The first Reydon Community Quiz of 2023 took place on 20 January, with  quiz master Graham  at the helm, for an entertaining quiz that got us all thinking. (Who knew how many different people have been featured on UK bank notes!?)

Winners were ‘Threes Company ‘with 123 points, ‘Treacle Tarts’ in second place with 118 points, followed by ‘What, No Broadside’ and’ Load of Bowls’ in joint third place with 116. points

With proceeds from the quiz and the raffle, the total raised was £345, and this has been divided equally between the Sole Bay Care Fund and Sole Bay Juniors Football Club, with our best wishes for the valuable contribution that both of these organisations make to our community.

A huge thanks as always to our loyal quizzers, hosts Sole Bay Bowls Club and raffle helpers. Thanks also to Southwold Press for providing paper for the quizzes.

The next quiz will be held on Friday 17 February. Dates for the rest of 2023 are 17 March, 21 April, 19 May (all fall on the third Friday of the month).

There is sometimes space for another team so do contact me if you are interested in joining us, on ahumphry@talktalk.net.

Throughout the winter, the Blyth Valley and Southwold wildlife group organise monthly meetings where they invite guest speakers to present on various topics of interest. Here, Penny Mansfield reports on their latest meeting.

East Anglia’s Changing Coastline

At the January meeting of the Blyth Valley and Southwold Suffolk Wildlife Trust group, Adam Burrows, from Natural England, gave a fascinating illustrated talk on the constantly changing coastline of East Anglia.  We were able to follow the historic changes from Neolithic times through to Roman and Medieval periods, when terrible storms brought about the loss of many sea ports, Dunwich being our local example. However, the immense wetland fens and marshes of that period teemed with abundant wildlife. Bitterns were in such abundance that, at one lordly banquet, two hundred were served roasted.

Since the terrible floods of 1953, coastal protection became paramount and sea walls were created along coasts and rivers to protect people and property. The need for sea defence has in recent years increased, but the approach to how it is to be achieved is altering. The local audience are well aware of the crumbling, soft cliffs in our area, and the predictions for the loss of land over the next 50 years is sobering. Towns continue to maintain hard sea defences, but elsewhere a managed retreat is considered the best option, and different solutions are needed. Some beaches, as at Dunwich, are allowed to become more extensive and resilient, with localised dykes and outflows where necessary: elsewhere, sea defences further inland will be built, allowing more extensive and bio-diverse wetlands to develop and form a wider protection. And there are positive outcomes where wetlands are re-established: Marsh Harriers, Avocets, Spoonbills and Bitterns are breeding successfully again, and Cranes are once more in our skies.

The subject was of considerable local interest, and we all left with a deeper understanding of the complexities of coastal change and its management.

Our next meeting is on Thursday 9 February, 7.30pm in the Southwold Arts Centre, IP18 6JP. Paul Davies from the RSPB, will be talking about the Beach Nesting Birds of East Anglia. Admission £4, refreshments included. Under 25’s free. All are welcome.

Contact us at swtblythvalley@gmail.com