EyeMagazine Feb26

ISSUE 526

FEBRUARY 2026

What’s inside Unsung hero - Bruce Eye Bus Shelter Church & Council news Local business features What’s On EyeSpy

FOR THE PEOPLE OF EYE AND DISTRICT

EyeMagazineSuffolk

EY E MAGAZINE | FEBR UARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 2

CAFÉ • BAR • EVENTS

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To celebrate the relaunch of our café as , we are giving every customer a FREE hot drink with their order.* Hurry! Offer ends on 1st March 2026.

N O U R I S H the B O D Y F E E D the S O U L Find us at Be Well Barn • Redlingfield • 01379 831 565 • bewellbarn.co.uk *Offer valid until 01.03.26. This flyer entitles you to one complimentary regular hot drink with the purchase of any breakfast or lunch menu item at Revive Café, Be Well Barn, Redlingfield. Offer subject to availability. One redemption per customer per visit.

EY E MAGAZINE | FEBR UARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 3

EYE COMMUNITY CENTRE

Tickets £5 in advance from the Handyman or pay (cash only) on the door. Film trailers and more information can be found on the website:

www.cinema-at-eye.org.uk Sponsored by Caféye Part of registered charity no. 1012697

Friday 27 February 2026, 7.30pm

(PG) In the summer of 1930, the Crawleys grapple with the threat of social disgrace when Mary finds herself at the centre of a public scandal and the family faces financial trouble.

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4 BROAD ST, EYE IP23 7AF 01379 870688

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AZ IN E | N OVEMBER elcome to the news. We EYE doMAG love positivity and20 24 | P AGE 5 February issue of The are always on the lookout for Eye Magazine, I hope potential stories. you got through Christmas 3 Cinema at Eye . and the new year OK and hope 6 Unsung hero - Bruce that 2026 will be a happy and 10 Eye Bus shelter eating is on, jumpers from United Kingdom and healthy one for you all. and coats out and the Commonwealth. We will 13 Lucy's news November has remember them.

With costs going up, some 14 Council news definitely arrived. With it we Sunday 10th November 3 Cinema at Eye advertisers have had to have the beautiful autumn notes Meet at fire station at 10.30am 17 Nature 6 Lest we forget colourswill and sparkly, frosty withdraw, so the magazine if in parade. Set off at 10.45am, 18 Caroline Belgrave morning and starry nights.

8 The Fabric Shop Q&A be a few pages lighter for a little march to town hall. Service at 12 Council News Town Moors thisyou month’s very full Eye the memorial and last post and 20 Eye while. I'm as frustratedInas

Contents

H

Contents

Magazine we have lots of

might be, as we always have so lovely ‘save the dates’ coming much content and struggle to fit ready for up in December, Christmas and lots on in Eye in it all in but I'm sure it won't be for November too. long. If you know someone who Many thanks to all the regular may be interested in advertising contributors and those who with us, or if you have been have written in this issue. We thinking about advertising, have some really interesting articles this would be a great time tofor the lead up to Remembrance Day. Eye always start. Not only would you be has a great turn out for the supporting a local magazine Remembrance parade and church service, where we can but also getting your business or events out there. all come together and we unite

minutes silence at 11am. Then set off to the church for service till about 12pm.

13 Lucy’s News 28 Strength training over 60

31

17

Meet Cllr. Rangecroft

Eye Bach Choir 18 Eye Town Moors

33 Way of Healing 21 Nature Notes

26 The timing of 37 Dove River Church remembrance

40 Sean's food stories 29 Dove River Church

43 Hartismere Hospital 30 We need volunteers League of Friends 34 Eye Bowls Club 38 Health & Fitness 45 Embracing mental 41 Embracing mental well-being well-being

46 The Eye connection 42 Regular events

across faiths, cultures and Wendy Aiken Wendy Aiken to remember EDITOR, EYE MAGAZINE Please keep getting in backgrounds touch EDITOR, EYE MAGAZINE the service and sacrifice of editoreyemag@gmail.com with your clubs, eventsthe and Eye editoreyemag@gmail.com Armed Forces Community

48 Regular events 45 What’s On 50 Fun Activities 52 What's on 50 EyeSpy

54 Fun activities & 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 AND EDITORIAL CONTENT Us EVENTS Contact us Please email the editor at editoreyemag@gmail.com by 5 February for EVENTS AND EDITORIAL CONTENT

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

MINIATURE DONKEYS

Photo courtesy of Clive Stevens

NG

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content to appear in the March issue. Entry to the regular events listing ADVERTISING is free, don’t forget to include date, time, location, event description, To book an advert please email our accounts department at contact information and a photo if youFor have acceyemagazine@gmail.com. new one. adverts please ask for our

Follow us on Facebook Rate Card. All adverts must be paid for in advance.

ADVERTISING for more local content Advert artwork should be sent to advertisingeyemag@gmail.com EyeMagazineSuffolk by 5 November for content appear in the December/January To book an advert please email ourtoaccounts department at issue.

acceyemagazine@gmail.com. For new adverts please ask for our The Editor reserves the right to amend or omit any copy submitted without notice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure Follow us on Facebook Rate Card.

All adverts must be paid forerror in advance. accuracy, no liability can be accepted for loss or damage caused by any or inaccuracy in the printing of any advertisement or editorial copy in the Eye Magazine. for more local content Advert artwork should be sent to advertisingeyemag@gmail.com EyeMagazineSuffolk by 5 February for content to appear in the March issue.

The Editor reserves the right to amend or omit any copy submitted without notice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, no liability can be accepted for loss or damage caused by any error or inaccuracy in the printing of any advertisement or editorial copy in the Eye Magazine.

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Unsung hero - Bruce

BY CHARLES MICHELLE

C

hristmas may have already faded into a distant dream.

Springtime is on the way and we may be tempted to reach for our holiday brochures in anticipation of the excitements we are planning for the months ahead.

But wait! Not so fast! Before we do that, let us cast our minds back a while. Are we not still marvelling at the magical events that took place in this small town of ours in the run-up to the Christmas period? Remember the ‘late night shopping’ evening when the streets of Eye heaved to the presence of a crowd of hundreds straining to see the Switch-on and the tree light up?

The shops offering seasonal hospitality. Families from far away, here to enjoy the colour and the carousels.

And throughout the month of December after dark, the unbroken chain of lights lining the buildings in the town centre which took one’s breath away.

Unsuspecting visitors driving through the town at night would have been stunned by the beauty of the street scene.

As residents we can look back with pride on the way our town competes with our larger

neighbours. Anything you can do, Eye can do better.

As we bask in reflected glory we do of course ponder on how it happens. At least we should do.

Because, magic aside, nothing occurs without a reason.

Where does the tree come

“Anything you can do, Eye can do better.”

from? Who provides the lights and who puts them up on the buildings throughout the town with such skill? We know that such things demand effort, energy, enterprise: they happen because someone dedicated to the success of this town has taken responsibility for them. Hard work, resolve and diplomacy come into play.

Who gave his own own time to bring this about? Bruce Salter, of course.

I hope he will not be embarrassed to gain a mention

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in these pages but surely he is well recognised already as the man behind it all. Using his famous premises at The Handyman, and the support of his colleague, the legendary Ollie, he has organised the street scene, shinned up ladders to install the lights and worked selflessly for the town. Never has he asked for recognition.

Now it’s our turn. To say thank you....

Thank you, Bruce, and thank you, Ollie, for all the benefits you bring to Eye. We wish you good health, prosperity and happiness throughout 2026.

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Eye bus shelter I realised there was a problem with the shelter’s roof about three to four years ago when I noticed the newly repainted ceiling of the structure starting to blister and peel. I brought this to the attention of a town councillor at the time, but apparently the council was in a state of flux during this period and so nothing was done to alleviate the problem. And still nothing has been done to this day. Consequently, the damage caused to the leaking roof by winter frosts and continued water ingress through cracks opened up by the frost, has culminated in the problem the shelter faces today and it’s subsequent closure on health and safety grounds.

Eye bus shelter seen in the summer of 2019 following its long awaited restoration

M

any residents may recall that a few years ago I campaigned to have Eye’s historic Coronation bus shelter restored back to it’s former glory. I got the campaign underway in 2017 with the support of Eye Town Council and in the summer of 2019 the necessary works were carried out to restore the 1950s pre-cast concrete structure back to how it would have looked when new in c1955.

Unfortunately, the concrete roof of the shelter was not

adequately sealed against the elements at the time of the restoration, which has resulted in water ingress, causing the steel reinforcement rods within the concrete structure to corrode, which in turn has caused cracks to occur in the internal roof and it’s supporting concrete beams.

The problem has now become acute and has forced Eye Town Council to close the shelter for public use on health and safety grounds, leaving folk waiting to catch a bus into Diss with nowhere to shelter from the winter weather.

“Once these works have been completed, the shelter should be good for many years to come”

In my view, the top of the roof urgently requires a strong permanent bitumen type sealant applied and then a covering with heavy duty roofing felt similar to that used on flat roofed buildings. The materials used for flat roof coverings have improved quite markedly over the past decade or so and now can last for many, many years.

I would recommend that this method is considered when repairs are carried out.

Once the repairs to the roof have been completed, an internal renovation and repaint can then be carried out and the glazing in the two missing windows replaced. Once these works have been completed, the shelter should be good for many years to come.

My strong enthusiasm in seeing this iconic tramcar style shelter preserved stems from

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were transferred to Diss. The site lay semi-derelict for a number of years, but is now part of the garden of the house to the left hand side and a new garage and wooden gates have recently been erected there.

The Eastern Counties Omnibus Company out-station on Castle Street when in use c1960.

KNG 711, one of my preserved former Eastern Counties buses operating one of the ‘Open Gardens’ free to ride bus services in 2016, She is seen here waiting time at the bus shelter, three years before the shelter was restored. The vehicle was new in July 1950 and served the Company for 17 years until early 1968.

my interest in road passenger transport in East Anglia, particularly the erstwhile Eastern Counties Omnibus Company Ltd and it’s predecessor, the Eastern Counties Road Car Company Ltd, whose vehicles served Eye and the surrounding villages for seven decades from the early 1920s up until the Government’s deregulation of bus services in the late 1980s.

The Eastern Counties Road Car Company, with it’s head office in Ipswich, established an outstation (dormy shed) on a plot of land at 29, Castle Street in Eye around 1921. This building housed two buses overnight.

The use of this out-station was continued well into Eastern Counties Omnibus Company days, not closing until 1971, when the duties of the Eye bus crew

Not only does my interest lie in the history of passenger transport in East Anglia, I’ve also been heavily involved with the rescue and preservation of a number of former Eastern Counties Omnibus Company vehicles and now have four (3 single deckers & 1 double decker) in my care. I acquired my first bus way back in the summer of 1978 shortly after leaving school and starting in my first paid job with HM Customs & Excise as the department was then known.

Now retired and living very close to the bus shelter here in Eye, I have found the time to write and publish a 432 page photographically illustrated book detailing the complete history of the Eastern Counties Omnibus Company Ltd and its four predecessor companies.

Residents will have no doubt seen and heard one of my red former Eastern Counties single deckers plying the streets of Eye each June as part of the town’s ‘Open Gardens’ weekend.

I am very interested in the idea of setting up a ‘bus shelter maintenance and care team’ to keep the historic shelter in a good state of repair and cleanliness. If any residents feel they would like to get together with me to form a team to accomplish this objective, I would be most interested to hear from them. My mobile number is 07484 690516.

Patrick Burnside The White House, Eye

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Lucy’s news RECYCLING ELECTRICAL ITEMS IN EYE The new ‘pink bin’ for broken electrical items, located in the Buckshorn Lane carpark, is being well used, which is great.

Broken items such as coffee machines, kettles, mobile phones, and tablets will be taken away and the materials safely recycled, helping to prevent waste.

The bin is emptied regularly, but if it is full, you can report this to the Waste Services team either by emailing recycling@ baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk or phoning 0300 1234 000 (option 4). You are welcome to let me know as well, so I can follow up.

If you’d like help to recycle more types of items, the following website has lots of helpful information: www. suffolkrecycling.org.uk/what-todo-with-a-z YOUTH COUNCIL FOR MID SUFFOLK In November, the Mid Suffolk District Council approved plans for a new Youth Council for the District. The aim is to give young people opportunities to learn about local democracy and decision-making – and also to give them a greater voice in their local council. Officers and Councillors will be working with schools and other groups this year to set this up.

HELP NEARBY Just a reminder that you can visit Eye Library on Friday mornings to speak to Citizen’s Advice or to staff from Mid Suffolk District Council. They can assist with a range of issues, from helping with council services, to advice on money worries. You can also see www. midsuffolk.gov.uk/cost-of-living for more information.

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)

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Council news

H

ello everyone! I hope all you had a lovely holiday however you chose to spend it. Can you believe it is February already?

Soon we may actually be able to notice that the days are getting a bit longer.

We would like to welcome Laura Brown to the Council family.

She will be providing assistance to the Clerk dealing with cemetery records and historical organisation.

Following repairing the chapel roofs and building the rose garden (check out the new capstones), ETC has commissioned local trades to work sprucing up the outside of the town hall and making much needed repairs to the clock tower. Soon the scaffolding will go up. As most of you are aware, scaffolding is expensive so ETC is having the new clock faces hinged to open inwards so repairs can be made from the inside in the future. Leaks in the tower will be sorted and our Caretaker, Steve Smith, will continue to ensure the clock ticks over on time in spite of its age. Sills and doors will receive new coats of paint and doors will be painted Eye blue instead of red.

While the Council is in repair

mode, the bus shelter near the Town Hall is going to be repaired as well. We are looking at perspex panels on the lower level as the glass is often (sadly) intentionally kicked out. The shelter will be painted, a proper bench installed for seating and most exciting, a living roof will be planted.

(Actually a proper place to sit and wait may be more exciting to some of us).

Our hard working Chair of Environment, Mike Smith, and his team are continuing in talks to have the pond up near the allotments cleaned out and a wider bridle way established to allow easier disabled access to the allotments. New disabled allotments (raised beds) are scheduled to be built. The team are also monitoring the drainage situation and in constant contact with Highways and Anglian Water to try and find solutions. A new ETC monitored CCTV camera is going up at the skatepark to help ensure the safety of our young people. Cameras will also be installed on the exterior of The Bank to monitor lorries breaching the town centre TRO and also mounting the kerbs in the immediate area. These cameras will be only filming vehicles over a certain size.

Vehicles delivering to local businesses will be exempt.

Our next Council meeting is 18 February at 7:30pm. All committee meetings are also open to the public. Dates can be found on the website and agendas are posted on the Town Hall boards. And to just about everyone’s relief, we are in the process of organising a new, user friendly, website!

We also welcome the first edition of the Eye Love website.

Have a look!

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

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S - IN - COE

EYE

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Nature Notes Knock on wood While February is sometimes the coldest month of the year, there’s plenty to look out for. Waxwings gorging on berries is always a pretty sight, as well as snowdrops bursting through the ground and into life. Listen out for the mistle thrush as they are usually the ones that like an early sing song.

Great spotted woodpeckers also start drumming to attract mates.

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EY E MAGAZINE | FEBR UARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 18

Caroline Belgrave I think it’s really interesting that we see people around Eye and how lovely to know a little about them and how they came to Eye. I asked Caroline to write for us and share a little about her story as I’m sure you will have seen Caroline biking down into town.

Life for me started during the Second World War in Frimley, Surrey. The house in which I was born had been turned into a maternity home, and my brother Bill was born there about two years later. My brothers Simon and Andrew were born after the War. My father was in the army and for about the last eighteen months of the War he was a prisoner-of-war in Germany.

We moved about. When I was aged eight my mother, Bill, Simon and I travelled to East Africa to join our father in Mogadishu. After nine months we had to leave because of local rioting, Our father stayed there for a while.

My main school was in Wokingham, Berkshire. After that I was at school in London for a year, and then in Verbier, Switzerland for six months. I had wanted to ski in Verbier but was not allowed to because I had fractured my skull when being thrown off a pony on the Yorkshire Moors when my parents were living in Catterick.

I was lucky because the doctor was driving not far behind. I was unconscious but he knew me and took me to the hospital.

After that I took up skiing in quite a big way.

“I took up skiing in quite a big way” Later, while living and working in London, I saw in The Times newspaper a mention of a small group travelling to India and back overland, so I joined them.

There were about thirteen of us in two vehicles, a Comma van and a Land Rover. It took about four and a half months.

When travelling we slept in the open in sleeping bags, having dumped the tents early on, but when in cities we stayed in hotels. When in Afghanistan, before crossing into Iran on our way back, the Iranians took our passports. I think it was because we had travelled through a cholera epidemic, but we all had certificates showing we had had our cholera vaccinations.

We ended up in a huge tent, guarded by soldiers. After about two weeks we were released and drove home.

I met Robert Belgrave while I was skiing in Saas Fee. We married and lived in France first in Paris and then Aix-en-Provence, His

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“I enjoy being in Eye on my bicycle!” mother was French and he was studying French Literature. In Aix we rented a small apartment.

One day I got back there and found Robert's note asking me to leave. Not long afterwards he came back, sooner than he had said, and we made the best of the time we had together before he waved me off on my train to England from Marseille.

While in London I worked for an advertising agency, then a firm of solicitors, and then literary agents where I spent the last 28 years of my working life. While there I decided to move back into the countryside and wrote to several estate agents in Suffolk and Norfolk. My mother

and I called at Partridge and Lucas where John Lucas gave us the keys for a few houses. When we returned them, on our way to Hampshire where my parents lived, John told me there was a house for sale in Eye, down Brome Avenue. The moment I saw it from the outside I knew it was what I wanted. As soon as I had sold my flat in London I rang John, who told me the house was still for sale. A friend and I travelled to Diss station where John very kindly met us and took us to Brome Avenue.

Then he drove us on a tour of the area before returning us to Diss station. The next day I rang him with my offer to buy the house

and I have been here since March 1991.

I enjoy being in Eye on my bicycle! For the first ten years I was still working in London but on a four day week, and staying in London during the week. Once that was over I was already helping to fundraise for the St Elizabeth Hospice and that kept me busy for about another twenty three years. I found it was a good way to get to know people in and around Eye. Also I worked hard to improve my garden, growing fruit and vegetables, but I am afraid that stopped a while ago!

Caroline Belgrave

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Community update The Eye Town Moors Woodland Society PHILLIP WILCOX-MOORE, CHAIR, EYE TOWN MOORS WOODLAND SOCIETY

I

know it’s a little late to say it but Happy New Year to the people of Eye and surrounding communities!

As we move into 2026, I'm delighted to report that the Eye Town Moors Woodland Society has hit the ground running with some remarkable achievements already under our belt.

Our bridge projects have been a huge success, despite the challenging sub-zero temperatures our volunteers faced. The north bridge (new pedestrian entrance) is now complete and has already proven its worth as a much safer crossing point to the Yaxley road, with significantly improved visibility for pedestrians and clearly linking with the Healing Way boardwalk to the North of the woods. The

dragonfly pond bridge, located deep in the woods, proved more challenging but was also completed in early January. A huge thank you must go out to the small number of dedicated volunteers who gave up their time between Christmas and New Year to build these bridges.

An extra special thank you must also go to Andrew Clift from Racing Green Ltd, who provided his professional skills completely free of charge and has been crucial in getting our bridges finished to the highest standard of quality and safety. If anyone is looking for gardening and complex landscaping services locally, all of us at the ETMWS can fully recommend Andy! A massive thank you must also go to our grant funders at the Progress Power Grant Fund operated by Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council and all the funding team who, without

their financial support, none of this work would have been possible.

The pond of the rising sun restoration work was successfully completed by Barry Day & Sons and is now looking fantastic. It's been fully restored to its original design, and the volunteer team are looking forward to planting it out with more aquatic plants that will provide habitat, enhance biodiversity and filter pollution. We are also grateful to our grant funders at Essex and Suffolk Water for funding this essential pond restoration work.

Following our comprehensive tree survey completed last year, we now have the site completely mapped with a clear management plan in place. Some work needs to be completed on our more aged trees in the next six months, and we'll be going out to tender to local tree surgeons for this.

So, if any local companies are reading this, please get in touch with me. We understand that people build emotional attachments with places and the trees within them, and we want to encourage this, so we'll always let our community know what we're doing and why before any tree work takes place.

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Looking ahead further into 2026, we have some more really exciting projects on the horizon.

In late February, we'll be tackling the ‘Scout bridge’, transforming it into an elevated boardwalk.

This will provide a magical elevated walkway down from the island to the lower west boundary of the site, running parallel to some of our largest poplars. We're excited and pleased to be supported by our bridge and boardwalk specialist manufacturers at Bison Bridges and want to publicly thank Axter Ltd for their essential grant funding that was generously made available following a trustee application to their Climate and Community Fund.

Fingers crossed, this project will be completed by the end of March.

We'll once again be running our woodland Easter egg hunt which was so successful last year. I've already started working on some new woodland

related wildlife rhyming clues!

We're also hoping to continue improving accessibility to the woods so that all in our community can enjoy the site, and we're planning to team up with local schools for educational purposes, providing a wild space where children can learn about biodiversity and woodland management. We're even dreaming about some open-air woodland theatre, although this needs more planning, but just maybe it will happen!

However, we are still desperately in need of more volunteers. Although we'll shortly be joined by some keen Duke of Edinburgh students from Hartismere school.

Please spread the word, none of us volunteers are getting any younger, and tree work and woodland management needs a good mix of youth and experience. Our work can be quite physical but it's really satisfying, and volunteer support is crucial to the ongoing protection of our precious 14acre community woodland.

If you’re interested in getting involved, joining our volunteer team, or supporting our work, please contact Chris Willoughby (tollgate53@icloud.com) or Phillip WilcoxMoore (philwilcox2@gmail.com) for more information. 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 15th February.

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Strength training after I

n September 2024, I started an Over 60s Strength Training class in Eye. The driving force was witnessing my mother’s health decline due to frailty.

I have been a Personal Trainer for over 17 years, and much of that time has been spent working with people over 60. I have seen the remarkable progress this age group can make when they strength train properly. What I had not appreciated until recently was the serious impact that not strength training can have on health, independence, and quality of life.

My mum is 79. She has virtually no muscle mass and is of a slight frame. As a result, she has type 2 diabetes and has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

In older people, muscle is not just for movement - it plays a critical role in blood sugar control. Muscle is where most glucose is stored and used. When muscle mass is lost, the body struggles to manage blood sugar effectively. This worsens type 2 diabetes and leads to high insulin levels. Over time, this same problem affects the brain. The brain becomes less responsive to insulin, a crucial factor for memory, learning, and normal cognitive function. This is why Alzheimer’s is sometimes described as “diabetes of the brain.”

Healthy, active muscle also releases substances that protect the brain and reduce inflammation. When muscle is lost, those protective signals disappear while inflammation increases - a key driver of brain damage and dementia. Frail older adults also have far less physical and metabolic “reserve,” meaning blood sugar swings, illness, or stress hit the brain harder and faster. In short, losing muscle worsens diabetes, diabetes damages the brain, and without muscle, the brain has far less protection. Maintaining muscle later in life isn’t about appearance - it’s about protecting independence, thinking, and long-term brain health.

The Physical Cost of Not Strength Training The physical consequences of not strength training are significant.

Weaker bones, increased fracture risk, joint pain, poor posture, reduced balance, and loss of coordination. Everyday tasks such as standing up from a chair, carrying shopping, climbing stairs, or reaching overhead gradually become harder.

The mental impact is just as important. Loss of strength often leads to anxiety, low mood, reduced confidence, social withdrawal, and a shrinking sense of identity.

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60 changes everything Strength Training Changes Everything The good news is that the body remains remarkably adaptable well into later life. Muscle can be built at any age. Strength can be regained. Balance can improve. Confidence can return.

Over 60s Strength Training in Eye Most people who attend my classes have never lifted weights before. Many are nervous about starting and unsure what to expect.

By the end of their first session, there is relief, smiles, and hopefully a bit of sweat!

The most rewarding part for me is hearing the success stories, such as carrying something they previously couldn’t or standing on a chair without fear. These may sound like small wins, but they are huge for daily life and, more importantly, for self-belief.

Protein: The Missing Piece Strength training alone is not enough.

Muscle cannot be built or maintained without adequate protein. As we age, we become less efficient at absorbing and utilising protein, meaning we actually need more high-quality, bioavailable protein than when we were younger. Animal-based protein sources such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy are the most absorbable and complete. Without sufficient protein, the body lacks the essential raw materials needed to build and maintain muscle.

A Different Way to Age Strength training is not about pushing limits or chasing unrealistic goals. It’s about building a body that supports you in living fully for years to come.

OVER 60S STRENGTH TRAINING Mondays 09:30 Eye Community Centre

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Eye Bach Choir I n November 2025 a full audience in Eye Parish Church had the pleasure of experiencing truly stunning renditions of Scarlatti’s Laudate Pueri, Bach’s Cantata BWV 36 and Handel’s Dixit Dominus.

Eye Bach Choir had been working hard to put on this concert under the expert tutelage of their Musical Director and conductor Benedict Collins Rice. Fine soloists, Charlotte La Thrope (soprano), Rachel Allen (soprano), Matthias Dåhling (countertenor), James Micklethwaite (tenor) and Jack Comerford (bass) plus The Geldart Ensemble made the evening’s performance a resounding success. Members of The Geldart Ensemble gathered the finest period instruments in the country to perform choral

works with professional and amateur choirs throughout East Anglia and beyond.

The view of an audience Member: “I was pulled inside the music, amazed by the unity between orchestra, choir and soloists as well as the tender playing of the first violinist and overall vivid energy guided by the conductor.

What a performance, what an experience! It will stay with me for a long time”.

Benedict Collins Rice, the choir’s fourth Musical Director in 50 years, was appointed in January 2025. As a very accomplished conductor, musician and tutor, his extensive experience and qualifications equip him with skills to challenge and inspire choral singers keen to learn from him.

“What a performance, what an experience!

It will stay with me for a long time”

Eye Bach Choir, first founded

by Merlin Channon in 1974, has a rich history of providing significant musical events for Eye. As soon as Merlin saw inside Eye Parish Church he could see potential for choral performances with orchestral accompaniment. In 1974 Melin’s early choir also took part in an Arts Festival held in the gardens of the home of Sir Frederick Ashton in the centre of Eye. Both Peter Pears and Frederick Ashton were patrons of that Arts Event.

In fact Merlin Channon had a close association with Peter Pears and Benjamin Britten, including conducting music at Britten’s funeral.

With a significant Suffolk heritage, beautiful town, church and other local venues, Eye Bach Choir goes from strength to strength as we look to the future.

UPCOMING CONCERTS MARCH 7 2026 Eye Parish Church Tallis: Lamentations Purcell: Funeral Sentences and music for the Funeral of Queen Mary Howells: Requiem Organ accompaniment MAY 16 2026 Debenham Parish Church Dobrogosz: Mass Choral Jazz Standards Jazz ensemble accompaniment Membership and concert tickets: www.eyebachchoir.co.uk Contact: info@eyebachchoir.co.uk

EY E MAGAZIN E | FEBRUARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 3 2

John Duckmanton

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Eye’s “Way of Healin

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Eye’s “Way of Healing”

The Eye Outdoors Group had a busy year in 2025 which saw

Way of Healing T

The Eye Outdoors Group had a busy year in 2025and which saw the installation of sculptures, wayof Healing markers seating along the section of the Way markers and seating along the section ofalongside the Way ofthe Healing. by thewalk Fire Station, goes of Hart beck, This overstarts the board at the back alongside the beck, over the board walkto at join the back of Hartismere then Street across and the lower meadow the path at Magdalen into the Town Moors to join the path at Magdalen Street and into the Town Moors.

he Eye Outdoors Group had a busy year in 2025 which saw the installation of sculptures, way markers and seating along the section of the Way of Healing. This starts by the Fire Station, goes alongside the beck, over the board walk at the back of Hartismere then across the lower meadow to join the path at Magdalen Street and into the Town Moors.

The sculptures were created by Andy Ish who has a long association with Eye having worked with Ben Platt-Mills on the designs for the Town Moors.

The seats along the way gives you a variety of changing views throughout the year. Another bench was added by the beck to take in the peace of the reeds and the opportunity to see the white egrets as they glide over the water.

If you’re new to Eye or visiting do venture out to Caption check out the green spaces we have in the town, and watch out for updates as the group hopes to offer a new view point in 2026 if successful in getting a small grant for a new bench by the footpath bending up towards Shazam, the chicken processing plant.

The sculptures were created by Andy Ish who has a long association with Eye having The s worked with Ben Platt-Mills on the designs who work for the Town Moors.

for th

Caption

The seats along the way gives you a variety of changing views throughout the year. Another bench was added by the beck to take in the peace of the reeds and the opportunity to see the white egrets as they glide over the water.

The seats along the way gives you a variety of changing vie was added by the beck to take in the peace of the reeds an egrets as they glide over the water.

If you’re new to Eye or visiting do venture out to check out the green spaces we have in t town, and watch out for updates as the group hopes to offer a new view point in 2026 if successful in getting a small grant for a new bench by the footpath bending up towards Sh

EY E MAGAZIN E | FEBRUARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 3 4

Hubbard Gardening SERVICES

• Landscaping • Grass Cutting • Mower Servicing Contact: • Tree Surgery • Garden Maintenance M Hubbard 07901 903 837 • Hedge Cutting hubbardgardening@gmail.com • Fencing Work

EY E MAGAZIN E | FEBRUARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 3 5

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Dove River Church A CHANCE TO TRY AGAIN

A

fter Christmas a lot of us look forward to the next year, a chapter closed and a new one begins.

Perhaps there are big occasions this year to look forward to, new opportunities or perhaps you’re just glad to see the back of 2025.

Many of us will be using the new year to make new years resolutions and we wonder how long will these plans last.

I recently read a great slogan in the UCB Word For Today saying ‘quitters never win, winners never quit’, the writer also presented examples to support this.

‘Dr Seuss’s first children’s book was turned down by 27 publishers, the 28th publisher sold 600,000 copies. CocaColas first year of business sold 9 servings of it’s drinks a day, today they are the leading soft drink seller in the world. Henry Ford went bankrupt twice in his first 3 years of industry, today Ford is the 5th biggest motor company worldwide. And in 1905 the University of Bern in Switzerland rejected a PhD dissertation by a student named Albert Einstein, but he never gave up’.

They say on average it takes 66 days for a new behaviour to become an automatic habit, so perseverance really does matter.

The writer of the book of Hebrews in the bible speaks to the early church who were facing persecution, ‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great

a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.’ Starting something new can be hard work and you will face many challenges, both in your

head and maybe from people around you.

Don’t give up! Make knowing Jesus your goal, because in him we find courage, endurance, love, peace, joy, kindness and so much more. Lean on him this year. Those that know him learn that he is faithful through the tough times and he lifts us back up when we fall. He gives us the chance to try again.

By Jemma Aiken

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• Door to door dial-a-ride service • Weekly members outings throughout the year • Group hires for not-for-profit organisations BORDERHOPPA OUTINGS FOR FEBRUARY 2026 Mon 2nd Mon 9th Thurs 12th Mon 16th Thurs 19th Mon 23rd Thurs 26th

Hillcrest Nurseries - £10.00 The Foundry Garden Centre Tasburgh - £10.00 Thorndon Black Horse – Dial a Ride Price Taverham Garden Centre - £18.00 Breakfast Wortham Tea Rooms, on to Dunelm, B&M and The Range, Bury St. Edmunds - £18.00 Diss and Bressingham Garden Centres - £8.00 Goodies Breakfast and Farm shop – Dial-a-Ride

To book or for more information please call 01379 854800 or visit our website www.borderhoppa.org

Do you have an interesting garden?

T

he Eye Arts Guild are currently planning their Summer Programme (May to September) and looking for outdoor venues for painting and sketching.

We are looking for interesting gardens, farms, outdoor locations, within a reasonable distance from Eye, where a small group of us can meet on Thursdays from 10am-3pm, weather permitting.

If you think you could help we would be pleased to hear from you.

Contact can be made through our website: www.eyeartsguild.org.uk or you could call in to one of our currently running indoor sessions at the Eye Bowls Club 10-12 and speak to either Jackie Johnson or Sally Procner.

E YE M A GA Z I N E | D EC E M BE R 2 0 2 5 & J A N U A R Y 20 2 6 | P A G E 3 9 EY E MAGAZIN E | FEBRUARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 3 9

Tastefully refurbished 2 bedroom cottage in Eye town centre Sleeps 4. Perfect for visiting family. Parking, & garden space.

Available for short lets.

Call Mark on 07585 301160

Advertise in Email your high res advert to advertisingeyemag@gmail.com we request new advertisers supply this information 3 days prior to deadline. All advertisements must be paid for in advance. We also offer an advert design service.

To advertise or volunteer with deliveries, please email the editor at editoreyemag@gmail.com

Tastefully refurbished 2 bedroom cottage in Eye town centre Sleeps 4. Perfect for visiting family. Parking, & garden space.

Available for short lets.

Call Mark on 07585 301160

EY E MAGAZINE | FEBR UARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 4 0

Sean’s food stories

F

ood is something that, not only do we all need but can also be a source of real pleasure. Especially when shared together.

Like Proust’s Madeleine. Good food has the ability to evoke feelings of nostalgia from times past and excitement of those to come. Whether it be the childhood meal that your grandmother would cook for you, A dish enjoyed on holiday or something that just reminds you of home. We all have a favourite food that we love.

Eye has been my home for almost four years now and

I could not imagine living anywhere else. With its colourful character and many friendly faces, it really is a blessing to be part of such a great community. When it comes to researching and experimenting with food; there is no better source of information than that of local knowledge. So, it is the community I am turning too for inspiration. As a chef, I am often approached by people with suggestions and ideas

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from dishes they have made themselves or recipes passed down through generations. As is often the case with these dishes, they can have a remarkable story to tell!

Although I have many food stories of my own to tell. I thought it would be more fitting to kick off with a regional dish which I am sure many of you will be familiar with, Suffolk Stew.

This hearty Stew is a great way of taking cheap ingredients and turning them into something filling and nutritious. Every region has its own take on Stew and this can also vary from family and household.

Suffolk stew is no exception. The exact origins of this dish are lost to time although it would have certainly originated as peasant food prepared from local ingredients. My take on this classic Suffolk fayre uses Ham Hock but this can easily be substituted for lamb shoulder or beef shin. I also like to use a good waxy potato - Red or Yukon gold are perfectly robust for the job. When it comes to the veg keep it seasonal, whatever is good in the garden.

SERVES 8-10

INGREDIENTS 2 Ham Hocks 1 Large swede (Peeled and roughly chopped) 4 Carrots (Peeled and diced) 4-5 good sized potatoes (Peeled and roughly chopped) 2 Onions (Roughly chopped) 100g Brown lentils 100g Haricot beans 50g Pearl barley 2-3 Bay leaf Rosemary / Thyme Salt and pepper to season

METHOD As with most stews this really is a simple one pot affair. To start, soak the lentils and beans overnight in cold water. Add all the ingredients to a large stock pot and cover with cold water.

Bring to the boil. Then turn down to a slow simmer for roughly 3 hours. Once cooked through remove the hocks and allow to cool. Shred the meet from the bones & fat and return to the pot.

Best served hot with Dumplings (Swimmers), crusty bread and good company!

If you have recipe that has a story to tell and would like to feature. I would love to hear from you. Please contact the Editor or pop along to the Bank Arts Centre and share your food story with me.

“As with most stews this really is a simple one pot affair”

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I bought a doll for my child recently. I thought it was manufactured by a wellknown brand, but I suspect it might be counterfeit. How can I be sure and what are my rights?

You’re right to seek advice about this issue, because counterfeit goods aren’t only illegal, they can be dangerous.

Fake children’s toys, including dolls, often don’t meet safety standards and can pose choking hazards - poor manufacturing can mean small parts are easily detachable.

Counterfeit goods are fake products designed to mimic the authentic ones sold by genuine brands. Sometimes it’s easy to spot a knock-off, other times it can be harder to tell.

It’s not just toys and games - things like clothing, footwear, e-cigarettes, perfumes and media devices can also be counterfeit.

Things to watch out for include strangely low prices from well-known brands and signs of poor quality - like missing security seals, bad or non-existent packaging, blurry logos and poor stitching. You may also spot some spelling mistakes in the advert or on the packaging.

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.

Looking at photos from official sellers can help when making comparisons, and it’s important to only buy products from reputable sellers.

If you have purchased a counterfeit item, there are some steps you can take to try and get your money back. You’re legally entitled to a full refund on fake goods within 30 days of your purchase.

If it’s been over 30 days since you paid, but less than six months, the seller can provide you with a real version of the item first. If they can't, then they’re legally required to give you a full refund. If you paid more than six months ago, you’re only entitled to a part-refund based on how much you’ve used the item and how long you’ve had it.

Sometimes sellers might refuse to refund you, and argue the items were obviously fake because they were very cheap, but they’re breaking the law by selling them and your legal rights still apply.

If this happens and you paid by debit card, contact your bank and ask to use the ‘chargeback scheme’. If you paid by credit card and the item cost less than £100, you can ask to use the same scheme.

If you paid by credit card and the item cost between £100 and £30,000, tell your credit card company you want to make a ‘section 75’ claim to get your money back. To report counterfeit goods or get help getting your money back, contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service. You can also report a seller to Trading Standards, which investigates criminal activity.

The Eye-to-Eye Directory An updated version of the Eye-to-Eye Directory is now available, and can be obtained by emailing mail@eye-to-eye.co.uk It contains details of local clubs, societies, charities and services available in our community

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Hartismere Hospital League of Friends A s I am writing this, winter has set in with freezing temperatures and a covering of snow. Christmas has been and gone and we have welcomed in the New Year with resolutions to finish off that project or try and get the garden sorted out. I wonder how we will get on!

In the next few weeks we will be having a Development meeting with our Health Chiefs and MP Adrian Ramsey. There are quite a few changes occurring within the Health Service and we need to keep Hartismere Hospital on the agenda for delivering first class Community Services.

I wanted to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to our members and friends who continue to support us and help out on a regular basis. We are still running our Coffee, Cake, and Chat (am and pm) on the second Friday of the month and Coffee, Craft, and Chat (PM) on the last Friday of the month.

These sessions are held at The Michael Burke Wellbeing Centre, so please come and join us in this warm and welcoming community space.

For some time now, some friends from Beyond the Wall at Thornham Magna have been helping with the maintenance of our hospital garden. ‘The Garden Gang’ as I like to call them, have just recently replanted the herb garden. Hopefully that will reap rewards in the spring, and we would like to create another

flower bed. Work might start this month…weather permitting In October we again held a successful Macmillan Coffee Morning and raised £295 for this worthy cause. So thanks to everyone who turned up on the day to give their support…..The cakes were delicious and we will definitely hold another later on in the year Over the last few months The League of Friends have been involved in a number of projects. We have been having discussions with Practice Managers. As a result of those discussions we have purchased equipment for the GP surgeries that link in to the services at

the Hospital. This equipment will benefit patients in our local community.

If you would like to become a member (£10) a year.

Please contact me for further information.

We rely on our membership and fund raising activities to support better health care for everyone.

I’m looking forward to lighter evenings and the joy that Spring brings. I will update you further on the outcomes of our meetings and fund raising activities Thanks for your support Pauline Diamond, Chair hartismere.hospital.lof@gmail.com

EY E MAGAZINE | FEBR UARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 4 4

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EY E MAGAZINE | FEBR UARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 4 5

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

Looking for the good

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

I

f you are anything like me, you do not need to go looking for bad news. It finds you. It pops up on your phone, slips into conversations, hums away in the background of daily life, quietly reminding us of conflict, injustice, cruelty, and uncertainty.

Being informed matters.

Caring matters. Turning away completely does not sit comfortably for many of us, especially those who are naturally empathetic or feel a strong sense of responsibility towards others. But there is a difference between being aware of the world and feeling weighed down by it. Over time, negative headlines can leave us feeling helpless, anxious, and oddly responsible for problems far beyond our reach. Gradually, and often without us noticing, they can start to colour how we see everything else - ourselves, other people, even the future.

This Christmas, my daughter gave me a gift that at first glance seemed small but has turned out to be surprisingly powerful. A subscription to Positive News. She knows me well. She knows that I care deeply about people, about fairness, about the state of the world. She also knows that I sometimes carry too much of it, letting the weight of what is wrong pull me down.

Positive News does not pretend the world is perfect. It does not ignore war, climate change or poverty. It does not wrap difficult realities in comforting platitudes.

What it does do is remind us that alongside all of that, people are still doing extraordinary, quiet, hopeful things. Communities pulling together when systems fall short. Scientists finding solutions rather than simply naming problems. Individuals choosing kindness, integrity, or courage when it would be easier not to.

There is evidence to support why this matters. Studies suggest that excessive exposure to negative news can increase anxiety and lower mood, particularly in people who are already under stress. Our brains are wired to notice threats. It is how we survive. But in modern life, that wiring can work against us, keeping us in a constant low-

level state of alarm, even when we are safe.

Positive thinking is often misunderstood. It is not about forcing cheerfulness or denying pain. It is not about plastering a smile over something that genuinely hurts. We can hold grief and hope at the same time.

We can acknowledge suffering while still noticing goodness. One does not cancel out the other.

Positive thinking, in this sense, is about making small, deliberate choices that protect our mental energy. That might look like limiting how often you check the news, or following accounts that share creativity or moments of human kindness alongside the headlines. It might even be something as simple as asking yourself, at the end of the day, “What went well?” A good conversation. A task completed.

A moment of calm.

None of this is about ignoring what is wrong or turning away from the world. It is about recognising our limits and giving ourselves permission to protect our inner lives. We do not have to carry everything all the time.

Where we rest our attention matters. And sometimes, choosing to look for the good is simply a way of making life feel a little more bearable, and ourselves a little more able to keep going.

EY E MAGAZIN E | FEBRUARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 4 6

The Eye connection

L

ate "Regency" bracket clock by Mark Skinner of Castle Street, Eye, Circa 1830-1840.

Being an antique dealer is all about the love of history and particularly the artisans and craftspeople of Norfolk and Suffolk, but occasionally we find things with a connection even closer to home.

There were a number of clockmakers in Eye in the 18th and 19th Centuries, some of them were retailers of bought in movements from places like Birmingham, but the earlier you go back the more likely the clock business made its own movements and used a network of case makers, bell foundry's and dial painters to provide the cumulative end product.

During the course of our dealings we came across a rare little gem, a bracket clock by our own Mark Skinner of Castle Street, Eye, made around the late Regency era.

We have had a number of Long case clocks over the years by "Eye" makers but not many bracket clocks. They were called "bracket" clocks as they were situated onto a wooden bracket fixed to the wall although they look well on a mantle or table-top.

business from 1855-1874.

An impressive mahogany and brass inlaid case standing 16" tall, which has gothic sound frets to each side allowing the bell to ring, which is on the Hour.

A dial with bold Arabic numerals and elegant steel cut hands. The high quality brass movement will run for just over

a week when wound (called "eight-day"). Fully cleaned and serviced and ready for its new owner!

We think the Skinner's may have had their premises on the corner of Castle Street and Lowgate Street, who knows, maybe this one stood in the window all those years ago?

Mark Skinner is recorded has having premises in Castle Street and was working around the dates 1830-1840, his son (George) carried on the Steven's antique shop is opposite the Town Hall and is open generally from Wednesday's to Saturday's although any time by appointment. Tel. 01379 871393 www.englishandcontinentalantiques.com

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What’s On in February at Wingfield Barns Saturday 24th January – Friday 20th February THE HEART OF SUFFOLK – WITCH TRIALS EXHIBITION (10-3pm) Private View 6-8 pm Jan 24th The Suffolk witch trials were among the most widespread in England, yet many stories have been lost. This exhibition seeks to restore those voices, explore the truths behind the trials, and shed light on a chapter of history too often overlooked.

Saturday 24th January 8pm SWEETBRIAR: THE BALLAD OF AGNES TURNER BY JF CREATIVE Experience a powerful theatrical performance-reading by four actors, following the life of Agnes Turner — a wise woman and healer whose world unravels when she is accused of witchcraft. Tickets £12 – book via website or call 01379 384505.

Saturday 31st January 7.30pm AN EVENING OF (VERY) OLD RADIO Are you sitting comfortably?

Then we will begin. British comedy award winning writer (Miranda, Not Going Out), comedian and broadcast historian Paul Kerensa brings this stand-up history show that informs, educates and entertains about how the BBC began. Tickets from £12.50 – book via website

Saturday 7th February 3pm RED RIDING HOOD - PUZZLE HOUSE PANTOMIMES present a traditional family pantomime based on the story of Red Riding Hood. It is fifty years since Granny Smith led the chase to turn the evil wolf pack out of Longfern Wood. Now, after all this time, the leader of the pack is back! Tickets £8 - book via their Box Office: 01379 384656.

Friday 13th February 7.30pm CLASSIC CINEMA – BRIEF ENCOUNTER (PG) "This misery can’t last… I must remember that and try to be happy." 💔 Join us for a screening of David Lean’s timeless masterpiece — Brief Encounter (1945). Tickets £5, U18 £3 - book via website or call 01379 384505.

Saturday 14th February Saturday 21st February PRIMARY SCHOOLS ART COMPETITION & EXHIBITION 2026 - (Daily 10-3pm) Private Viewing 14th Feb 1-2pm We are delighted to invite local primary schools to take part in our upcoming Primary Schools Art Competition & Exhibition, celebrating the imagination, creativity, and talent of young artists in our community.

The theme is “Living in the Countryside”.

Saturday 14th February 2.30pm CHILDREN’S MATINEE CINEMA JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH (1996) (PG) Step into a world of adventure, imagination, and quirky characters as we bring the beloved 1996 classic James and the Giant Peach to the big screen! A perfect family film for all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Tickets £3 - book via website or call 01379 384505.

Saturday 21st February 7.30pm A NIGHT AT THE MUSICALS – rescheduled from November Join Magicfloor Productions for an unforgettable journey through some of the greatest shows to ever hit the West End! Featuring show-stopping numbers from Les Misérables, Wicked, Hamilton, The Lion King, Sweeney Todd, South Pacific, and more! Tickets £15 - book via website or call 01379 384505.

To book tickets & information www.wingfieldbarns.com email office.manager@ wingfieldbarns.co.uk 01379 384505 WINGFIELD BARNS CIC CHURCH ROAD WINGFIELD SUFFOLK IP21 5RA

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Regular events MONDAY

1st Eye Cub Scouts Every Monday during term-time from 6.45-8.15pm for boys and girls aged 8-10½ years old at Scout Headquarters on Wellington Road.

Juliet Grimes juliet@eyescouts.org.uk 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. Contact Faye on 07885 659360.

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 be seated by 12:45 for 1pm start.

Mike Barr 01379 870853 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

TUESDAY

Tea Dances At Eye Community Centre 2-4pm on the first three Tuesdays of the month. Contact Teresa 01379 308516 / 07709565875.

1st Eye Squirrel Scouts Every Tuesday during term-time from 4.455.30pm for boys and girls aged 4-6 years at Scout Headquarters on Wellington Road.

Juliet Grimes juliet@eyescouts.org.uk

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

1st Eye Scouts Every Tuesday during term-time from 6-7.30pm and 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

Teresa Marsh Dance Classes Mixed ability class at the Community Centre Tuesdays 8-9pm. Contact Teresa 01379 308516 / 07709565875.

WEDNESDAY

1st Eye Beaver Scouts Wednesday during term-time from 5.30-7pm 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 1st Eye Brownies Wednesday during term time from 6.15-7.30pm at The Stoke Ash Centre. Helen Soper helenj.soper@talktalk.net

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1st Eye Guides Wednesday during term time 7.15-8.45pm at The Stoke Ash Centre. Louise Clifford eyeguidessuffolk@gmail.com 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 Weekly on Wednesdays, alternating between The Bank Arts Centre 1.15pm-3.15pm and The Michael Burke Wellness Centre 10am-1pm. Friendly drop-in group. All abilities welcome. £2 per person. 07931 538548 busybeesknitandnatter@gmail.com Chair Stretch and Balance Wednesdays at 12pm. 1st Eye Scout Hut. £12.

Contact Michaela info@michaelawindsor.com Dance with Jane Wednesdays from January 2026. Simple stretch and dance for all ages and abilities 2-3pm in Town Hall Eye. £5 drop in. Please use back door.

Call 07714006470 for info or just turn up!

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

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

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

THURSDAY

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 07855191741 Mat Pilates Thursdays 6pm & 7pm at 1st Eye Scout Hut. £12.

Contact Michaela on info@michaelawindsor.com Pickleball Ever wondered what Pickleball is all about?

Why not give it a try on Thursdays 5.15-7.15pm, Hartismere School Dance studio. All ages welcome.

First session is free. Contact John or Steph on 07904910284 / jsdakin@sky.com

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Regular events cont.

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 9.15am-12.30pm.

01449 676060 or advice@midsuffolkcab.org.uk Dance with Jane After Christmas moving to Wednesday. Simple stretch and dance for all ages and abilities 2-3pm in Town Hall Eye. £5 drop in. Please use back door.

Call 07714006470 for info or just turn up!

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 Eye Archives You are welcome to come to see the archives at the Michael Burke Wellbeing Centre on a Friday, 10am-12pm. 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 Hartismere Hospital League of Friends Coffee and Chat 2nd Friday in the month, 10am-12noon and 1-3pm.

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

The Michael Burke Well-being Centre. Beverley Goddard 01379 388682 Open Church Dove River Church. You are welcome to pop in 9:30-11:30 on Fridays, in term time for tea/coffee and a chat. Toys are available for little ones.

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 2-4pm at The 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 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 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.

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.

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.

Contact: georgie.lopham@gmail.com

TELL US ABOUT YOUR REGULAR EVENTS IN EYE Please email the editor at editoreyemag@gmail.com by 5th of the month, for content to appear in the following issue.

EY E MAGAZINE | FEBR UARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 5 1

8 week Bereavement Led by a qualified bereavement group facilitator and supported Support Group

by Rosedale running Funeral Home. several times This complimentary course a year welcomes everyone, no matter how info@rosedalefuneralhome.co.uk

long ago you were bereaved, or which funeral director you used.

Grief is the price we pay for loving.

Everyone’s experience of grief is unique and there is no right or wrong way to grieve. In this group you will find people who care – and understand what you are going through.

Michael Burke Wellbeing Centre, Castleton Way, Eye, IP23 7BL BOOKING ESSENTIAL

For more information and to register: Please contact us at Rosedale Funeral Home, 63 Victoria Road, Diss, Norfolk, call 01379 640810 or email info@rosedalefuneralhome.co.uk

EY E MAGAZIN E | FEBRUARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 5 2

What’s on

Dance with Jane Fridays 2-3pm Eye Town Hall £5 If you don’t use it, you lose it!

To avoid aches and pains as we grow older, we need to keep it all moving apparently. If you enjoy music, friendship and a bit of a boogie at your own pace, then Dance With Jane could be for you. Dancing to a huge variety of music, we work on balance, strength and memory. I have learnt over many years of teaching dance, since retiring from a professional career of treading the boards, that retired adults don’t like commitment! With this in mind, my class is ‘drop in if you can!’ I started the class to make sure I, myself, had a good hour of exercise every week, with no excuse, and I do feel better and stronger for it.

We all work at our own pace at Dance with Jane, enabling the session to be mixed ability, with a chair each, incase we need to sit down! I have seen marvellous progress amongst my pupils over the last two years and this makes my fundraising class very rewarding.

All profits go to LILAC Ladies (Ladies in League Against Cancer)

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EY E MAGAZINE | FEBR UARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 5 4

Fun activities Quick crossword no 17,381

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

ACROSS 1

Butterfly or cat (13)

8 Plant’s coiling threadlike 8

climbing organ (7)

9

9 ......-ski (5)

10 Leave out (4) 10

11 Disgruntled destroyer

11

(8)

13 Putrefy (6)

12 13

14

14 A beret (anag) – make

15

1d sounds towards (6)

17 Remote – like some

16 17

incidents? (8)

18

19 Top of a beer (4)

19

21 Baghdad resident, e.g.

20 21

22

(5)

23

22 Aberration (7)

24 Sneaky, secret or stealthy (13)

24

DOWN Across or catof (13)disapproval (3) 1 1 Butterfly Brief sound coiling threadlike climbing 28 Plant’s Vintage comedy The Two ...... organ (7) (7) 9 ___-ski (5) 3 Leave Fairy-tale 10 out (4)baddie (4) 11 destroyer 4 Disgruntled Brunei has one (6)(8) 13 5 Putrefy Added(6) salt – well-versed (8) 14 A beret (anag) – make 1d sounds towards (6) 17 Remote – like some incidents? (8) 19 Top of a beer (4) 21 Baghdad resident, e.g. (5) 22 Aberration (7) 24 Sneaky, secret or stealthy (13)

15 ‘Hero ingredient’ of guacamole (7) 166Arrive’s antithesis (6)(5) Spine-tingling 18 Broadcasting now (2,3) 7 Intense ray of light (5,4) 20 Young uncastrated male horse (4) Verboten (3-6) 2310Positive response (3) 12 Unlike 23d (8)

15 ‘Hero ingredient’ of guacamole (7)

No.22

Where in Eye is this?

Down 1 Brief sound of disapproval (3) 2 Vintage comedy Two ___ (7) Answer nextThe issue.

3 Fairy-tale baddie (4) 4 Brunei has one (6) 5 Added salt – well-versed (8) 6 Spine-tingling (5) 7 Intense ray of light (5,4) 10 Verboten (3-6) 12 Unlike 23d (8)

No. 21 -Castle Gates

16 Arrive’s antithesis (6) 18 Broadcasting now (2,3) 20 Young uncastrated male horse (4) 23 Positive response (3)

Eye Spy Solution no 17,380 C I C A D A C H I P S H H O R T H D E F A N G G E L A T O R S O S L V N U T S O U T S H I N E B I D R C L S Y S T EMA T I S E S F R D M G L A R G E S S E MOON A O M N E T C A N NO T A D R O I T K T J M S S S U S H I C EME N T

EY E MAGAZINE | FEBR UARY 2 02 6 | PA GE 5 5

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.

• Home Visits • Funeral Finance • Direct Cremation • Affordable Choices

YEARS

63 Victoria Road, Diss IP22 4JE

A FA M I LY B U S I N E S S

11 Exchange Street, Harleston IP20 9AB

01379 640810 (24hrs) 01379 853999 (24hrs) www.rosedalefuneralhome.co.uk

• Pre-paid Funeral Plans • Personal Touches • Bereavement Support Groups and Resources

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