Icklesham

CHURCH NEWS: The 10.30 am service this week will be Parish Eucharist. The date - 18th October - is the feast day of St. Luke the Evangelist. He was also a doctor, and to celebrate this, there will be a Healing Service for members of all churches in the Deanery at 6 pm at St. Richards’ Church at Winchelsea Beach. I believe St. Luke is known as the Beloved Physician. It is remarked that St. Luke’s Day often coincides with a short spell of fine autumnal weather, known as St. Luke’s little summer. I think we may have already had that! Wednesday 21st October is Trafalgar Day, celebrating the battle in 1805. That day is also Apple Day, when activities related to apples and orchards are encouraged. Things like tasting different varieties are sometime arranged, and maybe cookery with apples. With orchards around here, maybe we should be doing something?

WINCHELSEA ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY: The Society will be visiting All Saints Icklesham on Saturday 17th October, for a guided tour beginning at 2.30 pm. This will be led by Mr. Laurie Bowman. Our church may be familiar to you but I am sure that there will be some things which you will find interesting. The meeting is open to everyone and all are welcome.

QUIZ FOR CHURCH: Stuart writes,”Thanks for your support last night - Saturday - which raised £350 for our Church Funds. Special thanks to those who donated raffle prizes, Janet and Andrew for selling raffle tickets, Sean and Marc for helping during the evening, Mags for helping to set up, and everyone who helped with the clearing up. 16 teams entered. The evening jogged along quite easily. The Team Name seemed to be the most consistent until the latter rounds when the Jokers were played. This brought the chasing pack into contention. These included Staylybridge Celtic, Empty Heads, All Sorts, Mable’s Table, One Out All Out, Casualties and Table in the Corner. But Team Name had also held their Joker and scored heavily to make them the over all winners. “

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY: Friday 23rd October is the Horticultural Society AGM at 7 pm in the Memorial Hall. All are very welcome. Thursday 5th November is the Robin Hood Bonfire.£3 for adults, £2 for children. A really good family night out, gates open at 6 pm. Saturday 7th November there is another Craft Fair from 10 to 2 pm and a Quiz Night in the evening, both in the Memorial Hall.

SEPTEMBER SCARECROWS: The competition raised £81 for the New Pavilion project. Ever so many thanks to everyone who took part and also those who voted.

ICKLESHAM VILLAGE STORES: Our lovely shop will be closed from Saturday 31st October until the re-opening on Monday 16th November. This is for refurbishment. Anyone who wishes to stock up with goods ranging from pet food to tinned goods to cigarettes can call in and obtain supplies before the closure.. Won’t it be interesting to see what is new? I expect we’ll all be queuing at the door to see.

MOPP: There will be a Fund Raising Concert at Hastings Museum, St. John’s Place, Hastings on Sunday 18th October at 2.30 pm. Tickets in advance cost £8 to include tea. They are available from Helen Bird on 01424 752 258. This is arranged as part of the Hastings week programme with profit and raffle in support of MOPP - Marsham Older Peoples’ Project - for older residents of Fairlight, Pett, Pett Level, Three Oaks and Guestling. (I wonder, why not Icklesham?)

WEATHER: Well it was lovely while it lasted wasn’t it ? There is a nippy east wind this morning and it has clouded over after an early sunny start. I am not aware of any frost yet, but then, I do not arise very early! There are still tomatoes in the vegetable plot, but they may not ripen any further. And have we finally done the last cut of the grass for the year? When we have, I usually have the mower serviced so that I get ahead of the rush in February.

QUEEN’S HEAD: The live music on Sunday will be played by Steve Riv, playing World Music. There will be a Quiz on Wednesday 21st October at 8.30 pm. This will be in aid of St. Michael’s Hospice. The question this time is ‘ Which shipyard built RMS Titanic?’

SCHOOL: At Icklesham School, we are always aspiring to be the best that we can be. Now there is a fantastic opportunity to take part in a research programme in partnership with Brighton University. ‘ASPIRE’ will focus on children’s, parents’ and carers’ aspirations for the future and help us give our children the best opportunities to achieve them. The research means that information will need to be gathered from families through a questionnaire. More information will follow soon. Father Robin visited the school to meet everyone, before Father Hugh retires at the beginning of November. Children will be taking part in the CHRISTMAS CARD COMPETITION set by Amber Rudd MP. Each child’s design will be made into a card for sale at the Christmas Fayre. Noah Clarke and Lily Tuting are appointed as Learning Ambassadors, and Leon, Saskia, Alfie and Hannah are appointed as Sports Ambassadors. Well done all of you. Any parent wishing to enquire about the current Parent Governor Vacancy is invited to get in touch for more information. The Head teacher’s Awards this week go to ; Caterpillars, Finley; Spiders, Tiggy; Dragonflies, Leon: Bees, William. The class awards go to ; Caterpillars, Jack and Renn; Spiders, Inigo and Will; Dragonflies, Alfie and Theo; Bees, Billy C. and Amelie. Well done everyone.

HECKERTY WAS BORN IN ICKLESHAM: Who? Heckerty, that’s who. You could meet Heckerty in the bookshop in Rye on Saturday 17th October - TOMORROW - at 11 am, or in Tenterden at 3 pm. Heckerty was at first a hand puppet who played the parts of the scary witches and wizards in some of the classical stories like Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel, Swan Lake and The Firebird. Icklesham resident, Ann Rachlin told these wonderful stories to many famous and royal children. Princes William and Harry, Judi Dench, Peter o’Toole, Edward Fox, and Spike Milligan were some of her star pupils. Now, Heckerty is scatty and absent-minded and not very good at spells, and is loved by the children. She became life-sized when she was performed on stage by Iain Kerr when he and Ann toured the country, and gave a series of concerts at London’s Barbican Hall with the London Symphony Orchestra. Today Heckerty has gone digital and is now the property of Ann’s daughter Jan Ziff who lives in Phoenix, Arizona and has flown in specially for the Rye Book launch. Jan has transformed Heckerty into a brilliant animated character in Apps and children’s books. Heckerty teaches children how to read and how to spell in a most entertaining and ingenious way. This loveable witch also subtly guides young children and shows them how to cope with bullies at school and how important it is to help others. Heckerty lives in Spellbound in a cave with her helpful and sensible cat called Zanzibar. There are seven Heckerty Apps, currently downloadable free on iTunes and amazon, and seven books. The latest book, Heckerty Spells is being launched in time for Halloween. Kids and parents are all welcome. There will be a Heckerty Story and gifts and fun for everyone. Ann and Iain will be there, so let’s all go and meet them and Heckerty.

CONTACT: Please do let me know of any meetings, activities and reports for Village Voice. All publicity is free !! Phone 01424 815 247, pop round or use the e-mail.

AND FINALLY: Whatever you have planned for the week, do enjoy it all. But do try to go to meet Heckerty.

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