Halesworth & Southwold Community News - Christmas 2025 & January 2026 by Countrywide Publications

Edgar Sewter Playschool and Out of School Club

Merry monsoon!

A wet but well-supported Christmas Lights Switch on

Halesworth Town Council would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to all the residents of Halesworth and beyond for coming out in their hundreds to support our Christmas Lights Switch on event, despite the monsoonlike rain which persisted all day and all night, our residents did us proud!

The festivities began with Father Christmas in his Grotto at St. Mary's Church with the beautiful voices of Halesworth Harmony and jolly tunes from the Halesworth Ukulele Band along with stalls from local organisations such as the Scouts.

The Thoroughfare played host to Karl and his vintage musical organ and Father Christmas sleigh, both of which were very popular with the children. The Market Place was home to a selection of food and drink stalls and musical entertainment. The Royal British Legion Brass Band of Leiston once again joined us to lead the procession from the Library, ﬂanked by our hardy marshals, reindeers and of course Father Christmas!

We were delighted that Alison Cackett, Alison Hyden, Gary Stannard and Winston Kemp of the former HEM group were able to join us for the all important job

of switching the lights on. And through the rain, the snow fell, sparking many squeals of delight from our younger visitors!

This is the ﬁrst year that the Christmas Lights Switch on has been organised by Halesworth Town Council and we couldn't have done it without the army of people behind the scenes who help us to make Halesworth's Community Events happen, many of whom give their time, services and expertise for free - we appreciate each and every one of them.

We're already planning for next years Switch on, so watch this space!

Our independent playschool runs Monday to Friday during term time. We follow Early Years Foundation Stage Guidance to enable children to grow socially and emotionally through play in our cosy, nurturing environment and are Ofsted rated 'Good' October 2024.

We currently have availability from January for children from two-years and up.

Recently, the children have loved exploring our 'Gingerbread' Christmas house which we made from some large cardboard boxes, cutting out a door, windows and making a roof with chimney pot too. Do try this at home over Christmas, children often prefer the box! We look forward to the Christmas party on the last day of term.

Alongside, we run our popular Breakfast Club from 8am and After School Club from 3:30pm6pm for children from four years and up. Also full day Holiday Club over half terms, Easter and Summer holidays.

Many of the children have sent their designs for the 'Food

Friends' competition and received their certiﬁcates with a chance to have their work included in a published book. Well done to you all.

We're holding our Christmas Rafﬂe on December 17th and thank all who have donated prizes. Remember to buy tickets as we have some fantastic prizes and vouchers and all our fundraising goes back into resources and activities for the children. Our Playschool and Out of School provision is based at Edgar Sewter School and managed independently. We're a volunteer committee-led registered charity which has been established for over 25 years with experienced, qualiﬁed early years practitioners. For further details, please call 07796 044277 or email: esplayschool@gmail.com to register, book a place or arrange a visit.

We wish all our families a fun ﬁlled, healthy Christmas and look forward to the new term on 5th January 2026!

Hayley, Anthea, Yvonne and Stacey

Free trees for all

Organised by Halesworth Town Council, we gave away over 70 trees to 50 people at the entrance to Co-op store.

That's 20 more people and 30 more trees than last year, which was our ﬁrst year of doing this.

All sapling trees were either grown from seed by Lisa, provided by the Suffolk Tree Wardens or Rachel from Kaliwoods. Rowan seed Lisa collected from Roman Way, Oak acorns Rachel collected and grew from Kaliwood - these seeds have a local footprint as well as being harbingers of resilience to climate change. The town (and all of us) need more trees in our gardens and open spaces. To clean and cool our air, to add to our biodiversity, to mitigate climate change, to help prevent ﬂooding, to provide

habitat and food for wildlife. All living organisms will beneﬁt, along with our human mental and physical wellbeing. Yes, we shall plant more trees! The trees were all native species such as oak, hawthorn, maple, hornbeam, dogwood. Crab apple (a small tree) and Hornbeam (could be tree or hedge) were the most popular.

We're recording and mapping our increase in tree cover in a new dataset we are incorporating with our heritage tree. So if you're planting new trees, let us know. Our dream is to make a halo of trees all around Halesworth, to be our natural air cooler. If you'd like to get involved in our project, let us know.

kaliwood.wordpress.com/ halesworth-heritage-trees-2025

Halesworth Town Council

Festive update

New skydive date &

We at Halesworth Volunteers had disappointing news at the end of November, when we heard that due to the terrible weather forecast, Ricky's skydive had to be cancelled. This has now been rescheduled for December 14th at 10:30am.

A big thank you to our sponsors E & E Hurren Builders and to everyone who has donated so far. If you'd like to support Ricky and 'Falling for Funds', it's not too late! Please go to our JustGiving page (justgiving.com/campaign/ fallingforfunds) or pop into the ofﬁce.

Ricky and I had a brilliant evening at the end of November when we visited Matt and Mark in the studio for the Fast Track Friday show on Alde & Blyth Valley Community Radio. We enjoyed seeing how everything comes together live on air and talking about Ricky's fundraising jump and we even got to choose an Ed Sheeran song - thank you both for having us!

November was busy! At the beginning of the month, we welcomed some of our ladies and gentlemen to an afternoon tea in the Day Centre. We enjoyed good company in the warm, sandwiches, cheese scones, sausage rolls and lots of cake!

Everyone enjoyed our Christmas trip to Highways Garden Centre at the end of November, which was an opportunity to check out the wonderful display of Christmas decorations do a bit of Christmas shopping, catch up with friends and enjoy lunch in the café.

It was lovely to have a few children from Edgar Sewter School helping us at soup lunch for November. We were very impressed with you all, a real credit to your school, and we were very grateful for all your help! We've been invited to Edgar Sewter School for Christmas lunch on December 17th, and we're all very much looking forward to it. Thanks to

Christmas schedule

our Hoppa bus driver Colin, for making this all possible.

At the Community Larder, we'll have our usual 'Gifts for Caryl' and extra goodies that we'll be giving out to visitors on December 20th and 22nd.

The Larder will be closed on Christmas Eve, but we'll be open as usual between Christmas and New Year. Come see us on a Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, 10am-11:30am. A big thank you to all our donators and supporters for your kindness and generosity throughout the year.

If you have bookings for the Community Car Service over the festive period, please do call the ofﬁce on 01986 874290 to get these booked in as soon as possible to help us with planning.

The ofﬁce will close at 1pm on Christmas Eve and will be open again on December 29th with reduced opening times of 9am1pm each day, and closed on New Years Day.

Please note that there's no Community Lunch on the last Wednesday of December. We look forward to seeing you on the next one on January 28th. Also, there will be no quiz on the third Wednesday in December, our next quiz will be on January 21st.

The ﬁrst Tuesday of the month is our Chinny's Social, in partnership with NHS Talking Therapies. Join us on January 6th in the events bar at Chinny's from 12pm-2pm.

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all our wonderful volunteers for your dedication and commitment and for all you have done throughout the year supporting Halesworth Volunteers and our local community. Wishing all our volunteers, supporters and friends a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you from all at Halesworth Volunteers for your continued support throughout 2025!

Karen Kerridge, Director

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Nature play on the green

During the October half term, some of the Halesworth Millennium Green volunteers hosted a children's event near the White Bridge. We found stickle backs and water beetles while pond dipping. We had a range of cards to help the children identify the pond wildlife. We cut willow from the Willow Wherry and made willow crowns.

Some of the children and families weaved ribbons and dried ﬂowers to adorn their creations. We used leaves and blackberries to make leaf prints and ﬂags. Many of the children went down the willow tunnel and made up their own games in the lovely magical inspiring space at the end of the tunnel. A few mythical monsters were chased and the children played hide and seek too. It was lovely to see them being inspired by the magic of the natural play space. This is a public space so feel

free to go and have a picnic on the bench by the pond or explore the willow tunnels but please remember to respect the trees, wild life and nature in the space.

To access the space, go over the new White Bridge towards Holton and turn immediate left. You'll see our lovely new black bench by the pond on the right of the path.

We organise a range of nature play events where possible during school holidays so look out for information on our Facebook page or on posters in Hetty's Copy Shop. Past events have included storytelling in the Willow Wherry, and making nature mandalas. Events in the spring and summer will include giving out free resources sheets to identify the wild plants and natural wild life on the Green. If you want more information or want to organise your own event with support from Anne, email: thegreen@halesworth.net

Halesworth Millennium Green

Ricky and Matt

Halesworth Volunteers

Blyth Valley Parkinson's Support Group news

We're looking forward to our Christmas Lunch at the Five Bells, Wrentham on December 11th.

Many thanks to Gail for organising the meal. I'm sure we'll all enjoy it!

Festive cheer and fantastic fundraising for The Pear Tree Fund

As the beautiful winter season draws in and the festive lights begin to appear, we're reminded of the warmth found within our incredible community.

On January 9th, we'll meet at Holton Village Hall at 10:30am and will use this meeting to chat, support and learn from each other. There is always information and experience to be had at our meetings so do come along.

We run a support group for people with Parkinson's and

their partners/carers which is a friendly meeting on the second Thursday of most months, in Holton Village Hall from 10:30am to 12pm. We normally have a speaker on some relevant subject and time to chat and share experiences over a cup of coffee or tea.

Everyone's welcome to attend our meetings. If you'd like any further information, please contact Margaret on: 01502 478502, email: margaret@wrush.plus.com or Gail: 01502 817004, email: aandgattﬁeld@btinternet.com

We have some wonderful updates and stories to share with you this month, starting with a look at our brand new Christmas cards, available to buy at £5 a pack. Read on for all these stories and much more.

£1,982 raised at our phenomenal pop-up shop!

Kimya shared vital information and advice on checking your breasts once a month, including a helpful demonstration and lots of peer support stories. A useful reminder: While routine mammogram invitations stop at age 70, you can continue to request an appointment by contacting your local hospital.

Kimya will soon be popping by our Men's Group, as it is equally important for gentlemen to check themselves.

and we wish her all the very best. A big thank you to all our gardening volunteers who consistently keep our garden looking fantastic each season.

Brightening our walls!

To advertise in Community News, call Karen on 01502 725 836

We're absolutely thrilled to announce that our recent popup shop at i-Chameleon raised an amazing £1,982 for The Pear Tree Fund! This phenomenal result is entirely thanks to the generosity of our community, as all the fantastic stock sold came directly from your kind donations to our charity shop, Dee's Den.

A huge amount of organisation goes into this event, from getting the stock in, setting up, and packing it all away again. A massive thank you to everybody who did shifts, helped with the heavy lifting, and especially to those who very kindly baked for the Saturday cake sale, which signiﬁcantly boosted our takings! Your dedication made this incredible total possible.

Vital health talk at The Pear Tree Centre

We were delighted to welcome Kimya Piper (the Education, Engagement & Outreach Manager for Breast Screening) to our Women's Group recently.

Garden volunteers ready for winter

A huge thank you to our dedicated gardening volunteers who came in this November to get our beautiful garden ready for the winter.

Our regular gardeners, along with their supportive husbands and volunteers Reuben and Peter, planted spring bulbs and spread three bags of mulch-all essential work to ensure the garden springs back to life next year! We also want to take this opportunity to send a massive thank you to Helen Fensom.

Helen was a key member of our garden volunteer team and stepped down in October.

Her dedication helped keep our garden looking beautiful,

A huge thank you also goes to Ady, our fantastic decorator, who has been busy giving The Pear Tree Centre a lovely freshen up. Our walls are looking crisp and clean in our classic green colours. Ady has also beautifully revamped our entrance. Now, we can all clearly see the names of the generous friends, companies, and partnerships who helped build and equip our centre. Thank you, Ady, for all your hard work and dedication!

Christmas & New Year opening hours

We will close at 4pm on December 24th and will reopen on January 5th.

We wish you all a safe and happy Christmas period and look forward to seeing you in the New Year!

Running a fundraiser for us?

We'd love to hear about your event and share your story. Please get in touch with our team today!

Here when you need us

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NOVEMBER 15TH - JANUARY 4TH

Mixed Christmas Exhibition 2025

Southwold Gallery

10am-5pm. Our annual Christmas Exhibition brings together all of our gallery artists to celebrate the holiday season.

DECEMBER 25TH

Southwold Christmas Day Swim Gun Hill Beach, Southwold

10:30am. Join the community for a festive sea dip! Supporting Southwold RNLI, Parkinson's UK, & the Peartree Fund, with all proceeds going to charity. Come along to cheer on the brave participants & help make a difference! £25pp. Register at: blythvalleyrotary.co.uk

DECEMBER 29TH

A Christmas Carol (U) Electric Picture Palace, Southwold 7pm. 1951 black & white ﬁlm. The classic Alastair Sim version of the Dickens perennial yuletide tale. 07815 769565.

DECEMBER 31ST

New Year's Eve Celebration

Halesworth Golf Club

7:30pm-1am. Fizz on arrival & at midnight. Grazing snacks, light bites, sweet treats. DJ & dancing, ﬁrework display over the lake. Shuttle lifts into Halesworth (bookable, limited availability). Tickets £50pp (member), £58pp (non-member) 01986 875567.

JANUARY 3RD, 4TH, 10TH, 11TH, 17TH, 18TH, 24TH & 25TH

(Every weekend in January)

Drop-in Bird Feeder Making Carlton Marshes Nature Reserve, Lowestoft, NR33 8HU

10am-2pm. Create a bird feeder to keep the birds happy & attract them into your garden just in time for the Big Garden Birdwatch. No need to book, just come & create a feeder that you can take home & put in your garden. £3 per feeder.

JANUARY 6TH

'A New Historical Map of Ipswich & The Work of The Historical Trust' Stella Peskett Millennium Hall, Southwold 2pm. Winter Lecture by Southwold Museum & Historical Society. James Winterbotham (Reydon resident) is an entusiastic amateur historian who writes regularly on local history. Admission: £5pp (members), £8pp (non-members).

JANUARY 8TH

Southwold Library Reading Group

Southwold Library

6:30pm. This month, we're reading 'Underland' by Robert Macfarlane. Pick up a book at Southwold Library.

JANUARY 8TH

'The Fascination of Fungi' talk

Southwold Arts Centre

7:30pm. Blyth Valley & Southwold Suffolk Wildlife Trust group talk by local naturalist Tony Brown. Admission: £5pp, incl. refreshments, free for under 25's. All welcome! swtblythvalley@gmail.com

JANUARY 9TH

Free Community Coffee Morning & Lunch

Reydon Village Hall

9am-12:30pm. Tea/coffee & toast (pastries when available from 9am-11am). Soup & bread from 11am-12:30pm. Plus takeaway soup (BYO container). Reydon Village Hall Management Committee in conjunction with Reydon & Southwold Community Fridge & Pantry.

JANUARY 9TH

Quiz Night

Reydon Village Hall

7pm. £5pp, BYO snacks. Teams of up to 6. Rafﬂe, soft drinks, sweets & crisps available to buy. Book your tickets with Charlotte at Southwold Library: 07715 388916, frogclock@hotmail.com. All funds towards the RVH Golden Anniversary Appeal Fund to repair, renovate & reﬁt the hall

JANUARY 9TH - 11TH

Mother Goose

Leiston Film Theatre

Fri 9th: 7:30pm. Sat 10th: 3pm & 7:30pm. Sun 11th: 3pm. Brought to you by Team B Productions. Live musical accompaniment by Tom Horton & feat. The Chloe Kinrade School of Dance. A cracking tale for all the family! From £16.95pp. 01728 830549.

JANUARY 11TH

Wild Wire Workshop - Garden Birds Carlton Marshes Nature Reserve, Lowestoft 10am-4pm. Create a 3D wire garden bird with local artist & wildlife enthusiast Paul Green. £60pp. 01502 359480.

JANUARY 15TH

Wildlife Live Webinar - Bugs on the Move Online event 7pm-8:30pm. Discover the intricate world of communication in the insect world, with Dr. Ian Bedford. Suggested donation £3pp/£5pp/£10pp. 01473 890 089. Book on suffolkwildlifetrust.org

JANUARY 15TH

Café Acoustic: Will Silver & ATOM The Cut, Halesworth 7:30pm. An intimate showcase of acoustic talent. Veteran songwriter Will Silver brings a touch of wry humour & heart with songs from his latest album 'Love Blues'. He's joined by ATOM, a Suffolk folk duo known for blending traditional roots with a fresh, experimental edge. £10pp.

JANUARY 16TH

Daisy & The Continentals & Station 366 The Cut, Halesworth 7:30pm. An evening of 1940s Swing & Jug Band Blues in aid of the theatre. Enjoy the polished vocal harmonies of Station 366 alongside the foot-tapping rhythms of Daisy & The Continentals. £15pp.

JANUARY 17TH

Jumble Sale

Dee's Den Charity Shop, Halesworth 10am-12:30pm. Fabulous items priced at £1 & 50p, come see us & pick up an amazing bargain!

JANUARY 17TH

Omid Djalili The Cut, Halesworth 7:30pm. British-Iranian Omid is an award-winning stand-up & an acclaimed actor. His credits cover everything from panel shows to Hollywood ﬁlms & TV sit-coms. Intelligent, sometimes provocative, always entertaining, his stand-up is an energetic & engaging comedy masterclass. £30pp/£25pp.

JANUARY 18TH

Halesworth Harmony Rehearsal

The Cut, Halesworth 10:30am-12:30pm. The start of our spring term. Come along for a free taster session - no experience necessary, everything taught by ear. You'll receive a warm welcome. halesworth.harmony@gmail.com

JANUARY 20TH

'The Eyes of the Few' History of Radar at Bawsey

The Cut, Halesworth 2pm. Halesworth & District U3A talk by Graham Murchie (Co-chair of the Bawdsey Radar Trust). Bawdsey has the world's 1st operational radar station, which started operating in 1937 & became a blueprint for other stations that were vital in winning the Battle of Britain. This promises to be a fascinating talk about the events, people & tech. Free admission for current Halesworth & District U3A members, non-members £4pp.

JANUARY 22ND

'Introduction to Garden Photography' talk Carlton Marshes Nature Reserve, Lowestoft 6:30pm-8pm (doors open 6pm). Join professional photographer Kevin Sawford for this talk. Tea/ coffee provided throughout the evening. £5pp. 01502 359480.

JANUARY 23RD

Cut Sessions:

Tom Robinson with Adam Phillips

The Cut, Halesworth

7:30pm. Evening of songs & stories from Tom Robinson's 50yr journey through the music industry. Expect classic hits like 2-4-6-8 Motorway & War Baby, tales of Rock Against Racism, collaborations with Elton John & Peter Gabriel, & highlights from his acclaimed album 'Only The Now'. £25pp.

JANUARY 25TH

Halesworth Harmony Rehearsal

The Cut, Halesworth

10:30am-12:30pm. The start of our spring term. Come along for a free taster session - no experience necessary, everything taught by ear. You'll receive a warm welcome. halesworth.harmony@gmail.com

JANUARY 27TH

Wildlife Live Webinar - Bird Pellets

Online event

7pm-8:30pm. Discover the wonders of bird pellets & what they can tell us about bird populations, with Ed Drewitt. Price £3pp/£5pp/£10pp. 01473 890089. Book at: suffolkwildlifetrust.org

JANUARY 30TH & 31ST

Treasure Island

The Cut, Halesworth 30th: 7:30pm. 31st: 2:30pm & 7:30pm. Presented by Circle 67. Set sail on a family-friendly adventure as Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale comes to life on-stage. Join Jim Hawkins, Long John Silver & a crew of pirates for songs, sea shanties & swashbuckling fun in this twist on the timeless quest for buried treasure. £8pp/£12pp.

FEBRUARY 6TH

Free Community Coffee Morning & Lunch

Reydon Village Hall

FEBRUARY 7TH - 22ND

'Valentines - at the Heart of Southwold' Exhibition

Southwold Gallery

10am-5pm. A romantic leap into February - with Stephanie Lambourne, Sam Read, Barbara Bernard & Lynne Muir.

FEBRUARY 7TH

The Optics: Funk, Soul & Motown

Reydon Village Hall

The Optics are a local high-energy funk, soul & Motown covers band, bringing timeless classics to life. From dance-ﬂoor classics to powerhouse vocals & irresistible grooves, if you love a live band, come see one of the best! £12pp. There will be a bar. Tickets available from Charlotte: 07715 388916, email: frogclock@hotmail.com or on: ticketsource.co.uk/reydonvillagehall.

Got an event you'd like to promote to our thousands of monthly readers? If so, please email the details over to: edit@ micropress.co.uk to be included in our 'What's on?' section.

What's on at Halesworth Library?

Happy New Year! The new year brings a change at Halesworth Library as we look forward to welcoming Laura Bridgland, who is taking up the role of Library Manager.

Laura has worked at Bungay and Southwold libraries as well as providing relief cover at Halesworth from time-to-time.

Laura will be joining us in midJanuary, and staff and Friends of the Library look forward to working with her in making Halesworth Library a welcoming space for all the community.

There will be sessions of Sociable Sundays on January 11th & 22nd, meet new people and enjoy good conversation over a cuppa and cake in the welcoming space of the library. Drop in any time between 10:30am-12:30pm.

The Board Games Café returns on after it's Christmas break. Many games to choose from (old and new ones) or bring along your own favourites. No need for special skills or knowledge. Join us, and have a relaxing afternoon, meet new friends, enjoy tea and cake! Suggested £1 donation to the Friends of Halesworth Library. These events are hosted and run by volunteers from the Friends of Halesworth Library. We also hope to hold a Book Talk on January 15th so keep an eye out

for posters and ﬂyers.

Regular Activities & Drop-Ins:

• Rhyme Time & Play: Every Tuesday 10am-11:30am, free session to sing fun songs followed by free play with our toys.

• Time Out: Every Wednesday 10am, sociable group for older people meet for tea and biscuits.

• Knit & Natter Group: Alternate Tuesdays 2pm-4pm, staff can provide dates.

• Lego Club: Every Saturday 11am-12pm.

• Family Board Games Club: Every Sunday 10:30am11:30am.

• East Suffolk Council

Customer Services: Every Tuesday 10am-4pm, advice drop-in.

• Citizens Advice: Every other Tuesday 10am-12pm, ask staff for future dates.

As the weather cools and the nights draw in, don't forget that all members of the community are welcome to stop by for a hot drink. The Library will also be offering a Kindness Rack (donations of winter clothing much appreciated!) Please remember the library will be closed on December 24th, 25th and 26th and the opening hours on December 27th will be 9am-2:30pm. We will also be closed on January 1st, 2026.

Circle 67 presents Treasure Island

Join us for a thrilling voyage of discovery, danger and daring, as Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island is brought to life on stage at The Cut this January.

The classic adventure in which young Jim Hawkins ﬁnds a treasure map in a dead pirate's sea chest, and sets out with Captain Smollett, Squire Trelawney and Doctor Livesey to ﬁnd the island where the treasure is buried. On board their ship, the Hispaniola, they encounter the cunning pirate, Long John Silver, and a crew of mutineers, who also want the treasure.

This is a show (with a twist) for the whole family to enjoy. Sing

along with all the sea shanties and see if you can spot the parrot! So, hoist the anchor and gather your crew, book your tickets (see our advert for details), and come aboard with Circle 67 on this classic pirate adventure, where fortune favours the bold and X marks the spot.

As our name suggests, Circle 67 was formed in 1967 to bring high-quality theatre to the Blyth Valley area. With your support, we'll keep going! We always welcome new members; so, if you're interested in joining us, or simply want details of forthcoming productions and events, please contact us via our website: www.circle67.co.uk

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the 25-26 season!

Community football update

Southwold Town Football Club

It's been an action-packed few weeks for Southwold Town FC, with plenty of goals and strong performances across the squad. We began with a tough cup fixture against Cockfield United FC, finishing 1-3, but the team bounced back in superb style. A dominating 8-0 win over Bohemians FC Reserves showcased our attacking strength, followed by a confident 2-0 victory against The Flying Dutchman FC to round off a positive run.

players, committee members, and anyone with a passion for getting involved in their local community club.

From all of us at Southwold Town FC, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and thank you for your continued support. Here's to a fantastic year ahead-both on and off the pitch!

Sole Bay Juniors

Sole Bay Juniors Celebrate Festive Times and a Fantastic Start to the Football Season

decorations - each one crafted with care, imagination, and plenty of team spirit - looked fantastic on our very own Sole Bay Juniors tree. The children embraced the challenge brilliantly, and seeing their work on display as part of a beloved local tradition was a real highlight for the club.

Westhall Charity FC Starlight/Salvation Army

On November 22nd, Westhall

Charity FC took to the ﬁeld for the last match of the year, raising money for the Salvation Army.

is very special knowing that for so many children out there we are making a difference this Christmas and there's no better joy than that."

At Christmas, the Salvation Army provides essential support to vulnerable people through initiatives like Christmas food and gift appeals, Christmas lunches for the lonely, and support for the homeless. The other charity we supported was Starlight - a wonderful charity which aims to put play at the heart of every child's healthcare journey across the UK.

As we look ahead to the end of the year, preparations are well underway for our New Year's Eve Party at the club. Wristbands are still available to purchase, and everyone is welcome-including children. To secure yours, please contact us via our Facebook page or email: southwoldtownfc@ outlook.com

As always, if you want to get involved with us as a club-on or off the pitch-please do get in touch. We are always on the lookout for sponsors, supporters,

As we head into the festive period, everyone at Sole Bay Juniors would like to wish our families, supporters, coaches, and wider community a warm and joyful Christmas. Your encouragement throughout the year has been invaluable, and we are incredibly grateful for everything you do to help our young players thrive.

This December, we've been especially proud of our younger age groups, who took part in the Christmas Tree Festival at the United Reformed Church in Southwold. Their handmade

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As we look ahead to the new year, excitement is already building for the upcoming cup ﬁxtures. With strong development across all squads and a growing conﬁdence in both teamwork and play, our teams are eager to test themselves in the next rounds.

We're also looking forward to hosting plenty of matches at our home ground, the Reydon and Southwold Community Centre, where the atmosphere created by our supporters always gives the players an extra boost.

From all of us at Sole Bay Juniors, thank you once again for your support throughout 2025. We wish you a wonderful festive season and look forward to more football, fun, and community spirit in the year ahead.

Despite poor weather for a lot of the match, it was a fantastic game and a lot of fun with the greens taking the win.

"I am so proud of what we have created and for everyone's support especially my wife Lauren to support me organising these and helping so much. To all the players, friends, family and spectators also a big thank you. This was our 14th match since we started and we raised £1,060 bringing the total raised to £9,350 since we started for various charities. We love supporting people and this one

The match was sponsored by Gecko shoes, Claire's Clear Ears and We Love Pets and we owe a huge thanks to them for this. We also received incredible support from Ryan Last who stepped up to referee the game for us, Beccles Town FC where the match was played and to Steve Wood Photographer who produced incredible photos of the event and supported us so kindly. A massive thank you to each and every one of you. Without people like you these events just don't succeed.

Lastly, each year around 150,000 children in the UK go to hospital over the festive period. Please visit Starlight's Christmas Appeal if you wish to make a donation.

Also if you have any new unwanted gifts or wish to support the Salvation Army in any way please get in touch with them.

Will and Lauren Westhall Charity FC

Halesworth Day Centre, The Old Courthouse, London Road, Halesworth,

big shoutout to Robert Hambling at Hambling Carpentry who kindly sponsored our training tops for

Southwold Town Football Club & Sole Bay Juniors

Santa Paws Appeal

Help local pets in need

Our annual Winter/Christmas pet food appeal is underway with animal lovers already starting to donate food, toys and bedding for our local animal/ wildlife rescue charities, with the aim of spreading some love to the animals who need it most.

Wangford Veterinary Clinic is collecting donations of:

• Pet beds, bowls and toys (new and used)

• Food and treats for cats and dogs

Up to 6 dogs: 25 mins £7 or 55 mins £12 – Book online

(in date please)

• Anything that could bring comfort to a rescue animal this

Christmas

No need for fancy gifts; second-hand items can make an absolute world of difference and really help out. We're always so grateful for the incredible support shown by our community year after year.

"We know times are tough, but please remember, even the

07767 167821 • wissettdogﬁeld.co.uk wissettdogﬁeld@gmail.com Wissett, Su olk IP19 0JF

smallest donation can make a big difference!"

If you'd prefer, you can also contribute money to our Santa Paws Appeal, helping these amazing local charities with utilities such as heating. You can donate £1, £5, £10 or an amount of your choice via: wangfordvetclinic.com/charity or via cheque to "Santa Paws Appeal" and sent to: Wangford Veterinary Clinic, Pound Corner, Wangford, Beccles, NR34 8RS.

Your gifts will be shared out between the local rescue homes in time for Christmas and any money donated will be added to what we've raised throughout the year and shared amongst local rescue homes, which are nominated by the public and our clients.

Drop off your donations at Wangford Veterinary Clinic reception and help us make this winter warm and full of hope for the New Year!

An anonymous member of Old Glory (far right) presents a cheque to Rev. Leon Collyer (far left), in the presence of Stella & Tyrone Cattermole of The Rumburgh Buck (centre)

Old Glory

Molly Dancers & Musicians

Now about to enter their 32nd season, Old Glory Molly Dancers & Musicians continue to re-imagine an ancient East Anglian tradition whereby agricultural labourers would take to dancing outside local pubs during the coldest winter months when work was scarce, begging, often with menaces, for cash, beer and bread to sustain them.

In the days when begging was a criminal offence, the dancers wore heavy disguise, soot on their faces, their jackets turned inside out and adorned with ribbons of fabric, for fear of the Lord of the Manor identifying them and thus withholding his largesse, or even evicting them from their tied cottage.

Old Glory's coming season takes in various hostelries in the

locality from Pulham Market, Geldeston, Bungay, Sweﬂing to Pakeﬁeld and Lowestoft. Full details can be found at oldglory.org.uk

Fortunately, nowadays there's less dependence on the bread line keeping the wolf from the door, and so monetary offerings from the generous public are donated to local charities. Old Glory's last season saw six donations of £500 each being given to the Rumburgh Church fabric appeal, St Elizabeth Hospice, Lighthouse Women's Aid, Emmaus Ditchingham, Norfolk and Suffolk 4x4 Response, and the 'It's On The Ball' testicular cancer charity, which is a charity also supported by The Rumburgh Buck, Old Glory's spiritual home.

Bramfield, Ringsfield and Brampton Primary Schools activities

The Reception children at Ringsﬁeld, Bramﬁeld and Brampton Primary Schools have been busy stepping back in time after enjoying the picture book 'Peepo!' by Janet and Allan Ahlberg.

The story follows a baby's day in the 1940s, and we used the wonderful illustrations in the book to discover how some aspects of living was different. We then began comparing life "back then" with life today.

At Ringsﬁeld Primary School, the children were amazed to discover that the baby was in a bath with no taps to give hot water. We had a real bath for the children to sit in which they found very amusing. We investigated how hot water

was produced and decided that it would take a long time to ﬁll the bath. The class also looked at photographs, and other household items from the past and matched them with their modern versions. Overall, we discovered that time was very different because of the engineering, and there not yet being electric and plumbing in some homes. The children really enjoyed the story and experiencing the different artefacts.

Ringsﬁeld Primary School exploring items from the past

Festive Sausage Roll Wreath

This cranberry, brie, and thyme sausage roll wreath is a beautiful, ﬂaky, and savoury centrepiece that delivers a perfect blend of festive sweetness and herby richness in every bite.

Ingredients:

• All butter ready-rolled puff pastry (approx. 40cm x 25cm), 500g

• Sausage meat, 450g

• Brie cheese, 100g (cut into 1cm cubes, rind on/off as preferred)

• Dried cranberries, 50g

• Fresh thyme (ﬁnely chopped), 1tbsp

• Egg, 1 large (lightly beaten for egg wash)

• Sesame seeds, 1 tbsp (optional)

• Flour (small amount for dusting) Equipment needed: Baking tray, baking paper, pastry brush, knife and a small bowl/round cutter (approx. 5cm diameter). Method:

1. Prepare the Filling:

• In a large bowl, combine the sausage meat, dried cranberries, and fresh thyme leaves.

• Use your hands or a spoon to mix the ingredients thoroughly until everything is evenly distributed.

• Gently fold in the brie cheese cubes.

2. Shape the Sausage Rolls:

• Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6) and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

• Lightly dust a surface with ﬂour and unroll the puff pastry sheet.

• Divide the sausage mixture in half. Shape each half into a long, uniform cylinder (a sausage shape) that runs the entire length of the pastry sheet. Place one cylinder down the centre of each half of the pastry, keeping it about 2cm from the long edge.

• Brush one long edge of the pastry with the egg wash. Fold the pastry over the ﬁlling and press the edges ﬁrmly together to seal, creating two long, sealed sausage rolls.

• Turn the rolls over so the sealed seam is underneath.

3. Form the Wreath:

• Cut each long sausage roll into 1-inch (approx. 2.5cm) segments. You should have about 30-35 segments in total.

• Place the small bowl or cutter in the centre of the prepared baking tray.

• Arrange the sausage roll segments around the bowl, pushing them lightly together

in a circle, so they overlap slightly and form a continuous wreath shape.

• Carefully remove the centre bowl, leaving a clear hole in the middle.

4. Bake & Finish:

• Brush the entire wreath generously with the remaining egg wash.

• Sprinkle with sesame seeds (if using) or a little extra chopped thyme for garnish.

• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed, and the sausage meat is cooked through.

• Allow to cool slightly before serving. The wreath is delicious served warm or at room temperature.

Serving Suggestion: Serve the wreath on a large platter with a small bowl of Cranberry Sauce or a festive Chutney placed in the central hole for dipping.

HOPPA news

Getting you to places other buses don't reach

We're at the end of another busy year and all of us at HACT would like to thank our sponsors, supporters and volunteers who do so much to keep the Hoppa running for both regular services and Community Hires.

Drivers and buddies often hear people say they don't know what they'd do without the Hoppa, and we're delighted to feel that the service is important to so many people, whether it's someone going to the shops, a family trip to the park, or a bus full of school children on an outing to join other schools for a sporting event.

To paraphrase an old advert; the Hoppa enables so many people to get to places that other buses don't reach.

The Hoppa is reliant on volunteers so we'd love to hear

from anyone who would like to volunteer as a driver, either to drive for our regular scheduled services, or for some of our evening Community Hires, which is an important source of income for us.

We're also always on the lookout for bus buddies, who collect fares and help our passengers with getting shopping on and off the bus, and sometimes to the door. Without our volunteers, there would be no Hoppa, so please think about it and contact the HACT ofﬁce on 01986 875900 or email: ofﬁce@hactbus.co.uk

Finally, we wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy new year! Remember, we'll be running our usual service over the festive period apart from December 25th and 26th and January 1st.

'When There's a Will'

Ian Waller talk on January 19th

Family historians are often reluctant to look for a will as they think their ancestors simply did not leave one.

This talk looks at the wealth of information that wills contain, how to ﬁnd them and what other records support them from those associated with disputes, taxes and personal belongings. No one should rule out the existence of a will and searching for one should be automatic.

Ian Waller is a retired professional genealogist with considerable experience in English research. He currently serves as the Vice Chairman and Education Ofﬁcer of the Family History Federation. He is a Fellow of the Society of Genealogists and has authored several books in the Society's 'My Ancestor' series.

The talk takes place on January 19th at 2:30pm, in person at the Fromus Centre, Street Farm Road, Saxmundham, IP17 1AL (behind the Library) and for members only, on Zoom. The speaker will be talking to us on Zoom. The talk starts at 2:30pm. No need to book, just turn up, free for members and £5 for visitors, including tea/ coffee/biscuits. Good, free carparking. Only members can take part in our meetings on Zoom, but it only costs £10 for a year's membership - see: avsfhg.org. uk/membership (website under construction) and Zooming is free.

Further programme: February 16th: 'Army Records' by Graham Bandy March 16th: Members' Brick Walls

Update from Sole Bay Care Fund

We at Sole Bay Care Fund are always looking at how best to serve and support our wonderful community. We continually review how funds raised are utilised and whether they can be used more effectively to maximise the beneﬁt.

Sole Bay Care Fund was founded to aid support and care of local residents to meet health and social needs, not funded by the NHS or Social Services. In the past, we've also been able to support a wider range of projects which have aided the community

Blossom Clinic Opens Stunning New Premises in Blyburgate

The Blossom Clinic is celebrating an exciting milestone - the opening of its beautiful new premises at 13-15 Blyburgate, right in the heart of the town centre. The striking building is impossible to miss and marks a bold new chapter for the region’s leading aesthetics and beauty clinic.

Founded in 2018 by Arwen Watson, a Registered Nurse Prescriber and lead educator at the Harley Street Institute, Blossom Clinic has grown steadily to become a trusted name in non-surgical aesthetics. Arwen’s ethos has always been clear: o er the very best treatments, maintain the highest professional standards, and always put clients first. From Botox and dermal fillers to skin boosters, laser treatments, and acne solutions, Blossom Clinic provides a tailored approach to help clients feel confident and comfortable in their own skin. Every journey begins with a free consultation, and Arwen prides herself on honest advice about what will work best for each individual.

with pure indulgence. Imagine lying back under a rainbow shower while enjoying a head massage, deep scalp exfoliation, aromatherapy, and even a hand and arm massage. Bliss! Another exciting addition is the Pelvic Floor Chair, a revolutionary treatment using electromagnetic stimulation to strengthen deep ﬂoor pelvic muscles helping to reduce incontinence and improve pelvic ﬂoor tone - all while you remain fully clothed.

Alongside aesthetics, Blossom Clinic continues to o er a full range of beauty treatments, from facials and lashes to manicures and waxing. For those looking for the ultimate treat, why not try the luxury pedicure and afternoon tea package - perfect for a little ‘me time’ with friends or family?

Arwen would like to thank her incredible team for their dedication and her loyal clients for their continued support. With more plans already in the pipeline, the future looks bright for Blossom Clinic - so watch this space!

The move to larger premises means even more innovation. Arwen is thrilled to introduce the area’s ﬁrst Head Spa - a sanctuary of relaxation o ering advanced scalp therapies combined

To enquire about treatments or ﬁnd out more about what the Blossom Clinic can do for you, call 01502 717787, visit theblossomclinics.com, or pop in and see the new space for yourself. You’ll be glad you did!

01502 717787

www.theblossomclinics.com • info.theblossomclinic@gmail.com

in different ways. Due to the current increased push for care in the community, the sometimes limited or at risk of becoming overwhelmed services in our area and the rise in the costs or care, we feel it's now important to refocus our resources and funding on direct care in the community.

The community bus was originally run by Southwold Town Council and then the Voluntary Help Centre. Sole Bay Care Fund took over the running of this in 2018. Over the years, the cost of running Mr Bus has substantially

increased and the number of people using the bus has declined to just a few people per week.

The amount of money Mr Bus has been costing the charity on a yearly basis would roughly equate to 400 hours of emergency care for someone in their own home or 70 night sits for those who cannot be left alone. Therefore, we've taken the sad decision to stop the Mr Bus service to enable us to fund more direct care, which beneﬁts a greater number of people in the community. We'd like to take the

opportunity to thank all that have supported Sole Bay Care Fund and Mr Bus over the years, particularly the volunteer drivers, admin team and the sponsors, who have been indispensable and the backbone to the service. We hope that these volunteers will continue to help our wonderful community in conjunction with the Voluntary Help Centre, who we'll be working with to help ensure transport is available for those who need it most in the community. solebaycarefund.uk

Halesworth Area Community Transport (HACT)

Alde Valley Suffolk Family History Group

Halesworth Angel Bowls Club in hibernation

This is the time when all sensible people shut down for the winter. Hibernation is a state of minimal activity sometimes called 'overwintering'.

So if you pass by the bowling green at the top of Dairy Hill, it'd deﬁnitely appear dormant. This is the time for the grass to grow stronger and for various jobs to be done in the pavilion.

Not all of the bowlers are sleeping, some have gone indoors to play, but the majority are reﬂecting on the season. It might seem short, but believe me, it was quite intensive with a number of weeks where the green was occupied every day.

It was a successful season!

We reached three league cup semi-ﬁnals, restored our second division status in the Benacre League (going up as champions) and narrowly missed out on promotion in the Halesworth League. Our season ended with the ﬁnals of our club competitions.

Amongst the winners were Trevor Flatt as champion of champions, Anne Burnside was our leading lady and Kevin Firman won the novices cup.

Our mission is obviously to spread the uptake of bowling.

Bowling is a low impact sport, meaning that players can continue well into their 80s. In fact, a

number of our members have moved onto bowling from other sports such as football, rugby, cricket and tennis.

We're really pleased to have the support of the Pargiter Trust, through the Suffolk Community Foundation. The trust's mission is to support older people to be independent, healthy and socially included. Seems like a perfect match!

Halesworth Library

A warm welcome at the library

The Friends of Halesworth Library have secured a grant from East Suffolk Council which enables the library to provide a warm space this winter.

The library will provide hot and cold drinks, soup, snacks and hygiene products, along with scarves and blankets. Please speak to reception staff or library volunteers to take advantage of this service.

News from Dee's Den charity shop

The final result of our week in the i-Chameleon recently was an amazing £1,982 profit! Thank you so much to all those who supported us, worth all the hard work. With Christmas fast approaching, Dee's Den is the ideal place to browse for Christmas gifts, cards (including the lovely Pear Tree Fund designs), wrapping paper, and decorations. We also have a selection of clothing perfect for the holidays, from Christmas jumpers and outfits for a New Year's party or dinner dance, to warm wear that will keep the weather out. Complete your look with our accessories, including jewellery, shoes, evening sandals, boots, slippers, hats, scarves, and gloves.

We will be open again for the town's late-night shopping event on December 5th, from 5pm-8pm. If you haven't visited us yet, please stop by! You'll be surprised by our selection and receive a very warm welcome.

Additionally, this year we're holding a Christmas rafﬂe with lovely hampers to be won.

We have a great variety of winter stock, including coats, jackets, dresses, trousers, and skirts. We also carry a wide range of children's items: clothes, toys, books (only 20p!), and games.

For adult readers, we offer books on every subject by a wide range of authors, with prices starting at just 50p, £1, and £2. You'll ﬁnd CDs, DVDs, and homeware like bedding, curtains, bric-a-brac, glassware, kitchenware, pictures, and photo frames. We also have small furniture (tables and chairs), plants, and homemade marmalade (thank you, Jenny!)

Everyone's welcome at Dee's Den, come browse for a bargain!

Check out our discounted £1 rail of adult's clothes (outside if dry) and bargain baskets of reduced bric-a-brac and books.

If you can't see what you need, please ask! We're open Monday to Saturday, 9:30am-1pm.

Join us for a spectacular

Jumble Sale on January 17th, from 10am-12:30pm, with items priced at £1 and 50p.

We welcome clean, saleable donations of clothes, bric-abrac, toys, games, and small furniture. Small amounts can be dropped off during opening hours. If you have larger donations (more than a couple of bags/boxes), please deliver them on a Monday or Thursday morning to the sorting end of the shop, or contact us for a collection. We do not accept used electrical items.

We have an amazing team of volunteers. If you're interested in volunteering, please call in and leave your number. Thank you all for your continued support through buying and donating. To contact the shop, please phone Nikki: 07733 668221.

We wish all our supporters, customers, donators, and volunteers a very happy Christmas and best wishes for 2026!

Nikki

Fancy Crispy Roast Potatoes

If your goal is to make the crispiest, fluffiest, most flavourful roast potatoes imaginable, you've come to the right place! We're moving past the standard version and stepping into the realm of fancy. With just a few simple, strategic steps (and the magic of hot, rendered fat) we guarantee a result that is golden perfection, every single time. Get ready for the "oohs" and "aahs" at the dinner table!

This recipe focuses on maximum crispiness by using the right fat, parboiling technique, and high heat.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes (e.g., Maris Piper, King Edward or Desiree) 1.5 kg. High-starch/ﬂoury varieties are best for crisping.

• Duck/Goose Fat, 100g. This is the secret for ﬂavour and crispiness! You can substitute with good vegetable oil/lard if needed.

• Coarse Sea Salt, 2tsp (or to taste).

• Black Pepper, 1tsp, freshly ground.

• Garlic, 4-6 unpeeled cloves for ﬂavouring the oil/fat.

• Fresh Rosemary & Thyme, 2-3 sprigs of each. Added near the end for aroma and ﬂavour.

• Plain Flour, 1tbsp (optional, for an extra coating of crispiness)

Equipment:

• Large saucepan with lid

• Large roasting tin (approx. 30cm x 20cm)

• Colander

Method:

1. Preparation (Parboiling)

• Peel & Cut: Peel the potatoes and cut them into evenly sized

pieces. Aim for pieces roughly 5cm in size, ensuring they have a good number of ﬂat sides for maximum crispiness.

• Rinse & Soak: Rinse the cut potatoes under cold water to remove excess starch. For the fanciest result, you can soak them in cold water for 30 minutes, but this is optional!

• Boil: Place the potatoes in the saucepan and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 7-10 minutes. The edges should be soft and beginning to break down, but the centre should still be ﬁrm.

• Drain & Shake: Drain the potatoes immediately in a colander. This is the most crucial step for crispiness: Return the potatoes to the empty, hot saucepan, replace the lid, and shake them vigorously. The softened edges should become rough and ﬂuffy - This is what creates the incredibly crispy crust. For an optional extra crisp, sprinkle 1tbsp of plain ﬂour over the shaken potatoes and gently toss one last time to coat.

2. Roasting

• Heat the Fat: Preheat your oven to a high temperature: 200C (Gas Mark 6). Place the duck fat (or oil) into the roasting tin and place the tin into the preheated oven for 5-10 minutes. The fat must be smoking hot before the potatoes go in.

• Add Potatoes: Carefully remove the tin from the oven. Gently tip the ﬂuffy potatoes into the smoking hot fat. They should sizzle immediately.

• Season & Start: Turn the potatoes in the hot fat until they're completely coated. Sprinkle generously with the sea salt and black pepper.

• Roast (Phase 1): Return the tin to the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

3. Flavour & Finish

• Turn & Flavour: After 30 minutes, take the potatoes out. Turn them over, ensuring they're not sticking. Add the whole, unpeeled garlic cloves and the sprigs of rosemary and thyme around the potatoes. These will infuse the fat and add amazing ﬂavour.

• Roast (Phase 2): Return to the oven and roast for another 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are deeply golden brown, crispy, and crunchy on the outside, and ﬂuffy on the inside.

• Serve: Remove from the oven, discard the herb sprigs and garlic cloves (or leave the soft, roasted garlic to squeeze over the potatoes if desired). Serve immediately.

Top Tips for Fanciness:

• Don't Overcrowd: Ensure the potatoes are in a single layer with space between them. If they're piled up, they will steam rather than crisp. Use two trays if necessary.

• Keep the Heat High: A high oven temperature is key to getting a good crust.

• The Shake: Shaking the drained potatoes is non-negotiable! It creates the starchy, rough surface that transforms into the perfect crunchy exterior. Enjoy your incredibly fancy roast potatoes!

Salt

Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding

Recipe by Maldon Salt.

www.maldonsalt.co.uk Ingredients: Serves 6

Sponge:

• 175g pitted dates.

• 375ml oat or almond milk.

• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda.

• 150g dairy-free butter.

• 100g light brown sugar.

• 200g self-raising ﬂour.

• 1 tsp ground ginger.

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon.

• 1 tsp nutmeg.

• ½ tsp mixed spice.

• 1 tsp Maldon salt, plus extra for the top. Sticky toffee sauce:

• 100g dairy free butter.

• 75g dark brown sugar.

• 75ml dairy-free cream.

• Dairy-free vanilla ice cream, to serve.

Method:

- Grease a 25cm x 20cm oven proof baking dish with dairy free butter and preheat the oven to 180c. Start by making the sponge mixture:

- Add the oat or almond milk to a pan and onto the heat, gently bring up it to scalding point.

- Pour the hot milk over the dates and allow it to steam and soften the dates for 10 minutes.

- Once the dates have softened and the mixture has cooled, add them along with the milk mixture into a food processor or blender and mix until smooth.

- In a large bowl, beat together the dairy free butter and the soft brown sugar until light and ﬂuffy and well incorporated.

- Next, add the date and milk puree and mix through.

- Finally, add the self-raising ﬂour and spices, along with the Maldon salt. Fold this through the wet mixture so it's smooth, but making sure not to overmix the batter.

- Tip the batter into the greased baking dish and smooth over the top.

- While the sponge is baking, you can make the sticky toffee sauce.

- Roughly chop the dates and place in a heatproof bowl along with the bicarbonate of soda. www.maldonsalt.co.uk

- Place into the middle of the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes until well risen and a skewer comes out clean in the middle. Remove from the oven and set aside.

- In a small saucepan, add the dark brown sugar and dairy free butter and melt together, then lower the temperate and cook together for 5 to 10 minutes until smooth and syrupy.

- Remove this from the heat and add the dairy free cream, stirring it in.

- Once the sponge has come out of the oven, pour most of the sticky toffee sauce over the pudding - but leave some for extra drizzling!

- Sprinkle the top of the pudding with Maldon salt.

- Serve the pudding while it's still warm with some dairy free ice cream and an extra drizzle of sticky toffee sauce.

steamed Marmalade sponges

Winter's truly here and I love a comforting desert to warm up with as the nights have drawn in. My individual sponges make an easy pudding and can easily be multiplied to cater for a party or get together at Christmas time!

Recipe

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 8 tablespoons of Lemon Marmalade

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• Grated rind of 1 Lemon

• 100g softened butter

• 100g caster sugar

Alice Talbot, Owner

of ART's,

Craft Kitchen

D.C. Patrick NEWSAGENTS

4 Market Hill, Framlingham Has taken over Grange News

4 Market Hill, Framlingham saH taken over ngeraG News

Come and visit the largest range of cards, crackers, wrapping paper, gifts etc in the area! Don’t forget to order your Christmas TV Magazines!

ollowing Bob's retirement, David is taking on the rounds covered by Grange news.

4 Market Hill, Framlingham Has taken over Grange News

Following Bob's retirement, David is king on the rounds covered by Grange news

gniwolloF s'obB ,tetiremenr avidD is kingat on the rounds covered by Grange swne d sah ervo 04 arsye xperiencee and runs newsagents in worthsaleH and gham.ramlinF

David has over 40 years experience and runs newsagents in Halesworth Framlingham.

David has over 40 years experience and runs newsagents in Halesworth and Framlingham.

Following Bob's retirement, David is taking on the rounds covered by Grange new

Bob's son, Craig will continue to manage the service and will be delivering 7 days a week to all the same locations.

David has over 40 ye xperience and runs newsagents in Halesworth and Framlingham.

s'boB ,nos aigrC llwi nueiontc to manage the service and will be delivering 7 days a

Bob's son, Craig will continue to manage the service and will be delivering 7 days a week to all the same locations.

We hope you will continue to support the business and please do get in touch should you have any queries regarding

We hope you will continue to support the business and please do get in touch

Maldon

A Christmas message from Community News

Halesworth Harmony Choir seeks new voices

Halesworth Harmony is a friendly and supportive choir, welcoming all singers without an audition. We sing a varied mix of world music in three-orfour-part harmony, and we're also fortunate to have worked with, and commissioned, contemporary British composers.

The choir meets approximately fortnightly on Sunday mornings (10:30am-12:30pm) between September and June, usually at The Cut Arts Centre in Halesworth. There's an interval for refreshments and socialising.

We're actively seeking new members to join us to learn a

programme of songs for a concert in June 2026. Rehearsal dates after Christmas are: January 18th & 25th, February 8th & 22nd, March 8th & 22nd (all at The Cut) and April 12th & 19th (both at The Hub in Huntingﬁeld). If you're interested in joining us, do come along to a rehearsal. You'll receive a warm welcome and your ﬁrst session is free. There's no need to be able to read music - songs are taught by ear and recordings are available for home practice.

For further information, please email: halesworth.harmony @gmail.com

PRIVATE HIRE TRAVEL

'The Eyes of the Few' History of Radar at

We kickstart the new year at Halesworth and District U3A on January 20th at 2pm at the Cut Art Centre, Halesworth.

Graham Murchie (Co-chair of the Bawdsey Radar Trust) will present his talk 'The Eyes of the Few - History of Radar at Bawdsey'.

Bawdsey (near Felixstowe) is home to the world's ﬁrst operational radar station, which started operating in September 1937 and became a blueprint for other stations that were vital in winning the Battle of Britain.

Bawsey

This promises to be a fascinating talk about the events, people and technologies which led to it becoming the ﬁrst operational radar centre. Now a museum, the Bawdsey Radar Trust (who looks after the Grade II listed site) will also touch on its continued role over the years.

Please come along and enjoy what promises to be an absorbing talk about this iconic Suffolk landmark. The talk is free to current Halesworth and District U3A members and for nonmembers, tickets are available at £4 in advance, or on the door at the Cut. Why not come early, meet up with your friends, and enjoy a relaxing lunch in the Cut Café.

Halesworth & District U3A

'East Suffolk Through the Lens' returns!

Submit your photos for the East Suffolk Council 'East Suffolk Through the Lens' competition now. Whether you capture the people or places of East Suffolk, East Suffolk Council wants to see them!

East Suffolk Council's photo competition is back, and entrants are being given more chances to win with the introduction of two new categories. The return of the competition follows the success of last year's competition, which welcomed more than 230 entries. This year, photographers of all ages and experience are invited to submit entries for two categories, 'People' and 'Place'. Under-16s will also have their own category, like previous competitions. Whether you're an experienced photographer or just love taking photos, this is your chance to showcase what makes our district such a special place to

live, work and visit! High street retail vouchers will be awarded to the winner of each category. From the three winners, one overall winner will be selected. This photograph will grace the cover of the East Suffolk Magazine when delivered to every household in the district next spring.

The Hollond family of Great Ashfield House

October's Alde Valley Suffolk Family History Group (AVSFHG) talk at the Fromus Centre in Saxmundham was the story of Suffolk's lost palace, Great Ashﬁeld House and the eccentric Hollond Family.

Guest speaker, Dave Steward provided a packed room on October 20th with an informative history of both house and its inhabitants due to his exclusive access to photographs, scrapbooks, letters and household items which had been left behind by the family.

1928) married Beatrice Mary Hoare (1866-1959), a minor, in London in December 1883. She was the daughter of Henry Hoare, the Hoare family being owners of the UK's oldest privately-owned bank.

Iseult remained at the house, conﬁning herself to the kitchen with her 25 cats! She moved to Ivy Cottage when she became inﬁrm and died in 1999 aged 101 years.

Entrants are encouraged to capture the essence of the district by photographing the people, places and communities that make East Suffolk amazing.

Cllr Caroline Topping (Leader of East Suffolk Council) said: "Last year's photo competition was extremely successful, proving that we have some keen photographers across the district, and I am excited to see what this year's competition brings. Our district

is full of amazing people, places and communities with unique stories, all waiting to be captured through the lens. It could be an image of an inspiring person in East Suffolk, a beautiful landscape picture that reminds us just how amazing our district is, or an active and supportive community."

Entries should be submitted before midnight on January 31st. Previous entries will not be considered. Winners will be announced during the week commencing February 23rd, with the three winners each receiving a £100 high street voucher. The overall winner will also have their photograph featured on the cover of the East Suffolk Magazine in the spring.

To enter the competition and upload an entry, visit: www. eastsuffolk.gov.uk/photo-comp

Making music fun in East Anglia

Martlesham Brass would like to wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.

We hope that you were able to hear Martlesham Brass over the Christmas period, our players were raising funds for our nominated charities, which were Ipswich Outreach, Just 42, and FIND (Families in Need Ipswich). We will report the amount raised next month.

Looking ahead to next month, our main band has a concert on February 7th at 7pm in St. Michael's Church Centre, Martlesham Heath. This concert will include the full ﬁlm 'Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out' accompanied live! Tickets are available at 07544 962205 or at: martleshambrass.co.uk. Make sure you get your tickets early! If you'd like to learn to play

Michelle's story

Michelle started volunteering with Home-Start Suffolk in 2020 and continues to do so now. She has offered support to families in the Waveney area and has been awarded a High Sheriff of Suffolk award for volunteering.

"Being a parent is the hardest job in the world. As well as being the most wonderful and magical experience, it can feel lonely, confusing and guilt ridden too! It always looks like everyone has it together and no one else feels like you do. However quite often they are or have been in the same place.

I enjoy helping people and leaning on my own experiences to help others, ensuring they feel they are not the only ones who have been through tough times.

Everyone at Home-Start Suffolk is fantastic. We have a coordinator that supports us as volunteers and they regularly check in. They're always there at the end of the phone or email.

You learn so much being a volunteer. We're constantly

offered courses that deepen our knowledge around potential family situations and we're invited to peer support where we meet other volunteers.

It's nice meeting different families too. The families I have supported are different to my friends and my children haven't got children yet, so it's nice to be supporting others.

You can really make a difference to people and going forwards, you can move onto supporting another family knowing you did your job in improving their lives.

The families know how long they will have a volunteer working with them and they know when and why you will finish supporting them. Normally families are more confident, they are more themselves, they are not alone and they feel more empowered and confident.

Volunteering has also made me more conﬁdent and competent. I think you spend half your life

a brass instrument, or if you already play and would be interested in joining us, please email: join@martleshambrass. co.uk-please note we operate a waiting list for our beginners' band. If you wish to hire the band to perform at an event, please contact our booking secretary by emailing: booking@martlesham brass.co.uk

thinking you're faking it, when actually when you speak to other people you realise you have made it through and you're not faking it. It's a good feeling to know people listen to you, trust you, befriend you. It's quite empowering.

If you can remember those uncomfortable feelings you experienced when you had young children and you have a few hours spare each week and you want to help people through their struggles, you should volunteer too. You can make a real difference."

If Michelle's story has inspired you to ﬁnd out more about volunteering with Home-Start Suffolk, please visit www.homestartinsuffolk.org

The Hollond family are wellknown in the Saxmundham area, they owned Benhall Lodge Estate from 1810, and it's still owned by Hollond descendants today. The Rev. Edmund Hollond's third son Arthur Edward Hollond (1857-

Arthur Hollond bought Ashfield House (situated just a couple of miles from Badwell Ash) in 1881 and for 108 years, it belonged to the same family. Dave Steward carefully took us through the history of the house from 1755, and the changes and renovations over the years. He also added a personal touch, his own family's special connection to Ashfield House, that his grandfather was Head Gardener and his grandmother, the Cook! Dave included a detailed background of both Arthur Hollond and his wife Beatrice before introducing us to their children; sons Henry and Victor, and five daughters; Gladys, Phyllis (known as Pansy), Muriel, Ivy (known as Iseult) and Elspeth. He mentioned that animals always featured in the children's lives, in their letters and were often seen in photographs with cats, chickens, pigs, goats and a donkey called Opal. Pansy also had a buzzard called Willie. They could speak many languages and the girls were gifted artists, they were 'The Cubs', they called their father 'The Big Brown Bear'. He was often the study for their art. The girls never married and as each of them passed away, only

A very interesting talk, wellillustrated with Hollond family images and their paintings which ended with Dave's own ancestral ties to the family.

Pat Carter (AVSFHG's Membership Secretary) mentioned at the talk that there were references to a Francis Egbert Hollond in Leiston church - any relation? Subsequent research has found that Francis Egbert Hollond (1860-1953) was the younger brother of Arthur Edward Hollond of Ashﬁeld House.

The brothers were the youngest sons of the Rev. Edmund

(1801-1884) of Benhall. Both Arthur and Francis' children died without any surviving issue. If anyone has any information/ images about Francis Egbert Hollond who bought Leiston Old Abbey in 1909, or the Hollond family, then please could they get in touch with Jane Evans email: benhallsternﬁeld history@gmail.com

Share your

stories

Let's celebrate our communities!

Here at the Community News, we know that our local areas are brimming with incredible activities, dedicated people, and inspiring stories. From the smallest fundraiser to the biggest achievement, your news is our news, and we want to help you share it! We publish three different papers to cover speciﬁc local areas, and we're putting out a friendly call to all the amazing groups that make the up regions of the Beccles & Bungay Community News, the Halesworth & Southwold Community News, and the Leiston & Framlingham Community News such vibrant places to live. Who are we looking for?

If you belong to any of the following, or any other local group not listed, please consider sending us your updates:

• Local Charities & Fundraising Groups: Did you smash a target? Is there a big event coming up? Tell us how the community can support you!

• Schools & Educational Organisations: We'd love to hear about student achievements, school plays, class projects, or volunteer days.

• Sports Clubs & Teams (Junior & Senior): Send in your match reports, league standings, photos of trophy winners, or sign-up information for new members.

• Community Clubs & Societies: Whether you're a knitting group, a history society, a book club, or a photography collective - what have you been working on?

• Church/Faith Groups: Share details of community outreach, special services, or social events.

• Local Businesses with a Community Focus: Are you running a local initiative or sponsoring a team?

What can you send us?

It's simple! We're looking for anything you think your neighbours and the wider community would ﬁnd interesting, useful, or heart-warming.

• News & Updates: What's new in your group?

• Event Previews & Reviews: Got a cake sale, a performance, or a public meeting planned? Tell everyone about it! And once it's over, let us know how it went.

• Call-Outs for Volunteers/Members: Are you looking for new faces? The paper is the perfect place to spread the word.

• Photos: A picture really is worth a thousand words! High-quality photos of your group in action are always welcome. How to get your story in print: It couldn't be easier to contribute. You can reach us via email. Send your copy to: edit@micropress.co.uk

Crucial notes for email submissions:

• Write your article or report: Try to keep it concise, informative, and friendly. Include the 'who, what, when, and where' of your news.

• State your speciﬁc paper: Please begin your subject line with the name of the paper you are submitting for (e.g., 'Bungay News Submission' or 'Halesworth News Submission').

• Include Photos: Attach any relevant, good- quality photos (make sure you have permission from everyone in the picture!) Tell us who's in the photo and what they are doing.

• Add Your Contact Details: Please include a name and phone number for a main contact person, just in case we have a quick question. We are dedicated to making the Community News titles a true reﬂection of the wonderful things happening right here on our doorstep. So, don't be shy! Please do write in, share your successes, and let's celebrate our incredible communities together!

East Suffolk Council

Overall Winner 2024: 'Family at Lowestoft Beach' by Jenifer Everett-Day

Alde Valley Suffolk Family History Group

Great Ashﬁeld House

Hollond

Arthur Hollond and Beatrice Hoare

The Hollond children (the 'Cubs') with their governess

The plaque in Leiston Church

Martlesham Brass

J C WOODPRODUCTS

Christmas Fair raises amazing £2,749

Despite a rather wet Saturday, our Christmas Fair on November 22nd was very well attended and there was a lovely atmosphere in the hall. We're grateful to everyone who came along and supported our event. We were delighted that with your help, we raised an amazing £2,749.48 for the incredible work carried out by Cancer Research UK. We hope you all had a nice time and managed to ﬁnd a Christmas gift or two.

Well done to the two lucky winners of the bonus ball gin hamper, won by 'P. Fitch' (bonus ball 35) and the grocery hamper (generously supplied by Market Fields), won by 'G. Spindler'. Congratulations to everyone who won a prize on our big rafﬂe.

We have to say a huge thank you to Halesworth Co-op, Cleveleys, Halesworth Spar, Tesco and Market Fields Holton for supplying the food for our meals.

Thank you very much to the businesses who provided rafﬂe prizes. Thank you to Adnams, who supplied two vouchers (one for a brewery tour and one for the lighthouse tour). Thank you also to: Mr and Mrs Stephenson, Woodside Farm, Allen's Butcher's Halesworth, Tulula's Fish & Chips Halesworth and Gecko Shoes Halesworth. Thank you

Four 2026 Open Days planned for HSNGR

Halesworth and Southwold Narrow Gauge Railway (HSNGR) charity is already making plans for 2026.

granted.

Halesworth Dementia Carers Fund

As we approach the end of the year, we can look back and see what amazing things the Halesworth Dementia Carers Fun (HDCF) have been able to do for all those suffering with dementia, their families and carers.

We're always trying to ﬁnd new ways to help and improve our activities, and one example is the new seated yoga session. We have also been able to offer full day respite care at the new Patrick Stead Day Centre, where our brilliant staff have made such a huge impact on those suffering with dementia.

support in the community. We're truly grateful to all who have made our work possible. We'd like to thank all those at the Patrick Stead Day Centre, the local Care agencies (First Choice, Prestige, Christies and Walﬁnch), Pear Tree Centre, the Angel Hotel, Halesworth Volunteers, the Halesworth Coop, all our wonderful volunteers and group leaders, all those who have run fundraising events for us, and every one of you who have helped, supported and donated to us. Without all of you, we could not achieve so much.

to everyone who donated the rest of the wonderful rafﬂe prizes as well as everyone who baked for the cake stall or made a dessert. Thanks also go to Felicity and the ladies for the lovely table decorations and to anyone else who contributed in anyway. We have to mention the menfolk who help set up and our lovely volunteers, we couldn't do it without you all, thank you!

As we approach 2026, here are our event dates which you might like to put in your diaries. They all take place at Holton Village Hall on Saturday's:

• Jumble Sale, February 14th

• Big Breakfast, March 21st

• Spring Fair, May 16th

• Jumble Sale, October 17th

• Xmas Fair, November 21st

Other events:

• I-Chameleon, July 2nd-8th

• Maize Maze by Torchlight, last Friday in August (28th).

To everyone who comes along to our events, we're extremely grateful for your support. Without you all, we couldn't raise the vital funds for the ground breaking research that is now without question saving lives. Thank you. The committee and volunteers wish you all a happy Christmas and healthy peaceful new year. For any information, please contact Dawn Davis on: 01986 873640.

The success of the Blythburgh Station event and model railway show in the autumn has led the HSNGR trustees to decide to run (for the ﬁrst time) four Open Days next year; Easter Monday April 6th, Sunday May 17th, Sunday July 26th and (with the Model Railway Show and as part of National Heritage Open Days) Sunday September 13th.

We hope that Suffolk people will put those dates in their diaries. Next year, as well as our usual train demonstrations, charity displays, guided tours, ﬁlm show, light refreshments and live steam models, we plan to be providing the ﬁrst passenger train services to run on the original trackbed since 1929. These will inevitably be very short, but we're very much hoping to extend our track as soon as permission is

Meanwhile, our heritage train is growing, with the unique Cleminson MOY coal wagon now delivered to the station to join open wagon No 18, and the covered luggage van 42 to follow next year. Our ﬁrst coach is now fully air-braked: the original railway did not have continuous brakes, but they are essential nowadays! Our solarcharged battery locomotive has a body to keep the rain off, and the ﬁrst steps towards building a steam locomotive are in hand. Negotiations continue with landowners at both Halesworth and Walberswick to see what else can be done to restore the railway: HSNGR would very much like to have tangible progress at various places along the eight-mile line for people to see and to celebrate on the 2029 anniversary of the original railway's closure.

Happy Christmas to all Community News readers!

Of course, none of this would be possible if we didn't have such incredible

As the New Year comes in, we shall continue to do all we can through our activities, respite

care, training programmes etc, and look forward to doing so much more to help those suffering from dementia and their families. If you'd like to know more about what we do, how we can help, or how to become a volunteer/ donor, please contact us via info@halesworthdementia. co.uk or go to our website: halesworthdementia.co.uk. You can also visit our Facebook page or call us on 07990 199632. On behalf of HDCF, I'd like to wish every one a wonderful Christmas and a very happy and healthy New Year! John Wood

We specialise in low cost repair options to buildings and can assist you with any building problem

SUFFOLK OFFICE

Coach 3 delivered to Norfolk on October 12th, 2025

Halesworth to Southwold Narrow Gauge Railway

Halesworth branch of Cancer Research UK

Christmas 1943 at Halesworth Airfield

As the horrors of war continued to be played out all over Europe, the men of the USAAF 56th Fighter Group, stationed at Halesworth Airﬁeld, prepared to mark a very different Christmas in December 1943.

Far from home, their families and friends, in an unfamiliar country, crews risked their lives every day ﬂying into battle, never knowing if they would return.

Glimpses of their celebrations have been gleaned from the 1943 daily diary archive held at Halesworth Airﬁeld Museum.

Throughout the month, entertainment included ﬁlms such as A Night to Remember, Reveille with Beverley, Honeymoon Lodge and The Ghost of Frankenstein. Live

entertainment was provided by ENSA (Entertainments National Service Association), performing Come Out & Play and The Patsy. The USO (United Service Organization) stage show, USA Calling, took place on the 17th.

The festivities began on December 18th when ofﬁcers of the 62nd Squadron "entertained various young ladies at a dance on the station." It was deemed a "huge success" although several of the guests "were adversely affected by drinking punch on empty stomachs."

On December 21st, a dance and Christmas party was held in the evening. Approximately, 200 WRNS (Women's Royal Navy Service), WAAFS (Women's Auxiliary Air Force) and WLA

(Women's Land Army) girls attended. Jivin' Yanks and The Blue Chasers provided the music and "there was food for all."

Unfortunately, on December 22nd, the children's party was cancelled "due to the unavailability of a proper ﬁlm and adequate transportation. The candy donated by the enlisted men was sent to the schoolmaster at Halesworth, who distributed it to the school children."

Religious services were held on 24th including a Christmas Eve Candle Light Service in St. Peter's Church, Holton and a high Mass at midnight in the Station theatre followed by refreshments.

On Christmas Day, it was work as usual with "skeleton crews in most of the departments"

while "most of the ofﬁcers and enlisted men were sleeping off a too merry Christmas Eve." The Christmas turkey dinner "was highly successful, however all the turkey you could eat and how we did eat." Each man was given candy and a pack of cigarettes and "a plate so full he could hardly carry it."

On December 30th, the enlisted men held a dance. "There were about 40 girls including WAAFS, WRNS and WLA. Refreshments were served and a good time was had by all."

While the pilots had gone out on a long mission in afternoon, the ofﬁcers were busy on the 31st, preparing for the New Year's Eve party. "Those of the pilots that did return were almost

too tired to enjoy the party and went to bed early." Women guests staying overnight were given rooms at Holton Hall. "The ofﬁcers residing there went elsewhere to bunk for the night.

All in all it was a very successful party and the ofﬁcers are looking forward to another in the future."

This daily diary gives a fascinating insight to wartime life on the base. The wider archive provides a unique resource for research. The volunteers at Halesworth Airﬁeld Museum wish everyone a safe and peaceful Christmas. If you'd like to help us at the museum, please contact Paul on: 07944 504490 or Richie on: 07815 441669. Email: info@halesworth airﬁeldmuseum.co.uk

Halesworth