In Touch News with Manningtree – June 2018

In Touch

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with Brantham, Lawford Manningtree & Mistley Volume 8 • Issue No. 8 • JUNE 2018

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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR Do you know what a non-Newtonian fluid is? My eight-year-old son has just explained it to me, and even demonstrated it using cornflour and water.

In case you are interested, a non-Newtonian fluid is one which changes under stress. It may become thicker and act like a solid (as Jack’s cornflour concoction did) or get more liquid (as ketchup does when you shake the bottle). Remove the stress and they will return to their earlier state.

I think most of us are non-Newtonian beings. Most of the time we’re relatively reasonable! We deal with life’s typical trials and tribulations without too much fuss. We know how to manage our moods, we recognise our triggers and we manage them. We may even have a release value we engage when it all becomes too much. I rely on Leonard Cohen and chocolate, perhaps it’s jogging or maybe baking.

Leonard had to work overtime yesterday! I take a cross country route to and from work and we all know how bendy our Suffolk roads are. As I approached a side road, I was overtaken by a car which came within a hair’s breadth of hitting an oncoming van head-on. I was forced to break hard to make space for the driver to pull back in (I’m still trying to find half the contents of my handbag). Thankfully the driver behind me had enough space to do the same. Two miles further along, the same car overtook two others in a 30mhp zone and again just missed an oncoming vehicle. Despite the driver’s haste I caught up with him again a few miles on and this time he pulled out at a junction and forced yet another shaken driver to slam on their brakes.

The driver was on my mind all evening. I hope he made it home safely, but if he carries on driving like this I dread to think what might happen. Now the weather has improved there are more cyclists, runners and even horses on the roads, and more children playing outdoors. Please, please bear this in mind when you drive on our twisty roads and take extra care around blind bends.

As yesterday’s example shows, the time savings for speeding are pretty minimal. The risks don’t bear thinking about.

In Touch

with Brantham, Lawford, Manningtree & Mistley

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NEWS SUMMER READING CHALLENGE 2018 This year’s Summer Reading Challenge runs from Saturday, July 14 to Saturday, September 1 and is called Mischief Makers. It has been created in partnership with The Beano, celebrating its 80th year in 2018. Children will be invited into the world of Dennis, Gnasher and all the other Beano Town residents and will explore new titles and discover facts, characters and stories across the best contemporary children’s writing.

During their challenge children will be encouraged to read any six books of their choice. They will collect stickers for their Mischief Makers folder, solving puzzles as they go to find… well we can’t give too much away yet! There are other exciting rewards along the way and, when they complete, they will receive a medal and certificate.

So let’s get ready for library jokes, pranks, whoopee cushions and silly moustaches. Mischief Makers is for children aged three to 12 with a special Early Year’s version for babies and toddlers. For those aged 10 or about to start secondary school there will be an arts based creative reading challenge called ImagiNation.

The national Summer Reading Challenge is created by The Reading Agency and delivered by libraries.

A MATTER OF PRIDE On Thursday, April 26, Manningtree Rotary Club met with Ipswich Orwell Rotary Club to compete in our annual ten pin bowling competition. The winning trophy may be small but it’s the pride in winning it that counts. This year it was the turn of Manningtree to take home the trophy. President elect Richard Blay is pictured accepting the trophy on behalf of Manningtree from Orwell’s past president David Vincent.

If you would like more information about Manningtree Rotary Club search ‘Manningtree Rotary’ for our website.

FUNDRAISING FOR OGILVIE HALL Enjoy a traditional afternoon tea and listen to Barbara Faulkner give an account of the amusing history of tea.

Thursday June 14, 3pm-6pm at Ogilvie Hall, Lawford.

Enjoy this entertaining social event with a raffle (£1 per ticket) and help raise funds for roof repairs at Ogilvie Hall. Entry £6 per person.

MANNINGTREE VINTAGE & COLLECTABLES MARKET The next markets are on Saturdays, June 2 and July 7, then every first Saturday up to October 6.

The Star of the Market Competition in May was won

by Flo (picture by Jemma Collins).

The cover image is of a male emperor moth (wild, not from captive stock) found and photographed at Mistley by Sam Chamberlin. Sam is a founder member of a group of volunteer enthusiasts from both sides of the River Stour in the Manningtree area who meet to study, photograph and promote the conservation of moths in the area calling themselves ‘The Mothketeers’.

Their ages range from 10 to 80+ and they meet in various gardens fortnightly.

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NEWS FAMILY FUN AT THE FURZE Following the success of similar events run biennially since 2012, Lawford, Manningtree and Mistley Councils will once again be contributing towards a family fun day this summer.

MANNINGTREE ROWING FESTIVAL, JUNE 16 & 17

Family Fun at the Furze will take place on Sunday, June 10 between noon and 6pm at Furze Hills, Mistley.

During this event there will be a wide range of inflatable castles and other activities for children (at a one-off cost of £5 for a wristband lasting the full six hours), and free sports coaching for children from local rugby and football clubs.

There will be a range of live music, including that of the local band Keystone, the 1940s music group Fox, Wiggle and Sass and Jade Mayjean who has previously appeared on The Voice.

There will also be demonstrations from local dance and cheerleading groups, a boot fair (pitches bookable in advance for local, non-commercial sellers at a cost of £10), and a range of charity stalls, food outlets and a bar.

The event will be free to enter, and a free round-robin shuttle bus will run between Lawford, Manningtree and the event in order to reduce traffic in the local area (please note that Furze Hills car park will be closed other than for disabled parking).

Further details will be posted on the three council websites and noticeboards, but if you want further details in the meantime, or if you feel that you are able to help sponsor the event or wish to be a part of it in some way, please contact Dave Ashley: dave.sam.ashley@btinternet.com

MANNINGTREE TOWN COUNCIL The minutes of Manningtree Town Council meetings are available on their website, on the two town noticeboards (one at the Co-op Fiveways store and one beside the library) and at the clerk's office by appointment: 01206 390285 www.manningtreetowncouncil.org.uk

LAWFORD PARISH COUNCIL You can read council minutes on the parish council noticeboards and at: www.essexinfo.net/lawford-parish-council Minutes can be collected from the parish office by prior arrangement as the offices are not open to the public.

MISTLEY PARISH COUNCIL The full unapproved minutes of the meetings are displayed at noticeboards near to the bus stop in Rigby Avenue and also outside Mistley Post Office in the High Street.

The approved minutes can be accessed online at: www.essexinfo.net/mistleypc/parish-council-meetings Dates of next meetings, all in Mistley Village Hall on Shrublands Road Thursday, May 31, 7.30pm: Planning Committee Thursday, June 21, 7.30pm: Planning Committee Monday, July 2, 7.30pm: Full Council Please check the website before attending as planning meetings can be cancelled at short notice if there are no issues to discuss.

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Stour Sailing Club is hosting a weekend of coastal rowing in June as the Manningtree Rowing Festival returns to the estuary.

As an ancient port, Manningtree has a close connection with the water, and events featuring rowing and sailing and other water sports took place in the town as far back as 1846. In the 1890s there was fierce rivalry with Ipswich with the Horlock family from Mistley being so successful in rowing events that they were banned by some organisers for being ‘professional’.

Today the club’s very active coastal rowing section is based around our Harker’s Yard gig William Rose, purchased in 2016 with the help of a grant from the Sport England Lottery Fund. Crews from the club regularly row the club gig and members’ own Claydon Skiffs on the estuary as well as competing in races around the east coast and further afield.

Coastal rowing is one of the fastest growing sports in the country providing great exercise combined with wonderful scenery enjoyed as part of a team.

Our rowers (including our race crews) include people from their twenties to their seventies, and we are all keen to share our love of the sport and simply being on the water with others.

On Saturday, June 16 the club will be holding free ‘Have a Go’ sessions for people to try coastal rowing. High water is at 3pm and we will be taking people out from 1pm until 3.30pm. You won’t need any special equipment and we will take you out as part of a crew. You can just turn up on the day, although if you do let us know in advance it will help us to plan the day. More information can be found on the Stour Sailing Club website and Facebook page and you can contact us at: rowing@stoursailingclub.co.uk Then on Sunday, June 17 we will be welcoming visiting boats and crews from clubs around the east coast to enjoy rowing on the beautiful Stour Estuary and visiting our historic town. The day will feature a seven-mile race starting at 2.30pm from the sailing club start line close to the beach, down to Wrabness and back. The race is always hotly contested with the fastest boats completing the course in around 75 minutes in good conditions. The heavier, slower boats can take up to two hours to complete the same distance.

The event is primarily for traditional fixed seat rowing boats, but sliding seat coastal rowing boats can also take part. The competing boats will be very different in terms of weight, size and speed. So there are class prizes for the fastest in each category, and we also operate a handicapping system for the fixed seat boats so that we can compete on an (almost) level playing field.

The fastest boat over the course will not necessarily be the overall winner!

So come and have a go on Saturday, June 16 and then come back and cheer on your local boats and crews on Sunday 17!

Caroline Cunningham www.stoursailingclub.co.uk

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NEWS BRANTHAM PARISH COUNCIL The next meeting of Brantham Parish Council will take place on June 6 at Brantham Village Hall; come along to find out what your parish council is up to and to raise any questions/concerns.

Find out more about Brantham Parish Council at: www.brantham.onesuffolk.net The site includes copies of recent parish council meeting minutes, details of upcoming events and other items of local interest.

The parish council meets on the first Wednesday of every month (except August) at 7.30pm. The public are welcome to attend.

You can contact Brantham Parish Clerk at: 07702 490212 / clerk@branthamparishcouncil.co.uk You can also follow Brantham Parish Council on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/BranthamParishCouncil Parish Clerk Surgeries Brantham Parish Clerk holds monthly surgery sessions at Bake and Blossoms café so that parishioners and others can meet her, ask questions, raise concerns or even just have a chat and a cake. This is the perfect opportunity for you to get to know your parish clerk and chat through all those local issues that have been bothering you! The next surgery dates are Tuesdays, June 5 and July 3, both 10am-11.30am.

REPORT TO PARISHES, ALTON WARD: JUNE 2018 Babergh District Councillor Alastair McCraw TAKING STOCK In the years I spent in retail, every six months we’d do a stocktake. This was just to make sure we still had what we should that we hadn’t sold. We also kept an eye on every one of the figures, not just annually but monthly. Being sensible, we used our eyes daily though! Local government is a bit slower than that. To be fair, there’s a different degree of complexity. So, the figures are monitored daily, but the reports might be quarterly.

The ‘stocktake’ is an annual process we all tend to take at some point. We measure the changes in our lives. Each of your parishes will hold an Annual Parish Meeting (to inform you) and an Annual Council Meeting (to deal with appointments under the law). Babergh do the same thing. As I write we’re about to have our Annual Council Meeting. We’ll change some political responsibilities, we’ll move some committee members about and the rest of the stuff we need to do. More importantly, we’ll be mentally reviewing what happened last year and what will happen next. Some of that will be looking at end of year reports, but a lot should be about what the council did wrong, what it could do better and how to make it happen. The elephant in the room, that very few people are going to mention, is that this will be the last year of this elected council before the May 2019 elections. Some of us, if not all, are going to be judged. Some of us will be found wanting.

Babergh was not the council I expected when elected. It’s changed since. To my mind this has not obviously been for the better, but I must deal with things as they are, not as I would like them to be. In this year, the administration (in a much weaker position) might pay more attention to some important points about explaining the councils’ actions better, about communicating to provide some understanding and about listening to what the people in parishes and towns have been saying for years.

Every Tuesday 10am-12.30pm / Telephone: 07870 967353 / Foundry Court, Colchester Road Are you struggling at the moment to make ends meet and just need a little help to get you over a crisis point in your life?

Do you know someone who could just do with a little help to turn the corner? As well as help with food, we also work with One Support, a service that is at the Food Bank each Tuesday.

They will give free advice about benefits, housing issues and financial problems.

To use the Food Bank you will usually need a voucher, but you can come along on a Tuesday or telephone the number above to speak with someone for advice about what help you need.

Vouchers are available from One Support, The Hub, local churches, local doctors, social workers and health visitors. The Food Bank can also provide vouchers once we have seen you and/or deliver food parcels to you by special arrangement.

I recently learnt that we have a Statement of Community Engagement in Planning Matters. This was because it needed to be revised. Nearly every member didn’t even know it existed! Why does that matter? Well for a start, it’s a pretty fair summary of how the planning system is supposed to operate. It describes the stages, the responsibilities, Neighbourhood Plans, the bits you can expect and some you can’t. If the councillors don’t know about this ‘Statement of Community Involvement’, I’m pretty sure you don’t.

What does it state in the title? ‘Community Involvement’! We should have had that document (to help you) in front of us as soon as we were elected.

It would have made all our lives a little easier, instead of having to learn step by laborious step. This isn’t a deliberate action by the council though. It’s just a failure to think things through. All councils seem to be in their own local government bubble in these matters. I guess that’s where we come in, but we must hear about it first! You’re going to have a chance to see the statement soon as it goes out for consultation shortly. If you’ve ever had any questions as to ‘WHY’ in planning, this might help.

Why not pay us a visit or telephone us?

As ever, I’m around on the blue Claud Butler bike. The rusty chain broke a couple of times under the weight of papers on my back, but it’s fixed now (thanks to the Bike Doctor!). I can always be contacted as below.

LET US HELP YOU GET THROUGH A CRISIS WE ARE HERE FOR YOU

Alastair McCraw 07812 564188 / alastair.mccraw@babergh.gov.uk Facebook: Alton, Alastair McCraw & Harriet Steer (a joint open group)

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NEWS CONSTABLE COUNTRY MEDICAL PRACTICE Medication Queries The practice employed a clinical pharmacist in August last year who has been working with us for two days a week to help with re-authorising medication, undertaking medication reviews, resolving patient medication queries and ensuring patient medication is recorded accurately and patients are monitored as necessary. We are one of just a few practices in Suffolk to employ a clinical pharmacist and it has been a huge success as it has enabled us to provide a better service to patients and free up our doctors to focus on other patient needs.

Moni, our pharmacist, will now be working three days a week for the practice, which means that he will be available to address the majority of patient queries regarding medication. As most of these queries are not urgent, our receptionist will ask him to contact the patients when he is next in, which may be the same day or the next working day.

This will further help to relieve pressure on our GPs which in turn will increase their accessibility to address other patient problems. Of course, if patients have an urgent medication problem, and Moni is not working that day, then it will be passed to a doctor.

Capel Refurbishment By now many patients will have seen the refurbished clinical rooms at Capel and the new automated front doors. The clinical rooms have been completely refitted and now provide a brighter, cleaner, and better-organised environment for our doctors and practice nurses to consult with patients. The new automated doors are taking some getting used to, as a button needs to be pressed to open the doors when entering and exiting the premises. We have revised signs to make it clear to patients how to operate them.

The refurbishment was undertaken over a three-week period leading up to Easter and it was a requirement of NHS England that it was completed by the end of March. We are sorry for any disruption over that period, but hope patients agree that the improvements are worthwhile. Financial support was provided by NHS England, but our GP Partners also made a significant financial contribution towards the project.

This was the first stage of improvements to the Capel site and we plan to upgrade the rest of the building in due course as plans are approved and finances permit. Ample notice will be provided before further work commences.

Training Days A reminder that the practice will be closed from 1pm on Thursday, June 28. The Capel St Mary building will be open to enable access to the pharmacy, but the practice reception will be closed. East Bergholt reception will be open. Please note that there will be no clinicians at either building after 1pm as they will be attending training off-site. If you phone the practice the recorded message will ask you to ring 111 for medical assistance if your problem cannot wait until the next day.

Practice Manager Pete Keeble

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SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD TEAM With the summer months approaching (thank goodness I hear you say) we unfortunately have an increase of anti-social behaviour. This is usually committed by young people. I don’t want to accuse all youngers of anti-social behaviour as this is not the case, but 90 per cent of anti-social behaviour is committed by youths. This is not just a police matter but a family and community matter.

Where are your children right now? Are they stealing from the local shops, smoking drugs, being abusive to staff in shops? Please take responsibility for your children.

Hadleigh SNT has been busy searching youths and a large quantity of cannabis and drug accessories have been seized. We have also been busy interviewing youths for threatening behaviour in local shops, theft of alcohol and theft of cycles. These youths will now be on the police system and could end up getting a police record which will stay with them for life.

Please try and explain to your children how much having a criminal record affects them later on in life. With a drug conviction a lot of travel becomes unavailable as many countries, including America, will not allow anyone in their country with a drug conviction.

Now that the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer, we have noticed an increase in people/youths using our parks. This is now a good time to remind young people and their parents to be responsible and sensible during the evenings and forthcoming summer holidays. We hold a very strong view on anti-social behaviour (ASB) and we will take action against those who chose to diminish the quality of life of other residents. It also serves as a reminder that anybody over the age of 10 years can be prosecuted, and that we will still engage with a problem individual if they are under-10. We urge you all to contact us if you are a victim of ASB. Your call could be the missing link, or your information may be enough to prevent somebody else from becoming a victim.

Last summer our area was subjected to enormous ASB; we regularly had to deal with under age drunken youths who had no respect for their town, the parks, other residents and children using the parks. We will be taking a zero tolerance approach this summer; officers will be wearing body worn video cameras to record anything of any evidential value. Parents, please be mindful of where your children are and what they are getting up to. Our parks and play areas are to be enjoyed by all residents of our villages and should be a safe and fun place for everyone.

We have seized a quantity of alcohol from underage drinkers and unfortunately a lot of this alcohol has come from their homes. Are you aware of any alcoholic drinks being taken from your drinks cupboard or are you giving your children alcohol for their weekend sleepovers?

Young people can easily suffer alcohol poisoning and this is something we have witnessed in our local area.

Until next month, if you have any quires or questions please contact Hadleigh SNT at Hadleigh Police Station, Magdalen Road, Hadleigh IP7 5AD Hadleigh.snt@suffolk.pnn.police.uk Emergency: Call 999 Non-Emergency: Call 101 Follow us on Twitter@ HadleighPolice Police Connect: Suffolk.police.uk/police connect

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NEWS / OUT & ABOUT JAMES CARTLIDGE, MP SOUTH SUFFOLK This November our nation will mark 100 since the end of the First World War. It was a terrible, industrial-scale conflict which saw chemical weapons deployed at scale for the first time. Around 1.3 million soldiers were killed or wounded by chemical attacks. We said then that it would be the ‘war to end all wars’; we certainly hoped never again to see our troops blindfolded and shuffling along with their arm on the shoulder of a comrade in front following blinding from chemical attack.

And yet, that same terrible technology of chemical warfare used against our troops in the trenches a century ago, was recently deployed in Douma, Syria.

The force responsible for the attack struck innocent civilians, leaving up to 75 people dead, including children and toddlers. It now seems irrefutable that the Syrian Government was responsible for deploying those weapons to murder, traumatise and disfigure the very same civilian population which it is their responsibility – like any civilised government – to defend.

In response, having reviewed the extensive evidence base, the Prime Minister committed the Royal Air Force to a limited series of targeted strikes to degrade the Syrian Regime’s chemical weapons capability. This action was taken in a co-ordinated response with our allies in the United States and France, and has been heralded as a successful action by national leaders from countries across the globe, including Germany, Canada and Australia.

I believe that tyrants prepared to gas their own civilians cannot be allowed to conclude that it is a legitimate action. Committing to the use of force is a true last resort, a step no government ever wants to take. But what were the options? Diplomacy is always preferable, but Russia can veto any meaningful measures at the UN. Doing nothing would have meant more deaths, more chemical attacks and more terrible suffering. We therefore committed to a proportionate, targeted air raid that undermined Syria’s chemical warfare machine without any reported casualties. It was a difficult decision, but I believe Britain did the right thing in seeking to check the terror that is chemical warfare.

I hold regular advice surgeries offering help and support to local people.

Please see page 12 for my contact details.

BRANTHAM AMATEUR THEATRICAL SOCIETY PRESENTS BREEZEBLOCK PARK BATS enjoy plays which are that little bit different. Breezeblock Park by Willy Russell is certainly that. This is one for the adults, with an amusing comedy, tinged with some more sober social comments. You may not know this play, but may remember Educating Rita which was made into a film.

BRANTHAM BOX OFFICE Film Night Wednesdays at Brantham Village Hall Doors open at 7, film starts at 7.30pm Wednesday, June 20 PADDINGTON 2 (PG) Now happily settled with the Brown family and a popular member of the local community, Paddington picks up a series of odd jobs to buy the perfect present for his Aunt Lucy’s 100th birthday, only for the gift to be stolen.

Wednesday, July 18 THE POST (12A) A cover-up that spanned four US Presidents pushed the country’s first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between the press and the government.

Tickets cost £5 in advance from Bakes and Blossoms café, £5.50 on the door, £3 for under 16s Refreshments available on the night Facebook.com/BranthamBoxOffice

EAST BERGHOLT AND BRANTHAM BRANCH RBL This year is a momentous one for many reasons, but leaving aside politics, it is the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that brought the 1914-18 war to a close.

There will be many events organised across the area and the country, and in East Bergholt the Royal British Legion will be doing their best to mark this significant milestone with various events.

RBL branches across the county are working with schools to visit and mark the graves in local cemeteries to bring closer to home the impact of the conflict.

There will be an event in the Constable Hall in October where Mark Ashmore, a talented local historian, will bring to life the memory of the 65 men from East Bergholt who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Many more were injured, some were maimed and they should not be forgotten either.

The East Bergholt branch is organising a display around the war memorial, a pastiche of the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red that moved and impressed so many at the Tower of London in 2014.

Memorial packages will be on sale in strictly limited numbers to mark each of the 65 individuals from the village who made the ultimate sacrifice.

More details on all these events will follow.

Yours support and participation in these various events will be a lasting legacy for future generation and a show of support for past, present and future members of our Armed Forces.

It is the early 1970s and Sandra, the daughter of Syd and Betty, is finding out that there are other attitudes to life and living it outside the conventions of the council house estate she has been brought up in. She is ready to challenge her parents and move on. Her new boyfriend, Tim, is partly responsible for this simmering awakening. Watch it explode and then see the aftermath.

Meet Sandra’s other close relations and especially her cousin, John. Is he about to move on, too? Or is he too heavily influenced by his mother?

These fascinating characters will be brought to life by BATS from June 7-9 at 7.30pm in Brantham Village Hall. Tickets (£7 if ordered in advance / £8 on the door if any remain) are available from Bakes & Blossoms Café, Acacia Court, Brantham, or online from: www.ticketsource.co.uk/branthamamateurtheatricalsociety No concessions, not suitable for under-18s.

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Branch Hon Secretary John Hinton Ajohn.hinton@btinternet.com / 01206 298309

CONSTABLE SINGERS: SONGS OLD AND NEW Constable Hal, East Bergholt on Saturday, July 21 at 7pm Tickets £7 to include tea and coffee Up to June 11 contact Mel for tickets: alantuttlebury@hotmail.com After June 11 contact Paula: paulagraham716@btinternet.com

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OUT & ABOUT FAMILY HISTORY TASTER SESSION

STOUR VALLEY MEN’S PROBUS CLUB

At Manningtree Library on the fourth Thursday of the month from 4pm.

Research your family History Pick up Hints and tips Access to Free library Resources

We had two interesting speakers in May. On May 2 Joyce Kimber spoke on Britain’s Finest Hour and on May 16 Brain Kelly enlightened us on The Life of a British Consul. Both meetings were much enjoyed by members.

Bookings can be made at Manningtree library or telephone Essex Libraries: 0345 603 7628

In a talk entitled The Man & His Poetry, Dr John Knight will talk to us about John Betjeman on June 6. On June 20 Chris Parfitt will present A Portrait of a Suffolk River and on July 4 John Field will introduce us to The Treasures of Ipswich. We hold our summer buffet at the popular Haywain on July 18 when our spouses and Probus widows join us for what is sure to be an enjoyable event and a tasty meal.

BASIC COMPUTER COACHING Need help with online banking, setting up an email account, creating a CV, Blue Badge applications or booking flights?

General hints and tips on using computers, Tablets and laptops available at Manningtree Library on Tuesday mornings from 11am. Booking advisable.

Further information from Essex Libraries: 0345 603 7628

BRANTHAM ANNUAL GARAGE SALE 2018

Our club endeavours to be simple in structure, free of the constraints and obligations of service clubs and involve members at minimal cost. The club is directed primarily to providing fellowship between members who are compatible with each other and the opportunity for development of acquaintances. New members are welcomed.

We meet on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at St John Ambulance HQ, Manningtree CO11 1EB at 10.30am. For further details please contact speaker secretary Dave Carman: 01255 880202

Saturday, June 16, 9.30am-3pm

VILLAGE LINK CLUB

Open garages throughout the village. Come and browse through a treasure trove of household items needing a new home, all at bargain prices. Look for the balloons and signs throughout Brantham.

In a talk entitled Pray Silence For ? at our April meeting, Brian Russell recounted some notable events in his role as Master of Ceremonies at special events and dinners.

The village hall will host a table top sale with WI refreshments, handicrafts, preserves and plants and much more. There will be a BBQ, a tombola and an ice cream van. Make a day of it, grab a bargain and help St Elizabeth Hospice and Nepal Children’s Trust.

There was a late change to the programme for our May meeting when the intended speaker was unable to attend due to poor health. Our thanks to club member Mike Castle who stood in with a talk on a trip he made to Nepal.

For more information contact: Maya Watling: 07508 430671 / mayawatling@hotmail.com Margaret Woods: 07867 546484 / maggie1woods@googlemail.com Louise Madley: 07792 236414 / louloumadley@btinternet.com

TEA & SUPPORT Tea & Support, the friendship and self-help group formed some five years ago for those who have been bereaved or are living alone, meets from 2-4pm on the third Wednesday afternoon of each month, normally in the Church Hall, New Road, Mistley (see below). These meetings usually consist of a talk or activity followed by an opportunity to chat over tea and home-made cake.

Several times a year we have an outing to somewhere local for either lunch or afternoon tea. As our numbers have increased we have needed to hire transport for these outings. To cover our costs we now ask our members for a donation of £1 each per meeting attended.

Our new season of talks will commence on June 13 with More Stories from the Bury Tower. Future talks will include Nature through the Seasons, Special Music Box Eggs on Display, Collecting Hobbies – Or Obsession, Fused Glass Demonstrations & Sales, Remnants of War, Life as a Tudor Housekeeper, Acorn Village – History to Present Day, The Mystery of Going Underground, My Life as a Live Drawing Cartoonist Comedy Impressionist and Life as a Thames Waterman/Lighterman.

Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month in Tattingstone Village Hall at 10am. Following the speaker we have refreshments (when there is time for a chat with other members) and a raffle. New members and visitors are welcome to join us.

Roger Felgate: 01473 311684

SUMMER SERENADE

Please note: repair work has now been completed in Mistley Church Hall and unless you hear to the contrary the meetings will be there again from June onwards.

Stour Choral Society and the combined choirs of Highfields and Lawford Primary schools are proud to present a concert version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, plus a smattering of other songs. Susie Hyman is the musical director and the evening features terrific performances from rising star Cameron Collins as Joseph, and Marcus Wood as Pharaoh (alias Elvis!) Stephen Smith is the accompanist and Anna Maria Hyman is the percussionist.

For further information please contact Joy or John Baker on 01206 391918 or for transport please call Paskell’s on 01206 396709. The 2018 programme is available from Paskell’s in Manningtree, in St Mary & St Michael’s Church and Bradfield Church.

The concert will take place in Old Hall, East Bergholt on Saturday, June 23 at 6.15pm. Tickets are £8 for adults, £4 for children and £20 for a family ticket (two adults and up to three children). Tickets are available from Howells Hardware Shop, Manningtree High Street and from 01206 392820.

NEW PROGRAMME: this will be available shortly for the months June to December 2018.

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OUT & ABOUT ENGALYNX TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY: 1998-2018 Engalynx, the charity founded in Manningtree in 1998, is celebrating its twentieth year working for orphans and widows in Rwanda.

The charity has worked tirelessly over these years covering a variety of projects, including supplying goats, school uniforms, health insurance, setting widows up in their own small businesses, working with the local Diabetic Association training girls in hairdressing, supplying one container of medical equipment to Kivu Hospital and one of general goods and clothing to Pauvre Enfant in Kigali, supplying bunk beds, books and microscopes to L’ecole de Science in Gisenyi and many other things.

The greatest achievement to date is the opening in 2014 of a maternity unit in Ntunga, Rwamagana. This was designed by Arup and built using a local labour force. All the equipment for the unit was purchased in the UK and shipped from Felixstowe. Our first discussions took place in November 2011 and we opened in April 2014. The first month after opening five babies were delivered, but the monthly average now is 30.

The last project was the training of 29 young women in tailoring; we have now set up a co-operative, which is working well, and the ladies are now training other young women.

The maternity unit was just one unit of a complete health centre. This is a major challenge for us. The cost will be in the region of £400,000. We are applying to as many people as we can, and still fundraising to carry on with our other projects.

Fundraising Concert: Saturday, June 30 We are holding an evening with the U3A singers which will include a good variety of songs together with novelty items and a sing-along. There will be wine and nibbles available at the interval. Admission is free and there will be a collection at the end for the charity. This is on Saturday, June 30 at 7pm at East Bergholt Congregational Church, Cemetery Lane, East Bergholt.

If you would like further information, please contact Maralyn Bambridge on 01206 393022 or visit: www.engalynx.org.uk

ST MICHAEL’S MONTHLY MARKET The next market at St Michael’s, The Church on the Park, Woolverstone is on Saturday, June 9, 9am-12.30pm.

The theme this month is Flowers so come and see our mini-flower festival, as well as your favourite market stalls: fruit, vegetables, cakes, bread, meat and an interesting range of handcrafted items.

East End Butchers are pleased to be the market’s resident meat supplier.

If you would like to place on order with them it can be collected at the market each month. Their number for orders is 01206 392190.

Come along to mingle with your friends, have a cup of coffee and a bacon buttie and enjoy the lovely venue.

New stalls welcome. Contact Jane Gould: 01473 780777

FOLK NIGHT AT MANNINGTREE METHODIST CHURCH HALL Friday, June 1, 7pm No charge but a retiring collection for East Anglian Children’s Hospice.

Please bring your own non-alcoholic refreshments.

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OUT & ABOUT MANNINGTREE & DISTRICT PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY

ORWELL DECORATIVE AND FINE ARTS SOCIETY

Testing our mettle again at the annual Granville Foulger Trophy Competition, hosted by the East Ipswich Camera Club in April, left us a creditable third out of five clubs and so nearly second place. Marks awarded: Bury St Edmunds 221, East Ipswich 204, Manningtree 202, Woodbridge 184 and Stowmarket 180.

On April 4 we celebrated the Golden Jubilee Anniversary of our national association with a lecture given by John Benjamin, who has appeared many times on The Antiques Roadshow. Entitled A History of Jewellery from Elizabeth 1st to Elizabeth Taylor, he described the various styles that were popular throughout the period. We were regally entertained by a consummate professional who gave an outstanding performance.

Later in the month worldwide wildlife photographer Kevin Maskell FRPS showed us some exquisitely fine shots of birdlife in the Falklands and Florida, while his wife, Margery Maskell ARPS, introduced us to non-flowering plants on your doorstep – literally. Lichen can look very colourful in close up and moss is pretty good in macro too.

Our early May evening saw a return visit from experienced West Mersea photographer Colin Westgate FRPS. In a very relaxed evening Colin talked about some special places, ranging for example, from Iceland to Vietnam. He has visited destinations all over the world in connection with his photographic holiday business, Quest Landscape Photography. Shown here is a view of Glencoe in Scotland, so typical of Colin’s atmospheric renditions of light and landscape at its best.

Please see www.questphoto.co.uk for further information.

Our 2018/2019 season will commence in September and run through to May 2019. We meet twice monthly on Thursday evenings at 7.30pm at St John’s Centre, Station Road, Manningtree CO11 1EB. New members are welcome to join for the forthcoming season or may attend initially as a visitor. Please contact Margaret for details: 01206 396958 / madps@post.com www.manningtreeanddistrictphotographicsociety.co.uk

STOUR VALLEY LADIES PROBUS CLUB Stour Valley Ladies Probus Club meets at Brantham Leisure Centre at 10am on the first and third Thursday in the month. The first meeting in the month includes lunch and the second is for coffee. At every meeting there is a general interest speaker.

The aim of our club is to encourage interest and fellowship among our members, all of whom are retired and have a lively and informed outlook on life.

New members are welcome and anyone interested in attending a coffee morning should contact our president, Doreen Gant: 01206 395548 / deegant@tiscali.co.uk

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The title of our lecture on June 6, to be given by Dr Matt Lodder, will be The Untold History of Tattooing, when we shall receive an insight into a fascinating and unusual subject about which most of us know very little.

We shall be taking our usual summer break after the June lecture, but why not join us when our new season starts in September and enjoy good company and interesting talks? We meet at Tower Hall, Broadlands Way, Rushmere St Andrew on the first Wednesday of most months. Talks last about an hour, commencing at 2.15pm, with tea and coffee served from 1.30-2pm.

Guests and non-members are welcome provided we have enough space.

Exceptionally popular lectures will have a visitor limit of 20 spaces. Please contact Wendy Robbins in advance on 01394 823807 to check if there is available space.

For the latest events and news please visit: www.orwelldfas.org.uk

NORTH ESSEX OVAL RACING CLUB The North Essex Oval Racing Club is a radio controlled model banger and stock car racing club based in Ardleigh Village Hall. We race 1:12th scale replicas of cars raced at tracks like Spedeworth Ipswich. The cars we use are kits made by Large It, Kamtec and Mardave. The body shell is made of Abs plastic and comes in many styles to replicate the real cars like Ford Granadas, Rover P5, etc. There’s plenty of choice to suit the race meets theme, i.e. engine size or age related or body styles hearse, limo, estates…

We also race stock car replicas, also a contact formula but not as hard as the bangers where more car repairs are necessary, but the low cost of parts makes it very cheap compared to other types of racing. Any age or ability of person can race and be competitive.

The dates for next meetings are: June 17: Estates Bangers / 1300s NEORC Champ Rd2 July 22: Yanks / 1300s August 26: Any Shell / 1300s September 16: Dukes of Essex – Escorts, BMW, Sierra, Nova, Corsa / 1300s NEORC Champ Final Rd 3 November 18: Hearses and Limos / 1300s Anyone interested can come down and watch or get in touch through our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/1584166288551489

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OUT & ABOUT / SCHOOLS MANNINGTREE FIT CLUB Open to anyone looking to lead a healthy active lifestyle Every Wednesday evening from 7-8pm at Mistley Village Hall, Shrubland Road, Mistley CO11 1HS. Contact: Bridie 07403 316735 / Tanya 07920 76245 Follow us on Facebook at: Manningtree Fit Club

POETRY PLUS The next meeting of Poetry Plus will take place at 7.30pm on Tuesday, June 12 at the Red Lion, South Street, Manningtree.

All those interested in poetry are invited to attend either to listen to the spoken word or to read poetry themselves. Some people will be reading their own poetry and some will choose to read the work of other poets.

There is no admission charge.

To keep up-to-date with this poetry group, please visit: www.poetryplus.org.uk

STOUR VALLEY U3A Roger Kennell presented William Pretty – A Suffolk Family & Corset Manufacturer on May 9. On June 13 Tony Diamond’s subject is chocolate and he will tell us of the spread of the hot drink in Europe and its astonishing aspects and give an overview of its financial importance to the UK. Peter Hesketh, a former police officer and Merchant Navy Purser will present an interesting talk entitled Around the World in a Container Ship on July 11.

As a lone passenger for around four months it positively was not a cruise! He explains the attraction of and comments on life at sea when the ship spends so little time in port.

Our main purpose is to encourage lifelong learning for those who are no longer in full time employment and emphasis is always placed on making learning active and fun as well as helping in developing friendships. We have a wide range of groups including language study, country walking and computer studies and groups that visit gardens, churches and historic buildings. In the main, membership is drawn from communities in the lower Stour Valley and adjacent areas including Brantham, Capel St Mary, Dedham, East Bergholt, Holbrook, Lawford, Manningtree, Raydon and Stratford St Mary. We are affiliated to the ThirdAge Trust, have over 260 members and 21 groups. For further information please visit www.stourvalleyu3a.org.uk where membership secretary Gillian Gibbs may be contacted.

We meet at Constable Hall, Gandish Road, East Bergholt CO7 6TP at 2.15pm. Annual membership is £12 which entitles members to attend meetings on the second Wednesday of each month, except August and December.

It’s never too late to learn! Join the 361,477 members across 969 U3As throughout the UK today.

LAWFORD & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Jenny Francis ensured we enjoyed the talk on wildlife at Parrington’s Farm by giving us information on her parents and family, many of whom are known to members, and setting the scene about the farm and its location. The photographs that she had of the area and its varied wildlife were stunning.

She did have the grace to admit that she hadn’t taken them all herself. Thanks for a lovely evening Jenny.

Maike Windhorst will be coming to Ogilvie Hall, Lawford on June 21 to give us a talk on grapevines. The longest day of the year – maybe we will celebrate with wine! If you would like to join us, visitors are always welcome. You can contact me on: 01206 393580

BROOKLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL Brooklands has recently been awarded a £2,885 grant from the Ernest Cook Trust. This grant will fund an outdoor learning project linked to science. Our science leader will be leading this project which we hope will support us in making effective use of our school grounds.

Brooklands Friends and Family (BFF) plays a huge part in the life of Brooklands, providing fun activities for our families from discos to quiz nights. BFF works hard each year to raise money for school projects and items for the school that might not otherwise be funded or possible. Most recently enabling us to develop our wonderful ‘Mud Room’ which provides a hardworking space for our children to kick off their muddy boots and forest suits after outdoor adventures. BFF are also supporting the rejuvenation of the school pond area. The pond, within the school grounds, is one of our amazing learning resources which brings delight and learning each year for our children. The pond provides a home for frogs, toads, dragonflies, pondskaters and much more and also features on the ‘50 things to do before you leave Brooklands’.

One of the values at the heart of our school ethos is respect and understanding of ourselves and others. Manners and courtesy are sometimes an overlooked life skill but a very important one, which is why over the coming weeks we will be taking some time to focus on how we use kind words and actions around school, beginning with how we greet people and communicate with respect.

Modelling politeness and courtesy to our children, encouraging them to use phrases like “good morning”, “thank you” or “excuse me” for example, are important social skills.

Do you know of families moving into the area who would like to come to us? We currently have a limited number of places in Years 2, 3, 4 and 5.

For information on how to apply to join Brooklands during the school year (in-year applications) please contact school admissions: 0345 600 0981 / admissions@suffolk.gov.uk Based on a huge body of evidence, the UK chief medical officer recommends that all children should engage in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity for at least 60 minutes every day and 30 minutes of this hour should be delivered in school every day, with the remaining 30 minutes supported by parents outside of school time. Brooklands does a lot to encourage our children to be active every day and we offer an average of two hours of PE or other physical activities per week. We also encourage active lunch times through a range of activities delivered by sports coaches, we have active lessons and offer a large range of extra-curricular clubs. The benefits of getting active are enormous and exercising with your children can be great fun.

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is supporting and developing my team here at Brooklands, helping them grow and develop into leaders and subject specialists. A huge strength of Team Brooklands is how we work to support and encourage each other as well as get enthused and excited about trying new things. Our new leaders learn from those more experienced and this in turn creates a wonderfully positive environment filled with infectious enthusiasm, energy and passion for their subjects. Lily Loveday has recently taken on leading art at school and we are already seeing the impact this is having as the whole school is embracing the many aspects of this skill. Rhian Brighton has recently taken on science and is leading the rejuvenation of our pond area while Charlie Goddard and Harry Legg are due to start their Forest Leader training next week.

Headteacher Christine Davy

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SCHOOLS / SPORT

MANNINGTREE HIGH SCHOOL The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is the premier youth achievement award in the country and is highly regarded by employers and universities. The programme provides students with the opportunity to develop practical and social skills, nurture their personal interests and talents and become more independent.

This is the second year that the school has offered the opportunity and this year 36 Manningtree High School students are taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award.

The participants volunteer, undertake a range of physical activities,

gain new experiences and master a new skill or hone their abilities in an existing one. They then take part in two expeditions. The students have planned their walking routes and will be taking part in these expeditions in May and June. This involves walking for a distance, setting up camp, cooking on a camp stove and staying overnight before walking back to base.

The focus is on developing communication and leadership skills as well as resilience and independence. Good luck to everyone this year.

MISTLEY CRICKET CLUB Cricket began, albeit a week late due to the constant rain through March and early April, which resulted in the first week of the league schedule being postponed to the end of the season. The 1st XI were defeated at Witham, but the 2nd Team recorded a close victory over Bury St Edmunds 2nd.

Sat, June 16: Woodbridge II (A) Sat, June 23: St Margarets II (H) Sat, June 30: Wodbridge II (H) Sat, July 7: St Margarets II (A)

However, after one round of games the following week was again beset by rain which wiped out almost all of the league programme again. Week four saw fortunes reversed with the 1st Team winning at Maldon and the 2nd Team losing to Walsham Le Willows. The Saturday Third team also kicked of their season with a narrow defeat.

SUNDAY AND MIDWEEK CRICKET

The Sunday sides got the first games in, the NECL side winning at Copdock and the Two Counties team losing at Abberton. The Ladies kicked off their campaign too, losing a close encounter at Sudbury.

The early May weather has been sensational; let’s hope it continues right through the summer and cricket can continue unabated.

SATURDAY CRICKET 1st Team: Two Counties Div 1 Sat, May 26: Hadleigh (A) Sat, June 2: Coggeshall (H) Sat, June 9: Elmstead (A) Sat, June 16: Frinton II (H) Sat, June 23: Woolpit (A) Sat, June 30: Wivenhoe (A) Sat, July 7: Witham (H) 2nd Team: Two Counties Div 3 Sat, May 26: Brockley (H) Sat, June 2: Easton (A) Sat, June 9: Long Melford (H) Sat, June 16: Dunmow (A) Sat, June 23: Woolpit II (H) Sat, June 30: Abberton (H) Sat, July 7: Bury St Edmunds II (A) 3rd Team: Two Counties Div 9 East Sat, May 26: Felixstowe & Corinthians II (H) Sat, June 2: Kesgrave II (A) Sat, June 9: Saxmundham (H)

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NECL Sun, May 28: Wivenhoe (A) Sun, June 10: Colchester & East Essex (H) Thu, June 14: Ipswich (T20) (A) Thu, June 21: Para RHA (T20) (H) Sun, June 24: Galleywood (H) Sun, July 1: Clacton (A) Thu, July 5: Colchester & East Essex (T20) (H) Sun, July 8: Copdock & OIs (H) Two Counties Sunday League Sun, June 3: Wivenhoe (A) Sun, June 17: Frinton (A) Sun, July 1: Gt Bromley (H) Ladies Two Counties (T20)/BSL Fri, June 1: Colchester (BSL) (A) Tue, June 5: Copdock & OIs (TC T20) (A) Fri, June 8: Sudbury (BSL) (H) Sun, June 10: Bury St Edmunds (TC T20) (A) Fri, June 15: Eight Ash Green (TC T20) (A) Fri, June 22: Copford (BSL) (A) Sun, June 24: Felixstowe (TC T20) (A) Fri, June 29: Copdock & OIs (TC T20) (H) Fri, July 6: Colchester (BSL) (H) Sun, July 8: Bury St Edmunds (TC T20) (H) April 2018 100 Club Winners 1: Ruth Spendley (17) £110 2: Robin Mills (12) £50 3: Peter French (44) £50 New players are always welcome; for more information please email: mistleycc@btinternet.com

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SPORT EAST BERGHOLT UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB With the poor weather extending through April there was something of a fixture pile up and the time of writing the Reserves have a match still outstanding while the A Team are still unsure of which division they will be in next season.

The 1st Team finished the season well with only one defeat in their final seven games, a run that included an emphatic three nil victory at near neighbours Capel. This left them in tenth place in the Senior Division and wondering what might have been if the consistency could have been achieved a little earlier in the campaign.

The Reserves season rather petered out to leave them with a ninth placed finish while the A Team’s difficult season continued.

The end of season awards evening took place in the pavilion.

The winners were: Clubman of the Year: Dale Vince Young Player of the Year: Kyle Jay 1st Team Players Player of the Year: James Moughton 1st Team Managers and Supporters Player of the Year: Scott Fryer 2nd Team Players Player of the Year: John Cooper 2nd Team Managers and Supporters Player of the Year: Ian Gedny 3rd Team Players Player of the Year: Steve Wardle 3rd Team Managers and Supporters Player of the Year: Luke Taylor LADIES AND JUNIORS We are pleased to announce East Bergholt Utd Juniors and Ladies are to join with East Bergholt Utd Men to become one club, East Bergholt United Football Club. This will help the club look forward to a bright and exciting future. We are looking for new teams, boys or girls, of any age group to come and join us as we look for the club to grow. If you are interested please contact David George at: davidgeorge5000@hotmail.com.

Congratulations to the ladies who won their league cup at Brantham on Tuesday, May 1.

The date of the AGM is to be confirmed.

We are always looking for people who can help the club as committee members, whether on the playing side or just in the background. If you would like to sponsor the club in some capacity we would also be delighted to hear from you. Club strips, dugouts, banners and boards on match days are all potential exposure for your business while supporting a local organisation.

Steve Butcher: stevebutcher55@btinternet.com

CAPEL PLOUGH FOOTBALL CLUB The season finished for our two Saturday teams on May 5 with the 1st Team coming sixth in the Senior Division of the Suffolk and Ipswich League while our young Reserve side were runners-up in the Inter C League. Our 1st Team ended the season by playing seven games in three weeks in order to get all the outstanding games in, winning three and losing four. Leading scorers were Daniel Alderson with 12 goals and Shaun Webb with 10.

Our Reserves had an excellent season with several village teenagers in the side for most games winning 17 out of 22 league games to gain promotion under the leadership of new manager Frazer Lord.

Our Sunday team was third in their league at the time of writing and were not due to finish their games until May 27. They recently beat Lattice Barn 4-2 thanks to goals from Adam Oleary, Adam Moore and a brace for Sterling Mayes, while our Veteran side finished as runners-up in their league after some fine performances by our over-35-year-old players who make up this side.

Many thanks to all those who work so hard to help run our club, especially our many youth team coaches and lets hope that you enjoy the summer break as you put your feet up and watch England win the World Cup! See you next season.

LAWFORD FOOTBALL CLUB First Team Promoted Next season will see Lawford’s 1st Team back in the Premier Division of the Essex & Suffolk Border League. The team’s return to the top tier was confirmed at the end of March after league leaders, Great Bentley beat third placed Brightlingsea Regent ensuring that Lawford would take the second promotion place.

Andy Young has been 100% focused on securing promotion since he joined the club as 1st team manager at the start of the season. According to Andy this “means everything to the team and that promotion will ensure that the team will stay together”. With the players very much looking forward to next season, Young feels that this season’s success will “inspire the team to play even better and with a level of consistency that the Premier league requires”. And, of course, there will also be the local derby with Brantham to look forward to.

Lawford Ladies Many congratulations to our Ladies Team who have reached the final of the Essex County Women’s Football League Cup after winning 3-2 their semi-final against Frontier Ladies.

Lawford play Corringham Cosmos in the final which will be held on Sunday, May 13.

Thrilling Season for U13s With one game left to play, Lawford U13s are certain to be promoted from Division C and remain in contention to be division winners. The team have had a fantastic season, only losing one match of the 21 games played so far. Both Lawford and Elmden Rovers Blues are on 60 points at the top of the table, with prospect of a play-off for the top spot.

Good progress for Lawford U9s The U9s moved up to the 7v7 format this season after playing a season at 5v5. This has given the team more space, players and time on the pitch. They adapted quickly to the format in the early stages of the season and have improved as the season has progressed. There are currently 12 players in the squad, with a good balance throughout the team to fill all positions.

Farewell to Grassroots Hero Sadly, John O’Mara is stepping down as secretary of the senior section after over 27 years of service to football at Lawford. He and his wife Gillian are moving to Ireland, where we wish them both much happiness in their new surroundings.

In 1991 John was a manager for a team with Lawford Juniors and went on to win the league at U15. He moved to Lawford Lads in 1996 to take over as secretary and held that post to date. In 1997 he became a committee member of the Essex & Suffolk Border League and in 2014 became their ground standards officer. In 2015, he helped the same league achieve FA Charter Standard, helping member clubs to that status by organising such things as FA Emergency First Aid courses at the pavilion. In 2009 he helped set up a ladies team at Lawford who play in the Premier Division of Essex County Women’s Football League.

He has also represented Lawford FC over the years on the parish council, with his role as a parish councillor. John always advocated ‘One Club’. His help and support played a significant role to finally see it over the line in 2015. On behalf of everyone at the club, thank you so much John for everything you have done over the years and being our grassroots hero.

If you are interested in playing football for Lawford FC or supporting the club in any way, please visit our website for further information: www.lawfordfc.co.uk

Bob The Ploughman

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SPORT / CHURCH NEWS CAPEL CHEETAHS - CAPEL 5 2018 TONY KING MEMORIAL RACE: SUNDAY, JUNE 17 1 Mile Fun Run starts at 9.45am 5 Mile Capel 5 starts at 10.30am (minimum age 15) Capel St Mary Playing Field, Friars, IP9 2XS A new, out and back route is planned which will include a 300-metre off-road section. It will not go alongside the A12, but there are still a couple of hills.

The race this year will be titled Capel 5 Tony King Memorial Race in memory of a much loved and respected club member who passed away five years ago.

Affiliated runner fee £8 / Un-affiliated runner fee £11 – will increase on the day Please contact Sandra for more information – 01473 312114 / sandrabumphrey@talktalk.net – or visit: http://capelcheetahs.co.uk Entry through Run Britain: www.runbritain.com Please come out and cheer the runners on; the route starts on Rembrow Road, crosses The Street into Days Road, then to the Wenham Queen, turns right and heads towards the airfield, turns right at a footpath, then heads back towards the village, again passing the Wenham Queen and back down Days Road, then Rembrow Road and the finish is as usual in Playfield Road.

EAST BERGHOLT TENNIS CLUB Now that summer is well underway why not come along to East Bergholt Tennis Club for a game of tennis? We welcome new members of all ages and abilities on our all-weather floodlit courts located behind the playing fields at Gandish Road, East Bergholt.

Whether you are a complete beginner, coming back into the game after a number of years off or a regular player, there is something in it for you.

The club will be offering a range of coaching programmes for members and non-members catering for both children and adults.

Annual membership subscriptions (allowing free use of the courts until 10pm every day subject to prior booking) are: adults £50, family £70-100, juniors (under 18) £15, students £25, junior summer special £10. Prices for coaching programmes, which are higher for non-members, will depend on the course.

All enquiries about the coaching programmes should be directed towards Pete Richmond, whereas membership enquiries can be directed to either Pete Richmond or Paul Lake.

Chairman/Coach Pete Richmond: NEETacademyHQ@gmail.com Acting Membership Secretary Paul Lake: 55paullake@gmail.com

MANNINGTREE BENEFICE Welcome to Manningtree Benefice, an all-age Anglican Church, meeting in St Lawrence’s Church, Bradfield and St Mary & St Michael’s Church, Mistley.

“Thy kingdom come…”

For nearly two thousand years, Christians have been regularly praying these words, inviting God to release more and more of his kingdom into the kingdoms of our world. I’m writing this on Ascension Day, which marks the start of an annual push from the Church of England to pray this prayer in a more focussed and committed way for the next couple of weeks or so. That period of intense prayer may well have come to an end by the time you read this, but even if it has I’d still encourage you to pray in this way.

Services for June 2018

“Thy kingdom come” is a phrase which acknowledges some really important things. First, it puts God into his proper place in our minds, hearts and lives.

After all, there cannot be a kingdom without a king! Second, it helps us to see that there are many ways in which God is not yet king of our lives (even if we might be willing to say that he is). We need more of his rule and reign in our circumstances. Third, there is an echo here of something very deep indeed.

The fact that Jesus encouraged us to pray in this way means that we can be sure that God’s kingdom hasn’t yet fully arrived in our world.

Sunday, June 17: Father’s Day 10.15am Family Worship with Treasure Seekers*

at Bradfield Methodist Church 10.30am Holy Communion (Common Worship) at Mistley 6pm Quiet Communion at Bradfield

We live in a society broken by divisions over politics, beliefs, and the remnants of the class system. We regularly hear stories in the news of disasters – natural or man-made. God’s kingdom threatens to overturn all of this, and to be a reign of justice, love, and peace. This is radically different from the way things are a lot of the time now, and so this is a powerful prayer.

When Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God, he describes something remarkable. He tells us that the kingdom belongs to those who are poor in spirit. It is a place where those who mourn are comforted. Under God’s reign, the earth belongs to the meek, and those who long to be righteous will be filled with God’s blessing. Mercy will be rewarded with mercy, purity of heart will result in a vision of God, and people who strive to make peace will be known as God’s children. This is astonishing stuff: and when we pray “thy kingdom come” this is what we’re praying for.

So will you join me, and millions of Christians around the world and throughout history, in praying this simple, but powerful, prayer?

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Sunday, June 3 10.30am Joint Worship with Communion & Treasure Seekers* at Mistley 6pm Evening Prayer at Bradfield Sunday, June 10 10.30am Holy Communion (Common Worship) at Bradfield 10.30am Family Worship with Treasure Seekers* at Mistley 6pm Evening Prayer at Mistley

Sunday, June 24 8am Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer) at Mistley 10.30am Morning Prayer at Bradfield 10.30am Café Church with Treasure Seekers* at Mistley *Treasure Seekers is our children’s programme for ages 3+ All services are at St Mary & St Michael’s Church, Mistley (CO11 1ER) or St Lawrence’s Church, Bradfield (CO11 2US) unless otherwise stated.

Priest-in-Charge: The Rev Dom Turner 01206 391218 / dom@manningtreebenefice.co.uk Associate Minister: The Rev John Brien 01206 397549 / brienfamily@btinternet.com Curate: The Rev Claire Scargill 01206 395417 / revclairescargill@gmail.com Church Office: Available at least 10am-1pm, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 07436 398801 / info@manningtreebenefice.co.uk www.manningtreebenefice.co.uk www.facebook.com/ManningtreeBenefice

In Touch online:

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CHURCH NEWS BENEFICE OF EAST BERGHOLT & BRANTHAM Sunday, June 3: Trinity 1 8am BCP Communion, East Bergholt 11am Benefice Communion and Baptism of Ralph Whatling, Brantham 4pm Family@Church, East Bergholt Open Gardens in East Bergholt

It’s time to unlock the doors. The #MeToo movement has roared into life.

Women are feeling empowered to say that some things are not OK. Traumatic experiences that have been too painful too talk about, are now being shared, and people in positions of power are finding that every action has a consequence.

Wednesday, June 6 9.30am BCP Communion, East Bergholt

It is our duty to speak truth and hold people accountable. Not a smear campaign. No false accusations. No fake news. Time to stand up to the bullies whether they be on social media, in government departments, the local parish council, the hospital ward, at home or in the church.

Sunday, June 10: Trinity 2 8am BCP Communion, East Bergholt 10am Communion and Baptism of Gildas Finch-Boyer, East Bergholt 11am Family Service, Brantham Sunday, June 17: Trinity 3 8am BCP Communion, East Bergholt 10am Communion, East Bergholt 11am Communion, Brantham Sunday, June 24: Trinity 4 8am BCP Communion, East Bergholt 10am Choral Matins, East Bergholt 11am Informal Service, Brantham

Our diocese is taking very seriously indeed the absolute necessity of doing all we can to protect the vulnerable and truly care for those around us.

Spectacular failures have hit the headlines. It is particularly awful and the deepest betrayal of all we stand for and hold dear when abuse takes place within a church setting. Sadly, because of the actions of some, we all stand accused and trust in the institution is lost. All our volunteers are now required to complete training that helps them identify the signs of abuse and to know what to do about it (this is a new requirement) and those working with the vulnerable also have to have DBS checks (this has been the case for some years).

Rev Steph

Sunday, July 1: Trinity 5 / Patronal Festival 8am BCP Communion, East Bergholt 10am Benefice Communion, East Bergholt 4pm Family@Church, East Bergholt Check the website for details. In East Bergholt there is a BCP Communion every Sunday at 8am and Choral Matins is usually on the fourth Sunday. This service schedule may change without prior notice if needed.

RAMBLING RECTOR This year we have been remembering the work of the suffragettes who through their activities were trying to raise awareness of something we now take for granted, Votes for Women! They felt passionately about the cause and were prepared to pay the price for their (sometimes criminal) activities.

The keys turned in the locks behind them as the paternalistic society struggled to come to terms with the issues they raised. And of course, in some places women still are not allowed the opportunity to vote on things that affect them deeply.

The Rev Steph is on sabbatical doing some writing and will be unable to respond to any messages until after June 1. If any need should arise, the churchwardens or verger will be able to help you.

East Bergholt: Fiona Trott 01206 298205 / Liz Digby 01473 312281 / Rodney Brundell 01206 298607 Brantham: Jane Pavitt 01473 328512 / Ken Stuttaford 01206 394446 www.constablecountrychurches.co.uk In the light of recent events in East Bergholt and Brantham, please encourage your neighbours to ensure door locks are in good working order and consider installing outside lights. I am always concerned to find front doors left open for carers or even the well-meaning rector! The best protection of course is to have a pet dragon, but as they are hard to come by the next best protection is keeping a loving eye open and report anything suspicious to the police. We must not allow cowards to force us to be anything other than sensibly loving.

Rev Steph

MANNINGTREE METHODIST CHURCH South Street, Manningtree CO11 2JB Minister: The Rev Tom Osborne, 01206 396654 Sunday Services: 10.15am each Sunday; we welcome visiting and outside preachers.

211 YEARS CELEBRATION WEEKEND • June 1, 7pm: Folk Night – free admission, retiring collection for East Anglian Children’s Hospice. Bring your own refreshments.

• June 2, 10am-12.30pm: Church Gift day and Exhibition of the Church’s Year • June 3, 10.15am: Celebration Service led by Major George Warren followed by anniversary celebration lunch (£5 – please book: 01206 298635) • June 10, 10.15am: Preacher Mr Roger Fern (recent Mayor of Ipswich) • June 17, 10.15am: Preacher Rev Tom Osborne with the Service of Holy Communion • June 24, 10.15am: Worship – The Study of The Book Of Jonah.

• Welcome Wednesdays at 2.30pm: June 6: Bible Study; June 13: Strawberry Tea; June 20: Bees; June 27: Holy Communion

of Canterbury, and The Rev Neil Richardson, one time president of the Methodist Conference in Castle Methodist Church, Colchester.

The recent book sale in the Methodist Hall, Manningtree raised £900 for church funds. The next sale will be on September 29, 10am-3pm.

A very professional, enthralling production of Daddy’s Diaries was enjoyed at the beginning of May to commemorate the 100 years marking of the end of the First World War leading into the Second World War by Jane Bower from Cambridge. This one woman production was a very telling cameo in the life of servicemen in both World Wars.

ALSO MEETING ON OUR PREMISES Monday Workers Education Association, nine lectures in autumn and spring, 2.30pm Stour Choral Society (Sept-June), 7.30pm Tuesday: Women’s Guild, 7.15pm

Treasurer: Mr Gordon King Church Bookings: David Shearmur, 01206 395263

Wednesday Gentle Fitness Class, 9.15am Art Painting Group, 10am-noon Manningtree & District Chess Club, 7.30pm Museum & History Group (bi-monthly), 7.30pm

At the end of April Manningtree Methodist Church was represented at the discussion on the proposed covenant between the Church of England and the Methodist Church led by The Most Rev Rowan Williams, retired Archbishop

Friday, May 4, 7pm: Daddies Diaries, a theatre production based on the wartime diaries of one man. Tickets £8 from Maggie: 01206 616067 / 07867 546484

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CHURCH NEWS LINK LINE CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES Un-denominational / meeting at the Ogilvie Hall, Wignall Street, Lawford CO11 2JG (unless otherwise stated) Saturday, June 9 Our popular monthly Cafe Oasis Coffee Morning, 9.30-11.15am Community Praise & Worship, 11.15am-noon Friday, June 22 Prayer & Praise Fellowship, 10-11.30am In partnership with Key to Love Fellowship Services at 11am every Sunday at the Venture Centre on Bromley Road For pastoral visits, further information and bookings, contact: 01206 272064 / linklinecm@hotmail.co.uk We warmly welcome people of all ages.

KEY TO LOVE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP Where Jesus is Love and Love is Jesus COME AND JOIN US IN OUR NEW FELLOWSHIP – EVERYONE IS WELCOME Hear the teachings of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus, with our lively worship and service. Refreshments served afterwards.

Every Sunday morning at 11am in The Ivell Suite at Venture Centre 2000, Bromley Road, Lawford CO11 2JE. If you or someone you know needs prayer for anything, please contact us.

David and Rosie Rhule 07787 572977 / 01206 397533 info@thekeytoloveministries.co.uk www.keytoloveministries.com

CATHOLIC MASSES Saturday at 6.30pm, St Mary & St Michael’s (Anglican) Church, Mistley Sunday at 8.50am in St Mary’s (Anglican) Church, Ardleigh Wednesday at 9.45am in St Mary and St Michael’s, preceded by Morning Prayer Manningtree, Mistley, Lawford & Ardleigh is served by the Parish of St John Payne, Greenstead, Colchester.

The Parish Priest is Father Jon Ravensdale: 01206 870460 / sjpchurch@btinternet.com Also resident in the parish are Father Michael Rear (01206 392695) and Father Mathias Odigbo.

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CHURCH NEWS ST MARY’S CHURCH, LAWFORD Art Club: Fortnightly on Thursday evenings Handbells: Every Monday Ladies in Friendship Together: Fourth Monday of the month Edward Bear: Parents, grandparents, carers with babies and toddlers, Monday mornings from 9.30am in term time Messy Church: Every half term, parents and children together Choir: Friday Practice Sunday School and Extreme: Sunday mornings during service

Priest-in-Charge: The Rev Simon Heron, 01206 392659 SERVICES FOR JUNE Sunday 3

8am Holy Communion BCP 10.30am Holy Communion

Sunday 10

8am 10.30am 6.30pm

Sunday 17

8am Holy Communion BCP 10.30am Holy Communion 6.30pm Cafe Church

Sunday 2

8am 10.30am

Holy Communion BCP Family Service Songs of Praise

Details from the rectory (01206 392659) or at: www.lawfordchurch.co.uk LOVING GOD – LIVING LIFE

Holy Communion BCP Morning Worship ST MARY’S CHURCH FLOWER FESTIVAL

SOME OF OUR REGULAR GROUPS House Groups: Daytime and evening Lunch Club: First Tuesday of the month Solo Club: Third Monday of the month Pastoral Care: Upon request

Friday, June 8,10am-4pm Saturday, June 9, 10am-4pm Sunday, June 10, 12.30-4pm Free entry, refreshments, cake stall, children’s activities, music, raffle.

HOLY FAMILY ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Ipswich Road, Brantham CO11 1TB Parish Priest: Father Christopher Smith 01473 684963 / 180 Hawthorn Drive, Ipswich IP2 0QQ We are part of St Mark’s RC Parish, Ipswich. For up-to-date information please visit: www.stmarksparish.org.uk SERVICES FOR JUNE 2018 Sunday 3 Corpus Christi 9am Mass Tuesday 5 9.30am Morning Prayer 10am Mass Sunday 10 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time 9am Mass Tuesday 12 9.20am Eucharistic Adoration 10am Mass Sunday 17 9am

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass

Tuesday 19 9.30am Morning Prayer 10am Mass Sunday 24 9am

The Nativity of St John The Baptist Mass

Tuesday 26 9.30am Morning Prayer 10am Mass Thursday 28 St Peter & St Paul 7.30pm Mass

radical call for holiness in today’s world. Holiness is what all committed Christians can and should aim for – not only the holiness to be found in solitude and contemplation, but in the patience and daily perseverance to be seen in our neighbours and ourselves in the ordinary tasks of life, undertaken faithfully and with a hope that all is worthwhile. Growth in holiness, we are told, is a journey in community side by side with others.

In 177 paragraphs it is quite a long read, but will repay the effort. In the world of the third millennium the workings, teachings and flaws in the Church are more available for all to see than ever before. The Vatican itself has been using the Internet to great effect for many years. The Vatican also has an observatory that is one of the oldest astronomical institutes in the world.

Events & Diary Dates The 100 Club draw took place at Holy Family on Sunday, May 20 when three lucky winners shared a record £153 prize pot. The next draw takes place on Sunday, June 17. The club, set up to support the life and mission of our parish, has grown from strength to strength since its launch. New members are always very welcome and the newsletter, that includes an application form, can be found at the rear of the church or at: www.stmarksparish.org.uk Every last Thursday of the month a Bring & Buy Coffee Morning takes place at Viv and Wyn’s home, Paddock Gate, Whitehorse Road, East Bergholt CO7 6TR from 10.30am-noon. We are raising funds for a new carpet for the Parish Room and all are very welcome to join us. The coffee morning is on Thursday, June 28.

Supporting our local hospice All parishioners are asked to collect used postage stamps, all year, not just at Christmas, and place them in the box at the rear of the church to help support the outstanding work of our local hospice.

The weekly newsletter, with weekly mass times, is always displayed in the cabinet alongside the front door.

Catholic Chaplain at Ipswich Hospital Father Adrian Gates is the Catholic Chaplain at Ipswich Hospital. Please contact him (01473 726701) if you or a Catholic is in or due to go into hospital and requires his services.

Catholic Commentary Pope Francis has published another significant document for Catholics (and others who might be interested) across the world. It is an Apostolic Exhortation starting with the words ‘Rejoice and be glad’ and is a

All are very welcome to attend Holy Family services, it is not necessary to be a Catholic and enquiries about the Catholic faith are always welcome. Please contact the presbytery, as above, or a local person whom you know is a Catholic.

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CHURCH NEWS BRANTHAM & CAPEL METHODIST CHURCHES A TOUGH DECISION In June 2018 the World Cup will be upon us. Some readers will be old enough to remember the World Cup of 1966 and for those that aren’t old enough, we will have heard repeatedly that this was England’s finest hour, the last time England have won the World Cup. I was 14 at the time, living just a mile away from the hotel where the England Team were staying. I remember cycling down to see the team coach pick them up to take them to the World Cup Final against West Germany. That was as close as I would get to the action.

West Germany scored first, England equalised and then went ahead, but West Germany came back with an equaliser in the dying moments before full time. The game went into extra time and Geoff Hurst scored his second goal for England. Or was it a goal? Did it cross the line before it bounced out and was tipped over the bar? The referee spoke with his linesman who was well positioned to tell whether it was a goal or not. There was no slow motion replays at the time and even with slowing down the replays today you cannot be certain it actually crossed the line. But the referee had to make a decision.

He awarded the goal.

There are often moments like that in daily life. Moments when we are faced by the need to decide even though the right choice is far from clear. The apostle Paul writing to Christians in Corinth wrestled with this question. He said “Everything is allowable for me, but not everything is valuable. All things are permissible, but I will not allow anyone to dictate to me.” Paul is worried about how his decision will affect others and is saying “it depends on the circumstances”. What is right in one situation may not be right in another.

Some issues are clear cut, but others require tough decisions which we take hoping for the greater good. Fortunately for the referee in 1966, Geoff Hurst scored again to make a 4 – 2 victory to England, ensuring the victory couldn’t be disputed in the long term.

The Rev Andrew Sankey, Minister at Brantham & Capel Methodist Churches 8 Roundridge Road, Capel St Mary IP9 2UG apsankey@gmail.com / 01473 311178 / 07966 187216 SERVICES AT BRANTHAM 11am Worship and Communion with Rev Andrew Sankey Sunday 3 Sunday 10 11am Worship with Mr Harry Chicken Sunday 17 11am Worship at East Bergholt Congregational

with Mr Luke Rokobuli Sunday 24 11am Worship with Mr Tony Brookes SERVICES AT CAPEL Home Groups on various days and times – contact the minister for details Sunday 3 10.30am Worship with Mrs Linda Pepper

6.30pm Prayer Sunday 10 10.30am Worship with Mr Bob Molton Sunday 17 10.30am Worship with Mr Terry Tennens

7pm Informal Worship with Jim Ross and band Sunday 24 10.30am Worship and Communion with Rev Andrew Sankey

7.30pm United Prayer Time

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Meeting at Old St Michael’s School on Trinity Road, Manningtree ALIVE AND KICKING As I write this Sir Alex Ferguson is just out of intensive care, an answer to many prayers. I hope and pray he has a speedy and complete recovery. As you read this the hype for the FIFA World Cup will be reaching a peak. It seems therefore appropriate to think about football! But before the non-footballers switch off, the question has to be can football tell us anything about life?

Sir Alex’s situation has produced an outpouring of kind words, best wishes, and yes, prayers. It is so rare to see red top papers celebrating prayer these days. Some of those comments came from bitter football rivals; it seems when faced with our own mortality we are inclined as human beings to unite.

Some things it seems are more important, more universal, that they stand above even football rivalries.

It is those spiritual and eternal matters that we consider every week when we gather together as the church. However hard we try we can’t deny they exist. Let us think back six years or so to March 2012 and you’ll find another outpouring of concern among the footballing world when Fabrice Muamba suffered a heart attack during a game.

These moments keep cropping up and I’m sure you can think of more. We can’t deny that there is something special about human life, something unique. When life is threatened we realise just how important the spiritual things are. The question is what are you going to do about these spiritual things? To ignore them until it happens to you seems foolish; surely the wisest course would be to discover more about the one we pray too. Why not come and join us on any Sunday and begin to explore the spiritual side of who you are?

You will receive a warm welcome, the worship will be passionate and afterwards the tea and coffee is hot! We meet at 10.30am and again in the evening at 6.30pm. Services last between 60 and 90 minutes and refreshments follow the morning service.

KoGs & BRiaN: Our youth work will continue to have a great deal of fun and study some serious subjects: • KoGs (School Years 1-6): Target Challenge – The Life of David •BRiaN (School Years 7-11): Studies in Revelation The Meeting Place Our monthly meeting for older folks is having a garden party and strawberry cream tea in Kirby-Le-Soken. Transport will be arranged from the church on Tuesday, June 5. Please give us a call to book a place.

For all meetings in June please check out our new website or call Pastor Gaius on 01206 393745. www.trinity-manningtree.org.uk

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