Chailey

WHIST DRIVE: Organised by Chailey Women’s Institute, is at the village hall tomorrow, Saturday, at 7.30pm. Admission costs £3.50 and everyone is welcome, there will be prizes, a raffle and refreshments.

WI: The Women’s Institute meet on Tuesday (apologies for including an incorrect date in previous weeks), at the village hall, and this meeting is an especially exciting one as the celebrated ballerina Dame Beryl Grey OBE will be speaking on Life in the World of Ballet. This subject will appeal to many and if you are interested do go along and learn more. The group are always pleased to welcome prospective members and guests for a nominal donation of £3. The talk will begin at 7.45pm and be followed by home-made refreshments and finally the group’s monthly business meeting. To find out more call Margaret Smith on 01825 723519.

BIRDS AND MORE BIRDS: Join Ian Woolsey and members of the Commons Society in their search for the new migrant arrivals and the resident birds on the Commons on Saturday April 8. Meet at Lane End Common car park for a 9.15am start.

VOLUNTEERS: Would you like to volunteer at the railway. The next find out more tour is on Sunday April 9. The meeting time is 10.30am, at Sheffield Park Station, and the day should end around 4.30pm. Book your place on the tour by contacting the General Office on 01825 720800, or just turn up at Sheffield Park on April 9. A list of special events at the Bluebell Railway can be found at http://www.bluebell -railway.com/special-events/. There will be a Diesel Gala from March 31 to April 2 and the Flying Scotsman at the Railway from April 13 to 19. For more details visit http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/.

SWIMARATHON: Chailey Heritage Foundation has been chosen as the main beneficiary of this year’s Swimarathon, an annual event organised by Haywards Heath Lions Club which takes place on Good Friday, April 14, at the Dolphin Centre in Haywards Heath. They will be fundraising for the Foundation’s DREAM Centre Appeal, to build a modern and vibrant indoor activity space where children and young people with complex disabilities and health needs can participate in a mixture of arts and physical activities. Haywards Heath Lions are looking to recruit over 60 teams of 6 to take part in a competition to see how many lengths they can swim in 55 minutes. This is a very popular annual event and if you would like to enter a team, and help to fundraise for the Appeal, please visits www.hhlionsswim.co.uk. The Foundation are looking for volunteers to help ‘man’ their stand on the day and if you are able to help to do this with one to two hours of your choice any time between 8am and 6pm please email Joan Martin via [email protected] or 01825 724752.

LAMBING: At Townings Farm On Saturday April 15 from 2pm to 4pm Carole and Kevin Uridge invite members of the Commons Society and children to visit the farm and watch lambing time. There will be group visits to the lambing barn all afternoon. Meet by the Farm Shop Townings Farm, Plumpton Lane North Chailey. Please take care; advice should be taken for pregnancy, allergy and other health issues before farm visits. For more details of the visit contact William Coleman on 01444 831098.

LUNCH CLUB: At St Peter’s Church is held monthly at 12.30pm in the church on Chailey Green and the next lunch club is on Thursday April 20. All are welcome to go along for a delicious meal, meet new people and chat and relax. The food is all freshly prepared and home-cooked with a main course, choice of puddings and tea/coffee all for £5 per person. There is easy access and disabled toilet facilities. If you require transport or further information please contact Julia Guerard on 01825 722967.

ST GEORGE’S DAY: Chailey Bonfire Society are holding their annual St George’s Day event on Saturday April 22, from midday to 4pm, at the Waterworks field opposite Markstakes Corner. Entrance is £1 per adult (which includes free entry into programme raffle). There will be lots of stalls and attractions, a fun dog show, barbecue, refreshments, table top sale, children’s rides and more. It is not too late to book a space for the table top sale or for local organisations/charities to reserve a space. Contact the Bonfire Society by email at [email protected] or phone 07376 071248. Also if you can assist the Bonfire Society with preparations for the day, making cakes to sell, donating tombola prizes or assisting with setting up on the morning or helping to run a stall please contact Diane Palmer on 01273 401900 or at [email protected].

MUSEUM: Windmill and Rural Life Museum will be opened by the Friends of Chailey Windmill for the first time this season on Sunday April 30 from 3pm to 5pm. For more details call John Smith on 01825 723519.

CAR BOOT SALE: On Sunday May 7 at Chailey Heritage Foundation car park, Haywards Heath Road, North Chailey, to raise funds for the Dream Centre Appeal. Pitches cost £15, for directions and to book your pitch visit www.chf.org.uk/carbootsale and make a donation of £15 by Monday May 1. Sellers to set up from 9am and entry to the public will be from 10am to 1pm. A food vendor will be selling snacks, hot and cold drinks. For further information please call 01825 724 752 or email [email protected].

SPRING SHOW REPORT: The Chailey and District Horticultural Society held its Spring Show earlier this month and it turned out to be the best spring show for a number of years. Entries were up by over 50 and there were many new exhibitors. The standard as is usual was very high especially in the flower arranging and handicrafts sections. Another bonus was the rise in entries in the children’s sections. The afternoon was well attended and a most enjoyable time was had by all. Cups were awarded: Parsons Cup (daffodils) Duncan Clark; Spring Cup (most outstanding exhibit in the flower sections) Duncan Clarke; Bo-Peep Cup (cookery and handicrafts) Maureen Durrant and Pat Stepney; Society Cup (most outstanding floral exhibit) Jean Piper; Angelica Cup (children 7 years and under) Eddie Finch; and the Rosemary Cup (children 8 to 11 years) Sophia Thompson. The Drivepoint Awards for flowers, vegetables and cookery went to Duncan Clark, Ian Seccombe and Janet Caughley. The society’s next event is their Plant Sale outside The Horns Lodge on Saturday May 20 from 10am to midday.

DRM: Project is a brand new online clothing store set up to support the Dream Centre Appeal, at Chailey Heritage Foundation. The founders of this project, Laura and Zoe, say on their website http://www.thedrmproject.co.uk. The DRM project was set up to support the Dream Centre a brand new state of the art centre for disabled children and young people at Chailey Heritage. We are passionate about supporting this project because our children are both severely disabled and attend this school. The new Dream Centre will broaden their horizons and allow them to participate in sports they would otherwise not be able to enjoy’. All the profits from the DRM Project will go to the Dream Centre Appeal so do visit http://www.thedrmproject.co.uk and see the lovely range of t-shirts, sweatshirts and accessories.

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