Netherfield

The mobile unit will be visiting Battle on Thursday 7th June 2018, and will be in Market Square from 10.30am – 3.30pm.

The bus is accessible to wheelchair users and representatives from both the East Sussex Hearing Resource Centre and Adult Social Care will be available to provide individual information and advice on all aspects of hearing loss.

For further information please contact: East Sussex Hearing Resource Centre, Tel: 01323 722505 (voice/text/fax) e-mail: [email protected]

The annual service at the Polish War Memorial, Darwell Hill, Netherfield, TN33 9Q: Just to remind everybody once again, the annual service to remember the crew who died in 1941 when the Wellington bomber crashed into the tree at Doctor’s Cottage, will take place on Sunday 27 May at 3 pm as usual. It is very likely there will be a speaker from the Polish Embassy and I hope there will be a flypast this year! Father Wilson will, as always, be officiating at the service and a strong representation from the Royal British Legion will be there with a bugler present. Afterwards, there will be tea provided in Netherfield church as usual.

Netherfield Village Green Royal Wedding Street Party: Well what it day it turned out to be. The sun was shining throughout the proceedings and people came from far and wide to enjoy the entertainment and the food, provided at no cost to anyone.

At 7.30 in the morning the first signs of what was to follow began to be seen on the green’s newly mown grass. A white 30ft marquee was being erected. This was mainly to house the food which was being prepared at the Netherfield Village Hall by some intrepid volunteers.

There was also a logistical nightmare unfolding of how to transfer a host of tables and chairs from the Village Hall to the green, in front of the shop, in time for the arrival of all the visitors. After all, you can’t have all these people arriving at 2.00 o’clock with nowhere to sit and eat. One of the problems this posed for all the helpers related to the fact that the tables were heavy and the chairs were many. Into the breech came Kim and Kelly, the “Two K’s” to ferry the the furniture in their truck and estate car. If they didn’t have muscles before this operation they certainly had them afterwards,

At lunchtime the entertainment arrived for the children, which had to be ready to start at 2.00. First the “bouncy castle” came, almost as a flat-pack, manhandled into place across one corner of the site. Then it was the turn of the disco equipment for the children’s entertainers, “Wiggles and Giggles”. Keeping the children involved, active and having fun was of prime importance during the entire afternoon.

And how was this achieved? Faces were painted, music was loud and popular and they were all initiated into the delights of that one-time dance craze , “the limbo”. There was also a picture competition for the children won by a young gentleman called Theo Warren. All the entries showed that we have some extraordinary talent within the village. Many other games and activities were undertaken by the children which are too numerous to mention in this column.

Theo Warren

From about 13.00 the food was ferried into the marquee. Sandwiches, pork pies, crisps, cakes, pasta, coleslaw, chocolate brownies, jellies and lots of other goodies to delight every taste and preference was on offer. A separate section was set up to cater for teas, coffees and soft drinks and for those who wanted something a little stronger the Netherfield Village Stores and Cafe made sure that these requests were catered for, with a display of the items on offer and some comfy seating to enhance the experience.

At about 5 o’clock everyone was asked to gather along one side of the green to have their photograph taken. I believe this is visible on facebook. It all finally came to an end at 6.00pm when the return to normality began with the removal of all the equipment and structures that indicated a party had taken place.

What is important is to list those involved in this local extravaganza. The first of these are our main sponsor’s: Rother District Council, The Park Lane Group and British Gypsum. Secondly it is the people who gave up their time to involve themselves in making this a brilliant success for the village.

There was Janette, Nicola and Dina from the Netherfield Village Stores; Simon Flint, Roz Everton, Richard Everton, Kim Jones, Kelly Martin; “Mummy” Janet and Charly Tyrer. Then there was Anne, Marrissa, Maurice, Jo, Jackie, Sam, Dan and Lindsay from the Village Hall Committee for all their work leading up to and on the day. I also include the “neighbour” who contributed food and raffle prizes (and I am sorry but I do not have your name but they will know who they are) and any other residents who helped make it such a success for their support and assistance, for without them we would be unable to put these events on in the village.

Finally, congratulations to Megan and Harry for giving us the chance to celebrate their wedding.

Reflections on a garden: Our wisteria has begun to fade and those hanging fronds that delight the eye for such a short time each year begin to turn brown and become straggly. Now is the time that I look for the tendrils that it sends out in an effort to increase its size of this vine. These need to be snipped and removed from the main structure to make sure we don’t have a plant that covers the entire garden. It is surprising to learn, as I did today, that this plant is a legume. Pulses, like chickpeas and lentils are legumes, so I was wondering what part of this plant was edible? Maybe none of it. I can’t see myself picking the pods and mixing with a bit of curry paste

The hedges are looking a bit straggly at the moment. My good lady has threatened me with murder most foul if I disturb the birds that are nesting and rearing in the inner parts of these hedging borders to our property. The small holes that have been made, due to their constant toing and froing, have made these pristine structures look like a verdigris encrusted colander that has seen better days. The birds have been squeaking and squawking for weeks now and one baby even flew into our bedroom and seemed to be making itself at home, prior to removal back to the hedge. It was so small and trusting as I cupped it in my hand.

The weekly mowing sessions are well under way and the compost bags are filling up nicely with the cuttings ready for their three yearly cycle into a medium we can put back onto our beds. That is the flower beds not the ones we sleep on. The microbes that turn these shavings into a soft brown loam always amaze me as it is a process that has been going on for millions of years I guess and is nature’s way of keeping the planet going.

More next week........

Claverham Monday Badminton Club: It was quite warm in the hall this week. The heating was obviously off but the sun, over the previous week, had obviously heated the bricks to a point which meant they were able to give off their own warmth as the evening temperature dropped. Not that it was uncomfortable to play in just that over the two hours it sapped your strength that little bit quicker than it would have done when playing through the winter months.

It is amazing what you you have to put into these columns to try and make them interesting for my three readers. For anyone here in Britain the weather is always a good starting point even if it goes completely off the subject that you are writing about. Now where was I? Oh yes, badminton.

There were eleven players who braved the heatwave to attend last night. Unfortunately, only one lady made up that number. Where are you all? However, the number was reduced to ten, when John, our towering inferno, suddenly declared at around nine o’clock, that his play was so bad (well that was not the word he used) that he was going to call it a night. I reminded him that I had noticed no change, as to me, it was the same every week but it had never sent him home early before.

Roy, who has been the main member of the Club for many years, reminded me that he has just turned 73. I was shocked, as I thought he was 90. All joking apart, we wish him a belated happy birthday. It also shows how keeping active means you can keep playing sports for as long as you want.

More next week......

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