There's a whole lot of Family Fun to enjoy at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary this Easter. Join us for a four-day Bank Holiday event as the new season of spectacular flying displays gets under way, plus these special treats for all young visitors:

Good Friday April 2nd - free Punch & Judy Shows

Easter Saturday April 3rd - Grand Easter Egg Hunt with free prizes for all

Easter Sunday April 4th - Grand Easter Egg Hunt with free prizes for all

Easter Monday April 5th - free Punch & Judy Shows

And the always popular Jenny’s Ark Pet Zoo

Latitude Festival returns for an incredible 5th Edition on 15th-18th July 2010 set in the beautiful countryside of Henham Park Estate on Suffolk’s Sunrise Coast.

Latitude is dedicated to bringing the very best from the worlds of music, theatre, comedy, literature, film, poetry, dance, art, fashion and cabaret together for one glorious weekend and once again, it has created a line-up like no other.

Spread throughout the site, just waiting to be discovered, expect the highest calibre of art with over 700 performers to be announced over the coming months. Building on its reputation as one of the most respected and highly anticipated events of the season, 2010 promises to be an inspirational and entertaining, sophisticated and scintillating weekend; another spectacular slice of unadulterated cultural fun and adventure.

A place like no other; Latitude Festival is an intimate world away from reality that encourages you to be all that you’ve ever wanted to be whilst indulging in the spirit of exploration and discovery.

Visitors to the fifth East Anglian Dragon Boat Festival taking place at Nicholas Everitt Park, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft on Sunday 9th May will be scanning the skies, as organisers, Gable Events, have secured a spectacular flypast by a World War II Royal Air Force Dakota of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and what better way to commemorate it than to have one of its Memorial Flight planes grace the skies above Nicholas Everitt Park on a day that already promises to be jam-packed with the thrills and spills of Chinese dragon boat racing.


The Battle of Britain took place between 10th July and 31st October 1940 above the skies of Southern England and was the only battle of the Second World War that was fought solely in the air. Victory was won against near impossible odds and was due to inspired technology, indomitable group spirit and great individual courage and heroism. The Allied fighter pilots involved in the Battle were to become known as ‘The Few’, acknowledged in Winston Churchill’s famous speech in which he said, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few”.

The Dakota ZA947 is a sought after display aircraft in the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, commemorating the vital victory and individual heroism and sacrifice of our pilots in the Second World War. It was mainly used to move troops and freight goods and to rescue refugees, either by para-drop or by landing at clandestine airstrips behind enemy lines.

The flypast at the East Anglian Dragon Boat Festival at lunchtime on Sunday 9th May will provide a chance for the crowds to witness the majesty of the Dakota as it soars above the racing dragon boats and it will not be the only attraction! Spectators and competitors alike will be able to take full advantage of the wide variety of entertainment on offer - from fairground rides to fun inflatables and Chinese lion dancing to the performances of the local Venue of Performing Arts - there will be something for everyone!


There is still plenty of time to get a team together and join in the racing and there isn’t a better team building event in the region as hundreds of companies and organisations from across the region have already discovered. Teams of up to 11 people are invited to battle it out in the 30’ Chinese dragon boats with no previous experience necessary. The dragon boats and all equipment are provided, each team is guaranteed a minimum of three races and the top fundraisers for nominated charity, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, will win a superb celebratory meal and use of the gym and spa at the Marriott Sprowston Manor.

As Victoria Cole, Marketing Co-ordinator of local solicitors Birketts LLP, comments; “The Dragon Boat Festival is a great day for staff motivation and team building, whilst also giving us the opportunity to get the Birketts name out there. We enjoy the friendly rivalry between the teams and the family atmosphere plus the opportunity to network in such a fun way! The staff all have such a great time at the Festival, new professional relationships are formed and the chance to raise money for such a great charity really inspires the team members”.

So why not show you have the bulldog spirit of the Battle of Britain and challenge your colleagues and competitors by entering a team into the Dragon Boat Festival today from your company, club or group of friends!

For more information please contact Gable Events on 01780 470718 or visit www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/eastanglia

The Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded a licence to continue to provide services by the Care Quality Commission (CQC)

To obtain the licence the Trust had to meet essential standards of quality and safety outlined by the CQC. The Trust was issued the licence without compliance conditions being added. Conditions are added when there are issues relating to the safety and quality of care.

Aidan Thomas, chief executive of the Trust, acknowledged the dedicated hard work of staff in ensuring the provision of high quality services to people suffering with mental ill health in Norfolk and Waveney:

“The Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust provides a very high quality service. The CQC issuing a licence to the Trust to continue providing mental health services without compliance conditions is acknowledgement of this and the work of a very dedicated, professional and hard working staff.”

A groundbreaking new service which offers support and specialist therapeutic care for children with complex needs is to be rolled out across Suffolk.

Called Therapy Focus Suffolk, the Suffolk Community Healthcare (SCH) initiative has now won permanent funding following a successful pilot last year. The service provides specific help to selected children with complex cerebral palsy, offering families one week of intensive, daily 90-minute sessions with physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists.

As part of the programme, each child will be holistically assessed before a unique therapy plan is developed to respond to their individual needs. The therapy sessions will be held at a variety of locations across the county, including schools and child development centres, to make them easier for people to access.

The project is also designed to bring care closer to home, as previously families would have needed to travel to London for such specialist treatment.

“Last year’s pilot was the first time that such intensive care was made available locally, and it was extremely well received by those families who used the service,” said Christine Hawley, project lead with Suffolk Community Healthcare.

“Although most children’s therapy needs are already well catered for, Therapy Focus Suffolk gives us the opportunity to offer highly specialised therapies to resolve more complex cases. The sessions will be provided in a protected and non-pressured environment, which will help the children to develop while overcoming some of the problems they may have.

“Through the project, we have also been able to give our staff additional training in the highly specialised treatment of cerebral palsy which has, in turn, brought benefits to all of their patients, and not just those referred through Therapy Focus Suffolk.

“Last year’s pilot has already shown that this type of therapy can make a real difference to the lives of these families, so we’re delighted that the initiative has now won permanent funding from NHS Suffolk to allow it to continue.

The service can cater for three families a week and is limited to 12 families a year. It will be made available to children who have been receiving therapy for at least a year but have not shown the expected levels of achievement."

For more information visit www.suffolk.nhs.uk

Left hand driving in the the UK, no this is not driving on the left side for the first time after years of being on the right side.

This is using a left hand drive vehicle on the British Roads, this gives a completely new aspect to viewpoints in driving.

There is a lot of concentration and observation required, so keep a close eye on door mirrors and monitor to where you are sitting on the carriageway. It is so easy to drift to the middle of the road as you have been used to driving left of the centre line.

One of the biggest dangers with a left hand drive is when overtaking, you must leave plenty of room from vehicles in front before you attempt to pull out... front seat passengers can help in your judgements.

One of the biggest problems is turning left as your view from the right is obscured, a major problem is changing gear with the right hand,  it's just not used to doing things like this when driving.

During early days while parked on side of road just practice gear changing as much as possible, a real word of warning don't change gear as you meet on coming traffic, because if you miss a gear you could steer off course into their lane...

In 1969 a research team found out countries who drive on the left had a lower accident rate.
 
When holding back to give way to on coming traffic in built up areas, leave plenty of space in order to move out, returning back to the left side quickly and safely, extras mirrors on the right side are really useful.




Just a very important reminder... don't forget drivers who are caught driving a car while using a hand held mobile are likely to be stopped and charged, this will result in a £1000 pound fine for car drivers, this will raise to £2,500 for goods vehicle and coach/bus drivers, plus 3 penalty points on the licence.

Don't forget also switch off the engine if you do stop and talk on the phone while sitting in the vehicle.

While travelling around the countryside on a daily basis there seem to be more and more drivers, holding a phone near their ear and driving... use your hands free!

Easter Chocolate Egg Trail
Easter Sunday, 4th April
Follow the Easter Chocolate Egg Trail through the leafy parkland where 12 extra-special eggs have been hidden. Each one holds a key word to make up a sentence and the clever children who unscramble the puzzle and solve the twelve-word sentence can enter a prize draw by taking their completed entry forms to Woody’s Candy cabin before 3pm. Each correct entry will be rewarded with a mini chocolate egg. The competition prizes are a giant teddy bear and a fabulous chocolate egg, one prize each for a lucky boy and girl!

Easter Bonnet Parade
Easter Monday, 5th April
A great way for both children and adults to get creative and make their very own Easter bonnets. Pleasurewood Hills will provide the bonnets and all the colourful material, ribbons, bows and glitter, so you’ll have everything you need to make a fantastic creation which you can wear in the end-of-day parade. And there’s even more Easter fun to be had, as children can also stuff toys, or make cardboard ducklings, chicks and rabbits.

Entry to the Easter events is £14.50 for children aged three to eleven and £16.50 for adults. Pleasurewood Hills is open at Easter from 10am to 5pm.
Website: www.pleasurewoodhills.com
Telephone: 01502 586000

A fantastic selection of home-made vegetarian meals are always available on Queen's Head menu and one of our most popular dishes this year is a mushroom, peppercorn and Stilton pie.



2 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion - sliced
2 carrots - finely chopped
500g flat mushrooms - thickly sliced
1 tbsp fresh thyme - chopped
25g dried sliced mushrooms such as porcini - soak in a little warm water for 30 minutes. Strain and reserve the liquid
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp green peppercorns
250ml/9fl oz vegetable stock
200g/7oz Stilton - crumbled
Batch of home-made or bought shortcrust pastry rolled and cut to the shape of the pie dish

- Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the carrots, onions and mushrooms for 5 minutes until softened
- Stir in the tomato puree and thyme - continue cooking for another 5 minutes
- Add the soy sauce, vinegar, peppercorns, dried mushroom liquid and stock and bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half.
- Season with salt and pepper
- Divide the mushroom mixture into 4 serving dishes and top with the crumbled stilton.
- Top with a shortcrust lid, brush with egg wash and bake in a pre heated oven (200c/gas mark 6) for about 15 - 20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

LADIES 1s v Sevenoaks (L) (H) 2.00 (W) 2-2 D
LADIES 3s v Panthers (L) (H) 12.15 (W) 3-1 W
LADIES 5s v North Walsham 2s (L) (H) 10.30 (W) 3-0 W
LADIES Dev. v Pelicans (L) (A) 10.30 7-0 W 7-0 W

MENS 2s v Letchworth (L) (H) 1.45 (S) 2-3 L
MENS 4s v North Walsham (L) (A) 4.00 3-1 W
MENS 5s v Thetford Town (L) (A) 3.00 0-2 L
MENS Vets v City of Peterborough (L) (H) 12.15 (S) 2-1 W 

Results - Sunday 28 March 2010
LADIES 3s v Pelicans 2s (L) (H) 12.30 (W) 1-0 W 

MENS 1s v Sevenoaks (L) (A) 2.00 2-5 L
MENS 5s v Watton (L) (H) 12.30 (S) 6-0 W

Roll up, roll up for nature’s version of Bruno versus Tyson on a remote Suffolk island, as the RSPB invites you to watch boxing hares on their Havergate Island nature reserve over the weekend of Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 April 2010.

The Havergate’s hares weekend is a unique opportunity to get extremely close to one of the UK’s most popular mammals. The event begins with a short boat ride from Orford Quay to Havergate Island, where RSPB guides will take visitors on a tour of the island, searching for many of its special inhabitants, before returning to Orford Quay. The whole event lasts four hours.

RSPB spokesman, Ian Barthorpe, said, “Havergate is a special place. It’s one of the easiest places to watch brown hares, and with luck you’ll see them boxing. Don’t worry though, they’re not fighting. The boxing contests are actually part of courtship, with females fending off the advances of amorous males.

“It’s not just about hares though. There are several observation hides offering views across the lagoons, where you should spot gulls, ducks and wading birds, including the avocet which famously re-colonised the UK on Havergate, and at nearby Minsmere, in 1947. I love simply crunching through the shingle or gazing over the open landscape towards Orford Castle and Orfordness.”

Places are limited on this event, so advance booking and payment are essential. Boats depart Orford Quay at 9.30 am and 10.30 am each day. Tickets cost £15 per person, or £12 for RSPB members, and should be reserved by calling the Minsmere visitor centre on 01728 648281.

1. The RSPB speaks out for birds and wildlife, tackling the problems that threaten our environment. Nature is amazing - help us keep it that way. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England and Wales no 207076, Scotland no SC037654.

2. RSPB Havergate Island is accessible only via an RSPB boat from Orford Quay. Regular trips depart Orford at 10 am on the first Saturday of each month. Additional trips will be run to coincide with special events, such as Havergate’s Hares. For full details, see www.rspb.org.uk/havergateisland, or contact the RSPB Minsmere visitor centre on 01728 648281.

3. Brown hares are widespread in the UK, but declining in many areas. They favour open habitats such as farmland. Boxing hares can be seen throughout the breeding season, although the behaviour is most common in spring, giving rise to the term Mad March hares, as used by Lewis Carroll in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

4. Hares were introduced to Havergate in the 19th century as food for the farmers then living on the island, and have thriving on the sparsely vegetated island.

5. RSPB Minsmere is open daily. The visitor centre opens from 9 am to 5 pm. The RSPB Shop is open 10 am to 5 pm. The tearoom is open 10 am to 4.30 pm. Entry to the visitor centre is free. There is a charge for non-members to use the nature trails and birdwatching hides.

Big Lottery Fund and ITV launch People's Millions 2010 - funding programme now open

People’s Millions is a national competition in association with ITV, giving voluntary or community organisations, schools or local authorities the chance to win up to £50,000 to improve your area.

To be in with a chance to win the money, all you need to do is come up with a new and original idea that will make life better for people where you live, and you could be on ITV this November, competing for viewer’s votes.


You can now apply for between £20,000 and £50,000 via the entry form on The People’s Millions website www.peoplesmillions.org.uk or call 0845 0101112 (or 0845 6021659 for the hearing impaired).

Don’t let your community miss out! The deadline for entries is 12pm on 14 May 2010.

The Bunka is a new initiative in Bungay to provide a safe and welcoming place for young people between 13 and 24 to meet, socialise, learn/train and become involved in a community project.  

The Bunka is situated in the heart of the town, underneath Abbotts estate agents. The property has been fully refurbished and is about to open. We need the following people to support the project and make this an exciting and successful venture.

Project Manager:     
16 hours per week (some day and evening, subject to need) starting pay £12.47 per hour to provide administrative and hands on support

Youth Workers:    
12 hours per week (evenings)
(2 posts) (could increase subject to need and funding) starting pay £9.28 per hour
   
Volunteer Youth Workers:
Hours will be by arrangement. An ideal opportunity for people of all ages who are interested in working with young people or wish to gain experience in this field

PLEASE NOTE ALL THE ABOVE POSTS WILL REQUIRE AN ENHANCED CRIMINAL RECORD BUREAU CHECK

For application form, job description and person specification please reply to Marlene Jervis, BYP Secretary, 2 Anchor Cottages, Wainford Road, Bungay NR35 1TA. Tel 01986 892905 or email marlenejervis@btinternet.com

Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 9 April 2010

www.thebunka.org.uk

Black Dog Arts did its first gardens project last year. The finale to the project was a Gardens Art Trail. This not only attracted local people of all ages, it also attracted visitors from the length and breadth of the Waveney Valley, from throughout East Anglia and the South East, and from as far afield as Cheshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire! In all, 2,000 visits were made over the Gardens Art Trail weekend to the six local gardens that took part.


This year’s Garden Project 2010

This year’s project features six, stunning, brand new Bungay gardens.

Last year three trios and three pairs of Black Dog Artists spent time in one or other of the six gardens and created original artworks inspired by “their” garden. These artworks were shown to the public in the garden that inspired the work, as part of the Gardens Art Trail.

New this year, as well as the above - original artworks inspired by each of the six new gardens - each of the gardens will also have a different craft focus.

Original craftworks, inspired by each of the gardens, will be made at specialist workshops led by acclaimed applied artists. They will then be shown, and on sale, in the relevant garden.

The gardens have been designated the Knit Garden; the Felt Garden; the Print & Paint Garden; the Art Books Garden; the Silk Garden; and the Birds & Beasts Sculptures Garden.


Workshops led by Acclaimed Artist/Tutors

The workshops kick off with two days learning how to transfer black and white digital photos of one of the gardens onto prepared MDF boards and then embed these images in full colour acrylic paintings.

This workshop will be held from 10am to 4pm on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th April at “Ravenous” at the Raveningham Centre and will cost £60 full price or £50 concessions for the two days. (Concessions apply to people over 50, students, and people in receipt of benefits.)
The price includes the MDF boards and all other materials.

The workshop will be led by artist Sarah Cannell and examples of her work using these techniques can be seen at www.sarahcannell.co.uk Sarah Cannell’s workshop will be followed by a day learning how to make a garden Art Book with Mary Walker. This workshop will be in Bungay from 11am to 3.30pm on Saturday 24th April and it will cost £20 full price and £15 concessions.

On 8th May Marion Williams will show workshop participants how to dye silk scarves with organic dyes and other natural materials.

Then on 22nd May sculptor Jenny Goater will help people make wire garden sculptures of birds and beasts!

The last two workshops on felt making and creating jewellery will be held in June.
All the workshops are open to everyone from complete beginners to experienced artists.
If you would like to book a place, or find out more, ring Jan on 01986 895227 or email her on jan@ollandstreet.co.uk

Be a “Garden Artist in Residence” - for free!

If you are a professional, emerging or amateur artist or art student and you are inspired by gardens, you may wish to become one of “Black Dog Arts” Gardens Art Trail artists.
Each artist is allocated one of six Bungay gardens.
They then spend time in “their” garden getting inspiration for at least one original artwork.
This artwork is then shown as part of the public Gardens Art Trail.
If you would like to be a Garden Artist or find out more, ring Jan on 01986 895227 or email her on jan@ollandstreet.co.uk

Gardens Art Trail

This year’s Gardens Art Trail will take place from 11am to 3pm on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th July, as part of the Bungay Festival. So put the dates in your diary now, tell your friends and family, and don’t miss the chance to see some creative crafts, amazing art and gorgeous gardens!

The Halesworth Playing Field Association (HPFA) with the support of Waveney District Council is asking the people of Halesworth and the surrounding area what sports facilities they would like to see on offer in the town.

The two organisations are asking ‘what does Halesworth really want and need,’ so they can work together in developing much needed new and improved facilities for the town. The aim of the consultation is to gather real evidence to help guide future plans and the involvement of the local community is key to the project’s success.

Waveney District Councillor Mike Ryland said: “The last big, district-wide needs assessment highlighted the general lack of leisure facilities in Halesworth. We are also aware that recent difficulties in pinning down potential development sites have raised concerns that there will be a delay in addressing this deficit."

“We would like to reiterate our commitment to improving provision in Halesworth and provide reassurance that our work with HPFA continues. We are now asking the community to give us more detail about exactly what is required, so that we can tailor our plans accordingly. Would you like a swimming pool; do you need new pitches; would you use a gym? These are the questions we are asking and we want as many people as possible to tell us what they think. This is your opportunity to guide us in making the right decisions for you.”

Commenting on the important role of this consultation in improving sporting facilities in the town, Tony Goldson, Chairman of Halesworth PFA said: “We are making plans and setting projects in motion, but we need evidence of what the town actually wants, so we know we are heading in the right direction. Only the people of Halesworth and its surrounds can tell us this and it is vital that they let us know. We’ve a number of options on the table and the results of this consultation will help direct and guide us in providing better access and improved facilities now and in the future.”

You can access the survey online via the Consultations section of the waveney.gov.uk website.

Complete a consultation form online

Alternatively, you can telephone Waveney District Council’s leisure services on 01502 588444 to request a hard copy or to complete it over the telephone. Hard copies will also be available at the Council’s local offices in Halesworth, Bungay, Southwold and Beccles and at Bungay Pool and Gym.

The survey will run from Wednesday 10th March to Friday 16th April. Please let us have your views and help guide the future of sport in Halesworth.

The Norfolk National Gardens Scheme is encouraging visitors to “sit on a NGS garden seat this spring!” It is an opportunity for garden enthusiasts to down their own garden tools and admire other people’s hard work, involved in creating these private gardens. Since 1927 gardens of quality, character and interest have opened to raise money for the nursing, caring and gardening charities of the scheme. This year seventy five gardens in Norfolk, with fourteen new ones for 2010, all of which have the wow factor, are open, inviting you to sit back and enjoy the view.

Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Association, chairman Richard Hobbs opens his garden, 16 Witton Lane, Plumstead as the first new Norfolk NGS garden on the 11th April 2010 (11 - 4). (The Old Cottage, Colby Corner is also open). It is a small but full garden with a wide range of plants, many rare and unusual. In spring there are species tulips, daffodils, scillas, dogtooth violets and many more bulbs. Woodland plants such as trilliums and wood anemones abound. Winter flowering shrubs, climbers and evergreens provide structure for the garden which has been featured in 'The Garden magazine'. An opportunity to share information with a member of one of the oldest horticultural societies in the country.


Richard Hobbs said “It is a great honour for any gardener to have a garden accepted for the NGS. The Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Association aims to share knowledge, promote competitive shows and encourage excellence in horticulture. This is an excellent way of achieving this while raising money for worthwhile charities”.

Norfolk NGS County organiser Anthea Foster said “Norfolk has such a diverse selection of gardens open this year. It provides a garden trail across the county, from urban to rural, formal to quirky and allotments. The garden owners work extremely hard, not only in the garden but promoting them too, providing refreshments and offering gardening advice. So sit back and enjoy the view in someone else’s garden this spring while supporting the NGS.”

Visit your local Tourist information or garden centre, nursery or open garden to pick up a Norfolk NGS Garden Guide or visit www.norfolkgardens.org. If your garden is of high quality, character and at least forty-five minutes interest visit the Norfolk NGS Team on Saturday at the Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Association Spring Show, The Presidents Pavilion at the Royal Norfolk Showground on April 10th/11th 2010