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!

• Keep staying at home
• Keep working from home where you can
• Keep 2 metres apart if you go out
• Keep exercising safely
• Keep washing your hands with soap and water
• Keep self-isolating if you or anyone in your household has symptoms
• Keep travelling by car, bike or walking
• Keep staying safe at work
• Keep shielding yourself if you’re vulnerable
• Keep supporting local businesses
• Keep looking out for each other

NEW! 27 February 2018 A new Internet and email-based community initiative has arrived in Hawstead, It's called 'Nextdoor' 

"Nextdoor was created based on the idea that the neighbourhood is one of the most important and useful communities in a person's life. Nextdoor's mission is to use technology to help neighbours build stronger and safer neighbourhoods."

As of today there are 10 Hawsteaders signed up to Nextdoor - and of course 'the more the merrier' - so if you're even mildly curious, visit https://help.nextdoor.com/customer/en_gb/portal/articles . Have a look around and iof you'd like to join the Hawstead Nextdoor community click on the link on the right labelled 'Joining Nextdoor'

NEW! 30 September 2019 DID YOU KNOW? Suffolk County Council has withdrawn it's support for our Bus Service! (Service No. 375) As far as we can tell this has not been made public via the Bury Free Press but in her monthly Parish Newsletter (September - see HERE), our CC representative, Karen Soons did include the following comment: "Suffolk County Council is ... confident that although notice is being served on the 375, 483 and 62, solutions can be found. It is working alongside communities, bus users and operators to explore options such as local community transport, taxi-buses and alternative funding."

The service is due to terminate on November 2nd.

NEW! September 6 2016 A message from Anglian Water: "

There may be good news coming for some of your parishioners if they have a private pumping station on their property. Currently, homeowners have to spend hundreds of pounds every year for electricity running costs, maintenance and repairs to look after these private pumping stations. They may even have been flooded if it’s broken down in the past.  From October 2016, many of these private pumping stations will transfer over to Anglian Water and become our responsibility. We will take over all of the maintenance and the running costs too, saving customers hassle, worry and money. To help customers identify and report the pumping stations easily, we have launched a specialist website: www.spotapumpingstation.co.uk.

NEW! 18th February 2018 Further to the last news post, there will be a Community Forum at All Saints CEVC Primary School, Lawshall TOMORROW, 19th February, commencing at 7.00pm "The purpose of the event is to provide all of the residents in the villages that are in our ‘catchment area’ with information regarding the consultation and how we feel it may affect children, families, the communities and the School."

NEW! 28 January 2017

Yesterday afternoon the Village Hall was packed with villagers (plus some from Whepstead) to meet with our local MP, MATTHEW HANCOCK who has a job in government: he is Minister of State for Digital and Culture Policy at the Dept. for Culture etc. Matt gave a talk about where we are in Hawstead in relation to Broadband and BT. This was followed by a Q & A session which covered areas of mobile phone reception as well as Broadband itself. Matt was very sympathetic to the dissatisfaction expressed and assured us that he is working hard with both BT and current legislation to move the whole area of digital communication forward at an enhanced rate. We were assured that the new optical fibre cabinets for Pinford End (already sited) and the Village Green will be commissioned to supply 24Mps by the end of this year.

NEW! 10 November 2017

NEW! 18 December 2017 There will be traffic control with 'multi-way signals' on Bury Road 19-21 December to allow Anglian Water to exchange a meter at Cullum Cottage

NEW! 01 December 2017

On 8th December Whepstead Road will be closed 9.30am - 3.30pm in order "to facilitate access to overhead cables to restore customer service"

NEW! 19 November 2017

NEW! 14 November 2016

A message from Sara Dowsing (saradowsing@btinternet.com)

I wish to encourage more women whatever age or experience to cycle and get fit and would like to inform your residents throughout November and December participants who take part in two Breeze bike rides will receive a Breeze buff or mitts (participants choice) and a British Cycling water bottle.

For those who go on to take part in 3 to 5 rides, they will receive a bike cleaning bundle.

These rides start/finish at Maglia Rosso Cycle Shop and to register they need to apply on line through this link http://www.goskyride.com/search/Results

NEW! 9 April 2017 A new Rector for the St Edmundsbury Benefice has been appointed: Rev. Jeremy Parsons, who is currently Team Vicar in the Saffron Walden Villages Team Ministry. His Institution by the Bishop of Dunwich and Induction by the Archdeacon of Sudbury will take place on Tuesday 16th May at 7.30pm in Lawshall Church. Rev. Parsons is married to Ruth and they have three children, Anna (20), Louis (17) and Raphie (14)

At the same meeting four motions were raised by local councils and debated (descriptions paraphrase the actual wording):

- HGVs should be equipped with SatNavs which guide them away from restricted zones particularly in towns

- A better relationship between the Police and Neighbourhood Watch teams needs to be established

- Government should cease interfering with local freedom to raise money for needed community activities (re- proposals for automatic precept referenda)

- Power to enforce car parking regulations should be transferred from the Police to local councils

NEW! 15 November 2016

In the 2016 "Best small Suffolk village website"competition organised by SALC - Suffolk Association of Local Councils - that of Hawstead, the one you're looking at right now, was placed SECOND !

At SALC's AGM held yesterday in Elmswell, a presentation was made and your website administrator, Andy Parrett, was there to receive a framed certificate.

NEW! December 9 2016 Community Council News.

Making Christmas Table Decorations with the Children - REGISTER YOUR INTEREST NOW PLEASE
For the past 3 years we have organised groups of village children to make table decorations ahead of the Seniors Christmas Lunch. Last year proved impossible to meet together at the village hall and instead families were given oasis and baskets to prepare their own decorations at home. The decorations are labelled with a festive message and signed by the children involved, then laid on the dining table for the Seniors Christmas Lunch. The senior members of the village are then invited to take home the table decorations for the Christmas period. If your family would like to get involved, please email me (Susanne White on susanne@pamplin.me.uk) with your interest and hopefully we can arrange a date to meet as a group or, failing that, to provide the oasis and baskets for you to decorate at home. NB These must be prepared and delivered to me between 10 and 15 December.

NEW! 16 May 2016 'Breeze' bike rides are taking place every Wednesday morning, starting at Maglia Rosso! (Maglia Girls Can Ride).  The coordinator for these rides Mandy Burchett so give her a call or email to book a place: 07540 687929 or 01284 386884 (work) mandyburchett@gmail.com

Bruce Monk recently took Andy Taplin up for a spin over Hawstead so as to get some new aerial photos of the village. Here's a view from the South showing most of our community. Lawshall and Whepstead Roads are in the foreground and the church is in the distance towards the top of the photo. You can see a bit of the Pound area top right but Pinford End is hidden in a dip amongst the trees, top left.

A selected collection of photos taken will be posted on the photo gallery section of the website shortly.

Then in the evening the annual "Fizz on Friday" event took place in the Village Hall. Fran Evershed (on the left, above) was one of the performers

On 9th September Taff Gillingham showed groups of visitors around the Great War Huts site as part of the national Heritage Weekend programme

NEW! August 28 2016 Looking Forward to HERITAGE OPEN DAYS!

Friday 9th & Saturday 10th September

Great War Huts is a heritage project established to rescue and restore original army huts built in the tens of thousands between 1914-1918. Currently three have been restored and rebuilt at Brook Farm and five more are on site awaiting restoration. Visitors can see the work in progress on the site and some of the artifacts that will be on display when the site opens to the public as a First World War visitors centre. Tea, Coffee and light refreshments are available.

Free Tours: Friday Tours - 10.30 & 2.30 

Saturday Tours - 10.30, 13.30 & 3.30

Booking Details: Pre-booking is essential

- Call: 01284 388986 - Email: admin@greatwarhuts.org -
 

Access Information

The ground is uneven underfoot on the site, and prone to mud in wet weather! Wheelchair ramps are available into two of the huts but unfortunately we do not have wheelchair accessible toilet facilities.

Directions

Coming from the Bury St Edmunds direction, turn into Bells Lane along the side of the Hawstead village green, cross the bridge and we are the first gateway on the right before going up the hill.

NEW! June 30 2016 Interested in finding out about some things Suffolk County Council does for us? On this website you can see that Hawstead's verges (ie 'unclassified roads') are due to be cut next week

NEW! 11 January 2016

Since the Council uploaded the proposed draft byelaws to the website a couple of days ago, the relevant Government Department has suggested some further amendments which are shown in tracked changes on the attached updated draft byelaws. 

NEW! 8 January 2016

Some time ago it was agreed that the existing Hawstead byelaws approved in 1985 regulating use of the village green should be updated in line with new model byelaws produced by the Department of Communities and Local Government, the aim being to modernise and clarify the rules regarding use of the village green.  A public consultation exercise in this regard was undertaken several years ago, but there has been some delay in getting the replacement byelaws ready for final approval.

In light of this delay, the Parish Council considers it would be prudent to remind residents of the proposals and check that there are no further comments before submission of these draft byelaws to the Secretary of State for final approval.

The draft replacement byelaws are available HERE.  These are based on the new national model byelaws, adapted to reflect feedback received during the original round of consultation in Hawstead and comments subsequently received from officials at the Department of Communities and Local Government.  If any residents do have comments on the proposals, please could they let the clerk to the Parish Council know by the end of January 2016 (Catherine.hibbert@hawstead-parish-council.co.uk)

NEW! 13 May 2016 The new village GAMES EVENINGS get going shortly: the first dates are Friday 3rd June and Friday 1st June. The fun kicks off at 7pm

NEW! 16 May THIS FRIDAY evening (20 May) 7-9 at Hawstead Village Hall - Ladies Pamper Night
Following the success of last year, Lawshall Pre-School is holding another fundraising 'Ladies Pamper Night' on Friday 20 May at Hawstead Village Hall 7-9pm. The event is set to be bigger and better than last year. They will have a wide range of stalls, including cakes, crafts, home furnishings, beauty products, nails and lots more!!! Tickets are £4 in advance which INCLUDES a glass of Prosecco or £6 on the door. Tickets are now available for the event from Maglia Rosso, Hawstead, Laura at The Swan in Lawshall, or The Bush in Shimpling.

NEW! 30 October A copy of the 2013 Hawstead Churchyard Survey compiled by Angela Rushen and Tony Hillman is now available on the All Saints Church page of the website (PDF version)

NEW! 10 September Who won what at the Flower and Produce Show on Sunday? Click HERE - and there's a collection of photos from the day HERE

NEW! 5 July A novel report by SEBC has recently been made available. It concerns the demographics, economy and skills, housing, families and communities and health and lifestyle of the Chedburgh Ward of SEBC - and that includes us! To see the report, click HERE

NEW! 5 July

Easier way to find the services on your doorstep

Residents across Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury can now find everything from nearby planning applications to their nearest schools and more, all with a few simple clicks.

West Suffolk councils Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury have launched the ‘Find my nearest’ service on their website. The service helps residents across the two areas track down a wealth of handy information including bin collection days, nearest health services including pharmacies, the closest recycling points in their area, Council Tax bands, details of their local councillors and a wealth of other information.

The free service will also prove invaluable to anyone looking to move home in the West Suffolk area. 

Find my nearest at www.westsuffolk.gov.uk

NEW! 1 June Most of us know that, in the absence of the Metcalfe Arms, the nearest 'local' now is the Red House up at Stanningfield. But do you know the other nearby village pubs? See all FIFTEEN HERE !

NEW! 31 May Updated versions of the INTRODUCTION TO HAWSTEAD and EMERGENCY PLAN documents have been uploaded: see them both HERE

NEW! 30 August Khaki Devil is taking part in the national 'Heritage Days' on 11th and 12th September to give visitors a preview of their work on the First World War visitor centre. See THIS LINK and if interested, call Tracey on 388986 to book a place. ALSO, they are currently involved in a project to relocate and restore wooden huts from WW1 and have started a 'crowdfunding' scheme to raise money for this work. Even if you don't want to get involved with that, have a look at their informative video HERE which tells you all about it.

NEW! 22 June A new Planning Application has been received by the Parish Council. Click HERE for details

9 March Suffolk local authorities are working in partnership again to organise the countywide Suffolk Walking Festival, which runs from 9th - 31st May 2015. For more information, click HERE

16 April Another document regarding the General Election is now available: information about Polling Stations

13 April There will be NO ELECTION for Hawstead Parish Council on May 7, See the document from the Returning Officer HERE.

Message from the PC Chairman, John West: "Congratulations and gratitude are due in equal measure to those villagers below who have put themselves forward to be councillors for another 4 year period.  Believe me all the parish councillors work extremely hard and give up a considerable amount of their time to benefit our village and the community.

We are all fortunate to live in such a wonderful spot and we will do our very best to live up to our mission statement." [See top of this Home Page - Ed.]

1 April ROAD CLOSURE. We have been told that due to works to be undertaken at THE POUND which will affect the road, that between 27 APRIL and 11 MAY the road will be CLOSED. Please click HERE for details and a MAP

28 March ELECTIONS IN MAY! You can view  the formal notifications of the forthcoming Parliamentary, Borough and Parish Elections as provided by the local Returning officer HERE

12 March A gallery of photos showing the two days of hedge-laying and the finished product is available HERE

9 March We have been notified that in order to carry out carriageway repairs, there will be a road closure between 18 and 23 March. Roads affected are FOLLEY LANE and small sections of BRANDS LANE and WHEPSTEAD ROAD. For more info click HERE (and scroll to the bottom of the page).

9 March In the latest Hawstead Journal there's an invitation to villagers to put themselves forward for election as a Parish Councillor. Please be aware that the website link quoted is INCORRECT. It should read as follows: www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/council/voting_and_elections/howtobecomeacouncillor.cfm?aud=council

26 February The village EMERGENCY PLAN is mentioned in the latest issue of the Hawstead Journal. You'll find it on the Documents page (ie link to PDF document)

Also the Hawstead History Recorder Report for 2014 !

26 February Clive's Quiz Night will be held in ther Village Hall on Saturday 14th March , 7 - 10pm. Teams of up to 8 people please: contact Simon Miller, 01284-388841 or simon.j.miller@talktalk.net.

Tickets are £7.50 each to include a Fish & Chips supper (£3.00 if you don't want supper, or BYO) BYO drink.

This is a Hawstead Community Council event!

22 January Due to the withdrawal of the local weather widget thingy on the left of the screen (by our web hosts) there's a new one now. When you click inside the picture it goes off to another website which gives quite detailed info. You may need to adjust certain settings (like degrees C instead of F - your preference!) and it seems to default back to London, but by clicking "all locations" you can select "Bury St Edmunds" (but not "Hawstead"! There again, you can use the link to the Met Office instead.

11 November Warning from Suffolk Police about recent 'con' trick. Details HERE

30 November There's information on the NEW Council website about a recent increase in items which can be put in our bins for recycling. Click HERE for a link to that.

31 October Click HERE for a set of photos taken at this year's Village Fete on September 7th (a fine sunny day!)

29 October At the Suffolk Agricultural Association's annual Awards Dinner last week the Large Farm category in the "Farm Business" competition (ie 500 ha.+) was won by Chris and Rupert Brown (John Brown & Sons Ltd.) of Hawstead. CONGRATULATIONS !! This is a brilliant achievement - they've now won this cometition in 4 out of the last 5 years (last year they came Third). For full details click HERE

20 October Maglia Ross won the BFP Business Award 2014 for "Best New Start Up" - See the Special Supplement in this week's Bury Free Press CONGRATULATIONS to Matt (and Joanna) Denny who are pictured receiving the award, given by MENTA, Suffolk's Enterprise Agency

19 October HERE'S a small collection of photographs from 2002. In celebration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee an exhibition of wedding dresses was put on in All Saints Church. It featured 26 dresses worn by Hawstead ladies or ladies who had been married in Hawstead Church. Thanks to Leslie Carey for this archive.

5 October You can now opt into a scheme whereby mail which is undeliverable because you're out (ie bulky items - not registered/recorded mail) can be received and held for you at Maglia Rosso. This is a partnership between the Parish Council, Maglia Rosso and Royal Mail and has an initial trial period of 6 months. To opt in, please tell Henry Brewis, Pinford End Farmhouse / henry.brewis@thomson.co.uk Maglia Rosso is open 7 days per week, 9am - 5.30pm

27 September Hawstead Parish Council Meeting Minutes 17 July and 28 August are now available HERE

27 July

GREAT NEW NEWS!! 7 June 2014

Hawstead has won the regional section of the Suffolk Village of the Year competition.  We will now go on to represent St Edmundsbury in the final Suffolk-wide competition. We have won a prize of £500 to be spent by the Parish Council on a village project.

Feedback from the judges:

• very impressed with the community spirit within Hawstead
• pleased at the number of active organisations we have
• and by the fact that we try to include everyone whatever age in activities such as the Christmas lunch for older folk, free pantomime trip for the children etc
• they felt we undersold ourselves, and we didn’t ‘sing loudly enough’ about the our village!

We will now go on to represent St Edmundsbury in the final Suffolk-wide competition, to be held in July and for which there is a prize of £1000 !!

BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY, 26th May was the day for the Hawstead OPEN GARDENS event with the aim of raising money for St. Nicholas Hospice in Bury St Edmunds.

Here's a link to a Photo Gallery illustrating the gardens which were open

FROM SUFFOLK POLICE Thurs.22 May

Police are appealing for information after a 16-year-old girl had her bag snatched in Hawstead. The incident took place at around 9.30pm  Wednesday 21 May, in Whepstead Road. The victim had been walking along the road from the direction of Bury Road for around 30-40 minutes when she heard a car approaching ahead. She heard a car door slam and a man then ran towards her, grabbed her handbag, and then turned round and ran back to the car.

The man is described as white, between 20 and 25-years-old, around 5ft 8in tall, with short dark hair. He was wearing black Reebok trainers, black/navy trousers and a black t-shirt. The car is described as being silver and similar to either a Peugeot 206 or a Vauxhall Corsa.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact DC Andy George at the Bury St Edmunds Priority Crime Team on 101 quoting reference BR/14/351, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

20 May 2014

Minutes of the May 2013 Annual Parish Council Meeting and various documents presented at the May 2014 Annual meeting are now available here

6 May 2014

Thanks to Andy Taplin for getting up early to take these photos on the First of May!

9 April 2014

Did you know that there are at least FOUR community websites for our neighbours in Lawshall? Check them out, and those (single ones) for Stanningfield and Whepstead via our Useful Numbers & Links page (nb Nowton and Gt. Whelnetham don't appear to have their own parish websites - yet)

9 April 2014

We are reliably informed that MAGLIA ROSSO is going to open for business on Monday 28th April !

8 April 2014

BBC One are looking for people who live in interesting homes in Suffolk and would be happy to try a home swap holiday for a new TV series. Do you live in an interesting home you’d be happy to swap with someone elsewhere in the UK for a short break?

See this webpage 

For an application form please email Kieran.mccarthy@bbc.co.uk with your contact details

7 April 2014

For a Press Release and further information about the future plans for tourist information facilities in Bury St Edmunds, click here

30 March 2014

Hawstead's Census data for 1841 uploaded here. 1851 - 1911 to follow!

27 March 2014

Lark Valley Projects have submitted an application for a premises licence at the Metcalfe Arms, according to the April issue of The St Edmunds Way Magazine. This is because the location (within the building) of the sale of beer and wine is to be different. Your Editor assumes that this is because the former Bar area is being converted into a shop, and the new cafe-bar will be in the re-developed area at the rear (car-park side).

Representations concering this must be made in writing to the Licensing Services Manager at SEBC by April 22 2014. Emails are accepted: licensing@stedsbc.gov.uk

See here for pictures etc of the change from Metcalfe Arms to Maglia Rosso

25 March 2014

 Parish Council Meeting Minutes 16 January 2014 available here

7 March 2014 Khaki Devil latest (meeting of SEBC Planning Committee, reported in the Bury Free Press).

1 March 2014 UK Power Networks’ Power of Giving Fund: applications £1000-£10,000 invited. Charities, not-for-profit community organisations, educational establishments and social enterprises across our network regions can apply for projects that address climate and/or social concerns in their local area in a recognisably sustainable and cost efficient way.We look for innovative projects designed to help local communities in a number of areas such as reducing fuel poverty, enhancing energy efficiency and promoting low carbon economy.  

17 February 2014 Advance Notice: Suffolk local authorities are working in partnership again to organise the countywide Suffolk Walking Festival, which runs from 10th May - 1st June 2014.

17 February 2014 Regarding the Khaki Devils proposal there are now documents from Highways and the Tree & Landscape Officer on the Borough Planning Dept's. page

29 January 2014 You can now download some statistical data about Hawstead which was recently presented to the Parish Council by an officer of SEBC. It concerned a "rural profiling project" undertaken by the council.

Khaki Devil plans for developing the site they have purchased in Bells Lane. For information about their planning application, click here to go to the relevant section on the Borough Council's website.

Here's an online article with a few pictures about the project from the East Anglian Daily Times, 18th Dec. 2013

Khaki Devil's plans for Brook Farm site, Bells Lane: further Information

Hawstead Parish Council response to St Edmundsbury Council