Issue 20 Produced every two months by June 2010 St Edmundsbury Borough Council and sent to rural parish councils

Council supports villages setting up community cafes

Hundon is the first village to be given funding and St Edmundsbury is keen to encourage villages to set advice from St Edmundsbury to set up a community up community cafes and offers advice and practical café as part of our Rural Action Plan. help – including small grants – to get projects off the ground. The volunteers who have now launched the weekly café were given a range of help, including useful Potential cafes must have the support of the parish pointers from the leaflet produced by the council in council or meeting or the village hall management conjunction with the Local Strategic Partnership. committee, or other appropriate village body.

A copy of the leaflet is attached for other villages The St Edmundsbury grant can be used towards set- interested in setting up a café. up costs, such as buying crockery, cutlery and tables.

Hundon’s community café, pictured below, opened in For more details call our Rural Services team on May in the village hall and welcomes people every 01284 757109 or email [email protected] Thursday afternoon between 2-4pm. They serve hot and cold drinks, cakes, scones and biscuits.

People coming together for a cuppa can also make use of the internet connection at the village hall which was installed after Hundon was given a grant under St Edmundsbury’s Connected Villages scheme which has paid for a laptop and internet access for 10 villages in the borough.

Suffolk ACRE funding e-shot

Attached is the latest Funding E-shot from ACRE with information about newly released sources of grants. If you would like to receive a copy directly from them, call 01473 345300 or email [email protected] Rural News Issue 20 June 2010

Parish Council Conference discusses Bin collections are changing wide range of topics - are you affected?

Delegates from parish councils across St.Edmundsbury By now you should have received information attended the Parish Council Conference at Whelnetham about possible changes to the day and time Community Centre at the end of April. your bins will be collected.

The agenda included presentations on Suffolk County We, along with Forest Heath District Council, Council’s speed management policy (see separate article in are reorganising the collections due to a change this issue) and various interventions available; training in the waste disposal contract. The changes will advice and guidance opportunities open to members of the make the bin rounds more efficient, cutting the community; and an update on the Local Development amount of fuel used as well as carbon Framework which will shape future housing development in emissions, and saving money for Council Tax the borough. payers.

The conference continued using the workshop format and The reorganisation is also needed because this gave delegates a chance to learn about and discuss there are areas of new housing and we need to areas of particular interest to them. The workshops plan for other homes in the pipeline. covered Housing Needs (what is involved in conducting a Housing Needs Survey); Community Safety (looking at If you haven’t received information discharging Community Safety duties, and sharing good please call the free hotline practice); Inspire East (a community empowerment toolkit workshop, engaging and inspiring communities). 0800 028 4083

We were joined by a range of partner organisations includ- We know that some elderly or vulnerable ing Suffolk County Council Fostering and Adoption people may be unsure about the changes so Services, Passenger Transport, Adult and Community please look out for those who may appreciate Services, Road Safety Group, Apprenticeships Scheme; some extra help to understand about the possi- Standards Committee; Inspire East; Suffolk ACRE, bility of putting their bin out on a different day. Havebury Housing Partnership; Suffolk Police; and College. You can check your bin day by entering your postcode on the St Edmundsbury website During the refreshment break delegates had the opportu- where there is also a map showing which areas nity to network and discuss matters that had arisen at the are collected on different days of the week: conference and future working opportunities. The web address is: Make a note in your diaries that the next Parish Council Conference is 22 November at www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk Village Hall from 4pm.

Guide to good Support to bring sport and exercise to your village communications Fit Villages is a Suffolk Sport initiative which people taking exercise, while at the same The National Association aims to promote activities in rural areas. time increasing use of the village hall. of Local Councils has produced a guide to help Working with interested parishes, the new This spring there have been pilates sessions councils communicate Fit Villages project will focus on using at Laxfield village hall and salsa style fitness and engage more effec- village halls as a base for various and sport and fun afternoons at . tively with their residents. and physical activities. For more information and to find out how The guide has advice on The aim of the project is to help villages to get involved, contact Suffolk Sport. producing newsletters, provide sports opportunities for people press releases and setting living nearby. Katrina Maguire is the Active Wellbeing up websites. You can find Coordinator. Call her on 01394 444289 or a copy on the NALC web- There should be the double benefit of more email [email protected] site, www.nalc.gov.uk Rural News Issue 20 June 2010

Grants for tree and hedge planting

As part of St Edmundsbury Borough Council's Rural Action Plan, there is a grant fund available to community groups in rural areas.

Any groups that would like to add some tree/hedge planting to an area in their village can apply, provided advice over the suitability of the planting has been sought from the Community Wildlife Advisor at Suffolk Wildlife Trust (who can be contacted on 01473 890089. Their website is www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org).

Groups which apply need to discuss their request with their local parish tree warden. If you are unsure who this is, St Edmundsbury's Assistant Tree Officer Steve Bones will be able to let you know. Contact him on 01284 757069 or email [email protected]. The tree warden will make the application on your behalf.

The deadline for applications is normally around Christmas. The actual grant allocated will depend upon the number of applications received and the beneficial effects of the planned planting for biodiversity.

Advice for tackling speeding Experts answer wildlife questions

Speeding through villages ‘Guidelines for Speed Experts from Suffolk Wildlife Trust (SWT) were on and on rural roads is a big Management in Suffolk’ hand to answer queries about gardening for the concern for people and was provides a set of guidelines benefit of wildlife at Park Country Fair. one of the issues high- for the public as well as lighted in the consultation councillors. It sets out who The fair is held annually by St Edmundsbury Bor- we carried out before we is involved in keeping our ough Council and this year the council invited published our Rural Action roads safe; the processes SWT to hold a ‘wildlife question time’. Plan. involved in deciding when speed management Visitors were given fact sheets about making their Speeding is anti-social and measures should be used garden more wildlife friendly and took part in the leads to accidents, but and what action can be advice sessions aimed at promoting biodiversity. effective speed manage- taken; and what might St Edmundsbury has been supporting SWT ment can help to reduce happen in the future. through its Rural Action Plan. anxiety for people. You can find the document Encouraging cycling Speed management guide- on the lines have been published in www.suffolkroadsafe.net Cycle Suffolk is a new scheme to get Suffolk a new document which website by clicking ‘speed people in rural areas on their bikes and active. details a wide range of management’ from the measures for tackling speed homepage. Cycle Suffolk has its own bikes and a van and and speed-related collisions will visit villages to talk about bikes, organising in Suffolk. There is advice about what events and route planning. Cycle Suffolk will also to do if you have a problem work closely with existing cycling clubs to The document, produced by with speeding in your encourage more interest in the sport. the Suffolk Roadsafe Part- village on the St nership, was launched at a Edmundsbury website: For more information, contact Emilie Fisher, Suffolk Association of Local www.stedmundsbury.gov.u Cycle Suffolk Project Co-ordinator on 01394 444 Councils' meeting in April. k/sebc/live/speedmgt.cfm 731 or email [email protected]. Rural News Issue 20 June 2010

Life after cancer Money for wildlife projects Cancer survivors are invited to attend a ‘Celebrating Life after Can- cer’ event on 18 September at West The Big Lottery Fund has launched the Community Wildlife Fund which will Suffolk Hospital’s Education Centre. give money to projects that involve local groups interested in protecting or The day aims to help people tackle improving the environment and natural habitats. Grants of between £300 some of the ongoing issues that arise and £10,000 are available from a total pot of £2 million. from the disease or its treatment. Voluntary or community groups, parish or town councils, schools or health Wendy Marchant, Macmillan Informa- organisations can apply for funding. tion Service Manager, said: “More and more people are living with and The aim is to identify, protect or improve areas where local wildlife is beyond a diagnosis of cancer. The threatened, such as habitats where butterflies or amphibians such as newts effects on a person and their family are disappearing. can be far reaching and the programme for the day reflects this. Projects should improve environments by, for example: There will be speakers who have had cancer themselves who will be talking about their experiences of life - protecting wildlife habitats after cancer, as well as workshops - creating a nature trail, woodland walk or wildlife garden and information about the issues - improving natural community spaces, such as rivers, ponds and woodland people face in the longer term.” Or the projects should get people more active by: Topics for the sessions and informa- tion displays reflect not only the - exploring parks, rivers and the countryside to look for rate species physical health and wellbeing of - encouraging people to take up gardening or to go on nature walks people affected but also the social, - providing opportunities for children to learn about nature through play. financial and emotional issues which the effects of cancer can create. The There are three deadline for funding applications: 21 July, 22 September topics and sessions on the day and 24 November. For more details call 0845 367 0610 or see the website include: volunteering, www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/communitywildlife returning to work, healthy eating, complementary therapies, yoga, relaxation, dress and colour and massage. Take a walk on the wild side!

If you would like more information or St Edmundsbury manages more than 400 acres of parks and gardens – The an application form for this day, Abbey Gardens in the centre of , Nowton Park and please contact the Macmillan Hardwick Heath on the outskirts of the town, East Town Park in Haverhill Information Centre on 01284 and Country Park. 713023. The Centre Manager, Wendy Marchant or the Macmillan Informa- tion volunteers will be happy to talk As well as exploring on your own, St Edmundsbury’s park rangers to you. If you would like to bring organise all kinds of events for visitors of all ages. You can see a full list of along a partner or friend on the day activities on our website. Here’s a flavour: this would be welcome. There is no charge for this event. Saturday 17 July – Sunday 5 September, 11am-5pm, weekend and school holidays: Bird maze trail, Nowton Park. Suitable for whole family. 50p. If you are unable to attend the day but would like more information Thursday 29 July, 11am-3pm. Woodland treasure trail, Nowton Park, £2. about life after a cancer diagnosis, please telephone or drop-in the Thursday 9 September, 1.30-3pm. Toddler trail, Nowton Park. Free. Macmillan Information Centre (no appointment necessary) at the West Sunday 11 September, 10am, East Town Park. Autumn ramble (6.5 miles) Suffolk Hospital. around Haverhill. Free.

The Centre is open from 8.30am until Contact us to check meeting places and to book a place. 4.30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). For more information call 01284 757088 or email [email protected]