2018 Local News Stories

[boatbuilder]

Latest post of the previous page:

I have only just read the above and I find that figure of over 37,000 staggering. That works out to 144 missed appointments a day based on a 5-day week which tends to be the case with such appointments. I have never found anything wrong with the way appointment letters are worded or with the details they contain with regards to cancelling appointments and I am sure the appointment letters that Ipswich send out are much the same as they are at the JPH. With appointments that are made many months in advance, JPH also tend to follow up with a phone call about a week before the appointment date to check if you will be attending.

[boatbuilder]

Further to my previous post, what could be more simpler than following the information that is included in a typical appointment letter which emphasises all the main details the patient needs to know, including cancellation details, as in this one my wife recently received for an appointment next month? (certain information I have removed).

[boatbuilder]

Man dies days after wife found dead at Aldeburgh house

A man has died days after his wife was found dead at a house.
John Hewitson, aged in his 90s, and his wife Connie Hewitson, aged in her 50s, were found in Acheson Way, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, at about 10:40 BST on Monday.
He had suffered a serious head injury and died in hospital earlier [sic]. Mrs Hewitson died after paramedics arrived to reports of an unconscious woman.
A post-mortem examination into her death is due to be held. Their deaths are being treated as "unexplained".

BBC Suffolk

[Trigger]

Moving service commemorates shop assistant killed during deadliest Second World War raid on Lowestoft

She went above and beyond to warn others in the middle of an air raid.
And now, the selflessness of a shop assistant – who was killed 76 years ago in the deadliest raid on Lowestoft during the Second World War – has been remembered in a moving memorial service.
Gladys Wright, of Wollaston Road, worked at the Lowestoft M&S shop in the town centre. On Tuesday, January 13, 1942 the 27-year-old – who was one of the store’s three wardens on duty that day – went to the front of the shop as the air raid sirens sounded to warn others and “advise customers that service was suspended.”
Minutes later a Dornier Do 217 dropped four large bombs in the town’s main shopping area. Buildings were flattened as a row of shops became “a heap of bricks, wood and twisted metal” as 70 lives were lost in the so-called Waller’s raid.
Blast and shrapnel from the bombs also caused severe damage to some of the buildings opposite, including the frontage of Marks and Spencer’s – where the body of Mrs Wright, nee Bull, would be found 36 hours later.
She had been married for just a few weeks, and would later be buried in an unmarked grave in Lowestoft in her wedding dress.
Now, after years of research and amazing generosity, her memory will live on – thanks to the unveiling of a new headstone in Lowestoft Cemetery, and a plaque in the town’s M&S store.
EDP article

[Trigger]

‘I buy buildings and make them work’: Businessman reveals plan to buy Lowestoft Hospital

A Lowestoft businessman has revealed his intention to buy the town’s closed hospital and transform it into a medical centre, despite a public campaign to stop the sale.
Peter Colby announced his plans to bid for Lowestoft Hospital, which closed in 2016, when it goes under the hammer at auction next week.
Mr Colby, of Peter Colby Commercials, agreed a deal earlier this month to buy Lowestoft Magistrates’ Court, which also closed in 2016.
He said: “It is my intention to buy Lowestoft Hospital next week. I buy buildings and make them work.
“I was in there on Wednesday looking around and it should not be knocked down. There is not much difference in the condition of that and other hospitals. The hospital must have been in a superb condition when it closed.
“I want to turn some of the building into houses, but I want to refurb the main block and I would like someone to take it on and make it work as a medical centre. My original idea was to turn the magistrates’ court into a medical centre.
“If it is knocked down it will never go back to being a hospital and that is not what anyone wants.”
Journal article

[boatbuilder]

Rose-coloured starling watchers descend on house near Norwich

A man's living room has been besieged with birdwatchers trying to get a glimpse of a rarely-seen bird.
Stephen Leake first saw the rose-coloured starling in the back garden of his house near Norwich on 7 October.
He reported it to the RSPB and logged his postcode, thinking it was for recording purposes.
Mr Leake has since had more than 150 people visit his home, including some who had travelled from north England. He said they were "wowed" by the bird.
The RSPB said the starling should be migrating from Mongolia to Asia.
Mr Leake, a teacher from Costessey, said it was a "mystery" as to why it had decided to settle in the back garden of a new-build home.
He said he first thought it was a woodpecker or a juvenile magpie until he contacted the RSPB, which confirmed it was a rose-coloured starling.
Mr Leake said 24 hours after giving his postcode to the RSPB, he noticed a group of people outside his house.
He said he spoke to a couple of them and asked if they were there for the starling and they said they were.
"I thought I'd invite them in off the street and let them have a look.
"They were wowed by it. One woman even welled up," said Mr Leake.

Full story

[boatbuilder]

Man from Suffolk named as missing swimmer

Suffolk Police have named a 56-year-old from Redisham in Suffolk as the missing swimmer.
Lawrence Gibbs was last seen at Pakefield, near Lowestoft, at around 5pm on Saturday.
A spokesperson for Suffolk Police said he was seen entering the sea at Pakefield beach, drifting towards Kessingland.
He is described as white, of medium build with grey hair.
He was last seen wearing blue swimming shorts and a swimming cap.
Her Majesty’s Coastguard is currently searching for Mr Gibbs supported by Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue
Police are appealing for help to trace Mr Gibbs.
Anyone who has seen Mr Gibbs or anybody with any information is asked to contact Suffolk police on 101.

Lowestoft Journal

[Trigger]

Hitting the high notes – operatic teen shortlisted for BBC’s Young Chorister of the Year award

A young Norwich chorister has been recognised for her operatic skills as she competes in the final of the BBC Young Chorister of the Year.
Brooke Elley, 15, has stepped out from the familiar stalls of Norwich Cathedral to record with BBC Radio 2.
The Norwich School student is one of eight young singers across the nation who are set to have their voice projected across the airwaves.
An equal number of boys and girls are competing for two spots to sing with the Philharmonic Orchestra and perform at prestigious events throughout 2019.
Brooke has been fine-tuning her skills with the Norwich Cathedral girls’ choir since she was seven years old. As well as singing, Brooke plays the violin, saxophone and piano.
“When I was younger my parents played a lot of Queen, I remember hearing someone sing and thinking ‘I want to do that’,” she said.
Brooke’s song selection for the final, which will be held on October 30, is The Lord’s My Shepherd by Stuart Townend and Pie Jesu from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Requiem.
“I started singing when I was seven and one of the first songs I ever sung was Pie Jesu,” she said.
“I chose The Lord is My Shepherd because it is a complete contrast.”
The bright-eyed young singer dreams of a career on Broadway and performing in the Phantom of the Opera. Despite her natural operatic ability, she also dabbles in song writing and enjoys studying art and maths.
Brooke is “surprised and honoured” to have performed on the national radio station but is excited for the next steps in her career.
Norwich Cathedral’s master of music, Ashley Grote, said he was immensely proud of the young singer.
Mr Grote said: “She has a truly remarkable voice which deserves to be heard and it is a wonderful opportunity for her to be able to perform on a national platform.
“It continues to be a great privilege for me as the Cathedral master of music to work each day with boys and girls who are so talented and dedicated, and whose singing brings so much joy to the many people that hear them.”
The competition will be hosted by Blue Peter presenter Radzi Chinyanganya and will be broadcast on Tuesday, October 30.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/norwich-cho ... -1-5747410

[Trigger]

A savage attack on a 15-year-old boy by a “pack” of teenage girls and a teenage boy has been branded as “disgusting” by horrified onlookers.

The boy suffered minor facial injuries after the assault which happened near to the fountains in Lowestoft’s Royal Thoroughfare between 4pm and 4.45pm on Sunday, October 21.
Three teenage girls and a teenage boy called the victim’s name before launching a vicious assault which left him with facial injuries.
One woman, who works at the nearby South Pier Family Entertainment Centre and wishes to remain anonymous, told of the commotion as the attack unfolded.
She said: “There were about 15 of them out there. There was a lot of screaming and shouting.
“I saw one boy kick the other boy and pull his hair. He punched him in the face and I think he had a bloody nose. It’s disgusting.”
In the end the victim ran into the family friendly arcade to take cover from the blows raining down on him.
The employee explained a large group of youths gathering in the area is nothing new and was increasingly becoming a problem.
She added: “There is a lot of swearing and messing about and then they come in here and mess about on the machines and banging on them.
“I would like it to stop but I don’t think anything will happen, they are in gangs and just egging each other on.”
For Catherine Woods, a Lowestoft mother who brings her daughter to play at the fountains, the attack was troubling but not surprising.
She said: “It’s horrific – that poor boy is going to feel terrified“It’s not something you want to read but it’s not surprising that it happened. You seem to have more and more children hanging round in a group – a lot hanging around in McDonald’s.
“You see children out at times when they should be in bed - what are the parents doing?”
Christine Shaw was likewise troubled by the assault and added: “It’s very concerning almost pack behaviour. Perhaps they egg each other on, almost trying to outdo each other.
“It’s a situation which is very widespread.”
Anyone who saw the incident, or has knowledge of it, should contact Suffolk police via 101 quoting crime references 37/60990/18.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/attac ... -1-5750669

[boatbuilder]

There is also a police appeal in the Police Topic.
https://www.mylowestoft.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1127&p=98087#p98087

[Trigger]

Hospital sold for less than half-a-million pounds at auction

Lowestoft Hospital on Tennyson Road, Lowestoft, went under the hammer on Thursday, October 25 selling for £475,000.
It closed in 2016 but the site was still owned by James Paget University Hospital. While it was open it provided community care for the elderly and housed a minor injuries unit.
The earliest parts of the building date back more than 150 years.
It comes just days after the town council pleaded with James Paget Hospital not to sell it.
In a letter it said: “Local people cannot afford, economically and in health terms, to continue to be subject to increasingly remote and inaccessible health services.”
“It is unacceptable that people here, who cannot afford the taxi fares and significant other additional costs and practical complications that arise from trying to access remote health services.”
It was sold at the allsop auction house.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/health/lowe ... -1-5752508

[Trigger]

Footage shows teenage girls ignoring safety barriers and crossing Bascule Bridge in Lowestoft

People have expressed their shock after footage emerged of four teenagers crossing the Bascule Bridge in Lowestoft while the barrier was down.
The five-second video - which was posted to Facebook - zooms in on the reckless teens, who were filmed waiting on the wrong side of the barrier to cross.
According to the witness who filmed the bridge crossing, the teenage girls climbed over the safety barrier.
The girls then made a quick dash over the bridge just moments before it opened.
The video of the teenagers captured the girls waiting on the wrong side of the barrier, while law-abiding locals stand further back behind the fence.
The footage was posted to a social media group by Chelsea Bunyip Moyse, who detailed the lead up to the dangerous act.
The post read: “Four girls about the age of 15 climbed under the barrier and waited on the other side of it.
“Just as I stopped recording they ran across the bridge even though the barriers were still shut,” the Facebook post detailed.
“They didn’t put the bridge up as they was standing on the other side of the barriers.
“But they couldn’t be bothered to wait so they ran across the middle of the bridge,” Miss Moyse wrote.
Shocked locals weighed in on the dangerous act on social media, calling for CCTV footage to identify the teenage girls.
“The barriers should be treated like railway crossing barriers,” one concerned local suggested.
Miss Moyse said the bridge controller waited for the teenagers to run across the barrier before lifting up the bridge.
In a response to the illegal crossing, Highways Safety said:“These barriers on both the road and the footpath come down for a reason, to allow the bridge to lift, which it does (usually several times a day) and we work with AB Ports to ensure this can be done safely.
“Pedestrians ignoring the lowering barriers or attempting to rush through when the lights are flashing and before the barriers lower increases the closure time considerably as the operators have to wait for the bridge to be clear and for it to be safe to lift.”
http://www.lowestoftjournal.co.uk/news/ ... -1-5753792

[Trigger]

'Worst year' for Horsey seals injured by rubbish

The number of seals with "horrifying" injuries caused by fishing paraphernalia and plastic flying rings is on the rise, a charity has said.
The Friends of Horsey Seals monitors the colony in Norfolk and said at least 10 animals currently had nets stuck to them or rings trapped on their necks.
Volunteer David Wyse said this year had been "worse than any other".
The RSPCA said it had also treated and released six grey seals from Norfolk in 2018, the highest figure for one year.
Alison Charles, manager of the RSPCA's East Winch Wildlife Centre, said it had seen between two and four in previous years, and none at all before 2008.
"It's horrifying," she said.
"They are inquisitive, so they get caught in nets from fishing trawlers and the single nylon lines used in mackerel fishing, and Frisbees - just all the rubbish that's out there.
"I've even seen a seal with a bikini around its neck. As they get larger and larger, it cuts through the skin and they get an infection.
"They cannot extend their neck, so they cannot fish."
BBC News

[boatbuilder]

Ipswich school reports '30-year-old pupil' to Home Office

A secondary school pupil is being investigated after parents and classmates claimed he was as old as 30.
It is thought he is an asylum seeker who joined Stoke High School, Ipswich, as a new pupil at the start of term.
The school said it had contacted the Home Office in relation to the concerns but it was not prepared to comment further.
Another pupil shared an image on social media with the message: "How's there a 30-year-old man in our maths class?"
The Home Office has said it does not routinely comment on individual cases.
In a statement the school said: "This is a matter for the Home Office. They are looking into this after we contacted them.
"We do not comment on individual cases but we have followed government and local authority policies and guidance, as we do for any asylum admissions matter."

Full story

[boatbuilder]

Disabled shoppers bring shop accesibility[sic] into question for Purple Day

November 13 has marked the first Purple Tuesday - a day dedicated to raise awareness of shopping accessibility for those living with a disability.
Businesses in Lowestoft joined more than 700 others across the country in helping to make shopping easier for people with disabilities.
November 13 marked the first Purple Tuesday - a day dedicated to raise awareness of shopping accessibility for those living with a disability.
Margaret Oldham, of Lowestoft, set out on the high street donning a two piece purple velvet suit to discuss store accessibility.
The chair of Lowestoft Shopmobility and D.I.A.L said: “One in five people have got some sort of disability. We make up 14pc of the population.
“The main focus of this is asking shops, offices and public buildings to do just one thing each to make their property or service more accessible to people with disabilities.”
The former businesses owner said most stores are so built-up with stock it is near impossible to navigate.
Mrs Oldham said even when you do make it through the store “there is no turning space” for someone in a wheelchair.
But it is not just people with a physical disability who are unable to do their shopping, those with visual impairments, who are deaf or have hearing difficulties also find the task taxing.
People with learning difficulties can also struggle to go for a basic shop because of the store layout or lack of understanding from the sales assistants.
Mrs Oldham said: “Legally and under the equality act - it is our right to be able to go in to the store.”
“Do they ever realise how much they could help people with learning disabilities such as autism,” she said.
In the lead up to Christmas, Purple Tuesday brings to light the values and needs of those with disabilities ahead of the busiest shopping period.
The objective of Purple Tuesday is to see long-term commitment to improve the shopping experience for disabled customers.
According to organisers, the collective spending power is worth £249 billion to the UK economy - but the full potential isn’t being met because of the lack of store and online accessibility.
Companies such as Asda, Argos, Marcs[sic] and Spencers and Sainsburys have signed up for the initiative and have committed to a long-term improvement in online and instore accessibility.

Lowestoft Journal

It's a pity the Journal don't check their spellings before they publish (marked [sic] by myself).

After moving from the main aisle in the Lowestoft M&S clothes department I think the ability to move around the racks, etc., needs a considerable amount of improvement. This is an image I took in there earlier this year - and that is my wife's narrower wheelchair.

[boatbuilder]

Putting East Anglia on the hairdressing map: Salon named best independent in England

An Oulton Broad hairdressers have been officially named as the best independent salon in the country.
CODE Hair Consultants, in Bridge Road, were awarded the honour by the National Hairdressers Federation after eight years in business.
The awards were held in Manchester to celebrate the best hairdressing, barbering and beauty businesses in the industry.
Salon owner Laura Bull said she entered the competition to highlight the fantastic service her team provide.
She said: “It is a massive achievement for our team to win this big industry award when we were shortlisted among so many big award-winning salons around the country.
“Although I was shocked to win, I truly believe the experience we provide at CODE is as good, if not better, than anywhere else in the country.
“We hope this award really puts East Anglia on the map for having an all-round great hairdressing business.”
The judges commented on the excellence of the entry, the business investment, and the salon’s recent charity work to support mental health awareness.
Earlier this year, employees at the salon rolled out a new initiative designed to get people talking about mental health, by encouraging both workers and customers to speak more openly about issues that are affecting them.
The salon also passed a ‘mystery shopper’ inspection with flying colours, earning 100pc client satisfaction ahead ahead of the winning verdict.
Ms Bull said: “We are so pleased to have been recognised as an outstanding business in this sector.
“We had the mystery shopper come in as part of it and it all added together to get us this far.
“It is absolutely amazing for us to win being in Lowestoft when we were up against salons in far bigger cities.
“We were almost sure someone else would win even though we have been doing great things, so we were absolutely over the moon when they said our name and told us we had won.
“I just could not believe it.
“We have been entering competitions since we opened in 2010 but this is the biggest we have won and it is just amazing.”

Lowestoft Journal

Well done to them!