In Touch ™© ™©
with Melton, Rendlesham & Woodbridge Volume 8 • Issue No. 6 • OCTOBER 2018
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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR Every parent strives to raise optimistic, happy children and we do all sorts to give them the best start in life and to be there to support them when they need us, and possibly when they don’t. Of course they don’t always appreciate our efforts, but I like to remind Jack quite frequently (i.e. every morning as we walk to school) how fortunate he is and I’m slowly teaching him the value of money and the practice of saving for the things he wants (as opposed to getting everything immediately). In doing so I’ve come to realise how little self-restraint I have myself and admit it’s quite a few years since I’ve actually ‘saved’ to buy something I’ve spotted in a shop window. Nowadays I’m more likely to ‘stick’ it on a card, but the purchase is then laden with guilt and often hidden at the back the cupboard until I can pull it out and say “this old thing; I’ve had it for ages”! I miss the ‘old’ days when finally getting your hands on the thing you desired was enormously satisfying, but it may be difficult to convince an eight-year-old growing up in today’s throwaway society. I’m also keen to impress on him how important it is to support local shops and local tradespeople. Local businesses, local retail outlets and local employers are the lifeblood of community. They rely on our support and it’s in our best interests to provide it. A vibrant local economy ensures we can buy the things we want when we want them, find people to provide services when we need them, find work experience and Saturday jobs for our teenagers, sponsors for local events and jobs closer to home, but also generates a sense of hopefulness, confidence and pride which benefits us all and stimulates further investment and growth. I often write about how fortunate we are to live in this little corner of the world and have encouraged you to support local events, but as we gear up for winter and start to think about Christmas, take a look around your local ‘business’ community and I’m confident you won’t need to go very far to find everything you need. Every penny you spend with a local supplier or in a local shop is an investment in the future of your local economy and consequently in ‘community’ itself.
Melton InTouch with & Woodbridge Published by: Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd, 20 Wharfedale Road, Ipswich IP1 4JP Editor: Sharon Jenkins Email: sharon@intouchnews.co.uk
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Disclaimer: The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Every effort is taken to ensure that the contents of this magazine are accurate but the publisher cannot assume any responsibility for errors or omissions. While reasonable care is taken when accepting advertisements or editorial, the publisher/editor will not accept responsibility for any unsatisfactory transactions and also reserves the right to refuse to include advertising or editorial.They will, however immediately investigate any written complaints. © Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, either wholly or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. © In Touch with Melton & Woodbridge is published by Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd as part of the “In Touch with . . . ” series of magazines.
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NEWS THE WOODBRIDGE FASHION SHOW Autumn and winter fashions will be paraded on a specially created catwalk during October. Five shops on the Thoroughfare have combined to show the best of late 2018 fashion-wear in Woodbridge Library. “This is going to be a superb way of promoting the quality and style available in our independent shops,” said Nicky Risby, proprietor of Ninni Noo and one of the main organisers of the event. Four clothes shops, members of the Parkside Group of Thoroughfare retailers, will be joined by the newest menswear retailer in the town to show a range of styles, brands and colours. The event will be on Wednesday, October 17 in the library. Doors will open at 7pm for drinks and viewing table-top sales before the show begins at 7.30pm. Holly Blue, Ninni Noo, Laura Jane and Sweet Dreams will be showing clothes for all adult ages from classic brands such as French Connection and St Tropez, from casual styles to knitwear and nightwear, from the classically smart to ‘up-to-date edgy’. The fifth shop on show will be from a bit ‘off-Thoroughfare’: Carbon Male opens in early October in Quay Street and will be a welcome addition to the town’s menswear options. The Parkside Group, so named because of their proximity to Elmhurst Park, was formed some 18 months ago to promote the shops at the Melton end of the Thoroughfare – sometimes called the forgotten end of Woodbridge’s main street. One of the great features of the street is the number of independent shops trading along its length and this show will be an important and colourful way of celebrating their success. Why hold such a show in the library? “It’s because I love the Library,” says Sue Risby of Holly Blue and another of the organisers, “and because the library is so firmly at the centre of the Woodbridge community.” Tickets for the event cost £8 which includes a drink on arrival. They are available from any of the participating shops or from the library and entry will be by ticket only. A number of other retailers will have table-top sales and there will be a raffle with great prizes during the interval.
FACE THE MUSIC FOR JETTY LANE So looking forward to this! The latest generous support for the Jetty Lane project comes via the Friends of St Mary’s Church who proudly present the IMU Big Band with Live Big Band Jazz in aid of Jetty Lane on Friday, October 12 at 7.45pm at St Mary’s Church. What’s not to like? Tickets (£10) are on sale now from St Mary’s Church shop or phone 01394 383000. “Jetty Lane is immensely grateful for the talents and skills so many local people are generously offering us,” says CiC Chair Caroline Page. “There are so many preliminary costs, and we have to raise all the funds for this legacy project ourselves.” Do you have a skill or talent to offer Jetty Lane? Would you like to make a donation to help our work? We are immensely grateful for all offers. Contact us at info@jettylane.com, via our website or write to Jetty Lane CIC, 31 Hillyfields, Woodbridge IP12 4DX. www.jettylane.com
BOAT JUMBLE 2018 This year the annual Boat Jumble returns to The Longshed and Whisstocks Place on Sunday, October 28, 9am-noon. Admission is £2 for adults with accompanied children free. To book a space in the jumble visit: www.maritimewoodbrigde.org The jumble raises funds for Maritime Woodbridge which celebrates the legacy of the town’s maritime and riverside past.
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OUT & ABOUT THE SAXON SHIP STORY
Concept sketch
The reconstruction of the AngloSaxon royal ship that was buried at Sutton Hoo is about to begin, so if you are sitting comfortably we can tell you the fascinating story of how we reached this point. Listen carefully, as we open a large book that tells the story of the ship that dispelled the Dark Ages.
First, early in October there will be an international gathering of academic historians and experts in Scandinavian boat building in Woodbridge to review about five years of work that has been invested in research by members of The Ship’s Company, the small committee responsible for the ship build. This has not been an easy journey for those involved, for it has been an extremely complex undertaking. Most Woodbridge people know that the ship was only an unsubstantial impression in the sandy ground that could trickle away in the heat of the sun or the waft of a fickle breeze. It was hurriedly surveyed and left exposed in 1939 due to the looming threat of war. The drawings were mislaid, so that after surviving for 1,400 years beneath its protective mound, the evidence for its form was severely compromised. Additional excavations in the 60s and 80s could not answer all the questions and so it has been the task of individuals to begin to slowly bring together the pieces of knowledge in an attempt to make sense of a jigsaw puzzle with many missing pieces. The picture is now much better understood and experts have been employed to use the latest technology to try to bridge the gaps. It would be taking risks to start to build without seeking approval from knowledgeable builders of ships similar to ours. There is craft experience in Scandinavia and members of The Ship’s Company have visited the people involved there. Now it is their turn to visit us. How disturbing would be if one of them was to point out a glaring flaw in the craft after construction? An expensive mistake must be avoided at this stage by consulting those with knowhow. What do you know about the hundreds of questions that had to be asked? What do you know of the answers that had to be selected? If the answer is ‘very little’, then now is the time to remedy this. At 7pm on Thursday, October 25 and again at 2pm on Sunday, October 28, a talk will be given in the Longshed on the waterfront. You can hear about how we discovered the shapes that the ship could be, what kind of wood will be used and how it is put together. You can marvel at the people who had more skill than you and more understanding than you of the materials and the manipulations needed to produce such a wonderful, sophisticated object. People will come from all over the world to see this ship. It needs an advanced order of imagination to understand such a craft. The message it brings across the centuries says that the Anglo-Saxons were real people with an ordered social structure. This is what the Anglo-Saxons who lived right here where you live were capable of. This is just one of thousands of ships built during the Anglo-Saxon age, but it is the only one we have. This ship belongs to Woodbridge and while we may be guided by experts from elsewhere, it will be predominantly people from this area who will be involved with the build. The entry fee of only £5 will be your donation towards the ship build, but to encourage the interest of young people entry will only be £3 for anyone with their student card. Refreshments will be available. We can provide you with some of the answers about how we intend to set up the ship build, how we will check the shape and try to use authentic AngloSaxon hand methods as we understand them, wherever possible. There will be opportunities to talk directly to the people involved and for you to provide input if you wish to be involved. This story is unique, this story is yours, this story is not to be missed; it starts here. Make a note of the dates: 7pm on Thursday, October 25 and 2pm on Sunday, October 28. www.WoodbridgeRiversideTrust.org / www.SaxonShip.org www.WoodbridgeWaterfront.co.uk
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COUNCILLOR CAROLINE’S COLUMN This summer I managed to get abroad with my husband for the first time in seven years. And, just as we did seven years ago, we went to China. Wow! It’s hard to express the speed with which China is changing. Many of the places we’d known were altered beyond belief, beyond recognition: new built cities stretching both outward and upward for dizzying distances. Beijing’s area is 6,336 square miles, to Greater London’s 607; its population four times that of Norway. Highways are huge, crammed, bustling. And there are cars, cars, cars everywhere. Big, expensive, sleek gas-guzzlers – cars with strange names (a Trumpchi, anyone?) clogging the newbuild city arteries, whizzing along motorways, slowing down movement across gigantic districts of expensive housing to the same rush-hour crawl we get on Kesgrave Road. However, the odd thing is that, unlike Britain, increased car ownership has not seen off the buses. Buses in China are frequent, reliable, cheap and operate at fixed fares of between 11p and 22p a journey. And they go everywhere. We travelled one route from the small city of Qufu, 30 miles or so into the countryside, stopping at villages until it ended at a minor mountain with a little temple. Pretty much Ipswich to Orford (except Qufu’s urban population is only 60,000 as opposed to Ipswich’s 147,000). Yet this rural service ran three times an hour across a 12-hour day, every day. Our mid-morning bus was packed with people of all ages – and the entire journey cost 11p. The secret? For a start, people know buses to be cheap, frequent and reliable so they use them even if they have a car (that in Beijing, number-plates cost as much as the car and identify what days you are allowed on the road also helps). And the system is very well organised. No ticket, you put exact money in a box. Each bus stop has its own individual name, written in big letters above it. The bus routes are set in stone. At each stop a clear list explains how many (few) minutes between buses and at what time the service starts and stops. The whole route is listed at each stop, with an arrow showing which direction the bus goes. And the same list is on the bus with the next stop flashing up in red. You don’t even need to read or speak Chinese – you can just match the symbols. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had such a system in Suffolk? Suffolk County Councillor Caroline Page
GUEST BAND SKIPHIRE AT DANCE FOLKUS IN OCTOBER On Friday, October 5 Dance Folkus will be holding one of our special guest band evenings. What an evening we have in store! Skiphire (John Ward’s band) will be playing for the dances and the East Suffolk Morris Men will be performing a guest dance spot in our mid-evening break. Skiphire are a well-known local Suffolk band established in 1992. They play violin, guitar, double bass and percussion. Their caller, Richard Hubbard, is a highly experienced and humorous caller who will run through some lively dances suitable for beginners or more experienced dancers. Expect a more electric night than usual! Our mid-evening spot will be taken by a demonstration from East Suffolk Morris men. They are Ipswich based and perform stick and handkerchief Morris dances from the Cotswold and Welsh Border traditions. In their summer costume of blue waistcoats embroidered with the ship and red and yellow trimming, they make a fine sight. Do check out our performers on Facebook. The Dance Folkus evening will be a lively event. Don’t miss it – maybe we’ll have a full house. Bring your own drinks. New dancers can book a discounted ticket by emailing Dancefolkus@aol. com (no payment in advance) or you can simply come along on the night (£7). Entry for students or children is £3 at the door. Visitors to Woodbridge and new first-time dancers are always very welcome to attend our dances at Woodbridge Community Hall in Station Road IP12 4AU starting at 7.30pm. If you need further information telephone Rob: 01473 610951
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NEWS / OUT & ABOUT FREE PROSTATE CANCER TESTS
PROMOTIONS AT GOTELEE
East Suffolk Prostate Cancer Support Group will be holding its sixth PSA test event for men between the ages of 45 and 75 at Greshams, Tuddenham Road, Ipswich, on Thursday, October 18 between 6.30 and 8.30pm.
Leading Suffolk law firm Gotelee is delighted to announce the promotion of two of its solicitors to the position of associate.
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 further action. Although a free test, a donation on the night towards the costs of this event would be very much appreciated. The venue is sponsored by Greshams.
Chief Executive Officer Charles Rowett said Tracey Laflin and Kay Baker had been recognised by the firm for their outstanding work and commitment to client service. “Tracey and Kay’s promotions are testimony to their skill and expertise, and their dedication to providing the very best standards for their clients,” said Mr Rowett. Tracey (pictured top) specialises in residential conveyancing including freehold and leasehold property, buying and selling land for all purposes including new developments, remortgages and equity release, and she has built up an excellent reputation for helping clients buying new properties from local house builders in Suffolk and further afield in East Anglia. Her career in law began in 1985 as a paralegal. She later worked as a legal executive while continuing her studies and then won a place at a London university to the take the Legal Practice Course, where she was awarded the highest grade of a distinction. She qualified as a solicitor in 2003 and joined Gotelee in 2016. Tracey, who is based in the firm’s Felixstowe office, said: “I am thrilled to be appointed as an associate with Gotelee. I take pride in offering a friendly and efficient service to clients and my approach is to make the process as straightforward as possible with minimal stress.”
GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR LOCAL SURGERY Are you a patient at Framfield House or Little St John’s Street Surgeries in Woodbridge? Would you like to become active in representing patients like you to your surgery? And your surgery to its patients? If yes, please consider joining your surgery’s Patient Participation Group (PPG). PPGs are well-established at both surgeries and work successfully to foster improved communication between the practices and their patients. We aim to help our patients to take more responsibility for their health through communication and special events. We work as active partners with our practices to provide practical support to help maintain and improve the quality of patient care. We believe we can achieve even greater success by encouraging new membership, particularly from among younger patients, and from parents with young or teenage children. Your commitment wouldn’t be huge – an hour’s meeting every two months, keeping in touch through email and helping at occasional events – but your contribution could be enormous. Interested? Check the arrangements for your surgery, below. We look forward to hearing from you.
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Tracey’s clients cite her approachable nature, all-round efficiency and understanding of complex issues as reasons for seeking her help. Kay specialises in private client law, in particular tax planning and trusts, wills, and estates and probate, including contentious probate. She qualified as a solicitor in 2007 and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS). She is also a fully-accredited member of Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE) and holds the SFE Older Client Care in Practice Award. Kay said: “I’m delighted to become an associate with Gotelee and look forward to continuing to provide clients with an excellent service, to be approachable and to give advice that is clear and easy to understand.” Tracey and Kay’s promotions come at an exciting time for Gotelee, which has enjoyed a period of continued growth in recent years and now operates from offices in Ipswich, Felixstowe, Hadleigh and Woodbridge. Established in 1880, the firm offers a full range of personal and business legal services, enjoying an excellent reputation for its professional work and personal approach. CONTACT DETAILS: Tracey Laflin: 01394 283241 / tracey.laflin@gotelee.co.uk Kay Baker: 01473 826311 / kay.baker@gotelee.co.uk www.gotelee.co.uk
Alan Swerdlow, Chair Framfield House PPG We meet for around an hour every two months at the surgery at 6.30pm. If you would like more information about the group please email me at iesccg.framfieldhouse@nhs.net, leave a note for my attention at reception, or go to www.framfieldhouse.com, click on Patient Participation Group on the right hand side then choose ‘contact us’.
IPSWICH PHILATELIC SOCIETY
Graham Mole, Chair Little St. John’s Street PPG We meet for one hour every two months at 1pm at the surgery. If you’d like more information about us, please email me at iesccg. woodbridgesurgeryppg@nhs.net, leave a note for my attention at reception, or go to www.woodbridgedoctors.nhs.uk and click on Patient Participation Group.
These are two very good presentations which will enable us to learn more out how mail was/is handled.
Our new season continues with two more visiting speakers. On October 17 we welcome Malcolm Roberts with a display and talk about transatlantic mail, followed on November 7 when Bill Gibb visits again to entertain us with his presentation of British Post Offices in Latin America.
Meetings are held at Cedarwood Primary School, Wilkinson Drive, Kesgrave at 7.30pm and visitors are welcome. For further information contact Mike Smith: 01473 403904 / michaelsmith1949@gmail.com
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Life | Land | Business
Whatever life brings we’re always here for you For your life, land and business, Barker Gotelee is here to help. Our friendly, local solicitors are on hand to advise you on a host of legal matters, including buying and selling property, family breakdown, making a will or developing your business. 41 Barrack Sq, Martlesham, Ipswich IP5 3RF Free parking
Visit barkergotelee.co.uk or call 01473 611211 www.keepingintouchwith.com/woodbridge
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OUT & ABOUT ROGER DAVID BURROWS MUSIC FUND On Wednesday, October 17 at 7.30pm The Roger David Burrows Music Fund presents a talk by Russell Stowe entitled Woodbridge Violins – Nearly 30 Years at 7.30pm at St Michaels Church Centre, The Drift, Martlesham Heath.
WOODBRIDGE FARMERS’ MARKETS Saturdays 13 & 27 October from 9am-12.30pm at Woodbridge Community Hall
Russell started at the Newark School of Violin Making, learning about the construction of instruments and their restoration. He then worked for a violin shop in the midlands for five years, running their workshop. Russell left in 1991 to start Woodbridge Violins and has become widely known to professional players, teachers and students of all ages and ability. He expertly repairs and restores instruments and bows on site in his workshop as well as supplying quality violins, violas, cellos and bows. Admission £5 at the door. Light refreshments and a raffle. The venue is fully accessible and there is adjacent free parking
Autumn is a lovely time to sample our delicious local produce with much of it at its best during this season of mellow fruitfulness. Plums have been particularly good this year and may still be available from High House. Various varieties of apples certainly will and they will have their own extremely tasty apple juice. Newbourne Farm will have their great range of astonishingly fresh and beautiful vegetables; look out for aubergines, peppers, tomatoes, courgettes, butternut squash, green beans, caulis and early parsnips as well as carrots, onions and potatoes.
Profit from the evening will be going to The Roger David Burrows Music Fund which was set up in 2012 in memory of Roger David Burrows (1980-2012) by his family. With this music fund we are offering small grants to groups or individuals which we hope will inspire all abilities, adults and children, in music making.
We have a large selection of sweet things and baked goods such as Doodle Donuts, fudge and preserves from Quince Tree, cake, quiche and cheese biscuits from Pinewood Catering and bread and pasties from Artizan. We also have Sutton Hoo Chicken and freshly roasted coffee from Sam Jennings and his company, Edge.
TUNES FOR TRIPS IN AID OF AFIA
Syrian Falafel continue to come whenever they can, Suffolk Goat Cheese Company, Leaping Hare and Not Just Tarts will be there on October 13 and we’ve heard a rumour that Wonderpost Compost could be making a return to us as well. This is made in Suffolk and is delivered for free so could be just right if you are planning any autumn planting! If you would like a stall or if you would like to join our mailing list and receive reminders before every market, contact us at: woodbridgefarmersmarket@gmail.com
SPOONS AT THE READY FOR PUDDING PARADISE Do you ever have your eye on a dessert when you are at a restaurant, but then go home disappointed because you don’t have the appetite? Imagine an evening where dessert is the main attraction! Local award winning hearing care specialists, The Hearing Care Centre invite you to join them for a night of pudding paradise and their very popular Pudding Club evening returns for a one-off special at The Froize Inn, Chillesford.
Information about The Roger David Burrows Music Fund will be available on the evening or you can visit: www.rogerdavidburrows.co.uk
Did you manage to get away from it all this summer? Maybe you enjoyed a traditional fortnight’s holiday with the family, or perhaps you spent days out exploring the beautiful East Anglian coast. However you spent your time, I hope you returned refreshed. For many people holidays and days out are a mere dream, but the Mothers’ Union charity AFIA (Away From It All) is able to provide breaks, days out and activities for disadvantaged and vulnerable families. The costs are met in various ways – from Mothers’ Union branches, fundraising events and grants from local agencies. On Saturday, November 17 members of Trianon Music Group will be performing at St Andrew’s Church in Rushmere and the proceeds will go to AFIA. The concert will feature singers and brass players from the group performing a selection of light classical and popular music. Tickets are priced at £7.50 each and are available from Music World in Ipswich or Mary Odam: 01473 614456 / tickets@odam.org Next year they will be celebrating their 60th anniversary so please look out for details of the 2019 season. Please come and support both the performers and AFIA. I hope you return home refreshed!
DEBEN FLOWER CLUB QUIZ NIGHT
The event, which is being held on Thursday, October 25 from 7pm, will not only allow, but positively encourage guests to sample every dessert on the menu, at the same time helping to raise money for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.
Deben Flower Club will be holding another one of their, now very popular quiz nights on Saturday, October 27 in Kirton Church Hall, Church Lane, Kirton IP10 0PU, 7 for 7.30pm.
The Hearing Care Centre, which looks after peoples hearing from 25 centres across East Anglia, has committed to raising £20,000 for the charity to celebrate their 20th year in business. Hearing Dogs delivers specialist training for dogs which provides invaluable emotional support and gives many deaf people confidence, independence and constant companionship – which totally transforms lives.
Why not join in the fun and bring along a team of six? If you don’t have six people for your team you may be asked to share a table with other club members.
Guests on the night will enjoy a selection of Suffolk tapas, followed by the array of homemade desserts. Entertainment will also be provided in the form of foodie competitions and a big prize draw will give those in attendance time to digest between tasters to ensure maximum samples are enjoyed by all.
Once again this will be a light-hearted fun evening and will include a ploughman’s supper.
Tickets must be purchased in advance and are £8 each including supper. Please bring your own drinks and glasses. For further information and tickets contact: 01394 411422 / wa@sandlings.co.uk
Tickets are excellent value at just £20. Tables are limited, so book as soon as you can on 01473 230330 or online at: www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk/puddings
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• Piano • Guitar • Trombone • Music Theory
FREE 30 minute trial lesson Located in Woodbridge elmtreemusic.co.uk phone 07925 565776
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OUT & ABOUT WOODBRIDGE LIBRARY October 1-31: ArtLib Exhibition of work by Suffolk Creative Photographic Group. For further information about Suffolk Creative Photographic Group please contact Peter Smith: 07833 685914 / peter@scpg.co.uk Book Group: meets at 2pm on the first Thursday of the month. On October 4 we will be discussing From the Heart by Susan Hill. Please come along if you have read this book and would like to join in the discussion. From Saturday, October 6: Sale of donated books (fiction, non-fiction and children’s). All proceeds go to the Friends of Woodbridge Library. Monday, October 8, 10-11.30am: Visit by the Woodbridge & District Safer Neighbourhood Team. Come along to talk about any concerns you have. They will also be distributing crime prevention information and promoting the scheme that returns your keys.
Citizens Advice Bureau: Someone from the CAB is available for help and advice every Monday, 10am-noon. Writers’ Workshop Meets on the second Tuesday of the month from 5.30-7.30pm. If you like to write for pleasure, love words and have imagination, have you thought of joining Writers’ Workshop at Woodbridge Library? The group does homework on one fortnight and structure (plot, characterisation, etc) on the other. You can attend one or both sessions, but it is not a course – you are not taught to write. The workshop is free. Interested? To open doors to creative writing please email: jeannie@butterwicks.com Creative Writing for All Meets on the second Tuesday of the month from 2-4pm. For more details contact: jeannie@butterwicks.com
Saturday, October 13, 10.15-11.45am: Talk by life coach and mental health educator Mia Philips
Knitting Club: Every Friday at 2pm. For all types of knitters, expert to beginner, come and share your knowledge or pick up some tips.
Wednesday, October 17, 7pm: Fashion Show by Parkside Shops / please see page 3 Saturday, October 20, 9-11am: Caroline Page, County Councillor for Woodbridge, will be holding her surgery at the library.
Drawing Group: Meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 10am. Each month this group explores a different aspect of drawing. No experience necessary but numbers are limited and this group is currently full. A voluntary contribution of £2 goes towards the Friends of Woodbridge Library.
NAS Ipswich Lego Group: Children’s group meets on the second Saturday of each month, 1-3pm. Adult group meets on the fourth Saturday of every month, 1-3pm. All children must be supervised by an adult.
Arts and Crafts Group: Meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 10am. Enables older people and their carers to take part in activities such as collage, card making, printing and modelling.
Free IT help and advice: Available on Monday and Thursday mornings. Learn how to use a library computer or your own laptop, tablet or smartphone. Free one-on-one hour long tuition. Book your session at the desk or call: 01394 446510
Play Reading: Meets on the third Thursday of the month at 2pm. Come to listen or join in for an afternoon of light-hearted drama, comedy or mystery.
Friends of Woodbridge Library: If you’re enthusiastic about libraries, would enjoy helping to organise library events and are willing to help with our fundraising activities, please ask a member of staff for more details. Friends of Woodbridge Library Goodies: Show your support for your local library by carrying a cotton shopping bag bearing the Friends logo. It’s only £3. There is also a magnetic bookmark for £1. Meeting room and display boards available for hire • Community, charity, private groups: £10 per hour
Games Club: Meets on the fourth Thursday of the month at 2pm. Now includes dominoes. Improve your vocabulary and exercise your mind muscles with Scrabble or practise strategy or balance with dominoes. Woodbridge Area Gamers: Meets on the second Saturday of each month from 1-5pm. For more information contact nigel@foden.me.uk / 07740 173091 or visit: www.boardgamegeek.com/guild/1150 ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN Every Wednesday 10.30-10.50am: Bookstart Baby Bounce – soothing songs and gentle nursery rhymes for babies and their grown-ups. 11.15-11.45am: Bookstart Tot Rock Rhyme and Rhythm – music, songs and action rhymes for toddlers with their parents and carers.
• Commercial, statutory groups: £15 per hour • Display boards: £10 per week • table display in the main library: £10 per half day Woodbridge Novelists Meets on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 10am-noon. This is a reciprocal critiquing group for novel-writers who are working towards publication. For more information email: jane@bakwon.com
Every Friday 10.30-11am: Bookstart Story and Rhyme Time Stories and more for young children accompanied by an adult. Every Sunday 10.30am-noon: Kid’s Club Craft Activities
WOODBRIDGE ART CLUB After a very successful anniversary exhibition in Whisstocks Place in August club events continue with a taster course for people who might like to join the club but aren’t sure they have the right experience. Starting on Thursday, October 4 from 7-9pm, it will run for six weeks and cover drawing, watercolours, acrylics, collage, pottery and lino printing. No experience necessary, just a willingness to have a go. If you are interested just email woodbridgeartclub@gmail.com to register your interest and get further information. For those who don’t know the history of the club, and I guess that’s most people, we have produced a small book which tells the story of a remarkable group of amateur artists who got together, determined to find a place they could work, learn and display their art.
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It took some years, much determination and fundraising. Their luck turned when Mrs Jean Gardner, who’d bought the Tide Mill and its surrounding buildings, offered the lower granary to the club at a peppercorn rent. It was in a very dilapidated state but undaunted they set to renovate it doing all the work themselves at weekends while continuing to raise funds to buy materials. They have provided Woodbridge with, surely, one of the best art club facilities in the land. The book records their inspiring story and since the club has always had a number of ‘happy snappers’ it is liberally illustrated with photos. It can be obtained from the club for a fiver. The summer exhibition continues at weekends till September 30 and will open again for the month of November.
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OUT & ABOUT FANCY A DIRTY TIME IN SUFFOLK! The Rough Stuff 25K Charity Cycle Ride organised by Woodbridge Rotary will once again take place on Sunday, November 4. The headline charity for this event is Bike Active, an organisation supporting a keen group of special needs cyclists based at Alton Water Sports Centre who need every penny to keep going. A smaller proportion will be donated to other charities supported by Rotary. The start is at Butley Village Hall where registration will take place from 8am. The first group of cyclists will leave at 9.30am and thereafter at short intervals. There is also the option of an extra 5k designed for the more advanced and courageous cyclist. Refreshments will be available throughout the day provided by the ladies of Woodbridge Inner Wheel. Entry forms and full details of the route can be found at: www.woodbridgerotary.org.uk. Shortly a GPS for downloading for SATNAV purposes will be available. In order to monitor entrants, advance registration is appreciated and full details of how to register in advance can be found on the entry form. Registration on the day will also be possible. You will also find a sponsorship form for your own use should you wish to raise funds for you own charity or the headline charity for this event. Entry is £6 and the wearing of a cycle helmet is mandatory for our insurance company.
MAXIMUM EXPOSURE FOR WOODBRIDGE CAMERA CLUB Our annual exhibition this year was held in the Longshed, part of the new Whisstocks development on Woodbridge waterfront. This proved to be our most successful exhibition yet with over 550 visitors over the three days, and our thanks go to the Woodbridge Riverside Trust for allowing us to use this excellent venue. We had 55 prints on display, and the space available in the Longshed also allowed us to include 56 PDIs, shown as a continuously running slideshow for the first time. We are grateful to everyone who came along, and for their positive comments on the standard of the images on display. We must also thank the Mayor of Woodbridge, Councillor David Mortimer for opening the exhibition and for taking on the unenviable task of selecting the best images. Winner of the print section was Steve Stammers with his Food, Glorious Food (front cover), with Daryl Butcher in second place with Reflections, Richard Brown in third with The Essence of Life, and Gaye Wightman commended with Autumn Colours. In the PDI section, first place went to Sue Garrod with Stormy Skies over Sizewell, second to Barrie Henderson for The Tower at Tower Bridge, third to Sue Garrod for The Last Coypu Catcher and commended to Charmian Berry for Peregrine Falcon. David is pictured presenting the PDI award to Sue (photograph courtesy Jonathan Garrod). An 11-minute virtual exhibition, which includes a slideshow of all prints and PDIs, can be found on our website under the NEWS heading. We meet in the meeting room at Woodbridge Quay Church on the third Tuesday of every month at 7.30pm. Guests are always welcome. Members £2, guests £5. For more information please visit: www.woodbridgecameraclub.co.uk
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INNER WHEEL CLUB OF WOODBRIDGE A new Inner Wheel year has begun and we have much to look forward to. Elizabeth Berry from Suffolk Accident Rescue Service (SARS) was the speaker at our first meeting in September. Set up in 1972, this is an entirely voluntarily funded charity which provides immediate critical care at pre-hospital emergencies. Locally based First Responders, including paramedics, GPs and critical care consultants are alerted by the 999 call desk to attend serious accidents and emergencies alongside the ambulance service. All the responders are entirely voluntary. SARS attended 303 incidents last year, reaching 24 per cent before the ambulance. To find out more visit: www.sars999.org.uk SARS is just one charity which our club is supporting this year. Members have also raised £200 for the Rotary Pennies for Polio initiative and we continue to support Ipswich Lighthouse. For more information about us, please visit: www.woodbridgeinnerwheel.org.uk
WOODBRIDGE PROBUS At our September meeting, Gareth Davies gave a fascinating talk about the collapse of the Great Yarmouth Suspension Bridge in 1845, when it was crowded with spectators, mostly women and children, to see a clown from the local circus come down the river in a tub drawn by four geese. More than 80 were killed when they were thrown into the River Bure. Gareth discussed why this happened and the present day legacy. Sadly a familiar tale of poor design and materials, but it did instigate the first national system of inspection. Our speaker on October 1 will be John Peacock who will take us back to 1975 and relate his time in the submarine service in the Royal Navy. Beneath the cold waters of the North Atlantic and the Artic, the Cold War was in full swing and John relates his life aboard HMS Swiftsure, one of our nuclear ‘Hunter Killers’ stalking the USSR’s Red Norther Banner fleet. This is a tale formerly untold and hopefully he will give us an inclination of what was taking place in the depths of the Northern Seas. Come along and hear it; you can have lunch and there is no obligation to join Probus. You’ll find all you need to know at: www.Woodbridgeprobus.org.uk
IPSWICH AND DISTRICT SOROPTIMIST CLUB Way back in 1995 our club held a lunch to honour 20 special women nominated by people in Ipswich for their outstanding service to the community. Among them was Maureen Reynel who had started FIND, a charity to support Families in Need. We invited her to speak at our last meeting about the development of this work over almost 30 years and she gave us disturbing insights into the lives of fellow citizens in Ipswich suffering from poverty and dispossession. To hear that some families simply cannot afford sanitary protection for mothers and daughters really hit home and we made a collection of these items to donate to FIND. In February we had a quick celebration of the centenary of the granting of the vote to (some) women. We are returning to this theme this autumn. We have all been reading A Song of their Own, an impressively researched record by Joy Bounds of the women who fought for the vote in Ipswich. We shall discuss it at our coming supper meeting. Women’s Voices, Women’s Votes On a wider scale we are very excited about Women’s Voices, Women’s Votes, a major festival on October 6. Women’s groups from across Ipswich have come together to create this landmark event and we are delighted to have been involved in some of the planning and to be a modest sponsor. Some of us attended the recent launch which had a wonderful atmosphere.
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OUT & ABOUT EAST SUFFOLK NATIONAL TRUST ASSOCIATION
MELTON LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY
If you are a member of or a volunteer for the National Trust, we invite you to get more out of your membership by joining our association where a warm welcome awaits you. We meet at Ropes Hall War Memorial Community Centre, Twelve Acre Approach, Kesgrave IP5 1JF. The start time is 7.15pm. Our next meeting is on October 16 when Ben Cowell, Director General of the Historic Houses Association, will be giving us a talk on the country houses of Essex. The county has a rich variety of country seats and Ben will be explaining why Essex established itself as a popular place for establishing these houses. In an illustrated talk he will explore their history and how their varying fortunes have fared over the years. On November 27 Hugh Belsey, a former curator of Gainsborough’s House, will be describing his work in making a catalogue of the great artist’s works. Visitors (even if not National Trust members) are welcome, entrance fee £3 each. National Trust members/volunteers can join us for £8 a year (£12 a couple at same address). We publish three newsletters a year for members and enjoy interesting day outings and other events. For more information, including details of future events and outings, contact our membership secretary – membershipesnta@gmail.com / 01473 723761 – or visit: www.membershipesnta.btck.co.uk
ORWELL DECORATIVE AND FINE ARTS SOCIETY Our meeting on Wednesday, October 3 promises to be a fascinating one when we delve into the mysteries of Japanese costume and textiles. Suzanne Perrin B.A. M.A. is a visiting lecturer at the University of Brighton Art and Design School and the University of Cape Town, South Africa. She teaches on the Asian Art course at the British Museum and the V&A. Suzanne founded Interlink in 1995 to promote the understanding of Japan in educational and cultural circles. She studied Nihonga (traditional Japanese painting) at Nagoya University of Arts, Japan, in 1986-87. She has also conducted guided tours of Japan for students and adult groups and has given lecture tours on Japanese Art and Culture in Australia in 1987 and 2000 for ADFAS. We meet at Tower Hall, Broadlands Way, Rushmere St Andrew on the first Wednesday of most months. Talks last about an hour, commencing at 2.15pm, with tea and coffee served from 1.30-2pm. Guests and non-members are welcome provided we have enough space. Exceptionally popular lectures will have a visitor limit of 20 spaces. Please contact Wendy Robbins in advance on 01394 823807 to check if there is available space. For the latest events and news please visit: www.orwelldfas.org.uk
MARTLESHAM HISTORY SOCIETY Monday, October 15: How well do you know Ipswich? by Elizabeth Serpell Come along and check you knowledge of the county town. You may find out something new! All meetings are held in Martlesham Heath Pavilion and start at 7.30pm. Admission is £2.50 and meetings are open to all.
LEISTON & DISTRICT PHILATELIC SOCIETY Our next meeting is on Wednesday, October 24 when Tony Hoad will give a talk and display on Newfoundland with World War 1 and Airmail. The club meets in the United Church Hall in the High Street, Leiston from 7.15pm. Membership is £5 (50p for students up to the 18 years) per year, payable in September. For more details, contact the programme secretary on 01394 635607
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We are fortunate to have eminent local architect Bill Haward BSc Dip Arch (Hons) RIBA presenting an illustrated talk titled Suffolk Houses on Wednesday, October 3. Bill will review with drawings and photographs exemplars of domestic architecture in the county of Suffolk, including The Spinney (pictured) on Westerfield Road which was built in 1960 by Birkin Haward and is now listed Grade II. The influences of social development, physical context, available materials and skills will be highlighted. Bill is a retired architect who is part of a family of distinguished designers. He has widely visited local historic houses over many years and experienced the construction of modern examples. We meet at Burness Parish Rooms, 38 The Street, Melton IP12 1PW. Doors open at 7.30pm and the talk will start at 7.45pm. All welcome; members free, visitors £3. For information email mlhs.sec@aol.com or visit: www.mlhs.btck.co.uk
CRAFTERS UNLIMITED A craft club for people who like to try different crafts in a light hearted atmosphere with refreshments, we meet on the fourth Thursday of each month in Rushmere Village Hall from 7.30-10pm. Thursday, October 25: Prick & Stitch Card (Emma) Thursday, November 22: Wine Glass Snow Globe/Candleholder Note Please: No meeting in December There are always other projects available with assistance from the committee and other club members. New members are always welcome. For more details contact Emma: 01787 373850
WICKHAM MARKET FLOWER CLUB Thursday, October 25, 7pm: Floral Mayhem by Susan Horne We meet at Wickham Market Village Hall. New members are always welcome and the first night is free. Beryl Cotton will present doing Having the Time of our Lives at our open meeting on Thursday, November 22, the last meeting of 2018. Tickets for this meeting (members £5 / visitors £10) must be booked with Geraldine Thompson on 01728 746697. There will be refreshments, a raffle, stalls, mince pies, Silly Suffolk Spoons, tombola, bric-a-brac and more. Doors open at six for a 7pm start Donations for the bric-a-brac stall to Mandy: 01728 748039
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OUT & ABOUT FELIXSTOWE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY We resume our monthly speaker meetings on Wednesday, October 10 with a talk by Jim Cadbury. Jim is the local custodian of records (archivist) for Quakers in Suffolk. There are a number of families in East Anglia with Quaker origins and we look forward to Jim talking about them and the influence they have had, and continue to have in our lives. Some of them, including Norfolk-born Joseph John Gurney, founded well-known financial institutions, others made confectionery while others championed prison reform and the abolition of slavery. At our meeting on Wednesday, November 14, Martin Hedges will present a talk entitled Living and Dying in the 19th Century – Acid in Your Beer and Lead in Your Sweets. In addition to our speaker meetings, we hold drop-in sessions on the third Thursday morning of each month for anyone wanting to explore where they come from. We would love to share our enthusiasm, experience and expertise with you and we have the facilities to help you. Our meetings are held in Broadway House, Orwell Road, Felixstowe. Doors open for our evening meetings at 7pm, and for our drop-in sessions at 10.30am.
WOODBRIDGE FLOWER CLUB It was a dismal rainy afternoon when our last meeting took place, but the bright arrangements made by our demonstrator, Terrie Potter, soon cheered things up. The theme was ‘attic attack’ and the title was chosen as Terrie had raided her attic to provide the containers. Her first arrangement was placed inside the weekend case where she used to keep her wedding dress. For this design she used variegated ivy and myrtle with white roses and lilies to form a bridal bouquet. Next she created a modern horizontal design a large vase. To form the basic shape Terrie used dried willow stems and then added conifer, hosta and phormium leaves. Purple calla lilies were then woven around the willow and pink lilies, freesia and green chrysanthemums were placed in the centre. Terrie was thanked for showing us such varied arrangements and for giving us tips and advice as the afternoon progressed. The lucky raffle winners were able to take her arrangements home. We are now looking forward to our next meeting and our coach outing to East Ruston Gardens.
1st RENDLESHAM SCOUTS Owls – Secrets of the Night There is an opportunity to learn more about owls when Mike Toms from the British Trust of Ornithology gives a talk on the subject at Woodbridge Community Hall on Thursday, October 18 at 7.30pm. The talk has been organised by Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Woodbridge Wildlife Group and Chairman Phil Smith said: “We open our series of autumn talks with what promises to be a really interesting evening. It is always thrilling to see or hear one of our native owls and I know these birds hold a fascination for many of us. We’re fortunate to have a knowledgeable speaker from the British Trust for Ornithology to tell us all about them.” New Section – Explorers (14-18 Years) The first activity for our newly formed Explorers section was to attend Theme Park Camp which took place at Polyapes Scout Campsite in Surrey. Arriving on Friday evening and having set up camp, the entertainment began with a UV Disco, giant outdoor games and a campfire to start the weekend fun. On Saturday, shuttle buses took all 480+ Explorers, Network Scouts and Leaders to Thorpe Park bright and early to get a full day on rides such as Derren Brown’s Ghost Train, SWARM, SAW, Stealth (which goes 0-80mph in 2.3 seconds at heights of up to 60m), Tidal Wave, Nemesis: Inferno and Colossus (the UK’s only 10-loop rollercoaster) while the Leaders braved the dodgems! After the shuttle bus back and their evening meal, the campsite hosted a giant movie themed disco, inflatable games, pop-up caravan photo booth, barbecue and campfire before bed. Sunday morning was breakfast, strike camp and games before heading for home exhausted, but having had a fantastic weekend of fun and laughter. Membership We are currently looking for young people (both boys and girls) aged 14-18 to join our new Explorers section. For details contact Explorer Scout Leader Clare Barstow: explorers@rendleshamscouts.org.uk / 07790 036553 We are always happy to hear from any young person wishing to join 1st Rendlesham. Beavers, Cubs and Scouts all currently have waiting lists and we are particularly interested in hearing from any adults who might be willing to volunteer to help with the running of any section so we can get more of these young people into a section and enjoying Scouts. For more information please contact Acting GSL Keith Gleen: info@rendleshamscouts.org.uk
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Admission is £3 for adults, with children under-16 free. There will be a draw and light refreshments during the evening. All are welcome and booking is not required. For further information please contact: 01473 625630 / swtwoodbridge@outlook.com EVENTS AT FOXBURROW FARM Sunday, October 7, noon-4pm: Apple Day Apple identification, tasting, juicing, crafts and games / adults £3, children £2. No dogs. No need to book. Tuesday, October 16, 10am-2pm: Go Wild Home educated activity day for unaccompanied children 6-12 years / £7. Please book. Saturday, October 20, 10am-noon: Young Wardens Practical conservation skills for 11-16 years / £5. Please book. Tuesday, October 23, 10.30am-12.30pm: Go Wild Family woodland adventure; build dens, hunt for mini-beasts, soil painting, natural sculpture and cook popcorn over a fire / children £4, adults £2. Please book. Wednesday, October 24, 10am-2pm: Go Wild Animal magic activity day for six-10 years / £7. Please book. Friday, October 26, 5-7pm: Go Wild Spooky surprises; follow a torch-lit trail for spooky surprises / children £4, adults £2. Please book. Foxburrow Farm, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Melton, Woodbridge IP12 1NA Booking: www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org / 01473 890089
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OUT & ABOUT / schools AUTUMN AT BRIGHT STARS
ST MARY’S COFE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Fun activity sessions for pre-school aged children with parents, grandparents, friends, family and/or carers on the second and fourth Mondays of each month during term times from 10.30am-noon at St Michael’s Church Centre, Martlesham Heath IP5 3PL.
I am about to begin my second year as headteacher at St Mary’s Primary. It’s a great privilege to work in such a positive and exciting learning environment. As well as valuing high academic achievement, we feel children should have the opportunity to develop a love of learning across the entire curriculum; some examples of how we achieve this are included below.
These mornings are free and usually involve singing, games, making crafts to take home and telling stories from the Bible for the first half hour. We then have refreshments when the adults can chat and the children can play. You are welcome to come along to any of our mornings; just turn up, no need to let us know in advance. We look forward to seeing you this autumn!
We have had an incredible year of sport and have won eight area titles including cross country, netball and basketball to name a few. The children have become county champions in hockey and have also reached county finals in cricket (boys and girls), rounders and netball.
The autumn term dates: October 8, November 12 and 26, December 10. We would all like to say a big thank you to Yvonne Keen who is retiring from helping at Bright Stars. Yvonne has been involved with Bright Stars for over 20 years and we would like to thank her very much for all her help and commitment over the years. For information please contact Sonya and Maureen Burrows: 01473 625196
MARTLESHAM& KESGRAVE PLAYSCHOOLS
Our school choir has performed twice at Snape Maltings this year and was broadcast on Radio Suffolk on Christmas Eve which was magical. Our Coding Club had their python code run in space via the International Space Station. St Mary’s in space! We are so proud of our Gardening Club who won gold at the schools’ display garden competition at the Suffolk Show. The theme of the display was the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.
At Kesgrave Playschool we have started the autumn term by looking at our favourite things. So we have had fun learning with Peppa Pig, PJ masks and Charlie and Lola. We’ve mixed paints and other media to make our favourite colours, and created a pet shop in the role play area which sells our favourite pets! We have also started our book share with parents which allows parents to join us for a story and to share and borrow our beautiful books. At Martlesham Playschool we were busy over the summer in our holiday club, going on lots of outings, being pirates and princesses, baking and lots more, and we will have more holiday activities for October half term. We have introduced our Little Explorers club, an opportunity for the children to go out and explore the world around them with lots of fun activities such as tree rubbing and tents in the woods. Please check our Facebook page for all our up-to-date information. Our Annual General Meeting takes place at Martlesham Playschool on Wednesday, October 17 at 7.30pm. We would urge all our parents and carers to support us at this important meeting. We still have some spaces left for this and future terms and we welcome you to come and look round. Our dedicated team and small numbers ensure that your child will have excellent opportunities to learn and grow with us. Call us at Kesgrave Playschool on 07746 907060 to arrange a visit or go to our Facebook page: martleshamandkesgraveplayschools At Martlesham we offer all year round places. Call us on 01473 625986 or go to our Facebook page: martleshamplayschool www.mandkplayschools.co.uk
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The garden incorporated many white flowers to symbolise peace; stones with the names of local people who lost their lives in the First World War and a water feature for reflection. A particularly special element of the project involved visiting residents of Seckford Almshouse. Learning about languages and cultures really excites us and we were awarded the bronze Linguamarque award for languages. At the end of term, our Japanese Club performed a play in Japanese and English. We were delighted to welcome students from China who were visiting Farlingaye High School. As a Church of England school we promote the values of respect, creativity, responsibility, wisdom and perseverance, but we welcome all families, regardless of faith. If you have a child starting school in the future, we would love to meet you; phone us to arrange a visit. We are looking forward to our next exciting year of learning in Woodbridge. Karen Read
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SPORT MELTON BOWLS CLUB David Lennard and Tony Cocker (pictured with Peter Moyes) produced a storming finish to win the Melton Bowls Club Invitation Pairs Tournament which was sponsored by The Cake Shop, Woodbridge. They finished three points ahead of Mel Saggers and Eric Titshall with Bert Clamp and Colin Calver in third place. This popular tournament uses the Australian pairs rules format and a progressively increasing points system. Played on Melton Bowls Club’s fast running green, it has become a firm favourite in the tournament calendar and attracted a full complement of 28 pairs.
WOODBRIDGE BOWLS CLUB It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was writing about the cold and damp start to the new bowls season. Now after a frantic effort to catch up on those matches postponed due to bad weather, the season has ended. Yet, there has been time. Times to win, times to lose, times when one was in form, or times when one was out of form, times when luck smiled on you, or times when lady luck frowned. As in every season there were highs and lows. High points included a charity match against Great Wakering British Legion Bowls Club. This took place on August 19 and we raised over £300 for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal in the hundredth year since the end of the First World War. On President’s Day, July 22, the club raised over £80 for the Air Ambulance Service. Other high points were the high number of people who came to try their hand at the game on our open day and, thankfully, stayed and became strong members of the club.
With all the teams having just one game remaining to be played, two teams were well clear of the field and it looked as if the winner would come from these two. Saggers and Titshall led on 68 points with Calver and Clamp second on 60 points and all the other teams were on 52 points or less. Saggers and Titshall only managed to get 17 points on their last game against K Thornley, but still set an excellent target of 85 points.
Our final drive took place on September 9 and on September 10 our team of volunteers, overseen by greenkeeper Brian Stannard, started putting the green to bed, repairing the ravages of the unpredictable early spring and the long hot summer. Our thanks to all of them. It’s their work and skill that will enable us to carry on bowling in spring next year.
Clamp and Calver had a good last game against P Moyes, picking up 23 points, but not enough to catch Saggers and Titshall carding a total of 83 points. Lennard and Cocker who were back in third place had an outstanding last game against R Prior, collecting a massive 36 points to give them a total of 88 points and the trophy.
DEBEN YACHT CLUB
After the games were completed, tournament organiser Peter Moyes presented the winner’s trophy and prize money provided by the sponsors, The Woodbridge Cake Shop, to first, second and third placed pairs.
The invitation Happy Haddock Triples Tournament was convincingly won this year by Phil Carter, assisted by his son Jack and Chris Bennett (pictured receiving the trophy from tournament sponsor Darrell Howard). They finished ahead of Richard Parker and Ann and George Higinbottom in second place and Owen Brown’s team in third place. This popular event attracted a full entry of 72 bowlers again this year and with Melton’s bowls green in excellent condition, spectators were treated to play of the highest standard. The result of the tournament was in doubt until the last games had been played as three of the 24 teams had won all their games and were in contention. P Carter’s and G Steggle’s teams shared the lead going into the last game, both on 38 points with R Parker in third with 35 points. Parker had a good last game win over B Holt and set a target for the field of 48 points. Steggles lost his last game heavily to P Catling, picking up only two points and finishing out of the top three. Carter’s triple had an excellent win against L Keeley, taking 14 of the 15 points available and a winning total of 52 points out of a possible maximum of 60 points. O Brown, who had lost one game, took third place with a late surge, picking up 14 points in his last game against D Lennard to finish on 44 points. After the games were completed, Darrell Howard presented the winner’s trophy and prizes to the first, second and third placed triples.
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September normally signals the start of autumn and a gradual slowdown in activity at the club, but the heady days of a glorious summer lingered with the Maritime Woodbridge weekend when we celebrated the club’s 180th anniversary. On the Saturday, 32 boats joined a celebratory sail past with flags flying. They sailed upriver from the island, past the clubhouse and Tide Mill in front of all the visitors. The sail past was led by two of our long standing yacht members, the Jacksons, followed by one of our youngest dinghy sailors, Arthur Alexander. In the evening, members enjoyed a meal of chilli and salad, prepared by the galley team and live jazz played by Joy Spring. On the Sunday, visitors and members thronged the clubhouse for homemade cakes and unrivalled views of the anniversary racing. DYC is proud of being one of the oldest clubs in the country and celebrated in style. Looking forward to events in the future, there will be a quiz night for members and their guests on Thursday, October 25 at 7.30pm. The bar will be open and nibbles provided. As well as brain teasing questions, there will be some surprise challenges for the teams. For information contact: j.bradburn16@btinternet.com Sailing carries on until December 9 with the winter series of races, but we mark the end of the season with our laying-up supper on November 10. In a change of format from previous years, we will have a ceilidh band, Ducking and Diving, as well as the annual prize giving.
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SPORT / CHURCH NEWS WOODBRIDGE CRUISING CLUB There’s always a bit of a kerfuffle locking into Heybridge basin; the gutway is narrow and there are a lot of boats to get sorted in the limited time which the tide allows, but the lock has recently been upgraded and this year all went smoothly and the 16 yachts taking part in the Blackwater cruise were soon neatly tied-up inside the little harbour. Up until the 1960s (Coaster entering Heybridge in about 1960 pictured) this was a commercial port accommodating 2,500 ton ships laden with building materials which were unloaded onto 50ft barges for onward transportation up the Chelmer Canal to Chelmsford. Crewed by two men with the aid of a horse and a quant pole, they negotiated 12 locks and three bridges on this 14 mile journey which took most of the day. But times change and lorries took over so that nowadays there are no commercial boats using the harbour and it is left to pleasure sailors to keep the lockside pubs in business. The Blackwater cruise is a regular in our calendar and takes in Brightlingsea, West Mersea and Bradwell, as well as Heybridge. Despite some indifferent weather and the odd mechanical problem causing minor alterations to the planned itinerary, this year’s cruise was greatly enjoyed by all who took part, thanks to the organiser John and Diana Foster. The club was pleased to welcome aboard visitors to Woodbridge Maritime in early September and the club’s ukulele group, swelled by other local enthusiasts together with the Flotsam Singers, drew an appreciative audience for a strum-and-singalong session. The garden at the front of the clubhouse has received a lot of favourable comment since it was built a couple of years ago and we are proud that it has been put forward for a regional ‘Quality of Place’ award. If we are successful you will surely hear about it! Time and tide though wait for no-man and as the summer sunshine comes to an end, so the sailing season is drawing to a close, but the fun will continue through the winter months as the club’s social programme is shaken from its peace like a French scallop from a Brixham trawler. It starts with the winter walks led by Neil Brooks on October 4, followed by a Wednesday night supper on October 10, and will overlap with the last cruise of the year and the end of season cruise dinner at the Last Anchor in Ipswich Haven Marina. www.woodbridgecruisingclub.com John Warwick
WOODBRIDGE & DISTRICT LIONS CLUB Woodbridge and District Lions Club continue to work to support the local community and turned out in September to help at the Alzheimer’s Society Memory Walk event in Christchurch Park, Ipswich. It was a wonderful day which was enjoyable and rewarding for participants and helpers alike. Lions Stella and Pat are pictured preparing to go off to their marshalling point as participants get ready in the background. As with all fundraising, it gets harder and harder to raise funds to meet the increasing needs of the community as centrally funded budgets are cut. Please come along and support our efforts at our next fundraising event, our Art Show and Sale on Saturday, October 20. The venue is the Salvation Army Hall, just off the Thoroughfare in Woodbridge, doors open at 9.30and entry is free. Works of art generously donated by the art clubs of Rushmere and Kesgrave will be on show and for sale. Every painting is framed and nothing costs more than £30, with many prices well below that. Tea, coffee and home-made cakes will be on sale. No Martlesham Heath 10km this year The Martlesham Heath 10k and the fun run have been highlights in the Heath’s autumn calendar since the 1980s but this year, the restriction placed on runner numbers, renders the event uneconomic to run. Over the years many families living on the Heath have taken part in the event with keen runners tackling the 10k and families, of all ages, enjoying the fun run. The races were the brain child of Les Hutchinson MBE, an erstwhile prominent Heath resident who teamed-up with Woodbridge and District Lions to deliver the annual event. The popularity of the races soon made it the biggest fundraiser for the Lions Club which, over the years, has redirected the money raised back into the local community to help those in need. Individuals, families and groups have been helped from the Martlesham Scout Group and Cricket Club, to young adults undertaking voluntary work overseas and older residents who have been received a food hamper to brighten up their Christmas. The absence of the races this year means the Lions’ ability to support those in need in the community will be severely curtailed. The races have done much to raise the profile of the Martlesham Heath Village and for just five hours, once a year, the Heath bustles with the excitement of high-class athletics. All activities from car parking to race marshalling and rubbish collection are carefully managed and by 1pm on the race day the Heath is once again returned to its quiet splendour. When viewed against other events held in the village, such as Music on the Green, the Martlesham 10k is considerably less intrusive by noise, numbers of people and cars and so it is unclear why Martlesham Heath Householders Ltd have place a restriction on the size of the event this year and have rendered it uneconomic to run. It’s a great pity as it is not only one of the best run races in the county but, perhaps more importantly, so many people in need help in the local community are supported by the money raised. It is hoped that a way forward can be found so that the event can return to the calendar in 2019.
Woodbridge Methodist Church Friday, October 26, 9.30-11am Come and enjoy a light breakfast with us. Watch a Biblical story dramatically unfold. Join in with lots of fun games and craft activities. All families are welcome! We meet at Woodbridge Methodist Church on St John’s Street every half term and school holiday.
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AN EVENING OF MUSIC WITH STRICTLYCELLI The Ipswich & District Branch of Prison Fellowship present An Evening of Music with StrictlyCelli and Tenor Ian France Saturday, November 3, 7.30pm at St. Michael’s Church, Martlesham Heath Entrance Free Refreshments during the interval Retiring collection for Angel Tree “Giving prisoners the opportunity to send a Christmas present to their children”
In Touch online:
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