Essential Suffolk January & February 2021

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2021

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NATURE at HOME The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

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Celebrating all that makes our county great

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JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

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Welcome

Park Life Appreciating the parks and open spaces in Ipswich

As we start the New Year there’s hope in the air, at last. Just a few weeks ago we all watched with misty eyes as Margaret Keenan was administered the very first COVID-19 vaccine and we crossed everything we could that this was the beginning of a brave, new, virus-free world.

So while we take stock of the year that has passed and make plans for our year ahead, may I take this opportunity to thank every Essential Suffolk reader, advertiser and contributor.

We are proud to continue to celebrate ‘all that makes our county great’ with you!

13 Suffolk In Brief News from around the county

One of the many local assets we must celebrate enthusiastically is our abundant wildlife.

At this time of year the RSPB is encouraging us to engage with the various feathered species visiting our gardens and so, if you have an hour to spare, you too could contribute to the world’s largest bird survey. With their help we’ve put together a simple guide to attracting birds to your garden, as well as tips for spotting some frequent visitors.

Appreciation of public outside spaces has been tangible throughout the recent lockdowns and nowhere more than in our county town, Ipswich. The Borough Council manages 12 parks and garden sites as well as countless play areas, allotment fields, green spaces, cemetery grounds and nature reserves and we’ve taken a whistle-stop tour of the sights and sounds we can all enjoy, starting on page 8.

If you’re looking for something a little more cerebral to occupy you through the long winter days, how about chess? There’s been a surge in interest since the screening of the new Netflix drama The Queen’s Gambit and we’ve caught up with Woodbridge School’s Chess Master who’s just been asked to lead the mentoring process jointly for the English Chess Trust’s ‘Accelerator Programme’. There’s focus too on mental health as we talk to Matt Hubbard from the charity YANA – You Are Not Alone – about mental health first aid training and support for the agricultural community and rural workforce.

YANA – page 25

Plus, there’s the usual favourites including a new Pub Walk route at Levington, ideas for your home office, garden inspiration, homes for sale and more.

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CONTENTS

Gardening – page 38

15

34

42

Pub Walks with Darcy

Auctions & Antiques

Enjoying the banks of the River Orwell at Levington

The attractions of Sovereign collecting explained

36

43

The Essential Shopping List

Property

Hints for your home office

Some of the finest homes for sale in Suffolk

38

56

Gardening

My Suffolk

The transformation of Hawkedon’s Victorian garden

Stephen Singleton MBE shares his hopes for the year ahead

What’s On The latest listings for your events calendar

22 Board Meetings Woodbridge School’s Chess Master makes an important move

25 YANA The mental health charity helping agricultural and rural workers

28 Watch the Birdie Take part in the world’s largest bird survey with the RSPB

33 Finance Planning for change Park Life – page 8

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JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

PARK LIFE Come rain, shine or global pandemic, Ipswich’s parks are always there for the local community

O

ften referred to as lifelines, parks and green spaces up and down the country are seeing an overdue resurgence of love and engagement from local residents. None more so than the parks in Suffolk’s county town, Ipswich, where residents and visitors have access to 650 hectares of green space and wildlife habitats.

This vast amount of publicly accessible open space includes 12 parks and garden sites (two of which are English Heritage listed), 50 amenity green spaces, 95 play areas, 19 allotment fields, one Special Protection Area, two sites of Special Scientific Interest, four conservation areas, four managed cemetery grounds, 19 county wildlife sites and eight local nature reserves – meaning there is plenty of space for Ipswich’s residents.

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The hardworking and dedicated parks team at Ipswich Borough Council has seen more people venturing out to explore these spaces and appreciate the dedication, care and passion that goes in to maintaining them.

It’s the hard work that takes place all year round that makes Ipswich’s parks the ideal places to visit during unprecedented times.

2020 presented many challenges for everyone throughout the year, however when it came to the parks and green spaces, the challenges remained consistent… as consistent as the weather! No matter how prepared they feel they may be for it, being able to predict and react as the British weather invariably changes is the challenge the parks team face year on year. From hot dry summers scorching freshly cut grass, to refreshing spring showers quenching the

thirst of new shoots of grass, from storms that whip the leaves off fully formed trees and create dangerous environments, to a very young flock of ducklings making their debut in Christchurch Park in November! This all has a huge impact on the team and how they work to look after the ecology of this environment.

We may not realise that the team must also factor in other less well-known seasons, such as bird nesting season which impacts greatly on tree and hedge cutting. Essentially, Mother Nature shortens our traditional four seasons down to two, as months between March to September are dedicated to the parks’ most important residents; the wildlife.

The most popular residents of all the parks are tawny owls Mabel and Matilda. Tawny owls are usually a very secluded species,

PAR K LIFE

native to woodlands and the edges of farmland habitats. In fact, there are a lot of tawny owls in the parks in Ipswich but none like to sit out in the open as much as Mabel and Matilda in Christchurch Park.

Holywells park has several pairs which can be heard calling to each other at night but are rarely seen. Matilda has become a very famous owl for her love of sitting out in the open and being unphased by the members of the public below her. Other permanent wildlife residents include muntjac deer on the island in Christchurch park, mandarin ducks at Holywells and Christchurch park, kingfishers at Chantry park’s Beechwater pond and in Holywells park, and grey heron in Holywells. “I enjoy working out in the parks amongst all the fantastic wildlife and seeing the visitors enjoying their local green space,”

says IBC Parks team member, Sarah.

“This is especially true in Spring when the trees are coming into leaf, the kingfishers are active, the bluebells are blooming and visitors who have missed the parks over the dark winter months return to take photos, exercise, watch wildlife and simply enjoy being outside.”

The events of 2020 also bought another welcomed challenge: an increase in public engagement. Ipswich’s parks are often used to host popular Council events including Ipswich Music Day, Holi Festival and many Fun Days, and when the pandemic hit it was thought that the cancellation of these events may reduce footfall in the parks. This was not the case. In fact, these spaces have seen an increase in visitors to the park, as

those with or without their own gardens took full advantage of the outdoor spaces the teams work hard to maintain. To deal with the influx, additional work was needed to keep them in tip top shape, with an emphasis on litter picking and extra recycling resources.

The biggest challenge going forward will be keeping people engaged when the world eventually returns to normal. During lockdown and throughout the pandemic our parks have provided a consistent source of support at a time when there has been so much uncertainty. They gave people a safe space to escape to, exercise in and explore. For many people, they were a tool to combat loneliness, providing them with social interaction, even if at a social distance. ‰

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Not everyone has been able to get out and enjoy our parks and open spaces, due to shielding or self-isolating, but they weren’t forgotten. The Council launched an #IpswichParkLife campaign to bring the parks to people’s homes, with regular content showcasing the scenes and views of some of our much-loved open spaces, as well as tips and tutorials on how residents could bring their garden to life. It wasn’t just local people that were enticed to visit, the pull of the park even drew in interest from local TV.

Unveiled in July 2020, the Dumbarton Road play area is inspired by transport, with trains, a roundabout and a suspension bridge.

Christchurch Park’s multi themed play area opened in August 2020 and saw a fantasy castle and butterfly replace the 1990s playground. At both facilities more inclusive equipment has been installed, including a quiet area at Christchurch to meet the sensory needs of those on the autism spectrum. The excess space created, and safer surfaces make them ideal for imaginative play and easier to clean.

Ipswich’s parks have not only been centre stage for local events, it was only 16 months ago that Chantry Park was transformed into an event arena hosting four Ed Sheeran concerts with a combined attendance of 139,840 people. The concerts attracted visitors from all over the world and put the town firmly on the map. Looking at this tranquil park now, which is the largest within Ipswich, it is hard to believe that it hosted the last concert of the most-attended and highest-grossing tour of all time.

This team has much to celebrate as their hard work was nationally recognised in 2020. Last year, Bourne Park raised a Green Flag Award for the first time, alongside Christchurch which has now won 13 flags in succession and Holywells which has chalked up 10 in a row. The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for their management across the United Kingdom and around the world. Bourne, Christchurch and Holywells are three of only 2,000 sites across the country to collect the award for 2020.

The work doesn’t stop at green spaces, Ipswich’s parks and open spaces are truly accessible for all. Ipswich has 95 play areas managed by the Council, with facilities ranging from large installations in the major parks to smaller community areas in local neighbourhoods. Play is an essential part of every child's life and is vital for their development, and during 2020 work continued to improve facilities with the launch of revamped play areas at Dumbarton Road Recreation Ground and Christchurch Park.

Christchurch and Holywells parks were also recognised as 2020 Travellers’ Choice award winners by popular travel platform Tripadvisor. Based on a full year of Tripadvisor reviews, prior to any changes caused by the pandemic, the parks received consistently great customer feedback, placing them in the top 10% of hospitality businesses around the globe.

“Ipswich is very lucky to have such a large amount of Green spaces which offers visitors a diverse range of areas for all to enjoy. Each area is different in its own way, from small local pocket parks, larger Green Flag Award Heritage parks, historic Cemeteries and beautiful Country Parks that skirt the iconic River Orwell” commented Nick, who is part of the IBC Parks team.

Holywells Park and Landseer Park have been awarded Bees’ Needs Awards in acknowledgement of the work carried out to increase wildflower patches in Ipswich.

Ipswich Borough Council’s parks are among 32 winners selected by the Department for Environmental Food & Rural Affairs. The Bees’ Needs Champions Awards recognise examples of exemplary initiatives undertaken to support pollinators.

If you have been inspired by the work of Ipswich Borough Council’s parks team, and would like to help or would even like to start a career in looking after the beautiful natural spaces of Ipswich, then get in touch via the ipswich.gov.uk website. Team member Rob says; “I personally love working in parks and outside places and pride myself on making our great town a place where people love to visit or feel at peace. I enjoy a good team spirit with my colleagues delivering a common goal”. There are more details about volunteering with the Wildlife Rangers, The Gardening Club, and various Friends groups across the town that dedicate their time and passion into the future of these parks.

INFORMATION www.ipswich.gov.uk/parks

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SUFFOLK in brief

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Good news stories from around the county

BECOME A VOLUNTEER Home-Start in Suffolk is the county’s largest family support charity. They offer struggling families throughout Suffolk practical help and emotional support through their army of over 200 volunteers. The families supported by Home-Start in Suffolk are facing a wide range of challenges including mental health issues, disability, physical health problems, poverty and domestic violence. During ‘normal’ times these volunteers visit a family once a week in their own home, however as a direct response to the current pandemic they have adapted their service to offer ‘Families Connected Telephone Support’, teaming up with the Emotional Well-Being Hub to connect families who desperately need help with trained volunteers.

They are actively seeking more volunteers. Full training is provided and volunteers are continually supported. For more information on getting support or volunteering please call the Martlesham office on 01473 621104 or email headoffice@homestartinsuffolk.org

LAMDA EXAM SUCCESS Woodbridge School is celebrating success in the 2020 London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA) examinations, with its talented cohort of 29 pupils achieving a total of 23 Distinctions and 6 High Merits. The various disciplines include Public Speaking, Acting and The Speaking of Verse & Prose. The LAMDA examinations were originally intended to be taken in June 2020 but, because of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, were postponed to October this year. Susan Lockwood, LAMDA teacher at Woodbridge School, said: “Congratulations to our LAMDA students, who have achieved amazing results! Despite the lockdown, and the disruption that it has caused, we have still managed to achieve exceptional results, in exceptional circumstances”.

FUTURE PROOFING DANCEEAST’S HOME DanceEast is delighted to have been awarded a grant of £60,000 from Jerwood Foundation in support of work to futureproof the iconic Jerwood DanceHouse on Ipswich waterfront, through the creation of a digital suite. The funding will secure the organisation’s position at the heart of developments in digital dance innovation in the UK, whilst at the same time providing a vital facility for artists and freelancers across the sector – as they look to a future beyond the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. The organisation was first able to launch the project and invest in its digital infrastructure through a grant from the new Anglia LEP’s Business Resilience and Recovery Scheme, along with generous contributions from other foundations and individuals. Brendan Keaney, DanceEast Artistic Director and Chief Executive said: “We are incredibly grateful to Jerwood Foundation for this funding to enable us to realise our ambition and position DanceEast at the centre of digital dance innovation in the UK”. www.danceeast.co.uk

NEW LOOK ATRIUM AT GLASSWELLS BURY ST EDMUNDS STORE This latest renovation at Glasswells will complete the modern look and feel of its atrium area. Managing Director Paul Glasswell explained, “Glasswells always strives to offer our customers the latest and most stylish furnishing options and it is essential that our environment provides visitors with the very best shopping experience to match this. Whilst the store will be given a fresh new look, our ethos of offering the widest choice, at the best value, with the highest customer service will remain the same.” The start of work was delayed by lockdown and then also by the extensive flooding at the Bury St Edmunds store at the end of August, but was back under way by the start of September.

The team will also be integrating more technology to offer tech-savvy shoppers a more interactive and informative experience. www.glasswells.co.uk

LOCAL LEGENDS AT EASTERN ANGLES CENTRE The Eastern Angles Centre in Ipswich is set to see some vibrant new artwork in its windows. A key focus for the new arts and heritage centre is space and activities for local residents. With funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Eastern Angles has commissioned Ipswich based, Colombian born, visual artist and illustrator Catalina Carvajal to lead the project, Local Legends. She’s been working with the community to hear about the hidden, unsung heroes, and helpers who keep the community thriving. Catalina explains “I’m glad I had the chance to connect more with my local community and to be able to make a contribution through my profession. Only by interacting with other people can you get a better view of the world around you”. www.easternangles.co.uk

More news can always be found at essentialsuffolk.com/news

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W HAT ’ S O N

What’s On The Essential Suffolk entertainments and events guide

JANUARY 2

JANUARY 6

JANUARY 10 AND 11

Farmers’ Markets Old Heliport, Beccles, 9am to 1pm Snape Maltings, Snape, 9.30am to 1pm

Jon Gomm Apex Theatre, Bury St Edmunds. 7.30pm

Richard Digance Apex Theatre, Bury St Edmunds.

3pm and 7.30pm

JANUARY 3 Farmers’ Market The Cornhill, Ipswich, 10am to 2pm

JANUARY 4 – 25 From Ancient Egypt to Suffolk Landscapes Apex Gallery, Bury St Edmunds.

In 1840, the artist David Roberts visited Egypt and the Holy Land and produced two portfolios of his travels from the Holy land, south through the Sinai and on to Cairo, and then south along the Nile. All his paintings and drawings illustrated the Ancient Egyptian Tombs and Temples pre-excavation. Doug was in the process of researching David Roberts and his journey, and was revisiting Egypt with the collaboration and support of the Egyptian Government to illustrate the temples and tombs as they are now, which would have been the first complete contemporary portfolio, but with the COVID 19 outbreak this had to be cancelled. In February, Doug moved from London to his Suffolk home and started a new project to illustrate a series of country houses and their landscapes. This exhibition will illustrate his initial 2019 Egyptian Sketches and drawings, as well work completed in Suffolk since March, including Ickworth House, Euston Hall, Gedding Hall and Shrublands Park.

All works in the exhibition will be available for sale and all proceeds will go to West Suffolk Hospital.

ENTRY: free BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

Jon Gomm, based in Leeds, is an acoustic singer-songwriter with a revolutionary virtuoso guitar style. He uses one acoustic guitar to create drum sounds, bass lines and twisting melodies all at the same time.

The emphasis is still on the soulful vocals and song writing, and his original material is influenced by everything from Robert Johnson to Radiohead. The Blackpool-born singer-songwriter’s 2003 home-recorded debut, ‘Hypertension’, was nothing short of a musical revelation: drumming beats, tapping chords and striking harmonics on his acoustic, underneath that warm, soulful voice. Things changed for Jon with his landmark single ‘Passionflower’ racking up millions of views on YouTube and other media platforms in 2012 – with British legend Stephen Fry describing him on mainstream television as someone “playing the guitar in a way I’d never seen it played before” and “an all-round genius”.

TICKETS: £18.50 (including £1 booking fee) BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

JANUARY 9 Farmers’ Market Woodbridge Community Hall, Woodbridge, 9am to 2pm

JANUARY 10 Farmers’ Market The Traverse, Bury St Edmunds, 10am to 3pm

Postponed from April 2020.

Richard Digance embarks on his one-man show in 2021, negotiating motorway closures and diversions to play his favourite venues around Britain. Hear new songs (after all, there’s been plenty to write about in recent times), along with his popular nostalgic songs that promise the kind of audience participation he has made his own. A BAFTA Nominated performer and recipient of The Gold Award from The British Academy of Songwriters, Richard’s timeless songs and stories are built on a life well-lived.

TICKETS: £16 (including £1 booking fee) BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

JANUARY 14 The Simon & Garfunkel Story (Unplugged) Apex Theatre, Bury St Edmunds.

4pm and 8pm A brand new show celebrating 50 years of one of the world’s greatest albums Bridge Over Troubled Water. Featuring the two lead performers of the original West End show, this exclusive duo performance tells the stories that shaped the album and also features classic hits such as Mrs Robinson, Cecilia, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Homeward Bound and many more.

“Fantastic” – Elaine Paige, BBC Radio 2 “Authentic and exciting” – The Stage.

TICKETS: £28 (including £1 booking fee) BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

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JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

JANUARY 16

JANUARY 17

Marshall King Legends Show Spa Pavilion Theatre, Felixstowe. 7.30pm

Legends of Swing – Down for the Count Swing Orchestra Apex Theatre, Bury St Edmunds.

3pm and 7.30pm

Prepare for an incredible evening of music and comedy as this amazing one-man show will take you on a rollercoaster of laughs and songs across the decades. “We don’t know how he does it, but the words ‘vocal acrobatics’ spring to mind!” With state-of-the art video and lighting, you won’t believe your ears as you hear songs from the greatest artists of all time, including Freddie Mercury, Neil Diamond, Elvis, Tom Jones, Roy Orbison and many more. Plus Marshall’s take on some of the biggest West End show stoppers – you’ll be amazed at how close he sounds to the original artists with his incredible vocal talent. Hilarious comedy, impressions, one liners and audience interaction all add up to making this a show not to be missed. Show contains moderate adult humour, suitable for adults only – if easily offended, we recommend a quiet night in instead!

TICKETS: £18 BOX OFFICE: 01394 284962 thelittleboxoffice.com/spapavilion Farmers’ Market Old Heliport, Beccles, 9am to 1pm

JANUARY 21 Down for the Count are a mini big band with an electrifying show full of incredible energy and musicianship. Described as “a breath of fresh air on the swing scene” they are now regularly found at jazz clubs in the UK and abroad (Ronnie Scott’s London, Le Caveau de la Huchette Paris), at festivals including London Jazz Festival, and on BBC Radio.

The band recreates classic tunes from the Swing Era, but this is no mere nostalgia trip – they perform each song in their own unmistakeable style, breathing new life into

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the best vintage music. Combine that with the band’s top class instrumental solos, sublime vocal performances, and irresistible humour and joie de vivre, and you get a show that will leave you feeling uplifted and wanting more. Their new album, Swing That Music, features the music of the big bands of the 1930s and 1940s – expect to hear songs from the likes of Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Glenn Miller, and classics from singers such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Nat ‘King’ Cole. “Awesome!” – Michael Bublé.

TICKETS: £24 (including £1 booking fee) BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

The Doctor Will See You Now Apex Theatre, Bury St Edmunds. 7.30pm The Rev Dr Clive Thomas Jackson, singer of Doctor and the Medics, combines all the elements of his career in one hilarious rollercoaster of a two-man show. Stories, songs, myths and more, humorously delivered by the one hit wonder. Stand-up comic, compere, actor and yes, singer! All these disciplines are bought together in a multimedia presentation of his often bizarre,

W HAT ’ S O N

certainly idiosyncratic and at times, ridiculously funny career.

TICKETS: £23 (including £1 booking fee) BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

JANUARY 23 Farmers’ Market Woodbridge Community Hall, Woodbridge, 9am to 2pm JANUARY 24 Farmers’ Market Village Hall, Lavenham, 10am to 1.30pm

similarly distinctive, flexible vocal carrying a fearless approach to lyrical introspection.

The album was subject to rave reviews in The Guardian, Mojo and Uncut magazine and looks set to place highly on many end of year lists. “I’m pretty sure the BC Camplight live experience isn’t something you can find elsewhere,” Christinizio declares. “It is a journey every night. One moment, I’m basically doing a stand-up routine and the next, the band and I are playing like we plan on dying that evening, giving our everything.

Then I’m on speakerphone to my Mom on stage before assaulting my piano. I’m very thankful that, after all this time, the audience is finally there.”

This is a seated, socially distanced show.

BOX OFFICE: 01473 295900 www.wolseytheatre.co.uk

traditional Cuban music, classical genres and jazz, his most recent album Best Foot Forward, is rich with energy, colour, creative arrangements and originality. Throughout his career Omar has supported and shared the stage with a whole host of other stars; Tito Puente, John Williams, Nigel Kennedy, Courtney Pine and Wynton Marsalis to name a few.

TICKETS: £19 (including £1 booking fee) BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

JANUARY 27 BC Camplight New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich The Smokehouse Presents BC Camplight for Independent Venue Week at the New Wolsey Theatre. Brian Christinzio, a native Philadelphian now living in Manchester, is the force behind BC Camplight. His 2020 album Shortly After Takeoff spans singersongwriter classicism, gnarly synth-pop and ‘50s rock’n’roll, with Christinzio’s

Omar Puente Quintet Apex Theatre, Bury St Edmunds.

5.30pm and 8.15pm Internationally renowned for his masterful performances in a variety of musical styles, world class violinist Omar Puente is nothing short of a true virtuoso. After establishing himself as an accomplished musician on his native Cuban soil, Omar moved to England in 1997. Having maintained close links with

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JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

JANUARY 29 Farmers’ Market St Peter’s Church, Sudbury, 9.30am to 2pm

songs for the soundtrack to the Leonard Cohen tribute ‘I’m Your Man’.

TICKETS: £26 (including £1 booking fee) BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

FEBRUARY 3

FEBRUARY 7 Farmers’ Market The Cornhill, Ipswich, 10am to 2pm

FEBRUARY 10 FEBRUARY 5 AND 6

Teddy Thompson – The Heartbreaker Please Tour Apex Theatre, Bury St Edmunds. 7.30pm Singer-songwriter Teddy Thompson is a native Englishman who has adopted New York City as his home. Famously the son of singersongwriters Richard and Linda Thompson, he emigrated to the States, barely out of his teens, to embark on a career of his own. He was heavily influenced not by folk music but by such artists as Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and The Everly Brothers. As NPR reported, “Teddy says he didn’t listen to any music made after 1959 until he was 16. As a kid, he listened to early rock ‘n’ roll and country music exclusively.” This resulted in a unique voice that is at once rock and country, then pop and folk. He has released five albums to critical acclaim and has contributed to the soundtrack of the Golden Globe and Bafta-winning film ‘Brokeback Mountain’. He has also collaborated on projects with Rufus and Martha Wainwright and recorded two

Bond – Live and Let Dine The Athenaeum, Bury St Edmunds, 7.30pm Postponed from April 2020.

A fully immersive comedy dining show.

With a vodka martini on arrival, you will be transported into a slapstick, cartoon-style parody, featuring the much-loved characters in an adventuresome romp through the clichés of the movies adored by millions. With four actors playing 15 characters, expect lots of laughs, costume changes and buckle up for the smallest car chase in history!

TICKETS: £52 (including £1 booking fee) BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

FEBRUARY 6 Farmers’ Markets Old Heliport, Beccles, 9am to 1pm Snape Maltings, Snape, 9.30am to 1pm

2020 12 Essential Suffolk HP FOOD.qxp_136mm h x 190mm w 10/12/2020 12:35 Page 1

Najma Akhtar Apex Theatre, Bury St Edmunds.

5.30pm and 8.15pm British-born Najma has released eight critically acclaimed solo albums. She has collaborated with many world-class artists, as diverse as Jah Wobble, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, Andy Summers (The Police), Basement Jaxx, Jethro Tull, Philip Glass, Gary Lucas (Captain Beefheart) and many more. Embracing the diverse musics of the world, both geographic and historic, Najma has attracted much critical acclaim including Rolling Stone magazine which praised her “effortless artistry and emotional daring” and The Observer which declared “The pure soaring arc of Najma’s voice remains above emulation”. Najma’s latest album was released to great acclaim in 2020. A musical journey, ‘Five Rivers’ begins in India at the Ganges and continues on to Africa and the Niger, Great Britain and Ireland, with the Thames and the Shannon and across the Atlantic to the majesty of the Mississippi,

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exploring the various synergies that exist between the ancient poetic art form of the Indian Ghazal and the Western traditions of song.

TICKETS: £19 (including £1 booking fee) BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

Farmers’ Market Woodbridge Community Hall, Woodbridge, 9am to 2pm

FEBRUARY 14 Farmers’ Market The Traverse, Bury St Edmunds, 10am to 3pm

FEBRUARY 13 Made In Tennessee Spa Pavilion Theatre, Felixstowe. 7.30pm Country fans are given a taste of Nashville with Soul Street Productions’ brand new show Made in Tennessee – The soundtrack of American Country. With a band made up of some of UK’s finest country musicians, Made in Tennessee takes you through the decades of the nation's fastest growing music genre, from Country’s origin in the Southern States of America to modern day Country heard around the world. Featuring classics from Johnny and June, Dolly and Hank, legends like Garth Brooks and Carrie Underwood and modern country super stars such as Kacey Musgraves and Chris Stapleton this is the best show east of Tennessee!

TICKETS: £25 and £23 BOX OFFICE: 01394 284962 thelittleboxoffice.com/spapavilion

FEBRUARY 18 Joel Dommett: Unapologetic (If That’s Ok?) Apex Theatre, Bury St Edmunds. 8pm

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Join Joel as he brings you bang up to date on his life since his last live show! He has become a regular face on TV, from being a finalist in 2016’s I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!, to hosting I’m a Celebrity, Extra Camp, alongside Scarlett Moffatt and Joe Swash. He starred in two series of the critically acclaimed Comedy Central Show Joel and Nish VS the World, is the co-host of ITV2’s dating show Singletown and is the presenter of the international smash The Masked Singer (ITV). The start of 2019 saw Joel release a 30 minute stand-up special for Netflix as part of a global comedy event – Comedians of the World. He has also achieved a place on the Sunday Times Bestseller list with his book ‘It’s Not Me It’s Them’, which was recently released in paperback. 14+ (Parental Guidance), likely to be swearing and adult content.

TICKETS: £19 (including £1 booking fee) BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

Due to the current coronavirus restrictions events information is ever changing. Please visit www.essentialsuffolk.com/whats-on for the most up to date listings.

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JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

FEBRUARY 19 An Evening with Kevin & Joanne Clifton Spa Pavilion Theatre, Felixstowe. 8 pm

production is created and toured with the safety of the audience, theatre staff, cast and crew at the forefront. The show lasts for 90 minutes without an interval.

TICKETS: £39 BOX OFFICE: 01394 284962 thelittleboxoffice.com/spapavilion Fairport Convention Apex Theatre, Bury St Edmunds. 7.30pm

Join Strictly Come Dancing Champion siblings, Kevin and Joanne Clifton for an intimate show specially produced for a socially distanced audience. The talented siblings will sing songs from their CD, tell stories of their dancing lives and perform some of your favourite Ballroom and Latin dances with their professional dance partners. Due to scheduling, this will be the only chance to catch the successful brother and sister duo on tour together. Join Kevin and Joanne for a lovely evening of song, dance and dancing memories! This

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Fairport Convention have been entertaining music lovers for over half a century. During that time the band that launched British folkrock has seen many changes. But one thing has remained the same - Fairport’s passion for performance. This year’s winter tour will present a mix of long-established Fairport favourites and some surprises from albums old and new, including their latest album, Shuffle and Go. Fairport Convention won a BBC Lifetime Achievement Award and Radio 2 listeners voted their ground-breaking album Liege and Lief The Most Influential Folk Album of All Time. Their story has been celebrated with television documentaries on BBC Four and Sky Arts. The band features founding member Simon Nicol on guitar and vocals, Dave Pegg on bass guitar, Ric Sanders on violin, Chris Leslie on fiddle, mandolin and vocals, and Gerry Conway

on drums and percussion.

TICKETS: £29 (including £1 booking fee) BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

FEBRUARY 20 Farmers’ Market Old Heliport, Beccles, 9 am to 1pm

FEBRUARY 22 Hayseed Dixie Apex Theatre, Bury St Edmunds. 8pm Postponed from October 2020. Hayseed Dixie began one day in 2000 when John Wheeler and Mike Daly drank roughly enough whiskey to float a battleship from the Florida Coast over to Portugal and back and decided to play around in John’s studio.

Having spent the previous few years touring around with assorted country hat-acts, John had assembled a proper pile of recording equipment. Thus, when he and Mike discovered in their drunken epiphany that the Lost Highway of Reverend Hank Williams and the Highway to Hell of Bishop Bon Scott were indeed the same identical stretch of tarmac, they were well and truly prepared to

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W HAT ’ S O N

document this revelation in situ. Now, 20 years and 14 albums later, with global physical sales in excess of half a million and over 1,200 live shows in 31 different countries under their belts, Hayseed Dixie are the undisputed creators of the musical genre, Rockgrass.

“The Hayseed’s berserk hedonism is indeed refreshing!” – The Guardian.

TICKETS: £19.50 (including £1 booking fee) BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

FEBRUARY 23 The Zombies Apex Theatre, Bury St Edmunds. 7.30pm Following a year of overseas touring, iconic ‘British Invasion’ pop legends The Zombies are returning home to the UK to celebrate their long-awaited induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Zombies joined Stevie Nicks, Radiohead, The Cure, Def Leppard, Janet Jackson and Roxy Music as the 2019 Class of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. During the ‘British Invasion’, The Zombies had a number one hit in America and infiltrated the airwaves with their hit singles She’s Not There and ‘Tell Her No’.

Ironically, the group split prior to achieving their greatest success – the worldwide

chart-topping single Time of the Season, from their album Odessey and Oracle, which is ranked in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

TICKETS: £28.50 (including £1 booking fee) BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

bandleader, as the lost hero of the sex ‘n’ drugs British music revolution.

TICKETS: £19 (including £1 booking fee) BOX OFFICE: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

FEBRUARY 26 Farmers’ Market St Peter’s Church, Sudbury, 9.30am to 2pm

FEBRUARY 24 Yiddish Twist Orchestra Apex Theatre, Bury St Edmunds.

5.30pm and 8.15pm

FEBRUARY 27

The highly-acclaimed Yiddish Twist Orchestra is an all-star band whose music pays homage to the genius and paranoia of Bergman, the unjustly forgotten beatnik funkateer who got the slums and salons on both sides of the water dancing to that pounding London beat. Late 1950s London saw the rise of the dirtiest, most deliriously danceable music: a delirious mix of West Indian Calypso, mambo, surf guitar, classic Yiddish songs and English beat rhythms that they called ‘der shvitz’. When years later it crossed the Atlantic in diluted form as ‘the twist’ its roots were forgotten, and remained so, with the exception of a select few in the know who recognise Willy Bergman, its founder and greatest

Farmers’ Market Woodbridge Community Hall, Woodbridge, 9am to 2pm

FEBRUARY 28 Farmers’ Market Village Hall, Lavenham, 10am to 1.30pm

Due to the current coronavirus restrictions events information is ever changing. Please visit www.essentialsuffolk.com/whats-on for the most up to date listings.

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JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

STAYING ONE MOVE AHEAD Woodbridge School’s Head of Chess and International Master, Adam Hunt, has been asked to lead the mentoring process jointly for the English Chess Trust’s ‘Accelerator Programme’. Lesley Rawlinson finds out more

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“Woodbridge is the leading school in the East of England for chess, being recognised officially as an English Chess Federation ‘centre of excellence’, and our breadth of chess activities is unrivalled at any other school in the country.”

I

Yes, it’s a huge mental workout and uses both the left and right sides of the brain, but the skills you learn are both useful and transferable. We also need to get away from this idea that it’s a game for boys – female players are just as capable.”

So, did having a sibling with a shared interest help him fall in love with this ancient game of strategy? “I actually learned before my older sister. My mum first taught me at the age of just three or four, but I became so keen on the game that I wanted to play every morning before school. This soon led to joining a club and then to weekend tournaments and so my younger brother Laurence and older sister Harriet both learned to play too.

The recent Netflix drama The Queen’s Gambit has certainly helped to redress this balance. Based on Walter Tevis's 1983 novel of the same name, it’s the story of an orphaned chess prodigy on her rise to becoming the world's greatest chess player, while struggling with emotional problems. “Back in the 70s and 80s there was lots of chess in schools but popularity always waxes and wanes. TV dramas like this one have a great positive effect. Over in Norway they currently have the World Champion Magnus Carlsen and, in his country, he’s helped bring chess into the mainstream media.”

n 1991, at the age of just ten he shared the British Under 14 title with his then 13 year old sister, Harriet. By 14 he was the British Under 18 Champion and, in 1997, Harriet went on to win the World Girls’ Under 20s title. “She’s an exceptional player,” says Adam Hunt who, like his sister, is an International Chess Master.

“I feel incredibly fortunate that, as a whole family, we learned and played together. But it was always the ‘Adam versus Harriet’ games, within the family championships, that were most hotly contested!”

The two-player board game, set on its iconic 64 square chequer board – with the purpose of checkmating the opponent’s king through a series of strategic moves – has a reputation for being difficult to master and only for the most cerebral thinkers. “It’s a common misconception that only the very brightest minds or those good at maths will succeed at chess,” explains Adam. “Anyone can learn and at any age.

With so much focus on home-based pastimes during the continuing pandemic, online chess, in particular, has seen a surge in popularity. “It’s very positive for the game,” Adam continued “you can dip in and out of the game more easily online, but all the time that challenge of playing and knowing it’s going to be stimulating, teaches and develops memory skills.” ‰

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JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

So, what makes a good player? Woodbridge School is one of very few schools in the world to have a dedicated full-time chess teacher, with Adam having joined in 2003. He has coached the English junior teams on many occasions at World and European Junior Championships. “Woodbridge is the leading school in the East of England for chess, being recognised officially as an English Chess Federation ‘centre of excellence’, and our breadth of chess activities is unrivalled at any other school in the country.

“As for spotting a player’s potential – sometimes it comes early, with the ability to recognise patterns and remember sequences, but skills develop and I firmly believe that, with practice, anyone can be a good player”.

Moreover, Woodbridge School has been recognised with the English Chess Federation’s prestigious ‘British Chess Education Trust Award’ for a second time, having received it initially in 2004 – one of only a handful of schools to have done so twice.

“We have complete beginners through to an International Master who recently achieved the title whilst at the School. There’s a big club provision but, recognising the benefits of the game we also teach chess on a one to one basis, as part of the academic day – much like a musical instrument would be.”

The English Chess Trust’s Accelerator Programme, which is designed to develop the top English junior players for future successes, currently sees eight students on the programme from around the country, who are also hoping to represent England at World and European Junior Championships when over-the-board chess resumes.

HOW TO GET STARTED Adam’s recommendations: l

Get started with any standard wooden or plastic chessboard with ‘Staunton’ or similar design chess pieces, (ideally with number and letter co-ordinates).

The Chess & Bridge shop in London www.chess.co.uk has everything you will need, and will also provide useful advice for anyone looking to purchase equipment and start learning the game.

l

As you play more, you may wish to invest in a chess clock, which are compulsory in tournament games.

l

Online chess sites are booming in popularity. www.lichess.org and www.chess.com are the most popular and free to join. For children www.chesskid.com provides a vast array of excellent instructional material.

l

Consider joining a chess club when over the board chess returns. Try www.suffolkchess.org or www.suffolkjuniorchess.org in the first instance. For more general information try www.englishchess.org.uk.

At Woodbridge School Prep we offer an after-school club to children in the local area, whose school doesn’t already have one set up.

READY TO PLAY? Adam’s simple tips to begin the game: l

Control the central four squares (e4,d4, e5 and d5)

l

Develop the ‘minor’ pieces (bishops and knights) first, whilst watching out for your opponent’s attacks on your pieces ‘Castle’ the king (either side is good) which moves him into a safety position and activates your rooks through the centre

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Find out more about chess at Woodbridge School via www.woodbridgeschool.org.uk

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YOU ARE NOT ALONE F

arming or working in the countryside is mostly a good way of life but many of the occupations and associated lifestyles can be demanding and stressful.

Perhaps then it’s not surprising that many people involved with agriculture can feel isolated, depressed or unable to cope as well as normal. And in a year when, as a society as a whole, we have been so enormously challenged, knowing how and where to find help is more vital than ever.

One in five people in the UK will experience poor mental health so it is important to know that if that is you, or someone you are concerned about, you are not alone.

Lesley Rawlinson catches up with trustee Matt Hubbard to find out more about rural mental health charity YANA

YANA – You Are Not Alone – is the charity that offers help for those involved in farming and other rural businesses affected by stress and depression. “Those involved in agriculture are often reluctant to seek support for depression, stress or anxiety” explained Matt Hubbard, who became involved with the charity through his role as Ambassador for the East of England for a major bank. “Talking about your problems and seeking appropriate help can make it easier to cope and ultimately improves your quality of life, but it’s knowing who to turn to that can be the toughest step” he continued.

Matt grew up in rural Oxfordshire, Cornwall and Lincolnshire but was no stranger to Suffolk having visited his grandparents here for over 30 years. Though he works mostly in London, the opportunity to connect his city career and love of the countryside came with relocation to the county seven years ago.

“When I took on my current role the strength of the agricultural community was obvious.

The East of England contributes 22% of the nation’s farming income and the more I spoke to our agricultural team the more often the themes of mental health issues in the agricultural community came through”.

Matt had experienced the impact of poor mental health from a variety of perspectives.

His early career on operations in the army had exposed him to the kinds of pressures that can build up and the impact of that on some colleagues. However he also understands the devastating impact of losing someone to mental ill health as his sister, Emily, took her own life 22 years ago. “It’s staggering, but one person every week in the wider agricultural sector in the UK takes their own life” he explained.

Of course it’s not the rural way of life that is the problem, but recognising the huge number of influencing factors that might take their toll. Issues such as Brexit, trade, weather, disease and even a lack of respite can be difficult to manage – let alone in the midst of a global pandemic. “One of the biggest problems is that there’s often stigma in small communities” Matt says.

“Encouraging others to speak when they see signs of concern and then encouraging someone to seek help and ask for advice is vital”.

Mental health issues in rural and agricultural communities are widespread affecting farmers, game keepers, suppliers and workers in other related industries. “YANA is here to help any business that operates in rural areas or supports the countryside.

We’re inclusive across the sector and hope that by raising awareness of mental health issues we can also help to prevent suicides.

We can signpost to confidential counselling and give mental first aid to anyone who needs it”. ‰

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Martlesham

YAN A

“Asking for help is the first step and we’re here and ready whenever it’s needed”.

The cornerstone of the YANA offering is raising awareness of the issues and providing fully funded counselling. During 2020 their helpline has been busier than ever and, as a result, more than 400 hours of counselling has been arranged. All of the operators are Samaritans-trained and will listen, triage and support the needs of the caller. Matt continued “We need to understand the importance of talking to each other. Lockdown has reduced these opportunities, not just between families, friends and colleagues but across the wider agricultural community too. This spring sees the second consecutive year without a Suffolk Show and I know first-hand as a Steward what great opportunities the Show gives for the wider farming community to come together, talk, compete and achieve.

It’s a huge loss and widely felt.”

campaigns and a website with lots of easy to follow advice and help.

The more we talk, the more we understand about mental health issues. The more we accept as a society that depression is an illness and not a weakness, the easier the job of charities like YANA will become. There are discreet Seven Tractor Facts to Save a Life cards available through a network of land and estate agents, agricultural suppliers and GP surgeries as well as social media

While the impact of COVID has been quite mixed – some finding it tough with loss of regular business while others have found opportunities to diversify – Matt is keen to stress that YANA, through its team of dedicated trustees and volunteers, finds the right specialists to help across the sector.

“Asking for help is the first step and we’re here and ready whenever it’s needed”.

“One of the ways in which YANA can help is through offering fully funded mental health first aid training” Matt explains. “If someone in a position of trust notices signs or symptoms it can be life-saving. If more people are aware of the issues in the first place it might prompt someone to seek help before it’s too late. If that prevents one loss of life it’s worth it”.

Financial issues are often a common cause of stress for farmers. “We encourage early intervention, speaking up about issues so that a strategy can be created and we can rebuild hope. Problems are rarely unique, so by sharing experiences we can help make positive future plans”.

INFORMATION YANA offers specific help for those involved with farming or other rural businesses locally. l

l l

Providing confidential support & counselling Building understanding of mental health Investing in Mental Health First Aid training & suicide prevention

If you are involved with farming or another rural business in any way and are feeling low or if you are worried about a member of your family, a colleague or a friend, YANA can help. Call the helpline 0300 323 0400 for confidential support or email helpline@yanahelp.org.

If you are very seriously worried about someone else and their mental state please don’t hesitate to take action. www.yanahelp.org

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Big Garden Birdwatch Play your part in the world’s largest bird survey this January

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he UK’s biggest citizen science project has been recording the winners and losers in the garden bird world for over four decades with the help of half a million people, and now the RSPB is counting on Suffolk residents to join in too.

Set to enter its 42nd year this month, the largest wildlife survey in the world, the Big Garden Birdwatch, runs from the 29th to 31st of January and combines over 40 years of records to monitor vital bird trends.

People across Suffolk are set to get involved, spending just an hour of their time recording the birds found in their gardens, balconies or nearby green spaces, and submitting their results to the wildlife charity.

This year, we’ve seen how important the natural world is to our mental health and wellbeing. There has been a surge in interest in the nature on our doorsteps and many people have come to rely on garden birds to bring joy and comfort in these unsettling times. That’s why the RSPB is hoping to see more people than ever take part, after more than 10,000 Suffolk residents took part last year.

Both across the country and here in Suffolk, house sparrows topped the rankings in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch results last year, despite wider national decline.

Meanwhile, blue tits and woodpigeons joined house sparrows to form the top three most sighted birds in Suffolk.

A common garden bird thanks to the provision of winter food and nest boxes, blue tits are on the rise across the country, with an 8% increase in the population since 1979. Other birds featuring in Suffolk’s ‘top ten’ were goldfinches, starlings and long tailed tits.

Seeing a positive change across Suffolk gardens, long tailed tits were found in 6% more gardens in 2020 compared to previous years. These charming birds, with distinctive pink grey and white feathers and long tail, are usually found in large flocks of up to 20 birds and often make use of garden feeders throughout the winter – so be sure to look out for them this year.

Allowing the RSPB to monitor similar bird trends across the country, the data collected during the Big Garden Birdwatch will create a snapshot of bird numbers across the UK and how they have fared since the project began.

A great opportunity to connect with nature and help with the RSPB’s work no matter how much you know about garden birds already, the RSPB will provide a free Big Garden Birdwatch guide, which includes a bird identification chart, top tips for your birdwatch, RSPB shop voucher, plus advice on how to help you attract wildlife to your garden, for those who text BIRD to 70030 or register at www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch.

As the RSPB’s Becca Smith describes; “watching the wildlife through our windows this year has undoubtedly brought solace in unprecedented times, which is why, this year more than ever, it’s important to give back to nature by taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch and submitting your results.”

What’s more, the RSPB’s parallel event, Big Schools’ Birdwatch, takes place during the first half of spring term, 6th January to 21st February 2021. This year, it celebrates its 20th anniversary of connecting children with nature in their school grounds. Since its launch, over a million school children and teachers have taken part. ‰

RSPB BIG GARDEN BIRDWATC H

Getting Started If you’re new to bird watching, here are some simple tips to help you connect with nature in your garden During winter, birds are more likely to come into our gardens to seek sanctuary and food in order to survive. Now is one of the best times of the year to attract your local birds with the help of feeders.

Not only will that make them stay for longer but if you feed them regularly, they’ll learn that your garden is a great place to keep coming to. Different feeders and food will attract a variety of birds so feel free to experiment and see who comes to visit.

You don’t necessarily need an all singing all dancing feeder – even a tray on a table will make a nice start!

Providing food like fat balls and crushed peanuts can help birds to build up vital fat reserves and boost energy, while meal worms are great for insect eaters such as robins and starlings. Seed mixes also provide for many birds with their vast array of calorie-rich contents, or you could pick out a few favourites such as sunflower and nyjer seeds which contain beneficial oils and proteins.

Feeding birds doesn’t have to break the bank either, as kitchen scraps will also be readily enjoyed by our feathered friends.

Mild grated cheese, soft fruits, cooked rice and pasta, porridge oats and unsalted bacon are all suitable for birds to enjoy for example.

At this time of year, a supply of water is also essential, and if the weather turns cold, birds can become more dependent on water provided in gardens. Making sure your water source remains clean and unfrozen is important in allowing birds to bathe and preen themselves too.

It can seem daunting with so many bird species to distinguish between, but garden birds are a great way to start your birdwatching adventure. They are some of the easiest to identify and tend to hang around long enough for you to take a quick snap to reference later if you need to.

Although birds are around at any time, you’ll see more birds first thing in the morning. As they say, the early bird catches the worm!

To help improve birds’ chances of survival through the colder months, the RSPB has plenty more top tips on feeding garden birds which can be found at www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch ‰

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1

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In light of a surge in interest in the nature on our doorsteps since the coronavirus pandemic began, the RSPB is sharing its top five birds to spot from your garden, balcony or local greenspace

TOP SPOTS 1. House Sparrows The house sparrow is one of Britain's most well-known and best-loved birds. Males and females are easily distinguished; males have a grey head and black bib whilst females are pale brown with a pale stripe behind the eye. House sparrows are noisy and gregarious, often sticking together in small flocks, and like big hedges where they can all hide together. They socialise by taking dust or water baths together, as well as ‘social singing’ where they call together in bushes.

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2. Blue Tits Streaked with a colourful mix of blue, yellow, white and green, blue tits are one of our most attractive garden visitors. Blue tits happily take all kinds of bird food and are a vibrant addition to gardens across the country.

3. Long Tailed Tits Often arriving at your feeders in large groups, long tailed tits are sociable birds with extended tails which have earnt them their name.

With grey and pinkish feathers, these birds are particularly fluffy at this time of year too.

4

4. Robins Commonly one of the first birds to start singing in the morning, and found to be one of the last singing at night, the nation’s favourite bird can’t be missed. With its red chest that earns it the name ‘robin redbreast’, look out for this garden favourite darting through shrubs or perching on tree branches this winter.

5. Goldfinches

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A much-loved little bird, the goldfinch announces its arrival with a tinkling, trilling call. Vibrantly coloured, goldfinches have red faces, black crowns and bold yellow wing patches. If you're lucky, you may even be visited by a small flock of them, appropriately known as a charm.

INFORMATION To take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch 2021 and help nature in the process, watch the birds in your garden or local park for one hour at some point over the three days in January. For your FREE Big Garden Birdwatch guide, which includes a bird identification chart, top tips for your birdwatch, RSPB shop voucher, plus advice on how to help you attract wildlife to your garden, text BIRD to 70030 or visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

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F I N A NCE

James Wright Independent Financial Planner

FINANCIAL PLANNING IN A TIME OF CHANGE The start of a new year may often provide the impetus for a review of your financial plans, especially in the light of the way COVID-19 has turned our lives upside-down.

James Wright independent financial planner at Scrutton Bland looks at three different clients, the issues they should be thinking about when planning their financial future, and the ways that a professional adviser may be able to help THE INVESTOR

THE BUSINESS OWNER

THE REDUNDANT EXECUTIVE

You may have found yourself in receipt of a sum of money – for example on the death of a relative, the sale of a business or property, or as a result of a divorce. In all cases it is vital to appoint an investment adviser who is totally impartial and who can provide a structured plan which reconciles risk and return in a way which is appropriate to your individual situation and will be monitored and reviewed on a regular basis.

People are one of the most important assets of any business, and now may be a good to time to review the way they are protected within your business. For example, key human resources should be insured in the same way as other business assets through keyman and shareholder insurance policies.

It may also be wise to look at private health insurance schemes which benefit both employee and employer should medical problems arise.

In the unfortunate event that you have been made redundant, your first financial considerations are the tax treatment of any termination payments and the availability of State benefits. You may then want to review your existing investments, particularly if you need to consider having to supplement short-term income. Attention will need to be given to whether replacement life insurance should be arranged for the protection of your dependants, and existing policies should be reviewed to check whether other benefits might be claimed.

Some advisers advocate index-tracking investments and others prefer to select funds.

Whatever strategy is adopted, the overriding concern should be to have a clear process for allocating investments to manage the risk taken. Often this is achieved by using the main asset classes, fixed interest (gilts and company loans), UK equities, overseas equities, property and cash.

Diversification is a crucial factor and the proportions in which the various asset classes are held will reflect time span, income requirements, willingness to take risks, the values involved and most importantly your objectives over the short, medium and longer term.

Another issue for business proprietors is pensions. This will usually mean selecting an appropriate pension, and decisions will be required as to the level of benefit to be provided. For business owners and directors, SIPPs have become popular and permit wider investment scope, commercial property purchase opportunities and valuable post-retirement tax-planning options. SIPPs and other pensions can provide the ideal basis for drawing down income from pension portfolios to provide or supplement retirement funds, especially when annuity rates are unattractive.

Ex-employees are usually able to retain their entitlement to pension benefits, but you may wish to transfer to a different scheme in which case you need a comparison of the relative merits of them.

Or you may need guidance on whether to defer drawing benefits. Decisions may also need to be taken regarding share incentive plans and private medical insurance.

If you are thinking about reviewing your plans and want to speak to an Independent Financial Adviser, book one of our 30-minute free consultations at a time that suits you. Contact James on 0330 058 6559 or email hello@scruttonbland.co.uk Scrutton Bland Financial Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

Sponsored by

PUB WALKS

with Darcy

www.christchurchvets.co.uk

A return to the River Orwell for a winter walk packed with wildlife Let’s not beat about the bush, 2020 was tough for our pubs, restaurants and hotels.

Those that were able to, found ways to diversify, offer take-away menus and even deliveries – cementing our need for hospitality at the heart of our local communities.

Pub Walks with Darcy has long been one of our most popular regular features and so we’re working hard to continue to bring you new routes to explore and great dog-friendly pubs to visit. Before you set out on this new route – or any from the archive of walks on our website – please ensure you check the current COVID guidelines and that the pub you’re heading to is open and has capacity for you when you arrive. Book ahead is our advice.

4 A1

Research Station

Bridge Farm

Walnut Tree Farm

Orwell Park School

LEVINGTON Broke Hall

1 PH

P

Levington Hall

4 Stratton Hall

2

Home Wood Polly’s Cottage Nacton Shore

Stratton Hall Wood

3/5

Marina RIVE

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R O RW

ELL

And so to the route. Regular readers will know that we love a river walk and particularly in the winter. This route from The Ship at Levington abuts a previous pub walk and can be easily joined up for a longer outing. The first stretch takes us towards the river along a lengthy boardwalk and it’s the first chance to start spotting wildlife. First on our list were deer grazing on open pasture to the west of the path.

A friendly robin joined us along the boardwalk, skimming along the tall rushes, occasionally clinging to a wavering stalk to allowMorston us to catch up. Needless to say there Hall of birdlife for the twitchers among was plenty you, just remember to keep dogs under close control where there is ground nesting.

The stretch of path along the river is like leafing through the pages of a photo album.

As many of the trees had lost the bulk of their leaves, the naked branches created frames for our snapshot views of the Orwell. Emerging from Home Wood, Nacton Shore beckons ahead. It’s an ideal place to let your dog off its lead for a run on the beach but stick to the sand unless you’re prepared to get the hose TRIMLEY out when you get home, because that mud won’t be detaching itself with a quick rub down, you have been warned!

P U B WA L K S W I TH DAR CY

the walk DISTANCE: Approx 3 miles TIME: 1 hour – depending on pace TERRAIN: Grassy field, boardwalk and river paths NEARBY STOPS: The Ship, Levington OS MAP: Explorer 197 START POINT OS REFERENCE: 235 390 As always please keep your dog under close control and follow any advisory signs. For a printable version of this and previous walks go to: www.essentialsuffolk.com/dog-walks where you will also find more pictures of each walk route.

Always check the map before setting off.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Starting from The Ship Inn exit the car park and cross the road to the path opposite, directly beside the house. Follow the path and as it rounds the corner to the left pass through the gate.

Once through the gate turn immediately right and head down the field. At the bottom of the field the path continues ahead on the boardwalk through the rushes. Stay straight ahead.

At the end of the trail climb the steps on to the river path. Turn right. The path continues all the way to Nacton Shore where we chose to turn. Along the way take care as in places the sandy cliff is very eroded and could be challenging for young children or those less steady on their feet.

Once you’ve taken your fill of the beach retrace your steps to the junction with the boardwalk.

At this point either return to the pub reversing your outward journey or join this walk to our previous route by continuing on the river path. If taking this option we’ve marked the route with a dotted line on the map.

INFORMATION www.essentialsuffolk.com/pub-walk www.debeninns.co.uk/ship

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JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

Our latest selection of best buys are all for your home office. Whether through necessity or choice, creating a temporary, permanent or transitional working space has been high priority for lots of households. Shared use, space restrictions and even having the right number of power sockets in the right place are just some of the many considerations, so take inspiration from the Essential Shopping List

THE

ESSENTIAL SHOPPING LIST working from home

In the Spotlight Industrial and functional yet stylish and on trend, this Tripod film light takes inspiration from movie sets and is the perfect statement piece for your desk. A mix of natural bamboo wood with metal shade the copper inner gives a show-stopping light. Perfect for the directional illumination often missing in a home office situation. List price £119.99 SALE PRICE £89. www.harpers.co.uk

Should you Conform?

Essential SUFFOLK

always proud ~ to feature ~

LOCAL RETAILERS

Be the master of your own domain and start with a chair that takes charge; the luxury leather Conform Timeout swivel chair. Hand-made to your requirements in Sweden, this almost impossibly comfortable range of swivel recliners and footstools are available in a dazzling selection of fabrics, leathers and sheepskin. You can choose the colour of your base and your wood frame as well as your seat and back height, so customise your comfort! Was priced from £1,599 and is NOW £1,279. www.barretts.co.uk

Turn on your Love light These beautiful and colourful Edison-style E27 bulbs cast a warm glow and you could even have several and change them depending on your mood! They’re for use with the Marble Stone desk lamp and are a standard E27 Edison screw fitting. With LED filaments they have a much long life span of 25,000 hours. Was £14.99 NOW £13.49. www.barretts.co.uk

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THE ESSENTIAL SHOPPING LIST

Classic Oak The Pacific Oak range is made of a high quality grade of oak. These include wood-panelled drawer bases and cabinet backs and the use of dovetailed joints in constructing drawers. Pacific Oak furniture has a light oak appearance and is finished in a tough, hard-wearing lacquer finish.

This large hidden office twin pedestal desk (list price £1089.99 SALE PRICE £779) is a handsome addition to any room while the wall mounted shelf rack (list price £369.99 SALE PRICE £259) will help you retain an organised, functional space. www.harpers.co.uk

Making Space Fed up of working on the kitchen table? All that clearing up each time the family needs to eat and then reclaiming your workspace whenever you can? It’s time to look carefully at the under-used spaces around your home. You may not have an empty bedroom or a purpose built study however with some creative thinking you may have an area that can be converted with the help of home office specialists like Anglia Factors. Whether it’s under the stairs, a corner of the kitchen or an alcove elsewhere they’ll help you to get some ideas flowing. www.angliafactors.co.uk

Power Tower This is a simple but extremely effective solution to shared space use. Hidden when not in use, these additional power and USB sockets pop up from the kitchen worktop, making the surface truly multifunctional while retaining clean, sleek lines when closed. Just pop up and plug in for homework or home office use. www.angliafactors.co.uk

Retro Style The Kolding range is inspired by Scandinavian and Retro design ideas, bringing a clean and modern look to any room with beautiful curved edges and contemporary narrow legs. The range is traditionally made using premium grade blonde American oak and specially selected hardwoods for internal construction. All drawers are on easy-glide runners and feature fully dovetailed joints. A natural lacquer gives it a long-lasting finishing touch. List price £439.99 SALE PRICE £299. www.harpers.co.uk

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HAWKEDON

by HOBLYN

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GARDENING

Catharine Howard

discovers how terraces have transformed a Victorian garden

S

outh of Ickworth and Bury St Edmunds, there is patch of undulating country with a woldish feel to it. Hawkedon, with war memorial, 15th century church and shaggy village green lies at its centre. Half a mile above stands Hawkedon House: flint and brick construction with tall chimneys and a decidedly Elizabethan look. Seen from the road along the valley it is an eye-catcher.

Drawing up the drive to the eastern façade it reveals itself to be of mid-19th Century construction. It was built by a local laird in the style of a rectory to persuade his son to go into the church.

Seven years ago the transformation of a tired old Victorian garden was underway.

One of the owners has a love of clean lines, unfussy and uncluttered to go with his collection of modern sculpture. The other brought the influence of her Australian upbringing, amongst other things to reviving the swimming pool – already there and at a strange lopsided angle to the house. At the top end of the garden and framing it was a 12 foot wall of soft brick. This had a rickety greenhouse clinging to it and slumping outwards was an uneasy slope across the garden and view. The house was divorced from all this behind an old yew hedge.

Thomas Hoblyn, a Suffolk designer and regular exhibitor at RHS Chelsea, was picked for the project. He was asked to bring sharp design treatment to the challenge of uniting the house, garden and landscape. The landfall down to the swimming pool was a puzzle solved by installing terraced levels.

There are three of them. The top one with the brick wall standing to its back, is of gravel with giant box balls and box headed limes.

The lower two are grass terraces – emerald green and irrigated. All have brick retaining walls. One is a large circle with plenty of room for the children to play. The second takes up an oval shape echoed round the swimming pool by the outer curve on the decking made of Balau wood. The pool itself is bedded in by two hornbeam hedges, the inner one on stilts. The new terraces sit so that the garden looks straight out, uninterrupted into the view giving a classic haha effect.

After the tussle with drainage and levels, the rest of the brief was simple: modern, clean lines and to mimic the landscape. Step out of the house and the topography beyond the garden slopes away into a valley with a tributary of the River Glem and then up a gentle hill to Cresslands Wood. This is where the sun sets. ‰

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JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

Every landscape has a pattern which will be influenced by the quality of light and atmosphere, whether brilliant, subdued or misty. Out there colours are strong, seasonal and taken from a narrow indigenous palette and the garden curtsies to this. Tom, Kew trained, has kept the plant choice simple with an examination of textures, shapes, juxtaposition and colours that may be subtle but iridescent – even in the days of low winter light.

There are the two types of pleaching; the box headed limes and the hornbeams – the latter are kept as pleaches which are prevented from ‘joining up’ of the branches between the individual trees. Both sorts were bought in as big trees with irrigation seven years back. They have put on astonishing girth. The box balls also have their place in the beds near to the house.

It would be no exaggeration to say a person could hide inside one of them. The solid green shapes are given levity by multistemmed Amelanchier lamarckii, – round their ankles swirl Anemanthele lessoniana a grass with hairy dog movement in these formal beds, they are also under the pleached hornbeams. A specimen of liquidamber stands as a winter sentinel of grey branches and trunk above a simple planting of Deschampsia cespitosa and one area of the wall has climbing roses underplanted with lavender.

Summer gardens have the allure of colour and scent: they can be heady and addictive and almost any garden can look right when the delphiniums and roses are in full spate.

Take those colours away from the middle of the paint box and head for the sombre greens, bleached whites, greys and oranges.

The best time to judge a garden for its merits is in winter and at Hawkeden a difficult brief has been mastered. It looks effortless.

I know it was far from that for Tom told me he had cut potatoes in half, adding them to the garden model to decide where box plantings were to go. Hawkenden comes out like a piece of couture tailoring.

Deceptively simple but I know there were plenty of discards on the cutting floor.

INFORMATION Catharine Howard is a designer, gardener and plantswoman with many years of creating and renovating gardens.

For a consultation or garden design contact her at: www.catharinehoward.co.uk Discover more about Thomas Hoblyn at thomashoblyn.com

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B U SI N E SS P R OF I L E | A I R M A N AG E S UFFO LK

A DYNAMIC APPROACH TO HOLIDAY LETTING

Air Manage Suffolk is an independently owned, local holiday letting agency, dedicated to providing exceptional service at a competitive price

O

perating from premises in former RAF Base Bentwaters, just 15 minutes’ drive from the Suffolk Coast, Air Manage Suffolk has become a fully-fledged holiday letting agency in just four years. Since its launch in April 2017, the now six-strong team has embraced the rapidly changing travel industry. Starting with a single property in Orford, they’ve built a portfolio with countless satisfied owners and thousands of happy guests.

“We’ve made significant investment in industry-leading software, and as well as listing all of our properties across our own up-to-theminute website, we also use popular online travel agencies like AirBnb, Booking.com, HomeAway and more” explained Operations Manager, Harry Embleton. “Offering our industry leading marketing and management solutions to owners of properties across Suffolk is the key to all we do” he continued.

The dynamic pricing software has been in place for a year and uses algorithms and machine learning to update prices in real-time based on live market data across the region. As a result prices are updated daily, constantly tracking occupancy, demand, and local events. It’s lead to a huge increase in bookings and subsequently revenue for owners. “Earlier this year, as the pandemic progressed, prices were particularly volatile. Thankfully our rates adapt to the market in real time and therefore we can be rest assured that we never miss a trick!” says Harry.

But it’s not all about technology. Air Manage has an in-house professional cleaning and laundry team, with its own stock of highquality hotel standard linen and towels. This is alongside a dedicated maintenance force, which means owners can remain uniquely hands-off while every aspect is taken care of on their behalf.

Being forced to close indefinitely in March, as coronavirus spread out of control, was incredibly challenging for the business; “We ensured we followed the Competitions and Markets Authority guidelines from the very start” explained Harry. “We offered full refunds for every booking impacted by our closure. Losing Easter, May Half Term and much of the late Spring was certainly something we hadn’t budgeted for. It was deeply demoralising but I’m so pleased to say that we’ve kept all of our staff and since reopening in July we haven’t looked back.”

Although there’s now light at the end of the COVID tunnel, holiday businesses still need to tread very carefully and be prepared for the need to adapt to changing guidance. However at Air Manage they don’t intend to stand still. “We have big plans that we are developing and implementing all the time” Harry enthused. “The business is in a position to grow quickly and efficiently and we have some fantastic offers for holiday-home owners at the moment, including our 5% Commission offer.” Building their high street presence is just one of the exciting plans they’re working on.

INFORMATION Whether you’re planning a break or looking for letting management visit www.airmanagesuffolk.com

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AUC TIO NS & ANTIQU E S

Geoffrey Barfoot Auction Centre Manager

SOVEREIGN SECURITY As we approach the beginning of another year I wonder, as I always do, what the next twelve months will bring for the Auction Centre.

What interesting, rare and varied items will come under the auctioneer’s gavel? I am constantly being surprised by the arrival and sale of things I have never seem before. However, recently I thought about an item that I have handled quite regularly since I first started work in an Auction Room forty odd years ago – the Sovereign.

When recently cataloguing a collection of thirty Sovereigns ranging in date from the 1880s (Queen Victoria’s reign) to our current Queen Millennium issue, I realised that despite handling so many over the years I knew very little about the history of the coin.

The Sovereign weighs 7.98gms of 22 carat gold, and has a nominal currency value of just £1, the real value though is in its gold weight, and this will rise and fall with the world price of gold, but generally it’s an upward curve. Back in the 1980s and 90s a Sovereign would fetch at auction in the region of £50 - £55. Today one would expect to pay in the region of £300. There are certain years and rare issues that are worth more than their bullion price. Sovereigns are attractive to investors as being UK legal tender they are exempt from Capital Gains Tax.

featured on the reverse. Various succeeding monarchs all chose to strike new versions of the Sovereign, an indication of their own power and strength. It wasn’t until the reign of James I, in 1603, that the practice died out. In 1815 after the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo the government carried out a review of the nation’s coinage – hence a new, gold, twenty shilling coin was born.

The new coin minted in 1817 was almost half the weight and diameter of the original Sovereign, but it was equally as beautiful. The reverse featured an image of St George and the Dragon that had been designed by one of the most celebrated engravers in the world; Benedetto Pistrucci. In 1825 the image of St George was replaced with a more conventional image of the Royal Coat of Arms, however people criticised the poor state of the coin designs and St George was re-instated during Queen Victoria’s reign.

I recently auctioned a set of pocket Sovereign scales. These were used and carried by people in the 19th Century to weigh a Sovereign before accepting it in payment, as unscrupulous criminals would often clip the edge of the sovereign to gain some gold!

INFORMATION Specialist Sales: February 6, Domestic & Rural Bygones The first Sovereign was minted in 1489 in the reign of Henry VII. February 24, Selected Antiques & Fine Art Up to that point gold coins had been in circulation for over 100 years. Clarke & Simpson Auction Centre, Campsea Ashe But it was the largest and most valuable ever seen at the time. The Nr Wickham Market, IP13 0PS. T: 01728 746323 Woodbridge ESa Jan & Feb 2021.qxp_Layout 08/12/2020 Page 1 obverse of theInteriors coin was portrait of Henry VII while the1Royal Arms 11:24 www.clarkeandsimpson.co.uk/auction-centre

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P R O P E RTY

Essential

PROPERTY 44 47 49 50 53 55 60

Jackson-Stops Clarke & Simpson Fenn Wright Savills Grier & Partners Mortimers Hopkins Homes

46 WOODBRIDGE

48 CAMPSEA ASHE

52 WESTERFIELD

54 SPROUGHTON

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PROPERTY EXPERTS SINCE 1910

LD SO

LD SO LONDON BUYER

BRUISYARD

EAST SUSSEX BUYER

BROMESWELL

SURREY BUYER

CODDENHAM

SUFFOLK BUYER

LD SO

LD SO

HASKETON

2020 has been an unusual year for most. Following the release of the property market in mid-May, we have been inundated with enquiries from prospective buyers seeking the ‘country’ idle.

We have assisted a great many in buying and selling alike, and demand remains encouragingly strong.

LONDON BUYER

SUFFOLK BUYER

FRESTON

LONDON BUYER

LD SO

ALDEBURGH

CAMPSEA ASHE

LD SO

SUFFOLK BUYER

LD SO

LD SO

SIBTON GREEN

PROPERTY EXPERTS SINCE 1910

LD SO

LD SO LONDON BUYER

SUTTON

SUFFOLK BUYER

OLD MARTLESHAMÂ

LONDON BUYER

CLOPTON

LONDON BUYER

LD SO

LD SO

KELSALE

If you are considering property options for 2021 or simply wish to capitalise on the strength of the current market please contact either Jonathan Penn, Tim Dansie or James Squirrell.

01473 218218 | ipswich@jackson-stops.co.uk

LD SO

LD SO

IPSWICH

KENT BUYER

LONDON BUYER

WOODBRIDGE

LONDON BUYER

WALDRINGFIELD

LONDON BUYER

LD SO

LD SO

METHERSGATE

JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

LILAC HOUSE FACTS LOCATION: Woodbridge PRICE: £995,000 AGENT: Fenn Wright

New Build, Traditional Design Thoughtfully arranged and using traditional design elements such as double glazed sash-style windows and a Spanish slate roof, Lilac House is the most recently built, detached home, within the grounds of Turnpike House.

On the ground floor both reception rooms have bay windows providing a triple aspect views and the main living area is an open plan kitchen, dining and family room. The bespoke kitchen is comprehensively fitted with Neptune units under granite worktops and with a kitchen island.

Opening into the dining area, there is a modern fitted dresser to one wall. A step leads to a seating area which also enjoys a triple aspect, with French doors leading out to the rear garden, with a lantern light above. Completing the ground floor is a good size utility room.

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The fantastic ground floor accommodation is complemented by the immaculate first floor bedrooms. The master bedroom enjoys triple aspect windows with two built-in double wardrobes either side of the bed recess, plus en-suite shower room. Bedroom two also has a built-in wardrobe and an en-suite shower room while bedrooms three and four are both double rooms. There’s also a family bathroom.

The property benefits from sealed unit double glazed sash style windows, Spanish slate roof, underfloor heating to the ground floor and is CAT-6 wired.

INFORMATION Fenn Wright 01394 333346

Stradbroke, Nr Eye £320,000

A charming period cottage that originally served as the post office, located in the centre of the village & only about 300 metres from the River Deben. Entrance hall, sitting room, dining room, snug, study/ground floor bedroom, kitchen & wet room/cloakroom.

Spacious landing, 3 first floor bedrooms & bathroom. Off-road parking. Good-sized gardens to the front, side & rear. EPC = G Ref: 6556

A charming, semi-detached period cottage located close to the centre of the popular & well served village of Stradbroke.

Entrance hall, sitting room, dining room, study/bedroom 3, kitchen, inner hallway & cloakroom. 2 bedrooms & family shower room. Landscaped garden to front & enclosed garden to rear.

Attached single garage & off-road parking. EPC = F Ref: 6552

Woodbridge £295,000

Benhall, Nr Saxmundham £275,000

Debenham £165,000

A 2-bedroom ground floor apartment with parking & courtyard gardens, set along The Thoroughfare in the centre of Woodbridge.

Entrance lobby, 16' sitting room, kitchen/dining room & bathroom. Bedroom with en-suite cloakroom, & second double bedroom. EPC = C Ref: 6540

Four new semi-detached 2-bedroom houses located on a nothrough road in a delightful location within the village of Benhall.

Hallway, kitchen, sitting/dining room & cloakroom. 2 first floor bedrooms, en-suite shower room & bathroom. 2 parking spaces & garden. EPC = TBC Ref: 6549

A 2-bedroom mid-terraced period cottage, recently refurbished & located close to the heart of the popular village of Debenham.

Entrance porch, sitting room, kitchen & ground floor shower room. 2 first floor bedrooms. Enclosed garden to front.

Landscaped garden to rear. EPC = F Ref: 6543

IN MO N VE O W

Waldringfield, Nr Ipswich £445,000

A beautifully presented family home with impressive studio & home office, located in the centre of Campsea Ashe, between Wickham Market & the Heritage Coast. Entrance hall, 19' sitting room, 18' kitchen/dining room, study, utility room & cloakroom.

Master bedroom with en-suite shower room, guest bedroom with en-suite shower room, 2 further bedrooms & family bathroom.

Studio outbuilding comprising a gym on the ground floor & home office on the first floor. Generous driveway & landscaped gardens.

EPC = C Ref: 6548

IN MO N VE O W

Campsea Ashe, Nr Woodbridge £560,000

UPGRADED FLOORING, TURF AND FREESTANDING APPLIANCES INCLUDED Plot 23 is a 3-bedroom detached house with south facing garden, garage & parking, located at Blyth Vale, an outstanding collection of 2, 3 & 4 bedroom stylish new homes, by the award-winning Hopkins Homes, in the picturesque Suffolk town of Halesworth. Help to Buy available.

Ref: 6446/23 IN MO N VE O W

Blyth Vale, Halesworth £325,000

UPGRADED FLOORING, TURF AND FREESTANDING APPLIANCES INCLUDED Ready To Move In Now! Plot 150 is a 4-bedroom link-attached house with walled garden, garage & carport parking, located at Blyth Vale, an outstanding collection of 2, 3 & 4 bedroom stylish new homes, by the award-winning Hopkins Homes, in the picturesque Suffolk town of Halesworth. Help to Buy available. Internal images indicative. Ref: 6446/150 IN MO N VE O W

Blyth Vale, Halesworth £400,000

Blyth Vale, Halesworth £320,000

Blyth Vale, Halesworth £310,000

UPGRADED FLOORING, TURF AND FREESTANDING APPLIANCES INCLUDED Plot 20 is a 3-bedroom link-attached house with south-facing garden, garage & carport parking, located at Blyth Vale, an outstanding collection of 2, 3 & 4 bedroom stylish new homes, by the award-winning Hopkins Homes, in the picturesque Suffolk town of Halesworth. Help to Buy available. Internal images indicative. Ref: 6446/20

UPGRADED FLOORING, TURF AND FREESTANDING APPLIANCES INCLUDED Plot 151 is a 3-bedroom mid link-attached house with garage & carport parking, located at Blyth Vale, an outstanding collection of 2, 3 & 4 bedroom stylish new homes, by the award-winning Hopkins Homes, in the picturesque Suffolk town of Halesworth. Help to Buy available. Internal images indicative. Ref: 6446/151

Clarke and Simpson, Well Close Square, Framlingham, Suffolk, IP13 9DU

T: 01728 724200

www.clarkeandsimpson.co.uk

JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

ASHCROFT FACTS LOCATION: Campsea Ashe PRICE: £560,000 Freehold AGENT: Clarke & Simpson

Family Home with Studio Built in 2009, Ashcroft is a beautifully presented, light and spacious four bedroom family home in the centre of Campsea Ashe, between Wickham Market and the Heritage Coast. The bright, modern accommodation extends to over 1,800 sq ft in all, and comprises a generous entrance hall for receiving guests, a well fitted kitchen/dining room with breakfast bar, 18’ sitting room, study, utility room and cloakroom on the ground floor.

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office above, that is separately accessed via an external staircase and benefits from superfast ‘fibre’ internet connection. This currently provides the vendors with an excellent work from home facility, but could also be utilised as ancillary accommodation serving Ashcroft, a games room or similar.

On the first floor there is a spacious master bedroom with en-suite shower room, guest bedroom with en-suite shower room, two further bedrooms and a bathroom.

Outside there are landscaped gardens incorporating a patio area that can be accessed from the sitting room, a summerhouse with decked area and a separate covered seating area. The property also has a generous granite chipped driveway for parking up to four vehicles.

In addition to Ashcroft’s accommodation there is also an impressive Studio. Created from the double garage, this comprises a ground floor studio room, currently utilised as a gym, together with a home

INFORMATION Clarke & Simpson 01728 724200

essentialsuffolk.com

Selling the most desirable town houses, country homes & properties with character in Essex & Suffolk

fennwright.co.uk

£750,000

Old Martlesham | Kesgrave office

• Detached farmhouse • 6 bedrooms • Stunning views • Abundance of accommodation • Character living • Off road parking • Close to Woodbridge

Woodbridge | Woodbridge office

• Exceptional Grade ll listed country house • 5 bedrooms • 2 bedroom annexe • Swimming pool complex • Period features • Landscaped grounds of approx. 5.5 acres

£995,000

• Exceptional new build family home • 4 bedrooms • Superb open plan Neptune kitchen/family/dining room • Double garage and off-road parking • Close to Woodbridge town centre

Ipswich 01473 232700

£1,675,000

Stoke by Clare | Sudbury office

Woodbridge 01394 333346

£500,000

Ipswich | Ipswich office

• Stunning contemporary townhouse • 4 bedrooms • Victorian-style home with high ceilings • Opposite Christchurch Park • Close to popular schools • Garage and parking

Kesgrave 01473 358400

signaturesuffolk@fennwright.co.uk

Sudbury 01787 327000

A selection of our sold properties

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

London Road, Shadingfield

Hengrave, Bury St Edmunds

Quay Street, Orford

Guide £1.75 million

Guide £1.45 million

Guide £830,000

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

The Green, Twinstead

Rede, Bury St Edmunds

Cock Street, Leavenheath

Guide £2.25 million

Guide £1.65 million

Guide £1.5 million

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

Cumberland Street, Woodbridge

Stowmarket Road, Stonham Aspal

Church Road, Little Waldingfield

Guide £1.25 million

Guide £1.25 million

Guide £2 million

Talk to us today

Tom Orford Head of Residential Sales 01473 234 831 TOrford@savills.com

Peter Ogilvie Residential Sales 01473 234 816 POgilvie@savills.com

Katy Stephenson Residential Sales 01473 234 833 KStephenson@savills.com

Savills Ipswich 01473 234800

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

East End Road, Stonham Aspal

Front Street, Orford

Yarmouth Road, Melton

Guide £695,000

Guide £495,000

Guide £1.5 million

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

Ipswich Road, Woodbridge

Crossing Road, Palgrave

The Haven, Thorpeness

Guide £1.2 million

Guide £400,000

Guide £700,000

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

Alderton Road, Hollesley

High Street, Yoxford

Paget Road, Ipswich

Guide £900,000

Guide £790,000

Guide £650,000

Call us today to see how we can help you sell your property. savills.co.uk | Follow us on

JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

OLD GLEBE HOUSE FACTS LOCATION: Westerfield PRICE: £975,000 AGENT: Jackson-Stops

Grade II Listed Former Rectory Set back from the road enjoying the privacy of views across adjoining fields, Old Glebe House is in a convenient and highly accessible location in the centre of Westerfield. The Grade II Listed former rectory has been renovated and restored by the current owners, including the installation of solar panels, air source heat pump, wood burning stoves and underfloor heating. The accommodation allows for home working with plenty of flexible, peaceful space, yet also easy access to Ipswich and the City.

On the ground floor the drawing room has a beamed ceiling, sliding wooden shutters, open fireplace with pamment surround and display bookshelves either side. The sitting room, with exposed wall and ceiling timbers, also has sliding wooden shutters, exposed brickwork and a wood burning stove set on a pamment hearth.

There’s a cleverly conceived extension providing a modern and contemporary kitchen with underfloor heating. This superb new kitchen/breakfast room has exposed timber work on the walls and ceiling, plus a brick fireplace with inset Clearview wood burning

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stove. The airy, open plan space has a breakfast bar linking to the kitchen area with oak and granite work surfaces and incorporating Neff appliances. The space has a pitched ceiling with an attractive skylight and impressive glazed double doors to the terrace. There’s also an adjoining utility room with butler’s sink, water softener and access to the drive and garden. The terrace and garden are also accessed from the study through French doors.

On the first floor there are six bedrooms, two with en-suite shower rooms, plus family bathroom.

Outside there is ample parking, a double open cart lodge garage, a range of brick storage outbuildings and an electric car charging point. The garden is mainly laid to lawn with maturing trees include silver birch, scots pine and fir.

INFORMATION Jackson-Stops 01473 218218

THE MILL HOUSE, SPROUGHTON £675,000 Located conveniently within the Suffolk village of Sproughton, this Mill House offers a wealth of period character and a delightful position overlooking Sproughton Mill and ponds to the front and private gardens to the rear. Three bedrooms within the main house and a further two within the attached annex, extensive outbuildings and parking. An excellent opportunity to enhance and improve this historic Suffolk Long House.

9 HIGH STREET, MISTLEY £295,000

BRAMBLES, HADLEIGH ROAD, HOLTON ST. MARY £365,000

Four storeys of accommodation within this charming, characterful property provide space for the three bedrooms, sitting room, dining room and kitchen. Offering huge potential for modernisation and enhancement to a new owner’s requirements and a chance to make the very best of this grade II listed house. Gated access to Mistley Quay.

A two double bedroom country cottage of charming proportions, situated in the village of Holton St Mary. Modernised throughout to provide a blend of period charm and modern convenience, presented to an excellent high standard throughout. Garden space with separate office, outbuilding, shed and off road parking for 2/3 vehicles.

T: (01206) 299222 E: enquiries@grierandpartners.co.uk www.grierandpartners.co.uk

The Old Shop The Street, East Bergholt Colchester, Suffolk CO7 6TF

JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

LOWER STREET FACTS LOCATION: Sproughton PRICE: £675,000 AGENT: Grier & partners

Period Mill House With a wealth of period character and a delightful position overlooking Sproughton Mill and ponds, this is an excellent opportunity to enhance and improve an historic Suffolk Long House.

Originally dating from the early 1600s the accommodation also has extensions and alterations dating from the 17th and 19th centuries.

Heating is provided by a recently installed air source system to radiators throughout.

There are three bedrooms within the main house and a further two in the attached annex, plus extensive outbuildings and parking.

Significant structural issues have been identified specifically with the Annex Kitchen floor over the cellar where, over time, timbers have become dilapidated and are in need of remedial work. For the purposes of sale, reports have been undertaken into the required

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works and costings produced. Both the reports and costings are available upon interested party’s request. Given the age of the property, buyers are encouraged to undertake investigations and agreed access can be provided for this purpose.

Sproughton is just three miles from the centre of Ipswich but surrounded by open countryside with easy access to both the A12 and A14. The village has a thriving community including a Church of England Primary School recently Ofstead rated as Good. Ipswich mainline Railway station is a 10 minute drive away.

INFORMATION Grier & Partners 01206 299222

FAMILY RUN BUSINESS WITH OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Woodbridge Town Centre

Guide Price £825,000

A superb opportunity to acquire this five bedroom Grade II* listed property which was once The Ship Inn. The property has been tastefully refurbished by the current owners and now offers spacious and contemporary living accommodation whilst still retaining all the original features. The property benefits from Gas central heating, cloakroom and utility, en-suite, plus two further bathrooms, walled courtyard garden, garage and offroad parking for 3 cars. EPC: N/A

Woodbridge

Guide Price £395,000

A contemporary property built in the late 80’s and located in one of the most desirable areas of Woodbridge is this three bedroom mid-terrace house comprising: Entrance lobby, sitting room, kitchen/breakfast room, 3 bedrooms and a bathroom, garden and garage en-block. Gas central heating and double glazing, Close to the river and town centre. EPC: D

Woodbridge

Guide Price £350,000

A charming Grade II listed period cottage close to the Market Square. The property comprises: Entrance lobby, kitchen, sitting room/dining room, 3 bedrooms and a bathroom, small courtyard garden where you might be able to park a small car or motorcycle. EPC: N/A

Bromeswell

Guide Price £550,000

A 1920’s detached bungalow with later additions including a detached studio in grounds of approximately 1.2 acres (sts) Sitting room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility, wet room, family room, three bedrooms, studio and garage. The property is in need of general modernisation but offers huge potential. EPC: TBC

Woodbridge

Guide Price £290,000

A charming period cottage in Deben Road offers spacious accommodation comprising: Entrance hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, utility, bathroom and two double bedrooms, garden. Gas central heating.

Within easy walking distance of the town centre and river. EPC: D

Heritage Coast

Guide Price £330,000

A period cottage in the village of Alderton offers the following accommodation: Kitchen/breakfast room, sitting room, bathroom and 3 bedrooms, garage and gardens. UPVC double glazing, Oil fired central heating. EPC: C

THESE PROPERTIES – SALE AGREED ABOVE ASKING PRICE IN DAYS OF GOING ON THE MARKET With the average sale taking three months to complete there’s not much time left to benefit from the stamp duty holiday. If you’re thinkimg of moving call for a free valuation.

• FREE VALUATIONS • 1% INCLUDING VAT • NO SALE, NO FEE • NO TIE IN PERIOD IN OUR AGREEMENT • LOCAL QUALIFIED STAFF If you are thinking of moving and would like to appear in the next edition of the Essential Suffolk magazine call MORTIMERS Estate Agents for a FREE VALUATION.

Linda Mortimer MNAEA

Dale Mortimer MNAEA Dip DEA

Thomas Mortimer

Patricia Masson

Rosemary Barnard

Abi Coomber

Call 01394 386688 or email info@mortimersestateagents.co.uk

JAN UARY & FEBR UA RY 2021

My Suffolk For the first My Suffolk interview of 2021 we’ve asked Stephen Singleton MBE, founding CEO of Suffolk Community Foundation, to reflect on the year that has passed and what we can look forward to. Over the past 12 months the Foundation has distributed 885 grants to Suffolk charities and community groups worth £4.92M. In partnership with its donors and local charities this work has reached an amazing 205,646 direct beneficiaries. Suffolk has raised almost £2M for the Foundation’s Coronavirus Community Fund and over £200K for this year’s Surviving Winter Appeal so far

Tell us about being awarded the MBE. What does it mean to you and your colleagues at Suffolk Community Foundation?

When the letter arrived, I just didn't believe it.

I was convinced it was someone pulling my leg, so much so that I rang the Cabinet Office to confirm it! It was then quite overwhelming when I realised that it wasn’t a hoax. I know how difficult it is to be recognised in this way, and how much work is undertaken by those who put you forward, so it is humbling and very special. The award is for leading the Foundation’s emergency response to the pandemic, and therefore it really does belong to the whole Foundation team who have been magnificent in their relentless commitment to supporting charities who have needed additional finance to meet the increasing demand for their services. I’m extremely proud of them all – it really has been a wonderful team effort.

There has been much talk of #TeamSuffolk in recent months, how important is this and what difference is it making?

When the lockdown happened, overnight so many of the barriers and silos that had existed in our county started to vanish and people very quickly came together like never before. They shared information, learned new things from each other and continue to tackle the problems Suffolk is facing in a much more joined-up way. My hope for 2021 I that this is continued and that we grow even closer as we seek to help Suffolk lives get back on track.

Has the demand peaked for the local charities?

Not yet. In fact, we are bracing ourselves for continuing increases in demand for services, particularly if unemployment continues to grow. To that end, we need to continue campaigning with passion to raise money to help those most in need. Local media have offered wonderful ongoing support to promote the fundraising campaign. We couldn’t have done it without them. Whilst continuing to support the immediate impact of the pandemic we must now also move the focus of the emergency appeal to the next phase – one of Rebuilding Lives – we ask Suffolk to keep stepping up to give what they can afford to support need in local communities here in Suffolk.

Tell us more about the sense of community that exists across Suffolk.

Has this held up during these challenging times?

That sense of community is stronger than ever and has served us very well during the emergency. Every day, we have witnessed acts of kindness by people from all walks of life, neighbours looking out for each other and groups coming together to help their community. It is a positive that I am sure will continue long after the pandemic has passed.

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M Y S UFFO LK

Have you managed to find an opportunity to get out in the Suffolk Countryside over recent months?

Yes, I'm out most days walking along a footpath. What is interesting, is because of social distancing, I've been drawn to places of solitude, leaving our beautiful wool villages and countryside for another day.

Shingle Street and that strip of desolate coastline has become my go-to place – rain or shine, I can be found there, shingle, sea, sky; uncomplicated and incredibly therapeutic.

Have you had any lockdown projects?

I have! When I was a teenager, I couldn't get enough of the newly found freedom that my first second-hand racing bike gave me.

Despite my love affair with my trusty steed, I did lust after a new Holdsworth Professional bicycle that an older boy in my house owned. In my 13 year old mind, his bike could take me further and make me more attractive to the opposite sex. Guess what, many years later, an eBay purchase, and months spent dismantling, cleaning and polishing a tired 1977 Holdsworth Professional and I have realised that dream.

My Lockdown Special is now assembled, gleaming and beautiful and ready for action.

I hope my body is up to it too.

Are you looking forward to eating out again?

Oh yes very much and being able to support all our local businesses of all kinds. The quality of what they provide enriches our lives so much, but it’s also so vital to get our local economy kick started again.

If you could choose one picture to sum up Suffolk for you, what would it be?

We’ll have plenty of time to talk again about the amazing views, the incredible scenery and history of our county, but as we step into 2021, I’m taking with me the image that was captured for the end of our online review broadcast – which you can still watch on catch up via our website by the way.

It is of a wonderful gentleman called Brian who is recovering from serious illness in his upstairs flat since March, aided by the incredible volunteers from a local Good Neighbourhood Scheme. Suffolk continues to prove that it is ‘The Caring County’ and this image really says it all for me.

INFORMATION Details of how to get involved can be found at www.suffolkcf.org.uk

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CARE SERVICES

Repair and Restoration of Decorative Objects

Award winning gardens from dreams to realisation Call us today 07871 737713

01728 638372 www.rogergladwell.co.uk

hytheconservation.co.uk

Pressi Directory Jan & Feb 2021 (117x58mm).qxp_La

DESIGN

Clear graphic design in print and online We are a team of friendly, hardworking, no-nonsense designers creating distinctive brands and concise communications across a range of sectors

Newman Design 8 Brightwell Barns Ipswich Road Brightwell IP10 0BJ 01473 811728 info@newman-design.com www.newman-design.com

GARDEN SERVICES

GIFTS

Instant online gifting TM

™ Gifts with love this Valentine’s Day. Instantly.

Instant gifting 24/7

HOMES & INTERIORS

Sycamore Farm, Somersham Road Bramford, Ipswich IP8 4NN T: 01473 831723 www.thewoolroom.com

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www.orwellsfurniture.co.uk

www.pressi.co.uk

Tree Surgery Need some help or advice?

Call us on 07507 660 533 suffolktreescape@gmail.com

Beautifully hand crafted, bespoke kitchens, cabinets and furniture

Enduringly beautiful windows and doors Notcutts Garden Centre, Ipswich Road Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 4AF. 01394 386666

www.burgess-group.com

To advertise from just £25 per month call 01473 809786 we’ll be happy to help and advise you

LEISURE

KITCHENS

supporting s well as inspire

BATHROOMS

BEDROOMS

HOME OFFICES

HOME CINEMAS

34 Gloster Road Martlesham Heath Ipswich IP5 3RD 01473 610 192 www.angliafactors.co.uk

Woodbridge Interiors Directory July-Aug 2018 (55x58

From the smalle cottage to the grande country house

34 Gloster Road Put a WOODBRIDGE Pro in your kitchen INTERIORS Martlesham Heath

Traditional craftsmanship, From From the the smalle smalle cottage cottage to the to the first-class products – A love for wood and an eye for house detailhouse grande grande country country WOODBRIDGE, SUFFOLK, IP12 1NG

Suffolk-based Celebrity Chef, Paul Foster is supporting Ipswich IP5 3RD KITCHEN & BATHROOM SPECIALISTS our experts on a range of kitchen designs as well as 01473 610 192 hosting cooking demos at our showroom to inspire www.angliafactors.co.uk our customers to cookSMITHFIELD, up a storm at home.MELTON ROAD

Pop in and see us, we’re here to help!

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For more information call 01206 298746 / 01473 365167 or visit www.hall-brothers.co.uk

MOTORING E_Velo_58x118mm.indd 1

23/12/2019 13:40

Families expand and so has our tile range KITCHENS • BEDROOMS BATHROOMS • STUDIES The Granary, Rendlesham Mews Rendlesham, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 2SZ 01394 421214

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The Workshop The Workshop · Forge Cottages · Forge Cottages ThorpeThorpe Road · Aldringham Road · Aldringham · Suffolk· Suffolk IP16 4QX IP16 4QX

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K I TC K HIETC N SH E· NPA S N· TPA R IN E ST R· I EBSO O · TB O RO OT OM RO S OM · SST U· DI S TEU S DI E S

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