2025 was definitely the year of Clarion Calling, a book documenting a short history of The Waveney Clarion 1973-1984. The 'Clarion Crew' in and around Lowestoft included Don Mathew, John Ellerby (both past editors of the paper), Pat Carter, Ruth Sparksman, Mike Hammond, Nina Magee, Stephen Wolfenden, Mickey Gibbons, Ivan Bunn, Lesley Bunn, Borin Van Loon and Maria Demierre. Inevitably, such a large project had a long gestation period involving lots of volunteers and contributors.

Volunteers can only do so much without any funding, so: how to finance the printing and binding of such a tome? The group hit on the idea of taking pre-publication orders from enthusiastic buyers keen to get their hands on the book first. This proved quite successful once the word got out.

These financial constraints led to, in commercial publishing terms, a small print-run. Overall, the book sold well, often by word-of-mouth between people who fondly remember this most long-running East Anglian community paper. There was definitely a lot hard work involved: writng editing, chasing and assembling the final book.

It was finally published in August 2025 – fifty years (and a bit) after its adrenalin-fuelled publication before an audience who perhaps didn't realise that they needed an interesting and entertaining community paper until they saw bought a copy and read it.

The Book
Clarion Calling celebrates the Clarion's longevity and uniqueness, and what it stood for. And its humour, epitomised by Mick Sparksman's Coypu. The book features articles and commentary from contributors and creators who lived through it. It weaves multiple themes, stories, and attitudes covered by the paper, from cruise missiles to cycle paths to music and marsh. There are reproductions of significant articles and photographs, of cartoons and columns, and facsimiles of features, advertisements, and front covers.

Like the Clarion of old, it engages the eye and mind with tangents, divergences, and oddities. We hope the overall feel highlights the Waveney Clarion's connections and parallels to our current world and its possibly cataclysmic future. . .

Contributors to the Waveney Clarion included Roger Deakin, Simon Loftus OBE, Mick Sparksman, interviews with people as diverse as U-21 England forward Justin Fashanu, Ronald Blythe, Adrian Bell, farmers, marshmen, the captain of the Rainbow Warrior, local artists such as John Reay and Will Hacon, and many, many musicians. And of course Sandra and Andy Bell, without whom...

It’s A4 size, 116 pages, colour, with a soft-cover. It costs £19.95 per copy.

We are fortunate indeed to have a great designer, Mickey Gibbons, who has turned a ‘folder of sheets’ into an actual book. Big up to Mickey for his design brilliance and great patience.

The interview. Hear John Ellerby interviewed about the Clarion, those heady times and the Clarion Calling book, August 17, 2025.

Reception

"Dear Clarion Crew,

I just received my copy of Clarion Calling at the end of last week and couldn't wait to open it. It took me back to those days of anticipation when noticing a new issue of the paper had been published and wondering what wondrous tales it would tell  this month, and perhaps where I might see a band or find a faire or maybe just make me think a little more about something that up until now I didn't think was important.

The book has not failed to live up to its ancestory. Hardly surprising as it was put together by the same "old" team!  Although so far I have merely scanned the pages – despite the fact that it has proved difficult to put down – it is filled with memories and insights, anecdotes and illustrations that echo those days with humour and affection.  It is nostalgic of course, but in celebration rather than sorrow at their passing.

There are many mentions of the teams that worked so hard to put the paper together each month. You did a fantastic job, and the photo's seem to depict a family rather than a company. I like to think that we, the readers, were part of that extended family and although we didn't know everyone personally we were all in it together.

I will sit down to read it in more detail later today, maybe with a cup of tea rather than a pint and a smoke(!). Coincidentally today is August Bank Holiday Monday, the anniversary of Barsham Faire (Fair, Fayre) which in 1976 concluded with a downpour of biblical proportions after the longest, hottest summer on record.  

Thankyou for the Waveney Clarion back in those long summers, smoke filled cosy winter pubs and vibrant village halls of the 70s and 80s. What you produced was almost a script for the times – mine anyway!   And thanks for this book.  

Best Wishes, Bill H, Lowestoft"