KT Tunstall switched OFF the Christmas Lights at Westfield London to launch the countdown to WWF’s Earth Hour, which will take place on March 31st 2012.


The globally renowned singer also performed an intimate performance for fans gathered at Westfield London in Shepherd’s Bush.

KT’s sparkling performance also marked the launch of WWF’s nationwide competition to find one lucky community which will be given the honour of leading the Earth Hour switch off in the UK. The winning community will win a £1,000 grant to make sure that their ‘switched off’ event goes with a bang.

WWF’s Earth Hour is a simple idea that’s become a global phenomenon, with hundreds of millions of people turning off their lights to show they want to create a brighter future for the planet. Spanning a record 135 countries in 2011, this year’s Earth Hour is set to be even bigger.

WWF’s Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses joined in. Last year hundreds of millions of people and landmarks from Big Ben and Buckingham Palace in London to the India Gate in New Delhi, and even as far as The Sydney Opera House, took part.

Westfield has supported WWF’s Earth Hour globally since it began in 2007 as one of the first organisations to sign up. In 2011, Westfield London became home to Rooftop Rainforest with Sky, bringing a taste of the Amazon rainforest to the city.

KT Tunstall, ambassador of WWF’s Earth Hour, said:

"I'm delighted to have switched off the festive lights at Westfield London today to launch WWF's Earth Hour. It's such a simple, powerful campaign and it's a great feeling to be joining many millions of others around the world who care and are taking action. I really hope that people feel inspired to sign up and switch off their lights on 31 March."

"I've always cared deeply about the environment and try my best to limit the impact my life and work has on the planet. It's not easy but there are simple steps and commitments you can make and WWF's Earth Hour is a great chance to tell others what you are doing and get them to join you."

Aylsham's monthly farmers' market is celebrating its 10th birthday in March. Founded in 2002 following a year's research, the market is run by Aylsham Town Council through its Cittàslow committee. In 2004 it received accreditation from the National Association of Farmers' Markets (now the National Farmers Retail and Markets Association – FARMA).

FARMA is a not-for-profit co-operative of farmers, producers selling on a local scale, and farmers' markets organisers. It seeks to promote high ethical standards and to ensure that the produce on offer is genuinely local. Accredited markets are inspected on a bi-annual basis to check that the organisation's strict criteria are met while individual stallholders are also required to prove their 'local' credentials before being accepted on to the markets.


Aylsham's original farmers' market, held on the first Saturday of each month, was so successful that in 2008 a second market was introduced to accommodate the long waiting list for spaces, this time on the third Saturday of the month. Both markets have continued into this 10th birthday year and attract customers not just from Aylsham but from all over the surrounding district.

Liz Jones, Chairman of Aylsham Cittàslow , commented, "Aylsham's two farmers' markets are the only ones in the area to enjoy FARMA accreditation. We are very proud that our markets, and therefore our producer stallholders continue to meet the strict conditions laid down by FARMA which assure customers that the food they buy is truly local and its sale supports our all-important local economy."

GKB Express Courier Service
Norwich, Norfolk

Services
Sameday, Nextday, Contract, 24/7,
Delivering to Norwich, Norfolk, UK, Ireland, Europe

Whether it’s an urgent document, a vital component for a broken down machine or a number of pallets we know how important your consignment is, that’s why we specialise in dedicated vehicle delivery solutions for our customers which means your goods will be collected and delivered in the fasted possible time.

We operate a 24 hour a day 7 day a week courier service so you can be assured that when you need that delivery we are on hand to carry out that consignment for you.

We provide a full UK, Ireland and European service.

All of our vehicles are fully insured and we provide same day and next day delivery.

Contracts are welcome and we deliver anything from documents to parcels to pallets.

We offer a fast, friendly and efficient contract courier service; we can offer any size of vehicle dependent on your requirements.

We hold all relevant insurances including goods in transit insurance up to £20,000 and public liability insurance up to £2 million.


About GKB Express
Graham Buck started the company in 2006 after spending 30 years in the Retail/Customer service industry and working closely with various logistics companies.

His knowledge of logistics and customer service has seen the business grow rapidly from 1 small vehicle to a range of vehicles to meet the customer demands.

We can offer our service to anyone and everyone in need of something delivered urgently, small or large.

Contact

Graham Buck

Telephone:
07912581068 07912581067

E-Mail:
info@couriernorwich.com

Web:
www.couriernorwich.com

The Mid-Norfolk Railway has launched an URGENT appeal for donations to secure undercover accommodation that has been offered to the trust. A local farm has dismantled a shed which will provide fully-accessible undercover accommodation for up to four vehicles.

The MNR has also planned a bumper steam season for 2012 with two steam engines operating throughout the season. The owning groups have specified under cover accommodation for these so the MNR must have rail connected undercover accommodation by the beginning of June so the pressure is really on for this important project.

The building on offer is a steel frame building with cladded roof. The MNR will collect and erect the building and will need to purchase additional cladding for the sides and ends as well as doors. Fund raising will also be needed to complete the trackwork to form a siding into the shed.

Part of the MNR’s masterplan is for a 3-road maintenance shed in Dereham yard and a 3-way point is already in stock ready but this require new timbers. The final phase of fundraising provides these timbers to enable the pointwork to be installed as part of this project.


The MNR is a rapidly growing railway with an enthusiastic volunteer workforce. Recent years have seen the record passenger numbers attending such well renowned events such as the Class 37 Golden Jubilee, the relaunch of King Edward II into service during 2011 and 2012 will see the first visits of a Deltic and Class 40 during the March English Electric Event, through the summer with the Stratford Depot weekend and then another major celebration in September sees the Brush Type 4 Class 47 Golden Jubilee.

The MNR also now has a complete collection of Mk2 passenger coaches ranging from the former National Railway Museums prototype Swindon coach, through to early versions and the more modern air-conditioned varieties. Recently arrivals have seen earlier Mk1 vehicles including the prototype booth car 1106 currently undergoing reservation. 2006 saw the launch of our highly regard blue/grey rake of coaches, the first time a railway had deliberately put together a rake of coaches in this livery to match our 1960s and 1970s diesel fleet. Our vehicles do need extensive maintenance and for the last 11 years, all maintenance has been done outside and so this opportunity represents the biggest chance of enhancing our facilities so far.


More information can be found on a special website for the appeal which can be found at
http://www.mnr.org.uk/appeal

Soprano Lesley Garrett and Cellist Julian Lloyd Webber headline one of the regions most successful concert series which begins on February 11 2012.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) commences an unprecedented eighth year of residence at the Marina Theatre in Lowestoft on February 11 with another prestigious series of concerts and once again the venue will welcome an international guest orchestra as part of the season.

The RPO has been in residence at the Marina since 2005 and will once again bring high profile, internationally renowned soloists and conductors in addition to its own World class musicians to the east coast.
The first concert in the season opens with the hugely popular Nicholas Cleobury conducting Rossini’s The Italian Girl In Algiers Overture, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1 with soloist Mark Bebbington followed by Dvořák’s Symphony No.9, 'From the New World'.
March 1 brings guest orchestra, the European Union Chamber Orchestra directed by Hans-Peter Hofmann with soloist Julian Lloyd Webber. The programme includes Handel’s Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba, Elgar’s Serenade For Strings, Haydn’s Cello Concerto No.1 in C, Sibelius Romance For Strings and Mozart’s Symphony No.29 K.201.

Celebrated British soprano Lesley Garrett takes centre stage for a magical evening of music from opera, stage and screen on May 26. Renowned for her unique and diverse talents, she has performed on the operatic stage with English National Opera and Welsh National Opera and has won unanimous acclaim for her solo albums and stage appearances. This special concert with the RPO will be conducted by Phillip Ellis and is set to showcase her sensational voice in a programme of well-loved favourites, ranging from music by Puccini, Mozart and Bizet to Cole Porter and Rodgers and Hammerstein.

On September 14 the RPO present an elegant evening of enchanting Viennese classics conducted by Gavin Sutherland and featuring Soprano Deborah Norman. The programme will feature excerpts from Die Fledermaus and other popular works from Strauss, Lehár, Mozart & Suppé including Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, Emperor Waltz, Pizzicato Polka, Gold and Silver Waltz, Don Giovanni: Non mi dir, Radetzky March and excerpts from The Merry Widow.

The 2012 season ends on November 16 with orchestra leader, Clio Gould directing Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and Flute and Harp Concerto followed by Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons.

Tickets for the 2012 season are now on sale, for more information or to book seats, please call the Marina Box Office on 01502 533200.

Callishibori
Callishibori has made the specialist art of indigo dyeing and shibori accessible and achievable both to the beginner and the more experienced textile practitioner.

Not until Callishibori have indigo, the necessary reducing agent, fabric prepared with a design, and stitch formats been brought together, with thorough instruction. They are presented as informative starter packs and project packs.

For the beginner, the starter packs make that first step into the world of indigo shaped resist dyeing, 'shibori', much less daunting, and provide a solid foundation upon which to build skill and knowledge. The more experienced textile practionioner can benefit from a tailor made service, as ingredients can be supplied for their specified vat size.

With stitch instruction, templates and the ever poplular 'Seriously Strong Thread' you will be able to design your own patterns, and produce unique indigo shibori fabrics which are ideal for patchwork and quilting, embroidery, art textiles, fashion and many other textile disiplines. They can, of course be enjoyed as indigo fabrics in their own right!

Callishibori came about by listening to students. Now almost everything that is needed to start an indigo shibori project is just there, conveniently packaged, with easy to follow instructions and generous information.

Indigo
The story of indigo is amazing! Known to man in ancient times and harvested from plants flourishing in hot climates, it became the world’s most important dyestuff by the end of the 17th century. The invention in 1856 of the first coal tar dyestuff heralded the manufacture of synthetic indigo some years later.

Shibori
With shibori resists, (and shibori relief), one is immediately engaged with the fabric, organising it, then securing it, often into odd shapes and distorted 3D forms, before it is dyed. It is the essence of fabric manipulation - quite different from other textile colouring methods in which cloth is kept flat and open to receive dye.

Callishibori enables you to create shibori and enjoy the magic of indigo through indigo dye packs, stitch packs, shibori stencils and much more. Products are available through mail order, at shows and exhibitions.

"My educational programme includes masterclasses, workshops and summer schools. Power Point presentations.

'Kaleidoscope' is currently on display in a major touring exhibition on indigo. 'Indigo, a blue to dye for' runs until early January at Brighton Museum and Art Gallery."
– Jane Callender

Holidays shared with friends and family are always fun, but planning a self-catering holiday for a large group of people can be a challenge if everyone has a different idea of what they'd like to do during their time away.

Thankfully Suffolk’s heritage coast is home to some outstanding seaside resorts which offer something for everyone… and a range of big holiday cottages which provide the perfect base for larger groups of visitors.

From upmarket towns to historic hamlets, Suffolk's coastline is a mix of shingle banks, sand dunes, reed-fringed creeks and salty marshes, all set against a backdrop of breathtaking scenery. The features change with each season, but there's a consistency in quality and charm which makes seaside the county a popular large holiday cottage destination all year round.

The epitome of the perfect seaside resort, Southwold, is famous for its iconic beach huts, lighthouse and historic pier. The beautiful golden beach provides plenty of old-fashioned family fun, while select shops, renowned restaurants, the Adnams brewery and a mix of Georgian, Regency and Victorian architecture appeal to those who appreciate the finer things in life.

Across the River Blyth is affluent Walberswick, famous for being host every summer to the annual British Open Crabbing Championship. Over a thousand acres of heath and marshland around Walberswick are protected as an Area of Outstanding National Beauty, ideal for walkers and wildlife-watchers, while the beach is an unspoilt mix of shingle and sand backed by dunes, perfect for paddling and picnics.

Once one of the East Coast's leading ports, is a thriving seaside resort with fashionable shops, holiday cottages and a world-famous music festival. Foodies should head to the shingle seashore where you can buy your dinner from the fishermen who sell their catch each morning, while treasure-hunters can go beachcombing for the precious amber which is found on this unspoilt part of the coastline. There's something for art lovers too – walk along the beach towards Thorpeness and you'll see the Scallop, a sculpture dedicated to Benjamin Britten, founder of the Aldeburgh Festival held at nearby Snape each year.

Originally a small fishing hamlet and, according to folklore, a route for smugglers into East Anglia, Thorpeness was 'recreated' by Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie who, in 1910, developed it into a private coastal resort complete with country club, golf course and holiday homes. Ogilvie's vision for his quirky model village included mock Jacobean and Tudor architecture and extended to cladding in wood the necessary but not aesthetically-pleasing water tower known today as 'The House in the Clouds'. More traditional in look, the nearby windmill is equally picturesque – with such a wealth of interesting buildings, Thorpeness is a popular location for budding photographers and artists.

Felixstowe first became a fashionable holiday resort in the 1880s and has retained many of its Victorian and Edwardian houses, hotels and attractions. Even everyday shopping is a pleasure in this unspoilt town which sits above a beautiful seafront over four miles in length. North of the town is the fishing village of Old Felixstowe and, at the mouth of the River Deben, the quaint little outpost of Felixstowe Ferry with its gallery, golf course, cottages, boatyard and inns. Here you can explore coastal paths, buy fresh fish and catch the small ferry boat across the estuary to Bawdsey.

So why not visit www.bigcottageholidays.co.uk and see if you can enjoy the Suffolk heritage with the family or a group of friends in a big holiday cottage?

Local Tom

www.bigcottageholidays.co.uk