During the last week of October Eileen and I visited the coastal village of Kessingland to search for and record the flowering plants. We are members of the Wild Flower Society. (WFS) which holds a last day hunt for flowering plants on the 31st of each October. It is not really a competition with prizes but a fun way to look for and add these late flowering plants to our diaries which are submitted annually which lists all flowering plants seen that year.

Our visit was to recce out sites to revisit at the end of the month and to add more to my Kessingland North tetrad. Our first stop was to see a few pink flowers of the Himalayan Giant, Bramble. Rubus armeniacus. That grows on the west side of Green lane in the village.


Once on the beach we started to walk north where we found Blue Fleabane Erigeron acer both in flower and fruit, followed by Shasta Daisy Leucanthemum x silybum. That grows on the cliff side and has been recorded there since 1977. A relatively new plants growing there, well since the 1963 national flora atlas was the Mile a minute or Russian Vine Fallopia Baldschuanica. Most records are in the south east of the UK with a scattering of records in the north. It is a pretty late flowering plants with great swathes of white blooms soon covering hedges and trees by habitation. Due to the nature of beach flora the species are very small and often prostrate. These small plants can confuse the beginner as the books will sometimes give plant heights but this is only plants that are seen under normal circumstances.

Two such flowers we saw were again both in fruit and flower. The first which often needs fruits for confident identification was Annual wall Rocket. Diplotaxis tenuifolia. Growing only a few inches above the sand. Next was a small Mouse-ear Hawkweed Pilosella officinarum. A common enough plant that has these furry white under-leaves. The flowers normally reach 12” but these flowers were only 3” tall. It was a pleasant walk and we found plenty to keep us occupied, even a few continental Blackbirds, Dunnocks and Robins were seen.

Colin A Jacobs

becclesnaturalist.blogspot.com

The pumpkins are ripening in the field and the latest news is another bumper crop of enormous orange Jack O’ Lanterns are promised this Halloween ready for Bungay’s Pumpkin Night. “We planted more pumpkins than ever before,” said Jonny Crickmore “and so far it looks to be a very fruitful year!” Jonny will once more be donating some pumpkins for the Pumpkin Night with many of the surplus ones going on sale on the Flixton Road in the 2 weeks run up to Halloween. So if you want to buy your own “orange giant” don’t miss out!

This year 31st October falls on a Sunday and so the celebrations will end a little earlier than usual. They will start at 4pm, with the lighting of the pumpkins, and end at 8pm when the roads will be reopened. Due to a wedding in the family the usual organisers have had to take a back seat this year but we have been lucky enough to have invaluable help from John Pestell, who has very kindly taken over the organizing. “John has been instrumental in ensuring this years night goes ahead and we are very grateful,” said Deirdre Shepherd, Chairman of the Bridge Street Feasts and Festivals Committee.


As a change, not only will Bridge Street be closed but also Cross Street and half of Trinity Street, to allow people proper access to the town and to provide a safe environment for the children to Trick or Treat. There will be no shortage of sweets for keen mini monsters! “As a mother to 2 young children it is great to have somewhere fun to take them that doesn’t charge an entrance fee,” said Hayley Doe of Beccles. The Buttercross, in the centre of town, will be filled with food stalls, and many of the shops will be open to welcome any interested browsers.

Feedback from recent years has highlighted the fact large numbers of people can make the viewing of the pumpkins a little tricky. “I love clusters of pumpkins, in dark corners, they look so effective” commented Amanda Barrett who came all the way from Lincoln in 2009. With this in mind the pumpkins will be arranged slightly differently this year, in groups to improve visibility and the overall effect.

“Record numbers were seen in 2009 with some of the best costumes to be seen out of a film special effects studio” said Deirdre Shepherd. Weather permitting we hope for an equally successful year for 2010.

The usual team will be back in force for 2011 with a different take on Pumpkin night and an exciting re-launch.

This film is tricky to describe: is it a boat study, a film-poem, an experiment, a picture postcard? One thing is certain: it's a rare colour snapshot of the Thames and London in the 1930s - and it looks quite magical.

Its artistic qualities may look a bit old-fashioned to us today; the slow pace, orchestral music and moody colours definitely belong to a bygone era, strikingly peaceful and undemanding. Yet colour film was still a novelty for audiences in 1935, and the photography (using the new Gasparcolor system) succeeds in accentuating the sharp contrast between the vivid green banks of the countryside and the drab tones of the industrial landscape. (Sonia Genaitay)

'Colour on the Thames' is included on the BFI DVD 'Science is Fiction / The Sounds of Science: The films of Jean Painleve' - http://filmstore.bfi.org.uk/acatalog/...

On Saturday 23rd October 2010 the Mid Norfolk Railway launched 3CIG Unit No.1497 into passenger service, powered by Class 73 “Selhurst” No.73210.

1497 is depicted at our Wymondham Abbey Station, with the iconic Wymondham Abbey alongside and in the middle ground, the fields of the [River] Tiffey Valley and its walking trail.

John Harwood our Guard for Saturday said:-
“Both I and our travelling passengers were impressed by the quality of the interior, which with the added benefit of 1st class accomodation, is very good...... The ride quality is good especially missing the underfloor noise (and vibrations) of the DMU!...... The provision of disabled accomodation in the guards van is definitely an asset to MNR and guards have a new challenge - to operate the Central Door Locking!”

Friday 12th November 2010 in St Mary’s Church Hall, Halesworth (up Church Farm Lane off Steeple End beside church, opposite fish and chip shop) HinT will be showing “The Age of Stupid”.


This is a film starring Pete Postlethwaite (Brassed Off, Usual Suspects, Hooch in Criminal Justice). In The Age of Stupid he is an old man living in the world of 2055, watching 'archive' footage from 2008 and asking “Why didn't we stop climate change while we had the chance?”

After the film there will be refreshments and a discussion led by John Taylor of the Suffolk Climate Change Partnership. Our aim is to put together working groups to take forward ideas raised by the film. Details of a meeting to set up those groups will be announced at the film showing.

For more information about this event and other activities phone 01986 875323 or email hint@talktalk.net.

Hi,
You may have seen this announcement on Sunday: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/countryside/8082756/Ministers-plan-huge-sell-off-of-Britains-forests.html 

It's potentially a catastrophe for the natural world in the UK, already under serious pressure from human activity. They are suggesting selling off half (750,000 acres) of woodland for 'development'.
Trees and forests, especially ancient woodland, are the last refuge of many native species that are on the brink of extinction. There are suggestions that even the ancient woodland won't be safe from developers.
Here's one thing you can do about it. Sign this petition: http://www.petition.co.uk/stop-uk-forestry-destruction 

Here's another: join the Woodland Trust: http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/Pages/default.aspx 

This may be the only chance we have to stop this insanity - once they are gone, they're gone - it's at least 50 years to regenerate even the semblance of a wood once it's been cut down.

Attached are a few images for inspiration - these are the kind of places under threat.
Please consider doing everything you can to oppose this nonsense - we are all dependent on the natural world and it needs our support.

Please send this out to as many people as you can.

Best wishes

The Healthy Ambitions Suffolk one million steps competition has already attracted more than 135 teams from across the county. More are now being urged to join in and rise to the challenge of walking one million steps in a month, with the team which clocks up the highest total winning a Wii for use in their workplace.

To hit the target, teams of five workmates each need to walk at least 10,000 steps on five days of the week for four consecutive weeks. The competition runs until Tuesday 30 November, which means Monday (1st November) is the last day on which teams can register to be able to cover the full four weeks.

“We’re really pleased with the number of teams who have registered so far, but would still like to hear from more people keen to walk one million steps in a month,” said Rebecca Hams, Healthy Ambitions Suffolk project officer.


“The challenge is open to businesses of any size, and several larger companies have entered more than one team to help promote a sense of healthy competition in their workplace. But we’re equally keen to attract smaller businesses, and would encourage people to get their families involved as team members. That way, you’ve also got the perfect excuse to top up your steps at the weekend by going for a family walk in the Suffolk countryside.


“We would encourage anyone who is interested to sign up and start walking their way to better health. You have nothing to lose and may even stroll to victory.”

Ipswich-based company Customer Service Direct (CSD) has already entered more than 30 teams and chief operating officer Craig Anderson is enthusiastic about the challenge.

He said: “As a company, we are totally committed to promoting the health and wellbeing of everyone that works for CSD. We welcome this exciting challenge from Healthy Ambitions Suffolk not only to promote better health through walking but also as a great way to help build teamwork, encourage healthy competition and have some fun along the way.”

To register a team, visit www.healthyambitionssuffolk.nhs.uk/millionsteps or follow the links from the homepage of the Healthy Ambitions Suffolk website. Simply fill in the online application form to receive a welcome pack, which includes five pedometers.

The challenge can then be completed on any four consecutive weeks until Tuesday 30 November. Full rules for the competition are available on the website.

MOCKERY MISERY AT WEYBREAD

The Ladies' 1sts dominated the first half against Ipswich at Weybread last Saturday but after failing to trouble the scoreboard operator one had a horrible feeling that things might go wrong after the resumption as Ipswich just had to get into the game at some point. And things duly went wrong with Ipswich lifting their game and from their one and only penalty corner they took the lead and, after a spirited response from the home side, they scored again in the last minute through ex-Magpie Jess Bloom to make a mockery of the final score. Our team must not be disheartened by this defeat as they again demonstrated their improved form of recent weeks but they will know that upcoming games against St Albans and Dereham now assume even more importance if they are to move clear of the relegation zone.

A couple of hours earlier the day got off to a good start with the Men's 7ths (on whom the sun always shines!) beating Lowestoft Railway 2nds 6-0 to maintain their one hundred percent record but after the Men's 2nds went down 3-1 to Harpenden (in a game they could have won had their penalty corner 'routine' been anywhere near working) the home supporters needed cheering up. It duly came with an excellent win for the Ladies' 2nds against high-flying Lincoln. Lucy Chubbock and Frances Taylor put them two up and after Lincoln threatened a comeback further goals by Tanya Pendreich and Lauren Barber gave them a well-merited 4-1 win. Challenge to the Ladies' 2nds – come on girls it is about time you produced match reports for the website!

We were further cheered when the news came through that the Men's 1sts had secured a vital 4-1 win away to St Albans, last season's East champions, with two goals apiece from Andy Hipwell and Tristan Baynes with St Albans at one stage reduced to eight players. In a match far more even than the score line would suggest the umpires must have remembered to take their yellow cards! Although the Men's 6ths then lost 2-1 to Watton there was a lot to admire from our team and especially the reverse stick goal by young Sam Lyne and an excellent goalkeeping performance by the youthful James Graham.

With a combination of a national league break, the Norfolk league having a week off for half term and the Men's 5ths without a fixture due to the sad withdrawal from the league of Lowestoft Town (I remember tough games against them at Denes Oval in years gone by with the sea mist sweeping in) only six of our teams are in action this Saturday. The Ladies' 2nds and Men's 2nds have centre-stage at Weybread when they take on Ipswich 3rds (12.30) and Long Sutton (2.15) respectively. The Ladies will be looking to build on their win over Lincoln while the Men will be out to take three points off Long Sutton whom they beat 6-3 in a friendly in the middle of September. The Men's 2nds are potentially far too good to be near the bottom of their league so I am expecting a morale boosting win for them on Saturday! Meantime our other teams in action are playing as follows – good luck as always to all our teams.

MENS 3s v Ipswich & ES (L) (A) 2.30   
MENS 4s v Pelicans 2s (L) (A) 3.00   

MENS 6s v Norwich City 5s (L) (H) 4.00 (W)   
MENS 7s v Norwich Dragons 3s (L) (A) 4.30

Congratulations and good luck to Sarah Brook, Will Blyth and Elliot Smith who this weekend are representing the Saxon Tigers U16s in their respective Futures Cup at Cannock. The Futures Cup is designed by the EHB to give promising hockey players (and officials) the opportunity to experience what it is like to take part in a top international hockey tournament and is the culmination of the Junior Regional Performance Centre programme over the last few months.  I hope the HMHC members who narrowly failed to make the final selection will not be too discouraged. I well remember the disappointment felt by Richard 'Ratty' Alexander when he was not selected for the 2001 Junior World Cup in Tasmania. But look at what he has achieved since then!

Congratulations also to Katherine Ridley who recently attended a HiPAC (High Performance Assessment Camp) in Leeds as a member of the U15 Saxon Tigers' squad. 

NB. Please come to the Fireworks Spectacular to be held at the club on Friday 5 November. The gates open at 6.00pm and tickets are on sale at the bar. They are a pound cheaper if bought before the day.

Mike Denham   01603 506925     

MDenham975@aol.com   26/10/10   

Galleon Storage and Mooring, Beccles

Half term meant that we were short of some key players and only managed to muster 13 in total. Fortunately Diss were able to loan us a couple of players and equally fortunately there were no injuries.

Initially we feared that the boys hadn't learnt from the Ipswich drubbing but then it began to click. Indeed the game was, as the scoreline suggests, very even with both sides displaying equal amounts of passion and skills. We were quicker to the breakdown than last week with Josh Wallis, Jack Cullis and Jack FS often being the first there. Jon Utting at prop and Joe McKay at No.8 boosted our scrum who were much better and stronger than last week - often too strong for the referee! Christian Trash continued to rip ball off the opposition. Our backs had more of a chance to fling it around with James Scarle demonstrating real pace and great angles resulting in two of our tries. All agreed that the tied score was an appropriate result.



For the third game running, Southwold had a changed team due to holidays but they were keen to play the open rugby that saw them win against Ipswich last weekend. Unlike previous games, Southwold did not let the opposition dictate the pace from the outset. Following a good turnover of possession by the forwards Connor G avoided his tackler and fed Jacob E, who in turn found Darius allowing him to out sprint the defence to score his first try. Nearly a carbon copy for the second try after some nifty footwork from Connor G on the half way line allowing him to pass to Darius. Again he outpaced the covering defence for half the length of the pitch to score his second try. Diss were keen runners and some fine tackling from Innes, Cairns and Jacob B kept their forwards at bay. In the scrum the front row of Tim, Cairns and Zak were winning ball at ease. Jake at scrum half and Connor at fly were controlling the game.

Keiron made a good run from fullback after a long punt down field, and he found Sam a willing runner down the flank. Good cover tackling from Diss brought this move to an end short of the 22. Disruption in the line out from Connor C and Michiel allowed Jacob E to pick up the loose ball and power his way under the posts, duly converted by Darius. From the kick off came Wold’s only real lapse in play, as no one claimed the high ball and allowing it to bounce into the Diss players hands. His powerful run left tacklers in his wake, and he scored a converted try.

Diss tried to get back into the game but some perfect tackles from Jake, Connor and Jacob ensured the defence was not broken again. After a good run from fly half position, centres Jacob E and Sam W combined well to set Darius free down the left wing. For the third time in the half he sprinted clear of the Diss players to claim his hat trick of tries.

Alex came into the game at half time and his presence was soon felt by Diss, as he led the forwards up field. Connor B picked up in broken play and ploughed forward through tackles. Good passing from the backs allowed Jacob E to score a well worked try and to claim his second, converted well by Connor G. Southwold were playing some flowing rugby, working the rucks and mauls through the forwards and Jake T running with the ball in hand. Jacob E then claimed his hat trick as he split open the Diss centres with a dummy and ran 60 yards to score, again converted by Connor.

The came the try of the match, or was it? After constant pressure on the Diss line, Connor C picked up the ball and dived over ‘the line’ looking up to hopefully see his team mates congratulate him. In fact he found the coach’s on the side line telling him he dived over the 5m line, and to keep playing. Connor took it all in good spirit. The final try was to fall to one of the forwards, to give them reward for the hard work in the game. The Diss fly half looked to kick for touch only to find Zak not just charging down the kick but holding on to it as it left his foot. He dived over the line for a well deserved try.

Final result 41-7, and a very good team performance acknowledged by the watching parents of both teams.

Saturday 23 October 2010
LADIES 1s v Ipswich (L) (H) 12.30 (W) 0-2 L
LADIES 2s v Lincoln (L) (H) 2.15 (W) 4-1 W
LADIES 3s/5ths v Broadland (F) (H) 10.45 (S) 3-2 W
LADIES 4s/6ths v Broadland 2s (F) (H) 12.15 (S) 2-3 L
GIRLS Dev. – no game

MENS 1s v St Albans (L) (A) 1.30 4-1 W
MENS 2s v Harpenden (L) (H) 1.45 (S) 1-3 L
MENS 3s v March Town (L) (A) 2.30 3-2 L
MENS 4s v Ipswich 3s (L) (A) 11.00 2-2 D
MENS 5s v Lowestoft Railway (L) (A) 2.30 1-5 L
MENS 6s v Watton (L) (H) 4.00 (W) 1-2 L
MENS 7s v Lowestoft Railway 2s (L) (H) 10.30 (W) 6-0 W
BOYS Dev. – no game

The Blue Cross, one of the UK’s leading animal charities, is urgently calling all horse, pony, donkey and mule owners to take part in a ground-breaking online survey during the week of 15 – 21 November 2010, to help improve the health of all equines in the UK.

The charity is working with The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) and Josh Slater, Professor of Equine Clinical Studies at The Royal Veterinary College to conduct the National Equine Health Survey, which has been piloted over the past two years and is now being opened up to the public for the first time. The simple online survey takes only five minutes to complete and will help build a clear picture of non-infectious and common health problems, such as coughs, skin diseases and lameness, suffered by equines in the UK.

Kerry Doyle, education officer at The Blue Cross explained: “Currently disease surveillance is based around exotic diseases such as African Horse Sickness and West Nile Virus and some non-exotic infections like influenza which leaves a gap in our knowledge about other more common health problems faced by the UK horse population. This survey will help us highlight trends in equine health, enabling research into disease prevention, veterinary training and education to be targeted accordingly.”

Kerry continued: “We’re appealing to horse owners to play their part by helping us collect data from 5000 horses. If you own or loan a horse, own a riding school or know friends at a livery yard who may be interested in taking part in this survey then please register. Whether its data from one horse or 30 horses we would love to hear from you.”

The National Equine Health Survey needs to be completed on any one day during the week of 15 – 21 November 2010. Details of all horse owners will remain anonymous. It’s very quick and easy to complete and should only take around five minutes. To register online visit www.bluecross.org.uk/NEHS or email NEHS@bluecross.org.uk

The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary is hosting a real Hallowe’en bonanza this year on Sunday 31st October, with a spooky spider and bat hunt, magic pumpkin trail, spectacular flying display and fearsome fancy dress competition. In addition, we will be running our magic pumpkin trail throughout the half term week, with loads of prizes to be won!

Adults £5.00, Seniors £4.00, Juniors aged 4-14 £3.00, Family Group (5) £15.00 
Children under 4 go free

To download a free young visitor’s pass, please see our website www.owl-help.org.uk or for more details contact us on 08456 807897.

The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary at Stonham Barns is situated on the A1120 Tourist route, easily accessible form the A14, A12 and A140 - simply follow the brown signs.