Mountfield

QUEEN ELIZABETH II: This is THE big date for the diary. Sunday June 12th at Mountfield Court is the venue for a joint parishes event for Netherfield, Mountfield and Brightling. There will be (deep breath): Bar and BBQ, Teas and Tombola, Welly wanging and Wheelbarrow racing, Live music and Lively skittles, Village green games and Vintage car rides, Coconut shy and Competions for young and old (Make a crown or Bake a crown cake), and more, all in celebration of the Queen's 90th birthday. Kick off at 1.00 '” carriages at 4.00. Invite the extended family and friends. (There are some fantastic posters designed by Netherfield School children.)

DANNY OVERY: Danny’s funeral will take place at 1.15 pm on Friday 10th June at Hastings Crematorium. Family flowers only please. Danny’s mates will provide a full motorbike cortege from his home to the scene of the accident and then down to the crematorium, being joined by more bikers at Abbey Green. Afterwards, everyone is invited back to Mountfield Club to celebrate Danny’s life.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY: Here are the three key dates for the Mountfield Horticultural Society. First, the coffee morning and plant sale will be at 4, Eatenden Lane at 10.30 on Sunday 19th June. Go along and sell some plants, buy some plants, have coffee and lovely cake — and a good natter. Then, the annual outing will be a coach trip to the ever-popular coach RHS Wisley on Sunday July 3rd, open to members and non-members. Contact Celia Morris on 01580 880458. Finally. the Annual Flower Show will take place on Saturday July 30th Village Hall. For the photographers amongst you there will be four open classes, “Country Wildlife”, “Shrub in Flower”, “Sunset or Sunrise” and “Bridge”. And this year there is also an under-16 class enitled “Mountfield Village”.

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ST MICHAEL’S: Barbara Valentine writes: “Netherfield School Fete was such a lot of fun, despite the wind and rain! Not that I had time to watch the entertainment, or even look at the stalls… Just about managed to buy some raffle tickets, but didn’t win anything, which was upsetting as then I could have put anything I’d won into the Mountfield Community Arts raffle. That’s just something we have been doing this term, in our art sessions, with weekly prizes of framed prints of my paintings, and the occasional original painting. So far we have made £250 for St Michaels Hospice.

Although the fete ended around 3.00 pm, I finished the last portrait at 4.00. The helpers were waiting to take away my table and chairs but I would never refuse to paint a child if they wanted that. Did lots of portraits and made £75 for the Hospice and enjoyed meeting so many nice children and their parents. It was a really happy occasion.”

SOUTHERN WATER: Next week, we will report on yesterday’s drop-in session at the Village Hall hosted by Southern Water. The state of play right now is that we know that work starts in earnest on June 6th, initially in both New Cut and Solomon’s Lane, that the Parish Council has compiled a list of four local contractors who specialise in the necessary connection work, and that SW are offering “free connection”.

This “free connection” offer is a really big deal that every eligible householder needs to understand. Normally “connection” costs four figures — typically in the region of £3,000 — but it is important to understand exactly what is meant by “connection”. If you elect to be “connected”, it simply means that SW will install a boundary box — i.e. a connection point — for free. It does NOT mean that you have to connect to that boundary box. That can happen at any point later. What this boils down to is that if you chose to be “connected”, SW will install several grand’s worth of boundary box, to which you can connect your domestic output immediately, or at some time in the future, or can quote as being in place on property sale particulars, or leave as a benefit for family to inherit.

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Throughout the estimated nine months of construction works — which will range from inconvenient to hellish — your first points of call and liaison are your parish councillors and our parish clerk. Their names and contact details are on the parish website (mountfield.org.uk) or, if you’re not connected, make sure you know how to contact Mark (Hoath Hill), Caroline (Riverhall Crossing), Jim (Eatenden Lane), Steve and John (John’s Cross), Sue (Upper Mountfield), Peter (even Higher Mountfield), or Irene, our Clerk.

RIVERHALL CROSSING: A reminder that representatives from Network Rail will meet with local residents and parish councillors at the crossing at 9.00 pm on Tuesday 31st May. This is uncomfortably close to the longest day but is hoped that it will still be dark enough to make the point about the problems caused by the current lighting arrangements, particularly as the issue is not so much the intensity as the direction of the lights.

MOUNTFIELD CLUB: Congratulations to Sue Baker who was runner up in the Darts League ladies singles tournament. Not to be out done Sue then went on to win the mixed pairs with Luke Hardy for Mountfield. This Friday, 27th May, at the Club, Jodie Last and Elliott Jeffs are hosting a Fun Charity Mr & Mrs night. There will be a £5.00 entry fee per couple with three rounds of fun questions. Everyone is welcome so please turn up and support your local club. They are hoping to start for about 8.00 pm and all money raised on the night will go to Cancer Research UK.

On Saturday June 4th, Steve Smith will be hosting another Quiz Night. There will be a £2.00 entry fee per person with all funds on the night going towards the Danny Overy fund. Please text or phone Steve on 07720 298971. The Club is also on the look out for more darts and snooker players for their summer and winter leagues. If interested for darts, please phone or text Bruce on 07935 008620 or, for Snooker, Steve on 07720 298971. (As ever, big thanks to Steve for the reports that go to make up what you read in your Village Voice and elsewhere.)

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BORN UNDER A SIGN: The sign in question is the Photonic sign on the bank opposite the Club/Village Hall beside the old saw yard. This bank is owned by BG and, once again, under the custodial eye of John Longley opposite, currently boasts buttercup, bugloss, speedwell, red clover, purple vetch, primrose (going over), pignut, ox-eye daisy, sorrel, plantain, dandelion, small yellow rattle plants, herb robert and stitchwort, plus some young bramble, hogweed, hazel and hornbeam. And we still have so much to come, notably the orchids. The Village Hall Committee are trying to create the same opportunities in the facing banks round the hall. If you’re passing, take a look; from now until the end of June, each week will be an adventure of loveliness. It already looks like one of those extraordinary backdrops you get in old tapestries.

FINALLY: If you have anything for the Village Voice, we can be contacted on 880614 or via [email protected]. We always welcome contributions and feedback.

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