Charlie Oscar

In March this year, the screen adaptation of Suffolk-based Charlie Mackesy’s best-selling book, ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’ won an Oscar in the Best Animated Short Film category. Such a fantastic accolade for this truly heart-warming story which follows an unlikely friendship between the four as they travel together in the boy’s search for home. It is such a touching tale of kindness, and Charlie’s distinctive illustrations are beautifully brought to life using the voices of Tom Hollander as the Mole, Idris Elba as the Fox, Gabriel Byrne as the Horse, and Jude Coward Nicoll as the Boy. Catch it while you can on BBC iPlayer or Apple TV+.

For Pit’s sake

In August 2022, the former quarry in Holton, known by all locally as Holton Pits, was put up for sale. In response, the Holton Pits Preservation Group (HPPG) was formed to try and prevent this 20-acre site from being developed in a manner that would threaten its fragile biodiversity and restrict access for the local community which, for many decades, has enjoyed the open use of the site.

The ecological surveys carried out over the years show why this small site is so important. Bird recordings going back to 1979 read like a riotous party, with over 100

The best-selling book, ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’, has sold more than eight million copies worldwide and it is a wonderful gift – whatever your age – and can be purchased online. www.charliemackesy.com different species recorded, including our East Anglian icons - turtle dove and nightingale –as well as ospreys, sand martins and egrets. The richness of this list and the depth of the other fauna and flora recordings show the importance of the mosaic of habitats found across the site - open water and wetlands, acid grassland, and that all important scrub that makes it such a nature generator. www.holtonpits.uk about time

Amazingly, in just six months the campaign has all but reached its £200,000 target, but just needs a last push to secure the site. Please help spread the word - any donations will be very gratefully received.