July 2022: Community News

By Mel Saunders On May 27, 2022

FELIXSTOWE SALVATION ARMY

The Salvation Army has always embraced change to serve the present age and the needs of the community in which it is located, and that includes its local leadership, so we usually expect a change of our local leaders (ministers/pastors) around every three to five years.

In July 2020, during lockdown, Majors David and Katerina Lennox arrived to take charge of our corps (church) and have served us well during this difficult period. On Sunday 3 July we will be saying farewell and giving thanks to them for their positive leadership as they leave us to move on to their new appointment at Clacton-on-Sea.

On Sunday 24 July, at their installation, we will welcome Captain Paul and Lieutenant Lizette Williams as our new leaders. They have been Salvation Army officers since 2016 and 2017 respectively. They were married in 2015 and have a daughter, Martha, who was born in 2019.

Prior to becoming Salvation Army officers, Paul was a member of H M Scots Guards Band and Lizette was an administrator based at the Ilford Corps, working for The Salvation Army in the East End of London. Building on the foundations established by Majors David and Katerina’s ministry, Captain Paul and Lieutenant Lizette have a great deal to offer the Felixstowe Corps, and also to the mission of local churches in our community.

Jesus said, ‘A new command I give you: As I have loved you, so you must love one another.’ The Salvation Army is here to serve you. The office at the local centre in Cobbold Road is open daily from 10am-1pm, Monday to Friday.

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NEWS FROM THE RNLI

Morrisons collection – Our trusty group of volunteers were out at Morrisons supermarket on Thursday 26, Friday 27 and Saturday 28 of May to collect valuable funds for the RNLI. The three-day collection raised an amazing total sum of £833.93. We would like to thank the generous shoppers of Felixstowe and Morrisons supermarket for giving us permission to use their forecourt, as well as our team of collectors that helped out over the three days.

Flag Day – Our next event is our annual Flag Day, which is to be held on Saturday 2 July. Our team of volunteer collectors will be out most of the day in Felixstowe town centre and along Hamilton Road. We also hope to have our contactless machine available for card donations at Bank Corner, outside the TSB Bank.

For more information on our current and future events, please take a look at our Facebook page: RNLI Felixstowe Fundraising Branch

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RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS)

Felixstowe Quakers continue to meet for worship every Sunday morning at 10.30am at Trimley St Martin Memorial Hall, IP11 0SQ. After meeting for worship, which lasts about one hour, there is an opportunity to chat to others with refreshments.

Many people say they come to Quakers meetings for the silence. People do share readings and prayers, but in the silence we can often find peace of mind and find ways to resolve matters of concern. Quakers use the phrase ‘centering down’.

If you would like to know more about Quakers, you can find more information on the Quaker website, or you can come along any Sunday morning at 10.30am for our local meeting for worship. You will be most welcome. Our local website is www.suffolkquakers.org.uk

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FELIXSTOWE ART GROUP

Miranda Grayling has been busy in June with the Cockfield Art Show, St Mary’s Church in Debenham and participating in Suffolk Open Studios where her textural pieces have been admired. She will also be exhibiting in the Felixstowe Art Group 70^th Annual Exhibition and Sale from 2-6 August in the Trinity Methodist Church Hall, Orwell Road.

Miranda began painting while living in Denmark 15 years ago as an outlet from a demanding career. She returned to UK in 2016 after 28 years away. Miranda works in acrylic based mixed media and describes her favourite subjects as ‘abstract, colour, trees, hedgerows, crows, jellyfish and quirky’.

On July 12, members can attend a life drawing session and on July 26 Tony Osler will demonstrate painting in watercolour.

For further details about our Bent Hill Gallery, watercolour demonstration and 70^th Annual Exhibition and Sale, please see our website: www.felixstoweartgroup.org

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FELIXSTOWE RADIO – A PASSION FOR RADIO… HOW IT ALL BEGAN

She said: “Let me know if I can do my programme from your workplace.”

He said: “I would like to give it a try”

She was Lesley Dolphin from BBC Radio Suffolk. He was me, Rob Dunger, the florist in Tower Ramparts Shopping Centre. And that’s how it all began!

Lesley Dolphin and her team arrived in my shop one Wednesday afternoon and we talked about the flower trade on her programme. Not just talked, as we worked too. I showed Lesley how to make a bouquet and she produced a beautiful design. This was all on radio, but Lesley is a talented broadcaster and description of the process, enabled listeners to picture what she was doing.

Not long after, I became her regular newspaper reviewer on her weekend breakfast show. From there, I worked behind the scenes on Saturdays, looking after guests, making tea and taking phone calls. How I then became to be a presenter myself is a story for another time. The important thing to remember was that the passion for radio was ignited by Lesley Dolphin.

Later at BBC Radio Suffolk, I became part of the breakfast team, with Mark Murphy as the presenter. I was in charge of travel news, and we had a rotation of the most amazing producers, including Emily Anderson, Alison Acton, Alison Root, Kate Arkell and Clea Hetherington. The newsreaders were incredible professionals, one of whom I would have to single out, newscaster Steve Blower.

Above all these, my respect was, and is, for Mark Murphy. Mark nurtures, encourages, helps and truly cares for the people with whom he works. His drive is infectious. His tenacity is tireless. The value he places on every member of his team is remarkable. Throw any subject at Mark and he can present it on air coherently and concisely.

From the Ipswich murders, Mad Cow Disease, Avian Flu and storms, he presents the story to Suffolk in a way only a good ole Suffolk bo can. His broadcasting style is full of light and dark, from charity appeals to the silliest of stories. Dare I mention Brian in Melton?

If This is Your Life was still going, Mark’s red book would be several volumes to get all the guests included.

I am sublimely happy at Felixstowe Radio. Two people are to be thanked for that, Lesley Dolphin and my ‘radio husband’ Mark Murphy MBE.

Listen to my programme on Felixstowe Radio, weekday lunchtimes, 11am-1pm.

Rob Dunger

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SING FOR BEN – MAJESTIC VOICES CHARITY CONCERT

Saturday 16 July, 7pm at St Andrew’s Church, Felixstowe

Sing for Ben is fun-filled, funny and emotional, with lots of songs you will know performed by a group of singers who are soloists in their own right. We have 12 brilliant performers who have performed for many years with various theatrical groups in Suffolk, some for over 30 years. We sing songs in harmony from the musicals, films and pop and rock.

The concert, under musical direction of David White, includes songs such as Bridge Over Troubled Water, Rise Up, Oh Happy Day, Let It Be and Me and my Shadow, a selection from The Beach Boys and musical theatre songs such as Big Spender from Sweet Charity, Wash that Man Right Outta My Hair from South Pacific, I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables,and This is Me from The Greatest Showman, along with comedy laughs.

Majestic Voices was set up by Jane Warden in 2018 to perform a fundraising concert for St Elizabeth Hospice and Cancer Research Ipswich. A second concert in aid of MIND Suffolk followed and together they raised £4,360. Further events were cancelled due to Covid-19 but the concert on July 16, Sing for Ben, will celebrate a member of the group who lost his fight with cancer in 2021.

We are now looking for a sponsor (private or business) to help fund the concert. In return for sponsorship, we can promote the group or business on our publicity channels on social media, press and at the concert itself.

Please email jane@janewarden.com if you would like to buy tickets (£15 / £13.50) or are interested in being our concert sponsor.

We want to recruit four more singers after this concert, so please get in contact if you would like to know more.

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FELIXSTOWE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL LEAGUE OF FRIENDS

What an exciting time it has been for Felixstowe Hospital and the League of Friends!

We ensured that staff and patients were able to join in The Queen’s Jubilee celebrations by adorning the hospital with bunting, both at the front of the building as well as the patient’s garden at the back.

A small garden party was held, at which both the Mayor of Felixstowe Sharon Harkin and Matron Michelle Fletcher gave some kind words as a commemorative rose, gifted by the charity, was planted.

As the weather brightens, we are looking forward to holding our Summer Bazaar at 2pm on July 16 at St Felix Church Hall in the town centre. This should be a fun afternoon with a little bit of something for everyone, including a variety of craft stalls as well as face painting. It will be a great opportunity for the local community to show their support for Felixstowe Hospital and the services we rely on.

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For more local and community news, head on over to ‘Latest Issues’ where you can read our monthly Spotlight on Felixstowe magazines online.