Snippets

Publications

The Society postcards, 25p each or £l.50 for the set of six, and the booklet on the history of Pykenham's Gatehouse are available from Ian Chilvers or at Pykenham's Gatehouse Open Mornings, the third Saturday of each month from 10:30 am.

Floral Ipswich

The Society welcomes and supports the Chamber of Commerce initiative to revive Floral Ipswich and is sponsoring one hanging basket this year. If you would like to make an individual contribution, personal or commercial, please contact Tim Voelcker, Chairman of Floral Ipswich, tel. 215752.

Thornham Estate

Our March meeting was an appetiser for the summer visit to the Thornharn Estate. We were addressed by the education officer at the Thornharn Field Centre who described Lord Henniker's inspired decision to open his estate to the public for their enjoyment. Alongside the working estate there are craft workshops, a garden centre, the Field Centre for educational topics, a visitors' centre for exhibitions and Thornham Walks, twelve miles of way-marked footpaths revealing the beauty and history of the estate and the wildlife. Visitors' basic needs are also catered for with a picnic site, camping site and residential accommodation. I can promise a very pleasant outing for August.

Committee

We are pleased to announce that our Minutes Secretary, Janet Wyatt, has been co-opted on to the Committee of the Society.

BBC Radio Suffolk

We welcome this potentially valuable extension of local broadcasting with its emphasis on speech. The start of broadcasting from the new premises in St Matthews Street was accompanied by the BBC Radio Comes to Town travelling exhibition on the Comhill.

Geoffrey Ramsdale

Mr Ramsdale, the town's first Chief Planning Officer who was appointed in 1969, has recently retired. He has been involved in many valuable consultations with the Society, of course, and we wish him a long and happy retirement.

Environmental Improvement Scheme

The Borough Council has set aside £20,OOO to build a scheme designed by students from Ipswich secondary schools. The competition will be judged in March, 1991. Winners of the previous competition were Northgate High School, with a scheme to improve access and parking at St Christopher's Church Hall in Renfrew Road. A splendid way to encourage interest in the efficiency and appearance of the town.

Giles' Sculptures

Members who have often commented on modern street sculptures in other towns (including continental ones) should have noted the proposal by the Ipswich Promotions Bureau to install a bronze sculpture of some Giles cartoon characters in the Tower Ramparts Shopping Centre by next Easter.

Norman Collinson Bequest

The Society has been able to use this welcome bequest in acquiring a suitable cabinet for our collection of photographic slides.

Felixstowe Society

Members of that Society were treated to a tour of the Ipswich dock area by Bob Allen on 7 April, followed by tea at Pykenham's Gatehouse.

High Street Museum

The refurbished Victorian Natural History Gallery was opened on 26 April. The Friends of the Museum have made some far-reaching proposals to incorporate the nearby Salem Chapel and the High Street premises of the Suffolk College Art School, soon to be redundant, into an enlarged museum scheme.