SUFFOLK
Radio Caroline ... still making waves!
Joan Warburton ... Benton End revisited
Mariella Frostrup ... back in Suffolk
GET INVOLVED:
If you've got a topical story, an inspiring event, craft or talent to show off, do get in touch. Perhaps you've achieved something against all the odds - don't be shy, let us know! The deadline for our next issue - our May / June edition - is April 10th
l For advertising information or if you’d like to submit any collaboration ideas, email us at, info@livinginsuffolk.com
ON THE COVER:
We love this striking image, by Colm O'Laoi, showing Radio Caroline which is the subject of a ground-breaking new production, Caroline A Musical, coming to the New Wolsey Theatre and more venues from spring. On pages 16 and 17, read all about this mega production (and it's incredible history) which is creating ripples throughout theatreland.
l Visit, wolseytheatre.co.uk
LIVING IN
Editor: Angela Hagan 07930 184773, info@livinginsuffolk.com
Designer: Lewis Webb
Writer: Charity Crewe charity@livinginsuffolk.com
Media Sales: Ellie Rickard ellie@livinginsuffolk.com livinginsuffolk.com
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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 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.
The renovated toilets in Elmhurst Park are now open.
The new team, in conjunction with our estate manager, the clerking team and the Council are in the process of developing the plans for big improvements in the summer. You can expect to see priority action in Elmhurst Park to bring it back to the standard we all expect but also some immediate work in Kingston Playing Field and Fen Meadow.
NEW GARDENERS FOR WOODBRIDGE!
Woodbridge Town Council has spent the last three years in a valiant attempt to get adequate performance from our outsourced provider of gardening services. Despite our best efforts the results have not been great and indeed residents have not been shy in letting us know!
The current contract was up for renewal in April and, if we had gone out to tender, we were anticipating a significant increase from the current £80,000 a year. However, due to careful management of this contract, the cost this year is expected to be £53,000 as we only paid for the actual work done.
Given this experience, we held discussions with gardening professionals to identify the
best way forward and likely costs. We also had to consider the town has the possibility of having to take on more green spaces as part of the local government re-organisation that is currently underway.
So, in the Autumn we made a final decision to go ahead with bringing all gardening in-house.
So please welcome our new head gardener, Jess Dighton, and assistant gardener, Frankie Freeland, who joined our team as full time employees in February. Preparations are in full swing to purchase the necessary equipment (paid for from the savings on the existing contract and the Council’s own reserves) and modernise our base in Elmhurst Park.
We’ve already had a team of residents come forward to assist our gardeners with two of our smaller green spaces, and we’re always keen to hear from more willing residents!
l For more information on the gardeners and their work, go to Woodbridge Town Council’s website: woodbridge-suffolk.gov.uk.
Woodbridge Estates Manager Liam Garrard with new gardeners, Jess and Frankie
Bandstand concept drawing
NEWS
All the latest news from around Suffolk ...
CROSSING THE LINE
A hard-hitting new stage production tackles the disturbing grip county lines has on young people in East Anglia.
To help with the creative process, 11-18 year-olds from Suffolk and Norfolk worked with St George’s Theatre in Great Yarmouth, advising on the adaptation of Tia Fisher’s multi award-winning teen verse novel.
Director Katie Thompson says, “The novel is award-winning for the way it engages young readers, and we want the production to be just as accessible - a story about local young people, created with and for local young people.”
Katie says their ideas, lived experiences and perspectives, have shaped everything including script development and production choices.
Crossing the Line follows Erik, a teenager whose life is unravelling after the death of his father. As pressures mount at home and school, he becomes entangled with a dangerous network of county lines criminal activity - a journey that puts both himself and his family at risk.
Adapted for the stage by Helena McBurney, the production not only examines the risks young people face today, it also celebrates their resilience.
Author Tia Fisher says her 2023 novel Crossing the Line was inspired by the true story of a friend’s son whose life unravelled when he got tangled up with county lines. After being bullied at school, he ended up being groomed by a gang and selling drugs for them.
“It started as rebellion and bravado,” she recalls, “but ended with him trapped; too scared to walk across town in case he was jumped on by a member of another gang; unable to ask for help because they threatened to burn his house down if he told anyone.”
“Eventually, with the support of his family, he managed to leave and now he’s rebuilding his life, getting the education he missed and starting an apprenticeship," says Tia. “But he’ll never be the same person he was before he started secondary school.
“I wanted to write about his experience because back then there
were no books about county lines, nothing to warn children what grooming looks like and how easy it is to become trapped. My friend’s son wanted something good to come out of what he went through, and he’s very proud of the book’s success.”
l Crossing The Line is coming to theatres in May, including:
Monday 11th May
Tuesday 12th May
St George’s Theatre, Great Yarmouth
New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich
Wednesday 13th May Sheringham Little Theatre
Thursday 14th May Seagull Theatre, Lowestoft
Monday 18th May
The Corn Hall Diss
Wednesday 20th May Norwich Theatre Playhouse
l Norfolk and Suffolk Victim Care offers free confidential support to young people and their families affected by crime in the region. Visit, nsvictimcare.org
©zoedebala
iStock via Getty Images
Author Tia Fisher penned the book after a friend's brush with county lines
ON THE MARKET
The latest homes and property news from around Suffolk ...
A DESIGN FOR LIFE
We love this fabulously airy flat set within the Christchurch Park area of Ipswich and lovingly redesigned by owner architect, Charles Curry-Hyde.
This Fonnereau Road property enjoys far-reaching views over Ipswich to the south and is well positioned for access to the town centre, park, Ipswich school and rail station. It
is the principal apartment in the building occupying the main reception rooms of the original residence, which features two large south facing bay windows and 12ft ceilings offering a sense of space and grandeur.
Charles, who qualified as an architect in Australia in 1994, tells us he moved to the UK to work on the Manchester Civil Justice Centre that was shortlisted for the Stirling prize. “Following that I worked on the competition scheme for Stonehenge Visitor Centre, a master plan for The Houses of Parliament, the Parliamentary visitor Centre in Victoria Gardens and several hotels.”
He works on houses and hotels from his popular practice in Ipswich with recent projects including The Suffolk Hotel, for George Pell and Fishers Gin distillery in
Aldeburgh, Red Rose Chain Theatre in Ipswich and Whisstocks Place in Woodbridge.
He says his vision for the first floor flat was based on flexible family life with informal spaces to fit around their lifestyle, “like a stage set that we could change day by day and as our needs changed over the years.”
This first floor flat, which is offered with a share of the freehold, has one or two bedrooms and extends to over 1,000sq ft. It enjoys south-facing windows and views down High Street with the family-owned Arbour House pub just footsteps away.
Charles adds, “Central Ipswich is so easy to live in. We have everything nearby including diverse shopping areas that you don't find anywhere else in East Anglia, together with Christchurch Park and Crown Pools a short walk away."
GUIDE: £300,000
l Check it out at, jackson-stops.co.uk
To see more of Charles's work visit, curryhyde.co.uk
It is hoped that a forthcoming exhibition of works by the Suffolk artist Joan ‘Maudie’ Warburton will renew interest in the once successful painter, who has now been largely forgotten. The show, curated by a trio of art lovers, Ian Grutchfield, Matthew Hodges and Lindsay Fulcher is opening at the arts venue, Hadleigh Old School, in April. Ian and Matthew, who own the venue, have collected art by Joan Warburton (1920-1996) for many years. A chance meeting with Lindsay, a former magazine editor and fellow collector, led to the idea of the show. Hadleigh Old School is the ideal venue for the exhibition. Hadleigh - which lies between Sudbury and Ipswich - is home to the 16th-century farmhouse, Benton End, which housed the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing where Joan trained. She was taught by the school’s owners, the celebrated artist Cedric Morris (1889-1982) and his lifelong partner and artist, Arthur Lett-Haines, known as Lett
COME INTO THE GARDEN, MAUD!
From Joan Warburton’s beloved cats to Cedric Morris’s bearded irises, Charity Crewe hears the tales from Benton End ...
(1894-1978). So, in a way, Joan is coming home.
Ian and Matthew bought Hadleigh Old School in 2020 with the view to running it as a creative arts venue. The couple cut their teeth in entertainment. Ian, who grew up in Hadleigh, held multiple positions at the BBC, including as a producer on Doctor Who. His husband, Matthew, was also a highflyer in television, selling programmes for Columbia Pictures and Endemol. Given their expertise, running an arts venue within the historic Victorian boys’ school was a perfect fit.
The building was designed by the railway architect, Frederick Barnes, who built masses of stations in Suffolk, including Needham Market, Stowmarket and Woodbridge. It was a school until 1968, when it still had open toilets outside and no catering. It was bought by the virtuoso American pianist, Thomas McIntosh and his wife Miranda, who ran the
Anglian Summer
from here. “With it’s tall hammer beam ceiling, it has brilliant acoustics,” says Ian. Since taking over the venue, Ian and Matthew, have hosted a series of events, including touring productions by Common Ground Theatre, poetry evenings, jazz nights and art exhibitions.
The pair’s interest in art was deepened
when Matthew got a job managing Benton End, which, after years in private ownership was gifted to London’s Garden Museum in 2021. Cedric Morris, as well as being a fabulous painter was a renowned plantsman. He famously bred bearded irises, naming over 90 cultivars, many of which carry the ‘Benton’ prefix. While Matthew was working at Benton End, Ian volunteered as a guide at the house for several years. “Former students of the painting school or their relatives would come and visit,” remembers Ian. He heard some wonderful stories about the goings-on at the school, which produced both Lucian Freud and Maggi Hambling. Joan became a very good friend of Lucian’s, and she drew a charming sketch of him at work, which is going to be going to be on show in the retrospective.
It was while working at Benton End that Ian and Matthew met Lindsay Fulcher and discovered they all collected Joan’s works. “I was doing a tour of the house and Matthew was doing a tour of the garden when Lindsay came round. She said, ‘Are you fans of Joan Warburton?’ I said, ‘We absolutely love her.’” For many years Lindsay had been collecting Joan’s drawings and watercolours from the 1930s and 40s and felt she deserved a show. “Our taste had been more for her countryside scenes and comical cats,” explains Ian. “We realised that if we put the two together, we’d have enough for an exhibition.”
Joan was quite a star in her time. After
East
Music Festival
Cat Among The Plants, Joan Warburton
Matthew Hodges and Ian Grutchfield run the Hadleigh Old School
Flowering Succulent, Joan Warburton
Hadleigh Old School
leaving the drawing school, she went on to illustrate a cookery column for Elizabeth David and exhibited at the Royal Academy and the Women’s International. She had at least a dozen solo shows and, “became quite famous,” says Ian, “but a bit like the now fêted Cedric Morris, she was forgotten. I found a quote by a Tate director, in an old exhibition catalogue, predicting she’d be a leading artist of her generation.”
Like her mentor, Morris, Joan’s paintings have a strong colour palette. They “also have a degree of humour in them and are often fun and uplifting,” says Ian. He wants the exhibition to reflect this. “It will be a little bit different to a normal gallery show, we want to bring the character out of the pictures. We are planning to turn our garden room, which
leads off the main hall, into a jungle room, because she painted lots of tropical plants, tigers and panthers. We are going to hang her paintings alongside a mass of tropical plants. I think she would find that amusing.”
While devising the show, Ian got in touch with Joan’s son Twig, who now lives in France. Apparently, everyone at Benton End had nicknames. Twig’s came from Kathleeen Hale, author of Orlando the Marmalade Cat and a frequent visitor to Benton End. After Joan gave birth, Kathleen enquired, “Does it have a twig and berries?” It was Lett who gave Joan her nickname, Maudie. Joan was looking down from her window on to one of the raucous art school parties, when Lett, quoting a line from Tennyson’s poem, shouted up to her, “Come into the Garden, Maud.” This led to the title for the exhibition.
Also on show will be pots by Joan’s husband, Peter O’Malley, a potter, who taught ceramics at the Royal College of Art. “This echoes previous joint gallery shows that the couple had in London during the middle of last century,” explains Ian. The couple moved to Stoke-by-Nayland after Peter stopped teaching in London and lived in old wigmakers shop. Joan carried on painting and drawing until the end of her days. Come and admire her exuberant work in Hadleigh at the beginning of April, where Ian promises hot cross buns and a warm welcome.
l Come into the Garden, Maud: Joan 'Maudie' Warburton is showing at Hadleigh Old School, 5 Bridge Street, Hadleigh from Friday 3rd - Sunday 19th April. Visit, hadleigholdschool.co.uk
Ian and Matthew’s favourite things to do and places to eat in Suffolk:
THE BILDESTON CROWN: “They source a lot of their food from the Nedging Hall Estate – it’s lovely knowing your food has only travelled a mile. When people come to our shows, we always tell them to stay at The Crown."
EDWARDSTONE WHITE HORSE: "Is a fabulous little pub that has its own micro-brewery and does great homemade pizzas."
"One of our favourite walks is around POLSTEAD - it is surrounded by beautiful countryside."
"We love visiting FIRST SITE in Colchester, which puts on brilliant exhibitions, and MOYSE’S HALL MUSEUM in Bury St Edmunds – they have an annual exhibition of film and television memoribilia which is right up our street. It’s also quite cheap to get in."
Benton End, Joan Warburton
HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY, MARLOWE’S!
It’s been a whirlwind year for Marlowe’s in Woodbridge and soon it will undergo a fabulous exterior makeover ...
As its one year anniversary approaches this March, owner Oliver Marlowe, who honed his craft in Michelin-starred restaurants, is feeling buoyant.
“Considering it’s been a pretty awful time for hospitality in general,” says Olly, who also has shares in three upmarket London restaurants, "we have been blessed. I consider myself very lucky. But what we’re doing has been exceptional.”
Luck, perhaps - but also instinct, sheer grit and a huge dollop of creativity (no doubt inherited from the genes of his ancestor, the great 16th century playwright and poet, Christopher Marlowe himself).
shares “a great partnership,” dazzle with innovative, modern European menus featuring Suffolk’s finest local ingredients. “We use a wide portfolio of local suppliers, with fresh fish from the coast and local dairy and veg," he says. “I love phoning our producers' in the morning and saying, ‘what have you got for me today, then?'"
He’s come back to his Suffolk roots (having moved from London six months ago with his
wife and son) and is clearly enjoying every creative moment.
Day celebrations on March 15th). The venue is also available for private hire – catering for weddings, wakes and anniversaries.
Most excitingly, work will soon begin to transform the front of the restaurant. Olly has worked closely with a designer on plans which will see seating for 100 outside with gorgeous, oversized parasols, festoon lighting and a showstopping 18-seater sharing table. “I want it to blow everything else out of the water,” he says.
Sunday roasts at Marlowe’s are fast becoming the talk of the town.
“Think treacle-cured sirloin or slow roast pork porchetta, goose-fat potatoes and Yorkshires which are baked every half hour,” he says. “We don’t cook everything in the morning like some and let it sit around all day. Everything is being continually freshly cooked. I have to say they’re the best Sunday roasts I’ve ever had.”
Olly wants people to know that they’re very welcome to amble in for a drink and not feel like they have to order a restaurant meal. Their friendly bar is a great place to enjoy drinks before or after a film and they whip up a mean cocktail too! For those feeling a little peckish, they offer a range of snacks including Gochujang chicken popcorn, truffle brie on toast with honey or crispy cod cheeks with tartare sauce and pickled cucumber.
It is rather poetic the journey Olly has been on, which has seen him “coming home” to run the very restaurant (then the Riverside) where he worked 25 years ago as a fresh-faced teen!
“It’s got to be one of the best venues in Suffolk,” he says. “When it came up, it was too good an opportunity to pass."
Working in Suffolk, he admits he feels a sense of freedom after the more prescriptive confines of the Michelin world – he’s never happier than when he’s creating new and wonderful dishes shaped by the rhythms of the land. “I love it when the wild garlic is growing in abundance locally and we go off foraging!”
Olly, alongside his talented team including head chef Vlad Lastockin, with whom he
He recalls childhood family walks along Aldeburgh’s seafront where they’d pick lobsters costing £1.50 straight out of huge oil drums, “you’d bash them with a stone and eat them there and then. They’d cost more like £50 now! We’re so lucky – we have all this incredible produce on our doorsteps.”
Every plate at Marlowe’s is a celebration of that exceptional quality. You should really try their Oyster Happy Hour, Mon - Fri, 4pm - 6pm! And they often collaborate with the adjoining Riverside Cinema to pair screenings with meals – their pre-theatre and set lunch menus are popular, "showing some real value for money."
Marlowe’s hosts many event days throughout the calendar (they’re taking reservations now for their marvellous Mother’s
Outside, Marlowe’s Ice Cream Parlour is the perfect pitstop for something sweet. Serving a wide range of artisan ice creams in both classic and seasonal flavours, with vegan alternatives, they also serve freshly brewed coffees, speciality teas and homemade cakes.
One year in, Marlowe’s isn’t just surviving, it’s positively thriving and has put Woodbridge firmly on the foodie’s map.
l Visit Marlowe’s at 2 Quayside, Woodbridge, IP12 1BH. Call, 01394 813889 or go to, marloweswoodbridge.com
Alastair
Bartlett @ Tilt Shift Creative
Alastair
A BRAND NEW SUSTAINABLE VEGAN HAIR STUDIO FOR WOODBRIDGE!
Majesty Hair Salon has opened its doors and is welcoming clients to its warm and friendly studio. From the moment you step inside, the team want you to feel completely at home. Their expert hairstylists are skilled in precision haircuts and colouring and are genuinely interested in hearing your preferences and ideas.
Situated in a central Woodbridge location, with free parking and a bus stop right outside, they offer a wide range of services such as Tailored Haircuts, Personalised Hair Colour, Balayage, Smoothing Keratin Treatments, Botanical Treatments, Blow Drys and more.
The team work hard to ensure that your
experience is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
Owner Bela Nunes, a highly experienced and dedicated hairstylist, is delighted to open her new studio. “I moved to Woodbridge in 2022 and fell in love with the place and I wanted to share with people everything I know in terms of hair services and products,” says Bela, who trained in and has always worked with sustainable salons and organic products.
Bela uses only the best products including Aveda, Maria Nila, Innoa, Kevin Murphy, Davines, Prohall and K18. She says she's passionate about using vegan products which are carefully selected to include essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that nourish and help improve clients’ hair growth.
“I take immense joy in collaborating with my clients to transform their visions into stunning realities, tailored to their unique essence and personality,” she says.
“Over the years, my journey in
hairstyling has allowed me to master a diverse array of techniques and styles, ensuring every client leaves my chair feeling confident and radiant.”
Majesty Hair Salon is committed to an ecoconscious approach to women's and men's hairstyling.
“Every client I serve is unique,” says Bela, “and my commitment is to provide a fully personalised service, listening carefully and bringing their vision for their hair to life. I believe that a great stylist doesn’t just transform hair but also boosts self-esteem and wellbeing.”
l Majesty Hair Salon, 16 Bredfield Road, Woodbridge, IP12 1JA. Open Monday to Friday 9am-1pm / 2pm-6pm. Call, 07915 437175. Email, majestyhairsalon.uk@gmail.com Book online at, majestyhairsalon.uk
Spring A REFRESH WITH CAROLINE FOOKS ...
Spring is a season that naturally encourages change. As the days grow lighter and homes begin to open up again, it’s often the perfect time to refresh interiors and create spaces that feel welcoming and full of life.
Caroline believes that a simple spring makeover can be achieved through modest, yet thoughtful, updates. Small changes, such as swapping heavier winter cushions for lighter fabrics, or decluttering decor can make us feel brighter - ready for spring.
Even just adding a tablecloth, a new light or rug can change the essence of a room.
“One of my clients remarked recently that when she opens the door to her sitting room, the curtains I supplied still lift her spirits,” says Caroline. “This is so much better than walking into a room and feeling a bit of dread about the chores which need doing. It’s so important to have somewhere you can relax
and switch off.”
Bringing the outside in is another simple way to make a space feel fresh. Flowers add pops of colour and texture to a room, instantly lifting the mood. Flower arranging is another string to Caroline’s bow (she is often pulled in for family weddings, funerals and parties) as part of her service, ensuring that each interior feels complete and carefully finished.
Likewise, Caroline has an impressive background and is experienced in running projects for her clients, ranging from one room to a whole house.
Caroline also makes a lovely range of natural products including cedarwood and citrus room spray, hand wash and hand and body lotion which are available direct from her or from Melton Produce, IP12 1NZ.
l Caroline Fooks Design, The Barn, Dock Lane, Melton Road, Melton, Woodbridge, IP12 1PE. Call, 07710 037591 / 01394 303826. Or visit, www.carolinefooksdesign.com
“You go from being a sort of sexy Joan Bakewell to that woman who won’t stop talking about the menopause!”
HOT TOPIC!
For centuries, women have suffered the menopause in silence which is why Mariella Frostrup is now shouting about it from the rooftops ... by Angela Hagan
There are few broadcasters as instantly recognisable - or as gloriously outspoken - as Mariella Frostrup. Now the journalist, author and campaigner is bringing her boldest conversation yet to Suffolk with a new live tour, Cracking the Menopause, arriving at The Apex on March 30th
For a woman who has spent four decades interviewing prime ministers, novelists and cultural heavyweights, this might seem like a departure. But for Mariella, menopause is not a sidebar - it’s a mission.
“My frustration is that it takes time,” she says of the slow pace of change in menopause awareness. “I’d like every woman in the country to be informed about what it is, to feel less overwhelmed by it, and to kind of
see the light at the end of the tunnel – of which there is plenty.”
Mariella has never been one to stay in a “safe place.” After fronting a BBC documentary on menopause and coauthoring best-seller Cracking the Menopause with journalist Alice Smellie, she has taken her campaigning beyond the corridors of Westminster and into theatres across the country.
This new production is funny and fiercely factual. Mariella acts as the linchpin, joined on stage by actresses at different venues (actress Gina Bellman joins her at The Apex) playing Cassandra - “the goddess fated to be right but never believed” - delivering case histories and the “horrible history of menopause.” Expect shocking anecdotes
from ancient to Victorian times, including leeches and dunking pools “hilarious now, horrific then," to bang-up-to-date science.
Her own story is strikingly relatable. She entered perimenopause in her late forties in “shameful ignorance. I spent two years with anxiety and insomnia and didn’t have a clue it was anything to do with menopause. I wasted a lot of time wondering what was the matter with me - whether I was going a bit bonkers.”
“The more I talked about it, the more I got this feeling that I wasn’t supposed to. People would fall silent at dinner parties. It only made me more incensed!" That anger became fuel.
She admits championing the cause did, in the early days, close off a few work avenues.
“You go from being a sort of sexy Joan Bakewell to that woman who won’t stop talking about the menopause!”
Today, she believes, the veil is finally lifting. “Those conversations are now being had in public. And I get women coming up to me in the ladies whispering, ‘that’s exactly what I’ve had.’ It feels like progress and makes it all worthwhile.”
As a government-appointed menopause employment ambassador, Mariella argues that losing experienced women from the workforce is economically reckless. “We’re important, and we need to remember that.”
She admits that she suffers from occasional symptoms herself but not as much thanks to “industrial strength levels of HRT.”
@ Kate Martin
“I do get occasional brain fog,” she laughs, admitting there are the odd ad-libbed moments in her live shows that can give her an adrenaline spike. “But nothing really exciting happens in a safe place; sometimes you have to push yourself into the unknown.”
Her overarching message is one of joy and excitement as she embraces a “determination to make the best of this second part of life.”
She points to statistics showing more women start businesses in their 50s than at any other age. “We do radical things. I think it’s because we’re imbued with a confidence that didn’t come easily in the decades before.”
Mariella, who has friends in Walberswick, says she loves the wild beaches of East Suffolk and is happy to visit the county again.
She hopes men won’t shy away from coming to her show.
“Bring your son, your husband, your brother,” she urges. “So many men want to understand what this is all about but feel trepidation about bringing it up.”
Nowadays she’s proud to be known for her pioneering work. “Do people think I talk to much about it? Yes! Will I stop talking about it? No! I probably won’t ever stop!” she adds.
l Cracking The Menopause with Mariella Frostrup on March 30th at 7.30pm, The Apex, Bury St Edmunds. Tickets, theapex.co.uk
INTERIOR LIVES
All your design ideas this spring from around Suffolk ...
LULU COLLECTION
For the romantics at heart, we are swooning over this Loveseat from Snape’s luscious Lulu Collection. l Visit, Snape Maltings, Snape, IP17 1SR. Online at, shop.snapemaltings.co.uk
FOREVER ENGLAND
We adore this Constance Soft Pink Reversible Bedspread cotton rich, with a 2.5 tog, perfect for spring and also available in green and blue.
l Available from Barretts, 40 Thoroughfare, Woodbridge, IP12 1AL. Call, 01394 384300. Or visit, barretts.co.uk
MARCH HARES!
These delightfully decorative hare pargetted panels, are hand crafted by legendary, third generation pargetter Bill Sargent, for The Merchant's Table as part of their Heritage Crafts Collection.
l The Merchant's Table, 10 Church St, Woodbridge. IP12 1DH. Visit, themerchantstable.co.uk
CAPTURING SUFFOLK ONE STORY AT A TIME
Across Suffolk Coastal, spring brings a familiar shift. Cafés fill up, coastal walks get longer, and local businesses come alive as visitors and locals make the most of the season. For photographer and filmmaker Alastair, founder of Tilt Shift, it’s one of the most exciting times of the year.
Tilt Shift is a strategy-led visual content studio creating photography and film for brands built on place, craft and experience. From boutique hotels and restaurants to food producers and lifestyle businesses, Alastair works with brands where atmosphere matters just as much as the product - helping them show not just what they do, but how it feels to be there.
A Suffolk native, Alastair Bartlett’s route back to creative work wasn’t a straight line. After studying photography and a brief spell in a band, he spent eight years teaching media at Suffolk One before returning to his original passion for creating in 2023. Since launching Tilt Shift, he’s quickly become a familiar name among many of the region’s best-loved businesses.
His growing client list includes Snape Maltings, Stokes Sauces, Sutton Hoo Chicken and The Angel Hotel - brands united by a strong sense of place and personality. Staying small by design allows Alastair to take a hands-on approach, working closely with clients and building partnerships that grow over time.
For Alastair, it’s about capturing the details that make a brand feel real - the light through a restaurant window, the rhythm of a busy kitchen, or the craft behind a local product. Images and films that feel warm, honest and true to the people behind them.
As spring and summer approach, Tilt Shift is helping Suffolk’s hospitality and lifestyle businesses show their best side - just as the region comes into its own.
l Tilt Shift Creative, 2 Britannia House, Base Business Park, Rendlesham, IP12 2TZ. Call, 01394 783040. Email, alastair@tiltshiftcreative.com
CAROLINE
A NEW MUSICAL
The East
Anglian pirate radio station that captured the nation’s heart ... by Angela Hagan
This spring, the New Wolsey Theatre is making waves with a brand-new musical inspired by the rebel spirit of pirate station, Radio Caroline.
At the helm is chief executive and artistic director of the New Wolsey, Douglas Rintoul, who describes this mega production as unprecedented. “It’s a level of collaboration that’s never been seen before in any UK region,” he says. The East Anglian Touring Consortium, which brings together New Wolsey Theatre, Landmark Theatres, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, Mercury Theatre Colchester, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, Norwich Theatre, Hightide and Eastern Angles, will tour this incredible musical in five venues starting in April.
Born from post-pandemic reflection, this ingenious consortium model allows theatres to share pre-production costs and pool creative resources. The result? Bigger
ambition, bolder storytelling - and the chance to take real risks on new work.
“We wanted an East Anglian narrative that resonates locally but has national significance,” Douglas explains. The story of Radio Caroline - the offshore pirate station that defied the BBC monopoly in the 60sproved irresistible.
Broadcasting from a ship anchored off various locations including the Suffolk coast, the station pumped rock ’n’ roll into British teens’ bedrooms at a time when the BBC offered just a couple of hours of pop a week.
“It was a revolution,” he says. “People forget how radical it was. Radio One simply wouldn’t exist without that pirate movement.”
Rather than retelling the entire complex history of the pirate station, the new musical condenses the saga through the eyes of two young people in Clacton. It is penned by the award-winning writer Vikki Stone and directed by Douglas and Alex Thorpe (co-creative director at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch).
“There’s real drama because the stakes were high,” says Douglas. “Working on the boat was dangerous. Once legislation tightened, even those who took groceries over to the ship risked ending up in prison. Some did serve time. People were risking everything. But the story is also joyous. This production is a gig as much as a play.”
The New Wolsey has long championed actor-musicianship, and it was a stipulation that each of the talented cast must play at
least two instruments to a high standard. That commitment delivers a thrilling live sound – audience goers can expect era-defining anthems from the 60s.
“As someone who also grew up in the area, I’m thrilled that we’re bringing this extraordinary story home,” says Douglas. “I listened to it myself in the 80s along with many others. Caroline celebrates the mavericks who changed the airwaves forever, blending wit, heart, and a glorious soundtrack that defined a generation.”
Douglas says the consortium, which is now on the lookout for other great East Anglian tales to feature in future productions, supports regional talent, with at least 50% of the freelancers used being drawn from the region.
The environmental impact of touring has also shaped the project. By collaborating with nearby venues, the production reduces the carbon footprint of transporting vast sets across the country. “We’re trying to create a new touring model,” he says. “Something sustainable - creatively and environmentally. And it’s great that we can all raid each other’s props departments too!’
Caroline A New Musical runs in Ipswich before touring to Queens Theatre, Hornchurch, New Theatre, Peterborough, Mercury Theatre, Colchester and Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, until June. And fittingly, the real Radio Caroline team - now broadcasting from the Ross Revenge on the River Blackwater in Essex - have thrown their support behind the show.
For older audiences, it’s a blast of nostalgia. For younger theatregoers raised on podcasts and playlists, it’s a revelation; a reminder that before streaming, before Spotify, before even Radio One, a group of rule-breakers sailed into the North Sea and changed British culture forever.
l CAROLINE – A NEW MUSICAL
New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich 17th April – 2nd May
Tickets: wolseytheatre.co.uk
Mercury Theatre Colchester 3rd – 13th June.
Tickets: mercurytheatre.co.uk
Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds 16th – 20th June.
Tickets: theatreroyal.org
l For tickets to other venues visit, carolineanewmusical.com
@ Will Green Photography
Leading the way: Douglas Rintoul
New Wolsey Theatre, Theatre Square and NW2, The Big Picnic 2022
Radio Caroline Boat ©Colm O'Laoi
ABOVE BOARD!
IPeter Moore took over as owner of Radio Caroline in 1991 steering it from Suffolk’s ragtag illegal pirate station to the popular channel it is today ...
t’s fair to say that Peter Moore has weathered many storms during his time with Radio Caroline but thanks to him, it’s still going strong!
“I first started doing tasks for Caroline in the late 70s after meeting a friend who was already involved,” he says. “But then the Mi Amigo sank (see my timeline below) and I went back to running my business in London which from 1985 and by luck, became hugely successful. I remembered my Caroline times from before and thought I would again like a fun hobby, but no more than that.” Peter says it was after the 1991 shipwreck that he found himself the last man standing. “Everyone walked away and I assumed control of nothing much really just a silent radio station and a ruined ship,” he says. “As my involvement deepened and using my business brain, I saw that Caroline was being run like the mad hatter’s tea party. OK, it was an illegal pastime operated from a ship 16
miles out to sea, so could not quite be a normal business but it was chaotic, lurching from crisis to crisis, no forward planning and no funds for any unexpected setback.”
Here in his own words, Peter has written a potted history of the famous ship which refused to be sunk ...
PETER’S TIMELINE
1962-3
Young Ronan O’Rahilly arrived from Dublin, sent away by his very proper parents as he was always getting into trouble and running get rich quick schemes of dubious legality. His main ambition was to make movies.
On the fringes of the music industry, he saw that new artists could not get their music on the radio. The BBC and far distant Radio Luxembourg had the monopoly.
1964
It will never now be known if he solely founded Radio Caroline or was a front man, but he did have a ship fitted out with a radio station on it, placed beyond UK jurisdiction.
The impact of Radio Caroline with its all-day music was far beyond what he or anyone imagined. Within months, it had a bigger audience than the BBC. Now anyone could be a pop/rock star.
1964-68
Other stations followed the Caroline template. The Government hated it, but the stations were hugely popular. Disputes among stations that spilled into violence gave them excuse to act. The Marine Offences Act was the law intended to defeat the pirates. Radio Caroline alone defied the law and continued, but ran out of money in the spring of 1968. To the general public, that was the end of Radio Caroline.
1972
Ronan managed to recover his ship, get it fixed (at least a bit) and the station started again, playing only album music. Purists feel that this was Caroline’s golden era which lasted, albeit with huge effort and risk, until March 1980 when the old ship sank. Again, the public decided that Caroline was all over.
1983
Ronan found a new ship. No investment was available in Europe. Pirate radio was seen as a way of losing money. He found finance from the USA and Canada but by means that backfired and caused problems for decades thereafter. However, by autumn of 83 Caroline was back.
1987-89
The ’87 hurricane that swept the UK collapsed the huge aerial mast on the new ship (a ridiculous structure that never should have been built). Everyone ran around like headless chickens. I saw that Ronan liked chaos, having become conditioned to it or almost addicted. No sooner had new masts been built after a saga lasting two years, the ship was raided and silenced and everyone ran around like headless chickens again while Ronan, like Hitler in his bunker, was planning bold counter attacks ... only with no army.
DJ Tony Blackburn started out on Radio Caroline
@ Colm
O’Laoi
Maverick: the first Caroline owner, Ronan O'Rahilly
“Caroline was being run like the mad hatter’s tea party lurching from crisis to crisis” Owner, Peter Moore
Caroline was on and off air until the spring of 1989. The Dutch authorities, and to an extent the British, were exasperated by it and thus mounted an armed raid on the ship in August. They took away all the broadcast equipment and smashed up what they could not remove. For the third time, as the raid caused huge publicity, the public decided it was all over for Caroline.
1991
The ship stayed at sea while means were sought to start all over but it was
shipwrecked and towed in to Dover in ruined condition. Nothing and nobody was left - aside from some diehard enthusiasts/volunteers.
1991-2000
There were few legal broadcast options but some semblance of Radio Caroline was kept alive by making very short-term broadcasts covering tiny areas. These events were ridiculed in the press, and generally, as sad attempts to revive something that was irrevocably over. The diehards said that it was better than nothing at all. But they did get the ship out of Dover to lay at anchor in Essex and then took it to Clacton and London, Southend on Sea and the River Medway and finally to Tilbury Docks on the Thames. In 1998 it became possible for Caroline to stream radio via the internet. This was quite unregulated but while initially internet radio was regarded as a joke, it is now mainstream and universally used and from a few hundred listening hours a month, the station now has 42000 listening hours a day!
2010
DAB radio was introduced and Caroline took on 12 + transmitters round the UK. For old time authenticity, Caroline
applied for an AM (Medium Wave ) licence, taking over a disused BBC World Service site at Orford from where on 648AM it covers the original heartlands of Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Kent and beyond including Holland and Belgium starting in 2017.
2026
The Caroline ship, Ross Revenge, is back at anchor on the River Blackwater in Essex. It now needs major attention; a charity has raised funds for shipyard repairs to which Lottery funding will hopefully be added. My starry-eyed idealism deserted me in the 80s but what we have/I have is part of British history and something that people find fascinating and entertaining.
l To donate funds or for more details on Radio Caroline visit, radiocaroline.co.uk
Legendary DJ Johnnie Walker visiting the Ross Revenge to broadcast in the 90s.
Onboard; the current presenters
RELISH!
The Suffolk foodies’ page ...
Bildeston Crown, a review by Charity Crewe
Found on the high street, close to the pretty village square, The Bildeston Crown is a Colman’s mustard-yellow, 15th century former coaching inn that offers rooms, a bar and a fabulous restaurant. Last year it was added to the Good Food Guide, and for good reason. Arriving on a blustery evening in February, when it had been raining for 100 days, we were thrilled to be seated next to a roaring wood burner. The restaurant with its beamed ceiling, wooden wainscoting, inglenook fireplace, pretty wallpaper and antique tables, is delightful. As was the service, by the lovely Harry, who having worked at The Crown for several years, was able to answer every question we had.
The pub is owned by the Buckle family, who own the Nedging Hall Estate and are passionate about sustainability. It runs on an “estate to plate” ethos; they use as much home-grown food as they can, with many of their own vegetables dictating the menu. And what’s more, the family bought Mauldons Brewery in 2019, so now even their beer is made from the estate’s barley.
It was not a night for scrimping and so we went for four full courses. We started off from the snack menu – much of which could easily pass for starters. My companion went for the Scotch quails’ egg, with aubergine pickle (£5), which was faultless - delightfully crispy, with a runny yolk, and it was complimented beautifully by the preserve. I, as usual, couldn’t resist the Oysters (despite there being an R in the month – a no no, so they say) and was met with three fabulously plump Mersea delights. For our starters we had a delicate treacle cured salmon with yoghurt, beetroot and grapefruit (£13) and a braised venison raviolo with onion cream and crispy shallots (£15), which was rich and complex. For mains we had roast duck breast with rhubarb chutney, beetroot ketchup and black pudding pastilla (£29), which was nicely pink in the middle and the perfect balance of sweet and sharp. The pan-fried stone bass came on a bed of leeks in smoked haddock cream and little balls of confit potato (£28). The dish was full of flavour, and the fish was falling off the bone. From the carefully selected wine list, I chose a local Suffolk wine, Burnt House Bacchus, which was a revelation – light, fruity and completely delicious.
There was still room for puddings, so we plumped for Burnt Basque cheesecake, with rhubarb sorbet and compote (£11) - smooth, creamy and perfectly sweetened - and apple and quince crumble with vanilla ice cream (£11) – the topping was lovely and chunky and infused with spices.
After supper, we wandered around and discovered the Bildeston Crown is perfect for most occasions. There are a couple of private dining rooms, which would be ideal
for big family gatherings. The separate bar room – with its pretty Tudor-style bar and roaring fire – is a great spot for an after-work pint. Or, like us, you can just enjoy a fabulous dinner for two.
The owners, Charles and Harriet Buckle, have recently bought The Angel in Lavenham. This is great news, as they will doubtless bring more of their good taste, family feel and terrific food to the equally ancient and much-loved pub.
l The Crown, 104 High Street, Bildeston. Visit, thebildestoncrown.com Call, 01449 740510.
l Food is served, Monday-Friday 7-10am, 12-2.30pm, 6-8.30pm; Saturday 8-10am, 12-8.45pm; Sunday 8-10am, 12-3.45pm, 6-7.30pm
By Angela Hagan
CONSTABLE 250 AT GAINSBOROUGH’S HOUSE
In 2026, Gainsborough’s House celebrates the 250th anniversary of John Constable’s birth with a landmark exhibition that tells a powerful story of artistic exchange, ambition and place.
Gainsborough, Turner and Constable: Inventing Landscape (25 April–11 October 2026) explores how Britain’s great landscape painters were first inspired by European masters such as ClaudeJoseph Vernet (1714–89) and Antonio Joli (1700–77), whose sweeping skies and dramatic compositions shaped early ideas of landscape painting. Drawing on these influences, Thomas Gainsborough (1727–88), JMW Turner (1775–1851) and John Constable (1776–1837) began to develop something distinctly their own, rooted in close observation of the British countryside.
Working locally, particularly in and around Suffolk, their paintings moved beyond imitation. Through technical innovation, emotional depth and an intimate knowledge of place, these artists surpassed their influences and helped establish a nationally recognised school of British landscape painting. In doing so, they transformed how
people understood and valued their own surroundings.
Bringing together more than 40 rarely seen works, the exhibition traces this artistic journey, culminating in Constable’s magnificent The Leaping Horse, shown in Suffolk for the first time.
Complemented by contemporary exhibitions from David Dawson and Kate Giles, the programme reveals how this legacy continues today, showing how landscape, once shaped by continental ideas, became a source of identity, pride and belonging for generations of artists and local people alike.
l Visit, gainsborough.org
Constable’s Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows
ART FOR CURE!
Wyken Hall gardens near Bury St Edmunds provides the perfect setting for an outdoor sculpture exhibition this spring. Art For Cure, the Suffolk based breast cancer charity, are resident there in May and June for their annual exhibition, raising money for national breast cancer research and East Anglian breast cancer support services.
The gardens have been created over the past 50 years by some eminent garden designers, including Arabella Lennox-Boyd. From the lawns surrounding the Tudor mansion and meadows beyond, the gardens flow into wildflower gardens, orchards, knot and herb gardens, a nuttery, an old-fashioned rose garden, a formal maze and a productive garden growing all year round vegetables for the award-winning Leaping Hare restaurant.
Over 30 national sculptors will be exhibiting their work this spring and all pieces will be available to purchase, each sale donating a proportion directly to the charity.
There will be a selection of paintings for sale in the Leaping Hare restaurant.
The charity was founded 12 years ago by Belinda Gray MBE, following her own experience of breast cancer. Everyone volunteers on the team and, to date, they have made over £1.5 million donations to valuable breast cancer research and support services here in East Anglia.
Amongst new sculptors for 2026 are Marie Ackers, Simon Probyn and Toby Winterbourn with new pieces from the ever-popular Carol Peace, Jeremy Moulsdale (his work is pictured), and Suffolkbased Paul Richardson and Designs on Metal.
Wkyen is a very special destination with an award-winning all-day restaurant and terrace café, a lifestyle retail barn filled with impeccably curated wares, and on Saturdays there is a buzzing farmer’s market.
BLACK USAF STAFF - NEW STORIES
Whether it’s a special day out or pursuit of a stunning artwork, you will be supporting a charity that is doing great work!
The gardens are open on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
l Art For Cure exhibiting at Wyken Hall, May 1st – 28th June. Visit, artforcure.org.uk
A pioneering cultural heritage project is preparing to launch a collection of new audio stories this month (March). In Black USAF: Cultural Connections in Cold War East Anglia, people from around the region recorded their perspectives on how the presence of Black American United States Air Force service members influenced them culturally.
The latest story is from soul singer Nate James, the son of an African American airman who grew up in Woodbridge and went on to be discovered on The Voice UK in 2013.
l Find out more at, blackusaf.org Follow on Instagram or Facebook @projectblackusaf
SEA INTERLUDES
Thompson’s Galleries hosts a double celebration this Easter. Sea Interludes features acclaimed Brita Granström and, for the first time at Thompson’s, her husband and fellow artist, Mick Manning. Known for her evocative seascapes and intimate interiors, Brita draws inspiration from daily walks along the east coast. Aptly titled after Benjamin Britten’s Suffolk-set opera Peter Grimes, it captures these treasured moments by the sea, translating them into vibrant paintings and installations. The exhibition showcases elements from the couple’s home in Berwick (recently featured in House & Garden), including wallpapers from Norfolk-based designers, St Judes, alongside other objects and textiles from an inspirational environment that has nurtured over 30 years of artistic collaboration. Suffolk-born Mick Manning, a celebrated artist in his own right, contributes works inspired by nature and the wild creatures of the northeast coast.
l Brita Granström and Mick Manning Sea Interludes opens in Aldeburgh on, Saturday 4th – 19th April. Visit, thompsonsgallery.co.uk
BRINGING IT HOME
The Gainsborough String Quartet will perform at Gainsborough’s House in Sudbury later this month (March).
The show, starting at 6.30pm on Thursday 26th March, will include works by Handel, Bach and Mozart with a second half of popular music.
l Visit, gainsboroughquartet.co.uk
HAPPY BIRTHDAY INK!
The fabulous INK Festival celebrates its tenth anniversary from April 16th - 19th when it turns Halesworth into a giant stage. Over four fun-packed days the curtain rises on 70 brand new short plays performed in pubs, theatres, barns, the food bank, bowling club, town square and even on the local bus. In the evenings, the famous Cut Theatre welcomes stars such as Hugh Bonneville, and comedy from Alistair McGowan, Jan Ravens and Jon Culshaw. It’s like a mini-Edinburgh Festival except a whole lot cheaper and much more accessible. What makes INK so unique is the magic mix of performers and art. There really is something for everyone. The UK’s most exciting poet Luke Wright headlines the poetry bill. Suffolk Shorts presents the best new films from East Anglia. And INK actors read sparkling tales from the BBC National Short Story Award. Learn the secrets of how the sex scenes are shot in Bridgerton, join a writers’ workshop, find out what a voiceover artist actually looks like, or enjoy any number of family activities. It’s impossible to be bored!
l Visit, inkfestival.org
@ dodhamilton.myportfolio.com
SUFFOLK’S BELOVED LANDMARK
Experience the wonder of Snape Maltings at Place Weekend - 10th–12th April - an invitation to immerse yourself in the very best of Suffolk’s cultural and natural landscape.
Set beside the serene River Alde, Snape Maltings is a beloved landmark. Once a
bustling industrial site, it’s now a vibrant destination celebrated for its music, nature, art and community spirit.
Across the weekend, guests can enjoy an inspiring blend of activities. Highlights include performances by the ever-adventurous Aurora
Orchestra, craft demonstrations and a showcase with the Suffolk Craft Society and an engaging family-friendly talk from nature campaigner and broadcaster Chris Packham. For those drawn to the outdoors, there are free guided walks through the reed beds with the RSPB, while a ride on the Ferris
Wheel reveals sweeping views over them. With activities for all ages, including a performance by award-winning musician YolanDa Brown and friends plus free children's face painting, the weekend promises to be a celebration of this special place - and beyond; visitors looking to extend their adventure can also head to The Red House in Aldeburgh, exploring its tranquil gardens, fascinating archive, and behind-the-scenes stories of this historic home.
l Snape Maltings, IP17 1SP. Visit, brittenpearsarts.org
@
YolanDa's Band Jam
THE GODFATHER OF HOUSE!
Chicago house producer and DJ, Marshall Jefferson, celebrates the 40th anniversary of treasured track, Move Your Body, this spring in Ipswich. Here he talks to music promoter, Paul Arnold ...
PAUL: We’re super excited to have you DJing at Chew the Fat in Ipswich this March. You moved to Billericay, Essex, in the early 90s to be near all the raves. From Chicago to Essex, that’s a big change – did you enjoy living in the UK at that time?
MARSHALL: It was a lot of fun but the first problem was the housing - it was very cramped. The first day I settled into my new place, the entire contingent of neighbours knocked on my door and told me the music was too loud. Thing is, I was playing it on my tiny computer speakers and I hadn’t even hooked up my DJ system yet! After that I got into headphones.
PAUL: You are DJing at The Baths in Ipswich which used to be a swimming pool. In 1971 one of your major influences and favourite bands Led Zeppelin played at The Baths to promote their fourth album, now known as “Suffolk’s Greatest Gig.” It’s a sweet irony that 55 years later you playing at The Baths will be known as one of ‘Ipswich’s greatest club nights’ You were a big fan of Led Zeppelin,
"When I first moved to the UK the neighbours knocked on my door and told me the music was too loud."
how were they an influence on your music/ production?
MARSHALL: If you listen to Led Zeppelin’s first album and their second album, the second album is clearly sped up; Robert Plant’s voice is way higher and even the drums, particularly the snare had a higher timbre. This made Led Zeppelin sound like better musicians. When I started making music, I was a total non-musician, so what I did was record everything at a much slower speed (40-50bpm) and sped it up to 120+. That idea came from Led Zeppelin and is responsible for my entire music career, because I played all the instruments myself on my first ten records. All my friends saw how I did it and they did the same thing and started their music careers.
PAUL: 2026 is the 40th anniversary of your
house anthem, Move Your Body, being released on Trax Records. Did you ever imagine it would be changing people’s lives four decades later?
MARSHALL: When I made it, I thought it was going to be even bigger; I thought it was house music’s Rock Around The Clock, that’s why I named it The House Music Anthem. As far as four decades later ... yeah I thought that too, but more on the radio, like Bill Haley, not still playing in the clubs! How do I feel about its legacy? I really don’t know; it’s been a part of my life for so long that it seems like a relative.
PAUL: When releasing music in the late 80s and early 90s you had a lot of aliases like Virgo, Jungle Wonz, Truth, On The House, Hercules - if there is a track from one of your aliases you wanted people to hear the most, which one would it be today?
MARSHALL: Hmm, I don’t know maybe Open Our Eyes by The Truth, background vocals by Eddie Stockley and Kenny Bobien were angelic.
PAUL: How do you keep your sound fresh and relevant while staying true to your roots?
MARSHALL: “I mix the new with the old. I play both. I start out with the new and play classics if I see older people there. They’ve been tripping me up the last few years though because now people come with their now 18-year-old kids.”
l Marshall Jefferson plays at Chew The Fat, The Baths, 4 Civic Drive Ipswich, IP1 2QA on Saturday 21st March. Tickets, brightenthecorners.co.uk
Music promoter Paul Arnold
DIGITAL BITE THERAPY TARGETS CHRONIC PAIN
For more than three years, a Suffolk resident known as Sange, endured what she calls a “raging head.”
Debilitating neuralgia headaches were wrecking any chances of her enjoying her hobbies. Despite multiple hospital visits, eye scans, and MRIs, no one could find the cause.
“I was at my wits’ end,” recalls Sange, pictured top right. “It would rage nearly all the time, which meant that things I used to love – like playing badminton and bell ringing - became almost impossible. And I’d dread long car journeys.”
That’s when a friend gave her a leaflet
about the work of Dr Michelle Wyngaard, (right), a Suffolk-based dentist who has championed a new approach to chronic pain through digital bite analysis.
The Dynamic Dental Studio in Halesworth offers Disclusion Time Reduction (DTR) therapy - a groundbreaking digital technology which treats jaw misalignment by measuring the force and timing of a patient’s bite. Dr Wyngaard is one of only ten UK dentists to hold the prestigious DTR certification from the USA.
According to her, when teeth don’t meet evenly, the jaw muscles work overtime to find balance. This constant strain can cause tension headaches, neck stiffness and facial pain. Traditional methods such as night guards, facial massage or Botox injections may help temporarily, but don’t address the underlying imbalance.
DTR therapy pinpoints exactly which teeth are causing the strain and corrects the hidden high forces so that the jaw can move freely and comfortably, allowing the muscles to relax naturally, reducing tension and pain without medication or surgery in the majority of cases.
Following her very first appointment, Sange felt a 50% reduction in her neuralgia symptoms.
Sange back to doing what she loves best
Now, three treatments on and her life has changed for the better – she’s back enjoying her hobbies without the pain.
“A couple of days ago I thought, ‘oh, I’ve not noticed my head recently at all,’“ she smiles, “and I think that several times a week now. I’d definitely recommend DTR therapy for anyone suffering from neuralgia headaches or jaw pain; it has made such a difference - I am back to playing badminton, bell ringing and enjoying life.”
l Dynamic Dental Studio is an awardwinning modern, four-surgery private practice based in The Old Creamery, Angel Link, Halesworth, IP19 8SW. Call 01986 873001.
Visit, www.dynamic-dental.co.uk
PRESERVING SUFFOLK’S PAST FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
The director of Suffolk Preservation Society Tom Foakes on his exciting new role ...
Itook over as director just before Christmas and I have an ambition to invigorate the historic charity, to grow membership, build awareness, and increase charitable impact. If you do not know it, the Suffolk Preservation was founded in 1929, by local people who recognised the value in the wonderful historic buildings and landscapes that we share. They also recognised that change is inevitable, but if they were active in promoting the importance of buildings, landscapes, and the historic crafts and skills that sustain them; then they would have a much better chance of survival. With adversity comes innovation, and today we continue to innovate and adapt –ensuring that as a charity we remain agile in how we can promote our work, engage our supporters, and ensure that we can continue caring for our county.
As we approach 100th anniversary in 2029, we are excited about the future. And we’re working on how we can support communities in caring for our buildings and landscapes – placing people at the centre of our work. We are building partnerships and launching projects to build skills in heritage crafts that are so important to our buildings in Suffolk, like thatching, flint-knapping and pargetting. In a county with over 13,000 listed buildings, we want to ensure that the skills to care for them are continuing to be learnt. In addition, we’re promoting biodiversity. The Suffolk landscape is precious, recognised in four Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and we have a vital role in caring for it.
We are also a member organisation. We have an engaging programme of events throughout the year for members and non-members alike, from talks and lectures, to visits to historic properties – many in private hands, and exhibitions and social events across the county. There are so many opportunities for our members to learn more about the history and heritage of Suffolk, and we would love more people to join us.”
l Suffolk Preservation Society, Little Hall, Market Place, Lavenham, CO10 9QZ
Call, 01787 247179. Mobile, 07594 989382
Email: sps@suffolksociety.org
Visit, suffolksociety.org
l Tom will be exploring the architectural legacy of the English country house on Tuesday 28th April (at 6pm) with The Lost Houses of Suffolk. The lecture will be held at Haughley Park Barn in Stowmarket.
Tickets cost £30, available from, eventbrite.co.uk
Tom Foakes took over as director at the end of 2025
Muriel Schofield founded the charity in 1929 to “protect Suffolk - its old buildings and rural countryside.”
AND BREATHE ...
All your wellbeing news from around Suffolk ...
HEALING SPACES
It was Damien Hirst who once observed that “art is like medicine - it can heal.” This will ring true for one local artist staging a joint exhibition at Felixstowe’s 142 Gallery.
In Healing Spaces, Suffolk-based psychotherapist and artist Michelle (pictured), teams up with neurodiverse artist, SG Owen, with an explosion of colour and pattern on the theme of wellbeing.
Michelle says, “We explore wellbeing through a variety of lenses
including grief, addiction, chronic pain, life transitions, spiritual healing and recovery.”
She says her art has helped her through the toughest of times. It saw Michelle having to drastically reduce her workload so she could focus on healing her body which had been plagued by chronic pain.
For many years she says her GP couldn’t offer her any help or hope with agonising abdomen pains.
“I’d hit rock bottom,” she says. “From the time that we start menstruating, even before, people with wombs are dismissed because of their pain and it’s put down to hormones or the fact that we’re female, like this is just something you have to put up with.”
"Believing that I would be struggling for the rest of my life, I started to fully embrace my creativity during a journey with chronic pain, as part of connecting with a slower way of being and the earth's rhythms and cycles.”
Michelle says she also changed her doctor.
“I saw a female GP who actually examined my body and said, ‘yes something’s going on here,’ and then the referrals started.”
She was eventually diagnosed with a rare soft-tissue cancer, called sarcoma which she believes “could have been caught before had I been listened to earlier.”
Michelle, who now describes herself as more of a cancer “thriver” than survivor, says she sought sanctuary in her art which helped guide her through a radical hysterectomy and colostomy in late 2024.
Now she says she’s never felt better. “And I really want to encourage people in marginalised bodies to trust their bodies and find advocates in their own medical or psychological journeys."
She owes much to her friendship with her fellow artist, SG Owen (Siobhan) for this unique exhibition at the gallery at 142 Hamilton Road, Felixstowe from 26th March to 1st April.
Fellow artist Siobhan says she, too, turned to art when “disillusioned” and discovered that it, “works better than most medical interventions.”
Michelle, who works under the name Rainbow Creative Crone, says visitors can expect a thought-provoking collaborative explosion of creativity and will also be given the opportunity to contribute to a piece of community artwork. “This is very meaningful to both of us,” she adds.
l Find her work on Instagram @rainbowcreativecrone and Siobhan's @S.G.Owen
DRAMATHERAPY – NOT ALL THERAPY HAPPENS IN A CHAIR
Diana Driver, dramatherapist, originally trained and worked as an actress before completing a Masters in Dramatherapy and a Diploma in Clinical Supervision. Her curiosity in the acting process and psychology led her to further train in the Sanford Meisner acting technique and Lee Strasberg’s Method acting approach. She has also undertaken further studies in Traumatic Stress at the Trauma Research Foundation. Diana’s approach is trauma-informed, psychologically rigorous and warmly supportive.
“You can be high functioning and still anxious. Successful and still empty. Creative and completely blocked. Dramatherapy is not about performance or dramatic skill. It is about uncovering the roles you’ve adopted to survive – the capable one, the achiever, the invisible one – and meeting the parts of you that rarely get the space. Using imagination, metaphor and embodied exploration, dramatherapy goes beyond analysis and into lived emotional experience. My work in private practice, leadership development, the NHS and creative industries has been and continues to be a constant source of inspiration for what it means to be human.”
Diana’s Woodbridge based practice offers a safe space to those who are navigating anxiety, trauma, life transitions, workplace stress, identity questions and relationship challenges. l Visit, dianadriver.co.uk
A burst of colour: Siobhan's artwork
Michelle says her art helped her heal
© Charlotte McGuiness Photography
HAVE YOU HEARD? SUFFOLK HEARING CARE SPECIALISTS OPEN FLAGSHIP PRACTICE
All About Hearing, a leading provider of hearing care and earwax removal services in Suffolk, has opened a new flagship practice in Kesgrave, marking an exciting milestone for the independent, family-run company. The purpose-built clinic on Mead Drive, near Kesgrave Library, is now the company’s first full-time base and central hub for hearing care in the area.
Founded in December 2022 by award-winning Audiologist Karen Finch and her son Matthew Coward, the business continues to grow while maintaining its personal, community-focused approach. Karen previously owned a highly successful hearing business locally for more than 20 years, helping to establish a strong reputation for expert, friendly care.
Many residents already know All About Hearing through its satellite clinics in Ipswich, Wickham Market, Woodbridge, Framlingham, and Woolpit. The new practice will provide comprehensive hearing assessments, hearing aid fittings and specialist earwax removal, alongside expanded appointment availability, advanced diagnostic technology, and free customer parking.
Karen Finch, Co-Director and Lead Audiologist, says: “Opening our flagship practice in Kesgrave is a significant moment in our journey. We have seen a steady increase in patients from this area, so it makes sense to put down roots here.
“We believe hearing care should be personal, reassuring, and accessible. Having a full-time base allows us to deliver that promise more fully.”
As a truly independent provider, the team can recommend technology from any manufacturer, ensuring each patient receives tailored, individualised care.
l To book a hearing assessment or earwax removal, call 01473 946444 or visit www.allabouthearing.co.uk.
BEYOND LABELS
Suffolk Archives’ latest exhibtion, Beyond Labels: Celebrating Disability in Suffolk, opened recently at The Hold in Ipswich.
It’s part of a project made possible by a £139,107 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund designed to spark conversations about accessibility, equality and the work that’s still needed.
The exhibition explores themes including visibility, independent living, discrimination, and how national campaigns and social and political changes have impacted lives in the county. Visitors can also explore the histories of organisations, schools, and charities that work with and support local disabled people.
It was co-curated by local community groups and Suffolk Archives.
As part of Beyond Labels, Suffolk Archives, a Suffolk County Council service, also worked with more than 30 local community groups and schools on a community art illustration called Unlabelled.
It is created from 150 giant labels that have been decorated to represent lived experience of disability, and themes of access, visibility and representation. They will be displayed in the foyer of The Hold during the exhibition.
Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for communities, Councillor Nadia Cenci, says, “Beyond Labels is a fantastic exhibition that highlights the experiences and achievements of disabled people in Suffolk. It’s an important project that helps raise awareness, challenge barriers, and encourage greater understanding and inclusion across our communities. I’m proud to see Suffolk Archives working with local groups to bring these stories to light.”
Director of England, Midlands and East at the National Heritage Lottery Fund, Liz Bates, says, “The National Lottery Heritage Fund is committed to supporting projects that encourage greater inclusion, access, and participation within heritage. Beyond Labels: Celebrating Disability, is a brilliant example of
this in action. Thanks to funding from National Lottery players, Suffolk Archives have recorded and preserved the stories of people with disabilities in Suffolk, past and present, so that their lives can be shared and celebrated.”
l Beyond Labels: Celebrating Disability in Suffolk runs until 30th May at The Hold in Ipswich, home of Suffolk Archives. There’s an accompanying series of walks, talks, workshops and family activities. Find out more at, suffolkarchives.co.uk
Easton Pre-School pupils working on their label. It is one of 150 which have been decorated to represent lived experience of disability, and themes of access, visibility, and representation. They will be displayed in the foyer of The Hold as part of the exhibition.
@ Suffolk Archives
OUT
AND ABOUT!
Top things to do around Suffolk by
Charity Crewe
CONSTABLE: A CAST OF CHARACTERS
Saturday 28th March - Sunday 14th June, Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Suffolk artist, John Constable (1776-1837). To celebrate his life, Colchester and Ipswich Museums (CIMS) are putting on Constable 250, a programme of exhibitions which includes, Constable: A Cast of Characters. With over 100 works and objects, including portraits and landscapes by Constable and many others, the exhibition will explore the people in Constable’s life, from family to friends and patrons. Also, on show will be works by acclaimed contemporary sculptor, Sasha Constable, the artist’s direct descendant. In July, Constable’s masterpiece, The Hay Wain, 1821 (pictured), will be on show, making its first ever visit to the very county it depicts.
l For further details, ipswich. cimuseums.org.uk
EASTER EGG HUNT AT FLATFORD
10am - 3pm daily, from Saturday 28th March to Sunday 12th April, Flatford, East Bergholt
Take the family on an Easter egg hunt while enjoying the views that Constable painted in the beautiful hamlet of Flatford, home to Willy Lott’s House and Flatford Mill and run by the National Trust. Along the Easter trail will be nature-inspired activities and, at the end, eggs-plorers will be rewarded with a chocolate egg! It costs £3.50 per trail, which includes an Easter trail sheet, bunny ears and milk chocolate eggs or lactose free and vegan eggs.
l For details, nationaltrust.org.uk
ORWELL WEEKENDFOUR TALKS ABOUT ORWELL
2.30pm, Saturday 28th March at Southwold Arts Centre, Cumberland Road, Southwold
A weekend-long celebration of George Orwell is taking place in Southwold, where the author’s family settled in 1921 and where he formed notable friendships. Four speakersincluding Orwell’s acclaimed biographer, DJ Taylor, novelist Ann Kronbergs, historian Ronald Binns, and Orwell Society researcher Les Hurst, will discuss how Southwold and Suffolk influenced Orwell. The talks will end with a Q&A session featuring Orwell’s son, Richard Blair, and the guest speakers.
l Tickets for the talks cost £10 and can be booked at, southwoldartscentre.co.uk
l On Friday 27th March, at 2.30pm, Raoul Peck’s recently released documentary on Orwell - 2+2=5 - will be shown at the Southwold Arts Centre
MARK CHADWICK
7.30pm, Friday 1st May, John Peel Centre, Church Walk, Stowmarket
Mark Chadwick, the Levellers frontman, is returning to the John Peel Centre. One of UK’s most successful songwriters, he has co-written 20 chart singles with the Levellers, the folk-rock band he has fronted for over 25 years. Mark will be preforming songs from his solo albums alongside Levellers’ classics.
l Tickets cost £22.50,
l For further details and to book, johnpeelcentre.com
LET THE LIGHT POUR IN WITH LEMN SISSAY: AN EVENING OF POETRY AND CONVERSATION
5.30pm, Monday 23rd March at the University of Suffolk’s Waterfront Building, Ipswich
The poet and playwright Lemn Sissay is headlining an evening of readings and discussion at the University of Suffolk to mark the launch of his latest poetry collection, Let the Light Pour In. Dr Amanda Hodgkinson, director of the Centre for Culture and Heritage at the university, which is hosting the event, promises, “an inspirational evening”.
The evening event will follow, Poetry for Life; An Afternoon of Poetry Workshops, also at the university’s Waterfront Building, and in partnership with Poetry in Aldeburgh. Amanda explains that “these workshops are open to everyone, whether you have written poetry or not.” They will run from,1.30-4.45pm.
l Tickets for Let the Light Pour In are £20 and can be booked at, uos.ac.uk
l Workshop tickets are £15 for one workshop or £25 for two. For details and tickets go to, uos.ac.uk
© John Ferguson
© Ivan Weiss
The Hay Wain, John Constable, 1821 © The National Gallery, London
© National Trust
Images/Rob Coleman.
© UCL Special Collections
