Welcome to Woodbridge Society’s new season
THE Woodbridge Society opens its 2017/18 season with a talk from Philip Shaw OBE about his time as head of Suffolk County Council’s Music Service. This will be at 7.30pm on Wednesday 11th October in the Abbey School hall.
Philip has run the County’s music service for 20 years and many people will be familiar with him on the podium at Snape conducting the Suffolk Youth Orchestra. But there is much more to his role than that. The music service helps schools to deliver a comprehensive music curriculum along with specialist instrumental and vocal tuition. Its aim is to bring music to pupils of all ages, abilities and backgrounds and it organises music partnership projects for Suffolk schools and communities. With recent curriculum changes, music in schools has been seen as under threat. His talk will show us how music has been kept alive and well in the county.
The Society’s second meeting will be an opportunity to hear what is involved in managing our District Council. Stephen Baker has been Chief Executive of Suffolk Coastal since 2005 and also head of Waveney District Council since 2008. His talk on Wednesday 8th November at 7.30pm is entitled ‘Managing a District Council: Opportunity or Threat’. What with the proposed creation of East Suffolk DC and the move of SCDC from Melton Hill, it is clear that Stephen has a full in-tray and that there is a lot for him to talk about.
Stephen Baker moved into the public sector in 1982 when he joined Ipswich Borough Council. Among other roles since then, as well as being a chief executive, he has chaired the Local Authority Delivery Council and is currently chair of the Suffolk Local Resilience Forum.
The Woodbridge Society is the local civic society. It is interested in preserving the history and traditions of the town at the same time as concerning itself with the way the town develops, with a particular focus on the built environment. Society meetings always have a report on planning matters that affect the town as well as the talks by visiting speakers.
All meetings are held in the Abbey School Hall, best accessed from the school’s Cumberland Street car park. Meetings start at 7.30pm, are free to members and visitors (admission £2) are very welcome. Please come and join us.