Tuesday Club   After 12 years of running the Tuesday Club, we closed our last meeting on March 28th with the promise of a reunion or two in months to come.

I am sorry to say that presently nobody has come forward prepared to take on the running of the club. There are still funds currently in our account and a number of members still wishing to come along. However, the club needs a leader, perhaps in the ‘younger retired bracket’. If you feel that you are able to give some time to this venture, then please get in contact with me and I can point you in the right direction.

I just close in thanking all of the members who have supported myself over these years, we have many very happy memories.

John Payne   830466

 

 

 

February 2023

We will be meeting together in the Village Hall this month on 7th and 21st  between 2 and 4pm. You are most welcome to join us. Any other events that will take place will be announced at these meetings.

As announced to the club members last month my wife and I will be standing down as leaders at the end of March. We have been running the club for the past 12 years and now feel that this is the right time to relinquish the role. Time flies. I originally agreed to lead for 6 months.

The club was formed following a request to the Village Hall Committee made by Vera and Sheila, both now confined to their respective homes. Over the years we have sadly lost a number of friends who have passed away, moved away to other parts of the country or gone into a nursing home. We certainly miss them all.

We currently have around 15 members and we really hope that the club will continue, perhaps in a different form.

John & Marion

 

November 2021

As we arrive at the last couple of months in the year, we look back and think just how quickly it has gone.

For some of our members it has been particularly difficult both physically and mentally with Covid, nasty falls and other medical conditions to cope with. The Tuesday club is here to try and brighten the week  and we enjoyed Gill Nicholls singing to us from the musicals and old films in October. Sadly our numbers were very much down compared to her last visit.

This month we can look forward to our annual cream tea. Once again we are taking over the Lavenham Blue Vintage Tea Rooms and Amanda will be closing the shop on the afternoon of 16th for us. The tea rooms were closed, together with other Lavenham premises, in early October for the making of a Netflix film ‘Coldharbour Lane’ and has been completely re-furbished. If you want a real treat, this is it.

Why not come along to the village hall on Tuesday afternoon and join in with us,

John

October 2021

Our vintage coach trip last month proved very popular and I am sorry that we could not accommodate all who would like to have joined our club members. Unlike the coaches of today the vintage coach can only carry half the number.

We try to vary our programme as much as possible in order to keep the interest up and our next special day is on October 19th when Gill Nicholls will be coming along to entertain us with her Music hall songs. Gill is a professional singer with a very high reputation.

 

You will be very welcome to join us at 2pm in the village hall when tea/coffee/biscuits will be provided during the interval. There will be a small charge for non members.

As a reminder, please do not forget to book your flu and Covid   booster jabs.

We all hope that we will be able to continue through the winter months free from any further lockdowns.

John Payne

 

September 2021

I am delighted to be able to report that the Tuesday club is up and running again and we already have had some enjoyable afternoons through August. As I prepare these notes we are making arrangements to hold our Annual BBQ and we have increased numbers attending this year. It has been good to welcome a number of new members to our group.

Plans have already been drawn up for the monthly ‘outings’ up to the end of this year and these include a trip in a 1947 Charabanc (see below for more details), a visit from a professional singer who dresses in a number of different costumes in an old thyme music hall performance, a trip to the Blue Tea Rooms in November and of course our Christmas meal to be arranged in December. There is much to look forward to.

If you are at a loose end on Tuesday afternoon’s, and you are interested in joining us, you will be most welcome at the Village Hall between 2pm and 4pm. With winter months now approaching, it is good to get out and meet up with other village folk. We would be delighted to see you.             John Payne

March 2020

It is always good to start my report with good news but this month I am thrilled to be able to start with two lots of good news.

Firstly we have been able to welcome two new members into our fold. Ken and Anne joined us at the end of January taking our membership to over the 20 mark again. We give them a very warm welcome.

Secondly we have been successful in applying for a grant to help us develop a very exciting and varied programme. The club, the membership, the programme and the organisation were all considered by the benefactors at the Suffolk Community Foundation and as a result our club has been awarded a grant of £1,500 by the Hopkins Charitable Fund.  To celebrate this, as I write, on February 25th we will be at the Blue Vintage Tea Rooms in Lavenham for a cream tea etc., This will be paid for from our own club funds.

On 3rd March Pip Wright, a well known Suffolk author, will be visiting us and giving an illustrated talk on the waterways of Suffolk.   Then later in the month we will be having a meal at The Swan Inn, Lawshall by kind permission of Laura and Lawrence.

Much to be looked forward to in these three occasions but from April we will start our regular monthly outings which are all covered by our grant. Our programme has now been finalised and takes us all the way through to December.

If you are under 60, I am sorry but you will have to wait a little longer before you can join us, but if you have topped that figure and I have hopefully whet your appetite, come along and join us on a Tuesday afternoon. We have a very varied programme, no two weeks are the same and we really are a very happy, welcoming bunch.  John  Payne

January 2020

Despite the wet weather during January we have managed to keep our numbers up, which has been very encouraging. However we could always do with more members so why not come along and give us a try. We spend very happy Tuesday afternoons together with a great group of youngsters!! and a very varied programme. We look forward to celebrating a 100th birthday this year which will be an amazing achievement. Never too old to join the Tuesday Club.

This years outings have all been sorted out and range from a visit to Stansted Mountfitchet Castle to Frinton on Sea and all places in between. A trip on the River Deben should also be a very enjoyable time. Our annual BBQ will take place again in August when we hope for some lovely warm sunshine.

We have again applied for a grant to help pay for these outings and the mini bus and hopefully by next month we will know the result. More plans can then be revealed.

We look forward to seeing you.  John Payne

October 2019

We are now moving into our winter programme.  On Oct 8th we will be joined by Steve Beedle for his last ‘gig’ with us before retiring.    On 29th we will be joining with Newton Green Fireside Club for the afternoon.  Steve is one of the guests so we should be in for a good time.

Looking forward to November, we are having a new venture on the last Tuesday which will remain a mystery until the day.  I can promise you all a really great afternoon      John Payne

 

August 2019

Despite holidays and illnesses our numbers are still holding up and we are having some very encouraging meetings.

Last month we had our coastal outing to Lowestoft. We stopped at the Three Willows Garden Centre, Flixton near Bungay for coffee and scones specially made for our group. We then spent some time around the garden centre chatting to the staff and making various purchases. Then it was on to Lowestoft in glorious sunshine to a meal at The Jolly Sailor and what a lovely meal it was.

Following the meal we had a couple of hours along the cliff top path and just sitting in the sun looking out to sea. The time quickly passed and after a detour to see the most Easterly point in England we travelled home in good spirits.

This month we will be having our annual garden party and BBQ. This is always a very enjoyable day with plenty to eat. If the weather is as kind to us as last year we will be very happy.

September sees us having a trip on the River Deben. As I write, full details are still to be finalised but I expect another great day

I will also be working out our winter programme and am always open to fresh ideas or guests.

We are always looking for new members from the village so why not come along and try meeting with us all. We are a very welcoming and friendly group.

John Payne

 

February 2019
We are maintaining our numbers despite the colder weather and a few colds amongst our membership.
Time certainly flies by as we get older and already we are beginning to look forward to Spring and the start of our monthly outings.

Our programme for February includes the visit of Gerry Baxter.  Gerry was the pearly King of Southwark in South London for a number of years and has a great sense of humour.  I am sure we are going to have a great afternoon as he speaks and interacts with us.

Why not come along to the Village Hall at 2pm on 5th February and join us for the afternoon, you will be  made most welcome and tea/coffee etc is provided.
John Payne

January 2019
What a great Christmas Party we had with Steve and Frank.  Thank you again to all those who contributed in any way to make it such an enjoyable afternoon. £100 was raised to
donate to their charity—St Nicholas Hospice

As I prepare this we look forward to our Christmas meal at The Swan and I have no doubt that this will also be a very successful and fun afternoon.
Now we look forward to another year, indeed they do come round so quickly now. We re-commence following the Christmas period on January 8th at 2pm in the Village Hall.
We have a very varied programme planned and all of our spring and summer outings have been arranged.  We are ready to go.
Additionally I have arranged for some visitors to come and talk with us.  For example on February 5th we will be entertaining the Pearly King of Southwark, Gerry Baxter, with his great brand of humour and interesting talk about the history of the Pearly Kings.  This is really one not to be missed.
So if you have thought about joining us, why not come along and sample one of our club afternoons, you will be made most welcome.
John Payne

December 2018
Firstly may I start by thanking the Suffolk Foundation who have granted our club £1,000 through the Suffolk Rural Fund for our services to the community.  This grant will go towards ensuring that our monthly outings next year will continue from April through to October.  In fact all of these have already been put together and an exciting programme is promised.
Our December programme is shortened by the Christmas and New Year celebrations.  We have our Christmas Party and sing song on 4th with our friends Steve and Frank in the village hall  and on 18th we will be having our Christmas meal at The Swan Inn.  If you would like to come along on 4th you will be most welcome.  I will be unavailable on the 11th but David and Dorothy have kindly offered to ‘hold the fort’ for me so that the club will meet at 2pm as usual in the village hall.
After our Christmas meal we will next meet at 2pm on Tuesday 8th January 2019 in the village hall.  If you would like to join in with us and perhaps take advantage of our days out please come along, you will be made most welcome.
It just remains for me to wish everyone an enjoyable Christmas period and a very happy New Year. John Payne

September 2018:
Once again I have to start my report on a note of sadness. Our dear member and friend, Iris, died during the first week in September. Iris had a remarkable Cockney sense of humour and she lit up the hall with her sharp comments and stories. She was loved by us all and will be greatly missed. We pass on our condolences to the family particularly to Vivienne and Doreen, her sisters, who remain members of our club.
‘The best outing that we have had’. this was the comment by a number of folk who came with us on our outing last month. We started with coffee in a Garden centre on route where a number bought various articles, including a pig!!! We then moved on to the Thatchers Needle in Diss for lunch and were very well cared there. Then the highlight a visit to the The Grange Musical Collection at Palgrave. What an amazing collection of barrel organs, and self playing musical instruments. The proprietor was happy to ensure that all of the instruments played for us and this made for a thrilling afternoon. Our visit finished with the playing of an organ used in the silent movies
of long ago. Fantastic.
Individuals can visit on Oct 7th: Nov 4th or Dec. 2nd between 12noon and 5pm. Telephone 01379 783350.
Our visit from Steve Beedle was also a very enjoyable afternoon with a sing song that many outside the village Hall heard. We were able to give £80 to Steve for St Nicholas Hospice. Well done everyone.
Finally as I write this we look forward to meeting a representative from the Guide Dogs for the Blind. I will report on this in November.
To finish our years outings we are having a Fish and Chip meal on the 24th in The Swan Inn where no doubt we will have another good day.
If you have found this interesting and do not come along on Tuesdays why not give us a try between 2pm and 4pm.
John Payne
May 2018   It is great to report that the Tuesday Club is  alive and well and flourishing.  What a lovely afternoon we had with Steven and Frank who entertained us with Country and Western music. Twenty four of us joined together and it was so good to see many of our number joining in with those lovely songs. Steven and Frank collect for St.Nicholas Hospice and thanks to the generosity of our members we were able to contribute £60 to the Hospice Funds.  Thank you to everyone who supplied cakes,

savouries etc for the afternoon and thank you to our ‘anonymous’ member who made a magnificent carrot cake which we were able to  auction for the Hospice.

Our monthly outings have begun and plans have been made through to October.  Thanks to all of those involved and to Julian who drives the mini bus for us.

A couple of our members still remain poorly following illness and we wish them a very speedy recovery and hope they will be able to re-join us soon.

Now that the better weather appears to have arrived and you start to

venture out, please remember that you are very welcome to join us on

Tuesday afternoon between 2pm and 4pm.

John

 

March/April 2018:

We continue to maintain good numbers on Tuesday afternoons

despite the very cold weather.  Unfortunately we had to cancel our meal in February at the Swan because of the snow which made it dangerous for some of our older members to get out.  However this has been re – booked and we look forward to meeting up at The Swan at the end of March.

Our committee has planned the monthly outings and these are due to start soon.  Thanks to those who worked them all out and to Julian who once again has offered to drive the mini bus.

We look forward to having Steve join us again for a sing song in April and other ‘guest’ visits are also in the pipeline.

As the weather improves it would be good to see some new members joining us, so why not come along and give us a try, you will find a very warm welcome.

John Payne

December 2017:

We are delighted to have welcomed some new members into our club over the past month and this is very encouraging.  Hopefully this trend will continue into next year. It has also been encouraging to welcome back  some members who have been very unwell and spent a period in hospital.  We hope sincerely that your improvement continues.

December is now upon us and our programme is a little different.  We will meet  on the 5th at 2pm  but then there are changes to our usual programme.  On the 12th we will be having our Christmas Party and we will start at 1pm with a Christmas Buffet.  We will be joined by our friends from Newton Green.  Entertainment will be provided by Steve and his group ‘The Three Pegs’.  The programme has now been completed and there will be something for everyone. It promises to be a really smashing afternoon.  There will also be a special Christmas raffle. You are welcome to join us if you are over  60 yrs age but please let me know in advance if you are coming.

This will be our last Tuesday meeting of the year but on Wednesday 20th we will be having our Christmas meal at The Swan where Laura will be our host.  We will also have the pleasure of music being provided by Steve once again.  This will be for members only That’s it for another year so it just remains for me to say have a lovely Christmas and a very happy New Year.

October 2017: 

We are looking forward to two afternoons of entertainment and educational information during October. On 3rd we are looking forward to another visit from Steve Beedle whose singing we so enjoy.  This time he will be bringing a friend with him, Frank, who is also a classical guitar player.  I am sure we are in for a real treat.

Then on 24th October we will be delighted to have Elizabeth Clarke with us with more information on her visit to Papua New Guinea.  We all so enjoyed her first talk and are really looking forward to this.

If you want to join us please come along at 2pm on either of these Tuesdays, you will find a very warm welcome.

Plans have also been completed for our Christmas Party on 12th December and our Christmas meal on 20th December.  Again you are welcome to join us, more details next month.

Some of our members have been unwell during September so we wish them a very speedy recovery. John

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On Tuesday November 14th we are privileged to have a short performance by Holly Delefortrie, doing her one woman show, ‘ I’ll be your baby tonight….?’   It’s a semi improvised clowning piece where the audience and the performer date!

We have a buffet lunch at 1pm,  with  her half hour show to follow. Holly has just received her BA (Honours) in European Theatre Arts. She has performed this show at her college in Sidcup and recently in Paris. Please come & join us & help make her public debut a success.

There will be a contribution for lunch & the performance.  Please let us know for catering numbers. For more info contact Julian on 01284 830544 or John on  01284 830466    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

August 2017:    We had a very enjoyable afternoon at the beginning of August when we visited the Fireside Club at Newton Green.  We had a really lovely buffet lunch which had been provided by the local pub.  After lunch we were entertained and all learnt how to play the tin washing board (Yes we had one each) and various other amusing instruments.  Great fun and many thanks to the new friends we made.

Our garden party and buffet was unfortunately rained off in one of the wettest August month’s that I can remember for a long time.  Perhaps Malcolm Edgar will prove me wrong on the weather page.  However, alternative arrangements were made and we were still able to cook all of the food on the BBQ.  A very successful afternoon with entertainment from our friend.

Steve Beedle, bringing back many memories of songs from the 60’s.  It was poignant that he sang some of Glenn Campbell’s songs as we sadly learnt that evening of his death.  Glenn had a truly wonderful singing voice.

Our September outing is to the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum and we will be going to a local inn following the visit for a carvery.  We will be nearby as John & Marion complete their parachute jump mentioned on another page. Look to the sky.

Our Winter programme has now been completed and there is a great deal to look forward to, so, once again, we meet in the village hall between 2pm and 4pm each Tuesday.

You are most welcome to come along and join with us

John & Marion

July 2017: TUESDAY CLUB

‘It is so lovely to get out of the house and into the fresh air’ a comment made to me as we stood at the entrance of Walton

Pier on a beautiful summers day.  It was our monthly outing and a breeze blew off the gently rolling sea making the coast temperature just right.  After a couple of hours enjoyed on the front we made our way to the nearby yacht club for a meal and what a lovely meal we had.  That was our July treat.

So to August and on the 1st we will be joining with our friends at the Newton Green Fireside Club for a buffet lunch and entertainment.  We will be leaving the village hall at 11.45am by mini bus. It’s so good to meet with friends from other villages.

On 8th August we will be having our annual garden party and BBQ.  Hopefully the weather will be kind and we will be able to enjoy the food and plethora of desserts.  It will also be good to have Steve Beedle along to sing for us during the afternoon.

We will continue to meet for the rest of the month in the village hall on Tuesdays between 2pm and 4pm so if our varied programme tempts you please come along and join us.                              John Payne

 

 

January 2017   Tuesday Club

Last year, myself and a number of members were approached by villagers who stated that they would love to join our club.  Where are you?  We have recently had a couple of new members who are pleased that they have joined us so how about making the effort  to join us in this New Year.

We will recommence our activities following our Christmas and New Year break on Tuesday 10th January at 2pm in the Village Hall.

Last year we had a number of very enjoyable days out Bressingham: Southwold: The Cheese Farm:  Maldon Military Museum: Goat Farm: Langham Glass to name a few.  Our Garden Party and BBQ was a huge success with 22 gathered in my back garden in beautiful sunshine.  What a happy  day that was, didn’t we feed well??  Thanks to Julian for driving the mini bus on these outings.

In addition to our outings we had a number of entertainment days through the year with  professional entertainers joining us.  Each day accompanied by a lovely buffet.

We will soon complete the programme of outings for this year.  Here I must add that the outings are paid for from a  grant of £1,000 that we have received from Suffolk Foundation’s Suffolk Fund.  This fund was set up to help groups like ours to promote community relations in villages in Suffolk.  We clearly met the criteria and satisfied the grants board with our application.

So 2p.m. Tuesday 10th January.  We look forward to meeting you all, old members and new  alike    (Providing we do not have snow on the ground, that is!!!!).  If you need a lift please let me know.

John Payne

 

 

September 2016

We continue to attract good numbers each week even though some of our members have been on holiday. At the end of July we visited a Cheese farm in Suffolk and were treated to a very interesting tour of the farm, all of the animals, the cheese parlour with a very enthusiastic farmer.  He and his wife had built the farm up from scratch a few years ago after he was made redundant. We were able to sample and purchase some cheeses, really excellent, and taste fresh milk that was completely untainted by modern methods.  How good milk can taste when it is cold and fresh.  The home-made ice cream was pretty good as well!!!

During August we had our annual garden party and BBQ in Bury Road and this was well attended and a good time was had by all.  Again we were fortunate and had lovely warm weather.

As I write this we are about to embark on another outing to Newmarket Stud with another full mini bus.

We have other trips arranged for the rest of the year so if you find that I have whetted your appetite why not come along and join us one Tuesday afternoon.

John Payne