Volume 6 • Issue No. 8 • APRIL 2021 Your free local community magazine: essential local news, services & information delivered through your door every month ™© with Chattisham, Hadleigh, Hintlesham, Raydon, InLayham & Holton St MaryTouchwww.keepingintouchwith.co.uk Would you like to be a Visitor Information Volunteer? See page 4 www.keepingintouchwith.co.uk/hadleigh 1 WELCOME TO MCCARTHY STONE IN THE HEART OF HADLEIGH Manor Gardens We pour our heart and soul into creating thoughtfully designed developments where communities flourish, and life can be enjoyed your way. Manor Gardens, in Hadleigh, is no exception. You’re invited to our Spring Open Day at Manor Gardens on Thursday 29th April from 11am - 4pm, to take a closer look at this stunning development. Book your place today. LAST REMAINING PROPERTIES AVAILABLE Manor Gardens 109 High Street, Hadleigh, Suffolk, IP7 5EQ Call 0800 185 5938 or visit SC009604 mccarthystone.co.uk/manor-gardens ^Subject to change 2 In Touch Online Published by: A WORD FROM THE EDITOR Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd, 20 Wharfedale Road, Ipswich IP1 4JP One of ‘our’ last home-schooling projects was to write a mini autobiography. We had to include specific features such as ‘an attention-grabbing introduction’, early memories, positive and negative experiences and a closing EDITOR: Sharon Jenkins statement which included reflections on some key events and hopes for the future. All in four paragraphs! T: 01473 400380 Following an hour or so of ‘debate’, I dug out my memory box to help refresh Jack’s memory, and my own. We Send editorial copy to: found his first pair of socks, his first shoes, every birthday card he has ever received, his first blond curl (he’s not [email protected] Readers are invited to submit articles, illustrations and blond anymore), his first toy car… and every family planner or calendar we’ve had since Jack arrived in 2010. photographs for publication. The publishers reserve the right to amend such submissions and cannot accept What struck both of us as we scanned the calendars was how empty 2020 was. All the others were tattered and responsibility for any loss. torn with scrawled notes on every page, arrows from one date to another when football games were rescheduled, ADVERTISING birthday parties galore, plans made and cancelled. The 2020 planner was pristine and made us both quite sad as T: 01473 400380 we considered what we might have done and all the events that never happened. E: [email protected] DISTRIBUTION Jack eventually sat down to write but I haven’t been able shake off the sense of loss I felt when I packed the box Tree Martin: 01473 400380 away. We created unexpected memories in the last year, shared an intense experience we will talk about for E: [email protected] generations, learned a lot about ourselves and others, faced our fears, adapted how we live and work, rediscovered our compassion for the suffering of others… and most of us have emerged unscathed, physically at least. Perhaps it PRINTING ColourPlan Print: 01473 400379 will take a little longer for the emotional scars to heal and, just as we have done this past year, we must look after E: [email protected] those who have suffered most. Disclaimer: It doesn’t take much to make a difference. A smile, a nod, a quick chat about the weather… acknowledging and The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Every effort is nurturing the sense of togetherness we’ve cultivated because that is the most valuable lesson we’ve learned. We taken to ensure that the contents of this magazine must cling to that as we pick ourselves up and move gradually towards normality. Let’s never forget how important are accurate but the publisher cannot assume any responsibility for errors or omissions. our local community has been, and I include local business as an essential cog in that wheel. While reasonable care is taken when accepting advertisements or editorial, the publisher/ There is a palpable sense of anticipation now as we move steadily towards the first key dates on the route to editor will not accept responsibility for any ‘freedom’. We may long for June 21 to arrive but there is much to do and plenty to look forward to before then, unsatisfactory transactions and also reserves the right to refuse to include advertising or editorial. including Easter. They will, however immediately investigate any written complaints. Happy Easter from everyone at Mansion House Publishing. Take care, © Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd. be safe and surprise someone with an unexpected smile. It may make their day! No part of this magazine may be reproduced or 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 AN ARTY OPPORTUNITY FOR UNDER 16S published by Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd Our sales manager has come up with a delightful idea. Daren suggested having images created by children on our front covers COULD YOUR PICTURE BE OUR NEXT FRONT COVER? Mansion House Publishing plans to use drawings or paintings created by local children (16 and under) and we love the idea so we’re going to make it happen. on the front covers of each of its 18 In Touch titles and also on Spotlight on Felixstowe. As you can see on Example 1 below, the image sits under the title and has a banner ad across the bottom. The actual picture area is 210mm x 240mm. Pictures submitted on an A4 sheet must work in this format. As the banner ad will sit over your picture, key elements of your drawing/painting should be placed I can’t believe we haven’t thought of doing this before but perhaps Printed on gloss paper from FSC certified sources centrally within the print area to avoid being hidden, as in Example 2. Example 1 Example 2 Please recycle. now is the perfect time. I can’t think of anything more wonderful to share with readers and I’m sure the results will bring a smile to IN TOUCH TITLES many faces. • Stowmarket & Stowupland • Kesgrave & Rushmere St Andrew I’ve set up a template of sorts on our website, just some notes • Melton & Woodbridge about the size of the space and how to work around the banner ad. • Manningtree, Brantham, Lawford & Mistley You can find it at: www.keepingintouchwith.co.uk/cover • Hadleigh, Chattisham, Hintlesham, Holton St Mary, Layham & Raydon We’re not going to lay down any restrictions because we want our • Ipswich East, Ravenswood, Broke Hall budding artists (who must be 16 or under) to choose their own & Warren Heath subject matter. That said, it would be great to get pictures with local • Elmswell, Beyton, Drinkstone, Haughley, Please provide the following information on the back of your picture or on an attached sheet: relevance, perhaps buildings, scenes or sites, play areas, favourite Hessett, Norton, Tostock, Wetherden Your name and your age & Woolpit walks and the like but, in reality, anything goes. The school you attend • Needham Market & The Creetings Your address (we will only publish the town/village name but will need your full address if we need to contact you by post) Description (in no more than 20 words, tell us what your picture is and why it’s your chosen subject) If you can’t access the online template let us know and we can • Shotley, Chelmondiston, Erwarton, Harkstead, Pictures should be posted to: Sharon Jenkins, Mansion House Publishing, 14-20 Wharfedale Road, Ipswich IP1 4JP There is no deadline date and publication is not guaranteed but we hope to see plenty of colour email it to you. Holbrook, Pin Mill, Stutton & Woolverstone and wonderful representations of where you live and the things you enjoy doing. • Martlesham You can submit several times if you wish to do so but we will not be able to return submitted pictures. The budding artist behind every published image will receive an A3 print of their cover. Happy drawing, painting, illustrating.... • Claydon, Barham, Henley & Whitton HAVE FUN; WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOUR CREATIONS! • East Bergholt, Dedham, Flatford I also want to tell you about an e-vent we are sponsoring this month. Bounce Back for Business & Stratford St Mary is a digital Stowmarket Chamber of Commerce event taking place from April 20-22 with live • Bramford, Offton, Somersham & Willisham networking events each day, including one with the aforementioned Daren Stainton. Anyone • Capel St Mary (Capel Capers) can attend the live online sessions which will cover a range of topics and include Q&A sessions. • Copdock, Belstead, Bentley, Tattingstone & Washbrook If you are interested, go to www.msbe.biz to find out more. • 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 / vanilla-magazine.co.uk Tuesday 20 April Twitter: @InTouchEast / @vanillamagazine is the advertising and Instagram: @mansionhousepublishing / @vanilla.magazine editorial deadline for Facebook: @mansionhousepublishing / @vanillamagazinesuffolk the May edition www.keepingintouchwith.co.uk/hadleigh 3 NEWS TRAINING FOR HADLEIGH VISITOR INFORMATION VOLUNTEERS In addition to our Visit Hadleigh website, we know visitors value a place My energy bill really shot up last month. I don’t feel like I’ve been using any where they can access local knowledge face-to-face when they arrive, or more heating or electricity than usual, so I’m worried I’m being overcharged. indeed want to think about where to go next. I’ve tried to contact my energy supplier for support but no one ever seems The visitor information point will be at 85 High Street (opposite the King’s to answer the phone or respond to my emails.