A visit to Cockfield

St Peter's Church, Cockfield.

My son Matthew has been staying with us this weekend, and yesterday we decided to visit the art event that continues today and tomorrow in Cockfield.

Before the visit we had a substantial lunch at the Horseshoes, an ancient inn on the Lavenham/Bury Road, which is always atmospheric, cool on a warm day,  and welcoming both to dogs and to humans.

We enjoyed the Art Show.  It was good to be able to catch up with some friends from the village and surrounding area, and there was a lot of art on display. I particularly liked the crafts section and was pleased to find a glass pendant to replace a favourite one, recently shattered.


Later we took the dog for a walk via the impressive building that is St Peter's Church.  We very much admired the adjacent former church house, an Elizabethan forerunner of the village hall, in which parish events were held following 16th century edicts against 'feasting in the church'.  The Church itself a fine 14th century tower from which apparently a rector in the 18th centuryused to use a telescope to view the night sky.  The gargoyles on the exterior depict ferocious devils.   Inside the church offers much of interest with decorated windows to the north aisle and perpendicular to the south.  There is a fine tie beam roof dating from the 15th century.


On the way home we dropped into the much smaller Church of St Mary at Thorpe Morieux.  In an attractive rural setting this dates from the late 13th Century.  Little sign of this period remains however, apart from one lancet window in the north aisle and an unusual font which stands on five columns.  This lovely thing is pictured below; I am not so sure about the wooden font cover.

Art in Cockfield, a date for the Bank Holiday Weekend

My son Matthew is coming to see us at the Bank Holiday weekend and I think he will be keen to come with me to the event below!

One of the largest displays of art in the area.....if not THE largest!

Theatre Royal Bury Children's Festival, 2016.

The Wind and Sun, one of the acts taking part in the Festival

This year I was really pleased to be able to give some of my locality budget* to support the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds Children’s Festival.  Neighboring councillor, Colin Spence, also provided funding, and as a result during June Lavenham, Bildeston, Whatfield and Cockfield Schools, and also Colin’s schools in Great Waldingfield and Acton, were visited by a troupe of live performers. The children enjoyed drama, dance, music, circus and storytelling and I have had some encouraging feedback about the shows.

There is nothing like live theatre.   I hope that this small move towards introducing children to it at an early stage will encourage them to take an interest in live performing arts, and to become the audiences and players of the future.

This week I received an e mail from Julia Read, the Head of Development at the Theatre Royal on the outcomes of the Festival.   This tells me that the Festival had been a great success, attracting an audience of over 4000.   It visited 24 schools and at 9 other venues, and involved some 15 different theatre companies.  Feedback forms showed an excellent response

Looking to the future, the Director of the Theatre Royal, Karen Simpson would like to reach out to more parents.   In the report she wrote:  ‘We would like to work with schools in the future to invite parents into the performances in schools.  This would enable many more parents to experience the quality and intimacy of the work on offer.  It would also reinforce the experience at home and in school for the child.

In an age where the solitary pursuits of the internet seem to absorb more and more time, sharing a theatrical experience with others is to my mind more important than ever.

*This is taxpayer’s money, a small amount of which, Suffolk County Council allows me to distribute to communities and organisations around the Division

Cockfield Art Show

If you are looking for somewhere to go over the next bank holiday weekend I strongly recommend going along to the Cockfield Art Show.

The event will be held in the Village Hall and will showcase some 300 art works plus craft items for sale.  When I spoke to one of the organisers earlier this week she told me that some 64 artists will be represented.

The show is open every day over the weekend, 28th, 29th and 30th May, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Entry is free.  Home made refreshments and light lunches will be served and credit and debit cards will be accepted for art purchases.

School update; space allocation season.

This week has seen announcements about the allocation of primary school places across the UK.  In Suffolk over 90% of children will be able to attend their first choice school and 97% will go to one of their top three choices. Although full national figures are not yet available enough is already known to recognise that this is quite a good result.

  

There are variations across the county however with around 90 schools still having to refuse children.  I am happy to say that in the Cosford Division, all 6 schools, Elmsett, Whatfield, Kersey, Bildeston, Lavenham and Cockfield, were able to accommodate all applications for September.

In the case of Lavenham this is a relief since last year around 12 families were disappointed, and this included children from the village living quite close to the school.

Despite the fact that we have outperformed the national picture there is no room for long term complacency as last year's outcome demonstrates.   Demand for school places is likely to continue to grow in the area as a whole and some schools, including some in Cosford, have serious physical space constraints today that need to be addressed sooner rather than later.

When the children arrive at their new schools in September, happily they will be entering an improving education system.  It was revealed earlier this month that the proportion of Suffolk schools rated as Good or Outstanding by Ofsted has just hit a new high of 80%. This represents an improvement of 6 percentage points compared to just ten months ago when 74% of Suffolk schools were Good or Outstanding.

Schools in Suffolk are also improving twice as fast as schools across the country as a whole. Over the last ten months the percentage of Good or Outstanding schools nationally has increased by 3% compared to Suffolk’s 6% increase.

If you know a child who has been unsuccessful in achieving the school of choice and whose parents are unhappy about this an appeal is the only possible remedy.  I have information on this for anyone who wants it.  You should be aware however that an appeal will only be successful if the education authority has failed to follow the correct procedures.

Cockfield School rated good by Ofsted

 It's official: Cockfield CEVC Primary School is a 'good school'.

Congratulations to the Head, Trudie Harkin, and her hardworking team who in the last two years have moved the school forward from one that 'needs improvement' to one that is rated 'good'.  Well done also to the Board of Governors.

It must be great to be a pupil at Cockfield. The school, although of the 'older type' in part, is light and airy and has recently been extended.  It has a lovely playing field, and is adjacent to some wonderful countryside which is easily accessible.  I know that Mrs Harkin is keen that children spend as much time as possible outside,

The report from Ofsted. published today, makes very heartening reading, particular reference (among other things) being made to the high quality leadership from the Head and also the programme of extra curricular events  If you want to read the whole report you should click here.

Cockfield School has an excellent website where a picture gallery gives a good impression of daily life at  the school.

Head of Cockfield School, Mrs Trudie Harkin.

Events in Cockfield and Preston St Mary yesterday evening.

Nick and I had a busy evening yesterday.

Our first port of call was a lovely farmhouse in Cockfield where we attended a party in honour of Alan Morgan, who has been the Clerk of the Parish Council for 18 years, and who is now retiring.

Mr Morgan (left) recieves a gift from the Chairman in appreciation of 18 years as Parish Clerk.

 Alan is not going far. He is a resident of Cockfield and is standing as a Parish Councillor in the next Council which will resume work after the General, District and Parish elections. 

All the Parish Council were present, plus a previous chairman, David Hodge, and also the District Councillor, Clive Arthey.

A very good time was had by all!

The Annual Parish Meeting for Cockfield is on 30th April , and the new council will meet on Thursday May 21st in the village hall as usual.

Cockfield Parish Council, spring 2015.

At around 8.30 p.m. it was time to move on, accompanied by Clive and Lisa Arthey,  to nearby Preston St. Mary to attend the opening night of the newly refurbished Six Bells Pub.

It was quite an event! We were greeted at the door by braziers and a nine foot tall fairy,  complete with wand, who must have been very chilly on a not very warm April evening!  There were hordes of people present, both outside the pub and in.

The pub has been totally restored, the beams stripped and everything redecorated.  There were so many people there, and it was so dark, that it was difficult however fully to appreciate the new look.  The work has been undertaken by local resident Richard Martin, whose son has much experience in the catering industry, so I am sure that the venture will be a success.

Where to recycle your tree

 Once again Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils are providing facilities for residents to recycle their christmas trees.

There are 49 disposal points accross the two Districts.  Trees should be under 7 foot tall and have all their decorations removed!

In Cosford there are points in  Cockfield, Elmsett, Monks Eleigh and Whatfield.  Unfortunately it seems that there are none in Waldingfield Ward, but there are disposal facilities in Long Melford and Sudbury.

The last dates for disposal differ, ranging between 6th January and 19th, so it is best to click on the link below to check

Click here to find your nearest disposal point

I am ashamed to say that this year we decided to do without a real tree.  Much to my surprise the family did not complain.  However, it should be said that the artifical minimalist version that replaced our usual needle-shedding monster, lit up well, was very pretty and actually quite stylish!

Learn to love your computer!

It doesn't have to be like this!

The Cockfield Computer Circle will be starting once again on 20^th October.  Classes run until March 2015.

Sessions cover computer skills for beginners, and for those wanting to improve their knowledge.  There are also courses for those wanting to use i-phones and i-pads.

The classes are held on Mondays, both in the afternoon and in the evenings at Cockfield Hall.  There are computers on site, and participants are also encouraged to bring their own kit.

The organiser writes:

The Cockfield Computer Circle (CCC) aims to help participants increase their computer knowledge and gain confidence in carrying out common tasks.  This is achieved through a combination of teaching and sharing of experience among participants in a relaxed environment. Some topics are aimed at beginners seeking to learn new skills and gain more confidence in using a computer; other topics are aimed at the more experienced user seeking to push their knowledge a little further.

For more information please contact neilka@btopenworld.com . Telephone 01284 827238 or 07900 880 888.

Details of the courses available can be found on www.cockfieldcomputercircle.org.uk

Grant to restore Cockfield Pavilion

The Pavilion, Cockfield

News is just out today that Cockfield has won a £49,764 grant from Sport England to refurbish the sports pavilion on Great Green.

To celebrate this great event there is to be a Free Sports Taster Session on Thursday 15th August between 6 and 7 p.m.  Participants can join in training with Cockfield United, Cockfield and Lawshall's girls' football team and Cockfield Netball Club; try out Sport Suffolk's static cycles or mountain bikes or enjoy a game of Rounders with Sports Suffolk.  There will also be free refreshments!

Further information from Janne Cutting-Keyton (01284 -828264)  All ages are welcome!

All of South Suffolk a Stage

A production at Kentwell

Lovers of Shakespeare will not have to travel far this summer to enjoy a wide choice of entertainment.

On 21^st June there is a choice of two popular comedies. 

In Cockfield , The Rain or Shine Theatre Company will be presenting  Comedy of Errors in the grounds of Cockfield School.  Proceeds are in aid of St Peter’s Church Cockfield, and the performance will be indoors if the weather is bad.  For tickets and other details please phone 01284 828904, or 828652.

Just over the border into Essex, Stanley Hall, which is taking a break from opera production this year, is staging As You like it, presented by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.  The Hall is on the way from Sudbury to Halstead and details can be found here

On 25^th, 26^th and 27^th July, the Lavenham Players will stage Much Ado About Nothing in the grounds of Lavenham Hall .  In addition to three evening performances, there is a matinee on 27^th July.  Picnickers are welcome at all performances.   Tickets for some dates are available from the Quay Theatre Box office in Sudbury, but for full details click here

The same weekend Kentwell Hall in Long Melford is welcoming back the accomplished GB Theatre Company with two productions, The Merchant of Venice and A Midsummers Night Dream.

Finally for those of us who like something musical, also at Kentwell, on Saturday 27^th July, the South Anglia Savoy Players are presenting The Sorcerer, one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s less well know creations.

Details of the Kentwell Hall events can be found here

Those wanting to see some Shakespeare on 21^st June will need to make a difficult choice between the two plays on offer.   I think however that it would be possible to see both the Lavenham show and all the Kentwell productions, with careful planning, in July.