Mountfield

VAL MILES: Val’s family would like to invite all who knew and loved her to join together to celebrate her life and to remember happy times on Tuesday August 11th, 1.45 for 2.00 pm, at Hastings Crematorium. Val wished for a simple non-religious ceremony and for people to wear cheerful colours, not black. She asked for any flowers to be from the garden or wild.

All of Val’s family and friends are warmly invited to afternoon tea afterwards, at The Senlac Inn, Station Approach, Battle, TN33 0DE.

Donations are not necessary, however for anyone who would like to donate in Val’s memory, she chose St. Michael’s Hospice, who were so helpful in so many ways and who are in desperate needs of funds after their recent fire. Details below.

ST MICHAEL’S HOSPICE: Donations to St Michael’s may be sent to Arthur C. Towner, 19, Market Square, Battle, TN33 0XB or via http://towners.muchloved.org/Tributes. For information about the impact of the fire on the work of the hospice, put the words: “community st michael’s fire” into Google for a recent Battle Observer report.

WEDDING BELLE: Our Church Correspondent, Jackie Spriggs, writes: It is not often that we see the brilliant red of a London Double-Deck “97hp omnibus” in Church Lane, Mountfield (for aficionados a1949AEC - RT3143) especially when it is adorned with English and French sub-titles! (What a good job it didn’t meet a combine harvester!) This was the transport for a great number of very elegant guests to the wedding of Dominic Davies and his French bride Charlotte Bimberg. Charlotte drove herself to church in a pale silver blue Austin Healy100/6, unfortunately delayed by half-an-hour due to a road traffic accident in Battle. Elements of the service were in French (we do entente cordiale) and she processed to meet her bridegroom to the Prelude to Te Deum by Charpentier. She looked stunning in spite of her ordeal. The Rev’d Ann-Marie Crosse gave an excellent address and, during the signing of the register, after some French traditional tunes, the French National Anthem morphed into ‘All you need is love’ (thanks Sir Paul!) with which the guests joined in. Then it was all aboard the bus and ‘hold very tight, please .... ding-ding’ back to Battle Abbey for the reception. Congratulations Dominic and Charlotte!

MOUNTFIELD RIDE: This year’s Mountfield Charity Ride and Walk will take place on Saturday September 19th from 9.30 to 12.30 with all proceeds going to that 12th century gem, All Saints Church, Mountfield. For both riders and walkers, the course will be predominantly off-road and will give privileged access to private land not normally accessible from public rights of way: this is the Ride/Walk that reaches parts of the Weald that other rides cannot reach. The full distance will be approximately 10 miles but there will be opportunities to shorten it as necessary for horses or walkers not at peak fitness.

For riders, entry fees will be £15.00 in advance (£20.00 on the day) or, for under-sixteens, £10.00 (£15.00). For walkers, entry will be £5.00 per person with dogs on leads welcome. Free parking at Mountfield Court (access from opposite the Church) with refreshments available at the start/finish.

MOUNTFIELD CLUB: On Monday August 10th, the Club will be hosting its second table tennis tournament for Club members. The entry fee will be £2.00 with the start for about 7.00 pm. On Wednesday August 12th, the Club will be holding a speed snooker evening: £1.00 entry fee and then pot as many balls as you can in 5 minute. Good fun and open to everyone. If interested in either, please contact Steve Smith on 07720 298971.

On Saturday August 15th, the Club will have a live band playing starting from about 7.00 pm onwards playing 60s and 70s music. There will be a raffle and a BBQ (weather permitting). This night is open to every one so please turn up and support your local club and have an enjoyable evening.

STRAWBERRY TEA: Mandy rang to say that her grand Strawberry Tea (July 25th) raised a spectacular £500 in aid of Breast Cancer Care. That is quite a result at the best of times but especially so as it clashed with the Mountfield and Brightling Flower Shows, the Brightling v Mountfield cricket fixture and the ESRM hunt puppy show. About £270 was taken on the day with the balance coming from the raffle. Mandy would like to thank everyone who gave such splendid raffle prizes, plus all her helpers — both family and friends and, of course, everyone who went and made it such a good turnout.

FLOWER SHOW: Sue Kennedy has sent us this report on the 2015 Mountfield Horticultural Society Show: Somehow we managed to have the dry day between two wet and windy days. Entries were very good and despite the vagaries of the weather of a high standard. We would always welcome even more entries. Cookery classes seem to have taken off and baking classes especially. We would love to see more of the village’s children and young people getting involved as there were only four children entering the junior classes. Our aim is for this to be friendly show and welcome everyone whether they are a Monty Don, Mary Berry or just want to join in.

Society Cup for the greatest number of points gained in the Flower and Plant Classes: Mrs Brenda Ray & Miss Sue Kennedy. Jack Garland Cup for the Best Entry in the Rose Classes: Mrs Brenda Ray. Society Cup for the most outstanding entry in the Flower and Plant Classes: Mrs Celia Morris. Society Cup for the greatest number of points gained in the Horticultural Classes: Mr Sam Hills. Mr. W. James Cup for the greatest number of points gained in the Vegetable & Soft Fruit Classes: Mr Sam Hills. Society Cup for the most outstanding entry in the Vegetable & Soft Fruit Classes: Mr Sam Hills. Society Rose Bowl for the greatest number of points gained in the Floral Decorative Classes: Mrs Wendy Mayers & Miss Sue Kennedy. The Breach Shield for the most outstanding entry in the Floral Decorative Classes: Mrs Wendy Mayers. Society Cup for the greatest number of points gained in the Cookery Classes: Mrs Jackie Whines. Society Cup for the most outstanding entry in the Cookery Classes: Mr Michael Mayers. The Olive Warren Cup for the greatest number of points gained in the Handicraft Classes: Mrs Brenda Ray & Mrs Rachael Craddock. The Harman Cup for the greatest number of points gained in the Children’s Classes: Charlotte Canham. Children’s Club Cup for most outstanding entry in the Children’s Classes age 5 and under: Henry Crawford. Children’s Club Cup for most outstanding entry in the Children’s Classes age 6 to 11: Charlotte Canham.

PARISH COUNCIL: There was a long agenda at the Parish Council meeting held on July 12th. Among items of general interest was the intended refurbishment of the children’s playground where British Gypsum have very generously agreed to foot the bill for the refurbishment of the swings. The work is scheduled to start after the summer holidays and will be undertaken by Jonathan at Playfoot Engineering. Other plans for the playground are still under discussion. It was agreed that the first two defibrillators will be sited on the front wall of the Village Hall and on the verge opposite the Old Bakery at the intersection of Solomon’s Lane, Hoath Hill and Eatenden Lane.

A plan is being developed to introduce a programme of bulb planting in the verges round parts of Mountfield to put a smile on the face of the village, the residents and any visitors. There is a lot of enthusiasm for this project which, it is hoped, will benefit from input and involvement from villagers. Michael and Wendy Mayers had raised the subject of the broken fencing on the western parapet of Riverhall Bridge and whether it would be possible to restore the old brickwork to match the facing parapet. Highways are resisting this for structural reasons but the Council is still on the case.

SENLAC VETS: Talking to people, particularly dog owners, outside the area we have become even more aware of just how lucky we are to have such a good veterinary practice on our doorstep. (We heard of one where the staff backed off leaving the owners to deliver a pup as “we don’t do deliveries”!) As we discovered recently when we lost a very dear old friend, Senlac are always desperate for old towels and newspaper. So if you can ever help with either, do drop them into the reception.

FINALLY: It suddenly dawned on us the other evening that it has been a poor and unusually rather silent year for crickets both in the meadows and along our front path. We miss their music. Glad to see the hay being cut though; we were beginning to get worried.

CONTACT: As ever, if you have anything for the Village Voice, we can be contacted on 880614 or via [email protected].

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