Community News – January and February 2023

The Federation of Fairfield and Colneis

Learning about gratitude and compassion

We have welcomed the children back to the start of what will be another busy term! Time really does fly past in schools. I hope that you all have had a happy and successful start to 2023.

Our school values are a vital part of the work that we do in helping children to learn about what it is like to become a positive role model. They are never too young to understand the importance of the way we interact with others. Two of our values are gratitude and compassion and the Christmas period gave us a chance as a school community to model what these look like. 

Not only can we get together with parents to share in our Christmas performances, but we can also support the work of local groups such as the BASIC Life charity and help children understand the importance of thinking of others in a really practical way. 

We are also proud of the links we have with a range of community groups and appreciate the support that Chris Hood and his team at St Andrew’s Church gave us over the festive period. 

Schools should always be a central part of the areas they serve – they belong to communities and not to one individual. This all helps children see themselves as part of a wider locality and support them in realising that they can have a positive impact on the world around them.

Headteacher Mark Girling

Music in Felixstowe

We started the year with our annual New Year’s Day Viennese concert at St John’s Church. It was good to see so many happy, relaxed people in the audience after the worries over the last two years.

Concerts in January and February

Sunday 29 January, 3pm at St Nicholas Church, Felixstowe Ferry: The Ward Quartet by Candlelight – Nicholas Ward and Kathryn Parry, violins, Wendy Gudgin, viola and Harriet Bennett, cello.Tickets: £15 (includes mulled wine), children free.

Wednesday 15 February, midday at The Orwell Hotel library: Shakespeare in Love – Words and music with actor Brian Theodore Ralph and singer Emily Bennett. Tickets: £12, admission for children is free.

Sunday 26 February, 3pm at the Town Hall council chamber: All at Sea – Words and music relating to the sea with actor Peter Hamilton Dyer and members of the Festival Orchestra. Tickets: £16 (includes wine), admission for children is free.

All tickets are available from Stillwater Books and 01394 670633.

http://www.felixstowemusic.com  

World Day of Prayer   

Each year several churches in Felixstowe get together to organise a service for World Day of Prayer. The services are prepared by Christians from around the world. The services reflect the culture and problems from the host country and are always thought provoking and well presented. In 2021 it was Vanuatu, in 2022 it was England, Wales and Northern Ireland and this year it is for the people of Taiwan.

This year the service for World Day of Prayer will be held on Friday 3 March, 2pm at the United Reformed Church, Orwell Road, Felixstowe, followed by tea and cake. Everyone is welcome to come.

Trimley St Martin Parish Council news

Volunteers required: Trimley St Martin Parish Council has been made aware that during the recent spell of cold weather, the footbridge over the A14 became incredibly slippery. There have been requests for grit bins to be installed at either end of the bridge.

For this to become a reality, Suffolk County Council require that a list of volunteers is held by the parish council of those who have read and signed the Health and Safety Information and therefore would be covered by Suffolk County Council’s insurance. Only these individuals would be approved to use the grit bins.

If anyone is willing to become a volunteer, please contact the parish clerk using the details below. Unfortunately, if no one comes forward we will not be able to install a grit bin.

Litter bins: You may have noticed that the parish council has installed two new general waste bins within the parish. This is to help with the overflowing dog waste bins along with general waste that is often dropped. Please can we ask that all litter, including dog waste, is disposed of correctly and not left to the side of bins that may be full.

Trimley Methodist Church Warm Space: Tuesdays, 11am-3pm: The church opens with a short time of worship at 10.15am and we then serve tea and coffee from 11am, followed by hot soup at 1pm. We have a knitting group, jigsaws and games available. All are welcome.

Parish council contact details: Parish clerk, Carly Small – Phone 07403 309634 / email: parishclerk@trimley-st-martin.org.uk 

http://www.trimleystmartin.onesuffolk.net

Felixstowe Garden Club

Felixstowe Garden Club’s second meeting of 2023 will take place on Tuesday 14 February, 7-9pm at Old Felixstowe Community Centre, Ferry Road, Felixstowe IP11 9NB, where Neville Stein from Otley College will visit with a talk entitled Weird and Wacky Veg. Car parking is available, there will be a garden related raffle (£1 per ticket), free refreshments will be available and visitors are welcome at the cost of £5 cash (payable at the door).

On 14 March, Susannah Sharman from Swann Nursery will give a talk entitled Building a Border.

For more information, contact secretary Jayne Steele: 01394 211739 or visit our Facebook page and website: http://www.felixstowedistricths.onesuffolk.net/about-us

Deben Flower Club

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday 14 February, 7.30pm at Kirton Church Hall, Church Lane, Kirton IP11 0PU, where Doreen Robinson will give a  demonstration entitled Embracing Colour. As far as we are aware, Doreen has not visited us before so we can look forward to some new and exciting ideas. Doreen’s arrangements will be raffled at the end of the evening and there will be a fundraising stall of any unused gifts you may like to donate. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available after the demonstration. Visitors are assured of a warm welcome at the cost of £6.

Flower arranging tip of the month: This time of year is often expensive for purchasing flower and there are not many available from the garden, so why not try an all-foliage arrangement. Think of texture, colour, size and shape of leaves and scent. For example, adding some Pine and Eucalyptus to the design gives a wonderful scent and different textures.

For more information about Deben Flower Club, phone Sandy: 07910 463158 or email: wa@sandlings.co.uk 

Felixstowe Community Hospital League of Friends

Felixstowe Community Hospital League of Friends were delighted to help resident patients of the hospital celebrate Christmas by providing a festive tree and gifts that were distributed on Christmas Day.

The end of 2022 also saw the League of Friends provide new chairs for the patient day room as well as items to sit in the newly fitted kitchen area, which is designed to help elderly patients rehabilitate before being sent home.

Provision of these goods came to £2,000, which was raised through fundraising and the support of the Felixstowe community.

Please show your support and follow our activities on Facebook: Felixstowe Community Hospital League of Friends. To join the League of Friends, contact our membership secretary: membershipfchlf@gmail.com 

East Suffolk u3a spring programme

East Suffolk u3a’s spring programme is full of interesting speaker events to get 2023 off to a flying start. This thriving members’ organisation welcomes anyone retired or semi-retired. Fees are extremely modest and membership offers the opportunity to learn new skills, make new friends and find stimulation and companionship. 

East Suffolk u3a has a strong local following and offers a choice of more than 150 activity groups, including discussing the arts, history and science, learning a new foreign language, walking, quizzing, dining out, short breaks and more. 

Local speaker meeting in Felixstowe

Thursday 2 February, 10.30am-12.30pm at the Salvation Army Hall, Felixstowe IP11 7EL: The Secret Life of the Woodland – An illustrated talk by an award-winning photographer on some of the unusual subjects to be found in our woodlands which are not always visible. Presented by Roger Hance.

Further regular speaker meetings are held in Kesgrave, Felixstowe and Saxmundham. 

For more information, call the membership secretary: 0300 123 3913 or visit: https://www.u3aeastsuffolk.org.uk

Find more community news in Spotlight on Felixstowe magazine: https://www.spotlightmagazine.co.uk/category/read-online