1. family and parenting
2. children

THE
Mardler
BROCKDISH & THORPE ABBOTTS
Edition No. 197 April - May 2015
THE MARDLER is FREE and delivered to all
houses in Brockdish and Thorpe Abbotts
Also available on-line at www.brockdish.org.uk
Editorial Team
Editor in Charge
Christine Longe
Advertising
Jon Wilkinson
Treasurer
Janice Stacey
Useful Contacts
01379 668405 Surgeries Harleston
andrew@alonge.plus.com Bullock Fair Close
Emergencies
Paddock Road
01379 668119 Eye Health Centre
wilkij1@hotmail.co.uk
Police
01379 668549 Harleston and Diss
janicestacey@btinternet.com (calls routed automatically
Mary Alderton
01379 668537
maryalderton@btinternet.com
Robert Buck
01379 668663
robertbuck1974@talktalk.net
Jan Croxson
01379 668630
jpcrocky@btinternet.com
Cheryl Mounser
01379 741468
billmounser@yahoo.co.uk
01379 853217
01379 853503
01379 852213
01379 870689
0845 4564567
Brockdish Village Hall (bookings)
Jill Edwards – During
School term M-F 9am-5pm
01379 668284
All other times 01379 669057
Thorpe Abbotts Village Hall
Bookings Kelvin Halifax
01379 668705
Brockdish Players
Tracy Amies
tracy.amies@btinternet.com
Tuesday Group
The views expressed in The Mardler are not
Betty Chapman
necessarily those of the Editorial team. The Editor
reserves the right to amend or alter any copy Carpet Bowls Club
received.
Glyn Catchpole
____________________________________
ADVERTISING IN THE MARDLER
If you are interested in advertising, the current
rates are £25 for ¼ page and £50 for ½ page,
which covers the 6 issues from 1st March
annually. The cost for less than 6 issues is £5
per issue for ¼ page and £10 per issue for ½
page. For further information please contact
Jon Wilkinson, see above.
____________________________________
BROCKDISH VILLAGE HALL
Monday
-
Tuesday
1” Tues of
each month Wednesday -
01379 668419
01379 668698
Aerobics
Clare Peed
01379 668715
Whist Drive
Liz Eastaugh
01379 852583
Sunday Tea Dance/Ballroom
Latin Dance Classes
Niall O’Brien
07526 883776
Brockdish School
Mandy Reeve
(Headteacher)
01379 668284
South Norfolk District Councillor
Jenny Wilby
01379 741504
Ballroom & Latin Dance
Classes 8 – 11pm
Aerobics 6:45 –7:45pm
Whist Drive 7:30pm*
Tuesday Group 2 - 4pm
Ballroom & Latin Dance
Classes 7pm – 11pm
Thursday
- Tea Dance 2pm
- Carpet Bowls 7:30pm
Friday
- Hall available for hire
Saturday
- Quizzes, Ballroom Dancing*
Sunday
- Tea Dance*
* See notice board for more information.
Parish Clerk
Teresa Hines
01379 668386
Libraries
Harleston
Diss
01379 852549
01379 642609
Farmers Markets on the following
Saturdays in each month
2nd – Diss & Rickinghall
3rd – Harleston
4th – South Lopham
Cover pictures by Wayside Art in East Anglia and Old Greyhead
2
Editorial
Spring has really sprung and isn’t it lovely to walk in the warm if
breezy air looking at the trees and shrubs bursting into bloom.
Please do come and support village events and the clubs; the
organisers work very hard to put these on. It is also an excellent way
for newcomers to get to know the village and what it has to offer.
Thank you also to all our advertisers for another years support of
The Mardler
I was pleased to see that the Olde Kings Head in Brockdish has now
reopened for business. Nationally last year over 1500 pubs closed in
Great Britain so it’s good to know that Brockdish is bucking the
trend!
Christine Longe – Editor
REMEMBER
Closing date for entries in the
June/July 2015 issue is
Friday 1st May
Articles received after this date may
not be included in the next issue.
_________________________________________________
WHAT’S ON
April
rd
Thurs 23 – World Book Night (p20
th
Thurs 30 – Harleston Players
Performance (p21)
th
Sat 4 – Thorpe Abbotts Social (p4)
th
Mon 6 – Billingford Windmill (p22)
Tues 7th – Needham Red Lion
Coffee Morning (p27)
Tues 7th – Tuesday Group (p5)
th
Weds 8 –Library Event (p20)
th
Fri 10 – Harleston Cinema (p19)
th
Tues 14 – Village Hall AGM (p7)
th
Thurs 16 – Eastern Angles (p15)
th
Fri 17 – Mobile Library (p19)
th
Sat 18 – Thorpe Abbotts Social
(p4)
May
nd
Sat 2 -Thorpe Abbotts Social (p4)
th
Tues 6 – Needham Red Lion Coffee
Morning (p27)
th
Sat 9 – Brockdish Quiz (p19)
th
Fri 15 – Mobile Library (p19)
th
Sat 16 – Gislingham Silver Band (p25)
th
Sun 24 – Billingford Windmill (p22)
th
Sat 30 – Garden Party Syleham (p15)
3
Village
THORPE ABBOTTS SOCIAL CLUB AND VILLAGE HALL
Now that we are into the New Year I am pleased to report that the
annual stock taking has been completed and that the Social Club
accounts have been prepared and audited. This year a decision was
taken to increase the entrance fee by £1! Where else can one go for
a night out with good music and company for just £4?
The Village Hall is looking much better after many improvements
including new windows and doors. The kitchen and toilets have had
new insulated ceilings and the remaining single skin outside walls
have been dry lined and insulated, so overall we are much warmer.
Also a complete internal redecoration has been carried out along
with some re wiring of the electrics to include heaters in the ladies
toilet and kitchen.
Funding of the scheme was achieved with a grant from South
Norfolk District Council, along with a donation from the Social Club
and generous help from Joe Read who kindly donated the insulation
material.
Many thanks also to all the helpers who gave their time with the
painting etc. and most importantly to all the ladies who had to clean
the Hall after all the work was completed. Also to the social club lady
who made the new curtains. We still have jobs to do to continue with
the overall improvements which will include painting the outside of
the Hall when the weather improves. Volunteers to help with this
task will be appreciated please let me know if you can give some
time.
Finally there will be a members night on 18th April when food will be
provided please let Lennie Havers 01379 668219 know in advance if
you would like to come along. All will be warmly welcomed.
April 4th Music with Barry
April 18th Brian Roy
May 2nd Mary Cubley
Linda Halifax 01379 668705
4
Village
chocolate egg middle. As usual
with Pam's craft afternoons there
was a lot of chat and a relaxing
time was enjoyed by all.
TUESDAY GROUP
I received a very warm
welcome back from our
members, and we also celebrated my birthday with a
cake, cards and flowers.
Our speaker Sylvia Gibbons
gave us a very interesting
session on Yoga, and we all
took part in the exercises
and all felt really relaxed,
Sylvia was a very good
teacher and we all enjoyed
her visit. I have received
requests for her to come
again.
In April Andrew Bingham is
giving a talk on 'The Role of the
Funeral
Director', which sounds rather
sombre, but we are assured that
he will have many stories to tell.
Our programme is now almost
complete for the year, the
booking secretaries have had
some problems filling the
programme, but I feel sure that
we will have many interesting
afternoons. We would welcome
some visitors.
Pam Mead took the March
afternoon and we all made
Easter bunnies with a
Betty Chapman - Chairman
5
6
Village
CARPET BOWLS
We have four more matches to
play in the Waveney League
and hopefully we will finish in a
good position.
On Sunday March 1st the
Summer League AGM will be
held at Shelfanger Village Hall
and where we will be booking
the summer matches.
Norfolk Played Essex at
Braintree on Sunday February
1st. The results were Norfolk
16 points and Essex 20 points.
We welcome any new players
on a Thursday evening, 7:30
9:30. Come along have a go
who knows you may enjoy it.
Glynn Catchpole
the event of an emergency.
Please let us know if you are
willing to participate.
Annual General Meeting
AGM will be held on Tuesday
14th April at 7:30pm in the
village
hall.
We
would
welcome new faces.
Jan Croxson
HORSE RIDERS, DOG
WALKERS AND WALKERS
It has come to that time once
more when I have to write in the
Mardler again about people
who think they can walk or ride
wherever they like around grass
field margins. This is private
property so keep to the
footpaths or if caught don’t be
surprised if you are told off in a
stern nature.
We are coming up to nesting
time and we are trying hard to
improve the numbers of English
Partridges, we do not shoot
these unless by mistake and
the guilty gun will get fined and
this money goes towards
research into English Partridges
at the Game and Wildlife
Society. So please do your bit
by keeping off the grass
margins and while on a footpath
please keep your dog on a lead
or under control.
Andrew Longe
BROCKDISH VILLAGE HALL
At the last Committee Meeting
a suggestion had been passed
to us to consider installing a
defibrillator. Before we look
into this further we would
welcome
ideas
and
suggestions for fundraising
towards
this
item.
We
understand that there would be
a requirement for several
volunteers to attend a straight
forward training session on
how to use this equipment who
would then be called upon in
7
Parish Council
BROCKDISH PARISH COUNCIL (Including Thorpe Abbotts)
CHAIRMAN – Christine Mackenzie
Clerk – Teresa Hines
Tel: 07909591214
e-mail: brockdishthorpeabbottspc@gmail.com
Planning Application (www.south-norfolk.gov.uk)
2015/0321 Erection of country house and associated landscaping
works. Mr. Baskerville, Red Farm Barn, Brockdish Needham
Bypass, Brockdish.
At a previous Parish Council meeting a suggestion was made
regarding a weekly visit by a Fish and Chip van. We have the offer
of a Fish and Chip van visiting Brockdish every Tuesday between
4pm and 7pm, parking close to the Village Green in Brockdish.
Thank you to all those who contacted us with their comments and
we will let you know the outcome in the next edition of the Mardler.
New Member of the Team
Pcso Pete Williamson has joined us from the east of the County.
Pete has worked for the last eight years from Caister on Sea on a
community team known as Rural Flegg Villages. Pete has replaced
Pcso Chris Shelley who left us in November to pursue his career as
a police officer.
If there are any issues please contact us at Harleston Safer
Neighbourhood Team on 101 or alternatively you can e-mail us at
sntharleston@norfolk.pnn.police.uk
Thank you.
Jim Squires, Beat Manager, Harleston SNT.
Date of next scheduled meeting:
Agendas are published on the notice boards in Brockdish and
Thorpe Abbotts Meetings are held monthly and alternate between
Brockdish Village Hall, (usually last Tuesday of the month) and
Thorpe Abbotts Village Hall, (usually last Thursday of the month).
9
NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF BROCKDISH AND THORPE
ABBOTTS.
Waveney Floods and Victorian Working Children.
Elaine Murphy.
The River Waveney is the reason why our Brockdish and Thorpe
Abbotts ancestors settled here. Once the woods and forests had
been cleared, the gently draining slopes down to the river from the
boulder clay plateau provided good arable and grazing land. But the
river is also an intermittent hazard when it floods its banks and water
rushes over the bridge at Syleham and the surrounding woods and
water meadows. I’ll bet you like me have been tempted to drive
through the ford that regularly appears just north of the bridge after
heavy rain?
Just two
years ago, on 12 March
2013, fire crews from
Harleston and Norwich
were called when an
optimistic driver got
stuck at that spot. The
crews used a boat to
rescue the occupants of
the car; at least on that
occasion no-one was
drowned.
180 years earlier in early March 1833, similarly over-optimistic
travellers were caught when the Waveney flooded over the same
‘County Bridge at Syleham’, built in 1785. A local farmer Mr.
Matthews and his wife and three children were all travelling in a
horse and cart loaded up with goods for market, probably heading
for Harleston. Matthews and his wife decided to risk driving the cart
through the flooded river but the cart overturned, throwing out Mrs
Matthews and the children. Someone ran for John Doughty the
tanner who had a boat moored nearby and they managed to rescue
Mr and Mrs Matthews and two younger children but their poor 17
year old daughter was drowned.
Not long after, on 25 January 1840 the River Waveney flooded its
banks near the Hoxne watermill. Two young girls from Thorpe
Abbotts, nine year old Ellen Chilvers and eleven year old Sarah
10
Elsey were drowned in the river while on their way home from the
weaving factory at the mill. For hours they were missing but their
bodies were found as the river receded.
The scandalous conditions of Victorian working children. Ellen
and Sarah were both from agricultural laboring families living in
Thorpe Abbotts and were buried in Thorpe Abbotts churchyard.
Ellen’s parents, Benjamin and Mary
Chilvers had two other younger children and were living with other
relatives in the village. John and Hannah Elsey, Sarah’s parents,
were living in similar circumstances but had another six children.
When Sarah was so tragically drowned her mother was pregnant
with her seventh child. They called the new baby girl after Sarah.
Agricultural labourers’ wages were low in 1840, scarcely 20% better
than they had been 100 years earlier, perhaps 20 pence a day in
winter, up to 38 pence a day in summer, so the few pennies Ellen
and Sarah earned would have been valuable to their families. It was
usual for the children of labouring families to work from the age of 8
or 9 and their conditions of work were often grim but Ellen and
Sarah may have been old hands at work; many children started
work even earlier at the age of 5, the same age as children start
school today. Even a tiny child could feed chickens, fetch and carry
and be taught to use their
tiny fingers where an
adult’s would be too
bulky. Older brothers and
sisters took small children
to work, usually on a farm
or local factory or as a
servant in a better off
home or they would help
with the tedious low-paid
home-work that women
would do, sewing, finishing, and packing.
Henry Warne and Thomas Coleby were the tenants at Hoxne mill,
although the proprietor was Sir Edward Kerrison of Hoxne Hall.
Messrs Warne and Coleby processed flax, which was made into a
rough linen fabric for farmers’ smocks. Henry Warne ran the mill at
Hoxne but also had a drabbet (rough woven linen) factory in Diss,
where he employed workers for 16 hours a day. He also farmed out
some of the manufacturing to home workers, who could only get by
at all by putting in 12 to 16 hours every day. Children like Ellen and
11
Sarah were also expected to work over 12 hours in spite of a
campaign to protect children from such exploitation. Significant
legislation in 1833 limited the employment of children under
eighteen years of age, prohibited all night work for children and,
crucially, provided for inspectors to enforce the law. The towering
Victorian social reformer, the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury and an
Evangelical Christian Tory MP, Michael Sadler were the key
proponents of factory reform and reducing children’s hours.
The 1833 act was strengthened by the 1844 Textile Factory Act,
which increased the powers of the inspectors and required all
workers to be certified fit for physical work by a surgeon. But still in
the mid 1850s, the law permitted child labour over the age of 9 for
up to 60 hours per week, night or day. In 1901, the permissible child
labour age was raised to 12. It was 1880 before compulsory primary
school education removed the risk of long hours of work for very
young children,
although right
up until the
1950s children
in south Norfolk
agricultural
workers’
families were
excused school
to help gather the harvest.
Note. Elaine Murphy’s new book “The Moated Grange: a History of South
Norfolk through the story of one home, 1300-2000.” will be published on
4th June 2015.
Next time: Captain Charles Lindsey (KP) Keighly-Peach 1902-1995.
12
13
COFFEE BREAK
JOKES
Manager – ‘Very well my boy, I’ll take you on. I take it you’re not
afraid of early hours?’
Teenage applicant – ‘Oh no sir, you can’t close too early for me!’
*******************
‘They say he works eight hours and sleeps eight hours. The problem
is they are the same eight hours!’
*********************
Lady of the Manor – ‘And breakfast is at 7.30 sharp.’
New Maid – ‘OK, but if I’m not up, you can start without me.’
RIDDLE
It is only one colour but not just one size.
It is stuck at the bottom but easily flies.
It is present in sun but not seen in rain.
It never does harm nor feels any pain.
What am I?
QUIZ
Add a letter to each of the following words to make an anagram
which will fit the clue in brackets. Then reading down the letters
which have been added you will be given a name of a plant. The
first one is done for you.
1. CHAT
(P)
(REPAIR) - Answer PATCH
2. DRAW
( )
(TROPHY)
3. BEAK
( )
(SHATTER)
4. NAME
( )
(MINISTER,S HOUSE)
5. LAST
( )
(FALTER)
6. TINS
( )
(GERMAN BEER MUG)
7. RAID
( )
(JOURNAL)
14
Information
SYLEHAM & WINGFIELD SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB
Regular Events:
Monday 7pm Carpet Bowls
Tuesday 8 pm Jive Classes
3rd Thursday of each month, 1.30 – 4 pm Craft Group
Friday 9.30 am Line Dancing
Last Friday of each month, Bingo 7.30 for 8 pm
We are pleased to be hosting Eastern Angles
Touring Theatre performance of ‘Oysters’
Thursday 16th April 2015 at 7.30pm
Ticket Prices Adults £9.00 Concessionary £8.50
To book tickets please contact Alison on 668251 or
alliemt@suffolkonline.net
Garden Party Green Farm,
Syleham
Saturday, May 30th 2 - 5pm.
Afternoon Teas, Stalls and Games.
All proceeds to be shared between
Nelson's Journey and Gissing
Ward,
Norfolk & Norwich University
Hospital
15
16
7th Brockdish Annual
Village Garage/Yard
Sale
July 18th 2015
10:00am-2:00pm
Everyone in Brockdish
is warmly invited to take part in the 7th
Annual Village Garage Sale.
If space is an issue please contact the
School to book a stall in the playground.
We raised over £300.00 for the School last
year so let’s see if we can do even better
this year. To support the School it would be
brilliant if, where possible, everyone taking
part could make a £5.00 donation, as in
previous years. Stalls and refreshments will
also be available in the Village Hall.
To book a stall/garage, and be included on
the village map, showing which
households are taking part, please contact:
Brockdish C of E (VC) Primary School Tel:
01379 668284 and ask for Tracey or Diane
17
Kung Fu
Needham Village Hall, Thursdays
Juniors 6.30-7.30pm - Seniors 7.30-9pm
Kung Fu @ Needham Village Hall on Thursdays
Kickboxing
Jay’s
Centre /Harleston,
Fridays
JuniorsGreen
6.30-7.30pm
Seniors 7.30-9pm
Juniors 4-5pm - Senior’s 6.30-7.30pm
Wealso
alsoteach
run weekly
& Kickboxing&classes
at
We
KungKung
Fu atFuDickleburgh
Bungay
Eye, Diss, Dickleburgh & Bungay
E-Mail:
reflexmartialarts@talk21.com
Kickboxing lessons
at Harleston, Eye and Diss
www.facebook.com/RMAReflexMartialArts
Mr Adrian
7th 07949
Degree 187169
07949 187169
– 01379
853894
AdrianPoulter
Poulter
– 01379
853894
www.facebook.com/RMAReflexMartialArts
18
Information
CINEMA AT HARLESTON
Our film for April 2015, to be shown at Archbishop Sancroft School
in Harleston is Mr. Turner (12A), a highly commended drama,
reflecting the turbulent life of that great artist. Timothy Spall delivers
a magnificent performance, portraying this eccentric painter who is
living his last 25 years with gusto.
Date: Friday 10th April 2015. Doors open at 7.15pm, film starts at
7.30pm.
Entry is £4. Refreshments will be available during the interval.
To book, please telephone Harleston Information Plus at 01379
851917.
You can pay on the door.
MOBILE LIBRARY
Visits Brockdish and Thorpe Abbotts
every four weeks on a Friday, calling at:
Thorpe
10:20am Telephone
Abbotts
Box/ Village Pump
Brockdish 10:45am
Church Road
Brockdish 11:00am
Waveney Heights
Brockdish 11:20am
Grove Road
Brockdish 11:35am - The Street
(outside Waveney Cottage)
QUIZ NIGHT
SATURDAY 9th May
7:30 for 8:00pm
Admission £4
BROCKDISH VILLAGE
HALL
Proceeds to Church
Fabric Fund
Bring your own drink
Jan 668630
Next scheduled visits are on 17th April and 15th May
19
Information
HARLESTON LIBRARY NEWS
The Easter Holidays are here! All Norfolk libraries will close on Good
Friday 3rd April and on Easter Monday 6th April but we will be open
as normal on Easter Saturday. We will also be closed on the two
May Bank Holiday Mondays; 4th and 25th May.
To keep the children entertained in the Easter holidays we have a
Chicken Hunt in the library all through the holiday and a special
“Guess How Much I love You” story time and craft activity on
Wednesday 8th April 2pm – 4pm.
Community Read; from March 23rd and all through April we will be
promoting The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith as this year’s
Harleston Read. The author is better known as J K Rowling who
wrote the super-successful Harry Potter books. This is her second
venture into fiction for adults, and is a gripping crime thriller. We
want as many people as possible to read and review it for your
library, and we’ve plenty of copies if you’d like to get together as a
group to read it.
April 23rd is World Book Night: a great opportunity to swap or pass
on a book that you have enjoyed.
Did you know we run a housebound library service for anyone
who is temporarily or permanently unable to get to the library? We
are currently looking both for more volunteers to deliver this service,
and for more readers who would like to get books delivered to their
home. You can make use of this service if you’re just out of hospital
or convalescing, or if you are permanently unable to come to the
library, and you don’t have to be already a library user. If you want
to know more, please ring the library.
Baby Bounce and Rhyme Time is on Wednesday every week in
term times at 10.30am and our ‘Bookworms’ Group for young
readers aged 11+ is every Wednesday in term time at 3.45pm. New
faces are welcome at both these regular events.
For library opening times and more information on all our events and
services visit: www.norfolk.gov.uk/libraries, or call 01379 852549.
For mobile library dates and details call 01603 222267 or follow the
links to mobile libraries on our website.
20
Information
BROCKDISH AND THORPE ABBOTTS ALLOTMENTS
Allotment plots available
The allotments were established in 2011 and are run by a
committee of local volunteers for the community. The site has
rabbit-proof fencing, mains water and a small communal orchard.
There are a few plots/half-plots available which we would love to fill.
If you are interested or would like to find out more please contact
Rebecca by e-mail at bataaa@hotmail.co.uk or ring Paddy O’Brien,
Chairman 01379 669245.
HARLESTON PLAYERS
– We Happy Few – performing in April and May.
Following their recent successes with Blackadder and Bugsy
Malone, Harleston Players are busy in rehearsals for their next show
– We Happy Few by Imogen Stubbs.
Inspired by the true wartime history of the Osiris Players, Imogen
Stubbs’s sparkling comedy follows the adventures of a small group
of women who come together to form a 'girls only' theatre company
to take the plays of Shakespeare around a culture-starved Britain.
While the men are fighting Hitler and the bombs are blitzing London,
these hopelessly mismatched women from wildly different social
backgrounds embark on a hilarious and crazy adventure, crammed
into their battered 1920s Rolls Royce. Together and separately they
are forced to discover what life is like without men, and, eventually,
how they must survive when they have only each other.
With 1940s jazz and swing music underscoring the witty, razorsharp dialogue, We Happy Few evokes the humour and fortitude
displayed by so many during the Second World War.
Performances to take place on Thursday 30th April, Friday 1st May
and Saturday 2nd May at Archbishop Sancroft High School, plus
two extra performances at Hoxne Village Hall (Tuesday 28th April)
and New Buckenham Village Hall (Wednesday 29th April). Tickets,
priced £8 and £6 (concessions) available from Harleston Pet Stores,
or phone Val on 01379 852845. All performances at 7.30pm.
21
Information
BILLINGFORD WINDMILL
(Owned by Norfolk County Council)
OPEN DAYS EASTER - HALLOWEEN
Guided Tours of the Mill
April 6th, May 24th, June 14th, July 19th,
August 22nd, Sept 20th, and Oct 25th.
For your enjoyment on the Common
Vintage/Classic Vehicles, Easter Egg
Hunt, Local band, Fancy Dress, Bygone
Engines, Teddy Parachute Drop, Vintage
Tractors, Scavenger Hunt, Shire horse.
(All events subject to availability and
conditions).
PLUS the new asset
The replica of a shepherds hut
for information, refreshments
etc. The shepherds hut is
staffed by "Friends of
Billingford Mill".
The Mill can be opened at other
times by arrangement - clubs,
groups, schools, families etc.
For details phone Norfolk
Windmills Trust volunteers
01379 853967
Easter Monday April 6th
Mill open 12.00 - 16.30.
Tours 12.30 - 16.00,
Easter Egg Hunt 14.30 for
under 12's.
Two vintage tractor clubs
invited.
We need help with stewarding etc. Contact 01379 853967
All Saints Church News
CHURCH NEWS.
The Annual Quiz
Saturday 21st February saw the Thorpe Abbotts Village Hall filled to
capacity for the All Saints Annual Quiz. I promised this year that for
a change my quiz rounds would be easy. Well, I knew all the
answers so it must have been! With Nigel on the mike the ground
rules were simplicity itself. The only answers getting a point were
the ones he had, and anyway since he possesses some serious top
cover I advised it best not to mess! We had a thoroughly
entertaining evening and the prize returned to Brockdish this year
but it was a close run thing. I am delighted to say that the evening
made just under £500 for church funds. So thank you all for coming
and the ladies of the PCC for the light supper.
Our Easter Service this year will include a Baptism which will make
the service extra special. The churchyard is probably at its most
scruffy now before all things will begin to get going as the
temperature slowly climbs. First on show have been the snowdrops
which are quickly followed by the daffodils then later April will see
the meadow saxifrage out. So much to look forward to in the
churchyard.
Spring has Sprung
As I set to yesterday getting through my spring time clean up and
felt for the first time the warmth of the sun, my thoughts turned to
“what’s to be grown this year”. The trouble with this thought is
generally followed by “what can I plant now”. There is always that
temptation only to find the late frosts causing havoc, much to the
delight of the garden centres which have tempting items well before
frost risk is past. Patience is something that is really difficult at this
time of year. Put your tomatoes, aubergine and chilli seed in the
propagator then perhaps bean and peas in the ground outside for an
early crop. Easter of course is the traditional time to get your first
potatoes in the ground although I have seen commercial growers
already well ahead but protected by fleece – in case the snow
arrives in April!
Simon Beet
23
School
First a correction to my last
message to you all: Mrs Mills
is collecting 2 litre (not 1 litre)
bottles
to
make
the
greenhouse! We already have
nearly 500 and will be
constructing the greenhouse
ready for the summer term. If
you have any bottles please
contact the School or pop in
with them. Thank you.
Our local theme has begun
and the older children have
studied the Magna Carter and
its relevance to the country
today. Unfortunately the seals
left the beach early but we will
try to visit them again. David
Case came in to share some
of his paintings by Maggi
Hambling, which was very
well received by the children.
Thank you, David.
The children have created
poems about the Norfolk
coast and the younger
children have rewritten The
Whale Song using their
research on grey seals. Next
they will be learning about
Pocahontas.
A visit around Suffolk and
Norfolk to view wind and
water-powered mills will be
developed by our Eco team.
One of the most important
areas of learning, in our
modern world, is internet
safety. The whole school has
been considering how to stay
safe
online
including
mentioning the use of media
such as Facebook and Twitter
which can be used to bully.
They know how to report any
inappropriate behaviour and
to never give personal details.
The theme was included in
our Parent’s Assembly too.
Keeping safe has been a key
theme with road safety rules
being revisited as children
wrote instructions for crossing
the road. These life skills are
as important as any other
area we teach at school in
building independent and
positive citizens.
Have a happy Easter.
Best wishes from all at
Brockdish C of E VC Primary
School.
We were making goats to
celebrate Chinese New Year.
On the paper it said Goat
Mobile. One little girl was
quite excited. When asked
why she replied, "We're
making a phone."
24
Information
Gislingham Silver Band
Archbishop Sancroft School
Saturday 16th May at 7.30 p.m.
Tickets from Fran Pitt-Pladdy on 01379
852617 at £7.00 per head, or The Swan Inn
01379852221
THANK YOU
The other day having been out for most of the day, on entering
the village from the west we were surprised to see that someone
had cut the hedges and trimmed the trees. We thank the kind
person who did this
We know who did this thank you Andrew & Richard Longe
ANSWERS TO QUIZ IN LAST MARDLER EDITION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
St George's Day - 23rd April
Longest Day - 21st June
Prince Charles's Birthday - 14th November
Trafalgar Day - 21st October
Coronation Day - 2nd June
The Queen's Birthday - 21st April
St. David's Day - 1st March
British Commonwealth Day - 24th May
St. Patrick's Day - 17th March
Shortest Day - 21st December
RAMBLINGS FROM THE RECTORY
The sun is shining and I'm writing away because I know I need to
get this article finished and in before the deadline. The sun is
shining but I'm stuck in my office. I feel like a little boy again, stuck in
a classroom daydreaming of being out and playing. I may be bigger
now but the sunshine still has the same effect on me. I want to be
outside. Looking back I loved my childhood, climbing trees and
being out playing with friends. But I wasn't a great fan of school.
School was OK but holidays were better, much better. So now as I
go into our wonderful schools I get a lift to see the children and
young people happy to be there, well mostly. They are just so alive.
At the same time I know a few won't be happy or feeling that alive. I
see so much hope and expectation in those faces but know that for
some of those children and their families hope is a very fragile thing.
Hope is important. Hope is essential to life. Hope is what I and
everyone needs if life is to be worth living. I need hope when things
go wrong, when friends or family die, especially when they are
young. I need hope when I see marriages falling apart. I need hope
whenever I feel depressed or lonely. I pray for everyone to have that
basic necessity of life: Hope.
I notice people looking for hope in many different places; different
philosophies, different religions. I don't know much about the other
places people look for hope. All I do know for certain is that Jesus
offers hope. I have found hope in Christianity, particularly in the
wonderful message of new life that Easter brings. That Easter hope
of life, love and hope is so strong that it overcomes even death. This
is the hope that has seen me through many difficult times. I am
happy to be a Christian not because it means I am any better than
anyone else but because I have experienced something good and
want other people to have a chance of experiencing something
similar for themselves. I am not promised lots of money or an easy
life. But I am given the hope to transform whatever life brings with it.
Easter is here. All the hope of Christmas has been fulfilled. The
baby has grown up and become the hope of the world.
God bless and have a Happy Easter,
Nigel
26
Church Service Times
Rector
Revd Nigel Tufnell
01379 308905
rector.redenhallscole@hotmail.co.uk
facebook.com/redenhall.scole
https://twitter.com/RedScole
http://scole-reden5.webplus.net
Benefice
Administrator
Brockdish Church
Wardens
Thorpe Abbotts
Church Warden
Lucy Cooke, Mon-Fri 9am – 1pm
redscole7@gmail.com
Ann Cork
Jan Croxson
Cherry Chataway
5th April
Easter Day
Brockdish
Thorpe Abbotts
9.30am
9.30am
12th April
Brockdish
9.30am
Holy Communion
Holy Communion
with Baptism
Morning Prayer
19th April
Brockdish
9.30am
Holy Communion
26th April
Brockdish
9.30am
Morning Prayer
3rd May
Brockdish
9.30am
Morning Prayer
10th May
Brockdish
Thorpe Abbotts
9.30am
9.30am
Morning Prayer
Morning Prayer
17th May
Brockdish
9.30am
Holy Communion
24th May
Brockdish
9.30am
Morning Prayer
31st May
01379 851148
01379 668635
01379 668630
01379 668448
Redenhall
10.30am
Holy Communion
BENEFICE
Needham Coffee Morning Tues 7th April and 5th May, 10am
Needham Red Lion.
Meditation Weds 1st April and 6th May, 7.30pm in Archbishop
Sancroft High School. Contact Revd Nigel Tuffnell 01379 308905
Pet Service Sun 7thJune, 3pm at Brockdish Church
More details from Revd Sue Auckland 01379 740325
Messy Church Harleston, St John’s Church Sat16th May 2pm
The Back Page
Printed by 321 Print – 01473 210321
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