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Linking the villages of - Somersham, Willisham, Offton and Flowton - Suffolk

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Somersham
Offton
Willisham
Flowton
Offton & Willisham PC

First Impressions was Jane Austen's original title for her novel, Pride and Prejudice. I think most people agree that first impressions are important though they can be misleading or inaccurate, often resulting in prejudice. However, when first impressions are good, they colour the way we perceive people and places in a positive way.

Some years ago, before we moved to Suffolk, we had a caravan on the cliffs at Dunwich. One day, driving along the road from the A12 to Dunwich via Westleton, we spotted a table with benches attached - perfect for outside the caravan. It was for sale at £40.00 and there was an honesty box. We liked it, thought it good value, and managed to scrape together £40.00, but we needed to check that it would fit in the Volvo Estate that we were using. Well, after much twisting and turning, we discovered that the table was one centimetre too big, whichever way we tried to squeeze it in.

As we were putting it back in position, the owner of the wood yard arrived in his pick-up truck. We asked if it might be possible for him to deliver the table to the caravan site for us - we'd be happy to pay. He looked at us, then at the table, and was quiet for a few moments, then he said: "£25.00 and I'll throw in delivery." I was confused.

"No, no, we're happy with the price. It's just that we couldn't fit it in the car so we didn't put the money in the box straightaway."

"No," he said, "that's been there a little while so £25.00 is fine."

Eventually, we knocked him up to £30.00. But you can see how that encounter, that first impression, coloured our view of Suffolk.

Another story: some friends in Nacton were having a visitor from London. They had told her which bus to catch and which stop to get off at. She duly asked the driver, who promised to tell her when they arrived at the stop. Her friends had told her, roughly, how long it would take, so, when it was five or six minutes over that time, she was getting anxious and asked the driver if they were almost there. The driver had forgotten. He was mortified and duly asked the other passengers how they felt about taking the young lady back to her stop. They all agreed, the bus was turned around, and she was taken the mile or so to where she should have been dropped off originally. Another first impression!

All right, I know it doesn't always work like that and we've probably all had some experience of less than honest, unhelpful people etc, but in a cynical, self-motivated world, it's good to remember true stories like this, and other kindnesses and good manners. Don't you think?

(We are grateful to Jean Hardman of Willisham for this letter)


CHURCH FLOWER AND CLEANING ROTA


Somersham
Aug: 1, 8 Christine Jarrold
15, 22 Frances Southgate
29 Sept 5 Judith Newman
Sept 12, 19 Angie Osborn
26 Oct 3 Pat Woolhouse

Cleaning: Aug: Team B Sept: Team C

Flowton
Aug: 1 Mrs. Ward
8, 15 Mrs. Munson
22, 29 Mrs. Laflin
Sept: 5, 12 Mrs. Fawcus
19, 26 Mrs. Grimwood
Oct: 3 Mrs. Ward

Cleaning: Aug: Mr. and Mrs. K. Grimwood
Sept: Mr. and Mrs. Ward

Offton
Aug : 1 Mrs. Leita Minns
8, 15 Mrs. Maartje Rondeboom
22, 29 Mrs .Sue Pryke
Sept: 5, 12 Mrs. Anne Chapman
19, 26 Mrs. Silke Pinson-Roxburgh
Oct 3 Mrs. Sheila Pinson-Roxburgh

Cleaning: Aug: Mrs. M. Rondeboom
Sept: Mrs. S. Pinson-Roxburgh

Willisham
Aug: 1, 8 Mrs. E. Hodson
15, 22 Mrs. J. Somerville
29, Sept 5 Mrs. T. Southall
Sept: 12, 19 Ms. J. Hardman
26 Mrs. M. Fisher

From the Registers:
Christening:

Poppy Erin George on 18th July. Daughter of Sarah Jarrold and Stephen George.

Confirmation

Phillippa Payne and Jo Hakes were confirmed by the Right Reverend Jeremy Walsh in Needham Market church on 4th July.

May they continue to grow in faith

Farewell to:

Maureen Goodess who funeral took place on 9th June followed by interment in Flowton Churchyard.

Lilian Hnatiw who died on the 9th June and was buried in Somersham on 17th June.

May they rest in peace

The Police to say that there is to be a slight change in the faces we see around the area.
PC255 Tina Fairness will still be our Police Officer, but PCSO3090 Matthew Brown will be keeping an eye on Somersham, Nettlestead, Offton, Willisham and Barking,
and PCSO3183 Vince Whitrow will be around Bramford, Flowton, and Little Blakenham.

 
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