In touch with Woodbridge December 2019

In Touch

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with Melton, Rendlesham & Woodbridge Volume 9 • Issue No. 8 • DECEMBER 2019

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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR I’m going to return to a previous subject this month because it’s constantly on my mind. Every time I drive, every time I walk down a busy street or stand in a queue, and very occasionally at home, I’m struck by how impatient we have become. Almost everyone (and I include myself here) is so terribly busy, we seem to live our lives at a rate of knots. It’s utterly exhausting, but also brings less attractive qualities – such as insensitivity and selfishness – to the fore.

This morning I witnessed three incidents of poor behaviour – one by a driver outside my son’s school, the second at the Co-op where a terribly important person huffed and puffed in obvious annoyance behind a lady who was struggling to find the correct coins to pay for her coffee, and the third at a pedestrian crossing when not one but two drivers ignored the couple waiting to cross. Not major incidents I know, and I don’t intend to draw major conclusions based on one bad morning, but am I the only one who thinks we have become a little less caring of others in our day-to-day lives?

Often it’s the little things which make the difference, a polite wave when a driver gives way, a smile and a thank-you to a shop assistant, holding a shop or office door open, being a little kinder to a driver who may be unfamiliar with the road or just not as quick to react…

My granddad was known to say, “Please and thank you will take you around the world”. It’s not entirely realistic, but the connotation is clear. Christmas can be a hectic time and the extra stress and expense may create additional frustrations when we’re out and about, but let’s resist the urge to snap back.

What’s five minutes either way? You’ll get there in the end and do it without getting stressed or upsetting someone along the way.

Kindness is a quality we all need to embrace a little bit more and it’s entirely free to give. Perhaps my granddad wasn’t so far off the mark after all.

And on that note, my colleagues and I here at Mansion House Publishing wish you and yours the very best for the Christmas Season and the New Year.

Published by: Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd, 20 Wharfedale Road, Ipswich IP1 4JP EDITOR: Sharon Jenkins T: 01473 400380 Send editorial copy to: sharon@intouchnews.co.uk Readers are invited to submit articles, illustrations and photographs for publication. The publishers reserve the right to amend such submissions and cannot accept responsibility for any loss.

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ColourPlan Print: 01473 400379 E: steve@colourplan.co.uk Disclaimer: The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Every effort is taken to ensure that the contents of this magazine are accurate but the publisher cannot assume any responsibility for errors or omissions.

While reasonable care is taken when accepting advertisements or editorial, the publisher/editor will not accept responsibility for any unsatisfactory transactions and also reserves the right to refuse to include advertising or editorial. They will, however immediately investigate any written complaints. © Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, either wholly or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. © In Touch with Woodbridge & Melton is published by Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd as part of the In Touch series of magazines.

In Touch Titles • S towmarket & Stowupland • Kesgrave & Rushmere St Andrew • Melton & Woodbridge • Manningtree, Brantham, Lawford & Mistley • Hadleigh, Chattisham, Hintlesham, Holton St Mary, Layham & Raydon • Ipswich East, Ravenswood, Broke Hall & Warren Heath • Elmswell, Beyton, Drinkstone, Haughley, Hessett, Norton, Tostock, Wetherden & Woolpit • Needham Market & The Creetings •S hotley, Chelmondiston, Erwarton, Harkstead, Holbrook, Pin Mill, Stutton & Woolverstone • Martlesham • Claydon, Barham, Henley & Whitton • East Bergholt, Dedham, Flatford & Stratford St Mary • Bramford, Offton, Somersham & Willisham • Capel St Mary (Capel Capers) • Copdock, Belstead, Bentley, Tattingstone & Washbrook • Gt & Lt Blakenham, Baylham & Nettlestead •W esterfield, Ashbocking, Tuddenham St Martin & Witnesham • Sproughton & Burstall We also publish Spotlight on Felixstowe

Wed 4 December is the advertising and editorial deadline for the January edition

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NEWS RETIRING POLYMATH BOB The end of October marks retirement for the second time, and no doubt begins another active and rewarding stage in a remarkably successful career, for Bob Merrett who has stepped down from his major executive custodian role at Woodbridge Haven Museum on the appointment, with his wife Anne, as joint presidents of the museum.

Bob was a brilliant student, gaining a firstclass honours degree in electrical engineering at Cardiff University, followed by a PhD at Cambridge which was sponsored by BT, for whom he worked for 27 years until his first retirement in 2001. The opening of the National Trust Visitor Centre at Sutton Hoo prompted the trustees of Woodbridge Museum to ask Bob to create a display at the former Market Hill Museum to tell the story of Woodbridge.

The exciting opportunity provided by the development of the old Whisstocks riverside site encouraged the museum trustees to ask Bob, and fellow trustee John Hampton, to explore if a building could be provided to house the museum. With the strong support of Charles Notcutt, the building was erected and given by Woodbridge Town Council on a 99-year lease to Woodbridge Museum.

Bob had already used his skill in IT and his deep study into the history of Woodbridge to create a virtual museum, which became available at the Market Hill premises in 2017. The trustees decided to ask Bob to lead the Transformation and Relocation Project for the new museum. Access was given in May 2018. Volunteers painted the walls and when the vinyl flooring had been laid it allowed Bob to create the displays on the ground floor. Work continued daily until 6 April 2019 when the new Woodbridge Haven Museum opened on time and on budget.

Woodbridge is greatly indebted to both Bob and Anne for their dedicated service to our community. Bob was made an Honorary Freeman of Woodbridge in 2016 for his services to our museum. They have, over the last 38 years, achieved so much together for us all to enjoy.

WOODBRIDGE DEMENTIA PROJECT Woodbridge Dementia Project has been announced winner of the 2019 Enabling Communities Award, sponsored by East Suffolk Council.

Launched by the Seckford Foundation in April 2018 in a drive to make Woodbridge a dementia-friendly community, the project is all about working in partnership with a coalition of organisations and individuals in and around Woodbridge, including Gotelee Solicitors, East Suffolk District Council, the East of England Co-op and Woodbridge Rotary Club. The aim is to engage the local community, including businesses, family carers and people living with dementia to help make Woodbridge a dementia-friendly town.

The public were invited to vote on the finalist projects which were shortlisted from all the community projects that have received funding from the East Suffolk Enabling Communities Budget or Exemplar Grant over the past 18 months.

Cathy O’Brien, who leads the Woodbridge Dementia Project, is pictured with Clare Perkins and Geoff Holdcroft. She said: “It is great news that the Woodbridge Dementia Project has received this recognition from the East Suffolk Business & Community Awards. For this award to be from a public vote makes it extra special; we’d like to send out our heartfelt thanks to everyone who voted for this wonderful project. We look forward to continuing to work with the local community to make Woodbridge a dementia-friendly town.”

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NEWS A CYCLIST FOR ALL SEASONS Having cycled some 300 miles in the summer on his penny farthing for a dementia charity, this winter will herald a new challenge for Peter Berry. Peter (54), who was diagnosed with early onset dementia at the age of 50, will be swapping shorts and a tee shirt for warmer garments and cycling 1,000 miles over the three chilly winter months.

Peter, from Friston near Saxmundham, has signed up for Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Cycling Down Dementia challenge. Cycling Down Dementia challenges supporters to ride either 300 miles (Pioneer), 1,000 miles (Epic) or their own choice of distance (Maverick) between November 1 and January 31 and raise money for the UK’s leading dementia research charity.

Julia Sobik, Senior Sporting Events & Partnerships Manager at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “There are 850,000 people with dementia in the UK and the condition has a devastating effect on hundreds of thousands of families.

Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are now one of society’s biggest medical challenges, but with research they can be overcome.

“We are so grateful to everyone who is putting their grit and pedal power to the test this winter by taking on the Cycling Down Dementia challenge.

The vital funds raised will help us in our mission to make life-changing research breakthroughs for people with dementia.”

Peter is embarking on his latest challenge to demonstrate that a diagnosis of dementia does not mean an end to a rich, active life. Since the diagnosis, Peter has become a vocal campaigner for organisations working with those affected by the disease, speaking candidly about life with the condition on his video blog Living with Alzheimer’s. In June, Peter featured in the Channel Four documentary The Restaurant that Makes Mistakes.

Over the last year, Peter has raised £20,000 for a dementia charity by his cycling challenges. It’s now time for him to focus on the research element.

“Even if I don’t benefit from new research,” says Peter, “I want others to so that newly diagnosed individuals and families are offered some hope upon diagnosis of this terrible disease.”

Peter has just been nominated for the prestigious 2019 Cycling Weekly Charitable Initiative Award. As he says: “Cycling is what makes me feel alive, so there is absolutely no way I was going to stop getting on my bike when I received the dementia diagnosis.”

If you want to support Peter during this challenge, visit: https://cyclingdowndementia2019.everydayhero.com/uk/two-tyred-chums To sign up for Cycling Down Dementia, go to: www.cyclingdowndementia.org For further information about Alzheimer’s Research UK, call 0300 111 5555 or visit: www.alzheimersresearchuk.org

COMMUNITY INVITED TO BECOME PART-OWNERS OF VILLAGE PUB A community group has come together to save The Admiral’s Head in Little Bealings and is seeking to raise £300,000 in community shares.

Friends of The Admiral’s Head, the group formed out of an open meeting held in July after the pub was put up for sale, is coordinating efforts to put together a community bid for the pub, which was put up for sale earlier this year. The group has extended an open invitation to anyone who would like to pledge to buy shares, with investment starting from £50. Having determined that they need to raise £450,000 in order to buy, refurbish and re-open the pub, the Friends of The Admiral’s Head group hopes that grants and loans alongside the community shares will provide the capital needed for the project.

The Admiral’s Head closed in July 2012 and has sat unused since.

Alexis Morcrette, vice-chair of the Friends of The Admiral’s Head, said: “There has been a pub here since the mid-1700s. The Admiral’s Head was well-loved by residents of Little Bealings and surrounding villages, as well as by people who lived and worked nearby. It’s a tragedy that it has turned from the heart of the community to a shut-up eye-sore.

Now is our chance to change that. Our hope is to come together to reopen the pub once again.”

Little and Great Bealings and Playford have already fought and won battles to keep the pub in existence. In 2018 the current owners applied for a change of use to turn the pub into a dwelling. The proposal was met with huge opposition from Little Bealings and beyond, and ultimately it was refused by the then Suffolk Coastal District Council, who upheld the pub as an Asset of Community Value. The subsequent decision to put the building up for sale has given the community the opportunity to re-open the pub.

Having run a community consultation, the group plans to provide safe parking for the neighbouring primary school, and hopes also to open a shop on site to provide the community with local produce and everyday essentials. Parents were stopped from parking in the pub car park in 2010, leaving them with no choice but to walk with their children on roads without pavements from the village hall to the school and back each day.

The group launched their share pledge drive on October 10 with an open evening at Bealings Village Hall, and raised more than £20,000 on the night. “It’s really promising to have seen so much support so early on.

But we’ve still got a long way to go to hit our target and be able to submit a credible bid for the pub,” said Mr Morcrette.

Anyone interested in pledging to buy shares can find out more online or by emailing: shares@friendsoftheadmiralshead.org.uk www.friendsoftheadmiralshead.org.uk

SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF THRILL AT THE MILL Tide Mill’s Chairman of Trustees John Carrington says: “With the 850th anniversary of Woodbridge Tide Mill Museum approaching next year, I was thrilled to see the local community come and support this historic landmark.

We’ve got such an integral piece of British history right here on our doorstep, so we’re happy that the money raised can keep the legacy going for years to come.”

Woodbridge Tide Mill Museum and local am-dram group The Company of Four are celebrating the success of the recent Thrill at the Mill events, hosted at the Tide Mill during Halloween on 31 October and 1 November.

Lily Griffiths from The Company of Four says of these events: “The Company of Four is delighted to have been a part of this and can’t wait to continue to grow this event in the years to come. It was a joy to bring some of Mill’s haunted history to life and will be introducing even more surprises next year.”

The events, which raised funds for the upkeep of the historic and iconic building, entertained guests with the transformation of the mill as it became the stage for a selection of haunting characters inspired by the Tide Mill’s grizzly history.

Woodbridge Tide Mill Museum hosts a variety of events throughout the year to support the local community, and local schools can book educational visits for those interested in finding out more about the iconic Woodbridge Tide Mill.

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NEWS DISABILITY ADVICE SERVICE At a recent meeting, the trustees confirmed the appointment of Lord John Bird OBE as their patron. Lord Bird is the founder of The Big Issue and a champion for social justice.

Lord Bird has also launched a new project called The Chapter-Catcher, a project to get people reading more and promote literacy.

Lord Bird said the work DAS does to help people is something he admires and is pleased to become their patron.

NEW BOOK DOCUMENTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RIVER DEBEN The historical importance and picturesque beauty of the River Deben is celebrated in a new book. Life on the Deben follows the river’s winding 25-mile course from Debenham to the North Sea and is also a journey through history, from Roman times and Anglo-Saxon settlement through trade, piracy and the modern boat-building era.

The book, by Nick Cottam and Tim Curtis, is based on the successful film Life on the Deben and offers a new perspective on the river, its people and the natural environment. Using stunning imagery alongside the narrative, the book is one of the most definitive accounts of life on the river.

In a foreword to the book, the journalist and presenter John McCarthy writes: “Though I had lived in Woodbridge and sailed on the river for many years, I’d never truly appreciated the Deben’s importance as an environmental resource and had no idea of its profound historical significance.”

Life on the Deben offers a flavour of just why the river has been so important in areas such as trade, transport, commerce and more recently leisure.

It shows how the river and its surroundings were at the heart of Anglo-Saxon Britain as a centre of power and a place of royal burial.

Life on the Deben documents some of the important changes which are affecting the river – and by implication other rivers – in the modern era.

Population growth, rising sea levels, changing leisure patterns and boat building in all its many forms are among topics covered in the book.

The book concludes with a call to arms to everyone who cares about the river and wants to safeguard its future. As John McCarthy adds: “With its hidden depths, the River Deben is truly a charming and magical place. We must all work together to safeguard the future of this wonderful resource.”

Life on the Deben is available at local bookshops and online at: www.lifeonthedeben.com

COMBINED CARE HOMES CHOIR Residents from Woodbridge care homes come together in a Combined Care Homes Choir for a Christmas performance.

The Christmas performance of Woodbridge Combined Care Homes Choir will take place at Woodbridge Methodist Church on Wednesday 4 December at 11.30am. Featuring residents, relatives, friends and staff of Seckford Almshouses, Jubilee House and Grove Court, the choir will perform a selection of festive favourites in the concert that’s open to all the community.

The choir will be joined by pupils of Barnabas Pre-school, Woodbridge Prep School, St Mary’s Primary and SET Saxmundham School.

The Combined Care Homes Choir is funded by Comic Relief and was launched in February 2017, led by experienced choir director Megan Peel. The choir offers care home residents, their families and staff the chance to participate in and enjoy a shared interest and the opportunity to sing, to perform, as well as to meet people from other care settings, who may be experiencing situations similar to their own.

All are welcome to attend the performance, entry is free with donations for St Elizabeth’s Hospice.

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For further information please contact our vice-chairman, Roy Gilmour: roy_gilmour@hotmail.com / 07913 209620 DAS is a registered charity based in Martlesham Heath giving free, independent advice to disabled people and careers living in the East Suffolk area.

COUNCILLOR CAROLINE’S COLUMN “When I was a girl,” said Grandma Page, “the only time I saw an orange was at Christmas – when I got one in my stocking.”

She was born in 1887 and to a child of the 1960s this seemed extraordinary. We got so many things in our stockings. Not only the orange, but an apple and some nuts, chocolate coins, a sugar mouse and often a feathered party squeaker that rolled out like a big pink tongue!

On occasion there was even a book, angled sideways precariously from your little grey school sock.

Christmas was the glorious time from Christmas Eve when the tree went up, to Twelfth Night when the last goodies were finished and everything was packed away. Do you remember those eggshell-thin glass baubles in solid reds, blues and greens, candlesticks that clipped to the tree with real candles in them, little heart-shaped baskets that we wove from paper and filled with sugared almonds, silver tinsel… No-one considered colour-co-ordination in those days. We just worried whether our favourite bauble had survived another year when we took it out of the Christmas box. And wrapping paper from the paper box!

Like most families of the time, we had a wrapping paper box. Every present, birthday or Christmas, was covered indiscriminately with paper from this box – into which it returned after the present was unwrapped. Somebody must have bought the wrapping originally, but my childhood memories are punctuated with birthday presents patterned with baubles and Christmas trees, and Christmas presents covered with wildly unseasonal images.

I don’t want to sound like the Ghost of Christmas Past and remember it as always better, but everyone had fewer possessions in those days and it definitely made presents more special. In my husband’s large family they took it in turn to get the ‘big present’ and once you’d had it, it was six years of waiting until you got the next one. It wasn’t that they didn’t get anything, but there wasn’t enough money and the idea was that it was lovely for anyone to get something really glorious – just sometimes. So for the intervening five Christmases it was stockings and books. Yet his childhood, like mine, was very happy because, obviously, there’s no connection between love given and the value of presents received.

We live now in a world where we are told the most unlikely consumer durables make perfect presents: strimmers, breadmakers, phones… Many spend more than they can afford because they don’t want to ‘let people down’. And we spend an inordinate amount of time colour-coordinating our trees and buying wrapping paper that we throw away. We are now told it would be better to use brown paper because it’s recyclable, but wouldn’t it be even better to still have a wrapping paper box, a Christmas box?

And, really, can the strimmer, breadmaker or phone make you any happier than my grandma was with her orange?

Happy Christmas!

Caroline Page

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OUT & ABOUT FUNDRAISING EVENTS FOR ST MARY’S, DALLINGHOO Two fundraising events have been scheduled to raise money for essential repairs at St Mary’s Church in Dallinghoo, just north of Woodbridge.

The first is a Christmas Bazaar on Sunday 1 December, 2-4pm in Dallinghoo Village Hall IP13 0JX, with stalls, children’s activities and teas. Santa has promised to visit – his transport is always a surprise! Entry is 50p.

The second is an Antiques Roadshow on Saturday 15 February, 10am-noon in Dallinghoo Village Hall. Doors open at 9am, entry £3. Come and find out if you have a fortune in your house!

KIRTON CHRISTMAS BAZAAR

WEEKEND OF ART & CHRISTMAS MUSIC Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 December Woodbridge Methodist Church Exhibition Saturday: 10am-6.30pm / Sunday: 12.30-3pm Live Music on Saturday 5.30-6.30pm: Greg Walsh Blues Band 6.30-7.30pm: Christmas Story in Concert Christmas music recorded on our new organ throughout the weekend Coffee and mince pies available

Saturday 7 December, 2-4pm Kirton Church Hall, Church Lane, Kirton IP10 0PT Admission: Adults 50p, children free There will be a variety of games for all ages such as face painting, drop the disk, lucky dips, treasure hunt, roll the 10p and win a bottle of gin, plus various stalls such as needlework, tombola, cakes, bottle stall, jigsaws, children’s games, Christmas crafts, children’s tombola and, of course, the raffle.

Refreshments will also be available.

Thanks to exhibitors from Woodbridge Art Club and church friends, the Greg Walsh Blues Band, church musicians and players and those providing refreshments

For further information please contact Linda Negus: 01394 448354

ORWELL DECORATIVE & FINE ARTS SOCIETY Our talks cover a broad spectrum of art and are delivered within a relaxed and welcoming environment.

On November 6 we enjoyed a lively and interesting talk by writer, lecturer and broadcaster Daniel Snowman on the impact the Hitler emigres had on British artistic and cultural life. The last talk before our winter break is Pantomime: A Very British Treat by Giles Ramsay on December 4. Giles is an independent theatre director and producer. He combines academic analysis with hands-on experience to bring a unique insight to the world of the theatre.

Our programme will resume on February 5 with a talk by Aliki Braine titled Same Old Same New. We meet at Tower Hall, Broadlands Way, Rushmere St Andrew on the first Wednesday of most months. Meetings begin at 2pm and last about an hour, with refreshments available from 1.30-2pm. Guests and non-members are welcome provided we have available space. Exceptionally popular lectures will have a visitor limit of 20 so please contact Wendy Robbins in advance to check if there is available space: 01394 823807 For the latest events and news please visit: www.orwelldfas.org.uk

WOODBRIDGE CHORAL SOCIETY Woodbridge Choral Society will present a concert at 7.30pm on Saturday 7 December in St Mary’s Church, Woodbridge.

The concert will feature the Antonio Vivaldi’s Gloria, Georg Friedrich Handel’s Dixit Dominus and Johann Sebastian Bach’s cantata Nun Komm, der Heiden Heiland.

Andrew Leach will conduct and Juliet Montgomery and Catrin Woodruff will be the soprano soloists, joined by contralto Erin Rossington, tenor Camil Bien and bass David Cane.

Tickets are £15/£9 for students and can be purchased from Browsers Bookshop on the Thoroughfare, from choir members or (with a booking fee) online at: www.woodbridgechoralsociety.org

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WOODBRIDGE FARMERS’ MARKET Woodbridge Community Hall from 9am-12.30pm on Saturdays 14 and 21 December Vivienne Day is making her extra special mince pies and Christmas cakes again this year – these are truly delicious! There will also be distinctive coloured pasta made in Woodbridge by Elena Farris.

Depending on the weather, there may be chrysanthemums grown by Pip Smith plus, of course, a seasonal mix of vegetables, fruit, bread, cake, marmalade, pickles, eggs and meat all made, grown or reared in Suffolk in small batches by people who really care about what they do.

Our Breakfast Belles will be making their fresh waffles and strong coffee in the cafe – all their proceeds are donated to Jetty Lane, the local charity raising money to build an iconic new community, arts and youth centre for Woodbridge – so you can enjoy a delicious brunch and contribute to charity at the same time.

Shop Local, Shop Seasonal, Shop Fresh!

LIVE NATIVITY AT OTLEY COLLEGE Wednesday 11 December, 6/6.30-7.30pm Celebrate Christmas at Otley – experience the sights, sounds and story of Christmas complete with live nativity, music, refreshments and family-friendly fun. Dress-up warm and bring yourselves and your wellies for an outdoor celebration of Christmas – see the sheep and other animals and smell the straw of the stable as we re-tell the Christmas Story with a difference. Hot chocolate and marshmallows for all!

Suitable for all ages – everyone welcome but limited seating and it may well be cold!

Free entry, free parking and free refreshments.

Otley College, Charity Lane, Otley, Suffolk IP6 9EY (Sat Nav users use IP6 9NE)

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OUT & ABOUT WOODBRIDGE LIBRARY

WOODBRIDGE MUSEUM

Please note that Woodbridge Library will be closed from Tuesday 24 to Thursday 26 December.

The new season of talks began with a fascinating talk by Sue Whisstock about the history of Whisstocks boatyard which was started by her father in 1926 when he drained some marshland and built his workshop. The yard became phenomenally successful, building a wide variety of boats, including its own Maxwell Blake-designed Deben 4 Tonner. More than 700 hundred boats were built at the yard before it closed in 1990. It was good to hear about the origins of the site now occupied by the museum and Longshed.

Throughout December: Sale of donated books and DVDs with all proceeds go to the Friends of Woodbridge Library.

Sunday 1-Tuesday 31 December: ArtLib Exhibition of work by Blaxhall Art Group.

Thursday 5 December, 10am-4pm: Meet Pauline Manders, author of the Suffolk-based Utterly Crime series. Her latest, Utterly Roasted, is the eighth in the series. It stands alone, but we see the return of many characters met before. Buy a copy of this or another of Pauline’s books and get it signed.

Wine or fruit juice and mince pies also available!

Book Group: Meets on the first Thursday of the month at 2pm. On December 5 we will be discussing Lethal White by Robert Galbraith. Please come along if you have read this book and would like to join in the discussion.

Friday 6 December, 7.30pm: A Christmas Carol performed by James Hornsby.

Tickets are £10, including an interval drink and a mince pie, and are available from Woodbridge Library or by phoning 01394 330855.

Saturday 14 December, 10.15-11.45am: Talk by Well-being Coach and Three Principles Practitioner Mia Philips. For more information visit: www.facebook.com/ccEHWB Saturday 21 December, 9-11am: SCC Caroline Page will hold her surgery at the library.

DANCE FOLKUS – A CHRISTMAS PARTY WITH A DIFFERENCE? For those who want something unusual for their annual work celebration event, start your Christmas party revelry with a lively, enjoyable barn dance evening in Woodbridge on Friday 6 December. All dances are run through in advance by a caller and making mistakes is half the entertainment.

FUTURE TALKS December 6: The North Sea Storms by David Stannard January 17: The Earthquake in Nepal, April 1915 by Roger Bailey and Erik Punaks On 19 October we had yet another successful day school, this time on Pack Up Your Troubles: Britain at War 1914-18 when Andrew Lacey delivered yet another highly informed day of lectures covering life on the home front.

For further information about Friday talks and the next day school (The Long Armistice: Britain 1919-1939) contact: 01394 585572 The new museum has come to the end of its first season in its new home and will be closed for the winter, although we are intending to open the museum during the Christmas Market and at other times during the winter yet to be decided. The move has proved very successful with record numbers of visitors. Bob Merrett led the Transformation and Relocation Project for the new museum, and put in a huge amount of work to have the museum open on time. He has now stepped down from his major executive role as custodian of Woodbridge Haven Museum and both Bob and Anne Merrett are to be joint presidents of the museum.

MARTLESHAM HISTORY SOCIETY Monday 10 February: The Treasure of Ipswich by John Field Did you know that Ipswich is full of architectural treasures of historical importance? No, then come along and find out about the town’s medieval churches, mansions and halls, its important legacy of Victorian buildings, nationally and locally listed buildings and the many features and artefacts of local, national (and even some of international) importance.

Meetings are held in Martlesham Heath Pavilion and start at 7.30pm.

Admission is £2.50 and meetings are open to all.

The caller on 6 December will be the nationally known Barry Goodman from Hertfordshire. He covers a wonderful range of dances in a clear, fun style.

He has worked with most of the country’s top barn dance bands and has featured as a popular caller at many folk festivals. The Dance Folkus ‘CAY’ band led by Harbour Lights will be entering into the spirit of the evening by donning Christmas garb and we hope everyone attending will do the same.

The dance runs from 7.30-10.30pm so it’s a good place for groups to start their Christmas party before moving on to some late-night revelry or a meal?

Bring your own booze!

Our song spot will be filled by The Strumpets, a group of seven East Suffolk ladies who play the ukulele and sing a range of entertaining and sometimes risqué songs. They all learned the ukulele with the University of the Third Age (U3A). They performed at Dance Folkus in April 2018 and are returning by popular demand. In the intervening period they have sung at many local events and also at FolkEast. Expect their dress and performance to be Christmas themed.

New dancers wanting to attend can book a discounted place by emailing dancefolkus@aol.com (no payment in advance) or you can simply come along on the night (entry £7 / students £3 at the door). Telephone Rob on 01473 610951 if you need further information. Tickets can also be booked and paid for online in advance: www.ticketsource.co.uk/woodbridge-dance-folkus/t-donpvp Visitors to Woodbridge and new first-time dancers are always very welcome to attend our dances at Woodbridge Community Hall in Station Road IP12 4AU.

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WOODBRIDGE CAMERA CLUB Felixstowe was the location for our night shoot in October. Twenty-two members enjoyed a fine, dry night capturing the dock lights and night views from the John Bradfield Viewpoint.

November brought disappointment as we came second in a local Tripod Shield competition. Framlingham retained the shield for another year and thanks go to Wickham Market for hosting the event.

Night Colours by Robin Garrod

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OUT & ABOUT DEBEN ROTARY AND CRUCIAL CREW

WOODBRIDGE PROBUS Roy Dowding, our November speaker, had surprise upon surprise in his talk about East Anglian vehicle manufacturers, from a steamer that still runs 120 years later to the latest Ford and Lotus, and cars built to race which came third at the Le Mans 24 Hours. There were a number of small production lines of different designs and even a Woodbridge designed car built in small numbers.

In conjunction with the Rotary Club of Framlingham, the Rotary Club of Woodbridge Deben recently organised a Crucial Crew Week at Stratford St Andrew Riverside Centre. The half-day courses were attended by 870 Year 6 pupils from 31 schools and included fire safety, internet safety, first aid, road safety, healthy eating and peer pressure. Our thanks go to Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, One Life Suffolk, Suffolk County Council, Turning Point and Cancer Campaign in Suffolk. The photo shows Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service addressing the children on fire safety during the Halloween and Guy Fawkes celebrations.

Look out for Santa’s sleigh on Martlesham Heath on 3, 4, 5 and 13 December, and in the Thoroughfare in Woodbridge on Saturday 14 December. Our annual Carol Concert takes place on Thursday 12 December at Woodbridge School. Tickets are £12 and are available from any Deben Rotarian or on 01394 386933.

For our December meeting we can relax amongst wives, partners and friends and we are promised Christmas music and a £100 first prize in a draw.

Do keep in touch with us on www.woodbridgeprobus.org.uk or contact our secretary, Ray Hooper: 07512 792454 We do wish you all a Happy Christmas and New Year.

IPSWICH & DISTRICT PHILATELIC SOCIETY November 20 was a member’s social night which consisted of a one page competition, a static display, a prize draw and a member’s bourse – buying and selling of members items no longer needed. All those present had a good chat about philately and their chosen collections. This ranged from early GB to QEII Machins, from China to Czechoslovakia and from USA to Second World War Hungary inflation stamps.

Members seem to collect a vast and varied range of topics, so why not come and join us? Information can be found online or contact our secretary, Mike Smith: 01473 403904 / michaelsmith1949@gmail.com

Memory Café The Rotary Memory Cafe, which is run by the Rotary Clubs of Woodbridge and Woodbridge Deben and Woodbridge Inner Wheel, had one of its most successful meetings in October. A capacity crowd enjoyed an interesting and informative talk and display of artefacts by Peter and Victoria Carr of Woodbridge Museum. The Memory Cafe, which is held at Woodbridge Football Club on the last Wednesday of the month from 10.30am to noon, welcomes people with all forms of memory loss and their carers. Hot drinks and homemade cakes are provided and there’s no charge. Our entertainment on Wednesday 27 November will be East Suffolk’s premier cake eating ukulele band What No Cake. There’s no meeting in December and the Memory Cafe will resume on January 29.

This month we meet at Kesgrave War Memorial Community Hall on Wednesday 4 December from 1-5pm. A local dealer will be available with her stock for you to add to your collections. Refreshments will be available.

INNER WHEEL CLUB OF WOODBRIDGE

Cubs thoroughly enjoyed bat detecting using sonocaid and looking at skulls and other bony remnants in owl pellets at Foxborrow Farm – many thanks to Suffolk Wildlife Trust for hosting. Some of the cubs participated in a cub camp at Thetford, where they learnt new skills such as backwood cooking, climbing and abseiling using a nightline in the dark.

At our November members meeting, we were delighted by a talk from Clare Perkins, initially about her time as Mayor of Woodbridge for the civic year of 2017/18, but also about her early career working for the renowned fashion designer Norman Hartnell, where Clare was part of a select team making gowns for H.M. the Queen and other senior members of the Royal Family. What a unique experience with so many interesting facets of the job to share with us, including how to make good use of chewed cotton! More recently, and initiated during her time as mayor, Clare has been the driver behind the Woodbridge Creative Arts project, which is going from strength to strength and which currently showcases a range of arts and crafts at monthly fairs at the Longshed. On behalf of us all, Sally Pearson thanked Clare for a truly fascinating talk.

Last month we were the host club for a very successful district rally at Fynn Valley Golf Club. It was an opportunity to socialise with members from other Inner Wheel Clubs throughout Suffolk and Norfolk, and also a chance to tell them about our amazing town of Woodbridge. President Chris thanked key members involved in planning and organising the event to make sure it ran smoothly.

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1ST WOODBRIDGE SCOUT GROUP We have had a very busy autumn term so far. The beavers, cubs and scouts had great fun practising their Morse code and phone alphabet in the JOTA JOTI event, talking with other scout groups across the world and beyond. The beavers have been decorating a giant dinosaur egg for the children’s trail at Sutton Hoo. Following on from their brilliant efforts, they have been chosen to decorate a Christmas tree for Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich.

Scouts learned how to start a fire using fire bows, participated in a night hike and had fun making a guy then burning him on the fire for bonfire night.

Six scouts also gained their axe, saw and knife permit at a special skills day.

All sections participated in the annual Remembrance Parade at Woodbridge on Sunday 10 November.

Come and support us at Woodbridge Christmas Street Fair on 1 December where the children will have some special Christmas gifts and more for sale Currently our beaver and cub section are full and have a waiting list. We are always looking for new leaders and assistants. Volunteering for scouting is very rewarding and also gives the chance to learn new skills. If you fancy giving it a go, please contact Dave at: d_clouter@hotmail.com

This month, collectively and individually, our members will be busy supporting a number of events and initiatives in the run up to Christmas, and we are looking forward to our club’s special lunch. Weather permitting, we are also hoping to get out for one or two brisk, crisp winter walks.

For more information about our club visit: woodbridgeinnerwheel.org.uk

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OUT & ABOUT LEISTON & DISTRICT PHILATELIC SOCIETY FRAMFIELD HOUSE SURGERY The society will meet in the hall of the United Church, High Street, Leiston from 7.15pm on Wednesday 11 December. This meeting will comprise the quiz, plus a second half guest display. New members are always welcome.

Membership is £5 per annum (50p for students 18 years and under) payable in September. Refreshments are available. We are a friendly group so, if you have an interest in stamps, why not join us?

NEW HORIZONS New Horizons, the club for active older people in Woodbridge and the surrounding area, recently marked the retirement of one of its valued volunteers. Jean Wallace helped out in the kitchen and also provided transportation for members. She will be greatly missed and we thank her for her dedication over many years.

We do rely on our volunteers to keep this active club going. It provides a much-needed meeting place and a home-cooked meal for many people who otherwise might not have the opportunity to spend time in a social setting. Our volunteers are a happy band of friends; you will go away feeling that you have gained more than you gave.

If you have experience in catering or would like to volunteer in any other capacity, please phone 07514 364752 and speak to one of our leaders.

Alternatively, you can email us at: newhorizons912@gmail.com We meet on Mondays and Thursdays (except bank holidays) from 10am2.30pm in St Mary’s Hall, Woodbridge.

WOODBRIDGE WILDLIFE GROUP Re-wilding Suffolk!

There will be a chance to learn more about Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s approach to managing their reserves when Michael Strand gives a talk entitled Creating Wildness – A New Approach to Conservation Management on Trust Nature Reserves at Woodbridge Community Hall on Thursday 19 December at 7.30pm.

“This promises to be a fascinating evening,” said Phil Smith, Chair of Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Woodbridge Wildlife Group. “Admission is £3 for adults, with children under 16 free. Light refreshments will be served during the evening.

There will also be a raffle and for those looking for last minute Christmas presents, we’ll have a range of Suffolk Wildlife Trust goods for sale” There’s no need to book, but for further information please contact: 01473 625630 / swtwoodbridge@outlook.com EVENTS AT FOXBURROW FARM Saturday 7 December, 10am-4pm: Winter Tree Identification Discover how to identify trees and shrubs in winter with vegetation ecologist and surveyor Jonny Stone. Adults £30; booking essential.

Saturday 14 December, 10am-noon: Young Wardens Practical conservation for 11-16 year olds. £3; booking essential.

Saturday 14 December, 2-4pm: Family Forest School.

Wild art, den building, woodland crafts and fire lighting.

Adults £2, children £4; booking essential.

Young people over the age of 16 living in the Woodbridge area are benefiting from the innovative @16 project planned by patients from Framfield House Surgery.

Since November, onwards registered patients turning 16 have been receiving an information pack offering details, contacts and guidance about managing their own mental and physical healthcare. While not widely understood, the NHS classifies patients as ‘adults’ at the point they turn 16 – meaning they become responsible for consenting to their own treatment and having full access to their medical records.

With this in mind, Framfield’s healthcare team of doctors and nurses asked the Patient Participation Group (PPG) to undertake the project to increase the ways in which their young patients could be made aware of services and support available to them. The PPG was guided by the surgery’s GP partners and the practice management. The pack includes literature from selected local and national organisations.

The work was funded by Suffolk Community Foundation’s PPG Pound Fund.

The Pound Fund itself was created by the East Suffolk and Ipswich Clinical Commissioning Group who have fully supported the @16 project.

Alan Swerdlow, chairman of Framfield’s PPG, said: “We are pleased with the implementation of the project, and are grateful to all those who contributed.

A team of three PPG members were delegated to lead the initiative, and they gained feedback through consultation with the medical professionals as well as with senior pupils at Farlingaye High School.”

Students at Farlingaye helped finalise the areas of content in the @16 folder, and chose the cover design which was carried out on a pro bono basis by Ben Wilson Creative in Norwich.

Mr Swerdlow added: “The resulting project is comprehensive, and includes content on mental health, diet, sleep, sexual health and preventative health.

The eight-page booklet lists voluntary organisations available to young people in this area. We believe it will be an invaluable tool.”

The @16 booklet’s opening pages provide reassuring details on privacy and confidentiality. It also explains that the young people have a right to choose to have their parents or guardians continue to manage their care until they become 18.

Before the end of the year a digital version will be available on the surgery’s website. Other local surgeries are also invited to contact Framfield House about adapting the @16 project for their own young patients.

MY CARE R-ECORD Health and care organisations across Suffolk are signing up to a shared framework called My Care Record which will make it easier to deliver more effective joined-up care from January 2020.

Many people assume that care records are automatically accessible between organisations such as GP practices and hospitals; however this is often not the case. Over time, the NHS has been investing in secure systems that allow information to be viewed between organisations for care. My Care Record provides an agreement to ensure that information is safe and only used by professionals directly involved in an individual’s care. For example, a hospital-based doctor or a community nurse could view information from an individual’s GP record.

Adults £2, children £4.

Benefits of joining up information across organisations include quicker diagnosis and treatment. My Care Record will also support the best use of clinical time, with less duplication of paperwork, allowing more time for direct patient contact. Health and care professionals may access records from different services to improve the overall care an individual receives. In some areas, anonymous information from care records may also be used to help to plan and design how to deliver better services for individuals and the local population as a whole.

Booking: www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/events / 01473 890089

For more information visit: www.mycarerecord.org.uk

Saturday 17 December, 10am-2pm: Activity Day for Home Educated Children Children 6-11years, £7; booking essential.

Monday 23 December, 10.30-12.30pm: Family Morning Festive arts, crafts, natural decorations and trails for all the family.

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OUT & ABOUT / ON THE GRAPEVINE 1ST RENDLESHAM SCOUT GROUP #rendlesham Remembers 1RSG would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who supported our Remembrance display installed next to the village sign. All of our sections, both Beaver Colonies, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers and all our leaders played their part in putting together this memorial, but it wouldn’t have been such a success without the support of a number of people; staff and residents of Rendlesham Care Home, Rendlesham Parish Council, BBC Radio Suffolk, the East Anglian Daily Times and every single person who viewed the display, commented on or liked the social media posts. Reaction from the local community and the media was so much greater than what we had ever imagined and we are truly proud of what we managed to achieve so thank you all.

Scouts – Scarefest 2019 Scarefest is an annual event held at Gilwell Park and this year 18 Scouts, seven Explorers and leaders made the trip to Epping Forest to enjoy a weekend of camping, activities and Halloween-themed fun. Activities on offer this year included climbing, caving, dodgems, pumpkin carving, laser quest, scare mazes, backwoods cooking, escape room, axe throwing, inflatables, crate stacking, circus skills, funfair rides and much, much more.

The Saturday night music, fireworks and laser display this year celebrated the 100th anniversary of Gilwell Park as a scouting centre and highlighted its use in the Second World War. Despite some challenging camping conditions weather wise, everyone had a fantastic weekend and returned to Rendlesham on Sunday tired, happy and very, very muddy!

Rendlesham (St Felix) Beavers Having only been started in September, the new Beaver colony meeting at St Felix Church now has a full complement of 24 members.

So far this term the Beavers have played games, learned campfire songs, visited Deben Community Farm and Bentwaters Cold War Museum, started filling up their Adventures of Felix the Bear book and worked towards their Air Activities, Creative, Teamwork and International badges. They also were invested into 1st Rendlesham Scout Group and given their scarf, woggle, membership badges and Beaver log book.

With further Cubs, Scouts and Explorers invested this term, more than 120 young people now enjoy the fun, adventure and friendship that Scouts has to offer and learning #skillsforlife with 1RSG. Membership Despite starting two new sections in just over a year we still have more than 20 young people on our waiting list to join Beavers, Cubs or Scouts. While we’re always happy to hear from young people wishing to join, we also need adult volunteers willing to help us meet the demand for Scouts in the local area. If you are interested in joining as a youth or adult member, please contact 1RSG at info@rendleshamscouts.org.uk, visit www.rendleshamscouts.org.uk or find us on Facebook.

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IPSWICH FLOWER CLUB CHRISTMAS DEMONSTRATION We would like to invite you to get in the mood for decorating your home with fresh flowers for the festive season. Our next meeting is on Monday 9 December when Brenda Tubb will present a demonstration entitled Another Fine Mess. The meeting starts at 2pm at St Augustine’s Church Hall on Bucklesham Road. There is a visitor’s fee of £5. You will be warmly welcomed if you just turn up, or for more information please contact Janet (01473 415749) or Stella Thornley (01473 711946).

The club meets regularly on the second Monday afternoon of the month except for January. We also have six Friday afternoon workshops during the year which are suitable for all standards.

QUESTIONS ON CASH With Independent Financial Adviser Nick Plumb Tony from Rattlesden asks: “A financial adviser at my bank has told me that I need life insurance. I do not currently have much disposable income, so he has suggested a Family Income Benefit life insurance policy as he says the cost of the premiums will be lower than a standard term policy.

How does this type of policy differ from a normal Life Insurance policy?”

A Family Income Benefit policy is a type of term life assurance plan, which pays out a regular ‘income’ instead of a large one-off lump sum. As each year passes, the total sum assured that would be paid on death decreases slightly.

For example, with a sum assured of £10,000 per annum over a 10-year term, if you died shortly after taking out the policy, it would pay out £10,000 per annum (usually paid monthly as an ‘income’ hence the name ‘Family Income Benefit’) to your wife for the next 10 years. In other words, she would receive £100,000 spread over 10 years. If you died in year six the policy would pay out £10,000 per annum for the remaining four years of the policy term, and so on for the remainder of the term.

As the insurance company would not need to pay out so much money in the later years as in the early years, the cost of these policies is less than a level term policy where the large sum assured stays the same throughout the whole term. In reality, most insurance companies offer the beneficiary a choice of taking the income monthly for the remainder of the term, or taking one slightly reduced lump sum up front in the event of a claim being made on the policy.

It sounds as though your financial adviser at the bank has given you good advice. However, you might still want to check with an independent financial adviser (IFA) before you sign on the dotted line as a life insurance policy offered by your bank may not be the most competitively priced. An IFA will do the ‘shopping around’ for you to make sure you get the best possible terms.

Nick Plumb is an Independent Financial Adviser and Practice Principal at Plumb Financial Services. Post your questions to Nick at Plumb Financial Services, Baylham Business Centre, Lower Street, Baylham, Suffolk, IP6 8JP, email nickplumb@aol.com, or telephone Nick on 01473 830301. Nick’s comments and answers to reader’s questions in this column are provided only as a general guide and do not constitute personal financial advice.

Any readers who require advice on their own situation should contact Nick to arrange a no-obligation complimentary initial consultation to discuss their own position. Plumb Financial Services are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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ON THE GRAPEVINE

NEW ANIMAL-THEMED LIBRARY CARD AVAILABLE AT SUFFOLK LIBRARIES Suffolk Libraries have launched a new animal-themed library card for ages 0-5.

The new design includes a deer, a fox, a duck, a hedgehog, a pheasant, a rabbit and a squirrel, all led by Suffolk Libraries’ new children’s mascot, Oona the owl. The name ‘Oona’ was selected via a poll conducted on Suffolk Libraries Facebook page.

This new woodland-themed design was part of a wider project to relaunch Suffolk Libraries’ activities for 0-5 year olds, now renamed as Wordplay sessions. This includes the regular Baby Bounce, Tot Rock and Storytime sessions that are currently held on a weekly basis in each library.

The launch for this re-design took place at Newmarket Library on October 24 with Suffolk Owl Sanctuary in attendance alongside an Oona the owl mascot.

Hannah Foulstone, who managed the project on behalf of Suffolk Libraries, said: “We wanted to engage more with the community and provide a fun and interactive experience for the children who come along to our Wordplay sessions, as well as support early childhood development. As another organisation that supports learning – and as our mascot is an owl – Suffolk Owl Sanctuary was a natural fit for working together.”

Chris Astridge at Suffolk Owl Sanctuary said: “Suffolk Owl Sanctuary is delighted to be involved with the new Wordplay project and looks forward to welcoming young visitors to the sanctuary where they will see some amazing and unusual owls (and other birds of prey) which we are sure will add extra depth and texture to their reading as they first explore the wonderful world of books.”

As part of this partnership, not only did Suffolk Owl Sanctuary attend the launch with a visit from Darwin, a Chaco Owl, but they will be offering free entry to the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary when a customer presents their Suffolk Libraries children’s card.

Owning a Suffolk Libraries children’s card allows children to borrow books at their leisure as well as eBooks, DVDs and eLibrary services.

As of April this year, children’s fines were removed for late returns to make libraries more child-accessible and welcoming for children of all ages.

CHRISTMAS AT BLUE CROSS REHOMING CENTRE Christmas is a special day for the team at Blue Cross pet charity rehoming centre in Wherstead.

The centre is closed to the public so the team get to spend the entire day with the cats and dogs on site – handing out presents that have been donated by members of the public to the pets, taking the dogs out on long walks and, of course, giving lots of fuss and treats to all.

Over Christmas there are usually around 35 dogs and cats on site to care for.

The team will feed them their breakfast, open presents and take the dogs out on a long dog walk in the nearby woods.

Among those working this Christmas will be Animal Welfare Assistant Susie Winship. Susie has worked the last six Christmas Days at the centre on Bourne Hill.

Susie, who lives in Suffolk with cats and dogs she fosters, said: “Many pets will be calling Blue Cross their home this Christmas so we are their family while they are with us. I love working at Blue Cross any day of the year but Christmas Day is especially wonderful. The cattery and kennels are all decorated and in the run-up to the big day we always get lots of presents dropped in for the animals from kind supporters. It’s a lovely way to spend Christmas Day, caring for beautiful cats, dogs and sometimes even kittens and it makes me happy to think they are all somewhere safe, warm and cared for on this special day.”

Blue Cross also provides a pet bereavement support service, with support over phone or email even available on Christmas Day itself for those who are grieving the loss of a pet. For more details of the service visit: www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-bereavement-and-pet-loss Clare Williamson, Blue Cross Suffolk Centre Manager, who will also be working on Christmas Day, said: “We’re really grateful to those thinking about pets who may have lost their owners or been abandoned. The team here really get into the festive spirit and make sure all the pets are well fed and fussed but we couldn’t do our work without the great support we get from our community.”

This Christmas Blue Cross is seeking donations to help its teams give moments that matter to pets this Christmas. To donate, text Moments to 70557 or visit: www.bluecross.org.uk/Christmas-news

Attending children’s activities at the libraries have been recently revealed by an independent Impact Report to have a positive impact on a child’s speech development and confidence, as well as reducing isolation for the parents who attend with their children.

For more information on Wordplay, visit: www.suffolklibraries.co.uk/wordplay or reach out to your local library to find out about their regular children’s activities.

If you already own a child’s library card, pop into your local library to get a new one with a whole new batch of animal friends!

www.keepingintouchwith.com/woodbridge

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ON THE GRAPEVINE / SPORT

WOODBRIDGE BADMINTON CLUB THE CHRISTMAS GIFT OF TIME Christmas is a time of goodwill and giving back, so why not gift a little of your time over the festive season and put the magic back into someone’s Christmas this year?

Many charities need a little extra help during the festivities and they rely on a legion of brilliant volunteers. There are many different ways that you can help and volunteering doesn’t always mean a long term commitment or lots of hours per month.

WAYS YOU CAN VOLUNTEER FUNDRAISING Fresh Start New Beginnings have Christmas collections taking place throughout December in Ipswich and need people who can give up an hour or more to help us bucket collect and pack bags for Christmas shoppers.

HELPING OUT WITH CHRISTMAS EVENTS Suffolk MIND has various roles available during November and December at their head office, Quay Place in Ipswich. These include event planners/administrators – helping out with Christmas preparations for the various events they are holding, Father Christmas – the name says it all, and Christmas Elfs – to help Santa in his grotto.

VOLUNTEER AT A FOOD BANK Food banks provide an essential lifeline for families living in poverty all year round, but especially at Christmas. FareShare has a number of voluntary opportunities on Volunteer Suffolk, including volunteering in their warehouses and helping distribute food. Look out in your local supermarkets for donation points for food.

VOLUNTEER FOR A LOCAL GOOD CAUSE There are so many small charities looking for reliable, friendly volunteers over Christmas and throughout the year. Search the Suffolk volunteering database at Volunteer Suffolk for the latest opportunities near you.

If you can’t volunteer, you can still help by making a donation to a Suffolk charity. You can support the Surviving Winter Appeal. Everyone in Suffolk over the age of 65 receives a non-means tested Winter Fuel Payment, whether they need it or not. Suffolk Community Foundation simply ask that if you don’t need it, you donate it. With 310 excess winter deaths in Suffolk alone, the Surviving Winter Appeal is quite simply a life saver.

There are many wonderful benefits of volunteering – and ways it can help achieve your new year’s resolutions. Did you know volunteering can lead to increased sociability, reduced loneliness and can get you out of the house? There are so many ways that you can make a difference and help a Suffolk charity or group.

To find a role to suit you visit: www.volunteersuffolk.org.uk If you are a charity or voluntary group looking for volunteers you can post your opportunities on the website too. If you would like support around managing volunteers, please contact the volunteering team at Community Action Suffolk by emailing: volunteering@communityactionsuffolk.org.uk

Woodbridge Badminton Club is looking for new members for both its junior and adult sections. All sessions are at Farlingaye Sports Centre in Woodbridge.

Junior night is Monday from 7-9pm (excluding school holidays) for children aged nine to eighteen. The adult section runs a club night on Fridays from 7-10pm.

If you are looking to join a friendly club or want to come back to the game after a break, why not come along and try us out?

For more information contact Jim Cavanagh: jim.cavanagh@btinternet.com / 01728 723900 Or visit: www.woodbridgebadminton.co.uk

WOODBRIDGE CRUISING CLUB If you’ve ever sat in a traffic jam heading west on the A14 and thought there must be a better way than this, Ted Evans’ talk to the club would have given you plenty to chew on.

Ted and Diana took their boat, a Hampton 25, along the Rivers Ouse and Nene as far as Northampton where further progress was foiled by a low bridge. A picturesque journey which was almost traffic free, although it did take a month to complete and there were apparently no riverside pubs. However, quaint little towns such as Whittlesea and Fotheringay (noted for its gin) provided opportunities along the route not just for refreshment but also for enlightenment, and in some cases the chance to pump out holding tanks which as any inland boater will tell you is quite a relief.

Ted’s boat is powered by a diesel engine of the type once found in post office vans, but most of the boats in the club are sail powered and the days of making sails from an old sheet are long gone. In mid-October about 40 members visited Suffolk Sails in Woodbridge where owner Simon Scammell gave an illustrated talk on modern day sail making and the choice of materials.

The shape and flexibility of sails are important factors for efficiency, but how this is achieved is a more closely guarded secret than the Coca Cola recipe, and one which Simon would not divulge even after a couple of pints in the club bar.

The winter walks led by Neil Brooks got off to a good start as a large group of more than 30 set off on their quest to find the best pub in Suffolk. The weather was fine and the circular route took them via Middleton Church and the aptly named ‘Wash Lane’ before arriving back for lunch at The Bell which got a high BPR (Best Pub Rating).

October was apparently a much wetter month than average over most of Britain and we certainly seemed to get more than usual here in the east.

It was therefore particularly interesting to hear the talk on 17 November by David Kemp of the Environment Agency on how they deal with flood risk.

With boats craned out for the winter, attention at the club is turned towards social functions and as Christmas approaches the pace has heated up. The AGM on 16 November saw a new commodore and his first major function will be the Christmas Party, closely followed by the annual New Year’s Eve bash.

But by then the days will have started to lengthen and the fledgling plans for next season’s cruise will start to hatch.

Full information about the club and its activities visit: www.woodbridgecruisingclub.org John Warwick

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CHURCH NEWS

ST ANDREW’S CHURCH, MELTON Little St Andrew’s Pantry, in the church porch of St Andrew’s Church in Melton, has launched a new community food project, the ethos of which is: Take what you need and leave what you can.

To advertise in this section, which appears in 18 magazines in areas across Suffolk and Essex, please contact a member of our sales team on 01473 400380

The shelves are stocked with tinned goods, toiletries and produce in a way that is new to us, visibly opening our harvest thanksgiving to the whole parish. We hope our neighbours will join in; in this way we can all participate in the joy of harvest whether we are giving or receiving, a year round sign of God’s love in a very practical daily bread way.

We hope it will strengthen the sense of community in Melton, a further sign of welcome and the inclusive community we are seeking to build. As people are free to take and leave when they like, the stocks may be variable, but we will do our best to keep an eye on things and make sure the shelves are not empty. As Christmas approaches, it’s vital to remember our neighbours who may be in need and to give those who can afford to give, an opportunity to do so.

We have just heard that our project has been registered as part of the Little Free Pantry Movement and is the first one in the UK. You can see our pin on the map at: www.littlefreepantry.org Do come along and have a look and join in. We do hope this might encourage other churches to join in and foster a universal community spirit.

www.keepingintouchwith.com/woodbridge

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