting St Peter

Includes: Ploughmans Supper, Padmans Disco, Quiz and Raffle with some fantastic prices including a Fred. Olsen Mini Cruise.

Help Lucy Ransome raise her total of £4,000 for the London Marathon.

All funds go to:

Lucy has a JustGiving page if you would like to make a monetary donation in support: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/lucyransome To keep up to date with Lucy’s fundraising events please see her Facebook page, Lucy Jane Flowers.

We would like to wish Lucy the best of luck with her fundraising and we look forward to a celebratory photo with her medal on completion of the marathon.

IN TOUCH WITH . . .

APRIL DEADLINE 10 MARCH 2016

is the final date for both advertising & editorial copy

www.keepingintouchwith.com/sproughton

3

NEWS

Sproughton Parish Council has recently been contacted about dog fouling in the parish, and is asking residents and other dog walkers to help them catch the culprits.

Apart from being unsightly and a nuisance, dog fouling can be a health risk as it often contains the parasitic roundworm Toxocara. Contact with Toxocara can lead to contracting the disease Toxocariasis which leads to flu-like symptoms and if untreated can lead to eye damage or blindness. Fresh faeces is not infectious (so it’s safe for owners to clean up after their dogs), but if the faeces is left for two to three weeks it may become infectious. Each deposit of dog faeces can carry up to one million Toxocara eggs.

Toxocariasis is contracted through contact with faeces through swallowing – this is often through touching infected items such as the soles of shoes and toys without washing hands adequately afterwards. For this reason the disease is more common among children, so it is especially alarming that people are failing to clear up after their dogs in areas regularly used by children.

It is an offence under the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996 not to clear up after your dog. Babergh District Council is able to issue Fixed Penalty Notice fines of £50 as an alternative to prosecution (where the potential fine is £1,000) to those caught in the act.

Don’t let the thoughtless actions of a few give the dog owners of Sproughton a bad name. If you have a dog, please ensure that you always bag its faeces and either put it in a dog bin, litter bin or double wrap it and put it in your black wheelie bin. Politely encourage others to do their duty.

If you see anyone failing to clean up after their dog (many people fail to clean up when they think there is no-one else around), please let the district council know who they are – it’s possible they could be issued with a fine. If you don’t know who they are, but are able to give a description of them and the registration of their vehicle, please let us know so we can follow it up.

You can contact the council by visiting the council offices on High Street, Needham Market or Corks Lane, Hadleigh, by calling 01473 826622, or emailing: environmental.protection@babergh.gov.uk

SUFFOLK ENERGY-FROM-WASTE FACILITY UPDATE The contruction team

HELP US CATCH THE CULPRITS

The Suffolk energy-from-waste facility has been confirmed as one of the greenest buildings in the country with an ‘outstanding’ rating from leading international assessors. The BREEAM scheme measures a building’s environmental performance – more than two million buildings worldwide have been assessed with less than 2% achieving the outstanding rating.

The Suffolk energy-from-waste site, a joint initiative between Suffolk County Council and SUEZ, uses household and business waste which would otherwise go to landfill as a fuel to generate enough electricity for 30,000 homes.

Metals are recycled and ash left after the incineration process is used as an aggregate for local building projects, so virtually nothing goes to waste.

The facility began operating in December 2014 following three years of construction and commissioning. It was designed by world-renowned architects Grimshaw and the main contractors were CNIM/Lagan.

Under the BREEAM scheme, points are awarded for every environmental feature incorporated into the design, construction and operation of a building.

The architectural watchdog, CABE, has previously praised the building – describing it as an ‘exemplar’ in setting the standard for future industrial design.

Claydon Football Club has received nearly £60,000 from the SITA Trust towards the refurbishment of its clubhouse and changing facilities (see page 18). The trust distributes money donated by SUEZ and funding is available for projects within a three-mile radius of the Suffolk energy-from-waste site. The next deadline for applications is April 25. www.sitatrust.org USEFUL NUMBERS Site offices: 01473 839149 To book a visit: 01473 836812 Evironment Agency: 0800 807060 SITA Trust: 01454 262910

COMMUNITY INTELLIGENCE The police gather information which may include one or a combination of the following: • Protecting life and property • Preserving order • Preventing the commission of offences • Bringing offenders to justice • Any duty or responsibility arising from common or statute law

The management of community intelligence is different from the process to manage criminal intelligence. Whereas criminal intelligence tends towards the collection of evidence, community intelligence can impact on a wider set of policing issues.

Community intelligence can be a vital tool in the fight against crime and we would encourage this at all times. There are different ways in which intelligence can be submitted, as indicated below.

These provide the legal basis for collecting, recording, evaluating, sharing and retaining police information. This will include information relating to crime investigation, racial and community tension, anti-social behaviour, roads policing, public order, counter-terrorism, or protection of children and other vulnerable groups.

1. www.suffolk.police.uk and click on ‘Report Crime’ on the left hand side of this page 2. Via your local Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) or their officers – either phone 101 (ask to speak with an officer within your local SNT) or visit the Suffolk Police website (as above) to obtain the email address for your local SNT. Click on ‘Find My Safer Neighbourhood Team’ in the centre of the page.

3. Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-uk.org 4. www.suffolk.police.uk clicking on ‘Contact Us’ on the top right hand side of the page, then Crimestoppers’ on the right hand side of the page to view the ‘most wanted’ and ‘appeals’ for your local area.

The intelligence/information is received from various sources including victims of crime, prisoners, the community including Neighbourhood Watch members, professional partners and the various departments within the police force itself. Often community intelligence reflects the perceptions of members of local communities and may not be supported by evidence. However these perceptions and their impact on the community are important even where they are not based on fact.

4

Suffolk Police Community Safety Team

In Touch online:

www.keepingintouchwith.com/sproughton

5

NEWS SPROUGHTON PARISH COUNCIL REPORT The council’s last full council meeting was held on Wednesday, January 10. There have also been a number of extraordinary council meetings called by the chairman in order to deal with specific urgent matters relating to the Wolsey Range proposed development (see below). Draft minutes can be found at http:// sproughton.onesuffolk.net/parish-council and on the noticeboards on the village green (Lower Street) and Hadleigh Road.

The next scheduled meeting of the council is on Wednesday, March 9 at 7.30pm in the Barley Room at Sproughton Tithe Barn, Lower Street.

Agendas can be found on the council’s website and noticeboards. Meetings normally conclude by 9pm. Members of the public are always welcome to attend.

CALENDAR OF PARISH COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR 2016/17 The council has agreed a calendar of parish council and planning committee meetings for the period April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017.

Dates, times and venues are published on the council website.

NEW PARISH COUNCILLOR The council is pleased to announce that Iain Selby was co-opted as a member of the parish council at its meeting on January 13. Welcome Iain. Iain lives in Gipping Way and came forward as an interested resident, attended a couple of meetings to observe what the council did and how it operated, and then asked to be co-opted PARISH COUNCIL BUDGET AND PRECEPT FOR 2016/17 Council activities are funded primarily from the precept – a part of your Council Tax demand.

After consideration of the matter, the council agreed its budget for and set its precept at £49,100 for 2016/17, which is a reduction of 2.45% on the 2015/16 precept.

RECENT GRANTS AWARDED The parish council is able to issue grants to Sproughton organisations for support and benefit of residents. This is allowed under S137 of the Local Government Act, and the council responds to requests received. No new requests for grants had been received for consideration at the February meeting. The council agreed to award grants of £250 each to Suffolk Accident and Rescue Service (SARS) and 1st Sproughton Brownies.

PROVISION OF A COMMUNITY DEFIBRILLATOR The matter of a defibrillator (medical device used in emergencies to deal with heart attack/ failures) that is located in the village for use by residents has been under discussion for some time. Financing, training, location and maintenance have been issues for consideration. The British Heart Foundation are currently offering grants for the purchase of defibrillators including training. The council has agreed to apply to BHF for such a grant.

6

UPDATE ON THE PROPOSED WOLSEY GRANGE DEVELOPMENT As In Touch goes to press, Sproughton Parish Council is planning a public meeting on Wednesday, February 24 to update the community on the progress of the proposal and the issues around this.

Babergh Panning Committee met on November 25, 2015 to consider the planning application. Sproughton Parish Council made representations to the meeting along with other concerned communities. The parish council supports the development of the site in accordance with Babergh’s masterplan policy, but the current proposal is not in accordance with this; more houses proposed and less affordable housing than the policy, etc. On November 25 the committee voted to refuse to grant planning permission, and the proposal was turned down.

Subsequently, the Babergh Monitoring Officer pronounced the decision as unsound because a piece of paper was handed to a committee member during the meeting and this could have influenced the vote. The monitoring officer took the unprecedented decision to re-run the process with a completely new committee.

This meeting took place on February 11, and the meeting unanimously voted to approve the application and granted planning permission.

There has been widespread concern over this decision and the grounds to re-run the decision making process, and Sproughton Parish Council has taken legal advice on the matter. As In Touch goes to press the council is waiting for answers to questions it has posed and is considering challenging Babergh’s process and decision making via Judicial Review. It is likely that this decision will be taken at the end of February; the parish council has until March 4 to make an application for Judicial Review. Watch this space.

2016 BABERGH & MID SUFFOLK COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS The council is pleased that Ralph Earey and Sproughton Community Shop volunteers have each been awarded a Community Achievement Award – Ralph for his sustained work in organising the highly popular annual Sproughton bonfire, barbeque and fireworks event each year for the last 27 years, and the shop volunteers for their dedication and enthusiasm to give of their spare time to assist with the running of this community resource.

Winners will receive their awards at an evening celebration in March.

RECRUITMENT OF TITHE BARN WARDEN After many years of dedicated service, Jane Draper has decided that she wishes to step down from the job of Tithe Barn Warden as of the end of March 2016.

The council is now looking to recruit a new

warden to start as soon as possible. The person would be self-employed and paid an hourly rate for specific duties and a flat rate for wedding receptions and evening parties.

Full details of the job roles and responsibilities are obtainable on request from the parish clerk (details below) or you can find them on the council website.

A summary of the roles/responsibilities of the warden are given below.

• The warden is to assist the council in the day-to-day operation, maintenance and upkeep of the Tithe Barn facilities • Will be an ambassador for the council • Ensure that the council’s fire safety arrangements are in place, are not compromised, are tested and inspected • Meet prospective hirers and attend events assisting with enquiries, bookings and usage HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II – 90th BIRTHDAY COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS SATURDAY, JUNE 11 The parish council is planning an event for Sproughton residents in order to celebrate the Queen’s birthday. Ideas are developing, so watch this space, but it will take the form of children’s activities and a party tea in the afternoon and a family ceilidh in the evening at the Tithe Barn. This will be an event for Sproughton residents only and free (excluding the bar). More details and tickets available in April.

8th ANNUAL SPROUGHTON BEER FESTIVAL – MAY 14/15 Date for your diary. If you’ve been in previous years, then you’ll know how good a weekend it is. If you haven’t been before, then I can tell you, it’s a fab weekend.

Friday night: family disco, bar and BBQ for Sproughton residents Saturday noon: beer festival opens Saturday night: live music Sunday noon: bar reopens Sunday night: quiz Food available all weekend.

VACANCIES STILL EXIST FOR PARISH COUNCILLORS There are now seven councillor seats remaining vacant on the council.

Simon Curl, chairman: 747114 Sue Frankis, clerk: 463852 / pc@sproughton.suffolk.gov.uk Please call between 9am and 5pm weekdays only. In an emergency outside these hours you can contact the chairman.

In Touch online:

Trusted by local families since 1925 47 St Helens Street Ipswich 01473 257242 283 Norwich Road Ipswich 01473 232837 364 Foxhall Road Ipswich 01473 728445 Meredith Greengrass 9 Marriotts Walk Stowmarket 01449 612765

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/sproughton

7

NEWS CARING HANDS RUSSIA Wherever you live, life is not easy if you have to cope with a disability. In some places, it’s even more difficult than in others. In Russia, practical help for people with disabilities has depended almost entirely on the initiative, persistence and sheer determination of families and individuals.

Twenty-five years ago, the town and region of Volkhov had nothing.

One woman made it her mission to establish a centre to provide therapies, activities and general support to disabled children and their families. Galina is planning to visit this country in April to see what is offered here and to talk with people involved. We’re arranging a programme of visits and meetings to enable her both to gather useful ideas and to share her own experience.

‘We’ are Caring Hands Russia, a very small charity with no capital, no property, and no paid staff, working from a house in Sproughton.

We are looking for: • Suggestions of people and places that Galina might profitably visit

• Someone who could offer accommodation (for two ladies, together, for two weeks) • Help with transport • Good English-Russian translation; someone able to cope easily with technical terminology, particularly in relation to disability Please let us know if you can help.

Contact Tony Wilcox: 01473 461561 / tony.wilcox@caringhandsru.org Galina will be accompanied by Vera who leads the work of Scripture Union both in Volkhov where she grew up and in and around St Petersburg. She has been involved for many years in helping people in need – children, single (often abused) mothers, the elderly and the disabled.

We are also looking to bring together a team of volunteers to work with us in Russia for two weeks in August (practical work in fairly spartan conditions) to support and encourage the staff of a centre for children in care.

For more details, contact Tony or visit: www.caringhandsru.org

LOST AND FOUND IN SPROUGHTON CHURCH HALL During the annual servicing of the fire protection equipment, it was realised that the CO2 fire extinguisher that should be hanging on the wall near the store room at the back of the hall had gone missing. Does anyone know of its whereabouts?

At the same time, a man’s bicycle has been dumped alongside the hall, between the hall and the fence of Number 20, Lower Street. Does anyone lay claim to this? If not, it will be disposed of.

Answers to Michael please.

SPROUGHTON RECORDER Poplar Farmhouse The house is thought to be late 16th to late 17th century, with 18th and early 19th century extensions. There are some timber frames, a first floor diamond mullion window and a shutter groove.

In the Ipswich Journal on February 28, 1784 there was the announcement of the death of Sir Robert Harland at Poplar House Farm, Sproughton.

On May 23, 1836 there was an advert in the Ipswich Journal for the sale of the Chantry and the ‘Freehold Message’ called Poplar House with farm buildings and some land in the occupation of John Ranson.

According to a report in the Ipswich Journal dated September 12, 1818, a fat wether sheep was slaughtered in a field near Popple Farm House occupied by John Ranson. The skin, feet and entrails were left and the carcass was stolen. There was a reward of £5 from Samford Association and a further reward of £20 from Mr Ranson.

From the 1837 Tithe Map, The Rev George Capper was the landowner and John Ranson occupied the farm. Later George Ranson farmed the land. In 1900 Arthur Daniels and in 1937 Captain C Packard lived there, and in 1952 Capt Ronald EC Quilter lived at Poplar Tree Farm and Jas Wilson farmed the land.

Doreen Bradbury

8

In Touch online:

www.keepingintouchwith.com/sproughton

9

ADVERTISING FEATURE Now is the time to plan ahead Taking control of your future and planning ahead for your funeral gives you the opportunity to share your ideas on how you would like to be remembered, and how your life should be celebrated. It can also provide you with the comfort of knowing your family won’t be faced with financial strain and worries in the future, making planning ahead for your funeral all the more worthwhile.

East of England Co-op Funeral Services has been trusted by local families since 1925 to provide excellent levels of service, care and reassurance when helping to create unique and personalised tributes.

By combining their knowledge and experience they have created five pre-payment funeral plans for you to choose from. Alternatively, a member of their team can help you create an entirely bespoke plan, so you can rest assured that every last detail will be just as you wish so you can get on with enjoying life.

Clearly priced, and with no hidden costs, their plans allow you to pay for your funeral in full now, or in manageable monthly payments over a time that suits you. All of their funeral plans are completely inflation proof, so by planning ahead you pay today’s price no matter how much costs may rise in the future.

If you are a member of the East of England Co-op you can also collect dividend points on your pre-payment plan, which you can use visiting new places, treating yourself or doing things with friends and family.

Find out more about East of England Co-op pre-payment funeral plans, or order a brochure, by visiting eastofengland.coop/funerals.

Alternatively, you can contact your local funeral branch who can also arrange a home visit for you.

Your local East of England Co-op funeral branches are: • 47 St Helens Street, Ipswich 01473 257242 • 283 Norwich Road, Ipswich 01473 232837 • 364 Foxhall Road, Ipswich 01473 728445 • Meredith Greengrass Funeral Services, 9 Marriotts Walk, Stowmarket 01449 612765

✁

Plan for the future today... with our pre-payment funeral plans

£100 off

with this voucher

To order a brochure and find out more, call our funeral plan advice line on 0800 0744361* or visit your local funeral branch.

As a member you can earn dividend points on your funeral plan. Not a member yet?

You can join in branch or online at www.eastofengland.coop/joinus Valid for the purchase of East of England Co-op funeral plans taken out before 30/6/16. Terms and conditions apply ask in branch for details. *Free from a landline, mobile charges can vary.

ITMAR16

10

In Touch online:

NEWS SPROUGHTON COMMUNITY SHOP: Something for everyone As those of you who are regular contributors to this magazine will know, I am writing this at the beginning of February. It hardly seems possible that we should be talking about March already, and even less possible that your shop will have been trading for six whole years on March 25. The vernal equinox happens on March 20 and British Summertime begins on March 26.

March is full of good news. Firstly the shop volunteers were nominated by the parish council to be considered for the Babergh District Council Community Achievement Awards and were unanimously chosen as one of the 15 winners. We shall be off to an awards ceremony in April and we are grateful to the parish council for having made possible this recognition of the 25 volunteers who contribute with such dedication to the rich life of our community. A lady came in last week and told us that she had particularly decided to move to Sproughton because of the shop. We now know that last year we made taxable profits for the first time, despite donations amounting to £2,500 to village charities.

Fantastic!

This month is also full of special events, and for each we shall be stocking special gifts, cards, flowers and foods. First of all, Mother’s Day on March 6. You’ll be able to get cut flowers and planted baskets of flowers, chocolates (Fairtrade) all sorts of gifts, cards and perhaps you’d like us to make up a bespoke hamper. St Patrick’s Day follows on March 17. We can’t promise green beer, but we can offer a good selection of bottled local brews from Adnams, Green King, Crouch

Vale and Aspalls, all at less than you would pay at other popular local outlets. Coming up to Easter and on Good Friday we shall have hot cross buns from our local bakers in Capel. Made with dark strong flour they are substantial and spicy.

And then, having put the clocks forward, we come to Easter Day on Sunday, March 27. We already have cream eggs in stock and will complement these with Fairtrade Divine Eggs and a wide selection of other chocolates, confections and cards. Simnel cakes can be made to order. Your Easter lamb, chicken, capon, beef, pork, venison, or whatever you fancy for your Easter feast, can of course be ordered on the previous Monday from our local suppliers at Woodbridge.

Marybelle at Walpole supply our award winning Greek-style yoghurt and crème fraiche to go with delicious Bakewell tarts or fruit tarts from Daphne’s Homemade Cakes. Perhaps you would prefer a mouthwatering lemon cheesecake or a raspberry and white chocolate variety, also from Daphne. It’s all available just down the road.

Many thanks as ever to all our volunteers and regular customers. Do join us behind the counter if you feel you’d like a go at shopkeeping.

Happy Easter!

Rosalind Lavington www.sproughtoncommunityshop.co.uk / 01473 747768

CHEAP CHEERY CHERRY CHEESECAKE This month’s recipe comes straight from my childhood, when Sunday dinner was always followed by a sweet. This was a favourite, not only because it was so easy even I could make it, but because it was a winner, finishing the best meal of the week in what I thought was grand style worthy of a blue ribbon! This Cherry Cheesecake is good anytime, and is a delight for unexpected visitors. Enjoy!

Mary Bright Basan Questions or comments? Email: ms.bb@talktalk.net CHERRY CHEESECAKE 1 9-inch graham cracker/digestive crust* 300gm cream cheese 1 can sweetened condensed milk 3 fl oz lemon juice 1tsp vanilla extract 1 can cherry pie filling, chilled www.keepingintouchwith.com/sproughton

Beat the cream cheese until fluffy and gradually blend in condensed milk. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly. Pour into prepared crust and chill for two hours until set. Top with pie filling. Any fruit pie filling is fine and is a hit for almost any gathering. Quick simple, and tasty, what more could one want? Most ingredients can be found in Sproughton Community Shop on Lower Street, just behind the Tithe Barn. It’s the little shop with “something for everyone”! *If making this yourself, use a 9” tart pan to mix the crust in. Take 18 digestives, finely crushed, add 75gm of butter (soft or melted), 50gm sugar, and 1 Tbsp vanilla essence, and mix thoroughly. Pat evenly into place on the bottom and along sides. Bake at 170°/ gas mark 4 for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown. Let it cool off, then chill awhile before adding the filling.

11

OUT & ABOUT EASTER FLOWERS AND AFTERNOON TEA IPSWICH MOBILE LIBRARY ROUTE 5 Route 5 Town/village Location Time (VINTAGE STYLE) Enjoy an Easter flowers and vintage style afternoon tea event on Sunday, March 20 in Burstall Village Hall, 2-4.30pm. Arrange some flowers for Easter to give or to keep and enjoy delicious afternoon tea, served vintage style.

The cost is £10 per person and is suitable for all. The idea is to have fun with friends old and new and to take home an arrangement to be proud of.

You will need to bring a couple of bunches of standard supermarket flowers, some foliage, a sharp knife and some garden scissors. Floral foam, containers and candles will be supplied.

Booking is essential as places will be limited. Contact Ann Burchnall for details and to book your place: 01473 652262 / ann.burchnall@gmail.com

SPROUGHTON BROWNIES EASTER BRIC-A-BRAC SALE 1st Sproughton Brownies are holding their Easter Bric-a-Brac sale on Saturday, March 5 at Sproughton Church Hall, 2-4pm. Admission free.

In aid of Save the Children, HOPS (Holiday Opportunity Play Scheme for children with disabilities) and Brownie funds. Stalls will include bric-a-brac, toys, books, next-to-new clothes, games, cakes, a tombola and a draw and refreshments.

Please come and support us and get a bargain, or two!

Everyone welcome.

SPROUGHTON SENIOR CITIZENS’ CLUB It was proposed to visit The Good Old Music Hall Days show at the Spa Pavilion, Felixstowe on February 25 as the first club outing in 2016. However, only four members were interested so it was cancelled in favour of a private visit to the show, the four participants travelling by car and paying for their own admission.

The only other comment is about the weather; the chilly winds recently have not made going out much of a pleasure, although this has been offset by the early abundance of daffodils. So far my snow boots have remained in the cupboard unused for the last three winters. However, we do have some things to welcome this month. Mothering Sunday is on March 6, the first day of spring on March 20, and British Summer Time starts on March 27 which is also Easter Sunday.

Club meetings have now reverted to the summer schedule with meetings held from 2-4pm.

Happy Easter to all our readers, John Bates

MIP/5A Sproughton Church Lane 9.10-9.25am MIP/5B Sproughton Wild Man 9.30-9.45am MIP/5C Bramford St Mary’s Close 9.50-10.05am MIP/5D Bramford Paper Mill Lane 10.10-10.25am MIP/5E Great Blakenham Chequers 10.35-1055am MIP/5F Great Blakenham Blue Leighs

Mobile Home Park 11-11.15am MIP/5G Baylham Post Box 11.25-11.45am MIP/5H Claydon Crown 11.55am-1pm MIP/5I Claydon Edinburgh Gardens 2.05-2.20pm MIP/5J Claydon Bacon Road 2.25-3.50pm MIP/5K Bramford Packard Place 4-4.30pm DATES: March 15, April 12, May 10, June 7, July 5, August 2, August 30, September 27, October 25, November 22, December 20

HADLEIGH CHORAL SOCIETY St Mary’s Church Hadleigh, Saturday, March 19, 7.30pm, with Colchester Symphony Orchestra Handel: Overture to the Occasional Oratorio Dettingen Anthem Chandos Anthem No 11 Let God Arise Zadok the Priest Dettingen Te Deum Vivaldi: Concerto for Two Trumpets in C Major

Conductor: Christopher Phelps

SOLOISTS Soprano: Zoe Brookshaw Counter tenor: Tim Travers-Brown Tenor: Julian Alexander Smith Bass: Christopher Borrett

Natural Trumpets: Victoria Rule, Stephen Keavy and Darren Moore Tickets (£14 / £12 concessions / under 16 £2) from The Idler Bookshop, Hadleigh or on the door.

www.hadleighchoralsociety.org.uk

OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT LOUGHBOROUGH BELLFOUNDRY If you are interested in visiting Loughborough Bellfoundry & Museum please contact Pauline Shinn on 01473 744297. Added attractions include the vintage steam and diesel train museum, the Carillon Tower and War Memorial and an opportunity to watch a ball being founded. Bell ringers may also ring a carillon bell in the tower.

The first possible date is March 24 but there are other dates coming up in the summer. The cost will be £34.25 (coach) and entry to the foundry gallery is £10 per person. Number limited to 16 so don’t delay.

MAMMOTH BOOK SALE Saturday, March 12, 11.30am-2pm, St Mary’s Church Room, Ship Lane, Bramford Paperbacks at 30p, hardbacks 50p.

There will also be refreshments available.

Proceeds towards the upkeep of our historic church.

Stewart McGinty Friends of Bramford Church

12

Lt Blakenham Village Hall on Saturday, March 5, 2-4pm.

Entry is free and all funds raised will be in aid of Lt Blakenham Church.

In Touch online:

Dry Foam Upholstery Cleaning

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

call John Burch: 07870 347486

Tel: 01449 721441

www.keepingintouchwith.com/sproughton

13

OUT & ABOUT / SCHOOLS SIXTH RANSOMES AND RAPIER REUNION Sunday, March 6 at Kesgrave Social Club (Edmonton Road, Kesgrave IP5 1EE), 12.30-5pm.

Former employees of this iconic Ipswich firm, families and friends are all welcomed. The hall has good seating and plenty of room. About 120 attended last year.

Easy parking and near the No 66 bus route. Food (toasties, sandwiches and salads) and drinks at reasonable prices. Please don’t bring your own food.

Admission £2 per person. To confirm attendance please contact: Elizabeth Townsend: 01206 734581 / estownsend@btinternet.com

Art for Cure 2016 is expected to be the largest contemporary art and sculpture show held outside London in 2016.

GREAT BLAKENHAM OVER 50s CLUB

Art for Cure 2016 will be held in the magnificent grounds and stately residence of Glemham Hall from Saturday, April 30 to Monday, May 2.

We are open to anyone over 50 living not just in Great Blakenham but anywhere in the surrounding area. We meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month in the Parish Room, Stowmarket Road, Great Blakenham, from 2-4pm. The cost per meeting is £1.50 which includes whatever activity is programmed for the afternoon, refreshments and a raffle. On afternoons when we may play a couple of games of bingo the tickets are £1 each. Members take it in turns to make the tea.

The Parish Room is the building with a green door more or less opposite the Chequers Public House and it has its own parking area behind the hall. It’s fully accessible for anyone in a wheelchair and has disabled facilities within.

FORTHCOMING MEETINGS March 9: Social Afternoon March 23: Lewis Tyler of the River Gipping Trust will give a presentation entitled Rebuilding History – Baylham Lock and Sluice April 13: Social afternoon including the occasional series A Walk Down Memory Lane April 27: Peter Banham will lead an interactive talk on old sayings and their meanings May 11: Social afternoon May 25: Mrs Jane Paley with a light-hearted talk entitled What Do You Know About Tea? Visitors and new members are always welcome so do come and join us.

Jackie Durrant, 01449 672690

EAST SUFFOLK NATIONAL TRUST ASSOCIATION If you are a member of, or a volunteer for, the National Trust, we invite you to get more out of your membership by joining our association where a warm welcome awaits you. We meet at Ropes Hall, Kesgrave War Memorial Community Centre at 7.15pm.

Our next meeting is on March 22 when Luke Potter, the new East Suffolk general manager for the National Trust, will give us an insight into the current work and future plans of the trust for our area. This will be preceded by a short AGM. Visitors (even if not National Trust members) are welcome. The entrance fee is £2. National Trust members/volunteers can join us for £8 a year (£12 a couple at same address). We publish three newsletters a year for members and enjoy interesting day outings and other events.

For more information, contact membershipesnta@gmail.com / 01473 723761 or visit: www.membershipesnta.btck.co.uk

COUNTRYSIDE WALKS As the ground was so muddy the group decided on Bourne Park for the Sunday outing in January and on Holy Wells Park for the Tuesday ramble.

The next Sunday walk will be on March 13, meeting at the church at 2pm.

The midweek will be on Tuesday, March 22, leaving the church at 10am.

At the time of typing we have not decided where we shall go – it depends on the condition of the ground and how muddy it is! We will have to find a hard surface.

14

This second show follows after the staggering success of Art for Cure 2014 when £200,000 of art and sculpture was sold in one weekend and over £100,000 was donated to Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

Art for Cure 2014 was the most successful privately run event for Breakthrough Breast Cancer in terms of funds generated for the charity.

The organisers Belinda Gray and Sally Ball are organising a second show for spring 2016 and once again, will be supporting Breast Cancer Now (formally Breakthrough Breast Cancer) and also helping East Anglian services that provide care and support to those affected by breast cancer.

There will be over 70 artists and sculptors exhibiting, great names such as Vanessa Gardiner, Henrietta Dubrey, Maggi Hambling, Michael Speller, Carol Peace and Paul Vanstone, as well as a superb selection of artists drawn from Suffolk’s great wealth of talent. All have agreed to donate a percentage of their sales to support the charity and generate a really significant total to help fight breast cancer, a disease that over 50,000 women are diagnosed with each year.

The event kicks off with a glittering private view party on Friday, April 29 for 350 guests and artists and then the exhibition continues over the bank holiday weekend Saturday, April 30 to Monday, May 2, 10am-5pm.

For more details please visit: www.artforcure.org.uk

CLAYDON PRE-SCHOOL The children are all getting quite excited now for the Easter break and maybe a visit from the Easter Bunny with some chocolate. They have been doing lots of activities based around Easter and, of course, sorting out cards for Mother’s Day. We are holding our Easter Holiday Club on Tuesday, March 29, Wednesday, March 30, Tuesday, April 5, and Wednesday, April 6 from 9am-3.30pm for children aged two to eight. Prices are £20 for a full day (bring a packed lunch) and £12 for either a morning (9am-noon) or afternoon (12.30-3.30pm) session. For more details or to book spaces please contact the administrator – details below.

Don’t forget to get your applications in now for places in September.

The pre-school is open Monday to Friday from 9am-3.30pm during term time. Children can start from the age of two until tåhey go to Reception. Session fees are £9.60 and we offer a lunchclub (noon-12.30pm) for £1.60. We are happy to accept childcare vouchers and we offer two year funded places for any eligible children. We also run a holiday club in the Easter and summer holidays for two to eight year olds.

If you would like more information regarding any of the above events or just to find out more about Claydon Pre-school please contact the administrator, Lisa Read: 01473 831648 / admin@claydonpreschool.co.uk

In Touch online:

SPORT

PLAYING FIELD NEWS By the time you read this the playing field will be getting busier again with visitors, so I sincerely hope the weather has stayed ‘unseasonably warm’ and not done its usual trick of suddenly snowing. As usual, what follows is a high level summary of what the Playing Field Management Committee have been doing, and what changes you may see around the playing field in the coming months (hopefully I’ll have more to tell you about the new benches next month).

The gate Following another spate of vandalism, there will be a new lock and a new code on the playing field main (larger) half of the gate. That aside, I’ve really got to thank all residents for closing the playing field gate in the evenings.

To close or not to close – that is the question. When you close the gate it’s a real help in keeping the playing field secure and discouraging evening antisocial activity. As a reminder though – in trying to keep a balance between security and accessibility (never easy), please leave the smaller pedestrian gate open.

Club house development

we have received a generous grant from Sproughton Community Shop of £1,250 for the specific use of helping to re-develop the outside toilets in such a way that they can be made available for all visitors to the playing field to use. This reinforces the re-investment of resource for community benefit, where we spend in our community shop and do something for our village at the same time. In other words, what goes around comes around. It also shows the potential community benefits that could be harvested from the club house redevelopment if it is done with the community in mind.

SPROUGHTON CLUB UPDATE The next Super Saturday is on Saturday, March 12 when the club will open from 7pm. We will be holding another quiz night with an 8.30pm start for teams of around four.

Even if you don’t like quizzes please feel free to drop in and see what it’s all about – you’re more than welcome. The last couple of Super Saturdays have been really busy and a great laugh. And if you’d like to help run the bar then please come on down – I’d be especially pleased to see you!

Volunteers

We have had a preliminary meeting with a local architect with a view to starting the process of scoping the project. We discussed what may or may not be possible, bearing in mind anticipated community and sporting needs and, most importantly, cost! The next development scoping meeting is on Thursday, March 3. At the moment the focus is on getting the detail of changing room, toilets and club house facility requirements hammered out. The architect can then tell us what they might look like once installed.

The playing field is run by Sproughton residents for the benefit of Sproughton by way of the Playing Field Management Committee who are the registered trustees of the Playing Field Trust. We are always looking for new members – you’d be very welcome if you’d like to join us. The only condition is that you’re a Sproughton resident. If you’re interested in joining this relaxed and friendly group, please give me a call.

To help with the development, PFMC are delighted to announce that

Damian Lavington, Chairman, PFMC / 01473 809512

SPROUGHTON BOWLS CLUB Sproughton Bowls Club is gearing up for the start of the new outdoor bowling season, with the greens team working hard to have the playing surface and surrounds ready for our green opening ceremony which will be performed by the Mayor of Ipswich Glen Chisolm, on Saturday, April 16. This will be followed on Sunday 17 by the club blocks competition.

As the winter draws to a close club captain Joy Mackie’s intrepid indoor bowlers headed to Mid-Suffolk Bowls Club at Stowmarket for their penultimate friendly on February 6. Once again our predominantly outdoor team put up a good fight, winning three of the six rinks but coming off second best on aggregate scores. Our final match will be at Sole Bay Bowls Club on February 20, always an enjoyable afternoon completed by a fish and chip supper.

The club now has its own defibrillator which has been purchased with funds raised by outgoing president Davis Craigie. This should be in place in the clubhouse prior to the start of the new season.

If you would like to know more about our club visit: www.sproughtonbowlsclub.com or email: sproughtonbowlsclub@outlook.com

www.keepingintouchwith.com/sproughton

RAYDON HALL ARCHERY CLUB – INDOOR AMERICAN

More than 80 archers from across Essex and Suffolk, including some of the counties elite archers, attended Raydon Hall Archery Club’s sixth annual shoot at the Wix Equestrian Centre. The competition, based on the American round but set as an indoor shoot, comprises of 90 arrows split over the distances of 60, 50 and 40 yards.

Raydon Hall Archery Club have already booked the venue for next year, and have also set a date for their annual soup shoot in April at their shooting ground in Raydon.

If you would like further details please contact tha club by email: richard@raydonhallac.co.uk

15

SPORT CLAYDON FOOTBALL CLUB Café Grand Opening

out from Alfie found Fabian on the right wing. Fabian let the ball bounce once and unleashed an absolute thunderbolt in the back of the IVR net that the keeper could do nothing about.

Going two goals down seemed to spur IVR on and they increased tempo with their attacking play. Some very talented young players were shining as Claydon struggled to contain them. The pressure paid off as IVR pulled a goal back with Alf unable to keep out a low drive into the bottom corner.

Inside of Claydon FC new Cafe The café grand opening was performed on Saturday, January 23 when Chris Studd cut the tape and officially opened the café for business. The café was made possible thanks to the generosity of Claydon and Whitton Parish Councils and Suffolk Empowering Communities Fund with backing from Councillor John Field and the hard work and dedication of Tony Adams and Mark Keely (known as ‘Bod’) who spent many hours at Blue Circle working on the interior and exterior of the building.

Claydon FC chairman Tim Carr gave a short speech thanking everyone for their hard work and financial support to provide the club with a superb café venue for its 18 teams and visitors to enjoy.

Claydon FC receives funding from SITA Trust

Claydon U10 Tigers celebrate Omarion’s goal in the cup quarter final Many fantastic individual performances towards the end of the game served to frustrate IVR as they couldn’t break down the Claydon defence to draw level. Sam and Josh displayed great grit and determination, priding themselves on forming the defensive backbone we have come to rely upon.

Alfie pulled off a double wonder save in the dying moments which had many members of the crowd wondering just how he had managed it!

Full time: IVR U10 1 / Claydon U10 Tigers 2 – final against Felixstowe & Walton the team on March 12.

Claydon FC Race Night Claydon Football Club are holding a horse race night at Claydon and Barham Community Centre on March 5. Tickets are available at £6 for adults and £4 for under 12s, which includes a sausage and chips supper. Opportunities to sponsor a race are also available – sponsors get two free tickets, two free drinks, can name a horse and hand out business cards.

For tickets or to get more information on sponsor opportunities please call Stuart: 07796 785961

Tony Adams in front of the Claydon FC clubhouse as renovations begin

Groundsman wanted Have you recently retired and have time on your hands? Claydon Football Club is looking for a groundsman at its Blue Circle site. This would only involve a few hours a week at a time to suit you. If you are interested please contact Simon: 07903 398460 / admin@claydon-fc.co.uk

Claydon Football Club, which has around 250 members across 18 teams, is celebrating the news that it has received £59,146 from SITA Trust for refurbishment of the clubhouse and changing facilities. The works will include a new roof, new external walls and renovation of the social room.

Mr Adams said: “The clubhouse, which was formerly the cricket pavilion for Blue Circle, is very old, has a leaking roof and the exterior is rotting away. It is through grants of this nature that small sports clubs are able to improve their facilities.”

Marianne Ivin of SITA Trust said she could see that the facilities were very poor and in great need of modernisation. She added: “Our funding will see a huge change in the provision on offer at the club and it is impressive to see that they have maintained high user numbers until this point.”

SITA Trust provides grants through the Landfill Communities Fund. The funding has been available since 1997 and has provided worthy projects with more that £1.4billion. (See page 4) Claydon FC U10 Tigers Claydon FC U10 Tigers took on an exceptionally good IVR U10 side at Greshams in the Suffolk Cup quarter-final on January 30. The game started off at a frenetic pace with both teams contesting the ball. Omarion was clearly a man on a mission with something to prove as his challenges and early possession contributed hugely to Claydon’s early attacking play.

Good interchanges between Harry and Fabian saw Omarion with the ball at his feet on the left wing just outside of the IVR goal area. Omarion had only one thing on his mind as he lined up his shot. The result was a joy to watch as the ball went sailing over the IVR keeper with both power and precision.

IVR were perhaps having the better share of possession and presented a constant attacking threat. The Claydon fans’ nerves were eased as a long kick

16

In Touch online:

SPORT / CHURCH NEWS JACK SHEPPARD LOOKING FORWARD TO THE 2016 SEASON Difficult decisions had to be made for the 2016 motorcycle trials season which began for Jack on Sunday, February 7 with the Phil King East Anglian National Trial which took place near Sudbury and attracted riders from as far afield as Wales and Cornwall.

For the last two years, Jack has been competing in the World Professional Series, which has taken him to Australia, Japan and the USA as well as to several European countries. He completed the two years as 13th in the world ranking, despite serious mechanical problems and difficulties getting spares from the Spanish manufacturer. Having spent so much time in foreign lands, Jack felt he needed to concentrate on getting known again in the United Kingdom.

He has now reverted to riding an Italian-made Beta machine on which he completed the Phil King Trial without incurring a single penalty point despite the exceptionally muddy and slippery conditions.

For the rest of the year Jack will concentrate on the British Championships which demand skills different from those needed in world competition. He will also take part in the Scottish Six Days, recognised as the most gruelling trials event in the world. In between events, he will fit in several trial schools which are attended by riders keen to learn the sport: ages range from six to sixties. He has also been asked to return to New Zealand where he has previously taught trials riding – and won the New Zealand Championship while he was there.

A wall in New Zealand

Ken Sheppard, Jack’s grandfather

EAST BERGHOLT UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB IN MEMORIAM 1916-2016: PRIVATE The First team are now leading the field in the Senior Division having been unbeaten through January. They have also progressed to the quarter-finals of the Bob Coleman Cup, a competition in which they reached the final in 2014.

The Reserves are in a lower mid-table position (Intermediate A) but have a number of games in hand, while the A team lies second in their division (Intermediate C) after some impressive results and stretching their unbeaten run to eight games.

Perhaps the success this season is in part at least due to the smart new team wear that players and officials are now wearing, which has been generously sponsored by Travel Plus Tours.

WILFRED FLETCHER OF SPROUGHTON This month we commemorate the centenary of the death of Pte. 3831 Wilfred Fletcher of the 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment. He was born in Whitton on April 3, 1882 the son of Isaac and Rosetta Fletcher. He enlisted in Ipswich and by the time he died in the Eastern Counties Hospital in Cambridge his father was living in Sproughton and there Wilfrid was buried in All Saints Churchyard. The grave is recorded as a War Grave in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission list but for reasons as yet unknown it doesn’t have a CWGC headstone.

FIXTURES 1st TEAM Senior Division

RESERVES Intermediate A

Sat, March 5

Felixstowe Harpers Utd

H

Sat, March 12

Wenhaston Utd

H

Felixstowe Harpers Utd Res Ipswich Valley Rangers Res

DATE Sat, February 27

Sat, March 19

Old Newton Utd Res

Bramford Utd

A

Sat, March 26 Mon, March 28

Capel Plough

H

Sat, April 2

Westerfield Utd

A

A

“A” Team Intermediate C Stowupland Falcons Res

H

A A

Cedars Park Res

H

A

H

Westerfield Utd Res

H

Wenhaston Utd Res

H

Leiston St Margarets Res Somersham Res

Capel Plough Res

H

Bacton United 89 Res

A

Fixtures subject to change. To confirm please refer to the SIL website: http://touchlinesil.co.uk/fixtures-results EVENTS Quiz Night: March 19 / Please contact the secretary for more details Awards Dinner: May 21 We are always looking for people who can help the club as a committee member, whether 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.

Steve Butcher, secretary stevebutcher55@btinternet.com

EASTER FLOWER ARRANGING We shall be arranging the church flowers for Easter after the service and lunch on Good Friday, March 25, from about 2.30pm onwards. There is a wedding on Saturday, March 26 so we will have to arrange any more flowers on Saturday afternoon. All help will be very much appreciated and welcomed.

If you would like to remember a loved one by arranging or giving some money for Easter lilies please contact either the churchwarden or myself.

We look forward to your help. Many thanks.

Doreen Bradbury, 01473 210008

www.keepingintouchwith.com/sproughton

17

THE NORTH SAMFORD BENEFICE

Sproughton with Burstall, Copdock with Washbrook and Belstead and Bentley with Tattingstone For parish queries please contact: The Rev Annette Shannon The Rectory, Glebe Close, Sproughton, Ipswich IP8 3BQ revannettes@aol.co.uk / 01473 807674

LENT GROUPS Burstall: March 2, 9 and 16 at 2.30pm Bentley: March 2, 9 and 16 at 7.30pm WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER Friday, March 4: Burstall Church, 7pm

Benefice administrator Hayley Purnell northsamfordbenefice@gmail.com / 07713863023 __________________________________________________________

BELSTEAD JUMBLE SALE Saturday, March 19: In the village hall, 10am

Jesus was a one percent person: he had no difficulty in changing just one letter to make macro into micro. He encouraged us to think small because embodied in the detail is the whole. In fact, if you think carefully about some of the stories Jesus told, you will find the sum of the parts is greater, much greater, than the whole. His concern for the world embraces his love of the individual person so it is his love of us expressed in our living and being that makes him saviour of the world.

GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE: MARCH 25 Sproughton, 11am

Last month, not for the first time, I lost my glasses. Where had I left them? I searched the church vestry, the car, the house, all to no avail.

Not surprisingly, in the course of all this I was vividly reminded that Jesus illustrated some of his teaching by telling stories, not about lost glasses but about a lost sheep a lost coin and a lost son. He was troubled that these comparatively small things could be overlooked. When the farmer, who had one hundred sheep found the one he’d lost, just one percent of the flock, he rejoiced. When the woman found her small coin she rejoiced. When the son returned home the father rejoiced. My wife found my glasses (of course, just where I had left them) I rejoiced! “The lost is found!” Jesus was telling us that in his kingdom each individual, however small and apparently insignificant, is crucially important. As technology increasingly fragments our society and makes artificial connections between people and things more possible so the teaching of Jesus that small things are vitally important becomes ever more essential within humanity. It is comparatively easy to ignore the small. The small quiet voice is sometimes ‘drowned out’; difficult to hear amid the clamour of the cacophony. In apartheid South Africa Desmond Tutu was ‘The Voice of the Voiceless’.

So, what does this all mean for those of us who live in 2016 on the Shotley Peninsula? It means this. Don’t disparage, but encourage the small and apparently insignificant. Make that occasional, kindly, unexpected phone call; recall that long forgotten birthday; offer that spare seat in the car to someone not expecting to spend the afternoon by the sea; bake a cake for the housebound; and, if you are a Christian, pray with someone who finds that difficult; be alert to ways, however small, of helping others perhaps not then but in the future. In the doing you will be receiving.

Jesus didn’t cast smallness aside for as the small children, that he so loved, chant in their playground games…

Zacchaeus was a small man a little man was he He climbed into a sycamore tree For the Lord he wanted to see As the Saviour passed that way Jesus looked into that tree And said, “Zacchaeus, you come down!

I’m coming to your house for tea” Like those stories told by Jesus centuries ago this letter is brief but the lesson is timeless: today that lesson is: Greatness is born of smallness.

Peter Green, Reader St Mary’s Church, Tattingstone We have a new Facebook Page – all services and events will be updated here: www.facebook.com/northsamfordbenefice/

18

MAUNDY THURSDAY SERVICE: MARCH 24 Copdock Church, 7.30pm

EASTER DAY SERVICES: SUNDAY, MARCH 27 Sproughton: 8am, Holy Communion Sproughton: 11am, Holy Communion Burstall: 9.30am, Holy Communion Bentley: 10am, Holy Communion Copdock: 10am, Holy Communion Belstead: 10am, Holy Communion Tattingstone: 10am, Holy Communion FROM THE REGISTERS Baptisms Penelope Pritchard, Copdock Funerals Barbara Keeble, Burstall MARCH 2 Bentley Home Communions, 19 The Link, 10am

Burstall Lent Group, 2.30pm

Bentley Lent Group, 7.30pm 3 Burstall Community Lunch, 12.30pm

Bentley Coffee and Company, 10am 4 Women’s World Day of Prayer, Burstall Church, 7pm 5 Copdock Morning Market, 10am 7 Bentley adoption of accounts 9 Burstall Lent Group, 2.30pm

Bentley Lent Group, 7.30pm 10 Belstead approval of accounts 12 Sproughton Morning Market, 10am

Sproughton Beetle Drive, 7.30pm 16 Copdock Home Communions, 18 Charlottes, Washbrook, 10am

Burstall Lent Group, 2.30pm

Bentley Lent Group, 7.30pm

Tattingstone adoption of accounts 19 Belstead Jumble Sale in village hall, 10am 22 Ministry meeting, rectory, 7.30pm 24 Copdock Maundy Thursday Service followed by an hour’s watch,

7.30pm 25 Good Friday Benefice Service 27 Belstead adoption of accounts APRIL 2 Copdock Morning Market, 10am 5 Copdock adoption of accounts 6 Bentley Home Communions, 19 The Link, 10am

Bentley APCM meeting, 7pm 7 Burstall Community Lunch, 12.30pm

Bentley Coffee and Company, 10am 9 Sproughton Monthly Market, 10am 12 Clergy meeting, rectory, 10am

Reader’s meeting, rectory, 2pm 13 Burstall APCM meeting, 7pm 14 Belstead APCM meeting, 7pm

Tattingstone Coffee Morning in the village hall, 10.30am 16 Sproughton Beetle Drive, 7pm

Belstead Jumble Sale in the village hall, 10am 19 Copdock APCM and PCC, 7pm

Ministry meeting, rectory, noon 20 Copdock Home Communions, 18 Charlottes, 10am

Tattingstone APCM, Tattingstone School, 7pm 21 Sproughton APCM, church, 7.30pm

In Touch online:

SERVICES IN THE BENEFICE

March 25 11am

Good Friday Sproughton

Benefice Service

Sunday, March 27 8am 11am 9.30am 10am 10am 10am 10am

Easter Day Sproughton Sproughton Burstall Bentley Copdock Belstead Tattingstone

Holy Communion Holy Communion Holy Communion Holy Communion Holy Communion Holy Communion Holy Communion

Copdock Burstall Copdock Bentley Tattingstone Sproughton

Holy Communion Holy Communion Morning Prayer Family Worship Holy Communion Holy Communion

Sproughton Burstall Copdock Bentley Tattingstone

Croissant Church Family Service Holy Communion Extended Communion Evensong

Friday, March 4 7pm

Women’s World Day of Prayer Burstall Benefice Service

Sunday, March 6 8am 9.30am 10am 10am 10am 11am

Copdock Burstall Bentley Copdock Tattingstone Sproughton

Holy Communion Holy Communion Mothering Sunday Service Mothering Sunday Service Holy Communion Holy Communion

Sunday, March 13 9.15am 9.30am 10am 10am 6pm

Sproughton Burstall Copdock Bentley Tattingstone

Croissant Service Family Service Holy Communion Holy Communion Evensong

Sunday, March 20 9.30am 10am 10am 11am 6pm

Sunday, April 3 8am 9.30am 10am 10am 10am 11am

Burstall Copdock Bentley Sproughton Tattingstone

Family Service Family Service Family Service Holy Communion Holy Communion

March 24 7.30pm

Maundy Thursday Copdock

Sunday, April 10 9.15am 9.30am 10am 10am 6pm

Benefice Service

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

YOUR LOCAL SERVICES

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

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 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/sproughton

19