Issuu

Communit y News

D.C. Patrick

NEWSAGENTS

4 Market Hill, Framlingham Has taken over Grange News

D.C. Patrick

NEWSAGENTS

4 Market Hill, Framlingham saH taken over ngeraG News

4 Market Hill, Framlingham Has taken over Grange News

Following Bob s retirement, David is taking on the rounds covered by Grange news

David has over 40 years experience and runs newsagents in Halesworth and Framlingham.

Bob

Following Bob s retirement David is taking on the rounds covered by Grange news

Bob s son Craig will continue to manage the service and will be delivering 7 days a to all the same locations.

hope you will continue to support the ase e any q ound Woodbridge and the surrounding villages.

4 Market Hill, Framlingham Has taken over Grange News Tel: 01986 874 305 & 07907 223 715

David has over 40 years experience and runs newsagents in Halesworth and Framlingham. aig wi the service and will be delivering 7 days a to all the same locations. hope you will continue to support the an h deliveries in and around Woodbridge and the surrounding villages.

Tel: 01986 874 305 & 07907 223 715

A tremendous Day of Dance!

On a cold but bright Saturday morning in March, over 15 dance groups descended on Halesworth for the spectacle that is the Halesworth Day of Dance.

The day started in the Market Place with a short speech from Halesworth Town Council Chair and Day of Dance Organiser

individual locations around the town throughout the day.

Halesworth was also treated to a magniﬁcent performance by the Folk Orchestra at St. Mary's Church in the afternoon and an evening music session with Pretty Grim Border Morris in the White Swan.

Open for business!

Women Who Inspire

'Women Who Inspire' was an enjoyable evening at Halesworth Golf Club on March 16th, to celebrate the 13th anniversary of Blyth Valley Rotary and to honour International Women's Day. The audience was captivated by the remarkable stories of our three dedicated speakers.

items, they're a lovely colourful addition to the Thoroughfare!

Congratulations to both the Magickal Emporium and Boho & Blyth who both celebrated their one-year anniversaries in their new premises.

Organised by Rosie Carter and Gillian Warren (Rotarian), this event shone a light on the achievements of extraordinary women and celebrated International Women's Day.

Email: sharmangary4@gmail.com

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Zoe Wadey. The groups then performed before processing down Rectory Lane and joining the Thoroughfare. More dancing, music and merriment in the Thoroughfare before the groups peeled off to dance at their

We're delighted to welcome Andy and his team to the Thoroughfare with their new ladies fashion boutique 'Bewitched 2'. Full of colourful ladies clothing, accessories and shoes with some handmade

We're also pleased to say that the Halesworth Museum is now open again for the season, with some great new displays and signage. Also, the Halesworth Gallery (opposite St. Mary's Church) is also open with its ﬁrst exhibition of the year celebrating the artwork of local schoolchildren.

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Megan Bray shared her inspiring journey, beginning with her pursuit of a teaching career in PE at Loughborough University, which changed after a broken ankle led her to earn a degree in geography. Following a decade in the pharmaceutical industry, her move to Suffolk, motivated by her family legacy, inspired her to become a firefighter. Proudly, she became the first female on the crew at Beccles and now serves at Lowestoft South Station, where she discovered her true purpose. Megan's belief that it's never too late to embrace new challenges inspires us all. Passionate about community and teamwork, she embodies the idea that our paths can be unique and fulfilling. Learn more at: firefighterscharity.org.uk

Sally Walker gave us her inspiring journey, from RAF Cadets training in Beccles to joining the army. Sally grew up in Suffolk, she joined the British Army at 19 and dedicated 24 years of service, with tours in Bosnia, Northern Ireland, Iraq, and Afghanistan, along with postings at the Ministry of Defence and the British High Commission in Canada.

After leaving the Army in 2018, Sally found her passion in the charity sector, serving as Head of Philanthropy at the Royal College of Physicians. She also chairs Veterans with Dogs, helping match assistance dogs with veterans facing mental health challenges, and is involved with the Petersﬁeld Open Air Swimming Pool and Veterans Can. Plus, she has a master's degree in Philanthropic Studies from the University of Kent! Her passion today is the charity known as Veterans with Dogs (veteranswithdogs.org.uk).

Our last speaker was Lorraine Bliss MBE! She recently retired as CEO of St. Edmund's Society in Norwich, where she's made a signiﬁcant impact on young people since 1991.

Lorraine continues to support youth projects as a Trustee of The Joe Dix Foundation, raising awareness of child criminal exploitation and knife crime. Her work has transformed St. Edmund's Society into a valuable resource, offering around 150 training opportunities each week, mainly in construction. Lorraine was honoured with an MBE from HRH Prince William and was recognised as one of Norfolk's '100 Most Inspiring Women' for her contributions.

Learn more at: joedixfoundation.co.uk

We'd like to say a big thank you to all the supporters and especially to Wallﬁnch Suffolk Coastal Home Care for sponsoring our 'Women Who Inspire' evening.

After a lovely meal together, we enjoyed a game of suddendeath reverse bingo. Each speaker received £500 for the beneﬁt of their charity.

Blyth Valley Rotary

Blyth Valley Rotary

Halesworth Town Council

Big Breakfast raises an amazing £1,600!

We hope everyone who came to our Big Breakfast on March 21st had a lovely time and enjoyed the food. We can't thank our supporters enough for making our events so successful; we hope you'll be as delighted as we were with the amount raised, which was an amazing £1,606.16!

The team in the kitchen cooking the breakfasts and the team in the bar area providing the tea and toast were kept very busy, as were the waitresses. They all did a sterling job, and we hope no one was kept waiting too long for their food. Thank you to Michael and Valerie for keeping on top of the washing up. We have a lot of businesses to thank for very generously providing the food for our breakfast: Halesworth Co-op, Allen's Butchers, Melons, and Spar (all in Halesworth), Clarke's (Bramﬁeld) and Mills Butchers (Southwold). Please support these local businesses! Our sincere thanks also go to Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrisons, and Bookers. We're extremely grateful to all of these businesses for their kindness and support.

Thank you to everyone who baked for our cake stall or donated a raffle prize. Congratulations to all the lucky winners! Thank you also to Felicity and everyone who created the jam jars of spring flowers for the tables; they were beautiful. Just a little reminder that we always have jam jars of flowers at our fairs as well, and we would love it if you took

them home with you for a small donation. You don't have to wait until the end of the event; you can take them away at any time.

Our Breakfast is an annual event (always in March), but if you enjoy going out for a cooked breakfast, the Village Hall hosts one on the 1st Sunday of every month to raise much-needed funds for the hall. Please go along and support them.

We don't have any events in April, so our next one will be our Spring Fair on May 16th in Holton Village Hall. We will be serving light lunches from 11:30am, which will include soup, Ploughman's, other mains, and delicious desserts. Please come and join us for lovely food and a get-together!

To anyone who was served a dish at the Christmas Fair that wasn't as nice as it should have been: we sincerely apologise for this rare occurrence and hope you will still come to our Spring Fair lunch. We'll have all the usual stalls for you to browse, including a plant stall which we only have at the Spring Fair.

It doesn't matter how much hard work the committee and volunteers put into an event; its success always depends on youour loyal supporters and friends, old and new. Thank you all for continuing to come along to our events. We're so very grateful, as the money you raise really does make a difference. Thank you. For more information, please contact Dawn Davis on: 01986 873640.

Halesworth Pumas Cricket Club begin 21st season!

A team that began as a drunken conversation will be starting its 21st season in May - That's quite some feat considering the history of cricket in rural Suffolk!

The season (all pub level friendlies) is due to begin at home on May 20th, although there's a small chance it might be a week earlier.

Home games are played at Rumburgh Cricket Ground, and the club would like to extend their gratitude to the Rumburgh Trustees, and community, alongside the wonderful crew at the Rumburgh Buck, who host the team's post-match.

This season will hopefully see at least one player pass 2,000 club runs with Carl Stammers falling heartbreakingly short of the total on the last game last season, Carl sits on 1992 runs, but is looking over his shoulder as Robbie Ling is on 1918, and that might sound like a large gap, but it truly isn't in the weird world of pub cricket.

Pumas will welcome teams

from Saxmundham, Southwold, Gillingham, Hales and Loddon and for the ﬁrst time, Ashby St. Mary, and will visit all named in return.

The club welcomes new members, and fans, and all details can be found on the Facebook page, or on X (formerly Twitter). Alternatively, you can email: halesworthpumascc@hotmail. co.uk or contact via WhatsApp on 07900 583147.

Additionally, volunteers to help with the upkeep of the pitch are welcome, and our social community is open to all comers, we also have the option to allow "match ball sponsors" at £18 per match (this is two match balls, of which you are welcome to claim a "signed" one back as a trophy) and this year we'd also like to welcome anyone wishing to hire the pitch to make contact. We're happy to hire the pitch for weekend games at a very reasonable rate.

In short, we welcome you to our 21st season! Hit Out or Get Out.

Find us on socials to keep up-to-date with lots of local news and events

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4 sessions

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• Only1 mile from Halesworth View video at www.valleyfarmholton.co.uk

Details: 01986 874521 mail@valleyfarmholton.co.uk

Halesworth branch of Cancer Research UK

The hall set up looking lovely and ready for visitors

Spring's quiet awakening at Blyth Meadow

Friday morning in 2026, and not

people are about. The scent of

Connecting Halesworth Updates from Halesworth Volunteers

An update from Halesworth Volunteers (HV). Community Car Service

extra special. Upcoming Events

assails my nostrils and I see pussy willow, much loved by birds and caterpillars, as I cycle past. I sit to have my coffee on one of the logs at the entrance to Blyth Meadow, where I sat almost a year ago to the day, when I first arrived in Halesworth. You have the sense that you are in the middle of the country, but perfectly safe. There is an ash tree nearby, identifiable by its withered keys and grey bark, one of a number of healthy ash trees that have defied ash dieback disease. Ash dieback was first discovered in the UK in woods near to Ashwellthorpe, not far away. There are a few contenders for the town with the largest millennium green, but it's unusual for a small town to have one. In the warmer months, steers graze here, keeping the grass down. The river's home to a great variety of birds, but the Little Egret (snapped by Reubens Perkins above) is one of three or four known to live here. They used to be quite rare, only seen in nature

sanctuaries, but now they're increasingly a common sight in quiet urban settings. Signs of spring were early this year; I first noticed blackthorn in the hedge at the top of Blyth Meadow at the end of February; now, the white clusters of flowers deck the hedgerows. At the end of the field is a tree with a beehive in it, like in the Pooh Bear story. This storybook atmosphere is what's attractive about this area, with signs of its rich industrial past visible in the remains of the old railway and the canal lock that was once vital for the River Blyth Navigation. The green is home to insects, animals, and people, and it'll become a hive of activity in the summer months.

The Millennium Green Volunteers give up their time for free to maintain the ﬂora and fauna of this much-used area. This heart of the community is difﬁcult for the elderly and mobilitychallenged to access because River Lane is full of potholes and the main path to town is on a steep slope.

- Lisa Samson (Trustee, Halesworth Millennium Green)

Our Community Car Service offers transport for medical appointments, shopping trips, and essential outings, ensuring people remain independent, stay connected, and are able to meet their everyday needs. Our drivers mostly support older people, vulnerable adults, and those with mobility challenges. Our dedicated volunteers go above and beyond to ensure people get to their destinations on time and return home safely. If you're interested in joining us as a new volunteer driver, or if you need to use the service, we'd love to hear from you. Please call us on: 01986 874290.

Isolation Busters

Our programme provides social support to isolated older and vulnerable people. Isolation Busting is about bringing people together (whether through befriending or by organising group activities, lunches, afternoon teas, and trips) to help build lasting friendships.

Last month, we ventured out of Halesworth for an eagerly awaited spring visit to Cherry Lane Garden Centre! The day was thoroughly enjoyed by all. We received some lovely feedback from one of our guests:

"Thank you to Halesworth Volunteers for organising the most enjoyable outing to Cherry Lane today. A happy time was had by all with humorous chat on the Hoppa bus. We gave Cherry Lane's takings a boost with all our purchases, and there was plenty of room on the bus for plants and topiary! On behalf of everyone, we're grateful for all that you do for us and the community. A big thank you to all volunteers for the time they give."

Thank you to HACT and our wonderful driver Colin, who always makes our trips and socials

• Community Lunch: April 29th, 1pm-3pm at St. Mary's Church. Join us for a warm bowl of soup, sandwiches, cakes, and tea or coffee. Everyone's welcome and there's no need to book.

• Chinny's Social (Coffee & Chat): A relaxed opportunity to connect with like-minded people. Join us on May 5th in the Events Bar at Chinny's from 12pm-2pm.

To discover more about

Isolation Busters, our events, befriending, or shopping support, please call 01986 875600 or email: info@halesworthvolunteers.org

Halesworth Community Larder

We're looking forward to the Larder being transformed into the 'Larder Palladium' for the Ink Festival (April 16th-19th). The full programme can be found at: inkfestival.org.

Performances at the Larder will take place:

• 16th: 11am-12pm & 1pm-2pm

• 17th: 11:25am-12:25pm & 2:20pm-3:20pm

• 18th: 12:55pm-1:55pm & 4:40pm-5:40pm

• 19th: 11am-12pm & 2pm-3pm

The Larder will remain open as usual around these times (Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, 10am11:30am). HV will also provide refreshments over the weekend for performances at the Riﬂe Hall.

Kingsley's Reverse London Marathon Training is well underway for Kingsley's Reverse London Marathon on April 26th!

Kingsley (pictured above) is running the route in reverse, starting at midnight and running through the night to raise vital funds for HV. While Kingsley is an experienced runner

(and the inspiration behind our 2024 "5Ks do 5K"), this will be a signiﬁcant challenge. To support Kingsley and HV, please visit our Just Giving page or pop into the ofﬁce: justgiving.com/campaign/ kingsleyreverselondonmarathon 100 Club

Our 100 Club launches this month! For just £60 per year, you can enter our monthly draw for a chance to win up to £100. More importantly, these funds support our vital services. Each month features three prizes: £100, £50, and £25. Call 01986 875600 to join. Quiz Night Our next fundraising quiz night will be May 20th. Join

Halesworth Millennium Green

Little Egret

Image credit: Reubens Perkins

Mallard Fencing

Button & Sons Ltd.

Join Blyth Valley Rotary for their 66th Charter Night

Blyth Valley Rotary (formerly Southwold & District Rotary) was established in April 1960 and is part of Rotary International - a global charitable organisation with over 1.6 million members and 35,000 clubs across 200 countries.

We are a non-proﬁt, nonreligious, non-political, and inclusive group of volunteers; every penny we raise goes directly to worthwhile causes.

Despite having only 32 members, Blyth Valley Rotary and its friends do an incredible job serving our community.

We cover the Blyth Valley region, including Halesworth, Wrentham, Wangford, Reydon, Walberswick, Blythburgh, and Southwold, raising funds for local and international needs. We organise numerous events, such as our annual Southwold Christmas Day Swim. In 2025, despite a cancellation due to treacherous weather, we still raised over £3,000 through donations. These funds will be shared among Southwold RNLI (pictured above), the Pear Tree Fund, and Parkinson's UK. We also provide organisational support for the Women Who Inspire Evening, Starlight Walk, Henham Steam & Country Fair, and the Reydon Christmas Lights, among many others. We're proud to support the Reydon Community Pantry and

the Southwold Food Bank, and we recently launched a RotaKids group at St. Felix School. Our club typically meets on Thursdays at 6:30pm at the Sole Bay Bowls Club in Reydon for a meal and a discussion or guest speaker. As our strapline says: "Doing good is not only fulﬁlling but also creates a positive ripple in the world around us. Together, we can transform lives, uplift our community, and ﬁnd fun in helping others."

Special Event: 66th Charter Night

President Ronnie Carter warmly invites you to celebrate our 66th Charter Night with guest speaker Group Captain Andrew Coe (Retd OBE).

After a distinguished 28year military career (including service as a Tornado GR4 pilot in Iraq and Afghanistan), Andrew transitioned to the private sector in 2025. He's now a Mentor for NATO DIANA and an accomplished founder. Join us for a wonderful evening featuring a scrumptious menu and an inspirational talk. Cost: £35 per person. Contact: info@blythvalleyrotary.co.uk

To get involved or learn more, please visit our website: blythvalleyrotary.co.uk or email our Secretary, Steven Seagar, at: info@blythvalleyrotary.co.uk. We warmly welcome friends of Rotary to join any of our events or functions.

Our continued support to the community with all aspects of ﬂooring, beds and rugs, will continue with the same ﬁtting team which has been part of Halesworth Carpet Shop for the last 25 years

MAY 1ST

Young Musicians' Showcase:

Alena Lai & Lana Kiddell

Southwold Arts Centre

11am. Recital by Alena Lai

(oboe), Lana Kiddell (voice) & Brenda Blewett (piano). Talented young musicians from Norwich School. (Part of Southwold Arts Festival) £10pp.

MAY 1ST

Young Musicians' Showcase:

Southwold Primary School & Saint Felix School

Southwold Arts Centre

2pm. Celebrate local talent with a diverse concert feat. Southwold Primary School choir & musicians from Saint Felix. Highlighting musical achievements of pupils from yrs 3-6 & beyond, feat. varied programme from classical pieces to modern-day favourites. Join the community to support these young performers as they bring their acclaimed school music traditions to the festival stage. (Part of Southwold Arts Festival). £10pp.

MAY 1ST

The Beloved Son Southwold Arts Centre

7:30pm. Actor Andrew Harrison presents a moving solo performance exploring the extraordinary life of Henri Nouwen, the world-renowned spiritual writer who abandoned academic success at Yale & Harvard to join a community for those with intellectual disabilities. This powerful play examines Nouwen's personal crises, family dynamics, & his prophetic challenge to society through a journey of hope & longing. Don't miss this intimate portrait of one of the 20th century's most profound thinkers. (Part of Southwold Arts Festival). £15pp.

MAY 2ND

Car Boot Sale

Church Paddock, Holton 10am. Bookings £6 in adv. or £8 OTD. Refreshments, rafﬂe & church stall in aid of St. Peter's Church, Holton. 07944 267733 or 01986 872467.

MAY 2ND

The Beatles & Me: Chris Ingham

Southwold Arts Centre

11am (doors 10:15am). Jazz pianist & author Chris Ingham shares an engaging evening of music & stories from his book, The Rough Guide to the Beatles. Drawing on personal interviews with Paul McCartney & Yoko Ono, Ingham explores the band's enduring global legacy with his trademark wit & musical expertise. (Part of Southwold Arts Festival). £10pp.

MAY 2ND

Open Afternoon Halesworth Angel Bowls Club, Dairy Hill

2pm. Everyone welcome, with/ without experience. No special clothing is required, just wear sensible, ﬂat-bottomed shoes. Bowls & instruction provided. 07470 811426.

MAY 2ND

Scriptly, Come Acting (Circle 67)

The Cut, Halesworth

7:30pm. 9 players performing in 6 one-act plays by Wally Smith, exploring the human condition in its various forms. A mix of relationships, family, hubris, & humour. £10pp.

Blyth Valley

PARKINSONS SUPPORT GROUP

invite you to a coffee morning Thursday 14th May | 10.30am-12 noon In Wenhaston Village Hall Raffle and stalls. All welcome

MAY 2ND

Chris Difford with the Derek Nash Band

Southwold Arts Centre

7:30pm. An evening of classic hits & jazz-infused tracks. Expect a celebrated set list, performed alongside a premier lineup feat. top musicians. (Part of Southwold Arts Festival). £20pp.

MAY 3RD

Open Afternoon

Steamworks, Blyth Road, Southwold

1pm-4pm. Open to visitors! Café, miniature railway & shop will be open, & guided tours of the site available. 01502 725422. MAY 3RD

Once Upon a Tune

Southwold Arts Centre

3pm. Experience the magic of classical music as children's author James Mayhew illustrates live on stage to the sounds of Tchaikovsky & Stravinsky. Performed by violinist Caroline Speca & pianist Nathan Williamson, this family-friendly show for all ages feat. live art auction for charity & book signing. (Part of Southwold Arts Festival). £15pp (under 12's free).

MAY 4TH

Plant Sale

Wissett Village Hall

10:30am-12:30pm. Wide range of plants & refreshments in aid of St. Andrew's Church, Wissett.

MAY 6TH

Dartford Warbler Walk

Meet at Dunwich Heath Barn, opposite Coastguard Cottages

10am-11:30am. Join our ranger on a walk in search for Dartford Warblers & get expert knowledge on how the National Trust looks after this heath. Booking essential, older children welcome. £11pp. 0344 249 1895.

MAY 6TH

Saint Margaret's, South Elmham Walk

Meet at Saint Margaret's Village Hall

10:30am-12:45pm. Circular 8km walk of moderate difﬁculty with the Waveney Ramblers Group. No dogs (except registered assistance dogs by arrangement). Contact Paul on 07798 630663.

MAY 7TH

Quiz Night

The Queen's Head, Bramﬁeld

7:30pm start. Max team size of 6 (£2pp entry). Winner takes all, plus £50 Killer Question! Free nibbles. Booking advised.

MAY 7TH

MURDER: STAGED (16+)

Southwold Arts Centre

7:30pm. Join serial killer & psychopathy expert Cheish Merryweather for a deep dive into the dark psychology of crime scene staging. This unmissable evening for true crime fans feat. a live psychopath test, forensic walkthroughs, & an investigation into the killers who attempt to outsmart investigators. £20pp.

MAY 8TH

WCB Comedy Premier

Stand up Special

Southwold Arts Centre

7pm-9:15pm (doors 6pm). The brilliant Ed Byrne will be headlining this special night of stand-up! Joining him is the wonderfully offbeat & inventive Joey Page, a favourite on the circuit. More acts TBC. £25pp.

MAY 9TH

Produce Market

St. Mary's Church, Halesworth

9am-1pm. Local producers, crafts, refreshments. For stall enquiries, contact Geoff: 07818 060876.

PRODUCE MARKET

Saturday 9th

Steeple

MAY 9TH

Quiz Night

Reydon Village Hall

7pm. Teams of up to 6, £5pp. BYO drinks & snacks. Rafﬂe! Soft drinks, sweets & crisps available to buy. Book tickets with Charlotte at Southwold Library 07715 388916, email: frogclock@hotmail.com. All funds to RVH Golden Anniversary Appeal Fund to repair, renovate & reﬁt the hall.

MAY 9TH

Bootleg Boss

Southwold Arts Centre

7:30pm (doors 6:45pm). 7-piece band performing the classic songs of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. £20pp.

MAY 10TH

Dunwich Heath Dog Show

Dunwich Heath & Beach 10am-4pm. Come join us for a fun day out with your dog! Stalls, family-friendly activities, walks & refreshments in our dogfriendly tea-room, & handy hints & tips for enjoying a day out while protecting nature. Booking not needed. Free event, normal admission applies for venue.

MAY 10TH

Birds for Beginners RSPB Minsmere, IP17 3BY 10am-12:30pm. Discover the wonder of birdwatching! Friendly guides offer expert binocular tips & identifying species, followed by practical session in the hides. Tickets incl. reserve entry & café drink. £4.50pp-£27.50pp (nonmembers welcome). 01728 648281. events.rspb.org.uk/minsmere

MAY 10TH

Reiki Healing Share Group

The Harmony Centre 11:30am-1pm. Give & receive Reiki. £15pp (herbal refreshments incl.) Booking: 07737 026052.

MAY 10TH

Suffolk Strings Orchestra Concert St. Peter's Church, Sibton 3:30pm-5:30pm. Conducted by Peter Bumstead. Music to incl. works by Elgar, Finzi, Walton & Holst. Tea follows concert. Parking at IP17 2LX next to churchyard. Adults £10pp, Under 18s £5pp. Tickets (cash only) from Weavers Tearoom, Peasenhall & Peasenhall General Stores, & on the door.

MAY 14TH

Coffee Morning

Wenhaston Village Hall 10:30am-12pm. Blyth Valley Parkinsons Support Group invite you to a coffee morning. Rafﬂe & stalls. All welcome!

MAY 14TH

Ascension Day Quiet

Afternoon

Wrentham Chapel

2pm-4pm. Join us for a short time of quiet reﬂection, through a means of your choice: labyrinth, pond, bothy, crafts, music etc. Complimentary refreshments available. There's no charge for the event.

MAY 14TH

Menagerie Theatre presents Albatross by Martha Loader

The Cut, Halesworth 7:30pm. Award-winning Martha Loader presents Albatross, a tender & often hilarious drama exploring family ties in the age of climate change. Following a glaciologist's return from Antarctica, this explosive play examines the boundaries of love & the sacriﬁces we make for the next generation. A powerful look at the human heart & our collective future. £16pp.

MAY 15TH

Free Community Coffee Morning

Reydon Village Hall 9am-11:30am. Tea, coffee & toast (pastries when available). Reydon Village Hall Management Committee in conjunction with Reydon & Southwold Community Fridge & Pantry.

MAY 15TH

Opening Party

Halesworth Gallery 6pm-8pm. All welcome to this evening's event ahead of the Gallery's Liminalities Show (May 16th-June 10th). Show feat. artists

Jade Benton, Alﬁe Demmon, Livvy Garrod, Emily Ingram, Eleanor Jacques & Honey Taylor. All welcome. 01986 873064.

MAY 15TH

Woman In Mind

The Cut, Halesworth 7:30pm. Open Space present Woman In Mind by Alan Ayckbourn - A darkly comic play that follows Susan, a woman trapped in an unfulﬁlling marriage whose imagination creates a vivid fantasy family to replace her disappointing real one. £12.50pp.

MAY 16TH - JUNE 10TH

Liminalities Show

Halesworth Gallery 11am-4pm. Show of work feat.

Jade Benton, Alﬁe Demmon, Livvy Garrod, Emily Ingram, Eleanor Jacques & Honey Taylor. Free admission. 01986 873064. MAY 16TH

Annual Parish Meeting: Community Afternoon

Halesworth Town Park 3pm-8:30pm. Join Halesworth Town Councillors to ask questions, chat & ﬁnd out more about what the Town Council does. Voluntary organisations

& stalls, children's activities & face painting, live music (Marc Anthony & Isaac 3pm-6pm & Blyth River Blues Band 6:30pm8:30pm), as well as food & bar. Annual Parish Meeting at 6pm. MAY 16TH

Table 9

Reydon Village Hall 7pm. Soft rock classics from the 60s-00s. Great songs everyone knows & loves. Tickets £12pp. Pay bar. In aid of Reydon Village Hall. Tickets available to from Charlotte: 07715 388916, email: frogclock@hotmail.com or: ticketsource.co.uk/ reydonvillagehall

MAY 16TH

Beccles Choral Society Snape Maltings Concert Hall 7:30pm. Beccles Choral Society, Phoenix Singers, Lambeth Orchestra & professional soloists perform Edward Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius. Elgar's ﬁnest choral work & a masterpiece of the English choral repertoire. Tickets £35pp/£30pp/£25pp from: phoenixsingers@outlook. com, brittenpearsarts.org or 01728 687110.

MAY 17TH

Westhall Charity FC Charity Football, BBQ, Auction & Quiz Night Leiston FC (LTAA) 3pm kick off. BBQ & bar from 2:30pm. Quiz & Auction 6pm. Please come along & support. This will be a fantastic event raising money for The Pear Tree Fund Halesworth. Quiz £3pp (max. 4 players per team). Prizes to be won!

MAY 19TH

Norwich Castle Keep: A Royal Palace Reborn The Cut, Halesworth 2pm. Talk about Norwich Castle's imposing Norman Keep, recently subject to a £27m transformation by Dr. Tim Pestell (Senior Curator of Architecture, Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery), presented by Halesworth & District U3A. £4pp (free for members), all welcome.

MAY 20TH

10:30am-12:45pm. Circular

8.9km walk of moderate difﬁculty with the Waveney Ramblers Group. Many will have pub lunch afterwards. No dogs (except registered assistance dogs by arrangement).

MAY 20TH

Frida Kahlo Art Film

Southwold Arts Centre

7:30pm. Exhibition on screen. £10pp (incl. refreshments).

MAY 21ST

Grunge - The Big 5

The Cut, Halesworth 2pm. Presented by Halesworth Music Collective. Grunge's "Big Five" (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains & Stone Temple Pilots). The session will focus on how speciﬁc songs & album-stories evoke grief, alienation, & longing & on the artistic techniques that make inarticulable feelings communicable. £6pp.

MAY 22ND

Caswell: In Bloom (12+)

Thorington Theatre

7pm-10:30pm. Following her debut album launch, Caswell brings her most ambitious performance yet! Celebrating themes of rebirth & renewal, this immersive outdoor experience feat. 2 special guest artists & marks the ofﬁcial vinyl release of Break/Bleed/Bloom. £22pp.

MAY 22ND

Woman in Mind

Southwold Arts Centre

7:30pm. Darkly comic play by Alan Ayckbourn that follows Susan, a woman trapped in an unfulﬁlling marriage whose imagination creates a vivid fantasy family to replace her disappointing real one. £12.50pp.

MAY 23RD

Meet the Moths

Dunwich Heath & Beach

(Meet by Heath Barn)

10:15am-11am. Dunwich Heath is home to a wonderful variety of amazing moth species which come in all shapes, colours & sizes. Find out more about them & get a chance to see them close up with one of our rangers! Free event (venue admission applies), no booking needed. Children welcome.

MAY 23RD

Hamlet (12+)

Thorington Theatre

7pm-9:50pm. Presented by Common Ground Theatre. A thoughtful & heartfelt take on one of Shakespeare's most iconic tragedies. From £22pp.

MAY 23RD

Voxcetera Chamber Choir

Holy Trinity Church, Blythburgh

7:30pm. 'I Am A Cloud' - Sacred sounds, folk songs & beautiful new choral music. Tickets

£15pp. Under 18s £7.50pp. Book: voxcetera.co.uk

MAY 23RD

Classic Rock Revival

Southwold Arts Centre

7:30pm (doors 6:45pm). Taking you back to the greatest nights of your life - when the amps were loud, the choruses were massive, & every song felt like an anthem! Expect note-for-note performances, huge energy, & the unmistakable buzz of a proper live rock show! £25pp.

MAY 24TH

Love Actually (12+)

Thorington Theatre

5pm-7pm. Presented by Wild Arts. An evening of operatic & musical hits performed by 4 fabulous singers & a worldclass string quintet. A sparkling & mischievous summer treat. From £20pp.

MAY 24TH - 26TH

Sibton's Mighty Three Sale

Sibton Church, IP17 2LX

10:30am-4:30pm. Good quality second-hand books (ﬁction & non-ﬁction, often with rarities), clothes, collectibles, bric-abrac, children's books & toys, plants, LPs, DVDs & CDs. All individually priced. Refreshments available. Admission free, ample car parking nearby.

MAY 25TH

The Dog Show

Highﬁeld House, Halesworth, IP19 8LP

11am-1pm. Come meet Norfolk Greyhound Rescue & support our fundraiser. Rafﬂe, refreshments, fun classes. Agility Class at 11am, The Best Trick Class at 11:45am, Good Dog Obedience Competition at 12pm, Prettiest Dog at 12:35pm, Happiest Wag Competition at 12:45pm & Dog Costume Parade at 12:50pm. natalie.gray@ castlemeadow.co.uk

MAY 25TH

Southwold Model Yacht Spring Regatta

Southwold Model Yacht Pond 2pm. Celebrate 125yrs of tradition! Open to all ages & abilities. No membership required. This regatta features the May Cup for younger sailors & trophies for B & C Class boats. Visitors welcome to spectate or join the race; you can borrow a boat for the day by booking in adv. Entries taken at the pond. For more info, contact Mike Wells: mikewells380@gmail.com

MAY 27TH

Homersﬁeld Circular Walk

Meet in Homersﬁeld lay-by (off B1062)

10:30am-12:45pm. Waveney

Ramblers Group circular 8.9km walk of moderate difﬁculty, initially past sand & gravel pits then via St. Margaret South Elmham & ﬁnally using some of Angles Way to return. No dogs (except registered assistance dogs by arrangement). Contact Tony on 07836 719163.

MAY 27TH

Pinocchio

Thorington Theatre

2pm-4pm. Illyria presents a magical outdoor musical based on the classic coming-of-age tale. Follow the mischievous wooden puppet on a whirlwind journey from Geppetto's workshop to a world of hidden dangers as he discovers what it truly takes to become a real boy. A vibrant, family-friendly production of the 1883 masterpiece. From £21pp.

MAY 28TH

NT Live: The Playboy of The Western World

The Cut, Halesworth

7pm. Nicola Coughlan joins Éanna Hardwicke & Siobhán McSweeney in John Millington Synge's riveting play of youth & self-discovery. Filmed live on stage at the National Theatre. £15pp.

MAY 29TH

Spring Pudding Night

The Queen's Head, Bramﬁeld 5:30pm-8pm. A light main, followed by all-you-can-eat choice of 10 puddings & desserts - come hungry! Due to popularity, this is a ticket event only. Tickets on sale now (£32pp).

MAY 29TH

In Shakespeare We Trust Thorington Theatre

7pm-8:10pm. Presented by Wild Orchid. A special international stand-up comedy show around Shakespeare & modern society in a new a-typical creation all around the globe. From £23pp.

MAY 30TH

Clementine (16+) Thorington Theatre

7pm-8pm. Direct from sold-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe & Soho Theatre, Rosalie Minnitt stars in this "hysterical & deranged" Jane Austen parody. Follow Lady Clementine on an unhinged quest to ﬁnd "The One" before her 27th birthday. A hit with Gen Z audiences, this irreverent meditation on romance & girlhood marks a must-see performance from one of the UK's rising comedy talents. From £18pp.

MAY 30TH

Tatiana Eva-Marie & Ben Creighton Grifﬁths

The Cut, Halesworth

7:30pm. A unique evening of classic French gypsy jazz with New York's Tatiana Eva-Marie; widely regarded as the world's most popular performer in the genre having released 12 albums & accrued over 100 million YouTube views. £25pp.

MAY 30TH

The Hijacked Hollies Southwold Arts Centre 7:30pm (doors 6:45pm). The Hijacked Hollies pay tribute to one of the 60s & 70s most iconic British bands, The Hollies. £19pp.

Got an event you'd like to promote to our thousands of monthly readers? If so, please email the details over to: edit@micropress.co.uk to be included in our 'What's on?' section.

Sat 2 May, 7:30pm

Tickets £10 SCRIPTLY, COME ACTING

Presented by Circle 67. Experience six original one-act plays by local Halesworth writer Wally Smith. Featuring nine performers, this production explores the human condition through a blend of family drama, hubris, and humour.

Tickets £5 adv. / £5 OTD GRUNGE: THE BIG 5 Halesworth Music Collective. Presented by Tony Myhill, this session explores the “Big Five” of grunge (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Stone Temple Pilots). Through speciﬁc songs and album stories, the talk examines the artistic techniques used to communicate profound feelings of grief, alienation, and longing.

7 May, 7:30pm

Tickets £16 ‘ALBATROSS’ BY MARTHA LOADER

Presented by Menagerie Theatre. Award-winning playwright Martha Loader’s Albatross is a tender, explosive drama exploring family ties and sacriﬁce during the climate crisis. Following glaciologist Alice’s return from Antarctica, the play examines what we owe the next generation in a world on the brink of collapse.

Tickets £14 adv. / £16 OTD JALIYAA KUMBENGO

Tickets £15 THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD

Filmed live at the National Theatre, Nicola Coughlan stars in John Millington Synge’s riveting tale of a young man who becomes a local hero after claiming to have killed his father.

Supported by Arts Council England, Jaliyaa Kumbengo is a unique cultural exchange feat. Gambian griot masters Sefo Kanuteh & Jali Musa Jobarteh. The evening blends traditional Mande music with contemporary inﬂuences, feat. a photo exhibition, an optional interactive music workshop at 5:30pm, & live ﬁve-piece concert at 7:30pm. Thu 14 May, 7:30pm

Fri 15 May, 7:30pm

Presented by Open Space. The darkly comic Woman in Mind follows Susan, a woman whose unfulﬁlling marriage drives her to create a vivid fantasy family to replace her

Tickets £25 TATIANA EVAMARIE & BEN CREIGHTON GRIFFITHS

World-renowned vocalist Tatiana Eva-Marie brings the spirit of 1930s Parisian gypsy jazz to the stage for a rare UK appearance. Accompanied by acclaimed jazz harpist Ben Creighton Grifﬁths, this performance blends the Django Reinhardt tradition with a lyrical, modern perspective.

Neat Feet

Angela Moore Dip FH MCF HP (surgical) MAFAP (Footcare) MVR Reg.No. 24490 FHP tel: 07900 506611

VICTOR’S BARBER

48b Thoroughfare, Halesworth IP19 8AR Telephone: 01986 899846 Victor & Layla

Stitched for the stars

Frances Betts on a career in film & theatre

Frances Betts gave a very interesting talk on her career providing costumes for ﬁlms and theatre productions, which has given her the opportunity to work with many famous names.

She showed a variety of fabrics used to make costumes, ranging from upholstery for hard-wearing items like greatcoats to saris, silks, and beaded fabrics. She also discussed individual, madeto-measure corsetry featuring ﬂexible boning for ballet and ﬁlm.

Frances has made costumes for a wide variety of ﬁlms, including Lady Jane Grey, Alexander, Les Misérables, Mamma Mia!, and Wicked - for which she was ﬂown to New York to study the

original designs! She has also produced work for Madame Tussauds in Amsterdam. Notably, 1,000 kilts were made for the ﬁlm Braveheart. This included a job she approached with some trepidation: taking measurements for Mel Gibson's costume while he was wearing a kilt! Theatre and ballet costumes wear out quickly as they are worn many times a week; they require constant cleaning and repairing. Each production needs three identical costumes: one for the principal actor and two for the understudies, all ﬁtted individually.

We all admired the beautiful workmanship and the samples of material passed around.

New Season, New Greens

Join Halesworth Angels Bowls Club!

We're looking forward to bowling outdoors in 2026!

HOOKER HOUSE

DENTAL PRACTICE

Serving the community

• Professional and Caring

• NHS and Private Treatment for Adults and Children

• Cosmetic Dentistry

• Dental Implants

Quay Street, Halesworth 01986 872113

Daniel F M Evans B.D.S., M.F.G.D.P. 706808

The work on the greens during the off-season has seen a further improvement; it's difﬁcult to remember how poor they were two years ago. Our greenskeeper, Nick Gardener, sees no reason why we cannot start bowling on April 11th.

We hope to recruit more members on our open days on April 25th and May 2nd . Both sessions start at 2pm. Those interested can come to our ground at the top of Dairy Hill. No experience is necessary and no special clothing is requiredjust wear sensible, ﬂat-bottomed shoes. We'll provide bowls and instruction; all ages and genders are welcome. To see what it's like, look at our website: www.halesworthangels bowlsclub.co.uk

Bowls is a sport uniquely suited to fostering physical

and mental health across the generations. You'll have seen in the last edition of the Community News that we presented a Bowls Buddies Kit to Holton St. Peter Primary School. The President of the club, Mr. David Moreton, also presented a kit to Mrs. Lisa Wood, the deputy of Edgar Sewter School. The bowls in this kit have been specially designed to have a 'softer' feel and ridged running surface, enabling them to be played on any hard surface, such as in the school hall or outside in the playground. We hope that the schools will accept our invitation to play for a cup on our green in the summer. Those at work can still play, as most of our matches are in the evening. We also support the older generation: informal "roll up" sessions are held on Tuesday and Saturday afternoons, and we welcome the U3A on Wednesday afternoons.

Little Dippers' day of wildlife and creativity

Young nature lovers and their families met at Halesworth's Millennium Green to discover more about creatures that thrive on the shingle bank and waterways.

The Easter Nature Play Event brought together children, parents and grandparents for a range of outdoor activities designed to spark curiosity and creativity.

One of the highlights was pond-dipping, where youngsters discovered a variety of fascinating aquatic life, including waterboatmen, snails and ﬂatworms. Using willow

cut from the green, participants created beautiful handmade Easter wreaths, sharing skills across generations.

Anne Emerson (Organiser) said: "Lots of local people took part, and we had visitors from as far aﬁeld as London. It was lovely to see so many people coming together to enjoy the outdoors, and learn more about wildlife in a fun and creative way."

Millennium Green combines more than 55 acres of open grassy areas with pockets of wetland, trees and natural habitats that support a wide variety of wildlife.

The play event was co-ordinated by Anne Emerson and Gillian Coulson, both conservation volunteers at Millennium Green, and was part of a bigger Easter trail through the town organised by Hetty's Little Copy Shop in The Thoroughfare. Anne added: "Wildlife is thriving on the green, largely because of our team of conservation volunteers who work all year round to create healthy habitats." For more about volunteering at the Millennium Green, please email: thegreen@halesworth.net

Do you have an update from a local club, a successful charity event, or a story to share?

We want to hear about it! Help us keep the community informed by sending your editorial and photos to:

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Thank You!

Halesworth Millennium Green

Halesworth WI

When it's time to slow down and escape the daily juggle of work, house chores and the school run, it's easy to imagine that only a far-ﬂung destination will do. But have you stopped to think about what's waiting just around the corner? Enter the staycation - and for those of us in East Anglia, it's a rather tempting option.

One of the biggest draws of a staycation is how kind it is to your wallet. Forget pricey ﬂights and eye-watering travel costs.

Across Suffolk and Norfolk, you'll ﬁnd everything from cosy cottages and characterful B&Bs, to camping, glamping, stylish hotels and even unique boating holidays - all without stretching your budget. And with travel costs kept to a minimum, there's extra cash left over for seaside treats... who's saying no to another ice cream?

Then there's the scenery - and East Anglia truly delivers. From the sandy beaches of Southwold and the gentle Suffolk countryside

to the peaceful waterways of the Norfolk Broads, this part of the country is a dream for lovers of the outdoors. Picture a walk along the Suffolk Heritage Coast with the sea breeze on your face, or a cycle ride through rolling green ﬁelds, accompanied only by birdsong and big skies. It's the kind of escape that leaves you feeling refreshed and recharged.

Of course, East Anglia offers far more than beautiful views. History and culture are woven into every corner of the region. Step back in time at striking landmarks like Framlingham Castle, or soak up the maritime stories of Ipswich Waterfront. Wander through charming villages lined with thatched cottages and centuries-old churches, each with a tale to tell.

And when it's time to eat, you're spoilt for choice - from freshly landed seafood to local ales and artisan cheeses that celebrate the very best of the region.

Another joy of a staycation is the freedom it allows. There's

no need for packed itineraries or rushing from place to place. Take things at your own pace - spend an afternoon on the beach with a good book, or meander down a little-known country path just to see where it leads. And if the great British weather decides not to cooperate, there's no shortage of indoor options. Explore local museums, browse independent shops, or settle into a cosy pub with a pint of ale or a refreshing G&T.

Perhaps most rewarding of all is the sense of pride that comes from rediscovering what's close to home. A staycation lets you see familiar surroundings with fresh eyes, uncovering hidden gems and building memories you'll treasure long after the break is over.

So next time you're longing for a getaway, why not look local? With its natural beauty, rich heritage and relaxed pace of life, East Anglia is the perfect place to switch off, unwind and reconnect with what really

matters. Who needs to travel miles when something special is right on your doorstep?

And don't forget!

Here at Community News, we don't just do newspapers. We also produce a fantastic range of Town Guides covering towns and villages across Norfolk and Suffolk - shining a spotlight on everything that makes these wonderful places worth exploring.

Scan the QR code below to view all of our Town Guides!

Irene Thomas (of Halesworth) passed away peacefully on March 30th, 2026 aged 83 years.

Beloved wife of the late Reg Thomas, now reunited. Much loved mother of Clare, mother-in-law of David, and grandmother of Eva.

She will be greatly missed by all her family and many friends.

The funeral service will be held at St. Margaret of Antioch Church, Linstead on Friday April 24th, 2026 at 2pm, followed by refreshments at The Angel in Halesworth. Flowers welcome c/o Rosedale Funeral Home, Halesworth, or donations (if desired) in Irene's memory for The Pear Tree Fund may be gifted at the service or via the Much Loved online memorial site at: rosedalefuneralhome.co.uk

Donut Day at Halesworth (Holton) Airfield Museum

National Donut Day (celebrated annually on the ﬁrst Friday of June) was started in 1938 as a tribute to the Salvation Army 'Donut Lassies' who supported American troops on the front line during WWI.

During WWII, the American Red Cross sent hundreds of young women to England to boost military morale. These 'Donut Dollies' travelled around the country in their Clubmobiles (pictured above) serving coffee and donuts to homesick GIs, providing a little touch of home.

During the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Donut Dollies continued to boost the spirits of weary American servicemen

around the world. Join us at Halesworth (Holton) Airﬁeld Museum from 2pm on Sunday, June 7th to celebrate National Donut Day and ﬁnd out more about Clubmobiles and Donut Dollies.

The museum is open 2pm-5pm every Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday until the end of October. Admission is free.

To keep up-to-date with museum events and news on our Facebook and website: halesworthairfieldmuseum. co.uk. You can also contact us via email: info@ halesworthairﬁeldmuseum.co.uk

We look forward to welcoming you to our museum!

Friends of Halesworth

Community

Health & Care

It's been some time since trustees let everyone know what's been happening with the Patrick Stead Day Centre. Sadly, Golden Memories had to give up their option to use the Day Centre care facilities in January and we've since spent time looking for a replacement.

Whilst Halesworth Dementia Carers Fund have opted to use the facility on Wednesdays, this has left us with Monday and Tuesday to ﬁll. Currently, WISH are using the centre on Monday afternoons. However, we have the option of two candidates and hopefully by

the next edition, we'll have an announcement to make.

The gardens are now coming to life and certainly make a difference to the buildings! On April 14th, after our AGM took place, we presented a sign to Alan Witherby that the gardens are to be named in his honour. Warm Welcome Saturdays were a treat and were met with such numbers, it was difﬁcult to ﬁnish the sessions at the end of February. However a new date (May 16th) will be a return treat and depending how that will be received, we'll then decide whether to continue for June and July.

From the stunning coastlines of Norfolk and Suffolk to the rolling hills of Warwickshire, we help you uncover the very best of where you are with our Town & Village Guides.

At Community News, we’re immensely proud of our partnership with local Town and Parish Councils. Together, we’ve produced 28+ bespoke guides (and counting!) across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Oxfordshire, and Warwickshire.

Your Essential Local Companion

Whether you’re a lifelong resident or a first-time visitor, our guides are designed to be your go-to resource for:

Things to See & Do • Retail

Leisure

Information • Where to Stay • The Arts & Culture

Partner with us: Grow your business

Are you a local business owner? Our guides offer a unique opportunity to put your brand in front of a dedicated local and tourist audience.

News from Halesworth & District U3A

On May 19th at 2pm at The Cut Arts Centre, Halesworth, we welcome Dr. Tim Pestell, the Senior Curator of Archaeology at Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, with his talk entitled 'Norwich Castle Keep - A Royal Palace Reborn'.

Come along for what promises to be a fascinating talk from someone directly involved in this vast and complex restoration. Tickets & Attendance:

• Members: Free to current Halesworth and District U3A members.

Discounted rates

As a community facility offering 365 days of play, we'd like to invite you to come along anytime between 10am and 2pm to try out both tennis and pickleball, chat to current members and enjoy our pleasant surroundings. Let's hope the weather also plays ball! On the day activities Gary (our LTA accredited coach) will be on hand to run the different sessions. You can ﬁnd the full schedule of activities on: halesworthtennisclub.co.uk. Equipment will be provided and light refreshments available.

As usual, we're offering discounted rates for brand new members joining on Open Day and to see our current programme of activities please visit our website where you will also ﬁnd the club's address.

Come one, come all Come join us on May 17th between 10am-2pm and have some outdoor fun! Whether you're trying the sport for the very ﬁrst time or wanting to come back to the game after a period of absence, you're all most welcome!

Norwich Castle's imposing 900-year-old Norman Keep has been subject to a £27m transformation over the past eight years. As one of the largest recent heritage projects in the UK (and the subject of a recent Channel 4 programme), the reborn Keep features recreated original room spaces, ﬁttings, and furnishings, as well as a new Gallery of Medieval Life in partnership with the British Museum.

Dr. Tim Pestell (the project curator) will explain how this amazing transformation took shape and the many challenges he and his team faced along the way.

• Non-members: Tickets are available for £4 in advance or on the door at The Cut. Why not come along early, meet with friends, and enjoy a delicious lunch in The Cut Café? A note on volunteering Our U3A is run by a small committee and, as we continue to grow, we urgently need more volunteers to help us in various roles. Whether you're a current member or are thinking about joining, we'd be delighted to hear from you. To ﬁnd out more, please send a message to Rachael De Souza via the contact page on our website: halesworth.u3asite.uk

Halesworth Tennis & Pickleball Club

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Update from Dee's Den

Our Easter rafﬂe held recently raised a few extra pounds for the charity. Congratulations to our winner, and thank you to all those who supported us!

proving very popular!

Everyone's welcome at Dee's Den. We have our regular discounted £1 rail of adult's clothes (outside if dry). If you can't see what you're looking for in the shop, please do ask as it may be in the stock room or our storage shed!

The glorious sunny weather has all of us looking at our summer wardrobes; come and see what we have to tempt you. We have a wide range of clothes for everyone at reasonable prices, plus accessories to complete any outﬁt; including jewellery, shoes, sandals, and lovely decorative scarves. We also have a good assortment of board games, toys, and children's books, all reasonably priced. Come have a look!

We stock a wide assortment of books to suit all readers, covering every subject and a wide range of authors. Paperbacks are 50p, while hardbacks are £1 or £2. CDs and DVDs remain at only 50p. We also carry bedding, curtains, bric-a-brac, glassware, kitchenware, pictures, and photo frames. There are several small pieces of furniture available too, such as four dining chairs.

We continue to sell items on Vinted, our local Marketplace, and Gumtree to raise more money for the Fund.

Currently, we have a range of donated plants and garden items, including pots. Finally, our delicious homemade marmalade, made by our volunteer Jenny, is

We're open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, from 9:30am-1pm. With the summer season upon us, we're now open until 3pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. We welcome donations of clean, saleable clothes, bric-abrac, toys, games, and small pieces of furniture. Please drop these off at the shop during opening hours. If you have more than a couple of bags, please phone us ﬁrst; if you're unable to deliver, we can collect.

Please note: We only accept electrical items if they're new and boxed. We cannot accept used pillows or duvets.

A warm welcome to Penny, our new volunteer! We're always looking for more help, so if you're interested, please call in to leave your details and pick up an application form.

Thank you all for your continued support in buying and donating lovely goods, we really appreciate it.

To contact Dee's Den, please phone Nikki on: 07733 668221.

and a Children's Craft Session held on Friday 29th, from 11am12pm.

for more details.

The library hosts regular activities and drop-ins. Come and join us every Tuesday term time 10am-11:30am for a free Rhyme Time & Play session to sing fun songs followed by free play with our toys. Refreshments also provided for parents! Wednesdays from 10am, our Time Out sociable group for older people meet for tea and biscuits.

The Knit & Natter group meet alternate Tuesdays, from 2:30pm-4:30pm.

Lego Club runs every Saturday 11am-12pm and Family Fun Time is every Sunday from 10:30am-11:30am. You can also drop-in for advice from East Suffolk Council customer services team every Tuesday from 10am-4pm and Citizens Advice are here alternate Tuesdays, from 10am12pm. Please ask a member of staff for more details.

Don't forget, we'll host extra children's activities during the May half term! There will be an extra Lego Club session on Tuesday 26th, from 11am-12pm

The Friends of Halesworth Library are inviting you to join us for Sociable Sundays on May 3rd, 17th and 31st; meet new people and enjoy a chat over cake and a cuppa in the library! Pop in anytime between 10:30am12:30pm.

Join the Friends for their Board Games Café on 1st June 2pm-4:30pm. There are plenty of games to choose from, or feel free to bring along your own favourites. Join us and have a fun afternoon, meet new friends and enjoy tea and cake! Suggested donation £1 to the Friends of the library who kindly volunteer to run these events. On Thursday 21st May, at 2:30pm, the Friends welcome author and blogger Robert Taylor, Essex born and now based in Norfolk. He will consider how blindness impacts on his writing, both his 'Travelling Blind' blog and his ﬁction, including his most recent book 'Wish Dead List'. Check out his website and follow links to his Facebook and Instagram pages or sign up to his blog. roberttaylorauthor. co.uk/index. Entry is free but please book a place. Email: thefriendsofhalesworthlibrary@ gmail.com or phone the library. Thank you to everyone who celebrated Halesworth Library Day with us last month. We celebrated the National Year of Reading with a book sale and homemade cakes. It was fantastic to see so many people enjoying their local library. We raised £120, all of which will go towards funding future events held in the library. See above photo for some of the action from the day! Finally! Would you like to volunteer with us over the summer to help deliver our summer reading programme for children? The Reading Quest takes place again this year and we're looking for volunteers to help us! Please ﬁll out an application form online and we will be in touch.

Reydon Show save the date

Are you a baker, an artist, a photographer, a crafter, a sewist, a knitter, a gardener, or a ﬂower arranger? Then why not enter the Reydon Show?

The show celebrates your talents, big and small, with prize certiﬁcates and various trophies to be won. The show takes place on the ﬁrst Saturday of August each year, so save the date for 2026: August 1st

Entries must be submitted on the Friday night or Saturday morning, and the exhibition opens

at 2pm. We also have a range of children's categories open to those under 12, so if your child is a keen Lego builder, gardener, or artist, they can enter too. Best of all, kids enter free! So, plan your preserves, ready your radishes, and corral your carnations for August. A programme of categories will be available at Bridgefoot Stores, Reydon, nearer the date. Photographic categories this year are: 'A Café Scene', 'Local Event', 'Steam' and 'A Creature with its Young'.

Voxcetera Chamber Choir returns to the Cathedral of the Marshes

Voxcetera Chamber Choir returns to Blythburgh with I Am A Cloud: An evening of sacred sounds, folk songs and beautiful new choral music with Ian Burdge (cellist) and Martyn Noble (pianist and organist) on Saturday, May 23rd at 7:30pm at Holy Trinity Church, in Blythburgh.

Following their popular concerts in 2024 and 2025, London-based chamber choir

Voxcetera will return to the 'Cathedral of the Marshes' in Blythburgh, on May 23rd to share a programme of sacred and secular choral music.

A word from Rosedale's... Bereavement and anger

Along with many other strong emotions, anger can be something that those who are bereaved struggle to process. Anger can be felt within the body in physical symptoms such as tension headaches, tight and aching muscles and joints. We may feel irritable, lashing out at those closest to us or people we come into contact with in everyday life.

I'm sure we can all recall being on the receiving end of someone's anger and having no clue as to what we'd done to deserve it! From time to time, we all experience strong feelings that we release at the wrong moment towards the wrong person.

Grieving is a complex, confusing process. One minute we can feel desperately lonely; crying uncontrollably with sadness, the next, experiencing gut-wrenching feelings of rage. We may feel angry at the unfairness of our loved one's death and cheated out of a future we'd planned.

Many people feel angry towards the person who's died because they've been left behind to carry on without them. This can lead to feelings of guilt and shame for feeling this way.

Anger often accompanies blame. We may feel that the medical care our loved one received was not good enough or even negligent. We may blame ourselves that we did not do enough. People of faith may also blame God for what's happened.

When we're grieving, it's important to be kind to ourselves. Anger is a normal human emotion and a natural grief response for many people. Anger that's suppressed or denied becomes internalised and can often lead to depression.

Working through our anger is an important part of the grieving process. The ﬁrst step can be to acknowledge if we're feeling angry. Next, we can try to identify the source/s of those feelings. There are also practical things we can do to help release anger, such as:

• Writing a letter to those we're angry with, even if we may decide not to send it. Many people ﬁnd it therapeutic to rip

up such letters or burn them in the ﬁre.

• We could write a constructive letter of complaint to hospital medical managers in order to prevent mistakes happening again.

• Physical activities can also help; such as running, walking, gardening, shouting in the shower or punching a pillow!

• Writing difﬁcult feelings in a private journal can also be beneﬁcial. This helps to 'download' such feelings from our mind.

It can be difﬁcult to accept that we have little control over life and death. We can be left feeling powerless and helpless. Anger can be a protest against these feelings. A state of acceptance is not easy to achieve, but it can be the way forwards. Practicing forgiveness and choosing to let go of anger is a daily process for many of us.

It can be helpful to draw two circles or two columns, label one 'Things I can control' (what is within my sphere of inﬂuence) and the other 'Things I can't control' (what is outside my sphere of inﬂuence) It might look something like this:

Things I can control:

• How I act/ What I say

• How I react/ What I do

• How I look after myself

• How I treat others

• How I decide to live my life Things I can't control

• Unforeseen events, death or illness

• Wars/ global unrest etc.

• Other people's behaviour

• Events that have already happened

• Injustice in the world For me, these lists are a daily reminder to let go of anger, stress and frustration and focus only on the things I can do something about.

If you've been bereaved (recently or in the past) and would like join one of Rosedale's Bereavement Support Groups, please call: 01379 640 810 to reserve your free place. All groups are free and conﬁdential.

- Written by Sarah Howard, Rosedale Funeral Home Bereavement Support Group Facilitator

Concert-goers will enjoy highlights from Dvořák's Stabat Mater, his moving setting of a medieval prayer to the grieving mother of Christ, which made the Czech composer's name

internationally; and the dazzling, inventive and beautiful Vigil Mass for choir, cello and organ by William Petter, who died 10 years ago aged just 34. Other treats include haunting arrangements of British and French folk songs; short works by Britten and Fauré; the ecstatic 'I Am A Cloud' from Majel Connery's song cycle 'The Rivers Are Our Brothers'; and the glorious, shimmering 'Sunday' from Sondheim's musical 'Sunday in the Park with George'.

Jane Hopkins (Voxcetera's Founding Conductor) says: "We've been blessed with such attentive and enthusiastic audiences at Blythburgh, and

the acoustics and simple beauty of Holy Trinity Church make it a joy to sing in. So we couldn't resist sharing a new programme of moving and uplifting choral music, from well-known composers including Britten, Fauré, Poulenc and Dvořák to some newer treats. I'm particularly excited to present William Petter's Vigil Mass with our guest cellist Ian Burdge. It's a new discovery for us, 20 minutes of sublime and ethereal writing for choir, organ and cello, and it proved a resounding hit at a recent concert on home turf in London. It will sound magical in this special space." Tickets are available now from: voxcetera.co.uk

Halesworth Dementia Carers' Fund Named as Finalist in UK Dementia Awards 2026

The Halesworth Dementia Carers' Fund (HDCF) is thrilled to announce that it's been named as a ﬁnalist in the Respite and Carer Support Award category at the UK Dementia Awards 2026, organised by the Journal of Dementia Care. The award recognises organisations and individuals who offer meaningful respite and support to unpaid carers, and the ceremony will take place on April 30th.

HDCF is a small registered charity (No. 1170477) serving people living with dementia and their carers across Halesworth and the Blyth Valley area. Being shortlisted for a national award is a wonderful recognition of the dedication of our volunteers, trustees, and everyone involved in making our services possible.

A busy and thriving programme of support

The HDCF Day Centre, which runs every Friday, continues to go from strength-to-strength.

Providing a warm and stimulating environment for people living with dementia, the Day Centre

offers vital respite for carers whilst ensuring those in their care enjoy a full and meaningful day. Activities include singing, gentle exercise, yoga, and creative sessions, as well as the popular Memory Café. Attendance has been excellent and the feedback from families has been overwhelmingly positive.

Beyond the Day Centre, HDCF's wider programme of groups and activities continues to ﬂourish. From carer support groups to social and wellbeing sessions, the charity is reaching more families across the area than ever before, providing connection, practical support, and a sense of community for people who might otherwise feel isolated.

"My husband and I care for my 94-year-old mother, who has dementia along with other health issues. It's a fulltime commitment, and I can't begin to express the relief and support that HDCF provides us. The opportunity for respite is invaluable - it allows us precious time to recharge, focus on our own wellbeing, and for me personally,

to spend time painting again. My mum absolutely loves attending the Day Centre. She feels safe, secure, and stimulated, and is always greeted with genuine warmth and kindness from every volunteer. She feels part of the community and has made friends there, something that was missing from her life before. Prior to attending, she was socially isolated and deeply affected by depression; the change has been remarkable. HDCF has made a profound difference to all our lives. We're so grateful for the compassion, care, and sense of community they bring to families like ours."

- Family carer, supported by HDCF As the charity looks ahead to the awards ceremony, HDCF is proud to be recognised alongside other outstanding organisations making a difference in the lives of people affected by dementia. Whatever the outcome on the night, being shortlisted is a testament to the hard work of our volunteers and the impact of our services on local families.

Financial focus on... Fiscal Drag

The stealth tax that might be eating into your pay (without you realising)

You may have noticed your tax bill creeping up, even if your income hasn't changed much in real terms. What you're experiencing is something called ﬁscal drag, and it's impacting millions of people.

What is Fiscal Drag?

Fiscal drag happens when tax thresholds stay frozen whilst wages and prices rise. The personal allowance (£12,570) and the main income tax bands are frozen until at least April 2031, meaning more of your income gets pulled into higher tax bands each year.

Even if your salary only increases to keep up with inﬂation, you'll likely pay more tax. Not because you're earning loads more but because the goalposts aren't moving.

Why it matters in 2026

This isn't happening in isolation. From 6 April 2026, dividend tax rates are increasing too: the basic rate rises from 8.75% to 10.75%, and the higher rate from 33.75% to 35.75%.

If you're a small business owner paying yourself through a mix of salary and dividends, more

of your income could be pushed into higher bands while the tax rate on dividends also increases.

Even employees on PAYE will feel it. A standard annual pay rise could tip you further into higher rate territory, leaving take home pay looking smaller than expected.

How can you stay ahead of Fiscal Drag?

• Review how you're paid: Shareholders in owner managed businesses may want to review their salary-dividend mix in light of the April 2026 dividend rate increases and frozen thresholds.

• Make full use of ISAs: The ISA allowance remains unchanged for 2026/27, meaning you can still shelter up to £20,000 a year completely tax free. From April 2027 this will be cut to £12,000 if you're under 65.

• Think about pension contributions: Pension contributions can still be tax efﬁcient, but it's important to understand how the relief is given. In most cases, contributions don't directly

Alde Valley Suffolk Family History Group

Apprenticeship Records

Richard Holt talk, May 18th

Learn about the history of apprenticeship and the numerous sources available for family history research.

Discover how these sources helped research a 'brick wall' ancestor.

Pharos Tutors say: "The practice of apprenticing young men to learn a trade is ﬁrst recorded in 12th and 13th century London. It gradually spread to many other towns and cities, and became subject to regulation.

The Statute of Artiﬁcers 1563 required all tradesmen to serve an apprenticeship of at least seven years before they could trade. Provision for apprenticeship was also made under the Poor Laws. Parish overseers could bind children as young as six or seven to serve as apprentices until they were adults. Such bindings were supposed to ensure that children were taken care of at little cost to the parish."

Richard Holt is a professional genealogist and runs his own research business, 'Holt's Family History Research'. Prior to becoming a professional researcher, he worked in a

number of schools as a teacher and senior leader. Richard also tutors for Pharos Tutors, teaching their Apprenticeship Records and Victorian Crime and Punishment courses. He's a Member of the Association of Genealogists & Researchers in Archives (AGRA) and currently serves on AGRA's Council.

The talk takes place on May 18th at 2:30pm, in person at the Fromus Centre, Street Farm Road, Saxmundham, IP17 1AL (behind the library) and, for members only, on Zoom. The speaker will be talking to us on Zoom. No need to book, just turn up. Free for members and £5 per person for visitors, including tea/coffee/biscuits. Good, free car parking. Only members can take part in our meetings on Zoom, but it only costs £10 for a year's membership. See: avsfhg. org.uk/join-us (website under construction) and Zooming is free.

Further programme: • June 15th: 'Pauper Ancestors' by Clare O'Grady • July 20th: 'What to do with Your Research' by John Hanson

reduce taxable income - instead, they extend the basic rate band, allowing more income to be taxed at lower rates. With frozen thresholds, this can help soften ﬁscal drag's impact. Why this matters

Fiscal drag isn't dramatic, but it creeps up quietly. Whether you're employed, self employed or running a small limited company, failing to plan for it can mean handing over more tax than you need to.

The good news? A bit of early awareness goes a long way. Understanding how ﬁscal drag works can reduce surprises and help you stay in control. The information contained within this publication is given by way of general guidance. Specialist advice should always be sought in relation to your particular circumstances. No liability is accepted by Ensors for any actions taken without seeking appropriate professional advice.

- Jon Alderton (pictured), Ensors Accountants

On the afternoon of February 25th, Leiston & District Philatelic Society held its annual Members' Competition, where up to 10 sheets of display stamps can be submitted by any member on any subject.

All entries were of a very high standard; there were more than a dozen entries and ﬁerce competition for the coveted trophies. All members present inspected the entries and voted for their favourites by secret ballot. The Secretary then counted the ballots and announced the results.

First prize and the Richard Cloke Cup went to Graham Crowley for his colourful and comprehensive display of American revenue stamps and labels from the 19th and 20th centuries. The runner-up and winner of the Peter Spall Tankard was Alan Martin, with his display of the stamps of Zululand. Following the British invasion in 1879 and annexation to the Natal Province in 1897,

Zululand had just three stamp issues (in 1888, 1891, and 1894) before the stamps of Natal were adopted.

The meeting on March 25th saw a return to evening sessions, commencing at 7:30pm in the United Church Hall, Leiston High Street. Guest speaker Reggie Cullum, from Norfolk, entertained the meeting with an amazing display of 'Birds on Stamps'. This covered a huge variety of birds from over 120 countries and territories, featuring various stamp issues and First Day Covers.

Evening meetings will continue through April, May, and June on the last Wednesday of each month, commencing at 7:30pm. All are welcome, including non-members.

Further information about the Society's activities can be obtained by emailing: andy. soutar@btinternet.com or: alanmartin42@btinternet.com, or by calling: 01728 832455.

Rosedale Bereavement Support Group

Leiston & District Philatelic Society

Reggie Cullum presenting the 'Birds on Stamps' display

J C WOODPRODUCTS

Queen's Head raises fantastic total for local charity

Staff and customers at The Queen's Head at Bramﬁeld have raised more than £20,000 for a much-loved charity which provides vital support to people with life-changing illnesses and their families.

Landlady Kate Wood chose the Pear Tree Fund as the pub's charity of the year in 2019 and has continued to raise funds ever since, with the total now standing at an impressive £20,570.

The Queen's Head has held a huge variety of activities to raise the money, including musical bingo evenings, race nights, food tastings, rafﬂes and a fashion show. A dedicated staff member even ran the virtual London Marathon to raise funds during the Covid-19

pandemic, while Kate has twice converted the pub's restaurant into a full-sized pop-up charity bookshop.

Kate said: "We're absolutely delighted to have ﬁnally reached the £20,000 milestone for this hardworking local charity, and look forward to going on to reach £30,000 next. Pubs are massively important for charity fundraising and we are proud to play our part in supporting this fantastic charity."

Beth Yates, fundraising ofﬁcer with the Pear Tree Fund, said: "We're absolutely blown away by the fantastic sum raised for us by the dedicated staff at the Queen's Head and their kind-hearted customers. We would like to say a huge thank you to every single person

who has supported the activities arranged by the staff.

"Their generosity really will make a huge difference to local people when they need it the

most." To ﬁnd out more about the Pear Tree Fund and how you can support the charity, visit: peartreefund.org

Wenhaston Flower Club

Our

on April 7th was a continuation of the wedding theme from our March meeting. Nicola guided everyone through a 'Buttonhole Workshop' with some beautiful results. We'd like to thank Nicola for a lovely evening. Next months meeting will be on May 5th, at 7:30pm in Wenhaston Village

We specialise in low cost repair options to buildings and can assist you with any building problem

SUFFOLK OFFICE

Nicola helping some of the ladies

The Queen's Head, Bramfield

(Left to Right): Scott Nathan (Head Chef), Kate Wood (Owner), Tash Gowing (Assistant Manager) & Kev Wood (Owner).

The Pear Tree Fund news

Late night opening

We want The Pear Tree Centre to be accessible to everyone who needs support, so have decided to open late until 7pm on the second Tuesday of every month. This is an opportunity for people who perhaps wouldn't be able to get in to see us within our usual daytime hours to pop in and have a chat about the support we offer. Over the next few months, we'll open late on May 12th and June 9th.

Thank you Lisa and Angel Podiatry

We're blown away by the efforts of Angel Podiatry, who held a successful coffee morning

to raise an incredible £378.85 for our charity. The event was also an opportunity for people to tour the new treatment rooms within the podiatry and ﬁnd out about the expanding list of treatments and physiotherapy available in Halesworth.

Special thanks go to Lisa Reeve for organising the event. She said: "The charity is particularly close to my heart. I've required the use of their services, as have my immediate family. When life can turn upside down in a heartbeat, I can genuinely say that the support and services provided is invaluable."

Showcasing our talented artists

Valerie England completed our 10 week art group after struggling with grief following the loss of her husband. She created the work pictured above, which she describes in her own words: "At the heart of this piece, is the pear tree. The tree itself represents the roots, the wonderful people who make this community space what it is - strong, steady and quietly holding everything together.

Above this are the questions, the conversations, the shared stories that stretch upwards and outwards, connecting us all."

Valerie said: "I've been visiting the Pear Tree Centre for the past year and it's really wonderful. After losing my husband, I found I was missing company and felt low. The centre has ﬁlled this void and ignited my passion for art once again. I'm so incredibly grateful for this beautiful space here in Halesworth. It's more than a place - it's a lifeline."

Upcoming Event

Charity football match, BBQ & Quiz: May 17th from 2pm. To support the Pear Tree Centre and have a fun ﬁlled family afternoon, Will Bird and Westhall Charity FC are hosting a charity football match, auction, BBQ and quiz at Leiston Football Club on May 17th from 2pm.

• Bar from 2pm • BBQ 2:30pm onwards

• Kick off 3pm

• Quiz & Auction 6pm

• Venue: LTAA (Leiston)

Quiz forms are available for teams of 3 or 4 at £3pp. These can be collected from Will Bird: 07970 639860, The Pear Tree Centre or the LTAA. To be returned by end of April to inform the LTAA for rough numbers.

Edgar Sewter Playschool & Out of School Club

Our independent playschool runs from Monday to Friday during term time. We currently have some availability for children aged two years and up and into September onwards.

For eligibility and funding, please visit: beststartinlife. gov.uk

For older children from four years and over, we run a Breakfast Club from 8am and an After School Club from 3:30pm-6pm with ﬂexible times to suit individual needs.

In the school holidays, we're

open each half term and for ﬁve weeks in the summer. We offer ﬂexible times from all day, half days or just a few hours. We welcome children from all local schools.

We've been established for over 25 years, and are Ofsted rated 'Good' with qualiﬁed staff with a wealth of experience.

For further details, please call: 07796 044277 or email: esplayschool@gmail.com to register, arrange a visit or book a place with us. Hayley, Anthea, Yvonne and Stacey

Update from Blyth Valley Parkinson's Support Group

We had an enjoyable meeting in March when one of our members, Ros, brought along samples of her china painting. What a talented lady!

The April meeting welcomed Elizabeth Storer from Healthwatch Suffolk, who told us so much about the Health Service in Suffolk and where we could go to get help.

On May 14th, we have our annual Coffee Morning in Wenhaston Village Hall from 10:30am to 12pm. There will be coffee and biscuits, a rafﬂe, and stalls, so do come along.

We run a support group for people with Parkinson's and their partners/carers, which is a friendly meeting on the second Thursday of most months in Holton Village Hall from 10:30am to 12pm. We normally have a speaker on a relevant subject and time to chat and share experiences over a cup of coffee or tea. Everyone is welcome to attend our meetings. If you'd like any further information, please contact either Margaret Bloomfield on 01502 478502, margaret@wrush.plus.com or Gail Attfield on 01502 817004, aandgattfield@btinternet.com

Yoxmere Model Railway Club on the right track!

The Yoxmere Model Railway Club (YMRC), originally Model Railway Group, has been in existence for 12 years but up until 2022 had been unable to secure a long-term home.

Following renovations to Westleton Village Hall, the club was offered a permanent space to meet and store most of the paraphernalia that railway

modellers need to enjoy the rewards of not just the hobby but the camaraderie and banter that is the essence of like-minded souls.

As such, this small club has doubled its membership to 12 in the last three years. We meet each Wednesday afternoon between 1:30pm and 5pm and will always welcome new faces to the club.

In August 2024, we celebrated our 10th anniversary with our ﬁrst 'mini' railway exhibition in the village hall, which attracted 150 visitors and was deemed a great success.

We'll hold our second mini exhibition on May 23rd (between 10am-4pm) with our OO gauge club layout, a 25ft x 8ft 'tail chaser' based on Kelvedon station in Essex as the centrepiece. This will be joined by an 'O' gauge members layout and three more visiting layouts of varying sizes and gauges. A £3 entrance fee (£5 family ticket 2 adults & 2 under 15s) helps to cover our costs. Tea and cakes will be available by the kindness of members' better halves. Do come and join us at Westleton Village Hall!