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In TouchVolume 7 • Issue No. 11 • SEPTEMBER 2020

with Creeting St Mary, Creeting St Peter & Needham Market

Image by David Mayhew

2 In Touch online:

Fri 21st – Thurs 27th August 100% WOLF (PG) Fri 21st – Thurs 27th: 10.30am

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3www.keepingintouchwith.co.uk/needham

NEWSA WORD FROM THE EDITOR

Published by: Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd, 20 Wharfedale Road, Ipswich IP1 4JP

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

We also publish Spotlight on Felixstowe

Printed on gloss paper from FSC certified sources

Please recycle.

EDITOR: Sharon JenkinsT: 01473 400380Send editorial copy to:sharon@intouchnews.co.ukReaders are invited to submit articles, illustrations and photographs for publication. The publishers reserve the right to amend such submissions and cannot accept responsibility for any loss.

ADVERTISINGT: 01473 400380 E: advertising@intouchnews.co.uk

DISTRIBUTIONTree Martin: 01473 400380E: tree@intouchnews.co.uk

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

While reasonable care is taken when accepting advertisements or editorial, the publisher/editor will not accept responsibility for any unsatisfactory transactions and also reserves the right to refuse to include advertising or editorial. They will, however immediately investigate any written complaints.

© Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, either wholly or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

© In Touch with Creeting St Mary, Creeting St Peter & Needham Market is published by Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd

Sun 20 Septemberis the advertising and editorial deadline for the October edition

My social life has been turned upside down in the last few months. I used to walk into town on Saturday morning, list in hand, to visit the shops and the market stalls, meet with friends for coffee and wander home in time for lunch. Now I walk into town on Saturday afternoon when it’s likely to be quieter and wave at friends from a distance. I know this isn’t what most of you might define as a ‘social life’ (and I must admit it looks pretty sad now I see it in writing) but I’ve been ‘off the scene’ for many years and happy to be so. Of course I like to paint the town red (crimson rather than fire engine) on occasion but it’s been a while since my weekends were spent in pubs and clubs, never knowing what might happen. Or who I might meet!

I did meet my husband in a packed pub back home in Ballinasloe (yes, Guinness was involved!), so for the sake of those who do enjoy an active social life or who haven’t yet met Mr or Mrs Right, I’m delighted the pubs are open again, making an extraordinary effort to adhere to guidelines and ensure the safety of staff and patrons. Restaurants too; eating a meal I haven’t had to cook myself and not having to clear up afterwards is a thrilling (yes, thrilling) prospect right now. In fact we’ve booked a table at the new Italian restaurant in town and I’ve already decided what I’m having. I start from the back, with dessert, and work upwards and shall be enjoying vanilla pannacotta with wood-roasted apricots at about 9pm on Saturday evening.

Live performance is making a comeback too, which is wonderful news for venues, artists and audiences. It will be interesting to see if performers and writers have been inspired by their lockdown experience. In fact, if you haven’t already watched Staged, a BBC comedy starring David Tennant and Michael Sheen, find it now on BBC iPlayer. It’s a wonderful treat.

If there is anything positive to take from our experience of Covid-19, it must be that it has taught us to be kind and caring. We know we can pull together when needs must and now we must use our spending power to support our local economy and attempt to stave off further job losses. Every penny you spend locally will help to secure the future of a local business and its employees, possibly even people you know.

Enjoy your freedom safely, consider the safety of others and together we can make this ‘new normal’ work in everyone’s best interests.

NEEDHAM MARKET IN BLOOMWhat a year! No sooner had we decided on our plans for the year, when everything shut down and all our plans were put on hold.

When the garden centres opened again we decided that we would get what plants we could to add to the stored cannas and fill the containers. They turned out well; thank you all who help with the watering and maintenance.

We held the judging of the High Street property’s floral displays at the end of July. The winner was Burnley House, followed by Woodwards and 83/85 High Street. A very close judgement due to the effort put in by many, and thanks go to all.

No meetings have been held, and at present, none are planned. Where would we be without email? Hopefully, we will be able to get together again in the autumn/winter, so watch this space.

If you feel that you could help in any way, please contact us: pamnmib@gmail.com / 723424 (Vera)

GREAT DAYS OUT AT NEEDHAM LAKE Visitors to Needham Lake, like Isaac Bridges, can now enjoy a day out complete with an ice-cream from the newly converted trailer run by Cabbages and Kings.

In addition to ice-cream, visitors can also enjoy snacks and refreshments from Thursday to Tuesday throughout the summer, before work on the brand-new visitor centre starts. The new centre will provide a larger café with indoor and outdoor seating and new toilets, including the introduction of a Changing Places facility. The sustainably built centre will not only welcome residents, but it is hoped it will also boost visitor numbers, support the local economy and encourage more people to enjoy a range of outdoor leisure pursuits.

Cabbages and Kings was selected as the preferred tenant in December 2019 and will manage the day to day running of the centre and café. Working in partnership with the community, they will offer a range of activities and events to help connect people and attract visitors.

Cllr Julie Flatman, Mid Suffolk District Council’s cabinet member for communities and Housing, said: “The development at Needham Lake is part of Mid Suffolk District Council and its partners’ vision to invest in Needham Market, creating a fantastic place for people to live, work and visit, and somewhere that everyone is proud to call home.”

In addition to the new visitor centre, work is also due to begin on a new pedestrian route between Needham Lake and the town centre where visitors can enjoy the High Street’s independent shops and restaurants. It has also been announced that work is beginning to deliver new homes for the town at the former Mid Suffolk District Council headquarters and former middle school site.

For more information visit: www.midsuffolk.gov.uk

4 In Touch online:

NEWS

The war in South East Asia started badly for Britain as the Japanese attacked Hong Kong on the same day that they attacked Pearl Harbour (7th December 1941), then sinking the battleships Repulse and Prince of Wales, with heavy loss of life, before they overran Burma and Singapore, where British and Commonwealth forces on the island surrendered on 15th February 1942 on the orders of Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival.

The fight to defeat and evict the invaders from the territories they had occupied in Burma, French Indo China, Philippines, Dutch East

Indies, China, Malaya and Borneo proved to be a long and brutal struggle, with the challenges of jungle-covered sharp ridged mountains, disease, and climate added to the perils enemy action.

Heavy monsoon rains flooded rivers and brought disease and mud which made Army movements slow and wearisome. XIV Army felt that they were overlooked and starved of supplies by comparison with events in Europe, hence calling themselves the ‘Forgotten Army’.

Comprising over one million fighting troops, one of the most remarkable features of South East Asia Command under Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten was the truly multi-national nature of the forces involved. Only 20 per cent of XIV Army under General Slim were British soldiers. The majority of the troops were from the Indian Army; Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs fought side by side in a common cause (in marked contrast to the divisions that would surface during partition only a few years later).

The Gurkhas earned their fearsome reputation for jungle fighting in Burma and there were large contingents from East and West Africa, plus troops from

Australia and New Zealand, in addition to Burmese and Chinese soldiers and irregulars. The Chindits operating behind enemy lines, pioneered techniques including re-supply by air, still used by Special Forces.

The SEAC Air Force was a similarly a mixed bag. The RAF was augmented with Australian, New Zealand and South African aircrew in addition to Americans. The bigger ships of the Royal Navy were attached to the US Pacific Fleet for their ‘island-hopping’ campaign aiming for an invasion of the Japanese mainland, which was only forestalled by the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Royal Navy presence in Burma was chiefly in the form of sloops, minesweepers and amphibious craft, again with sizeable contributions from the Royal Indian Navy.

Ill treatment of prisoners of war and of the civilian populations in the occupied territories by the Japanese was reprehensible and contrary to international agreements. It has been widely documented by film and books and still rankles with many of the families affected. It is notable that successive Japanese governments have never expressed regrets for this misconduct, nor offered any compensation to the victims

The 2nd Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment, a Regular Army formation, served with the 5th Indian Infantry Division In 1944, being flown to Imphal to clear Japanese positions. The 4th/5th Battalions, Suffolk Regiment were Territorial Army units. They were assigned to the 18th Infantry Division and in 1941 were switched from a destination in Egypt to Singapore, arriving just in time to fight briefly in the defence of Singapore before the surrender.

Men from the two battalions were among those who were forced to participate in the infamous construction of the Burma Railway. Others perished as forced labour in the Japanese coal mines of Formosa.

None of these men regretted the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki which forced the Japanese Emperor to concede defeat.

Today we remember the courage of the peoples involved and all the casualties, of all nations, as we recall the words of the defenders of Kohima:

Pictured left to right: Councillor Steve Philips, Mayor of Needham Market, Jim Darrah, Chairman of NM Branch of the Royal British Legion and Standard Bearer and Past Chairman Peter Down

NEEDHAM COMMUNITY SESSIONSI hope you have all managed to get through lockdown and are all fit and well. It has been a strange old time for us all.

I’m delighted to announce that Needham Market Open Mic will be running a session on Thursday 17th September. I’m not certain about the format yet; we may dispense with the PA and run an acoustic session, and tune into our announcements on social media.

Personally, the one thing I have missed during these times has been live music, both playing it and listening to my musical friends. I tried the virtual thing but I have discovered that I like a real audience. I have been writing new songs and playing in the garden so my long suffering neighbours will be delighted that I’m off playing elsewhere.

Come and join us at Needham Market Community Centre at 8pm. Performers and audience welcome.

Ask for me; my name’s Bill and I will definitely play some blues.

“When you go home, tell them of us and say

For Your Tomorrow, we gave our Today”

This lovely picture was submitted by Anna Ratcliffe, a member of our delivery crew. Thanks Anna. Please do submit again and next time

we’ll make it work on the front cover!

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6 In Touch online:

NEWS

High Streets across Babergh and Mid Suffolk could benefit from almost £19m of additional income over the next six months, if all adults spent an extra £5 by shopping local every week.

With just under 150,000 adults aged over 18 in Babergh and Mid Suffolk, an extra £5 spent could

equate to over £730,000 per week being generated in local high streets and villages across the districts, equating to a whopping £18,980,000 over the next six months.

The figure was announced during Shop Local Week (10-16 August), part of the government’s Enjoy Summer Safely campaign, which set out to celebrate the importance of local and independent stores and the benefits they bring to the whole community and local economy.

Throughout lockdown, local shops and markets have played a crucial role in supporting the local community to buy food and supplies in a safe and easy way without having to travel too far. Many businesses have diversified their offer to make shopping for essentials simple and supporting those who needed to shield. New services like deliveries, online ordering and even additional market days have provided a lifeline for many local residents.

With many lockdown measures starting to ease, Shop Local Week aimed to encourage people to keep visiting to their local high street and not return to pre-COVID habits of out of town and online shopping.

Cllr Gerard Brewster, Mid Suffolk District Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for economic growth said:

“This year has been incredibly challenging for businesses on our high streets. I have been impressed to see how many businesses have risen to the challenges created by the coronavirus to support customers in their local community. It is staggering to see how an extra £5 spent in our local high street can provide a huge boost to the local economy.”

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils are working hard to support local businesses and will be launching an initiative to maintain the momentum of Shop Local Week in the coming weeks.

SUFFOLK ENERGY-FROM-WASTEHeritage Open Days 2020 The Suffolk energy-from-waste facility is taking part in the national Heritage Open Days festival again this year. This year’s event will have a slightly different format to previous years, as we are not able to welcome visitors to the facility.

We will be hosting a virtual tour of the facility followed by a live question and answer session with the team. This year’s attendees will even get a behind the scenes look at areas of the facility that are usually closed to the public, and we will be discussing this year’s theme of Hidden Nature. Did you know we have a colony of over 250,000 bees situated on site?

Head over to www.heritageopendays.org.uk and search for ‘Suffolk energy-from-waste facility’ for more information on the event and how to book a space.

Virtual tours of the facilityWhile we are still unable to open our doors to the community for tours of the facility, we have been busy behind the scenes putting together virtual resources for the public.

If you or your group are interested in a free, virtual tour of the facility

followed by a live question and answer session with our community liaison manager, please get in contact with us via suffolkefw.uk@suez.com to register your interest.

As a reminder, any public tours cancelled at the energy-from-waste facility due to restrictions as a result of COVID-19 will be rescheduled once tours have resumed.

Any questions?If you have any queries about our operations, please do not hesitate to contact us: 01473 839149 / suffolkefw.uk@suez.com

OTHER USEFUL CONTACTS Environment Agency: 0800 807 060

SUEZ Communities Trust: 01934 524013

Submitted on 19 August

From Response to RecoveryOver the past four months, the Collaborative Communities COVID-19 Board has been focusing on responding to the pandemic and supporting Suffolk. This includes the Home, But Not Alone phoneline, food and medication deliveries, emergency food parcels, foodbanks, emergency housing and other support services.

Due to the continued easing of restrictions, it has agreed to move from an emergency response phase into recovery. Although there is a change of focus, the board is conscious that the situation is changeable and will be ready to respond to any local outbreaks should the need arise.

As we move to recovery, the board will focus on the following themes:

• Food and hardship

• Housing

• Support to the voluntary and community sector

• Restoring the social infrastructure of our communities and combatting loneliness

Spotlight on Suffolk’s Food BanksFood banks are designed to provide short-term, emergency support with food during a crisis. Their aim is to relieve the immediate pressure of the crisis by providing food, while also providing additional support to help people resolve the crises that they face. As Covid-19 continues to unfold, food banks have been hit hard in terms of meeting increasing demand with a matching

supply. They play a major role in the provision of food by distributing donated and purchased groceries directly to families in need.

Pre-C19 there were just over 20 established food banks in Suffolk; there are now 49 established and pop up food banks operating weekly.

Since the end of March 2020, Community Action Suffolk (CAS) has been working in partnership with Suffolk County Council, Ipswich Borough Council and East Suffolk, Babergh and Mid Suffolk and West Suffolk Councils to establish a food supply chain to food banks across Suffolk. The newly formed collaboration has continued to meet regularly to look at the information being collected from food banks and offer help where needed; this has included additional food at short notice and extra storage. CAS have been able to provide advice on both funding and sustainability and appropriate governance for those food banks looking at a more formal structure going forward.

The national food charity FareShare has a base in Suffolk and has been a member of CAS for a number of years. CAS contacted FareShare who already supplied food banks across Suffolk to ask them to take on further food banks. This partnership has gone from strength to strength and with help from the MOD for deliveries, FareShare is continuing to expand the number of food banks it supplies weekly.

Mike Norris: mike.norris@midsuffolk.gov.uk / 01449 720871 Steve Phillips: stephen.phillips@midsuffolk.gov.uk / 01449 721710

Representing Needham Market, Badley, Baylham, Creeting St Mary, Creeting St Peter & Darmsden

SHOP LOCAL WEEK COULD PROVIDE LASTING IMPACT ON THE HIGH STREET

MID SUFFOLK DISTRICT COUNCILLOR REPORT: MIKE NORRIS & STEVE PHILLIPS

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OUT & ABOUT

NEEDHAM MARKET & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETYNo sooner had our year started, when we had to put the planned programme on hold.

It is unlikely that there will be further meetings this year, but hope it will be possible to hold the AGM in February. Work on a programme for 2021 is going ahead, and should be the 2020 programme re-scheduled. A committee meeting held in August will determine the way forward.

Information will be given to members and will appear in future editions of this publication and on the website.

Meetings are usually held in the community centre on the first Thursday of the month at 7.30pm. We have varied, interesting and entertaining speakers, refreshments and a bring-and-buy plant stall. We also organise coach trips and evening visits to local places of interest.

If you are interested, just turn up at one of the meetings or visit: www.nmdhs.onesuffolk.net

NEEDHAM MARKET SOCIETYOur 2020 programme has been rather disrupted by the coronavirus, with just half of our meetings taking place from September 19 to January this year. Of course our committee is disappointed, but we have been busy planning for next year.

The plans for our 2021 meetings are:20 January Climate Change with Professor John Midwinter24 March Local Sculptor Sean Hedges-Quinn19 May The Bevan Boys of 1940-45 with Barbara McElroy22 September The Girls of Hope House with Linda Sexton17 November The True Cost of Fish with Andy Malcolm

It is possible that any or all of the above may have to be cancelled if coronavirus is still on the rampage, but I’m sure everyone will be understanding, if disappointed, and we will keep you informed in advance of any cancellations.

We have actually cancelled the two remaining meetings of 2020 on 23rd

September and 18th November. The 2020 AGM will be held ‘virtually’ in September, when members will be circulated at home with the usual official AGM documents.

Meanwhile, the committee are aware of the town’s development at the MSDC site, Turner’s Garage site, the Needham Lake Visitors’ Centre, Hill House Lane and Stowmarket Road.

We wish you all good health throughout the summer and winter and very much look forward to meeting up once again at the community centre in 2021. For further details, please phone Andrea: 01449 721056

STOWMARKET & DISTRICT FLOWER CLUB

Like other flower clubs in the country, we are postponing our meetings until 2021 and regularly reviewing the current situation to see whether we can return to some kind of normality.

The prospect of social distancing and sanitising everything we use in a meeting place is rather a daunting prospect, so unless something miraculous happens, we are keeping in touch with our members by email, sharing photos of our gardens and waiting patiently till we can all meet again to enjoy the pleasure of flowers with friends.

RIVER GIPPING TRUSTA few weeks back, The River Gipping Trust arranged for an Inland Waterways Association (IWA) officer to survey the river between Needham Market and Baylham, with a view to establishing feasibility and costs associated with restoring navigation along this length. We are awaiting his full report but indications are very positive. He

remarked that the Trust has done an excellent job of restoring the locks and indicated that his recommendation would likely be to carry out a preliminary ecological appraisal (PEA) along this stretch of the waterway which will essentially identify what protected species are likely to be encountered and habitats affected. These surveys will provide us with valuable documentation to support a bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) for a grant to support a full detailed feasibility study.

The survey was carried out on a lovely sunny day with the surveyor taking lots of measurements, notes and photos along the three-mile stretch. It was good to see lots of people enjoying themselves at Needham Lakes, which would be the starting point of our planned trip boat to Baylham. The surveyor remarked that there is already sufficient foot traffic to support a trip boat, even without the new visitor centre and café planned lock-side of the canal, which will undoubtedly bring in more visitors.

The photo shows volunteers getting Pipps Ford By-wash ready for water. The by-wash had been dammed off so we could work on it and install a ford while it was dry. The dam was removed a few weeks back, allowing water to flow through. The by-wash was created and dug out by our volunteers as the old one disappeared many years ago, leaving no trace whatsoever. The ‘new’ by-wash will allow water to flow around the lock, essential when lock gates are installed as there will be no flow through the lock when gates are closed.

Restoration Manager Ian Petchey

STOWMARKET & DISTRICT CAMERA CLUB

In accordance with the latest government guidance and for the health and safety of our members, speakers and judges, there will be no meetings until further notice.

We are sorry to say that we still have no indication as to when we are able meet up again. In the meantime, we send our very best wishes to all our members, their family and friends.

For more information visit: www.stowmarketanddistrictcameraclub.onesuffolk.net

STOWMARKET BRIDGE CLUBSuccessful players in the weekly online competitions, held on Wednesday, have included Andy Billinge & Sekhar Pillai and Caro Hunt & John Heath. There have also been top three finishes for Nancy Williams, and Norman Less & John Garbutt.

In the third season of Friday Suffolk matches, Stowmarket teams are competing in divisions two and three.

We are always keen to welcome new members; please see our website or contact Andy Billinge – a.billinge@btinternet.com / 07815 101513 – or Arthur Winchester – 01449 612105.

www.bridgewebs.com/stowmarket

10 In Touch online:

A FEEL-GOOD FACTOR STORY WITH A VERY POSITIVE OUTCOME

It was 22nd November 2019, the Stowmarket Christmas Light Switch-on was underway and Linda Baxter, Phoenix Counselling Practice Lead, stopped for an informal chat at a stall run by Stowmarket Gipping Valley Rotary Club. With the Rotary keen to get involved with local businesses, charities and community projects, Linda mentioned how our practice was looking to update the children’s therapy room.

“We will help with that,” was the Rotary Club’s response. A plan to rejuvenate the room was formulated at meetings between members of the Rotary club, Stowmarket Men’s Shed, Children’s Service Therapist Alice Dobby and the practice fundraiser, Grant Wright.

Stowmarket Men’s Shed lowered a worktop and revamped a trolley used as a sand tray and/or for art

materials. Dates for Rotary volunteers to come in and paint the creative therapy room, a waiting area and cloakroom were agreed and subsequently completed. New furniture and room accessories were approved for purchase and soon the excitement of the total transformation was building.

However, the arrival of coronavirus put everything on hold as the practice building went into lockdown. The practice, counsellors and therapists adapted to a new way of connecting with current and new clients via online platforms and the creative therapy room, made to look so inviting through kindness, generosity and care, had to stay empty as the country tried to come to grips with the virus.

On July 14th we announced some good news! Adhering to the latest government guidelines resulted in the children’s service being reopened for sessions. Finally, the transformed room could be utilised for the therapeutic support of play therapy, children’s counselling and sand play therapy for children aged three and above, as well as adults looking to do creative therapy.

“Much brighter”, “It looks bigger”, and ‘It’s a far more inviting room” are just some of the positive comments we’ve received. The rainbow rug and a lowered worktop for creative activities are a big hit and we’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response from clients and parents.

As I sit in the creative therapy room writing this story, I (and all associated with Phoenix Counselling Practice) am immensely grateful for the kindness, generosity and support from Stowmarket Gipping Valley Rotary Club and Stowmarket Men’s Shed.

If you would like to access therapy support for yourself or a child, please contact us: 01449 675974 / admin@phoenix-counselling-practice.co.uk

We can also be contacted through our website or on our Facebook page, where you can follow, comment and leave reviews.

www.phoenix-counselling-practice.com

As with many voluntary organisations, we have been holding our meetings online using Zoom. To commemorate the pleasure – or shock – of this experience, we have put together our ‘Lockdown Locks’, individual before and after photos on the day when we at last got ‘that’ cut!

At our July meeting we had our first Zoom speaker, Chloe Lee, Communities Officer at East Suffolk Council, who talked to us about Period Poverty in general and how it was affecting women and girls of low income during the COVID-19 lockdown, either because they couldn’t afford sanitary products or because there was a dearth of them in shops. The pandemic has hit people in many varied ways, which perhaps we would not have thought about.

We have continued to make syringe driver bags for Ipswich Hospital. Since lockdown began, we have taken in 100 for palliative care and end of life patients.

We have donated money to buy second-hand smart phones to help children who live in the rubbish heap shanty towns in the Philippines to continue their schooling online during lockdown. Education for them is the passport to escaping such living conditions and having a better life.

We have also been busy lobbying. We have written to our respective MPs (we cover five constituencies) asking them to support the Domestic Violence Abuse Bill currently going through the parliamentary process. We have also written to Suffolk County Council, Dr Therese Coffey MP, Tulip Siddiq, Shadow Minister for Children – Early Days and David Ellesmere, Leader of Ipswich Borough Council about the closure of Children’s Centres in Suffolk.

So it’s business more or less as usual as we work to better the lives of women and girls.

SOROPTIMIST CLUB OF IPSWICH

STOWMARKET & BURY ST EDMUNDS CATS PROTECTION

Fortunately, we had rehomed all our cats before lockdown started, except for Cleo who wasn’t ready to be homed at that time and is the only cat we have in care at the moment.

Cleo is a small, sweet natured black and white female about seven years old. She came into our care as she had some health issues which her previous owners were unable to solve. She has now been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, which is controlled by daily medication.

Poor Cleo was in a very poor condition when she came into care but she has put on weight and looks a different cat now. She is very friendly, loves to be fussed and will sit on her fosterer’s lap. We are looking for a quiet home for her as an only pet with an adult family or one with older children. CP will pay for her medication as we don’t want this to be a barrier to finding the right home for her. Cleo is neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.

Providing the current COVID-19 situation doesn’t deteriorate, we hope to resume taking in some cats during the second half of August, which will then need to have relevant vet checks and vaccinations before being ready to be rehomed. This is good news, although the processes that we work to will have to change in order to comply with government and CP guidelines re social distancing and sanitisation, and so will take longer than normal. We hope you will bear with us as it is essential that we protect our volunteers and the members of the public whom we come into contact with. We are a small branch of CP so will only be able to take in a limited number of cats.

If your cat hasn’t been neutered and your circumstances mean that you need help towards the cost, please ring Margaret on 01284 851055 and leave a message. Your call will be returned as soon as possible.

Our September fayre in Woolpit has been cancelled owing to the current COVID-19 situation but we hope to see you all again when things improve.

OUT & ABOUT

11www.keepingintouchwith.co.uk/needham

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IPSWICH MUSEUM AND CHRISTCHURCH MANSION

Visiting Ipswich Museum and Christchurch Mansion

Pre-booking your visit will be required

- please see our website for all the information you need to know before planning your visit

Find out more at ipswich.cimuseums.org.uk/visitingipswichmuseums

IPSWICH MUSEUMS

@IpswichMuseums

MuseumsOpenAd InTouch.qxp_Layout 1 12/08/2020 11:52 Page 1

13www.keepingintouchwith.co.uk/needham

SPORT

Needham Market Football Club competes within the Southern Football League, the highest level of non-league football within Suffolk, representing the rise of the club.

Needham Market FC house one of the biggest academies in East Anglia. The academy, which operates an elite football excellence and education programme for ages 16 to 19, consists of highly qualified coaching, teaching and medical staff, all striving to provide the best environment for students to develop and reach their potential both on and off the pitch. The students represent Needham Market FC, playing in a number of teams including the reserves and U18s.

All the education takes place within the clubhouse through two purpose-built classrooms where students complete either a level 2 BTEC or Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma (equivalent to three A-levels). Exit routes are a priority within the academy, working closely with the students to provide the most appropriate progression after they graduate including university and American scholarships.

The academy is inclusive to men and women, providing a pathway to an elite level. The aim is to progress students to the first teams if they are at the required standard. It is in partnership with Suffolk New College, the lead education provider.

The new 3G artificial grass pitch (AGP) has allowed the club to introduce

further football provision, including girls’ teams, two women’s teams, a disability adult team and visually impaired junior sessions. There are also turn-up-and-play sessions such as the SSE Wildcats programme that provides a weekly session for 5-11-year olds.

Needham Market FC has also grown the junior boys’ section with a full quota of Eastern Junior Alliance Football from U13-U16 football and Junior Premier League teams. This elite junior football has resulted in very talented players from around the county and further representing Needham Market FC, aiding the club in becoming one of the biggest and most successful youth set ups in the county.

In the last few years the football club has developed its facilities and with the use of a grass and 3G AGP alongside the new community facility, Needham Market FC is a standout facility within the county.

The club has achieved in excess of £700,000 of national and local grants to help fund the development, including winning the national Buildbase Club Renovation Bursary in 2018.

If you are interested in joining Needham Market Football Club, enrolling within the academy, finding out more or exploring exciting donation opportunities, please contact Operations & Academy Director Robert Peace: info@needhammarketacademy / 07738 084223

NEEDHAM MARKET FOOTBALL CLUB – A BEACON FOR FOOTBALL IN SUFFOLK

When a person sells a property, there is usually a form or inventory to fill out, stating what is included and excluded from the sale. There’s a distinction between what’s defined as ‘fixtures’ and ‘fittings’. Over the years, the law has evolved to provide for what may happen to a particular item on a sale, depending on whether it is deemed to be a fixture or a fitting. In short, items that are

deemed to be fittings do not pass with a sale, but fixtures do.

Lately, there have been some cases in the courts where a decision has had to be made as to whether a particular item or thing passes automatically on the sale of a property.

The first case involves solar panels and their associated equipment. Perhaps not surprisingly, these were deemed to be fixtures, and therefore automatically passed with the sale of the land.

The second case is more unusual, and not so obvious, because it involved some fish. The court had to consider whether some fish in nine enclosed

lakes on the property were included in the sale. A fishery was purchased and there was no mention of the fish in the sale documentation, particularly as to whether they were included or excluded. Here, the court held that the fish were not retained by the original owner of the property, and therefore passed with the sale of the land.

It goes without saying therefore, that if there is any doubt over whether an item is a fixture or a fitting, the matter should be clarified prior to the sale going ahead and, if necessary, a suitable provision put into the sale contract.

FISH AND SOLAR PANELS

Buttermarket, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 1EDTelephone: 01449 613101 • Fax: 01449 615087

Email: info@gudgeons-prentice.co.uk

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SPORT / OUT & ABOUT

HENLEY PRE-SCHOOL We are now starting the autumn term and the children are pleased to be back, playing with their friends as well as making new ones.

We do have spaces so if you are thinking of sending your child please get in touch. We are a small, rural, friendly setting based at Henley Community Centre. We pride ourselves on having a high ratio staff to children, therefore providing maximum care and learning. Staff are highly trained and continue training to build their knowledge further. We provide an extensive range of resources and activities to suit all ages and abilities, ensuring all levels within the EYFS are explored.

Applications can be downloaded from our website or you can email the pre-school for further information. We accept eligible 30-hour funded children but the codes must be in place the term before they are needed. We also accept Tax Free Childcare. Children can join us from the age of two and we accept government funded and fee-paying children. We are open term time only from 9am-3pm. If you would like to visit the pre-school you can make an appointment by phoning the number below.

In addition to our website, we have a well-supported Facebook page where you’ll find plenty of information and see what the children have been doing. It’s also another way to contact the setting directly.

For further information please call 07979 468467 or email our manager, Bridget Wyatt at: enquiries@henleypreschool.com

Bridget, Sarah and Kerry

NEW LOOK REGAL THEATRE REVEALEDCouncillors were able to get their first glimpse of the new look Regal Theatre this week as the cafe and entrance starts to take shape.

Following its refurbishment and extension, the Regal will feature three modern cinema screens offering an improved audio-visual experience and new seating, as well as a new front of house, café and bar area. The improved entrance and car parking will also add to the visitor experience.

It is hoped the new cinema will attract more visitors into the town to enjoy shopping and attractions as well as the bars and restaurants that Stowmarket has to offer.

Despite work starting onsite back in March, this is the first time that councillors from Stowmarket Town Council and Mid Suffolk District Council, who are leading on the development, have been able to see the progress of the new cinema which is due to be completed in early 2021.

Work has been progressing onsite through lockdown with the team from Mixbrow Construction adopting safe working practices to meet the government guidance around COVID-19.

The Regal Theatre is benefitting from £3.6m investment and is part of a wider vision for Stowmarket, with the aim of improving and increasing leisure provision for the community and attracting more visitors into the heart of the town and local area.

Cllr Gerard Brewster, Mid Suffolk District Council deputy leader and cabinet member for economic growth said: “It is fantastic to see the developments at the Regal, especially given the exceptional circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic. Once completed, we hope the Regal Theatre will be a fantastic asset for the residents in Stowmarket, as well as attracting visitors to enjoy both the day and night-time economies that that town has to offer.”

Cllr Paul Ekpenyong, Stowmarket Town Mayor said: “The Regal Theatre is at the heart of the community and I know many residents are looking forward to seeing the finished results. This is a flagship project for Stowmarket and despite the impact of COVID-19, I am delighted to see that significant progress has been made.”

The Regal Theatre redevelopment is being project managed by Northmores, with Needham Market based Mixbrow Construction delivering all building and refurbishment work.

This summer, while the cinema is closed, residents can visit Regal on the Road at the John Peel Centre to enjoy a variety of family films. More information can be found on the Regal Stowmarket Facebook page.

www.regalstowmarket.co.uk

Pictured l-r are Cllr Julie Flatman – Mid Suffolk District Council, Cllr Suzie Morley - Mid Suffolk District Council, Cllr Gerard Brewster

- Mid Suffolk District Council, Cllr Barry Salmon – Stowmarket Town Council, Nick Gowrley - Stowmarket Town Council, Cllr Paul Ekpenyong – Stowmarket Town Mayor (Picture Gregg Brown Photography)

We have now been bowling for seven weeks with up to 24 people bowling at various times, and 18 to 20 turning up on a regular basis. Rollup sessions have settled on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 2pm but the green is open every day from noon if you just want to turn up and practise. Just remember to follow the hygiene rules published by the club.

The club singles competition is reaching its conclusion with just one semi-final and the final to be played, again thanks to Brian Locksmith.

We will be running the club pairs on Sunday 30 August and the triples on Sunday 13 September. The rules will be as in previous years with registration and the draw taking place on the day. The format will be a round robin with two leagues and a final between the league winners. Registration will be at 11am. The number and length of matches will be determined by the number of players on the day. Hopefully the kitchen will be fully functional and we also hope that the bar will be open, but failing that you may bring your own refreshments. The closing drive will be played in the usual format on Sunday 27 September with a 2pm start.

The green is being maintained by our green team and is rolling really well. Now we have had some rain the new grass round the edges is growing and looking good.

In the meantime the message to all our bowlers, and to bowlers at all the clubs, is to stay safe and maybe we will see you sometime soon.

To any non-bowlers nterested in taking up bowling, you can just turn up to any of our rollup sessions where you will be made most welcome.

To discuss any aspect of NMBC, contact Alistair Bailie (01449 720759) or Pat Hadden (01473 831308).

NEEDHAM MARKET BOWLS CLUB

15www.keepingintouchwith.co.uk/needham

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CHRISTCHURCH, NEEDHAM MARKETDo you like charity shops? I do – it’s such a great way to recycle nice things that you don’t need any more, and to find unusual things that you don’t find in high street stores. They are also an essential source of income for the charities they support.

That’s why it’s so sad to see that some charities have had to close through lack of funds, mainly from these shops that have had to shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

There’s a familiar proverb which says ‘Charity Begins at Home’ and some people think this means you should look after your own family or country and not worry about others. But that’s not really what it means.

I recently read a very interesting article about charity by Bishop Martin Seeley. He discovered that the first time the saying was recorded in print was in 1642 in a book by Sir Thomas Browne, a doctor, philosopher and botanist who lived from 1636 to 1682.

He wrote, “But how shall we expect charity towards others, when we are uncharitable to ourselves?”, and goes on to say, “Charity begins at home”. He is reflecting on the need for our capacity to love and care to be developed in us so that we can then show love and care for others. This is much more outward looking than inward looking.

Bishop Martin Seeley goes on to write that the word ‘charity’ means love, and love is the foundation of a good home. It is the power that builds relationships and makes us place others before ourselves.

Love means that we go out of our way to make sure that the lives of those around us are the best they can be. Thomas Browne’s point is that love doesn’t stop there but reaches further out to help the lives of those beyond us be the best they can be. This is why groups and organisations that exist to help those in need are called charities.

So, as charity shops re-open safely, see if you can donate to buy from them in order to help the charities they support and keep alive their outgoing work of love and care for others.

CHURCH NEWS

NEEDHAM MARKET EVANGELICAL CHURCH

Saturday 26 September at 3pm130th Anniversary Service (followed by tea) to give thanks to God for the beginning and continuation of our work in Needham Market. Please contact us to confirm in case this event has to be postponed: 07570 558072Preacher: The Rev Geoff Thomas from LondonGod willing, he will also be the preacher at our services on Sunday 27 September (10.30am and 6.30pm).

REGULAR MEETINGSIn view of the coronavirus pandemic, we regret that all services and meetings normally held in our meeting place in Ipswich Road continue to be cancelled until further notice.

However, our Sunday Services and Tuesday Prayer Meetings can be accessed by means of Zoom technology at the usual times of 10.30am and 6.30pm on Sundays and 7pm on Tuesdays.

Go to www.needhamchurch.org.uk and click on https://us04web.zoom.us/j/6780273322 a few minutes before the start time of the meeting you wish to join and you should be connected.

If you don’t have internet access, can still listen to services on your telephone. Dial 0330 088 5830. You will hear a recorded message asking you to enter a meeting ID which is 678 027 3322. Then press the hash key (#). You will then be asked to enter a participant code, but you don’t need to do this. Just press the hash key again (#). You should then be connected to the meeting. If you have a ‘speaker key’ on your phone, you can press this so that you don’t have to hold the phone to your ear throughout the service.

For further information, please contact Peter: 01394 271645 / 07570 558072 / peterkinley60@gmail.com

We all know the benefits of being fit and active and never has this been more important, as we all deal with the impacts and e�ects of the Coronavirus on our daily lives. Fitting in 30 minutes of physical activity a day can be challenging, but by building it into our daily routines and choosing to walk or cycle to work, school or the shops it allows us to get active and do our bit for the environment at the same time.

With the recent launch of the Government’s new cycling and walking plan, which includes improved infrastructure, cycle training and free bike repair vouchers, it’s the perfect time to change our habits and use our daily travel as an opportunity to get active and stay active.

To find out more about the Active travel improvements for cycling and walking in Su�olk visit:

www.su�olk.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/active-travel-improvements-for-cycling-and-walking

for Free Su�olk Roadsafe Cycle training Cycling is a superb way of getting some fresh air, maintaining fitness levels, and enjoying the countryside. Its popularity for commuting to work is on the increase, as are the number of families who take to the highways and byways at the weekend.

Su�olk Roadsafe are currently o�ering free adult cyclist Level 3 Bikeability training, via local trainers, which will refresh your cycling skills and help you to cycle positively on urban journeys.

For full details and to discuss your requirements email: CyclistTraining@su�olkhighways.org

The case for sustainable transport is stronger than ever

Walking and cycling can play a huge role in tackling some of the biggest health and environmental challenges that we face.

Our aim at Su�olk County Council is simple - encourage more people to get out and about by walking, cycling and public transport instead of cars. We want to embed sustainable transport as part of a long-term habit and reap the associated health, air quality and congestion benefits.

We’re already making changes here in Su�olk. In line with the Department for Transport (DfT) guidelines we’ve made several emergency changes to road layouts in Ipswich by closing o� sections of roads to motorised vehicles, widening existing footpaths and cycle lanes, providing temporary footpaths and cycle lanes.

Walking and cycling schemes are now being considered in Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket, Beccles, Felixstowe, Stowmarket and Sudbury.

I believe, we’ve got a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a shift in attitudes for generations to come, and get more people choosing to walk or cycle for their short journeys and for longer journeys coupled with public transport. I want everyone to feel the transformative benefits of sustainable travel in Su�olk for our health and wellbeing and the environment. I am committed to making this vision a reality.

Councillor Andrew Reid Su�olk County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Rural A�airs

The Keep Moving Su�olk website is a trusted source of information, advice and useful links to help you, your family and local community to get active and stay active.Send us your videos and images to show us how you are keeping active using #keepmovingsu�olk www.keepmovingsu�olk.com

Health benefits from physical activityPhysical activity, like cycling and walking, can help to prevent and manage over 20 chronic conditions and diseases, including some cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and depression. Physical inactivity is responsible for one in six UK deaths (equal to smoking) and is estimated to cost the UK £7.4 billion annually (including £0.9 billion to the NHS alone)Source: Gear Change A bold vision for cycling and walking

Councillor Andrew Reid blog…

CyclistTraining@su�olkhighways.org