Latest News…
Wickhambrook Flower Show 2018
It was a very hot day for our Flower Show this year on Saturday 14th July (one of the many very hot days we have been having this long hot Summer). We had wondered if the number of our entries would be down, not only because of the intensive heat but also the fact that we had had no measurable rain since early May. However, our fears were dispelled on the Wednesday evening prior to the Show when we had more entries than last year and also new people who were entering…
Talk on the Village Defibrillator
Perhaps you have observed the appearance of yellow boxes adorning the outside walls of village halls, schools, Post Offices, leisure centres or other public buildings over the past few months. One has attached itself to the Memorial Social Centre in Wickhambrook so the ladies of the W.I. decided to investigate this phenomenon further. To this end our guest at the July meeting was Martin Render from The Community Heartbeat Trust who let us in on the wonders of the yellow box…
Mental Health Services – Have your say!
People living in east and west Suffolk are being urged to have their say about local mental health services as part of a unique engagement opportunity. The NHS Ipswich & East Suffolk and NHS West Suffolk clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) want to transform the way mental health provision is delivered across the county. In order to do that, they first need to find out how effective the people who deliver and receive the current services think they are…
Wickhambrook is waking up!
While working on the refurbishment of Pump Cottage in Coltsfoot Green, local builder Nick Jolland discovered a painted board being used for paneling an understairs cupboard. It is painted, with some skill, with the words ‘Wickhambrook is waking up’..
W.I. Literary Lunch 2018
Those attending the annual 9th Literary lunch hosted by the ladies of the two Wickhambrook W.I. Reading Groups enjoyed a delicious buffet including some yummy home baked desserts in the company of author Rosy Thornton, author of Sandlands from East Suffolk…
W.I. Members Meeting 2018
The committee had a rest this month and several members organized and presented for the evening. After President for the night Deidre Smith had dealt with any business of the Institute, she along with Joyce Draycott, Angela Cross, Thelma Farrow, Wendy Mansfield, Jackie Merry and Veronica Ditchburn presented The House of Wickhambrook Wacky Designer Fashion Show…
Wickhambrook Carnival 2018
The ‘walking procession’ will leave Wickhambrook Primary Academy playground at 12.30 led by the Bury St Edmunds Sea Cadets Marching Band. This will take a short route through the village, approx 1.2 miles, and back to the MSC recreation ground. Those not wishing to walk the full route can join the procession at The Greyhound. Please come along and join in the fun…
Lackford Lakes visit
Twelve members and walking group friends spent an afternoon at Lackford Lakes Reserve in the company of Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Will Cranstoun. In February Will gave a talk at the WI meeting so this was a follow-up visit and was thoroughly enjoyed by all…
Visit to Landguard Fort, Felixstowe
Sixteen members and friends spent a beautiful day in the Felixstowe area, visiting Landguard Fort , the Nature Reserve and the town…
![Mystery Casualties [Solved]](https://wickhambrook.org/wp-content/uploads/History-Society-BFP-Mason-400x250.png)
Mystery Casualties [Solved]
Solved thanks to History Society member Tony Pringle… Does anyone have any local knowledge on this…
Parish Clerk’s Report for July/August 2018
Wickhambrook Parish Clerk Report for July/August 2018 including Biscuit Barrel Award, Annual Parish Meeting report from May, Annual Parish Council Meeting, Defibrillators, Skate Park and Litter Pick news, a Welcome Bench, Recent Planning Applications and next Parish Council meeting dates…
Wickhambrook Surgery Exhibition
During the week commencing 2nd July 2018 we, the Patient’s Group and Practice Staff of Wickhambrook Surgery, plan to have a small exhibition in the waiting room at the Surgery celebrating 70 years of the NHS…
Christian Aid 2018
Together we’re stronger than the storms. This year’s event was held as usual at Wickhambrook Methodist Church as a Sunday afternoon joint service at 3pm and was organised by Wickhambrook Churches Together.
Old Sweats in Wickhambrook
This photo is definitely a group from the WW2 Royal Observer Corps and the owner thinks it may be from the Wickhambrook area. Does anyone recognise these fine chaps?…
Flower Show Schedule 2018
You can download your free 2018 Flower Show Schedule. The schedule includes your entry sheet which you should complete and hand in on Wednesday 11th July 2018 at the W.I. Hall between 6.30pm and 8.30pm…
Country Life in the Time of Gainsborough, Constable and Austen
Our last meeting in the hall for this year was entitled Country Life in the Time of Gainsborough, Constable and Austen. By showing some well-known paintings and linking them to events in Jane Austen’s novels, Martin Roper gave us a fascinating look at the way art and literature are linked to history…
Wickhambrook Remembers
To mark the centenary of the Armistice, we have been asked by some residents of the village to hold an exhibition of memorabilia on Sunday 11th November 2018 in the WI Hall, which of course is also now 100 years old. It will coincide with the Remembrance Service which is held every year at the War memorial in the Cemetery at 11am. We would like to have memorabilia from anyone who would like to share their family’s stories. Do you have photos? Diaries? Medals? Trench Art?…
2018 Recipient of the Alf Hicks Biscuit Barrel Award
The recipient of the Biscuit Barrel in 2018 for services to Wickhambrook is Mr Roger Medley. The Parish Council voted overwhelmingly for Roger to receive the award…
Hello and welcome to Wickhambrook Tennis Club for 2018
With the warm weather finally showing its face Tennis can be back on the fitness agenda again…
2018 W.I. AGM & Resolutions
Another year enjoyed, another A.G.M. and the return of Dorothy Anderson as Wickhambrook President after thanking and congratulating Hilary Bradfield on her last three successful years at the helm of the Institute…
Plane Crash in Spring Wood
Did you know that in 1942, a German plane came down in Spring Wood, Genesis Green, near where the mast is now?…
2018 Annual Report from County Councillor Mary Evans
Thank you for inviting me to your annual parish meeting. It was an honour last May to be re-elected as the County Councillor for Clare. I hugely appreciate the trust and confidence you have placed in me and will do my utmost to live up to it. As you know, I always strive to be candid with you so you won’t be surprised when I start this annual report by talking about highways – and more specifically potholes…
Save the date Wickhambrook Carnival 14th July
Procession update, we would love to have a procession again this year if you are interested in participating in a procession please get in touch without entries we can’t make a procession. The Theme this year is BOOK CHARACTERS, its a walking procession so no need to find vehicles…
Wickhambrook walk including Baxters Green
This circular walk heads north of the village and makes use of the green lanes in that area. Total mileage is between 6 miles and 7 miles and will take around three hours at gentle pace. The circuit is best undertaken in the drier months. It is also enjoyable in the winter, just a bit more of a challenge. For reassurance take Explorer map 210 Newmarket & Haverhill with you…
Walk around Wickhambrook
This walk around Wickhambrook was first published in April 2005 and was the first of, what eventually became, many circular walks in the village and surrounding area. At reasonable pace this one takes around 3 hours and covers about 5 miles…
Wickhambrook Walk
This is the third of a series of local walks being prepared for the Discover Suffolk leaflet. The route sticks mainly to the village centre but includes some countryside stretches, which can be muddy in winter, and four short sections of road…
Parish Clerk’s Report for May/June 2018
Wickhambrook Parish Clerk Report for May/June 2018 including public access defibrillator update, cancelled litter pick, donation to School for play bark, refurbishment of skate park, vacancy for lay member, cemetery update, Annual Parish Meeting, Recent Planning Applications and next Parish Council meeting dates…
Major investment in town centre site is approved
A major investment in the town centre economy in Bury St Edmunds has been agreed by St Edmundsbury Borough Council. Councillors voted in favour of the £6.72 million investment to redevelop 17-18 Cornhill, the site of the former Post Office…
Bringing generations together for market celebration
A community project which will bring generations together, is calling for people to share their old photos and memorabilia of Bury St Edmunds market for a pop up museum next month…
History Society AGM followed by The History of the Town Crier
At the AGM, the present committee was elected to serve for a further year, and we were delighted to have a volunteer to join us. Thank you, John Norton. The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer reported on a successful year with excellent speakers and outings. Mike Wabe, the Town Crier of Watton was the speaker for the evening…
A Tribute to Derek Redhead, our Wickhambrook Borough Councillor from 1995 to 2015
Family and friends recently gathered on what was probably the wettest day of the year so far to say farewell to Derek Redhead, our Wickhambrook Borough Councillor from 1995 to 2015 who recently passed away at the age of 86…
Derek Redhead – a personal tribute
Derek was a stalwart of local government and gave me a great deal of help and support when I was first elected to Suffolk County Council in 1997…
Pottery at the W.I. with Geoffrey Kay
Hands on evenings are always popular and so it proved when potter Geoffrey Kay came to talk and demonstrate his skill with clay. He willingly admitted that he is addicted to making anything, using a variety of clays from around the world but especially from his own garden.
Councils secure additional temporary accommodation and further outreach support for vulnerable people
West Suffolk councils have secured the use of additional temporary accommodation and has taken on new outreach workers. The councils have invested to gain the use of a 12 bedroom hostel and flats owned by the Home Group in Bury St Edmunds…
News from Wickhambrook Carnival Committee
Well, once again we held another successful carnival day last year, enabling us to help out with village activities. We held the Children’s Christmas Disco in November, which was attended by 60 children, who were entertained by the brilliant DNA Kids, always a good job from them. The children all visited Santa in his grotto and each child received a present. This event is open to all children living in the village or attending Wickhambrook Primary Academy, aged 11 years and under…
Bygone Wickhambrook
Some time during 2017 we were contacted in relation to an article that was being written about Wickhambrook and as to whether it would be ok to include some of the wonderful photos from our website that have been donated by Wickhambrook Residents and their families. You may be interested to know that this article has now been published in the April 2018 edition of the Suffolk Norfolk Life…
Memories of WI Life by the late Ivy Haygreen
Wickhambrook WI years ago was rather different to what it is now. Mrs Helen Medcalf remembers when it was held on Wednesday afternoons . Of course, mothers were at home in the daytime, so that made sense…
New campaign encourages smokers to ‘Take it Outside’
A new campaign is raising awareness of the health and fire safety risks of smoking in the home. ‘Take it Outside’ highlights the health harms to family and friends of second hand smoke, and aims to reduce the devastating impact of house fires as a result of smoking. It is a joint campaign between Suffolk County Council Public Health, Trading Standards and Fire & Rescue Service…
The Premier Protestant Printer, John Dye and his connections to Little Bradley
If you visit Little Bradley church, I am sure you will be struck by the monument to John Daye, his wife Alice le Hunte and their thirteen children. But who was John Daye? Wendy Barnes has been researching the history of Little Bradley for thirty years and keeps discovering more, thanks to the internet…
The Suffolk Wildlife Trust
For the March meeting we were joined by Will Cranstoun, manager at Lackford Lakes for The Suffolk Wildlife Trust. He took us through the charities conversion of a commercial quarry site in the sixties to the 400 acres of man-made lakes, reed beds, meadows and breckland now providing pockets of many diverse habitats for wildlife today…
Stroke survivors club to launch new choir
Stroke survivors are being encouraged to join a new choir which is being launched with the support of St Edmundsbury Borough Council funding. The Second Chance Stroke Survivors Club was set up eight years ago to provide social and emotional support to stroke survivors in the Bury St Edmunds area…
East Anglian Almshouses
February saw the return of Sarah Doig, to talk about the history of almshouses. Beginning with the monks in the Middle Ages, there has been an obligation on Christians to look after the less fortunate, whether they are old, ill or disabled…
Parish Clerk’s Report for March/April 2018
Wickhambrook Parish Clerk Report for March/April 2018 including public access defibrillator, play area improvements, storm damage, Parish Councillor appointment, March litterpick, Annual Parish Meeting, Recent Planning Applications and next Parish Council meeting dates…
Reminiscing back in the 1970’s
One of my memories was the Carnival back around 1970, when you had the dodgems set up along with lots of other things, it was SO exciting!, and I stood on the edge of the “rink” with my friend Jeanette listening to “The world is just a great big onion”, at 13 years old it was like the world was our oyster! Any information would be lovely…
Gallery – Flower Show
See photos of our previous Flower Shows…
Cacti of Desertworld
Our first meeting of the New Year was held on Monday 22nd January. It seemed a long time since our December meeting. There were a lot of members present and Barry Gayton from Santon Downham had come to talk to us about “Cacti of Desertworld”…
Gallery – Carnival
Take a look at the photos of our previous Carnival Days…
Gallery – History Society
Take a look at the Local History Society – Wickhambrook Views photo gallery…
1st Wickhambrook Cubs need your help!
We would love to be able to bring Cubs back to the Village, so we need some leaders who are ready to lead the adventure…
Snapshots of Syria
There was an excellent turn-out for our first meeting of the year. One of our members, Antony Foreman, gave a talk entitled ‘Snapshots of Syria’ which was based on a trip he had taken there in the 1990s…