Congratulations to Brian Mason - 17 - £100 & Nick Baylie - 111 - £47
To join the 100 Club is a very good way of supporting the group, another successful year with an estimated £1,970 being raised for Upbeat funds and £2040 given in prize money.
Please remember that the `100' Club is open to members of Upbeat and also their family and friends — please encourage non-members to support our lottery.
Congratulations to Mr & Mrs Alan Williamson - 154 - £100 & Simon Parsons - 200 - £47
To join the 100 Club is a very good way of supporting the group, another successful year with an estimated £1,970 being raised for Upbeat funds and £2040 given in prize money.
Please remember that the `100' Club is open to members of Upbeat and also their family and friends — please encourage non-members to support our lottery.
Upbeat held a tombola stall on the14th November at the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Lights switch on. Thank you to our helpers for braving the cold. A total of £425 was raised towards Upbeat funds.
A big thank you from Upbeat for all the help and donations received for this event.
Congratulations to Rosemary Currell - 248 - £100 & Shirley Stringer - 066 - £47
To join the 100 Club is a very good way of supporting the group, another successful year with an estimated £1,970 being raised for Upbeat funds and £2040 given in prize money.
Please remember that the `100' Club is open to members of Upbeat and also their family and friends — please encourage non-members to support our lottery.
Coffee mornings are held fortnightly on Thursdays at The Southgate Centre, Bury St Edmunds.
For details please contact Ann Clark on 01284 750980.
2024
October – Thurs 24th
November – Thurs 14th & 28th
December – Thurs 12th
2025
January – Thurs 9th & 23rd
February – Thurs 13th & 27th
March – Thurs 13th & 27th
April – Thurs 10th & 24th
May – Thurs 8th & 22nd
June – Thurs 12th & 26th
July – Thurs 10th & 24th
August – Thurs 14th & 28th
September – Thurs 11th & 25th
October – Thurs 9th & 23rd
November - Thurs 13th & 27th
December – Thurs 11th
November Thursday 14th
Upbeat Stall at Bury St Edmunds Christmas Light Switch On.
A big thank you from Upbeat for all the help and donations received for this event.
November Wednesday 27th
Christmas Craft Stall NewBury Centre.
December Thursday 5th
Christmas Lunch at Ashlar House, Bury St Edmunds, 12 noon for 12.30pm
£38.00. Contact Alan Chapman or David Byatt.
December Tuesday 10th
Christmas Lunch at The Cock & Bell, Long Melford Limited to 50 places.
For details contact Val Carr 07831 304754
December Tuesday 17th
PANTOMIME (ALADDIN) at Theatre Royal, Bury St. Edmunds1.30pm Matinee.
Once again we have booked seats for the pantomime. As in previous years the seats are in boxes opposite the stage with a minimum number of stairs to be negotiated. Sorry no transport, make your own way to the theatre. Limited number of tickets at £23 which can be paid by BACS or cheque.
Apply for tickets from Contact David Axton 07946 225612
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2025 March Thursday 20th
Upbeat Annual Lunch at Stowmarket Golf Club with a popular singer entertainer and Grand Draw.
Further details to be advised.
You can view our Autumn 2024 magazine by clicking the link below.
They raised £152 which was split between Upbeat and St Nicholas Hospice.
Well done to them.
Thank you to everyone for raising donations for Upbeat Heart Support Group with #easyfundraising! If you haven't signed up yet, it's easy and completely FREE. 8,100 brands will donate to us when you use easyfundraising to do your everyday online shopping - at no extra cost to you! Every donation you raise makes a difference to us so please sign up & share today.
Over the last few days Upbeat members have been working at this year’s Beer festival held in the Cathedral.
Nick Bailey went along on the first day to help set up, then he worked doing bar duties for a further 2 days. Felicity Stemp was there all the time, day and night she will be exhausted by the end but what a star she is. Wendy Deeks and I worked on admissions for 2 days and what an eye opener this event is.
Whilst we were quite tired at the end of each day due to standing for several hours but the time goes so quickly. It was amazing how many people came through the doors and the entry queue was all the way around the Cathedral which meant a huge rush at opening times. It was then continuous with all age groups, families, coach trips, hardened CAMRA members, locals, US military from the local base, some people who follow these festivals around the country with some travelling many miles to attend and everybody was very happy (even happier after sampling some of the beers and cider on offer). There was lots of happy banter and money being spent. The food outlets were busy and there was also entertainment provided later in the day.
It’s always an experience and this year was by far the busiest and it must also boost the town with so many visitors. One fun thing was a party of French people arrived with a guide to go around the Cathedral and the confusion of what was happening with a Beer and Cider festival going on was funny to watch and to see the poor guy in charge trying to discover what was going on but they did a tour round anyway.
There is the opportunity to test some of the beers and ciders on sale for free as a volunteer but when you are working there is not much opportunity to leave your work station and you have to keep a clear head.
Some of you may consider being a volunteer next year. It’s good fun and hopefully Upbeat gets a donation from the organiser’s CAMRA for helping out as they donate profits to local charities.
Sylvia Baker
Sylvia and Hilary were invited to appear on Radio West Suffolk on 24th July 2024 to have a live chat on air with the host Adrian Copping ably assisted by Allan Prigg.
They were advised to arrive 15 mins ahead of schedule and were greeted by Allan Prigg who welcomed us and made them feel at ease explaining what the procedure would be.
After a cup of coffee they went into the studio where Adrian Copping, the radio presenter, was seated behind a bank of TV monitors and microphones and lots of technical equipment. They were sat in front of him, each seat having a set of special headphones and big dish speakers and were told to put on headphones and watch for the red indicator lights which showed when they had to keep quiet or when they should talk. They received a cue as to when they were LIVE on air.
Adrian introduced them both to his radio audience and the chat began. He was very friendly asking questions about Upbeat and how we operate and what we do. They told him about the origin of the group and mentioned the winning of the Queen’s Award received for Voluntary Service. They discussed the heath options and the value that Upbeat brings to the community.
They also discussed Debbie Carthy’s recent Wing Walk sponsorship and the money she raised, currently over £1100, and they told him how grateful Upbeat were for the support and help given by supporters and particularly local company, Treatts for their help and assistance. They stressed the importance of new members to enable us to continue and stated how anybody interested in joining Upbeat should ask their GP if it was ok to attend and to check the Upbeat web site and make contact with us via that or they would receive a warm welcome at any of our sessions.
It was a half hour talk which seemed to go very quickly and hope many people listened and that they got the message out to the wider public about Upbeat.
Again the weather held for us and it was not too hot with no rain for the Upbeat Strawberry Tea held on the 11th July at Newton Green Village Hall.
Many thanks go to all the helpers who contributed to a lovely afternoon with many members in attendance.
Hilary organised some help in erecting gazebos putting out tables and chairs on the grass putting pretty tablecloths on the tables and bunting all about it looked very charming. Thank you to all the people who helped put up and take down it was a great help. Enormous thanks also to Clare Kettyle and her amazing team in the kitchen and all those who provided many cakes, sandwiches, scones etc., Rosey with the Plant and Card stall, Val serving teas and coffees, Wendy and Sylvia selling raffle tickets, David Axton providing some quizzes, John Thurman drawing his Silhouettes and our fantastic musical duo, Gaye and Richard Scott who sang and played for us all afternoon.
Photographs are as usual on show on our web site.
To everybody involved who helped and enjoyed the afternoon well done. It was a great result with a £796.90 profit.
It was good to see over 40 people attending the AGM on 9th July at the Southgate Community Centre. The finances are still in pretty good shape, although our costs are still outweighing our income by quite a long way and this needs to be addressed. New members are needed to help the finances.
From 1st August 2024 it was agreed and the motion carried by members at the AGM going forward from this date the payment of £5 fee will only cover the Nurse and Exercise sessions only. All hot drinks will have to be purchased individually by members at the Bury St Edmunds exercise venue. This change will not apply to the Long Melford group as the Tea and Coffee are donated free of charge from a local Sudbury Coffee Shop called TOAST and we are very grateful to them.
This decision was made as a way to save some money and not having to purchase cups or pay the normal prices charged by the Hub who operate a food franchise at the New Bury Centre. The Hub have kindly agreed to charge our members a heavily discounted rate of £1 per cup of tea or coffee (speciality drinks will be more) which is very good value.
One new member, Stewart Minns was voted on to the committee with the existing committee being voted en bloc again for one more year. Next year new Executive Committee members will need to be found as two of the officers are leaving after many year’s service.
As from 1st September 2024 the price of the Upbeat Medicard increases to £5 due unfortunately to rising costs
Details of the Medicard may be found by clicking the button below.
Upbeat Annual Lunch at Stowmarket Golf Club - Thursday 20th March 2025
We still have a lot of people who have not completed their Membership Renewal Forms. If you would like to stay as a member please return your forms a.s.a.p. CLICK THE RENEWAL FORM BUTTOM BELOW, please email or print and bring it in to one of the venues or post to Valerie Axton, VistriVale, Old Hall Lane, Fornham St. Martin, Bury St. Edmunds. IP31 1SS.
