Suffolk Money Colin Low

1,400 years ago, a great King of East Anglia was laid to rest in a 90ft ship, surrounded by his extraordinary treasures. The discovery at Sutton Hoo in 1939 remains one of the greatest archaeological finds in British history and, 77 years later, a team of boat builders and volunteers began taking on the ambitious project to build a replica of the Anglo Saxon burial ship. In this week’s episode of Suffolk Money, Kevin Burch takes a trip to The Longshed in Woodbridge, to check on the ship’s progress and meet Master Shipwright, Tim Kirk and his dedicated and passionate team of volunteers.Construction work started in 2016 to resurrect the King’s ship to its full, awe-inspiring glory. Tim tells Kevin about the many challenges the charity faces; from sourcing high-quality oak to generating the income needed. As a registered charity, the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company is crowd-funded and volunteer-led, and the passion and enthusiasm for the project is clear from the plethora of people involved.The ambition is to end up with a sea-worthy and operational ship, with a launch date scheduled for Spring 2025. For more information about The Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company, please visit https://saxonship.org where you’ll find plenty of pictures and information about the charity’s work.

Don’t underestimate how doing good is good for business…. This is the key message from serial entrepreneur, business coach and mentor, Scott Russell, as he talks with Colin Low in this week’s episode of Suffolk Money. Scott speaks candidly about his fascinating experiences in business; from his first entrepreneurial steps – selling roasted chestnuts at his local market at the tender age of twelve – through his role in creating a string of highly-successful companies. One of his most well-known businesses is, of course, Paddy & Scott’s, which soon gained the reputation for the best tasting coffee. Success quickly followed and sales progressed from stalls at local shows and events, to the shelves of national supermarkets. The really exciting part of this story, however, came in 2016, when Scott and his team went to Kenya to create their own farm, which ultimately changed the way coffee is traded. By cutting the supply chain down and sharing the retail margin with the farmers, they changed the ethos of the business and created a truly ethical coffee brand. Nowadays, Scott mentors and coaches CEOs and entrepreneurs, and is also a shareholder and director of digital media company called Quench, where he proudly reports to his son! Oh and not to forget Scott’s most recent venture, which has been to join the board of our County’s newest digital radio station, the brilliant Suffolk Sound (https://www.linkedin.com/in/suffolk-sound-44ab20301/), as an investor and non-executive director. This really is a jam-packed listen!

Did you know that there’s only one standard gauge heritage railway in Suffolk? On this week’s episode we’re “All Aboard!” as we meet the team at the wonderfully nostalgic Mid Suffolk Light Railway, or ‘The Middy’ as it’s affectionately known.Kevin Burch took at trip up the A140, to meet some of the army of volunteers who run the railway. The Middy attracts in the region of six thousand visitors each year, and Ian (Chairman of the Trust), John (Marketing Manager), Don (retired US airforce pilot) and David (who wears many hats!) tell Kevin all about the fantastic events they have planned for the coming months, as two major projects draw tantalisingly close to fruition.If you’d like to know more about The Middy, please visit www.mslr.org.uk (www.mslr.org.uk) 

Our latest Suffolk Money podcast is a really uplifting story about a local charity, which helps young people who could otherwise slip through the net when it comes to education, training and employment.The charity is called Fresh Start and Colin Low went to their new second-hand furniture shop and café in Carr Street (Ipswich) to find out all about the secret of its success and meet the ever-smiling Café Manager, Tina Sinderby.Tina talks about how she came to join the charity and how her life has changed since. An inspirational figure within the group, her positivity is infectious, as is her passion for giving young people new opportunities in a friendly, family environment. From barista training to building flat pack furniture, young people are offered work that will give them a real sense of purpose, pride and confidence in themselves.You can find out more about Fresh Start by visiting https://www.freshstartcharity.org (https://www.freshstartcharity.org)And you can also find the charity’s page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/771100990098652 (https://www.facebook.com/groups/771100990098652)

A UK wide network, this is all about social connections and friendship, whilst sharing skills and knowledge. There are several Men’s Sheds in Suffolk (including Stowmarket, Debenham and Bury St Edmunds) and for this week’s podcast, Kevin Burch took a trip to visit Stour Valley Men’s Shed in Long Melford.Here he meets Colin Muddimer, as well as Dave, Graham and many other members, who tell him all about their non-profit organisation; how it came to be and the vital sense of purpose it gives to men in the local community. Everyone is made to feel welcome and it is the perfect place to socialise, make friends and learn new skills. Giving many a renewed sense of purpose and belonging,it also provides a safe space to allow men to deal with mental health challenges and share any problems or health concerns.To find out more please visithttps://menssheds.org.uk (https://menssheds.org.uk)

This week is a special landmark for Suffolk Money Podcast, as we release our 100th episode! We’ve met and spoken to some truly amazing guests since our launch back in 2021, and this week is no exception; as Lesley Dolphin took a trip to meet customers and volunteers at the Community Shop at Sproughton.Opened in 2010, Sproughton Community Shop has become a vital resource for the village and the surrounding area. However, as shop manager, Stacey Palmer explains, it has faced plenty of challenges along the way and, especially after the pandemic, its future was very uncertain. But thankfully, due to the passion and perseverance of the team, the shop is still in business and continues to provide a wonderful service.Not only does it sell a fantastic range of local, quality products that draw customers from far and wide – from Pinney’s fish to fresh, free range eggs, local honey and meat from Oak House Farm – but also seasonal produce and an array of store cupboard ingredients; including gluten and dairy free products.Stacey and her team of directors and volunteers all work hard to offer the best service they can, which includes social events, such as Meet-up-Mondays and Soup Shack. They are always looking for more volunteers, and those who already give up their time here say it’s one of the best ways to get to know people in the village.If you’d like to find out more please visit Sproughton Community Shop and friends (https://www.facebook.com/Sproughtoncommunityshop)’ page on Facebook