The March Community Quiz was held on 21st March, with Nick Humphry as quizmaster. As always, a lively evening ensued, with plenty of discussion, laughter and banter!

Winners were ‘If Onlys’ with 116 points; in second place, ‘Who are we?’ with 114 points; and in third place, ’Threes Company’ with 108 points.

Together with proceeds from the raffle, the evening raised a generous £325. This will be donated to the Reydon and Southwold Pantomime Group, who greatly entertained audiences with their recent and very entertaining version of Aladdin. This wonderful group entertains, gives members young and old the opportunity to perform, and raises money for local charities too. We wish them well for their next production.

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

The next quiz will be on Friday, 18th April (Good Friday) and this will be the last of the season. There is sometimes space for another team, so do contact me if you are interested in joining us at ahumphry@talktalk.net.

Friday, 25th April, 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.

Friday, 28th March, 6.30pm – Eyes Down 7pm @ Reydon Village Hall

£5 per person.

Bring your own refreshments or purchase soft drinks/snacks.

Prizes! Raffle!

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.

Friday, 21st March and 25th April, 9am–12.30pm @ Reydon Village Hall

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

• Soup and bread (plus takeaway soup – bring your own container)11am–12.30pm.

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

Wednesday, 19th March, 6.30pm @ Reydon Village Hall

Already well reviewed in The Sunday Times and The Financial Times, Simon Scarrow will be talking about his writing and his new book, A Death in Berlin, featuring CI Horst Schenke fighting crime against the backdrop of wartime Berlin.

He is a Sunday Times No 1 bestselling author with several million copies of his books sold worldwide. After a childhood spent travelling the world, he pursued his great love of history as a teacher, before becoming a full-time writer. His books – which have sold six million copies – include two earlier WW2 Berlin thrillers featuring CI Schenke, Blackout, which was a Richard & Judy Book Club Pick and a Sunday Times bestseller, and Dead of Night, which was a Top 10 bestseller – alongside his bestselling Eagles of the Empire series set in the Roman Empire featuring centurions Macro and Cato. 

Simon is also the author of a quartet of novels about the lives of the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon Bonaparte, Young Bloods, The Generals, Fire and Sword, and The Fields of Death; a novel about the 1565 Siege of Malta, Sword & Scimitar; Hearts of Stone, set in Greece during the Second World War; and Playing with Death, a contemporary thriller written with Lee Francis. He also wrote the novels Arena and Invader with T J Andrews.

Tickets – £6, with free glass of wine/juice – available from Southwold Library (tel: 01502 722519; or online: www.ticketsource.co.uk/suffolklibraries).

Book now and enter our draw for a free copy of A Death in Berlin (which Simon will sign for you at the event).

Free Bunny Crafts for Kids

Tuesday, 8th April, 11am and 2pm @ Southwold Library

Make a bunny hats, bunny fairy doors, jump up bunnies and much more!

Crafts supplied by the Friends of Southwold Library.

No need to book.

Party with the Sleepy Princess

Thursday, 10th April, 11am and 2pm @ Southwold Library

Party games and magical fun with the Sleepy Princess from Lucy’s Princess Parties.

£3 per child. Limited spaces. Book your place today! Tel: 01502 722519; e-mail: southwold.library@suffolklibraries.co.uk; or online: www.ticketsource.co.uk/suffolklibraries.

Free Egg-cellent Character Crafts for Kids

Tuesday, 15th April, 11am and 2pm @ Southwold Library

Make a wide variety of egg crafts including pirate eggs, egg animal parachutes, egg superheroes and more!

Crafts supplied by the Friends of Southwold Library.

No need to book.

Balloon Modelling with Mr Bean Entertainments

Thursday, 17th April, 11am and 2pm @ Southwold Library

Skills for all ages.

Learn how make a variety of balloon models, including mice, dogs, swords and more!

£2 per child. Limited spaces. Book your place today! Tel: 01502 722519; e-mail: southwold.library@suffolklibraries.co.uk; or online: www.ticketsource.co.uk/suffolklibraries.

Magic and Music, Tales and Tunes with Gill Larley – Storyteller

Tuesday, 22nd April, 7pm @ Southwold Library

Amazing collection of tales of magical shapeshifting brought to life by Gill and with musical accompaniment.

Don’t miss this spellbinding evening!

Suitable for ages 12+. Tickets are £5 – available from Southwold Library (tel: 01502 722519; or online: www.ticketsource.co.uk/suffolklibraries).

Jam and Murder: Author Talk with Peter Tickler

Saturday, 26th April, 2pm @ Southwold Library

It is 1919. The war is over, the soldiers are home, but brutal death is not far behind. . .

Peter Tickler is the great-grandson of T G Tickler, supplier of jam to the troops in the trenches. Tickler’s Jam was real, British soldiers really made bombs out of the tins when they had eaten all the jam in them, but this novel is entirely fictional.

Peter will be signing copies of his book.

Free event, no need to book.

The Lowestoft Longshore Men Sing Sea Shanties

Sunday, 27th April, 5pm @ Southwold Library

Tickets £5. Book at Southwold Library (tel: 01502 722519; e-mail: southwold.library@suffolklibraries.co.uk; or online: www.ticketsource.co.uk/suffolklibraries).

All That Lives Must Die: Suspicion, Obsession and Murder on the Suffolk Coast: Author Talk with Ivor Eisenstadt

Monday, 28th April, 11am @ Southwold Library

In All That Lives Must Die, a retired GP seeks solace from tragedy by spending time in his holiday lodge on the Suffolk Heritage Coast. He finds refuge in nature. He also finds suspicion, obsession and murder.

Ivor Eisenstadt is a retired healthcare publisher. Having suffered from anxiety, he is keen to share the healing power of nature through this gripping murder mystery novel set on the Suffolk Heritage Coast.

Ivor will be signing copies of his book

Free event, no need to book.

Southwold Arts Centre and Southwold Library Present: Southwold Community Cinema

Conclave (2024) 12A – Wednesday, 23rd April, 3pm

Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events, participating in the selection of a new Pope. Surrounded by powerful religious leaders in the halls of the Vatican, he soon uncovers a trail of deep secrets that could shake the very foundation of the Roman Catholic Church. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow.

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

Kids, Come and Read to Ash the PAT Dog

Thursday, 10th, 17th and 24th April, 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.

Blyth Poets ‘The Isle is Full of Voices’

Friday, 4th April, 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, 11th and 25th April, 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, 10th April, 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 spring, we’re building: Wonderful Wildlife.

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, 24th April, 6.30pm @ Southwold Library

This month, we are reading: Bourneville by Jonathan Coe.

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.

The February Community Quiz was held on the 21st of the month, and we welcomed Charlotte Clark to take the role of quizmaster for the evening. With a wide range of questions, and a few surprising answers along the way, Charlotte’s quiz kept everyone entertained!

Winners were ‘What, No Broadside’ with 136 points, in joint second place were ‘Treacle Tarts’ and ‘Three’s Company’ with 126 points, and just behind was ‘What the Ecc’ with 125 points.

Together with proceeds from the raffle, the evening raised a generous £330. This was donated to FoSL ( Friends of Southwold Library) and presented to Charlotte with the sincerest thanks for her hard work at the Library and in our community. What a brilliant job she does!

Messages of thanks were received from the Beavers/Cubs/Scouts Group and the Rainbows/Brownies, who were recipients in January. It is lovely to hear how our fundraising will enhance the children’s experiences.

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

• The next quiz will be on Friday, 21st March.

• The following one will be on 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.

Supporting our neighbours and protecting the Heritage Coast

The most recent LionLink newsletter out this week indicates that Walberswick is the preferred landfall site, and that Southwold and Reydon should not be affected by the various new energy infrastructure projects (for the time being at least).

Despite this, the planned public meeting on this Friday will still proceed as Reydon Parish Council believes that it still has a responsibility to work with neighbouring communities to help to protect them from imminent harm, and to protect the Suffolk Heritage Coast, National Landscape and East Suffolk community interest; its concerns as a parish council extend beyond its parish boundaries.

The public meeting will be in Reydon Village Hall on Friday, 21st February at 6.30 pm.

Come and find out more. Ask your questions. Have your say. All welcome.

The agenda can be downloaded here.

Author Talk with Bestselling Author Simon Scarrow

Wednesday, 19th March, 6.30pm @ Reydon Village Hall

Simon Scarrow is a Sunday Times No 1 bestselling author with several million copies of his books sold worldwide. After a childhood spent travelling the world, he pursued his great love of history as a teacher, before becoming a full-time writer. His books – which have sold six million copies – include two earlier Berlin thrillers featuring CI Schenke: Blackout, which was a Richard and Judy Book Club Pick and a Sunday Times bestseller; and Dead of Night, which was a top-ten bestseller.

Simon is also the author of a quartet of novels about the lives of the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon Bonaparte: Young Bloods, The Generals, Fire and Sword, and The Fields of Death; a novel about the 1565 Siege of Malta, Sword & Scimitar; Hearts of Stone, set in Greece during the Second World War; and Playing with Death, a contemporary thriller written with Lee Francis. He also wrote the novels Arena and Invader with T J Andrews.

Simon will be talking about his writing and his new book, A Death in Berlin, featuring CI Horst Schenke fighting crime against the backdrop of wartime Berlin.

Tickets: £6 with free glass of wine/juice – available from Southwold Library (tel: 01502 722519; web: www.ticketsource.co.uk/suffolklibraries).

Suffolk Libraries Day: Southwold Library Treasure Hunt

Saturday, 22nd March, 10am–1pm, 2–5pm

Our fun treasure hunt leads you on a circular walk around Southwold.

Solve the clues to uncover our hidden message.

£3 per hunt. First Prize: Adnams vouchers!

Completed hunts to be returned to Southwold Library by 5pm on Saturday, 22nd March.

Fun for all ages – a lolly for every child that finishes.

Buy from Southwold Library or online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/suffolklibraries.

Suffolk Libraries Day: Cake Stall

Saturday, 22nd March, 10am–1pm, 2–5pm @ Southwold Library

Wide range of homemade cakes and biscuits.

Suffolk Libraries Day: Quiz Night

Saturday, 22nd March, 7pm @ Cardinal Newman Hall (Old Sorting Office)

Teams of 4 – £3 per person.

Bring your own drinks and snacks. Raffle!

Book early to avoid disappointment, limited places.

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

Coding Club Volunteer Wanted @ Southwold Library

Could you help teach children how to code?

Equipment provided (we have laptops and BBC micro:bits) and coding sessions will fit around your availability. If you know about coding, then please get in touch (tel: 01502 722519; e-mail: charlotte.clark@suffolklibraries.co.uk).

Southwold Arts Centre and Southwold Library Present: Southwold Community Cinema

The Critic (2023) 15 – Wednesday, 26th March, 3pm

A powerful London theatre critic lures a struggling actress into a blackmail scheme that has deadly consequences. Starring Ian McKellen and Gemma Arteton.

Conclave (2024) 12A – Wednesday, 23rd April, 3pm

Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events, participating in the selection of a new Pope. Surrounded by powerful religious leaders in the halls of the Vatican, he soon uncovers a trail of deep secrets that could shake the very foundation of the Roman Catholic Church. Starring  Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow.

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

Kids, Come and Read to Ash the PAT Dog

Thursday, 13th March, 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, 7th March, 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, 14th and 28th March, 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, 13th March, 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 spring, we’re building: Wonderful Wildlife.

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, 27th March, 6.30pm @ Southwold Library

This month, we are reading: The Details by Ia Genberg.

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).