Bedford Esquires becomes the latest live music venue to turn to crowdfunding to survive lockdown.

Jason Noble
Suffolk Local Democracy Reporter

A small Ipswich music venue has started an online fundraising plea to help keep it afloat.

The Smokehouse, external on South Street is one of hundreds of venues forced to close last month because of the social distancing measures announced in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

With social distancing expected to remain for the coming weeks and months, even once lockdown measures are eased, the future for music venues remains unclear.

Image source, Miff Pleasant

Joe Bailey, who runs the venue, said: "These are difficult times across the whole industry, for venues, artists and promoters.

"There are venues across the world facing the same challenges as we are - an uncertain future after building such a strong reputation."

So far, more than £3,600 has been pledged by supporters towards a target of £12,000.

NHS staff and other key workers stopped to remember colleagues who have died battling coronavirus.

A minute's silence has been held in the East of England as the region paid tribute to key workers who have died during the coronavirus pandemic.

Healthcare staff in Milton Keynes, Letchworth, Bedford and King's Lynn were among those paying respects to their colleagues at 11:00 BST.

At Southend Hospital, empty shoes were laid out in front of the site to symbolise UK workers who have lost their lives.

Shoppers in Bury St Edmunds also stopped in their tracks and Cambridgeshire police officers fell silent outside their Huntingdon headquarters.

BBC Radio Suffolk

A hospital chief executive is appealing to anyone who feels unwell not to worry about attending their GP and A&E clinic during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nick Hulme, who's in charge of Ipswich and Colchester hospitals, was responding to an emotional email from a BBC Radio Suffolk listener in Australia, whose sister had been afraid to attend hospital with an infection.

She died of sepsis on 25 April.

"I'm worried about people who are a bit concerned about their health, who would normally seek medical advice from their GP or hospital," he said.

"They're simply not doing it.

"We've seen a massive reduction in referrals from GPs of people who might have cancer - those referrals are down by 75%.

"I've spent years trying to tell people not to attend A&E [unless necessary] - my message this morning is the opposite.

"If you don't seek medical advice, the consequences could be very serious."

How the likes of Spider-Man and Wonder Woman are helping to spread cheer in their communities.

Luke Durbin, who disappeared in 2006, was a drug dealer who owed money, a documentary reveals.

Organisers of the three day festival, which began in 2006, say it will return in July 2021.

The organisers of the Latitude festival in Suffolk have confirmed, external this year's event, due to take place in July, has been cancelled.

Bells on Sunday comes from St Mary’s Church, Bentley in Hampshire. The tower contains a peal of six bells. Two were cast by Samuel Knight in 1703 and four lighter bells were cast by Gillet and Johnson of Croydon in 1912. The Tenor weighs twelve and three quarter hundredweight and is tuned to E. We hear them ringing Double Oxford Bob Minor.

Sarah Jenkins
BBC News

A greenskeeper at a floral public gardens has thanked people for observing social distancing.

The Abbey Gardens, external in Bury St Edmunds is on the site of the former abbey - once one of the richest, largest and most powerful Benedictine monasteries in England

Steve has worked in the gardens for 31 years and said they will be staying open for people's "enjoyment" as long as they obey the rules and stay at least two metres apart.

"We will all get through this together," he said.

The sculpture capturing the fans' favourite leaping for a header will be erected outside Portman Road.

BBC Sport's chief football writer made a shortlist of the greatest post-war British managers - but who did you vote as the best?

West Suffolk MP Matt Hancock is one of the most high-profile members of the Conservative government due to his job as Secretary of State for Health during the coronavirus pandemic.

BBC Radio 4 has taken a look at his career in its Profile programme, featuring judicious use of the Tigger song from the Disney version of Winnie the Pooh.

The charity supports breast cancer patients and is getting "creative" with fundraising in lockdown.

Fishermen who made long journeys to lakes in Cambridgeshire have been fined by police.

Officers said they issued penalty notices to an angler who had travelled 93 miles (150km) from Lowestoft, as well as to people from Northamptonshire and Wolverhampton spotted fishing at the lake by the former Mepal Outdoor Centre, near Ely.

"People should not be leaving their houses in order to go fishing recreationally," police warned.

It comes after officers in the county fined two more anglers on Friday, who had travelled 22 miles (35km) to Burnside Lakes in Cambridge.

Colin Price, 52, of Lowestoft was due to be touring Australia and New Zealand with Iron Maiden.

Meet the staff and animals at Suffolk Rural college keeping each other company during the lockdown.

Ipswich Town FC are to pay tribute to the work of the NHS with a message on their shirts for the 2020-21 season.

A simple "thank you NHS" message will be depicted on the back of the home and away shirts for the new campaign as the club pays respects to the vital role of the healthcare workers during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.

Town’s partnership with the NHS for 2020-21 follows the previous three years where Blues have carried the logos of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices and East Anglian Air Ambulance on the back of the shirts to spotlight those charities.

The front of the shirts has had an advert for a betting firm.

The well-meaning cleaner gave librarians a giggle when they discovered the neatly rearranged tomes.