I'm from Leigh on sea in Essex originally, but I was very lucky to have far-sighted parents who purchased in Suffolk a holiday home in Huntingfield, in the beautiful Blyth valley, in the 1960s.
I came to Framlingham after my father died. He left me his house in Yoxford, where I lived for a while before moving to Framlingham 18 years ago. I loved the feel of the town and decided to make some changes in my life. I found a really pretty house in the town which I fell in love with.
Framlingham was a little quieter at that time, as no new houses had been built, but the Market Hill, and the magnificent castle and mere have always drawn me here. I love living in the town and recently moved nearer to the centre.
I have a business, Huntingfield Estates – and Framlingham is a great place to do business. All the other traders are such nice people, along with the fabulous market traders too. An the town seems to attract good people; my clients are certainly lovely. They not only come from 'Fram', as the locals affectionately call it, but some of them come from quite far away. They come here as tourists and just want to stay.
When I'm not working, I spend my time here as a trustee of an amazing local charity called Hour Community. I could write a whole article on what they do and are trying to achieve.
The initiative started in 2011 to support the residents of Framlingham and the surrounding villages. It became a charity in 2016 and grew as it identified people's needs and responded, using the skills of dedicated volunteers.
Many of the services Hour Community provides support people in ways that weren't previously available, such as practical help within the home; Forget-Me-Not Club, a dementia friendly lunch club; The Worry Tree, a mental health drop-in cafe; transport to medical appointments; shopping and getting people's medication delivered to them.
Hour Community's ethos is simple – it's about giving one hour a month of your time to help someone in need, or if you can't give an hour of your time, give an hour of your salary.
I didn't raise my family in Framlingham, but luckily for me, both my sons and partners and my delightful grandson have all moved locally to me. We have some great times together. Some of my best memories of Fram have been meeting some amazing people who I know will now be life-long friends.
The town is really good at supporting special occasions – the Royal wedding (William and Kate) on Market Hill was a memorable day. Then there was the Tour of Britain cycle race that started in the town, and numerous other events.
The town has inevitably grown, but I feel everyone tries hard to integrate and make Fram even better with loads of events such as the Gala Fest, Sausage Fest, and Christmas Fayre. And if you have any hobbies, or you're looking for one, there is always a welcoming group to join.
I feel very affectionate towards Fram and can't imagine living anywhere else. It has a safe, welcoming feel and when I go on holiday I just love to come back.
My three words to sum up Fram? Community, ambience, history.
