Catsfield

Prior to the entertainment and tea, we heard Janet Heath’s report on the Annual Council Meeting in Eastbourne, where we learnt a lot about the Lord Lieutenant’s work in Sussex and the exuberant Ruth Goodman spoke about Tudor Wives and her love of history. Back to our birthday meeting, it seems that members are not too keen on the suggestion of the Ardingly Show for the annual outing, so the Committee will have to think again.

We were reminded that next month the schedules for the fun flower and produce show must be handed in, bulb lists were given out and the usual business matters were gone through. The Committee hope that after discussions on the WI resolutions in May, members will contribute ideas of how best to celebrate next year’s 100th anniversary.

Spring Show: Two hundred and seven entries from fifty entrants gave a really splendid display of exhibits in Catsfield Village Hall on Saturday last. To all who entered, thank you for your time and effort, for making our show tables look so good and congratulations to all the winners. Extra cheers and flag waving to ‘Ivan Luck’ who won our first ever Spring prize of “Best in Whole Show”. The presentation of a £25 voucher to spend atTim’s Great Park Farm Nursery was made by our new Chairperson Wendy Goodliffe. This gave Vanessa Francis more time to sip coffee and think about the next Panto and of course help tremendously! Well done Ivan with your entry (no 7) ‘one stem of as many varieties of daffodil/narcissus found on the day’. They were exceptionally beautiful. A full list of the winners will be at the end of this report.

Our very grateful thanks to all the Judges, who gave their valuable time, expert opinions and helpful comments - not an easy job with all the wonderful exhibits to choose winners from.

We were blessed with fine weather for the day and it was lovely to be able to have tea on the lawn outside the Hall. Although the lead up to this year’s show caused some concern with exhibitors as many of their daffodils and camellias where over or well past their best before the show! Having said that, how did Ivan manage? You will be pleased to learn that next year’s Spring show will be earlier! Please make a note in your diaries of March 24th 2018, this is to accommodate the WI’s Centenary birthday in April 2018 (and that’s another date for your diaries!)

Catsfield C of E Primary School produced wonderful paintings on a subject close to all our hearts ”Road Safety” These were displayed on the stage for all to see and admire. Among the winners Ava Hazeltine won Best in Show for this class and will receive a stunning rosette - well done.

The Decorative Class saw another ‘Best in Show’ awarded this time to Pauline Putland for her elegantly styled crested arrangement depicting the title ‘How Green is My Valley’. Congratulations! Catsfield Under 5’s beautiful Butterflies, adorned a wall on the stage and all received rosettes for their sterling efforts.

Our new C.H.S. Treasurer, Tony Heath, did a splendid job making sure everyone had their envelopes of winnings, whilst Mike Cooper our treasurer of the past 45years, was able to mingle and catch up with old friends and perform different committee duties instead. Sincere thanks to the whole committee, their families and friends for all the hard work they put in, setting the scene with attention to detail and all the next day of the show, assisting with exhibits, serving teas, selling raffle tickets, cakes and plants. What a great team! Heartfelt thanks my husband James for his time and patience with his computer skills. He has made my job as Show Secretary so much easier and the entry cards now look so smart!

Memberships fees of £2 for the year were being taken at the door; remember it’s never too late to join! The promotion of a talk that’s coming up in May (date to be confirmed) in Catsfield Village Hall with a Gardener from Great Dixter, is ongoing with names and contact details still being taken. So if you are interested please get in touch with Wendy Goodliffe soon or any member of the committee for more information.

Dates for your Diary

May 2017 (DTA) A Talk from Great Dixter. Catsfield Village Hall: Wendy Goodliffe 01424 892965

June 10th 2017 Quiz Night in the Catsfield Village Hall

August 5th 2017 Summer Flower Show and Fete on Catsfield Playing Fields

March 24th 2018 Spring Show Catsfield Village Hall

The 1st 2nd and 3rd winners of this year’s Spring show are as follows: Flowers. 1. Single daffodil/narcissus-one bloom- any variety 1st Brian Croft, 2nd Elizebeth Curtis, 3rd Ivan Luck. . Double daffodil/narcissus-one bloom- any variety 1st Brian Croft, 2nd Audrey Beale, 3rd Ivan Luck. . 3 blooms any miniature variety of spring bulbs 1st V.Crawshaw, 2nd B.Strevett, 3rd Ivan Luck. . Vase of 3 blooms daffodil/narcissus- any variety 1st Tracey Ellin,2nd Brian Croft, 3rd Audrey Beale . .Vase of 3 blooms, Large trumpet daffodil/narcissus 1st Tracey Ellein, 2nd Brian Croft, 3rd Ivan Luck,. . Vase of 3 blooms, reflexed petal daffodil/narcissus 2nd Brian Croft, No other winners. .1 stem each of as many varieties of daffodil/narcissus as you can find on the day 1st Ivan Luck (also ‘BEST IN WHOLE SHOW’ ) 2nd Brian Croft, Tracey Ellin.. 8. Wallflowers 3 stems – any one variety 1st Ivan Luck, 2nd Eliizebeth Curtis, 3rd Fr. Michael Brydon. . Polyanthus – 3 stems 1st Barbara Strevett, 2nd Elizebeth Curtis,3rd Ivan Luck. .Tulip – one specimen 1st Elaine Wilkinson, 2nd Victoria Crawshaw, 3rd Ivan Luck. . Tulip – vase of 3 – any variety 1st Elaine Wilkinson, 2nd Mignonette Briggs,3rd Brian Croft. . 3 sticks of Rhubarb, with leaves 1st Brian Croft, 2nd Ivan Luck, 3rd Tracey Ellin. . Grape hyacinths – 5 stems 1st Ivan Luck, 2nd Barbara Strevett, 3rd Brian Croft. . Camellia – one specimen 1st Elaine Wilkinson, 2nd Fr. Michael Brydon, 3rd Ivan Luck. . Vase of mixed flowers 1st Ivan Luck, 2nd Elaine Wilkinson, 3rd Victoria Crawshaw. . Cactus in a pot or bowl 1st Ivan Luck, 2nd Jill Theiss, 3rd James Crawshaw. .Flowering bulbs planted in any container 1st Barbara Strevett, 2nd Ivan Luck, 3rd Victoria Crawshaw. . Flowering plant in a pot (not orchid) 1st Elaine Wilkinson, 2nd Elaine Caine, no other winners. .Foliage plant in a pot 1st Pauline Putland, 2nd Barbara Strevett, 3rd V.Crawshaw. . One vase of flowering shrubs (judged as flowers not an arrangement) 1st Elaine Wilkinson, 2nd Tracey Ellin, 3rd Mignonette Briggs. . Decorative classes. 21.“Brexit” (max width 24”) 1st Prize Pauline Putland no other winners. 22.“How green is my valley” (max width 24”) 1st Prize Pauline Putland PLUS Best in Show’ in this Class. 23. A basket of spring flowers 1st Janet Fowle. No other prize winners. 24. Petite arrangement ( max. 12” overall) 1st Pauline Putland, 2nd Victoria Crawshaw. Cookery. 25.Carrot Cake 1st Rachel Putland, 2nd Pauline Putland.. 26 A Mediterranean loaf 1st John Putland, 2nd Caroline Thomas. 28. Victoria Sponge 1st Rachel Putland, 2nd Pauline Putland, 3rd Audrey Beale. 529.Jar of Marmalade 1st Victoria Crawshaw, 2nd James Crawshaw, . 30, 5 Cheese straws 1st Owen Wheeler, 2nd John Putland, 3rd Jake Wheeler. 31. 5 Sausage Rolls 1st Janet Fowle 2nd Elaine Wilkinson, Laura Goodliffe. 32. Bakewell Tart – Men only 1st John Putland, 2nd Allan Wilkinson. 33. A cold soup 1st Victoria Crawshaw.. Photographs. 134.“Frost” 1st Helen Wood, 2nd Laura Goodliffe, 3rd Julie Roberts. 135. Sunrise / Sunset 1st Janet Woolf, 2nd Sally Campbell, Janet Fowle. Handicrafts. 136. A handmade bird feeder (Without the stand) 1st Tracey Ellin, 2nd James Crawshaw. 37. Park Gate Manor Residents Class 1st Theresa Oram, 2nd Carol Fielder, 3rd Carol Bagnall, 4th Muriel Blackwell, Highly Commended Geofrey Girling, Commended .April Jenkins.. Children’s Classes. 38. 3 Decorated fairy cakes 1st Isobelle O’Farrell,2nd Thea Lindfield, 3rd Penny Walters, . 39.A decorated hard-boiled egg 1st Thea Lindfield, 2nd Penny Walters, 3rd Mae F.Douglas,. 40. Decorated Easter card 1st Thea Lindfield, 2nd Finn Caine, Penny Walters,. 41. A Potato Print Picture No entries. 42. Spring flowers in a Mug 1st Thea Lindfield, 2nd Finn Caine. 43. Catsfield C of E Primary School Class Results will be published in the school. 44 Catsfield Under 5’s Class Beautiful Butterflies Results will be published in the school.

Looking forward to seeing you all at the next show on August 5th when the ‘Photographic Classes’ will be “An Animal – not a pet,” and “Hidden Gem”. Wishing you lots of lovely ideas!

Palm Sunday: For once the last Sunday before Easter dawned sunny and warm so a goodly crowd gathered at the end of Forewood Rise for the annual Palm Sunday procession. The donkey was fit and well this year so led the procession beautifully down to the church at Crowhurst. The combined choirs, the crowd and the waiting congregation nicely filled the church. The dramatised rendition of St. Matthew’s Gospel reading for the day was well received with several different personnel this year. The choir sang Mozart’s Ave Verum during the communion and the Sunday School showed the congregation what they had been looking at during the service. All in all a very positive start to Holy Week.

Sport: Cricket, the wicket is being got ready, the indoor nets are well supported and players are oiling their boots and cleaning their bats, or is that the wrong way round? Perhaps they are doing neither and will just turn up to the first game, with their bags in the same state as they were left at the end of last year. A friendly football match has been arranged for tomorrow, just to finish off the season, where we will probably end up third from the bottom.

Thank you: Tony and I are so grateful to all our friends from Catsfield and beyond for the cards and messages that were sent to us on our wedding day, Thursday 6th April, it was such a very happy occasion on a beautiful spring day and we had a wonderful time! Would whoever sent the pretty M&S card with a pair of Dachshunds on the front tell us who they are please, because they forgot to sign it!

Mobile Library: The East Sussex County Council Library will be in its usual place next Friday 21st April outside the Village Hall from 11.55am until 12.30pm.

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