Here's a link to the Met.Office forecast page for Bury St Edmunds.

Check out the Events page to find out what is going on in our village - and beyond 

Next Parish Council Meeting: Thursday, March 10th, 2022

Next Community Council Meeting: 

A library of important documents relating to the Parish Council and the village, including meeting agendas & minutes and copies of the Hawstead Journal.
Click here for more information.

NOTE: General Data Protection Regulations 2018.

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. The Parish Council wants to continue to make such material, which is of local interest, easily available to residents, but has not had the capacity to review the content fully. Please contact the clerk to the Council if you have any objection to your name or other personal data appearing in this archive material in order that it might be removed forthwith.

....and a Movie!

To view the film made by Andy and Janet Taplin in support of our bid for the Suffolk Village of the Year competition (ie 2014)click HERE. It's a fantastic production!

Most documents posted on this site are in the "PDF" format and to see them on your compputer you need a program called Adobe Reader. If you don't have this on yoour compputer you can download and install it Free of Charge here

Hawstead Parish Council

E-mail

catherine.hibbert@hawstead-parish-council.co.uk
 

Or use our contact form.

Also on the Contacts page you'll find MAPS!

Welcome to our village Website. This website seeks to inform our residents and others about ongoing projects and events in Hawstead and also serves as a database and reference resource for information on our village.

NOTE: There is a separate website for booking the use of the Village Hall:

www.hawsteadvillagehall.co.uk

"The Hawstead Parish Council will work to make Hawstead an even better place in which to live."

John West - Chairman, Hawstead Parish Council

You can find out about the objectives of Hawstead Parish council on the Documents page HERE

Minutes of the Parish Council Meetings on 21st October and 21st November are available HERE

Walk-in clinics for Vaccination TOMORROW, 23rd December:

Thursday 23^rd December 2021

1. Thurston Community Pharmacy, (Thurston Granary, Station Hill, Thurston, Bury St Edmunds, IP31 3QU) 09:00-13:00 is open for walk-in Moderna vaccinations. This is open to 18+ for first, second or booster doses. Must be 12 weeks between first and second doses, and 12 weeks after your second for your booster. 

2. North Street Pharmacy (80 North St, Sudbury CO10 1RF) is open for walk in Moderna vaccinations between 09:00-13:00 and 14:00-17:00. This is open to 18+ for first, second or booster doses. Must be 12 weeks between first and second doses, and 12 weeks after your second for your booster. 

Free bus and taxi services across Suffolk for all those travelling for a vaccination

 

People in Suffolk can today take advantage of free bus and taxi rides to get to their vaccination appointment or to a vaccine drop-in clinic. The offer is open to anyone in the county who needs help getting to their appointment or a drop-in clinic for a first, second or booster vaccination. This will be in place until December 29^th.The free travel is part of Suffolk’s system-wide approach to deliver on the Government’s programme that everyone over the age of 18 gets their booster vaccination by the New Year. Both the free bus travel and the Vaxi Taxi offer is now open to all. “Please book your booster vaccination appointment through the National Booking System – which is accessible though our website – www.sneevaccine.org.uk – or attend one of the many walk-in clinics which are available and please arrange your transport through this scheme.” 

The Community Council is organising the annual Christmas Drinks Party for villagers on 22nd December 6 - 8pm. There will be bottles of Champers to be won for the most creative Christmas jumper and festive hat !

A restructuring of local Parish Churches means that from some time early in the New Year, All Saints Church, Hawstead, along with St Peter's, Nowton will be in a new Benefice to include Horringer, Westley, Whepstead and Brockley (the 'Benefice of Horringer'). The Priest in Charge will be Canon Max Osborne, currently Rector at Horringer - who has already become involved in our church.

We have now received the detailed Conservation Report concerning the possible restoration of the large monument in the Chancel of the village church. The Report is available HERE on the website page for the church

GREAT WAR HUTS Events:

"Princess Mary's 1914 Christmas Gift" with Author and Historian Peter Doyle. December 4th at 2pm. Tickets £6

A Christmas Concert will be held on 18th December, 7-9 pm, led by the Suffolk Concert Band. Tickets £10

For tickets for each event, use THIS LINK

CHRISTMAS WREATH MAKING: on 4th and 11th December between 10am and 1pm in the Church. Fresh Greenery and Tea/Coffee will be provided. £30 per person. Contact Lesley Carey on 386132

Result of the recent election for our District Councillor (ie Horringer Ward). On a turnout of 26.8% and with 539 valid votes cast, the winner with 257 votes was Nicholas Wiseman, the Conservative candidate.

Following the retirement of Terry Clements as our Borough Councillor (ie representing several parishes including Hawstead) there will be an election on 25th November to elect his successor. Voting will take place in the Village Hall between 7AM and 10PM.

There will be a Planning Meeting of the Parish Council on TUESDAY, 26th October in the Village Hall at 7.30pm. The Agenda is available HERE

Issue 17 of Hawstead VILLAGE VOICE is available HERE

Further to the information below about the '159' service: banks involved in the scheme include: Barclays, HBOS, NatWest (inc RBOS and Ulster Bank), Santander and Starling Bank.

People in Suffolk who suspect they have been victims of fraud can now call a new number - 159 - which aims to be a '999 for fraud'.

The 159 number is being trialled by Stop Scams UK, a group of banks and telephone firms.

If you call the hotline you can speak to your bank instantly about a suspected fraud.

A Stop Scams UK statement said: "159 works in the same way as 101 for the police or 111 for the NHS. It’s the number you can trust to get you through to your bank, every time."

Stop Scams UK said people who think they have been defrauded should "stop, hang up and call 159 to speak directly to your bank".

Advance WARNING. Stanningfield Road from the main Sudbury road (near Sicklesmere Post Office)up as far as the Primary School is scheduled to be CLOSED for 16 WEEKS from Nov 8th to Feb 25th 2022 'for roadworks'. What on earth are they going to do that will take that long, one wonders? I can think of two possibilities a) straighten out the nasty bend that exists in that stretch and b) create a widened area where parents can more easily drop off and pick up their children outside the school. What chance?

As well as the photos of Fete Day below, a collection of pictures can be found in our "Picture Gallery" page (see above). The Collecion is called "Summer Fete 2021"

DID YOU KNOW? You can exchange your bus pass (if you have one) for taxi vouchers worth £100 pa. It's a Suffolk CC scheme: see:Suffolk on Board - Concessionary Travel

AFGHAN REFUGEES Can you help by donating clothes, toys, bathroom equipment etc ie anything for people who have next to nothing? See Drop-off locations - Refugee Help Sudbury – Google My Maps for local drop-off locations

Archaeologists are working there - and camping in the field on the other side of the road. Using evidence from aerial photos they are investigating a possible Bronze Age settlement. For a bit more information see: Prehistoric Suffolk – Past to Present Archaeology

The annual Heritage Days are coming soon!. See THIS LINK for events local to Bury St Edmunds- which include our Brook Farm Camp in Bells Lane

Message from Karen Soons:

Home to School Transport appeals - residents Thingoe South, 20 villages South of BSE. https://www.suffolkonboard.com/school-travel/review-appeal-process/

 Many parents in my division (20 villages South BSE) have contacted me to help them make representations in their appeal hearings. A family that I have helped this week have been successful in their appeal on - exceptional circumstances. Their child will be receiving free school transport for the coming year to their senior school.

If you live in one of my villages of Barrow, Denham, Westley, Little & Gt Saxham, Chevington, Chedburgh, Rede, Horringer, Whepstead, Hawstead, Nowton, Little & Gt Whelnetham, Rougham, Rushbrooke, Blackthorpe, Bradfield St Clare, Bradfield St George, Bradfield Combust, Sow Lane & East Barton. Please email me karen.soons@suffolk.gov.uk as your elected County Councillor with details and I will do whatever I can to help. If you already have a date for an appeal hearing please include it prominently in your email.

Click on the PDF link below to view the information you'll need to take part in this year's Flower and Produce Competition:

If it helps, just a reminder of where & how to report non-emergencies, suspicious activity, cold callers and fraud etc

ALWAYS 999 in an EMERGENCY! Otherwise:

1. Non-emergencies - call 101 or save time and do it on-line: www.suffolk.police.uk/contact-us/report-something

2. Suspicious Activity - preferably to Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers.org.uk or 101

3. Cold Callers - to Suffolk Trading Standards: 0808 223 1133

4. Fraud (incl. telephone calls) - to Action Fraud: https://reporting.actionfraud.police.uk/login or 0300 123 2040 (and block the number)

5. SCAM Emails - forward to report@phishing.gov.uk

6. SCAM Texts - forward to 7726 << New text box >>

There are FREE activities for young people in Suffolk this Summer: see: Free summer activities for young people in West Suffolk

On Saturday, 24th July there will be another Churchyard clean-up session, 10am-12noon. Please come along to help with any suitable hand tools you have - and/or strimmers (we have several motor mowers available)

A Message from Suffolk Police:

HAWSTEAD VILLAGE VOICE has recently been published. If you haven't seen a copy you can access it HERE. Note: contributions to the next issue should be sent to Anne East by July 30th. Her email address is on the front page of Village Voice

Local pharmacies now stocking COVID tests:

Community pharmacy teams in Suffolk are now offering free coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid test kits as they help to support the lifting of national restrictions and the pandemic recovery.

The new Pharmacy Collect service will make coronavirus test kits – known as lateral flow devices – readily available to people without symptoms free of charge from local NHS pharmacies.

The new service, which launches this month, coincides with the phased reduction of the existing community testing centres provided by Suffolk County Council (SCC).

Pharmacy Collect offers a convenient and local option for the public to collect test kits from. NHS Test and Trace research found that people prefer to access testing close to home, with pharmacists trusted by their local communities.

You can use the NHS Test and Trace Site Finder map to locate participating pharmacies in your area: https://maps.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/

The January edition of the Suffolk Neighbourhood Watch Association recommends THIS WEBSITE for information and help about Cyber Security. You may find it useful. It represents a link-up between their 'Cyberhood Watch' initiative and an organisation called 'Avast'. Topics include:

• What are password managers?
• Popular threats on iOS and Android and how to avoid them
• What is the Internet of Things?
• What is Two-Factor Authentication?
• How to Fight Phishing
• Cyber Security Terms & Metaphors

Message from Andy Tucker (Suffolk Neighbourhood Watch Association)

Remember that any contact regarding a real NHS COVID-19 vaccination booking will never:

  -  Ask for payment or any bank details.

  -  Ask you to press a button on your keypad when on the phone.

  -  Ask you to send a text to confirm the booking.

Anyone who has concerns about whether an approach is genuine should speak to their local GP surgery.

If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up. If you are suspicious about an email you have received, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk.

Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge.

If you believe you have been the victim of fraud or identity theft, you should report this directly to Action Fraud either online; actionfraud.police.uk or via phone 0300 123 2040.

If you have any information relating to vaccine fraud you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting Crimestoppers COVID Fraud Hotline online; covidfraudhotline.org or phone 0800 587 5030.

There has been a lot of concern lately about what to do about scams, cold calling and the like. I have gathered together a number of contact details and added them - in red - to the 'Useful numbers and links' page. You'll find help for reporting a crime, what to do about fraud or cyber crime, and where to report suspicious texts and emails. If you're approached by doorstep sellers there's the Citizens Advice Consumer Service. Also mental health issues can be raised with 'First Response'

NEW! 30 September 2019 Here's an online article that has just been published by East Anglian Daily Times concerning the Wigwam 'glamping' units at Maglia Rosso:

NEW! 22 May 2018 Three documents relating to the new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR-2018) have been added to the website: A) General  Privacy Notice B) Staff Privacy Notice and C) a copy of the Hawstead Consent Form. These can be viewed HERE and the Consent Form can be downloaded and printed, filled in and then returned to the Parish Council Secretary.

NEW! 2 March 2018 An updated version of the Hawstead Emergency Plan is available HERE There is also a PDF copy of an updated Skills Questionnaire which can be filled out and printed. It should be returned to Geraldine West, Kellycroft, The Green.

NEW! 3 January 2018 In case of power cuts: Call 105 to report power cuts and damage to the electricity network, or 0800 3163 105 (from a corded phone or mobile phone if you have no power)

Preparing for a power cut

Below is some additional advice:

• Add 105 to the contacts on your mobile phone
• Keep our Freephone 0800 3163 105 number handy
• See www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/powercuts for useful videos and advice during a power cut.
• Locate a torch, check it’s working and make sure you have spare batteries. Take care if using candles.
• Charge up your mobile phone, and a rechargeable mobile ‘powerbank’ if you have one
• Use a phone with a cord if you have one, cordless phones don’t work in a power cut
• Keep fridges and freezers closed, with a blanket over as they will stay cold for many hours
• Switch off all your electrical equipment, except one light which will let you know when the power comes back on
• Remember the street lights may also be off so take care if you go out
• Dress in warm clothes
• Look out for vulnerable neighbours

NEW! 23 February 2017 Inormation from UK POWER NETWORKS

UK Power Networks owns and maintains the local power lines and substations and is responsible for reconnecting supply after any power cut. It offers a Priority Service Register to which vulnerable people can sign up to; registration enables UK Power Networks to identify customers who are vulnerable or need extra help when the electricity is off as efficiently as possible and to get help out quickly. Residents eligible to sign up include those with a disability or medical dependancy on electricity (ie users of Careline, nebuliser etc), the elderly, those with children under 5 and more. Services available to those on the Register include a 24 hour priority phone number, a dedicated team who will keep you updated during a power cut and other tailored support where appropriate. Further information on the Priority Service Register is available from ukpowernetworks.co.uk or by calling 08003163105.

Registration forms for this service will also be made available in the village hall after 16 March.

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