Officer urges Suffolk residents to be aware of fraudulent calls

A Suffolk police officer is urging Suffolk residents to be cautious and aware of fraudulent calls reporting suspicious activity on their bank accounts.

Between 2 and 4 January, Suffolk Constabulary received at least two reports of residents in the county receiving calls, supposedly from a Suffolk police officer, reporting fraudulent activity on their bank accounts.

The victims were given officers’ names and collar numbers and are asked to contact police to verify these details.

Detective Sergeant Jamie Adams, of Suffolk Constabulary’s Fraud Assessment Unit said: ‘Police would never call you and ask you to withdraw money to be collected by an officer nor would they ask you to transfer money into a different bank account.

‘If you have any concerns about the legitimacy of the call please contact Suffolk police to verify the details of the officer provided in the call.

‘If you have elderly or vulnerable neighbours, friends or family, I would ask you to inform them of this guidance and to check with someone they trust if contacted in a similar manner.’

For more details about checking police officers’ identities, please visit: www.suffolk.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/fa/how-to-check-an-officers-identity/

If an officer needs to speak to you on the phone, they’ll identify themselves clearly.

A police officer should never:

• ask you for your bank details or PIN
• ask you to transfer funds to another account
• ask you to hand over cash or bank cards to a courier
• ask you to pay a fine or a fee to them or a third party over the phone or online
• ask you for access to your computer, passwords or log on details over the phone or online
• ask you to register personal details in an attachment or website online
• ask you to ‘assist’ in an investigation by doing any of the above
• state that you are committing a crime by not complying
• communicate in an abusive, threatening or coercive manner.

Crime prevention advice can be found here.

The Reydon Community Quiz (Christmas edition) took place on 13th December and was a well-attended and lively evening. Quizmaster for the evening was Brad, with an entertaining mixture of Christmas and other rounds. Many thanks to him!

Winners were ‘What! No Broadside?’ with 109 points; ‘Nirvana’ and ‘Treacle Tarts’ joint second, both with 98 points; and in joint third, ‘What the Ecc’ and ‘If Onlys’, both with 96 points.

Together with proceeds from the raffle, the evening raised a generous £350. It being that certain time of year, the local good cause selected to receive this month’s donation was Reydon Christmas Lights. The Committee works so hard all year round, and the village Christmas trees provide much cheer for us all, so we send our thanks and good wishes to all involved.

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

The next quiz will be Jim’s New Year Quiz (in lieu of Jim’s Christmas Quiz!) to be held on Friday, 17th January.

Further dates for the new year are as follows. . .

• Friday, 21st February.

• Friday, 21st March.

• Friday, 18th April (TBC as it is Good Friday).

If there is enough demand, there will be one on 16th May.

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

Friday, 24th January and 21st February, 9am–1pm @ Reydon Village Hall

Tea/coffee and toast (pastries when available) 9–11am.

Soup and bread 11am–1pm (plus takeaway soup – bring your own container).

Reydon Village Hall Management Committee in conjunction with Reydon and Southwold Community Fridge and Pantry.

Friday, 28th February, 7–10pm @ Reydon Village Hall

With the Once Bittern Ceilidh Band.

£15 per person, including bowl of chilli and rice (meat and vegetarian options).

BYO alcohol.  Soft drinks and snacks available.

Book your tickets in advance with Charlotte (tel: 07715 388916; e-mail: frogclock@hotmail.com) or online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/reydonvillagehall.

All funds towards the RVH Golden Anniversary Appeal Fund to repair, renovate and refit the Hall.

Friday, 7th February, 7pm @ Reydon Village Hall

£5 per person.

Teams of up to six.

Bring your own snacks and drink.

Raffle!

Soft drinks, sweets and crisps available to buy.

Book your tickets with Charlotte at Southwold Library (tel: 07715 388916; e-mail: frogclock@hotmail.com).

All funds towards the RVH Golden Anniversary Appeal Fund to repair, renovate and refit the Hall.

Friends of Southwold Library Quiz Night!

Saturday, 25th January, 7pm @Cardinal Newman Hall (Old Postal Sorting Office)

Teams of 4 – £3 per person.  Bring your own drinks & snacks.  Raffle

Book early to avoid disappointment, limited places.

Contact Southwold Library (e-mail: southwold.library@suffolklibraries.co.uk; tel: 01502 722519).

Simon Mayo – Join Simon for Afternoon Tea

Saturday, 1st February, 3pm @ Reydon Village Hall

Black Tag is the gripping new thriller from bestselling author and legendary broadcaster Simon Mayo.

When the West End Gallery is set alight, it seems like a tragic accident. But as the ashes settle, a far more sinister discovery is made: an unidentified body. Black Tag takes readers on a suspenseful journey through the hidden corridors of power and privilege.

Simon Mayo, known for his compelling storytelling and intricate plot weaving, has once again crafted a novel that is both thrilling and thought-provoking.

Simon will be talking about his writing and signing copies of his books.

Tickets are £6, including refreshments – available from Southwold Library (tel: 01502 722519; web: www.ticketsource.co.uk/suffolklibraries).

Kids, Come and Read to Ash the PAT Dog

Thursdays, 3.30pm @ Southwold Library

The Read2Dogs scheme provided by PAT helps to improve literacy skills and wellbeing in young people by developing their confidence, interest, and enjoyment in reading.

Dogs are non-judgemental and great listeners – they don’t interrupt or correct – so they aid confidence and concentration levels. PAT Dogs are also known to encourage positive social behaviours, enhance self-esteem and inspire young people to relax and have fun.

Come and read to Ash and enjoy his calm company.

Southwold Library Jigsaw Swap Shop

Come and help yourself to a jigsaw at Southwold Library completely free! You can take one and return it, take one and return a different one or just take one (we have plenty).

Come and check out what we have available.

Hop-to-It Hare Fund

Southwold Library is pledged to raise £650 for St Elizabeth Hospice (as part of their Hop-to-It statue trail 2025) in exchange for a Little Hare statue to decorate and keep.

We have a variety of handmade hare crafts, hare merchandise and hare games to help us raise the funds, so do pop in and see how you can support us and St Elizabeth Hospice.

Blyth Poets ‘The Isle is Full of Voices’

Friday, 3rd January, 2.15–3.30pm

First Friday of every month.

A poetry group meeting at Southwold Library.

All welcome to read or just listen.

We invite contributions of original work or well-loved poems.

Refreshment break in the Canteen.

Free event, no booking required.

Mah-jong Group

Friday 10th and 24th January, 2.15–4.15pm

Second and fourth Friday of the month

Can you play Mah-jong?

Do you want to learn?

Come along and join the group at Southwold Library. £1 per person.

Scrabble Club

Thursday, 9th January, 2.15pm

Second Thursday of every month.

All equipment supplied.

Refreshment break in the Canteen.

Free event, no booking required.

Crochet and Craft Club

Every Wednesday, 2.15–4pm

£2 each.

A friendly group for all crafters as well as those who crochet (to any ability). Barbara will be on hand to teach crochet beginners, add to your crochet skills or troubleshoot problems, should you want to. Or just bring along your latest craft project and work on them together.

Bring your own equipment or Barbara can supply crochet equipment at a price.

Hot drinks supplied.

Lego Club!

Sundays, 12.15–1pm

Open to kids (and adults) of all ages.

This winter, we’re building: Humongous Houses.

All donations of Lego welcome.

Free event, no booking required.

Adults: Would you like to help with Lego Club? Just ask staff.

Southwold Library Reading Group

Thursday, 30th January, 6.30pm @ Southwold Library

This month, we are reading: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

Pick up a book at Southwold Library (tel: 01502 722519; e-mail: southwold.library@suffolklibraries.co.uk).

Free event, no booking required.

Baby Bounce and Tot Rock

Every Sunday and Tuesday, 10.30–11am @ Southwold Library

Instruments, clapping, jogging and action rhymes.

For babies and toddlers of all ages.

Free event, no booking required.

Realise Futures Walk-in Advice and Guidance

Every Thursday, 10am–12noon @ Southwold Library

Do you have a learning disability/autism?

Do you need some support, advice or information?

Come along to one of our walk-in advice and guidance sessions. There is no need to book an appointment. Our advisors will talk to you about the support you need.

We can provide advice, guidance and information on housing, employment, benefits, training, money, travel, safety, health, bills/letters and social.

Please contact: Anita Fiddy, Service Locality Co-ordinator (East) (tel: 07598 582955; e-mail: anita.fiddy@realisefutures.org).

Reydon Village Hall Golden Anniversary Appeal Fund Reindeer Beetle Drive

Friday, 6th December, 7pm @ Reydon Village Hall

£6 per person plus festive nibbles. Prizes! Raffle!

Never been to a Beetle Drive before? It is light-hearted and sociable fun suiting all ages. A dice-based game where the aim is to complete your beetle reindeer first!

Drop in or book your tickets with Charlotte – tel: 07715 388916; e-mail: frogclock@hotmail.com; web: www.ticketsource.co.uk/suffolklibraries. All funds towards the RVH Golden Anniversary Appeal Fund to repair, renovate and refit the Hall.

Southwold Library Christmas Tree Festival

Throughout December during opening hours

Guess the Christmas Film!

Free! Donations welcome.

Big thanks to all the local groups, clubs and businesses who have decorated our trees.

Friends of Southwold Library Coffee Afternoon

Saturday, 7th December 2–4pm @ Southwold Library

Hot drinks, mince pies or biscuits.

Cake stall, craft stall, game stalls, and raffle.

All funds towards supporting Southwold Library.

Visit Santa @ Southwold Library

Sunday, 8th and 15th December, 11am–2pm

Robin crafts, meet and photo with Santa plus gift.

£4.50 per child.

Face-to-Face Legal Matters Advice and Information: Powers of Attorney – Acting as an Attorney under a Power of Attorney

Monday, 9th December, 10.30am @ Southwold Library

Local solicitor Stuart Johnson, fully accredited with Solicitors for the Elderly, will advise on what a Power of Attorney is, what it may involve if you are made one.

Free talk, no need to book.

Snow Globes and Other Christmas Science Experiments With Kinetics Science Adventures – ‘Lab in a Library’

Saturday, 21st December, 11am and 1.30pm @ Stella Peskett Millennium Hall

Find out about the science behind the festive favourite snow globes and make your own to take home. Plus other Christmas-themed science experiments.

£2 per child. Open to children 5+. Limited spaces. Book your place today!

Tel: 01502 722519: e-mail: southwold.library@suffolklibraries.co.uk; web: www.ticketsource.co.uk/suffolklibraries.

Gingerbread Men Crafts

Sunday, 22nd December, 11am and 2pm @ Southwold Library

Free crafts – no need to book. Make a wide variety of gingerbread-themed Christmas crafts.

Southwold Library Reading Groups Christmas Do

Thursday, 12th December, 6.30pm

Are you in a reading group? All reading group members welcome to this annual Christmas get-together.

A chance to compare notes, discuss group favourites (and the ones you hated) and get recommendations for the New Year.

Tea, coffee and squash provided, but please bring nibbles and any other drinks to add to the evening’s offerings

Southwold Arts Centre and Southwold Library Present: Southwold Community Cinema

Swede Caroline 2024 (15) – Wednesday, 11th December, 3pm

As Caroline readies herself for the championship, the competitive giant vegetable-growing world is rocked by scandal. Her prized marrow plants are stolen and her life turns upside down, so she hires two private detectives.

Tickets are £5 including refreshments. Book a ticket at www.southwoldartscentre.co.uk; or visit the Box Office – tel: 01502 722572, or Southwold Arts Centre, Cumberland Road, Southwold IP18 6JP.

Kids, Come and Read to Ash the PAT Dog

Thursdays, 3.30pm @ Southwold Library

The Read2Dogs scheme provided by PAT helps to improve literacy skills and wellbeing in young people by developing their confidence, interest, and enjoyment in reading.

Dogs are non-judgemental and great listeners – they don’t interrupt or correct – so they aid confidence and concentration levels. PAT Dogs are also known to encourage positive social behaviours, enhance self-esteem and inspire young people to relax and have fun.

Come and read to Ash and enjoy his calm company.

Blyth Poets ‘The Isle is Full of Voices’

Friday, 6th December, 2.15–3.30pm

First Friday of every month.

A poetry group meeting at Southwold Library.

All welcome to read or just listen.

We invite contributions of original work or well-loved poems.

Refreshment break in the Canteen.

Free event, no booking required.

Mah-jong Group

Friday, 13th December, 2.15–4.15pm

Second and fourth Friday of the month

Can you play Mah-jong?

Do you want to learn?

Come along and join the group at Southwold Library. £1 per person.

Scrabble Club

Thursday, 12th December, 2.15pm

Second Thursday of every month.

All equipment supplied.

Refreshment break in the Canteen.

Free event, no booking required.

Crochet Club

Every Wednesday, 2.15–4pm

£2 each.

A friendly group for all abilities of crocheter. Barbara will be on hand to teach beginners, add to your crochet skills or troubleshoot problems. Or just bring along your latest project and crochet together.

Bring your own equipment or Barbara can supply at a price.

Refreshment break in the Canteen.

Lego Club!

Sundays, 12.15–1pm

Open to kids (and adults) of all ages.

This winter, we’re building: Humongous Houses.

All donations of Lego welcome.

Free event, no booking required.

Adults: Would you like to help with Lego Club? Just ask staff.

Southwold Library Reading Group

Thursday, 9th January, 6.30pm @ Southwold Library

This month, we are reading: Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney.

Pick up a book at Southwold Library – tel: 01502 722519; e-mail: southwold.library@suffolklibraries.co.uk.

Free event, no booking required.

Baby Bounce and Tot Rock

Every Sunday and Tuesday, 10.30–11am @ Southwold Library

Instruments, clapping, jogging and action rhymes.

For babies and toddlers of all ages.

Free event, no booking required.

Realise Futures Walk-in Advice and Guidance

Every Thursday, 10am–12noon @ Southwold Library

Do you have a learning disability/autism?

Do you need some support, advice or information?

Come along to one of our walk-in advice and guidance sessions. There is no need to book an appointment. Our advisors will talk to you about the support you need.

We can provide advice, guidance and information on housing, employment, benefits, training, money, travel, safety, health, bills/letters and social.

Please contact: Anita Fiddy, Service Locality Co-ordinator (East) – tel: 07598 582955; e-mail: anita.fiddy@realisefutures.org.

The River Blyth Project and Wilder Wenhaston

Dr Wil Harvey of the Blyth River Project opened the SWT Blyth Valley and Southwold Wildlife Group talk by detailing efforts made by a group of volunteers to monitor the Blyth’s water quality. He explained that Earthwatch ranks East Anglia as having the most polluted river basin in Britain. The Blyth is contaminated by a wide range of pollutants, including natural decay, agricultural runoff, road drainage, and industrial and domestic waste. Surprisingly perhaps, flea treatments for pets are a serious addition. Volunteers regularly test water at multiple sites, both upstream and downstream of the Halesworth sewage works. E coli levels render the river unsafe for swimming, with much higher pollution downstream, where ageing and insufficient infrastructure worsens the problem, and sewage outflow from Halesworth and Southwold adds significantly to the river’s flow. While there are efforts to reduce phosphate levels, reliance on storm overflows raises concerns about further degradation. The Project continues to monitor the river, hold Anglian Water accountable, and highlight these critical issues.

In the second part of the evening, Alan Miller, who retired from the Suffolk Wildlife Trust just as the Covid lockdowns struck, came up with a plan. He invited Wenhaston villagers to record their garden birds and send him their details. This was so enthusiastically supported that he broadened the scope to include all forms of wildlife. Eighteen months later, the audit that resulted gave invaluable information, and the various local wildlife groups worked together to improve the local biodiversity. They have recorded over 80 ‘significant’ trees, which are now on the database in Ipswich. They have planted over 13,000 trees so far; worked with local landowners to restore hedgerows and ponds; created wildflower corridors and hedgehog highways; and last year started the Wilder Garden Trail, which will be open again next year. It was exciting to see how much can be achieved when a village works together, and good to know that volunteers can provide such important local knowledge.

Our next talk will be at a different venue due to maintenance work at the Arts Centre. We will be at the Reydon Sports and Community Centre, Wangford Road, Reydon IP18 6PA , on Thursday, 9th January, at 7.30pm. Simon Thompson will give an illustrated talk on the Birds of North Carolina. Entrance is £4 to include refreshments, under 25s are free, and everyone is welcome.

Contact us at swtblythvalley@gmail.com.

Penny Mansfield

Please note that information about the Southwold Christmas Lights as given in the Dates For Your Diary section on page 2 of the latest, Autumn edition of The Reydon Robin is not fully correct.

Southwold Christmas Lights will be switched on at 5pm on Saturday, 30th November, not 6pm as printed.

It is also organised by Light Up Southwold, not Light up Southwold with Blyth Valley Rotary as it appears in The Robin.

Our apologies.