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/

Free summer holiday events

Summer holiday events for children and families are being rolled out by the government and coordindated by West Suffolk Council. 

Some places are free if your child receives free school meals, pupil premium funding or if there is an identified need. 

To find out if you're eligible for a free place and who to contact, take a look at this page on the West Suffolk Council website: https://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/leisure/holiday-events.cfm 

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.  

Calling local history enthusiasts

Over the past three years an archaeological company has been conducting excavations in the field on the left of the road into Bury immediately beyond the last houses of the village.

They have annoucned that they’re coming again this summer and will be hosting open days and lectures.

For more information see: Prehistoric Suffolk - Past to Present Archaeology

Save the dates!

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

Sunday 1 September: Hawstead Fete.

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 Summer Edition 2024

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