Coping With Lockdown
Felixstowe’s Ice Cream Rainbow Bike
The Rainbow Bike was born partially out of my own anxiety and boredom, and partially out of an idea that maybe it would put a smile on people’s face and bring a little happiness.
“The rainbow is a tribute to the NHS and the amazing job that they have done.”
I have been a mobile caterer for the last twenty years and have had the privilege of seeing some of the greatest acts in the world at the Glastonbury festival: Stevie Wonder, Tom Jones and Robbie Williams to name a few. I have lived in Felixstowe for more than twenty years. We moved here as we had a feeling that Felixstowe would be a safe place to bring up a family and it’s a decision I have never regretted.
On March the 23rd we were told lockdown would start and I’m sure, like so many thousands of people, we did not fully appreciate what this would entail. I spent the first couple of weeks doing little projects around the house; building a walled garden and decorating the front room, eating too much and certainly drinking too much. The thought of being an obese alcoholic when lockdown finished did enter my mind. Lol!
During the next few weeks anxiety, worry and complete fear started. The thoughts of not being able to see the grandchildren, my empathy for people more vulnerable than me and the thousands of people dying all over the country. When lockdown started my business basically fell off a cliff so this also created a lot of worry. But I do feel that we have been so fortunate in the UK with the furlough schemes and other grants that the government have issued and the money being invested to get the economy started again.
I told my wife that I had to do something so the idea of an ice cream bike was born, to get me out and about and doing something. The one thing positive that has happened is that people actually now talk to each other, and the reactions that I have had and joy and smiles I get from people young and old, have been wonderful.
Thank you Felixstowe, you have given me hope, so much so that we have launched an ice cream van which will go around the local areas and villages. There has been a couple of disasters with the van but I’m sure that we will sort this out in the next few days and be able to visit people that still are not able to get out and about. We also have some bookings for nursing homes, which is wonderful.
So if any association, parish council or community group would like us to visit please follow our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/charliesicecreamvan0/.
Stay well all!
Charles Pearson
When we heard about Annette and John, we just fell in love with them and couldn’t wait to share their story with you all. Here’s Annette to tell the tale of how their love story started…
John and I met quite by chance on the Felixstowe prom last year. We both used to walk the prom on our own every day and for several months we would just say hi and pass the time of day as we passed by each other going in opposite directions.
One day towards the end of August, as I joined the prom from the bottom of Bent Hill, John was walking in the same direction. That day, we had our walk together, and found that we had plenty in common and the same sense of humour. At the end of the walk, we arranged to meet up the following day for another walk together, and as they say, the rest is history!
We began spending time together on a daily basis and love very soon blossomed for both of us (although John maintains that for him it was love at first sight!).
By the end of October John had proposed, although by then I think we both knew it was a foregone conclusion.
We had planned to marry on the 28th May at St John’s Church with Reverend Andrew Dotchin officiating, but that was of course prior to Covid19 and the lockdown, and our plans (along with many other people’s plans) had to be put on hold.
However, Reverend Dotchin came up with a lovely idea so that we could still mark the proposed date of the 28th May, by having a socially distanced Betrothal Service. This is an unofficial ceremony in which one makes a promise to marry at a future date. We had a lovely day which could almost be described as a dress rehearsal for the real thing. The ceremony was held in my sister Jo’s garden, and she did us proud with her efforts of decorating the garden in the appropriate colour scheme which was absolutely magical.
Obviously, we have been avidly watching the news for information on when weddings would be allowed to resume after lockdown, and we are very glad to say that we got married officially this morning at St. John’s Church at 11.30am. We were beyond excited! 😍😍
Because of the Betrothal Service which took place in May, we already have a gorgeous collection of photos.
A big thank you for the photos must to to our good friend Fran Comer who did a wonderful job of being the official photographer.
Annette and John
On behalf of us all at The Felixstowe Magazine, HUGE congratulations to Annette and John… your story is adorable and you’re a truly lovely couple! x
It’s been such a pleasure to see so many articles come in from local people doing their part to make a difference. Though lockdown is going through the process of lifting, we’d still like to continue to shine a light on these local gems. This article is by the lovely local lady, Bev Lambert…
During lockdown I have been making various sewing items. I have donated 242 face coverings to people/key workers in my community. I have since been selling these to the wider community. I have been making a number of little bears ‘(as below) which have been donated to many people within my community just to bring a smile on a face. I have also donated some of the below pocket pillows which I make to sell.
My sewing page can be found on Facebook/Twitter & Instagram “Berty Lamb Handmade“. I make various items using my sewing and embroidery machines.
I am also the founder of Over the Rainbow Children’s Charity, a charity to support local children across Suffolk who are living with a life limiting or serious illness, by providing specialist equipment to help day to day living. The charity is run 100% by volunteers. I also made this large key worker hanger and raised £100.00 through a silent auction. I donated the £100.00 to Captain Tom Moore’s JustGiving page. The winner if the auction was Glebe House Residential Home in Hollesley. I have donated various sewn items to Glebe House including some lavender filled hearts which I initialled with each of the residents first names. The staff all received a Ginger Ginger key fobs, including care staff, kitchen staff, maintenance staff etc all key fobs were relevant to the jobs they did within the home.
Thank you to all the key workers, charities and local people out there. We’ve been in this together and it’s be an honour to be part of the positivity.
Bev Lambert
A Family of Litter-Pickers
Scarecrow Festival: 25th July 2020
Local Book Launch: Myth and Mischief in Allenby Park
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Kids News3 years agoCreative Masterpieces from Maidstone Infant School Students
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Arts, Theatre & Music3 years agoSaxophonist Plays for the NHS