Activities of the Woodbridge & Melton Society
Society Meetings 2025/26
The Society organises a number of talks during the autumn and winter. The meetings are held in Woodbridge Quay Church (Quay Street, IP12 1BX) . Access is from Quay Street along the side of the building. The church is well equipped for meetings but car parking is extremely limited so we advise parking near the railway station if necessary. If you are interested in any of the talks or want to know more about what the Society does, please join us at any of these meetings - you will be very welcome. We make a charge (£5) for non-members. All meetings begin at 7:30 p.m.
The Maltster's Tale: Mastery of Water, Wind and Fire
Wednesday 1st October 2025
Ivor Murrell
One of the world's oldest food processing skills, malting is now thought to have been carried out beyond 5000 BC. Hear how floor maltings, such as those at Woodbridge, were operated to make malt for brewing beer. Ivor Murrell, a Master Maltster, explains how he became a traditional floor maltster and why he is now Suffolk's last.
From Dunkirk to D-Day and Beyond
Wednesday 5th November 2025
Sir Nick Young
Leslie Young died in 1986. He rarely talked about the war though left a few clues stored away in the attic of his house in the south of England, including some papers and a map on a piece of silk. It took many years for his son, Sir Nick Young, to unearth the details of his extraordinary war career, and to get to know his father in a completely new way. This fascinating evening will be in conversation with Joeske van Walsum.
Deben Community Farm
Wednesday 4th March 2026
David Chenery
Deben Community Farm in Saddlemakers Lane, Melton is celebrating its 10th year and is a success story in delivering quality care for young people with additional needs. Learn how the farm came about, the work the team has carried out, the variety of animals being looked after and its aims for the future.
Hidden Ipswich
Wednesday 1st April 2026
Robin Gaylard
Ipswich is the oldest continuous settlement in the country. The first Anglo-Saxon town, its town centre street layout remains largely unchanged from medieval times. An ancient sea port and still a busy port, the magnificent Wet Dock was, in its day, the largest man-made enclosure of water in the country. Trade brought peoples from far afield. From Roman times onward, the Ipswich population has been a rich mix of cultures, food, fashion, art, crafts and architecture. If you think you know Ipswich, this might be a surprising evening.
Society Visits
The Society organises visits during the summer months to places of interest in the region. You can read about our 2024 visits below. The programme included Flixton Aviation Museum, Katie's Garden Centre, Oulton Broad and two local churches.
Sadly, due to a lack of volunteers, there will not be any visits in 2025.
