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Monday 8 January 2018

Needham Village Link

January & February 2018






needhamlink@gmail.com 


Welcome to the latest edition of Needham Link which will also be the first for 2018. I should like to thank Helen Major for all her hard work in keeping the publication going over the past six years, as well as to her dedicated band of distributors who should be congratulated for ensuring that every house in the village received a copy. I am delighted that they have agreed to continue so that I can concentrate on collecting stories and producing the Newsletter. Thanks also go to Linda Barden from Harleston U3A for her help in the design of this publication.

I decided to take on the role of Editor because I was aware that Needham Link was in danger of disappearing which would have been a great loss to the village and its residents. When we moved to Needham last year we found the magazine a great help assisting us in getting to know who’s who in the community, and what events were available.

Such a publication is the lifeblood of a small village and helps to preserve a sense of community and belonging for those of us fortunate enough to live in such a pleasant and friendly environment.
Needham Link is your magazine and I hope that you will provide me with local information, news and views so that there’s always something topical and interesting to read. The deadline for receipt of material for the next edition is: Friday 16 February 2018.



Next time in the March/April Link:  Articles will include: a Poem for Spring; more heritage revelations and the visit of the Norfolk House Detectives to Needham; local news, events and people.  

All contributions welcome. 
Send material to needhamlink@gmail.com by:-Friday 16 February 2018

  Alan Jeffery
COMMUNITY HERITAGE PROJECT PROPOSED FOR NEEDHAM & BROCKDISH
When I moved to a beautiful 17th century cottage here in Needham last year, I was immediately fascinated to find out as much as I could about my predecessors who had lived in the property. As someone who has been involved in a lot of local history projects and had a number of books published on the subject, I wasn’t expecting to make much progress, given how small this settlement is. However, within a year I’d uncovered more than enough fascinating information to be invited to give a presentation at Needham Village Hall in October 2017 on the history of the village through to the Victorian period and reveal stories about the owners and occupants of my house going back as far as 1690. 

My talk, which contained historical material loaned by Sue Simmons, Pam Cossey, Delwyn Snaith and Pauline Spinlove, was very well attended by local residents past and present, some of whom brought along their own family photos, documents and artefacts. After I’d finished my presentation and we were all enjoying refreshments served by Diane Clarke, I was asked unanimously to come back and give a follow-up talk. There was also a great deal of enthusiasm for setting up a Community Heritage Project leading to the publication of a new book and six people volunteered to become actively involved in the research. 


I’ve recently met with the organisers of the new Waveney Valley Heritage Centre which is opening in Spring 2018 in what was Brockdish School who would like to offer us their practical support and extensive experience in raising grant money to get this initiative off the ground. I have agreed that it would make a lot of sense for us to work together with other local history enthusiasts in neighbouring Brockdish on a joint Heritage Project. Baroness Elaine Murphy, who recently wrote and published a book on her home, the Grange in Brockdish, has agreed to become patron for the new project.

I will be giving my next talk on Needham History 1800-1953 (followed by refreshments) at St Peter’s Church, Needham on Sunday 4th Feb 2.30pm. We’ll be announcing the first meeting for local volunteers who wish to get involved in the Needham & Brockdish Heritage Project – no experience necessary, just some spare time. We’ll arrange a public exhibition and talk on the historical material uncovered, followed by the launch of a website dedicated to Brockdish and Needham’s past, and finally produce a book on the history of the two settlements. 

If you can’t attend in February but wish to get involved, then please email me on  stephenjp@talktalk.net

                      Stephen Poulter


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Needham Parish Council

We welcomed two Parish Councillors from Brockdish Parish Council to the meeting held on Monday 27 November for a presentation by a representative of Saffron Housing Trust. Saffron build new homes and purchase new properties from developers, mainly for affordable rent, but with some as shared ownership properties. In 2004 they owned 4,300 properties and aim to reach 6,500 by 2018.  Built in villages these are in small groups of typically five houses.  The homes are always for local residents who are either unable to move or who have moved away due to a lack of available housing.
Saffron believes there is a lack of homes such as this in the villages of Needham and Brockdish and to identify the extent of the need, they propose to issue a questionnaire to every residence.  Both Needham and Brockdish Parish Council welcomed the interest from Saffron Housing Trust and look forward to being able to support them in strengthening the community with affordable homes.

The proposal to lease an area of field behind the Village Hall belonging to Needham Townsland Trust by Needham Action Group for use as a community play area was also discussed.  It was agreed the Parish Council should instruct its solicitors to draw up a lease. 

The next Parish Council meeting will be held at 7.30 on Monday 15th January 2018.  Meetings are held in the Annex at the rear of the Village Hall.

         Andrew Major  - Chairman

Meet the Reverend Nigel Tuffnel

I am the Rector of Needham and 7 other churches along the Waveney Valley, from Scole through to
Wortwell. As well as my ministry here, I have many interests; in fact life itself fascinates me, and is given meaning by an appreciation that there is a Creator within it all. This appreciation that there is a value to life and to the world has led me to be involved in environmental issues and practical care for the earth as a matter of Christian faith.

I am a bee-keeper. The complex lives of bees, and other social insects, have always intrigued me. I love to watch the way they live and work together, and even get honey as a reward. The fact that I am also helping to protect these important pollinators and so help the natural world is an added bonus!
I love reading and literature. There is so much knowledge out there, online and in books (physical and electronic), so much to learn and so little time in which to absorb it all.  If you ever visit me at the Rectory in Harleston, you will see that my study is lined with shelves and shelves of books. Christian and church books that I need for my work as a minister, but also books on science, poetry, fiction, humour, language, martial arts etc. etc.

I also like to feel alive and martial arts are one way that I can feel a little more alive.  I am currently too busy to train with an instructor, but I still try and keep up as much of the training and drills as I can.  I am not a violent person, but sadly self-defence is sometimes needed.  I simply see gaining these skills as part of my being a good citizen.  The training also helps to keep me fit!

Last but not least of my interests is motorbikes.  I got my first bike when I was 17 and only learned to drive a car when my daughter was born. I now ride a Kawasaki ZX900 which is not a hobby in itself but is certainly a very pleasurable way to get around.

As I seek to find what God's path is for me, I try to enjoy all that life brings to me, because life is a gift.  I contracted TB meningitis as a child and very nearly died.  So perhaps that is where I learned to appreciate each new morning, and not to take the next breath for granted.  But, whatever the cause I do see life as a gift; a divine gift to be accepted, lived to the full, and shared with others.  What better way is there to say thank you to the giver?   

 Nigel Tuffnell

St Peter's Church

St Peter’s, Needham Church Services


7th Jan    Morning Prayer 11.00am
14th Jan  Morning Prayer 9.30am
21st Jan   Morning Prayer 11.00am
28th Jan  Holy Communion  9.30am   
4th Feb     Morning Prayer 11.00am    
11th Feb   Morning Prayer 9.30 am       
18th Feb  Morning Prayer 11.00am
                                                    25th Feb  Holy Communion 9.30am

Contacts:
Rector: Revd Nigel Tuffnell –
01379 308905.
Admin: 01379851148. Email:admin@7churches.org.uk


Friends of St Peter's Church
Christmas Coffee Evening
Friends of St Peters Church held a Christmas Coffee Evening at the home of Robi Dove and we made £100.00 . The money raised on the night goes towards the Friends of St Peter’s for the upkeep of the church. Thank you to all who came and to Robi and Sonia. Next month we will have the results of David’s quiz.
On November 4th the annual church yard tidy-up took place on a very wet morning but the brave folk who came along worked very hard in between the heavy showers to get the jobs done. Thank you all who came: you know who you are and it's much appreciated that you keep our lovely church looking in good order. Refreshments were provided by Dianna & Gill.   In the New Year the trees in the church yard are to be trimmed  as a few are getting overgrown.

March 8th is the PCC Annual General Meeting at 7pm at the home of Mr. George Miller - open to all.

Poppy Collection 2017: Libby - £74.25, HLC Wood -  £46.00, Red Lion - £7.32, 
Gill - £147.88. Total  for village £275.45. Total for the District is £7,214   
Many thanks to all who donated this year.

  
Gill Powell
AGM
The Friends AGM will be held on 11 May 2018 in the Library in Needham Village Hall.

                 Pauline Spinlove

Friends of Needham Village Hall

Christmas Party 16 December 2017

Father Christmas comes early to Needham 


The Needham Village Christmas Party held at the Village Hall was by common consent a resounding success for all ages.  It was ideal that so many children from the village were there as Father Christmas dropped by to make an early delivery of presents.  We were all entertained with music from the wonderful Ipswich Hospital Brass Band who played throughout the evening and a children’s entertainer, Daniel Dee, made sure there was never a dull moment.  Face painting and nail painting were also in high demand.

A special thanks goes out to Sandra who organised the delicious hot buffet, to Diane who was in charge of the kitchen, to all their helpers and of course to Father Christmas himself.  

                                                                                                 Andrew Major















The feedback from the Christmas Party was universally positive and here are a couple of examples:

“Can you please pass on our thanks to all the hard-working Friends and Supporters of the Village Hall, who made the Christmas party such a great success.
It was good to see that the event was really well-attended.  We thought that the format for this year was "spot on" with both adults and children taking part.  Everything worked beautifully - the lay-out of the tables and chairs, the children's entertainment in the annexe, the brass band was a nice touch and last, but certainly not least, was the excellent food - as a vegetarian, it was really nice to be served with a delicious vegetable lasagne! We look forward to the next event.”
                  Celia and Del

“Well wasn't that lovely! I think they did such a great job to create that fabulous party!”
                   Fairlie

What's On

HARLESTON CINEMA: FILMS FOR JAN – FEB 2018
THURSDAY, 25 JANUARY 2018 – DUNKIRK
12A – 2hrs  (Director – Christopher Nolan)
This famous story is seen through the eyes of one soldier amongst those forces trapped on the Normandy beaches.
Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance and Harry Styles.

THURSDAY, 22 FEBRUARY 2018 – VICTORIA AND ABDUL
PG13 - 1hr. 52m (Director – Stephen Frears)
An extraordinary true story of the unexpected friendship between the aged Queen Victoria and a young Indian clerk, Abdul Karim.
Starring Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Eddie Izzard and Michael Gambon
Venue: Masonic Rooms, The Thoroughfare, Harleston
Tickets: £4. Contact - Information Plus on 01379 851917.
Matinee:  Doors open 1.30pm, film starts at 2.00pm.

Evening:   Doors open at 7.00pm, film starts at 7.30pm.


U3A TALKS IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

WEDNESDAY 17 JANUARY 2018
Ruth Walker from The British Ornithological Society will give a talk
'Why ring birds? in which she describes how ringing started, information is gained about movements of birds and how that has now expanded and helped our understanding of the lives of our birds.

WEDNESDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2018
Roger Kennell will talk about 'William Pretty & Son - a Suffolk family and corset manufacture’ which tells the story of this major Ipswich store. The associated corset factory was claimed to be the first such factory in the country, using fabrics such as linen or cotton containing strips of shaped whalebone, thus maintaining the desired “hourglass” figure of the wearer.

Meetings held at the Masonic Rooms, Harleston, Norfolk IP20 9EN at 2 pm
For details phone Kim on 01986 788149 or go to www.u3a.org.harleston

VILLAGE GARAGE SALE


I wonder if there are any villagers who might be interested in having a village garage sale.  If there is a suitable level of interest, I will discuss with the Village Hall Committee and the Red Lion to see what we can arrange as well as a convenient date.  What a great opportunity to have a bit of a clear out without having to leave the house.

Please contact me – Helen Walker - 01379 853731 or mrshwalker@hotmail.co.uk

Red Lion


                                                 Coffee Mornings



It has been a busy year at the Red Lion with coffee mornings becoming increasingly popular with people from the village and beyond. The funds raised were used to purchase 63 toys for children aged 1 – 15yrs  in families in need in the area. These were gratefully received by Derek Leader from the Salvation Army at the meeting held on Tuesday 5 December. The coffee mornings will continue in 2018 on the first Tuesday of each month starting at 10.00 am.


Carol Service and Christingle
Over 60 adults and 12 children crowded into the Red Lion on a cold winter afternoon on 3rd December for a service of carols led by Revd Nigel Tuffnell. This was followed by tea & cakes and an enchanting Christingle children’s event with the room lit just by candlelight.


























Other Events
The New Year was celebrated with a lively karaoke night and buffet on New Year’s Eve.
On 26 January 2018 there will be an evening’s entertainment with the busker, Terry Adams.
In February a Valentines weekend is planned. For all the events booking is advisable.

Contact: 01379 853930 and www.theredlionneedham.co.uk

Obituary

Derek Buttle 1930 – 2018


It is with great sadness that we report the death of long time resident of Needham, Derek Buttle after a long illness.

Derek was from the East End of London and was a professional cyclist when road racing in England was in its infancy.  He rode professionally for the Hercules Cycles Team; a team he helped to set up. He obtained two stage places in the inaugural Tour of Britain in 1951 and won a hill climb stage in Cumbria.  Derek went on to take part in two more Tour of Britain events and also rode in the Tour of Europe, Tour of Holland and Tour of Luxembourg.  Derek retired from racing at 25 years of age and moved to Needham with his beloved wife Sheila and together they ran the village post office.

In 1992, a van mounted the pavement outside his house and the impact threw him over a wall.  Found unconscious in a tree, he underwent years of treatment, but he still suffered the odd wobble and had gaps in his memory.  Part of his therapy, he told me, was to write so he became a frequent contributor to the Link over many years.  As Editor, I always knew I could rely on him to provide me with an interesting article. 


Although Derek retired from racing, he was still to be seen riding around the area well into his eighties. Since ill health forced his move away from the village, Derek has been missed by all his friends especially his dog walking companions.


There will be a memorial service for Derek in the spring

We send our condolences to his family

Helen Major