Catsfield

Carols by Candlelight: An evening of ‘Carols by Candlelight’ by the Rother Community Choir will set the scene for Christmas at 7.30pm on Friday 11th December at the Parish Church of St Laurence. Tickets cost £6 each to include a light supper and are on sale in the Village Store or will also be available at the door.

The Bluegrass Plus Club: There will be a Xmas Bluegrass Evening Concert held at Catsfield Village Hall, TN33 9DP on Saturday 12th December at 7.30pm – 11pm. This will feature bands ‘Porchlight Smoker’ and the ‘One Tree Hillbillies’ supported by ‘Alive and Picking’ and there will be a bar. Tickets cost £12 but please reserve your tickets in advance as there are only a limited number available. Call Sheila or Ray on 01424 893390 or email [email protected] There are further details on the website www.bluegrass-plusclub.co.uk

Christmas Market: What a huge amount of hard work went into last Saturday’s Christmas Market. So many willing helpers joined together to decorate the Village Hall with market stalls brightly decorated and topped with red canopies draped with greenery, bunting was hung around the walls, cleverly homemade from bits of colourful fabrics. The stalls were laden with wonderful selections of all kinds of things and it wasn’t difficult to find plenty of things on which to spend one’s money before enjoying a rest with coffee or mulled wine, lunch or cake and then spending some more! Santa was in his sparkling grotto, ably assisted by the inimitable elf who strangely seemed to resemble Father Michael. Success could be measured by the smiling faces of the shoppers laden with packages who were in no hurry to leave and who had obviously enjoyed a pleasant time chatting with old friends. It was announced in church at the Advent Communion Service on Sunday morning that the total raised for St Laurence’s Church funds was an amazing £1654! Congratulations to Jane for her hard work in getting everyone together to make it such an enjoyable and hugely successful event and thanks to all who took part.

Mike Cooper writes: On Sunday 13th December at 2.30pm in the Great Barn at Michelham Priory Sussex Harmony are performing a West Gallery Christmas concert. This will form part of one of Michelham’s annual Christmas Fairs. Some of the tunes will come from St. Laurence’s manuscripts. Should be a fun afternoon. Of course people could always wait until 10th December 2016 when Sussex Harmony will be doing a similar concert in Catsfield Village Hall, but maybe it is a bit too early for that publicity!

Sport: At last a win for the football team and against a team called “athletic”. On a very windy Saturday afternoon away at Eastbourne, as our pitch was still too wet, the boys battled away to a 2 - 4 win helped by an Eastbourne own goal. Apparently at half time it was doubtful the game could continue due to the wind but we were determined to keep going. Jacob Jones got 2 of our goals and Pete Rollinson the other. We play Wadhurst United at home tomorrow in another round of the Sussex FA Junior Cup. A win would be nice, but we need to win more league games to lift us off the bottom of the table.

Village Hall Committee (from Ann): We have come to the end of another chapter in the life of our beloved Village Hall with the sad news that Gwen Taylor has retired from the Committee. I remember a meeting in the Hall over fifteen years ago when the big debate was held as to how to preserve and run the Hall. Gwen was all for an ambitious new scheme to get grants, extend and run the Hall as a charity. “Think positive” she said and in 1991 the Hall Committee Charity was set up. She has been an active and dedicated member since then, representing the WI on the Committee, being in charge of the housekeeping side of things as well as doing the monthly 100 Club draws. She has played such an enormous part in village life generally and those of us concerned with the Hall know we could not have done it without her energy and enthusiasm. Our meetings will never be the same!

Mobile Library: The East Sussex County Council Mobile Library will be visiting Catsfield today, the 4th December for the last time this year and will be standing in its usual place outside the Village Hall from 11.55am – 12.30pm. The next visit will be on 15th January 2016.

Village Voice: Next week will be the last Catsfield Village Voice before Christmas, so if you have anything that you’d like included please telephone me on 01424 316309 or email [email protected] before Monday evening 7th December. We’ll be back again in the New Year.

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