The Link Magazine

July 2002

Over the past weeks of Golden Jubilee celebrations we have remembered the Queen's dedication to duty and her resolve to continue serving our Nation and Commonwealth. Many of us will have made our own commitment to renew our efforts to serve our local communities, Nation and the World in whatever way we can.

We have had our own celebrations of the Queen's Jubilee with the Jubilee Fête at Willisham yet to come on July 13th.

We have heard the musical and poetical talents of some of our folk in the Festival of Talents at Offton and the Concert at Flowton, and we have seen the gardening, flower arranging, craft and catering talents displayed in two "Open Gardens" weekends.
We have lifted our voices in praise and thanksgiving in two "Songs of Praise" services, and there is still one to come in Willisham on July 14th. What a great summer!
Alongside this has been the largely unseen and silent pastoral work by so many in our communities that has taken generous care and comfort to others.

When you read this the Reverend Linden Fletcher will have been licensed to work in our eight linked parishes and we will have welcomed her. She will need both prayerful and practical support as she takes on the work here, but the talents mentioned above are just some of God's gifts which we can use in His service and in co-operation with Linden.

May we look forward to the future with renewed hope, vigour and enthusiasm.

Mary Carter, Reader

Bible Readings and Psalms for our Sunday Worship taken from the Revised Common Lectionary. It is good to be sharing the reading of Scripture with Christians - both Catholic and Protestant - across the world.

Welcome to :

Olivia Mary Plant, daughter of Stuart and Sarah of 8, Castle Meadow, Offton, who was baptised in Offton church on May 12th

Also to:

Adam Joshua Burtonwood, son of Alan and Sandra who lived at 11 Castle Meadow, Offton, who was baptised in Offton church on May 26th.

May they grow in faith

Congratulations to:

Sarah Williams and Derek Cocker who were married in Flowton church on May 25th and will be living in Ipswich.

We wish them long and happy lives together

Hello,

I hope you enjoyed the Jubilee celebrations in June and joined in all the good fun. I will be attending as many fetes as possible this year, but will definitely be at Ringshall school on 22nd June, Somersham school on 29th June, Great Bricett on 29th June, Crow Hall, Willisham on 13th July, and Barking on 3rd August. Please come and visit my stand as I will have a lot of crime prevention devices for sale and plenty of advice-I look forward to seeing you.

Now the summer is upon us, just remember your neighbours if you are having a party in your garden; try not to upset your neighbours by having loud music late into the night.

With a lot of us going away on holiday, leaving our homes unoccupied for weeks at a time, we must ensure that our homes look occupied to prevent them being broken into. Don't leave empty milk bottles on your doorstep and remember to cancel the milk. Don't forget to let your local Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator aware so that they can keep an eye on your house whilst you are away. Just remember to make your house look occupied even though you aren't there.

Crime in our area:

I have mentioned previously that bogus callers have been operating in our area. You will be pleased to know that due to the fact that more members of the public are phoning us if they see someone they are not happy with, the average number of bogus callers in Suffolk has decreased from 30 to 15 each month. You will be pleased to know that in May 2002 there were 10 arrests made in connection with these crimes.

Finally, do you know where your children are during the holidays and during he light evenings? Who are they playing with at this exact moment? If they are playing on scooters or cycles are they safe? Have they got a cycle helmet and if so are they wearing it!

Keep safe.
PC 167 Diane Porter
01284 774341 Answer machine
01473 383400 or 383390 Stowmarket Police Station

From the Link Team:

During half-term children were skateboarding and scooting down Monk's Hill, being watched by others reportedly as young as three years old. Please make your children aware that this is a public road and that as they have no brakes on these toys it is a dangerous activity.

Again during half-term, children were seen lying on the downhill slope on the road through Flowton. Drivers approaching from one direction would not have been able to see them.
Parents -please ask children to stop this dangerous practice.
Drivers -please be aware of this.

The Police have been informed of these activities.
Thank you

Flowton News

Jubilee Celebrations

Our thanks go to everybody who was involved in any way with the planning and celebration of the Golden Jubilee at the beginning of June. A total of 62 people took part - 52 enjoying the excellent roast pork from Gate Farm and other edibles. After expenses were taken from the generous donations made, £100 has been sent to the East Anglian Air Ambulance service whose helicopter was recently involved in a rescue on the parish border between Flowton and Elmsett.

Church repairs

Providing everything goes according to plan, the Gardens Open and Flower Festival weekend in Flowton will be followed by the builders moving into the church to repair and redecorate the Nave. During this time (projected to be 8 weeks) there will be scaffolding and dust in the church so our services will be held in the Vestry, with entry and exit being via the rear vestry door. We feel the upheaval and subsequent cleaning will be well worth it in order to have the main fabric of our church in good order.

Flowton PCC will meet on Thursday July 11th at 7.45pm in Flowton Vestry.

Somersham Primary School

We had tremendous fun on the last day of the summer half term. It was time to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. The week started with Mrs. Clarke's husband coming to school to show us some archive film of how people in the local area celebrated the Coronation, followed by the children making their own crowns to wear to the party.

Party day arrived with the sun, the playground was decorated with bunting and flags, the tables put out and decorated, jellies and buns came in abundance and Tanya was busy in the kitchen.

Mr. Abbott and Mrs. Minns came along to tell the children what school, and life in general, was like fifty years ago. The children and adults alike enjoyed this. (Jack and Leita, please write a book!)

Then it was party time…. The food was great, the weather was great, the children were impeccably behaved as always, quests arrived ready to watch the children at play and the staff -um, disappeared for a cup of tea!

The Year Sixes were challenged by the staff to a quick game of rounders (which the staff, of course, won). The Year Sixes insisted the staff cheated (which, of course, we did!) then it was back to the cakes which had been supplied by the parents. Back on the field the younger children had sack races and egg-and-spoon races. After all this activity it was almost time to go home but there was one more thing to be done. F.O.S.S. had purchased a commemorative coin to be presented to each child.

See all those school parties in the paper? We bet none of them had a better party than we did.

It's that time where we again say "good-bye and good luck" to the Year Sixes for their next big adventure in life -High School. We think, no, we know they are ready for this step and will do themselves proud. So keep your chins up, believe in yourselves, and most of all enjoy the opportunities that will be coming your way.

Here comes the best bit

Happy Holidays everyone!

F.O.S.S.

Thank you to everyone who has helped raise money for Somersham School this year. It is really appreciated by both the committee, the school staff and the children. In the new school year we will update you on how the money has been spent.

While this is being written the school fair has not yet been held, so let's hope the weather was good, the helicopter came and was a huge success and that you enjoyed your cream tea and had a thoroughly good time.

We are thinking all the time of new ways to raise money and also using some old and trusted ways. If you have any ideas we would love to hear from you; we can't promise anything but all ideas will be taken into consideration.

F.O.S.S. would like to wish all the children a happy and safe summer holiday. See you in September!

CHURCH SERVICES in our 8 linked parishes
Please check with a Churchwarden if you think that a mistake has been made in this listing.

July 7th Trinity 6

July 14th Trinity 7

July 21st Trinity 8

July 28th Trinity 9

Website: www.somersham.suffolk.gov.uk

Parish Councillor Vacancies

We currently have two vacancies for Parish Councillors and one vacancy for Transport Representative.

If you wish to find out about these vacancies or apply then please contact the Clerk to the Council.

Directory of Clubs and Societies

We would like to create a directory of all the clubs and societies in Somersham. There are probably more than we think. The purpose would be to provide each household with a copy for reference, display on notice boards and also to give to people moving into our village.

If you run a club or society or are a local contact for a national organisation and would like an entry in the directory, please provide the following details to the parish clerk:

· Name of club or society
· Main purpose of the club
· When and where you meet (if relevant)
· Contact person and contact details (address, telephone, email)

We would also like to create an on-line version of this list, if you do not wish to appear on this list please let us know when you send in your details.

Community Car Service
We have been working with Rethink Transport and you will see the separate article announcing the start of the service. Hopefully this will be a big help to those who cannot get out and about very easily and would encourage people to give it a try. The cost is very reasonable and you pay the same price irrespective of the number of people in the car. So, team up with some friends and it becomes even cheaper! People who live in villages around Somersham may find it difficult to support our village shop at the moment - this car service could be the answer!

Children's Activities
Wendy Warner in conjunction with Neighbourhood Watch is organising a trip to Stowmarket Police Station during the summer school holidays. The police have promised to let the children out of the cells!! Wendy would like to hear from children who want to go along and parents who can provide transport.

Also, Wendy wants to hear from volunteer children who would like to be involved in a new mural for the bus shelter.

Please contact the Clerk for contact details for Wendy Warner.

Golden Jubilee Mugs
By the time you receive this edition of the Link the Golden Jubilee mugs should all have been delivered. If you have not received a mug then please contact the Clerk who will be able to arrange for one to be given to you.

We have a limited supply of extra mugs so can sell these on a 'first come first serve' basis to anybody wishing to have extra mugs for family members. An extra mug costs £3.00.

Next Parish Council Meeting
The next Parish Council meeting is to be held on Wednesday 3rd July 2002 at 7.30pm in the Pavilion.

If you wish to pass on anything to the Parish Council, in the way of problems or questions then please contact the Clerk.

Andrew Mayhew
Clerk to the Council
Tel No: 01473 834035
E-mail: clerk@somersham.suffolk.gov.uk
Web Site: www.somersham.suffolk.gov.uk

Community Internet and Training Club

Thank you to those of you that have returned questionnaires about the Community Internet and Training Club idea.

However I would still like to have more questionnaires returned to ensure that the idea would be viable. If you haven't returned your questionnaire yet then please do so, by returning them direct to me or the people also shown on the questionnaire you have.

If you just wish to register your interest with the idea without filling in a questionnaire please do so by contacting me.

The idea is looking hopeful and with a few more interested people I would hope that the club could be started.

If you would like any more information then please contact me.

Thank you for your support.

Andrew Mayhew
Tel No.: 01473 834035
E-mail Address: personal@andrewmayhew.co.uk

Somersham Cycle Speedway Club

The season is now well underway but the Stars have found a busy month of South East league fixtures a tough challenge. The continued absence of injured Richard Williamson has been difficult to cover but the squad are battling away and the less experienced riders are developing nicely.

This was demonstrated in the successful staging of the British Junior League round. Daniel Hodge was unbeaten in the Under-8 group, Andrew Turnbull on the Under-10's, Andrew Mittell was runner-up in the Under-14's and Luke Hodgkinson came third in the Under-16's. Additionally Mittell, Turnbull and Hodge were all chosen to represent Suffolk in test matches
against Norfolk.

In team action, we won at lowly Gt. Wakering in the British Team Championship 70-108. Newcomer Hodgkinson was man of the match picking up a splendid maximum. No hopes of another lucky draw in this knock-out
competition though, as Southampton will have visited by the time you read this - the reigning champions! We didn't perform as well in the local derbies with a series of mistakes keeping our score down. At Kesgrave we lost 108-70, while Gt. Blakenham won in Somersham 80-98. Barry Copping was the only Star on top form.

Our best performance though came when least expected. With a weakened team due to unavailability, we travelled to East London expecting to get slaughtered. However, heavy rain had created a mud bath type track and Somersham really mastered the energy-sapping surface. We lost out 93-82 due to lack of riders, but overtaking by Somersham riders in almost every race created a highly entertaining meeting.

Few team fixtures are scheduled for July but contact us for details of our open practice sessions.

you can contact us via (01473) 831474, e-mail ovalking@yahoo.com or take a look at the
new Somersham Cycle Speedway website:
www.btinternet.com/~SomershamCSC

British Institute for Brain Injured Children

BIBIC would welcome your old mobile phones for fund-raising re-cycling. They may be left with Diane Jessop at 5 Watering Close, Somersham.

OFFTON and WILLISHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Appointment of Chairman
At the meeting on 20th May, Councillor Chris Storey was re-elected as Chairman, with Councillor Doug Perry as Vice Chairman.

Appointment of Councillor, Offton Ward
Mrs Linda Papworth, 6 Lower Coney Grove, Offton was welcomed to the Council as a co-opted member.

Willisham
Suffolk County Council have given provisional consent to the Council's suggestion that suitable trees be planted in the verges entering North Acres.
The damaged notice board can be repaired, pending delivery, later in the year, of the new board already on order.

Next meeting
The next meeting will be held on August 12th at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.

Pip Sands
Clerk to the Council
01449 721173

Somersham Baptist Church

Just as you thought it was safe to switch the telly on after the World Cup, here come the Commonwealth Games in Manchester to interrupt your regular viewing.

The Commonwealth has been built upon the remains of Britain's Imperial past. One of the stated purposes of the Commonwealth is to achieve a more equitable share of international wealth.

The first Church shared the same design, a pooling of resources for the benefit of all. The present Church has travelled a long way since then, but it looks like we were moving backwards.

Those first Christians, took out of their Jewish culture the underpinning social support that the synagogue provides and met each others needs out of their surplus. (Check this out in the New Testament book of Acts, chapter 2 verses 44+45,chapter 6 verses 1ff) In the recent past the Church has opted out of its responsibility to support the needy and has as a consequence become irrelevant to non-churchgoers.

However did we lose touch with Jesus, who met the needs of those he encountered and gave up even life itself for the Church. We need to remember that all our gifts, wealth and abilities are to be used in service of each other and not to indulge ourselves. When the Apostle Paul teaches about Spiritual gifts even these are 'given for the common good'. (1 Corinthians Ch12, verse 7).

If we only practised what Christ demonstrated and taught, a real commonwealth, that would surely better place the Church in our society and provide the evidence to support the message of Jesus' life transforming power.

Sunday Meetings

Junior Church 10.45AM Every Sunday for School Years 1-6.

Ladies Meetings
Women's Fellowship Friday 12th July Summer Outing.

Children and Young People (Held during term time)
Yr. 1-6, Wednesday Club 6.30pm.
Yr. 6-8 Quest Club Wednesday 7.45pm.
Yr. 9 on, 14+ Friday 8.00pm.

Christianity Explained: Six sessions which deal with Jesus, Salvation and becoming a Christian, to find out more contact Mark.

Somersham Baptist Church, Chapel Lane, Somersham, IP8 4QE

Contacts;
Mark Newcombe 01473 831940
e-mail mark.newcombe@btinternet.com
Colin Low 01473 464833 or Edwin Mayhew on 01473 658100.

Somersham Church Notes

We are holding a Summer Garden Party / Fete on Saturday 31st August. There will be transport to and from the fete at Park Farm House for those who would find walking up the hill difficult. Please let Pat Woolhouse, Christine Jarrold or any PCC member have any donations to stalls, raffle, etc.

A Harvest Supper will be held on Friday 20th September, when we hope friends from the other seven parishes of the benefice as well as Somersham will spend an enjoyable evening together.

See adverts for more details of these two events.

If there is anyone prepared to help occasionally with the grass cutting in the churchyard, Denis or John would be extremely pleased to hear from you!

WILLISHAM CHURCH NOTES

As The Reverend Linden Fletcher takes up her duties as Priest-in-Charge of Willisham and the seven surrounding parishes, we wish her every happiness in her new Ministry. We would, however, like to thank everyone who has taken services for us during the interregnum, especially those who came on a regular basis, Barry Middleton, Alan Taylor, Nora Daniels and Mary Carter, and to Roger Dedman for sorting out the services so efficiently.

Coffee Morning
The above event raised a total of £110 for church funds. Thanks to everyone who supported us and to Joan and Dick Bird for providing a plant stall, which sold out before the event!

Church Fete - Saturday 13th July
See poster for full details - help still urgently required - please contact Frances Gilson on 658387

EVENING WALK

After some unpromising weather, 6.00PM on Saturday the 25th May was overcast but dry. Approximately forty people met at the bottom of Willisham Hill and were divided into two groups, lead by John Minns and Richard Last. Walking sticks were provided, together with very helpful information sheets.

The route was approximately 5 1/2 miles, taking us to Crow Hall, Tarston Hall Farm, Bonny Wood, Round Wood and Strawberry Hall and back to Derrick Hill.

We were fortunate to have Richard Cage in our group, who spoke about the coppicing work being carried out in Bonny Wood. Also, being a much quieter and better behaved group, we actually heard the Nightingale!

The walk ended with a marvellous selection of refreshments, provided by Leita Minns and Jenny King.

Our thanks to John Minns for organising such a splendid and successful evening, and to Richard Last and Leita and Jenny for all their help. A total of £205 was raised for Willisham Church.

Mid Suffolk Community Car Scheme

Are you finding it difficult to get out and about?

Somersham Parish Council have recently been working with Rethink Disability Transport Service to enhance the Mid Suffolk Community Car Scheme in the Somersham area. Volunteer drivers transport local passengers. The drivers are paid out of pocket expenses of 35p per mile, of which 26p per mile is paid by the passenger and 9p per mile paid by Suffolk County Council Environment and Transport. A number of Somersham residents have recently joined the Community Car Scheme as volunteer drivers. As with all Rethink Disability Volunteer drivers they will soon have completed Community Car Scheme Driver Training and a simple medical screening questionnaire just to check they are fit to drive!

Rethink Disability Transport Service also has a wheelchair accessible car, based in Stowmarket, for those people of Somersham who need to travel in their wheelchair, this is also charged out to the passenger at 26p per mile.

Anyone young or old, with or without a disability may ask to make certain journeys for which neither a family car nor any form of suitable public transport is available. However, journeys for work, school, day care and hospital appointments where NHS or other public transport is available cannot usually be accepted.

The drivers will soon have completed their training and be ready to start driving, so if you would like to get out and about, to visit friends or need to get to the doctors, dentist or optician, why not give us a call and see if we can help you with a journey.

More Somersham based drivers are still needed to make a difference, so
if you would like further information on the Community Car Scheme please contact Rethink Disability Transport Service on 01449 614271 Mon - Fri between 10am and 2pm, minicom 01449 775999, e-mail transport@rethink-disability.org.uk (Please note, at least 48 hours notice of a journey is required).

As single copy bus timetables are no longer produced for our bus route, a copy of the current timetable can be found by clicking on the following link http://traveline.suffolkcc.gov.uk/