Diss Matters - Spring/Summer 2023

Feel that spring in your step!

Flowers blooming. Birds singing. Longer days. Warmer weather. It must be springtime!

This edition of ‘Diss Matters’ is designed to put a spring in your step ‘literally’ as we celebrate National Walking Month in May! We’re fortunate that our town and villages are full of walking trails and beautiful scenic routes – flick through and discover our local walking hotspots!

As the better weather arrives and we spend more time outdoors, it’s important we all do our bit to maintain cleanliness in the town. In this issue, we feature local litter picking opportunities and ways we can all help. Not only will it improve the town’s appearance but it protects local wildlife and increases recycling.

It won’t be long before the town’s colourful bunting returns to mark the key events we’ll be celebrating this year! Join us for a ‘Right Royal Celebration’ on Sunday 7th May at Diss Park to mark the Coronation of King Charles III – Visit pages 6-7 for info! Get ready for a showbiz Carnival on June 11th as Diss Goes To Hollywood –See pages 18-19.

‘Diss Matters’ is all about giving our community a platform. If you have an idea for a future feature or want to promote a local event, we’d love to hear from you! Email towncouncil@diss.gov.uk Have a great Summer!

Kimberley

Council news

Diss Town Council has been busy working on its remaining strategic plan objectives to create a greener, cleaner and safer town, develop and implement the Diss & District Neighbourhood Plan and reduce costs to deliver better value to residents.

We are looking forward to a great line up of events this Spring / Summer namely ‘A Right Royal Celebration’ in honour of the King’s Coronation on 7th May (see p6-7) and our ‘Diss goes to Hollywood’ inspired Carnival on June 11th (see p18-19). We are so grateful to the volunteers and partners with whom we work to make important events like this and other projects a reality.

Creating a greener, cleaner, and safer town

We have invested in more resources including an additional van, equipped with a water pump system to improve the efficiency of cleaning the town centre and watering its 50+ floral displays. Our new billy goat street vacuum has significantly increased the effectiveness of clearing litter and together with a staff restructure and revised work schedule, we are seeing increased productivity and longer-lasting results. We are considering different ways to manage our green spaces to encourage biodiversity. We have a plan to plant additional trees in Diss Park and are working

with our higher tier authorities on site proposals for wildflower areas to complement the existing floral displays throughout the town. The Diss Litterpicking group has done a wonderful job of keeping public spaces tidy (see p22) and the Council’s support of the composter and community fridge projects contribute to the Council’s aims to act sustainably. We have also made 600kg in carbon and 2.22 tonnes of CO2 savings by dimming streetlights and switching off just over 50% of them in the early hours of the morning whilst continuing to ensure resident safety by retaining nightlighting on connecting footpaths and highways.

We are working with a designer to deliver a public realm art project in Diss, an idea that was overwhelmingly supported by the Diss community. This is an exciting initiative which fully engages residents in the design, will enhance the appearance of buildings in Diss, should help to draw more footfall into the town centre and will be fully funded by external grants at no cost to the taxpayer. Alongside this, the Town Council will be updating its information display boards across our sites including around the park and mere, installing phase two of the town’s beacon of hope partnership project to include six engraved panels, quartz paving and granite seating and undertaking works at Mere’s Mouth including replacing brickwork and

repainting railings. Together with the installation of the EU-funded art installation, ‘Flock’, these measures will significantly improve the aesthetic appearance of a key vista in the town contributing to the Council’s vision to make Diss a successful, vibrant, attractive town where people want to live, work and visit.

Thank you to all town councillors, staff, volunteers and partners with whom we also work to make a difference to our town.

Diss

Protecting local green spaces is also at the heart of the Diss & District Neighbourhood Plan, which is in its final stages of examination prior to a public referendum expected post elections in May.

improve the appearance of other Council owned areas and by taking on the management of some of the planters using in-house expertise, we have further decreased expenditure. Together with a budget for 2023/24 that reflects a 0% increase compared to the current year (the Town Council element of the Council Tax bill accounts for approximately 10% of the total bill which also includes charges from South Norfolk Council, Norfolk County Council and Norfolk Police), we are continuing to assess additional measures to deliver even better value to our residents. These include reviewing existing contracts to identify cost savings and increasing revenue generated at our sites such as the Sports Ground & Diss Youth & Community Centre through additional bookings where capacity allows. We are also investigating options for increasing the footfall in the town centre through increased market activity and an expanded events programme, designed to pay for themselves with support from local business, volunteers, stallholders and community groups.

Reducing costs and delivering better value

Dimming and switching off streetlights has offset the expected increases in electricity costs. The staff time saved by our new street cleaning equipment will be invested to help

Sarah Villafuerte-Richards, Town Clerk at Diss Town Council

Town Clerk, Sarah Richards

A Right Royal Celebration

Diss will be having ‘A Right Royal Celebration’ in honour of King Charles III’s Coronation in Diss Park on Sunday 7th May and you are all invited to join the party!

Hosted by our very own local radio station, Park Radio Ltd, we have a fantastic varied line-up of free entertainment planned between 3pm and 8pm. First on stage with a British medley will be The Voice Squad – a combination of a fabulous Bury St Edmunds based 30-yearold youth stage choir and their new Diss branch.

Norwich’s 30-strong community band of drummers and dancers – Fine City Samba – will get the party started playing Brazilian beats followed by a showcase from Ukrainian opera singers Tatiana Belousova & Natalia Stepanova – with a very special performance by a 6-year-old pianist. Later in the programme, revellers will be treated to Norfolk-based rhythm & blues band, The Uncalled Four and high energy show band from East Anglia, PRTY with their repertoire of upbeat and iconic rock, pop, funk, disco, and indie hits from across the decades.

The evening’s concert will conclude with a headline performance from Caswell and her band whose live performance triumphed over 600+ acts in a nationwide competition to support Ed Sheeran. Crafting a flavour of neo-soul, downtempo electronica and elaborate pop, Caswell hails from East Anglia, the songwriting journey having begun as a preteen after

watching a musical episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Brought to you by organisers of the successful Glow in the Park event last June to celebrate the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, the committee has worked hard to source a wide range of street food stalls (we’re booking extra this year to minimise queuing) and plenty of options of the liquid variety thanks to Norwich Bar Hire, Mel’s Happy Daze & Smiths Mobile Bar.

To give you a flavour, we have confirmed bookings from The Durban Grill – South African street food, The Potato Pod –gourmet topped jacket potatoes, Flip & Sip – hotdogs and burgers, Fully Loaded Fries, The Field Kitchen – Lebanese food, Thai van takeaway, Suffolk Wild Flour Pizza and The Bucket List. For those of you with a sweet tooth, there’ll be ice-cream, BB’s Bakery, Debbie’s Dinky Donuts and Collette’s Crepes.

And if that isn’t enough, there will be a small children’s funfair for the little ones and look out for some very special royal VIP appearances.

Sarah Villafuerte-Richards, Town Clerk and Chair of the organising committee says; “We’d like to thank all those involved in supporting this free community event from the sponsors and volunteers to the suppliers and local organisations. These events simply wouldn’t happen without you.”

See you there!

Celebrating over 70 years of Diss Athletics!

Diss and District Athletics Club was founded in 1952 and the club is still going strong.

The local club is a very popular place for anyone eight years old and over to improve their athletic ability and get fit. Head Coach, Gordon Coe, says; “In an age where the draw of games consoles keeps kids indoors, we try to give them a reason to get out in the fresh air and do something active.”

The club has two sections. The Track and Field section that is open to members eight years old and above and the Road Runners who welcome members 18 years and older.

For a small club the athletes have achieved some amazing results in the last 12 months. “Following our months in lockdown due to COVID, the athletes have had to work really hard to pick up where they left off and the results we have had are a credit to the hard work of our great athletes,” says Gordon.

The haul of medals by the club at the Norfolk County Championships last year was amazing. Max Brookes (U17) won gold in hammer, discus, javelin, and shot, and took silver in triple jump. Luella Brookes (U20) took gold in discus and silver in hammer. Connor Eadie (U15) took gold in javelin and shot.

Janice Nottingham became the British Masters Champion in the 100m and took the silver in the 200m. To add to these achievements, Janice also become the Norfolk County Champion in the 100m, 200m and 400m.

Meanwhile, during the indoor season, the club’s younger athletes put in some great performances at the Sportshall indoor competitions. Two of the club’s athletes –Evelyn Day and George Crane – were selected to be part of the Norfolk County Team for the Regional Championships. Both teams won their age group competitions and Evelyn will now be part of the Norfolk team heading off to the National finals in April. Well done all!

The Track and Field group train at the Sports Ground (Shelfanger Road), every Tuesday and Thursday from 7pm – 8.30pm. The Road Runners train on a Tuesday night from 7pm – 8pm.

If you are interested in joining the club, please contact us at dissathleticsclub@gmail.com

DISS URC – A Community Space For All

Diss’ United Reformed Church is located on Mere Street (opposite Aldi) and serves the local community with a broad range of activities ranging from church services to fitness classes. Here is a taster of just a few of the things going on:

On 22nd January our first Taize service was held – a quiet contemplative service which was much appreciated. As a result, another

10am-1pm. It is a time for fun, friendship, support and a light lunch for people with a dementia diagnosis and their carers. Each café session has a theme and we recently had much fun with sports day based activities; we played armchair bowls, the bean bag toss, balloon tennis and putting. Our May session will have the theme of King Charles’ Coronation, so if you or someone you know has dementia and would like to attend, please join us on Wednesday 3rd May at 10am. We would love to see you.

We also hold Dove Song on the third Monday of each month at 1.30pm for people with either Dementia or Parkinson’s Disease and Dove Song Plus on the third Wednesday at 2.30pm for people with complex needs. These sessions are all led by a music therapist and involve much fun singing well known songs and accompanying these with percussion instruments. Again, we are always happy for new members to join these groups. Please look at our website www.dissurc.org.uk/ to

Taize service has been arranged for 2nd July at 3pm - anyone who would like to attend would be warmly welcomed.

On the first Wednesday of every month the Dove Dementia Café takes place from

find out about our full range of activities or if you would prefer to talk to our Community Worker, please call Ruth Bridges on 01379 309062.

Scrap Metal Collection Free Metal Dump We Buy in Metal

Why not pop down and see what we have from nuts and bolts to picks and shovels, buckets and spades, tools and hardware from racking and shelves, benches to kitchenware and cutlery. Items to recycle from vintage to retro.

Open 8.30am-4pm Weekdays

8.30am-noon Saturdays 11am-3pm Sundays

Call us on 01379 642983

Oxford House, Mission Road Diss IP22 4HX info@gillingsofdiss.com www.gillingsofdiss.com

Bag a bargain! It’s the return of Diss’ Car Boot Sales…

Up to nine Car Boot Sales are permitted on Diss Park per year. These events have become very popular with locals and visitors from afar. We’re gearing up for the first event of the year, held by the Carnival Committee on 30th April.

If you’re looking for a bargain, or looking to sell a few bargains, make sure you get the following dates in your diaries!

All pitch fees go towards the charities and organisations below:

30th April – Diss Carnival Committee

4th June – Scouts Jamboree

18th June – Fundraising for Cancer Research UK

2nd July – Mind

16th July – Park Radio

6th August – Diss Town Mayor’s Charities

3rd September – Friends of Roydon Primary

Event timings: 7am - 1pm

Sellers - £5 per car, no need to pre-book pitches. Simply turn up on the day!

If you're interested in hosting a car boot sale on Diss Park, please get in touch for our availability! Application forms and regulations can be found on our website: www.diss.gov.uk/car-boots

Open: Mon-Fri: 6.30am-8pm Sat: 7am-6pm Sun: 8am-5.30pm

Escapism on your doorstep

Frenze Beck Nature Reserve is located on the outskirts of Diss and is a hidden gem for nature-lovers. The main entrance gate can be seen from Sawmills Road (IP22 4GG) with a short track that leads you to the car park.

The reserve covers 14.5 acres, managed by a group of dedicated volunteers. Visitors can explore this peaceful area by following a network of paths which travel along the riverside, through the woodland, meadows and reed beds. A new circular path has been created to allow visitors closer access to the riverside.

For wildlife-lovers, you’re in for a real treat. On site, we have ground nesting birds, endangered water voles, other mammals, reptiles and amphibians. You never know what you might see on your visit!

Our volunteers have installed new benches and picnic tables with stunning views across the reserve, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the tranquil surroundings. Dogs are very welcome here but must be kept on a lead at all times and all waste must be disposed of in the bins on site. We are open 24/7 but the main gate is locked overnight - please check lock up times on our sign in the car park. There is also a kissing gate entrance on Sandy Lane. Please visit our Facebook page for photographs and more information.

New volunteers are always very welcome. Activities include keeping the river clear of debris, maintaining footpaths, managing reed beds, trimming vegetation, building habitats and picking up litter. Recording plants and animals observed on the nature reserve is another important activity. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact diss@riverwaveneytrust.org or via our website: www.riverwaveneytrust.org/frenzebeck/

Community Fridge For DissHelping food to go the extra mile!

Food waste is a huge issue in the UK.

The Fridge is open for anyone to help themselves to food that would otherwise go to waste. So far Community Fridges have helped thousands connect to their communities, access nutritious food, save money and reduce waste. It's a great way to tackle food waste and fight food poverty in our area.

sanitary products, you never know what will be up for grabs!

We receive lots of donations from local supermarkets and fresh loaves of bread, cakes and pastries from bakeries. In the Summer, we received a surplus of fruit and vegetables from allotments, gardens and orchards. Recently, we had lots of onions, coconuts, swedes and celery from a film set! Donations aren’t just edible ones - from flower bouquets and plants to nappies and

Run by a group of volunteers, the Community Fridge is a project by the people, for the people. Anyone can volunteer with us. Our volunteers help with the collection of local donations, unpacking and displaying items at the DYCC, assisting at food collection times and checking items for expiry dates and disposing accordingly. We are delighted to be able to provide a volunteering opportunity for three Diss High School pupils who chose Diss Community Fridge as the volunteering component of their Duke of Edinburgh Award.

If you’re passionate about reducing food waste and would like to volunteer, we would love to hear from you! Please email communityfridgefordiss@gmail.com or find us on Facebook: @CommunityFridgeForDiss “Anyone can give, anyone can take.”

Opening times: Monday, Thursday and Friday: 3pm-4pm for donation drop-offs, 6.30pm-8pm for collections

Location: Diss Youth & Community Centre (upstairs), Shelfanger Road.

Make Diss a ‘Mindful Town’Become a Wellbeing Champion

South Norfolk and Broadland District Councils are working with the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust's Wellbeing Service, Thriving Workplaces and Evolve to make South Norfolk and Broadland more 'Mindful Districts'.

will be offered free training, which will enable them to recognise mental health issues and provide low-level support to individuals in the community.

Wellbeing Champions will also be given knowledge on the Councils’ Help Hub, local services and how to refer people to a specialist mental health support worker should a resident need further assistance. When the required number of individuals have completed the training, relevant places in Diss will receive window stickers to make residents aware where they can seek support. These can be displayed to show that the place is a safe place to talk and has a Wellbeing Champion for support.

In June, South Norfolk and Broadland Council would like to offer community groups and small businesses in Diss free mental health training and support from our Help Hub. This will help Diss achieve 'Mindful Town' status, with the tools to develop a community-led network of Wellbeing Champions.

To be recognised as a 'Mindful Town', several representatives from the local community need to commit to becoming Wellbeing Champions. These could be members from sports clubs, pubs, small local businesses, community organisations, the Town Council, or any other local community pillars. These representatives

For more info and training dates, visit: www.southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk/ MindfulTowns or email communities@southnorfolkandbroadland. gov.uk

Lights! Camera! Action! Carnival takes Diss to Hollywood…

Come and join The Carnival committee in rolling out the red carpet on Sunday 11th June for Diss’ very own Walk Of Fame in a star-studded parade!

Get ready for glitz, glamour and gladrags as we sprinkle a touch of movie magic with the Carnival 2023 theme ‘Diss Goes To Hollywood!’

animated movie stars too!

Mayor of Diss, Cllr Eric Taylor said; “This annual event really brings the community together and is traditionally the biggest event of the year. I can’t wait for ‘Diss Goes to Hollywood’.”

Starring your favourite Hollywood film characters and icons, theatre shows, soundtracks, movie moments and VIP experiences, Diss Carnival will have you feeling like an A-lister for the day! We’re hoping to be star-struck by a few familiar faces; Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, James Bond, Charlie Chaplin to name a few… Be ready, the paparazzi will be waiting! Everyone’s invited – from action heroes and villains to comedy duos, and the

There’s something for everybody. So, grab the popcorn, glam up and get ready for the event of the year!

Join the party!

Could your school, community group or business be part of the Diss’s biggest street party? All entrants are asked to embrace the ‘Diss goes to Hollywood’ theme – the more imaginative the better. This year’s procession begins at 12.30 from Diss High School and follows the usual route through

Town into the Park to join in with all the fun and festivities.

Complete our application form to join the procession, have a stall, sponsor the event or volunteer on the day: www.diss.gov.uk/diss-carnival Deadline for applications is Friday 14th May 2023.

Businesses encouraged to dress shop windows!

Last year, over 40 shop windows decorated up in our ‘Great-Diss Showman’ Carnival theme and we were blown away by the time and effort that was put into the creative displays. This year, we’d love you to join us once again to bring some Hollywood glam to the High Street! Simply contact us with the name of your business and dress your shop window between the dates 7th May –11th June 2023. It’s that simple! A varied judging panel will award the winners over Carnival weekend.

craft sellers, have-a-go activities, Larry Gray’s Funfair and a whole lot more! Our main arena will showcase live performers, entertainers, music, magic, a fun dog show and some surprises thrown in too! Keep up to date with everything via our Diss Carnival Facebook Page!

Fundraising events

We’re hosting a Car Boot Sale on Sunday 30th April at Diss Park, 7am-1pm - £5 a pitch, no need to book! Simply turn up on the day. All pitch proceeds will go towards Diss Carnival 2023!

Calling all cake-lovers! We’ll be on Diss Market Place on Saturday 13th May selling

Fun Day full of surprises!

We’ve got a fantastic variety of stallholders joining us this year! Explore over 40 stalls on the Park, from food and drink vendors to

Pupils flourish as Ofsted judges school 'good' in all areas

At Diss Primary Academy Partnership, we are proud to serve the local community of the town and the wider area. Our recent ‘Good’ Ofsted report at the Junior school site (The Entry), identified that pupils are flourishing, and highlights the hard work and dedication of the whole team over the last 5 years.

Across all of our sites, we are delighted to offer a well-balanced curriculum, alongside our inclusive approach and opportunities to learn inside and outside of the classroom. We are now delighted to be working with Scole Church of England Primary Academy and are developing opportunities for our children to come together for activities including residential trips. These are exciting times for all involved and the

opportunity to make positive impacts within our community is the driving force behind everything we do.

Find us online at www.diss-inf.norfolk.sch.uk

A Warm Welcome to The Annual Town Meeting

Diss Town Council invites all residents to attend the Annual Town Meeting which takes place on Wednesday 24th May 2023 from 6pm at the Diss Youth & Community Centre.

services. Our Annual Town Meeting is a great opportunity for us to provide updates on the significant community projects that we have been working on to take the town forward (see p4-5 – Council News). We

Chaired by the newly-elected Town Mayor, the meeting is an opportunity for residents to hear about the work of the Town, District and County Councils and discuss any matters affecting the town and share ideas for the future of Diss.

The event will begin with an opportunity for you to view information stands from local groups and organisations and receive support and advice from their representatives. Display spaces are offered on a first come first served basis so please do get in touch as soon as possible if you’re interested in promoting your organisation. Residents will also be able to meet our Town councillors, some of whom may well be new / fresh faces following the recent elections, and staffing team. Town Clerk, Sarah Villafuerte-Richards, said; “It’s been another very busy year where we have been taking forward a number of projects, including improvements to existing

encourage residents to tell us what you would like to see over the coming year and put forward your views on ways to improve our town for everyone.”

The meeting will conclude with this year’s

Citizen Award presentations to celebrate and recognise the best of our community. We’re currently reviewing all nominations and winners will be announced very soon. Visit our website for updates: www.diss.gov.uk/citizen-awards

The event is free to attend and light refreshments will be available.

Community Litter Picks near you… Take

Ya Pick-er!

Diss’ Litterpicking Group

Diss’ Litterpicking Group is nearly two years old!

We began as a relatively simple idea, that quickly grew to show the potential that the community of Diss has to offer to help make the town a cleaner, brighter and more sustainable place to live. Volunteers and supporters of the group have become leaders in other community groups in town such as the Community Fridge, the Community Composter and Quaker Wood.

The group was inspired by past efforts of local people who picked litter in their own time, wanting to create a network and better means to help them in their efforts. We went from humble beginnings, with no equipment of our own or a place to meet, to quickly gaining everything we needed through donations from the public and being granted the use of the Co-Op Funeralcare Chapel.

Heading into Spring 2023, we have a large number of regular volunteers, a growing arsenal of equipment and refreshments for our team, and a new home based at the DYCC on Shelfanger Rd!

We meet on the second Saturday of every month, starting at 10am with a quick briefing before striking out into the town.

We then return at about midday to take stock of all our collected rubbish, enjoy some hot drinks and treats kindly donated by our supporters!

The Group continues to be a small but charming success story and all of its volunteers remain grateful for the support of our wonderful community. Fancy joining us? Email disslitterpicking@gmail.com or find us on Facebook!

South Norfolk Council’s Big Litter Pick 2023

South Norfolk Council’s Big Litter Pick will be running until 30th June 2023 and once again local residents and community groups are encouraged to help us keep the district looking tidy.

In 2022, over 500 volunteers took part and collected more than 400 sacks of litter in our local communities.

The Council provides posters and leaflets to help publicise community litter picks and also provides advice and equipment, and when the event is finished, we will arrange to collect the litter. For more information email:

contractsofficer@southnorfolkandbroadland .gov.uk

… “Because many hands make light work!”

Roving Roella – “My Time as a Volunteer at Park Radio”

I’ve been a supporter of Park Radio since it started in 2010 so when they got their full licence I was asked if I would like to volunteer a few hours a week - of course I said yes!

I offered to do Thursday mornings on the reception but when I turned up on the first day, someone else was in the chair so I offered to walk down town to distribute car stickers to shopkeepers and members of the public - Roving Roella was born!

I then caught the bus weekly on a Wednesday to either Harleston or Eye where I would have a cuppa at their Country Markets and chat to folk there. After that, I would walk around the town and pop into the shops and libraries, and would be delighted to hear Park Radio playing in some of them. People would give me song requests which I would inform the studio of and update them of my travels! The next day, I’d be invited into the studio to

talk live on air about my day out and mention all the folk I’d spoken to and give a free plug to the shops I’d been into! Once, I even gave a live running commentary on air of a professional cycling tour that came through the area as we followed it round!

I've represented Park Radio at key events in and around the town; Diss Carnival, Christmas Lights Switch-Ons, The Annual Town Meeting, Community Litterpicks, sold raffle tickets at Park Radio’s Charity Coffee Mornings and Birthday Parties, escorted Parky Bear on some of his outings and completed a sponsored charity cycle ridein lycra - and I’ve delivered 100s of On Air Magazines! It’s been a busy time!

I said I’d volunteer for five years which was up at the end of 2022.

I feel privileged and proud to have been part of the Park Radio Team - it's been a blast and I've had a ball, but most of all, I've made some lifelong friends!

Celebrating National Walking Month

Every year, May marks National Walking Month, encouraging everyone to get outside in the fresh air. Whether it’s a short walk to see a friend, a walking commute to work or school, walking the dog, or simply taking extra steps around the home, there are many ways you can incorporate this gentle exercise into your daily routine.

If you’re a keen photographer, why not challenge yourself to do a different photographic walk each day and see what you can capture!

There are many benefits to walking; it improves physical and mental health, boosts your overall immune function, eases joint pain, can help to reduce the risk of certain health conditions, and it’s free! Walking to work reduces air pollution and traffic congestion, while saving yourself some money too. Walking with others can reduce loneliness and boost wellbeing. It’s one of the easiest ways to get active!

Explore free walking trails in Norfolk

There are so many beautiful places to enjoy walking in the English countryside. Here in Norfolk, we are spoilt for choice for walking trails.

Walking in Norfolk www.walkinginengland.co.uk/norfolk has lots of walks to download and print for free! It also has books of walks, details of walking groups in the county and more. Whether you want to walk on your own or with a group, all the information is there in one place.

John Harris (who maintains the website) said; “There is so much walking information on the web but it is difficult to find. Walking in Norfolk has brought it together in one place so whether you are walking from home or away on holiday, you will be able to find a walk suitable for you.”

With walks from half a mile to twelve miles plus long, and a note of suitability for pushchairs and wheelchairs, everyone can find a walk to enjoy.

So home or away, check out the website and get walking!

Fun, Friendship, Action & Adventure –Join the Army Cadets!

Diss Troop Norfolk Army Cadet Force are now recruiting for cadets and adult volunteers.

The ACF is a national youth movement which is sponsored by the British army. We take both boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18 years.

Becoming an Army Cadet has heaps of benefits. The most obvious being that you get to take part in loads of exciting and challenging activities such as fieldcraft, adventure training, first aid, music, sports and shooting, to name but a few. When you join as a cadet you will make lots of new friends and get the opportunity to go on annual camp, where you will meet cadets from other detachments in your county. You may even get to go on expeditions to amazing places in the UK and sometimes even abroad.

The Army Proficiency Certificate (APC) training syllabus will teach you leadership skills, discipline and give you the selfconfidence you never thought possible. You will learn a wide range of transferable skills such as: the ability to command tasks; make decisions under pressure; plan and organise tasks and work as an effective team player as well as independently. These skills will equip you for life and add an extra string to your bow at times when competition for college places and employment is fierce.

Through your cadet training you can also gain valuable qualifications such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, BTEC First Diploma in Public Services or Music or the ILM Certificate in Team Leading.

If you like the sound of all the above please visit Armycadets.com and click ‘join today’, or visit your local detachment (Cadet Centre, Sunnyside, Diss, IP22 4DS) - We parade every Wednesday 1900hrs –2130hrs.

Lifelong Learning with Diss u3a

The u3a Movement has over 1000 branches across the country. The Diss u3a was formed in 2003 and we now have a membership of almost 300.

We provide opportunities for shared learning experiences through a wide range of specific Interest Groups, monthly talks and outings.

Membership is inexpensive and open to anyone not in full-time employment. We hold monthly meetings on the first Thursday of every month at the Diss United Reformed Church (URC) on Mere Street at 9:45am, with talks starting at 10.30am. Light refreshments are available at no cost.

We currently have 25 active “Interest Groups” in addition to our monthly meetings covering a diverse range of subjects: walking, languages, lunching, art, mah jong, mediaeval history, ancient history, metal detecting, bird watching,

looking at buildings and MOTO (Members on their Own). The groups run at different times and venues, indoors or outdoors, according to subject (check our website for details). If there isn’t a topic that suits your interest, why not suggest a new one!

As an example, “looking at buildings” visits a different town or village each month and is led by a different group member on each occasion. Future visits are planned for Harleston, Woolpit, Kings Lynn and New Buckenham.

Later this year we will be celebrating our 20th Anniversary in Diss! Come and join us – this might be just what you are looking for.

For more information, visit our website: www.dissu3a.org.uk or to join us, please email Tony at callender@cix.co.uk

A lively and vibrant Arts Society for Diss

The Arts Society Diss is enjoying a busy season with lots happening! One recent successful event was specifically for Ukrainian refugee children, who were joined by other local children. It was held at Diss Library, sponsored by Arts Society Diss and led by printmaker Paul Sharrock of DesignerMakers21

Tuesday 13 June. A longer trip is planned for the South Coast from 9 - 14 September, looking at galleries, historic houses and gardens in the area.

Our Church Recording Group has started to meet again as the weather warms. This lively and convivial group is currently looking at and recording the contents and special features of Blo’ Norton Church.

Our talks programme runs from September to June, on the third Tuesday of the month, meeting at 2 p.m. at the Corn Hall in Diss.

The next talks are:

18 April: Victorian Women Stained Glass Artists

16 May: Art After Windrush: Postcolonial artists in Britain since 1948

The children were shown how to design ‘blueprints’ using natural and man-made materials as well as their own stencil designs. With the aid of an ultra-violet lamp and water the children watched in amazement as their designs were suddenly coloured a deep blue and white. The children’s work will be shown at the Library.

We run Special Interest Days twice a year: days when a knowledgeable and inspiring speaker talks in depth about a particular topic: most recently, in March, about the Art of Watercolour.

We also have two outings planned for this year: a day-trip to the privately owned Crow’s Hall and Bedfield Hall in Suffolk, on

20 June: Hitler’s Film-maker: Leni Riefenstahl

19 September: Painter and Plantsman: Cedric Morris, Irises and Beyond

There are many advantages to being a member of our Society: a bi-monthly enewsletter, zoomed art talks, three arts magazines a year, and companionship in whatever we do. If you’re interested, please contact us or come along to one of our talks at the Corn Hall.

For more details please visit the website: www.artsocdiss.org.uk or email

info@artsocdiss.org.uk

Raising Money for Nelson's Journey

Rosedale Funeral Home have always been huge supporters of Nelson's Journey as we appreciate the incredible work they do with bereaved children.

This year we are supporting Nelson's Journey - NJ25 campaign. This involves 20 businesses helping the charity to celebrate their 25th birthday.

On Saturday 3rd of June 2023, we are going to walk 25 miles along the beautiful Norfolk coast, from Weybourne to Sea Palling.

On the day, the majority of us will walk this route, some of us will run it, some will bike it and some may carry it out as a

relay. Other team members that are not able to join us on the day will walk the 25 miles over a two-week period. This will be a real team effort!

We are excited that as a team, we will push our own fitness to the limit, to raise money to fund a much-needed Child Bereavement Support Worker at Nelson's Journey. By doing this we hope to bring back smiles to even more children and young people.

If you would like to support us the link to our fundraising page is below:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ros edalefuneralhomenj25

Preventing Plastic Pollution

Did you know that around 80% of the plastic that eventually ends up in our oceans gets there via rivers?

The River Waveney Trust have been litter picking along the River Waveney between Diss and Beccles for the past six months. We have been contributing data to the ‘Preventing Plastic Pollution’ project (PPP), taking place across England and France. There have been six data gathering picks in Diss, some on the river from kayaks and some on foot collecting from the riverbanks.

The section of the Waveney that runs behind the supermarkets in Diss is a real litter hotspot. We have collected and recorded data on over 100kg of waste from this location. However, this is only a small fraction of the litter that is gathered there by River Waveney Trust and Frenze Beck volunteers. Morrisons responded to our request to put a bin at the back of their car park and by the riverside footpath, which has helped to reduce litter in the river.

As well as picking up litter, it’s vital we use our platform to get the message out there about the devastating impact plastic pollution has on wildlife. Entrapment, entanglement, being mistaken for food and polluting the water with harmful chemicals, are key problems. Plastic slowly breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces –micro plastics, these are more easily consumed by fish and other animals, providing no nutrition, causing only damage to their internal organs, leading to poor health and premature death. Please

dispose of your litter in a designated waste bin and think twice before leaving it on the ground.

Our next litter pick in Diss will be with pupils from Palgrave Primary School. We are keen to work with more school groups to explore the harms of plastic pollution and look at ways we can make our river and oceans healthier.

Thank you to all the volunteers that have supported this project! Litter picks and education about healthy rivers will continue beyond the end of the PPP project. If you want to get involved with any River Waveney Trust projects, we’d love to hear from you. Visit our website: www.riverwaveneytrust.org or email ange@riverwaveneytrust.org

Featuring live music, stalls and entertainment, this event at Diss Park on Saturday 2nd September at 2pm guarantees to please all ages!

Life Fest is a free music and arts festival hosted by Diss Baptist Church, celebrating the hope that we have in Jesus.

For more information contact Ben Mansfield 07968778666 or head over to the Diss Baptist Church Facebook page!

Silent Film Memories

There are few people still living who remember the silent films; but we have at least one in Diss.

Denis Clarke, born January 1926, used to walk from Thrandeston with his sisters to the original Picture House. As his grandfather, Edgar Stevens, owned the cinema, the family got free tickets. His great-grandfather had owned the site when it was Hewitt’s Meadow.

Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Laurel & Hardy were among Denis’s favourites. He used to write to film stars; and the family still has a collection of signed photos that he received.

The original cinema, built in 1915, was smaller and to the right of where the later building stood.

Denis remembers the impact of the Talkies, with Jessie Matthews in Evergreen, the first film at the New Picture House in 1934. He continued to go to films until the late 1940s,

when he helped to found the local Assembly of God Church, who did not then approve of films.

Denis was a guest of honour at the reopening of the museum, which is commemorating the Picture House on the 50th anniversary of its closure.

The exhibition recreates the experience of going to ‘the flicks’, with a large picture of the interior. Pride of place goes to the box office glass, on loan from The Grange Musical Collection at Palgrave. The museum tried, without success, to get a picture of Mrs. Jean Smith, who used to be in the box office. So museum member Mrs. Jan Smith impersonated her for the camera and can be seen behind the glass.

The display traces the history of the cinema, from silent films to closure in March 1973, including visits by wartime Home Secretary Herbert Morrison and poet laureate Sir John Betjeman.

Denis Clarke (centre), aged 97, with Diss Museum Manager Basil Abbott, dressed as Laurel & Hardy, with Denis's wife Josephine, in a cloche hat, as silent film pianist Ethel Rumsby.

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Community Cabinet calls out for collectables!

Do you have collectables, local memorabilia or stories you’d like to display in our Community Cabinet? We want to hear from you! Objects may come from your own collection or you may wish to explore the museum's collection to pursue a particular subject of interest. This opportunity provides a chance for members of the community to tell their own story, or reveal hidden stories from within the museum and to be involved with the display and presentation of their material. The aim is to continue the regularly changing showcase of local people's memorabilia, stories and or collections, with each display usually lasting for 6 – 8 weeks. Displays have consisted of everyday objects or the rare and unusual, as is evident in our first display of the 2023 season, which

highlights local finds from detectorists. The Diss Community Cabinet has been a central feature of Diss Museum since 2014, following a successful funding bid from SHARE Museum East. Previous displays include New Hall porcelain, Sweetheart handkerchiefs, War rations, Salvation Army anniversary, Women’s Institute, Rotary, Photo Elite, Cupiss, Norfolk Family History Society, Crystals, Locks & Keys, Diss Cyclathon, Thimbles, Decorative Tins, Village history - Garboldisham – to name just a few. We are now looking for potential participants in this project.

Please contact the Collections Managers by Email: disscollections@gmail.com or Telephone: Basil Abbott (Museum Manager) on 01379 673613

Keep in touch with nature – Volunteer at Quaker Wood

Back in 2006, the very first meetings were held to set up a Community Woodland for Diss and Roydon, now known as ‘Quaker Wood’. By Spring 2023, the result of all the hard work that followed is clear to see!

Quaker Wood is a 5.5 acre site and can be found along Factory Lane in Roydon. It comprises of young woodland, open spaces, a wildflower meadow, large pond and countless trees - both old and young. Home to plenty of wildlife, the site houses a wide variety of birds, insects and other wild creatures!

The wood is managed by Diss Community Woodland Project, a local volunteer group without any regular public funding. We hold ‘Working Parties’ on the first Saturday of every month, with new volunteers of any skill level welcome to join us!

The space is open every day for the quiet enjoyment of YOU, the local community, and for the benefit of the wildlife.

Volunteers also provide mornings and activities for young people to get involved in too, as well as special events held over the year including barbecues, competitions and guided bat-walks.

As we enter into Spring, keep an eye out for the many tadpoles appearing in our pond! They must be left alone to allow them to grow and develop of their own accord, but they are perfectly visible for all to see from our viewing platform!

Visit our website at www.quakerwood.org.uk, or find us on Facebook simply by searching for Quaker Wood!