We rocked and rolled with Elvis (aka Andy Otley) at our January Chinwag and then waltzed into February by welcoming back Alan to entertain us with a fabulous assortment of songs. A fun filled afternoon was enjoyed by everyone with Chinwaggers joining in and singing along. Jigsaw puzzles and books were on hand for Chinwaggers to take home and the Stowmarket Foodbank table was well supported as usual, with donations of food and household items. Like all community groups, a lot of work goes on behind the scenes and our group is no exception. We are very lucky to have an amazing team of volunteers who give up their time throughout the month. They have been busy thinking about our upcoming meetings and are pleased to share the following with you.
Wednesday 1 March: We will be having a caring and sharing afternoon. Sometimes we have a question or a query and don’t know who to ask. We will be joined by local organisations including Suffolk Fire Service, Gudgeons Prentice Solicitors, Suffolk Wellbeing, Citizens Advice Stowmarket and Communities Together East Anglia. They will be on hand to talk about the services and support they offer. (Who can remember the last time their smoke alarm was checked?).
April: Due to an art exhibition at the Community Centre, our monthly Chinwag will be moved to the second Wednesday of the month and will take place on the 12 April. As this is Easter week we are planning table quizzes and bingo with lots of chocolate prizes.
Wednesday 3 May: The Singing Sisters (aka Jane and Julie) will be providing the entertainment to start off the King’s Coronation Weekend. Also in May (Friday 19 May) we are organising a day out to the “Hut” at Felixstowe for “Tea by the Sea” and a Fish and Chip lunch. The Hut provides visitors with a unique venue to enjoy the seaside as it is located on the seafront and can be used as a base for a stroll along the promenade, a walk into Felixstowe Town or a paddle in the sea. We have limited numbers for this trip and have already received lots of interest.
Wednesday 7 June: We will be joined by Charlie Haylock who will be giving a talk about all things Suffolk to celebrate “Suffolk Day” which actually takes place on 21 June. Charlie was the voice coach to actor Ralph Fiennes when he appeared in the film “The Dig” about the discovery of the Sutton Hoo treasures.
The support of local funders and the generosity of our Chinwaggers are integral to the success of the Needham Market Community Chinwag. We would therefore like to thank Mike Norris and Steve Phillips of Mid Suffolk District Council, the Geoffrey Burton Charitable Trust and one of our regular chinwaggers who kindly donated a generous sum of money. We are also very fortunate to receive monthly support from Andrew Bingham Independent Funeral Services and the Chinwaggers who make regular donations at our meetings.
We look forward to seeing you and new faces are always welcome. We meet on the first Wednesday of the month, from 2-4pm at Needham Market Community Centre. If you have a family member, neighbour or friend who is aged 60 or over and would like to come along, they would be very welcome. No booking is required.
The Chinwag team can be contacted as follows:
Call: 07944 688 799
Email: needhammarketchinwag@gmail.com
Facebook: Needham Market Community Chinwag
Instagram: NM chinwag