Upper and Lower Dicker Village Voice

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

Bluebell Trail update by owner, John McCutchan: We have identified 24 Duty Charities who will welcome our visitors, serve them with delicious food, collect the entrance monies and ensure everything is kept clean and tidy, especially the loos.

Two are brand new charities, selected from our ever-growing waiting list. It is always a difficult decision in deciding which charities to use from this list, as they are all so enthusiastic, but we have to be assured that they have sufficient volunteers to give the good service that our visitors expect.

Since 1972 I note that 89 individual charities have been involved and benefited from the £1,061,654 raised to date, before inflation is factored in. No wonder each year we get approached by about half a dozen new charities.

Most charities have attended our Refresher Meetings to advise them what will be new for 2025. It is always difficult to arrange convenient dates with the supervisors of all the charities, being such busy people, but we are getting there. The idea I mentioned last month of producing what we now call ‘Guidance Notes,’ which will be hanging on hooks alongside where the respective volunteers are based, were universally accepted as a helpful step forward.

The Plant Barn is scheduled to be paved, with the path to the Food Hatch highlighted, plus various improvements to the kitchen area. There will also be an extra till and card machine allowing orders for hot food and sandwiches to be made and paid for at the same time, reducing pressure on the main food till. Regular visitors will notice these minor changes, but there may not be many to add for 2026.

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, November 16 from 4pm.

A reminder that defibrillators are located in Dicker village at Bede's Senior School Car Park Lodge, Upper Dicker, Bede's Senior School Sports Complex, Upper Dicker and in the telephone box outside the Yew Tree Inn, Arlington.

Roads and Traffic Issues from the Parish Council updates from Arlington and Upper Dicker village speeding working parties are as follows: Upper Dicker - Slightly fewer Speedwatch sessions have taken place, 542 cars have been checked in this period, the average speed being 40mph. There has been some very unpleasant behaviour from some drivers.

There have been two collisions recently. Arlington – Cllr Appleton will attend the County Council meeting in November when the petition for speed reduction will be heard. It is hoped that an SLR meeting with Highways can be arranged for the New Year.

Flooding continues to be an issue in The Street and Wilbees Road caused by blocked drains and overflowing ditches, road sides are being damaged. Issues should be reported to the clerk for submission to East Sussex Highways. Overgrown hedges are a problem, landowners will be written to.