Ninfield

Ninfield Flower Group have their Christmas meeting tonight, December 6, 7.30pm at the Memorial Hall. They will welcome “Tony Brown” with his seasonal demonstration entitled “Festive Delights” Tickets are available from Ellie Barron on 01424 893385 at a cost of £9.00, payable at the time of order please. This will include light refreshments. All floral arrangements done by Tony will be raffled at the end of the evening. If you would like any further information regarding the Group please contact Susan on 01323 844634 after 6pm or weekends, or email [email protected].

Tomorrow, Saturday December 7, Ninfield Bonfire Society would like to invite you all to go along to the Memorial Hall for their first ever Christmas Fete. They have arranged for Father Christmas to travel through the village, starting at 12.45pm from Marlpits Lane, in a special horse drawn carriage (Weather permitting!!). He plans to arrive at the Hall at 1.00pm and is looking forward to seeing all the children during the afternoon. The Fete is open from 11.00am - 4.00pm, as well as craft and gift stalls, there are some games and competitions for all ages, refreshments will include mulled wine and mince pies as well as tea, coffee and hot chocolate to accompany a slice of cake or a scone. At 3.30pm they shall do the draw for our Grand Christmas Raffle. Tickets are now available at Ninfield Stores and Hope Cottage Farm Shop as well at the Fete on the day. 1st Prize is two airline tickets to Paris or Amsterdam; 2nd £50.00 cash; 3rd Christmas Hamper and many more. Please come along and join in the fun, entry is free. If you would like to support them with a cake or two, tombola prizes or items to sell, please telephone Carol 893326, or take along on the day. “Thank you all for the support you have shown us enabling the fantastic Bonfire Night to go ahead.”

The East Sussex County Council Mobile Library service will next be in the villages tomorrow, December 7 & 21 at:

Hooe, opposite Denbigh Court, 1.50pm - 2.35pm.

Ninfield, Coombe shaw (off Manchester Road), 2.50pm - 3.25pm.

Ninfield, Downsview (off Church Lane), 3.40pm - 4.05pm

The Hooe History Society 2014 Calendar has been such a resounding success every copy has now been sold! However not all is lost as Peter and Pam Doodes will be placing another order for more to be delivered well in time for Christmas. So if you would like to purchase one or more calendars please make contact as soon as possible. 01424 892329 [email protected]. The calendars make great Christmas presents at just £6.00 each, good to keep for oneself and at the end of the year the photos can be cut out and framed!

The Hooe Open Group are having their Christmas luncheon, which will be held at the Cooden Beach Golf Club on the December 13, when members are able in invite guests. The January meeting will be a member’s forum, when the programme for 2014 will be formulated. If you are interested in joining a very friendly group of ladies, go along to Hooe Village Hall at 2.30pm on Friday, January 10, and be assured of a warm welcome. For further information contact Edna Wallis on 01424 842591.

Battle & Ninfield Guild are next meeting on December 18, 2.30pm at the Methodist Church Hall, where they will have their Christmas Communion with Revd. Ian Pruden. All are welcome to their meetings, which include refreshments at the end of the meeting.

Ninfield Local History Group are meeting on December 19 for their Christmas Social with mulled wine and minced pies. Members are invited to take along their best home made pies. For further information, please contact Rod Ffoulkes, Acting Chairman, NLHG 01424 893635 or email [email protected] or see their Website/Facebook page: www.ninfieldhistorygroup.org / http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ninfield-Local-History-Group/206758869459743.

So far this year, the Ninfield Working Mens Club have donated £1000 to Hastings Voluntary Life Guards and £100 to Ninfield Toddler Group. Further to these donations, they have 3 presentations to be made on December 30 of £400 each to: Chestnut Tree House, Dragon Flies (Bereavement children) and Brownbread Horse Rescue (Ashburnham). “A BIG thank you to all who have supported us this last year. A Happy Christmas and healthy New Year to you all” NWMC.

The Bexhill & District Community First Responders, who cover Bexhill, Ashburnham, Ninfield, Catsfield, Crowhurst, Hooe , Whydown & Normans Bay, will be meeting on Wednesday January 8. This is at Bexhill Fire Station at 7.30pm, every first Wednesday in the month. If you are interested in finding out more please contact the Team Leader, Mike Dean on 07970024135.

Ninfield Carnival Association held their monthly meeting a couple of weeks ago. They are planning to organise the Annual Pram Race next year, with a focus on encouraging children to participate. They are also hoping to organise a village treasure hunt to coincide with this event. More details will follow nearer the time. The Committee is really lacking members. We would welcome some new faces and help. Their next meeting will be on Wednesday, January 15, at Ninfield Working Men’s Club, 8.30pm. If you would like any extra information about joining the Carnival Committee, please contact Lorna on 893644.

Following the very successful Exhibition from Ninfield Local History Group in September, there is a number of publications available centred around Ninfield. These might make for Christmas presents: Village Historical Walks booklet (£2.50), WW1 Roll of Honour booklet (£5.00), Ninfield New Centenary Map CD (£5.00), Wartime Memories CD (£5.00), James Broughton’s booklet on Ninfield School in WW2 (£2.50), Ninfield Village map A1 size (£15.00), Ninfield Village map A2 size (£8.00), Ninfield Village map A3 size (£5.00). To this list we are pleased to announce the publication of a 2014 calendar at the bargain price of £4.00. The calendar contains wonderful photos of the village taken at different times of the year and chosen from our archives. To place an order in good time for Christmas, please see Jan Cooper, their Archivist, at the monthly meetings or contact her on 01424 893381 or emil: [email protected].

Hooe Old Motor Club are now ready to distribute surplus funds raised at The Hooe’s Motor Club Show that was held in August. Clubs and organisations in the area are invited to submit requests for donations. Please write to Chris Hone, c/o Hooe’s Old Motor Club, Marwin Farm, Marley Lane, Battle, East Sussex, TN33 0RE, before December 1, 2013, enclosing a brief note as to why your organisation should be considered. Requests will be discussed at the next committee meeting in January, 2014.

Don’t forget that you can find out more community information from both villages and Wealden District Council on our district councillors (Pam Doodes) website or the Ninfield Parish Council website: www.pamdoodes.com / www.ninfield.webplus.net.

Church Services for Ninfield and Hooe (www.ninfield.org.uk):

St Mary’s Services (Church of England, Ninfield):

Sundays - 9.30am Parish Eucharist (Family Service on 1st Sunday of the month)

Wednesdays - 10.00am Holy Communion.

St Oswald’s Services (Church of England, Hooe):

Sundays - 11.15am Parish Eucharist (Family Service on 1st Sunday of the month). Their Christmas Services are as follows:

December 17, 7.30pm, St Oswald’s Carol Service.

December 22, 3.30pm, St Mary’s Carols and Christingle Service.

December 24, 6.30pm, St Mary’s Christmas Eve Eucharist.

December 25, 9.30am, St Mary’s Christmas Day Family Communion.

December 25, 11.15am, St Oswald’s Christmas Day Family Communion.

December 29, 10.30am, Combined Service at St Mary’s.

Ninfield Methodist Church - all services at 2.30pm (unless otherwise indicated):

December 8, Holy Communion with Revd. Ian Wales.

December 15, ‘No Room at the Inn’ - Worship and Music with drama group Christian Voices with Revd. Ian Wales.

December 18, Christmas Communion with Revd. Ian Pruden.

December 22, Christmas Carol Service.

December 24, 4.30pm, Christmas Eve candlelight Christingle Celebration.

December 29, local arrangement.

All local residents are invited to join the Methodist Church in their Christmas celebration services: “Our Christingle service will be by candlelight & thanks to the local Scouts the outside of the chapel will be lit by lanterns. This will give us a unique experience as we remember and celebrate the birth of our Christ-King. We invite you to come along and celebrate Christmas 2013.”

Anything that you would like included in the Village Voice for Ninfield or Hooe, please email the details to me: [email protected].