News from around the clubs - January 29

Society of Bexhill Museums

HUGH Miller was the welcome return speaker on Wednesday January 20 at a very well-attended afternoon meeting.

His subject this time was A Wartime Childhood and we were treated to an engrossing illustrated talk of his experiences and memories of the Second World War in Pevensey and its environs.

Attending the local primary school for the duration of the war, he told us of the shelter built in the school playground where classes continued during air-raids; the gas masks the children were made to carry everywhere; and his experiences of searching for souvenirs from crashed aircraft, RAF as well as Luftwaffe.

Although the Pevensey livestock market remained open throughout the war, fresh food became limited, and he remembered the prevalence of dried foods like powdered eggs and milk.

He recalled the drive towards home food production, and remembered helping on the land with other children.Air Raid Wardens, ration books, identity cards, and later 'utility' goods were the norm.

Various changes occurred in the vicinity. There was a collection of anything iron for recycling for munitions; soldiers were billeted locally; some housing was built for officers; ack-ack guns and searchlights appeared; Pevensey Castle was fortified and soldiers posted there; anti-tank blocks and beach defences were constructed to deter any enemy landing; and an emergency water tank appeared near the castle.

Air raids were a constant occurrence, first from bombers shedding their bombs on their return flights from London, and later the vicious V1s as they headed to the City.

Some events were more memorable. The sinking of the SS Barnhill off Beachy Head in 1940 when much of her cargo of tinned food and cheese was later washed ashore at Pevensey Bay to the glee of the scavenging locals.

There were the tragedies of the casualties of air-raids, and of the heroic actions of pilots who crashed as a result of avoiding civilian centres.

Burton Walk in Pevensey was named after one of these brave men- Percy Burton.

Finally Mr.Miller recalled the huge build-up of forces and equipment in the area in 1943/44, and its sudden disappearance on D-Day June 6th 1944. Mr.Miller concluded by describing the magnificent bonfire the villagers built to celebrate V.E. day in 1945 when the whole village attended.

Our next afternoon lecture will be at St.Augustine's Church Hall on Wednesday February 3 at 2.30pm. Michael Chapman will talk on Stone Cross and Other Sussex Windmills. Admission '“ Members 2 , Non-Members - very welcome - 3 (includes refreshments).

Bexhill Association of National Trust Members

The next meeting of the Association will take place on Saturday, February 13 at 2.45 p.m. at St Peter's Community Centre. There will be a lecture by Mr Christopher Rudd who will speak on London Parks and Squares in the South West. Tea/coffee and biscuits will be served in the interval and there will be stalls and a raffle. Admission is 2 for members and 3 for non-members.

If you would like to join the Association please call our membership secretary, Mrs Sonia Vincett, on 844843 or you can join at the lecture on Saturday. The subscription for membership is only 3.50 per annum and you can be assured of a friendly welcome and a variety of enjoyable and interesting activities throughout the year.

Our last big event was the Christmas dinner held at the Egerton Park Bowls Club where members enjoyed a delicious meal and excellent entertainment. Unfortunately, the January lecture had to be postponed owing to the snow, but Mr D Williams has kindly agreed to give his lecture on Hever Castle, the Home of Ann Boleyne, at a later date to be arranged.

There will be a full programme of lectures and organised holidays and outings.in 2010. Future events include a lunch party on 23 February, a Bridge Drive in March, a plant sale and coffee morning in April, a Spring Social and also a holiday to the Midlands in May, a Mystery Tour in June, a visit to Buckingham Palace in August and, of course, the monthly lectures.

Bexhill Art Society

THE society held its monthly meeting in St Augustine's Church Hall on Saturday, January 2, 2010.

The chairperson, Christine Maclean opened the meeting by announcing officially that she would be standing down after six years, and a new chairperson would be announced at the AGM on Saturday, February 6 at 2pm, held at the above venue.

Members brought their pictures in for appraisal by Nick Engelfield, an accomplished and well known local artist. His tips and information of the use of colour was most helpful, and the advice he gave members on how to get the best from their pictures was invaluable.

The Artist of the Month was Ray Rippingale displaying a varied selection of this talented member. Visitors are most welcome to our meetings held at St Augustine's Church Hall on the first Saturday in the month except July and August.

Royal British Legion Women's Section Little Common

RBL Womens Section Little Common Branch:

Can I please say how sorry I was that we were unable to hold our monthly meeting on Wednesday evening of January 13 due to adverse weather conditions. I, along with Kaye Murphy, did go to the club in case anyone turned up and I would like to say well done to the hardy five who did make it. I would like to take this opportunity of wishing all our members a happy and prosperous New Year and look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on the February 10.

HILARY TURNER

Barnhorn Road

Bexhill on Sea

Twenty Ten Club

DUE to bad weather in early January we had to cancel the speaker, as it was felt that no one would venture out, but a hardy few came along and we enjoyed our informal social afternoon, and the speaker will be at our March meeting instead.

The meetings are held in the Sandhurst Hall at Little Common Community Centre at 2pm and the next one will be on Thursday February 11 when the speaker will be Mr Eddie McCall, who will talk about Senlac Rotary's involvement in establishing a nursery and clinic in Kenya, which promises to be very interesting.

Pencils, crayons and exercise books are a luxury for the children, so donations of such items will be very acceptable and much appreciated.

As this is a new club why not come along and be involved right from the start? You will be made very welcome.

For further information, please phone 01424 842946.

Hastings Scottish Country Dance Club

HASTINGS Scottish Country Dance Club has had a busy and enjoyable 2009. We have learned new dances and enjoyed more familiar ones under the expert tuition of our teacher.

Our spring dance in April was attended by enthusiastic dancers from around Sussex, likewise our Christmas dance.

On both occasions there was a superb spread of food and the raffles anabled us to give a donation to St Michael's Hospice.

During the summer, two of our members invited us to dance in their garden to celebrate their Golden Wedding - a thoroughly enjoyable occasion. We had our usual bring and buy sale on one of our club evenings in November to raise money for Children In Need.

Finally, we had our Christmas dinner in December which most of our members and partners attended.

We dance on Thursday evenings in the Arthur Easton Centre at St Michael's Hospice and would welcome anyone keen to "have a go".

Further details from our secretary on 01424 752249.

Hastings, Bexhill Organ and Keyboard Society

WE started the new year on Thursday January 28 with a return visit of the popular organist Andrew Varley from Southsea playing the Wersi Abacus.

Andrew started his playing career at the age of 13; in his early years he did not want to take lessons and was quite content to sit at the organ and teach himself.

In later years he received help and encouragement from the late Theatre Organist Eric Lord.

Andrew turned professional in 1991 and since then has been playing for dancing, private functions and Organ Clubs ranging from Yorkshire to the Channel Islands.

If you have an interest in playing or just listening to good music, why not join us?

We meet on the last Thursday of each month at the Pebsham C P School, School Place, Hastings Road, Bexhill, at 7.30pm.

New members and visitors are always welcome. For further information please ring 01424 214152.

Bexhill Photographic Club

LAST Thursday at the Quakers Meeting House Albert Road we invited Bob Webzell ARPS to judge our second set subject Slides and the third, Projected Digital Images (PDI).

Bob, who is a member of the Brighton and Hove Photographic Club and is well known for his photographic exhibitions, gives great support to a Masai tribe, which includes helping to fund building a school in Tanzania.

He calls a spade a spade but was very meticulous with his judging.

The first category for appraisal was the Slide set subject Angles (projected by Brian and Dorothy Reeve).

Bob had a real mix of slides to evaluate (21 in all) ranging from wheel and umbrella spokes, railings, steps, seats and even the inverted pyramid at the Louvre.

He awarded two 20s - one to Norman King's Shadows and Steps, and the other to Sue Clarke's Symmetrical Support, but decided Norman's slide be awarded 20*.

This made Sue and Norman the overall joint winners of the set subject class, as they both scored 20 and 20* in the first set subject, Clouds, in November.

The second half of the evening was devoted to the Projected Digital Images (PDI).

The Nature Class (17 images) was won by Ken Plum for Baby Gecko with a 20*, closely followed by Dorothy Reeve's Meadow Foxtail, and Paul Carrington's In-flight Refuelling (A hummingbird feeding), both scoring 20.

The record class was won by David Rossiter with Religious Plaques Villa Real - scoring 20* - closely followed by two other images also scoring 20 namely Martin Haswell's Avro Vulcan and Norman King's Detail from Baptistery Door Florence Number Six.

The creative class was won by Dorothy Reeve with her monotone study entitled Wooded Valley scoring 20*, just ahead of Paul Dunmall's Ice Kiss, scoring 20.

The general class was won by Paul Dunmall with his perception of Caught Up.

Depicting a double-strung black thong caught in a stiletto heel, he scored 20* and the best overall image of digital entries.

Vanessa Parker LRPS was very close on Paul's heels with Ullswater Frosty Morning, scoring 20.

Very well done Paul.

The next event is on February 18 and will be the third open print and slide competition to be judged by John Boots ARPS.

Some of the winning images mentioned can be viewed on the latest news sectopm of our website www.bexhillphotoclub.co.uk

For further details of the club please contact our chairman John Bryant Bexhill 730758.

Bexhill Bridge Club

RESULTS for week ending January 9:

Tuesday January 5:

First - Bill Spencer-Smith and Colin Richards

Second - Fergus Cameron and Brian Gould

Results for week ending January 16:

Tuesday January 12:

First - Nigel Gordon and Brian Gould

Second - Fergus Cameron and Richard Matthews

Thursday January 14:

First N/S - Glynis Bailey and Shirley Bodle

Second N/S - Nigel Gordon and Jim Carroll

First E/W - Ray and Angie Bittan

Second E/W - Sally Clark and Nick Newell

NHS Retirement Fellowship

THE Christmas party in December proved to be a great success, despite the inclement weather.

Many thanks to the members who provided the delicious spread of traditional food. A happy afternoon was spent in the company of good friends, old colleagues and festive entertainment.

The New Year programme of events started with a speaker from the RNLI on Monday January 18.

Tea and biscuits will be served and an excellent raffle with attractive prizes to be won.

If you have ever worked for the NHS we would be pleased to welcome you to our monthly meetings which are held on the third Monday of the month at the Health Centre, Bexhill Hospital.

If you would like to know more about joining our friendly group please telephone the secretary on 222246 or 210934.

Bexhill Past Rotarians

THE Bull Inn was the venue for the annual darts match between Bexhill Rotary Club and the Bexhill Club of Past Rotarians.

Bexhill Rotary were the current champions and hot favourites, but in a remarkable change of fortune were beaten 4-1 on the night.

In each match it may have taken 10 minutes or so for 501 to be reduced to double one, and even longer for double one to be thrown, or eventually a play-off of "nearest to the bull", but the result was undeniable: the old boys had the best of it.