See, also, Neighbour's Events at Occold, Debenham, Pettaugh, Redlingfield, Thornham and Thorndon.
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All in the Village Hall unless otherwise stated.
December 2025Saturday 6th Display of Nativity Cribs 10am-4pm St Andrews Church Sunday 7th Wildlife Walk to Thornham Leave Vill Hall 9.30am Sunday 7th Display of Nativity Cribs 10am-4pm St Andrews Church Tuesday 9th Hilltops Christmas meal White Horse, Stoke Ash 6.30pm Wednesday 10th Village Christmas Lunch 12 for 12.30 Advance Bookings Please Thursday 11th Mobile Library at 2 stops 9.50 & 10.10 Saturday 13th Crafternoon – Dorset Buttons workshop 1.30-3.30pm Saturday 13th Wickham Skeith Carol Service 4pm St Andrew’s Church Tuesday 16th Village Afternoon Tea 2-4pm Wednesday 17th Country Dance Club 7pm Monday 29th Plum Pudding Walk Starts 10am
January 2026Tuesday 6th Village Afternoon Tea 2-4pm Thursday 8th Mobile Library at 2 stops 9.50 & 10.10 Saturday 10th Crafternoon 2-4pm Tuesday 13th Hilltops Film Night 7pm Wednesday 14th Village Lunch 12 for 12.30 pm Advance Bookings Please Monday 19th Parish Council 7.30pm Wednesday 28th Exploring Tudor Cooking – Kathleen Hallaways 7.45 pm
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John came to Suffolk when he was transferred to the ICI paints division at Stowmarket, where he held a senior position as a project engineer. He worked there until he retired. John and Mary had two spells of living in Wickham Skeith. Initially they were in Grange Road and then later at Broadway House. He served on the Village Hall committee in the early days; later, he served for a long time as Clerk to the Parish Council. In that time, we undertook quite a few initiatives; one was the rationalisation of all the Parish footpaths, another was the Village Hall extension, where John managed the project. Having bought Broadway House, John and Mary extended it and created a fantastic garden. They moved to Eye in 2010.
John would always be seen wearing a duffel coat, both at home and work. Whenever you met him, his welcome was always, “What do you want!” He was a very clever man and an incredibly astute bridge player. In recent years his health declined and for the past few years he has been looked after in Hartismere Place.
This year commemorated the 80th Anniversary of VE and VJ day. I was hoping we would do really well to mark this and we have, with a truly fabulous amount raised.
Wickham Skeith started the ball rolling with two events held earlier in the year for VE/VJ days and managed to raise a wonderful amount of £700.00. Thanks must go to Romaine Elsden and her band of helpers for organising and running these days.
A massive thank you must also go, as always, to my wonderful, committed collectors who go door-to-door, in all weathers. Thank you for the support of local businesses and a BIG thank you to all of you who gave so generously.
A record amount for the Mendlesham District - £3961.32 - of which
Wickham Skeith raised a massive £832.67 + £700.00 = £1532.67
Jacquie Nash Poppy Appeal Organiser
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Village Hall NewsThanks must go to Martina and Tristan for the great job they did in creating our spooky Halloween Pub Night. Also, thanks to Nigel and Sue Merriam and all those who helped make our November quiz the success it will be/was. Afternoon Tea – 16th December We are happy to announce that our second Afternoon Tea this winter will be on Tuesday 16th December from 2pm to 4pm. We will be serving a selection of savouries, scones with strawberries and cream, and plenty of cakes with bottomless tea and coffee. Our fun cryptic quizzes will return, with a prize for the winning table. Choose from a selection of games like jigsaws, card games or Bingo, or just spend fun time catching up with friends. Thanks to a grant from the Mid Suffolk District Council, we can offer these events free of charge. Further Afternoon Tea dates for your diaries are: 6th January, 24th February and Saturday 28th March. Plum Pudding Walk – 29th December 10am Our Annual Plum pudding walk is an ideal opportunity to walk off some of the excesses of the season. Come and join us for a glass of mulled wine at 10.30am followed by a walk at 11am. Then enjoy a lunch of soup and bread at 12 noon (non-walkers welcome). Dogs welcome too. Cost £5.50 on the day. Possible Pig Racing Pub Night? - Saturday 21st February Plans are underway for a possible Pig Racing Event in the hall on 21st February. Watch this space! Curry Night -Saturday 21st March Here is a date for your diary. Come and join us as we turn Wickham Skeith Village Hall into an Indian restaurant! |
Returning in November is our popular Quiz Night designed and run by Nigel Merriam ably assisted by Sue, his wife. We invite teams of up to 8 people (smaller teams welcome too) and there will be a light supper of cheeses, cold meats, bread and pickles served in the interval. The Bar will open throughout the evening.
Please book online for the quiz at https://wickham-skeith-village-hall.sumupstore.com/ or point your phone at the QR Code below. Each ticket costs £10and includes a light supper and a game of “Heads or Tails”. It does not matter if you are not in a team, that can be arranged on the night. It is important that people book ahead so that we know numbers coming.
As well as being an enjoyable evening, this raises money to help the village hall costs.
Please remember to buy a little bit extra over the next few weeks for the Foodbank.
Our donations cover the Stowmarket area, including our villages, and there is a great need over Christmas and the school holidays.
Donation boxes are in the Village Hall and the Church
Wickham Skeith NewsletterThe Wickham Skeith newsletter is a free service provided to villagers, informing everyone about events, parish news, community items, such as the oil purchasing scheme, and a few adverts which help fund it. It is delivered through letterboxes every month by our volunteers. A big thank you to them for turning out promptly and in all weathers - although mostly sunshine this year. Currently our printing costs work out about £1.00 per copy and this is funded through the adverts, contributions from Parish Council and the Church, and the rest comes from Village Hall Committee funds. We hope that you find it useful and would like to continue to receive it. Let us know (mole7@protonmail.com) if you no longer wish to receive it and we will adjust our distribution. |
Refuse (black bin) Weds 24th December – as usual
Recycling (green bin) 31st December collection - will be Friday 2 January
Refuse 7th January collection - will be Thursday 8th January
No garden waste collections from 22 December to 4 January 2026
Garden waste resumes in Wickham Skeith on Monday 12th January
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Wickham Skeith Wildlife GroupWildlife Friendly Village
Our morning ambles will be once a month in November and December. Location varies, please join the email group for further information. The group continue reporting sightings, some of which give an insight into the way humans are changing their environment. For example, three of us have recorded a western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis). This species is not native. It is originally from North America but during the autumn of 2008, a large influx arrived on the south coast of England probably originally from timber imported to Italy.
Check out our project page at https://uk.inaturalist.org/projects/wickham-skeith-wildlife-2025
154 different species have been recorded since August this year. If you are interested, but are not on the Wildlife Group email or WhatsApp groups, contact Melinda on mole7@protonmail.com
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Wickham Skeith Wildlife Group Wildlife Friendly Village
Join us on a wildlife spotting walk to Thornham, with coffee at the Forge before returning to Wickham Skeith. Start at 9.30am from the village hall on Sunday 7 December. No need to book.
Last amble of the year – 9.30am Tuesday 16 December.
Check out our project page at https://uk.inaturalist.org/projects/wickham-skeith-wildlife-2025 New project will start in 2026. If you are interested, but are not on the Wildlife Group email or WhatsApp groups, contact Melinda on mole7@protonmail.com
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Wickham Skeith i–naturalist project Since August 2025 we have recorded 157 different species of plant and insect, with a few mammals and birds that could be caught on camera. The project page will reset for January 2026. If you want to find out more about what has been seen, visit the full list at https://uk.inaturalist.org/projects/wickham-skeith-wildlife-2025?tab=species Everything from a Dryad’s Saddle to a Cinnamon Firebug and a Rusty Tussock Moth to a Labyrinth Spider. |
The Suffolk Mobile Library van...stops in the lay-by outside the chalet bungalows, from 9.50 to 10.05a.m. Then outside Haymead House in The Street from 10.10 - 10.25a.m. Next visits: 11th December, 2025 and 8th January, 2026
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Recent winning numbers: Oct – 55; Nov – 29, 44, 25, 35.
Pete Davidson pjdavidson42@gmail.com
Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils have launched a new recycling scheme for electrical items. Striking pink recycling bins have been provided where residents can dispose of their broken electrical items. This includes things like coffee machines, kettles, mobile phones, tablets, and anything smaller than a 4-slice toaster.
Our nearest bin is in the Buckshorn Lane car park, Eye
https://www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk/
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‘Crafternoon’ SaturdaysWhatever your art or craft bring along your current project. Share skills, ideas, tips, and techniques. If you have an ‘arty’ or ‘crafty’ friend then bring them too. Next Crafternoon will be Saturday 13th December 2025 1.30-3.30pm when we are making Dorset Buttons. A mini workshop with Karen Lillistone. If anybody would like to join us, email Jos for supplies to bring. Entry: £2.50 per person (inc. tea/coffee/biscuits). January Crafternoon 2026 on Saturday 10th, 2-4pm jocelynbryant712@gmail.com |
We meet from 7pm in the Village Hall £5 entry. Phone Jayne for more details. Next Meetings: Christmas Special on 17th December
January 2026 possible New Year Ceilidh tba
Don’t forget you are welcome any age, any ability, any gender! Dance is the best form of exercise for all round health in body, mind and soul!
The next order deadline after 30 November is 31 January. If you need oil, please email jerrybassett@icloud.com or, if you do not have access to email, call 07918 028621
Our syndicate has been running for 16 years now and saved us collectively tens of thousands of pounds. Here is a reminder of the workings of the scheme. If you would like to try it out, just drop me an email with contact details.
There will be four opportunities to place orders over the next 12 months.
On or before:
- 30 November
- 31 January
- 31 March
- 30 June
Before each of these dates I will place a reminder in the village newsletter and send you an email reminder. Then let me know if you would like to be included in the next order. I will need to know:
- quantity required (min 500 litres)
- any special instructions - eg concerning delivery
Within a couple of days of the above dates, a bulk order will be placed with the oil company which offers the best deal, usually several pence per litre lower than the price available to customers who order individually. I will let you know the same day:
- the name of the company
- price
- expected delivery date
- the company's contact details should you need to speak to them directly
I will pass your address and phone numbers to the company which will contact you regarding payment (but normally only if they have not delivered to you before) and they will bill you directly.
If you have any questions, please email jerrybassett@icloud.com
The Suffolk Mobile Library van stops in the lay-by outside the chalet bungalows, from 9.50 to 10.05am. Then outside Haymead House in The Street from 10.10 to 10.25.Next visits –11th December 2025 & 8th January 2026. |
Fundraising For the Church Tower RoofDisplay of Nativity CribsOn both 6th and 7th December there will be a display in St Andrew’s Church from 10am to 4pm. The large selection of cribs will vary in size from tiny ones to hang on the Christmas tree to complete models of the baby in the manger surrounded by His family, visitors and animals. Entry will be free but donations will be welcome. Hot drinks will be available. Let this be your start to Christmas this year!
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Juggling space in this double issue but just room to wish everyone a peaceful Christmas time and best wishes for 2026.
Thank you to all who run clubs and events and help keep our community vibrant and active. Please support village events where you can. Volunteers are always needed to help and we have a vacancy for a Parish Councillor.
Thank you to the team of deliverers who turn out every month to drop this newsletter to your door.
