Ninfield

A note from Neighbourhood Watch: The police tell us that sheds are still being targeted by thieves. Please try and remove all expensive tools and garden equipment from insecure sheds. You can purchase shed alarms to attach to the doors for more peace of mind. They also remind us that as the weather gets warmer (well it was getting warmer and will do again!) to check all your doors and windows before leaving home - keep it secure.

The best laid plans sometimes go astray and the March meeting of Hooe Open Group was no exception. The speaker who was going to take the members down memory lane with reminisces of her aunt, Anne Shelton, was unable to attend due to an accident.

Every good social organiser always has a reserve in waiting and in this case it was Edna Wallis’s husband David. David Wallis has had a very exciting career as chief executive of a number of companies engaged in the manufacture and sale of scientific optical instruments, which has taken him all over the world. David chose the subject of working in Russia at the time of perestroika in the 1990’s, when Russia was in a total state of collapse. David was “Head Hunted” by the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD), Turn Around Management Programme (TAM). He embarked on a two year contract to revive the fortunes of a very large optical factory, located in the town of Valdai in the Novgorod Region, that once employed some 2,600 workers. When David arrived no one had received any wages for 18 months, but still turned up each day, without any work to do as there was nowhere else to go. Without going into too much detail, of which there are many, David turned the factory back into worthwhile production unit in the space of his two year contract. In the last month, the factory was granted the quality accreditation of ISO9001. Not wishing to make the talk too technical David gave an outline of the life he experienced in living in rural Russia. The next meeting of the Hooe Open Group will be on Friday April 12. The invited speaker is the skipper of the new Eastbourne Jubilee life boat, who will illustrate its operation and the sophistication of its advanced design. As the next meeting will be near to Easter, members will be treated to Hot Cross Buns with their afternoon tea. The meeting will commence as usual at 2.30pm at Hooe Village Hall. If you would like to receive details of the club’s future program, contact Edna Wallis on 01424 842591.

Hooe Sports Football Club are playing Langney Wanderers away tomorrow, March 9 in the East Sussex Football League. Kick off is at 2pm at Shinewater Lane. The club would very much like to hear from anyone who would be interested in becoming a player for the team. Please contact Luke Pont on 07872312266 if you are interested. You can track the club’s progress online: www.pitchero.com/clubs/hooesportsfc.

If you have books, photos, newspaper articles, old Kellys or similar Directories, for the area, Ninfield Local History Group would like first choice before you throw them out! Anything related to Ninfield, they’d rather look after them than see them thrown away, so bear them in mind when de-cluttering or spring cleaning. Please contact Rod Ffoulkes: [email protected] /Tel: 893635.

Ninfield Flower Group are holding a Jumble Sale on Saturday March 16, commencing at 2pm in the Memorial Hall. Entrance 30p, with lots of bargains and refreshments to be had. Anyone who would like to donate but are unable to attend on the day can contact Jennifer on 01424 892878 or take your contribution to the Hall from 10pm onwards on the day.

Ninfield Horticultural Society are meeting on March 18, 7.30pm at the Memorial Hall. This month they welcome Chris Raynolds with a talk about ‘Plant Hunters’.

Ninfield Village Society are holding a meeting and AGM in the Reading Room, 7.00 pm Tuesday 19 March. The meeting is open to anyone interested in learning about what the Society does and anyone with an interest in maintaining the amenities of our village. The 2013 Annual General Meeting of The Society will include a brief report on the work undertaken during the past year, and a discussion of future projects.

Following a short break when refreshments will be available, they have again enlisted Graham Keen to give them a talk and slide show this year about “Sussex Archaeology from Stone age to The Normans”. For information, please contact either Martin Wood, Chairman (892895) or Robin Goldsmith, Treasurer (892778).

The last St Mary’s Church Lent lunch is on March 20, in the Reading room from 12 noon until 1.30pm. Homemade soup, bread and cheese, tea and coffee will be available with donations this year going to our local Bexhill Foodbank, which opened in December last year. All are welcome, take a friend and enjoy some good food and social time for a local charity.

The Friends of Ninfield Primary School have organised an Easter Extravaganza on Wednesday March 20. All are welcome to join the fun at the school from 3.30-5pm. There will be an Easter Egg hunt (£2 entry fee) with chocolate prizes! Tickets can be purchased on the day on in the playground from Monday March 11 - Friday March 15 at 3.30pm. Budding Mary Berry chefs are invited to enter a cake in our Easter cake competition. There are two categories: best decorated large cake and best decorated cup cake (both with an Easter theme). All entries are very welcome. Please bring to the school on Wednesday March 20 (entry costs £1). The cakes will be raffled off at the end of the event. Other stalls will include a chocolate tombola, face painting, nail salon, Easter craft activities and refreshments. They hope to see you there!

Ninfield Local History Group are meeting on March 21, 7.30pm in the Reading Room. A slight change to the schedule, having a talk by Mark Collins from the Sussex OnLine Parish Clerks organisation with a presentation showing the work of the OPC and how it is an invaluable source of family history information. Website: http://www.sussex-opc.org. The group now have a website and facebook page for you to keep up to date with all what is going on with the group: www.ninfieldhistorygroup.org / http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ninfield-Local-History-Group/206758869459743. Annual membership only costs £10 per person, but everyone is welcome. There is a charge of £1 for members (and £2 for non-members) at each meeting to help towards the cost of refreshments and guest speakers. For further information, please contact Rod Ffoulkes, Acting Chairman, NLHG 01424 893635 or email [email protected].

Hooe History Society are meeting on March 21, 7.30pm at Hooe Village Hall. This month they welcome Dick Carey to talk about Whelwrighting. For further details about the group, please contact Heather Sinden on 893422 or Pam Doodes on 892329.

Ninfield Parish Council set the precept for the village at their January meeting and residents will see an increase of around £40 from last year. It wasn’t a decision taken lightly and the budget was on village noticeboards throughout December and January, but no questions were raised to the council. The council wants to make sure that residents are aware of the reasons behind the increase and will be holding a series of Open Events in February and March for your to meet your councillors, find out more on where the precept is being spent and to discuss key issues in your village. Flyers are being delivered to every household, but please come along on any (or all) of the following dates and venues:

March 23, 11-1pm, Methodist Hall and 1.30-2.30pm Potmans Lane.

1st Ninfield Scout Group are holding a Barn Dance with the Rampions on March 23 at the Reid Hall, Boreham Street, 7.15-11pm. Tickets to include a buffet supper at a cost of: £8/adult, £3.50/child or £20/family (2 adults and up to 3 children). Soft and hot drinks will be available. Alcoholic drinks will need to be brought with you. There will also be a raffle and £1 roll to win a bottle of whiskey. For tickets and further information, please contact Kaa on 07908558721 / [email protected].

Ninfield Horticultural Society are holding their Spring Show on Saturday March 23, 2.30pm at the Memorial Hall. There will be lots of flowers, photos, crafts and children’s entries, refreshments and a tombola. Schedules, which include entry forms to the may categories, are available from the Post Office.

Hooe parish Council are meeingint on March 25, 7.45pm at Hooe Village Hall. All Hooe residents are welcome to attend.

The East Sussex County Council Mobile Library service will next be in the villages on March 30 at:

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

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

Ninfield, Downsview (off Church Lane), 3.40pm - 4pm.

Ninfield Flower Group are meeting on Monday April 8, commencing at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall. This month they welcome Jill Griffin with her demonstration entitled “Take me as I am”. All flower arrangements demonstrated are raffled at the end of the evening. Non-members are welcome with an entrance fee of £3.00 which includes refreshments. Should you require any further information regarding the group, or would like to join, please contact Susan on [email protected] or telephone 01323 844634 after 6pm or weekends.

Ninfield Carnival will be on Saturday July 13. The theme of the Carnival is ‘James Bond’ (it is the 50th anniversary of the Bond films). Preparations are already underway to organise the Carnival. The Committee has a committed core of people organising the day, but they are keen to welcome any new members, especially people to give up an hour or so of their time on the day of the Carnival. This year, they have decided to raise money purely for projects in our village. All monies raised will be put back into our local community. Essential projects identified include updating the children’s play area, rebuilding Sparke’s Pavilion and the Memorial Hall fund. If you could help in any way, please either ring Andy on 892196. If you would be willing to sponsor an event or provide a raffle prize please contact Steve Fleming on 07717451303.

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)

EASTER SERVICES:

Thursday March 28: Stations of the Cross at Hooe, 11am. The final hour at Ninfield, 2pm.

Sunday March 31: Services as normal.

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

March 17, Holy Communion with Rev Ian Wales

March 24, with Deacon Jean Duckworth-Lloyd

March 31, Easter Communion with Rev Ian Wales

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