The Felixstowe Flyer August 2023
In The Felixstowe Flyer August, The Flyer August editions, we hear from local community groups, local schools as well as charity groups.
And other updates from local community groups, also local schools and organisations.
News from The Mayor Felixstowe August Update
I’m writing this on the first day of Felixstowe carnival weekend, so it’s a busy one. It already feels like a busy summer, with much more to come. We’ve been lucky with the weather so far – seemingly warmer and drier than elsewhere in the country, but much cooler than the horrendously, dangerously hot temperatures on the continent. It’s now not just scientists telling us the planet is warming significantly, due to human activity – we now see and feel it ourselves, year in year out. This realisation must surely jolt us into more urgent action – it is, as our own town council has declared, an emergency, after all.
Back to this Felixstowe summer, and our exciting new Activity Park, an East Suffolk Council led project is now open, with the Beach Village to follow. There’s table tennis and chess, a climbing wall, and brand new play equipment, or perhaps try a more sedate game of pétanque (boule) – all set within our Blue Flag beach award area (town hall to Arwela Road) and set to further enhance the already popular south seafront.
And talking of enhancements, Felixstowe now has a new tourist information centre, on the beach just north of the pier, staffed entirely by volunteers – including me, albeit a bit sporadically these days! It’s beautifully painted in the Visit Felixstowe colours, known affectionately as the Fisherman’s Hut. Opening hours are 1100-1500 every day, depending on volunteers’ availability – so if you have a good knowledge of and passion for Felixstowe, like meeting and helping people, are reliable and available a couple of hours a week, why not drop by the Hut and have a chat – perhaps you or someone you know would make a great Ambassador for the town?
I recently attended an informative Port of Felixstowe Liaison group, learning that the Port is set to achieve Net Zero (with no offsetting) by 2035 and is benefitting from more efficient dredging methods which are less disruptive to the sea bed. And the Port Community Fund is very much open for funding applications from local causes. Contact the Suffolk Community Foundation info@suffolkcf.org.uk
On the same day I was invited to a great Summer Fayre at Langer Primary Academy. This dynamic and historic school has been an integral part of the Felixstowe community for well over 100 years. Yes, it went through difficult times some years ago but is now very much bouncing back, with progress and results at all stages above the national average, lots of community collaboration (including with Litter-Free) and a noticeably energetic and dedicated staff team.
Some exciting dates coming up early September: the Love Felixstowe mini festival starts on the 2nd www.felixstowebid.co.uk with the return of the famous, free and fantastic Art on the Prom on Sunday 3rd. It all culminates with Felixstowe hosting both start and finish of Stage 5 of the Tour of Britain www.tourofbritain.co.uk – the UK’s biggest free-to-spectate sporting event, with some of the best cyclists in the world sprinting right down Sea Road – it’s a big deal and a real honour for the town, so please do come along, enjoy and support – it’ll be on the telly, so you could be too!
Finally, please support and get involved with this year’s mayor’s charities, Facebook: FXT Mayors Charities 23/24. One of our first events is Pushchair Pitstop’s Pitstop MANNia Family Funday on 23 August (2-8pm) at Beach Street. So far confirmed: disco, singers, bouncy castle, face painting, lucky dip and petting farm, plus NCI and Coastwatch talking about and demonstrating their safety & seafaring prowess.
Finally, I’m aware that these are positive pieces, but this doesn’t mean that I think everything’s perfect or that we can rest on our laurels – there is much work to do to address concerns and keep improving lives, livelihoods and the environment and, as one of your elected representatives, I’m always open to constructive feedback and suggestions.
Thanks all and see you about town.
Seamus