Fairlight village voice - March 23

This Sunday is Passion Sunday, and the 10.30 am service at St Andrews will be led by Maureen Baines and Emile Thomas. Later, at 6 pm St Peters will be hosting an Informal Communion sevice, and this is to be led by Rev Frank Rowson.

The Lenten Bible Studies at St Peter’s Church continue this coming Thursday commencing 2.30pm. Rev Kay Burnett has been leading a study on St John’s Gospel. All are welcome.

Set Fayre… for the local RSPCA, whose spring event will be in the village hall tomorrow, from 1.30 to 4 pm. Lots of stall, and your 50p admission gets you a cup of tea or coffee. Give them a look – this excellent cause is worth it1 Local Spring Fayre village hall tomorrow 1.30 to 4 pm

And Anne Craske, of our local RSPCA, maintains a dog food bank for the benefit of people who have financial difficulty feeding their dogs, the elderly or people on benefits. If you’d like to know more, whether as a donor or a potential recipient, please call Anne Craske on 813434 between 10 am and 6 pm, seven days a week.

Later tomorrow… it’s the Fairlight Players’ Quiz Night at 7.30 pm in the village hall. Tickets are only £6.50, and there may be some left if you give secretary carol Ardley a call on 814178. There’s a supper included in the price, plus the usual bar and raffle.

Just a couple of notes from the Village Hall Committee – both the main and small halls of the village hall will be closed for two weeks commencing on Monday, April 2nd The surgery waiting room, Paul Matt and Committee rooms will still be available for those needing smaller spaces. Contact Alan Lawrence as usual.

The second note is an early doors one for the hall’s forthcoming Trestle Sale on Saturday, 5th May.

This is not really for those who are likely to attend, but rather for people who would like to book a trestle for the occasion. If that means you, please ring either Brenda on 813113 or Val on 814753. It will only cost you £6.

Practice makes perfect… the Players are well on schedule with rehearsals for their April production, which is to be The Murder of Maria Marten or, the Red Barn, which promises to be one of the funniest shows they have ever put on in their sixty plus years of play presentation. There are 14 in the cast, of whom five are newcomers to a players’ stage. There is also a musical Director for the first time, in the person of the highly accomplished Iain Kerr. While working hard, the cast are nevertheless still laughing uproariously at the script – a good sign of how funny it really is. Tickets, which remain at a ridiculous £5 each, will go on sale very shortly at the Post Office. Last April they came as near as they could to a sell-out. Maybe they will actually achieve it with this sparkling production.

Coffee Morning success… Bowls Club Chairman Brian Watts reports that last Saturday’s morning proved to be as popular as ever with just over £500 being raised for the club’s funds. Many thanks are due to all those who supported this event.

Not long now… the new bowls season commences on Saturday 21 April with the official opening of the green. The Club is always keen to attract new playing members, and anyone interested should contact the Club’s Membership Secretary Maureen Lawrence on 813886. they guarantee you a very warm welcome at this friendly Club!

Over? Oh, yes it is… The Pantomime Group’s AGM has come and gone with reports of another excellent notch on their belts with Robin Hood and the Babes, and some very favourable feedback about their new scenery system. Probably the most significant item to arise was the resignation as Chairman of Greg Slaughter, who has held the post for a very successful six years. Coming into the chair is Ben Burford, who will have Jennifer Annetts as Vice-Chairman. Chris Goring joins the group’s committee.

Parish Council news… our Parish Council is seeking to appoint a suitably qualified person as Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer, with effect from May this year. The person selected will need to be a well-organised, numerate person with word processing and spreadsheet skills who is able to work on their own initiative yet be confident to speak up at Council Meetings.

The person appointed will work from home, initially 10 hours a week, and receive a working-from-home allowance of £25 a month. The salary is pro-rata Local Council Scale 15 to 21, equivalent to £8.34 to £9.94 an hour. The starting salary will be dependant on experience and qualifications.

For more information and an application pack please email [email protected], or phone 01323 848855 and leave a message, or simply write to The Clerk, Fairlight Parish Council,

20, Beuzeville Avenue, Hailsham, BN27 3PB. The present Clerk, Rod Tice, taking up a post as church Finance Officer near his home in Hailsham. There is no requirement for applicants to live within the village.

To celebrate the re opening of the Marshlink Railway, Sussex Community Rail Partnership is hosting a series of walks from stations along the line. The next of these walks is particularly of relevance to us, as it starts from Ore Station at 11 am. There will be a guided walk round fascinating Hastings Old Town by very knowledgeable local resident. Unfortunately, it is tomorrow, Saturday, March 24, and the organisers state that it is advisable to pre book! Walks are free or just make a donation. See www.southernrailway.com for advance booking and Marshlink discounts.

To book or for more information or assistance please call Sam on 07891 556897 or email [email protected]. To find out more about other events in the area follow the Sussex Community Rail Partnership on twitter or visit their website www.sussexcrp.org

This week, contractors for Fairlight Parish Council have been installing additional equipment at the Children’s Play Area on Wood Field recreation ground. Perhaps you had already spotted that the old dilapidated fencing has been removed. A new fence will be put up once the new equipment is in place and the Play Area should be ready for use before Easter. This project is being paid for by Fairlight Parish Council, owners of Wood Field rec., with the help of a generous grant from Rother District Council.

It has been claimed that not everyone in the village is aware that we have a Recreation Ground at Wood Field. Up there, there is a Bowls Club, a Tennis Club, the Activate Youth Club, a Skateboard Ramp and the Children’s Play Area. The entrances to Wood Field are via Commanders Walk (with strictly limited car parking) and on foot only via the twitten (a fine old Sussex word!) cutting through from Meadow Way.

There are several bits above concerning the Parish Council, plus the promise that we shall be told of the Queen’s Diamond jubilee celebrations in the village. The next meeting is on Tuesday next, March 27, in the village hall starting at 7 pm.

Writing a wrong… could you spare a few seconds to fill in an on-line petition to right what seems to me to be most unjust? I’d like you lend your support to encouraging the Government to exempt the fuel used by Air Ambulances from VAT, in the same way as the RNLI fuel is exempted. This would ensure that both vital services share the same level playing field, and would hardly be likely to aggravate unduly the poor economic condition of the country. If the petition secures 100,000 signatures, Parliament is duty bound to debate the issue. The total at present is 15,000, so please add to the list, and make sure all your friends know of this request. Those who have heard the incomparable Heather Woodward speak of the Air Ambulance will now how invaluable it is. The place to go is http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29349

Keith Pollard, Brookfield, Broadway.