In Touch News with Woodbridge March 2020

In Touch

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with Melton, Rendlesham & Woodbridge Volume 9 • Issue No. 11 • MARCH 2020

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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR Do you ever long for the days when you pulled up at a service station and waited for an assistant to come to your aid? This is just one example of a ‘social’ encounter which doesn’t exist anymore, replaced by self-service or technology.

Of course, self-sufficiency is good in many, if not all, aspects of life, but the need for and the benefits of social contact are proven. Loneliness and isolation are rarely freely embraced and Facebook, Twitter and the like have become lifelines for many while the internet provides unparalleled access to... well, to just about everything. However, I find that spending time with ‘real’ people, chatting over coffee, brief conversations over a counter, a helpful assistant when you need to try on a different (invariably bigger) size, even a nod on a cold morning have all become more precious as a consequence.

I saw a poster in a coffee shop recently which made me smile: “I saw a man in a coffee shop the other day. He was just sitting there drinking coffee. He wasn’t on his phone or checking his emails. Just sitting there doing nothing like some crazy person!” Not so long ago this would have described most of us and I hope you occasionally find time to ‘just sit’, despite what others may think!

We are fortunate to live in an age where access to just about everything we need, and lots more besides, is at our fingertips but we must never forget those who don’t have access or who may need our actual presence in their lives.

A message may be appreciated but a hug is everything.

Of course, this also applies to local business; without our support they simply can’t survive and where would we be without them. Now more than ever, we need to show some love to our high streets and to consider the carbon footprint of each and every purchase we make. Every face-to-face shopping experience helps us to stay connected with our local community and shopping locally ensures more of our money stays in the local community.

Of course, if you prefer to shop online or simply don’t have the means to get out and about, you can still choose to shop local by finding a local supplier online. As you’ll see in the following pages, most, if not, all of the businesses and service providers featured have an online presence.

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In Touch Titles • Stowmarket & 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 • Shotley, 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 • Westerfield, Ashbocking, Tuddenham St Martin & Witnesham • Sproughton & Burstall

NEWS FAREWELL TO REV CANON KEVAN MCCORMACK The Rev Canon Kevan McCormack is retiring after 20 years’ inspirational service as Rector of St Mary’s Parish Church, Woodbridge.

Since taking up his duties at St Mary’s, Kevan has presided over a thriving church community, regularly preaching to a large Sunday congregation and using his strong communication skills, lightness of touch and warm personality to put outreach at the heart of his church mission.

Baptisms, weddings, funerals and other special occasions at St Mary’s have all been conducted in Kevan’s own very personal style. Above all, he has sought to be inclusive; everyone, whatever their religious beliefs or lack of them, has been made to feel welcome at St Mary’s and wherever he has presided or taken on a role.

Known affectionately as ‘Kev the Rev’, Kevan has been a prominent figure both locally, where he has held a number of offices, and outside Suffolk, notably the distinction of being appointed Chaplain to HM the Queen in 2014, a post from which he is also retiring. This reward for long and distinguished service is given to a small number of priests, and for Kevan it has included regular preaching at St James’s Palace.

Evidence of the affection and respect in which he is widely held is seen in the honorary roles awarded to him locally. These include Chaplain to Woodbridge Royal British Legion, and Freeman of the Town of Woodbridge, the latter just one of 12 at any one time, awarded for ‘unsung but widespread work in the whole community and influence for good in the town’. His appointment as a Canon of St Edmundsbury Cathedral in 2009 was also to recognise his work in the parish and in the town.

As Rector, Kevan has served as Chaplain and Governor of the Seckford Foundation and the Seckford Chapel, and as a Governor of St Mary’s C of E Primary School. He will continue his honorary roles as Chaplain to Ipswich Town Football Club, a post he has held since 2002, as well as Officiating Chaplain to the military at Rock Barracks, and Chaplain to the Masonic Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk.

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of his ordination this year, Kevan has brought a unique style and approach to all his work as a priest. Muchloved and widely respected, he will be greatly missed as he begins a very well-deserved retirement.

Kevan’s last service was the Parish Eucharist on Sunday 9 February, followed by a presentation and parish lunch in the Abbey School Hall, which 200 people signed up to attend. His time as Rector formally came to an end on February 13, being his 70th birthday.

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NEWS POPPY’S PANTRY LAUNCHES NEW CLICK MARITIME FILM FESTIVAL 2020 & COLLECT SERVICE Sailors are used to getting windswept, wet and cold, but even we sometimes

draw the line at doing this in mid-winter and can be reluctant to venture outside in the midst of winter gales. So what better than watching others doing it on film? To enable sailors to get their ‘fix’ of sailing, Woodbridge Riverside Trust and Woolverstone Project put on a unique new event – a Maritime Film Festival. With nine films across three days, there was something for everyone.

Each film was preceded by a talk or short film and in the spirit of the traditional cinema experience, there was always an intermission with ice cream and drinks available. Even the ice cream sellers were appropriately dressed for the occasion.

Wholefood and eco-refill specialist shop Poppy’s Pantry in Wilford Bridge Road, Melton, has launched a new online ordering service. Customers can click and collect their order at: www.poppyspantryshop.co.uk Poppy’s Pantry specialises in employment opportunities for people with disabilities and/or disadvantages and has a team of around 40. Working in the shop and in Poppy’s Pop-up Café at St Mary’s in Woodbridge on Tuesday mornings gives the team opportunities to develop a wide range of skills, such as following instructions, listening, colour and shape recognition, problemsolving, communication and customer service.

Manager Lisa Mann said: “Our business has been running for 12 years. We have a loyal and devoted customer base that support our mission and ethos and like what we sell. We are always looking at ways of improving what we do and expanding the business to offer click and collect offers our customers the convenience of saving time by shopping from home and collecting their order when they like. The more successful we are, the more people disadvantages we can support so it’s a win-win situation.”

Poppy’s Click & Collect is launching with 400 of its popular items available online, including kitchen and cupboard essentials and household products, and also food items like Poppy’s best-selling seeds, nuts and dried fruits.

Lisa added: “We stock around 1,200 different products and specialise in ethically-sourced items, such as Fairtrade, and have an extensive range of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dietary products. These are hard to find elsewhere and this has helped us build up our customer following. We will be adding to the list of items available over time.”

The award-winning wholefood shop also sells a wide selection of refillable household products, from laundry liquids to shampoo. It refills around 5,000 plastic bottles a year, helping to prevent plastic pollution. Refilling a used bottle with Poppy’s, is approximately £1.50 less than buying a new bottle.

Poppy’s is one of six businesses run by Ipswich-based social enterprise Realise Futures in Suffolk which specialises in employment and skills development opportunities for people who disabled and/or disadvantaged. Operating in Suffolk and Essex, Realise Futures employs around 290 people, 41 percent of whom have a disability. It delivers employment support services across Suffolk and Essex for people with disabilities, as well as walk-in advice, peer support and help for people with learning disabilities and/or autism.

The talks were all by experts in their field and the festival was opened by the Mayor of Woodbridge. In his best Chinese, he welcomed us to the first film – The Yangtse Incident. Rear-Admiral Roy Clare introduced the film and helped set the context. Though it tells the story of an incident during the Chinese Civil War in 1949 involving HMS Amethyst, it was actually filmed in 1957 on the River Orwell and Stour with HMS Ganges at Shotley standing in for the Chinese gun emplacements.

The next film was Riddle of the Sands (1979) – a classic tale written by Erskine Childers prior to the First World War predicting the potential for German invasion across the North Sea. The original producer, Drummond Challis, introduced the film, telling us the tale of how he ‘persuaded’ Michael York to take the starring role along with Jenny Agutter and Simon MacCorkindale.

Over the following days we had Hollywood blockbusters along with documentaries and the festival finished with the recent Oscar shortlisted and BAFTA nominated film Maiden, the story of Tracy Edwards, the skipper of the first ever all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989.

The two organising charities, Woodbridge Riverside Trust (who run the Long Shed) and the Woolverstone Project (who offer sailing for the disabled in Suffolk) would like to thank the title sponsor, Claire Rowell Wealth Management from Woodbridge, and all the following supporters and sponsors: Seamark Nunn, Dolphin Sails, Suffolk Sails, Fenn Wright, Suffolk Cottage Holidays, Fox’s Marina and Boatyard, Volspec and Suffolk Marine Safety. Their support was a keystone to the success of the festival. With 687 tickets sold across the nine films, the event was a great success.

So, we are looking forward to next year. What are your favourite maritime films? What would you choose for next year’s festival – perhaps Master and Commander? Or is Waterworld more to your taste? Whatever you fancy, look out for the 2021 festival – it may well be there.

DEBEN TRAVEL SUPPORTS BIG CLIMATE FIGHT BACK Woodbridge-based Deben Travel has been planting trees at Suffolk’s Royal Hospital School (RHS) as part of the Woodland Trust’s Big Climate Fight Back.

Deben Travel approached RHS after reading about the school’s Grow with Us scheme which includes planting a tree for every child who joins. The travel company has long been aware of the contribution that the travel industry makes to greenhouse gases and has wanted to plant trees to offset its carbon footprint but didn’t know how to move this forward. They’ve donated more than 700 young trees – a mix of native species – to be planted over the winter months.

Lee Hunt, director of Deben Travel, explains a little more about their involvement: “Deben Travel is delighted to be part of the Royal Hospital School and Woodland Trust’s Big Climate Fight Back. On behalf of our team and our customers, the planting of over 700 trees represents the number of long-haul flights we’ve organised this year and we hope our actions further raise awareness of the importance of offsetting carbon emissions.”

The planting was carried out by the RHS pupil eco committee who have been responsible for a range of initiatives at the school including the replacement of single-use plastic water bottles.

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NEWS WOODBRIDGE SWIFTS Swifts will be returning to the UK during the first week of May. Our achievements in Woodbridge in raising awareness of swifts, recording their nest sites and installing nest boxes remain very positive.

However, swifts are in the news for all the wrong reasons.

We are faced with a national trend of declining numbers.

We lost a further 32 precent in the seven years from 2009 to 2016, their numbers falling from 87,000 pairs to 59,000.

This means that we need to make a huge effort to conserve the swift nest sites we have and provide more to expand existing colonies.

Swifts nest in groups. Many of us will have marvelled at the clouds of swifts swooping in their screaming parties over town squares in Italy and France before disappearing into multiple, close packed, nesting sites under eaves and pantiles. The returning young in their turn choose to look for new nest sites near the sound of other swifts. We can’t quite create that continental holiday scene here in Woodbridge but there are things you can do, such as: • Putting up a nest box or boxes.

• Playing swift calls to create the sounds of a colony in order to attract swifts to your boxes. Using a CD player or bluetooth speaker to play their calls out of the nearest window works well.

• Creating groups of nest boxes around existing boxes and particularly around existing nest sites so that a colony starts to build up.

SOS Swifts and Woodbridge Swifts can help. We are selling nest boxes at £25 each and CDs of swift calls for £5. Contact us at: woodbridge.swifts@gmail.com For advice on all aspects of finding, monitoring and creating swift contact SOS Swifts at: swifts@suffolkbirdgroup.org Sadly there are other problems for swifts. Insect numbers are declining.

In parts of East Anglia, with intense arable farming and use of herbicides and pesticides there is less aerial plankton on which the swifts feed, with fewer gnats, midges, small spiders and aphids. So swifts are more reliant on other less nutritious insects such as hover flies and lacewings to feed their young. In Woodbridge we are fortunate to be near the Deben estuary and coast where there is more pasture and areas of uncultivated ground where insects can flourish. In the town itself we have lovely green spaces like Fen Meadow, Elmhurst Park, Melton Woods and Kingston Field, and green corridors like Wilderness Lane where wildlife and insects can flourish.

Like other migratory birds, swifts fly over many countries and climates.

They need to synchronise their journeys with the seasonal cycles in Southern Europe, the Mediterranean, North, West and Southern Africa. Climate change and human pressures are changing the environment in their winter quarters in ways we cannot predict and over which we have no control.

Woodbridge Swift Pint Walks: Thursday 2 July and Saturday 4 July Meet at 7pm in the Market Square to walk around the town observing swifts in flight and entering their nest sites, with a chance to compare notes in the pub afterwards.

Jenny James: woodbridge.swifts@gmail.com / Eddie Bathgate: swifts@suffolkbirdgroup.org www.rspb.org.uk/groups/woodbridge

HEAR HERE IN IPSWICH AND WOODBRIDGE Becoming hard of hearing? Finding it difficult to communicate?

Fortunately, help is at hand in Ipswich and Woodbridge with a well-established lip-reading class. Our qualified and experienced teachers are keen to welcome new recruits, not just from Ipswich and Woodbridge, but from the surrounding area. There are also successful classes available in other parts of Suffolk.

The classes are friendly, fun and, in addition to lip-reading, give pupils all sorts of lifestyle tips in coping with everyday situations where hearing is difficult, as well as an opportunity to swap notes.

Hearing difficulties can be debilitating and can make people feel inferior – even going to the shops, the doctor, or eating out can be a trial, as well as social gatherings. We’ve seen people’s confidence soar after attending even a few classes. Students realise that other people have the same difficulties.

Many people have discovered lip-reading to be an absolute boon in overcoming such problems.

The classes take place on Monday and Wednesday. They are run by Suffolk Hearing Advisory Service, part of a registered charity. Young and old are welcome and a taster session can be offered. It could be a revelation.

A charge of £7.50 (£6 concessionary rate) is made per session, which most people find is extraordinarily good value given the quality of the help.

Those interested in joining should email Steph Moon at: steph.moon@hhas.org.uk Alternatively, contact Suffolk Hearing Advisory Service: 01473 286060 / suffolkinfo@hhas.org.uk

Cover image by Jamie Bird: www.flickr.com/photos/135426398@N08 Prints and commissions available; for more information email: jamiebird05@yahoo.com

RETURN OF THE CARLOW DOLE A centuries-old custom has recently been revived in Woodbridge – the distribution of loaves on Candlemas Day in accordance with the will of John Carlow.

Within the precincts of the Bull Hotel there is a quiet garden with an ancient tomb. Here, John Carlow, former owner of the Bull, was laid to rest 200 years ago. He belonged to a Christian sect known as the Separate Congregation and had a tomb built for himself in the hotel garden. Carlow died on 2 March 1738, leaving a will stipulating that the rector and churchwardens of St Mary’s Parish Church ‘shall and do yearly and every year for ever after my decease give and distribute twenty shillings’ worth of good wheaten bread at, or upon, the said tomb on the second day of February, commonly called Candlemas, except when it is a Saturday…’.

The tradition lapsed for some years so it was with great joy that on Candlemas Day this year, the Rector of St Mary’s, The Rev Canon Kevan McCormack, and his two churchwardens were able to reinstate Carlow’s Dole thanks to the hospitality of the Bull’s current proprietors, David and Sarah Clarke, who allowed the ceremony to take place in what is known as ‘Carlow’s Room’.

After telling the story of this tradition, the rector blessed the loaves and with the churchwardens distributed them to 24 children from the Abbey School who had been invited to the ceremony. “So how much would twenty shillings be worth now?” asked the Rector. The children quickly rose to the challenge – it helped that many of them were from the maths group – and correctly calculated the present-day value to around £200.

The loaves, handmade by the Cake Shop, were made even more appetising when Mr and Mrs Clarke generously served butter and jam (or marmite) and glasses of orange juice. One of the children gave a heartfelt vote of thanks, followed by uproarious general applause.

May John Carlow’s tradition long continue!

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NEWS / OUT & ABOUT COUNCILLOR CAROLINE’S COLUMN The days are getting lighter and spring is in the air, even if the weather has remained grey and undistinguished for months on end.

When I cleared my parents’ house after my mother died, I took a handful of the thousands of snowdrop bulbs that had spread unchecked across their garden over 60 years. It always looked so lovely. This year my displaced handful are up and happy in Suffolk. I would imagine that in another 60 years my garden will be equally covered.

That is, if the climate allows. My snowdrops have come up without sight or sound of snow. The fields above Martlesham Creek are waterlogged. While Australia has suffered from fire, we in Britain have suffered the reverse – endless rain and grey days punctuated by occasional startling floods. As I write Hebden Bridge is deep under water, while nearer home the high tide has lapped around the Tidemill and covers Woodbridge Quayside.

Of course Australia is on the other side of the world. If we hadn’t got a TV, a PC or a smartphone, if we didn’t buy a paper, the destruction of the forests and the cuddly koalas, and the plight of the residents would go unnoticed.

Much as we forget the plight of all those suffering fire, floods, famine and fighting in other, distant parts of the world. Often, it’s not that we are hard-hearted, or even selfish. It’s just not so easy to empathise with what is not familiar, to recognise that the worries of Amina Ahmed, stranded on her roof in a Bangladeshi flood, are the same as those of Alison Brown, similarly stranded in Hebden Bridge. Both worried for their lives, their livelihoods, their children, their pets, their belongings… both hoping for help.

It is indeed the same plight for both of them. You can find mapping projections at Climate Central (www.climatecentral.org) which provide information about flood risk and sea level rises in and long, medium and short term. Everywhere will be affected. We are all in this together – people, animals, flora and fauna. And there is no Planet B. What’s to be done? I feel like quoting John Lennon: “Life is what happens to you when you are busy making other plans”. I was going to write about hares this month. How glorious they are at this time of year – dancing and boxing and making merry, all big and startling and raw-boned like Vinnie Jones. But, of course, they are here because they nest here, making shallow scapes in the sandy, sea-and-estuary-side soil. If the waters rise, these fields are the first to go. So I am writing about hares after all!

Caroline Page

Image by Alastair Bartlett

WOODBRIDGE 10K ROAD RACES SET FOR 39th YEAR The 39th annual Woodbridge Round-the-Town charity races will be held on Sunday 17 May at noon.

The races, which follow an undulating course through the streets of Woodbridge, include a 10K race for seniors and a 1.5K race for juniors.

Every year, the races raise thousands of pounds for charity, with a record-breaking £12,000 raised in 2019 alone.

Registration for this year’s race will open in March, with the date to be confirmed well in advance via the Woodbridge Shufflers website and the Woodbridge 10K Facebook page.

Both races are expected to sell out in under an hour so runners are advised to enter as close to the opening of registration as possible.

“We’re expecting the races to be as popular as ever this year,” said race director Dave Alley. “To enable as many runners as possible to get a place, we have entrusted Race Roster to handle this year’s entries. Of course, there’s no guarantee that everyone will get a place, but we hope that this platform will prove capable of handling the numbers of entries that we expect.

“To make things a little easier, we are planning to operate a transfer system this year, allowing runners who gain a place and are then unable to run to swap with someone else. We think this will prove a popular update to our rule book.”

While the route remains unchanged, this year marks a landmark in the history of the Woodbridge Shufflers, whose club members organise the event entirely on a volunteer basis. As well as being the 40th year since the club’s formation, 2020 will see members of the club’s newly formed junior division take to the streets in their Woodbridge Shufflers vests.

The level of support from local businesses has once again been phenomenal.

To date, 20 companies have signed up – a complete list of sponsors can be viewed on the Woodbridge Shufflers website.

WOODBRIDGE CHORAL SOCIETY In aid of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Woodbridge Choral Society will present Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Snape Maltings Concert Hall on Saturday 28 March at 7.30pm.

Conducted by its music director, Andrew Leach, with more than 90 experienced singers, the 134-year-old choir is one of the most highly-regarded performing arts organisations in the Suffolk Coastal area. The choir will be accompanied by the Kingfisher Sinfonia led by Beth Spendlove.

Written for the 1846 Birmingham Festival, the ever-popular Elijah is an epic account of the great prophet’s struggles. The dramatic story includes earthquakes, wind, fire, drought, famine, flood, ravens, and finally, resurrection.

The composer wrote: “No work of mine ever went so admirably at its first performance or was received with such enthusiasm by both musicians and audience!” Mendelssohn died during the same year, but Elijah remains a world-wide choral favourite.

If your company would like to be considered as a sponsor for next year’s race, please email: entries@woodbridgeshufflers.org.uk For details of the route, plus planned road closures and race transfer information as it becomes available, please visit the FAQ section at: www.woodbridgeshufflers.org.uk/our-races/woodbridge-10k

TAP CLASS ON THE MOVE AGAIN Following the redevelopment of St John’s Church Hall last summer, Woodbridge Tap Dance classes were pleased to find another venue in the town. However, now the replacement venue (Woodbridge Cruising Club) has decided that too much tapping is damaging their floor so the classes are moving again.

Tutor Jill Streatfeild said: “Although I wanted the classes to stay in Woodbridge, it has not been possible to find anywhere suitable that is available on the right day and time. I am delighted that Grundisburgh Village Hall was free and very happy to accommodate our two itinerant classes. I am hoping this will be the last move for a very long time.”

Peter Edge will be the featured bass soloist, joined by soprano Sarah Tynan, alto Heather Love, tenor Christopher Littlewood and treble Ethan Howarth-Wedgewood.

Classes began in Grundisburgh on Thursday 13 February, with the slower class at 9.30am (suitable for those with some experience of tap), and a faster, more challenging lesson for advanced tappers at 10.15am. All are welcome and there’s no need to book. There are also classes in Otley and Ufford.

Tickets can be purchased online at: www.snapemaltings.co.uk

For details visit: www.woodbridgetapdance.weebly.com

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OUT & ABOUT TRANSITION WOODBRIDGE Members of Transition Woodbridge and residents of Through Duncans recently turned out to plant two apple trees donated by Woodbridge Rotary. The residents are also going to help with watering the trees in the summer months during their first three years and eventually will be able to enjoy the fruit from them.

This is a new scattered orchard.

We are also excited to report that we will be planting another four trees donated by Woodbridge Rotary in Hall Farm Road for residents there to enjoy.

This will also be a new scattered orchard. At the time of going to press we are getting all the equipment needed together and will shortly be planting.

If you would like to help plant and/or water at Hall Farm Road, get in touch with us.

Transition Woodbridge is hosting a talk by Lucy Shepherd on Sunday 15 March at Woodbridge Community Hall from 2pm.

Lucy is a local adventurer who has travelled to the Arctic and Greenland as well as the Amazon Rainforest. She is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and is on the council for the Scientific Exploration Society. Lucy will be talking about her journeys in the context of climate change.

Tickets are £3 on the door and refreshments will be available. www.transitionwoodbridge.org.uk

WOODBRIDGE LIBRARY Monday 2, 9 & 16 March, 2.30-3.30pm: Learn the Art of Relaxation Going through a tough time? Undergoing hospital treatment? Feeling worn out? Come along and learn the art of relaxation including simple practical techniques you can use in your everyday life. No booking necessary, £4 per session payable on the day.

Tuesday 3 March, 10am-1pm: Sue Ryder Dementia Navigator If you have memory worries, are living with dementia, caring for someone who has dementia or if you’re a health professional, this drop-in information session can help. You’ll find answers to a lot of questions about living well with dementia and you’ll also discover how to access information and support.

Thursday 5 March, 6pm: Talk by acupuncturist and herbal medicine practitioner Steve Kippax Steve will talk about his work and his new book, Health in Theory and Practice: Circling the Square. He practises at the Natural Health Centre in the Thoroughfare and offers treatments including Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, diet therapy, massage and a mind-body-spirit practice called Qi gong. Entry is free. Donations to the work of FOWL will be welcome.

Saturday 7 March, 10am-noon: Cycle marking Get your bicycle permanently marked with your postcode so there’s more chance of it being recovered if stolen.

Saturday 14 March, 10.15-11.45am: Talk by well-being coach Mia Philips The month’s theme is Happiness and we will explore where and how to find it. Suggested donation £7 or pay what feels right. www.facebook.com/ccEHWB Saturday 21 March, 2-3pm: Peaceweavers and Shieldmaidens: Exploring the Lives of Women in Anglo-Saxon England Tea and coffee will be served afterwards and there will be time for questions and chatting. Tickets are £4 each (two for £7). To book please email: learninghistory@dustypages.org Saturday 21 March, 7.30-9pm: Oak, Ash & Thorn – Shamanic Drumming & Tribal Voice with Kate, David & Lorna No experience necessary. Donations invited. For more information contact: kateheskethmoore@btinternet.com / 07803 794983

THE GREAT BRITISH SPRING CLEAN If you love living in Woodbridge and Melton but hates litter, please join this year’s Great British Spring Clean.

Transition Woodbridge is organising litter picking sessions at several places in Woodbridge and Melton. There will also be pick and play sessions in Kingston Field and Melton Playing Field for children and parents.

For details of times and places please email Carol at: springcleanwoodbridge@gmail.com

AN EVENING OF EASTERN STEAM NOSTALGIA Presented by Amanda Huntley, archivist of the Huntley Film Archives Ipswich and District Historical Transport Society invites you to join them at the Salvation Army Citadel, 558 Woodbridge Road, Ipswich IP4 4PH on April 22 at 7.30pm Entrance is £5. Tickets are available at IDHTS meetings or from Pat Caddick pandj83@gmail.com / 01473 402152

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Tuesday 24 March, 9.30-11.30am: Suffolk Parent Carer Network Drop-In SPCN is a voluntary organisation/group of parents and carers of children with additional needs and/or disabilities who work with education, health and social care services to make sure the services they plan and deliver are fit for purpose and meet the needs of children and young people and their families across Suffolk.

Tuesday 24 March, 12.45-1.30pm: Poetry at Lunchtime: Dreams and Visions Sarah Craze, Jo Roberts, Simon Ashenden and Shirley Lyons present a programme of poetry selected from a range of poets including Coleridge, Tennyson, Yeats, Rosetti and Eliot. Entry is free. Donations to the work of FOWL will be welcome.

Saturday 28 March, noon-2pm: Mind Over Matter Project – Tackling Depression Together The staff at the Mind Over Matter Project are experienced in the field of mental health and take mental health very seriously. They offer oneto-one and group support and advice for those struggling and each person is assessed on an individual basis. Register your interest at: www.momproject.co.uk Tuesday 31 March, 10am-noon: Cathedral Window vs Secret Garden This is the traditional method used to make a needle case. To book (£12 including materials and use of all equipment): 07753 960227 / annabellerey4textiles@gmail.com

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OUT & ABOUT WISE OWLS INVITED TO WOODBRIDGE QUIZ NIGHT The RSPB Woodbridge Local Group is hosting a quiz night at Seckford Golf Club on Saturday 28 March to raise funds to protect Suffolk’s wildlife and natural habitats.

Eighteen teams took part in last year’s quiz night and raised more than £800 for the RSPB and its local projects. This year, local group leader Paul Hetherington is hoping to go one better. He said: “Last year was the first year we’d run a quiz to raise money and it was a real success – a wonderful evening was enjoyed by all and we raised a huge amount for the RSPB. This year I’d love to go one better and break through the £1,000 barrier. That money will make a big difference, particularly to local causes like the Snape reserve habitat improvement scheme and the project to increase turtle dove numbers in Suffolk.”

The quiz is £15 per person (teams of four) and the entry fee includes a choice of hot meal (served at 7pm sharp) and prizes for the winning teams. The questions will start rolling after the food from 7.30-10.30pm and topics will include general knowledge and popular culture questions, so is suitable for all quizzers – not just bird and nature lovers!

A full bar is available throughout the evening and the raffle will feature some fantastic prizes from the local group sponsors. Prizes already confirmed include a family ticket for Easton Farm Park, 18 holes of golf for four people at Ufford Park, a pair of cinema tickets for the Riverside Theatre in Woodbridge and a case of Adnams beer and a case of wine.

For further information or to book your table, contact Simon at Seckford Golf Club (01394 388000) or Malcolm Key (malcolm.key@btopenworld.com / 01728 723155).

WOODBRIDGE MUSEUM The first exhibition to be held in Woodbridge Museum this year will feature paintings by Thomas Churchyard, a 19th century artist who lived in Woodbridge and Melton for the greater part of his life. Inspired by the work of John Crome and John Constable, he developed his own artistic skills and exhibited at the Norwich Society of Artists in 1829 and at the Royal Academy in 1831.

In addition to displaying some of the museum’s own paintings, outstanding works from local private collections are being loaned. This will be a great opportunity to see works featuring the bygone landscapes of Woodbridge and Suffolk as well as family portraits.

The exhibition opens on Friday 10 April and will run until Sunday 3 May. For further details visit: www.woodbridgmuseum.com

ROTARY CLUB OF WOODBRIDGE DEBEN After another successful festive fundraising season, during which our Santa’s sleigh and annual carol concert raised nearly £3,000 for our charity account, the Rotary Club of Woodbridge Deben is looking forward to more fundraising in 2020.

We will be holding our charity golf day at St Audry’s Golf Club in July and will be at Woodbridge Regatta and various other functions. More details to follow.

The Memory Cafe, run in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Woodbridge and Woodbridge Inner Wheel, resumed in January. We were delighted to greet some new faces as well as many old friends and a lively session featuring some impressive dancing was enjoyed by all.

PRETTY GRIM FUN AT DANCE FOLKUS Of course it won’t be a pretty grim evening at our ever-popular barn dance in Woodbridge on Friday 6 March from 7.30pm. Our mid-evening break will feature a dance spot from Pretty Grim Border Morris side from Blaxhall.

Their dancing is exuberant and somewhat frightening, with plenty of noise and lots of laughter. All this is set off by their eccentric, but none-the-less beautiful costume which combines a traditional tatter jacket with formal hats, corsets, masks, face paint and big boots, all in menacing black and purple. They regularly dance in the local area (e.g. Snape on Boxing Day) and have performed at many folk festivals including FolkEast, Ely, St Neots and Faversham plus the Whittlesea Straw Bear, Rochester Sweeps Festivals and Halesworth Day of Dance.

For the main ceilidh part of the evening we welcome, for her second visit to Dance Folkus, the effervescent Surrey caller Polly Dare. Polly is a dancer herself and is a member of Magog Morris and Boxhill Bedlam so she knows a thing or two about dancing. She has called with many well-known English bands so expect a lively evening. The band for the evening will be our resident Dance Folkus ‘Come All Ye’ band led by Harbour Lights. In February we had a record 17 players.

Advanced warning, Polkaworks will be the guest band for the April ceilidh.

The Memory Cafe is held on the last Wednesday of every month from 10.30am-noon at Woodbridge Football Club. We welcome anyone living with any form of memory loss and their carers to an informal session of refreshments, conversation and some form of entertainment. For information please contact Rotarian Martin Kenyon: 01394 386933

EAST SUFFOLK NATIONAL TRUST ASSOCIATION If you are a member of or a volunteer for the National Trust, we invite you to get more out of your membership by joining our association where a warm welcome awaits you.

On March 17 Richard Symes will give a talk on Dunwich Heath. Over the last 300 years the heath has had a varied and colourful history. It has been the site of brandy and tobacco smuggling and trawlermen cleared mines to keep vital supply lines open during the Great War. More recently, the heath was used for military exercises to prepare for the Normandy landings, in particular how to breach enemy defences. The talk will be preceded by a short AGM. On April 21 Mark Beesley, a local artist and historian, will give a talk on East Anglian artists. The talk will feature both the well-known and lesser known local artists.

New dancers can book a discounted place by emailing Dancefolkus@ aol.com (no payment in advance) or come along on the night when entry is £7. Students or children are £3 at the door. Telephone Rob 01473 610951 if you need further information.

We meet at Kesgrave War Memorial Community Centre IP5 1JF at 7.15pm.

Visitors (even if not National Trust members) are welcome; the entrance fee is £3. National Trust members and volunteers can join us for £8 per year (£12 per couple at same address). We publish three newsletters a year for members and enjoy interesting day outings and other events.

Visitors to Woodbridge and new dancers are always very welcome to attend our dances at Woodbridge Community Hall in Station Road IP12 4AU

For more information, including details of future events and outings, contact our membership secretary: membershipesnta@gmail.com / 01473 723761

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OUT & ABOUT WOODBRIDGE ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY Woodbridge Orchestral Society will present a programme of light classical music at Woodbridge Methodist Church on Monday 30 March at 7.30pm.

Tickets (£7 including light refreshments) are available from Helen Lewis (01394 411232), Anne Stevenson (01394 385728) or at the door.

Proceeds to Woodbridge Methodist Church Refurbishment Fund.

WOODBRIDGE ART CLUB We started the year with an evening of fun with clay which proved very popular with the mudlarks amongst us!

This was followed by a new departure, a film and supper night. The very interesting film, narrated by Simon Sharmer, was about some of Turner’s little known paintings. These works were panned at the time they were first shown at the Royal Academy as they were rather dark, having been inspired by Turner’s hatred of the Napoleonic wars and the slave trade. Members were enthusiastic about this evening and requested more similar events.

Looking forward, we have a very interesting programme planned for the next six months. In the coming weeks we have a demonstration on speed painting with knives, followed the next week by a workshop when members can try out what they learned. Then we have the renowned environmental artist Fran Crowe who will talk about her art installations made from plastic rubbish collected from Suffolk beaches. Sounds really fascinating!

The photography group now meets on alternate Thursdays at 3pm and has a varied and interesting programme.

This year’s summer exhibition opens on Good Friday, 10 April and will be open every weekend and bank holiday from 10am-5pm till the end of September.

We look forward to seeing our regular visitors again as well as many new ones.

For more information about the club, its activities and membership please visit: www.woodbridgeartclub.org.uk / Facebook

ORWELL DECORATIVE & FINE ARTS SOCIETY Our talks cover a broad spectrum of art and are delivered within a relaxed and welcoming environment. If you would like to know more, please come and meet us. We are always happy to welcome new people.

On February 5 contemporary photographer and lecturer Aliki Braine presented a lively talk which prompted an equally lively question and answer session.

The guest speaker on Wednesday 4 March is Shawn Kholucy. Shawn explores the driving force behind the architect and designer R R Ashbee in a talk titled R R Ashbee – What Made Him Do It. On Wednesday 1 April Jennifer ToynbeeHolmes will talk about The Holland Park Circle, Victorian painters, sculptors and architects living in Holland Park.

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

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ENSURING YOUR RTA CLAIM DOESN’T HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD No matter how serious, road traffic accidents (RTAs) are always distressing experiences. 2018 alone saw over 165,000 casualties of all severities resulting from RTAs. If you are a victim of an RTA, you could have a case for compensation.

To assist you ahead of any claim, there are important steps you should take / pieces of evidence that you should gather if possible.

Immediately following an accident, if possible, the first steps you should take include: • Get the details of all those involved: For vehicles, this includes registration numbers, the make, model and colour of the vehicles involved.

For people, obtain their phone numbers, addresses and insurance details. Also, be sure to write a description of the person involved and who you believe to be responsible for the RTA.

• Seek medical attention – even if you are feeling ok, it is important to get checked over.

• If possible, take photographs of the accident location, the vehicles involved and the damage caused.

•

Contact the police and report the incident – while they may not always be required to attend the accident, if any person refuses to provide their details at the scene, you must report them to the police.

• If you are the owner of the vehicle involved in the accident, inform your insurer at the earliest opportunity.

• Get the details of any witnesses including their telephone numbers – and their own accounts of what happened – they could back up your claim.

• Keep your own record of the incident – this can include writing down what happened and taking photos of any injuries sustained.

• Keep records of all expenses that you may have incurred as a result of the incident and any injuries sustained – for example, loss of earnings, travel expenses and any medication costs.

If your property or vehicle has been damaged as a result of an RTA, or you’ve been injured, then you can make a claim.

Personal injury and loss claims following an RTA come in two parts: 1. Compensation for the pain and suffering sustained as a result of the accident.

2. Compensation for any financial losses flowing from that accident and injury – this could come in the form of the cost of vehicle repairs, medication and treatment costs or loss of earnings due to injuries sustained.

It is important therefore that, if possible, you capture as much information about the accident, injuries and losses sustained so that if you do wish to make a claim at a later date, the evidence and information that you need is already to hand to assist in the progression of your claim as quickly as possible.

For more information or advice on how to make a claim, get in touch with Prettys’ Personal Injury team. Contact Louise Plant by calling 01473 298293 or email: lplant@prettys.co.uk

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OUT & ABOUT INNER WHEEL CLUB OF WOODBRIDGE SUPPORTS THE EVE APPEAL The main speaker at last month’s meeting was Lorraine Finn who gave us an interesting talk on the Eve Appeal. This is a charity which, although renamed, was started in 1984 by Professor Ian Jacobs, later joined by Professor Peter Vagn-Jensen. They were concerned about the lack of screening for advanced ovarian cancer.

The charity now does research into the five gynaecological cancers and in 2016 launched Ask Eve, a specialist gynae cancer information service. The Eve Appeal will be one of the beneficiaries from our quiz which is being held at the end of the month.

The club also welcomed our district chairman, Deirdre Griffin, a member of our club, whose talk centered on the three ideals of Inner Wheel: fellowship, service and international understanding.

Tickets are now available for our fashion show being held on Monday 6 April at Woodbridge Town Football Club. Please contact our president on 01394 384834 for more information. The models and fashions are being provided by Tilly & Grace, Sweet Dreams and Holly Blue. These shops also have tickets for sale. This should be a very enjoyable evening.

If you wish to find out more about our club, please visit: www.woodbridgeinnerwheel.org.uk

NEW TUNES FOR YOU Out of hibernation with new numbers and renewed enthusiasm is the message from Jazz Galore.

The members of this long-established Suffolk group offer a wider range of tunes and play for little more than expenses. They are easy to accommodate: a power socket and a bit of shade against the blazing sun is all they want.

Plus a cup of tea and a bun would be nice.

WHO LET THE DADS OUT? St John’s Church held another well-attended Who Let The Dads Out? session on Saturday 1 February.

Apparently there was a real buzz, aided, no doubt, by the introduction of a bouncy castle!

Who Let The Dads Out? (WLTDO) is a safe space for dads, father figures, carers and their children to enjoy time and activities together. All dads, father figures, carers and their pre-school children are welcome. If you can’t come unless you can bring your school aged children, please come anyway. The sessions take place on the first Saturday of each month from 10am to noon.

To find out more visit the WLTDO Facebook page.

IPSWICH & DISTRICT SOROPTIMIST CLUB QUIZ EVENING Join us at Seckford Golf Club on Wednesday 1 April for a fun quiz evening in aid of Lighthouse and our bursary which gives financial support to women who are clients from designated projects (including Lighthouse), to assist them entering into education, equivalent training or re-training.

Lighthouse Women’s Aid supports and empowers women, young people and children affected by domestic abuse or violence.

Doors open at 6.30pm, food served at 6.45pm, bar available. £15 per person (tables of four). Auction to include a three-night stay in an apartment near Southwold.

To book your table please contact: Pat Dowding: pat.dowding@gmail.com / 01728 648819 Joyce Boorman: joyceboorman@btinternet.com / 01394 615659

Four weekends are already taken up with repeat bookings – a beer festival, two village fetes and a concert – so if you’d like them to play at your event this year contact Mike Smith on 07874 034390 before too long.

MARTLESHAM HISTORY SOCIETY Monday 6 April: My Experience of Life in a Foundling Hospital by Ruth Miller From 1741 when the first babies were admitted, to 1954 when the last pupil was placed in foster care, the Foundling Hospital in London cared for and educated around 25,000 children. Ruth Miller arrived at the Foundling Hospital in April 1942, just a few weeks shy of her fifth birthday and she will tell us all about what it was like to be one of these children.

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

Admission is £2.50 and meetings are open to all.

NEW HORIZONS CLUB Do you enjoy the company of older people? Have you got time on your hands? Would you like to be part of our team?

Then come and join us at New Horizons Club. We meet on Mondays and Thursdays at St Mary’s Church Hall in Woodbridge, providing activities, entertainment and a delicious lunch for the over 55s.

We urgently need volunteer club leaders (9am-3pm) and volunteer drivers (once a week, once a fortnight or on a relief basis).

Interested? Then contact us on 07514 364752 or email: newhorizons912@gmail.com

www.keepingintouchwith.com/woodbridge

FROM PREHISTORIC FINDS TO SECOND WORLD WAR HISTORY There’s a lot on offer for U3A East Suffolk members in the spring programme. Historical topics range from safeguarding convoys in the North Atlantic during the Second World War to prehistoric finds uncovered as Suffolk’s cable routes are dug.

Thursday 5 March: Everything Stops for Tea by Eve Regelous 10.30am-12.30pm at Salvation Army Hall, Felixstowe IP11 7EL Thursday 12 March: The Merchant Navy in the Battle of the Atlantic

by John Johnson-Allen, 2-4pm at Saxmundham Market Hall IP17 1AF Monday 16 March: Archaeology of the East Anglia ONE Route by Andy Peachey, 10.30am-12.30pm at Woodbridge Football Club Monday 30 March: Churchill’s Ideas by Tony Diamond 2-4pm at Kesgrave Community Centre IP5 1JF Thursday 2 April: The Hoxne Hoard by Tony Diamond 10.30am-12.30pm at Salvation Army Hall, Felixstowe IP11 7EL U3A is aimed at older people who want to get as much as possible out of life. There are no entry qualifications, no barriers to joining and lots of activities to get involved in. New members are welcome.

For membership details: www.u3aeastsuffolk.org.uk / 0300 123 3913

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OUT & ABOUT WOODBRIDGE SOCIETY One of the most important functions of Woodbridge Society is to monitor planning and development applications. Following its support for the campaign against an Ipswich northern by-pass, the society is pleased to see that this proposal has now been dropped. The application for a judicial review of the Melton Hill re-development was also supported by the society; at the time of writing there is no decision about whether this can be heard.

The society’s first meeting of 2020 will be a talk about the Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm. This will be on Wednesday 4 March at 7.30pm in the Abbey School Hall and will be given by the site manager, Kenny Beardsell.

The coast of East Anglia is now playing a vital part in producing the energy – clean energy at that – this country needs. The companies operating here are also significant employers in the area. The Greater Gabbard Wind Farm began generating electricity a decade ago and was completed in 2012. Its extension, built on the Galloper sandbank, has been generating electricity since 2018.

If you travel by sea from Harwich to the Hook of Holland you will sail past its turbines. Indeed the North Sea is now peppered with wind farms feeding Germany, Holland and Belgium as well as Britain.

A month later, retired district judge and Felixstowe resident Peter Wain will present a talk entitled The Rise and Fall of the Medieval Port of Goseford.

The name Goseford means ‘goose ford’ and dates from Anglo-Saxon times.

It was one of the most important ports on the East Coast in medieval times.

Interestingly, there was no town of that name yet it was a major anchorage for centuries, sheltered behind the high ground on which Felixstowe now stands. This meeting will be on Wednesday 1 April at 7.30pm, again in the Abbey School Hall (access via Cumberland Street).

LEISTON & DISTRICT PHILATELIC SOCIETY The society, now in its 50th anniversary year, will next meet from 7.15pm on Wednesday 25 March at the United Church Hall, High Street, Leiston.

The programme features a display by Roy Simmons of items showing the various aspects of his collection.

New members are always welcome. Membership is £5 per annum (50p for students up to 18 years) payable in September. A display showing the activities of the society and information on stamp collecting in general can be seen in the Longshops Museum in Leiston throughout April.

PEACE GLASS CRAFTERS (PGC) STAINED GLASS CLUB PGC is a club of friendly ‘glassers’, named after a respected tutor who taught many of the original members. We share an interest and enjoyment of creating art from sheet glass of all colours and textures.

As a group we support each other by sharing ideas, knowledge and experience. Projects include panels, windows, clocks, suncatchers, lamps, Christmas decorations, 3D items and more. The garden scenes panel pictured was donated to Ipswich Hospital and is on display there. Each PGC member completed one of the six-inch squares.

For more images of our finished work please visit our Facebook page.

The club is mainly for ‘tiffany’ (copper foil) glass work but there are occasions where a member decides to make a leaded piece. We have our own equipment (mainly grinders and soldering irons) plus a few consumables for use on club nights.

We are always keen to welcome new members. Having attended workshops or classes previously, people who come to the club have some experience in the main stained glass techniques, including glass cutting, grinding, foiling and soldering.

We meet at Felixstowe Academy on Thursday evenings during term time. The fees are currently £35 per term and there are three terms per year. If you are interested in joining us please contact the secretary on 01473 625782.

Facebook: Peace Glass Crafters

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WOODBRIDGE WILDLIFE GROUP East Anglia’s Changing Coastline There will be chance to find out how quickly our coastline is changing when Adam Burrows from Natural England gives a talk entitled East Anglia’s Changing Coastline at Woodbridge Community Hall on Thursday 19 March, starting at 7.30pm.

The talk has been organised by Woodbridge Wildlife Group and chairman Phil Smith said: “With coastal erosion frequently in the news, this talk is very timely and it is going to be interesting to hear Adam’s views on our ever changing local coastline.”

Admission is £3 for adults, free for with under-16s. There will be a raffle and light refreshments during the evening. For further information: 01473 625630 / swtwoodbridge@outlook.com EVENTS AT FOXBURROW FARM Wednesdays, from 26 February to 1 April, 10.30am-noon Weekly Wild Tots; Forest School activities and wild play for ages one to four and their carers. Booking essential.

Tuesday 17 March, 10am-2pm Go Wild in the Week; activities for home educated children, 6-11 years.

Booking essential.

Wednesday 18 March, 2-4pm Volunteer Recruitment Drop-in. Coffee, cake and chat about helping with learning activities, practical conservation and hosting courses for adults over 16 years.

Saturday 21 March, 10am-noon Young Wardens; practical conservation and naturalist skills. Booking essential.

Saturday 21 March, 2-4pm Family Forest Schools; den building, fires, woodland crafts and activities.

Over 18 months.

Foxburrow Farm, near Woodbridge IP12 1NA Booking: www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/events / 01473 890089

DEBEN FLOWER CLUB Hazel McGregor from Elmswell will present a demonstration entitled Floral Fusion when we meet at Kirton Church Hall (Church Lane, Kirton IP10 0PU) on Tuesday 10 March at 7.30pm.

There will be a fundraising stall with cakes, chocolates and Easter goodies and Hazel’s floral designs will be raffled at the end of the evening. Tea coffee and biscuits will be available.

Visitors, you are asked to pay £5, are always assured of a warm welcome.

IPSWICH PHILATELIC SOCIETY We now have two meetings per month on the first and third Wednesdays.

February 5 was a member’s evening where a dozen members displayed items from their own collections. These included the grand dukes and duchesses of Belgium, First World War correspondence, catapult mail, early Austria, early GB postmarks on Penny Reds and Channel Island occupation stamps during the Second World War. One member, who displayed stamps featuring food, even made some ANZAC biscuits for us to try. Very tasty they were too.

February 19 was our annual competition where another dozen members entered items from their collections to be judged by fellow members. The varied selection and the results can be seen at: www.ipswichphilatelic.uk There is a whole host of information about us and about stamp collecting on the website so please visit. Or come along to one of our meetings at Cedarwood Primary School in Kesgrave. You’ll also find the programme and directions online.

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OUT & ABOUT / SCHOOLS

WOODBRIDGE CAMERA CLUB We all had a great night in January with Julian Claxton and a presentation titled Give a Child a Camera. Thirty members supported the evening and were spellbound with his talk and the images taken by him and the children he has worked with. Julian left with a donation of more than £100 towards the charity, plus cameras, bags and a tripod ready for his next trip to Uganda and Rwanda.

Huge thanks to Julian for his talk and for all the work he does.

On Tuesday 17 March, Alan Sarsby will present a workshop style guide to image editing. We will meet at Quay Church Hall, 7.15 for 7.30pm www.woodbridgecameraclub.co.uk

WOODBRIDGE PROBUS The talk by Co-op Estate Planning at our February meeting drove home some hard facts about how easy it can be to lose your inheritance and investment and how frightening sideways disinheritance can be.

John Griffith will present a talk entitled Ipswich Airport Remembered at our next meeting on Monday 4 March. Many of you will remember the airport and trips to the continent. Aviation started in the area in 1912 but the first airport wasn’t created until 1927, followed by the Nacton Heath Airfield in 1930. Our photo shows an Auster over the airport at that time. Civil aviation flourished there until its takeover by the RAF for the duration of the war.

It was then used for flights to the continent and as a centre for private flying.

The sad end came in 1996 with a housing development.

Our meetings are held at Woodbridge Golf Club on the first Monday of each month when we enjoy a social drink, lunch and a speaker. Visit our website for more information or contact Howard Davies at 01394 385023.

Credit HRussell/Woodbridgeschool

NUMBER DAY FUN AT WOODBRIDGE SCHOOL PREP Woodbridge School Prep has marked St Valentine’s Day with a difference this year by holding a We Love Numbers Day. To celebrate how much the children love numbers and to raise funds for the NSPCC, they donated money so they could dress-up in digit themed clothes and Year 5 held a fantastic number inspired bake sale.

The children enjoyed hands-on team maths activities all day – from outdoor number hunts to solving cube challenges, creating maths bunting, dice games and a new school mascot for maths – a mathscot!

More than £350 was raised as part of the NSPCC annual Number Day campaign which is celebrating its 20th birthday this year. Children at Woodbridge School Prep learnt about the important work that the NSPCC does to help keep children safe.

Mrs Helen Russell, recently appointed director of studies and maths lead said: “The enthusiasm shown by the Woodbridge School Prep community for our first We Love Numbers Day has been inspiring; the children have shown all the learning values we love to see: communication, leadership, initiative, collaboration and kindness – it’s been a wonderful Learning@Woodbridge day!”

www.woodbridgeprobus.org.uk

SPEAK EASY AT MARTLESHAM If you are 18 years or over and keen to improve your confidence, public speaking and/or leadership skills in a friendly and supportive atmosphere, why not come along to Speak Easy at Martlesham speakers’ club?

We are affiliated to Toastmasters International, a non-profit educational organisation that has helped people in 143 countries build their confidence as speakers and leaders since 1924. Our members take part in meetings and follow projects, at their own pace, in Pathways, the educational resource provided by Toastmasters International.

ST MARY’S PRIMARY SCHOOL Did you know that more than 16 million acres of land have gone up in flames over these last few months? Or that more than one billion animals have unfortunately lost their lives due to these flames? For Year 6, leaving them to suffer wasn’t an option so we decided to take action.

For further information please contact Margaret Stanway: 07979 373934 / president@speak-easy.org.uk

Many Australian animals, such as koalas, kangaroos, wombats and dingoes, were burnt, lost their homes or even died. Although we can’t bring them back to life we can try and help the surviving animals to recover so we decided to organise a cake sale to raise money for Wires, a charity which helps the thousands of species of wildlife that live in Australia. The entire school brought in cakes to sell at break time and after school. We raised £177. Some children are knitting blankets and making mittens for the injured animals.

www.speak-easy.org.uk / Facebook: @SpeakEasyMartlesham

By School Reporters Ella and Romily

Speak Easy meetings are held on alternate Thursdays (March 5 and 19) from 7.15-9.30pm at the Richards Room in Martlesham (behind Tesco).

Guests are always welcome to attend; we look forward to seeing you.

www.keepingintouchwith.com/woodbridge

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SCHOOLS / SPORT SPRING TERM AT BRIGHT STARS Fun activity sessions for pre-school aged children with parents, grandparents, friends, family and/or carers on the second and fourth Monday of each month during term times from 10.30am-noon at St Michael’s Church Centre, Martlesham Heath IP5 3PL.

Although most boats are laid up for the winter with essential maintenance continuing, members are enjoying on-shore activities and an active social programme for everyone, from dancing and walks to Wednesday club suppers.

Sessions are free and usually based on a theme. This term included being the Wise Men as they travelled to see Jesus and decorating bags to take with us. In another session we heard about Jesus meeting four fishermen, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John, and how he asked them to help tell people about God.

The winter programme of Sunday talks also continues with wide ranging subjects. The loss of HMY Iolaire was a moving, yet fascinating talk by David Lambert. The Iolaire (Gaelic for sea-eagle) sunk on New Year’s Day 1919 as it was bringing men who had fought in the First World War home to the Isle of Lewis.

The remaining spring season dates are March 9 and 23 and the first date in the summer season is April 27. Just turn up, there’s no need to let us know in advance. For further information please contact Sonya and Maureen Burrows: 01473 625196

BADMINTON FOR BEGINNERS At this time of year it can be difficult getting some exercise without braving the winter weather or going to a gym. Playing badminton is a much more enjoyable alternative. A recent survey has revealed that 991,800 adults in England play badminton at least once per month so, although rarely seen on television, it’s a very popular sport to play.

Suffolk Badminton Association has been running recreational badminton sessions in Woodbridge for several years. For those who have not played before or perhaps have only played at school, two of the six courts are going to be reserved for beginners. The emphasis will be on fun so there will be no coaching, although some guidance will be available on aspects of the sport.

Rackets will be available to borrow and shuttlecocks will be provided. The sessions are on Friday evenings from 8-9.30pm in The Dome Sports Hall at Woodbridge School.

To encourage people to try badminton, first sessions are free; after that it’s just £3 (£1.50 for full-time students). There is no membership requirement so no membership fee. Players aged about 14 to 65+ are welcome, but those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. To reserve a place please contact Peter Webb: 01394 386452 / peter@suffolkbadminton.co.uk

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It was a moonless night, storming a force 8-10, when the ship hit the aptly named Beast of Holm rocks (pictured) and 205 men died (181 were islanders). There were individual tales of heroism, such as John Macleod bravely swimming ashore with a line so 40 men could be saved. There were personal tales of tragedies, men who had survived torpedoing in the war, only to cruelly die within sight of their homes.

There is a well-planned programme of future talks organised by Captain Peter King, including the renowned humourist Charlie Haylock (In a Manner of Speaking) and Sue Whisstock, whose father Claude Whisstock owned the eponymous boatyard in Woodbridge.

Wednesday suppers continue with 40 members enjoying a convivial evening with home cooked food. Other winter activities include weekly maintenance parties, Thursday walks, the Monday Ladies Club and, of course, the bar which is open to members on Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes.

Day skipper courses, essential for those who are new to sailing or want to brush up, and the RYA DSC YHF course will soon begin and there’s a lunch for members looking to find crew and skippers on Saturday 14 March. The club programme of cruises will be announced on March 15, with cruises to well-loved havens along the East coast and further afield, plus some exciting new voyages.

If all this sounds tempting and you want to join a friendly cruising club, do check out the club website. New members are always made welcome. www.woodbridgecruisingclub.org

In Touch online:

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

Rotary Club of Felixstowe (in conjunction with Suffolk Division England Boxing)

CHARITY BOXING DINNER Friday 15 May 2020

At Brackenbury Sports Centre Felixstowe For reservations please contact

Mandy Tyler mandy@beatons.co.uk Phone 01473 659777

Main Sponsor

Main Beneficiary

A table of ten ÂŁ600, price includes 3 course meal 10 bouts of quality Amateur Boxing licenced under official AIBA Rules

www.keepingintouchwith.com/woodbridge

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