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Volume 7 • Issue No. 5 • APRIL 2017
See Page 11
Bristol Hill Picnic Area by Alexandra
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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR On a number of recent occasions I’ve been surprised by how people have reacted to fairly typical situations which would normally go relatively unnoticed or produce no more than a raised eyebrow. Just this morning I struggled to make room on a narrow road for a rather large car coming in the opposite direction. I pulled in as far as I could, trying not to go into the brook running alongside, but the other driver was incensed, waving his arms at me, his face ugly with anger. Thank goodness I couldn’t hear what he was saying. He got by a little slower than he obviously wanted, but I sat there for a moment in stunned silence. At the weekend I found myself queuing behind a man who gave a shop assistant a right telling off because she had given him the wrong change. He practically accused her of trying to steal 10p from him. I asked her if she was OK after he’d left and she shrugged it off as if it was a common occurrence, which I fear it might very well be. We may all be feeling pressure just now not knowing how things will turn out (even the weather is disagreeable), but if we lose all self-restraint and can’t even treat those we meet in everyday life with respect I dread to think of the long-term impact. Thankfully we’re not there yet and I’ve had many more instances of people being helpful, kind, thoughtful and understanding in recent weeks (clearly evidenced in the pages of this magazine) than I’ve had of people being rude, judgemental and arrogant. Admittedly a little self-analysis may be necessary now and then, but I’m determined to offset rude drivers and hateful behaviour by doing the exact opposite. By making a little extra effort to be kind to each other, I’m convinced we can make the world a little bit more pleasant for everyone. A smile, a polite ‘good morning’, a wave when another driver makes way (and especially when they don’t!), may initially have little impact on how others behave, but it can’t hurt. Happy Easter from everyone at Mansion House Publishing
In Touch
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NEWS NEW WEEKLY LIBRARY AT SHOTLEY VILLAGE HALL Suffolk Libraries is launching a new weekly library at Shotley Village Hall from Monday, April 10. The new Suffolk Libraries Local project will give residents the chance to browse and borrow from a selection of books, attend a range of activities for all age groups, and use IT facilities for research, work and pleasure. The library sessions will run at Shotley Village Hall every Monday from 1-5pm for a trial period of five months. The mobile library will continue to serve various stops in Shotley every fourth Friday. Suffolk Libraries is holding a consultation to find out what activities people in the Shotley area would like to see each week. More information and access to the online consultation survey can be found at: www.suffolklibraries.co.uk/libraries/shotley There is also more information about Suffolk Libraries Local at: www.suffolklibraries.co.uk/local
SAMFORD HOUSE OF UNION Last year was the 250th anniversary of the opening of the Samford House of Union, otherwise known as the Tattingstone Workhouse, later to become St Mary’s Hospital and now the 33 homes that make up Chedworth Place and Samford Court. To mark the passing of these years, the changes to the building and the memories of the many people whose lives it has touched, there will be an exhibition in Tattingstone Village Hall on Saturday, April 22 from 2-4.30pm. I am hoping this exhibition will appeal to many people for many reasons. You may live or have lived in Tattingstone and be keen to know more about the building’s history and the stories about some of its inhabitants; you may have worked there when it was a hospital or known a patient; you may be interested in the more recent redevelopment stage and would like to see the many before and after photos or you may simply be hoping to bump into an old friend over a cup of tea. Although being a major part of village life in Tattingstone, many more people from the surrounding area will have connections in one way or another. If someone reading this has a memory to share or an artefact, photo or whatever to include in the exhibition, please do let me know or bring it along on the day – it is all very much work in progress. I know there have been quite a few ‘clear outs’ already to uncover old newspaper articles, photos, et al that have been kept at the back of a drawer for years. Also I have a folder of ‘living memories’ and if you have any reminiscences it would be lovely to include them so please write them down however long or short and either let me have them before or on the day. The exhibition itself will be free and refreshments will be available to purchase. I look forward to sharing my love of the history of Tattingstone with you on April 22. Jane Kirk, 3 Samford Court, Tattingstone 01473 328328 / Jane@chedworth.net / chelmesis@btinternet.com Note: the picture is not the Samford House of Union as so far I haven’t been able to find any original images of it.
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NEWS SHOTLEY PIER GROUP
STUTTON CELEBRATES IWD FOR THE FIFTH TIME Every year on March 8 there are worldwide celebrations for International Women’s Day and Stutton joins in at one of the weekends nearest to it. Over the years more and more people have come to the event. Five women in Stutton have organised it each year, starting to plan it each autumn, and for the last two years we have put on a lunch and a tea. More than 120 people attended this year.
By the time you read this our community share issue should have been launched, or if the paperwork has not come through, then shares should soon be available. Shares at £25 each (you can buy as many as you like but still only get one vote at the AGM) will go towards buying the 122-year-old Victorian pier at Shotley, to be owned and used by the community for everyone far and wide. Once we have reached £50,000 we can make an offer to the owner as that funding will be matched by a booster programme. We will then have to carry on fundraising with various events happening in the coming months, and tapping into other grants and funding in order to make the pier safe and get it in good order for people to start using. The plan has always been to start at the shore end and do sections of the pier before moving on to the next stage. Your support is greatly appreciated; keep an eye out on Facebook and Twitter for updates. Meanwhile you can contact Sally (shotleypier@gmail.com) or Derek (01473 787375).
HMS GANGES MUSEUM The HMS Ganges Museum, based at Shotley Marina at the end of the peninsula, reopens officially to the public for the new season on Good Friday, April 14, from 11am. With so many positive things going on all around us, museum volunteers are looking forward to seeing thousands of visitors again this year. Six boutique bed and breakfast rooms, called Shipwreck Lofts, have been built above the museum. With prices starting from £75 they are very handy for visitors staying a couple of days. HMS Ganges Museum is delighted to be taking part in the Arthur Ransome celebrations being organised by Shotley Peninsula Tourist Action Group. One of the activities we will be involved in is a children’s party at the Bristol Arms in conjunction with the Shotley Pier Group to mark his book We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea. For more details contact chairman@hmsgangesmuseum.com or call June Lawford-Randall (788723) or Derek Davis (787375).
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It was announced in the last Roundabout and In Touch that blue plaques celebrating Stutton women would spring up round the village. The five of us talked to a range of people who helped us decide who should be approached and included. We had excellent assistance in making them look really professional. The idea was to give a sense of how women make significant, positive contributions to their community. Although when the plaques did magically appear there were some rumblings of opposition and discontent, there was also a huge wave of pleasure and much positive support for the idea. It certainly got people talking. It was linked to a talk given on the day about women who have been ‘blue plaqued’ recently in Ipswich, and during the afternoon people had a chance to make paper plaques for women whom they admire. The celebrations started off with lunch with Ian Heywood and Fran Flower singing beautifully. Ian had composed two poems and set them to music for the day. Then the tables were cleared and women came out from the audience singing, half from Stutton and half from Lifting Spirits, with their singing teachers Fran, Tracy and Jenny. In the second half children from Stutton Primary School stretched along the stage and sang two Ghanaian songs, and one which Ian had composed when the school was linked to a school in Ghana. After this Patrick Heinecke spoke. He has spent many years working with a charity which supports Ghanaian widows, often very cruelly treated in rural areas, and has set up radio links between isolated villages. Ken Wilson kept us entertained with a quiz about famous women. There were small exhibitions from the Suffolk Feminist Society based in Ipswich and from the National Women’s Equality Party as well as from Ipswich Lighthouse Women’s Aid, plus a charming and impressive show of writing and illustrations from the school on the theme of inspirational women such as Rosa Parks and Malala. We raised more than £700 by donations for the lunch and tea, which will be divided between Lighthouse and the Ghanaian project. As ever, a group of men were helping with all the serving and cleaning up behind the scenes, as well as those who helped so much with the production of the plaques. Men are always welcome to just relax and enjoy the day, and we also have a children’s corner. We have enjoyed five years of organising IWD, but we do need some new women to climb on board and would welcome them with open arms. In the autumn we will set up a meeting for that purpose. Susan Hemmings on behalf of the planning group
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NEWS TREASURE TROVE OF FUN
REPORT TO PARISHES, ALTON WARD: APRIL 2016 Babergh District Councillor Alastair McCraw
Panto is all about fun and believe me Shotley Drama Group’s version of Robinson Crusoe was fun with a capital F, punctuated with a bellyful of laughs. Fully anticipated gags and predictable panto clichés are overshadowed by slick one-liners and ad-libs from the most unlikely of sources. The sheer joy when someone messes up a line is a refreshing joy to behold, compared to the usual wooden, nervous response. Even the stereotypical ‘Oh Yes We Have, Oh No You Haven’t’ has an interesting twist and the feeling that the cast are actually enjoying performing was infectious, leading to a wonderful interaction between performers and audience.
Brantham Maintenance Depot Last month I was able to tell you about the plans for a Greater Anglia Maintenance Depot at the Brantham Industrial Site. This will be the biggest industrial investment in Babergh’s entire history as an authority (from 1973, I think). Brantham Parish Council hosted a presentation from Greater Anglia on March 7. Taylor Woodrow, the contractor for the construction phase, and the current landowners, St Francis Group, were also in attendance for a wide ranging question and answer session. Subjects covered included: planning considerations; impact on the housing requirement; traffic flows; noise, light and other environmental impacts (both for humans and birdlife); timescales; the likelihood of improvements to Manningtree crossing; employment and apprenticeship impacts and treatment of footpaths and the peninsula. I hope to post more information on social media. GA has also set up an email address for feedback and queries on this project: brantham@greateranglia.co.uk There will be a planning application for the yard construction itself and that means a consultation period, in due course, with responses to Babergh District Council. It’s important to note that this meeting was to engage with us as a community and entirely separate from that planning process. It was also held at the earliest opportunity after agreement had been reached between all financial parties involved. I’ve actively encouraged these sorts of discussions in nearly all planning matters, small and large. Early discussion and mutual consideration can avoid (or at least reduce) a lot of the pain and trouble associated with planning. The meeting finished with a light-hearted discussion about whether this yard should be labelled ‘Brantham’ or ‘Cattawade’. The Manningtree references in the press are part of the ‘curse’ of our postal address. I’ll just add that the site is on the ‘Brantham’ Regeneration Area.
What was also delightfully unusual was that, as wonderful as the children and teens were, the adults not only stepped up but actually eclipsed their cute and talented upstarts, even those who just grinned and got on with the show like top troupers instead of getting flustered at messing things up. It was a joy to see this group, on stage and off, putting on such a fun performance, especially the Nutcracker scene. Surely not even the Bolshoi Ballet can have performed the Sugar Plum Fairy better, in a pantomime sort of way. Special mention has to go to Brian Harvey, an outstanding dame who also directed and choreographed this excellent panto with a lot of help from his friends. His contribution underlines how good leadership is not about position, privilege or rank, but more about understanding how to lead others – no doubt learning from others before him. Connor Sams threw himself into this, while Alex Leach was confident and commanding as Robinson Crusoe – as was his love interest, the relaxed and gifted Abi Gleed as Polly, a sharp-witted and a delightful stalwart who displayed a wicked sense of awareness. The villains, led by Guy Johnson and more than capably backed by Mel Connell and the evergreen Bob Oliver, were dastardly convincing. Along with the wonderfully clever and colourful set and excellent lighting, the energy, commitment and sheer fun everyone had made this a special performance for both audience and cast – one to enjoy. Derek Davis
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COUNCIL TAX 2017/18 Your council tax bills have been issued and you’ll be aware that these three parishes see a 2.9% increase. SCC has put all their increase into the social care precept. That’s obviously a hot subject at the moment and understandably receiving attention. So county goes up by 3%, police and crime by 2% and Babergh by the most allowed to us, £5 for the year in Band D, which works out at 3.4%. You can look on that as 10p a week if you like. With reducing government support, achieving a balanced budget at all was a bit of a miracle. The bottom line at Band D for Alton is between £1,550 and £1,565, the differences being in the parish precepts. County account for 76% of that, PCC for 11%, district (Babergh) for 10% and the parishes are a bargain at around 3%. If it’s any consolation, the average overall council tax increase in England this year is 4% ARTHUR RANSOME’S EAST COAST I loved Ransomes books (from Swallows and Amazons to the East Anglian based stories) as a kid. His own mysterious history in Russia adds another fascinating element. My thanks to Derek Davis at Berners Ward, a prime mover in the Shotley Tourist Action Group, for drawing my attention to events taking place on the peninsula this year, starting on May 13 with guided walks and a celebration at Pin Mill. Here’s a Facebook link: https://tinyurl.com/hzdvkcx As always, if anything concerns you please contact me via the methods below – or just say hello sometime. I’m on a Blue Claud Butler bicycle, usually with yellow winter cycling jacket. alastair.mccraw@babergh.gov.uk / 07812 564188 Facebook: Alton, Alastair McCraw & Harriet Steer (an open group)
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NEWS
HOLBROOK AND SHOTLEY SURGERY The Peninsular Patient Network Our awareness week in February went well and more than 50 patients signed up to become involved. There are many different ways you can take part if you wish to. Please call into the surgery to pick up a leaflet and complete the flyer so we can keep in touch. Thank you to Jacqui and Shirley who were in the waiting room and to all those patients who took time to give feedback. It is always appreciated. Training days Our next training afternoons will be on Wednesday, April 26 and Thursday, May 18 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. Practice Manager Julia Smith
HOLBROOK PARISH COUNCIL Key points from the parish council meeting in February Reade Field Improvement Project RFIP committee is considering organising an Easter Egg Hunt. Quotes for exercise equipment are being collated. The Scouts are planning to carry out their tree maintenance work during March. Alton Green SCC Highways will be repairing the culvert under the road. This means that a temporary access will be installed across the green for residents. SCC has promised to make good any damage at their expense and to include HPC in any communication to residents. Councillor vacancies Mr Bernard Ball and Mr Terence Gray were appointed to the council. There are currently no vacancies. The chairman thanked Mr Gray and Mr Ball for their interest and was pleased to note that Alton Green is now directly represented on the council. Full minutes of this and all other meetings can be found at: www.holbrook.onesuffolk.net Advance notice of a new community facility Following formal approval at the February meeting, Holbrook Parish Council has purchased the phone box in Clench Road for the use of the community. A volunteer has offered to organise a book exchange from the kiosk and so, once BT have confirmed that their equipment has been removed, work will begin to convert it. Look out for further information when it’s ready to go. Annual Parish Meeting The Annual Parish Meeting will take place on April 26 in the village hall from 7.30pm. The Village Hall Management Committee will hold their AGM at the start of the meeting. All parishioners are warmly invited to attend. Questions or comments about parish council matters should be addressed in the first instance to the clerk, Mrs Ferial Rolfe: holbrookparishclerk@outlook.com / or leave a message on 07999 583017
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JAMES CARTLIDGE, MP FOR SOUTH SUFFOLK For many years the UK has performed poorly in the international productivity tables. In real terms, this means that in 2015, for every comparable hour worked in Germany, the UK produced 37% less output. Average productivity across the G7 countries falls 18% above the UK. This is a huge gap and a startling reflection of the challenge that we face as a country. I believe that this year’s spring budget will be remembered for its contribution to future improvements in this area. Technical education in our country has failed to result in enough young adults with first-rate skills, and any plan to tackle the productivity deficit must establish a system of education that rectifies this. As such, I welcomed the announcements in the Chancellor’s speech of a new ‘T-level’ system. Where the route from GCSE to A-level to University is both well-established and well-regarded, the same is not currently true for technical education. The budget seeks to put these new courses on an equal footing with the traditional academic route by increasing the number of hours that students train by 50% and simplifying the current 13,000 possible qualifications to just 15. An additional £500m of extra funding has been allocated to pay for this new system. Local businesses often express concerns around recruitment as they are struggling to find enough local individuals with the skills that they require to grow. At the new rail depot in Brantham there will be jobs created that would ideally be filled by individuals local to the area. These will be technical jobs in a large company that has the capacity to facilitate careers in the industry. I am hopeful that with a proper system in place, we will have young people qualifying with desirable skills who will be able to fill roles such as those on the rail depot. It is crucial that the country takes this opportunity to overcome the persistent challenge of weak productivity and I hope that residents will join me in welcoming this shift towards a fit-for-purpose, varied education system. I hold regular advice surgeries offering help and support to local people. Please see page 22 for my contact details.
FREE PROSTATE CANCER TESTS East Suffolk Prostate Cancer Support Group will be holding its fifth PSA test event for men between the ages of 45 (40 for men with a close relative who has prostate or breast cancer) and 75 at Greshams Sports and Social Club, Tuddenham Road, Ipswich, on April 27 between 6.30 and 8.30pm. Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer in men but it can be successfully treated if detected in time. Eleven thousand men die every year in the UK because their prostate cancer was detected too late. If there is a history of prostate cancer or breast cancer in your direct family blood line there is an increased possibility of you getting prostate cancer. A small blood sample will be taken from your arm by a trained phlebotomist. The sample will be analysed in an NHS laboratory and the urologist will write to you to explain your result and advise whether you should take any further action. East Suffolk Prostate Cancer Support Group wishes to thank the Lions Club of Ipswich for their very generous donation to help support this event.
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NEWS Last month we submitted our full application to the national Walkers are Welcome (WaW) project for Shotley to become an accredited Walkers are Welcome village, the first in Suffolk. The accreditation would mean that Shotley meets the standards required to ensure that walkers have an excellent experience when visiting the area. Wherever they see the WaW logo, whether they are just enjoying walking the network of public rights of way, staying in any of the bed and breakfasts or self-catering establishments, using the local takeaway and general store or eating and drinking in any of the lovely bars and restaurants in Shotley they know that they will be welcome in all these places. We are delighted to report that Shotley Open Spaces together with many service providers in Shotley have met the national standards for accreditation and Shotley is now a registered Walkers are Welcome village! This should bring some welcome publicity for our area, building on previous press reports that covered our intentions back in November 2016. The idea started with the Shotley Peninsula Tourist Action Group, a very dynamic business led group with representatives from the peninsula, district and county councils. Picking up on this idea with support from local organisations, the parish council, District Councillor Derek Davis and County Councillor David Wood, our service providers in Shotley saw the benefits that being part of the WaW scheme could bring. Co-ordinated by Shotley Open Spaces with national recognition we have the basis to build on the WaW brand and continue improvements in our area. You’ll see the WaW logo appearing in various places, in new leaflets and in local windows and as the network develops throughout the UK it will become more and more recognisable as a standard of excellence. Please support our community and help continue to make walkers very welcome in Shotley. If other villages would like to know more about the WaW scheme please contact Claire Parker, Green Access Manager, Resource Management, Suffolk County Council (01473 264759 / 07834 174214). Claire is supporting Suffolk towns and villages who are interested in becoming accredited locations, and we will be glad to share our experience in getting WaW ready if it helps.
Spring is definitely here as the many bulbs in bloom demonstrate. The March winds also blew and we had a flurry of snow. N’er cast a clout and all that. A few trees came down, quickly sorted where necessary with some yet to be dealt with (hopefully by now the tree down Bristol Hill will have been sorted). So begins our annual campaign of looking after the Heritage Park. Our maintenance schedule has been agreed with the parish council and Terms of Reference signed by both parties. Please take five minutes to have a look at our website: www.shotleyopenspaces.co.uk Besides the 2017 Heritage Park maintenance schedule and other good stuff, it’s packed full of up-to-date information about what we do, what events we have planned, and on the Walkers are Welcome page there’s a journey through Shotley with loads of photos and information. The three walks that we have registered with the Suffolk Walking Festival are detailed on the Walk around Shotley page, again with loads of photos. On the Farms and Rivers Walk, the link to The Tudor Trail website is fascinating with the story of Anne Boleyn and her link to Erwarton. Please let us have feedback on anything about the website, or any ideas you have for improving open spaces and footpaths in the area. You can contact Tony Lawford-Randall at: tony.lawfordrandall@shotleyopenspaces.co.uk Finally, another reminder for budding photographers (or just folk who see a good photo opportunity). The SOS 2018 calendar theme is Shotley through the Seasons. We have posted notices about this at various places around the village. Please send your entries any time between now and the end of July 2017 to marian.pugh@btinternet.com and they will be considered for the calendar. All entries will be displayed on our website from October 2017. As with the 2017 calendar we would like to credit the photographer alongside their photos so please let us know if that’s ok. Also, if the photo includes any people, please confirm that you have their permission to allow it to be shown. If you want to be included on the growing Shotley Open Spaces email list, please contact Geraint Pugh (g.pugh1@btinternet.com) or Gary Richens (gary.richens.583@btinternet.com). Report by Gary Richens
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NEWS SHOTLEY PENINSULA GOOD NEIGHBOUR SCHEMES A HELPING HAND WHEN NEEDED The Shotley Peninsula Good Neighbour Schemes are an important support network in our villages. They are run by volunteers under the umbrella of Community Action Suffolk. They can be contacted for assistance over a range of activities, including shopping, pet care, trips to hospitals and surgeries and collecting prescriptions. We are supported by parish councils and voluntary donations. All volunteers have been DBS and reference checked and are simply people in the community who don’t mind being asked for a helping hand. The contact phone is held by a rota of volunteers who ask volunteers in turn if they are free to help with a particular task. It is for all to use – all of us at some point are glad to be able to call on a neighbour for help. Please contact the Good Neighbour Scheme for your village: Chelmondiston and Pin Mill: 780408 Harkstead and Lower Holbrook: 328326 Shotley and Erwarton: 07799 873881 Stutton Support Network: 327753 Tattingstone: 07895 052086
CHECK YOUR BOUNDARIES Now we are into April it’s a good time to go into our gardens and look at ways we can protect our property. Front boundaries Low boundaries at the front give maximum visibility. Burglars will feel safer if they can hide behind high fences/hedges as they will be obstructed from view of passers-by from the road. Rear and side boundaries The height of rear and side fences should be 1.8 meters. If your boundary is particularly vulnerable the height can be increased with a trellis. This can be attractive and also act as a deterrent as it’s difficult to climb over without breaking the fence or making a noise. Gates All gates should be fitted with lockable slide bolts and have a padlock to stop someone reaching over to gain entry. Good news story Myself and PCSO Georgi Hawkes from Hadleigh SNT worked with PCSO Teresa England, Sgt Darren Oxbrow and the Youth Offending Team in a litter pick with some young people in the local area. PCSO Denise FORD, Hadleigh SNT Police: 999 emergencies only or 101 for non-emergencies Your local police: Hadleigh SNT, Hadleigh Police Station, Magdalen Road, Hadleigh IP7 5AD / hadleigh.snt@suffolk.pnn.police.uk
DISTRICT COUNCILLOR DEREK DAVIS – BERNERS WARD Shotley, Erwarton, Chelmondiston, Woolverstone and Freston It is amazing what a will to succeed and a desire to improve the Shotley Peninsula can achieve. This can be epitomised by the forthcoming year of Arthur Ransome celebrations under the auspices of the Shotley Peninsula Tourist Action Group. I remember clearly attending a meeting a year ago to discuss Destination Management Organisations where it was suggested that the peninsula be included with the Wool Towns and Dedham Vale. Fortunately, I was superbly supported by Oliver Paul, owner of Suffolk Food Hall, and along with John Taylor from Alton Water, Alastair McMillan from Jimmy’s Farm and others, we were able to show the Shotley Peninsula was a strong tourist destination in its own right. With some excellent work from them, along with many other individuals and businesses coming on board, notably Anthony Cullen from Pin Mill Photographic and Peter Willis of the Nancy Blackett Trust, things have steamed ahead under the guidance of Tracey Brinkley, Kate Lowe and Chris Knock from Babergh’s communities team. Keep an eye out for the diary of events and also the fabulous Arthur Ransome information boards scattered around the area and along the dedicated trail. Now that the Ganges development is steaming ahead it’s important to keep disruption to a minimum and to that end I’m organising a round table forum comprising of representatives from the developer, various affected parish councils, and Babergh planning department to facilitate a long term working group, which would be beneficial to all who live here.
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When Claire Parker, the Green Access Manager from Suffolk County Council, first approached me about introducing a Walkers are Welcome initiative locally I really hoped the whole peninsula would be up for the challenge and get involved. Although there was tentative interest in various places, it was Gary Richen and his Shotley Open Spaces group that seized the nettle and went for accreditation. All the hard work and form filing by a variety of people paid off when Shotley became the first place in Suffolk to gain the prestigious Walkers are Welcome status. Check out their website for more details and huge congratulations to all involved for achieving this historic and extremely worthwhile accreditation: www.shotleyopenspaces.co.uk Of course, these are all positive developments but various issues affecting people on the peninsula which are dealt with by Babergh, such as housing, council tax, business rates, waste and fly-tipping, verges, hedge cutting and manure effluence running onto the road, are often less prominent. These ward matters are as important to me as being on committees and panels at HQ. If you have any problems please contact me on the details below. I’m humbled, honoured and honestly excited about being asked to stand in the Suffolk County Council elections to be held in May as an independent candidate. No matter what happens, I will continue to serve you as a Babergh District Councillor. If you have an issue you would like to discuss please get in touch: derek.davis@babergh.gov.uk / 01473 787375 / 07824 167196
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OUT & ABOUT SHOTLEY DRAMA GROUP
Chelpin Players present
AN EVENING OF MURDER, MYSTERY & MAYHEM Thursday, April 27 to Saturday 29 The evening begins with the murder mystery and after a break to charge your glasses and to discuss who did it, what with and why, the mayhem ensues! An evening guaranteed to send you home with a smile. Bar open from 7pm, curtain up at 7.30pm £8 (including light refreshments), licensed bar available For more information if required, contact Pat: 01473 780358
Robinson Crusoe Shotley Drama Group would like to thank all those who supported us by coming to watch our latest panto, Robinson Crusoe, which was very well received. It was directed by Brian Harvey, making his directorial debut with our group. In addition to directing (a mammoth task in itself) he also played the dame, choreographed most of the dances, organised the music, helped to paint scenery and made some of the costumes! He was ably assisted by Carol Blumfield, a mainstay of our group. We were joined by a new group of youngsters who had a wonderful time and all performed really well. Our backstage crew were all virtually new members too and did a fantastic job. Look out for details later in the year regarding next year’s panto and if you would like to tread the boards please get in touch. We’d love to see you. Quiz Night and Ploughman’s Supper Get your thinking caps on for our quiz night on Saturday, April 22 at Shotley Village Hall at 7.30pm. Teams consist of four-six people and tickets are £7.50. To keep brains working during the evening we will be providing a ploughman’s supper which is included in the ticket price. Please bring your own drinks. We are on a fundraising endeavour in order to purchase a new lighting board from DHE. For the technical amongst you, this board uses led bulbs which are much more economical to use, whereas our current board can only take ‘old style’ bulbs and eats up electricity. Tickets need to be purchased in advance because of catering requirements and are available from Shotley Rose, or from Carol (787353) or Mandy (787460).
HIDDEN HARKSTEAD HIKES EASTER MONDAY, APRIL 17
Take this opportunity to put some fresh air in your lungs. Work up an appetite by joining us on a stroll around some of the less used footpaths, lanes and common land in the parish. A chance to view the beautiful countryside that we often miss when we drive through. Starting Time: 10am Finish: Noon-12.30pm approximately, you decide Meet: The Baker’s Arms car park
CONCERT AT ST MARY’S CHURCH, SHOTLEY
An afternoon of music and fun plus a cream tea, with entertainment by ukulele band Wot no Cake Sunday, 23 April at 3.30pm in St Mary’s Church, Shotley Tickets cost £8 and are available from: The Post Office / Norman Bugg: 01473 787358
The Baker’s Arm’s will be open for post walk refreshments. Get there a few minutes early and pre-book. Please note: •
Children and pets are responsible for their parents and owners and vice versa!
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Follow The Country Code
CLEAR THE CLUTTER – BAG A BARGAIN
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Sensible rough walking clothes and shoes/boots recommended, particularly if worn
Bentley Toddler Group is holding a fundraising jumble sale on Saturday, April 29 at Bentley Village Hall from 2pm.
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There are stiles to climb and other obstacles
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Subject to suitable weather
If you have anything you wish to donate, please bring it along to the hall from 9am on the day or contact Pam (01473 310283) or Aimée (01473 311311) to arrange collection.
Transport: unfortunately there is no bus service to Harkstead on bank holiday Monday. There is car parking at the Bakers for those ‘refreshing’ afterwards or 70m round the corner at the village hall.
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We hope to see you there; the hall will be open from 2pm and tea and coffee will be available.
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OUT & ABOUT CRAFTERS UNLIMITED A craft club for people who like to try different crafts in a light-hearted atmosphere with refreshments. Monday, April 3: Flower Brooch with Debbie Monday, May 8: Talk and demo of folk art by Heather Prince Samples of each project are displayed the month before and other projects are available.
HOLBROOK OPEN GARDENS Sunday, June 18, 10.30am-5pm
Saturday workshops (10am-4pm) and Monday meetings (7.30-10pm) are held in Wherstead Village Hall Meeting Rooms. Contacts: Ann 01473 780298 / Jill 01473 71353
STOUR AND ORWELL SOCIETY AGM The Stour and Orwell Society, set up in 2007, aims to preserve and enhance the Stour and Orwell Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) working with local communities and the appropriate authorities. This year SOS will be hosting their tenth AGM on Wednesday, April 5 at 7pm. The meeting will be hosted by chairman Tom Hill QC who will run through the events of the year and current SOS campaigns. This will be followed by a presentation from John Lyall and Peter Dent who have been instrumental in creating the East Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan. 10 gardens will be open / refreshments available All proceeds to be divided between: All Saints Church Holbrook Methodist Church St Elizabeth Hospice Admission £5 at village hall on the day, children free Volunteers needed for help with cake/cookie baking, car parking and refreshment stalls If you feel you can help, please contact one of the team. Suzanne Steer: 01473 327166 / holbrooksociety@gmail.com
MID-STUTTON MURDERS Check your diaries to see if you can make it to see several world famous detectives work out who killed one of their competitors at the bottom of Alton Hall Lane, and at the same time watch them being filmed for TV’s Mid-Stutton Murders by Shoe String Productions.
Refreshments will be available throughout the evening. If you would like to join the society for what promises to be an excellent evening please email for more details: epk@stourandorwellsociety.org.uk www.stourandorwellsociety.org.uk
ST MICHAEL’S MONTHLY MARKET The next monthly market at St Michael’s, The Church on the Park, Woolverstone is on Saturday, April 8, 9am-12.30pm. Fruit, vegetables, cakes, bread, meat and an interesting range of handcrafted items which helps present buying. East End Butchers are pleased to be the market’s resident meat supplier. If you would like to place on order with them it can be collected at the market each month. Their number for orders is 01206 392190 Come along to mingle with your friends, have a cup of coffee and a bacon buttie and enjoy the lovely venue. New stalls welcome. Contact Jane Gould: 01473 780777
Dogs and children are in the show (yes we do work with them), as well as many Stutton panto stars. Fun for all who like a nice whodunit, and for those who can’t stand them, so that’s all of you actually. Tickets will be available from the beginning of April from Stutton Community Shop. Performances are on the evenings of Thursday, May 25 and Friday 26 (time to be confirmed) with a matinee and evening show on Saturday, May 27. Tickets are £6 each / under 16s and over 65s £3. Watch this space!
SHOTLEY WHIST DRIVE There is no whist drive on April 6 but we look forward to your company on Thursdays, April 20 and May 4 from 1.50-4pm as usual. This is an enjoyable afternoon, everyone is friendly and there is always someone there to help if needed. We usually enjoy homemade cakes when we break for refreshments and lifts are available. For information please contact Norman or Eileen: 01473 787358
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EAST SUFFOLK ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND A local charity for local people An independent and voluntary charitable organisation promoting the welfare of blind and partially sighted people in East Suffolk since 1914. Membership is free. We also hold a social from 2-4pm on the last Wednesday of every month at Stutton Community Hall when we provide entertainment, afternoon tea and a raffle and twice a year, in the summer and at Christmas, we enjoy lunch at a local hotel. If you would like to join us, please contact Ian, our community support worker, for more information: 01473 788380
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OUT & ABOUT SHOTLEY 1st SCOUTS
CHELMO WI
Mother’s Day The Beavers spent a lovely evening thinking about their mums and had a go at making candles, paper flowers and cards for Mother’s Day. I hope all the mums liked their handmade gifts. Cub’s Camp Practice Cubs were given the opportunity to have a go at archery again this term. While one group was doing archery, the other group was outside putting up tents as practice for their next camp later in the term. It’s not easy putting up tents in the dark! Scouts and Scrap Metal Take one candle, one baked bean tin plus some batter mix and what do you get? A homemade cooking appliance for pancakes. The Scouts had great fun trying to cook pancakes on up-turned bean tins. It’s not an easy task, but the Scouts undertook this with great enthusiasm. Scouts collect Sainsbury’s Vouchers It’s that time of the year again when the Sainsbury’s Vouchers are back. We are collecting these again and would appreciate any donations. They help us to get new equipment for the group. If you have any vouchers we have a wooden collection box outside the scout hut or you could contact Jane on 01473 787416.
ACWW project fund is up and running And what is ACWW you may be asking? WI ladies will be aware that this is part of the WI and something that we have supported for many years with our ‘pennies for friendship’.
‘Phil’ the bag reminder Dates are as follows: drop off April 15, pick up April 22.
This year sees the start of a new project to be funded by The Associated Country Women of the World to help the head-load fish vendors of Tamil Nadu in India.
SHOTLEY CHURCH HERITAGE 700 CLUB
The photograph shows Chelmondiston WI with flags representing some of the countries that have ACWW member societies. We were very proud to be able to start the fund with its first £100 (£70 from members and £30 kindly donated by Vivo).
February Draw Winners £25
Mr I Peters (059)
£20
Mrs A Page (138)
£15
Mrs J Stroud (066)
£8
Mr T Lawford Randall (133)
£7
Mrs H Gent (073)
At 10am on Saturday, April 29 we will join Women Walk the World when groups all over the world will walk to raise funds for ACWW. Meet at Chelmondiston Village Hall at 9.45am for a leisurely stroll around the village, ending back at the village hall for a cuppa. £1 per person will to go to ACWW.
New members are always welcome to join the 700 Club at a cost of £5 a month payable at three, six or 12 monthly intervals. To join or for more information contact Norman: 01473 787358
In January we had a collection of socks and pants for the homeless of Ipswich and were pleased to donate 61 pairs of socks and six pair of pants to this local charity.
Suffolk Show As usual we are running a coach to the Suffolk Show on Wednesday, May 1, leaving Shotley at 8.30am and the showground at 4.45pm. Book with Norman on 787358. Cost available later.
We meet in the village hall on the second Tuesday of the month and new members are always welcome. Contact Caroline Giles: 01473 780066
Shotley Village Hall The committee would like to thank everyone who supported our last auction. The event raised over £550, a truly magnificent amount. Well done.
TESCO BAGS OF HELP Bags of Help is Tesco’s exciting local community grant scheme where the money raised from the 5p carrier bag charge is being used to fund thousands of local projects in communities across the UK. Projects that bring benefits to their community will be considered; these range from improving buildings and outdoor spaces to buying new equipment, training coaches or volunteers and hosting community events. If you have a project in mind or know someone in the local community who has, then why not apply for a grant? To apply, visit www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp and complete an application.
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The following report was submitted in March, but due to a filing error by your editor, it wasn’t published. Sorry Val. Our February speaker was Jonathan Webb who gave us a fascinating insight into the re-building of the Barge Melissa, which has had an amazing life. Built in 1899 she traded under sail until 1945 when she was converted to a motor barge until 1970 when she was saved from being broken up for scrap. Sometime later she was bought by Fred Webb of Pin Mill who started to restore her in 1994. Sadly Fred died in 1996 and thereafter Fred’s sons Jonathan and Richard took on the awesome task of restoration. Pin Mill and Chelmondiston residents have been watching this unfold and after years of hard work she was re-launched in 2005 with our member June Webb smashing the champagne on her hull. She competes in barge matches (and wins), was in the Thames River Pageant in 2012, and is still working. What a wonderful history. March has seen our birthday party (91 years young) and April brings a speaker whose intriguing subject is knickers. We shall all be on a sponsored walk on April 29 in aid of ACWW, and will be (wo)manning two exciting stalls at the Arthur Ransome Day at Pin Mill. The speaker at our May meeting will be First Responder Iwan Rees.
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OUT & ABOUT SHOTLEY WALKING CLUB Eight members did the Heritage Trail in Holywells Park on March 12. We started this very interesting walk from the Riverside Clinic car park. Holywells Park is a designated conservation area with two listed buildings, the stable block and the conservatory, and is on the English Heritage Register of Parks & Gardens of special historic interest. There was plenty to see with all the wild life on the ponds and the wild flowers in bloom. There were people with dogs and many children on the play area, all enjoying themselves. We finished up in the café for tea and coffee. The dry and mild weather was perfect for walking and this was one of the best walks we have done with the club. Our next walk on April 9 is around Orford, starting at 2pm from the school. New faces welcome. Call Jill: 01473 787504
CHELMONDISTON OVER 60S Happy Easter to all our members and helpers, let’s hope some spring sunshine is on the way! On Thursday, April 13 we have a demonstration of the new defibrillator which is now situated on the outside wall of our village hall. Sarah Hopkinson is coming to show us how to use it and will also do CPR training. Come along at 2pm, you are very welcome. Also join us for The Phoenix Handbell Ringers on May 11 for a musical afternoon with tea and cake. Michele and Michael Rutherford: 01473 780718
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 Kesgrave War Memorial Community Centre, Twelve Acre Approach, Kesgrave IP5 1JF at 7.15pm. Our next meeting is on Tuesday, April 25 when Horry Parsons will be talking about the construction of the Millennium Tower at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, featuring the installation of the vaulted ceiling. Horry has appeared on national television as a building techniques expert and, as many will remember, is a very entertaining speaker. This promises to be an interesting talk.
MY MARATHON FOR SOMERSHAM WARD SUPPORT GROUP And in memory of my granddad, Mick Catchpole
I am running the Virgin London Marathon on April 23 for Somersham Ward Support Group because of the amazing job they do for Ipswich’s families and in memory of my granddad, Mick Catchpole. Somersham Ward Support Group is the charity for Somersham Ward and oncology department of Ipswich Hospital. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for those on the ward, both in the provision of medical equipment and added comforts. Since its foundation in 1986 it has raised over £1m. They truly are an inspirational charity and have supported many, many families. They were there for my family when both my granddad and my Nana Margaret needed them. For this I am eternally grateful and now I’m determined to do my bit in order to give something back. After speaking to Sue Chainey, the treasurer of Somersham Ward, I feel even more of a desire to complete my task. Here she describes in more detail what the charity does. “Somersham Ward Support Group has been running for 30 years and in that time £1.5million has been raised. That is an amazing amount and could not have been raised without people, such as yourself, so thank you. “All patients with cancer on Somersham Ward and in the clinics have benefited from this. From small things like teas and coffees provided for them and their families, a cooked breakfast, toiletries if they are brought into the hospital at short notice and a gift at Christmas and Easter. “We have kitted out a relative’s room in case families need to stay overnight, the day room for both patients and their families to enjoy and also a children’s room where patients can be with children too young to visit on the ward. We have also supplied equipment that makes a stay more comfortable.” I want to give back to the community and support a cause that I’m sure some of you reading this will already know about. Many thanks for reading this and massive amounts of love for anything you are able to donate via: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Luke-Catchpole Luke Catchpole
On Tuesday, May 16 Anthony Cobbold will be talking about one of Suffolk’s best known families, the Cobbolds, and their contribution to Suffolk life. Anthony founded the Cobbold Family Trust and will be delving into the family history which, as we will see, consists of more than beer and football. Visitors (even if not National Trust members) are welcome. The entrance fee is £3. National Trust members/volunteers can join us for £8 per year (£12 per couple at same address). We publish three newsletters a year for members and enjoy interesting day outings and other events. For more information, including details of future events and outings, contact our membership secretary: membershipesnta@ gmail.com / 01473 723761 www.membershipesnta.btck.co.uk
VILLAGE LINK CLUB Barbara Faulkner will present a talk entitled Easter Parade at our meeting on April 12. Future talks include The Building of Bury Tower in May. 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. Roger Felgate, 01473 311684
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Out & ABOUT 1st SAMFORD VALLEY SCOUT GROUP (HOLBROOK)
MARTLESHAM HEATH CONTROL TOWER MUSEUM A museum crammed with stories, artefacts and photos. Opens from 2-5pm on Sunday, April 2 and then every Sunday afternoon to October 29. Located behind Parkers Place, off Eagle Way, Martlesham Heath IP5 3UX. Admission by donation, easy parking, group visits by appointment. For more information call Ian on 07745 197025 or Howard on 02473 274300. www.mhas.org.uk
We’re now at the end of the spring term – time to reflect on all that we have got up to over the past three months.
1st HOLBROOK BROWNIES
Tiff, our Beaver Leader, writes: “As this is my first term running 1st Samford Beavers, I have tried not to change things too much. We have had lots of new Beavers join our colony, and lots of help from parents, which is always important. “We have been collectively working towards our Collectors Badge and as the nights drew out, we went on a small trip to Shotley beach to collect shells. The Beavers are an energetic bunch, always interested in new things, and I enjoy bringing new experiences to them. The leader challenge this year was to try haggis: most of them were very brave and tried some. “We’ve been busy in Cubs too, concentrating on our Skills Challenge badge which covers a wide range of activities. We managed to get through our evening of DIY skills (drilling, sawing and hammering) with all Cubs intact, but four plasters were required during our domestic skills evening, with potato peeling proving the most dangerous. Sewing surprisingly passed without a hitch and Cubs made several fidget quilts to be given to local people with dementia. We’ve also made buddy burners (cardboard rolled up inside a tin and doused in melted wax), on which we cooked pancakes to celebrate the start of Lent. “Our Cubs have had plenty of outdoor meetings this term, with wide games in the dark up at Hallowtree, our local campsite, being a perennial favourite. And to round the term off we hiked from Stutton to Brantham, with Cubs being set a few ‘incidents’ to deal with en route. “The Scouts have had a busy few months. We haven’t been confined to our normal meeting place at Freston Village Hall but have been out and about with a night hike around Harkstead and a visit to Holbrook Fire Station. At the fire station the firemen gave an excellent presentation on all aspects of fire, its causes and ways to extinguish it. We also learnt what to do on discovering a fire and discussed the importance of smoke alarms and escape plans. Later on in the term we learnt dabout geocaching and had a go at finding some local caches. “By the time you read this we will have organised a successful jumble sale in Holbrook. Many thanks to all those who donated jumble and supported us by buying it. I hope you bagged a bargain! Hopefully we will raise enough money to buy some new cooking equipment to use on camp.”
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Our Brownies were so excited when we welcomed our visitors from Kimmy’s Zoo. The combination of animals and children seemed to be the perfect mix. The Brownies were fascinated by the cute (but smelly) sugar gliders, bearded dragon, chameleon and millipede and an incredible number were brave enough to touch the tarantula and snake – far braver than the Owls who kept a safe distance. However the winners of the evening were the adorable Lola the meerkat and Juliette the racoon as both came round to eat snacks from the Brownies’ hands. Once again our Brownies made us very proud as Kimmy’s Zoo don’t usually bring out Juliette the racoon when there are so many children, but they knew our girls could be quiet enough for her. It was an evening of special memories for Owls and Brownies alike. We then had a very interesting visit to a vet, seeing the operating theatre, scanner and hydrotherapy pool. Brown Owl took one for the team here, as it had to be an adult who dressed up in the theatre gown. We learnt how clean you had to be before going into theatre and that our pets are in good hands. The Brownies are now busy raising money for the Blue Cross by baking cakes and holding a pyjama party with animal themed games. If your daughter is aged between seven and 10 and would like to join in the fun and excitement, please register on Girlguiding UK. We have a waiting list for girls under seven.
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Out & ABOUT STOUR VALLEY U3A On Wednesday, March 8, Mark Mitchels spoke on The Sutton Hoo Ship Burial and attempted to re-create the moment in his illustrated lecture. Mark told the story of the excavation and recounted when a remarkable people sent their leader on his final voyage. This was one of the greatest treasures ever found on English soil. On Wednesday, April 12, Amanda Richmond will present Two Teachers Ascent of Everest. Amanda is a teacher, mountaineer skier, traveller and bell ringer and will tell of the six years spent in preparation and the hardships involved in tackling this formidable ascent. On Wednesday, May 10, Emma Roodhouse, art curator of Colchester & Ipswich Museum Service, will talk on Leonard Squirrel, known as the ‘grand old man’ of East Anglian painting. Emma’s lecture will highlight his prolific career, concentrating on the artworks in the Ipswich Borough Council collection, including drawings, watercolours, etchings and pastels from 1912-1978. 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 and computer studies and groups that visit 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, have over 260 members and 21 groups. For further information please visit www.stourvalleyu3a.org.uk where membership secretary Gillian Gibbs may be contacted. We meet at Constable Hall, Gandish Road, East Bergholt CO7 6TP at 2.15pm. Annual membership is £12 which entitles members to attend meetings on the second Wednesday of each month, except August and December. It’s never too late to learn! Join the 361,477 members across 969 U3As throughout the UK today.
STOUR VALLEY MEN’S PROBUS CLUB On Wednesday, March 1, Joyce Kimber presented Ciphers & Enigma and the Annual General Meeting was held on Wednesday, March 15 when club president Hew Naylor stood down after his year in office. On April 5 Julian Wong will talk about the charity Mary’s Meals and on Wednesday, April 19 Jim Lowe will inform us of the work undertaken by the Alzheimer’s Society. 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 for development of acquaintances. New members are welcomed.
RSPB FLATFORD WILDLIFE GARDEN Leave the car behind, wander down Tunnel Lane with the trees just coming into leaf overhead, become aware of the birdsong all around… There is the glint of sunlight on water through the trees and the curve of an old wooden bridge. An ancient thatched cottage peeps out from beneath its eaves, and suddenly the modern world recedes and you find yourself transported back 200 years. Walk down the hill and as you cross the old hump-backed wooden bridge, views which have not changed since Constable’s time open out in front of you. Wide flood meadows stretch westwards towards the spires of Dedham Church, punctuated by knarled willow pollards that bend over their reflection in the silvery Stour river. Thus begins your morning at Flatford, a tiny hamlet tucked into a corner of the Stour valley, frozen in time… There’s more than just history here, though. The RSPB also runs a wildlife garden in Flatford – a place designed to show people how they can help with wildlife conservation within their own gardens, big or small. The garden aims to teach people how their choice of plants and management of their outdoor space can genuinely benefit wildlife such as bees, hedgehogs, butterflies, frogs and even struggling birds such as house sparrows and songthrushes. The RSPB owns over 300,000 acres of nature reserve in Britain, but gardens cover much more than this area, meaning there is huge potential for ordinary householders to really help our struggling wildlife. The garden opens for the year on April 1, when primroses and cowslips will be peeping in the apple orchard and the wildflower meadow, daffodils will be turning their faces to the sun, and the blue tits will be hatching their chicks in the nestboxes. Another main aim of the wildlife garden is to show children the magic that is nature – those first wonderful experiences are the ones that stay with us for a lifetime, enriching our lives and opening our eyes to the beauty that is around us. My love of nature began in the garden, where as a small child I would run barefoot in the morning dew, just exulting in the sunshine and the smell of damp earth and green grass… As a mother now myself, I am determined that my child will also have the opportunity to develop a love of nature and a joy in the outdoors. Who knows who is nurturing the next David Attenborough! So Flatford, although it may feel like it belongs to the past, also offers hope for the future – children growing up with a sense of wonder about the natural world around them, and people who are inspired by, and care for, the natural world, even if it all they have space for is a window box full of thyme and chives for the bees! The RSPB’s garden is open daily from April 1 between 10.30am and 4.30pm, and is free to enter. Park in the National Trust car park at Flatford (£4 all day) and save some space for cake at the tea room. What’s on in the Easter holidays There’s a free children’s nature trail round the garden daily, as well as other activities such as planting wildlife-friendly seeds to take home and grow, and hands-on activities for even the smallest children (donations gratefully received.) For the grown-ups, there are plenty of ideas to take home to your own gardens, as well as free plant lists, and seeds and inexpensive wildlife friendly plants to buy. Shirley Sampson
We meet on the first and third Wednesday of each month at St John Ambulance HQ, Manningtree CO11 1EB at 10.30am. For further details please contact Brian Rolfe: 01206 393665
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OUT & ABOUT / SCHOOLS
SHOTLEY GARDENING CLUB We spent our club night on March 13 in the company of Matthew Tanton-Brown from A Place for Plants. As usual Matthew brought with him a good selection of lovely plants to illustrate his talk on seasonal interest in the garden. Many of the plants flowering at this time of year are woodlanders, blooming before the canopy leafs out above them and they lose the light. These plants often die right down and disappear until next spring. They are bright and scented and ideal to lift the spirits on a dull day. He brought new introductions of some we know well; snowdrops, erithroniums, daphnes and hellebores amongst them. Other spring flowering plants love the sun and we were introduced to a range of new varieties. There is a lovely light leaved euphorbia that flowers in April, a fritillary that likes the damp (not wet!) and a very unusual mouse plant the proper name of which I couldn’t spell and didn’t ask about. It has a little black and very pale grey rounded flower, close to the base with a tail! It grows under its own little canopy of shiny dark green leaves carried high on long thin stems – very unusual. Matthew always gives a lively and often interactive talk and his story about why he believes that Labradors are thick and his advice on how to deal with lily beetle have to be experienced! I will probably find myself at A Place for Plants very soon! Many of the plants Matthew brought were quickly snapped up after the talk. The competition of a photo of Shotley in winter was won by Doreen Bacon and we were pleased to welcome a new member, Karen Smith Our next meeting is on April 10 when Sonya Burrows will be telling us about Plants under Siege. The competition will be an arrangement of spring flowers. New members and visitors are always welcome. June Edwards
CHELMONDISTON CEVC PRIMARY SCHOOL It has been a busy start to the second half of the spring term with many exciting opportunities for the children. We launched our reading club the week beginning March 13. The intention behind this invitation club is to provide children with opportunities to practise their reading skills. We know how difficult it can be for parents and grandparents to hear their children read so that they make the progress that they need. This club will enable children to practise in a supported environment and allow them to progress. As well as reading the children will also have an opportunity to take accelerated reading quizzes and to discuss the books they are reading. There will also be opportunities for children to recommend books. On this theme, we were delighted with the World Book Day celebrations we held at the school. The majority of the children dressed up in a wonderful array of costumes – we even had Donald Trump! The school was no longer populated with teachers and learning support assistants but suddenly characters from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Harry Potter filled the building. We would like to thank all parents for their efforts in supporting their children to dress up and raise the profile of reading in or school. Chelmondiston has a wide range of exciting clubs for the children to participate in. Two of the most popular at the moment are the film and French clubs. For a small contribution, the children can star in and produce their own films. I am confident that we will have the next Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson treading the boards in our very own school hall. The French club is a wonderful opportunity for children to learn French from a French speaker. Learning a foreign language is going to be an increasingly important skill in a world that is growing ever smaller and we are very lucky to have these opportunities. We also work with Premier Sports to offer clubs after school andcurrently offer gymnastics and football. The school also offers guitar, violin and drumming lessons and we hope to be able to celebrate the children’s musical achievements soon. We really do value the opportunities that we offer the children and we are always looking for more ways to give more varied experiences. If you are aware of any opportunities that we can offer, please contact the school office so that we can develop these ideas. Headteacher Sean Cornish
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SCHOOLS/ SPORT
STUTTON CEVC PRIMARY SCHOOL I am delighted to return to Stutton Primary School as headteacher until a permanent leadership solution has been agreed. It’s great to see that despite a number of changes in leadership, the dedicated staff and governors have ensured that business is indeed as usual! Our Year 6 have excelled in sport and should be very proud to have recently won the Pyramid Basketball competition. As I write, there are many exciting events planned for the end of this term and for the summer term. We took part in the International Women’s Day celebrations in Stutton Village Hall. We have also invited all mothers and grandmothers in the village to join us for a special Mother’s Day lunch on March 23. Our Easter Service will again be taking place at St Peter’s Church on the last day of term. In the summer term, we will be working with writer Andrew Holland, and our Key Stage 2 children will be spending four days at Aylmerton Field Study Centre fighting pirates, finding monsters in the woods and hopefully seeing the seals at Blakeney after trekking through the mud. We will also be putting our ‘mile a day’ walking and running into good use as we take part in the Alton Water Run which raises valuable funds for a number of local schools, including ours. The children will also be participating alongside other local schools in the Shotley Peninsula Arthur Ransome Script, Sketch and Sail Project. Lots of enrichment activities to look forward to! Many years ago we held very successful art exhibitions in the school hall, with our children’s work being hung next to that of local artists. We are in the process of organising another exhibition and would really like to hear from artists who would like to exhibit. The exhibition will be held over the weekend of July 8 and 9, with a private view for local artists on the Friday evening. The exhibition will raise funds to provide our children with creative experiences to further enrich our curriculum. In the past we have displayed works from more than 40 local artists, so very much hope to renew past contacts as well as make new ones. Please contact me for further details. Anne Clarke anne.clarke@stutton.suffolk.sch.uk / 01473 328531
PIN MILL SAILING CLUB Easter is just round the corner and the members will be rolling up their sleeves for the Good Friday working party, when the club is given a spring clean, repairs and, where necessary, a lick of paint. Their efforts are rewarded with bacon butties and a free pint. This year’s sailing starts on May 6 with a passage race to the Stour followed by a barbecue. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us. A week later, we will be celebrating the Arthur Ransome Jamboree. It will be 80 years since Arthur Ransome wrote We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea, a story which starts at Pin Mill. Arthur Ransome, who was briefly a club member before the war and a resident on the peninsula, died 50 years ago. In recognition of his contribution to children’s literature, there will be all sorts of entertainment on Saturday, May 13 from noon in Pin Mill including swing boats, vintage mobile cinema, music, stands, talks about Arthur Ransome, and a hog roast in the early evening. Neil Leverett ©
www.pmsc.org.uk / Facebook: PMSCSocial
NEPTUNE SAILING The management of Neptune Sailing is run by volunteers both as trustees and committee members, backed up by helpers both on and off the water. The on the water teams are all qualified to the required RYA standards and controlled by our internal operating procedures. Our annual RYA audit was conducted on September 15 and our continued certification approved. YOUTH GROUPS Neptune Youth Groups include a beginner course with no sailing experience, an intermediate course and an advanced group covering the skills required for instructor entry level. The minimum age is 10 years. The main advantage of the youth group approach to sailing skills is each group runs one night a week for 16 weeks giving a chance to sail in different weather conditions and tidal variations. There are currently vacancies in all groups. Details are on our website so apply now as they tend to fill up quickly. We have the craft and teams planned – all we need is you. OPEN COURSES The website calendar gives details of our open courses for young sailors. POWER BOAT AND RESCUE BOAT COURSE See our website. Often parents of our young sailors become powerboat drivers and help us on the water.
LOOKING FORWARD TO AN EXCITING SEASON Shotley Rose Bowls Club is looking forward to the new season after a very successful year in 2016. The club won promotion in both the Monday and Wednesday leagues and therefore will face new opposition this season. The fixture list will be available soon and our green is looking in excellent condition. We are working closely with the football club in fundraising events this year. Planning for this year’s Fun Day on July 8 is already underway. The bowls club is hoping to give all visitors a chance to roll balls in a small circular competition. Anyone interested in playing bowls will receive a warm and friendly welcome. If you would like to have a go please contact the club secretary, Norman Bugg: 01473 787358
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INSTRUCTOR COURSE Neptune runs Dinghy Instructor courses once or twice a year. TALK TO US We are a flexible training centre and can offer taster sessions, company days and parents afloat We will be at the Arthur Ransome day at Pin Mill on May 13 with a chance to go afloat. www.neptunesailing.org
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SPORT HOLBROOK BOWLS CLUB
CHELMONDISTON BOWLS CLUB
We open the green for the 2017 season at the end of April with the usual Saturday afternoon open drive when we welcome old members and new ladies and gents to our friendly club. For the exact date and time, please contact Peter, our captain: 01473 780525
As the winter season draws to a close we find ourselves fifth in the table, but as other teams have games in hand we may well finish a bit lower, but still a very creditable performance.
Before then, we will be hosting another quiz night in the pavilion on Saturday, April 8 from 7.30pm. To book a table please contact Rita on 01473 328257. It’s just £10 per team of four, which includes light refreshments and prizes for the winners and runners-up. There will also be a bar and raffle. The carpet bowlers now meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7.30pm and welcome new players to join them for a couple of hours of informal play.
IPSWICH RAVENS VOLLEYBALL If you read last month’s report, you will know that February was a fantastic month for us and I used up all the superlatives I know, which is a great pity because March was even better. Our two teams at the monthly indoor six-a-side tournament, held as always at Maidenhall LC, both achieved their best ever placements with the First team finishing second in Division 1 and the second team overall winners in Division 2. Both divisions were extremely close with exciting volleyball throughout, but we managed to win the key points at vital moments in our games to come out on top. DIVISION 1 RESULTS Pool phase Ipswich II 23-25 Ipswich Ravens Ipswich Ravens 21-25 Diss Diss 16-25 Ipswich II Ravens qualified for top play-off pool on points difference Play-offs for top three places Ipswich I 25-22 Ipswich II Ipswich II 16-25 Ipswich Ravens Ipswich Ravens 23-25 Ipswich I Ravens placed second overall with one good win and a narrow defeat DIVISION 2 RESULTS Ipswich Ravens 21-19 Stingers Stow Aces 20-21 Ipswich Ravens Bury II 11-21 Ipswich Ravens Ipswich Ravens 16-21 Diss Asters Ravens were placed first having scored three wins out of four and having a points total one ahead of Diss Asters and Fil Suffolk Smashers But the best part of the month was still to come as we were delighted to find that no fewer than six new juniors came along to join the club. We’re always delighted to take new players of any age and standard, but we are especially pleased to see that volleyball is growing in popularity with under-18s as they are at an ideal age to learn the game quickly and achieve their full potential in the sport. At Ravens we are well equipped to help juniors to develop, with several qualified coaches who run sessions with a combination of training drills to introduce and improve new skills and friendly practise games to try them out. Volleyball is a fast and exciting sport, it’s perfect to help build fitness, and being non-contact it is largely free from injuries. Word is gradually getting around and we couldn’t be more pleased. Ravens meet at St Alban’s School in Rushmere on Saturdays from 2-4pm and Tuesdays from 7-9pm. If you are interested in joining us, call/text 07508 351875 or visit: www.ipswichravens.org.uk
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We also have good news in the Chairman’s Plate cup competition. We played the quarter finals at Needham Market Sports Club and came away with a very good three games to one win that puts us in the semi-finals, our best performance for many a long year. On the social front we had a very good day out in Norwich with several members joining our coach trip to see Mama Mia at the Theatre Royal. What a great show with a fantastic cast. I can’t stop humming the tunes. We hope to do a repeat next year. Members are reminded that our club competitions are on Friday, April 7 and Saturday 8. Alan Storey
EAST BERGHOLT UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB February ended on a disappointing note for the First Team with defeat at Bramford, which was probably something of a hangover from their Bob Coleman Cup exit on the previous Saturday. Fortune certainly did not favour them as they went out at the quarter final stage in extra time at the hands of high flying Achilles. They do however still occupy a midtable position in the Senior Division. The Reserves have maintained third place in League A, but they went one better than the First Team in their cup competition by advancing to the semi-finals of the Goals of Ipswich Cup. They meet Benhall Reserves in the semi-finals. The A Team’s interest in the Club Colours Cup ended when they exited at the semi-finals stage against a very strong AFC YourShirts side. In League B a comprehensive victory against neighbours Capel Plough Reserves helped their chances of avoiding relegation. UPCOMING FIXTURES 1st TEAM Senior Division Sat, Apr 1: Westerfield Utd (H) Sat, Apr 8: Wenhaston Utd (A) Mon, Apr 17: Capel Plough (H) Sat, Apr 22: Felixstowe Harpers Utd Sat, Apr 29: Leiston St Margarets (A) Sat, May 6: Stanton (A) RESERVES League A Sat, Mar 25: Framlingham Town Res (H) Sat, Apr 1: Sporting ‘87 Res (A) Sat, Apr 8: Benhall St Mary Res GIC Semi Final (A) Sat, Apr 15: Westerfield Utd Res (A) Sat, Apr 29: Coplestonians Res (H) A Team League B Sat, Apr 1: Stonham Aspal Res (H) Sat, Apr 8: Haughley Utd Res (A) Sat, Apr 15: Bramford Utd Res (A) Sat, Apr 22: Claydon Res (A) Sat, Apr 29: Benhall St Mary Res (A) Fixtures are subject to change. Please refer to the fixtures website: http://fulltime.thefa.com/Index.do?league=4358069 Players Awards Night: Saturday, April 22 We are always looking for people who can help the club as committee members, 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. Club strips, dugouts and banners or boards on matchdays offer potential exposure for your business while supporting a local organisation. Steve Butcher, stevebutcher55@btinternet.com
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CHURCH NEWS TWO RIVERS BENEFICE
SHORELINE BENEFICE
ST PETER’S, STUTTON April 2 8am Holy Communion 10.30am Worship for All at Stutton Primary School April 9 No Service – see Wherstead April 13 No Service – see Wherstead April 14 No Service – see Wherstead April 16 9.30am Easter Sunday Communion Service April 23 11am Informal Service April 30 11am Benefice Service in Woolverstone
ST ANDREW’S, CHELMONDISTON
ALL SAINTS, HOLBROOK April 2 10.30am Holy Communion April 9 No Service – see Wherstead April 13 No Service – see Wherstead April 14 No Service – see Wherstead April 16 9.30am Easter Sunday Communion Service April 23 9.30am Holy Communion April 30 11am Benefice Service in Woolverstone
April 23 9.30am Family Service
ST MARY’S, WHERSTEAD April 2 No Service April 9 10.45am 11am April 13 7pm April 14 10.30am April 16 11am April 23 11am April 30 11am
Palm Sunday Benefice Procession leaves Suffolk Food Hall Car Park Palm Sunday Benefice Service Passover Meal – a family occasion Contact Marian: 01473 780259 Good Friday Event Easter Sunday Communion Service Morning Prayer Benefice Service in Woolverstone
ST PETER’S, FRESTON April 2 11am Matins April 9 No Service – see Wherstead April 13 No Service – see Wherstead April 14 No Service – see Wherstead April 16 11am Easter Sunday Communion Service April 30 11am Benefice Service in Woolverstone ST MICHAEL’S, WOOLVERSTONE April 2 11am Café Church April 8 9am-12.30pm Monthly Market April 9 10.45am Palm Sunday at Suffolk Food Hall followed by service in Wherstead April 13 Maundy Thursday, Seder Meal in Wherstead Village Hall April 14 Good Friday Come and see the events of this most Holy Week on DVD April 15 9pm Holy Saturday Vigil (drop-in session) April 16 11am Easter Communion April 23 11am Holy Communion April 30 11am Benefice Service May 1 AM Annual spring clean of church / churchyard PASSOVER MEAL – A FAMILY OCCASION Singing, eating a two-course home cooked meal, drinking and telling the story of the first Passover. Thursday, April 13, 7pm at Wherstead Village Hall The hall is by the side of the Co-op and Eon building so parking is plentiful. No charge for the evening but there will be opportunity to make a contribution towards the cost of the meal. For more information contact Marian on 01473 780259 – for tickets email: marian.carter@btinternet.com
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April 2
9.15am Holy Communion
April 9
9.30am Family Communion (Palm Sunday) at Harkstead
April 11 7.30pm Compline and Meditation April 12 10am
Midweek Communion
April 14 10am
Hot Cross Bun Service (Good Friday)
April 16 9.15am Family Communion (Easter Sunday) April 30 9.15am Benefice Holy Communion ST MARY’S, ERWARTON April 2
4.30pm Evensong
April 9
11am
Family Service
April 10 7.30pm Compline and Meditation April 14 2pm
Stations of the Cross (Good Friday)
April 16 11am
Holy Communion (Easter Sunday)
April 23 11am
Holy Communion
April 30 9.15am Benefice Holy Communion at Chelmondiston ST MARY’S, HARKSTEAD April 2
9.30am Holy Communion
April 9
9.30am Family Service (Palm Sunday) with Chelmondiston
April 12 7.30pm Compline and Meditation April 16 10am
Family Communion (Easter Sunday)
April 23 9.30am Holy Communion April 30 9.15am Benefice Holy Communion at Chelmondiston ST MARY’S, SHOTLEY April 2
10.15am Shotley Family @ Church
April 9
11am
Family Communion at Erwarton
April 13 7.30pm Maundy Thursday: Holy Communion with Reception of Oils and Foot Washing April 16 10.45am Family Communion April 23 11am
Holy Communion at Erwarton
April 30 9.15am Benefice Holy Communion at Chelmondiston Please note that some services may change. Look in pew sheets and on noticeboards or contact the rector on 01473 781902.
PENINSULA BAPTIST CHURCH Pin Mill Road, Chelmondiston Easter Services Good Friday at 10.30am Easter Sunday Family Church at 10.30am, followed by a light lunch at the church. All welcome. Every Sunday at 10.30am and 6pm. Families welcome. Wednesday Bible Coffee Morning in Shotley Gate. Enquiries to Dave Kelland: 01473 788441 / 07970 312705
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CHURCH NEWS HOLBROOK & Chelmondiston METHODIST CHURCHES RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS A man in a hospice had terminal cancer that was progressing fast. He wanted to marry his partner before he died and so a wedding was hastily arranged. The matron went to buy some flowers at the local florist and another customer overhearing the story, paid for twodozen red roses. This act of kindness from a complete stranger added immensely to the couple’s happiness.
APRIL SERVICES
Saturday 1
10-11.30am Coffee Morning
On March 1, I signed up to #40acts. Every day a message comes through written by a different person with a story, a thought or reflection and a challenge to make a difference in the community where you are (or beyond). Today as I write, it’s called Chocolate Tuesday. It talks about us being a nation of chocolate lovers – each person on average eating over 16lb or 8kg per year, or 160 bars! Each day there are three levels of challenges: green (the easiest) then amber and red (the hardest). Today it is about giving chocolate bars (or Easter eggs) away – either randomly or targeted to specific people or groups. It may just lift one person’s day, surprised to get something for nothing. A Random Act of Kindness.
Sunday 2
10am
6.30pm Lent Group – Rev Sankey
Sunday 9
10am
Thursday 13
7.30pm Maundy Thursday Communion
Friday 14
5pm
Good Friday Service
Sunday 16
10am
Easter Communion with Rev Yelland
Sunday 23 Sunday 30
10am Worship with Mr Brian Loader 10am Worship with Mr Brian Clow 6.30pm Something Different with Rev Sankey
The 40acts website has lots of stories of generosity and kindness which are inspiring. This particular programme is for the 40 days of Lent, so will still be going when this article is published and I think you can catch up with the ones already sent. Instead of giving up things for Lent this helps me to see how I could bring a moment of happiness, encouragement or joy to someone, making the world a slightly better place Two thousand years ago, God sent his Son, Jesus, to this planet as a planned act of kindness. He died on a cross and by his death, those who believe in him can be forgiven and the burden of guilt lifted. May you receive his act of kindness and discover a generous spirit yourself. May you know that death did not hold Jesus, but he rose from death and by his spirit he is with us today, so that the moment of happiness and joy is not a passing moment but a lifetime of his presence in us. I’m always happy for you to respond by phone, email, text or letter to any comments or challenges that you find are raised for you. The Rev Andrew Sankey Minister at Holbrook & Capel Methodist Churches 8 Roundridge Road, Capel St Mary IP9 2UG apsankey@gmail.com / 01473 311178 / 07966 187216
HOLBROOK METHODIST What’s on in April (HCT Holbrook Churches Together) Mondays, 2.30-4pm: Tea and Chat (HCT) Conversations: evening group looking at puzzling questions Worship with Mr Martin Ellis Family Friendly Worship with Mrs Ellis
Please see the noticeboard on the front of the chapel for all events in April. For more information about Messy Church, Tiddlers and Family Live contact Alicia Holmes: ajnholmes@gmail.com / 01473 658478 CHELMONDISTON METHODIST Toddler Group: Tuesdays, 9-11.30am Bible Study: Wednesdays, 7.30pm 10.45am Worship with Rev Michael Allen Sunday 2 6.15pm Worship and Communion with Rev Diane Smith Sunday 9
10.45am Worship with Rev Chris Hill 6.15pm Worship with Mrs Alicia Holmes
Friday 14
10am
Good Friday with Rev Chris Hill
10.45am Easter Worship and Communion Sunday 16 with Rev Andrew Sankey 6.15pm Worship with Mr Colin Westren Sunday 23
10.45am Worship with Mrs Ruth Loggie 6.15pm Worship with Mr Martin Ellis
Sunday 30
10.45am Worship with Rev Michael Ayden 6.15pm Worship with Dr Liz Cope
You’re invited to make an appointment at our Wherstead Park office to discuss:
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CHURCH NEWS HOLY FAMILY ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Ipswich Road, Brantham CO11 1TB Parish Priest: Fr Christopher Smith, 180 Hawthorn Drive, Ipswich IP2 0QQ / 01473 684963 We are part of St Mark’s RC Parish, Ipswich. For up-to-date information please visit: www.stmarksparish.org.uk SERVICES FOR APRIL 2017 Sunday 2 9am
Fifth Sunday of Lent Mass
Tuesday 4 9.30am 10am
Morning Prayer Mass
Sunday 9 9am
Palm Sunday of The Passion of The Lord Mass
Tuesday 11 9.20am 10am
Eucharistic Adoration Mass
Friday 14 3pm
Good Friday The Celebration of the Passion of the Lord at St Mark’s
Sunday 16 9am
Easter Sunday Mass
Tuesday 18 9.30am 10am
Morning Prayer Mass
Sunday 23 9am
Second Sunday of Easter Mass
Tuesday 25 9.30am 10am
Morning Prayer Mass
Sunday 30 9am
Third Sunday of Easter Mass
The weekly newsletter is displayed in the cabinet alongside the front door. Catholic Commentary The Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia was erected in March 1976 using territory from the Diocese of Northampton comprising Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire and the city of Peterborough. Bishop Alan Hopes was appointed the fourth bishop in 2013 and took possession of his cathedral in July of that year. His cathedral under the dedication
St John the Baptist was, in fact, a very large parish church (the largest Catholic Church in the country outside London). It was begun in 1882 under the patronage of Henry Howard 15th Duke of Norfolk and finished in 1910. The architect was G C Scott and the magnificent structure is said to emulate 13th century Early English Gothic, considered by many Victorians to be the most ‘pure’ and ‘English’ style. Happily there are excellent relations between the Catholic and Anglican Bishops of Norwich. Both the Catholic and the Norwich Cathedral (the latter dedicated to the Holy Trinity) are well worth visiting, as are churches everywhere. We are fortunate to have in East Anglia to have numerous old village and town churches which are invariably open for quiet reflection and prayer or to explore, as well as serving their local communities. Though distant from Norwich, Holy Family Roman Catholic Church at Brantham is part of the diocese and has recently taken part in a fundraising exercise that will put the diocese on a sure financial footing in the years ahead. Events & Diary Dates The last 100 Club Draw took place on Sunday, March 26 when three lucky winners shared £145. The next draw takes place on Sunday, April 23. The club, set up to raise much needed funds to support the life and mission of our parish, has grown from strength to strength since its launch. New members are always very welcome and the newsletter, which includes an application form, can be found at the rear of the church or at: www.stmarksparish.org.uk Every last Thursday of the month a Bring & Buy Coffee Morning takes place at Viv and Wyn’s home, Paddock Gate, Whitehorse Road, East Bergholt CO7 6TR, 10.30am-noon. We are raising funds for the parish room refurbishment and all are very welcome to join us. The next event is on Thursday, April 27. Supporting our local hospice All parishioners are asked to collect used postage stamps and to place them in the box at the rear of the church to help support the outstanding work of our local hospice. Catholic Chaplain at Ipswich Hospital Fr Adrian Gates is the Catholic Chaplain at Ipswich Hospital (01473 726701). Please contact him if you or a Catholic is in or due to go into hospital and requires his services. All are very welcome to attend Holy Family services. It’s not necessary to be a Catholic and enquiries about the Catholic Faith are always welcome. Please contact the Presbytery, as above, or a local person whom you know to be Catholic.
WATCHNIGHT SERVICE
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So Holy Week is over, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday have happened and we wait as the friends of Jesus waited. We wait, feeling the loss that the early disciples felt and we wait as they did. The difference is that we know what happened sometime early in the morning on that first Easter Day. Come and wait with us and experience a profound silence punctuated very occasionally with some Taize chants and pithy, short readings. We begin the ‘Watch’ at 9pm and we finish when the last person has left, whenever that may be. You are invited to drop in and out to suit your other plans that evening. We will be in St Michael’s Church, Woolverstone on Saturday, April 15 from 9pm. For more information email Jane Gould: jane.gould@btinternet.com
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ON THE GRAPEVINE WALK TOWARDS A CURE FOR PARKINSON’S IN SUFFOLK
HELPING ADULTS TO BECOME CONFIDENT READERS Do you know anyone who might like some one-to-one support to help them become a confident reader? As many as one in six adults may feel that way - it’s much more common than you might think. Whether you know someone who’d like to start right back at the beginning with reading, or who just wants some time to ask questions and brush up on skills to build confidence, it may be that a Got to Read volunteer can help. Got to Read volunteers and students meet one-toone at least weekly, in welcoming, confidential spaces. There aren’t any exams. Every student gets to say what it is that they need. Their volunteer guides them and helps to find ways to get there, using whatever methods and resources suit the student best. Examples of what we can help to build confidence with include:
People in Suffolk are being asked to pick up the pace against Parkinson’s this year at Walk for Parkinson’s – Glemham Hall on Sunday, July 9, one of a series of walk events to be held across the UK for Parkinson’s UK during 2017. Walk for Parkinson’s offers the opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to get involved in a fun and active day out, while helping the charity step ever closer to a cure. There are a range of distances on offer to suit everyone, with a 1.5 mile, 3.5 mile and 5.5 mile walk to choose from. It is the first time the charity has hosted a Walk for Parkinson’s at Glemham Hall. Previous walks in the region have seen more than 200 local people take part, so the charity hopes to involve even more walkers with the new and exciting venue. The registration fee is £10 for adults and £5 for under 16s. Everyone who registers will receive a free Parkinson’s UK t-shirt, fundraising pack and at the end of the walk, a finishers medal. The charity is hoping to raise over £400,000 from the 32 events, so suggests walkers aim to raise at least £50. All money raised from Walk for Parkinson’s – Glemham Hall will help Parkinson’s UK’s work to provide support and information for people affected by Parkinson’s and to help find better treatments, and ultimately a cure. As well as walkers, the charity is on the lookout for volunteers to help register people at the start/finish area or to be a walk marshal at various points on the route during the day. To find out more and to sign up to walk or volunteer contact: 0207 963 9367 / fundraising@parkinsons.org.uk or visit: www.parkinsons.org.uk/walkglemhamhall
• Learning or re-learning the alphabet and sounds to make words and then build sentences (phonics) • Everyday reading and writing tasks like shopping lists, recipes, understanding bills and medical records • Supporting children and being involved with their reading and learning • Getting ready to try something new – a job, a hobby, being a parent or grandparent, formal learning • Reading for pleasure, getting to the stage where you can relax, understand and enjoy what you read • Asking all those questions about punctuation and grammar that you think everyone but you knows about We can offer support in the Woodbridge and Ipswich areas. If you would like to know more, please contact 07528 147654 / info@gottoread.org. uk or visit: www.gottoread.org.uk It’s likely that someone who would enjoy trying this support might not be able to read many of these details, so please do pass the message along if you can. “I was made redundant last month and I’ve already started to fall behind on my bills. I’m looking for work, but is there anything else I can do so I don’t end up in debt?” There are steps you can take to avoid your bills from building up. First, check that you’ve been paid any redundancy money you’re entitled to – you might get statutory redundancy pay and possibly contractual redundancy pay if you’ve been in the job two years or more. This should be evident on your final payslip, but if it’s not contact your employer. Then look at ways to boost your income. See if you’re eligible for benefits like Jobseeker’s Allowance. Citizens Advice can do a benefit check for you. You could also check if you can make savings on your bills, for example by switching to a cheaper gas or electricity deal. Now look at how much money you have coming in and compare it to your essential spending. Priority bills include your rent or mortgage and council tax, and should be paid first as there can be serious consequences for missing payments. If you own your home, contact your mortgage lender to see if you can negotiate on your monthly repayment. You could also see if your credit card provider will negotiate on repayment amounts to give you some breathing space. For further help understanding managing your money, contact Citizens Advice at 19 Tower Street, Ipswich IP1 3BE / 01473 219777. The bureau can also be contacted at: www.ipswichcab.org.uk
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SCHOOL BAND & BIG BAND CONCERT Conductor: Richard Harvey
SATURDAY 6 MAY, 7.30PM ASSEMBLY HALL, ROYAL HOSPITAL SCHOOL, HOLBROOK, IP9 2RX
Full: £10 | Conc: £7 | U18: FREE Available from experiencetickets.co.uk/rhsmusic 01206 573948 Sponsored by the Royal Hospital School Association