Latest news with #Halesworth
BBC News
22-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Boost for Wenhaston garden centre after £24k raised
A specialist garden centre at risk of closure was "overwhelmed" with gratitude after residents rallied round and raised tens of thousands of of Wenhaston, in Halesworth, recently lost access to a nearby borehole that had long supplied the site, and its rare and historical collection of plants, with just half a tank of water left, the future of the facility was plunged into doubt, with owners Gillian and Jenny Stafford fearing its plants would not issuing a plea for support, the community helped the couple raise nearly £24,000 in a matter of days, money which will be used to drill and install a new borehole. "If we run dry, that's it, there is no other alternative, so it was either try to raise these funds or we will have to close the nursery," Mrs Stafford, 45, told the BBC."We knew we had good customers and some of them would support us, but we were completely overwhelmed – we are so grateful."It's just absolutely fantastic, and we are still a little bit bewildered; our heads are all over the place." The garden centre has long proved popular due to its Plant Heritage National Collection of Pelargoniums, rare Primula auriculas, and historical bearded was opened in 1991 by founder Michael Loftus before it was taken over by the Staffords in 2016, following his death four years that time, the couple have "poured everything into keeping Woottens alive", battling through the Covid-19 pandemic, serious illness and a cyber-attack. 'Given us a boost' "Running a small business can grind you down, and we don't just grow plants that are the most popular, we grow the ones that are difficult," added Mrs Stafford."But the [support from the community] has given us a boost to keep going."We are not completely out of the woods yet, but the rain in the last few days has helped." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Suicide-prevention play by INK tours Suffolk schools
A play highlighting how young people can spot signs of suicidal feelings in their friends was being toured around 15 schools and Drummer Boy was commissioned by the INK festival, based in Halesworth, follows the story of a teenage boy who appears to have it all, with the story scrolling backwards and forwards through time to reveal how his world falls apart after being dropped from a football academy. It ends on a positive note and then students have a discussion with the actors about themes in the play. Writer Rob John, who worked with mental health professionals to develop the story, said: "I had to do a huge amount of research. For many years, I was a teacher, and I kind of feel I have some kind of understanding of how young people respond to material like that, so I think that helped a bit." In the opening monologue, the main character, Jake, explained that he heard a drum beat in his head and imagined a drummer boy walking slowly towards character then appears to be talking in a counselling session, fast forwarding and rewinding to different years at school when things were going well, when he was in crisis, and eventually coming through the other characters do not ever say the word suicide, but low feelings and self-harm were alluded highly emotional at times, the piece ends with a positive tone, with Jake's final line directed at the audience asking, 'are you alright?' 'We didn't have anything like this' Actor Callum Concepcion, who plays the main character Jake, told BBC Radio Suffolk: "My brother's in secondary school now and with things like social media it's completely different to when I was in school, which was eight years ago."Getting to talk to my brother about what he's going through, and why he's finding school difficult, and some of the things that he says... I look at him and I'm like 'God you've got so much to carry, so much on your shoulders that I've never experienced'." Hattie Chapman, who plays Jake's mother and also Casey, his girlfriend, said: "When I went to school, we didn't have anything like this, there was no theatre coming in to talk about these topics, we didn't have mental health professionals talking to us."Unfortunately, I know many people that have suffered with these issues, and I think lots of us do, and I think what a difference it would have made to have this play be on in my school when I was 16." The school performances will be followed by a discussion with the cast and and support staff were also given resources to follow up on the issues raised in the Vaughan is the operational manager for early intervention child and adolescent mental health services at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation has been involved in the play's development for the last two said: "Our consultant clinical psychologist has been heavily involved in supporting the shaping and development of the play so those messages are right and relevant to young people. "We very much want to move towards working more around prevention and in communities."Demand for support through child and adolescent mental health services has significantly increased post-pandemic, so this is a real opportunity to get in at the early stage to raise awareness and to ensure young people get support before it develops into something more." If you've been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Sun
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Popular car dealership is being DEMOLISHED after 50 years to ‘breathe life' back into Victorian English town
A BELOVED car dealership is set to be completely demolished as part of a major revamp plan to "breath life" back into a Victorian English town. After an application to build a set of new homes at the site of the 50-year-old motor dealer last year, the major transformation is now moving forward. 4 4 The plans include turning the former Maltings location into apartments - while scrapping the car sales showroom off Quay Street. Bellingham Homes applied to have the 39 new properties built at the former MR King & Sons car dealership last June. They will now be constructed in the Victorian English town of Halesworth. Planning documents revealed that the huge overhaul will represent a "harmonious marriage of past and present". It also said the new homes would preserve the "historic fabric" of the Halesworth conservation area. Revised drawings of the plans have been submitted to the council. A construction and demolition plan have also been filed, as the proposal continues to move forward. The groundbreaking plan for the site's layout shows four one-bedroom, 29 two-bedroom, five three-bedroom, and one four-bedroom properties across the new development. Bulldozers will soon move in to tear down a showroom, two workshops and an extension at the Maltings site as part of the major housing revamp. The first ten homes will be built at the front of the site during phase two of the plans. World's thinnest car measuring just 19in wide that's skinnier than a motorbike is unveiled… & it works if you can fit in The old Maltings building is set to be converted into 29 more in the final stage. Other revisions from the original application include a new secure gate positions. And different window positions have also been proposed to avoid overlooking nearby properties. The application initially raised concerns surrounding the lack of parking space, increased traffic, and the impact on nearby health centres. But since the revised drawings, one public comment has been received in support of the bid. It said: "This is an excellent scheme for a long despoiled area used by a car dealership and garage and will breathe life into a historic feature of Victorian Halesworth. "It will be an asset to the town's infrastructure and ambience". Council officials will make a decision in due course. 4
