Until Wed 23rd June 2010
Exhibition of works by James Dodds, Patrick Elder and Annabel Mednick, Buckenham Galleries, 81 High Street, Southwold IP18 6DS. Open Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 10 am–5 pm, Sundays 12 pm–4 pm. Open Tuesdays throughout June. Tel: 01502 725418, web: http://www.buckenhamgalleries.co.uk.
Saturday 5th June 2010
Suffolk Poetry Society will present their annual Schubertiad at 7.30 pm at the Old Granary Studios, Priory Farm, Maypole Green, Toft Monks, Beccles, Suffolk NR34 0EZ. This evening of poetry with music will feature poets drawn from across the region. Music will be provided by pianist Holger Ashton, who plays with the Lecosaldi and is a soloist at the East Anglian International Music Festival. Franz Schubert had always enjoyed music-making in the family, but, by 1816, his circle of friends had grown. It was these friends who took part in the evenings that would be so familiar to the poets of today. Then, just as we might, somebody came up with a name ‘Schubertiad’. Our Schubertiads are an attempt to recreate the kind of evening that Schubert and his friends might recognise. Now, just as then, we have a sparkling company with contemporary poets and a sympathetic musician. What would the original Schubertians make of ‘Captain Nemo’s Lowestoft’ or ‘Puja’? I hope they would find them fascinating. Certainly our hopes for the evening are the same as theirs and they might be gratified to find that Holger is still setting some of our contemporary poetry to the music of their age. Please join us, if you can, in the lovely and atmospheric setting of the Old Granary.
Fred Ellis, Suffolk Poetry Society.
Saturday 5th June 2010
The Omega Jazz Trio provide the music for a private birthday party near Halesworth.
Saturday 12th June 2010
Tower Open Day, St Edmund’s Church, Southwold, 10 am–4 pm. All visitors are welcome to see above what is ordinarily only heard from below. A chance to find out more about bell ringing and to see how the bells work. There will be opportunity to handle a bell rope and see the eight bells in their setting at the top of the tower. Be prepared to climb the spiral staircase. Regrettably, there will be no access to the tower roof. Turn up at the Church on the day and a ringer will explain and guide you. We look forward to welcoming you. Any queries, please contact Mike Sage on 01502 722451.
Friday 25th June 2010
The Omega Jazzmen play ‘hot, swinging, exciting jazz’ at the Wissett Plough near Halesworth. 8 pm start.
Sunday 27th June, 25th July, 29th August and 26th September 2010
Henstead Exotic Garden Open Days, 11 am–4 pm. Well it’s that time of year again! This after an awful winter and, well, an awful spring! The Garden has survived and the Open Days are going ahead. See the website for details.
Sunday 27th June 2010
Summer Theatre Fete at Westons, Walberswick, 1 pm–4.30 pm. Official opening at 1.30 pm by Lady Freud. This is much more than just another summer fete. A real family day out with band, belly dancers, magician, games, dog show, pony rides, bouncy castle, a scrummy teashop, cakeshop, picture gallery, bookstall, garden centre, bric-a-brac, tombolas and a lucky draw to beat them all. Proceeds support the Summer Theatres and the performing arts in our area. Organised by the registered charity Friends of East Suffolk Performing Arts (FESPA). Entry on foot 50p. Car parking (including entry) £3 available from 12 noon.
Sunday June 27th 2010
Vasko Vassilev, virtuoso violinist comes to the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Wangford for a concert at 7 pm organised by Wangford resident George Ives, cellist. The group is made up of Sergey Levitin, former leader of the Kirov, St Petersburg and principal string players from the orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. It will be a very popular programme, to include works by Mozart, Bach, Vivaldi, Bizet, Piazzolla and Sarasate. No tickets are required, but there will be a retiring collection in aid of the Wangford Church Roof Repair Fund. For further enquiries, call Sue Ives on 01502 578007.
Wednesday 14th July 2010
Suffolk Pensioners’ Association, Southwold and Reydon Branch. A trip to Wroxham Barns, followed by a boat cruise on the Broads.
Tickets £12 each, available from the United Reformed Church Hall on Tuesdays, 22nd and 29th June 2010 between 10.30 am and 11.30 am.
Coach leaves 9.30 am and returns 4.00 pm. Pick-up points:
(1) Southwold Market Place
(2) Crick Court
(3) Barbrook’s Stores
(4) The Firs, Jermyns Road
(5) The Drive, Halesworth Road.
Southwold Library: what’s on this month
National Bookstart Day
11th June 10.00 am–11.00 am. Celebrate National Bookstart Day with stories and rhymes on the beach! Event for all four year olds and under accompanied by an adult(s). Come to the sand dunes end of the beach (between Gun Hill Tea Kiosk and the Harbour, near the top of the steps leading up from Casa Mia on the Ferry Road).
Book sale
6th June 2.00 pm–3.30 pm. Fill a bag for £2 (bring your own bag) or fill a cotton bag for £3.
Southwold Library Reading Group
24th June at 6.30 pm: discussing The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie Farrell.
Every Tuesday
Time-out events for older people 2.00 pm–3.30 pm:
• 1st June – Jigsaw Club.
• 8th June – craft and chat: bring your unfinished knitting/sewing/craft or start a new project while having a pleasant talk.
• 15th June – Crossword and Jigsaw Club. Come and ask for help with clues or solve new crosswords together. Plus the ongoing jigsaw.
• 22nd June – board games and banter.
Every Sunday
• Baby Bounce and Tot Rock 10.30 am–11.00 am. Music, rhymes, singing and dancing for babies and toddlers.
• Storytime 11.30 am–12.15 pm. Stories, crafts and colouring for seven year olds and under.
• Children’s Fun Group 12.15 pm–1.00 pm. Crafts, games, puzzles and fun for seven to twelve year olds.
• Internet lessons 1.00 pm–3.30 pm. Open to anyone. Come and have one-to-one training on any aspect of the Internet, from complete beginner to those who want to know about a particular website or e-mail. Half an hour at a time, but as many lessons as you would like. To book a slot, ring 01502 722519.
Charlotte Clark, Library Manager, Southwold Library
Blyth Valley Community Radio news
June – already halfway through the year. Blyth Valley Community Radio is going from strength to strength. If you’d like to see us, perhaps chat about joining us or advertising with us, we’ll have a stall at the Lions Fete on the Common in Southwold on 31st May. If you can’t make it to the Fete, you can contact us at the studio in the Bunker, St Felix School, Halesworth Road, Reydon, Southwold, phone 01502 723900 – we have an ansaphone for out of hours! – or e-mail studio@bvcr.co.uk.
June 2010 programme schedule for Blyth Valley Radio on 105.0 FM
Monday
9 am–10.30 am Bill’s Monday Show
10.30 am–12 noon Rod’s Records
12 pm–2.30 pm Sylvie’s Magazine Show, sponsored by Howells and Jolley Chemists (interviews with local people, local history)
2.30 pm–3 pm Big Band Show with Muriel
3 pm–5 pm Music with Fox
5 pm–6 pm Classical music with Nicholas Jenkins
Tuesday
9 am–11 am Music with Keith
11 am–1 pm Listen to the 40s with the Muffin Man
1 pm–3 pm The Tuesday Show with Lee and friends; Poetry Plus with Oonagh fortnightly at 2.30 pm–3 pm
3 pm–4 pm Jazz music
4 pm– 7 pm Steve Moyse Show
Wednesday
9 am–11 am Music with Fox
11 am–12 noon Easy listening with Mary, sponsored by Jenny Jones Estate Agents
12 pm–1 pm The Wednesday Supplement with Sylvie, sponsored by the Pit Stop Café (local history, interviews etc)
1 pm– 4 pm Midweek Country with Bill, sponsored by Graham Finch Motors
4 pm–6 pm Sue’s Sandwich, sponsored by the Red Lion
Thursday
9 am–11.30 am Music with Big Al
11.30 am–1 pm Chrissie’s Show
1 pm– 2.30 pm Music with Twig
2.30 pm–3.30 pm Classical music
3.30 pm–4.30 pm Twig and Dave’s Talking Minds programme
4.30 pm–6 pm Martin’s Music
Friday
9 am–11.30 am Music with Big Al
11.30 am–1 pm Music with Chrissie
1 pm–3.15 pm Music with Twig
3.15 pm–4.30 pm Salsa with Winston and Fiona
4.30 pm–6 pm Music with Martin
Saturday
10 am–1 pm The Saturday Seventies show
1 pm–3 pm Jill’s Music PM
3 pm–5 pm The Weekend Wireless Show with Sam, sponsored by Margary Millar Solicitors
Sunday
10 am–12 noon The Sunday Request Show with Bill, sponsored by Mark Church
12 pm–2 pm Sonia’s Sunday Songs
2 pm–5 pm Martin’s Music, and country music with Big Al from 3 pm–4 pm
A very dramatic summer family treat
New attractions will make 2010 Summer Theatre Fete really special.
Westons, Walberswick, Sunday 27th June from 1.00 pm.
The Theatre Fete is always something special and a hugely popular family event. Set in the fabulous grounds, barns and paddocks of Westons in Walberswick, it always seems to have a touch of magic about it. And this year, the wizardry will be all around, thanks to Rod, the itinerant magician who may appear and disappear when you least expect.
There are lots of other innovations, too. . . A painting competition for children, supervised by two local artists, a dance machine, real belly dancers, a set of stocks with all the wet sponges you need, Tracy’s Junior Showstoppers. . . Plus a grand draw with a top prize to beat them all. . . a VIP theatre break for two in London to see the award-winning musical Billy Elliot with two nights’ accommodation at one of London’s top hotels – the Landmark.
Then there are all the favourite attractions that bring families to Westons year after year. . . pony rides, brass band, the Dog Show, a deservedly famous tea shop (with strawberries and cream), a cake stall, an art gallery with many amazing bargains, a mini garden centre, a well-stocked bookshop, quality bric-a-brac stall, luck dip, bouncy castle, face painting, tombola, bottle stall, an ice cream bike and loads more.
Gates open at 1.00 pm, with an official opening by Lady Freud at 1.30 pm. It closes at 4.30 pm. Entry on foot is 50p. There is on-site parking from 12 noon at £3 for the day, which includes Fete entry for all car occupants.
The Theatre Fete is organised by the registered charity Friends of East Suffolk Performing Arts (FESPA). This is FESPA’s biggest fund-raising event of the year. Proceeds go not only to subsidising the Southwold and Aldeburgh Summer Theatres, but also to encouraging the development of the performing arts generally throughout the east Suffolk area. The charity awards a number of bursaries each year to local young people embarking on courses in the performing arts, as well as sponsoring local theatre initiatives.

Take part in Cycle Aid
Halesworth Town Plan Cycling Group has devised the ‘Halesworth Wheel’, a 20-mile cycle route around the town taking in the sights, pubs, historic buildings and so on, with a variety of routes to suit every kind of cyclist. They are now producing a map and a website. This will support tourism jobs and promote healthy lifestyles in East Anglia.
To support the Wheel, Halesworth In Transition (HinT) will provide ‘Cycle Aid’ boxes along the route and elsewhere in Suffolk created from recycled unwanted tools to assist passing cyclists with emergency repairs whenever they’re needed.
Every cyclist (and many non-cyclists) has spare tools, pumps and bike bits they never use but can’t throw away ‘in case it’s useful’. Now they can put them to a good use for their community.
On 10th July 2010 from 10 am to 1 pm, bring your unwanted tools and bike bits to Halesworth Thoroughfare for recycling into Cycle Aid boxes. These boxes will be placed in pubs, shops, theatres and other public places that have already joined the scheme in Suffolk.
Research by the RAC found that fear of breakdowns or punctures is a major reason that people don’t take part in recreational cycling or hire bikes on holiday. Research into the barriers for people cycling to work made the same conclusion. The availability of these boxes will overcome that worry. Of course, a serious cyclist might always carry tools, but the scheme’s inspiration is the frequent requests for assistance many premises reported. Providing boxes is a simple no-cost way of supporting cycling as a viable transport system and showing that cyclists are welcome wherever there is a sign for a box.
The box locations and cycle shops offering repairs will be put on the Wheel guide and on Google(tm) maps. Participation in this scheme for hosts and users is entirely free. Maintenance of the scheme is by volunteers. Local tourism and economic development initiatives will publicise the boxes.
Anyone can join the scheme anytime, anywhere. Just provide a box, and register the location and display the Cycle Aid sign supplied. The provision of boxes can take off virally around the country from Halesworth’s lead.
Bring any cycling tools, pumps and puncture repair kits you can donate to Halesworth Thoroughfare Saturday, 10th July 10 am–1 pm.
Visit the HinT page on Facebook for more info and updates or register to take part at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/P6GDKQJ; telephone enquiries: 07939 226313.
Enjoy the World Cup with Southwold Supports England
St Edmunds Church in Southwold will once again be showing all of England’s FIFA World Cup 2010 South AfricaTM group games (and, potentially, knockout matches as well) on the big screen at St Edmund’s Hall in Southwold. There will be fun and entertainment for all the family, competitions for adults and kids, hot food, snacks and a licensed bar. Entry is free for everyone.
The idea behind Southwold Supports England is to bring the whole community together in one place to watch something that they would otherwise all be watching in their own homes.
Event organiser Keith Meldrum says: ‘Four years ago, these events really captured the imagination of people in Southwold and Reydon. There is nothing like sharing the thrills and heartache of watching England matches with a room full of people, friends and strangers, who are all feeling exactly the same thing as you. So we have decided once again to make St Edmund’s Hall feel like one big front room. With a bar. And cinema-quality audio-visual system. And half-time entertainment for all the family.’
The first England match, against the USA, is at 7.30 pm on Saturday, June 12th. Doors open at 6.30 pm