CSV Media - Move via a human chain

Yesterday early evening CSV Media made the old Crown Court office their new home.

They came up with a fantastic idea of creating a human chain starting from the old offices right up to the new via a human chain and I joined it at the beginning of a 200 strong presence..

Boxes were passed by each human link in the chain against the backdrop of sunshine, drums and laughter. It was a much more enjoyable event than I anticipated and brought together so many different people from a variety of backgrounds and nationality.

Real community action!

Access All Arts returns to Ipswich Town Hall

Access All Arts returns to Ipswich Town Hall on Sunday 6th April, bringing together fun, creativity and free activities under one roof.

Next month’s event will see the return of the ever popular Craft and Vintage Market. This unique handmade and timeless market run by I Make Fun Stuff offers something for everybody with an eclectic mix of homeware, jewellery, artwork and clothes you can’t buy on the high street. More than 40 stalls will be there on the day selling a range of limited vintage and craft items.

Also returning is local children’s music tuition group Muzikidz, which will be running interactive workshops with children five to 15 years, offering them the chance to learn to play a range of instruments and perform in bands. Muzikidz runs weekly sessions both during term time and in the school holidays. This activity is suitable for children of all ages and musical abilities. To sign up or find out more information go to http://www.muzikidz.com/

No booking is required for any of the activities.

Children’s writing workshops will also be running from 10.30am – 12.30pm for children seven and over and as always the Town Hall Tea Room will be open throughout the day serving refreshments.

So, don't forget to get along to the Town Hall on Sunday 6th April from 10am to 4pm to join in. Activity schedules are available fromwww.ipswich.gov.uk/AAA and should you require further information about any of the activities please contact Olivia Grant on 01473 433521.

The Unexpected - Snippets from the Week

First and foremost are the most important and poignant news from the week.

So shocked was I to hear of the sad death of Bob Crow that I was left open mouthed while I was driving. I loathed what he stood for but there was something to admire about this loud, brash, outspoken and passionate man.

I like people who say what they think, mean what they say and refuse to conform to what other people think should be the demeanour of someone in public life. I reckon he was great fun, warm, cuddly and will be sorely missed by many people.

Also sad, but not so shocking, is the passing of the great Tony Benn. Now, he was someone, not in my party, who I had time for. Another outspoken but eloquent man, who managed to sustain an air of graciousness throughout his career. I will leave others to write great tributes for him as i am not knowledgeable enough but my gut instinct was to like and admire him. The boy did good.


Now onto a real tragedy - the missing aeroplane that was travelling to China and appears to have been lost. I am truly surprised that with all our technology, this could still be baffling the experts a week after it took off. I've always had this sense that we could track anybody anywhere if we put enough resource but it appears that there are still improvements to be made. Of course, there is no blame here for the lack of information and by all accounts huge effort is being made to find these poor souls. I'm thinking of their relatives every day and hope they have an answer within the next few hours, not days or weeks. It is pain beyond our comprehension to be left in limbo.

Onto more happy notes, I believe we have 4 medals in the winter Paralympics. What an inspiration these athletes are! I am in awe of their bravery, courage, talent, dedication and physical strength, in the face of adversity. What fantastic human beings - an inspiration to us all. Well done so far, Team GB!

Interesting snippet from LGA and reported in the papers this week
MigrationWatch claims that research by UCL's Centre for Research overstated the likely tax revenues from migrants. It alleges that migrants have instead cost the Exchequer more than £140bn - or £22m a day - from 1995 to 2011. It's UK chief, Sir Andrew Green said: "This finally disposes of the immigration lobby's oft-repeated claims that immigration reduces our tax burden.”  Very interesting and in line with my own belief.

At a more local level - I have been spending time on casework that has meant my business has had only 10 hours of my time this week. But the unexpected was that I achieved more in that 10 hours than I would normally do in 20 because I was pushed for time. You know what they say, if you want something done, ask a busy person!

The barmiest compensation claims in recent times
Local authority solicitors are calling on the Government to pay for costly treatment and compensation for a child born with foetal alcohol syndrome after its mother drank excessively while pregnant. ??
Meanwhile a woman who was attacked by a seagull during her lunch break is suing the owner of the building where she worked for £30,000 in damages. Cathie Kelly said she stumbled and injured herself on the steps of the building as she tried to escape the "screaming" bird during her lunch break. ????

Of GREAT Importance:-



I thought Ed was barmy making that announcement - Thanks!

Have a great weekend all and lets see what next week brings.....

While I've been away....

Lots of things have been going on while I've been away.

Being a councillor there is never a good time to take a holiday or work away - Whether it's trying to book outside of full council meetings, area committee meetings or important events, including of course Ipswich town home games (Don't ask a season ticket holder like me to miss any games for any reason whatsoever unless of course it's a matter of life or death!)

However the world survived without me and I have caught up with residents that contacted me, as my very first point of action - and it was lovely to hear them say that they guessed I was away as normally I respond almost immediately.

Going out to deliver my latest leaflet this morning (more on that later) it was lovely to be stopped by residents asking about various issues or just wanting to have a chat about things that are bugging them. The time I spend in the ward is by far more important than any meeting I could go to and it is here in Stoke Park that my true passion lies.

So let's start with a few snippets from neighbourhood watch information newsletters;

Vehicle security from the eyes of an offender

A prolific car crime offender was interviewed recently and the key message was highlighted by him -       

Do not to leave anything on view in a vehicle.  

He stated that he wouldn’t break in, if he couldn’t see anything.·         

Don’t leave sat nat holders, the ring on the windscreen or even the cigarette lighter out of its place as all of these indicated that there was a sat nav in the glove box. ·         

He would take anything out of a car – including black bags and sports bags.·         

He never carries tools with him for breaking into cars in case he gets stopped en-route by police, he would use something left lying around (a new thought provoking point in the fight against car crime).

 

Do you have issue with litter/dog fouling etc?

Ipswich Borough Council offer an effective service when areas of litter/dog fouling/graffiti on public areas are of concern to residents.

 Anthea PipeCommunity Watch & SNT Liaison Office,  Please report anything of this nature on Ipswich 433000. 

 I have personally used this service on numerous occasions and have found the response to be very fast, usually within the day.

Cannabis Factories
As you may have heard, in the local media, the largest ever cannabis factory in Suffolk was found at a property in Henley Road, Ipswich. Over 1500 cannabis plants were found within 13 rooms at the address, and two males were subsequently charged with the cultivation of cannabis and the abstraction of electricity.
There are some tell-tale signs which may indicate the presence of cannabis cultivation in your area, so please keep an eye (and nose) out:
• Lighting or ventilation equipment, which may be indicated by strong lighting day or night and constant noise from ventilation equipment.
• Covered up or blocked up windows.
• Comings and goings to a property at all times of the day.
• High levels of heat and condensation, which may be indicated by windows constantly misted up.
• Strong sickly smell given off by cannabis plants.
• Lots of power cables, which may be linked to lamp posts.

 

Traffic enforcement

Ipswich Central SNT have been doing some good work recently regarding traffic enforcement. 

Speed enforcement work has also been taking place recently and this will be continuing with Officers taking the speed gun out and about. Please contact us if you believe that there is a particular speeding location which could do with some attention. I have highlighted Annbrook road and Stoke Park Drive on several occasions. 

 

Be back soon on some of the bigger news stories that happened while I was away but for now - I have an important date with ITFC and a welcome cheer to make to our Birmingham guests. Fingers crossed...

Full Council Meeting and Thorington Windfarm

Once again, the administration received questions from the public on why they refuse to nail their colours to the mast and/or do something about the majority concern over the proposed turbines at Thorington, overlooking SW Ipswich.

The leader of the council et al chose to repeat like parrots - 'the contract, which was signed by the previous administration' in other words 'it has nothing to do with us'.

Then up pops Sally Wainman, a real campaigner who challenges any party in administration and has the town in her heart, who wasn't going to let him off so lightly.

She challenged Cllr Ellesmere in a supplementary question, asking him when he was going to stop blaming everyone else and take responsibility for the wishes of the residents in SW Ipswich. Labour are in administration so what was he going to do?

Nothing is the answer.

Nothing of any consequence.

Yes, it wasn't his administration that signed the options contract. Yes, it would be hard for IBC as a council to make a stand against PfR, in fact it would be illegal. However there is nothing legally stopping any of the numerous labour councillors in SW (I am the only Tory) as individuals, in showing they truly represent their people by joining me and SIT in bringing evidence to Babergh that will show lives will be blighted.

I am the only councillor to be doing this. I have learnt much from SIT and Kessingland. This is not what I want for my residents and those in my street because it's not what they want - 92%. So I am choosing to fight hard by collecting evidence along with Ben Gummer, distributing information and attending all relevant meetings.

If other labour councillors did the same, we might get somewhere.

When asked if any labour councillors attended the latest consultation, the leader stated that they all knew the facts by now. Not true. The proposals have been changed and it was useful for me at least to see them, discuss them with PfR and have further conversations with the many residents who attended. Isn't that our job for goodness sake?!

So they do have another get out clause. If Babergh agree at their planning meeting for this to go ahead, we can expect to start hearing them blame Babergh sometime this year. In fact I can already hear it.....

Ben Gummer MP - Business in suffolk

Business is a priority for me. for this town. I know only too well how hard the last few years have been running a small business, as I have done exactly that for the last 8 years..

I have said before that until red tape is reduced and things made a bit easier for employers, I will never have any staff but choose to use 3rd party virtual assistants and experts if the need for extra resource arises. This means that others benefit from my business as I do from others. Its important that we remain optimistic for the future, as it's not all bad news for this area.

Ben's latest column shows that he is on the ball on this one and also sees it as a priority. I show it here in full:

Business in Suffolk

Back in November I addressed the new Ipswich Chamber of Commerce, which I launched with the Exchequer Secretary David Gauke (a former pupil of Northgate, as it happens) back in 2011.  It is clear that while business people are marginally more hopeful than a year or two ago, there is still much trepidation about the future - in UK but especially in Ipswich.

My impression then was that 2012 was a year of treading water for so many businesses, something borne out by a Barclays survey of their small business customers back in the late summer.  They found that activity had dropped very slightly, although Suffolk had done less badly than Norfolk and - surprisingly - Cambridgeshire.  A great deal of the decline was down to a significant reduction in agricultural revenues, a result of the poor weather and the pressure on food manufacturers at a time when most households are trimming their budgets.

The good news is that new companies in the east of England are achieving the fastest growth of any region other than the south-east, which is only just ahead; both are significantly in excess of the national average.  So we are producing good companies that are growing quickly, which is an encouraging sign for the future.

The trick now is to get some of that dynamism into our town, which was the central concern of the business people I spoke to in November.  As the Borough Council has identified, we have some of the lowest average weekly wages in the country here in Ipswich, a result not of benefit cuts or anything to do with the government but because we do not have enough better paid, high-skilled jobs in the town.  That is something we must all work together to put right.  It will take longer than a year but we must re-make a start in these first few days of the 2013.

Contact Information

phone: 0845 634 9197
email: ben@bengummer.com

A residents reply to PfR and Thorington Windfarm proposal

Here is an e-mail I received from a resident who will be much affected by the new proposal, with kind permission from them to show it on my blog. I felt it succinctly conveyed the feelings of most of us, from the communications I have been receiving from residents in my ward, Stoke Park.
I have not edited it and have shown the letter in full.



We attended the South West area committee meeting of Ipswich Borough Council (IBC) on 7th November at Suffolk New Academy.

It was at the invitation of a SIT (Stop Ipswich Turbines) Action Group that IBC agreed to invite both SIT and yourselves to speak at this meeting and put both sides of the argument for the erection of 2 wind turbines at Thorington Barn overlooking Belstead Village, Pinewood, Thorington Park and Stoke Park. The land is owned by IBC but any planning application would go to Babergh Disctrict Council (BDC).


SIT made their statement and you (PfR) responded.


With regard to your responses we would comment as follows:-


Noise disturbance to residents

1. Your representative said the area already had a high level of noise both from the A14 and other background noise. This made it sound to us that this justified your company imposing more noise on residents in the area. No mention was made of what “other background noise” you were referring to.

It was pointed out by SIT that the poor road surface on the A14 was a contributory factor to the high level of noise you are recording and that the Highways Authority were hoping to deal with this shortly. Will you be re-assessing the noise levels once this has been done?

Mention was made of the wind turbines being quiet under “normal circumstances”. What do you class as “normal circumstances”?

2. SIT referred to the problems Kessingland were having with noise from the 2 wind turbines erected there. Your response was that the problems with noise they were experiencing were different and that it would not happen at the Thorington Barn site! Surely noise is noise and if you cannot guarantee your turbines will be noise free, we will take it from the residents of Kessingland that we will experience the sort of disturbance to our lives they are experiencing as a direct result of the erection of these turbines.


Flicker
1. Your response to the problem of flicker disturbance to residents was dubious to say the least. It was said it would only affect houses. Unfortunately SIT have evidence that it does in fact also affect ground level, including road surfaces. This could have a devastating effect on traffic along the A14.

2. You were unable to tell us how many people would be affected by possible flicker and mentioned the worst consequences of flicker could be mitigated during the design process. You seem to have missed the point entirely. These residents are not affected by any flicker at the moment and you are proposing to inflict this on them with this proposal. Also, your response did not mention the affect the flicker will have on anyone who has epilepsy. What will the consequences be on their quality of life if they are affected?


Visual effect on the countryside

Your representative did not respond to the visual effect on the countryside raised by SIT.

The area for the proposed wind turbine site is used by many from both Belstead Ipswich and other surrounding areas for walking, bird watching and other recreational activities and the noise/flicker generated by the turbines would destroy this pleasure.

No mention was made of the visual effect of the wind turbines in Belstead village. All residents will see the turbines but most will be within 500 – 800 metres from them. When they walk outside their front doors they will be towering above them.

As mentioned by SIT the law is outdated as to how far away from residential properties the turbines are allowed to be but surely you have a MORAL obligation to people not to put them so close to residential properties. Scotland have an advisory limit of 2km away from residential properties and even this isn’t enough in some cases.

How many people would be affected by the Wind Turbines within 2 km radius?

It appears you had no idea of the people/properties who could be affected by the erection of these wind turbines within a radius of 2 km but you did know on a clear day they could be seen 30 km (18 miles) away! This implies to us that not a lot of consideration is given to residents who may be affected. Certainly you are failing miserably to “consult” with residents in Belstead, Pinewood, Thorington Park and Stoke Park.


Figures quoted for energy production

Your representative quoted the figures these wind turbines would produce when “at full capacity”. As everyone knows, these turbines NEVER run “at full capacity” so the figures are completely irrelevant.

One questioner asked if residents affected by your proposal would get cheaper electricity and again the response “no”.


Applying for and the grant of Planning Consent

The most shocking part of the evening came when your representative explained you would be applying for planning consent from Babergh District Council for the erection of the 2 wind turbines WITHOUT specifying the exact size and type of turbine which would eventually be erected and BDC would grant planning consent on this basis. This cannot be right! If we or any other member of the public applied for planning for an extension on our properties and did not give precise details of the materials to be used etc, there is no way BDC would grant us planning consent.

2 – 3 Wind Turbines at Thorington Barn?

Your representative said you were looking at putting a “maximum” of 2 wind turbines on the site so why are they handing out leaflets clearly showing 3 locations on the map?


Distance from residential properties

Your representative did not mention that the proposed wind turbines would be only 500 metres away from residential properties. When I asked another of your representatives how she would feel if she lived so close to them she replied that she lived near a power station, as if that was a good enough reason for the turbines to be inflicted on us! Perhaps she had the choice BEFORE she moved to her present property and was able to make an informed decision, unlike us!


Consultation

You mentioned on several occasions the question of “consultation” with those affected. Well, as mentioned above you are falling well short of your obligations to residents who will
be affected if this proposal goes ahead. It appears to us that your first obligations are to your shareholders and not to those whose lives will be ruined by this proposal.

Had it not been for the formation of the SIT Action Group most of us would not have realised the significance of your proposal and we suspect had it not been for the formation of this group we would not have heard from you until it was too late.


Lease Agreement

Well, here again there appears to be some problem with IBC or yourselves letting anyone have a copy of this illusive agreement so residents of Ipswich can consider its implications. Unfortunately IBC decided to play the “political card” and opt out of responsibility for the grant of the lease as if there was nothing they could do to stop any application if their residents asked them to.

It was clear to us that IBC had let down their residents in the first place by agreeing to grant the lease to PfR without proper consultation with those residents would be affected by such a monumental proposal. Once in place, the residents will have to put up with them for 25 YEARS - this will be for the rest of our lives)! Surely this was enough to make the Council think twice and write personally to everyone concerned.


General

In general, we felt that we did not gain much from your representatives being at the meeting because most of the responses given were “they could not give a definite response yet”! Well, when will you give us definite responses to ALL our concerns?

We, along with many other people we have spoken to, did not have any objection to the erection of wind turbines until this proposal came along in the naive, mistaken belief that your company and others like you would not consider erecting massive wind turbines so close to residential properties. These kind of proposals will prove your undoing when more and more people realise the devastating effects they will have on their everyday lives.


Make no mistake about it, we in Belstead Village and other members of the action group SIT are determined to fight to stop BDC granting planning consent for your proposal. If you are in any doubt about the strength of feeling against your proposal then drive through the village and come and speak to us individually.

Mr and Mrs Daynes - Belstead village

War On Drugs - part 4

Another email that I received and from Ben, who gave me permission to print in full.

 At last someone who shares my concerns about legalising. And I have to agree totally with the last 2 paragraphs. My sentiments exactly.


 Nadia, just a thought based on the last paragraph of Ali's contribution, and some statistics I vaguely remember Oliver Letwin spouting in Bournemouth when he was Shadow Home Sec. 
 90% or so of acquisitive crime is drug related.
In the UK, at the retail end of the drug supply, we have a nightmarishly bad system. People are locked up, given little help if any, then pushed straight back out onto the same streets.
Talking to those agencies like Focus 12, where Chip Somers will tell you that the key to staying straight is learning how to break that cycle, you can certainly see the argument for legalisation (an argument he was absolutely against when last we spoke).

 The argument for legalisation is a sensible one, based on cost/benefit analysis. If you legalise and regulate the use of many of the illegal drugs on the market today, you would be able to raise revenue through duty, and remove a huge amount of the work the police would have to provide, reducing their workload and saving a couple of billion pounds from the Home Office budget. However. All that saving would go straight onto the NHS budget. Treatment is hard. There is nowhere near enough treatment available. Illegal drugs are illegal based on scientific evidence criteria.

Drugs like Heroin and Crack Cocaine, or Crystal Methamphetamine, are harmful to use. They are highly addictive, and are designed to become more addictive. There are chemists out there working for organised crime who are designing synthetic forms of these drugs to boost the addictive qualities (just like tobacco manufacturers used to do) and the problem is that the need to feed the habit will eventually become all consuming to the user.
 I have used recreational drugs in the past. Alcohol and tobacco mainly. I also tried cannabis but it did nothing for me so I didn't bother.

I know others who regularly used recreational drugs and I have seen them destroy their lives. A maths teacher who smoked cannabis on a regular basis and ended up sounding like Ozzy Osbourne and unable to work a till in a pub because he couldn't add up. A school friend who smoked just one spliff of cannabis with a high THC content and went on to suffer from panic attacks for the next 10 years. Another school friend who was so disturbed by his use of cannabis that he hung himself in his bedroom. An acquaintance from my younger days who tried every drug under the sun and dropped dead at 29 from heart failure. Another friend whose fiancee dropped dead at 26 whilst asleep, following years of drug abuse.

 These drugs kill. Using them will kill you eventually. Or it might not. You might be lucky.

But it really is Russian roulette. The country needs to spend far more budget on dealing with the organised crime (narco-terrorists) who bring the stuff in, or increasingly produce it here. The cannabis growing trade in Ipswich is controlled by the Vietnamese for instance. Crack and heroin comes up from London as well as across from Liverpool. Ectasy comes from Holland via Harwich and Felixstowe. Cocaine mostly comes up from London or down from Glasgow and Manchester. All of it is easily available. Far too easily available. 

Drug pushers are bad people when they are selling drugs to addicts. Whether that be the landlord of the pub serving a known alcoholic, or the doctor who continues to prescribe Vicodin to a patient who is addicted, or the street level dealer pushing to kids on bikes.

 We need to have a serious think about how we are going to approach drugs policy in the UK. I can understand the legalisation approach but to me that is abrogating responsibility. We cannot just give up because it is hard. We have to redouble our efforts to tackle supply, whilst simultaneously providing help and support to victims so as to reduce demand. 

 The same arguments were made five years ago about street prostitution. I remember quite senior people telling me that the strategy wouldn't work, that it would push prostitutes to different areas of town but they'd come back, that it would push it to other towns, etc. To some minor extent there has been some of that, but you won the battle against street prostitution. Why not win the one against drugs as well?

 Ben

Parents Network programmes-Choices- for Ipswich and Suffolk

December 2102



If you have a parenting programme or regular parenting support group to add to this leaflet or you wish to receive a copy each month to share with parents and colleagues email: Carole.Williams@ipswich.gov.uk

Strengthening Families Programme 7 week programme
Venue	Start Date		Times	To book a place/more information	Additional details
Woodbridge Youth Centre, The Avenue, IP12 4PA	Thursday 24th Jan		4pm – 6.30pm	Gill Francis (07718 100893 / 01473 263322)
Ipswich Academy, Lindbergh Rd, IP3 9PZ	Tuesday 5th Feb		10am – 12.30pm	Gill Francis (07718 100893 / 01473 263322)
Suffolk New Academy Mallard Way	Wednesday 15th May		4.00 – 6.30 p.m	Carole Williams - Senior Parenting Practitioner, Ipswich Borough Council 01473 433438 or 07921941620	Refreshments provided Parents of young people aged 10-14
Triple P Seminars   for parents with children aged 0 -12 Universal, no booking required
Venue	Start Date	Times		To book a place/more information	Additional details
Pipers Vale Primary School, Raeburn Road, Ipswich, IP3 0EW	3 sessions: Wednesday 28th November, Wednesday 5th December, Wednesday 12th December	8.45am – 10.15am		Melanie Hamilton or the school reception on 01473 320413 Carole Williams - Senior Parenting Practitioner, Ipswich Borough Council 01473 433438 or 07921941620	This series of three evidence-based seminars are for all interested parents, grandparents and carers from Pipers Vale Primary School and the surrounding area.
Triple P Teen Seminars for parents with children aged 11-16 Universal, no booking required

Triple P Group (Age 4-11)  Eight week programme – Booking required
Venue	Start Date			Times		To book a place/more information	Additional details
Pipers Vale Primary School, Raeburn Rd, IP3 0EW	21st Jan, 28th Jan, 4th Feb, 11th Feb 18th No group, 25th Feb 4th Mar, 11th Mar, 18th Mar			Monday 1.00 – 3.00 p.m		Carole.williams@ipswich.gov.uk 07921 941 620 Melanie Hamilton or the school reception on 01473 320413	`
Whitton Primary School, Shakespeare Rd, IP1 6ET	24th Jan, 31st Jan, 7th Feb, 14th Feb, 21st No group, 28th Feb, 7th Mar, 14th Mar, 21st Mar			Thursdays 12.45pm – 2.45pm		Carole.williams@ipswich.gov.uk 07921 941 620
Britannia Primary School	TBC					Carole.williams@ipswich.gov.uk 07921 941 620
River of Life Church 2, Carr Road Felixstowe	13th May, 20th May, 27th May half term (no group)3rd Jun, 10th Jun, 17th Jun, 24th Jun, 1st Jul, 8th Jul			Monday 7.00 – 9.00 pm		Carole.williams@ipswich.gov.uk 07921 941 620	Evening Group
Triple P Group Teen (Age 11-16)
Venue		Start Date	Times		To book a place/more information			Additional details
Suffolk New Academy Mallard Way		Tuesday 23rd Apr, 30th Apr, 7th May, 21st May, 28th May half term, 4th Jun, 11th Jun 18th, 25th	Tuesday 9.00 0 11.00 a.m		Carole Williams - Senior Parenting Practitioner, Ipswich Borough Council 01473 433438 or 07921941620
Raising Responsible Teenagers seminar followed by Teen Triple P Group St Albans High School, Digby Rd, IP4 3NJ		Seminar: 14th Jan, 9.30am – 11am Group: 28th Jan, 9.30am – 11.30am						To be confirmed
Triple P talks for staff (0 – 11)
Venue		Start Date	Times		To book a place/more information			Additional Details
Triple P Teen talks for staff (12 – 16)

Webster Stratton (BABY & TODDLER)  (The Incredible Years)
Venue	Start Date	Times	To book a place/more information	Additional details

Webster Stratton (Age 2-6) (The Incredible Years)
Venue	Start Date	Times		To book a place/more information		Additional details
Highfield Children’s Centre, Chesterfield Drive, IP1 6DW		TBC		Jannice.Simpson@suffolk.gov.uk		Crèche provided
Wellington CC, Chevallier St, IP1 2PB	Rolling Programme			Clara French, 01473 283788
The Oaks CC, Grange Rd, Felixstowe, IP11 2LA	Tuesday 15th January	1pm- 3pm
Sutton Heath, IP12 3TD	January 2013 TBC
Caring Dads
Wellington CC	TBC. 19 week programme.	TBC		For more information contact the Children’s centre 01473 283788		Referrals only. Tel: 01473 283788.  Alan Garwood, Tabitha James, Eloise Brame.
Brett River CC, Old Corn Exchange, Hadleigh, IP7 5DN	Thursdays TBC	7pm – 9pm		Ailsa.wyatt@suffolk.gov.uk Gill Black,  Ailsa Wyatt, Tel: 01206 299467		Referrals only.
Parents Are People  (8 week programme) Confidence Course for Parents
Suffolk New Academy Mallard Way, IP2 9LR	14th January	Monday 9.15am – 11.30am		Marie Weatherall – Suffolk Coaching Hub marie@suffolkcoachinghub.org.uk  Mobile - 0750 4119665 Carole.williams@ipswich.gov.uk 07921 941 620		Excluding half term A programme of workshops for mothers who may be feeling a low in confidence. Uses coaching and solution focused techniques to help them boost their self-esteem to be more effective in their parenting role and in life.
Lighthouse Women’s Centre 37 Berners St, IP1 3LN	15th January	Tuesday 9.15am – 11.30am		Marie Weatherall – Suffolk Coaching Hub marie@suffolkcoachinghub.org.uk  Mobile - 0750 4119665 Carole.williams@ipswich.gov.uk 07921 941 620
Who’s In Charge (Eight week programme with a two month follow up)
Grafton House Russell Road IP1 2DE	9th January – 6th March (with two month follow up)	Wednesdays 10-12.30 p.m		Referrals to Carole.williams@ipswich.gov.uk 01473 433438 07921 941 620		Free bus runs from town centre to the Grafton House every 20 minutes For parents (of children aged 10-18) who are experiencing abuse by their children. See below for more information.
Freedom Programme
Lighthouse Women’s Aid	Various Venues and dates Continuous Rolling Programme		Mornings Afternoons Evenings		Katy/Michelle 01473 220776/9 katy@lighthousewa.org.uk
Cherry Blossom Children’s Centre Hadleigh Road East Bergholt	Wednesdays TBC		1pm – 2.30pm
Tree House Children’s Centre					Paula Rogers Ormiston Children's Centre 01473 724549		Rolling programme in term time.
The Willows CC, Magdalene Close, IP2 9UX	Rolling programme		Contact for dates and times		Michelle Pearce & Tracey Stribling 01473 260882
Quayside CC, UCS, IP4 1QJ	Rolling Programme		Contact for dates and times		Julie Robinson & Lisa Church 07595 087782 078872 420537
Lighthouse Women’s Aid	STOP PRESS				New Women’s Centre open now, 37 Berners St, IP1 3LN		Offering a range of new and exciting programmes for women including Tai Chi/DIY/self esteem
Stronger Families Programme
Lighthouse Women’s Aid	Rolling Programme		4-6pm for 12 weeks		Contact Katy Cadwallader at Lighthouse Women’s Aid on 01473 220776 or katy@lighthousewa.org.uk		Group programme for mothers and children 4 – 16 who have experienced domestic abuse. Sessions on responsibility, positive problem solving, conflict resolution, feelings awareness and safety planning. Stronger Families is for families in which the perpetrator has already left the home, or in which the mother is no longer in a relationship with the perpetrator.
The Solihull Approach
Meredith Children’s Centre	January TBC		For 10 weeks		For more information or to make a referral call Natasha or Emily: 01473 242181 The course is aimed at parents with children under 3 years old, will also take referrals for pregnant mothers.		The course is about tuning into children and exploring feelings, parenting styles and communication, self regulation and anger management, increasing confidence in parents and children, giving parents strategies for repair when things go wrong and promoting reflective, sensitive and effective parenting.
TBC	January 2013 TBC				0845 603 7197

SCC Community Learning and Skills Development –

Courses for Parents 2013

For Community Learning Courses contact:

Murrayside reception  01473 712645                Alternative Contact: Lyndsey Hessey, 01473 325284

Venue	Course Title	Day and Times	Starting	To book a place contact:
Ipswich Pemberton House, Curriers Lane	Living with Children	Tuesdays 6.15pm – 8.15pm	15th January	0845 603 7197
Ipswich Murrayside Leap Centre  IP3 9JL	Living with Teenagers	Wednesdays 1pm – 3pm	16th January	0845 603 7197
Ipswich Murrayside Leap Centre	Developing Personal Confidence & Self Awareness for Parents/Carers	Wednesdays 10am – 12pm	16th January	0845 603 7197
Felixstowe Community Hub, Maidstone Rd, IP11 9EF	Living with Children	Tuesdays 10am – 12pm	15th January	0845 603 7197

Community Courses & Support
Name of Programme		Venue	Start Date			Times		To book a place/more information		Additional details
Ipswich Parenting Hub Chantry		Suffolk New Academy, Mallard Way, Ipswich, IP2 9LR (Chantry High School)	1st Friday of each month. Next dates: 4th February 2013			9.30am –11.30am		If you would like to find out more, Carole.Williams@ipswich.gov.uk 07921 941 620 or ACT 01473 213140 IPH is an informal positive parenting group run by parents, for parents, in your local area. We meet informally once a month for coffee, a chat and signposting and a chance to hear from other local parents and speakers.		Parenting professionals and others will be available to talk informally about any ideas, questions or concerns you may have about parenting. We also have a range of helpful information. TERM TIME ONLY
Ipswich Parenting Hub - East		Ormiston Children’s Centre, Felixstowe Road, IP3 9BU	3rd Friday of each month. Next dates: December 21st			9.30am – 11.30am
IIpswich Parenting Hub -  Whitton		Ormiston Endeavour Academy, Defoe Rd, Ipswich, IP1 6SG	2nd Friday of each month. Next dates: December 14th			9.30am – 11.30am		December Topic: PC Kevin Stephenson Keeping your Kids Safe on the Street
Parents Under Pressure™		Parents’ homes				Determined on individual family basis		Please see below for programme details. Tel: 01473 234850. Email: IpswichAdminInbox@NSPCC.org.uk		Parents Under Pressure™  is a 20-week programme for parents who have a child under two and are on an opioid treatment programme or an alcohol abstinence/relapse prevention programme
Double Trouble		The Willows CC	Tuesdays			1.30pm – 3pm		01473 602150 Runs alongside 0 – Walk, which gives you the chance to weigh your babies too.		Drop in group for parents and children of multiple births.
Polish Drop In Polskie spotkania dla dzieci w wieku od 0-5 lat		Ormiston Children’s Centre Felixstowe Road	4th Friday each month			10am – 11.30am.		01473 724549 Free group for polish families with children under the age of 5 years
Baby & me (Pre birth)		Quayside Children’s Centre	Tuesdays			5.30pm – 7pm.		Elaine.burman@suffolk.gov.uk 01473 253398
Infant Massage		Quayside Children’s Centre	TBC Five week course			Mondays 10.30-11.30 Wednesdays 10.30 –12		Phone to book a place 323870 Contact Quayside Children’s centre 01473 253398
Groups and Programmes for Dads
Name of Programme		Venue	Start Date			Times		To book a place/more information	Additional details
SataDads		Highfield Children’s Centre	1st Saturday of the month			10 - 12p.m		Contact Jannice Simpson Jannice.Simpson@suffolk.gov.uk For dads, granddads, male carers to come and enjoy time with their children (0 to 5 Years)	Safe and fun environment with activities, large outdoor play area and free bacon butties and coffee!
Daddy & me		Wooden House Children’s Centre	1st and 3rd Saturday of each month			9.30 – 11am		Drop in for all male parents/carers welcome. 01473 323870
Dads Group		Wellington Childrens’ Centre	Every other Sunday 10-12					Clara.french@suffolk.gov.uk
Community Programmes and Support Groups for Autism
Hadleigh	Brett River Children’s Centre			First Tuesday of month. Term time only.	11.30am – 1.30pm				We operate informally and are run by workers experienced in Autism.
Felixstowe Parent to Parent Autism Support	Orwell High School, Maidstone Rd, Felixstowe			Every other Wednesday afternoon	1pm – 3pm		01473 632700 01394 286399		Saturday club from 10.30am.
Ipswich Spectrum	Wellington Children’s Centre			Last Wednesday of month. Term time only.	1.30pm – 3pm		01473 284060
NON Funded Programmes
Parenting Information & Advice
Parent Partnership Service		Suffolk County Council	Mon-Fri Term Time			9am – 5pm		01473 265210 01473 264702 For parents/carers with concerns about all aspects of education for their children
Parentline Plus		National helpline for parents				24 hour free helpline		Parentlineplus.org.uk 0808 800 2222		All age children
NetMums		Netmums - the local parenting network				www.netmums.com		Online course: Making Mums Happy A step by step online course written and designed for Netmums, based on scientific principles. Over 10,000 Mums have taken this programme and have been shown in evaluation to be 14% happier as a result.
NSPCC		Telephone advice service						Telephone 0808 800 5000 Email: help@nspcc.org.uk Asian & Welsh helplines also available on this number
NSPCC Mobile Phone Texting Service		Text service to seek advice or report concerns	NEW PILOT SERVICE till end of 2011					TEXT 88858  (No cost to text) Telephone 0808
Dadoodle		www.dadoodle.net						Online: Has a range of activities, websites and software that Dads will enjoy
Care For The Family								Care for the Family is a national charity, which aims to promote strong family life and to help those who face family difficulties.  www.Careforthefamily.org.uk They also offer budget breaks for single parents.

For programmes in your area contact:    

Carole.Williams@ipswich.gov.uk     

Ipswich Senior Parenting Practitioner - Ipswich Borough Council 07921 941 620

Judith.moore@suffolk.gov.uk

Suffolk County Parenting Co-ordinater - Suffolk County Council 07515 188522

Vacant                

Ipswich & Coastal  Area Parenting Co-ordinater -     Suffolk County Council 07540 671191

Gill.black@suffolk.gov.uk                     

South & West Suffolk  Area Parenting Co-ordinater - Suffolk County Council 07540 671192

Frances.desborough@suffolk.gov.uk   

North, Waveney and Central Suffolk  County Parenting Co-ordinater - Suffolk County Council 07515 188522

See below for programme descriptions:

Strengthening Families Programme

Oxford Brookes University

An evidence based programme for parents and young people aged between 10 and 14 years.  This is a DVD and activity based programme, which supports families to have a positive outlook as young people approach their teenage years.

Parents aim to improve their nurturing and support skills while considering effective discipline and guidance strategies.  Young people build skills for resisting peer pressure and dealing with stress.  During the sessions the families work together to reflect on the strengths of their family.

This programme has been proved to be effective in preventing alcohol and substance misuse amongst young people.

For further details see www.mystrongfamily.co.uk  or contact:

Carole.williams@ipswich.gov.uk

Judith.moore@suffolk.gov.uk

Triple P (Positive Parenting Programme) This set of interventions was developed at the University of Queensland, Australia, by Professor Matt Sanders, a clinical psychologist, and is now run worldwide.  There are a variety of different group and individual programmes varying according to need, from universal (information and advice), through to support with common issues in children and young people, to group programmes and 1:1 work (both face to face and by phone).  ·         Group Triple P runs for 8 weeks (including 3 weeks where 1:1 phone support is substituted for group meetings). ·         Group Triple P Teen runs for 8 weeks (including 3 weeks where 1:1 phone support is substituted for group meetings). ·         Primary Care Triple P is a 1:1 intervention tailored to the particular issues the parent wants to work on, and supported by professionally designed tip sheets for parents to keep. Sessions can be phone-based as well as face-to-face. ·         Seminar Triple P is a series of 3 presentations on raising confident, resilient children, which covers issues of interest to a universal audience.   These can be delivered to a large group (up to 50), for example in school or the workplace.  ·         Seminar Triple P Teen is a series of 3 presentations on raising connected, competent and resilient teenagers, which covers issues of interest to a universal audience.   These can be delivered to a large group (up to 50), for example in school or the workplace.  For further details see www.triplep.net or contact: Carole.williams@ipswich.gov.uk Judith.moore@suffolk.gov.uk

The Incredible Years/Webster Stratton

Created by Caroline Webster Stratton, an American clinical psychologist used and researched for 20 years, this is an early intervention programme for parents of children under 10.  The programme encourages parents to build strong relationships with their children through play and rewarding positive behaviour. It strengthens communication and enables parents/carers to understand the developmental stages of the child. 

After completing the course parents will have a range of tools from which to choose including; effective limit setting, time-out, handling consequences and problem–solving.

This programme is appropriate for all families including those with young people with a diagnosis of ADHD or ODD.

For further details see www.incredibleyears.com, or contact

Judith Moore, Parenting Coordinator, judith.moore@suffolk.gov.uk, tel. 07515 188522

Living with Children/Living with Teenagers

The courses are offered as part of the Suffolk Community Learning Adult Education Programme and are accredited with the Open College Network.  The course is open to any parent or guardian of a child or teenager who would like to develop their skills and knowledge.  Parents can enrol themselves or agencies can make referrals on their behalf.  The course offers parents a chance to develop their skills and learn some new ideas. The course covers understanding children’s needs and parent’s needs, recognising different styles of parenting, developing skills in a positive communication style, listening skills and ways to support children’s self esteem, positive strategies for managing behaviour and setting limits.   Participants will also be able to receive information about other learning opportunities they may wish to go on to.

For further details contact Gill Johnson@suffolk.gov.uk

Caring Dads Developed in Canada, is an intervention programme for fathers (including biological, step, common-law) who have physically abused, emotionally abused or neglected their children, or exposed their children to domestic violence or who are deemed to be at high-risk for these behaviours. It consists of a 17-week, empirically-based, manualised group parenting intervention for fathers, systematic outreach to mothers to ensure safety and freedom from coercion, and ongoing, collaborative case management of fathers with referrers and with other professionals involved with men’s families. The group component of Caring Dads combines elements of parenting, fathering, battering and child protection practice to enhance the safety and well-being of children. Programme principles emphasize the need to enhance men’s motivation, promote child-centred fathering, address men’s ability to engage in respectful, non-abusive co-parenting with children’s mothers, recognize that children’s experience of trauma will impact the rate of possible change, and work collaboratively with other service providers to ensure that children benefit (and are not unintentionally harmed) as a result of father’s participation in intervention. Run by team of male and female facilitators. See www.caringdads.org

 Who’s In Charge

Does your child threaten, hurt or intimidate you? Do you feel you are losing control? Want to better handle conflict?

The Who’s in Charge? Group is an 8 week programme for parents or carers of young people (8-18) who are beyond control or defiant.  The group aims to:

Provide a supportive environment to share experiences and ideas

Reduce the guilt and shame most parents feel

Offer ideas to help to develop individual strategies for managing your child’s behaviour

Explore ways of increasing safety and well being

Help parents feel more in control and less stressed.

Carole.williams@ipswich.gov.uk

Suffolk Family Learning

Suffolk Family Learning is part of Community Learning and Skills Development and offers a comprehensive range of programmes for parents, carers and families. We work across the county in partnership with schools, nurseries and other voluntary and statutory organisations.

Being a parent/carer and supporting children's development and learning is one of the most enjoyable and challenging jobs there is. All these programmes give the opportunity to share ideas and experiences with other parents and carers in a friendly atmosphere.

The aims of Family Learning are to:

enhance the skills of the children involved in intensive programmes

enhance the home school partnership

encourage home activities

increase the understanding of the children's curriculum

increase the literacy, language and numeracy skills of the adults

Contact: 01379 672711

Living with Babies Course Part of Community Learning and Skills Development Family Learning Courses Parents attend with their babies Courses are 5 sessions of 2 hours and give parents a chance to share activities with their baby, have a go at making games and activities to do at home.  The course includes an introduction to how babies develop and learn.

AUTISM SUFFOLK Autism Suffolk is an advice/support/information service for families of children who have a diagnosis of ASD. Please contact Autism Suffolk for details  of times and dates   01473 632700. Karen Smith Family Support Worker Autism Suffolk Tel 01473 632700

Parents Under Pressure™ is a new 20-week programme for parents who have a child under two and are on an opioid treatment programme or an alcohol abstinence/relapse prevention programme. Parents Under Pressure™ aims to help families with the difficult job of parenting, providing them with the safe and caring support they need. Throughout the programme, NSPCC workers will visit parents in their own home to provide support and guidance on parenting and on maintaining their own emotional wellbeing. For further information, please contact Ipswich Service Centre, NSPCC, Hyde Park House, 1 Crown Street, Ipswich, IP1 3LG. Tel: 01473 234850. Email: IpswichAdminInbox@NSPCC.org.uk

Local Children’s Centres

The Hawthorn Children's Centre  (IP2 0QY)
Highfield Children's Centre (IP1 6DW)
Hillside Children's Centre (IP2 8NY)
Meredith Children's Centre (IP1 6ED)
Chatterbox Children's Centre (IP4 5HB)
Ormiston Children's Centre (IP3 9BU)
Quayside Children's Centre (IP4 1QJ)
Ravenswood Community Children's Centre (IP3 9QJ)
The Tree House Children's Centre (IP3 0RH)
Wellington Children's Centre (IP1 2PB)
The Willows Children's Centre (IP2 9UX)
The Wooden House Children's Centre  (IP4 3EJ)

For programmes in your area contact:    

Carole.Williams@ipswich.gov.uk     

Ipswich Senior Parenting Practitioner - Ipswich Borough Council 07921 941 620

Judith.moore@suffolk.gov.uk

Suffolk County Parenting Co-ordinater - Suffolk County Council 07515 188522

Kat.witchalls@suffolk.gov.uk               

Ipswich & Coastal  Area Parenting Co-ordinater -     Suffolk County Council 07540 671191

Gill.black@suffolk.gov.uk                    

South & West Suffolk  Area Parenting Co-ordinater - Suffolk County Council 07540 671192

Frances.desborough@suffolk.gov.uk   

North, Waveney and Central Suffolk  County Parenting Co-ordinater - Suffolk County Council 07515 188522