Reydon Community Quiz took place on 17th March, with 9 teams taking part and quizmaster Jim Archer leading the evening. A light-hearted evening ensued with six entertaining rounds which featured, among other things, tests of musical knowledge and our recall of ‘Thunderbirds’ !

Winners were ‘Three’s Company ‘with 126 points, ‘What! No Broadside?’ in second place with 123 points, followed by ‘What the Ecc?’ in third place with 120 points.

With proceeds from the quiz and the raffle, the total raised was £335. A good cause was chosen at random from suggestions made by the quizzers, and this months recipient is the Rural Coffee Caravan. This provides ‘coffee and kindness’ together with all sorts of advice and assistance to communities in the more isolated parts of the area (They will be in Sotterly on 6 April)

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 21^st April, and this one will be raising money for Friends of Southwold Library ( FOSL). 

The final quiz for this season will be 9th 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.

Is this consultation period long enough?

Reydon Community Quiz took place on 17 February with quiz master Brad taking charge. Quizzers enjoyed a wide range of rounds, some of which proved quite a challenge, but nonetheless very enjoyable!

Winners were ‘If Onlys ‘with 94 points, ‘Nirvana’ in second place with 118 points, followed by ‘Treacle Tarts’ in third place with 89 points.

With proceeds from the quiz and the raffle, the total raised was a generous £350. Reydon Community Quiz usually supports local charities and good causes, but it was requested by quizzers that this month we also make a donation for those affected by the terrible situation in Turkey and Syria.

Therefore funds raised by the January quiz have been split equally, with both £175 each sent to the Turkey & Syria Earthquake appeal via the DEC, and also to Southwold and Dunwich Lifeboat.

How wonderful for our community to be able support those both far and near who work to save lives. Our thoughts and appreciation are with you all, and those you help.

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 March. Dates for the remaining quizzes after that are 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.

Are you a baker, an artist, a photographer, a crafter, a sewer, a knitter, a gardener or a flower arranger?  Then why not enter the Reydon Show?  The show celebrates your talents big and small plus small cash prizes and various trophies to be won. 

The show takes place on the first Saturday of August each year so save the date for 2023 – Saturday 5th August. 

Entries have to be in on the Friday night or the Saturday morning and the exhibition opens at 2pm.  Also this year we have introduced some new children’s categories open to kids under 12 so if your child is a keen baker, gardener or arts and crafter they can enter too – and kids’ enter free!  So, plan your preserves, ready your radishes and corral your carnations ready for August.  Programme of categories available at Barbrooks, Reydon nearer the date.

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.

Beach-nesting birds of the East Anglian Coast

Paul Davies, from RSPB, came to the Blyth Valley and Southwold wildlife meeting in February to talk about the range of coastal birds in our region. The main focus was on the endangered Little Tern and Ringed Plover populations, which often share breeding areas.
There are several places where numbers of these birds are doing well, such as Winterton-on-Sea, in Norfolk. Here, abundant food stocks allow the colonies to thrive. Elsewhere, numbers are small, and help is needed if the birds are to survive. Kessingland has been home to little terns, and monitoring and encouragement there will hopefully see a more settled group. Predation is a major cause of nesting failure. Crows and gulls will take what they can. A major predator, the kestrel, can clear a colony in two days. Badgers and hedgehogs will take eggs, but these and all raptors are also protected species, so it is a question of how to discourage or distract them.

Beaches are popular places to walk, and so small areas are protected. Electric and pop-up fences help deter animals and people, and there are even night-time observers during the short but crucial egg and fledgling period when thermal imaging is used, and foxes are quietly encouraged to go elsewhere. On some sand bars, nests are raised onto boxes if a storm surge is predicted, and this has worked surprisingly well.

Paul emphasised the importance of the delicate balance between help and interference. All such activity requires the appropriate permissions, and is carefully monitored. Public information and engagement about the need for protected areas encourages interest from walkers and dog lovers. Paul stressed how essential volunteers and local community involvement are for the future of these colonies, which might otherwise decline.

The passion of those involved with this work was evident, and we left with a clearer understanding of the conservation issues at stake.

Our next meeting is at a different venue: Wenhaston Village Hall, IP 19 9EQ, on Thursday, March 9 th at 7.30pm. Admission is £4, refreshment included. Sam Hanks, the Wilder Landscapes Manager atthe Suffolk Wildlife Trust, will talk about Farming and Wildlife. All are welcome.
Contact us at swtblythvalley@gmail.com

Suffolk Libraries Day: Southwold Library Treasure Hunt

Saturday 11 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 5.00pm on Saturday 11th March

Fun for all ages – A lolly for every child that finishes

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

Suffolk Libraries Day: Cake Stall

Saturday 11 March 10am-1pm 2-5pm

@ Southwold Library

Wide range of homemade cakes & biscuits

Suffolk Libraries Day: Quiz Night

Saturday 11 March 7.00pm

Cardinal Newman Hall (Old Sorting Office)

Teams of 4 – £3 per person.

Bring your own drinks & snacks. Raffle!

Book early to avoid disappointment, limited places.

Contact Southwold Library, 01502 722519 southwold.library@suffolklibraries.co.uk

Face to Face Legal Matters Advice & Information: Being an Executor – the pros and cons

Monday 20 March 10.30am

@ Southwold Library

Local Solicitor Stuart Johnson, fully accredited with Solicitors for the Elderly, will advise on what an Executor of a will is and what it may involve if you are made one.

Free talk, no need to book

01502 722519 southwold.library@suffolklibraries.co.uk

Come Together Tuesdays @ Southwold Library

Every Tuesday 2-4pm

Free Social Afternoon for Adults

Complete the ongoing jigsaw, play a card or board game or bring along your knitting or other crafts.

Free hot drinks
 

Crochet Club

Wednesday 29 March 2.15-4pm

Last Wednesday of every month

£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

Blyth Poets “The isle is full of voices”

A poetry group meeting at Southwold Library

Friday 3 March 2.15-3.30pm

First Friday of every month

All welcome to read or just listen.

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

Refreshment break in The Canteen

Scrabble Club

Thursday 16 March:  Third Thursday of Every Month 2.15pm

All Equipment Supplied

Refreshment break in The Canteen

Lego Club!

Sundays 12.15-1.00pm

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

Kids, Come & Read to Ash the PAT Dog 

Wednesdays 4pm @ 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 for up to 15 minutes at a time plus enjoy a range of dog themed games, jigsaws, and crafts while you wait.

Free event, no booking required.

Southwold Library, Old Hospital Hub, Field Stile Road, Southwold IP18 6LD 01502 722519 southwold.library@suffolklibraries.co.uk

Southwold Library Reading Group

This month we are reading:

“Mothering Sunday” by Graham Swift

Thursday 30 March 6.30pm @ Southwold Library

Pick up a book at Southwold Library

Free event, no booking required.

01502 722519 southwold.library@suffolklibraries.co.uk

Baby Bounce & Tot Rock Southwold Library

Every Sunday & Tuesday 10.30-11.00am. 

Instruments, clapping, jogging & action rhymes.

For babies & toddlers of all ages.

From 4 May 2023 onwards, all voters are required to show photographic identification (photo ID) at polling stations before they are given a ballot paper.

This means at this year’s local elections, you will need photo ID in order to cast your ballot.

You are not required to provide photo ID for postal voting.

Anyone without the correct ID can apply for free ID. You will need to do so before 25 April, 2023.

A full list of accepted ID and more information about the new requirement, and details of how to apply for free ID.  

Save the date! Reydon Parish Council is holding a Coronation Big Picnic on Jubilee Green on Sunday 7 May, 12.30 – 4pm. 

All are invited and please bring your own food and drink.  There will be activities, entertainment and stalls. 

If you would like space for a stall (not commercial) please let us know.

Last week, it was the 70^th anniversary of the Great Flood of 1953, which saw widespread damage to towns and villages along our coast and claimed the lives of 307 people.

Coastal Partnership East has made a film to commemorate the anniversary, reflecting on both the Great Flood of 1953 as well as the East Coast tidal surge in 2013. The film also looks to the future of our coastline and the challenges ahead.

Come along to a Southwold Community Cinema event at Southwold Arts Centre where the film will be screened. The event takes place on Thursday 23 February at 2:30pm

This is a free event but please do book your seat via the link below: 

https://southwoldartscentre.co.uk/whats-on/southwold-community-cinema-a-surge-of-memories-made-by-the-coastal-partnership-east