Athelington, Horham & Redlingfield

SUMMER 2016ISSUE NO. 34

NEWS

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Breakthrough! I can solve the problem for Brexiteers who have no room formigrants. If we leave the EU, England with Johnson, Farage and Gove in

charge will be no place for me. I would then leave my beloved country untilthings change. If many others feel as I do there will be plenty of space forimmigrants. Evelyn Adey

This issue we welcome a new writerto the fold, Hawk Honey from

Horham. He is a naturalist who worksfor Suffolk Wildlife Trust and his maininterest is entomology. He has a regularslot on BBC Radio Suffolk’s LesleyDolphin show and, like TrevorEdwards, writes pieces for the EastAnglian Daily Times. He also has hisown blog at www.suffolknaturalist.com.Having a stable of excellent regularcontributors makes my life much easier.It seems a long while ago that I lastworried about how I was going to fill avillage mag. So thank you to all thosewho make the mag worth reading andthose who get it out to every householdin our three villages. Mike Ager

Summer 2016 2016 1

EDITORIAL

If you would like to advertise or contribute to the magazine or have an event ororganisation you would like featured contact: Evelyn Adey on

evelyn.adey@btinternet.com or 01728 628428 at Ivy House Barn, Southolt Road,Athelington, IP21 5EL; or Mike Ager on mike@gn.apc.org or 01379 678835 at Hidcote

Lodge, Mill Road, Redlingfield, IP23 7QU. Athelington, Horham & Redlingfield News cannot be held responsible for the quality

of goods or services advertised in the magazine. This disclaimer is inserted purely for legal/technical reasons and can in no way be construed as

implying criticism of any supplier of goods or services.We aim to produce four issues a year, coming out at the end of February, May, Augustand November. The next issue - Autumn 2016 - is due to be published at the end of

August. The final deadline for all submissions is August 14th.Rates for adverts in four issues distributed to approximately 300 homes inHorham, Athelington, Redlingfield and surrounds are:-

1/6 page £8.50 (60mm deep, 60mm across)1/3 page £16.50 (60mm deep, 125mm across)1/4 page £12.50 (90mm deep, 60mm across)1/2 page £25 (90mm deep, 125mm across)

A whole page £50You can supply the artwork and/or logos or we can design the adverts for you.

The sun is shining, the rape seedis impossible to see over and the

swallows and martins are here. Itmust be summer. And lookingparticularly fine in the summer sunis the new roof on RedlingfieldChurch. With it watertight anddrainage issues fixed, now it’s timeto look inside and see what needsdoing next. And talking aboutchurches, we promised the fullexciting story of Veronica’s returnto Horham Church in this issue.Well, as Veronica is still gettingacclimatised to the church beforeshe goes on display, it seemssensible to hold off until she isrevealed, in all her glory to all.

FEATURES & NEWS

I missed our old cat butthe wildlife really doesn’tTrevor Edwards’ latest slice of Wash Farm Wildlife

IT WAS A BRIGHT SUNNY DAYin the middle of February, and theresident song thrush was singing

his head off from deep within a hugehawthorn bush. Normally, he declareshimself from the highest perch,standing out like a sunburnt Scotsman,but on this occasion he is well hidden,heard but not seen.

The greater-spotted woodpecker isdrumming away and two mallardshave arrived and are loitering on thelawn. The ducks spend winter over atCharlie’s at Benningham, wherekeeper Paul has a wildfowl collectionwith a plentiful food supply. Our duckhas chosen a colourful drake withsplashes of white in his smart plumageand he is well into his tail-twitchingand head-bobbing routine.

In March, the duck unwisely decidedto nest on the low garden walloverlooking the pond, a nest located

two foot six above the ground andnose-high to a labrador. This was not agood site and the month was not overbefore she abandoned the small clutchof six eggs.

She was then seen waddling acrossthe lawn to a new grassy bank, thedrake trailing behind like an old manfollowing his wife at the supermarket.You could tell his heart wasn’t in it.

There is a sense that birds seek outnest sites close to humans in the hopeit might reduce the danger frompredation. This is despite the fact thatwe are daft enough to keep loads oftheir worst enemy, the domestic cat.

We have no cats here at Wash Farmbecause when our last one died a fewyears ago, the family pet was notreplaced. I missed the old thing forages, it used to sit by the AGA purringlike a trail bike. However, its demisesaved the day for the water voles,

which the cat used to catch withgreat enthusiasm and great success.

GAMEKEEPER PAUL RESCUEDthe largest duck brood in hismemory at Benningham. He foundthe ducklings cold and abandonedduring a farmyard spring-clean andhe was able to move themsuccessfully to a heat lamp,nineteen ducklings in all. He alsovolunteered to help a local farmer

2 Summer 2016

Summer 2016 3

with free-range hens who had lost 80hens to foxes.

After the second night of staking outthe territory, his patience wasrewarded and the target was found anddespatched. However, to his surprise,the vixen was carrying, not thechicken they expected, but three babyleverets in a huge mouthful. And ChrisPackham loves foxes. My sights wereon the usual suspects, the nest-robbers,and the Larsen trap has worked wellthis spring, catching two magpies andalso a carrion crow for the first time.

TO OPEN THE SPRING programme,the Waveney Bird Club membersturned out in force for a Good Friday

walk, a dawn chorus event atthe Ferrers’ estate atDitchingham.

This coincided with awelcome improvement in thepoor Easter weather and over60 different species wererecorded, including the firstchiffchaff and blackcap of theseason. Our guide was NickClitheroe, the estategamekeeper, who was pleasedto explain the estates’ projectof grey partridge breeding.

We heard of the problemshe had in getting the pairbonding right, because, aftergetting it wrong, the firstrejected male got pecked todeath. What a heavy price to

pay for a bad move in the matinggame.

THIS SPRING SAW THE BESTfarming programme ever on Britishtelevision. It was called This FarmingLife, and was a warts- and-allportrayal of the challenges of livestockcare round the clock.

The rigours of upland farming werebrilliantly encapsulated by fivefamilies, and the care of the animalsby one couple, through all of theproblems of calving, went as far aslifting a stricken cow by a sling, twicea day for a fortnight, so that DaisyMay did not lose the use of her legs.

Continued page 4

FEATURES & NEWS

Facing page: duck & ducklings.This page: The Waveney Bird Clubat Ditchingham & keeper Nickaddressing WBC members.

Continued from page 3The abiding memory of these two

was of the farmer, sitting comfortablyon the tractor seat pulling the lever,whilst his wife lay in the muck andstraw next to the 500kg beast, strainingher back to help the cow struggle to itsfeet. We lowlandarable farmers don’tknow anything.

IN 2001, THESuffolk Showcommitteeresponded to theFoot and Mouthoutbreak, whichcaused thecancellation of theShow, by launchingthe Schools Farmand Country Fair.There was a need toincrease the linksbetween farmingand food on the plate and further theunderstanding of country pursuits byschool children.

Now, 14 years on, 4,500 children ofYears 3 and 4 attend a host of displays,

4 Summer 2016

get covered in stickers and eat lots ofBlythburgh Pork sausages.

The Birds of Prey demonstration wasa star attraction this year and the sizeof the Great Grey Owl, standing twofeet tall was formidable.

A resident of the frozen far north ofEurope, it survivesby tracking the volepopulations and, toreach them, canhover and plunge itstalons through ice-crusted snow. Herethe children ofCarton Colvilleprimary schooldidn’t seem tooconcerned at all.

THE FLIGHT path of a pigeonin display moodgoes up and downlike a yo-yo. That’s

why the dove family is named after anold English word meaning “to dive”.Not a lot of people know that, asMichael Caine would say.

Trevor Edwards

FEATURES & NEWS

■ COMMUNITY RESPONDER IN HORHAM: IanBuckley recently joined the East of EnglandAmbulance Responder Team and works voluntarilyfrom home. The role of responder is to offer help andsupport, in some cases life saving, prior to thearrival of an ambulance. Ian said: “It is aresponsibility I take very seriously and a rewardingway in which I can give my time to the community.” Itshould be stressed that in the event of an emergency999 should be the first number to phone.Responders are dispatched through the ambulanceservice if they are booked on call.

Great Grey Owl and admirers.

FEATURES & NEWS

builder, and lived with him in EarlSoham. He died in 1884. The census

for 1891 shows that Annwith sons Arthur andGeorge were now living withMaryann at the shop.

In 1893 Ann marriedWilliam Hawes described onthe 91 census as a widoweraged 65, boot-maker andpostman. By 1911 Ann waswidowed again, subpostmistress running a

general stores. With herwas William’s daughter Laura, 38 anddescribed as a general help.

Ann died in 1924, Alan told me thather son Arthur had electricity put inthe church at Horham in memory ofhis mother.

It seems that Arthur continued withthe shop until Alan’s father, PercyJohnson, arrived in the mid 1930s

when the business finally passedout of the hands of thedescendants of Maryann Bean.

The shop is still linked to theJohnson family as currentoccupier David Spall and Alan arecousins.

Alan gave the sampler to BrianBeecroft who is a great grandsonof Maryann. Thanks to Alan I hadthe privilege of meeting Brianrecently and hearing more abouthis family history.

Linda Hudson

Redlingfield sampler fromattic at the Horham POTHIS IS A POSTSCRIPT TO

my little piece about the Beanfamily in the spring

issue of our magazine.Alan Johnson showed me a

picture of a sampler workedby Maryann Bean in 1835when she was eleven yearsold. Alan was born at thepost office and now lives inthe non-shop part of thebuilding. Some time ago hefound the sampler in theattic. It has been a feature ofthe village website for a while.

Maryann married Charles Beecroftin 1846 and ran the post office andgrocer’s shop with him, continuingafter his death in 1868. She died in1895 at the age of 71.

Her daughter Ann continued therunning of the post office. In 1875 shehad married George Stageman, a

Summer 2016 5

foff r 1891 showwith sons ArthGeorge were noMaryrr ann at the

In 1893 AnnWiWW lliam Hawaa esthe 91 census aaged 65, boot-mpostman. By 19widowed again,postmistress rurr n

general storeswas WiWW lliam’s daughter L

ad

e

ofhile.

Horham Post Officein 1929 and the

sampler.

■ STRADBROKE RBL: Alot has been going on atthe Royal British LegionStradbroke and DistrictBranch. More than 60members and guestsattended the annualdinner, we’ve held aconcert to celebrate the90th birthday of QueenElizabeth II and we’vechanged the venue forour monthly meetings.

I would like to pay tribute to allmembers and their wives and especiallyour standard bearer Joyce Cooper, themain organiser of the concert. Withouttheir help none of these events would

FEATURES & NEWS

6 Summer 2016

THE WOMEN'S WORLD DAYof Prayer (WWDP) alwaystakes place on the first Friday

in March. This year our local branchmet at Horham Baptist Church.There were representatives fromsurrounding villages includingsome from Diss.

The WWDP started inthe mid 1800s whenvarious Christiandenominations in theUSA held separate meetings ondifferent days. Gradually thesecame together, others joined andother countries became involvedtoo. There are now 170 countries andislands all taking part on the same day.

Each year a country is given a themeand asked to arrange the service. This

year Cuba wrote the service and thetheme was Receive Children, ReceiveMe. The service was translated into 60

languages and 1,000 dialects andsent to all the participants aroundthe world. Many different

denominations take part; it istruly ecumenical.

We were givenbackground on Cuba, itshistory, flora, fauna,

social structures and soforth. They have an impressive

education system attractingstudents from South America,

Africa and many other places. Theyalso have a world renowned medicalestablishment and free healthprovision.

The WWDP service consists of a

Worldwide Mexican wave

have been possible. More than 300people attended the concert by theSheringham Shantymen at StradbrokeHigh School. The concert was anoutstanding success and the best since Ihave been chairman during the past 33years and a great advert for the Legion,

Sheringham Shantymen atStradbroke High School.

■ NEW REEDING WOODSGROUP: If you have heard the oldadage “oak before ash in for asplash, ash before oak in for asoak”, then you’ll be expecting adry summer as the oaks are outin splendour this spring alongPound Lane in Horham. The malecatkins cascade below thebranches with the female flowersat the tips among the fresh greenleaves. In the woodland all thetrees are bursting into leaf, butnoticeably the oak, this spring, isahead of the ash. Many of thetrees are now over 10-feet tall andthe area is developing into realwoodland. The ash trees arestruggling to survive as theybattle with ash dieback, but manyare fighting back with new shootsbelow the infected areas. In themeadow and along the grassyrides cowslips, dandelions andclover are blooming, and many ofthe trees and shrubs are also inflower. The pond is teeming withlife as insects flit across thesurface, and below the darkshapes of newts emerge brieflyfrom among the weeds. The erectleafless stems of water violets aredotted across the water with nosign of the feathery foliage hiddenbelow. We are trying to record theflora and fauna of this wildlifearea and surveys of smallmammals, birds and wildflowersare ongoing, if you would like tobe actively involved pleasecontact Mike Reeves on 01379668 179 for more details.

Mike ReevesSummer 2016 7

of prayer variety of participants taking parts, ofreadings and of various songs. Most of thesongs were unfamiliar to us with new, oftenrhythmical tunes. (Christine Stanfordlearned the tunes and taught them to us). Thewhole thing was definitely jolly.

The day started at sunrise in Samoa, a tinyisland in the middle of the Pacific locatedalmost exactly half way round the worldfrom the Greenwich meridian. The day ofprayer then moved round with the sunriseand finally ended as the sunset over Samoa.It is quite moving to feel part of the wholeworld concentrating and praying on the sametheme. A truly enormous Mexican wave!

Next year the service will be inWorlingworth Church, 2 pm on the firstFriday in March 2017. Put it in your diary.We will publicise it in this magazine.

Evelyn Adey

The branch was thanked by the Queen fortheir “loyal greetings” following the concertwhich raised more than £800 for legion funds.

Among the invited guests on the night was theSuffolk County Chairman Denis Bloomfield andhis wife Christine, while five Royal BritishStandards attended under the direction ofBarney Adlington.

The branch now meets at Laxfield’s Royal Oakon the second Thursday of the month starting at11.30am. It’s business first, followed by a guestspeaker and then lunch (at present two coursefor £7.50). All are welcome to come and join us –you do not have to be a member.

Our branch and Fressingfield are the only twobranches in this part of the country.

Michael Burton, chairman Stradbroke andDistrict Branch Royal British Legion

8 Summer 2016

FEATURES & NEWS

IT HAS BEEN AN EXCITINGterm at Wilby. Our gymnasts tookpart in a regional event at Pipers

Vale, with our under 11 team winninggold and going through to countyfinals in July.We have also taken partin a swimming event at Diss, withseveral children coming first in theirindividual disciplines.

Years 2,3 and 4 experienced anovernight residential visit to ThorpeWoodlands, where they experiencedthe outdoor adventure PhysicalEducation curriculum to its full;climbing, caving, rafting and more.

Classes have been out on visitswhich support their curriculumlearning, Chestnut class visited AfricaAlive, Willow class are off to NorwichCastle and Oak class are visitingBressingham. Beech class have lots ofexciting trips with a year 6 Londonvisit and residential trip to Hollowfordin Derbyshire and a year 5 team-building event to a destination yet tobe decided (year 5 get the castingvote).

Under the direction of MrsWiseman, Beech class againperformed outstandingly at SnapeMaltings A Celebration of Schools’Music festival. They created a pieceusing brass, song, voice and visualeffects which explored our fragileplanet. It gave you goosebumps, notonly because of its message, but alsothrough the quality of theperformance.

We continue to work closely with

Sad farewell■ VILLAGE AGM: The villagecommittee of Andrew Abbott(chairman), Graham Abbott, KatieAbbott, Mike Ager, Jeanette Brierley(treasurer), Susan Chapman, AllanChapman, Will Edwards, Chris Gibbons,Pat Kelly, Russell Kerry, Jacqueline Love,Manday Miller, Janet Norman-Philips(secretary), Lesley Rose-Freitas andTony Rose-Freitas were all re-electedunanimously at the recent annualgeneral meeting of Redlingfield VillageMeeting at Horham and AthelingtonCommunity Centre. County councillorGuy McGregor reported to the meetingand offered to arrange a meeting withrepresentatives of Redlingfield andcounty councillor Jane Storey aboutbroadband. Disctrict councillorElizabeth Gibson-Harries wascongratulated on becoming chairman ofMid Suffolk District Council. She toldthe meeting she will not be standing forre-election in May 2017. Janet Norman-Philips was thanked for all her work onthe church restoration and the plannedexpansion of the Doorstep Green. ■ REDLINGFIELD CHURCH: On Sunday31st July, at 11.15am, there will be acelebratory benefice service atRedlingfield, with Bishop Martin inattendance, to commemoratecompletion of the restoration work onthe church roof and to commission anew lay elder.■REDLINGFIELD LITTER PICK: A bigthank you to all who took part in thevillage litter pick. As usual an amazingamount of rubbish of all sorts wascleaned up. Will and Sarah Edwards forexample filled their 300-litre barrowpicking along the Eye road from theirKiln Farm home to white bridge(Arthur's gateway).

Stradbroke High School – this summerterm has wonderful taster experienceson offer for our year 5s and transitiondays for your year 6s.

We also offer a club everyevening for our children, so inreality school is open forpupils from 8am, withbreakfast club, to 4.15pm,with our after school clubs.See the school website forwhat we offer our children.

Now that the weather hasimproved both Willow andChestnut classes will be goingswimming. We pride ourselves inbeing able to offer our pupils theopportunity to swim from year 1onwards.

We continue to build our strong rootswith the church, we celebrate ourChristian beliefs and Christianfestivals both at school and at StMary’s Church. It is a great pleasurefor our pupils to have regular Christianvisitors who support our collectiveworship. I would like to thank bothAdam Blowes, the Pastor of HorhamBaptist Church, and Revd. DavidBurrell, our vicar, for theircontributions to our Christian ethos.

I would also like to extend the wholeschool’s gratitude to Horham BaptistChurch for their generous donation ofbibles suitable for our pupils to explorethe Christian story. They have been abig hit in the classrooms.

Tea and Toys is a toddler group.which is run at the school every

Thursday morning, 9am-10.30am, interm-time. It is free and open toanyone with children aged 0-5 years.Please come along and join in the fun

– you would be made mostwelcome!

I’d like to take thisopportunity to share withthe community somechanges about to takeplace. From September 2016 I

have accepted the positionof headteacher of Grange

Primary School, Felixstowe. I have mixed emotions as I share this

news, both excitement at the next stepsin my career and with sadness as Iprepare to leave Wilby, which stole myheart and accepted me as part of itscommunity.

The governing body working inconjunction with Suffolk CountyCouncil and the diocese, are in theprocess of ensuring the future ofWilby C of E Primary School remainssecure and strong and they will letpeople know as soon as possible theoutcome of their decisions.

Finally, upcoming events include our Summer Fair on Saturday 2nd Julyand music for a summer’s evening onThursday7th July Please come alongand support us!

If you have any queries regardingthe School please contact me, MrsColeman, for more information on01379 384708.

Philippa Coleman, Headteacher

from Wilby’s headteacher

Summer 2016 9

FEATURES & NEWS

10 Summer 2016

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, JUNE 1 & 2The Suffolk Show: Trinity Park, Ipswich.

FRIDAY, JUNE 3Curry Night: Horham CC. Sign up inadvance in the centre.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4Handel's Coronation Anthems: Singwith the Phoenix singers. Music score &light refreshments provided. Suggestedmin donation £10 per person. Proceedsto East Anglian Children's Hospices.Thomas Mills, Fram, 1pm-5.30pm.Cantaloop: Fresh from touring with TheFun Lovin Criminals, The Bank Eye,7.15pm. Full £10, conc £8.

SUNDAY, JUNE 5Eye Mayor’s Parade and Service:10.30am-12.30pm.

TUESDAY, JUNE 7Redlingfield village committee meeting:Mill Farm, 8pm.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8Coffee Caravan: centre of Redlingfield.10am-noon.

SATURDAY, JUNE 11Car Boot & Indoor Table Top Sale: Allpitches £5. Stradbroke High School,8am-1pm. Late Risers’ Car Boot Sale: Horham CC.Gate opens 10am for 11am start. Pitch £5in advance, £6 on the day. Book withKaren. Billy Elliot the Musical Live: Tickets £8 –booking essential. Stradbroke CourtHouse, 7pm.90 Glorious Years of Popular Song:Evening of cabaret with Jessica Walker &Joseph Atkins. Eye Church, 7.30pm. £20from Christine Bird 01379 871211 orc.bird5@btinternet.com.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JUNE 11 & 12Eye Open Gardens: £4 per adult (children16 and under go free). Ticket can be usedon both days.

SUNDAY, JUNE 12Stonham Barns Dog Extravaganza:Stonham Barns, 10am-4pm. Adults £5,children £2, conc £4.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15Redlingfield Churchyard Tidy: 6pm.

THURSDAY, JUNE 16Dad’s Army: Stradbroke Cinema.

FRIDAY, JUNE 17Fish & Chips: Horham CC. Sign up inadvance in the centre or shop.Hail Caesar! Cinema at Eye.

SATURDAY, JUNE 18FRAm Bygone Sale: St Michael’s Rooms,10am-2pm. Redlingfield Pub on the Green: DoorstepGreen, 6pm till midnight.

SUNDAY, JUNE 19Continental Day: Mid-Suffolk LightRailway Museum. The Three Chordettes & Chocks Awayfor Dancing: Helmingham Hall Gardens,11am-6pm. Gardens noon, BBQ & bar3pm, music & dancing 4pm. Adults £7,children £3.50.East Anglian Air Ambulance Ride 2Remember: 75-mile sponsoredmotorcycle rideout in aid of EAAA &festival in memory of loved ones. M/Cregistration £8, entrance £5. StonhamBarns, noon-8pm.

FRIDAY, JUNE 24Breckland Country Music Festival: 10am,Stonham Barns.

SATURDAY, JUNE 25Occold Summer Fayre: Occold VillageHall, 9.30am-noon.Strawberry Fayre: Old School HouseHorham, 1.30-4pm. £5 per head, ticketsavailable from Horham PO.Car Treasure Hunt: Horham CC, 3pmstart. Followed by BBQ. Details fromKaren or Clare. Worlingworth Fete: WorlingworthCommunity Centre, 2-5pm.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JUNE 25 & 26Stradbroke Festifull: Playing Field, WilbyRoad, 8am-5pm.

SATURDAY, JULY 21950s dance: Red Feather Club. Dancewith band Big Swifty & top London DJ PatDa Kat. Tickets £10. 7.30pm ‘til late.

WHAT’S ON

Summer 2016 11

WHAT’S ON

The Bank Eye: The Bank, 2 Castle Street, Eye, IP23 7AN, 873495 & www.thebankeye.org.Cinema at Eye. Doors 7pm, film 7.30pm. Eye CC, £5. Framlingham:www.framlingham.com. Helmingham Hall: 01473 890799, events@helmingham.com,www.helmingham.com. Horham & Athelington Community Centre: Karen, 384754 &Clare, 388878, Hoxne Cinema: 7.30pm, Hoxne Village Hall, St Edmund’s Hall, Goldbrook,Hoxne, bar, popcorn & choc-ices available before & in the interval. Admission: £3.50.Further info/booking: 668060 or www.hoxnevillagehall.co.uk. Midsuffolk Showgrounds &Mid-Suffolk Light Railway, Brockford Station, Wetheringsett nr Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP145PW, www.mslr.org.uk, general enquiries 01449 766899. The MSLR is open on Sundays &Bank Holidays from the beginning of May until the end of Sept. Museum of East AnglianLife, Stowmarket, 01449 612229, enquiries@eastanglianlife.org.uk. Redlingfield, 678835,pc@redlingfield.suffolk.gov.uk, www.redlingfield.suffolk.gov.uk. Stonham Barns: StonhamBarns, Pettaugh Road, Stonham Aspal, IP14 6AT, http://stonham-barns.co.uk. StradbrokeCinema: Stradbroke Community Centre, 7pm for 7.30 pm. Admission £5.50. Bar open, ice-creams on sale in the interval. Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, Stonham Barns, 08456 807897,info@owl-help.org.uk, www.owl-help.org.uk. Wingfield Barns, 384505,enquiries@wingfieldbarns.com, www.wingfieldbarns.com, tickets also available fromwww.wegottickets.com 95th Bomb Group Heritage Association/Red Feather Club,www.95thbg-horham.com, 01728 860930 or jamesmutton@suffolkonline.net.

SUNDAY, JULY 3Americana Day with DJ Jamboree: RedFeather Club. 10am-4pm. Free family funday celebrating all things American. Worlingworth Open Gardens: Teas andlight refreshments in selected gardens,10am-5pm.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 6Coffee Caravan: centre of Redlingfield.10am-noon.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, JULY 8 & 9Stradisphere Music Festival: StradbrokeCommunity Playing Field. In advance:weekend £25, Friday night £12, Saturdayall day £20, Saturday night (after 5pm)£12, 12-16s £5 per day, 11 years andunder are free accompanied by a payingadult. Tickets Stradbroke Spar & Libraryand online (www.stradisphere.co.uk).

SATURDAY, JULY 9Redlingfield Summer Fayre & BBQ:Doorstep Green, 3pm till midnight.

FRIDAY, JULY 15Bar Meals: Horham CC. Sign up in thecentre.The Big Short: Cinema at Eye.

SUNDAY, JULY 17The Broadside Boys: Helmingham HallGardens, 11am-6pm. Gardens noon, BBQ& bar 3pm, music 5.30pm. Adults £7,children £3.50.

THURSDAY, JULY 21Room: Stradbroke Cinema.

SATURDAY, JULY 23 Stradbroke Village Show: Stradbroke CC,10am-5pm.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JULY 23 & 24Bedfield Open Gardens.

FRIDAY, JULY 29Fish & Chips: Horham CC. Sign up inadvance in the centre or shop.

SATURDAY, JULY 30Romeo and Juliet: Corn Hall on tour withThe Pantaloons, Eye Castle, 7pm.Standard £10, children £6(www.thepantaloons.co.uk).Framlingham Ladies Choir SummerConcert: St Clare's Church, 7.30pm. £5.

SUNDAY, JULY 31Suffolk Dog Day: Helmingham HallGardens, 10am-4pm. Adults £10 (£8advance), children & conc £5, family (2adults & 2 children) £25 (£22 advance).

WHAT’S ON

12 Summer 2016

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3Coffee Caravan: centre of Redlingfield.10am-noon.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6Redlingfield Pub on the Green: DoorstepGreen, 6pm till midnight.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7Hornby Collectors: Mid-Suffolk LightRailway Museum. The Festival of Classic & Sports Cars:Helmingham Hall Gardens, 10am-5pm.Adults £9, children 7 years & over £4,children under 7 free, family (2 adults &2 children) £22.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13Music in the garden: Bedfield House,4.30pm.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14Summer Jamboree: Mid-Suffolk LightRailway Museum. The Importance of Being Earnest: Diss

Corn Hall on tour with DOT Productions,4pm, The Oaksmere. Advance £12, DCHFriend Advance £10.50, door: £15.Swing Machine Big Band: 11am-7pm,Helmingham Hall Gardens. Gardensnoon, BBQ & bar 3pm, music 5.30pm.Adults £7, children £3.50.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21Festival of Country Pursuits: Suffolk OwlSanctuary.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 28Eye Town Show: Provisional date.

SUNDAY & MONDAY, AUGUST 28 & 29Rail ‘n’ Ale: Mid-Suffolk Light RailwayMuseum.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7Coffee Caravan: centre of Redlingfield.10am-noon.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10Redlingfield Pub on the Green: DoorstepGreen, 6pm till midnight.

MONDAYS: MONDAYS: Coffee & Chat: Horham Baptist Church hall. 10am. No charge.Everyone welcome - especially you! Alan Hawes, 388330. Ballroom dancing: StEdmund’s Hall, Hoxne, 7.30pm-9.30pm (for adults). Sandra Hartley, 01728 723887.

TUESDAYS: T PLUS: Community Café with stalls, All Saint’s Church, Thorndon every Tues,10am-noon. Bingo: Thorndon Village Hall, 7.30pm every other Tues. 678178. Zumba:Horham & Athelington Community Centre, 7pm-8pm, Terri Cave, 01728 627756 & 07563534086. Debenham Historical Society: Regular lectures at Room 31, Debenham HighSchool, 7.30pm, £3 per lecture, including a soft drink in the interval. Enquiries: CliveCook 01728-861754. Non-members welcome to see what’s on.

WEDNESDAYS: Coffee mornings & cyber cafe, every Wed, 10.30am-noon at Horham OldSchool. Redlingfield & Occold WI, 1st Wed of the month at 7.45pm, in Occold VillageHall. Hoxon Hundred: Summer dance-outs at local pubs. Winter practices. Ron Ross,643563. Eye Country Market, every Wed 10am-11am, Eye Town Hall (closed Jan). Socialmornings: Horham Old School. 10.30am each Wed tea, coffee, cake, crafts, a chat andgood company. Info from Christine (384168) or Pip (384370). Admission free - smallcharge for refreshments. Wingfield barns Midweek Movies : alternate Weds 7.30pmscreening £5. For info 384505 or email enquiries@wingfieldbarns.com

THURSDAYS: Zumba: Worlingworth Community Centre, 7pm, Terri Cave, 01728 627756 &07563534086. Over 50s Belly Dance Class: Occold Village Hall, 11am-noon, £30 for 6weeks 27 Feb till 3 April.

FRIDAYS: Bingo: Stradbroke Community Centre, Wilby Road, 2nd Fri monthly. 7.30pm. MaryEllis, 384642. Worlingworth Swan, live music, last Fri evening of month.

SATURDAYS: Occold Market & Car Boot: Occold Village and Village Hall, 9.30am-noon, lastSat of the month from March to November.

SUNDAYS: Public open days: Red Feather/95th Bomb Group Heritage Association & 95th BGHospital Museum last Sun of month May-October inclusive,

Summer 2016 13

FEATURES & NEWS

Studios open up in JuneThe leaflet detailing which artists’

studios are open and when is availablefrom Tourist Information Centres andonline at www.suffolkopenstudios.org.

The Suffolk Borders Trail on theweekend of June 25 and 26 Juneencompasses our area. It runs from

Mellis to Weybread viaThornham Magna andThorndon.

The Suffolk Borders Trailstudios are: Beyond the ImagePhotographers’ Gallery,photography; Adrian Barnard,acrylic, digital art, drawing, fineart painting, illustration andphotography; Kirstie Bruce,ceramics; Issy Coe, drawing, fineart painting, lino prints, mixedmedia, oil painting, pastel andwatercolour painting; Verity

Franklin collage, collagraphs, etching,lino prints, mixed media and relief;Nicolette Hallett, oil painting; TomLund-Lack oil painting. Susie Joyce,painting and sculpture; and SheilaVolpe pastel drawing and painting.

THROUGHOUT WEEKENDSin June 129 Suffolk artists areopening their studios to the

public giving you the opportunity toexperience ‘behind the screen’ andfind out where and how they producetheir work and discuss theinspiration behind it.

The annual Suffolk OpenStudios event gives you theopportunity to viewpreliminary work,sketchbooks, work inprogress and theprocesses involved, withsome artists givingdemonstrations of theirtechniques. You mayeven be able to have ago yourself.

With both unfinished andfinished work to browse there is alsothe possibility of buying an originalpiece of artwork and many artists arewilling to discuss commissions forunique pieces of work designed toyour requirements.

WEATHER by Manday MillerIt is official well we have had the longest winter hanging on since records beganMe, I am still hanging on for this patchy rain & spotty sun what fun!In my youth I must have sung (lots) of rain, rain go away, come again another dayOne week snow, the next sun, wall-to- wall rain not much fun!Weather men gush, we are hotter than here or there but they cannot get it right! What do you wear, or what do you not? Can you carry the just-in-case?Do we plan this or that day? Will the weather get in the way? It always does!Wildlife is fuming. How can I moult one day when the next is cold?Visitors wonder, how can you live with weather like this? It’s not blissHeaven & hell do exist. Heaven is a nice sunny day. Hell is waiting for it to happen!

MTT

sPpaapcamw

Frannd

l

14 Summer 2016

FEATURES & NEWS

THERE ARE SEVERALthousand species of wasp in theUK, around 7,000 to be more

precise. The majority of these are known as

‘solitary/parasitic wasps’, whichmeans they do not have a queen and ahive they must report back to. Theyeither live a solitary life making theirhome in the ground or in the brokenstem of a plant such asreeds, brambles and manyother plants, or spend their lifelaying eggs on other insectssuch as wood boringbeetles.

Then there are the ‘social wasps’ ofwhich there are nine species includingthe Hornet, our largest wasp. Thesesocial wasps build intricate nests ofpaper maché and have a queen toprotect. These are the ones that willcause upset at your BBQ when theyfall into the open fizzy drink can. Butwithout them, we would be in a wholelot of trouble.

Wasps, unlike their vegetariancousins, bees, are predatory. Theylike to catch other insect preysuch as flies, caterpillars andother garden pests that nibbleyour prize dahlias. They takethem back to the nest to feed theiryoung, who in return exude a

sweet substance to feed the workers. Thesole purpose of the nest is to produce nextyear’s queens, but once these eggs havebeen laid, the current queen lays no moreeggs. This means that at some point,usually towards summer’s end, theworkers will stop getting the sweet nectarfrom the growing larvae.

All season long, the workers haveworked hard removing pests from your

garden without you knowingand they have served their

queen by feeding and raising heryoung and their payment for such

service is death. They are no longerrequired and so they must get their

sweet food from elsewhere, whether it beripening apples, discarded sweet wrappersor your lovely picnic, it’s every wasp foritself.

I had three wasp nests in my garden lastyear. It was impossible to sit in my gardenwithout being in a flight path of one nestor another, but not one of us got stung. If awasp landed on us, we left it alone and itsoon realised we were not sweet enoughand it flew off. Wasps will only attack if

they feel threatened or feel that they,or the nest, is under attack. If youstart waving your hands about toswipe it away, the wasp feels

immediately threatened andis likely to attack.

Other wasps, of the

What’s the point of wasps?When people realise that my main interest as a naturalist, is insects, the mostcommon question I’m asked is: What’s the point of wasps? Aggressive, picnicspoiling, black and yellow menaces are the words often associated with thesewonderful creatures. But what a lot of people fail to realise, is the vital part theyplay in our gardens and in our ecosystems . . .

Summer 2016 15

solitary variety, are a bit more specificabout their prey. Some will only huntcertain species such as aphids, or leaf-hoppers, or weevils, or even certain speciesof caterpillars. They usually catch theirprey by paralysing it, then carrying it backto a specially built chamber, maybe in theground, or in an old beetle hole in wood orthe stem of a plant. There it will deposit itwith several other prey items. When enoughprey has been caught, the wasp will lay anegg on the last item and then seal thechamber and start all over again. This eggwill hatch and spend the summer, autumnand winter devouring the food withinbefore emerging the following spring.

So when I’m asked What’s the point ofwasps? I answer that they are one of thebest pest controllers in our natural world.Who needs pesticides?

Hawk Honeywww.suffolknaturalist.com

Above: Amblyteles armatorius - this wasp lacks asting, but likes to lay its eggs in the caterpillars of

moths. Facing page, inset left: Dolichomotusmesocentrus - a 6cm long ichneumon wasp,

which uses its 3cm long ovipositor (not a stinger)to drill into wood so it can lay an egg next to a

wood boring beetle larvae; and inset below:Vespua germanica - a more common social wasp.

Note the yellow butterfly pattern between itsantennae.

■ STRAWBERRY FAYRE: On Saturday25th June there will be a StrawberryFayre at the Old School House inHorham, from 1.30pm to 4pm.Tickets are £5 per head, to includeafternoon tea, a glass of Prosecco orfruit punch and games suitable forchildren – and adults! They areavailable from Horham Post Officeand village shop. Proceeds are goingto the St. Mary’s West doorrestoration fund. Jill Peters■ PARACHUTE PARTY: St ElizabethHospice are hosting a ‘parachuteparty’ in July and are asking for asmany supporters as possible to signup to the challenge. The charity islooking for groups of people to skydivein July at Beccles Airfield. For info orto visit www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk,call 01473 723600 or emailfundraising@stelizabethhospice.org.uk

Sophie Johnson■ BROME RECYCLING CENTRE:Brome Community Recycling Centrehas reopened. Run by KHK Recycling,it is open 10am-4pm on Mondays,Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays andSaturdays, and 10am-2pm on BankHolidays. ■ THORNDON COMMUNITY SHOP:The shop, which is run by theCommunity for the Community, is inthe car park of The Black Horse,Thorndon, and is open Mon- Fri 8am-4pm, Sat 8am-noon, Sun8.30am-noon. ■ COFFEE CARAVAN: The RuralCoffee Caravan will be in Redlingfieldon the second Wednesday in June (the8th) as the caravan will be at theSuffolk Show on the first Wednesdaythat month. Jacqueline Love

16 Summer 2016

the exquisite patterns applied to theglass as with an ice blowtorch.

At school we fared no better – heavycast-iron radiators jerked and thumpedbut gave out little warmth and only inthe coldest weather. Austerity,austerity, austerity.

Cambridge in the '50s of mychildhood and teens was my town andI had no comprehension of the effectthat the overriding presence of anancient University had on the characterof the town.

I suppose that I assumed that anytown would have a

Fitzwilliam museum oran Anthropologicalmuseum or aZoological museumwhich would, likeours, have a hugeand fearsomeskeleton of a whalehanging only a fewfeet over your head

as you trod nervously aboutbeneath it, gazing into display cabinetswhile trying, unsuccessfully, to forgetit (if it came down that jawbone alonecould crush you to death).

One of my favourite schoolboyhaunts was David's bookstall on themarket place and on a recent visit Iwas delighted to see that it, orsomething which very closelyresembled it, is still there.

Tempted, I bought two more booksto add to my personal book mountain(well small hillock actually) – I've stillgot books from forty or even fifty

FEATURES & NEWS

4.15AM ON SHAKESPEARE'Sbirthday and I am up and out ofbed on one of my almost nightly,

old people's visits to the loo. Never mind, as Sir Toby Belch

would have said, had I met him on thelanding, “to be up after midnight is tobe up betimes!” even at this early hourI can discern a faint light in the sky tothe east over Hazel and Edmund's –well it's only a couple of months to theSolstice.

This particular 23rd April marks fourhundred years since Will's death. Hedied on his birthday; aneat trick forposterity if you canmanage it. Now onthis spring morningit is cold – like thecold of childhoodin truly austeretimes in a bigEdwardian housein Cambridge builtwith no regard forcomfort, convenience or warmth.Sleeping in the attic under slopingceilings which were plastered but byno means insulated, was, I supposecharacter building.

There was usually a roaring coal firein the one downstairs room whichacted as dining room, parlour, livingroom and reception room. Close to thisfire you scorched on one side andfroze on the other.

On the coldest mornings my father'svoice calling up the stairs “Jack Frosthas been” got us to the window to see

Adding to my personal book

Summer 2016 17

years ago that I bought there. Onewhich I am very fond of is by anAmerican photo-journalist; it is madeup of black and white photos of dailylife in the Picasso household andconveys so well the vitality of thiscompact little Spanish art bomb. Lifeand vitality burst from every page!

Clive James who you will rememberfrom his days as a television critic andchat-show host also loves thisbookstall and goes there twice a week.

It is, apparently his only outing,apart from check-ups at the hospitalnow that he is so ill and, as he puts it,“only hanging on to write anotherpoem”. He lives near the river in aterraced house facing on to JesusGreen and has written beautifully ofthe Green in the mornings.

This is a slice from the poem called“Sunday morning walk.” and it's acold morning.In front of the boat-housesThe rowers rigging fulcrums to the

shellsBite off their glovesTo push in pins,And the metal shinesJust short of glitterBecause the light, though Croesus-richIs kiss soft.

In a recent interview he remarkedthat he was amazed at how much hehad written “since his death”. Nevermind the width Clive, feel that quality!

Enough of these nocturnalwanderings of mind and body, I hadbetter get back to that still warm bed.

Neville Butcher

mountainHorham & Athelington Parish Council■ HEDGES: The recent warm spell hasseen some rapid growth in the garden.Please make sure that hedgesalongside roadways and footways aretrimmed back so that road users andpedestrians have safe passageway to,from and through our villages. Shopcorner and the western end of HorhamStreet are notably tricky at themoment. ■ BONFIRE NUISANCE: It’s the time ofyear in the garden when rubbish fromthe garden finds its way to the bonfire:The Parish Council receive occasionalcomplaints about the irritation of thesmoke so please consider this beforestriking a match. Make sure that thematerial is dry so it burns quickly withthe minimum of smoke and pleasecheck the direction of the wind. Alwayshave bucket of water (or a hose handy)just in case!■ DOG FOULING: Responsible dogowners always clear up faeces fromtheir pets when taking them for a walk,but we are aware of complaints fromresidents when this has not happened.Apart from the unsavoury mess and thehealth risks, owners can be heavilyfined if the witness reports the incident(with a photo if possible) to Mid-SuffolkDistrict Council EnvironmentalDepartment. ■ TELEPHONE KIOSK: Our (telephone)information kiosk has now received itsnew coat of paint and looks splendid.The next stage is the interior anddesigns for some of the glass panels.We have a team working on this projectso look forward to this taking shapeand becoming useful to visitors to ourvillages. Angela Wilkins

18 Summer 2016

FEATURES & NEWS

■ PLANNING: TO BE DECIDED - plan to erect two agricultural sheds in connectionwith the breeding and storage of feed and bedding of Golden Guernsey Goats, LittleMeadow Farm, Stradbroke Road, Horham; plan to change of use from agricultural toland for the keeping of horses and construction of a 20m by 40m menage, withdrainage to existing ditch and silica sand and rubber working surface, Mill Cottage,Mill Road, Redlingfield; application to re-instate top section of chimney, HillFarmhouse, Redlingfield Road, Horham. .

Planning information from Midsuffolk District Council’ (www.midsuffolk.gov.uk).

THE RED FEATHER CLUB HAS BEEN BUSYin recent months with the first open days of theyear, two dances and a quiz night.

The club’s 1940s dances are proving more and morepopular and the March one was no exception. The jointwas jumpin’ and swingin’ all night to yet another sell-out event with resident band Sykliner playing some ofthe hottest swing and jazz around. There was also awelcome return for special guest DJ Andy C, akaAndy Clark, spinnin’ some cool tunes.

The Lend-Lease dance also went with a swingthanks to DJs Sgt Bilko, Flying Fortress, Miss DMeaner, The Baker Boy, AndyAV8 and the small armyof volunteers. Billy, Georgia and Elena, who regularlyattend our dances with their parents Chris andMelissa Flatt, collected £380 ($550) in donations. Atotal of £2,000 ($3,000) was raised for the MissionTucson project in the US. The permanent 95th BGexhibit will be unveiled at the October reuinon inArizona.

The recent quiz night was also a great success.Many thanks to all those who organised the event andhelped on the evening.

The club’s big weekend of events is in July with a1950s dance with band Big Swifty & top London DJPat Da Kat on Saturday 2nd July (tickets £10, 7.30pm‘til late) and the free Americana Day on Sunday 3rdJuly, 10am-4pm. The free family fun day celebratingall things American includes re-enactors, vehiclesand a DJ Jamboree. AndyAV8 & Mike Ager

Dances proving popular

£10£10

DanceyerSocks off!

The Red Feather Club, Horham - Home of the 95th Bomb Group in the UK

With Special Guests

R&B, Gypsy Swing Band Top London DJ

&BIGSWIFTY

and your compèrefor the evening

7:30 til’ late • Camping on request • licensed bar • hot & cold food available

nnection

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cccc!!

hhhhoooo

BBB,, yyyppyy y ggggCCCCaaaaaammmmmmmppppppppppppppiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggggggggoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnrrrreeeeqqqqqqqqquuuuuueeeessssstttttt

777777777777777777777777777777777777777::::::::::::::3333333333333333333333333333333333333333300000000000000000000000000000000tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll’’’’’’’’’lllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttttttttttttttttttteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeettttttttttttttttttttttttt ••••••••••••••••• lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiicccccccceeeeennnnsseeeeddddbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ••••••••••••••• hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhooooooooo

Classic American Cars,Hot Rods,Bikes

& MilitaryVehicles

Incl. free entry to95th BG Museumall donations welcome!

DAY

The Red Feather Club, Horham Presents our Annual

nsereqqqq

•eee ••••••7777

Free

Entry

Multi Period LivingHistory GroupsVintage Militaria& fashiontrade stalls

The 95th Bomb GroupHeritage AssociationCharity No: 1119769www.95thbg-horham.com

3rd July 2016

Featuring Vintage DJs Including:

Three Bits of Rhythm, DJ Bilko,

The Baker Boy, DJ Flying Fortress,

+ guests...

LIVE MUSIC & DJ JAMBOREEsee Facebookfor updates

American Food & Refreshments

The Red Feather Club is located four miles

South East of Eye, in Suffolk.Easily accessible by the B1117For Sat Navs, our postcode is: IP21 5DG

FIND US

American Cars, Trucks & Bikes wanted! Please get in touch for details

Classic American Carsrr ,sHoHH t Rods,s

Bikes& Militatt ryrrVeVV hicles

The 95th Bomb Group

can Foodshments

s,sss

ils

Summer 2016 19

OUR MP

IMPROVING BROADBANDspeeds for residents andbusinesses in Suffolk is amajor priority for me.

Many businesses, and inparticular people who work from home,rely on the internet to communicate withclients, as do our vital key public servicessuch as the police, our schools and theNHS.

For more and more families, having asatisfactory broadband speed is alsoessential for their children to completehomework.

As the MP for Central Suffolk and NorthIpswich, I was pleased to secure aParliamentary debate about broadbandspeeds last year regarding the slowerthan expected rollout of broadband inSuffolk and was satisfied to receiveassurances from the Telecoms Ministerthat things would improve.

However, I still receive complaints fromresidents whose speeds are in somecases lower than 1 megabits per second.To put this in perspective, the Ofcomrequired speed is 10 megabits persecond, and it was this kind of complaintthat led me along with many other MPsto call for action in breaking up themonopoly that BT currently holds onproviding the Government-funded rolloutof super-fast broadband.

It is primarily in rural, ‘hard to reach’areas where the rollout of broadbandneeds to happen much quicker. A lot of

good progress has been made, and I ampleased to have played a key role inhelping to obtain about £30 million ofGovernment funding for BetterBroadband for Suffolk.

However, I know that there is still moreto be done, and in Suffolk there are manyvillages and premises in rural areaswhich need more attention to secure thisessential service for businesses andfamilies.

But of course, it is Suffolk CountyCouncil who have the primaryresponsibility for the on-the-grounddelivery of faster broadband for Suffolk,so in light of this, I was very pleased to beable to meet with the Leader of SuffolkCounty Council, Colin Noble, to put tohim my concerns about some of thestories about poor broadband speedsthat I have heard from people who liveand work in rural areas.

I know that he shares my concerns,and was reassured that Colin Noble isnow taking steps to ensure that SuffolkCounty Council will take a much moreeffective grip on the roll out of superfastbroadband in the future.

I am sure that when super-fastbroadband does come to every home,school and business in Suffolk, it will beworth waiting for; and as your local MP Iwill continue to do all I can to speed upthe delivery of this essential service, sothat Suffolk gets the high quality internetservices that we deserve.

DR DAN POULTER, YOUR LOCAL MP, REPORTS BACK

Dr Dan Poulter, MP, I hold regular constituency advice surgeries to help peoplewho have problems. If you think that I may be able to help you, contact 01728

685148, or email me via www.drdanielpoulter.com. For more information pleasevisit www.drdanielpoulter.com

20 Summer 2016

CHURCH

Michael Womack (hoxnebenefice@gmail.com or 388889)Rev Michael Womack is rector of the Hoxne Benefice.

Enquiries: Daphne Harvey, St Mary, Horham (384216); Evelyn Adey, St Peter,Athelington (01728 628428) Hazel Abbott, St Andrew, Redlingfield (678217).

IN 1990 THE RAP DUO SALT-N-Pepa declared, ‘Let’s talkabout sex’. It seems to methat the Church of Englandhas long been talking about it.

Happily recent revelations about theArchbishop of Canterbury’s parentagehave been greeted with remarkablematurity so maybe a new age dawns.However, I want to talk about an evenmore taboo ‘S’ word – suicide andconsider a Christian position, or at leastanswer some of the more commonquestions I’ve heard…

Suicide victims are buried on the northside of a church… The north side of anybuilding gets less sun and is often theignored side. However where thedeceased are laid to rest is more abouthow the church sits in its churchyard.Visit Horham or Wingfield churchyardsand more plots are on the north side. So,this one is simply not true.

Suicide victims can’t have a churchservice and are not buried onconsecrated ground… The Book ofCommon Prayer continued the pre-reformation view that those who tooktheir life whilst of sound mind could nothave a Christian burial. Immediately youcan see a great big hole in this – would aperson of sound mind take their own life?Even in that case, a series of laws fromthe 1880s mean that a suicide of soundmind can have a Christian service andburial in churchyard. Curiously it tookuntil 2014 for Church law to finally catch

THE RECTOR REFLECTS … LET’S TALK ABOUT S….up with all this! This gives the deceasedthe same legal standing as anyone else inthe parish that has those rights unlessthe churchyard is closed – as I’ve saidmany times before a parish church is foreveryone in the parish. So, a bit morecomplicated but ultimately not true.

Suicide victims can’t go to heaven,because it’s against Church teaching…Setting aside the obvious point that thechurch is a human institution and doesn’tknow everything, this is my morethoughtful response.

Augustine (d. 430) thought it wrongbecause it violated the sixthcommandment (You shall not murder) onthat basis most of us have got problemsbecause we’ve broken at least onecommandment at some time!

Thomas Aquinas (d.1274) developedthis idea and said that there was no timeto repent of the sin and that was the realproblem. I think that the problem withthis is that it looks at things from our siderather than God’s side. My belief is thatwhen we die and encounter the infinitelove of God we will choose to be joined tothat love for eternity.

This sounds very cold and analytical,but I hope it has helped to answer somecommon questions. What concerns mefar more though is how desperate suicideand mental distress is for the individualand those who seek to support them; myearnest prayer is that all of us, especiallythe local churches, will be a source ofcomfort, hope and healing.

Summer 2016 21

DISTRICT COUNCIL & CHURCH

C OF E SERVICES

June 12 Horham 9.30am HCJune 19 Athelington 9.30 am HC; Horham 11.15am FSJune 26 Athelington 11am MP for St Peter's Day. - refreshments after the service instead of usual lunch at Meadow FarmJuly 3 Redlingfield 9.30am HC

July 10 Horham 9.30am HCJuly 17 Athelington 9.30am HCJuly 24 Horham 11.15 am FSJuly 31 Redlingfield - Benefice celebration service taken by Bishop Martin August 14 Horham 9.30am HCAugust 21 Athelington 9.30am HCAugust 28 Horham 11.15am FS

CHARLOTTE ADAN, JOINTchief executive of Babergh andMid Suffolk district councils, ismoving to the Royal Boroughof Kingston on Thames. She

has guided us through the troubledwaters of working with Babergh and theresulting cuts in staff and refreshingresponsibilities.

We will have a replacement afterAugust when she officially leaves. Wewish her well and look forward to anotherera. We have a new leader in NickGowerly and our political group has anew chair, Matthew Hick, who is newlyarrived at the Old Rectory at Athelington.And last of all the council has a newchairman for the year and that is me!What an honour but a strain on myfarmyard-style wardrobe!

Not for the first time I have asked thevillages in the Hoxne Ward to look at theirown plans for the future before an overallplan is decided for them. What kind ofaccommodation do we need/want?Where are they to go and who do wethink will take them up? Affordablehomes are only affordable to those who

can afford them (if you see what I mean).Are they starter or retirement homes?

It goes without saying that we are ruralin this part of Suffolk, but do we want tosurvive for the future or let the weedsgrow over us? If I have any influence at allthis year those are the questions I will beasking of you and insisting that theplanners listen to us. With more homesmust come the infrastructure to supportthem, money to enlarge our doctors’practices, school places and bettercommunications. We have the new CILsystem in place now so that money fornew homes will soon find its way toparishes for them to spend. We need tobe ready with the wish list.

The latest new/old face is Thwaiteresident Tim Passmore returned as Policeand Crime Commissioner. I sent him amessage of congratulation with a barb –he promised in his manifesto for thepolice to be more visible. We needspeeding through the villages to beaddressed before there are nastyaccidents.

Happy summer everyone, I hope it hasarrived at last.

YOUR DISTRICT COUNCILLOR

Elizabeth Gibson-Harries, District Councillor – Hoxne Ward

Services for all churches in the benefice are on notice boards. A monthly beneficenewsletter is available in the churches. Email hoxnebenefice@gmail.com for your copy.

22 Summer 2016

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Summer 2016 23

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Summer 2016 25

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Summer 2016 27

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28 Summer 2016

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Athelington, Horham & Redlingfield News is printed & published by Evelyn Adey &Mike Ager for the villages of Athelington, Horham, Redlingfield and surrounds. Theeditors reserve the right to edit or refuse submissions. The views expressed in themagazine are not necessarily those of the editors. Revenue goes towards the costsof producing the magazine and profits will be split between Horham & Athelington

Parish Council and Redlingfield Village Meeting.

Optimal Heating Father & Son Team

With over 30 years experience

Oil, Natural Gas & LPG Servicing and Repairs

Tel: 01379 678647 Mobile: 07806 660399

Got a car needing a bit morethan a jump start?

A restoration project you justcan’t get finished?

We specialise in reviving cars,

trucks, trailers back into use at an

affordable price.

AlsoLand Rover Chassis

Replacement and RebuildsWelding work and fabrication

Find us in Brundish

Supplying the country since 1957

Keeping your home cosyWe are Watson Fuels – suppliers of heating oil and fuel to homes, farms and businesses for over 50 years.

01379 652764www.watsonfuels.co.uk

• Have you a problem with - • Rats, Mice, Moles, Wasps or Rabbits? • All typical Pests controlled. • For ALL your Domestic / Commercial Pest Control. • No obligation – free survey/quotes. • Please call, • 01379 788865 / 07809 226109 / 07518 731106

www.safeandsoundhygieneandpestcontrol.co.uk

Servicing ● Repairs ● Tyres ● Exhausts ● Batteries ● Air-Con ● MOT Testing

Barley Green Garage

Laxfield Road, Stradbroke, IP21 5JT

Telephone 01379 388 947

www.barleygreengarage.com

After hours call Julian 07733 118100

Servicing, Repairs & MOTs❆

Welding and Diagnostics❆

Air-con servicing from £20❆

Coal, logs & kindling❆

Parking sensors & Tow-bars❆

LPG Auto-gas filling station❆

Courtesy cars available❆

Free local collection & delivery