9 out of 10

Last Saturday the club fielded ten teams and nine of them emerged with a win. Quite a day! Congratulations to all nine teams and commiserations to the Ladies’ 2nds on their narrow defeat against table-topping Norwich Dragons. The team are still nicely placed, however, just three points behind the leaders.

Illness kept me away from Weybread last Saturday depriving me of the chance of seeing 34 goals in five league matches – 30 for Magpies with just 4 against!

The Men’s 5ths got the ball rolling with their 9–1 win over Bury 5ths before the Men’s Veterans maintained their 100% record with a 8–1 win, also against Bury. Meantime the Ladies’ 1sts recorded their first home league win of the season beating Staines 3-2 (with two more goals from the prolific Angie Wheelhouse) to move into third place in the league. Later the Men’s 1sts maintained their 100% record with a comfortable 7-0 win over Ipswich 2nds with Andy Hipwell scoring his first hat-trick of the season and the Men’s 4ths beat Pelicans 2nds 3-0 to record their second win of the season with a hat-trick by James Legg, playing his first game since his recent enforced lay-off.

This Saturday the Ladies’ 1sts have the day off while the Men’s 1sts have their most testing game of the season away to Cambridge University. Meantime we have just four games at Weybread with the Ladies’ 5ths playing Norwich City 4ths (10.30am); the Men’s 6ths, after two encouraging wins, taking on Lowestoft Railway (12.30pm); the Men’s 2nds entertaining St Ives (2.15pm) looking to build on their improved form and the Men’s 3rds, who sit proudly at the top of their league, hosting UEA (4.00pm). The 3rds maintained their fine form last Saturday with a 2-0 away win over Ipswich 4ths during which Matt Brand continued his remarkable goalscoring run and Andy Smith scored his first goal since taking up nappy changing duties a few months back!

Good luck to all our teams in action this weekend including the Men’s Veterans who undoubtedly have the most daunting task when they travel to play fellow table-toppers Ipswich who already have the impressive goal record of 25-2 from just four games.

Harleston Fireworks Spectacular (Weybread, Friday 7 November 2008)
I take this opportunity to remind you of this annual event, hosted by HMHC, and which is run by a committee comprising Harleston Lions, Harleston Scouts and Magpies HC. Please click on the link on the Home Page of the club’s website for full details.

HMHC members are asked to please help once again with car parking, teas/coffees and stewarding. If you are able to help and have not already done so would you kindly sign your name on the board in the clubhouse this Saturday or else phone James Smith on 01379 898767.

News and comments in brief:

Congratulations to goalkeeper Alistair McGregor (GB, Scotland & Loughborough Students) on being named by Great Britain Hockey as its Athlete of the Year 2008. After his performances in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Chile and then in Beijing there is no doubt that he is a most worthy winner.

Have you paid your HMHC club subscription yet please? To avoid the dreaded Name and Shame list please do so this weekend.

Since the shameful decision, announced in April 2007, to ditch the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes it was inevitable that the England Hockey would eventually be looking for a new home for its offices and ‘sometime in the spring of 2009’ the offices will be moved to Bisham Abbey where the South Regional Development and Performance staff are already located.




With best wishes and kind regards to all members, supporters and friends of the Club.

HUGE
That’s the verdict on the 200+ stars of this year’s BUNGAY’S 2008 PUMPKIN NIGHT. And by huge, the organisers mean even bigger pumpkins than some of the previous ones, which topped 10 stone and often required 2 men to lift them.

For the 5th successive year, on October 31st, the residents of fairy-tale Bridge Street in Bungay are throwing a big Halloween street party - and everyone is invited.

‘PUMPKIN NIGHT – FROM SEED TO CELEBRATION’ is designed for the old and the young; for families and children; for groups and individual visitors. It’s for everyone who likes to make merry at one of the most important yearly festivals, and who enjoys the Halloween spirit.

When Deirdre Shepherd and her family started Pumpkin Night in 2003 it was just a celebration for fellow Bridge Street residents. ‘But we invited anyone else who wanted to come - Pumpkin Night is intended to be an event for all the family, and most importantly, it is free. Its nice for parents to have somewhere safe – and inexpensive - to bring their children on this unique night. And a good few came to the party with us.’

How things change. In 2007 nearly 3000 people came, most of whom were in costume – from a baby witch in arms to a 10 foot stilt walker. And 2008 Pumpkin Night will be bigger and better than ever.

From 6PM until 9PM Bridge Street will again be closed to traffic and full of magnificently carved pumpkins; trick and treaters; street entertainment, games and competitions (plus a bit of education about what it, and other festivals during the year, are all about) and, most importantly, noise, colour and fun.

But Pumpkin Night will no longer JUST be situated in Bridge Street – 2008 sees it spreading to the Buttercross and Cross Street - will also be closed - and full of stalls and entertainment. Halloween themed shops and restaurants throughout the town (including the Fisher Theatre) will be open late.

Restaurants, like the Earsham Street Café will be offering Halloween High Teas for children, and The Buttercross Tearooms and Castles Inn will be serving appropriate food for the occasion. And there will be a hog roast and food stalls around the Buttercross.

FREE Face Painting
The Toy & Gift Emporium in Earsham Street will be offering free face painting in their shop.

Bungay retailers will have already taken part in a best carved Pumpkin competition, which will be on display in the town shop windows. And prior to the event, there will be also children’s pumpkin carving competitions, and these too will be on show.

While the centre piece of the evening will, as always, be the dazzling rows of giant lighted pumpkins all the way down narrow Bridge Street, exquisitely carved by volunteers, Bungay as a whole will be involved. And it doesn’t end there. On the following night the Fisher Theatre will be holding its own Halloween celebration – THE DEAD HEROES BALL. ‘It will be a wonderful chance to dress up again and to enjoy another night of fun’ Deirdre said. ‘If Halloween Night is for the children, Dead Heroes Ball will be for the adults!! ‘Pumpkin Night is a celebration of the turning of the year towards winter. And it’s not just for the community of Bungay and the surrounding villages. If you want to have fun; learn a bit more about Halloween, and have a spookily merry evening, no matter where you come from, Pumpkin Night and the Dead Heroes Ball welcome YOU.’

Bungay and Waveney Valley Hearing Support Club was formed in 1992.

The nearest club was Ipswich at that time and given the distance it was felt that we needed one closer to home. We were originally based at Bungay High School in the community wing until this year when we “moved house” to The Maltings Sports Club.

Our thanks go to Bungay High for our stay there and also the grants received from them.

The club having started with the grand total of 3 people now has membership of between 35-60 people.

We have a monthly meeting with speakers, a yearly outing-this year to an Olde Time Music Hall in Gorleston, but we also reserve some time for just a chat and cup of tea as we know how important communication is and the need to adjust to group speech and background.

We champion for better facilities for the Deaf and test Loop-systems in Banks, PO Offices and Theatres (the Fisher Theatre in Bungay is excellent) and generally try to help where we can.

Many of our members attend Lip-Reading classes held in Lowestoft and Bungay. As hearing diminishes we rely on lip pattern to try and compensate for hearing loss and the classes help us to become more proficient in the art of lip-reading.

Deafness can be isolating and for many of us a very sad and stressful time learning to adjust to it, to have the help of people around you who fully understand your problems and offer support will be a tremendous boost in that adjustment.

We have a lovely room here at the Maltings, with Loop-system installed and for those with more severe loss a type-talk screen.

All are welcome as many of our members are accompanied by partners, relations and friends.

If you require any information please contact

Roger or Valerie 01986 896712

or roger.thomas@talktalk.net

– IAN CARTER (www.accessiblewebsites.co.uk)

www.alerter.co.uk

LADIES 1s v Staines (L) 12.30 (W) H W 3-2
LADIES 2s v Norwich Dragons (L) A L 0-1
LADIES 3s v Beccles 1.45 (S) H

MENS 1s v Ipswich II (L) 2.15pm (w) H W 7-0
MENS 2s v Cambridge City II (L) 2 A W 4-3
MENS 3s v Ipswich 4 (L) 2.30 A W 2-0
MENS 4s v Pelicans 2 (L) 4.00pm (w) H W 3-0
MENS 5s v Bury St Edmunds 5 (L) (w) H W 9-1
MENS 6s v Felixstowe 2 (L) 11.30am A W 3-2
Men VETS v Bury St Edmunds (L) W 8-1

Norfolk’s Autumn Festivals
Food, Drink and International Arts & Culture

Out There, Great Yarmouth’s first international arts festival, Norwich Beer Festival and West Norfolk Food Fortnight are set to keep the county buzzing in late October and early November.

Out There 2008 is a brand new International Festival of Arts & Culture running in Great Yarmouth from Thursday, October 30 to Sunday, November 2. More than 100 artists comprising local, national and international acts from France, Portugal, Finland, Cuba, Zimbabwe, Iceland, Spain and Brazil are featured.
There will be a mix of street arts, music, tightrope, fireworks, dance, theatre, cabaret, visual arts, digital projection, workshops, food, drink, and even Finnish sauna. This fun family-friendly festival offers many free outdoor events. For programme details see www.outtherefestival.com or contact Great Yarmouth Tourist Information Centre Tel. 01493 846345.


The 31st Norwich Beer Festival takes centre stage in the city from Monday, October 27 to Saturday, November 1. The festival is at the historic St. Andrew's and Blackfriars' Halls. There are more than 200 cask-conditioned real ales from Britain's independent brewers, along with draught and bottled beers from continental Europe and the 10th Cider & Perry Exhibition, with 25 plus varieties from East Anglia and the West Country, www.norwichcamra.org.uk/festival/fest2008.htm or contact Norwich Tourist Information Centre, Tel. 01603 727927.


The 5th West Norfolk Food Fortnight runs from Saturday, November 1 to Sunday, November 16. The programme has formal and informal events to suit every palate from chocolate and winter puddings, to port and sushi. Explore the secrets of 'The Food on Your Plate' at The Green Quay King’s Lynn, stock up on local produce at Hunstanton and Sandringham Food Fayres and go 'Around the World in Eighty Dishes', at Lynnsport on November 16. See www.foodfortnight.co.uk or contact King’s Lynn Tourist Information Centre Tel. 01553 763044.

No, not a lost stanza from the pens of Gilbert and Sullivan, but the rousing chorus sung by some bluebottles as they plan to cause intestinal misery at Mary's party.

This guide to elementary hygiene is among the most eccentric and enjoyable Public Information Films. Director Lotte Reiniger is famed for her quaint silhouette animation, but here she seems on the verge of a career shift that unfortunately never happened. If it had, she would be remembered as one of the great British surrealists.

One of the unexpected highlights is the array of accents on parade. The flower fairies sound like graduates of the Brief Encounter School of Elocution; insects and microbes are voiced by somewhat earthier types while the King of the Flies sounds distinctly like Kenneth Williams attempting to impersonate Winston Churchill. (Robin Baker)

A DVD of Lotte Reiniger's animations will be released by the BFI in 2009.

The East of England Development Agency has awarded £4.3 million to an initiative to increase the use of wood as a fuel for fuel production.

The funding takes the Woodfuel East project to a total of £10.7 million, and comes from the Rural Development Programme for England, which receives its funding from Defra and the EU.

WoodFuel East will aim to cut carbon emissions and also create jobs in the rural economy by fostering the development of locally-produced fuel.

Operating in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, it intends to set up a co-ordinated supply chain "from land owners through to the marketplace for woodchips".

The initiative is being co-ordinated by the Forestry Commission, working with 25 organisations across the East of England. It will see felled trees and cut branches that might otherwise go to waste being chipped for use in biomass boilers to heat medium-sized buildings like schools, village halls and offices.


The Commission said landowners will be encouraged to manage neglected woodlands for woodchip production, which has the added benefit of creating new habitats for wildlife.

It said there are about 140,000 hectares of woodland in the East of England, around 7% of the total land area. Around 50,000 hectares are "undermanaged" or not managed at all.

"New opportunities"
David Sillett, EEDA rural development manager, said: "With new markets, come new opportunities, which will be of particular benefit to the rural economy. By 2013, we could be saving at least 75,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year and supplying the equivalent of 12,500 homes with energy."

Woodfuel East is expecting the investment in woodfuel installations and associated supply chain to exceed £16 million between 2008 and 2013, with around 110,000 tonnes of biomass fuel being made available by 2013. This ambition would mark a 50% increase in current wood production in the region, and would save around 40,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year, supplying the equivalent energy needs of 25,000 homes.

Edwin Van Ek, of WoodFuel East, explained: "This is a real kick-start to the wood fuel industry in the East of England. Woodfuel East can provide advice and investment support to the supply chain.

"Land owners can also benefit by installing modern, efficient wood fuel boilers to produce heat and hot water for their buildings, using wood produced from their own woodlands," he said.

The Forestry Commission has a long-term strategy to increase the use of wood as a biomass fuel by two million tonnes a year up to 2020. launched last year, the Woodfuel Strategy for England has a focus on community users and small businesses using wood from under-managed woodlands.

Exciting Futures for Cherry and Ben

Junior hockey has been transformed at national level this season with the establishment of a new competition called England Hockey’s Futures Cup which replaces the U15 and U17 Regional Tournaments. Four cluster squads from the Junior Regional Performance Centres (JRPCs) will compete against each other at U16 and U18 level (Boys and Girls). The U18 tournament will take place at Cannock HC from Thursday 30 October to Sunday 2 November with the U16 tournament running from Friday 31 October to Sunday 2 November, at the same venue.

The four squads are called Mercia Lynx, Pennine Pumas, Saxon Tigers and Wessex Leopards and from the four tournaments players will be selected to attend National Age Group squad training.

The Saxon Tigers’ squads have emerged from JRPC inter-cluster (called Tier 1) training based on Bury St Edmunds, St Albans and Oxted/Tonbridge and I am delighted to say that HMHC will be represented in the U18 Girls squad by Cherry Seaborn and in the U16 Boys squad by Ben Wright. Congratulations and best wishes to Cherry and Ben for the weekend after next and commiserations to those HMHC members who didn’t make the final squads.

Harleston Fireworks Spectacular
(Weybread, Friday 7 November 2008)
This annual event, hosted by HMHC, is run by a committee comprising Harleston Lions, Harleston Scouts and Magpies HC. HMHC members are asked to please help once again with car parking, teas/coffees and stewarding. Please follow James and Rob Goodson (the first volunteers) and sign your name on the board in the clubhouse over the next two weekends under the heading which most takes your fancy!

Some excellent hockey was played at Weybread last Saturday with the Ladies’ 4ths beating Evergreens 2nds 10 – 0 (congratulations to Rachel Clifford on her five goals!); the Ladies’ 2nds deserving more than a draw against a defensive Yarmouth team; the Ladies’ Development maintaining their excellent run with a 6-0 win over Lowestoft (making it four wins from four games with a goals record of 24–0!); the Men’s 2nds coming to life with an excellent 6-0 win over Ipswich 3rds (did my ‘threat’ before the game that they should swap places with the 3rds have anything to do with it?!) and the Men’s 3rds retaining their 100% record with a hard fought but sporting 2–1 win over Bury St Edmunds 2nds. Matt Brand continued his fine run of form with a splendid winner which involved him rounding the keeper before thrashing the ball into the empty net. If you want to see the goal have a word with Matt – the moment was splendidly caught on video by his father, including the celebration! A most enjoyable and sunny day at the club was rounded off with the Men’s 6ths gaining their first win of the season and Will Johnson doing a fine job debuting (in modern sporting parlance) behind the bar as Katy’s deputy.

Overheard before the Men’s Veterans game at Peterborough last Saturday – “Roger Kent is playing so the game will require two balls!” On behalf of Roger I take exception to that remark. Roger has been known to pass the ball! In fact he did so to good effect in the game in question setting up Les Howlett for two goals before the latter went into ‘jug avoidance’ mood (so I’m reliably informed) in the 3-0 win which keeps Simon Bardwell’s men riding high in their league.

This Saturday the Vets will be in action at home against Bury St Edmunds with the game brought forward to 12.15pm to accommodate our visitors while the Ladies’1sts host Staines (12.30pm), hoping to put away the sort of chances which eluded them in their 2-1 defeat at Old Loughtonians last Saturday, and the Men’s 1sts entertain Ipswich 2nds (2.15pm) looking to maintain their 100% record after an excellent 4-0 win over City of Peterborough 2nds. Good luck to all our teams in action this Saturday.

On Sunday 9 November a number of National Cup competitions take place with Magpies hosting four games on that day, namely Under 15 Girls v Pelicans at 11.00am, Under 18 Girls v Ipswich at 12.45pm, Men’s Veterans v Pelicans at 2.30pm (all on the water) with the U15 Boys playing Dereham on the sand at 11.45am. The Under 18 Boys play Bury away.

On Sunday 16 November we host our annual Mini Tournament with the Under 11 and 13 Boys playing in the morning and the Under 11 and Under 13 Girls playing in the afternoon. Your support during the day would be most welcome. Congratulations to our U11 Boys, U13 Boys and U13 Girls who all won at North Walsham last Sunday. The Under 11 Girls have yet to play.



With best wishes and kind regards to all members, supporters and friends of the Club.

Halloween – Spooky Times in Norfolk

Here are the county's Halloween highlights:

• Dinosaur Adventure Park, Weston Longville, Saturday, October 25 to Saturday, November 1, 'Dinohaunts' with a firework spooktakular, 6pm, admission £6.50, tel. 01603 876312, www.dinosauradventure.co.uk.
• Castle Acre Priory, Castle Acre, Monday, October 27 to Friday, October 31, 10am to 1pm Halloween trail and 1pm to 4pm make goulish goodies and creepy crafts in the barn. English Heritage members free, non-members normal admission, tel. 01760 755394, www.english-heritage.org.uk.
• BeWILDerwood near Hoveton, Monday, October 27 to Friday, October 31, 10am to 5.30pm – Giggling Pumpkin Parade, make your own magical bat and pumpkin masks and Twigglish lanterns in this 'curious' tree house adventure park. Then on Saturday, November 1 and Sunday, November 2, there is the BeWILDermonster party, tel. 01603 783900, www.beWILDerwood.co.uk.
• Norwich Cow Tower, Monday, October 27 to Friday, October 31 at 7.30pm with additional late performance on Friday night, Halloween Scarefest, £5 tickets from The Man in Black, mob 07831 189985 www.ghostwalksnorwich.co.uk.
• Broadland Conservation Centre, Ranworth (Norfolk Wildlife Trust), Tuesday, October 28, and Thursday, October 30, 6pm to 9pm, Haunting Spectacular - an evening of spooky stories, ghoulish ghost trails, creepy quizzes, scary crafts and investigations into creatures of the night, ticket £5.50 child, £3 adult, booking essential, tel. 01603 270479, www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk.
• Norwich Puppet Theatre, Friday, October 31 at 10.30am, Halloween Puppet Workshop. Create the Halloween character of your choice - be it ghost, ghoul or beasty, for age 5+ tel. 01603 629921, www.puppettheatre.co.uk.
• Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden, South Walsham, Friday, October 31, 6pm to 8pm, Halloween Spooky Trail with fireworks, music from The 'Rockin' Monks, witches, ghouls and the spirits of the ancient King and Queen Oaks, normal admission, adult £4.75, child £2.25, tel. 01603 270449,www.fairhavengarden.co.uk.
• Bylaugh Hall Hotel, near Swanton Morley, Friday, October 31, Paranormal Investigation and Dinner, 7pm until midnight. Evening hosted by Shirley Cimmelli, one of the country's leading mediums and experienced Paranormal Investigator. Ticket £40, includes three course dinner, tel. 01362 688121,www.bylaugh.com.
• Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Welney, Sunday, October 26, 11am to 3pm Children's Day with pumpkin-carving, arts and crafts plus a treasure hunt and trail on the reserve. Normal admission tel. 01353 860711, www.wwt.org.uk/welney