26/10/2026
New Leaf Reydon & Southwold
Four Years of Making a Difference – and Looking to the Future
Over the past four years, New Leaf Reydon & Southwold has achieved a great deal, thanks to the hard work of our wonderful volunteers and the generosity of individuals and organisations who have supported us financially.
What began as an effort to improve the appearance of the verges around Mights Bridge has grown into a project that has made a real and lasting difference to this much-loved part of our community.
We have cleared and maintained overgrown verges, making the paths more pleasant and accessible, without pedestrians having to battle their way through nettles. Even the once-dominant Alexanders seem to have largely admitted defeat!
We also raised the £800 needed to purchase paint for the repainting of Mights Bridge and the railings stretching from Bridgefoot Corner to North Road. A new sign for Buss Creek was erected, and we have introduced a wonderful variety of flowers and bulbs, including winter aconites, bluebells, snowdrops, daffodils, crocuses and hollyhocks. These will continue to bring colour and enjoyment to the area for years to come.
At the request of others, we have also begun reducing the number of non-native sycamore trees to help improve the balance of the local environment.
Every donation has helped us achieve something worthwhile.
Through careful use of the funds so generously given, we have been able to purchase equipment that will serve our volunteers and the wider community for many years. This includes DeWalt brush cutters, two wheelbarrows, spades, shovels, rakes, litter pickers, ear defenders, safety glasses, high-visibility jackets, hoes, croppers, brooms and, of course, the all-important coffee pot!
And despite everything we have achieved and purchased, we still have a modest amount of money remaining to support our future activities.
Time for the Next Chapter
Having brought the Mights Bridge area to a much-improved standard, we have reached an interesting point in the project’s development.
The work now required is increasingly routine maintenance, particularly regular strimming and keeping vegetation under control. While this is important, our volunteers have always been motivated by the opportunity to make visible improvements to places that need a little extra care and attention.
With that in mind, I have approached Suffolk Highways to ask whether they might resume responsibility for the regular highway verge maintenance in this area. This would allow New Leaf to concentrate its volunteer time, energy and remaining resources on improving other areas of Reydon and Southwold.
We are awaiting their response, and I will happily share their answer as soon as it arrives.
There is already some encouraging news. Suffolk Highways is arranging to clear the drains at Mights Bridge, something I requested some time ago. This is a welcome development and hopefully the beginning of a positive way forward.
A Thank You and a New Beginning
I particularly want to reassure everyone who has supported New Leaf financially that their generosity has been put to excellent use. The improvements are there for everyone to see, the planting will continue to flourish, and the equipment purchased will remain available for future community projects.
Our intention has never been simply to maintain one stretch of verge indefinitely. It has been to make a difference, improve neglected spaces and take pride in the places where we live.
The success at Mights Bridge demonstrates what a small group of determined volunteers can achieve with a little financial support and a great deal of enthusiasm.
To every volunteer, donor and supporter, thank you. You have helped transform an area and given New Leaf the tools and experience to do even more.
Mights Bridge is not the end of the story. It is a successful first chapter, and we look forward to seeing where New Leaf can make a difference next.
New Leaf Reydon & Southwold
