Eye Magazine March 25

ISSUE 516

MARCH 2025

What’s inside Eye business features Church & Council news Eye on the BBC Andy Culyer Q&A 5 years from Covid What’s On EyeSpy

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EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 3

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W

elcome the latest Eye Magazine, it’s one year since I took over as editor of the magazine and Sharon designed a fantastic new look. The year has flown eating is on, by, we finish one issue it jumpers goes to and coats out and print and we are onto the next!

EY E M A G A Z INE | NO V EM B ER 2 02 4 | P A G E 5

Last year I was attending a funeral at St Peter & Paul’s Church here in Eye, I found myself rather bemused, I couldn’t stop looking at something very decorative behind the alter. I kept wondering fromin United Kingdom and how 40 plus years had I ever the Commonwealth. We will not noticed what I thought at remember them. the time was marble. So I spoke Sunday 10th November to Jackie Church who explained 3 Meet at fire station at 10.30am what I had seen and kindly asked 6 if in parade. Set off at 10.45am, 8 Peter to write marchLinsell-Fraser to town hall. Service at about the memorial and last post and it for us. You can find the article 12 13 minutes atsure 11am.IThen on pagesilence 36, I’m can’t be set off to the church for service 17 the only one who had wondered till about 12pm.

18 where it came from.

H

Contents 3

Cinema at Eye

6

Eye to star on BBC

Contents 8 Andy Culyer Q&A

November has definitely arrived. With it we This March it’s 5 years on since have the beautiful autumn the firstcolours lockdown, we had and sparkly, frosty to stay home, to social morninglearn and starry nights.

distance and we stood on our In this month’s very full Eye doorsteps and clapped forof Magazine we have lots the NHS.lovely We are back, ‘savelooking the dates’ coming up on in December, ready for reflecting an unprecedented Christmas and lots on in Eye in time, a slice of history.

21

November too.

At The Bank Centre forregular 4 Many Arts thanks to all the weeks, there is a chance to who see contributors and those have written in this issue. We an exhibition of photographs really interesting taken inhave the some Lockdowns 5 YEARS articles for the lead up to ON, LOCKDOWN IN EYE please Remembrance Day. Eye always come along and support it and has a great turn out for the Remembrance parade and you may see a few familiar faces. church service, where we can If you have never been in The all come together and we unite Bank it’s a great chance to pop across faiths, cultures and in and have a bite to and a backgrounds to eat remember drink, see exhibition maybe thethe service and sacrifice of Armed Forces Community even gothe with some friends.

12 Council News Cinema at Eye Lest we forget

13

Lucy’s News

17

Nature Notes

The Fabric Shop Q&A Council News

18 News Eye Town Moors Lucy’s

Meet Rangecroft 20Cllr.Are you speed aware?

Eye Town Moors

26 5 years on from Covid

Nature Notes

Strength training 26 The33 timing of remembrance

36 Redoros discovered

29 Dove River Church

River Church 30 We 39 needDove volunteers

34 Eye 41 Bowls Club Embracing mental 38 Health &well-being Fitness

41 Embracing mental 44 Regular events well-being

42 Regular 46 events Borneo expedition 45 What’s On

Wendy Aiken Wendy Aiken

EDITOR, EYE MAGAZINE EDITOR, EYE MAGAZINE editoreyemag@gmail.com editoreyemag@gmail.com

50 Spring word search

50 Fun Activities

50 50 EyeSpy

EyeSpy

Photography by Wendy Aiken | Magazine design by Sharon Teague, Outflux | Printed by Healeys Print Group

Photography by Wendy Aiken | Magazine design by Sharon Teague, Outflux | Printed by Healeys Print Group

Contact Contact us Us

EVENTS AND CONTENT EVENTS ANDEDITORIAL EDITORIAL CONTENT

Please email the editor at editoreyemag@gmail.com by 5 November

Please email the editor at editoreyemag@gmail.com by 5 March for for content to appear in the December / January issue. Entry to the content to appear the don’t Aprilforget issue.toEntry todate, the time, regular events listing regular events listing in is free, include location, contact information and a photo if you have one.description, isevent free,description, don’t forget to include date, time, location, event contact information and a photo if you have one.

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EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 6

C OMMUNIT Y ST OR IES

Eye to star in BBC’s ‘Extr E ye is set to play a starring role in the latest series of Extraordinary Portraits, currently showing on BBC1 and available on iPlayer.

Hosted by Bill Bailey – a keen artist and art lover himself – the programme pairs six ordinary people who have extraordinary stories with six leading British artists. Each episode follows the growing relationship between artist and sitter, while taking viewers behind the scenes to witness the creation of a striking portrait.

Multi-award winning artist Karen Turner, based in Eye, was approached last May to feature in the new series. She’s known for her bold and evocative portraits that explore how societal expectations constrain identity and ambition.

Karen was paired with Millie Anna Prelogar, a Windsorbased advocate for people with Down syndrome, Instagram influencer and actress.

Their journey began in June of last year, when Bill introduced them on camera for the first time. Over the following months, as Karen worked on the portrait in her Eye studio, the pair developed a natural bond. The filming brought Millie to Eye, where she and Bill explored the town with Karen, stopping at Caféye and using the Castle as a backdrop for a photo shoot to capture images to inform the portrait. A visit to The Fabric Shop provided props for their creative collaboration.

“Working on the show has been a brilliant opportunity to bring my work to a wider audience,” says Karen. “Millie’s commitment to challenging perceptions made this an incredibly special project, and being able to bring Millie, Bill and the cameras to Eye was a real thrill.”

Karen returned to painting during the pandemic after a 25 year break, focusing on bold portraits that challenge perceptions of larger bodies.

Her work has earned multiple awards, including the VAA Professional Artist Award and the Institute of East Anglian Artists President’s Prize, and has been featured alongside artists like Cindy Sherman on Double Dutch, the platform curated by photographers Inez and Vinoodh.

Karen left her day job in 2024 to paint full time and launch Go Large, a business helping other artists increase their visibility

EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 7

aordinary Portraits’ and create sustainable careers.

“Being part of Extraordinary Portraits shows how powerful it is when your work connects with the right opportunities,” says Karen. “Through Go Large, I’m sharing the strategies that worked for me, and helping other artists align their vision with meaningful recognition.”

Karen’s episode of Extraordinary Portraits, featuring scenes filmed around Eye including the Castle, Caféye and The Fabric Shop, will air on BBC1 on Friday 14th March at 7:30pm, and will be available afterwards on iPlayer. All six portraits from the

series will be exhibited together at Loading Bay in Bradford, as part of the Bradford City of Culture celebrations. The exhibition opens to the public on March 13th.

To see Karen’s work, visit karenturnerfineart.com Artists interested in learning how to stand out and attract opportunities can find out more at go-large.com.

“Working on the show has been a brilliant opportunity to bring my work to a wider audience”

EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 8

EYE B US INESS FEAT UR E

Andy Culyer O

&

ur Q&A is with Andy Culyer of Pyefinch Pictures, Andy’s family goes back generations in Eye. Andy is a talented craftsman, framing with precision and an amazing eye for colour and details.

Q. Can you tell us a little family background/history in Eye? A. I was born in Hartismere Hospital and at the time , we lived in what is now Oak Crescent. My grandfather ran a grocery shop in what is the Charity shop these days and when he died in 1956, my father took over the shop and the family all moved to the house attached to the shop. My father was never really happy running the shop and my mother used to call him the reluctant grocer and, not surprisingly, neither my brother or myself had any intention of running the shop as we both had jobs. However, when my mother died in 1984, the shop closed and was let as a tack shop.

Q. How did you begin to frame pictures and when?

A. Sarah Pyefinch ran the tack shop and this is how our paths crossed, at the time I was a local government officer working for Mid Suffolk District Council, and this set up continued until 1991 when Sarah ceased to work in the shop and began painting pictures of animals for a living and it wasn’t until the mid 1990s that she started to think about framing her pictures herself. She began

the business, which I now run, after I was made redundant in 2002, and then the thought of becoming a framer started.

What set me on my path was a visit to a trade fair in the NEC and once I had seen the machines which are essential in this business, I bought them and I started out on my own in 2003.

Q. What was the toughest thing about framing for you to get the hang of?

A. Everything changed in 2007 when Sarah became ill and in May, I had gone out to collect some of her pictures which were entered in an exhibition in Hadleigh, when I returned she was dead and life has not been the same since. She died of deep vein thrombosis and the one part of making frames which I had not learnt was to cut mounts. I will always be indebted to Carolla Settle who is a framer from Gislingham and she showed me what I needed

“the customer was so pleased that I have had several jobs as a result”

EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 9

to know. It is like a lot of things, you never stop learning.

My mother used to paint pictures for her own pleasure and I am sure that I must have inherited some talent, which helps me deciding how a picture should be framed with the correct colour mount etc.

Q. What’s the hardest thing you’ve had to frame?

A The most difficult job I have had was a couple of years ago when I was asked for frame 24 Formula One driver’s passes which were all signed and from several years ago, one was the pass of Michael Schumacher.

This job took ages to do and get it right but in the end, the customer was so pleased that I have had several jobs as a result.

Q. Can you share what you love about working and living in Eye? A. As for what attracts me to living in Eye, I struggle to give you an answer on that . I guess that I have not known anywhere else but things have just happened which have decided my fate and I have just gone along with them. When the shop downstairs became empty in 2018, I knew that I would have a job letting it, but then the Charity Shop which was next door in a tiny shop were looking for a bigger shop, it just happened.

Q. You’ve been instrumental in ‘The 5 years since covid exhibition’ framing all the photos. Looking back to the first lockdown, how was it for you?

A. During Covid, I did wonder what I was going to do with myself and then on the day before lockdown, I had a customer bring in 40 pictures he wanted framing and this kept me going. I didn’t see anyone for a few weeks, but Helen in the Chocolate Shop kept sending me texts and that kept me occupied.

Andy Culyer, Pyefinch Picture Framing, ?? Broad Street

EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 10

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EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 12

Council news B y the time you read this, Eye Town Council will have welcomed two new councillors to the team: Brian Lewis and Jackie Hunt. Both volunteered in January and were co-opted at the February council meeting.

Please be aware that we are all volunteers, unpaid and very often rely on expert opinion outside the Council as we are not all experts in every area the Council covers.

Which segues nicely to the issue of Phase 2 of the Persimmon development on the airfield.

We are still not happy with the application and do not accept a return to the original plan as a concession from the applicant.

It should also be pointed out that the negotiations covering bricks for the cemetery rose garden and a grant of £5000 from Persimmon for the cemetery is not illegal or indicative of backhanders.

These agreements were made under previous Council administrations but were/ are acceptable. ETC opposed certain changes to Phase 1 (which were upheld) and continue to oppose aspects of Phase 2. If it isn’t right, we will say so and continue to do so. But, equally, Persimmons

has upheld their promised obligations despite opposition from the Council to parts of their building plans.

We are currently opposing the development of two battery storage units (one technically in Yaxley but on Castleton Way and one on Progress Way). Your opinions would be helpful on how we move forward. Get in touch. Are you in favour of these units or not? We need to know what you think.

newspapers, we have had the Police conclude there is no transphobia or other related discrimination occurring in Eye town, on Eye Town Council or by any councillor and the case was closed in January.

But most of all, as Mayor, I would like to acknowledge how great our town is. We have all rallied together to help our primary school when their heating oil was stolen. We have helped in solving the shoplifting at the Handyman. We came together in 2024 to help a non UK resident find her great uncle’s grave and saw how she finally was able to visit his grave which had been looked after by residents after the appeal for help was made. I know that between writing this and it being published some other amazing things will have taken place.

Keep an EYE out for our VE day party on 10 May and our (only slightly) smaller VJ day party this summer.

We are very blessed to have a community full of talent willing to donate time and effort to make these celebrations possible.

On a serious note, despite some articles in the local

Tunie Brandon Eye Mayor

EYE TOWN COUNCIL, VOLUNTEER CENTRE, 20 BROAD STREET, EYE, SUFFOLK, IP23 7AF TOWN CLERK: Michelle Salazar | Tel: 07713 196251 | Email: townclerk@eyesuffolk.org OC

ULU

S - IN - COE

EYE

LU M

Website: www.eyesuffolk.org Facebook: eyetowncouncil

EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 13

Lucy’s News TREES, TREES, TREES

L

heatingbildeston.uk or www. hadleighheat.org/ to see what others are doing.

The District Council provides free trees and wildflower plants for public places. Let me know if there’s a space near you – it doesn’t have to be large, it could be a couple of ‘street trees’. The District Council’s Biodiversity Officer can advise on what species to plant and how to care for them.

The County Council’s Food Savvy team have loads of tips and recipes to prevent food waste. See www. suffolkrecycling.org.uk/reducereuse/food-waste and www. foodsavvy.org.uk

et’s get more trees planted! Are there places we could plant more trees in and around Eye?

Expecting a baby in your family this year? You can claim your free Tree for Life from the District Council. Hundreds of these trees have been planted in recent years, to celebrate Mid Suffolk’s newest residents. To apply, see www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/w/treefor-life (applications are usually over the Autumn and Winter.)

HEATING AND ENERGY Mid Suffolk Council’s Cosy Homes project helps residents to insulate their homes and reduce energy bills. Could your home be eligible? Find out more here: www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/w/ mid-suffolk-cosy-homes With energy bills rising, some communities are setting up their own community-owned projects to reduce energy use or even generate their own energy. Could that work for us in Eye? Central Suffolk Community Energy works with our local Councils to provide information and ideas: www. csceuk.org Have a look at www.

REDUCING WASTE AND RECYCLING

Did you know Eye has its own Community Fridge, run by local volunteers? If you’ve got any food that might go to waste, please do leave it in the fridge (located just inside Eye Library) for someone else to enjoy.

We have recycling points in Buckshorn car park – what else could we be recycling in town?

GREEN SPACES AND RIVERS If you’ve walked along the river by the Fire Station recently, you’ll have seen the hard work of the Eye Outdoors Group. Their project to improve the Beck is bringing back water voles, egrets and kingfishers to the centre of town. New helpers welcome (contact Maryanne on

07935 846542). Eye Town Moors and Woods Society meets monthly to care for the town woodland (see Phil’s article for details). The new Love the Dove group is working with the River Waveney Trust to test water quality, with monthly meet ups (contact Lucy - 07970 589 436) I could write several more pages – there is so much we can do together to look after each other, and the planet.

There is funding available for environmental and community projects in and around Eye, such as the Eye Turbines Fund and several District Council grants.

Most community projects start with just a couple of people saying ‘wouldn’t it be great if…’

So, if you’ve got an idea, please do get in touch - let’s see if we can make it happen!

For District Council issues, please contact me and I will try my best to help: email lucy.elkin@midsuffolk.gov.uk or phone 07928 512590 For news and updates, find me on Facebook at www.facebook. com/CllrLucy See you soon, Lucy

(District Councillor for Eye, Occold and Redlingfield)

EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 14

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EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 17

Nature Notes Seconds away. Round one.

Brown hares are renowned for their lively, energetic behaviour, and in March, they become especially famous for their frantic “boxing” matches.

This is part of their mating season, with the males (bucks) actively searching for females (does) who are ready to mate. The boxing usually happens when a male is being overly persistent, chasing a female across the fields in his attempt to court her. When the female’s had enough, she’ll turn and fight back, leading to an intense, back-and-forth boxing match. This playful sparring can continue for weeks!

Adrian Barnard | www.wildhaven.art

EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 18

The Eye Town Moors Woodland Society PHILLIP WILCOX-MOORE, CHAIR, EYE TOWN MOORS WOODLAND SOCIETY forward. This dedicated team is committed to ensuring the woods continue to thrive as a space for nature and the community. Alongside this, our fantastic group of volunteers has been growing, with many bringing essential skills that will help us maintain and improve the site for all to enjoy.

W

ow, it’s now March and we’re well into 2025! So, as it’s my first article of the new year all at the ETMWS would like to wish everyone a very happy and healthy New Year.

The new year is a time for new beginnings, and for many the setting of goals for the months ahead. It’s the perfect time for me to reflect on the progress that has been made at the woods over the past twelve months and to look ahead to an exciting future. Our small team, which has long been dedicated to preserving and enhancing this unique community space, has been busily preparing the ground for what we hope will be a year of action in 2025.

Last year was a time of transition and renewal for the ETMWS. We established a new trustee group, bringing together individuals with deep knowledge of the site and fresh expertise to drive the charity

One of our biggest steps forward has been engaging more closely with the local community. We recently completed a community survey designed to better understand how people use the woods, what they value most about it, and what improvements they’d like to see. If you haven’t yet taken part, we’d love to hear from you—just scan the QR

code at the end of this article to share your thoughts. The more feedback we receive, the better we can shape the future of the woods to meet our needs.

Collaboration has also been a key focus for us. Over the past year, we’ve built strong partnerships with specialists from the Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, and local authority biodiversity teams.

Their expert guidance has been invaluable in shaping our action plan, which includes vital work on woodland management, natural flood resilience, habitat improvements, as well as essential long-term upgrades to paths and bridges that will dramatically improve accessibility to the woods.

EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 19

Looking ahead to 2025, we’re eager to put these plans into action. Securing funding is a top priority for us, and we’re working hard on grant applications to support the essential work needed to restore and enhance the site. More than ever, we want this space to be at the heart of the community, shaped by those who use and cherish it.

And, of course, we’re looking forward to welcoming more

people to the woods through community events. Keep an eye out for upcoming activities, including (fingers crossed!) an Easter egg hunt in the woods this spring. We’d love to see you there!

There is plenty of work ahead, but with the dedication of our trustees, volunteers, and the wider community, we’re confident that 2025 will be a year of meaningful, visible

progress. Thank you for your support—we can’t wait to see what we can achieve together.

Have your say! Scan the QR code to complete our community survey and help shape the future of the woods.

The Eye Town Moors Woodland Society meets at 10am, at the west side of the Community Centre car park, on the third Sunday of every month. Our next working party is scheduled for 16th March.

Please contact Chris Willoughby: tollgate53@icloud.com or Phillip Wilcox-Moore philwilcox2@gmail.com for more information

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EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 20

Are you ‘speed aware’?

Q

uite recently I got caught by the police cameras pootllng along at 34mph, but it should have been 30mph.

The consequence - I had to attend a speed awareness course which cost me about £90 and 5 hours of my life. Had I been going much faster it would be points on my licence and fines.

You may say you always spot the mobile cameras, but eventually you will miss one and they won’t miss you, which brings me round to speeding in Eye and particularly Magdelen Street.

The police have recently run a survey on vehicle speeds in the 30mph zone of Magdelen Street.

This is a stretch of about 200 metres between the Chicken Factory and the southern end of the Town Moors Woodland.

They put a radar scanner at

SPEEDING

BY TRAFFIC GOING OUT OF EYE

the entrance to the Community Centre and found over 70% of cars and vans were exceeding the 30mph limit going out of town and about 50% on the way into town. Nearly 40% of lorries going out of town and 30% going into town were over the limit.

Not all of these ‘offenders’ were so much over 30mph as to incur prosecution, but even small increases in speed dramatically affect braking distance.

16% of cars were over 40mph on the way out with a max of 63mph, with about 13% over 40mph and a max of 58mph on the way in.

So the boys in blue will be back with their camera vans to discourage speeding and encourage observance of speed limits.

Exceeding speed limits in Eye saves very little time for the 200 metres of 20mph limit driving at 30mph could save you about 10 seconds, with a similar saving for 40mph in the 30mph area. As my wife says when we are overtaken by a speeding motorist “should have got up earlier”.

Chris Willoughby

% of vehicles

% over 30

% over 34

%over 39

Maximum speed

Bikes/motorbikes < 2.8 m

0.8

52.5

37.5

15.0

56

Cars/small vans 2.9 - 5.2 m

62.2

75.7

45.5

16.6

63

Large vans

21.7

72.3

41.4

14.9

60

15.4

39.1

15.6

3.9

54

% of vehicles

% over 30

% over 34

%over 39

Maximum speed

Bikes/motorbikes < 2.8 m

0.7

29.4

9.7

8.8

50

Cars/small vans 2.9 - 5.2 m

66.4

62.9

36.2

12.5

58

Large vans

15.6

40.4

15.5

4.1

55

17.4

29.6

12.1

2.0

48

5.3 to 6.4 m

HGVS >6.5 m

SPEEDING

BY TRAFFIC COMING INTO EYE

So think about it - could you stop if a pedestrian steps out from behind a parked car or a car pulls out from the Community Centre?

I am consciously trying more to keep to speed limits, perhaps we all should.

You have been warned.

Vehicle class

So what did I learn on the speed awareness course? The Highway Code quotes typical braking distances (ignoring the distance take to react) as 6, 14 and 24 metres for a car travelling at 20, 30 and 40mph.

Vehicle class

5.3 to 6.4 m

HGVS >6.5 m

YELLOW percentage of drivers exceeding the 30mph speed limit

ORANGE percentage of drivers liable to speed correction course

RED percentage of drivers liable for fine/points on licence

EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 21

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EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 26

SUSAN WHYMARK Funeral Director

M

y experience in the Covid 19 pandemic was one of the most terrifying things I had to face.

As the owner of a business, particularly a funeral service, your role is constant caretaker of families, their loved ones and friends and your staff.

The day I heard about lockdown I had no idea how or if everyone and everything I knew would survive. I learned another level of resilience and was honoured and humbled to witness the resilience of very bereaved people coping with their world being turned upside down when the whole world was turned upside down.

MELISSA GOODERHAM | Fleurs Artisan “Give up! Or carry on regardless?”

Personally I lived in my conservatory for 5 months alone to keep my family safe as I worked frontline. Words will never express my feelings about that time, needless to say, all I saw, did and lived through will never leave me.

Five year from Co

JANICE PYM | Local resident

W

e had the idea of the ‘Teddy Bear’ stories when we were all asked to put Teddies in our windows to give the children something to look for on their daily walks.

The only teddies we had were small ones and wouldn’t have been seen if we had put them in the window, so we decided to dig out the teddies we had and make up a little story each day.

It was lovely to see the children stop, search for the teddies and then read the stories. One mum even said it had helped her little boy to keep up with his reading. We had a lot of fun doing it and I am glad that other people enjoyed it too.

EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 27

NATALIE DUKE | Local resident

L

ockdown was a tough time for everyone and a few years we will remember for our own personal reasons. As a self-employed mum I found it a massive challenge that I wasn’t equipped for.

I’m a local Slimming World Consultant for four towns and villages so to move such an in person and sociable business to a virtual one came with countless difficulties, financially, mentally, technical issues and emotionally for me and all of my members.

rs on ovid SUE ELSDEN

Families Together “Monday 12th April 2021, we finally reopened as did, pubs, gyms and hairdressers. It was lovely to see the shop busy again.

Many customers remarked how they had missed coming in and it made me realise how important our shop had become as a big part of the Eye community”

Keeping people motivated was not easy. With the power of zoom we got through it together. Home schooling was by far one of the most challenging of all, with my eight-year-old daughter Angel who really did not want to do school work at home, she just wanted to play and enjoy the sunshine. It really did have an impact on the mind set of everybody and our mental health. But we got through it with daily walks lots of calls with friends and family and making our own fun, we found a new love for Diamond art and many other crafty things.

One day my daughter and my neighbours daughter Ellie decided to start drawing and chalk on our connected driveways, my next door neighbour Zoe was an NHS worker herself so we were in a bubble together as I looked after her daughter whilst she was at work, we decided what we were facing with the pandemic was just a touch on what our NHS workers were dealing with and facing every single day. So we wanted to do a tribute to them, something on top of the clap of gratitude that bonded Oak Crescent together each week.

So the NHS rainbow ‘Muriel’ started, with the four of us working as a team over five days this was our gift to them to say thank you and how amazing they are. It certainly attracted the attention of all who passed by. We are so proud of our girls, Angel and Ellie for wanting to show their support and thanks to all our NHS workers, a memory we will always have with a smile through such a hard time, but a time we all came together to help and support each other in a new way. We used a lot of chalk!

EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 28

EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 29

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EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 3 1

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EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 3 2

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Strength training THE INCREDIBLE BENEFITS OF STRENGTH TRAINING FOR WOMEN - SO WHY AREN’T MORE OF YOU DOING IT?

By Faye Castle, Personal Trainer and Nutritional Therapist

L

adies, you need to be lifting! If you’re searching for an anti-ageing ‘product’, then strength training is the one for you.

SO WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF STRENGTH TRAINING FOR WOMEN? As we age we naturally lose muscle, usually from our midthirties and the rate of muscle loss increases with age - unless you do something about it!

osteoporosis. Lifting weights will increase your bone density and reduce your risk of breaks and fractures.

You may have heard the term ‘metabolic health’.

This simply means having a healthy metabolism. This is how your body responds to food (managing blood sugar spikes), how you exercise, your sleep and your stress levels. It’s important for overall health.

Unfortunately, women have been brainwashed with the idea that we should be thin and therefore cardiovascular exercises and low fat diets have been the focus. Sadly, this type of eating and exercising only exacerbates muscle loss and does not promote overall good health.

Instead focusing on eating more absorbable protein and adding strength training into your regular routine will bring about far greater health benefits.

Our muscles provide cushioning for our joints, so it’s no surprise that with muscle loss comes joint pain. Improving your muscle mass will help support joints and of course whilst it’s never too late to start lifting weights (everyone can build muscle), the earlier you start the less likely you will experience joint pain.

With the loss of muscle comes the loss of bone density. This can lead to osteopenia and

Strength training improves metabolic health by improving metabolic efficiency, reducing your risk of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease and dementia.

What you may find surprising is that strength training has also been shown to reduce anxiety, depression and overall mood; so good for your mental health too.

Neglecting strength training will lead to weaker bones, reduced metabolic efficiency, and an increased risk of injuries. But, regular strength training has been shown to reduce mortality

in women by nearly 20%*.

We must make time for ourselves, even if it’s just fifteen minutes per day.

Muscles can be built but they can also still be lost if regular strength train cannot be maintained. It takes just two weeks of not strength training to start losing muscle again. So consistency is key and ideally should be performed at least twice a week for the rest of your life.

There is help available; whether a class or a personal trainer, make sure that the program is suitable for the point at which your are starting and allows for progression. Without progression your body will not reap the benefits of strength training. A good trainer will know what weight you should be lifting and will correct you if the weight is too heavy or too light.

Good form is paramount if you are to avoid injury and train the right muscles.

So what are you waiting for?

Strength training is your ‘silver bullet’ for longevity! *Journal of the American College of Cardiology I am a Personal Trainer and Nutritional Therapist. Educating women and older people about the benefits of lifting weights is my passion. Classes, small groups and Personal Training available.

Contact me on 07885 659360.

EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 3 4

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EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 3 6

A reredos rediscovered A REREDOS IS A USUALLY ORNATE SCREEN OR WALL BEHIND THE ALTAR IN A CHURCH BY As part of the process, the large curtain behind the Altar had to be removed so that the contractors could work around that area unimpeded. In the event, it was discovered that the curtain, having been in place for many decades, almost removed itself – it literally fell apart at the seams!

But what was discovered behind it – hidden from view for many decades – was a beautiful and elaborately carved reredos, mounted on a marble backing.

It shows the figure of Christ, Ascending into Heaven, attended by His eleven disciples.

Subsequent research shows that this was erected in 1908 in memory of Major The Honourable Edward Reginald Bateman-Hanbury (1858–1907) by ‘His family and many friends’. The carving was designed by the then Vicar, Revd. John Pritchitt (incumbent 1904–1907).

RE-ORDERING Many older churches have been re-ordered over the years – Eye church several times. But one of the most significant was that by the architect Sir Ninian Comper (1864–1960), one of the last of the great Gothic Revival architects. His work almost entirely focused on the design, restoration and embellishment of churches.

A

t Ss Peter & Paul Church in Eye, there wasn’t one! Instead, there was a huge curtain hanging from just below the Great East Window and right down to the floor – a sort of dark yellow/ochre colour. It was fine insofar as it went because one’s view fell onto the High Altar and the black marble gradine (on which are placed the Altar candles) just behind the Altar.

During the course of 2024, the Church embarked on a major project of internal restoration including high-level cleaning and repainting – some may recall that the whole building was occupied with scaffolding. It was a huge project that took several months to complete.

EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 3 7

Comper re-ordered much of the Eye Church interior in the late 1920s/early 1930s. Part of this work was to redesign and replace the Great East Window (above the High Altar). It seems that this replacement necessitated the trimming-off of part of the uppermost decoration of the reredos in order to enable the new window to be put in place from the inside. Whether this spoiling of the upper section precipitated Comper’s desire to cover the whole with a curtain remains a matter of speculation.

Anyway, from this point in about 1930, the 1908 reredos disappeared from public view - until 2024!

FAMILY HISTORY Edward Batemen-Hanbury was a son of William, Lord Bateman and Lady Agnes Bateman (née) Kerrison, and one of eleven siblings. He was a Major in The Rifle Brigade (his cause of death isn’t known).

In the nave of Hoxne Church is a wall memorial to Agnes Burrell Bateman-Hanbury [1831-1918] who was the daughter of Sir Edward Kerrison [1776-1853] and his wife Mary Martha Ellice [17931860]. She was married to William BatemanHanbury [1826-1901] 2nd Baron Bateman. The Bateman family was seated at Shobdon Court, Herefordshire and married into the Hanbury family of Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire.

Agnes inherited the Oakley Park Estate from her brother Sir Edward Clarence Kerrison [1821-1886] who was married to Caroline Fox-Strangways [d.1895] but had no issue. As we have noted, William and Agnes had eleven children.

The Estate itself was large and included much of Oakley, Brome, Eye, Hoxne and Denham. By 1921, the Estate had become financially unviable having in place large mortgage debts, presumably to meet previous Death Duties (Lady Agnes died in 1918). Eventually, The Oakley Park Estate was sold and segmented for diverse purposes.

LEGACY There is little doubt that Eye Church is one of the finest examples of a medieval church building in Suffolk with its magnificent interior and imposing tower – now made even finer by the rediscovery of the beautiful reredos.

The Church is open to visitors most days between about 10 am and 4 pm – it’s well worth a visit!

Peter Linsell-Fraser

EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 3 8

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EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 3 9

Dove River Church THOU SHALT NOT SPEED

anyone else’. Just a few of the things we tell ourselves.

Jesus knew that to live abundant life is to live as close to God as possible. We need to learn to trust the limits that God has set for us because inside those limits is true freedom.

Think of it like this; You are free to jump off a cliff without a parachute. But your freedom will last only as long as it takes for you to hit the ground.

I

regularly drive long distance journeys and often find a queue forming behind me, even though I’m driving at the speed limit. It seems the majority of people are happy to drive faster than the limits set on the roads.

In-car navigation systems tell you where the speed cameras are and often you will be warned by other drivers if there is a mobile camera unit out on the roads. We understand that there are consequences for breaking the rules, but perhaps we think we shouldn’t face those consequences.

In discussions with people there are a number of reasons why they think it’s ok to break the speed limit.

‘The speed limit on that road isn’t correct anyway’, ‘I’m a really good driver, even at high speed’, ‘I’ll be able to react if there’s a problem, my car has really good brakes’, ‘Speeding isn’t one of

the really bad crimes’.

Some people believe Christianity limits your fun. There are so many rules in place to stop you from doing things you might enjoy. As a society we are diving deeper into concepts that sound like freedom but are actually restricting us by keeping us away from God. ‘You can be whoever you want to be’, a phrase that sounds like freedom, but actually leaves us following our feelings, not the truth of God’s word. In that style of living, we become more lost than we were before.

‘I know how to look after myself’, ‘I’ll be able to sort it if things go wrong’, ‘I know what’s best for me’, ‘It’s not like I’m hurting

“God sets limits to protect us and those around us”

God sets limits to protect us and those around us. We need to return to God’s truth, his word, as we navigate a world today where we have access to more information than ever before, but yet the truth seems increasingly elusive.

I recently watched the documentary ‘I’m Tim’ following Tim Bergling, aka Avicii, as he rose to success in the music industry but struggled with his mental health resulting in his death in 2018. The fame and fortune had brought him everything he wanted, but meant that he lacked what he needed, which was an anchor in the midst of all the ‘life’ he was living.

Maybe it’s time to consider the speed at which your life is moving. Sometimes you need to drop anchor and take a moment…and an anchor needs a solid ground to hold onto. To realise you need an anchor point is to admit that you don’t have all the answers, and to trust in God as the firm foundation is true liberty.

Joe Aiken

EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 4 0

EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 4 1

EMB RACING M ENT AL W E L L - B EIN G

The impact of Covid ON GRIEF AND OUR MENTAL HEALTH

by Anne Beckett-Allen, Director of Rosedale Funeral Home and Mental health First Aid Instructor

I

remember so clearly the week when people over the age of 70 were told to selfisolate because of the Covid 19 pandemic.

My mobile phone started ringing as one by one members of our pall bearing team called me to apologise that they would be unable to come into work, as they had to stay at home.

This was the first of many challenges that our team of staff had to overcome and over the coming weeks and months the guidance and rules around funerals kept changing.

It almost seems surreal to look back on the many challenges that we were working in the midst of, which included: educating ourselves and then enabling families to arrange funerals over zoom; splitting our teams in half and sending one half home to work to reduce the risk of everyone getting the virus at the same time; sourcing the correct PPE for the staff who care for the deceased in the mortuary; cancelling face to face bereavement support groups and trying to source black face masks that looked in keeping with our funeral uniform seem a hazy memory.

There is never a good time for anyone to be bereaved, but for those whose loved ones died during the pandemic, many individuals were unable to be with them during their

final moments. On top of that, lockdowns and social distancing measures severely restricted traditional mourning rituals, and funerals and memorial services at this time where unlike anything any one had ever seen before. Our inability to take part in customary grieving practices has for many made it very difficult to process their grief and has led to feelings of isolation and unresolved grief.

The pandemic strained many mental health support services and many bereaved individuals did not receive counselling or mental health support, despite experiencing extensive needs.

The combination of sudden loss, inability to perform traditional rituals, and limited access to support has led to increased mental health challenges among the bereaved. Feelings of isolation, anxiety, and depression have

been commonly reported, underscoring the need for comprehensive mental health support tailored to those affected by pandemic-related bereavement.

Despite all this, there has been a notable shift in societal attitudes toward grief. One study found that around one in five adults now feel more comfortable discussing grief. We hope this increased openness may lead to more supportive environments for the bereaved in the future, and with this in mind, five years on, Wendy’s photographic exhibition at the Bank in Eye is a timely reminder to look back and reflect, and it felt fitting for Rosedale to support and sponsor the memorial wall.

When Wendy’s exhibition opens, Rosedale have provided a memorial tree for the bereaved to hang messages on, and the opportunity to take away a memorial candle to light.

Anyone who remembers Nutbrown Hare that Rosedale sponsored Wendy to create for the Eye Art Trail will be pleased to know that this piece of Eye history is on loan from the library as part of the exhibition and we also plan to make bereavement resources available to take away for anyone who feels they could benefit from them.

The exhibition runs from 5th–29th March.

EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 4 2

Regular events MONDAY

1st Eye Cub Scouts Every Monday during term-time from 6.30-8pm for boys and girls aged 8-10½ years old at Scout Headquarters on Wellington Road.

Juliet Grimes juliet@eyescouts.org.uk Eye and District Cricket Club Coaching young players (girls and boys) during the season at our ground in Ludgate Causeway.

Mark Willowe 07927 286600 Ladies Fitness Football 6-7pm at Eye Community Centre. No need to know anything about football, just the ability to kick a ball and have fun. Any questions contact Kev Crispin on 07857662528 Multiple Sclerosis Society Coffee Mornings Every second Monday in the month at the Michael Burke Centre 10.30am-1pm, £1. Just drop in. Share experiences and learn more about MS. Contact Sue.Childs@groups.mssociety.org.uk tel 07518 288378 Strength Training At Eye Community Centre. 9.30am: Over 60s Strength Training. 6.30pm: Women’s Strength Training. Contact Faye on 07885 659360.

TUESDAY

1st Eye Scouts Every Tuesday during term-time from 7.30-9.15pm for boys and girls aged 10½-14 years at Scout Headquarters on Wellington Road.

Juliet Grimes juliet@eyescouts.org.uk Carers Café at Hartismere Place Starting on the 7 January 2025. First Tuesday of the month from 11am-12.30pm. Free monthly support group to meet other carers in a relaxed and friendly environment, whilst enjoying complimentary refreshments including soup and a roll. For more information or to book a place please call Angela at the home on 01379 873950 Dove Social Club Over 18s Tuesdays in term-time only come in for a chat and relaxing afternoon in the Dove Hall, Dove Lane from 2-4pm. Jonathan and Jenny Pooley 01379 870173 / 07816 090857

Elderflower Club Last Tuesday of the month at Eye Community Centre 2-4pm. Time for chatting, laughter, tea and cake. All welcome - friends and helpers. Local lifts available. Tricia Brown 01379 871959 Eye Bridge Club Weekly duplicate sessions on Tuesdays in Eye Town Hall. Please arrive by 1.25pm for a prompt 1.30pm start. Mike Barr 01379 870853 Eye District Badminton Club Badminton at Hoxne Village Hall, Tuesday mornings 9.30-11.30am, for beginners/ intermediates & returners of all ages. John or Steph Dakin on 07904910284.

Eye Garden Club Every second Tuesday in the month at 2pm. The venues vary, but they are usually at the homes of our members. Tricia Brown, 01379 871959..

Little Doves Toddler Group Baby and toddler group for parents/grandparents in term time 9.15-11.15am in Dove Hall Sing for Wellbeing 1st Tuesday of the month, 7.30-9pm The Hexagon.

01379 678483, clare@theblossomcharity.co.uk Teresa Marsh Dance Classes For beginners at the Community Centre 8-9pm Well-Being Walks (Onelife Suffolk) First Tuesday each month 1½ hr easy pace walk.

Meet 10.30am Pennings Nature Reserve, IP23 7NH. Book online: onelifesuffolk.co.uk search well-being walks. Maryanne Henderson.

Email: outdoorseye@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY

1st Eye Beaver Scouts Wednesday during term-time from 5.30-7pm

EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 4 3

for boys and girls aged 6-8 years old at Scout Headquarters on Wellington Road. Contact Juliet Grimes 01379 668088 or juliet@eyescouts.org.uk

babies up to walking age. Free, register before coming call Lauren on 07925 138383 or email lauren@familiestogethersuffolk.org.uk

1st Eye Brownies Wednesday during term time from 6.15-7.30pm at The Stoke Ash Centre. Helen Soper helenj.soper@talktalk.net

Folk Night at The Bank Monthly 2nd Wednesday 7.15-10pm. Bring your own instruments and take part, or enjoy listening. £3 contribution requested.

1st Eye Guides Wednesday during term time 7.15-8.45pm at The Stoke Ash Centre. Louise Clifford eyeguidessuffolk@gmail.com

Kettlebell Training by R Fitness Wednesday 9am at The Pennings. Contact Richard Balaam 07970 328052.

1st Eye Rangers Wednesday during term time 7.15-8.45pm at The Stoke Ash Centre. Louise Clifford eyeguidessuffolk@gmail.com 2nd Eye Rainbows Wednesday during term time from 5:30-6:30pm at The Stoke Ash Centre. Helen Soper helenj.soper@talktalk.net Art Group at The Bank Every Wednesday 10am-1pm. Weekly drop-in group. Bring your own materials and meet likeminded creatives!

Barclays Bank Here to help at Eye Library 10am-4pm (no cash or print facility) Box Fit by R Fitness Wednesday 6.40pm (term time) at Dove Hall.

Contact Richard Balaam 07970 328052.

Busy Bees Knit & Natter at The Bank Fortnightly on Wednesdays at 1.15-3.15pm. July 3rd, July 17th &July 31st. Friendly drop-in group. All abilities welcome. £2 per person. 07931 538548 busybeesknitandnatter@gmail.com Eye Country Market Every Wednesday in Eye Town Hall (excluding January), usual hours 10-11.30am. Everyone welcome. Sally Sparrow 01379 873315 Eye Karate and Fitness Club All ages and abilities welcome. Juniors 6-7pm, adults 7-8pm Eye Saints Community Boules Club Come and join us on Wednesday and Sunday between 10am and 12noon on the playing fields at Eye Community Centre Contact. Ian 07528 907114 or Eira eirajane@btinternet.com 07974 420206 Families Together Suffolk ‘Chill, Chat and Play’ group in The Michael Burke Wellbeing Centre each week 1.30-3pm. This group supports parents to be and parents with young

THURSDAY

Diss u3a 1st Thursday monthly at URC on Mere Street, Diss.

Guests welcome. www.dissu3a.org.uk or contact Tony Callender 01379 651259 Eye Arts Guild Every Thursday at Eye Bowls Club 10am-12.30pm for practice and tutored sessions with outdoor sessions in summer. Contact Harriet Bowes hb.challinor@gmail.com Eye Women’s Institute 2nd Thursday of month at 2pm, Eye Community Centre. Lynn Clark (Secretary) 07736 407195 Friendship Group Every Thursday 10am-12pm. Michael Burke Centre.

Contact Joan Gilbey 07855191471 Poetry Evening at The Bank Monthly 3rd Thursday from 7pm ONLINE. Online meet up to enjoy poetry. Read, contribute or just listen along. Voluntary donation appreciated.

Please book online.

FRIDAY

Cinema at Eye 4th Friday of each month except December.

7.30pm at Eye Community Centre.

Kit Brinkley 07947 414968 Citizen’s Advice Mid Suffolk Face to Face Advice Sessions Drop-into Eye Library Free every Friday morning 9am-12.30pm.

01449 676060 or advice@midsuffolkcab.org.uk Dance with Jane Dance! Stretch! Well-being! 2-3pm £5 Eye Town Hall. Please use back door. Enquiries 07714006470 Explorer Scout Unit Every Friday during term time from 7.30-9.30pm for boys and girls aged 14-18 years old at Scout Headquarters on Wellington Road.

Emma Tamsett emma@eyescouts.org.uk

EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 4 4

Regular events cont.

Eye Archives You are welcome to come to see the archives at the Michael Burke Wellbeing Centre on a Friday.

Contact Anne Willoughby 01379 870298 for details.

Eye Bach Choir Rehearsals every Fridays during term time 7.309.30pm. Eye Town Hall. New members welcome.

Enquiries: membership@eyebachchoir.co.uk Eye Cricket Club Seniors Seniors nets Fridays from 6:15pm until dark starting on Friday, May 3 and subsequent Fridays. New members welcome to come along.

Contact Ross Stannard 07590994001 Eye Karate and Fitness Club All ages and abilities welcome. Juniors 6.307.30pm. Adults 7.30-8.30pm

Hexagon. Presented by Susan Whymark Funeral Services. 01379 871168.

Bootcamp by R Fitness Sunday 9am at Eye Scout Hut. Contact Richard Balaam 07970 328052.

Eye Plodders Walking Group 3rd Sunday of the month. A well-established walking group that meets at 10.30am for a six mile walk in the surrounding countryside.

Ray Pattenden 01379 678432 Eye Saints Community Boules Club Come and join us on Wednesday and Sunday between 10am-12noon on the playing fields at Eye Community Centre. Contact Ian 07528 907114 or Eira 07974 420206

Hartismere Hospital League of Friends Coffee and Chat 2nd Friday in the month, 10am-12noon and 1-3pm.

Eye Town Moors Woodland Society Volunteer Day 3rd Sundays at Eye Town Moors and Woodlands 10am-12noon. Meet by car park.

Chris Willoughby 01379 870298.

Coffee, Craft and Chat Last Friday of the month, from 1.30pm-3.30pm.

The Michael Burke Well-being Centre. Beverley Goddard 01379 388682

Ss Peter & Paul Church Sung Mass is held every Sunday at 10.45am at Church Street, Eye. Please check the website: www.eyeparishchurch.org for additional services.

Printmaking at The Bank Learn collagraph polyblock printmaking with local artist Emily Procner. Booking required. Sessions are from 10-1pm. £13 for two hours, £16 for three hours.

Contact: emilylady44@hotmail.com

Waveney Wanderers First Sunday of each month usually setting off at 10.30am from a local meeting point and cycling at a fairly gentle pace, usually includes a pub lunch.

Any prospective new members are welcome to discuss arrangements. Contact: georgie.lopham@ gmail.com

SUNDAY

Ballroom and Latin Dance Eye Community Centre 7.30-10pm once a fortnight.

Theresa 01379 308516 or mobile 07709565875 Bereavement & Support group 2nd Sunday of the month from 2-4 pm at The

LISTING IN THE REGULAR EVENTS IS FREE Please email the editor at editoreyemag@gmail. com by 5 March for content to appear in the April 2025 issue.

EYE-TO-EYE

YOUR WHAT’S ON GUIDE VIA EMAIL

If you would like to be kept informed of additional events or changes to existing ones between magazine issues sign up to receive Eye-to-Eye an email service that offers information about events or incidents of potential interest to residents of Eye and surrounding areas.

To sign up email your name and postcode to join-eye-to-eye@outlook.com

EY E MAGAZINE | MARCH 2 02 5 | P A GE 4 5

What’s On... in aid of EYE OPPORTUNITY GROUP Charity Number 287907

Saturday 29th March at

EYE TOWN HALL 2 - 4pm Cakes & Refreshments

BOROUGH OF EYE BOWLS CLUB

JUMBLE SALE SAT 5TH APRIL 2025 START 1.30 PM - OUTSIDE START 2.00PM - INDOORS

VERY GOOD JUMBLE BRIC A BRAC, RAFFLE, REFRESHMENTS

Bric-à-brac Clothes Toys

ALL WELCOME

EYE BOWLS CLUB, BROME AVE, EYE, IP23 7HW

CALLING GARDENERS OF EYE The date for the Eye Open Gardens weekend 2025 is 7th and 8th June New gardens are always welcome so, if you feel you would like to open your garden please contact Christine Bird 01379 871211 or c.bird5@btinternet.com for more details

EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 4 6

Eye teen takes on Borneo expedition AND YOU CAN HELP!

L

ocal student Libby Bowyer, 16, from Eye, is embarking on the adventure of a lifetime this summer.

With other local students, she will travel to Borneo for a four-week expedition with Camps International. The trip will involve personal development challenges and crucial charitable project work, including community development, environmental conservation, and a demanding four-day jungle trek.

To fund her journey, Libby has been working hard to raise money by working as a coach for Academy of Movement in Bury St Edmunds and holding special events. Following the success of her recent casino night at The Bank in Eye, her next fundraiser is a pub quiz at The Queen’s Head in Eye on Tuesday 11 March, from 7.30pm.

Entry to the quiz is just £3 per person, with teams of up to six. Optional hot food will be available at half-time for £12 per head. There will also be a raffle, and local businesses can sponsor quiz rounds. Tables should be booked in advance by calling 01379 870153.

Speaking about her upcoming adventure, Libby said: “I’m so excited to take part in this trip. Not only will it be an incredible experience, but we’ll be making a real difference to

local communities and wildlife conservation efforts in Borneo.

I’m really grateful to everyone who has supported me so far.”

The expedition’s core mission is to raise educational and living standards in rural Borneo and support conservation projects to protect its biodiversity. Libby and her fellow students may help with classroom improvements,

infrastructure projects, and environmental initiatives that benefit both people and wildlife.

If you’d like to support Libby’s efforts, you can attend the quiz night, sponsor a quiz round, or donate via her GoFundMe page using the QR code.

EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 4 7

Help Libby Bowyer fund her Borneo expedition, supporting community and conservation projects

The Queen’s Head Tuesday 11 March at 7.30pm

Pub Quiz Night in Support Libby’s Borneo Expedition!

£3 per person, teams up to 6. Optional hot food £12 per head. Raffle & sponsorship available Book now 01379 870153

EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 4 8

EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 4 9

Borderhoppa, a registered not for profit charity, provides a range of community services to more than 50 parishes in south Norfolk and north Suffolk – including those in Diss, Harleston, Long Stratton, Eye, Stradbroke and surrounding parishes.

• Door to door dial-a-ride service • Weekly members outings throughout the year • Group hires for not-for-profit organisations Borderhoppa Outings for March 2025 Mon 3rd Lunch at The Four Horse Shoes, Thornham - £8 Mon 10th Thetford Town / Garden Centre - £15 Mon 17th Lunch at Billingford Horseshoes - £8 Thurs 20th Brunch at The Good, Bad and Hungry - £8 Mon 24th Stowmarket Town - £15 Mon 31st Notcutts Garden Centre, Norwich - £15 To book or for more information please call 01379 854800 or visit our website www.borderhoppa.org

Citizens Advice need volunteers!

Mid Suffolk Citizens Advice Bureau currently have opportunities within our friendly, welcoming team of volunteers in our Stowmarket office.

Citizens Advice Mid Suffolk can provide in depth advice on this issue and much more, including debt, finances, employment, benefits and family/relationships.

You can contact them by phone on 01449 676060, visit in person at Milton House, 5 Milton Road South, Stowmarket IP14 1EZ or use the contact form at midsuffolkcab. org.uk/contact-us.

Opening hours are Monday-Thursday 9.30am – 3.30pm and Friday 9.30am – 12.30pm.

Every volunteer gets something different from their volunteering experience, including the opportunity to: •

make a positive difference to people’s lives

•

improve self-esteem, confidence and wellbeing

•

gain invaluable work experience

•

receive high-quality training and develop new skills

•

use existing skills and knowledge to benefit the local community

•

meet new people from a range of backgrounds

•

feel valued and part of a team

•

change the way things work for the better

If you can spare a bit of time, please get in touch for an informal, no obligation chat on 01449 676060 or visit midsuffolkcab.org.uk/volunteer

EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 5 0

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No.12

Where in Eye is this?

Answer next issue.

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Eye Spy

EY E MAGAZIN E | MAR CH 2 02 5 | P A GE 5 1

We have been gently guiding families in the Eye, Diss, Harleston and surrounding areas for many years. We have over 40 years of service between us.

We are a family run funeral home offering a 24 hour personal service. We will guide and support you through the funeral arrangements.

We are independent of national groups.

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