Northiam

Congratulations to Mervin and co for another fascinating Old Northiam display last weekend. I’m sure everyone, like me, goes away thinking ‘I must put together everything I know about my house/family/village and add it to the archive’. We really must! One thing I think we ought to do is take photos of a few key spots at the same time every year – after all, who thought to photograph the garages when they were operational? We also need to list the changes to specific buildings in our own time – Will’s cafe stands out as a building which has changed every few years (although we are thankfully in a period of healthy stability).

I know, I know, what’s stopping me? So if you are more dynamic than me, perhaps you would like to take this task on? And if you have memories, please jot them down, they can always be fleshed out later! Of course, one of the difficulties today is that we don’t necessarily print off our photos, so perhaps we need a village photo bank online. Way beyond my level of competence!

Today (Friday) is the Village Hall Coffee Morning 9.30am until noon, with many stalls and popular refreshments.

Good to see the badminton clubs busy with keen players of all abilities. If you fancy a game, the clubs are in the Pretious Sports Hall on Friday: 5.30pm (ages 8-11), and 6.30pm (ages 12-18), 8pm for adults (drop-in) and also Mondays 5.45-6.45pm.

Dance Club meets in the Village Hall at 7.30pm for Sequence Dancing.

On Saturday, anticipating Halloween, the Village Hall Trust are putting on Nightmare in Northiam, with the help of Showtimers. We’re told the dinner and dance is not for the faint hearted, and Halloween fancy dress is encouraged. Tickets are on sale in the Post Office £10, £5 for children.

The Rye and District Association of the National Trust will be holding a Quiz Night in Beckley Village Hall. Call Danny Rushbrooke 253521 if you haven’t booked your place.

Northiam Bonfire Society took part in their second Bonfire procession at Hastings last Saturday, and this week Ewhurst and Staplecross will welcome us to theirs. The procession forms up outside the Cross Inn (Staplecross) at 7pm, heading for Cripps Corner and back to the bonfire field. The bonfire is lit at about 8.30pm followed by fireworks. It’s spectacular, it’s noisy, it’s great fun! And it’s only £1.

The main roads through Staplecross are closed from 7-10pm. If you park in the Village Hall car park, Cricketers Field or Forge Lane, you should be aware that you will not be able to leave the area in your vehicle until the road closure is lifted (which may not be until 10pm) to allow pedestrians to leave the area in safety. Please do not park on the road. Free parking is available next to the Cross Inn.

There’s still time to join Northiam’s Bonfire Society, or to offer to help with staging the event. Please contact Chris Bathew 253682 or Judith O’Connor 252114. The Bonfire will be on Saturday 23rd November and the torchlit procession will start around Beales lane and head along Main Street to the field beyond Frewen’s cricket field, on the Hastings Road. People who normally park in the road are asked to put their cars in the surgery car park for the evening, and please make sure you take precautions for pets and children – it will be noisy!

I digress! On Sunday, the Footpath Group will head for Scotney Castle for a 4 mile walk. Meet in the surgery car park at 1pm – NT members will need stickers & membership cards.

The Budgerigar Society meets in the Jenkins Room at 7pm on Monday. At the Thursday Seniors’ Club, Sarah White will be sharing all the secrets of being an Olympic Games Gamesmaker last summer, and this week the Citizens Advice Bureau will be on hand - for anyone – in the Village Hall from 10am until midday.

Each Wednesday, there is a Pay and Play open session in Pretious Sports Hall 6.45- 7.45pm. The hall is set up for badminton and table tennis, and shuttle, racquets and bats are provided. Open to anyone over 12 years.

The AGM for the Pretious Sports Hall will be at 7pm on Thursday 7th November 2013 at Northiam School. Although this is a formal AGM agenda there is opportunity to raise your questions and issues and talk about the future running of the Hall in such a way that it meets local group and wider community needs. Do please come along to consider how the Hall should be operated in the future, key committee members are moving on so changes will be made in the near future and users and the village generally do need to be represented.

Coming up: did I mention the Bonfire procession? 23rd November! Before that, there will be a cookery demonstration in the Village Hall on Tuesday 19th November, when Shirley Saeed will teach us how to make authentic curry. Tickets are just £5 and will include tasters of curry and Hastings Brewery’s Blonde beer. Phone 253375 to book your place, as numbers are limited.

The next Quiz Night is on Saturday November 30th, teams of 8, when we look forward to seeing Damien and Gina Sanderson back in the village to test our grey matter! Tickets are £8 per person to include homemade soup and cakes in the interval. Again, please call 253375 to book a table – lucky Terry works from home!

I am told that the Guide Dogs for the Blind will be recruiting puppy walkers locally – I will find out more for next week!

Services (27th): 8am Holy Communion, 10.30am Morning Praise