Mountfield

CYRIL SAUNDERS: We must start this Village Voice with the sad news of Cyril’s passing. He died on New Year’s Day at the grand old age of 92. Cyril moved to Mountfield to work on the Estate in 1969 and has been a village fixture ever since. His funeral will be at Hastings Crematorium on Monday, January 19th at 10.15. Afterwards, Graham, Yvonne and Connie warmly invite everyone back to Mountfield Village Hall where, from about 11.30 onwards, there will be refreshments and further reminders of Cyril in old photographs.

ART CLASSES: Art classes start again for the new term on the 13th and 14th of January. Barbara and Juliette are really looking forward to seeing all their old friends — and welcoming new ones — to the classes. Juliette has got a great model signed up for the portrait class, but what Barbara has in mind is a portrait of three beautiful dogs. Not from life [although this could be arranged!] but from a lovely photograph kindly supplied by Peter and Val. Classes are from 10.00 to 12.30 and 1.00 to 3.30 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Phone Barbara Valentine on 01424 838 264 for details — or just come to the village hall to see if you like it.

JUMBLE SALE: Just the one reminder this week. The first date for delivering goods for the Jumble Sale is Saturday January 17th from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon at the Village Hall. There will be further opportunities to drop stuff off between then and the date of the jumble sale itself on March 21st but why not get it out of the way now.

SPORTING HEROES: In case you missed it, not only does Mountfield United start the new year at the top of Division 1 of the East Sussex Football league but the Mountfield Club’s snooker team have started their new year heading the local snooker league, hence last week’s splendid headline: “Mountfield hit the front in a three-way tussle for title” with Pete Last and Kevin Gray getting honourable mention. Like both Milan (AC and Inter) and Manchester (United and City), Mountfield has two top teams — but better views.

GREEN SHOOTS OF RECOVERY: On the face of it, this may seem a dead time of year — and the mornings just as dark (Val says “getting darker”), but the afternoons get a little bit lighter each day and there are primrose leaves and bluebell shoots pushing through in the woods and in hedgerows. It gives you a bit of hope amid the midwinter gloom. And the first signs of the wild garlic can’t be far away.

Peter and Valerie Miles

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