Cross In Hand village news

CROSS in HAND

ANOTHER ACCIDENT: Once again there has been another accident at the junction of the A272 and the A267 at the weekend. Thankfully no serious injures were reported and the police attended. A lady whose vehicle was involved posted on social media thanking a resident who supplied sweet tasting drinks to here and her two children. What a wonderful community spirit. At Isenhurst Junction and the above-mentioned junction, collisions and near misses are a weekly occurrence. There are pieces of glass, plastic from bumpers and broken brake lighs all over the place. Urgent action is now needed to make both locations more safer.

CROSS in HAND AMENITIES SOCIETY, DARCH’S WOOD: Following the repair to the steps near the church, both sides now need attention along the edges for safety, using sleepers, road planings and some hard work. Therefore, the working parties on 14th and 28th September will be concentrating on this. Do come along if you can spare any time either day. I was very interested to see a series of new signboards in Darch's Wood. I haven't walked the whole woodland yet so to date I've only seen about three of them, there might be more. They are fascinating, dealing with the history of the woodland, its geography and wildlife. They are beautifully presented, standing at perfect points for a short rest as you take the steep walk up either side of the stream from the lake. A good excuse to take a breather. I now know more about this fascinating wood than I did before and I am grateful to the volunteers from the Cross in Hand Amenities Society who turn up most weekends to cut back invasive rhododendron. Thanks to these boards, I now know why this job need to be done. My word, since last year the views down from the boardwalk have improved and the little walkway into the valley with the waterfalls is now accessible for the first time. Gold stars for merit all round.

BLESSING OF PETS, St BARTHOLOMEW’S, CROSS in HAND: Sunday September 22 at 3pm. Bring your pets along for a short service and blessing for all our pets

LAKEDOWN TAP ROOM: Opening Hours: Weds – Sat 12 -8pm, Sun 12 – 7pm Bar snacks and cheese / charcuterie every day. [GREAT] Beers (including out brand new milk stout Whirlpool 3.4%, creamy and rich as Croesus – utterly delicious) wines, soft drinks and a kettle. Dates for your diary: Thursday 19th September – QUIZ – could be any topic included. Anything might happen. Come as a team or be made into one. Book by email to: [email protected] – free event with charity collection – bring some cash. Thursday 26th September – MUSIC QUIZ – it’ll be about music. Come as a team or be made into one. Book by email to: [email protected] – free event with charity collection – bring some cash. Thursday 3rd October – LIVE MUSIC BY SHERATON BROWN – very, very happy to have them back – wonderful evening last time – free event with charity collection – bring some cash. Thursday 17th October – Pete Brown Beer and Music Matching If your brain is lying to you. You have more than five senses. And you can hear the difference between IPA and stout. Beer aficionado and music lover Pete Brown’s audio-visual extravaganza has evolved over the last decade into a mixture of fandom, storytelling, genuine neuro-scientific research, and over three jokes. Taste a selection of expertly brewed beers and learn how what you listen to really can affect your perception of how they taste. Pete Brown is a British author, journalist, broadcaster and consultant specialising in food and drink, especially the fun parts like beer, pubs, cider, bacon rolls and fish and chips. Across a dozen books, his broad, fresh approach takes in social history, cultural commentary, travel writing, personal discovery and natural history, and his words are always delivered with the warmth and wit you’d expect from a great night down the pub. This is a Ticket only event – book at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/.../pete-browns-beer-and... Thursday 28th November – George Egg Set Menu: This award-winning, multi-sell-out, international-touring performer presents a delightful evening of cooking-with-laughs comprising the best bits from his previous acclaimed shows, plus a few new surprises. Over the past half-decade George has toured three shows (‘Anarchist Cook’, ‘DIY Chef’ and ‘Movable Feast’), he’s cooked over a thousand dishes, all of them in front of a live audience and none of them with a kitchen. Revisiting those unlikely environments armed with the chef’s skills he’s honed, you can expect to learn how to make food on a train with a laptop, in a shed with power tools and in a hotel room with the appliances they unwittingly provide you with. Three plates of gourmet food prepared in the most unconventional of ways and with the opportunity to taste the results at the end. It’s time for the funniest recipes and the most delicious jokes. Tis is a ticket only event – book at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/.../george-egg-set-menu... If you haven’t been to Lakedown before; you should.

WEALDEN EMPLOYMENT SESSIONS: Employment sessions available in Hailsham Drop-in sessions are available to residents in the Wealden district needing help and guidance on employment. Wealden District Council has been working in partnership with the Job Centre Plus Eastbourne to bring the sessions to residents. Job Centre Plus staff are available in the public access area of the council offices in Vicarage Field, Hailsham, every Monday and Thursday between 9am to 12:30pm and 1:30pm to 3pm. Residents can book an appointment with their employment advisor or walk in for general career advice. This initiative helps many Wealden residents who would have had to travel far distances, often by public transport, to attend employment meetings and receive career advice from their appointed Job Centre Plus employment advisor. For example, claimants living in Hailsham and surrounding areas, would have needed to travel to Eastbourne. Wealden District Council has also worked closely with other neighbouring Job Centre Plus venues to deliver employment events and is continuing to work together to explore the expansion of the outreach service to other areas of the district. Councillor Rachel Millward, Alliance for Wealden (Green Party) and lead councillor for Housing & Benefits and leader of the council said: “As Hailsham is an area of relatively high deprivation, health inequalities and has the largest density of claimants of Universal Credit within the district, the outreach service began in this area. It enables the Job Centre Plus to provide services to our residents which otherwise may not have been available. “The outreach service began in July 2023 and has seen good interaction, especially with younger claimants. Since October, almost 400 people have attended the weekly sessions. Discussions are ongoing to increase the outreach programme to other areas of the district.” Piers Harrison, customer service leader for Job Centre Plus said, “It has been fantastic to provide DWP outreach to Hailsham, providing support, job opportunities and training to customers living in a high deprivation area. The Work Coaches who helped setup the project absolutely love working there and daily improve the lives of customers who attend. We have seen many fantastic outcomes and certainly examples where this wouldnot been the case had customers not been seen in the council office. We have already extended the service by one day and are currently considering if we could offer even more because of demand and the success of the project”

POLICE: The police have seen a significant decrease in reports of motorcycle thefts. Since the launch of a dedicated police operation; Operation Portman, to tackle motorcycle thefts in areas of Wealden and Eastbourne, we are pleased to report a decrease of 77% in the number of motorcycle thefts reported. Chief Inspector Lewis for Eastbourne said: ‘These figures reflect the continued efforts of local teams and communities in both targeting offenders and highlighting offences in the area. Within the last few weeks 8 arrests have also been made in relation to ‘Op Portman’, along with a number of motorcycles either being located by police or reunited with their owners. Our investigations, alongside patrols and targeted police actions continue, as does our determination to catch offenders linked to motorcycle thefts. We would also like to thank communities for their reporting of both crime and suspicious activities, as well as continue to encourage residents to further report any thefts or information around motorcycle thefts online quoting Op Portman’. Owners of two-wheeled vehicles are also encouraged to visit the Secured By Design website; supported by police, to gain valuable advice and tips to help protect their property from theft.