Dear Friends.
Happy New Year

   Here it is, the long awaited first 2008 Chairman’s Chat filled with loads of news and some fantasic events to keep you going all year! I hope you all had a super Christmas and a good start to the New Year. I hope also you managed to avoid all those horrible bugs going around, and if not, that you are now all fully recovered.

   I hate having to start the new year with bad news but I am afraid this is one of those sad occasions. It is with great regret that I must report the death of one of East Suffolk’s stalwart members for many years Mr Herbert Rampling. Herbert was our Treasurer for many many years before finally standing down in 2002. Herbert with his wife Phyllis did so much for the Club, one of our most popular evenings the Cheese and Wine nights at Haughley Barns was always superbly organised by them. He will be sadly missed and our thoughts and sympathy go to Phyllis and their family.

   I am extremely pleased to report that last year we were able to purchase five 14-day life recorders for Ipswich Hospital costing £2,200. These machines are of a similar nature to the 8 Life Recorders we have already purchased but are much smaller and patients use them for 2 weeks rather than 24 hours. This is a tremendous achievement and is all down to you, the members for your hard work, kindness and generosity.

   I did panic at the start of the year and think “how on earth are we going to follow our 25th anniversary year” with those excellent speakers, an auction like you’ve never seen before, the best attended Christmas Party we have ever held (they must have heard Richard wasn’t going to be wearing a dress) and of course best of all our special trip up the coast to Cromer for the “End of the Pier Show”. Well your loyal servants on the Committee have put their heads together and have come up with a pretty good plan (I hope you all agree).

   Right now onto the important part of the newsletter – our very special schedule of events for 2008. Let me assure you, no expense has been spared to bring you the greatest entertainment Suffolk has seen – we have tried to keep the number of evenings where you are entertained by us to a minimum but let it not be said that our talents have not gone un-noticed and we are in great demand so please feel very privileged when they do crop up. As with all our meetings with the exception of July, we meet at Kesgrave Social Club in Edmonton Road, Kesgrave, starting at 7.30pm with a break where hot food is available mid evening. We also hold a raffle and prizes for these are always very gratefully appreciated.

   Here we go then and hold on tight and do please try and control your excitement (remember your hearts):

WEDNESDAY 27 FEBRUARY - This is our Annual General Meeting night – but don’t worry I can almost (as long as you don’t ask any questions – only joking) promise that it will probably take no longer than 15 minutes and then for the real entertainment of the evening. Yes keeping it short gives us more time for the fun part of the evening – yes those of you lucky little devils who came last year will remember the Bingo night with a difference. We have Physical Bingo (it’s ok I’ve checked all the Health and Safety Rules), Pyramid Bingo and don’t worry if you never win anything because we even have Loser’s Bingo. You have more chance of winning loads of money here than you have winning the lottery so hurry down for “A truly Eyes Down” night.

WEDNESDAY 26 MARCH - Now never let it be said we don’t cater for all tastes, abilities etc because tonight ladies and gentlemen we are holding “An Armchair Tour of Ipswich” ok so we don’t have armchairs just plastic chairs but that’s a minor factor. Yes Ann Day, an experienced Ipswich Tour Guide is bringing Ipswich to Kesgrave. She will take us all on a wonderful trip around Ipswich, taking in all the history and famous sights without you even having to leave the room. Please come along for a very entertaining (if lazy) evening and give Ann a warm Zipper welcome.

WEDNSDAY 23 APRIL – This is the night with plenty of wrist action, laughter and the occasional grovelling under the table looking for the missing dice. Yes it’s our Beetle Drive and entertainment night – you know you love it. This year I am arming Jo your umpire for the night with a microphone so she can be heard above all the laughing and giggling and she will read out full rules to start with and we may even play musical chairs this time. Please come along and join the fun (and no one will ever know if you practice first).

   Now in the afternoon of Wednesday 23 April before all your Beetle excitement we have been invited to Bury St Edmunds to take part in the Annual Inter Suffolk Quiz. Our hosts West Suffolk will as always make the questions incredibly hard and we need all the brains we can get to bring that trophy back to East Suffolk. The afternoon starts at 1.30pm and the venue is Pakenham Village Hall near Bury St Edmunds, if you are able to join us please let me know, West Suffolk always make us very welcome and they are a lovely bunch of people who regularly support our functions.

WEDNESDAY 28 MAY - Now we are trying something different this year, yes we thought we would give the local WI’s a run for their money and have our own produce sale (stop laughing). It’s the Spring Clean Auction with a slightly different slant in that everything we are going to sell has to be home-made. Now don’t worry if you are like me a hopeless cook, we will accept anything home-made ie sewing, bird boxes, smelly gift sets, absolutely anything and of course cakes, sweets and nice edible things would also be very very welcome. There will also be a quiz during the evening along the theme. This is an excellent opportunity to come along and do all your 2008 christmas shopping without having that December headache and stress – what more could you ask.

WEDNESDAY 25 JUNE - We have the highly recommended Mr Tom Tyler coming along to give us a talk on “When Motoring Was Fun” which let’s be honest it’s certainly not these days with all the traffic and accidents. This promises to be a lively and entertaining evening

   As with all the events later in the year more details will come your way in the form of future Chairman’s Chats, but a brief outline of dates etc is as follows :-

WEDNESDAY 16 JULY - This is our annual outings and following many requests we have booked up to go back to The Flora Tea Rooms in Dunwich for a fish and chips (or various salads) lunch at 12 noon and then onto The Long Shop Museum in Leiston at 2pm for the afternoon. – More details to follow nearer the time.

WEDNESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER - Mystery Night – to you and me both – details to follow.

WEDNESDAY 22 OCTOBER - I am very proud to announce that following the success of his visit last year and by popular demand, we have invited Suffolk’s top selling author Charlie Haylock back to entertain us for the evening and guess what he has agreed (we must have made a good impression last year) Charlie who’s famous for his rather koindly (and that’s not a spelling mistake) look at Suffolk and books “A Rum Owd Dew!” and “Sloightly on th’ Huh!” has another different rendition for us and the evening promises to have you in stitches and will take us all back to our roots and the good old days in Suffolk. Anyone who has met him or heard him on telly, knows that he champions Suffolk,and talks a great deal of sense, injected with his Suffolk wit. Please come along and welcome Charlie back.

THURSDAY 4 DECEMBER – Christmas Party

   Wow – I’m worn out just telling you about all that lot but see I promised you yet another great programme.

   Well if I have missed anything I am truly sorry, but I will keep you all informed of further developments and details in due course. I wish you all a super Spring (and more settled weather otherwise I hope the Easter Bunny brings you a boat ready for all the rain) and look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at some of our fabulous events. As always most of all look after yourselves and each other, especially if we ever get any cold weather.

Don’t forget our Co-op Dividend Account Number is : 7820

Lots of Love
Anita
Area Co-ordinator