Quick links

Hawstead on film:

To watch a short video made by Andy and Janet Taplin in support of our bid for Suffolk Village of the Year (2014), visit our Picture Gallery page. 

Village information:

Visit our Documents page where you'll also find previous copies of the Village Voice and its predecessor, The Hawstead Journal.

Upcoming parish council and community council meetings. For all other village events and updates, take a look at our Events page.

Parish council meetings: 

Parish Council meetings are held on the second Thursday of January, March, May, July, September and November in the village hall at 7.30pm. The agenda will be posted here a few days before each meeting   

Please note that archive material posted onto the website before 25 May 2018 may include limited personal data for which consent to publication has not been given.

This website is maintained by local volunteers, for which thanks.

Any enquiries regarding this website can be addressed to Hawstead Parish Council.

E-mail

clerk@hawstead-pc.gov.uk
 

Also on the Contacts page you'll find MAPS!

Welcome to our village website where we hope to keep you updated with local projects and events. Our website also includes historical information and data about Hawstead.

Please note that there is a separate website for village hall bookings: www.hawsteadvillagehall.co.uk

Whilst some historic parish council information can be viewed on this website, please note that there is a separate website for current parish council information http://hawstead-pc.gov.uk/

Save the dates!

Get your diaries ready, upcoming Hawstead village events for 2024 and early 2025 include:

CityFibre gigbit-capable broadband in Suffolk

CityFibre has been awarded the Project Gigabit contract for Suffolk.  Project Gigabit is the government’s flagship programme, enabling hard-to-reach communities to access lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband.

This is a four-year programme and will see around 136,000 premises across Suffolk and parts of surrounding counties connected to CityFibre's fibre-to-the-premises network.   

CityFibre want to advise that work is due to start in our area over the coming weeks. As they move from area to area, they will endeavour to let affected parish councils know ahead of time. 

The contractor carrying out the work is OCU Utility Services. Wherever possible, existing duct and pole infrastructure will be used to reduce the amount of construction required. However, new infrastructure will be needed and we are working closely with the council’s highways team to coordinate any work that is required. 

If you want to find out more, visit cityfibre.com/build.  

Project information, including an FAQ and a way to register for updates is available at: www.cityfibre.com/projectgigabit. 

When it’s time to order services, residents and businesses will also be able to choose from a range of internet service providers. 

If you have any immediate questions then please contact: Contact_CityfibreSouth@cityfibre.com.  

Work on the pipeline continues along the Lawshall Road. For anyone that doesn't regularly drive that way, the project is well underway.

Most documents posted on this site are in PDF format. To view, you'll need Adobe Reader which you can download for free at Adobe.com

History recorder updates

You can view our history recorder's updates for 2022 at: History recorder reports

Village Voice

The latest issue of Hawstead's Village Voice is now available to download and read: Village Voice Autumn Edition 2024

Support over winter

People who get Pension Credit are entitled to the one-off Winter Fuel Payment this year.

And it's not just help with heating costs - getting Pension Credit opens the door to additional benefits such as help with the cost of dental work, glasses and transport to hospital; help with rent or mortgage interest; and help paying Council Tax. Not to mention a free TV Licence for those aged 75 and over. 

To check your eligibility either phone 0800 99 1234 or visit: www.gov.uk/pension-credit

If you're not eligible for Pension Credit, the Government Funded Household Support Fund has been extended until March 2025.

Suffolk County Council has funding from this to support people who are experiencing hardship or struggling with rising costs. For full details in relation to the Household Support Fund please visit: Household Support Fund - Suffolk County Council

Other schemes include:

Local Welfare Assistance Scheme: www.suffolk.gov.uk/lwas

A fund set up for those experiencing financial hardship and can help with food, heating, clothing, fuel and white goods.  Full details and eligibility criteria can be found on the website. This fund is changing so it is important you keep up to date by visiting the website.

Applications are made online, or with support from a partner organisation such as Citizens Advice.

Warm Homes Suffolk: Warm Homes Suffolk

Grants available to help insulate and make properties more energy efficient. Eligibility can be checked online or by contacting 03456 037 686. This fund is available to homeowners, renters and landlords and is provided throughout the county.

Other benefits www.entitledto.co.uk

Check entitlement to other benefits such as Housing Benefit, Support for Mortgage Interest, Council Tax Reduction, Attendance Allowance, Carers Allowance and more. These could increase your income and help you better afford your bills. Use an online benefits calculator or contact an advice agency such as Age UK or Citizens Advice.

Discretionary Payments www.angliarevenues.gov.uk/discretionary

There are two different types of discretionary payment funds available: Discretionary Housing Payment: for those in receipt of Housing Benefit or Housing Element of Universal Credit and Exceptional Hardship Payments: for those receiving council tax reduction.

Both payments are short term and one off but are aimed at helping those experiencing exception financial hardship. Individuals can apply on line and full details of funding available can be found by visiting the website (application form is through this website as well)

Help with the cost of heating oil

“Suffolk Oil Loans” from Eastern Savings & Loans, a Credit Union. They offer an interest-free loan of up to £500 for heating oil. This is only available to residents of Suffolk. You need to become a member of Eastern Savings & Loans to apply. Membership costs £5.

To find out more about the Suffolk Oil Loan, visit: www.eslcu.co.uk/products-and-services/loan-products/suffolk-oil-loans

If you are experiencing debt, support is available at:

Citizens Advice West Suffolk Citizens Advice West Suffolk | Free, confidential, independent advice (suffolkwestcab.org.uk) Advice line: 0808 278 7868 (Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 3:30pm)

West Suffolk - worried about money? Worrying about money? - West Suffolk leaflet was co-produced as a straightforward resource for people facing money worries or financial crisis, and support workers, to quickly see which local agencies are best placed to help with advice and help to access cash first options.

National Debtline Telephone appointments, webchat 0808 808 4000 (9am-8pm, Monday-Friday) https://nationaldebtline.org

Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Face to face appointments, home visits 0800 328 0006 https://capuk.org

Connecting Communities - help with travel

This is a transport service provided by Suffolk County Council. Its aim is to help people get around the county who might otherwise struggle because of limited bus services. 

You can use the service to travel locally, whether that's to visit friends and family, go to the shops, or to get to school, college or work. 

To access the service, you'll need to call 01638 664304. The service runs from Monday to Saturday between 7am and 7pm.

You can find more information at Suffolk on Board, connecting communities  

Bus timetable updates

Suffolkonboard has updated some bus timetables. You can find updates at Suffolkonboard, timetable updates. 

The route from Hawstead is the 375. To see changes, click on the route number in the link above.

Here is also a PDF (correct as of 9 July 2024). Please refer to the Suffolkonboard website to check for any alterations if you're relying on this route. 

Route 375 Sudbury-Bridge Street-Lawshall-Bury St Edmunds

Anglian Water pipeline - UPDATE

For news and updates about the pipeline works, please go to our Local News and Information page.  

A new pipeline will be constructed from North Lincolnshire to Essex and there may be some impact as of early 2024 when work begins. 

Regular Hawstead events

Regular events taking place at the village hall include (visit the Hawstead Village Hall site for details):

• Breathe Easy - every Tuesday at 9.15am
• Hawstead Carpet Bowls Club - every Tuesday at 7.30pm
• Rest and Reset - Wednesdays from 4.30pm, the session is 90 minutes and focuses on mindfulness and meditation (go to kalmerkarma.com for more details). 
• Fitness classes with Michelle - every Thursday between 7-8pm
• Saffron Yoga - every Thursday at 9.30am

Cost of living help: to find out what help you may be entitled to, visit:

• GOV.UK, help for households
• Suffolk.gov.uk, cost of living support

West Suffolk Council has also prepared this PDF information sheet for local residents:

Report a scam: if you think someone has called you to trick you into giving them your personal details or money, you should hang up and dial 159.  The number will enable you to speak to your bank directly, for more information and a list of the banks taking part, visit: Stop scams UK

Cyber security: if you're looking for more information about staying safe online, visit: Cyberhood watch, Avast

Identity theft and fraud: if you think you've been a victim of fraud or identity theft, you can report it at: Action fraud

You should also report any suspected phishing attempts to: Action fraud, phising 

Useful phone numbers (only dial 999 in a genuine emergency):

• Non-emergencies - call 101 or visit https://www.suffolk.police.uk/contact-us/report-something
• Susipicious activity - call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 or visit https://www.crimestoppers.org.uk/
• Cold callers - call Suffolk Trading Standards 0808 223 1133
• Fraud - call Action Fraud 0300 123 2040
• Scam texts - forward to 7726