Telstar February 2013

I N S T O W U P L A N D

In ThIs Issue

Whether the weatherAlloTmenT lIfe 5

Love and pancakesYouTh ReflecTIons 27 Spring around the cornercounTRYsIde RAmbleR 33

On a clear moonless nightlIfe, The unIveRse … 35

Reports from Parish Council Churches Village Clubs

S U F F O L KNewsletter of the Year

No 251 F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 3

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Chairman’s Remarks Nic Perks, Stowupland Parish Council

As I sit down to write this the first real snow of winter is falling outside. Temperatures have plummeted and

heating and eating properly will be a struggle for some of our more elderly, infirm or disabled family, friends and neighbours. Even getting to local shops can sometimes be an insurmountable problem at times. We are fortunate in our village to have an active and energetic Good Neighbours group. But there is also a responsibility on all of us, who can, to help and look out for our friends and neighbours. If you know of someone who might be in need at this time of year then, please, do not leave it to others, let us make sure they receive whatever help and support we can give.

Traditionally, at this time of year, I would be reporting to you the agreed precept for 2013-14. This year that has not been possible because the way in which local councils are funded has fundamentally changed. The new Local Council Tax Support Scheme, introduced by the government, changes over a hundred years of financial independence of local councils such as Stowupland Parish Council. We will no longer be in charge of our own financial destiny, free to set our own budget and precept. For the first time we will be reliant on Mid Suffolk District Council for an element of our funding.

Recent communications from Mid Suffolk District Council indicate that we can, for this coming year at least, continue to set our ‘normal precept’ and the District Council will reduce the effect in calculating Band D Council Tax by way of grant. Your Parish Council will set the precept at an Extraordinary Parish Council meeting at the end of January when the position has been finalised. A full report will be in the March edition of Telstar.

Just before Christmas we received Alan Rosten’s resignation from the Council on ill health grounds. Although a relative newcomer to the Parish Council Alan quickly showed great promise and it is with sadness that we see him go at this time. He takes with him all our best wishes for the future. This, however, leaves a gap in our ranks, which we would like to fill as quickly as possible. If you feel that you have something to offer our community and would like to apply for the vacancy then please see the notice in this edition and make your application to our Clerk, Rachel Godbold, as soon as possible. We welcome applications from any eligible person and look forward to announcing the successful candidate, again, in the March edition of Telstar.

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The coming year will bring us its usual challenges and opportunities and despite the poor economic outlook we also look forward to progress on a number of major projects, including affordable housing, the Safer Route to School initiative and a proper footpath to link Reeds Way and the Sheltered Housing Schemes with the footpath to Freeman Community Primary School.

We also expect the Stowmarket Area Action Plan to receive the approval of central government in February and more progress on the Schools Organisational Review. While there will be some benefits for us there will also be some unwelcome effects on our village, our residents and our environment.

If you have strong views or indeed any views at all on any of the issues above please let us hear from you. Even if you do not feel able to stand for the Parish Council vacancy you can still make your views known to any Councillor whose contact details are to be found inside the rear cover of this and every Telstar. We not only welcome hearing from you but it is essential we do if we are to represent you properly in these challenging times.

All PrizeBINGOi n a i d o f A i r A m b u l a n c e

in Stowupland Village Hallon Friday, 15th February

Eyes down 7.30pm Entrance Fee £1.00 per person

Minimum age 18 yearsAny prizes donated will be gratefully received.

Contacts: Eve Hayward 01449 672 764 Beryl Locke 01449 673 087

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The New Year has brought continuing challenges with the weather as a period of wet, followed by frosts and

the first significant snow, has made January one of the most unpredictable and difficult months. It has, however, also been one of the most rewarding periods for the committed allotment grower as we take the winter produce home and remind ourselves that, while anybody can grow a few

lettuces in summer, it takes a real grower to produce good winter vegetables and not rely on snap peas from Guatemala or beans from Kenya!

The battle to remove leeks and parsnips from either the wet or frozen soil continues. After spending a good few minutes digging them (the parsnips) out, you concentrate hard for fear of missing the cracking sound that almost certainly means that you have not dug deep enough (even though it seems you are halfway to Australia!) and the prize root has snapped. The only consolation is that you cannot eat the long tapering root part but one problem remains – what to do with the vegetable that finally has been removed from the soil? Do you leave it on the surface in order that the frost will improve the flavour or take it proudly home for parsnip soup or as an accompaniment to the Sunday roast? The choice is yours but it is strange that broken ones are always taken home and the undamaged ones, complete with root, left for all to admire!

The broad beans planted last year were doing nicely – after all, they are extremely hardy and will withstand almost everything nature could throw at it. Well, not quite! Several crops have been (no pun intended) decimated by yet another adversary – this time, the mouse. These clever creatures have dug neat little round holes along the row, removed the bean in its early stage of development and either eaten it or, in some cases, left it on the top of the soil in order to cause maximum frustration. Andy and Gerry were so incensed that they joined forces to form a two-pronged attack on the mouse and have been so successful that 27 of the little pests have now been despatched to a better place.

One garden-related activity that is always open to us, even in the most inclement of weathers, is a visit to local stores or garden centres to look at the new garden necessities on display and to ponder why stacks of garden propagators, seed trays, shiny new spades and netting in all those completely useless sizes are always displayed just inside the door alongside all the discounted Christmas items that nobody really wants. This is deliberate, however, as you invariably end up looking at something you had no interest in and buying it in order to be first with that new and ‘must have’ garden accessory or, alternatively, that white Christmas tree really was a bargain and could not be left in the shop at those prices. Are we really that gullible?

Finally, it is regretted that seed potatoes will not be available this year due to a substantial price increase making them uneconomical to buy in bulk.

Allotment Life David Andrew

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Parish Council Bits and Pieces Rachel Godbold, Parish Clerk

Planning Applications

Application No.: 3548/12 Location: Park Farm Bungalow, Church RoadDetails: Erection of one and a half storey dwelling following demolition of existing bungalowParish Council decision: Support.

Application No.: 3708/12 Location: 4 Columbyne CloseDetails: Demolition of bungalow and replacement with a two and a half storey dwelling and garagingParish Council decision: Support.

Application No.: 3805/12 Location: 41 Oak Road Details: Erection of single storey side and rear extensionParish Council decision: Support.

Parish Council VacancyThere is a vacancy for a Councillor on Stowupland Parish Council which

the Council intends to fill at the meeting on 14th February.

The Parish Council is a body of eleven eligible volunteer Councillors with a Chairman and Vice Chairman. The whole Council is subject to an election every four years approx (last being May 2011, so the next will be May 2015).

The Parish Council obtains its funding from the local element of residents’ council tax. The Council is a body and is distinct from its members (either as individuals or collectively) and its acts, assets and liabilities are its own and not those of its members.

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Over 60 Club P Prentice, 01449 771 724

For our January meeting it was good to welcome back members who had been unwell. For those who were unable to join us, we hope that you are

well soon.

After information was given out about forthcoming events and occasions we enjoyed the afternoon with prize bingo. Our monthly fund-raising auction table and draw took place afterwards. A nice social afternoon to start the year.

Our next meeting is on 12th February at 2.00pm in the Village Hall.

See you all then.

Councillors are volunteers and as such receive no payment. They give their time freely to attend meetings. There are twelve scheduled full Council meetings which are held on the second Thursday of each month commencing at 7.30 pm. Besides the full Council meetings there are committee or working group meetings. There is one annual meeting called the Annual Parish Meeting, this is not a Parish Council meeting but a public meeting for parishioners.

The Parish Council is responsible for the Village Green, the cemetery, maintenance of the Churchyard, play park, seats, notice boards, street lighting, litter picking, bus shelters, litter bins, etc. Responsibility for other items such as footpaths, roads etc. lies with the District or County Council.

The Parish Council has input into matters which affect the village such as planning applications and public consultations.

The Parish Council is non-political. It is solely involved in issues, items and developments for the village's benefit and assistance.

All decisions are decided by vote. Each Councillor has one vote with the Chairman of the Council having one vote, but also one casting vote, if needed.

If you are interested in becoming a Councillor or would like more information, please contact the clerk before 7th February.

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Report Judy Clarke

November

It was a pleasure to welcome two new members – Claire and Maureen – to the Institute. Following the usual routine of agreeing the previous

month’s record, any correspondence and discussion, Gillian gave details of a forthcoming craft workshop, making gift boxes. Member Christine offered to hold an informal morning at her home for anyone who would like to make Christmas bits and pieces. A team volunteered for the community quiz at the end of the month.

After refreshments the Annual Meeting took place. It was a good and full year with a wide variety of speakers, several outings and supporting the community events. Finances remained healthy. Gillian thanked all who had helped in any way with the smooth running of the Institute. The previous committee was voted back in, with the addition of Colleen. The ballot for the president saw Gillian voted in again.

Competition results – Alphabet: 1st. Penny’s kingfisher, 2nd. Pam’s knife, 3rd. Mary Mowe’s KitKat. Flower of the month – Pam’s chrysanthemum, Brenda’s kaffir lily, Christine’s nerine. The raffle finished the evening.

December

Members were welcomed with mulled wine as they entered the Village Hall, where the tables were decorated in seasonal fashion.

Having greeted everyone, and dispensing with the normal business, Gillian invited all to begin the meal – turkey, or a vegetarian dish for non meat eaters, with a good variety of accompaniments, followed by a choice of desserts. Crackers were pulled, jokes exchanged and paper hats donned. Entertainment was supplied by the committee – a very brief story of Cinderella – but not as you know it! Games were organized, firstly by Eileen, with a hilarious version of pass the parcel, each of the three winners being the recipient of a delightful, hand knitted Father Christmas or snowman. The traditional pass the parcel was then played, with some small gifts found as the paper was unwrapped. Some members having dressed in pantomime outfits, the rest voted for the costume of their choice, with Claire, as Jack of Jack and the Beanstalk being the winner.

The usual competitions took place with joint winners for the alphabet being Mary Mowe (lighthouse) and Christine (lion). Flower of the month - Mary Mowe, Brenda runner up and Christine third. A version of tombola saw everyone receive a going home gift, then best wishes from president Gillian brought an extremely enjoyable evening to a close.

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Parish Council Report December anD January meeting Sandy Smith

December meeting

The last Parish Council meeting of the year opened with the news that Councillor Rosten has unfortunately had

to resign due to ill health: it was hoped that he will make a speedy recovery.

The updates from last month’s meeting were that Anglian Water have raised the manholes in Church Road which should ensure that residents have a good night’s sleep. The hedge between Birch Close and The Green has been cut back as has the one at Devon Road. Following the last Safety to Schools meeting with Suffolk County Council, it has become clear that The Green includes the ditch by the school. Suffolk County Council have suggested a 3.5 metre strip alongside the ditch should be offered as a land swap for the land that will be taken from The Green in order to lay down the Safety to School route. Councillors are to have a site meeting so that they are clear exactly which piece of land is being offered and to then discuss the matter further to see if they feel that this will be acceptable. It was also reported that Highways have filled in some of the holes on the edge of The Green and the County Councillor is to follow up with Highways to see when they intend to finish the works. The new bins have been installed on The Green and the concrete rings will be removed as soon as the weather allows. The damaged play park equipment has been repaired. Following the failure of a textile bag to be replaced by the refuse men, it was advised that there are plenty available from the Post Office should other residents have the same problem.

The Councillor from Stowmarket advised that there is a proposal to hold a transition town forum for the benefit of Stowmarket and its satellite villages to look at reducing the community carbon footprint and to look at the impact of climate change. He also followed up the recent discussion about the buses not using Stowupland Street and advised that there is a 7.5 tonne weight limit over the bridge which could possibly be overcome for service vehicles but he also felt that there were also width restrictions where cars are parked. A resident also advised that, although the times of the 87 bus have improved, there are still problems with the 88 service. An 88 bus stopped behind another bus at Ipswich Hospital but, before those waiting for it could walk past the first bus to board the 88, it drove off leaving them stranded. When they were finally able to get as far as Stowmarket, the bus was late and the connection bus to Stowupland had already left. It was also reported an increase in dog fouling in Chapel Lane particularly close to the Chapel and also over that part of The Green.

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A 1921 copy of the allotment lease agreement indicates that the Parish Council are responsible for the maintenance of the hedges, ditches and fences surrounding the allotments and that some land may have been lost when the A14 was built. The Allotments Group will discuss this further. The Finance and Policy Group are exploring better interest rates for their reserves. It was agreed that Telstar will be provided with the same level of grant as last year. Congratulations were expressed to Telstar for winning the best parish/town magazine in Suffolk. The Transport, Travel and Safety group advised that the speed-watch scheme is still progressing but they are still looking for more volunteers. The Emergency Planning Group thanked Gary for attending various seminars and he reported that the Suffolk County Council are looking at a scheme for volunteer parishioners to be trained to carry out the gritting of footpaths in the village. This would involve equipment being purchased and costs and the willingness of volunteers will be explored.

A Councillor reported that a bus left a passenger stranded at the bus stop outside the fish and chip shop at 4.50pm as it failed to stop despite her waving to the driver to stop. This may have been because of the number of cars parked in the vicinity but it did necessitate the passenger having to complete her journey by taxi. This will be raised with Highways to see if road markings can be put in place to stop people from parking their cars by the bus stop. There have been two near miss accidents due to cars pulling out from The Green after parking to wait for pupils from the school. This will be taken to the next school meeting. The footpath sign has been re-erected by the pumping station and some of the trees on The Green have been trimmed. It was also reported that the road at the far end of Saxham Street near Poplar Farm is breaking away at the edges. The County Councillor agreed to speak to Highways about this.

The Chairman attended a Parish Liaison meeting at Mid Suffolk DC which was well attended. He reported that Mid Suffolk have still not finished their staff redeployment. It was expected that the level of service complaints are likely to continue for another year and there will be an interim budget next year. The budgets will be led by economic growth. Parish Clerks are finding it difficult to speak to District Council officials as the switchboard do not have any idea of their movements within the Council and Babergh and Mid Suffolk have two different computer systems that do not talk to one another. The clerks need to have local council contact numbers as their Parish Council time is limited and they need to be able to carry out their work efficiently and not spend their time chasing District Council staff. It was felt that the District Councillors are doing a good job in difficult circumstances.

The Police reported that there were five drug offences at the High School during the last month, a bollard damaged at the junction of Mill Street and three cars in different areas of the village were ‘keyed’. A girl was accosted at the High School and a male has been spoken to in relation to this. The

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Youth Engagement at the Village Hall was successful despite the very cold weather and funding is being sought for another one. Sam, the PCSO, will be leaving to join the Police Force and is likely to be deployed elsewhere in Suffolk. Everyone wished him well and felt that he had been a real asset to Stowupland and had been a good visible presence in the village.

The County Councillor reported that the proposed Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Fire Brigade merger is likely to be delayed, as parliamentary approval will be required before this can go ahead. Stowmarket is to have a meeting about on street parking issues. The Cabinet have voted in favour of the two-tier education system. A safety barrier is to be erected to save the properties by the roundabout at the junction of Mortimer Road as accidents have occurred where cars have ended up in the gardens of the houses. A new tender for the Ipswich Park and Ride is due quite soon.

The District Councillor was unwell so sent in a report. She advised that a public meeting was held on 21st November at Stowmarket Rugby Club to look at the Chiltern Leys development. Around 600 people attended with a massive public feeling against the loss of current recreational and sports facilities. The District Council are asking their staff to re-apply for their posts as part of the re-organisation. She also advised that the Mendlesham Biomass planning application is currently at a standstill.

Discussion around the need for a tree survey in the village will be referred to the Finance and Policy Committee as the proposals could be extremely costly and it was felt that the current system has proven to be perfectly adequate. A site meeting was arranged to view a planning application in Columbyne Close.

The meeting closed at 9.45pm.

January 2013 meeting

All those present were wished a Happy New Year. PC Henriksen said that it had been a relatively quiet Christmas and New Year as far as reported

crime within the village was concerned. A motorist on the A14 reported that their windscreen was smashed but, as there were no other reported incidents, the Police were not sure if it was something thrown up from the road surface or from a bridge over the road. There were two incidents on the 27th December of catalytic converters being removed from cars parked in their driveways. The only other incident was an assault that occurred on New Years Day.

Some Councillors held a site meeting to look at the land that Suffolk County Council have proposed as a land swap for the area that may be used to construct the Safety to School path across The Green. In principle the Parish Council agreed the County Council’s proposals, subject to legal investigations regarding the commoner’s rights to graze animals on The Green and that any legal expenses incurred would be met by Suffolk County Council. Thanks were extended to Councillor Carter for removing the

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concrete rings from The Green. There is still some confusion as to who owns the blocked ditch near Corner Farm and the adjoining homeowner is going to check its ownership. The insurance company who had suggested that a tree survey should be carried out annually by an arboriculturist have agreed to the Parish Council carrying out a rolling programme of self-inspection with a written report being made. Suffolk County Council has confirmed that Reeds Way has been added to the Priority 2 gritting schedule.

The meeting was then opened to the public. A resident reported that the dog-fouling problem at the Chapel end of Chapel Lane is still very bad despite having a dog bin close by. She also reported that the lane was badly flooded again on 27th December to around a depth of 7-8 inches.

The Community Events Committee reported that the visit they coordinated to take residents to the pantomime at The Regal went very well. The Finance and Policy Committee are still waiting for information about the budget available for setting the precept and an extraordinary meeting will be held to discuss this on 30th January. The Footpath Committee reported that the After Christmas Walk on 27th December only attracted three walkers this year compared to around twenty people last year. The bad weather could have been a factor. The scheduled walk to Stonham will be re-arranged for the summer. The Emergency Planning Committee thanked Gary for the hard work he has undertaken. The emergency call up plan is currently being re-vamped.

Councillor Voden reported that the lights in some parts of the village that had been switched off after midnight were on overnight during the Christmas and New Year period. The Parish Council had not been informed that this was to happen and will pursue this with Suffolk County Council. Councillor Bloom enquired as to whether there was any money left for planting trees on The Green and was advised that there was not. Councillor Cooper reported that a City Link Van had attempted to turn round on The Green following a delivery in Chapel Lane and had become stuck. It was also stated that some parents also turn on The Green when dropping off pupils at the School. The Green has also been badly cut up at the Garage end of Thorney Green. A letter will be sent to the delivery companies to advise that it is an offence to drive on The Green. Councillor Carter advised that the village sign was showing some evidence of rust.

The Chairman had looked at the Mid Suffolk DC modifications to the Stowmarket Area Action Plan that had been requested by the Planning Inspector and felt that there was nothing new other than what was expected following last year’s hearing. Following the approval of the Core Strategy, it is a case of waiting to see what will happen with the Area Action Plan.

The clerk has received the quotes for new galvanised panels to repair the bus shelters and the more cost effective quote for 18 new panels was accepted. These will be ordered so that the shelters can be repaired as soon as possible.

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The District Councillor reported that things were fairly quiet at Mid Suffolk DC and that they were looking at the budget but are not yet aware of the size of the Government grant that they will receive. She also advised that the Scrutiny Committee have investigated what section 106 monies are being held by the District Council and it came to light that there were 2 sizeable pots of money in respect of developments in Stowupland. One related to a development in Reeds Way and amounts to £51,720 that was to be used as an education contribution and the other was for £18,760 to be used for open spaces. The village may only be entitled to a percentage of the money and further enquiries will be made. A Parish Councillor enquired of the District Councillor whether rents collected by Mid Suffolk are shared with Babergh and she confirmed that they are not. When the merger took place the residents voted for the two Councils to continue to run separately and to only share management. Their budgets are kept completely separate. Another Councillor reported that Mid Suffolk District Council van drivers are using the track on the far side of The Green to access Columbyne Close.

The County Councillor reported that things were fairly quiet at Suffolk County Council as well. A number of Highways tasks around the village are still outstanding and the Parish Council added a few more to the list so Councillor Green will find out the reason for the delay. He advised that grit can be ordered and left on the side of the road should the weather necessitate the need for it.

Three planning applications were supported by the Parish Council although there were some restrictions relating to an application in Columbyne Close including the owner taking responsibility to ensure that all deliveries are made via the Close and should any come via the track on The Green, that the owner will be liable for rectifying any damage to the track.

Lots of residents in Church Road have expressed their appreciation for the assistance given by the Parish Council to get the problem of the noisy manholes resolved.

The meeting closed at 9.15pm.

To request a leaflet on services and support available to older people and their carers from Age UK Suffolk and partner organisations, contact our Local Link volunteer for Stowupland:

Christine Williams Tel: (01449) 771 430Your Local Link will also be able to put you in contact with an

appropriate adviser, if that is required, or generally to guide you to the right people to talk to within the organisation.

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U.R.C. ChapelMinister: Revd Chris Wood Telephone 01449 678 173

The Love of God in Action

I read recently of a doctor many years ago who was shipwrecked and subsequently washed ashore on

a tiny South Sea Island. The islanders nursed him slowly back to health, until he was strong enough to live independently within the village.

Not only did he learn skills to cultivate a small plot of land as well as cooking and craft work, but he managed to combine his own skills as a doctor with some of the healing techniques used by the islanders themselves. He thus developed natural remedies for all kinds of illnesses as well as offer training and advice on other health matters.

This partnership worked extremely well – pooling resources and expertise for the benefit and wellbeing of the whole community.

Some years later a ship arrived carrying missionaries, who explained to the islanders that they had come to share the love of God with them. The islanders replied: ‘We already know about the love of God – through the wonderful example of the doctor’. The visitors were hurriedly taken to the doctor’s home, where they met the person whom the islanders believed had first brought the love of God to the island.

Many people use words to seek to convince others of the importance of a life of faith – but it is often those who, by their loving kindness and good deeds, which make the biggest impression. It was the Apostle James who wrote: ‘if faith is not expressed in actions it is a lifeless thing – so let me prove my faith to you by my very actions’ (James 2: 17 – 18).

Jesus Himself encouraged people to love God with their whole being – AND to love their neighbour as they love themselves – insisting you can’t have one without the other!

Love in action can be a powerful tool in any language. It can even transform human lives and communities. May this kind of love be at the heart of all that we do – for our own wellbeing as well as that of others.

God Bless,

Chris

The��united��reformed

��church

1717

A month of the new year gone already!

We had a lovely carol service, on 16th December, taken by Mr Keith Scarff. £133.50 was sent to EACH. This was made up of £76.00 from the morning service collection and £57.50 from the afternoon service.

On 20th January we united with Holy Trinity for the Christian Unity service at the Church.

The total raised at our coffee mornings during 2012 was £949.00 and has been donated as follows: Crossroads Care £50.00, Harrison Kemp £50.00, Stowmarket Scouts Building Project £100.00, Stowmarket Boys Brigade £100.00, Macmillan Cancer Support £289.00 and finally £360.00 to CLIC Sargent (a charity helping young adults and children with cancer). Our sincere thanks to everyone who supported these very enjoyable mornings enabling us to support these very worthwhile causes.

The next coffee morning will be on Friday, 29th March 2013.

Services at the URC Chapel are held each Sunday at 10.30am and we cordially invite anyone who wishes to join us in our worship. A warm welcome awaits you.

Our speakers for February are as follows:

3rd February Clive Herrod

10th February Revd Richard Edwards

17th February William Glasse

24th February Revd Chris Wood

Afternoon FellowshipOn Monday, 17th December the Afternoon Fellowship held their Carol

Service. This was led by Mr John Webb and once again the music group and choir from Stowupland High School entertained us and accompanied the singing. We thank them for coming and for making it such an enjoyable service. We also thank Mr John Webb for leading the service. The collection of £100.00 was sent to CLIC Sargent (a charity helping young adults and children with cancer).

The Afternoon Fellowship does not meet until 4th March at 2.00pm. when the speaker will be Revd Chris Wood. We welcome anyone who would like to join us at our meetings (male or female). Come and enjoy the fellowship also a cuppa. Mary Clark

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1919

4th December Meeting

This well-attended meeting was divided into two sections, with short talks first and then time to look at the displays.

First was Mick Jessup’s moving presentation about those named on the War Memorial who died in the First World War. 40% of those killed in that war have no known grave. Mick’s interest began with his own family history and he followed the life of Samuel Kerry, who had lived with his widowed mother in Crown Cottages. He enlisted in the Second Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment, was sent to France in 1914 and killed in action in 1917. 1901 and 1911 census records list the boys, sometimes brothers, who subsequently perished in the war: poignant reading.

Our Older Buildings Project is taking shape. A file with notes about the buildings visited and photographs of each will soon be available. The hospitality and involvement of those who have shared their historic homes with us have been greatly appreciated. We have learnt how timber framed buildings evolved over the centuries and, along the way, found out several means of deterring witches! As ever, we are always interested to hear from anyone who feels they would be able to share the history of their home or let us see documents. Only small groups of members are involved and documents are treated with great respect.

Any items from our archives can be borrowed by members. Archivists Cheryl and Kelvin put some on display, to give an idea of what was available. Sue and Steve Williams, of the Stowmarket group brought a display about Stowmarket and Stowupland charities: a taster for their talk on 6th March. Marie Ryan, John Ryan and Susan Rice brought several files of the researches of Ena Carter, a considerable archive.

This was a varied and enjoyable meeting and another of similar format will be held on 1st May. Thanks go to all who donated items for the bring-and-buy stall, which raised a good contribution to our funds.

TreasurerFollowing her return to work, Karen Hamilton has had to stand down

as our Treasurer. She played a crucial role in setting up our accounts and maintaining them over the last year, as well as looking after admissions at meetings. Thank you, Karen

Local History GroupMarion Harris – Tel. 01449 770 895

S T OW U P L A N DLOCAL HISTORYGROUP

Talking-Point We sometimes pose a question we cannot answer; however the great thing

about Stowupland is that a bit of asking around usually does the trick! Mary Bloom and John Paddy conferred over the question of when animals were last grazed on The Green and agreed that 1953 was a likely year. Donkeys have been tethered near Poole’s Farm in more recent times.

For our next ‘Talking Point’, where was Stowupland’s first Meeting House for Dissenters (Chapel)? The answer is surprising!

Programme Please note the new venue.

Wednesday, 6th February: ‘A History of Dagworth Hall’ by Jeremy Steventon-Barnes. (Dagworth was featured on BBC TV’s The Great British Story)

Wednesday, 6th March: ‘Stowmarket and Stowupland Charities’ by Sue and Steve Williams.

Both meetings will be at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. Refreshments will be provided. There is a car park. Admission: £1.00 for members, £3.00 for non-members.

We look forward to seeing you.

20

Community Preparedness: Winter GrittingAs we all know Suffolk County Council has responsibilities for snow

clearance and gritting, but they do not have unlimited resources and are unable to provide clearance of snow on every pavement or road. Mid Suffolk District Council through the Joint Emergency Planning Unit encourages sensible self-help for clearing snow and ice.

Does Stowupland have a Winter Gritting Group?

YES, last year the Parish Council registered with MSDC and called for volunteers. You can register with the group by email, or by completing

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the slip below. If you are unable to volunteer to help clear snow and ice, you could help in other ways such as making a welcoming hot drink for volunteers or by sponsoring some equipment.

What’s involved?Once you have registered you will have to sign up to the ‘snow code’.

This is code of conduct, is essentially a few health and safety rules and some common sense advice. Once you are part of the team you will be able to clear footpaths outside your home and other areas around the village.

How much is it going to cost me?It’s completely free to sign up. We have requested funding for grit bins,

grit and salt and spreaders. At the moment volunteers will have to provide shovels as funding is being sought for these.

What are my commitments?You can commit as much or as little time and effort as you want.

Can we be sued if someone slips?No. There is a misconception that clearing snow and ice can leave you

liable to be sued if someone slips on an area you have cleared. Reassuringly, if volunteers have registered with their District, Parish or Town Council and are clearing snow in a safe and sensible manner as part of a coordinated volunteer scheme, they will be covered under County Council third party liability insurance.

Name

Address

Post Code Email

Mobile Number Home Number

Please return slips to the Parish Clerk, Post Office, The Retreat Public House, or email [email protected] with your details.

✁

22

Andrew BinghamINDEPENDENT FUNERAL SERVICE

Stowmarkets Independent Family Funeral Service

24 Hour Personal Service • Private Chapel of Rest • FREE Parking

www.andrewbingham.co.ukTelephone: 01449 771666

The Nutshell, Milton Road South, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 1EZ

D. WoolnoughProperty Maintenance

For all your building requirementsfrom minor works to extensions and alterations

For a friendly, reliable service please call Dan on

01449 677564 or 07812 753099

Graduated with The Chartered Institute of Building in 2002 andproud to have over 20 years experience in the construction industry

2323

Village Hall (ReGiSTeReD CHARiTy No 304822)

Recycling News News John Craine, Chairman, Village Hall Management Committee.

Responses to the 2010 Parish Plan questionnaire showed that many residents attach importance to environmental issues and particularly recycling.

Local residents make good use of the Village Hall recycling facilities. Not only is this positive in environmental terms but the hall also receives useful income from bottle, newspaper and textile recycling.

However, at the start of a New Year, you may find it useful to have a reminder of the limited range of items which can be placed in the Village Hall recycling banks. At present, there are separate containers for Newspapers, Glass Bottles, Used Clothing and Shoes; and also a British Heart Foundation container for Books, DVDs, CDs and Video Cassettes.

Household and garden waste should never be left at the hall. Also, we cannot take any of the following:

Cardboard, scrap metal, car batteries or tyres, food/drink cans, electrical equipment and appliances, light bulbs and fluorescent tubes, building materials, garden waste, paint and paint cans, wood and timber, plastics of any kind (bottles, bags, containers, wrapping, utensils etc), and liquid cartons e.g. tetra-pak type.

Where appropriate, please use your Mid Suffolk District Council supplied green-topped recycling wheelie bin; or, for garden waste, the brown wheelie bin (if you have one). If neither of these meets the need, use an Mid Suffolk District Council household waste recycling centre (e.g. at Stowmarket).

Items left at the hall over the Christmas holiday period included a pile of paint cans (many containing paint), an unwanted rowing machine, plastic kitchenware, a vehicle exhaust system and bags of drink cans. This is fly-tipping, which is illegal. We report any such cases to the local council.

Finally, may I ask all concerned to follow the example of most recyclers by disposing of any plastic bags or cardboard containers (used to bring items for recycling) in one of the litter bins around the hall; or take them home for disposal? Dropping these by the recycling banks is littering.

I know that the great majority of residents make responsible use of the various recycling banks and, on behalf of the trustees, I should like to extend my thanks to them for doing so. I hope all Telstar readers find the above helpful and will continue to make good use of the facility in the future. My best wishes to all of you for 2013.

24

Book the Date FebruaryPlease note that the Mobile Library now makes morning visits. Dates and times below.

Fri 1 Community Bingo (see page 32) 7.30pm Village Hall

Sun 3 Country & Western Dance 7.30pm Village Hall

Mon 4 Dance Club 7.30pm Village Hall

Tues 5 Mobile Library 9.30am Jubilee Court

Tues 5 Mobile Library 9.55am The Green

Tues 5 Coffee Morning 10.00am Jubilee Court

Tues 5 Beetle Drive 2.30pm Church Hall

Wed 6 Baby & Toddler Group 9.30am Village Hall

Wed 6 Stowupland Book Club 2.00pm

Wed 6 Open Church 2.00pm Holy Trinity Church

Wed 6 Local History Group (see page 19) 7.30pm Village Hall

Thur 7 P. C. Transport, Traffic & Safety W.G. 7.30pm Church Hall

Thur 7 Short Mat Bowls 7.30pm Village Hall

Sat 9 Dance Club Dance (ticket only) 7.30pm Village Hall




Tues 12 Over 60 Club 2.00pm Village Hall

Wed 13 TELSTAR DEADLINE DATE – March issue



Thur 14 Parish Council 7.30pm V. H. Meeting Room


Fri 15 Bingo i.a.o.Air Ambulance (see page 3) 7.30pm Village Hall





Wed 20 W.I. – Watercolour demonstration 7.30pm Village Hall


Diary Dates Contact Marion by email: [email protected] or Tel: 01449 770 895

If you wish to attend one of the events listed, and would like help with transport, please contact Good Neighbours on 07591 539 621 (new no.)

2525







Thur 28 P.C. Finance & Policy Meeting 7.30pm URC Chapel


Book the Date MarchSat 2 P. C. Cemetery & Churchyard W.G. 10.00am The Churchyard

Sat 2 Bingo 7.30pm Sports & Social Club

Sat 2 Eve’s Pudding Night (see back cover) 7.30pm The Retreat


Mon 4 Afternoon Fellowship 2.00pm URC Chapel


Tues 5 Mobile Library 9.30am Jubilee Court

Tues 5 Mobile Library 9.55am The Green




Wed 6 Stowupland Book Club 2.00pm


Wed 6 Local History Group (see page 19) 7.30pm Village Hall


26

PLUMBING

John Bull Motors Ltd

Petrol and Diesel MOT testing

Servicing and repairs

Unit 7B Charles Ind. EstateStowmarket

Phone: 01449 774150

Fax: 01449 675898

Email:[email protected]

Windows, MS Office,E-mail, Internet, Graphics,

Broadband.Solutions resolved in

your own homeOne to One tuition.

Phone Shelli of MPM on07733 262116

Let a local company inStowupland support you.

Practice Opening Hours Monday-Friday8:30am-6.00pm

Saturdays8.30am-12.00pm

WWW.CEDARWOODVETS.CO.UK

Surgeries throughout the day by appointment

Plus a 24 hour EMERGENCY SERVICEPlus a 24 hour EMERGENCY SERVICEPlus a 24 hour EMERGENCY SERVICE

Large FREE car park

Combs House, Stowmarket Business Park,Needham Road, Stowmarket IP14 2AH

Tel. 01449 676966

Your Best Friends’ Best Friends!Your Best Friends’ Best Friends!Your Best Friends’ Best Friends!

Future Events in 2013April 6 Casino Night

June 29 Music on The Green

August 3 Celebration of 50 years of Telstar

September 1 Historic Cars / Yard Sale

* C O N T A C T D E T A I L SBook Group: Patricia 672 127 or Anne 01449 672 592 Baby and Toddler Group: Hannah Taylor 07788 425 725Bowls Club: John Mollett 01449 775 369 Country & Western Dance: Winston & Janet Adams 01206 501 866Dance Club: May & Paul Durham 01449 672 601Local History Group: Marion Harris 01449 770 895Short Mat Bowls: Pam Fayers 01449 770 080 Sports & Social Club: Rick Langford 01449 770 402W. I. Judy Clarke 01449 615 386Community Events Keith Welham 01449 673 185Mobile Library: 07721 879 855

2727

Youth ReflectionsFebruary

This is the month of love! The time when everyone in love is given chocolates and couples eat romantic meals together. However, I think

more importantly it’s going to be Pancake Day soon!

Pancake Day is one of my favourite days of the year, because I get to eat pancakes for basically every meal and that is fine by me. I also like it because the smells of the cooking pancakes fill the house and we know it’s the countdown to Easter, so everyone is happy. I am sure the only bad thing about Pancake Day is the fact that some people give up something they like for forty days and forty nights. However I don’t do this because I’m no quitter!

So enjoy Pancake Day, yum yum, have fun on Valentine’s Day and look forward to all that chocolate at Easter.

28

The Curate’s Letter Revd Paul Clarke

Love is … I'm really not into Valentine’s Day; does that make me unromantic?! In recent years both myself and my wife Rachel have agreed not to buy each other gifts but simply stick to the customary card swapping. The trouble is even buying one of those

is a bit of a trauma for me. I usually walk into a card shop the day before, frantically looking for the valentines cards, only to find that there are racks of them. So, I have to wade my way though them all, desperately discarding the cheesy ones (My favourite one is ‘you make my heart beat faster than eggs’!).

Perhaps I should not be so flippant, as I think love is proof that God exists. Oh, I know that the process of love can be explained by science … neural pathways, endorphins and all that. It might even try to explain why we love (To keep the evolutionary machine rolling?). But impressive as that is, it does not yet come near to expressing this most amazing part of what it is to be human. I think the bible is one of the most romantic books even written. But before you hastily turn the pages, muttering “the curate has gone too far this time.” let me give just one example;

In the middle of the bible there is a beautiful love song called the ‘Song of Songs’ that describes romantic love from courtship to consummation. It's a bit racy, people originally asked for it to be banned! But by the sixth century it had become part of Hebrew scripture and takes its place in our old testament today. And so it should, for this ancient and mysterious song is beautifully poetic, describing two soul mates with a deep sense of affection and commitment to each other. It's a mystical joining of two human beings into what the bible describes elsewhere as ‘one flesh’. How’s that for romance?

Elsewhere in the bible it says that God is love. That all love flows from him and through us. It's his gift to us.

As we enter into the period of lent my prayer is that we can all feel what it is like to experience God’s love – a love that transcends every physical description we attempt to give it. Our lent course is going to focus on how to do just that, see page 31 for details of our first session. You would be very welcome to join us.

Meanwhile I will turn up at the card shop again on 13th February; perhaps this year you may even spot me in the service station's chocolate/flower section as well!

Your Curate,

Paul

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Holy Trinity ChurchVicar: Revd David Swales Tel: 01449 675 503

Curate: Revd Paul Clarke Tel: 01449 672 140

Churchwarden: Mrs Ann Doubtfire Tel. 01449 770 363

Church Email: [email protected]

www.facebook.com/haughleybenefice

S e r v i c e s i n Fe b r u a r y 2 0 1 3 February 3rd 9.30am Parish Communion

4.00pm 1st @ 4 Service

February 10th 9.30am Morning Worship and Trinity Starz

6.30pm Evensong (B.C.P.)

February 13th (Wed) 7.30pm Ash Wednesday Benefice Communion at Wetherden

February 17th 8.00am Holy Communion (B.C.P.)

9.30am Morning Prayer (B.C.P.)

February 18th (Mon) 10.30am Songs of Praise at Steeple View. All welcome!

February 24th 9.30am All-Age Family Service

6.30pm Parish Communion(B.C.P. – Book of Common Prayer)

G r a t e f u l T h a n k s :The raffle and retiring collection at the Carols & Mincepies Evening raised £300.00 for The East Anglian Air Ambulance. The Carol Service raised £171.56 for the Church Housing Trust (for the homeless). THANK YOU!

T h e C h i l d r e n ’ s S o c i e t y :A big thank you to all who attended the Christingle Service in December where we raised £203.52 for the above charity. Thanks also to everyone involved in organising the afternoon and making it special! The Freeman Community School held their Christingle Service in the church on their last day of term when a further £30.55 was collected, many thanks to you all for your support. House Boxes are now being counted. If you haven’t already done so, please bring yours to me as soon as possible. Thank you and a Happy New Year

Janet Burton – Parish co-ordinator.

30

P a r i s h R e g i s t e r s

F u n e r a l s Our love, sympathy and prayers to the families of those who have recently died: 7th December Basil Philpot14th December May Birch 3rd January Sybil Bond 7th January William Stevens

F a m i l y S e r v i c e s Please come along to 1st@4 SERVICE on Sunday, 3rd February at 4.00pm and enjoy ‘Church with a Difference’!

There’s also TRINITY STARZ for children alongside the Morning Worship Service on Sunday, 10th February at 9.30am.

Then, to enjoy our bright and friendly ALL-AGE FAMILY SERVICE on Sunday, 24th February at 9.30am.

Do stay and have FairTrade refreshments with us in the hall afterwards!

.

1 0 0 C l u bCongratulations to the winners in the December draw.

1st 68 Mr H Bacon

2nd 5 Mr W Borley

3rd 33 Mr R Hall

B e e t l e D r i v e sCome along and enjoy some fun in a friendly atmosphere at the Beetle Drives which will be held on Tuesdays, 5th and 26th February at 2.30pm in the Church Hall. All are very welcome to join us!

W e e k l y O p e n C h u r c hHoly Trinity Church has an Open Church Session from 2.00pm to 4.00pm each Wednesday. Come on in and enjoy your Parish Church to wait for children coming out of school, for a quiet prayer, for a free cup of tea/coffee and a chat, or to enquire about church activities etc.

Holy T r in i ty Church N O T I C E B O A R D

A P r a y e rDear God, it is hard for us not to be anxious, we worry about work and money, about food and health, about weather and crops, about war and politics, about loving and being loved. Show us how perfect love casts out fear. Through Jesus Christ your Son. Amen

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Lent Lunches 2013You are invited to join us for the Lent lunches of soup, rolls and cheese followed by tea or coffee. The lunches will all be on Wednesdays;

20th February 27th February

6th March 13th March 20th March

All of the lunches will be held in the Church Hall and start at 12 noon. There is no charge, but your voluntary donations will go to a charity. We look forward to welcoming you! Please see page 39.

Stowupland & Haughley

Lent Group 2013This year’s lent course is entitled:

Experiencing God's Love

Over five sessions we all look at five aspects of what it means to live a Christian life, discovering the love of God as we journey through faith at different stages of our lives. You are welcome to attend any or all of the sessions on offer and each session will be run both in the evening and daytime. These are the sessions in February:

Session 1: Wednesday, 20th February, 7.30pm at 2 Duke Street, Haughley or Thursday, 21st February, 10.30am at The Vicarage, The Folly, Haughley

Session 2: Wednesday, 27th February, 7.30pm at Stowupland Church Hall Thursday, 28th February, 10.30am at Stowupland Church Hall

March sessions to follow in the next Telstar.

Soup & Pancakes LunchCome along on Shrove Tuesday, 12th February and enjoy the popular Soup and Pancake Lunch in the Church Hall from 12.00 noon. Something a little different in friendly company!

32

Food-Bank BoxIf you would like to donate items for the Food Bank to help those in need of a helping hand, we now have a box at the back of the church for you to leave your items. Thank you!

Have you got some t ime on your hands?We offer a warm welcome anyone who would like to help out in some way with our various fundraising and social events, even the occasional hour is appreciated! Also, if you are a practical person with some DIY skills we would really appreciate your help occasionally with jobs that are necessary for the upkeep and maintenance of the church here in Stowupland. You do not have to be a church member to be able to do this!

If you think you are able to give a bit of your spare time to help with an event, or to the upkeep of the church from time to time, please contact Ann & Gerry Doubtfire on 01449 770 363.

Friday, 1st Februaryat Stowupland Village Hall

Doors open at 7.00pm Eyes Down at 7.30pmEveryone Welcome

COMMUNITY

BINGOAll Cash Prizes£

3333

A new year is here, the early spring bulbs are showing signs of life in the garden and, with the unusual mild

weather, they will be in bloom earlier than ever this year.

A few weeks ago I was in the Martham, Hickling Broad area staying with friends – an idyllic setting, with the river at the bottom of the garden and a view over the marshes

which stretched to the horizon. Whilst standing outside watching the geese in their hundreds pass over, I could hear an unusual call note in the distance. As the birds got closer it was evident they were a flock of cranes – these large majestic birds have recently returned to this country and have even nested in some locations.

This Christmas we decided to rent a large flint cottage near Holt (Norfolk) and along with the family and dogs to spend a week with the beaches nearby and spoilt for choice with good pubs and restaurants. There is something special watching excited grandchildren open presents in front of a great log fire, the smell of turkey cooking and aroma of mulled wine on the Aga. During our stay we walked the normal local routes; Blakeney, Cley and Wells being our favourites. With binoculars scanning the marshes and skyline we spotted plenty of the usual geese, ducks and waders. Amongst the more unusual was a sacred ibis on the marshes near the Dun Cow Public House. Apparently this strange looking bird has been in the area for quite a while. Whilst walking along the coastline at Cley, a large flock of snow bunting were present feeding amongst the sparse vegetation. These dumpy buntings favour this habitat and are mainly winter visitors to our coastline.

Nearer to home a welcome sight on the peanut feeder in the garden was a party of long tailed tits, These delicate little birds are hit hard by our winters so were a pleasure to see. During a visit to a local lake the distinctive call of a bird of prey was heard. On looking skyward an osprey appeared, it circled the lake with several downward glances but carried on down the valley.

Watch out for hares on open fields as they will soon be chasing one another and doing their boxing as they spar for mates.

Countryside Rambler Brian Ward

TELSTAR is also available as a link on the Parish Council website:

www.stowupland.onesuffolk .net

34

Are You In Pain? Chiropractic may help with many problems including lower back pain, neck pain and related headaches as well as arm and leg pain

STOWMARKET CHIROPRACTICHEALTH CLINIC

Michael T E BaileyDoctor of Chiropractic

Registered with the General Chiropractic Council

7 Stowupland Rd, Stowmarket. IP14 5AG

Tel/Fax 01449 612620www.michaelbailey.net

Also offering Deep Tissue and Sports Massage with Judith Gunion MHFST

R. B. JoineryManufacture of

Bespoke Joinery

All carpentry work undertaken big or small

FREE estimate

Telephone: 01449 676 401

Mobile: 07976 828 973

Reduce your Accountancy costs

Call Sarah Place Accountants

Professional efficient Accountants with over 15 years experience

AccountsBook-keeping

PayrollSage

VAT & Tax Returns

01284 747 139

Matt McBrideSenior Plumber & Gas Fitter

For a complete plumbing service including✴ Gas and Oil Central Heating✴ Complete Bathroom Service✴ Boiler Replacement✴ Pressurised Cylinder. ✴ Water Softeners✴ Combi Conversions.✴ Specialist Powerflushing Service.✴ Competitive Prices ✴ Free Quotes✴ Free Advice on Heating Efficiency Upgrades

Tel: 01449 615 528 Mobile: 07813 846 778

BPEC Approved inSolar Water Heating

3535

We confirmed that Fridays were by far the best days for our appointments and the dentist’s receptionist

began to search for possibilities. “Are you,” she asked in hushed tones “At all superstitious? There are quite a few times available on 13th September.” We gladly accepted

one – well, as gladly as you accept a visit to the dentist. Clearly, however, for some, such an appointment on a Friday 13th seems just too risky – but they probably feel it’s too hazardous even to get out of bed on that day. Triskaidekaphobia (thank you, google!) must make life difficult.

Is 2013 an unlucky year? Should we be calling it 2012A? There is an opinion that, as the year proceeds and in all likelihood proves to bring us the usual mix of good and bad, any sense of unluckiness will gradually be lost by those who started off feeling doomed … one month’s gone already!

If you do one thing this month, let it be this: select a clear sky any night – preferably with no moonlight – and find a quiet place to just stand and admire a dark sky. Surely it would be a great shame to miss a free show? If you can find a place that is free from neighbourhood trees and lights (oh why do so-called security lights have to blot out the entire sky?) then you have a good chance to enjoy your local universe. Start by finding Jupiter shining high around 7.00pm in the south-east; it’s a good reference point because it cannot be mistaken, being the brightest object when the moon isn’t around. Below and left of Jupiter is the wonderful constellation of Orion that dominates winter skies. Binoculars provide a wealth of colour from Orion, ranging from its brightest stars – the red Betelgeuse at upper left, and blue Rigel at bottom right – to the green hue of the great Orion nebula known as M-42.

Above and left of Orion are the stars of Gemini, and they are now hiding a secret from those without telescopes. Nestling in Gemini is comet ISON, very likely to become the talking point of autumn as it heads towards the sun. Current expectations are that it will approach the sun and become exceptionally bright; right now it is visible in large amateur telescopes – so give me a week or two.

Life, the Universe & stowuplandMarion & Lawrence Harris

36

FAST TEST STOWMARKET

MOT~SERVICING~AIR-CON

Fast Test can service all makes and models of cars

and light commercial vans, as well as welding

repairs, computer diagnostics and

Air-Con re-gassing. Fast Test can also offer a lift home

or to work in the surrounding Stowmarket area or a courtesy

vehicle

Contact: Adam Bennett

Tel: 01449 770902

Address: Unit 12

Tomo Business Park Tomo Road

Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 5EP








vehicle


Tel: 01449 770902

Address: Unit 12










vehicle


Tel: 01449 770902

Address: Unit 12



Contact: Adam BennettTel: 01449 770902

Address:Unit 12, Tomo Business Park,

Tomo Road, Stowmarket,Suffolk, IP14 5EP

Fast Test can service all makes and models of cars and light

commercial vans, as well as weldingrepairs, computer diagnostics

and Air-Con re-gassing.Fast Test can also offer a lift home

or to work in the surroundingStowmarket area or a courtesy vehicle.

Suffolk Landscaping

Garden Design & Construction

Garden Maintenance, Patios, Driveways, Fencing, Hedge Cutting

Guaranteed work and will beat any written quote

No job too big or small

Call Will on Mobile: 0779 247 888 3

Home: (01449) 613646

Email: [email protected]

Woodview, Saxham Street, Stowupland, IP14 5DA

Over 10 Years Experience and Professionally Qualified

Stowupland Good neiGhbourS

A volunteer service run by residents for residentsHelpline 07591 539 621 (New Number)

Wendy Parris, Committee Member

Happy New Year to all of our Volunteers and Customers. Many years ago a boss lady told me something that I still place

importance on today: “without customers there wouldn’t be a job for me”, and the older I get the more I appreciate some of her wisdom. As we trawl through the doldrums in our minds after a Christmas holiday it does us good to get up and face the world with a smile. After all, look in a mirror and what do you see? A grumpy face looking at you? But if you smile, the whole world seems a much brighter place.

We had a first in my time with Good Neighbours – a request for a Father Christmas at Baby and Toddlers. The little faces of the children were a delight to see. Of course there were the shy ones, but all in all it was a success and the children went home happy after their party. Father Christmas enjoyed it as well although he wouldn’t admit it. Some of us provided transport to the pantomime and were rewarded with tickets to stay. That was good and a big thank you to the Community Events Committee for a fun afternoon.

So the New Year is here and I wonder what it will bring to us. We are fortunate to live in a village that has a lot going for it and for us to, so let’s make the most of it and put on a happy face for 2013.

Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal

A big thank you to all those who supported the 2012 Poppy Appeal in Stowupland, both by helping with the collections and by buying a poppy. The total amount collected was £1,161.00. If you feel you would like to help with door-to-door collections in the future, I would be very pleased to hear from you.

Hugh Blanch Stowupland Poppy Appeal co-ordinator. Tel. 01449 612 156

3737

38

M H BEDS LTDBeds, Furniture & Mattresses to suit all pocketsChoice of Standard or BespokeB&B/Guest House Discounts availableOpen Monday-Sunday 10.30am – 4.00pmClosed ThursdaysTel 01449 711761 www.mhbeds.comStonham Barns, Stonham Aspal IP14 6AT

FREE DELIVERY &BED ASSEMBLY

Quality seasonal fresh fruit, vegetables and salad delivered toyour home, from your local family greengrocer

• Mixed boxes - to suit the size of your household, from £7

• Build your own box – simply send us a list of what you need

• Business to business – call us to discuss your requirements

www.sjigreengrocers.co.uk 01449 780416

FRUIT & VEGETABLES – FRESH TO YOUR DOOR

DINNER PARTIES & OUTSIDE CATERING

HAVE DAVID RYAN MASTER CHEF OF GREAT BRITAIN TO HOST YOUR DINNER PARTY AT YOUR HOME OR VENUE OF YOUR CHOICE

MUCH CHEAPER THAN EATING OUT

DAVID ALSO RUNS “COOKERY MASTER CLASSES” and “HANDS ON

WORKSHOPS”. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT DAVID

Mobile: 07967 198 164 or see www.davidryan.co.uk

3939

From the telstar committeePlease note that the opinions expressed in letters and articles are

not necessarily those of the Telstar committee or the Parish Council. We cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of material submitted for publication, however we reserve the right to include, edit or amend as we think appropriate.

Telstar is produced in good faith but errors and omissions may occur during the process of production. Please let us know if this is the case so that these errors may be corrected.

40

The Retreats t o w u p l a n d

01449 612 511

Credit Crunch Lunch available six days a week

2 Course Lunch from choice of five on our specials board – only £6.95

✤Kitchen open

12.00noon – 2.00pm and 5.00pm – 8.00pm Monday to Saturday

Sunday Roast only £7.95

✤ Bingo every other Tuesday

4141

The hall is established as a charitable organization and run by a group of (voluntary) trustees. A range

of groups and individuals use the amenity but spare capacity remains for private and club bookings.

Located in the centre of the village, in Church Road, with ample parking, the hall is clean, spacious and well heated; and licensed for a range of activities with bar facilities for the sale of alcoholic drinks. There is a main function room, a kitchen and smaller rooms for meetings and classes. Hire charges are reasonable.

If you are interested in hiring the hall for group activities, parties, wedding receptions etc, and would like to know more about the facilities and details of hire charges, please contact Hugh Blanch, the Booking Secretary, on 01449 612 156.

Until recently, the millennium garden at the rear of the hall has been looked after on a voluntary basis by members of the Stowupland Women’s Institute. We have much appreciated the work done on the garden by the WI over the last decade but they have now told us that they are unable to continue with this task in future. We would therefore like to hear from anyone who might be interested in taking over the work from the Women’s Institute on a voluntary basis, either individually or perhaps as part of a wider group with an interest in gardening. The garden is relatively small and the work should not be too onerous. If this would be something to which you feel you could bring some of your time and gardening experience, to the overall benefit of the village, I should be very pleased to hear from you. I can be contacted on 01449 676 576.

My best wishes to all Telstar readers for the New Year.

Village Hall News Registered Charity No 304822

John Craine Tel: 01449 676 576 Chairman, Village Hall Management Committee.

Thank YouThank you to everyone who came to the Village Hall for the New Year’s

Eve Dance. It was very successful and enjoyed by many people from the village. Not only did we have a good night but we are thrilled that we raised £684.00 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Thank you also to the people who donated draw prizes. Paul Mark and Beryl Locke

42

Tel: 01284 717760, Fax: 01284 717761www.coastlinegraphics.co.uk

.......................................... ..................Customer: Date:

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Please Note: The purpose of this proof is to represent the closest approximation of the final product.It is the responsibility of the client to thoroughly review for any discrepancies.

For local, reliable service please callAlan:

01449 613457or 07508 051 518

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Sports & Social Club Rick Langford, Chairman

By the time you read this it will be well into the new year, but I would like to wish all members a happy 2013.

The run up to Christmas and New Year was a very busy period for the club, and I would like to thank all committee members for giving their time voluntarily to help make the club such a successful village asset. I would particularly like to thank Susan, Teresa and Jill for providing the food for the New Year’s Eve party, and Steve Green for compiling the party music on CD, which some fifty members enjoyed.

My thanks go to Mark Campbell for keeping the banking and the floats up to date. Our turnover during the Christmas period exceeded all expectations, so much so that we won an I-Pad from Greene King for exceeding our barrelage targets. This will be first prize in a draw to be held later in the year. We will continue to improve the facilities during 2013 for the benefit of all members and the committee will be drawing up plans in the coming months.

On a slightly sour note, a member of recent standing chose to make derogatory comments on the way the club is run at the New Years Eve party. If he has concerns then I suggest he sets them out in a letter and sends it to me at 37 Reeds Way for consideration at our next committee meeting.

New dog bins sited at Stowupland High School

The school has now purchased two dog waste bins in a bid to prevent the continual disposal of dog waste in our main litter bins which has posed a

real health & safety hazard to our students and to our maintenance team who have to empty them.

The dog bins are situated on the gates by the front entrance / reception and in the car park adjacent to the sports hall. Please ensure only these bins are used for dog waste.

We have concerns with some irresponsible dog-owners who are exercising their dogs on the school field and dog excreta is left here. There has been an increased number of incidents where students, during their PE lessons, have had dog excreta deposited on their hands, clothing and shoes. Please note dogs should be kept under control and not let off the lead on the school playing fields. Exercising of dogs should be kept to the public footpaths.

Notices are displayed on site and our premises: staff will enforce this. Thank you for your co-operation.

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Falcons Football Club ian Wearing, Chairman

Tel: 01449 615 789 Mob: 07901 373 373


Aspall and Falcons team up

Stowupland Falcons Football Club recently unveiled their new AWAY kit.

Club Chairman, Ian Wearing said “We are very fortunate here at Stowupland. For around 10 years we have had a fantastic sponsor, Duncan Smith Automotive, for our first choice yellow & royal blue kit throughout the entire club. Now with Aspall onboard as our second kit sponsor for our adult teams, all of our 22 teams from Under 8’s all the way up to the 1st Team now have the same away kits”.

“We have been looking for a sponsor for a while now, as our second choice kit was getting decidedly worn and haggard. I approached Aspall back in August 2012 and was delighted when Mr Des Smith responded favourably. Seeing the kit now, it looks great and the players tell me it feels good to play in”.

Des Smith, Managing Director at Aspall, attended the ground to officially handover the kit. “I’ve heard a lot of good things recently about Stowupland Falcons and, being an ex-player as a boy, I felt it was a terrific opportunity to put Aspall’s brand on a local grassroots football club that does so much work in its local community. Ian and his team have to be

Inaugural Art Show at the John Peel Centre in Stowmarket

Stowmarket Lions, in collaboration with the John Peel Centre for Creative Arts, are organising their Inaugural

Art Show for the weekend of the 2nd and 3rd March 2013. It is anticipated that up to 100 local artists and photographers will exhibit their work which will also be on sale during the show.

The John Peel Centre, which is now approaching completion of a major refurbishment, is ideally located for the show in the centre of Stowmarket Town.

Lion President Keith Cooper said “We are delighted to be collaborating with the John Peel Centre to bring the work of local artists to Stowmarket and surrounding communities. We believe the John Peel Centre will prove a very popular venue for this Art Show which is a new addition to our fundraising calendar.”

Proceeds from the Art Show will be shared between the John Peel Centre and to support Lions local charitable causes.

For further information please visit www.stowlions.org.uk and select the forthcoming events section.

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commended on what they are doing in pushing this great club forward and it’s a real pleasure to be able to help them out in this way”.

Aspall Cyder was founded in 1728 as a manufacturer of cider and other apple derived products. Its brewery is located at Aspall Hall in the village of Aspall, near Debenham in Suffolk. Visit their website at www.aspall.co.uk

Ian said, “Aspall Cyder is a well known and respected company in this part of the country, but more importantly it’s now a global brand, and to have their logo on our changed kit raises the profile of the club even further. I cannot thank Aspall enough for their kind sponsorship ”.

Des Smith (right) Finance Director of Aspall Cyder

Ian Wearing (left)Chairman of Stowupland Falcons F.C.

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Local Author Pub l i shes F ina l Book in Fantasy T r i logyA Suffolk author has released the final book in an exciting saga of myth,

magic and adventure.

Written and independently published by Steven Smith, ‘The Last Days’ is the follow-up to ‘The Map of the Known World’ and ‘The Ordeal of Fire’, and is the final instalment in the ‘Tree of Life’ trilogy, an epic fantasy tale suitable for all ages from twelve upwards.

“It has taken over nine years to research and write this series of books,” explained Steven. “It has been a challenge, but it is immensely satisfying to complete the trilogy and I hope that readers enjoy the concluding episode.”

The book continues the adventures of Elowen Aubyn, who continues her deadly quest to discover the Four Mysteries, ancient artefacts that hold the key to finding the Tree of Life. Accompanied by a small band of friends, Elowen must overcome many perils and defeat the greatest of evils for, if she fails, the Known World’s only chance of freedom will be lost, forever…

“Although it is a story of adventure and magic, the novel touches upon many important environmental themes and is very much shaped by my interest in history and mythology,” said Steven. “The feedback from readers of the first two books has been very positive and I would be delighted to see ‘The Last Days’ reach a similarly wide audience.”

‘The Last Days’ can be ordered through all good bookshops (RRP £10.99 – ISBN 978-1-291-22141-1) and is available to borrow from Suffolk Libraries Direct. An e-book version (priced just 99p) is available to download from Steven’s online storefront at http://stores.lulu.com/stevensmith_book

The first two books in the series, ‘The Map of the Known World’ (ISBN 978-1-84728-422-8) and ‘The Ordeal of Fire’ (ISBN 978-1-4466-7817-6) are also available from Steven’s storefront.

For more information, or to order a signed copy of ‘The Last Days’ at a special offer price, please email the author at [email protected].

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Printed by Gipping Press Ltd 01449 721 599

Stowupland Village Websitewww.stowupland.onesuffolk.net

Parish Council Minutes of meetings and agendas are displayed at the Village Hall notice board (left of main entrance)

Parish Council:Nic Perks - Chairman 01449 774 200

Jerry Voden - Vice Chair 01449 770 334 Mary Bloom 01449 676 549Morris Brand 01449 770 678Roger Carter 01449 612 856Roy Cooper 01449 674211

Rick Hamilton 01449 775 403Ben Miller 07765 408 001Sally Reeves 01449 612870Keith Welham 01449 673 185

Clerk to the Parish Council:Rachel Godbold

1 Felix Road, IP14 4DD01449 770 660

[email protected] You can contact the Clerk as follows:

Tues – Thurs from 10.00am – 12.00noon

Mid Suffolk District Council:Caroline Byles 07515 730 097

Caroline is happy to help you with anyDistrict Council matter.

Suffolk County CouncilGary Green 07545 423 824 [email protected]

Police Safer Neighbourhood TeamPC 1443 Stefan Henriksen

Police Station, Violet Hill Road, StowmarketIP14 1NJ 01473 613 500

[email protected]

Good Neighbour Scheme: HELPLINE No. 07591 539 621 (new no.)

Village Hall Bookings: Hugh Blanch – 01449 612 156

SToWuPLaND TELSTar11 issues per year.

Joint issue in December/JanuaryDelivered to every residence.

We welcome new residents to the village.

articles for Telstar to:Tony Stevens

Home Lea, The Green IP14 4AE 01449 612 882

Business advertising:Claire Pizzey

01449 677 005Email: [email protected]

Adv e rt i s i n g di s c l A i m e r:All adverts are placed in good faith

and the publishers cannot undertake responsibility for work carried out.

Diary Dates:Marion Harris01449 770 895


If an event has been organised,whether a one-off or a regular one

please do not assume that everyoneknows the details, venue, date, etc.

Advertise it in Telstar

Email reports, articles etc. [email protected]

Distribution Co-ordinator:Jill Lambert

01449 615 474To the team of distributors who trek the roads and streets of Stowupland

each month. Thank You

Produced in the village,for the village

D E a D L I N E D aT E :1 3 t h F E B r ua rY

Come and refresh your memories of the desserts of your childhood

Eve’sPUDDING NIGHT

at The Retreaton Saturday, 2nd March 2013

at 7.30pmCost: £10.00 per person

including a glass of wine or a pint of beer or a soft drink

Tickets available from Eve Hayward or The Retreat

Now, who remembers Chocolate Crunch?Contacts: Eve Hayward – Tel. 01449 672 764 or Paula Squires – Tel. 01449 612 511

in aid of Air Ambulance

Telstar February 2013

Documents

Transcript of Telstar February 2013