Fairlight

Teddies, the very popular mums and toddlers group, resumes operations on Tuesday next, September 15 at St Peter’s from 10.30 am until 12 noon. They would welcome the input of some extra helpers, so please contact Kath at [email protected] or call her on 812799 if you’d like to be part of the weekly fun. It says here!

Last week’s Midweek Meeting on Wednesday, the first in a series of such meetings, attracted more than 20 people who all enjoyed the food and fellowship and then looked at the first part of the book of Acts. There were so many favourable comments that you would be well advised to join in at the next meeting, which is this coming Wednesday, September 16, in St Peter’s from 6 to 8 pm. They do need to know who will be coming for catering purposes, so please let Kath have your names; her details are above.

MOPPs this week and next: Today, Friday, September 11, it’s the group’s Annual General Meeting, and there could well be an entertaining interlude to follow. Food for the day is fish pie and then cheesecake. Next Friday, September 18, the programme says Jim Saphin entertains, though this may change as Jim recently stood in for Sharon Sellens, who was unwell, and she could replace Jim this time, or work with him as a duo – depending on whether Sharon is well enough now. There will also be a tombola session on this day. Lunch will be lamb casserole, with angel delight and fruit to follow.

The Wine and Social Club: Ray Shayler, a National Trust volunteer at Scotney Castle and a well known and popular speaker locally, will be talking about ‘Treasures of the Attic’ at the Wine Club’s meeting on Monday next at the village hall at 7.30 pm. Members are encouraged to make sure they don’t miss what is sure to be an engrossing evening.

Macmillan Coffee Morning: The third annual Fairlight contribution to the extremely worthwhile Macmillan Coffee ‘Morning’ will be taking place in the village hall on Saturday, September 19 between 10.30 am and 12.30 pm. There’ll be stalls and refreshments, and the Art Club are exhibiting some of their work, so stick a large note to self on the fridge to remind you to get along and help swell this year’s kitty. Donations are being sought of gifts (be they wanted or unwanted!) to fill gift bags, raffle prizes, jars of jams, jellies and chutneys. Oh, and cakes! Offers of help would be gratefully received, too. Further details can be obtained from either Karen Draper, on 814154, or Sue Clarke, on 813006.

Open Gardens 2016: Sunday last saw the first get together and meeting in readiness for next June’s proposed Open Garden event in the village. A very healthy turnout, numerically (and probably physically, at least in the green fingers department), had a good, positive discussion, and then enjoyed tea, coffee and some excellent cakes! The total of prospective participants now stands at 16 different venues, a very promising number. As the openings will be on both the Saturday and Sunday, if the 2014 experience is anything to go by, there may well be some who can only manage one of the days. Denise Lamb, who is collating the details, says that a few, who may have only just made up their minds, could still be accommodated. If you have suddenly decided you’d like to be part of an initiative that will further boost the coffers of Stage III of the Cliff Preservation Scheme, you could give Denise a call on either 814196 or 07770 821436, or perhaps email her at [email protected]

Fairlight Hall Plant Fair: Don’t forget the Plant Fair next Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20, from 10 am to 4 pm each day, with free admission to this excellent venue. If you forget this note, there are posters round many East Sussex roads to jog your memory. There have been chances this summer to see round the Hall gardens. These two days offer excellent opportunities to do it again – and buy some of the home-grown plants.

The Tuesday Ladies Club: meets next Tuesday in the village hall, starting at 2.15 pm. The guest speaker is to be Chris McCooey, who was last at the club in June, when he stood in at short notice when there was a late change of programme. This time he will be telling tales of Notorious Sussex Women. There is, of course, very little likelihood of any of the members getting a mention! Non-members, including the males of the species, are welcome for a humble £2, for which you get a first rate talk, tea or coffee, and a cake!

Corfu Donkey Sanctuary: Don’t forget that Joyce Grant and her daughter Dawn are running a table-top sale in support of a British resident’s scheme that cares for injured, sick or abandoned donkeys on the island. The sale is on Saturday, September 26, in the village hall starting at 1.30 pm, and Joyce and Dawn would appreciate any and all donations of saleable bric-a-brac, clothes, toys and plants. Joyce can arrange collection of your offerings if you contact her on 814172. It’s 50p to get in, but that gets you a cuppa, a coffee or a soft drink before you start.

Cove Quiz: Village puzzlers Bob and Dec are hosting the latest of their Cove quizzes on Wednesday next, September 16 commencing at 8 pm. It’s set around the 1960’s, and many residents will recall the era fondly - and probably accurately! Get along and have a go!

The Players’ play is cast: The players have cast their next production, The Vicar of Dibley, which will see the diminishing light of day from November 12 to 14. Keith Miller will direct the adults involved, who will be Libby Annetts as Geraldine Granger; Steve Hill as David Horton; Tom Miller as Hugo Horton; Charlotte Eastes as Alice Tinker; Bez Cuss as Owen Nesbitt; Roland Garrad as Frank Pickle; Peter Spencer as Jim Trott; Anne Edwards as Letitia Cropley with Emily Belfield as The Woman. When I last heard, there was still a need for four children and a couple of Tellytubbies! In a remarkable coincidence, the Players’ opening performance on Thursday, November 12 comes two days after the 21st anniversary of the showing on TV of the first ever episode!

Further congratulations to Phyllis Utpadel: And apologies, too. In last week’s mention of her 100th birthday on August 25, I had a senior moment and made her Sue Norris’ grandmother. As sister of Sue’s mother, Fifi is, in fact, Sue’s aunt. Whichever she is, she is certainly a Fairlight resident to be proud of.

Who you gonna call?: When public phones are dirty and non-functioning? Why, Phonedusters of course! Andrew Mier, Chairman of the Parish Council, has been trying to get the public call-boxes opposite Waites Lane, and on the corner of Coastguard Lane, cleaned up and put into working order. It hasn’t happened yet and, after one of several promptings, Andrew was asked to send photos, in addition to those he had already taken and submitted, to prove that the remedial work on cleanliness and operational hiccups had been done. Which, of course, it hadn’t. There are photos looking as if the boxes are within seconds of being colonised by triffids, and one has an excellent shot of a spider in residence. This is surprising, as it is unusual to see spiders on the phone these days – most of them are on the Web.

Monday’s email to Cllr Mier says the works will be carried out ‘as soon as possible.’ If your mobile signal has failed to materialise and you must make that call, don’t hold your breath waiting to get through! One hopes the phone boxes do not get removed on the grounds of lack of income. There is never likely to be much income from an out-of-order phone.

A bus! A bus! My kingdom for a bus! This could run and run. The story, that is, not the buses. Under the heading Room 101, we noted the complaints Carol Ardley was pursuing against the lack of quality and regularity in the bus service to our village, culminating with a whole series of mess-ups in the rain. Not only did her letter go to the bus company, but also to our MP Amber Rudd, County Councillor Carl Maynard and, via the FRA email system, as a virtual open letter to all in the village. Amber Rudd has replied, saying she has referred the matter to the Stagecoach MD, and Cllr Maynard has promised a reply in a short time, having involved Karl Taylor, Deputy Director at East Sussex County Council. Our Parish Council is on the case, too, and has written to Stagecoach. The PC’s interest is in the hands of Cllr Rev Val Gibbs. Several residents have also registered their individual disapproval.

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