The finalists have been announced and Suffolk based ‘Woodbridge Antiques Centre’ are delighted to have reached the top 5 in the ‘Best Antiques Centre’ category.

Since opening its doors for the first time on November 7th 2007, the centre has gone from strength to strength. Four years down the line, proprietor Natalie Smith, 31, has successfully guided the centre through tough economic times.

The store has subsequently established a fine reputation owing to its brightly lit, well-presented interior featuring glass cabinets which showcase a diverse range of quality items from over 25 specialist dealers.

Entry into the competition follows on from the centre’s superb achievement in making The Independent’s ’50 Best Antiques Shops’ in 2010, one of only three shops from East Anglia to do so.

The winner of ‘Britain’s Best Antique Centre’ will be announced by Kirstie Allsopp at the Bath Decorative & Antiques Fair on the 8th March.

They would like to thank everyone who voted for them and for updates on how they get on visit their website at www.woodbridgeantiquescentre.co.uk after 8th March.’

Local hearing care specialists The Hearing Care Centre, together with
Woodbridge Town Centre Management, put on an exciting free music event in
Woodbridge on Saturday 2nd July, which drew a big crowd and raised lots of
money for charity.

Playing on the bandstand in Elmhurst Park were the Ipswich Over 50′s Brass
Band, who delighted the audience with their musical renditions of some
famous classics, whilst basking in the beautiful summer sunshine.

The Hearing Care Centre, who are based at Framfield Medical Centre, put on a
refreshments stall, selling teas, coffees, and homemade cakes, to raise
funds for Age UK Suffolk. People attending the concert were very generous,
and they managed to raise over £160.00 in 2 hours.

This event was managed by Woodbridge Town Centre Management Ltd and Woodbridge Town Council.
For further photos of the event, please visit
www.facebook.com/hearingcarecentre

Woodbridge hearing specialists named
best for customer service for second year

One of Suffolk’s best performing companies is today celebrating after striking gold for the second time in a row at the 2011 Anglian Business Awards.

The Hearing Care Centre, based locally at Framfield Medical Practice, in Woodbridge, received the prestigious award for Outstanding Customer Service, retaining the same title that they picked up last year.

The glitzy ceremony, held at Trinity Park in Ipswich, was hosted by BBC television and radio presenter John Humphrys, and featured 40 Suffolk businesses fighting it out in 14 fiercely contested categories.

The Hearing Care Centre, which established in 1998, by Managing Director Karen Finch, provides independent, holistic and ethical services to the hard of hearing in Suffolk.  As well as its centre in Woodbridge, it operates from 13 further locations across the County.

The award judges recognised that The Hearing Care Centre demonstrated that it has its customers at the heart of its business and deploys and manages its resources to most effectively meet the needs of its customer base.

The company, who were also shortlisted for the Community Involvement award, recently received a 96 % satisfaction rating in its patient survey, showing that their customers really appreciate the high levels of service that they receive.

Karen was so delighted to have been again recognised for their customer service, “I am still shocked that we have won an award after being up against some very tough opposition”, said Karen.

“It would have been easy to become complacent having received this award last year, however my team have done a fantastic job over the past 12 months, and I cannot thank them enough.”

The organisers, Deben Events, has invited over fifty stallholders to take part in the event, bringing a wide range of different stalls to Woodbridge for the day. Stallholders are coming from across Suffolk, joining others from Essex, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and London. Stallholders will be selling everything from classic pieces of furniture from different eras, unusual homewares, collectable ceramics, glassware, jewellery and vintage clothes.

Sarah Hill, fellow organiser, said, “We were amazed by how quickly invitations to the market were snapped up and, even though we’re fully booked, we’re still getting enquiries for stalls and pitches.” She continued, “The market in Woodbridge is now firmly established and recognised as a central part of the growing vintage scene in Suffolk.”

Jac Cassidy of Deben Events, said, “We’ve had a really busy few months, organising markets in Felixstowe, Ipswich Waterfront and Snape Maltings, and it’s nice to be back on home turf where we started three years ago. We’re really looking forward to the market and, again, have made sure we’ve mixed things up a little to keep it fresh and interesting. We’ve got everything from luxury products for pets, to beautiful furniture and rare vinyl records.” Deben Events say that the combination of the unusual items for sale, the historic setting and relaxed atmosphere for shopping means the market in Woodbridge attracts hundreds of people to the town.

On the same day, Woodbridge also plays host to one of the region’s most successful ensembles, The Over 50’s Ipswich Brass Band. The FREE concert, sponsored by local hearing care specialists, The Hearing Care Centre, is being held between 12-2.30pm, in the beautiful setting of Elmhurst Park. Also performing will be the local choir group, the Singing Safari. Karen Finch, Managing Director of The Hearing Care Centre said, “It promises to be a great afternoon of entertainment. All of our team will be down there making sure everyone has an excellent time. We really want to be involved with the local community in Woodbridge, and as this is our third year of putting on this event, we think that events like this really help.”

The Hearing Care Centre operates locally from the Framfield Medical Centre in Woodbridge, and has 13 other centres across the county. “Bring all the family down, and enjoy the brilliant live music”, Karen added. At the event The Hearing Care Centre will also be running a refreshments stall, selling teas, coffees and homemade cakes, with all proceeds going to the Age UK Suffolk.

There is free parking all day at Suffolk Coastal District Council offices Car park, Melton Hill, IP12 1AU