Volume 4 • Issue No. 7 • OCTOBER 2020 Your free local community magazine: essential local news, services & information delivered through your door every month ™© with Beyton, Drinkstone, Elmswell, Haughley, Hessett, Norton, InTostock, Wetherden Touch& Woolpit www.keepingintouchwith.co.uk News from your District Councillors See page 6 Elmswell History Group See page 13 St John’s Church Elmswell, by Lapwing Drone Photography 2 In Touch online: Published by: A WORD FROM THE EDITOR Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd, 20 Wharfedale Road, Ipswich IP1 4JP I hope you’ve noticed something a little different this month. We decided it was time to give our front cover a little revamp and our design team have been trying out new fonts and layouts for a while now. It has been difficult EDITOR: Sharon Jenkins to choose, but in the end we’ve focused on clarity rather than adding too many superfluous extras. I love it and I T: 01473 400380 really hope you do too. Send editorial copy to: It has been quite a month hasn’t it, reflected in the fact that several submissions had to be adapted in response to [email protected] the latest government guidelines. Just as many groups were making plans to meet for the first time in months, the Readers are invited to submit articles, illustrations and photographs for publication. The publishers reserve the brakes had to be put on once more. So many aspects of life as we used to know it have changed but we’re nothing right to amend such submissions and cannot accept responsibility for any loss. if not adaptable. I haven’t left the house without a facemask for at least a week now and my hands have never been softer. I’ve even stopped biting my nails! I guess there is always a silver lining of sorts, though sometimes you ADVERTISING really have to look very, very hard. T: 01473 400380 E: [email protected] Of course there are many who continue to self-isolate. I met a gentleman just last week who had left his home DISTRIBUTION for the first time since March. The world must have seemed a different place with everyone walking about in Tree Martin: 01473 400380 facemasks and crossing the road to avoid each other. My mum, a woman who can chit-chat till the cows come E: [email protected] home, really misses talking to people when she does her shopping. People wave, smile or nod in united frustration PRINTING but nobody stops to chat, at least not for very long. ColourPlan Print: 01473 400379 I realise this may seem a trivial impact of the pandemic, but human contact, affection and closeness have powerful E: [email protected] benefits, even reducing stress and improving overall wellbeing. They say a hug a day keeps the doctor away so in Disclaimer: addition to all the safety precautions we are now so good at managing, let’s not forget those who may still feel The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Every effort is isolated and cut off. Hugs may be impossible right now, but a phone call could be a good alternative, even a card in taken to ensure that the contents of this magazine the post or a bunch of flowers left on the doorstep. are accurate but the publisher cannot assume any responsibility for errors or omissions. On a less trivial note, many of our advertisers have been buoyed by the support they have received in recent While reasonable care is taken when accepting month, particularly since lockdown measures eased in July. There may yet be difficult times ahead for many with advertisements or editorial, the publisher/ editor will not accept responsibility for any the furlough scheme due to end at the end of the month, which is why every purchasing decision we make right unsatisfactory transactions and also reserves the now it critical. Regular readers will know how passionate I am about ‘community’ and share in my conviction that right to refuse to include advertising or editorial. They will, however immediately investigate any a sense of place, a place where we belong and feel at home, is the key to happiness, but we must support the local written complaints. economy in order to protect and sustain it. © Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or Do take care of each other and enjoy reading this month’s edition. used in any form or by any means, either wholly or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. © In Touch with Stowmarket & Stowupland is IN TOUCH NEWS published by Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd Mansion House Publishing is part of Mansion House Group (MHG) which also includes Musical Marketing, Colourplan Print, Boswell Office Supplies, and our most recent development, Mansion House Media (MHM). With Daren Stainton, our sales manager, at the helm, MHM enables us to provide website design and optimisation, video marketing and content creation, social media, emarketing and app Printed on gloss paper from FSC certified sources development, giving our clients access to an even greater range of tools to promote their business Please recycle. and engage with customers. IN TOUCH TITLES • Stowmarket & Stowupland We have also acquired Vanilla magazine, the only local lifestyle magazine totally • Kesgrave & Rushmere St Andrew we’re back! aimed at style-loving women who have a thirst for fashion, beauty, shopping, home • Melton & Woodbridge bigger. better. and food. With an estimated readership of 50,000+ for the printed magazine and • Manningtree, Brantham, Lawford & Mistley stronger. 20,000 hits on the digital publication, Vanilla is distributed freely, both door-to-door • Hadleigh, Chattisham, Hintlesham, and at pick-up points as well as being stocked in the M&S food halls in both Norwich Holton St Mary, Layham & Raydon • Ipswich East, Ravenswood, Broke Hall and Ipswich. & Warren Heath We’re delighted to have Laura and Michelle onboard and can’t wait to share the first • Elmswell, Beyton, Drinkstone, Haughley, Hessett, Norton, Tostock, Wetherden edition with you. & Woolpit Laura and Michelle aren’t the only new staff at MHG. We’ve added to our sales • Needham Market & The Creetings VYOUR MUST-HAVEanilla GUIDE TO EAST COAST LIVING team too with Marc, Surrey, Anna and Paige joining Charyl and Daren and bringing • Shotley, Chelmondiston, Erwarton, Harkstead, Holbrook, Pin Mill, Stutton & Woolverstone We've missed you! with them many years’ experience in marketing and sales. As marketing and media www.vanilla-magazine.co.uk • Martlesham consultants, they are working closely with clients to devise tailor-made marketing • Claydon, Barham, Henley & Whitton plans using all available options, within budget of course! Business owners appreciate the opportunity to discuss • East Bergholt, Dedham, Flatford their aims and objectives with someone who takes the time to get to know their business so whatever business & Stratford St Mary you’re in, give the sales team a call and find out more about how we can work together. • Bramford, Offton, Somersham & Willisham • Capel St Mary (Capel Capers) In what has been an incredibly difficult year, we’re stronger than ever and we’re here to support and promote local • Copdock, Belstead, Bentley, Tattingstone businesses and to get the local economy thriving again. We’re feeling confident and we hope you are too. & Washbrook Next month we’ll tell you more about Colourplan Print. • Gt & Lt Blakenham, Baylham & Nettlestead • Westerfield, Ashbocking, Tuddenham St Martin & Witnesham • Sproughton & Burstall KEEPING IN TOUCH We also publish Spotlight on Felixstowe keepingintouchwith.co.uk / spotlightmagazine.co.uk / vanillamagazine.co.uk Twitter: @InTouchEast / @vanillamagazine Sat 10 October Instagram: @mansionhousepublishing / @vanilla.magazine is the advertising and editorial deadline for Facebook: @mansionhousepublishing / @vanillamagazinesuffolk the November edition MansionHouseMedia on Youtube: https://bit.ly/3ild6oB www.keepingintouchwith.co.uk/elmswell 3 NEWS WOOLPIT PARISH COUNCIL The following was submitted by Woolpit Parish Council in response to the article in last month’s edition about plans for 300 new homes at Woolpit. Last month’s article was a press release from Mid Suffolk MID SUFFOLK COMMUNITIES TO BENEFIT District Council, which was unclear as the council logo had been FROM £227,000 FUNDING BOOST omitted. I do apologise for the confusion this caused, Sharon Following agreement by councillors in early September, housing growth in Mid Suffolk will fund a range of local projects, including railway station This is a deeply disappointing planning approval which is driven by improvements, electrical vehicle charging points and new community MSDC’s decision to encourage development in villages alongside the facilities. A14 rather than allowing more general small scale building around the The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is collected from developers when district which would revitalise villages in need of new residents and they build new homes in the district, ensuring local infrastructure keeps pace businesses. The parish council has opposed this 300 home site which with housing growth and supports the council’s vision for communities with will overwhelm Woolpit and turn it from an iconic Suffolk village into a bright and healthy futures. town. Its unique character will be destroyed. Mid Suffolk District Council considered bids from the latest CIL funding round This development, together with others that have already been at a Cabinet meeting on September 7, with councillors agreeing to fully fund a approved, will increase Woolpit’s size by 50 per cent. Many more £100,000 feasibility study for improvements to Thurston Railway Station. The vehicles will need to go into the already severely congested village findings will be used by the project delivery group – a partnership between centre and conservation area, in order to access local shops, the health rail representatives, Thurston Parish Council, Suffolk Highways and council centre, school and other facilities.