THE VILLAGE NEWS JANUARY 2021 EDITION Cover photo courtesy of Sam Auger-Forbes INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 – COVER 2 – PARISH COUNCILLORS 3 – STAFF & LOCAL COUNCIL 4 – COUNCIL WORKING GROUPS,COMMITTEES & REPS 5 – 2020 REVIEW 6 – 2020 REVIEW 7 – 2020 REVIEW 8 – 2020 REVIEW 9 – 2020 REVIEW 10 – REVERAND MANDY 11 – REVERAND MANDY 12 – ST EDMUNDS CHURCH 13 – LOCAL NEWS 14 - GREENER GROWTH 15 – KSSC / LOCAL HISTORY 16 – KEITH NICHOLS 17 – BIRD RINGERS & VOLUNTEER GROUPS / BOOK EXCHANGE 18 – FUN AND GAMES 19 – USEFUL INFORMATION 20 – USEFUL INFORMATION 21 – WOMEN LIKE ME 22 – KESSINGLAND BOWLS CLUB 23 – KESSINGLAND LIBRARY 24 – PROJECT PEN PAL / ENTRIES KESSINGLAND ‘FREEWOMAN’ JOAN ODDY JANUARY’S UPCOMING MEETINGS FULL COUNCIL – 13/01/2021 at 10:30 (ZOOM) FINANCE & GOVERNANCE – 27/01/2021 at 11:00 1 YOUR PARISH COUNCILLORS CHAIR COUNCILLOR SID JAMES BRIAN KITE Tel: 01502 740521 Tel: 01502 742345 Email:sjames@kessinglan Email:bkite@kessinglandp dparishcouncil.org.uk arishcouncil.org.uk VICE CHAIR COUNCILLOR DAVE BOYLE JULIE MCLEAN Tel: 07707201300 Tel:07539696904 Email:dboyle@kessinglan Email:jmclean@kessinglan dparishcouncil.org.uk dparishcouncil.org.uk COUNCILLOR COUNCILLOR ALAN GREEN DAVID MOTTRAM Tel: 07789644645 Tel: 07377624686 Email:agreen@kessinglan Email:dmottram@kessingl dparishcouncil.org.uk andparishcouncil.org.uk COUNCILLOR COUNCILLOR CHRISTINE COOK BARRY BURDEN Tel: 07592555345 Tel: 01502 742442 Email:ccook@kessingland Email:bburden@kessingla parishcouncil.org.uk ndparishcouncil.org.uk COUNCILLOR COUNCILLOR BILLY NICHOLLS BOB SAUNDERS Tel: 07584168200 Tel: 07901530770 Email:bnicholls@kessingla Email:bsaunders@kessing ndparishcouncil.org.uk landparishcouncil.org.uk COUNCILLOR COUNCILLOR IAN GRAHAM MARTIN DUNNE Tel: 07985462200 Tel: 01502 741945 Email:igraham@kessingla Email:mdunne@kessinglan ndparishcouncil.org.uk dparishcouncil.org.uk COUNCILLOR KESSINGLAND PARISH CLAIRE GOWER COUNCIL Tel: 07747441061 Tel: 01502 744367 Email:cgower@kessinglan Email:clerk@kessinglandp dparishcouncil.org.uk arishcouncil.org.uk Kessingland Parish Council Hall Road Kessingland, Lowestoft Suffolk, NR33 7PP 2 YOUR PARISH STAFF CLERK & RFO DEPUTY CLERK NEIL COLEBY SHELLEY HOGG Telephone: 01502 Telephone: 01502 744367 744367 Email: Email: clerk@kessinglandparish deputyclerk@kessingland council.org.uk parishcouncil.org.uk Office hours: Office Hours: Mon – Thu 9-5 Mon – Thu 9-5 CLEANSING OPERATIVES GENERAL FACTOTUM NIALL MCLEAN RUTH ORRIS PAUL REID YOUR LOCAL COUNCILLORS COUNTY COUNCILLOR DISTRICT COUNCILLOR MICHAEL LADD LETITIA SMITH Tel: 01502 724337 / Tel: 01502 512862 / 07714597994 07596812358 Email: michael.ladd@su Email:Letitia.smith@easts ffolk.gov.uk uffolk.gov.uk EAST SUFFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk Automated payments 0300 7900509 Out of hours emergencies 0800 440 2516 Find us on Facebook & Twitter 3 PARISH COUNCIL WORKING GROUPS, COMMITTEES & REPRESENTATIVES EVENTS & COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE FINANCE & GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR – D.Mottram CHAIR – B.Burden MEMBERS – D.Boyle, J.McLean, C.Cook & C.Gower MEMBERS – D.Boyle, I.Graham, S.James & B.Nicholls LEISURE & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE CHAIR – B.Nicholls CHAIR – I.Graham MEMBERS – D.Boyle, B.Burden,J.McLean C.Cook, MEMBERS – D.Boyle, C.Cook & A.Green M.Dunne & B.Kite PLANNING COMMITTEE EMERGENCY PLANNING WORKING GROUP CHAIR – M.Dunne CO-ORDINATOR – D.Boyle DEPUTY – S.James MEMBERS – I.Graham, A.Green, B.Kite & MEMBERS – A.Green & B.Kite B.Saunders HERITAGE WORKING GROUP HEALTH & SAFETY WORKING GROUP CHAIR – A.Green CHAIR – D.Boyle MEMBERS – B.Kite & M.Dunne MEMBERS – C.Cook, J.McLean & B.Nicholls MARSH WARDEN – D.Boyle HIGHWAYS & FOOTPATHS WORKING GROUP ALLOTMENTS – B.Nicholls CHAIR – M.Dunne GREENER GROWTH – J.McLean MEMBERS – A.Green, B.Kite & B.Saunders HIDDEN NEEDS IN YOUTH & ELDERLY BEACH WARDENS C.Cook, C.Gower & D.Mottram NORTH – M.Dunne SOUTH – S.James KSSC – C.Cook CLEAN UP TEAMS – D.Boyle BENACRE & KESSINGLAND FLOOD GROUP M.Dunne KESSINGLAND IN NEED TRUST M.Dunne COMPASS SUITE TRUST COMMUNITY ACTION SUFFOLK B.Burden & M.Dunne C.Cook 4 A LOOK BACK AT 2020 2020 was undoubtedly a year like no other in modern history, we were all affected in one way or another and the year on the whole was a challenge, a challenge we are still enduring. But endure it we did, all the stress and hardship aside we witnessed people come together as a community, businesses adapted to survive and the community backed them. New services were created and existing ones changed to continue to provide people with what they need. Emergency help was established and people volunteered in their dozens. People found a way to help each other, to support each other and to rely on each other. 2020 may have been the worst many of us have seen but it brought out the best in so many of us. Here we look back at the POSITIVES of 2020, because there were so many! JANUARY saw the introduction of walking football into the village at the newly formed Kessingland FC. The club was formed after an absence of a local team for 4 years after the Juggernauts folded in 2016. The club had initial aims of a walking team, a senior men’s team and an under 9’s team. Operating out of The Hub at Francis Road the club is run by passionate local people and they also offer refreshments at training and match days. In FEBRUARY essential work was carried out at the entrance of the Church Road allotments, easier and safer access was achieved as well as a more attractive design. Kessingland community fitness ran their popular family fun sessions including indoor football (right) and rounders on the field. They also held walks and exercise sessions around the village bringing people together. The end of FEBRUARY saw Kessingland Church of England Primary Academy receive an OFSTED report of ‘GOOD’. This was a huge achievement having previously been ‘NEEDS IMPROVEMENT’. MARCH saw the formation of Kessingland events group, bringing groups and businesses around the village together to collaborate and support each other in projects and events in the village. Created by former councillor Dawn Taylor it is a legacy the parish council will retain. On March 26th we all took part in the first clap for carers, this was a weekly event taking place on a Thursday evening and ran until the 28th of May. Families, businesses and workers would all clap, cheer and even bang pots and pans to create a positive vibe and show appreciation to our key workers and local heroes. 5 In APRIL John and Katy opened the Kessingland book exchange, residents could swap, donate or take books, art supplies, dvd’s and magazines all free of charge. This service was vital to so many people in isolation, John and Katy would even deliver items around the village. The parish council raised nearly £500 for Sports Relief by doing a charity fun run. To respond to the lockdown an emergency helpline was created by the parish council meaning people who needed help could get it from a volunteer. This service was fantastic, people volunteered in their dozens to help with shopping, transport and support. Pictured left, two of our volunteers who delivered information leaflets to every house in the village, no small task!! Thank you to all our volunteers, without you so many people would have struggled alone. The food bank also provided the community with essential groceries they needed. In May we sadly had to cancel the planned Easter activities due to covid, we were however able to adapt and still offer the children an Easter egg. All they had to do was draw a lovely picture and display in their window and on Easter Sunday the ‘Easter bunny’ delivered over 130 eggs! Morrisons very kindly donated a lot of eggs, any left over were given to the food bank. The parish council erected their NHS flag at Roy Browns gardens. Residents took part in a ‘Garden Party’ theme to replace the usual street parties, to comply with guidelines people decorated their gardens and houses and had tea parties or BBQ’s to celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE day. In June Kessingland FC’s men’s team and under 9’s, the Hunter Thor’s both kicked off their debut seasons. It was wonderful to hear football in the village again and especially to see something so positive for the children. All at Kessingland FC should be proud of what they have achieved and given the community. The men’s team play in the Lowestoft & district league, division 2, which is the 18th tier of English football. Home games are played at Francis Road. 6 In JULY we put up our new flag to thank the key workers, shown left by Chairman Sid James. Other big news in the village was the much anticipated reopening of Africa Alive! The park had been forced to close but under new procedures it was able to welcome back guests on a booking only format. Work really began to push on at the Greener Growth community garden on Rider Haggard, the former site of a play park. It had long been run down so to see it repurposed for the community and nature is brilliant. Anyone is welcome to visit and work in the gardens or just view wildlife such as bee’s, butterflies, hedgehogs and if you are lucky a deer! AUGUST was a busy month, Tilly the talespinner (left) visited the community garden to read stories and poems to families. The childrens free summer club held 3 days of activities at Francis Road. The children played football, golf, tennis, rounders, jenga, did obstacle courses and had water fights. The Kessingland Library was able to reopen, this was fantastic news for the community. The Benacre project received a grant to help protect our coast. And you might recall a special visitor to our coast, the cruise ship ‘Arcadia’ moored off the coast of Kessingland and then Southwold during the month.