Living in Suffolk Coastal - Issue 33

ISSUE SUMMER 2022 2016 ISSUE ONE… 33 ... summer

LIVING IN

SUFFOLK Get ... summer HERE! Localcracking home owners… throw is open their doors Art ... flocking Childlovers free zones?… meetto thecoast couple with the Parent Pod! AK Blakemore it’s witchcraft Is grey just so last...year?…

Jojo Humes Brown on colours

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SERVICES

SUFFOLK BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION SERVICES We take great pride in our quality of work and personal service that we provide.

Covering all aspects of building and construction we work alongside a selection of trusted, local sub-contractors to complete projects to the highest of standards.

4 New Builds

4 Extensions

4 Period Properties

4 Structural Alterations

4 Property Renovation 4 Garage Conversions 4 Design and Build

4 Loft Conversions

Get in touch 01394 822944 info@sbcservices.co.uk | www.sbcservices.co.uk Unit H1, Base Business Park, Rendlesham, Suffolk, IP12 2TZ

LIVING IN

SUFFOLK Get ... summer HERE! Localcracking home owners… throw is open their doors Art ... flocking Childlovers free zones?… meetto thecoast couple with the Parent Pod! AK Blakemore it’s witchcraft Is grey just so last...year?…

Jojo Humes Brown on colours

ON our COVER …

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ISSUE SUMMER 2022 2016 ISSUE ONE… 33 ... summer

We love this painting, which captures the sheer unadulterated joy of summer days by the sea. Inspired

by Southwold, this 40 x 45cm acrylic on wood panel is called Race To The Beach, by artist Barbara Peirson, who is exhibiting at Aldeburgh Gallery this summer (see page 25).

READ IT ONLINE AT WWW.LIVINGINSUFFOLK.COM Did you know it’s less than £1 a day to advertise on our county-wide website, where you can browse all issues of the magazine as well as more features from around Suffolk!

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ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

get involved …

If you’ve got a heartwarming or topical story to tell, an inspiring home or business to show off, or an event you’re planning, we’d love to hear from you!

The copy deadline for our autumn edition, which hits the streets in late September, is Monday, 19th September. l For advertising information, or if you’d like to submit any collaboration ideas and stories for future issues, email us at info@livinginsuffolk.com

Where every pupil creates their own story.

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LIVING IN Editor: Angela Hagan 07930 184773, info@livinginsuffolk.com Designers: Craig Drever and Lewis Webb Writer: Charity Crewe charity@livinginsuffolk.com www.livinginsuffolk.com Due East Media Ltd: Soane House, 4 Soane Street, Ipswich IP4 2BG. Registered in England number 10242873 Disclaimer: Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor the editor, nor its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party for omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. All artwork is accepted on the strict condition that permission has been given for use in this publication. Living In … Suffolk Coastal does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced, without prior permission of Due East Media Ltd.

Local home owners… throw open their doors Child free zones?… meet the couple with the Parent Pod! Is grey just so last year?… Jojo Humes Brown on colours

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With our ambitious learning culture, a focus on every individual and a breadth and blend of opportunities, we help our pupils discover and develop their talents to create their own life-story.

Our size, structure and ethos mean that our entire focus is on understanding, guiding and inspiring each child individually – so they can find their own voice, their confidence, self-belief and aspiration, discover their own talents, challenge themselves and reach their full potential.

We are academics, actors, musicians, expeditioners, sports people, innovators, scientists, decision makers, artists, fun lovers, nurturers and thought provokers. Often we are many things within one. But, we are all individual with our own story.

You can arrange a private visit by calling our Admissions team on 01728 723789, email admissions@framlinghamcollege.co.uk or enquire via our website at framlinghamcollege.co.uk

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COASTAL

NEWS …

Feeling hot hot hot!

It may be summer but it’s still quite nippy in our glorious north sea for those brave enough to swim! Help is on hand, however, in the form of this horsebox converted into a mobile sauna.

As with many new start-ups, Sauna Box was a lockdown project and was only ever meant to be a side hustle for founder Tom (pictured). “The idea came about when discussing what we missed during lockdown,” he smiles. “I missed my daily sauna routine and how good it made me feel.”

Tom loved the idea of making a mobile sauna and within a week had bought a vintage horsebox to convert. “I didn’t really know what I was doing but luckily the sauna community is very supportive and before long I was firing up the stove for the first sauna.” By this point he had quit his corporate job for a big property developer and couldn’t think of a better way of spending his weekends than sharing his love of sauna, and all the associated health benefits, with others.

Since then he’s been running pop-up saunas, alongside ice baths, all over Suffolk and Norfolk.

“What I love most about Sauna Box is that you get to send people home feeling

great,” he smiles. “They come out of the sauna (and ice bath) feeling relaxed, happy and energised. It is building a real community and I’ve found the sauna is a great catalyst for good conversation. There is also the fact that I typically set up in beautiful locations whether on the coast at Dunwich, where we have a sea view from the sauna, or at one of the amazing

local glamping sites.”

Sauna Box is growing organically with the second box now under construction ready in time for this year’s Latitude Festival. l Check it out on Insta or Facebook, email Tom at hello@saunabox.co.uk or call 07919 152901.

A bee with pantaloons!

Whatever next?

As the temperature soars, it brings with it the most flamboyant visitors to RSPB Minsmere!

The pantaloon bee may well look like it’s about to take part in a local am dram production of Shakespeare, but actually they’re heading to Minsmere’s warm and inviting sandy soil to create tunnels so they can set up home. The proximity of their favourite flowers – namely ragwort, thistle and various daisy species - only adds to the attraction. Only the female pantaloon bee has these distinctive pollen brushes on her legs; used to feed her young and burrow into the ground like a corkscrew until submerging herself. Conveniently, her brushes are also used to sweep the sand clear of her burrow. The males don’t have hairy legs so are relieved from these domestic chores. The female pantaloon’s favourite song happens to be, ‘This Is A Man’s World’ (OK, we made that bit up!)

This summer, visitors at Minsmere are invited to explore the wonderous and sometimes gory world of insects at RSPB Minsmere’s ‘Digger Alley;’ a short stretch of sandy path on the coastal nature reserve and home to a large number of burrowing insects including the bee wolf and leaden spider wasps.

Picture by Steve Everett Davene Everett

l For more information, visit www.rspb.org.uk/minsmere ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

5

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ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

property

ON THE

MARKET

Local home owners… throw open their doors Child free zones?… meet the couple with the Parent Pod! Is grey just so last year?… Jojo Humes Brown on colours

YOUR BRAND NEW FREE HOMES & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Your latest local property news from around the region …

lettings soar The director of award-winning lettings and property management agency IP Lettings has told how the rental market in the region is positively booming. With years of local knowledge under his belt, Jamie Curran tells Living In … these have been busy times.

“The lettings market in our area has always been positive, however we have seen a large amount of people wishing to move, especially over the last 12 months, with demand being higher than I’ve ever seen,” says Jamie.

“Quite frankly it is more landlords and properties we need as a business; it’s never an issue finding a suitable tenant.

Why not take advantage of our threemonth free landlord fees?”

Country living in the town!

This spacious five-bed detached bungalow boasts a large, mature, landscaped garden that wraps around the property, giving it a feel of country living despite its central location in Woodbridge.

Just minutes away from all the shops, pubs and restaurants in town, the house has been finished to a high standard.

And it’s just waiting to be snapped up by someone green-fingered. There is an impressive raised deck area, perfect for outdoor dining and with standing views towards Sutton Hoo. From its secluded

This summer, IP Lettings is offering 0% landlord fees for three months (see advert opposite). For the Ipswichoffice, call 01473 679528 or for the Woodbridge team, call 01394 783012.

loggia to the recessed patio, it is ideal for barbecues or sitting around the fire.

A peaceful pergola links the different sections of the garden.

With three bathrooms, three reception rooms, a garage and ample off-street parking for multiple cars, this property would make a great family home or might even suit a retired couple with grandchildren. Guide price: £1,150,000. l To book a viewing, call the Woodbridge team at Fenn Wright on 01394 333346.

Or go to www.fennwright.co.uk ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

7

THE GREATEST

Lucy Savage on the life-changing vow she made during her treatment for breast cancer ...

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“

ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

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remember very clearly being in the middle of a chemo session when it struck me that life is too short for cruising. Looking around the large room filled with some very sick people, I hoped that at 42 years old, this wasn’t it. I guess this ignited a fire in me to do something completely different. When I was out the other side I wanted an adventure.

It was the summer of 2020 and we were also in the middle of the first ltockdown, dealing not only with a new breast cancer diagnosis, but also my husband’s job on hold and three kids to home school. I think lockdown gave many people the opportunity to ponder things and work out what was really important to them. For us, we felt that once my treatment was over it would be the opportune time to make a big move and put the last few hellish months behind us.

My background is in marketing and I love all things interior design. My husband on the other hand is very practical and has always enjoyed the challenge of building new things or fixing things up. Together, we adore to host. It was this mix of background skills and passions, together with the urge to try something very different that led us to set up a glamp site in the summer of 2021.

It sounds simple when I write it like that, but it was anything but! We were living in Hertfordshire, but we were eager to be nearer to the coast without moving too far from family who were in Herts and Cambs. Suffolk was the perfect location for us, but that still meant upheaving our three children from their current school. This was what we both felt most guilty about, but we

knew that we could offer them such a lovely life in Suffolk, with both parents at home, and all the joys of country and coastal living.

It took us a few months of searching to find the right property and land, but when we looked at an old farmhouse in Earl Soham, just outside Framlingham, it felt like the perfect spot. There was a beautiful three-acre meadow and we could immediately visualise how it could work as a glamp site. It was also in a great location, right on the tourist trail for those who would want to get out and about exploring Suffolk. Our offer was accepted in the winter of 2020 and we immediately submitted a proposal of ‘Change of Use’ for planning permission. It was a risk as there was a chance that we’d end up in the house but without the council’s approval. In the four months of waiting I never believed we wouldn’t get permission; it wasn’t an outcome I was prepared to accept. I had a gut feeling that the stars would align, that it was meant to be.

We finally got the go-ahead four weeks after we moved into the house and then we began working all guns blazing for an opening at the start of the summer holidays. We had only eight weeks. It was a massive task and incredibly ambitious (and unrealistic according to some).

It was the boring bits that took ages and swatted both energy and time such as the car park area which took weeks of ground work. Luckily, we had a good friend over from Colombia who stayed with us to help set up the site and he and my husband built the

communal kitchen shed, showers and loo sheds from scratch. Whilst the hard graft was going on, I’d lend a hand where possible (mainly painting!), but my focus was on developing the website, marketing and shopping for the interiors – I’m not going to lie, I absolutely loved this part. I’d trawl the breadth of antique markets and browse Etsy into the late hours.

My husband and I knew from the start exactly the kind of glamp site we wanted to create. With kids of our own, we wanted to provide a place where adults enjoy their stay as much as the children. It was important that the little luxuries of being on holiday weren’t compromised.

We made sure that the kitchen had all mod cons, that the bathrooms were on par with boutique hotels and that bell tents each had sumptuous bedding and furnishings.

I still can’t believe we quite did it, but Savage Glamping opened its doors just in time for the summer holidays.

We had the best season we could ever have wished for. Within weeks we were full for the whole summer and we were meeting the most wonderful groups of people who were all loving the Savage Glamping experience and promising to return. So many of them have already booked for this year and recommended it to their friends.

Sometimes I peek over the fence to watch the kids running around the site, with parents laughing and relaxing in the communal safari tent, and I pinch

myself. I feel incredibly lucky. I know that without the cancer diagnosis we’d most likely not have moved here and taken such a risk. I am so grateful that we took the chance – the kids are having a terrific time at their new school and we’ve all made some fabulous friends. I’ve learnt how short and precious life can be and how quickly things can change.

How quickly you can change things.

And how you should grasp life and live it like an adventure.” l Savage Glamping is offering Living In … readers a special 10% discount off if you book within the next four weeks. To book, go to www.savageglamping.com and use code ‘Suffolk10’ at checkout.

Opposite page, bottom: Lucy and her family moved from Hertfordshire after she finished her treatment This page, left: Lucy wore a cold cap during chemo sessions to help prevent hair loss Above: Glamping at its best – Lucy trawled antique markets and Etsy to decorate this stylish glamp site

17 Church Street, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 1DS +44 (0)7702 877081 www.vanil.co.uk Insta: vanil_ltd Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10.30am–5.30pm

Pushing t a o b the out!

Living In … meets the owners of Robertsons Boatyard who have transformed their business into one of the best venues in Woodbridge …

T

here is something quite magical about Robertsons Boatyard. Steeped in history and sitting on the banks of the River Deben, opposite Sutton Hoo, this is the town’s oldest boatyard and it can certainly tell a tale or two. It has lived through countless wars, economies, monarchs and prime ministers and survived it all, blossoming into a muchloved business. With it’s ideal river location and easy access to oak from the forests around Framlingham, it’s easy to see (and yet easy to forget too) that by the time Elizabeth I was on the throne, Woodbridge was a thriving shipbuilding centre. Records show that Robertsons Boatyard site has been used for trade and boatbuilding since the Middle Ages. From the 1500s, large commercial ships and, for a while, grand admiralty vessels were built here. But the introduction of railways saw the industry significantly decline by the late 1800s.

By then, it was known to all as Robertsons Boatyard, having been established by Ebenezer (Khartoum)

ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

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Robertson in the earlier 1880s. A shrewd businessman, he saw a future in building small wooden yachts for the leisure market and the then vacant Lime Kiln Quay shipyard seemed the best spot.

The yard remained in the hands of the Robertson family for three generations and continues to trade under their name to this day. Now it is run by the Eminson family who have worked very hard to maintain the traditions of this working boatyard.

It was 12 years ago when Levington couple, Clive and Roz Eminson, had the foresight to see the potential in this site. Their three sons, James, Matthew and Sam and a loyal team of staff, have helped to breathe new life into it, steering it straight into the 21st century.

“Like traditional boatyards throughout the country; some have sadly closed down, some figured out other ways to survive,” says Matthew, “which is what we have been doing for the last 12 years.”

Many local famous boatbuilders, including Claude Whisstock and Frank Knights, apprenticed at Robertsons. They still have some of the same talented staff on board from its previous incarnation, and they are all committed to keeping alive the ancient marine practices required to run a busy working boatyard. Nowadays, however, they continue to offer a wide variety of services ranging from maintenance, repairs, fitting through to re-decking solutions, painting and varnishing, rigging, plumbing and electrics, layups and storage. “We have one of the largest slipways in Suffolk here, with a capacity of up to 22 metres in length, 5.2 metres in breadth and 40 British tons in weight,” says Matthew This is a perfect slipway from which to launch almost any-sized boat. No wonder it’s become so popular with the 50 or so kayakers who are all regular members of the lively club operating out of here.

Since the Eminsons took over, they have invested in improvements to facilities for the barges including

rebuilding the jetty, metred electricity, internet services, the reclamation of an acre of mud to hard-standing and ample customer parking.

Robertsons is centrally placed in Woodbridge, offering just a short walking distance into the town centre, and yet you feel like you’re a world away as everything faces the tranquil River Deben.

Thanks to the hard work of this inspirational team every inch has undergone a full makeover.

Architect-designed offices now house two outside companies which are leasing the space recruitment specialists Marshall Wolfe and business consultants Rokker. Above is the beautifully appointed three-bedroom riverside apartment, known as The Crow’s Nest, which is available to rent for holidays. This stunning, light-filled apartment boasts a large open plan living room, three double bedrooms and three bathrooms arranged over two floors. It has two balconies overlooking the working boatyard below, with sweeping views across the river. As we for those looking to work more stand on the larger of the balconies, Matthew points effectively. “We offer shared down at a striking yacht below us. “That’s the ‘Nancy and private workspaces, Blackett’,” he smiles. “Once owned by Swallows and accommodating one-to-one Amazons author, Arthur Ransome, and the star of his meetings, client consultations or seventh book in the series ‘We Didn’t Mean to Go to small corporate events.”

Sea’. It’s owned by a trust.”

Indeed, for businesses looking to put on corporate The main buildings at the boatyard have been events this is a prime location in Suffolk. With the lovingly refurbished and all the machinery and railway line just minutes away, Robertsons can host a lifting equipment replaced and upgraded. range of occasions, such as team-building workshops More recently, seeing followed by lunch aboard a gap in the local market It’s perfect for team-building the recently acquired Sarah for flexible work space, a Ann Austin, a 1937 former decision was made to turn workshops followed by lunch RNLI lifeboat. It really the old boat shed, known as doesn’t get better than this on the River Deben the Sprat Shed, into a cool in terms of originality, ease and stylish co-working and meeting area. Beautifully of parking and access to all the amenities of the town. renovated, it comes complete with kitchen area and It’s a million miles away from the usual corporate features a huge woodburner in the main room and environment, and is practical, spacious and a further smaller office upstairs. The solar panels on atmospheric. the roof are an absolute godsend (especially when This has clearly been a labour of love for the Matthew’s father, Clive, wants to charge up his Tesla!) brothers. Matthew was forced back home, like so In addition, The Cabin, a converted shipping container many, when the pandemic struck. He left behind a followed. This is an example of the diversification of scuba diving instructor’s job in the Cayman Islands as work carried out due to the challenges of covid. covid wreaked its trail of destruction around the world.

Bluebell also falls into this category. She is a beautifully James, formerly a yachtmaster, has years of restored and converted derelict hull which is in dry experience skippering boats in the Mediterranean dock, providing further versatile space. and has been working in the boatyard for six years.

“Since covid so many people are working from home But life goes on and the family have made many feeling isolated,” says Matthew. “This bridges the gap more happy memories in all they do; James recently sailed the Sarah Ann Austin in the Parade of Boats at the Festival Of The Sea celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Between them all, the family and the team at Robertsons Boatyard have ensured this historic and much-loved business in the town has adapted and evolved in these trying times that we all now find ourselves in. Their actions now are ensuring its survival for future generations to enjoy for many years.

“We are immensely proud,” adds Matthew. l Robertsons Boatyard, Lime Kiln Quay, Woodbridge, IP12 1BD. Call 01394 382305. Or go to: www. robertsons-boatyard.co.uk

l For more information on The Sprat Shed go to: www.thespratshed.com And for The Crow’s Nest go to: www.thecrowsnestwoodbridge.co.uk

Opposite page, Top left: view from The Crow’s Nest of the boatyard below; Middle: James aboard Sarah Ann Austin; Bottom left: Back in the day.

This page, Top right: Hot-desking in the enormous Sprat Shed; Middle right: Brothers James and Matthew working on Bluebell; Middle left: Restoring Bluebell; Bottom left: Robertsons new 1937 former lifeboat, Sarah Ann Austin ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

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MOVERS & SHAKERS AK Blakemore, whose debut novel The Manningtree Witches has taken the literary world by storm, visits Suffolk …

Picture by Sophie Davidson

As a published poet, what made you turn to prose?

My dad lives in Manningtree, so I’m there a few times a year and it’s an area I know quite well. The process of writing my book, The Manningtree Witches, began when I was in a fallow period of writing poetry. I started digging into historical research without the intention of it becoming a novel, and the characters that were unearthed just jumped out at me.

It’s since won a raft of prestigious literary awards. Did you know it was going to be such a hit?

Absolutely not. It’s been a pleasant surprise, though I’m still a bit baffled by it!

The novel centres on the 17th century witch hunts and features real characters from the time – it’s fascinating.

I think one of the most interesting aspects of historical witch hunts in England is what they tell us about the process of dehumanisation. It allows people who like to think of themselves as ‘good’ to indulge in acts of cruelty, or to ignore cruel things happening around them.

It should be on the big screen – have the film rights been bought?

There are plans in motion. Watch this space!

What’s next for you?

My second book. It’s set during the French Revolution and is about a real-life man called Tarrare who was known across France for his insatiable appetite. It’s called The Bottomless Man. It sounds like you will have another smash hit on your hands! Did you always know you’d end up being an author?

Yes! I don’t really like doing anything unless I’m immediately good at it and, with writing, I was.

Do you worry about the pressures of trying to produce another successful book?

Worry is the wrong word; I think you become a lot more aware of your writing as a product or something people will react to. That

wasn’t at the forefront of my mind when I wrote The Manningtree Witches. In some ways that felt like a freer exercise, as I had no notion it was going to be published. But a little anxiety isn’t a bad thing!

Where’s the best place to write?

I’m not allowed to smoke in my shared flat, so it’s the garden for me. If not there, at the kitchen table!

What’s your proudest moment?

Probably when I won the Desmond Elliot Prize 2021 for The Manningtree Witches. The ceremony took place ‘virtually’. My partner was watching from another room with my friend Kate, and he said to her: ‘I’m just so proud of her.’ He’s a taciturn man, so that was lovely. My dad, who’s equally bookish as me, is unequivocally proud too. And of course, Manningtree is the place he lives in and loves, so it felt very nice to bring it to life in the book in a way he enjoyed. The book is dedicated to him.

Do you know this part of the world?

Yes – even though I live in London, my family are spread between Suffolk and Kent.

And you will be here in the summer, appearing at the Primadonna literary festival, is that right?

Yes, I’ve heard it’s a fantastic event; I’m looking forward to it. See you there! l AK Blakemore will be talking all things witchcraft with fellow author Juno Dawson at this year’s Primadonna Festival in Stowmarket, which runs from 29th to 31st July. For tickets, go to www.primadonnafestival.com l The Manningtree Witches hardback, published by Granta, is priced £12.99.

ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

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ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

historic suffolk

Far from the madding crowd Local home owners… throw open their doors Child free zones?… meet the couple with the Parent Pod! Is grey just so last year?… Jojo Humes Brown on colours

Living In … soaks up the romance and atmosphere of the home shared by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears …

I

Turn of the Screw and Death in Venice, often with extensive notes scribbled on them by Britten and Pears, and music books and treaties dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. The music room was also used as a rehearsal space for small groups of musicians and is now used for intimate recitals.

The additional buildings you can explore include Britten’s composition studio, which sits in the converted upper floor of a mid19th century cart shed and hay store, and contains a large south-facing window overlooking the orchard. The furniture, piano, books and other items in the room are all part of the original collection. You can also explore the gallery.

It’s easy to imagine Britten and Pears entertaining their guests here, cultivating their vegetables, and playing croquet and

tennis in their much-cherished gardens.

Their relationship completely altered the creative course of Britten’s life; he began composing vocal music inspired

by Pears’ voice in 1940, and while he also wrote for other performers over the following decades, Pears remained his most constant and significant ‘muse’.

He composed hours of music for Pears to sing, hearing his partner’s voice time and again in the notes on the page.

In 1974, Britten wrote to Pears: ‘… you are the greatest artist that ever was …

What have I done to deserve such an artist and man to write for?’

Pears replied: ‘… it is you who have given me everything, right from the beginning…

I am here as your mouthpiece and I live in your music.’

The Red House really is a charming snapshot into this famous couple’s lives.

The farmhouse, nestled in a beautiful five-acre garden, is not just home to their collections and archive, but also to a gallery space, museum shop and outdoor cafe.

Today, the garden has evolved into a wildlife-friendly environment that retains some of the original planting and reflects their taste in flowers and plants. Visitors can explore the kitchen garden, see what plants are in season and follow the garden trail to discover sculptures from the art collection.

Visitors can enjoy coffee, cake, and takeaway lunches from the Garden Cafe on the croquet lawn overlooking the house. Customers of the cafe may enjoy the gardens free of charge. l For further information on The Red House, go to www.brittenpearsarts.org ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

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Main picture by Sara Roberts. Indoor picture by Philip Vile. All pictures © Britten Pears Arts

n 1959, one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, Benjamin Britten wrote to his friend, poet and critic Edith Sitwell, about the enchanting home he’d shared for two years with his partner and tenor Peter Pears.

“We are … alas, away from the sea, but thankfully away from the gaping faces, and irritating publicity of that sea-front”, he wrote. “It is a lovely house, with a big garden all around, and I’ve made myself a nice remote studio where I can bang away to my heart’s content.”

Indeed, The Red House in Aldeburgh was so peaceful a setting, it allowed Britten to work without distraction, enabling the pair to stay there for the rest of their lives.

For those who have not yet visited it, The Red House is a Grade II 17th century farmhouse situated in the town’s Golf Lane, away from the seaside hustle and bustle of the high street.

The interior provides an intimate picture of their life together – charting not only their story but that of the family, friends and famous guests who stayed or visited there. The eclectic mix of art, artefacts, furniture and furnishings give a rare and personal glimpse into the domestic lives and tastes of two extraordinary musicians, rooted in pre- and post-war Britain. Its presentation is based on documentary and photographic evidence, as well as the memories of Britten’s and Pears’ family, friends, colleagues and employees.

The library and music room, designed

by Peter Collymore in 1963, is home to the couple’s vast collection of books and music, as well as a place to display some of their art. Their book collection includes source material for operas such as The

YOUR BRAND NEW FREE HOMES & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

medicine man!

Ed Berger, who offers herb walks and workshops in Suffolk, talks natural remedies with Charity Crewe

W

alking into Ed Berger’s lodge house in the woods, near Campsea Ashe, you have to duck to avoid the herbs drying in his kitchen. There is little Ed doesn’t know about herbs, having been a herbal therapist for 25 years, and a herbal medicine teacher for 20. He recently gave up teaching at a natural medicine college in London to concentrate on practising.

Having enjoyed passing on his wisdom to the next generation of herbalists, he will continue to spread the word by offering herb-focused events and therapy sessions in Suffolk, where he’s lived for 15 years.

“Until around 100 years ago, every culture relied on plant medicines for their healthcare,” explains Ed. “Even during World War I, doctors were using garlic as an antibiotic.”

In a very short time, in the West, we have lost our plant know-how.

“Natural remedies for headaches or period pain were common knowledge a few generations ago. Powerful medicinal plants grow all around us, but we have forgotten about them,” he says ruefully.

Much of the world, however, has held on to this wisdom. The World Health Organisation reports that over 80% of the world’s population use herbal medicine. While Ed isn’t against modern medicine, and isn’t evangelical about living naturally, he feels we rely too heavily on pharmaceuticals. This was brought home to him by his students.

“When I asked about home remedies passed down in their families, the British students would rarely have any, but the

African, Afro-Caribbean, Asian and Eastern European students often grew up with whole medicine chests of herbs, picked by their mums, for various ailments.”

Ed was drawn to herbalism from a young age, growing up in the Hampshire countryside.

“I was always interested in plants and tasting them,” he says.

He bought his first herbal remedies book as a teen, to learn about what plants did.

“You often find herbalists had a strong connection with plants early on,” says Ed. He went on to study Ayurvedic medicine in India, and on his return decided to make a career out of herbal medicine.

The Ayurvedic training was, he says, an excellent route into studying herbalism and remains at the core of his philosophy This page: For 20 years, Ed taught at the College of Naturopathic Medicine in London. He now holds herbal medicine workshops, walks and therapy sessions in coastal Suffolk Opposite: The roots of the elecampane (Inula helenium) plant are used in a herbal cough syrup

HOW THEY HELP “All culinary herbs and spices have medicinal properties,” says Ed. “Their aromatic volatile constituents strengthen appetite and digestion, and possess a host of other therapeutic properties.”

Sage (Salvia officinalis) l Menopausal symptoms l Sore throat l Poor cognitive function

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Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) l Poor circulation l Memory and concentration problems

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) l Coughs l Asthma

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) l Poor circulation l Mucus congestion l Poor nutrient absorption

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) l Fungal and parasitic infections

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) l Poor circulation l Nausea l Appetite loss

of health and healing.

“Ancient systems of medicine are all incredibly similar, whether it’s the GrecoRoman, the Ayurvedic or the Chinese system. Intellectual knowledge, herbs and spices travelled around the world.”

“Powerful medicinal plants grow all around us, but we have forgotten about them” These systems are focused on preventing disease, and use herbs and foods to encourage the body to heal itself. Ed recalls “a lovely Chinese adage that says: ‘You pay your doctor when you’re well, but when you’re ill you don’t, because they’ve clearly done something wrong.’”

Ideally, Ed thinks, people should take herbal medicines all the time to keep their constitutions in balance, which is doubtless what our ancestors did.

The names of many plants indicate how familiar their medicinal qualities once were. The dandelion is a good example; in French it is called pissenlit (‘pee the bed’), because it was universally known

for its diuretic properties.

In his one-on-one plant therapy sessions, Ed treats a huge range of conditions, from digestive problems to PMS. He will look at the person and their habits, and try to restore equilibrium to their system with herbs and dietary changes, so their body is able to start healing itself.

“Everybody needs a different approach; it’s like peeling off the layers of an onion to find out what this is,” says Ed. Generally, though, he believes: “If you get people sleeping and digesting properly, and reduce their stress, the healing will begin.”

Some people he sees may still have to take conventional medicine, but the idea is to take less of it. An initial consultation lasts 50 minutes, with ten minutes at the end to make up the herbal medicine. This is followed by monthly half-hour sessions. l To book plant therapy sessions with Ed or discuss anything related to herbal medicine, email info@edberger.co.uk or call 07931 797148. l Find out more, including details of upcoming talks, at www.edberger.co.uk

Ed’s safety advice: Never take medicinal herbs if pregnant, breast feeding or taking pharmaceuticals (there can be interactions) without first seeking professional advice. Don’t pick and take fresh herbs unless you are 100% certain you have the correct and pure medicinal species (not varieties or hybrids).

Every purchase you make in our shops supports the pioneering music, arts and heritage work of Britten Pears Arts.

snapemaltings.co.uk

A co-educational independent day and boarding school for students aged from 4 to 18

Woodbridge School combines the best of tradition and innovation.

Our Prep School is a caring, lively and inspirational introduction to School which inspires and invests a true love of learning, while our Senior School offers a curriculum that delivers a balance of academic and arts excellence as well as life skills for students.

Offering a comprehensive system of bus routes reaching across Suffolk and Essex, as well as weekly and full boarding options for those living further afield, an education at Woodbridge School has never been closer.

Join our community and see the facilities on offer at our Whole School Open Day on Saturday 24 September 2022.

You can also join us on Tuesday 11 October 2022 for our Sixth Form Open Evening, to explore our subjects, meet tutors and find out more about studying A Levels at Woodbridge.

To register for your place, please visit www.woodbridgeschool.org.uk

BUSINESS BULLETIN All the latest from around the Suffolk region …

Absolute Nomads!

Here at Living In … we love a success story.

And Benjamin Weston is just that. The former Woodbridge School pupil has set up a novel new travel company, Absolute Nomads.

It is perhaps no surprise that Benjamin has found such success for one so young After leaving Woodbridge School in 2018 his fascination with Asia, and North Korea in particular, saw him studying in Seoul for six months. He started a website called Mansudae Korea featuring a blog about North Korea and used that to apply for a job at Koryo Tours in Beijing, which he started in March 2019.

“This led my first tour to North Korea in July 2019 for Victory Day where I was responsible for a group of around 20 people,” says Benjamin, “taking them around North Korea for a week to multiple cities.”

Sadly, Covid saw the country shut down in 2020 so he returned to Woodbridge and set up Absolute Nomads with a colleague from Koryo Tours.

“We’ve expanded the company’s horizons to now include six countries; North Korea, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Iran, Turkmenistan and are

Choices

More than 30 years ago as a mum of two young children Zoe Groom was growing increasingly concerned about the environmental impact humans were having the planet.

“This was at a time when it really wasn’t very fashionable to be greenminded,” she smiles. “I also knew how expensive it could be to kit out two small people!”

Trailblazing Zoe set up Choices Clothes Ltd, selling nearly new and

looking to expand further to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and potentially Burma, Vietnam and South Korea in the future.”

If that wasn’t enough Benjamin, who teaches English part-time at an international school, started his own Youtube channel in his spare time, DPRK Explained, which has racked up around 13,000 subscribers. On it he talks about North Korean culture, travel and various non-political topics.

He says: “I want to make the travel company a success and look to expand it into interesting niche countries, and when North Korean opens again, start work on various cultural engagement projects to help bridge the gap between Koreans and the rest of the world and create a bit of understanding about the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea).” l Find out more at www.absolutenomads.com

preloved clothes on a commissionbasis out of a small room at Manor Farm, the home she shared with husband Des and their children.

Three decades later her son and daughter, James and Bea, are parents themselves and the business has

grown considerably too!

It’s expanded into four different barns on the site, with outfits and footwear for babies, children and adults as well as maternity-wear, baby equipment, toys, games, school uniforms and much more!

Nowadays Des, who is a dab hand at home-made cakes, runs the Manor Farm Coffee Shop selling teas, coffees and light lunches. With free parking on site, there is also an indoor and outdoor enclosed seating area for the café,

“Caring about the environment has come full circle and people are realizing how important it is to recycle and reuse,” she adds. “It’s never been more important, and by shopping at Choices not only can people save money but we also proud to support local and national charities too.” l Check out Choices Clothes Ltd, Manor Farm, Church Lane, Barham, Ipswich IP6 0PU. Call 01473 831804.

Or find them on Facebook and Insta @choicesclothesltd

PSST! Congratulations to Susie Keepin who has taken over the wonderful Woodbridge Emporium in the town’s Thoroughfare. Susie plans to expand the selection of local books and greetings cards by Suffolk artists and host more of the popular author events as well as install a cosy new children’s section at the back of the shop. Check it out at: www.woodbridgemporium.co.uk Or call 01394 382382 ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

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We have had to diversify a lot throughout the pandemic. Our production of home-made infused oils as well as chutneys, marmalade and jams has been a real hit. We hope this gives customers even more reasons to come back and enjoy our products!

Our outside catering and evening takeaway services are doing exceptionally well. As Southwold Rotary Club said: “The meals are home-cooked, always delicious and excellent value for money. It seems nothing is too much trouble for James and Lisa.”

WE ARE ENTERING OUR THIRD YEAR!

Always one eye on the future, we are now planning Christmas 2022 – if you’re looking for unique gifts for friends and family, now is the time to talk! ninedeli, 9 Pinkneys Lane, Southwold, IP18 6EW. Go to: www.ninedeli.co.uk

The foodies’ page with news from your local area …

Watson and Walpole: A review It is billed as a ‘neighbourhood Italian’ and it certainly lives up to this. Thanks to a winning collaboration between the delightful Ruth Watson, once known as TV’s the Hotel Inspector, her husband David and talented chef Rob Walpole, this busy restaurant, just off the square

fashionable suburb of Bologna. in Framlingham, offers authentic food It didn’t escape our attention that in comfortable surroundings. Its menus their menu describes one particular change monthly, more or less, though firm dish as ‘the best tiramisu.’ This is a slight favourites pop up frequently and seasons understatement. This tiramisu is the are respected.

In true Italian style, Watson and Walpole Holy Grail of ALL puddings. We challenge you, dear reader, to find encourages guests to better one than this eat the way mamma “This tiramisu is alocally.

Proudly brought liked; choosing an antipasto, followed by the Holy Grail of to the table by, not one, but two members of staff a pasta primo and then ALL puddings” (pictured), in a big dish a secondo main course and lovingly prepared by though it does cater for smaller appetites too. We could wax lyrical the King of Tiramisus himself, Signor Rob Walpole, a huge scoop of heaven is served here about exactly what we ate when onto your awaiting bowl. So momentous we popped in for lunch … with highlights was the eating of this, we thought we featuring the Scottish scallops with might have to genuflect before bidding artichoke crema and ‘nduja, the woodroasted lamb salsa verde with Tuscan-style our farewells.

If you do one thing this summer, do roast potatoes and the wood-roasted book a table at Watson and Walpole. monkfish with judion beans … but we simply don’t have the column inches. With l Go to www.watsonandwalpole.com many sumptuous dishes on offer, you’d be or call 01728 666556. forgiven for thinking you’re lunching in a

Dreddy’s Jerk Pit If you love Jamaican food as much as us, check out Dreddy’s Jerk Pit in Felixstowe.

Run by the fabulously talented Dreddy, takeaways include his legendary jerk chicken with rice and peas, fried plantain, shredded chicken with mixed peppers and jerk sauce, Jamaican patties and curried goat. l Check it out at North Kiosk (in front of Mannings Amusements), Sea Road, Felixstowe Beach. Or call in your orders on 07862 783118. Find him on Insta @dreddysjerkpitfelixstowe

Pizza perfect!

Woodbridge has welcomed with open arms The Woodyard in Tide Mill Way. This buzzing Neapolitan-style pizzeria, with views overlooking the River Deben, has been quite the hit. Co-owned by Charles and Eiliya Rogers (of the award-winning and very reasonably-priced Grundisburgh Dog Deli and Grundisburgh Dog pub), Tom and Alexandra Roberts and Tristan Breadman, Tom tells us it’s been a real labour of love.

“Trading has been very strong and we’ve already recruited more team in response to it,” he smiles. “We will continue keeping our menu fresh with weekly pizza specials, new flavours of gelato and new cocktail recipes created by our bar team.” l The Woodyard in Tidemill Way, caters for walk-ins only (though parties of eight can book). Call 01394 380716.

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What’s new in your lively local arts scene?

Living In … has the lowdown ...

Scribe alert!

Ever fancied your hand at writing? Well, now is your chance … Submissions are being invited for scintillating new short plays, the best of which will be produced for INK Festival 2023.

The deadline is 24th September which gives you plenty of time to get creative over the summer!

Arrival

Congratulations to artist Louise Craigie who is a featured artist with work showing at Thrive Collective, based in Helmingham Hall, throughout the whole of August. Her lovely painting ‘Arrival,’ inspired by her relationship with river banks and, in particular, the River Deben, will be on show. Louise will also lead a drawing workshop on 3rd August in the grounds of the historic hall. Thrive Collective curates pop ups with a focus on showcasing talented artisans from around our glorious region. l For more information on Louise’s work, go to www. louisecraigie.com or find her on Insta @madebyme_ louisecraigie Find Thrive on Insta @t.hrive_

l For more details, go to www.inkfestival.org

The Voyages of Bumble Chugger

Woodbridge’s Gillie and Robin Whittle have had many an adventure aboard their beloved Cornish Shrimper 19. Since 1970 the couple have sailed together, first racing in dinghies and for the last 25 years using their beloved Bumbler Chugger as a trailor sailor so they could explore Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Europe and Scandinavia.

Along the way they have experienced some incredible highs and lows. They have taken in dramatic, unforgettable scenery, from the mountain views of the Cuillins on the Isle of Skye to sailing in the amazing Norwegian Fjords.

Rebel rebel!

Gillie recalls much drama. “Like the enormous relief to be met by friends at the entrance to the dangerous entrance to Padstow after a thirteen-hour sail from Milford Haven,” she says. “Or exploring the River Tegus with five other shrimpers. It is impossible to pick out the most memorable experience – there have been so many!”

During the pandemic the retired couple, who kept detailed diaries of most of their journeys, put the time to good use and spent a year writing on their self-published book.

A great read, it is testament to all those who have braved gale force winds, continual drenchings and navigated rocky coasts in pursuit of their love of sailing.

“The book needs to be read to get the full impact!” adds Gillie. l To buy a copy of The Voyages of Bumble Chugger, £24, email gillie.whittle@btinternet.com

If you haven’t yet seen the Marvellous and Mischievous: Literature’s Young Rebels exhibition, you are in for a treat!

Based at The Hold on the Waterfront in Ipswich, it runs for the whole of summer and beyond. On tour from the British Library, this interactive, familyfriendly event showcases some of our finest rebellious characters in children’s literature.

The exhibition features more than 50 books, manuscripts and original artwork, including characters such as Tracy Beaker, Pippi Longstocking, Jane Eyre, Dirty Bertie, and Matilda.

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Come Hither!

It’s billed as the smallest commercial art gallery in Suffolk. And this summer Come Hither, based in Holbrook, celebrates its first birthday. Originally intended as a “garden room” project by Holbrook resident Lisa Thomas to help enhance her own wellbeing and creativity during lockdown 2021.

The gallery has since attracted artists and visitors alike, becoming a hidden gem on Suffolk’s cultural tourism trail.

Lisa, pictured outside the gallery with husband Dan, says: “It just took off, very quickly becoming popular with visitors and more successful than I’d ever expected.”

It may be small but it’s hosted a perfect range of art, prints, jewellery, enamels, and ceramics for sale. l Come Hither will hold Open Days on 30th and 31st July, and also every weekend throughout August. Go to www.gallery.comehitherdesign.com

On Thursday, 11th August, there will be storytelling for children, Mischief and Mystery in Mooomin Valley will be performed by theatre group Get Lost And Found. The event also promises weekly craft sessions for four-to-13-year-olds plus many, many more events (too numerous to mention here!)

There will be refreshments from the lovely Café At The Hold. Also children’s lunchboxes, with dietary options, can be ordered in advance to save money when booking a child’s event. l For tickets and further details, go to www.suffolkarchives.co.uk

INTERIOR

LIVES Homely inspiration from around the coastal region …

suffolk sense We love quirky shops! Based in the heart of Wickham Market, next to Cafe 46, Suffolk Sense is run by Becki Garrod and Susanna Cartmell and sells sustainable Suffolk-made items.

Becki says: “As two school friends from Framlingham, we’ve known each other for over 40 years and are very excited to have this new business together. Loving local, we are passionate about supporting small businesses to provide a dynamic array of artisan, eco-friendly products.”

Their studio, adjoining the shop, is available to individuals or creative collectives to showcase their businesses. l Suffolk Sense, 46 High Street, Wickham Market IP13 0QS. On Insta @suffolksense or go to www.suffolksense.co.uk

The Merchant’s Table This summer, The Merchant’s Table is holding an exhibition of Alice Andrea Ewing’s solid bronzes. This incredible collection has been put together through collaborations with historic gardens and notable botanical sites in East Anglia.

Alice’s works are unique bronze herbarium specimens, produced through an adaptation of the Italian or Renaissance lost-wax casting process. The bronze pieces are unique translations of the original organic specimens, capturing characteristic details and curiosity of form. They are cast and finished at the artist’s studio in Suffolk.

The show will run from Friday, 29th July through to Thursday, 25th August. l The Merchant’s Table is based at 10 Church Street, Woodbridge.

Go to www.themerchantstable.co.uk

VINYL n o i t c a r Dist ckley

By Carl Sti

S

ummer’s here. People are getting out and about. Festival-wise we have Maverick at Easton, Beast In The East in Ipswich, Smile in Sudbury, FolkEast at Glemham, Maui Waui in Dereham (almost Suffolk) and Bures Music Festival in, er, Bures. It’s like lockdown never happened!

If I had to pick individual gigs, I’d go for Kelley Stoltz at The Smokehouse, Ipswich, in July. If there was any justice in this world, he’d be selling out the O2 or similar primo gig venues.

Gorgeous pop. And the mighty Jah Wobble plays the John Peel Centre, Stowmarket, just before the kids go back to skool. Legend. back to basics Recent years seem to have been an endless news cycle of doom and gloom. Okay, that’s the meedya’s job. And the headlines seem real when it costs 100 quid to fill the car and the ‘leccy keeps going up. People need to cut their cloth accordingly.

So, although people can get out and boogie, it all costs. Young reader, once upon a time, gigs were either big events (usually prog or rock) or in the pub. Pub rock was cheap and easy, mainly covers, but out of that scene grew punk rock. My brother is in a covers band (May Contain Nuts). They play weddings and birthdays and have a hoot doing it. People like up-close-and-intimate, in-yerface tunes to dance to.

With lockdown gone and money tight, a return to simpler things could be the way forward. The Smokehouse has groovy modern bands at stupidly reasonable prices. Pubs have always had bands play, but the time’s right to really use this cheap and accessible resource. For example, Merlyn’s Open Mic at The Duke, Ipswich and The Angel, Woodbridge, or Webby’s Jam, also at The Duke, have a variety of acts, either solo or communal jams. Pub prices, close to the action, gardens outside for a breather, interesting people at the bar.

So, that’s my tip. Forget schlepping into That London to see some enormo-gig. Go to the pub instead. Sure, you might not have heard of some of the bands, but who cares? It’s live music.

Real humans making the air vibrate with sound and, before you know it, you’re tapping your feet and a smile might just cross your face. Music – it can make or break your day. And it doesn’t need to break the bank. Sermon over…

Kate bush, the kick inside, 1978 My editor asked me not to write another review about a “bunch of white blokes from the 1960s”. Hmm. That narrows it down somewhat for this issue. But Stranger Things have happened. Like Kate Bush reaching number one again thanks to da yoof ‘discovering’ our Kate via a rather popular Netflix series.

Young reader, Kate Bush is more than ‘Running Up That Hill’. Her debut album, The Kick Inside, from 1978, is a good starting point, not least because it contains ‘Wuthering Heights’, her debut single and still one of the strangest number one singles ever. She was 19 at the time and just seemed to appear as if by magic. Unique.

Indeed, her entire output is unique. She doesn’t sound like anybody else. If you ever needed an example of an artist who does their own thing then Kate has to be near the top of the list. The fact she had mainstream success – and continues to do so – says much about how Joe Public can handle music beyond manufactured X-Factored pop.

Every female artist today probably owes a debt to Kate Bush, even if they don’t realise it. Creating and inhabiting a private dream world with strange tunes, instrumentation and vocals. The fact a new generation has found her makes me feel better about the planet …

Kelley Stoltz plays The Smokehouse, Ipswich, on Tuesday, 19th July

spectacular singles Kevin House and Lynda Bezant took over the Swan Inn at Alderton last year, saving a valued community asset. Better yet, they’re fans of the rockabilly scene, which gets my vote. Aside from the Cadillac Coupe de Ville in the car park, there’s more rock ‘n’ roll attitude in the 1961 Wurlitzer jukebox stuffed full of gems: Elvis, Chuck, Damned, Sex Pistols and more. Like, screamin’…

ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

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ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

dog about

town!

M

“

y name is Harry and I’m a border collie, aged around seven-and-a-half years old. No one knows exactly how old, as I’m a rescue dog who was found when I was about two years old. I was taken to a vet’s practice where I met my future dad, Mark, who was working there. He said I wasn’t microchipped (whatever that means) and no one came to claim me, so he took me home with him and the last five-and-a-half years have been the best.

Dad’s now practice manager at the wonderful new Woodbridge Vets, which is in Melton, and I work alongside him on reception.

I mainly meet and greet, and I’m always up for a cuddle. Dad says I’m a big softie and wouldn’t say boo to a goose.

My favourite thing in the world is swimming. I’m not fussy, I’ll swim anywhere – the river or the sea. As long as I’ve got Dad with me, I’m happy.” l Have you got a dog and would like to give him or her their 15 minutes of fame? Email us at info@livinginsuffolk.com including your best photos of them.

Pets

Local home owners… throw open their doors Child free zones?… meet the couple with the Parent Pod! Is grey just so last year?… Jojo Humes Brown on colours

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CGI for illustrative purposes only

CGI for illustrative purposes only

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6

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Aldeburgh gallery Summer Show: Thursday, 11th to Wednesday, 24th August

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ext year, Aldeburgh Gallery will celebrate 30 glorious years of showcasing some of the best artwork in Suffolk by artists from all around the world. Owner Margaret Currie has enjoyed some incredible moments while at the helm of this acclaimed gallery.

And soon it will be home to a sensational summer show. Here we meet the talented artists taking part … l Private view – Saturday, 13th August 12 – 3pm. All welcome! Aldeburgh Gallery, 143 High Street, IP15 5AN. Call 01728 452772, visit www.aldeburghgallery.co.uk or email arts@aldeburghartsgallery.co.uk

Jo Aylward Jo is a British ruralist whose paintings are a visual record of her garden in Kent, the birds and insects that populate it and the surrounding countryside throughout the seasons.

“I have been drawing and painting from a young age, with the natural world always being my biggest theme,” she says.

Arabella Shand Arabella began her career as an abstract painter and has carried her interest in composition, pattern and colour through into her current, more representational work. It is primarily focused on the domestic areas of life, drawing on family, landscape and nature for inspiration.

She recently moved to Wales.

Jane Courquin Jane’s eye-catching paintings choreograph the everyday experience into tablescapes full of light, luminosity and colour, elevating simple brocante treasures, garden produce and kitchen items into stages of painterly delight.

The acclaimed artist, who is based in Paris, has work held in numerous private art collections across the globe.

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Elaine Murdock Elaine is a contemporary landscape artist who lives in the countryside near the stunning north coast of Northern Ireland. Her distinctive personal style crosses the boundaries between realism and abstraction in order to celebrate the beauty of nature and the draw of her favourite rural locations.

Barbara Peirson Actor and theatre director Barbara says she has always painted – it’s the first thing she does every morning.

Working mainly in acrylics, she enjoys the process of “layer upon layer of adjustment”.

Based in Wivenhoe, Essex, Barbara loves going out on the nearby estuary to watch nature unfold around her.

Anna Dixon Smith Suffolk artist Anna Dixon-Smith studied sculpture at St Martin’s School of Art, which formed the basis for her love of drawing and painting. She says her work falls into two main categories – still life paintings and life drawing.

She creates energetic drawings of the figure in charcoal or ink and particularly enjoys quick poses, trying to capture the essence of the moving people, dancers or acrobats.

Jean McIntosh Jean lives and works in Brampton, Suffolk, and has a studio at home.

“I did a degree in Design at Lowestoft College,” says the ceramicist. “I completed it – gaining a first when I was 60 years old!”

Jean has always drawn and painted but until starting the degree she had never worked with clay. She has now fully embraced all that she learnt in her studies.

“I just wish I had found this amazing material earlier,” she adds.

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Man of earth!

Charity Crewe meets the creator of the incredible bronze statue known as Yoxman …

D

espite it standing 26ft tall, it is possible to miss Yoxman as you drive past Yoxford along the A12 towards Southwold. The strong yet downcast figure, in bronze, is the creation of acclaimed Suffolk sculptor, Laurence Edwards.

Yoxman has stood in the grounds of Cockfield Hall since last November. The hall is part of the Wilderness Reserve, the 8,000-acre estate – home to elegant holiday retreats – that Jon Hunt, founder of Foxtons estate agency, has been piecing together for years. Jon and his wife, Lois, commissioned Laurence, having admired his Creek Men, the trio of bronze giants who guard the estuary at Snape.

Laurence’s brief was to create a totem that summed up a sense of Suffolk. It was a daunting prospect, he admits, partly because the commission coincided with a global focus on the role of statues, and many deemed to cause offence were being torn down. He asked himself: “Why me, a middle-aged white man? Why make something this big? What will its role be?”

In fact, Lawrence was an obvious choice.

His sculptures have always explored the relationship between man and nature, whether it be the delicate Leaf Man, of 2013, a bronze of a figure unravelling into leaf-shaped pieces, or Man of Stones, unveiled in 2019 in the Sculpture Park at the Sainsbury Centre at UEA. Yoxman is “pre-race, although not prehuman.” He is us “as we evolved through our Cro-Magnon period”, explains Laurence. He is not heroic, but a revenant, reticently observing our changing landscape. Laurence is drawn to the Suffolk coast, and is captivated by “the way the roots and bones tumble out, and history unfolds in those cliffs”. This led him to play with the surface of the sculpture, incorporating roots, leaves, ropes and grit from the Suffolk countryside, truly turning Yoxman into a man of the earth. The sculpture is also about having a conscience.

The despondent, mouthless figure bears silent witness to man’s degradation of the natural world.

Once Laurence identified his theme, he needed to create the colossus. This, he admits, was very scary. He is one of the few sculptors who casts his own work, and Yoxman was over three times the size of anything he had previously cast.

“I had to build the whole foundry around it,” he explains, “and employ ten

The bronze Yoxman on the Cockfield Hall estate in Yoxford is 26ft tall, weighs eight tonnes, and was created by Suffolk artist Laurence Edwards (pictured left) Black and white picture by Bill Jackson, picture of Laurence Edwards by Tim Bowden

more people and create new cranes. I also had to nail my colours to the mast as to how much it was going to cost. You can lose a house on a job like this.”

It was a four-year long “roller coaster ride”, admits Laurence, mainly owing to the complexity of casting such a huge sculpture, but also due to the interruptions of Covid. The entire process has been captured in a documentary, Yoxman, by filmmaker Phil Cairney (who recently produced Andy Warhol’s America for the BBC). Laurence says: “It is interesting seeing myself, four years ago, talking about this journey and how daunted I was.

It is very good to be this side of it. It’s a wonderful feeling to have achieved it.”

It seems that Laurence’s life has been

about surmounting challenges. He decided to become an artist at Leiston High School, when “all the other subjects fell away”, and he “failed abysmally at everything” – except art. His life changed at Lowestoft College, where he had a series of fantastic lecturers in the early 1980s. From there he went to the Royal College of Art, as a foundry student, casting pieces by Eduardo Paolozzi, among others.

After travelling around India on scholarships, learning about traditional casting, and after a stint in London, he returned home to Suffolk to set up a succession of foundries. How fabulous for us that he did. The Suffolk landscape has been enriched by his hauntingly beautiful works.

l The film, Yoxman, will be screened at Yoxford Village Hall on Friday, 29th July, followed by a Q&A with Laurence Edwards. Tickets are £10 each, with wine and nibbles included. No booking necessary. Proceeds will fund the restoration of the village hall.

ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

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ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

events

Local home owners… throw open their doors Child free zones?… meet the couple with the Parent Pod! Is grey just so last year?… Jojo Humes Brown on colours

out

FolkEast

Glemham Hall, Little Glemham Friday, 19th – Sunday, 21st August Folk legends are gathering en masse to celebrate the 10th anniversary of FolkEast, the much-loved family-run festival held in the glorious grounds of Glemham Hall. This year’s big news is a rare appearance by folk collective The Imagined Village, members of which include Billy Bragg and Eliza and Martin Carthy. Other highlights include the first lady of folk, Kate Rusby, multiple awardwinners The Young’uns, and Mercury Prize nominees The Unthanks.

YOUR BRAND NEW FREE HOMES & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

and about!

Top tips for fun things to do in Suffolk … by Charity Crewe Bob Flowerdew

Wingfield Barns, Wingfield Thursday, 21st July, 7.30pm Bob Flowerdew, long-time panellist on Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time, organic gardening expert, author, and all-round horticultural hero, will be dispensing his wisdom, a smattering of poetry and the occasional song during an idiosyncratic evening at Wingfield Barns.

Bob, who knows a thing or two – his family have been working the land in the Waveney Valley since Tudor times – reveals he will be “poking fun at ‘accepted’ advice”, letting rip at “vacuous celebrity gardeners” and spreading muck on “garden designers who do not garden”. l Tickets are £15, which includes a drink at the interval. Buy tickets at www.wingfieldbarns.com

Gentle: seated yoga with Imogen Hayward

Woodbridge Library, New Street Every Monday at 10.30am, starting 18th July If you aren’t very mobile or are nervous about trying yoga for the first time, pop on some leggings and head to Woodbridge Library for Gentle – a new, free, seated yoga course.

Imogen Hayward, who is giving the classes, recently qualified as a Hatha yoga instructor, and teaches at Matspace in Framlingham. She explains that “bringing back movement to the body is incredibly beneficial”, and strongly believes yoga should be accessible to everybody. Seated yoga means that age, inflexibility or balance issues shouldn’t be a barrier to practising.

Afterwards, the class will be offered a cuppa and a chat. The sessions are funded by East Suffolk Council and run by Cohere Arts, an organisation that improves health and well-being through arts engagement. l The classes are free and last 60 minutes. l The course will run for ten weeks – longer, depending on take-up. l No booking necessary, all sessions are drop-in. l For further details, call 01394 330855 or go to either www.suffolklibraries.co.uk or www.coherearts.org ISSUE ONE… SUMMER 2016

The FolkEast tree, dressed in 120 metres of material Picture by Kathy Baxendale

l Prices for advance tickets include: adult day £55; youth day (ages 12–17) £40; adult weekend £140; youth weekend £90. Children aged 11 and under are free. l For more details and to buy tickets, visit www.folkeast.co.uk

Mucking About on the Water Iken Canoe Iken Cliff, near Aldeburgh Open every day in July and August, and weekends only in September Ahoy there! Prise the kiddies away from their screens and onto the water this summer.

If you want to be the captain of your own ship, Iken Canoe hires out Canadian canoes to glide along the splendid upper reaches of the River Alde, between Iken Cliff and Snape Maltings. Canoes can be taken for two hours and are suitable for two to four people of most abilities.

You’ll be given a map and tips on what parts of the river to explore. l £40 per canoe for up to two hours. l Children must be seven or older. l To book, call 07979 517186. l Find out more at www.ikencanoe.co.uk Walberswick River Trips Walberswick Ferry Hut, Ferry Road, Walberswick If you’d rather someone else did the work, let a qualified skipper take you for a onehour trip along the River Blyth, through Walberswick Nature Reserve, towards Blythburgh. You’ll be told about the history of the area, a few smuggling tales, and might even spot a seal.

There’s little danger of capsizing; the Church family, who run the trips, have been ferrying people on the river since 1942! l Adults (15+ years) £16; children (2–14 years) £8; under twos are free. l Up to 10 passengers on each trip. l If you’d like to hire the boat privately, it will take 12 passengers and cost £150. l For details and to book, go to www.walberswickrivertrips.com

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22310

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