Upper and Lower Dicker Village News

There will, weather permitting, be a public viewing on Friday 22 November at 7pm. Bring a thermos and a donation for the Village Hall.

Weekly coffee mornings are held at the Upper Dicker Village Hall every Thursday from 10.40 am to 12 noon. All welcome.

Sarah Wilesmith is an outdoor education provider and has, for the past ten years, regularly taken young children with their parents into Beatons Wood, introducing them to the woodland wildlife. Sarah has been on several fungi forays this year and this is her report: On a wonderful sunny and warm autumn day with no wind, we invited over forty of Friends of the Bluebell Walk & Bates Green Garden plus others who had helped us during the year, to our afternoon tea celebration, marking the last day Bates Green Garden was open for 2024. We arranged a walk in Beatons Wood led by Ted Tuddenham, a member of the Sussex Fungus Group, and he found in an hour an astonishing number of different fungi. The interest was so great that next year we will arrange a far longer tour, to do justice to the variety of fungi that abound in our ancient oak wood. The mild damp weather has been perfect for fungi this year. It’s also perfect for slugs, who love eating the newly emerging fungi! Despite this, there are still plenty to see, of all shapes and sizes. Early autumn sees the Parasols popping up - the largest found this year was a massive sixteen inches in diameter. They have favourite patches in the woodland and can also be found in the wildflower meadow. Later on, we find Shaggy and Slender Parasols too. Everyone’s favourite fairytale fungi, the Fly Agaric, grows with birch trees. They seem to be favourites of the slugs too - we found several button-sized ones, but they were munched before opening out fully. There are a huge variety of puffballs, clubs, brackets, bonnets, lumps and crusts too. They thrive on the wide range of material available - living and dead wood, twigs, leaves, bramble stems, stumps, even individual acorn cups. Beatons Wood, while accessible along the wide paths, has many areas that lie undisturbed, and plenty of dead wood that is not tidied up, which makes a great habitat for the fungi to thrive. They in turn feed a host of invertebrates (not just slugs) who form a crucial part of the woodland food web. Favourites this year included the Crystal Brain, Amethyst Deceiver, Hare’s Ear and Flaming Scalycap - this last on the old cedar stump in The Millennium Avenue.

Come and watch the Traditional South African Braai and England v South Africa Autumn Rugby International on the big screen in Dicker Village Hall, Coldharbour Road on Saturday 16 November from 4pm.

Are you watching Wolf Hall. In celebration of the much-anticipated release of BBC’s Wolf Hall series, Michelham Priory is offering a special discount this weekend. Not only is Michelham Priory mentioned in the historical fiction trilogy, Wolf Hall, but a visit to the Priory inspired author, the late Hilary Mantel, with the title 'The Mirror and the Light'. The discounted rate of £10 for adults and £5 for children is available for in-person tickets only on 16 and 17 November. Visit www.sussexpast.co.uk for more information.

Michelham Priory has its Magical Christmas Fair on Saturday 30 November. There will be carollers and the Land Girls singing nostalgic Christmas songs, a nod to Michelham Priory’s historic connection to World War II. Whilst you browse local produce and crafts enjoy a warming cup of mulled wine. There will be intricate painted glass to tasty treats to start off the season with some festive magic and cheer. In honour of the Christmas spirit, all admissions are discounted for the day. For more information and if you want to book in advance, visit www.sussexpast.co.uk.

Next Sun day 24 November is the Winter Craft Fair and Market at Dicker Village Hall, Coldharbour Road, Upper Dicker. You are invited to embrace the season’s spirit and discover a treasure trove of unique handmade crafts, delightful treats, drinks and festive joy from 1pm. Entry is free.

The next Parish Councillor Drop-in Surgery is on Saturday 23 November at Upper Dicker Village Hall. Come and meet your local Parish Councillors and have a tea, coffee and biscuits. This drop-in surgery is an open session from 10am to 12.30pm when residents can meet with Parish Councillors, chat about issues, concerns and services in our Parish and get lightly caffeinated in the process.