Bungay Bitesize -The Bungay Society

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LocalHistorian ChristopherReeve stepsback yintimetoexploreBungay’shistryexplo tor

Just over 20 yearsago, theBungay Society was affectionatelydubbed The Watchdog,when abooklet containingarticles that hadbeenpublishedin the Society’sJournal wasissued to celebrateits25thAnniversary. TheWatchdogWagsHisTail affirmedintheprefacethatthe Society performedthe role ofa friendlyand reliableprotector, playinganimportantpartinthe community,andfocusing on its chiefaims,namely: •Tostimulateinterestinthe town,andsurroundingarea •Topromote highstandardsof planningandarchitecture •Tosecurethe preservation, protection,developmentand improvementof featuresof historic andpublicinterest. This year, we arecelebrating our50thAnniversary,having beenestablished on 30 September1971,andcontinueto maintain ourrole, activitiesand aflourishing membership. We organise monthlymeetingswith aguestspeaker for10months oftheyear,social eventsand excursionsinthe summer,and an AGMinNovember. Theyearconcludeswith avery popularChristmasparty,witha traditional mealofbangersand mashandbakedbeans –knowing we willallbe over-stuffedwith turkey later on!Thisisfollowedby adelicious selection of desserts providedbymembers, aquiz,a raffle,andmusical entertainment. Likesomanyother community events,thislapsedduringthe recent Covidlockdown, butwe arehoping itcanbe reestablished andbecome even more enjoyedand appreciated inthecoming Yuletide season. On30 September, forour anniversary jollification inthenew Community Centre, we areplanning speechesand abuffet,a celebration cake,andan exhibition of photosdepictingSociety events andactivitiesduringthelast halfcentury. Anew edition of TheWatchdogWagshisTailis also planned, to include articles publishedintheJournalfrom 2000-2020.In addition to photos of events,itwillincludesome oftheattractivewatercoloursof Bungay buildings created by Alan Cobb, alocalarchitect. He was along-serving memberofthe Society,and gave uspermission to issueframedand unframed replicasofhis workstoraise moneyfor ourfunds. So we have much tolook forwardtointhe coming months, andhopethatboth long serving members,andnew faces,will shareinourcontinued role as thetown’sfaithfulandfeistyold Watchdog!

Drawingswith watercolour,byAlan Cobb. CourtesyoftheBungay Society.