Category: News

Defibrillator

We are pleased to announce that the Village now has a Public Defibrillator: This is in the telephone box outside Kiosk Cottage (near the Church). Our thanks go to The Parish Council, Village Hall Committee and Metcalf General fund for their donations. Thanks also to the Community Council for providing the ongoing financial annual support.

If you need to use the defibrillator follow the instructions in the Phone Box (Dial 999 and ask for the Ambulance service, who will then talk you through what you need to do, and give you the access code).

Fibre (FTTP) Update

I have been asked by Openreach that four people have not confirmed their DCMS Vouchers in the original scheme. They can’t provide me with the Emails (Data Protection), but asked me to contact those who signed up to remind you: Please do reply to the DCMS Email (whether you have moved house or not) so our subsidy is preserved. You will have been sent an Email from me.

As an update, you may have noticed that all the Openreach work in the Village. As well as the scheme you took part in (from A140 end of the village to Wingfield), there is an extension down East End Lane, and Openreach are also providing service along The Street to Stonham Barns and Crowfield road at their own expense. We provided the kick start to the whole process: Thanks to you all for this!

You’ll also like to know that it will only be a few weeks now before we get service. I’ll post on the Facebook pages and this web site when ordering should be possible.

Charles Brookson

Fibre update

Fibre update: Openreach have just informed me that they now have the funding completed, and that the central part of Stonham Aspal (78 houses) will have direct fibre (for free) to each house within the year. I am still awaiting the costs on covering the rest of the Village. East End lane is subject to funding by Suffolk County, and I am trying to get further information on this as well. If you are in Mill Green it is worth checking if you have it already, as much of that area does have Fibre now.

Saturday 13th March Notes from the Cart Track

Saturday 13th March Notes from the Cart Track

The recent spell of dry, calmer weather has allowed us to make a start on some of the spring land work.  With quite a heavy workload ahead and some fairly soggy soil to deal with, it is a relief to be able to get going.  The gales, hail and rain have stopped us again but the promise of more settled weather, to celebrate St. Patrick next week, gives cause for optimism.

We managed to spray the cover crops with glyphosate to start the decaying process on 23rd February.  We are advised to leave these fields for 5 weeks before drilling into the untouched soils to reduce the quantity of plant material the drill has to cut through and also to apply a modest dose of liquid nitrogen and sulphur fertiliser to get the barley growing as quickly as possible.  We have dug some trial patches with a spade to check on the state of the soil these cover crops have achieved and we are fairly optimistic.  The thick growth of rye, common vetch and phacelia has left the soil very friable  with no solid clods near the surface and a multitude of worms and roots in the top 30cm.  the soil is quite moist but should dry with warmer dry weather as the green material dries off.  We have fitted a different coulter arrangement to the Claydon Drill which has discs to cut through the plant material and sprung tines to sow the seed.  A small amount of frustration occurred over this.  Defra are keen to promote direct drilling and our use of cover and catching cropping is in their view desirable.  This system of crop establishment is “greener” than the more traditional system of ploughing, power harrow and drill.  Grants are available for the purchase of new machinery to achieve this but not for retro fitting direct drilling coulters to existing machines.  So, if we invested £50,000 in a new version of our drill, we would get a sizable grant but spending £9000 on a conversion we get nothing!!

All the rape and wheat have had their first application of Nitrogen and Sulphur.  Sam was very concerned at the muddy state of the tramlines through the crops, but the majority of the fields are bearable, and I suspect tramlines will remain muddy for quite a while this year.

We installed our new security gate last week and we are now thinking of becoming Broughton Scrubs!  We have left a good wide pathway round the side for pushchairs, dogs, bicycles and walkers and would stress that footpath users are very welcome as before.  The gate will be open for school parking at the beginning and end of the school day.  Anyone that has been in the habit of leaving the car while they run or walk the dog may need one of us to let them out.  It is unfortunate that criminal behaviour by the few impacts on all our lives in so many ways.

David Tydeman

Mickfield Evangelical Church March 2021





Rich Tearle (Pastor) Tel: 710101 (Church Office)  mickfieldec@gmail.com or rich.tearle.mec@gmail.com
                                                                                                               
For latest service info/times please see the website.
 
But did it REALLY happen???
  
This is now our second Easter under the impact of Covid-19. Easter is a crucial celebration for Christians. We focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus. We believe Jesus rose from the dead. A shocking claim for sure, and one that we don’t just accept blindly with no reason. Many people have examined the evidence for the resurrection and have been convinced.
 
Here are the 6 E’s of evidence for Jesus’ resurrection:
 
Existence. Jesus of Nazareth was a real human being. If you’d been there you could have met him! The historical evidence is vast. Historians of all beliefs are convinced by it. We have references to Jesus in the Roman authors: Pliny the Younger, Suetonius and Tacitus. We have the Jewish historian Josephus and the Greek author Lucian of Samosata. We also have early Christian references in Papias, Ignatius and Clement. And on top of that we have the 4 early gospel accounts of Jesus life. Each one is built on a ton of actual eyewitness testimony.
 
Execution. Jesus was definitely dead on the cross! Sometimes people claim he didn’t actually die, and therefore didn’t rise. This is known as the ‘swoon’ theory. But the brutality of Jesus’ treatment, the expert Roman execution, and the medical evidence backed up by modern science, show that he really was dead. The vicious scourging prior to his crucifixion was enough to kill someone.
 
Empty Tomb. Leaders of all kinds die, and leave a tomb or grave. But Jesus left behind an empty tomb. His body wasn’t stolen, as some claim, because it couldn’t have been. His body was placed in a marked, sealed and double guarded tomb. And even if the disciples had been able to steal the body, why would they be willingly martyred for something they knew was a lie? The most plausible explanation for the empty tomb is the resurrection of Jesus.
 
Eyewitnesses. When I was at college studying A-level History, the class know-it-all was going on and on about a miner’s strike back in the 1970s. They told us all the details! The tutor waited…and waited. And then finally he said, in his gentle and quiet voice: ‘I know…I was there’. He’d been there. He’d been involved. He was an eyewitness.
There were hundreds of eye-witnesses who met the risen Jesus. Sometimes one or two or a small group. At least once the risen Jesus met a group of more than 500 people. There is no such thing as ‘mass-hallucination’. It doesn’t happen! Many of these people we’re hard-nosed sceptics. They weren’t easily-led. They weren’t stupid. But they were convinced. And many willingly gave up their lives preaching the message that Jesus died and rose again.
 
Example of Paul. Saul was a religious zealot on a mission to arrest Christians. He hated them. But fast forward…Take a look at his life years later: he’s one of the main early Christian leaders, he’s a church-planter, a Christian author, a pastor-theologian, a defender of the faith. He’s convinced. And he’s changed his name to Paul! What on earth could cause such a dramatic transformation? Simply this: He met the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus.
 
Experience of many. Sensible, educated, reasonable people have become convinced by the evidence. One such man is called Lee Strobel. He was born in 1952 in America. Lee got a Law degree from Yale Law School and became an investigative journalist. And he was a firm atheist. But when his wife became a Christian, annoyed, he decided to investigate Jesus and try to disprove her beliefs. He read many books. He interviewed experts exploring history and archaeology and ancient literature. He tested out the resurrection of Jesus. And he became convinced. He became a Christian. As Lee put it: he was ‘ambushed by the evidence’.
 
You can read more in Lee’s book: The Case for Christ.
If Jesus rose from the dead, then there is life beyond the grave. And that, is the most important news you’ll ever hear…
 
Rich T

Friends of Debenham Library

See www.suffolklibraries.co.uk/coronavirus for the latest details

Libraries are now open again for “Select and Collect” service and reservations so that people can request and pick up items from their library.

There will be no rush to bring items back as loan periods will again be extended and charges suspended. Browsing inside libraries and the use of computers will remain unavailable for the time being. The mobile library services and home library service will also remain suspended for now.

As always our plans are dependent on any changes in infection rates or government guidance.

At Debenham the garden outside the library has been receiving attention, and we have planted primulas in the letters SRH cut in the grass beside the drive. We hope they will still be there when you visit, despite the snow and cold!

For free audiobooks, ebooks, films, newspapers/magazines and other online services, use your library card at  www.suffolklibraries.co.uk. There are also podcasts and videos available on the YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/SuffolkLibraries.

  • Book ahead to use a computer: phone or email the library; or just turn up. Printing, faxing and photocopying are also available.
  •   We have reintroduced charges for overdue items. This will only apply to items borrowed on or after Monday 5 October which are due back on 2 November onwards. Library loan periods will remain at four weeks.
  •   We have also reintroduced charges for DVDs.

School corner, Debenham IP14 6PL (next to the Primary School). Opening hours:

Tuesday:     0930 am – 1300 pm        Wednesday : 1500  – 1930 pm

Saturday:     0900 am – 1300 pm        Sunday:         1200 – 1600 pm

Tel: 01728 861940      www.suffolklibraries.co.uk/visit/locations-and-times/debenham-library
Facebook: @DebenhamLibraryFriends          Email: debenham.library@suffolklibraries.co.uk

Notes from The Cart Track February 13th 2021

What a selection of weather conditions we have had over the last three weeks, floods, gales, brilliant sun, fog and snowfall, which has turned the Suffolk Lowlands into something much more exotic. I am very glad that after four decades of being tied to pigs’ tails I do not have to worry about thawing out water pipes and pig drinkers each morning. I am not looking forward to the result of 15 cm of snow melting onto already saturated land but perhaps we will get some drying winds to sort it all out.

We are part of Suffolk highways conscripted snow clearance contractors who get called upon to clear snow drifts on the minor roads in the area. We use our telescopic loader and JCB digger to assist doing A roads first, B roads second and the smaller roads last. People watching from the cab is a fascinating experience. Adverse weather really does bring out the best and worse in drivers. Clearing single track roads which are impassable is the best experience because nothing can get past so progress can be rapid. A roads which are partially blocked can be exciting because it is legal to travel at 60mph even when it is icy! B roads on which one track has been cleared are the worst because drivers coming up behind
Can see a way through and expect the snow clearing vehicle to get out of their way instantly. Some of my fellow contractors employed a crafty method where they created a snow drift behind and in front of the genuine one to allow them to work without interruption for a while. Probably not officially allowed but very effective and much easier on the nerves. I begin to have sympathy with the road closure signs which annoy us all so much! There is an expectation that road users should be able to go wherever they want at any hour of the day or night and in any weather conditions. I suppose that swearing at a digger driver who is clearing a snow drift on the road has to be expected in this world of instant gratification.

This years snow clearance has been the best organised ever in my experience. We were put on standby 48 hours ahead of the snow and given a mobile number to ring if conditions got bad. We were not allowed out in the dark but were called at 6.30am and told which roads we were responsible for and given a priority list. At the end of each day we were contacted for a progress report and hours worked. The highways get a lot of stick over potholes, verges and road surfacing, but I cannot fault the way they dealt with the snow.

Did any of you do the RSPB garden bird watch at the end of January? We had 15 species this year with Jay, great spotted woodpecker and song thrush being the favourites. The first morning’s snow brought 11 chaffinches, presumably shifted off our field of bird seed because of the wind. Our bird feeders have been a great experience during this last year’s confinement

David Tydeman