See, also, Neighbour's Events at Occold, Debenham, Pettaugh, Redlingfield, Thornham and Thorndon.
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All in the Village Hall unless otherwise stated.
December 2024Tuesday 3rd Hilltop Women’s Group Christmas meal 7pm Stoke Ash Wednesday 11th Christmas Lunch Club 12 for 12.30 pm Advance Bookings Only Wednesday 11th Country Dance Club – festive 7pm Thursday 12th Mobile Library 2 stops @ 9.50 & 10.10am Friday 13th Essex & Suffolk Water Village Hall Car Park 10-1pm Saturday 14th Crafternoon 2-4pm Saturday 14th Pub Night + ‘Strictly’ Final Tuesday 17th Village Afternoon Tea 2-4pm Saturday 21st Carol Service 4pm St Andrew’s Church Saturday 28th Plum Pudding Walk starts 11am
January 2025
Wednesday 8th Lunch Club 12 for 12.30pm Advance Bookings Only Wednesday 8th Country Dance Club 7pm Thursday 9th Mobile Library 2 stops @ 9.50 and 10.10am Saturday 11th Crafternoon 2-4pm Monday 13th Parish Council 7.30 pm All Welcome Tuesday 14th Hilltop Women’s Group Film Night 7pm Wednesday 22nd Steve Ruthen “The Greene Family (of Greene King Fame)" 7.45
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Halloween Pub NightIt was great to see so many of you at the Halloween Pub Night and our huge thanks go to Martina and her family and friends who helped to make this event the fun success it was. A group of us enjoyed watching the “Halloween Strictly” on our new large TV and the fun, games and Karaoke were enjoyed by all ages throughout the evening. Thanks to Kevin Knights for manning the bar. A profit of £150 towards village hall funds was made that night.
Village Afternoon TeaOur Christmas Afternoon tea will be on Tuesday 17th December from 2pm to 4pm. All are invited, dogs included, and plenty of sandwiches, cakes and mince pies will be consumed along with bottomless tea and coffee. A Christmas quiz and the usual games and lively chat will all be on offer. Come and join us!
November Quiz NightAt the time of writing, we are in preparation for this event and, by the time you read this, it will have happened and we will be able to report on it next month.
December Pub NightOn 14th December we will be holding another Pub Night. This falls on the night of the Final of “Strictly Come Dancing” which we will be showing on our big TV . Watch the media channels to find out the start time. Come to watch, dress in Glad Rags is optional. If “Strictly” is not your thing then just come along for a drink and enjoy the conversation.
Plum Pudding WalkOn 28th December you are invited to gather in the hall at 11am for a glass of mulled wine or some juice. On collecting a map, you can enjoy a breath of fresh air on our guided walk around the local lanes and tracks. After the walk join us for a bowl of soup with a bread roll, several varieties available to suit all tastes. If you don’t wish to join the walk, then please come and join us for a soup lunch. Cost £4.50.
Essex and Suffolk WaterThe Essex and Suffolk Water Mobile Engagement Team will be parked in the Village Hall Car Park from 10am to 1pm on Friday, 13th December 2024. Please come along - they are keen to give out information and answer any concerns. In 2025 the first event run by the Village Hall Committee will be the Village Afternoon Tea on 25th February. There will be several of the usual activities in the Hall in January such as Pilates and Yoga.
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THE WICKHAM SKEITH COUNTRY DANCE CLUB
We all met up again for our second dance meeting on Wednesday 13th November. We had three new people who had not been before, so although we had slightly fewer than the October meeting, we still had enough to be able to do a good few dances. We revisited a couple of dances we did last month and worked on the ‘technique’ for the more advanced moves! There was a lot of laughter and everyone enjoyed themselves. We also discussed what direction I would like the ‘club’ to go and how the funds are being used.
We all agreed that we would like to meet up again in December and so we are going to make it a more festive meeting. The refreshments will hopefully reflect this!
I have further news about funding. Back in October I saw a post on FB by the English Folk Dance & Song Society for applications for a mini grant of up to £500. The mini grants were to help promote country dancing in the community by bringing more people to dancing. I filled out the application on behalf of the club explaining my ‘mission’ of bringing traditional music and dance to my local communities. I had to say what I would spend the money on. Our biggest expense would be a PA (speakers, amps and mikes) for the musical instruments, the recorded music and of course the caller. This will enable us, as we get bigger, to be able to put on our own ceilidhs, hire bands and even get another caller in etc. I am very pleased to say my application was accepted and we have been awarded the mini grant to pay for the PA! This will be a big boost to the club as it would have taken a long time to pay back out of left over funds for a PA. Having said that it does not cover the full cost of a new one, although you can get very good second-hand ones but things like mike and speaker stands will be an extra expense. But it is a huge help towards it.
If you want to find out more about us, please find us on Facebook under the name of Wickham Skeith Country Dance Club. Watch out for us in Next Door too. We would love to hear from you! You can also find me on WhatsApp or text,
We meet every 2nd Wednesday of the month
December Festive Dance - 11th December
January New Year Dance - 8th January 2025
Whatever your art or craft bring along your current project. Share skills, ideas, tips and techniques. Inspire and be inspired in the company of other creative people.
If you have an ‘arty’ or ‘crafty’ friend then bring them too.
Next Crafternoons on Saturday 14th December & 11th January 2025 2-4pm
A WhatsApp group has been set up to share wildlife sightings.
The caterpillar is that of the Grey Dagger Moth – a common moth in England -named from its dagger like markings. The caterpillar has red markings and a black ‘hump’ on its back close to the head. It feeds on blackthorn, hawthorn, apple and birch.
We look forward to seeing you there.
The Suffolk Mobile Library vanThe Suffolk Mobile Library van stops in the lay-by outside the chalet bungalows, from 9.50 to 10.05am. Then outside Haymead House in The Street from 10.10 to 10.25. Next visits: 12th December 2024 & 9th January 2025. Why not join the Library for books, CDs ad DVDs. Books on mobile libraries can be borrowed for 8 weeks. It is easy to sign up – just pop into the van on its next visit.
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As we do our Christmas shopping this year, spare a thought for those less fortunate than us.
Fundraising for St Andrew’s ChurchChristmas pudding mixtureFollowing the Stir-up on Saturday there is some beautiful pudding mix available. It costs £4.50 per lb and will need to be cooked. Phone Margaret if you would like to order some.
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Every Wednesday from 5-6pm, Francesca offers physiotherapist-led Pilates at the village hall.
Pilates is an excellent form of low-impact exercise, that helps to strengthen not only the core, but the whole body and mind, too.
Suitable for mixed abilities; the only necessity is that you can comfortably get on/off the floor.
For queries or booking details, please contact Francesca: francescadavey@outlook.com
Wickham Skeith Oil Syndicate
The next order deadline is 30 November, after which it will be 31 January 2025. If you need any oil, please email jerrybassett@icloud.com or, if you’ve no access to email, call 07918 028621
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The SID in The Street was recently vandalised. It is working again. Parish Council points out that the SID does not record registration numbers so vandalising this advisory device achieves nothing.
I would like to thank all of you who supported this year’s Poppy Appeal for the Mendlesham District.
The annual Poppy appeal is when we remember those in our armed forces, past and present, who gave so much for us all and a time to raise invaluable funds for this worthy charity to help those in need.
This fantastic amount is due to the wonderful efforts of a terrific group of collectors who give up their time to help with the appeal, the support of local businesses who are kindly happy to have poppy trays at their premises and to all of you who gave so generously to the Poppy Appeal.
Thank you to you all.
Mendlesham £1379.37 Mendlesham Green £217.05 Wetheringsett £138.10 Brockford £117.39 Thwaite £208.74 Wickham Skeith £846.09
The district raised the grand sum of £2932.44
Jacquie Nash. Poppy Appeal Organiser
A bus service, VC001, runs 3 x week to Stowmarket and villages on the way [Mon, Weds & Fri @ 9.52am]. It is operated by Stowmarket Minibus & Coach Hire [01449 614271]. The minibus (white and labelled on windscreen 'VC001') comes to the village green by the post box. People wishing to travel should hail it. Apparently, no-one usually gets on in Wickham Skeith so the driver is not expecting to pick up! The driver is not supposed to arrive too early in case people miss it, so be patient if he is very slightly later! Timings were pretty accurate overall. It is a sixteen-seater bus and will arrive from the direction of Finningham, heading in the direction of Mendlesham.
To Stowmarket the cost is £3.70 return or £2.00 single and paid by 'cashless' card transaction or cash. To catch the bus back from Stowmarket, you need to wait at the bus stop opposite Stowmarket railway station, on the bend near the level crossing. There are other pick-up points and the driver was quite accommodating to the needs of individual passengers.
There is enough time to have a good potter around the town and perhaps a cafe stop too, before the return journey. The bus also stops at Mendlesham, Mendlesham Green and The Crown, so could be useful for someone who wants to meet up with a friend but not able to drive.
Since the bus starts at Gislingham and goes to Finningham, then to us, you could do the journey in the other direction. This could be useful for anyone wishing to bus out and walk back. No dogs allowed on board due to limited space, however.
Passengers were a friendly crowd; there was one conversation between all - and you get to find out all the local news! Worth supporting.
A bus service, VC1, runs 3 x week from the village to Stowmarket and villages on the way. It is operated by Stowmarket Minibus & Coach Hire. It departs from the post-box on the Green at 9.52am on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, arriving Stowmarket Crown 10.12 & railway station at 10.22. Return journey leaves from near Stowmarket Railway Station at 13.04 arriving in the village at 13.34.
If wishing to travel please check details as your Editor has found it difficult to get hold of information. Company Phone No. 01449 711 117. Best link here:
https://www.suffolkonboard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-09-02-Stowmarket-MCH-VC001.pdf
59 ClubRecent winning numbers: Oct – 13; Nov – 34, 18, 41, 56. The 59 Club is a fun way to support your Village Hall. There are now 5 numbers available – if you are interested, please contact me for further information. Members pay £1 per week in advance, preferably by annual or quarterly standing order. They are allocated a number & if that number is drawn as the bonus ball in the National Lottery Saturday draw, they win £30.
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Village DefibrillatorAs villagers will be aware our defibrillator was used over the Easter weekend. This sad event has highlighted the importance of this piece of equipment to the village. So, I thought I would remind people about the device.
Defibrillator GuardianI am the Guardian of the defibrillator and as such am responsible for the upkeep of the device and ensuring that it is ready for use. Please contact me if there any problems regarding the defibrillator or if you have any questions. My contact details are: Julie Keable, Hawthorn Cottage, The Street, Wickham Skeith. Tel. 01449 766771 or 07724577383
My contact details will now be in the village Newsletter every month.
Location of DefibrillatorThe cabinet containing the defibrillator is on the external wall of the village hall (next to the car park and emergency exit).
In the event of an emergency - DIAL 999
They will ask you for the cabinet number – 2336 and Postcode – IP23 8LX
These numbers are also on the outside of the defibrillator cabinet. The 999 service will then give you the access code to allow you to open the cabinet. The defibrillator is portable and so can be taken to wherever it is needed.
999 will talk you through how to use the device and, once switched on, the device will also give you verbal and visual instructions.
You do not need training to use the device and once the pads are attached it will tell you when to shock and if NOT to shock.
The defibrillator cabinet also contains a defibrillator responder’s kit, which has cleansing wipes, tissues, disposable gloves, a razor, scissors for cutting clothing and a res-Cue mask if it is needed for CPR.
AFTER USE Please let me know the defibrillator has been used and return it to me. If I am not in leave me a message and, if possible, give the defibrillator to another member of the Parish Council.
DO NOT let the emergency services take the defibrillator with them. I have spare pads and can get the device fully working again. Thank you. Julie Keable
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