Editorial: Assets

The greatest natural asset of Ipswich is surely its site and location. Is there a better in England? Sheltered by hills from the prevailing winds and sitting snugly at the head of a navigable estuary, the site must have made the Angles and Saxons gasp with pleasure to find a place more promising than anywhere around the Elbe. (A pity that the inhabitants over the centuries haven't always appreciated the superb possibilities which nature has given them!)

Ipswich's two greatest man-made assets are its dock and its parks - three large parks and many smaller ones and recreation grounds - which have long been regarded as unrivalled by any town of comparable size. Our Newsletters usually contain updates on what is happening around the dock. Less frequently there are updates about the parks, so I commend Pat Gondris's article to your attention. Things are happening there, too.

I'm also pleased to point out that in Letters to the Editor you can find a record number of five letters from members. It's always interesting to read the views of our members. Those who take the trouble to write often provide new insights and, of course, create variety in the Newsletter. Thank you - and may there be more to follow.

We are holding back more previews of next year's 50th anniversary of the Society's history, but there will be many special and absorbing events which you'll be able to read about in the 2010 Newsletters. It should be a good time to be a member of The Ipswich Society.

Neil Salmon