Rural Coffee Caravan - Catch Up - Issue 10 - July 2022

Issue Ten This magazine is

FREE Please take one

Rural Coffee Caravan

www.ruralcoffeecaravan.org.uk

Front Cover: Rainbow over the Show by Annette Dunning. Suffolk Show, Trinity Park, Ipswich Above photo: A tranquil moment at Red Rooster Festival by Diana Patrick. Euston Park Estate

Welcome to Issue 10 of Catch Up. We have a lot to report on as the last few weeks have been exceptionally busy!

Our diary is filling with visits both old and new and we are so enjoying being back on the road, meeting up with old friends, making new ones and doing what we do best, connecting rural people to each other and to the their wider communities.

Our MeetUpMondays™ network is growing as pubs and cafes feel able to restart their sessions and we have welcomed new members too. We are always looking for new venues, so if you have a pub or café in your area that you think might like to run these sessions, please tell them about MeetUpMondays,™ or tell us and we will approach them for you. They really are fantastic weekly events that everyone enjoys and most importantly they are a great comfort to those of us who spend more time than we would like, on our own.

You will read inside about our community concerts with members of the Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra, our visits to the Suffolk Show, The Red Rooster Festival, Suffolk Day and Festival of Suffolk and Euston Rural Pastimes as well as our wonderful visits to rural places with our campervans. We have certainly been busy!

Also of course, there are many other articles of interest along with important information.

Please do share this magazine when you have finished with it. We have limited resources so cannot print as many as we would ideally like so your help in sharing each copy is invaluable.

Ann ☺

We wish you all a very happy summer.

2

Issue #10 Contents

•

Out and About - with the Rural Coffee Caravan

•

The Suffolk Medal 2022

•

Get Suffolk Reading

•

Quiet Lanes Suffolk

•

MeetUpMondays™

•

Suffolk Dog Day

•

Healthwatch Suffolk - help to shape dementia care in Suffolk

•

Beware! Rogue trader alert from Suffolk Trading Standards

•

‘Get on board’ with the Mid Suffolk Light Railway Museum

•

Rising cost of living - things to do if you’re struggling

•

Felixstowe Food For All

•

c-a-f-e (coffee and friends events)

3

Out and about with the Rural Coffee Caravan

Elders Tribe Celebration - Holton Our engagement team member Annette joined the Elders Tribe Celebration at Kaliwood, in Holton, back in May: “Our time together started with a beautiful shared lunch in the woods around the camp fire. Then a lovely wander around Kaliwood, connecting with the elements and memories everyone had made throughout the year, across the seasons. Re -enactments of moments of their time together were enabled through mime, puppet shows, leaf gathering, wood carving and lots of art work. Chi Gong under the Hornbeams, then singing with the delightful box of noise makers, I loved my small accordion.

Above: Elders Tribe shared lunch at the Camp. Below left: Bermondsey Bertie in the bender.

Gabrielle introduced us to the honey comb retrieved from Kaliwoods hive just a few hours previously and we were allowed to try the beautiful sweet honey.

Virginia Storey inspects the fresh honeycomb

woods by Meg and we all sang along to music from the International Space Wagon – solar powered of course!”

Bermondsey Bertie donned a pearly coat made for the occasion and he officially opened the bender made in the

For more information on the project go to: www.kindaforestschool.com/ wood-weaving-central Village Visit – Cavendish We had a wonderful turnout to our regular visit to Cavendish in June.

Lots of new people coming along to join in the chat, including one lovely visitor, Renee, who is 99 years young, proving there’s never an age to stop trying new things!

Renee has won an award for being the friendliest Sue Ryder charity volunteer, and was honoured to have been invited to visit Buckingham Palace for volunteering with Sue Ryder for 35 years!

4

Festival of Suffolk Jubilee Torch Relay

Hollesley

We were excited to hear that Helen Lewis, coordinator of the Shepherd & Dog pub’s MeetUpMondays™ group, in Hollesley, had been nominated and selected to be a torch bearer because of her dedication to the MeetUpMondays group.

Helen said: “Villagers came out to cheer the Rickshaw as it reached Hollesley Village Hall on Tuesday 31st May on its epic journey of 550 miles, visiting over 200 Suffolk villages.

The Rickshaw canopy was lowered as the rain clouds eased, and we were lucky to have a dry ride to the Shepherd and Dog where a good crowd had gathered to cheer and wave! Scarlett and I enjoyed being propelled by pedals swiftly towards Alderton, where the torch was passed on to Ruth Clark.

I suggested Scarlett joined me on the rickshaw as she is one of our occasional ‘little helpers’ who come to serve at our MeetUpMondays from the Primary School, when they can.

In the village we also had a Tea Dance with traditional tea pots, china, assorted fancy cakes, sandwiches and a celebration cake.

Some of our MeetUpMondays folk came to that too.”

Hollesley photos by Judi Hallett Wattisfield Garry was ambushed by the torch relay at the end of May. It was making its way through Wattisfield whilst he was setting up on the morning of our village visit there. He got to grab a quick photo posing with the torch!

Sotterley & Rattlesden The bunting went up for a celebratory Jubilee version of our village visit to Sotterley Chapel, on a gloriously sunny 2nd June!

At our Rattlesden visit, we loved how this patch of daisies was mown around to leave a wild area for the bugs and pollinators.

5

Out and about with the Rural Coffee Caravan

All Saints Church Worlingham, Hollesley Village Hall, Salvation Army Citadel Ipswich and St Mary’s Church Halesworth The Rural Coffee Caravan was delighted to host four free concert events in partnership with the Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra in May/June, enabling Suffolk residents to hear some of their top musicians play ‘right on their doorstep.’.

Above: Anna Noakes playing the pan pipes whilst the audience accompanied with their fingertips as the part of ‘raindrops’, at Worlingham.

Above: an engaged audience at Ipswich Salvation Army Citadel

Audience at Hollesley Village Hall, courtesy of Cheryl Gray

Helen, from Hollesley, wrote about the concert in their village: “Nearly 50 of us were privileged to listen to professional musicians from the Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra introducing and performing an engaging programme of short classical pieces.”

Suffolk Philharmonic musicians performing at Hollesley Village Hall courtesy of Cheryl Gray

“We were so grateful for this splendid opportunity to hear excellent musicians in Hollesley Village Hall.

The concerts and refreshments were free and everything was arranged and provided for us. We hope the musicians may be able to come again!”

6

Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra Concerts Worlingham, Hollesley, Ipswich and Halesworth The concert which took place at St Marys’ Church in Halesworth was attended by nearly 70 people! This included families and young children who enjoyed feasting on the fresh strawberries and cake as much as they got to enjoy a feast for their ears!

Delicious Lemon Drizzles and Victoria Sponges were kindly made for the events by two of our volunteer cake bakers, Margaret Hannay and Patricia Harper.

Our thanks also to the amazing Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra for working with us to deliver these wonderful, uplifting community events. The talented musicians often perform another one or two concerts at local schools in the area on the same day. They play favourite pieces and chat to people about the stories behind them. The musicians even sometimes rally a volunteer from the audience to conduct them during one piece of music! At Halesworth their willing volunteer for this important role was Jimmy Murray, who did a sterling job under the pressure of such a large crowd!

We received some lovely feedback from each of the concerts, about the work that we do, and about the positive effects of having such an event, and experience of first class live music, free and so locally, in times of concern over the rising costs of living.

More info on the Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra and to support the great work they do, go to: www.suffolkphil.org/communityconcert 7

Out and about with the Rural Coffee Caravan

The Suffolk Show – Trinity Park, Ipswich The Suffolk Show was extra special in this Jubilee year and we were privileged to be invited to share the specially designated Jubilee area, showcasing Suffolk over the last 70 years. In fact we had two vehicles and Lola the dog there! The Suffolk show is always a brilliant way for us to raise awareness of our work, meet up with friends from the villages, receive new invitations and catch up with other organisations that provide support.

It was hugely exciting to witness the Suffolk Jubilee pageant, ending the torch relay in the Grand Ring and seeing the amazing Red Devils display. After an absence of two years, it felt good to be with and see people out and about enjoying all that the show had to offer.

8

The Rural Coffee Caravan at the Suffolk Show

Campervan ‘Audrey’ set up and ready to greet visitors John Stark, of the Mid Suffolk Light Railway Museum (article on page 20) popped by to share a cuppa

Carolyn Squire who’d travelled from Essex to visit the show came to share a cuppa with Annette and Lola, expressing to us: “Fantastic work you do. Especially now, post Covid. Your whole set up is amazing.”

The Red Devils parachute display wows the crowd at the pageant finale of the Suffolk Show.

9

Out and about with the Rural Coffee Caravan Euston Rural Pastimes and Red Rooster Festival

We were delighted to be invited to take part in the Euston Rural Pastimes Charity Day in June, and the team worked hard at the grill dishing out bacon butties to raise funds.

Park. Together with John Farrow (the farm manager at that time) and Tim Fogden a volunteer committee was set up, which has continued to run this successful annual one day show. They have raised nearly £400,000 for charity causes over the years.

There was a fabulous atmosphere at the event, returning after the pandemic hiatus. The fair hosted activities such as a dog show, dog agility competition, a fantastic flower festival in St Genevieve’s church, a heavy horse show, car run, tractor run, and food stalls - all good fun and even free entry for the public this year!

Euston Park Rural Pastimes event has now been held every June for 24 years. It began as a fundraising show for local Blackbourne Churches and St Nicholas' Hospice Care, with the kind permission of the Fair’s President, The Duke of Grafton, who allows the One of our canine Coffee Caravan mascots, Lola, event to be held in the magnificent setting of Euston shone in the dog show bringing home rosettes and prizes for ‘Most Perky Puppy’ and ‘Best in Show’!

We were equally chuffed to be part of the Community Hub area at this year’s Red Rooster Festival, also held at Euston Park, earlier in June. A first for us for attending this event, which we discovered has such a friendly, relaxed, community atmosphere. Thanks to the Suffolk Community Foundation we were one of a handful of local charities gifted five pairs of tickets for the festival. We auctioned ours off to raise funds for our charity as part of the Festival of Suffolk/Jubilee celebrations.

Receiving donations, selling bacon rolls, holding ticket auctions and ‘name the teddy’ competitions - these are all some of the ways we try to raise funds to continue the work that we do, addressing loneliness and isolation across Suffolk. Attending events and shows such as the ones mentioned over the last few pages help us to raise awareness about the Rural Coffee Caravan and its initiatives. So far this spring/summer we’ve raised a fantastic £1340 this way! Our thanks to everyone who has donated or contributed, including Butterworth’s Teas and Barn Farm Drinks for donating some of their lovely drinks to us for these events!

10

Left to right: Boshor Ali, James Buckle, Maggi Hambling CBE, Nigel Oakley, Dame Clare Marx DBE

11 11

Getting Suffolk reading is the aim of a National Literacy Trust initiative working with schools, community organisations and families to foster a love of reading.

Jane Baldwin, a Literacy Champion in Debenham, said: “I chose to volunteer to support Get Suffolk Reading because of my love of reading, but also because it’s a brilliant initiative with as much or as little commitment as you choose.

Funded by Suffolk County Council, Get Suffolk Reading works in three target areas to engage parents and guardians to support literacy from birth, with reading shown to improve wellbeing and aspiration in young people.

“Liaising with local groups and low-key events like Look 4 a Book are easy ways to raise awareness and bring books into the community while having fun.

“Making a difference, even just to one person, is such a success, but we’re aiming to reach the whole community in some way.”

The Haverhill project was launched first, in October 2021, with Stowmarket and Lowestoft following in the new year.

If you live in Stowmarket or IP14, Haverhill or Lowestoft and would like to become a Literacy Champion get in touch at getsuffolkreading@literacytrust.org.uk.

Volunteers – called Literacy Champions – are focused in each of these areas, and families across Suffolk can get involved in various community activities too.

If you are outside these areas you can still support your community – here are some ideas to get you started.

So far, community bookshelves have been set up in a number of locations with people encouraged to read and swap titles. Look 4 a Book activities, which involve hiding books across a town or postcode for families to find and keep, have been popular. Writing and reading competitions have invited entries from across the county.

•

Set up a community bookshelf in a local business or somewhere with plenty of footfall

•

Start a reading group, for adults or children – ask your local library if it can help with sourcing books

•

Organise a book swap with your friends, neighbours or community Facebook group

•

Volunteer with your local library or community centre – maybe they’d appreciate story tellers, shelf tidiers or even leaders for a new special interest club

•

Check out getsuffolkreading.org.uk or follow @GetSuffolkReading on Facebook to see what we’re up to and get inspiration!

Anyone can get involved Sarah Maidment, Get Suffolk Reading Project Manager in Stowmarket, said: “In our more rural areas we rely on our brilliant volunteers who know their communities best to help create opportunities to read and enjoy books together.

“Anyone can get involved – more than anything we are looking for people with a passion to support their community. They may have an interest that can be linked back to a love of reading, or just want to get involved in their local area.

“IP14 is our biggest rural area and thanks to our volunteers we expect to offer a number of activities and events over the summer.”

These include more community bookshelves, story trails, a book-gifting bus tour and plenty of themed events.

12

www.quietlanessuffolk.co.uk/view-our-map If you would like a road in your parish designated a Quiet Lane you can register your interest on the Quiet Lanes Suffolk website. www.quietlanessuffolk.co.uk 13 13

MeetUpMondays™ is a network of pubs and cafés throughout Suffolk (and growing across the UK) helping to address loneliness and isolation since 2018.

MeetUpMondays™ creates opportunities for folk on their own to access regular company without feeling labelled as lonely, and helps to reinforce our local pubs and cafés as community hubs.

Just turn up on the day, grab a free cuppa, and chat! More info and a map of participating host venues can be found on our website and social media pages.

Barleycorn (Brandon)

Mondays 10.30am – 11.30am

Hopton Road, Thelnetham, Diss IP22 1JN Tel: 01379 898800 Phone only manned part time presently

Mondays 10.30am – 12 noon

The 147 Club

Sea Rd, Felixstowe IP11 2DH Tel: 01394 276012

Mondays 10am – 12 noon

Groups currentlyTel: active in and around Suffolk 01394 384627

The Cherry Tree

73 Cumberland St, Woodbridge IP12 4AG

Mondays 10am – 12 noon

The Golden Key

Priory Road, Snape, Suffolk IP17 1SA Tel: 01728 688510

Mondays 10am – 11.30am

Emmaus Suffolk

Sailmakers Shopping Centre, Tavern Street, Ipswich IP1 3BB Tel: 01473 225627

Mondays 12.30pm – 4pm

The Butchers Arms

London Rd, Beccles NR34 9YT Tel: 01502 712243

Mondays 4pm – 5.30pm

Combat2Coffee

8 Northgate Street, Ipswich IP1 3BZ Tel: 07736 351406

Mondays 10am – 12 noon

The Golden Boar

The Street, Freckenham, Newmarket IP28 8HZ Tel: 01638 723000

Mondays 2.30pm – 4pm

Sproughton Community Shop

Tithe Barn, Lower Street, Sproughton IP8 3AA Tel: 01473 747768

Mondays 9.30am – 11.30am

The Bluebell Tea Rooms

Bypass Nurseries, London Rd, Capel St Mary IP9 2JR Tel: 01473 806620

Mondays 10am – 12 noon

Fisher Theatre

10 Broad Street, Bungay NR35 1EE Tel: 01986 897130

Mondays 10.30am – 12.30pm

Somersham & District Community Shop

Princes Gardens, Lower Somersham IP8 4PF Tel: 01473 833416

Mondays 2pm – 3.30pm

The Wellington

27-29 High Street, Feltwell IP26 4AF Tel: 01842 828224

Mondays 2pm – 4pm

White Horse

97, North Street, Sudbury CO10 1RF Tel: 01787 374321

Mondays 10.30am – 12 noon

The Engine Room

Charles Burrell Centre, Staniforth Road IP24 3LH Tel: 01824 779867

Mondays 12 noon – 2pm

The George

52 High Street, Hadleigh IP7 5AL Tel: 01473 822151

Mondays 11am - 12.30am

*NEW*

The White Horse *NEW*

14

www.meetupmondays.org.uk

Brandon Health & Leisure Centre, Church Road , Brandon IP27 0JB

The Norman Warrior

Fir Lane, Lowestoft NR32 2RB Tel: 01502 561982

Mondays 10am - 12 Noon

Barleycorn (Mildenhall)

30 Marketplace, Mildenhall IP28 7EF Tel: 01638 712877

Mondays 9.30am -11am

The Greyhound

9 Henley Road, Ipswich IP1 3SE Tel: 01473 252862

Mondays 10am - 11.30am

Pennoyer Centre

Station Road, Pulham St Mary IP21 4QT Tel: 01379 676660

Mondays 10am - 11.30 am

The Shepherd and Dog

The Street, Hollesley, Woodbridge IP12 3QU Tel: 01394 411855

Mondays 2 pm – 4 pm

The Angel

2 Theatre St, Woodbridge IP12 4NE Tel: 01394 382660

Mondays 4 pm – 7 pm

Clare Antiques and Interiors

The Mill, Malting Lane, Clare CO10 8NW Tel: 01787 278449

Mondays 10 am – 12 noon

The Crown Hotel

25 High Street, Watton IP25 6AB Tel: 07458 396722

Mondays 10 am – 12 noon

CoffeeLink, Leiston Co-op

Sizewell Road, Leiston IP16 4AE Tel: 01728 831613

Mondays 10am – 11.30am

The Sun Inn

High Street, Dedham, Colchester CO7 6DF Tel: 01206 323351

Mondays 10.30am – 12 noon

The Meadlands

93 Needham Rd, Stowmarket IP14 2AD Contact via email: stowmeadlandsrec@gmail.com

Tuesdays 10am – 11.30am

The Garden House

1 Pembroke Road, Norwich NR2 3HD Tel: 01473 624038

Tuesdays 12pm - 1pm

Combat2Coffee

12 Guildhall Street, Bury St Edmunds IP33 1PR Tel: 07889 767695

Wednesdays 10am – 12 noon

The Corn Hall

St Nicholas Street, Diss IP22 4LB Tel: 01379 652241

Wednesdays 3pm

The Chestnut Horse

Great Finborough IP14 3AT Tel: 01449 674688

Wednesdays 12 noon – 2pm

The Crown Inn

Bridge Road, Snape IP17 1SL Tel: 01728 689112

Wednesdays 10am – 12 noon

The Brantham Bull

The Street, Brantham, Suffolk CO11 1PN Tel: 01473 328248

Wednesdays 10am – 12 noon

Café 66

Kesgrave Scout Hall, Twelve Acre Approach IP5 1JF Tel: 07852 902879

Wednesdays 10am – 11am

Pura Vida

High Road, Wortwell, Norfolk IP20 0EN Tel: 01379 766200

Wednesdays 9.30am - 11.30am

The Five Bells

Southwold Road, South Cove, Wrentham NR34 7JD Tel: 01502 675249

Thursdays 10am – 12 noon

The Golf Hotel

748 Foxhall Road, Ipswich IP4 5TR Tel: 01473 727450

Thursdays 12 noon – 2pm

Brewers Arms

18-20 Orford Street, Ipswich IP1 3NS Tel: 01473 790862

Fridays 12 noon - 2pm

@MeetUpMondays

@MeetUpMondays

1.30pm –

@MeetUpMondays_Network

www.meetupmondays.org.uk 15

Suffolk Dog Day takes place at Helmingham Hall on Sunday 31st July!

What is Suffolk Dog Day? This is no ordinary day in the doggy diary, but a day to celebrate our furry friends in all their guises. Enjoy a great day out with your dogs, family and friends.

There are fun dog classes with great prizes, agility, dog scurry and lots of attractions and trade stands to keep everyone entertained.

This year you’ll have a chance to vote for your favourite breeds and the winners will be showcased at our annual breed parades with our #RoyalSeven competition.

After watching these spectacular parades, make sure you take yourself down to the Pound Gates Happy Hub where you can speak to a number of charities, chill out with your four legged companion...and relax!

Highlights include: • Fun Dog classes for everyone to enter, with • • • • • • • •

great prizes Helmingham Ring Agility Ring Suffolk Ring Activities for you and your dog Children’s activities More than 50 stalls selling everything from dog accessories to cheese Catering Village Entertainments and demonstrations.

What’s more, included within the ticket price is entry to Helmingham Gardens.

Back by popular demand, Suffolk Dog Day is giving you the chance to decide which breeds will be showcased in our Royal Breed Parade!

Whether you want to show off your Chihuahua or your Great Dane, we want you to head over to our website to vote, in order to make sure they have their moment! The top 7 breeds will then be the main attraction at Helmingham Hall, with the chance to crown them category champions!

16

What is a ‘Working Dog Scurry’ and how can you get involved?

A working dog scurry is often the perfect way to introduce your dog to working competitions and is based on your dogs ability to retrieve dummies from a starting pistol. Any dog is able to enter regardless of their experience and we find all breeds, big or small, love to take part! We will be holding a Skinner's Working Dog Scurry at Suffolk Dog Day 2022, as well as a lake scurry, which involves your fourlegged friends taking a lovely dip in the wonderful lake at Helmingham Hall.

Paws for thought at the Pound Gates Happy Hub! At the heart of Suffolk Dog Day, it has always been the aim to make a difference to people’s lives by raising money for good causes. Doing good by simply having fun with your four legged friends in the Suffolk countryside can’t be bad can it? It is great for the wellbeing of everyone - on two legs and four! But this year, in partnership with Pound Gates, we wanted to put an extra wag in everyone’s tail by bundling all that joy together into one Hub of Happiness. Bring a smile to your face by paying the hub a visit to find out more about the great work your latest visit to Suffolk Dog Day is achieving.

Meet the friendly and fabulous charities your entrance fee is supporting, find out more about what they do, how they do it and the happiness they bring everyday to people’s lives in Suffolk! Who knows you may find a little extra happiness of your own!?

Come along - GET HAPPY!!!

Volunteer at Suffolk Dog Day We could not run this event without the fantastic support of our 150+ amazing volunteers. If you would like to join us this summer, in helping bring back Suffolk Dog Day bigger and better than ever before - we would be thrilled to welcome you to the team. Get in touch with us at suffolkdogdayvolunteers@gmail.com More information on Suffolk Dog Day and ticket prices can be found at www.suffolkdogday.com

Suffolk Dog Day is organised by Suffolk Community Foundation to support their work throughout the county.

Company Reg. No. 5369725 | Charity Number 1109453 Suffolk Community Foundation is a member of the UK Community Foundations.

17

Healthwatch Suffolk is working with a local network of leaders and organisations (the Dementia Action Partnership) to explore the experiences of people living with dementia, and There are two ways you can help us. their carers.

This is your chance to shape support for dementia in Suffolk. Please take part if you can, and share this page with other people whose lives have been affected by dementia.

1. Complete our short survey

You can go online (www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/ HWSDementiaSurvey/) to take part in our short survey. It’s only very brief, and aims to capture your You can take part if you have a lived experience experiences, and what could be improved about to share about dementia, or are caring for local support.

someone who has dementia.

We’re aiming to address questions such as:

• • •

•

You can access other formats of the survey below.

2. Take part in an interview

What is support in Suffolk like for people who have dementia, and their carers?

You can also sign-up to take part in an interview with us. If you do, our team will help you to explore What could help you, or the person you care for, your experiences in greater depth. You can do this after completing our survey above, or you can skip to live well with dementia at home? the survey and take part in an interview only.

What is care in hospitals and other NHS services All we need is consent to contact you about this. (e.g. GP practices) like for people who have Our team will then be able to talk to you in more dementia? What could be improved about it? detail about what it means to take part in the Suffolk has an ambition to become a dementia interviews, and how we will make sure people are friendly county, but what does this mean to local supported throughout. people and to people who have dementia?

Go online: (www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/ These are just some of the questions we want to HWSDementiaProjectConsenttoContactForm/) to explore, amongst others. sign-up for an interview, or call the number below.

How the results will be used

Need support to take part?

We’ll be working on this project up to the end of March 2023, and that will include the launch of another survey about attitudes to dementia later in the year (watch this space).

If you need support to share your experiences, we can help.

We plan to share people’s experiences widely with key NHS and Suffolk County Council decisionmakers, and the Suffolk Dementia Forum. We want to make sure people’s experiences are included within their future plans for dementia support in Suffolk.

We will also share your experiences nationally with Healthwatch England so that it can use our local data to inform any national work on dementia support and policy.

Alternative formats of our survey, as well as translated packs in Polish, Portuguese, and Romanian, are available below (e.g. a survey with large font in Microsoft Word).

You can also call us on freephone 0800 448 8234 (you will not have to pay for the call).

Our staff are on hand (9am – 5pm Monday to Friday), and they can help you to record your experiences. Please leave us a message if we’re not available and we will return your call as soon as possible.

You can also send us an email with an enquiry to research@healthwatchsuffolk.co.uk.

18

Please share with friends, family and colleagues.

Have you been approached by a trader offering work on your garden?

Suffolk Trading Standards are receiving multiple reports of traders going door to door across Ipswich offering pressure washing services. Reports have been received of them calling at properties around Cliff Lane, Woodbridge Road, Gainsborough Road and in Henley.

Have you been approached? Suffolk Trading Standards needs information on the individuals, the company they work for and any vehicles that they have.

While it might be tempting to agree to low prices being offered on the doorstep, think twice. Do your research before agreeing to have any work carried out. Don't be fooled by sign printed vans, glossy leaflets and a website.

if you think work needs doing to your home, get quotes from 2 or 3 traders

•

ask for the full name and address from a trader before considering dealing with them, and never rely solely on a mobile phone number

•

ask for a written quotation detailing all the proposed work and a final price for the job

•

only pay once the work is completed to your satisfaction, don't pay up front for materials, don't pay cash.

If you have any information, or if you have been approached by these doorstep callers, please contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133. When reporting doorstep incidents, please try to supply key information such as the description of the individual and their vehicle, including the make, model and vehicle registration if seen.

Follow this advice: •

•

never agree to have any work done as a result of a cold call, and don't be pressurised into having the job done immediately

They charged the resident a total of £4950, which was paid in cash over the days that the trader was at the property.

APPEAL Can you help?

The resident confronted the trader. The man reassured them, and advised them that many of their neighbours have a contract for their services.

Recently, a Brandon resident was approached at the door by a man offering gardening work. The trader advised that a contract for the year could be set up for £650, and the resident could claim money back via a tax back scheme. The resident agreed and the trader started straight away, with no contract, paper work or cancellation notice given. The trader went on to carry out extensive unnecessary work on the property over the course of a few days, each day demanding more money be paid.

The trader then never returned and no refund has been received.

Have you been approached in the same manner? If you have any information that may help to identify the trader or if you think you may be a victim yourself, please contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.

Without permission the trader dug up much of the garden and pulled up the patio. The trader laid new turf and put the same patio slabs back down.

19 19

Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Museum virtually all of them closed in the 1930s, and the 1950s, due to competition from improved roads and vehicles.

Guest article by John Stark, chairman of the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway (MSLR) affectionately known as the ‘Middy’.

The original plan was for a line from Haughley to Halesworth with an additional line from Kenton, near Debenham, to Westerfield.

The Middy is Suffolk’s only Construction started in 1902 but the standard gauge heritage railway railway went bankrupt and was placed and I would like to tell you about in receivership. Only the 19 miles our railway museum and its between Haughley and Laxfield were volunteering opportunities. brought into regular use. The line opened for goods in 1904 and for Porter Alan Gardiner awaiting the “The country lanes” of arrival of ‘Wissington’ at Brockford passengers in 1908. In 1924 the line the railway network became part of the LNER. In 1948 it Station. Photo by Steve Sedgwick. became part of British Railways and it The museum, which is a charity, closed in July 1952. was started in 1991 to keep alive the memories of the original Middy which meandered through the Finest hour Suffolk countryside, serving the local communities, The line suffered from financial problems all of its for nearly 50 years. life, and sadly its finest hour was in WW2 when it The original Middy was a standard gauge, light supplied the USAAF at RAF Mendlesham and RAF railway (i.e. a lightly-engineered railway). Light Horham. railways (both standard and narrow gauge) were a Our museum is located in the goods yard of the old Victorian idea to fill in the “gaps” in the railway Brockford station and we have slowly extended network, mainly in the countryside. They were our line up the original track-bed for one at Wilby, “the country lanes” of the railway network and at the end of the line.

We started running steam trains in 2002 and currently run for just 30 days in the year, due to a planning condition, mainly on summer Sundays. Small tank engines hauled our Victorian carriages up and down the line every half-hour.

Telling the story Our museum hosts a collection of standard gauge locomotives and rolling stock, as well as providing a home for smaller artefacts, documents and models which tell the story of the original Middy.

We are very proud to have 3 original 20

An Opportunity to ‘Get On Board’ with ‘The Middy’

buildings on display and in use. We also have a café, a bar, a shop, plus a small industrial unit for carriage and wagon maintenance, and a splendid, HLF-funded Restoration Shed for restoration and repair work.

restore our own locomotive, a 1928 HudswellClarke 0-6-0 saddle tank, No.1604.

We’re especially proud to have 3 original Middy buildings on display and in use. We’re also proud of our restoration of Great Eastern Railway 1st class smoking carriage No.140 of 1863, and possibly the oldest known railway horsebox, GER No.180, built in 1869.

Get Involved The Middy is run by volunteers and there are many roles available in a wide range of areas. Volunteers are needed to run the railway on events days, to maintain the museum, to carry out the restoration work, and help manage the museum.

We are currently involved in a lengthy project to

For more information and details on how to get involved, please see our website

www.mslr.org.uk or telephone 01449 766899

Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Museum Brockford Station Wetheringsett Stowmarket IP14 5PW

Friendships are like flowers, With love and care they grow.

We snapped two of our Rural Coffee Caravan team members, Diana and Elaine, posing as beautiful blooms at The Red Rooster Festival in June!

21

Are you, or is someone you know, worrying about the rising costs of living?

Things to do if you know someone is struggling: Get a benefits check if you’re over 65. You may be eligible for pension credit that you’re not claiming, so it’s worth checking. Also if you care for someone there is support via Attendance Allowance or Carers Allowance. Call Communities Together East Anglia on 01284 334516 for help and advice.

Suffolk County Council has a list of 42 Food Banks across the county that don’t require a professional referral: www.suffolk.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/ suffolk-advice-and-support-service/food-banks/ Ask the food bank to contact us at Rural Coffee Caravan for a free slow cooker from our Cooking With Kindness Appeal (whilst we have some left).

Food writer and anti poverty campaigner Jack Monroe publishes tasty and very cheap but nutritionally balanced recipes on her blog: www.cookingonabootstrap.com

over £3M raised

call Suffolk Community Founda-

Apply to the Rebuilding Local lives Fund, or, if you can afford to, donate to them! Call Suffolk Community Foundation on 01473 602602 for more information.

If you can afford just £1 a week, become a member of 500 Suffolk Reasons, then you can nominate a household in need to receive £500. www.500suffolkreasons.org Stay connected! If you have a MeetUpMondays™ locally, go along. Take part in community activities.

Struggling financially can be so lonely, it’s vital for mental health to stay connected. See the listings on page 12 and 13 to find your nearest host venue.

Talk to your energy provider if you can’t pay your bill, don’t just ignore it. Negotiate a payment plan with them.

Don’t stay silent. If you need help, ask.

22

We are here to keep you fed throughout the summer holidays from 25th July to 31st August 2022 so come along and join us for a FREE hot or cold meal: Mondays @The Salvation Army 12pm Cobbold Road, Felixstowe IP11 7EL Call 07500 058657 Tuedays @St Edmunds Church Hall 12pm Langer Road IP11 2HN Call 07901 950768 Wednesdays @Bathesda Baptist Church 12pm, Cavendish Road IP11 2AR. Call 07485 058907

Wednesdays @Stennetts Community Café 12pm Victoria Hall Pavilion, Stennetts Close IP11 0TZ. Call 07889 375004 Thursdays @St Philips Community Hub 12pm Wadgate Road IP11 2LY Call 07394 177634 Fridays @Cuppa 12pm High Road, Walton IP11 9AA Call 01394 547160

Everyone is welcome, no questions asked.

To find out more and book your family’s place please call the numbers above.

Spaces are limited so call today!

23

c-a-f-e is a Rural Coffee Caravan initiative helping to connect Suffolk community groups with organisations which can offer free support, advice, training & information, to help groups and clubs flourish and become sustainable. Here are our active c-a-f-e group members:

Brandon Day Centre c-a-f-e ‘Old Friends, New Friends’

*NEW* Tattingstone Every Thursday 10.30am – 12pm

Mondays 10am—12 noon Brandon Day Centre, Warren Close, Brandon IP27 0EE

Tattingstone Village Hall, School Road IP9 2ND Our village hall is located close to Alton Water and is a lovely venue for a cuppa and chat, choose from our speciality teas, coffee, hot chocolate or squash, accompanied with biscuits. There is a small charge of £1 per adult, children are free. Please feel free to borrow a book or jigsaw from our tabletop library.

The hall has a car park and wheelchair access making it accessible to all.

Call Tricia on 07895 052 086 for more info.

Come and join us each week for some friendly company and chat, all welcome! Friends old and new! Tel: 01842 819 777 Suffolk Carers Natter sessions are FREE and aimed at family carers 55+ coming together to meet with others within their communities whereby creating friendships, sharing experiences and forming networks of peer to peer support over a cuppa and cake. For more info on all of the below sessions: email Sharon or call 01284 333035.

Metfield Community c-a-f-e First Saturday of the month 9am—12 noon Metfield Village Hall, Skinner’s Lane, Metfield IP20 0LH All ages welcome, come along to tuck into breakfast and real coffee. An opportunity to meet up with old friends and make new ones! 9am-12 Noon. There will be a rolling programme of interests. For more info on the current month’s events and offers to be involved, contact: Lorraine – 01379 586 307, Chris – 01379 586 560, Lynda – 01379 588 170.

*NEW* STARTS 5th JULY Wickham Market First Tuesday of the month 10am – 12pm Vida Haus Cafe, Three Tuns, Main Road, Pettistree, Wickham Market IP13 0HW *NEW* STARTS 6th JULY Brandon Fortnightly on Wednesdays 10am – 12pm Tilly's Tearoom, Brandon IP27 0AA, UK Felixstowe Fortnightly on Thursdays 10.30am – 12.30pm The Cliff Top Cafe, Cobbold Road, Felixstowe IP11 7LR

Women Like Me—Allotment Sessions Weekly from end of February

Thurston Fortnightly on Wednesdays 2pm – 4pm The Fox & Hounds pub, Thurston, Bury St Edmunds IP31 2QT

Allotment locations in Lowestoft NR32 2QL, Kessingland NR33 7SG and Beccles NR34 9BP

Beccles Fortnightly on Thursdays 10.00am – 12.00pm The Station Cafe, Station Road, Beccles NR34 9QJ

Weekly group sessions open to women, providing a place for them to just be themselves, share life experiences to learn, laugh and grow together.

Allotment sessions run in Lowestoft on Mondays, Kessingland on Tuesdays & Beccles on Wednesdays.

For more info and times email Claire at: info@women-like-me.co.uk

Woodbridge Fortnightly on Wednesdays 2pm – 4pm Christine’s Tea Rooms, 74 The Thoroughfare, Woodbridge IP12 IAL

24

Friends Round Friday Fridays 10.30am—12 noon

Dumbarton Rd Scout Hall, Dumbarton Rd, Ipswich IP4 3JP Free refreshments, all ages welcome. Toddler corner, books, games, puzzles.

Companionship and a cuppa. Info: Michelle on 07570 093 097.

Sax’cess c-a-f-e Coffee Morning Mondays 10am—12 noon Sax’cess House, 24 High Street, Saxmundham IP7 1AE Join our friendly coffee morning each week for company, chat and free tea, coffee and homemade cake! Call Jon on 07917 441 793 for more information.

Fresh Start c-a-f-e ‘Weekly Cream Tea’ Tuesdays 12.30pm—1.30pm The Millers Kitchen, Kersey Mill, Kersey IP7 6DP Weekly Cream Tea event hosted by Hadleigh Food Bank charity. £5 per person. Enjoy a scone and a cuppa and a friendly natter in a beautiful setting. Contact Angela on 07377 190 455 for more information.

Booking in advance essential.

‘Mates On Monday’ hosted by Marram Green c-a-f-e Mondays (except Bank Holidays) 10.30am – 12.30pm Marram Green Community Lounge, Hall Road, Kessingland, NR33 7AH Come and enjoy a free cuppa, cake or biscuit and some friendly chat! This event is supported by Kessingland Parish Council.

Coffee, Cake and Chat Days Second Friday of each month.

Drop in between 10am – 12pm or 1pm – 3pm Michael Burke Wellbeing Centre, Hartismere Hospital, Castleton Way, Eye IP28 7BH Our events are designed to give people the opportunity to get out, meet new people and make friends. Everyone is welcome. We do not charge for refreshments, although donations towards our costs are always gratefully received.

Call Bev on 01379 388682 for more info.

Coffee, Cake and Catch Up First Wednesday of each month 10am – 12pm Main Road, Benhall, Suffolk, IP17 1NA Your chance to get together with friends old & new alike in a rural setting within our market garden. Watch out for the chickens! All welcome!

Email hello@railwayfarmshop.co.uk for more info.

If your local group is interested in joining the network you can find out more by visiting the c-a-f-e page on the Rural Coffee Caravan website: www.ruralcoffeecaravan.org.uk, by emailing us at cafe@ruralcoffeecaravan.org.uk or by calling us on 01379 855 338.

25

26

Rural Coffee Caravan The Old Shop Harleston Road Weybread

If you’ve something Suffolk related you would like to submit to share with readers of our magazine or digital newsletter then we’d love to hear from you!

Diss

Email us or post your ideas to us.

IP21 5TU

info@ruralcoffeecaravan.org.uk

tel: 01379 855 338

Our ‘Virtual Leaflet Rack, ‘Noticeboard’ and more news and info can be found at

www.ruralcoffeecaravan.org.uk

If you have access to the internet, you can now enter your postcode into our interactive map to find your nearest Rural Coffee Caravan Village Visit, MeetUpMondays™ host venue, local c-a-f-e (coffee and friends events) or see if there is a More Than A Shop store near to you.

Find the map at: www.ruralcoffeecaravan.org.uk/map

Pssst… if you’ve enjoyed our magazine and can think of someone else who might like to read it, how about passing your copy on to help us share our resources with another person instead of the recycling bin?

31 27

RURAL COFFEE CARAVAN VILLAGE VISIT

TIME of visit

JULY date st

Next date

Mendlesham - Community Centre Car Park

10.00 – 12.00

1 July

5th August

Shotley - Outside the Village Hall

14.00 – 16.00

4th July

1st August

Stutton – Community Hall

10.00 – 12.00

No visit

1st August

Rattlesden - Pavilion

10.00 – 12.00

5th July

2nd August

Frostenden - Village Hall

10.30 – 12.30

5th July

2nd August

Finningham - Village Green (or church if inclement)

10.00 – 12.00

5th July

2nd August

Freckenham - East View

14.00 – 16.00

5th July

2nd August

Redlingfield - Doorstep Green

10.00 – 12.00

6th July

3rd August

Fornham All Saints (TL=Thingoe Lodge VH=Village Hall)

10.00 – 12.00

6th July (VH)

3rd August (TL)

Alpheton – Village Hall

10.00 – 12.00

No visit

10th August

Pettaugh – St Catherines Church Car Park

10.00 – 12.00

6th July

7th September

Kenton - Church Grounds

10.00 – 12.00

7th July

4th August

Sotterley - Chapel/War Memorial

10.00 – 12.00

7th July

4th August

Lidgate - Village Hall

10.00 – 12.00

8th July

12th August

Boyton - Almhouses

14.00 – 16.00

8th July

9th September

Darsham - Village Hall

10.00 – 12.00

9th July

20th July

Cavendish - Village Green

10.30 – 12.30

11th July

8th August

Benhall Green

10.00 – 12.00

12th July

9th August

Great Glemham – Village Hall Car Park

14.00 – 16.00

12th July

13th September

Aldringham - Mill Hill

14.00 – 16.00

12th July

9th August

Framsden - Village Hall

10.00 – 12.00

13th July

14th September

Huntingfield - The Hub

14.00 – 16.00

13th July

10th August

Combs Green

10.00 – 12.00

14th July

11th August

Worlingham - Samford Court

14.00 – 16.00

14th July

11th August

Hitcham - Village Hall

14.00 – 16.00

14th July

8th September

Polstead - Village Hall TBC

10.00 – 12.00

15th July

19th August

Bramford - Loraine Victory Hall Greenspace

09.30 – 11.30

18th July

19th September

Wingfield - Castle Crescent

10.00 – 12.00

19th July

16th August

Chattisham - All Saints and St Margaret Church

10.00 – 12.00

19th July

16th August

Hintlesham - Community Hall

14.00 – 16.00

19th July

16th August

Somersham - Brook Way TBC

14.00 – 16.00

21st July

18th August

St James - St James & St Nicholas Village Hall

14.00 – 16.00

21st July

15th September

Buxhall - Village Hall

14.00 – 16.00

25th July

22nd August

Wattisfield - Community Centre

10.00 – 12.00

26th July

23rd August

Gazeley - Village Hall

10.00 – 12.00

27th July

24th August

Westhorpe - Village Hall

14.00 – 16.00

27th July

24th August

Marshmoor Park

10.00 – 12.00

28th July

25th August

Halesworth - Pear Tree Centre

10.00 – 12.00

28th July

25th August

Wixfield Park

14.00 – 16.00

28th July

25th August

Claydon - St Peter’s Court

10.00 – 12.00

29th July

26th August

Visit locations, dates and times are correct at time of going to press but may be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances or last minute isolation requirements. If you’d like to confirm any visit details before travelling, give us a call or get in touch with us using any of the methods on the previous page.

28