Netherfield

Netherfield Village Hall & Recreation Ground: There is to be an Extraordinary General Meeting at the Village Hall on Friday 28th July at 7.00pm regarding the future direction of this charitable organisation. The challenge was brought about by a lack of resolution to problems faced by the Association at the abortive Annual General Meeting. The residents of Netherfield and further afield are therefore invited to attend to put their point of view.
Netherfield newsNetherfield news
Netherfield news

Netherfield Village Residents Association Jumble Sale and Boot Fair: Throughout last week, intense activity was undertaken, all of it voluntary, by members of the committee and additional helpers to transport large volumes of bric-a-brac, clothes and jumble to the Netherfield Village Hall, kindly donated by people from the village and the outer reaches. The focus of all this activity was to finance the village fete to be held in August. More about that over the coming weeks.

The ambitious goals that have been set to make the fete the best ever, require “loads of money” up-front. It has been Marrissa’s aim, who is the Committee’s Chair, to do this through a jumble sale. Stalwarts in her endeavours were Ann and Jo and between them they galvanised everybody around them, into giving their time freely to make it a success.

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The Hall had tables along each wall, some piled high with clothes, ceramics and even a toilet paper holder. That was new by the way and was obviously not to be wasted. There were children’s toys and games, books and even pictures to hang in your gallery or should that be scullery. What was incredible was the volumes that were received. Mountains of it. For those with a betting bent there was even a tombola.

The sale was timed to start at 9 o’clock and the helpers were there in good order to man the barricades and make sure that floats of cash were counted and agreed before the rush began. Designer gear was hung correctly on the walls or were they the designers? I still can’t make up my mond.. From 8 o’clock the queue formed and grew longer as time passed. Flash sales of old carpet and used tights kept the throng amused and finally the door opened, well it was ajar anyway, and the multitude rushed into the fray. Sounds a bit like the Harrod’s Sale. Clothes could be seen flying across the tables as people searched for that bargain that would make them look like a million dollars or tuppence ha’penny depending on the era you were born in.

As the doors closed at one o’clock and the bell rang to signal close of business, everybody heaved a sigh of relief and that included the few remaining customers. A substantial amount of money had been taken and was considered by all to be a great success. Roll on the fete.

Claverham Monday Badminton Club: With Nadal and Muller slugging it out on the television at Wimbledon and the weather, hot and heavy, it was surprising to see eleven stalwarts turn up for the weekly badminton-fest at the Claverham Sports Centre. Clad in shorts, tee-shirts and trainers, each carrying anything up to three rackets, the protagonists arrived to do battle. The cut and thrust of competition made the evening a seething cauldron of rivalry and opposition. A gentle touch here and there, an overhead smash to nullify any delusions of resistance, were all in the mix of games that were played in what was, on the surface, a friendly atmosphere of people keeping fit and enjoying the comradeship.

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Unfortunately, because of the numbers, only two courts could be in permanent use as three people doesn’t compute in the doubles arena. Never mind, it gave all the boys and girl a chance to rest after playing two or three matches on the trot. Why not join us?

Reflections on a garden: Early summer flowers are now beginning to fade, perhaps hastened on their way by the heat of this glorious season we are experiencing this year. What this weather has also helped to achieve is an abundance of large grapes early on in the growing cycle.

For the last few years we have been pressing and bottling our annual crop, sometimes mixed with friends excess fruit, to make a passable (well not in every vintage) cooking wine. Both red and white are grown in the garden ,so by the magic of fermentation we are left with anything up to 50 bottles of red and half a dozen of white. Now that may not sound a lot but when you are stamping them in the autumn with your bare feet and the bottom of your legs look like overgrown beetroots you wonder why you bothered. I can’t lie, I only did that once and it looked like I had foot rot for weeks after. Much easier to do it with a wine press and more fun. Anyway, I digress. The grapes are extra plump this year so I think we may have the best year ever of Netherfield’s own, yes, very own, Chateau Plonk.

On perusing the pond this weekend I noticed that a number of the upright lily leaves supported the remaining skins, shed by emerging dragonflies. As these beautiful insects emerge from the depths after several years of beings nymphs, without shepherds, they securely affix themselves to vegetation above the water so the transformation to adulthood can begin. As they change from one form to the other the sun dries and hardens their outer layer ready to begin the search for a mate. All say aahhh.

More next week.

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