Catsfield

Great Dixter was the family home of gardener and gardening writer Christopher Lloyd – it was the focus of his energy and enthusiasm and fuelled over 40 years of books and articles. Now under the stewardship of Fergus Garrett and the Great Dixter Charitable Trust, Great Dixter is an historic house, a garden, a centre of education, and a place of pilgrimage for horticulturists from across the world. This talk is to tie in with a group visit to Great Dixter in the Summer.

Christian Aid Week: This special week is from 14th – 20th May and will end with the popular Coffee Morning and Plant Sale held in the Village Hall on Saturday 20th from 10am – 12pm, entrance is 50p. There will be the usual large selection of annual, perennial and vegetable plants for sale as well as Cakes and a Raffle. Donations for all these stalls will be most gratefully received and of course refreshments will be served. The Christain Aid envelopes for donations will also be available to help this worthy charity in its good work.

The Catsfield Boat Race: The Catsfield Triangle Association are getting all geared up ready to hold the second Catsfield Boat Race on Sunday 4th June and entries should be submitted now. The main road will be closed from 11am until 2pm and the teams will be racing around the triangle of The Green, Church Lane and Church Road. If you missed last year’s event I’d urge you to come along and support the competitors this time, it’s extremely entertaining and the inventiveness that goes into the construction of the boats and the stamina needed to race them around is fantastic – especially as the best teams have to do it all again in the final! Following the races there will be a continuation of activities, refreshments and live music at the Playing Field between 2pm – 6pm and the whole day makes for a great family day out whilst raising money for three local charities. For entry forms and further information visit www.catsfieldboatrace.com

Rounders Match: It is two years since the last village Rounders match between the parishes of Catsfield and Crowhurst and those of you who were present at the first one will remember what a fun-filled event that was. Again it will be held at the Catsfield Playing Field on 17th June at 3pm and will draw both villages together in friendly rivalry whilst having a lot of fun and enjoying the camaraderie.

Sport: After all the hours spent getting the wicket up to scratch, Sunday’s game against Little Common was postponed because neither side could get a full team. What a disappointment for the first game of the cricket season. Tomorrow the pitch will be used by Bexhill and on Sunday, we hope to be playing Ashburnham.

Farming: As ever, farming news is good and bad. The crops are looking good, however, the severe frost last week has damaged the field beans. If you chance to be walking along a footpath by a field of these beans, just enjoy the wonderful perfume. You might even hear the cuckoo, which we heard in Hooe the other day; bad news for the other birds, but a reminder of what used to be a common sound.

The seal is back, swimming very close to the shore near the De La Warr at Bexhill. Not always easy to spot but a good excuse for staring out to sea in the sunshine.

Mobile Library: The East Sussex County Council Library will be in its usual place outside the Village Hall next Friday 12th May from 11.55am until 12.30pm.

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