Village news from around Seaford

QUILT EXHIBITION: The Laughton branch of the Ouse Valley Quilters present a Quilt Exhibition plus a hands on demonstration tomorrow, Saturday, from 10am to 4pm in Selmeston Church. Refreshments available, sandwiches, cakes, cream teas and homemade cakes to take away. Free entry. Donations towards the upkeep of Selmeston and Alciston churches gratefully accepted.

Alfriston

300 CLUB: This month the 300 Club will be at Deans Place on June 9 at 8pm.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY: The society have had a busy time lately. In May there was a very enjoyable outing to High Beeches garden and last week an Alfriston garden was opened for members. A coffee morning with cake, produce and lots of chat while admiring the diverse ‘rooms’ Rosalind Danesi has created in her long, sloping garden with views of the downs. On June 13 the Early Summer Show will be in the War Memorial Hall from 1pm to 5pm. More admiring, and much more chat.

CELEBRATIONS: The celebrations for Sussex Day, June 14, will start with music and dance in The Square at 11.15am with the main event starting at noon on the The Tye. A busy day is planned with lots of stalls, music and storytelling and more song and dancing throughout the afternoon.

FLOWER FESTIVAL: The Litlington Flower Festival runs from June 19 to June 22, 10.30am to 5.30pm at St Michael’s Church, Litlington. This year’s floral displays will be depicting Litlington - Past and Present. In a marquee in the adjoining paddock there will be all day refreshments, a plants and produce stall and books and bric-a-brac, and more. There is plenty of parking (for sat nav users the postcode is BN26 5RA). The Festival Service will be held (hopefully outside) on Sunday June 21 at 5pm.

OPEN GARDEN: The Long House at West Dean will have an open garden on June 21 between 1.30pm and 5.30pm and again on July 1 between 2pm and 5pm. Entrance fee £4. The money raised from the entrance fee and refreshments will be divided between All Saints Church and village projects and The National Gardens Scheme. Robin and Rosie Lloyd’s previous garden at Bankton Cottage in Crawley Down is mentioned in Patrick Taylor’s book on Best Gardens in England and their open days raised hundreds of pounds for charity. Since moving to West Dean Robin and Rosie have developed a new garden on a smaller plot. There is plenty of parking specially designated for visitors to the garden.

CONCERT: Pro Musica is once again giving their Summer Concert at St Andrew’s Church on June 28 at 6pm. Kathryn Sargent and Ray Maulkin are presenting a concert of standard classics like Singin’ in the Rain, Puttin’ on the Ritz and Over the Rainbow along with numbers from the show, Grease and the Beach Boys group with a few instrumental numbers to complete the programme. David Ollosson will be on the piano and Frank Fox-Wilson on drums. The evening concludes with a glass of wine or soft drink. Tickets are £10 (children under 14 free) and may be bought either at the door or in advance from Ray or Kathryn.

Bishopstone

CREAM TEAS: Wendy’s famous strawberry cream teas are on Saturday, June 20 at Bishopstone Parish Hall. The proceeds from this event go to Christian Aid.

BEACH CLEAN: Tide Mills Community Beach Clean is from 10am to noon on Sunday, June. Meet at the beach end of Mill Drove (off the A259). Come along, grab a bag and litter picker, and help clean up the area for visitors and the local wildlife.

FREE HORSE MANURE: Available on west (Newhaven) side of Bishopstone Road between Bishopstone Estate and Bishopstone Pond: help yourself, but please return or replace the bags.

HALF MARATHON: The Half Marathon organised by Newhaven, Peacehaven and Seaford Lions Club is on Sunday and 400 to 500 runners will pass through the old village between about 9.15am and 9.45am heading up on the downs. (The village is not far from the start- only a couple of miles). We’ve already seen some of them in training and watch out if you’re driving to church that morning. Good luck to them all, especially with the weather.

Newhaven, Denton & 
South Heighton

EVENT: St Michael’s Church, Newhaven are holding their annual Cream Teams and Mini-Fair on Saturday, June 20, 2.30pm to 4pm in the church hall. Stalls to include cakes, books/puzzles, tombola, raffle and nearly new. All welcome, entrance free.

Peacehaven

COFFEE MORNINGS: The coffee mornings at Community House this week are held by: Tuesday, Harlequin Dance and Drama, Thursday, Peacehaven Players, Friday June 12, Evangelical Church. All make lovely cakes.

MARKET: Tomorrow, Saturday, the charity market at Community House is organised by the Guide Dogs group.

TOWN COUNCIL: Peacehaven Town Council’s latest edition of their on-line magazine is available via www.peacehavencouncil.co.uk

SHOWS: The Mayor last week attended the fabulous LadyBoys show in Brighton and this week the Deputy Mayor will be attending the First and Foremost production of Matinee Melodies on Wednesday at Community House.

SUPPORT GROUP: The next meeting of the Peacehaven Hard of Hearing Support Group will be held on Friday 12, from 10.30am to noon in the Charles Neville Room, Meridian centre. This is an excellent opportunity to meet other hard of hearing people and to make new friends in a relaxed and welcoming environment and to learn from their personal experience of living with hearing loss. It’s also an ideal opportunity to learn some useful communication skills that will help to reduce the feeling of isolation. Free refreshments and raffle. All welcome so put a note in your diary. For more information please contact East Sussex Hearing Resource Centre on 01323 722505.

Polegate

TABLE SALE: There will be a table sale tomorrow, Saturday, in aid of Polegate Drama Group. Tables cost £5 if booked in advance or £6 on the day. Open from 9am to noon in the Henry Twine Hall, Polegate Community Centre. Contact Jim Dobell on 483082 to book a table.

WALKS: Tomorrow, Saturday, A Valley, A Bridge and A Forest, 5 miles with Pauline S. Meet at Exceat Visitors Centre, 10am, bus 12X, 9.33am Terminus Road stand J. Or Ups and Downs, 9 miles with Clare. Meet bus 12, 9.13am Terminus Road stand J to Seven Sisters Visitor Centre, 9.30am start GR 5199995. Leader will also extend walk in the afternoon to 5 or 6 miles to Holywell. On Sunday, Folly Spotting, 9.5 miles with Paul and Barbara. Meet at the Avenue 9.30am, walk starts at lay by opposite The Swan, Woods Corner 10.15am GR 666194. On Wednesday, Pastures New, 8.5 miles with Mike S. Meet at the Avenue at 9.30am, walk starts at the Fountain Inn, Plumpton Green 10.15am GR 363171. Park in pub car park, flat walk with some stiles.

STATIONERY ENGINES: These are on display on Sunday at Groombridge Railway Station, on the Spa Valley Line. A display by the Sussex and Kent Weald Stationery Engine Group. More info from http://www.wealdpower.co.uk or telephone Alan Cullen 01342 327852.

TALK: Slide show talk by Alan Hodges, Eastbourne Thro’ The Ages, is held at St Marty’s Church Hall, Willingdon on Monday at 7 pm. Entry £3 including refreshments. In aid of the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

GUIDED WALK: ELHS guided walk around Hampden Park, in June please contact Maureen on 485971, or email [email protected] also contact me for proposed excursion to Spa Valley Railway, in July.

COFFEE MORNING: The coffee morning on Saturday 13 June at Polegate Community Centre lounge is hosted by the Bowls club. All welcome from 10am to noon.

POLEGATE WINDMILL: The Music Day on Sunday 14 June is organized by Gerry Page. He will entertain on the mill plat together with any local musicians who would like to take part on the day.

OPEN GARDEN: An open garden in aid of St Wilfrid’s Hospice, Sunday June 14, from 2pm to 5pm at 2A Downs Road, Willingdon. Entry is by donation for St Wilfrid’s Hospice. A medium size split level garden with a variety of herbaceous perennial plants and shrubs. For more information ring 434200 or visit www.stwhospice.org

MID SUMMER FETE: This is on Saturday June 20 on Lower Willingdon Triangle from 1pm to 6pm. Local traders, many stalls, food stall, local history quiz, kids fancy dress, dog shows, tombola, bouncy castle, hog roast, fire and rescue, face painting, brass band, bake off, plants, Polefitr, Zumba and Karate. In aid of two local charities, Children With Cancer Polegate and JPK Project.

Rodmell & Southease

FLOWER FESTIVAL: The flower festival and art exhibition at St Peter’s Church on May 23 and 24 was a very successful event. The sheep that Jenny Brown made for one of the displays was much admired and the flowers looked lovely. There was a good selection of paintings and I believe quite a few were sold. Teas in the school, did a good trade, with the usual hard working and enthusiastic group of people catering everyone’s needs with lovely home-made cakes and a good cuppa.

WALKERS: The torrential rain and the future weather forecast has put some walkers off walking the South Downs Way. I’ve had a few cancellations from walkers this weekend. Last weekend I had a girl walking from London to Brighton non-stop and she ended up not being able to walk the last seven miles as her feet were in a dreadful state. Her brother had to go get her and ended up carrying her into the house in tears of disappointment because she was doing it for a hospice and felt she had failed. Upon reading other columns, I noticed that several mentioned seeing people doing this walk.

LUNCHES: I meet a group of ladies every Friday lunchtime and we go to different venues on our Ladies That Lunch Day. Last week we tried the new Seaford Golf Club restaurant on a day when it was hailing, raining and blowing a gale. Not the best of times to use such a venue, but it was warm and welcoming inside and the food is good value and the staff are very pleasant. Yet another place on our list.

NEW PROJECTS: Newhaven appears, at last, to be getting itself together, with all the new projects getting started. I wonder if that’s why so many houses are selling there. Perhaps it will be the place of the future. Not before time.

CHANGES: It seems that in the next few years Lewes and Newhaven will have lots going on and many changes will be happening.

Seaford

PLANT SALE: A plant sale is being held at St Peter’s Church, Belgrave Road tomorrow, Saturday, from 10am to noon. This is a popular event so you are recommended to get there early so you will not be disappointed.

CONCERT: Lunchtime concert at St Leonard’s Church tomorrow, Saturday, from 1pm. Chris Christodoulou will be playing the Greek instrument bouzouki and Malgorzata Czapar on the piano. These popular concerts last approximately one hour, they remain free although there is a retiring collection. For more information go to www.seafordparish.org.uk

PERFORMANCE: The Comedy of Babi Babbett is being performed by The Rude Mechanical Theatre Co at The Crouch Gardens, East Street tomorrow, Saturday, 7.30pm. Picnics from 6pm bring your own chairs and warm clothing. Tickets available from Newberry Tully Estate Agent, Church Street, 01323 501260 or online www.therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk

NOTE FOR YOUR DIARY: The very popular Christian Aid Cream Teas organized by Wendy is taking place on Saturday June 20 from 2pm at Bishopstone Parish Hall.

REMINDER: To all dog owners during the summer season until September 30 there is a Dog Ban on the beach between Edinburgh Road and West View (that’s ice cream van to the kiosk) also please keep dogs on leads on adjacent beaches during this period and don’t forget to clean up at all times. There is signage on the seafront so don’t get caught.

MEETING: Community Services Committee Meeting is being held on Thursday, 7pm at Seaford Town Council, 37 Church Street.

OPEN GARDEN: On Tuesday Driftwood, 4 Marine Drive is open from 11am to 5pm. This award winning amazing garden is opening for the National Garden Scheme and entry is £4. There is tea, cakes and light lunches available served on vintage china. I thoroughly recommend a visit.

STAMP CLUB: Seaford District Stamp Club have a meeting on Wednesday at Cross Way Church Hall, 7.15pm for 7.30pm. The speaker is Nigel Steer talking on Norway. All stamp collectors welcome. Tel: 01323 872226 www.seafordstampclub.co.uk

Telscombe

TELSCOMBE CLIFFS WI: Member’s meeting on June 10 at the Civic Centre from 2pm to 4pm. The competition is a brooch.

COUNCILLORS’ SURGERY: This is tomorrow, Saturday, at the Civic Centre from 10am to 11am.

VILLAGE CLUB: Telscombe Village Club (sub-com) meet on Wednesday at 7.30pm in Telscombe Village Club.

FOOTNOTES: Jack and myself were on one of our regular trips down the hill to Newhaven and admiring the new cycle path/footpath that has recently been installed. Lovely blue bollards indicating where pedestrians and cyclists are to go. New edging and the whole thing finished in smart looking black tarmac. We had plenty of time to reflect on all of this as we were stuck behind a cyclist at 15 miles an hour, who was occupying the centre of the carriageway, preventing us from passing him. We carried on, with a long trail of vehicles behind us, until he turned off, quite illegally into a one way street just before Newhaven.

We use this road every day at different times, but have yet to see the cycle path used. Which is a great pity. As a former cyclist, I would have loved this path, safer and easier than the main road. Have good weekend and week and go safely.

Willingdon, Wannock & Jevington

FLOWER CLUB: Willingdon Flower Club will be meeting at 2pm today, Friday, at Willingdon Memorial Hall. There will be a floral demonstration by Carolynne Meer entitled In the Shade. For further information please contact Alison Pullinger on 01323 645527.

TEA AND CAKE: St Andrew’s Church Jevington will once more be providing tea and homemade cake during the summer months to visitors and ramblers on the following Saturdays from 11am to 4pm June 6, July 4, August 8, August 29 and September 26. The refreshments are free but a donation would be appreciated. Money raised will go towards the upkeep of this lovely ancient church in the heart of the Downs.

MESSY CHURCH: This is to be held on the first Saturday of the month except August and December and is intended for children and their guardians. The first messy church, which was held in May in St Mary’s Church Hall, was a huge success. The next one will be held from 3pm to 5.30pm tomorrow, Saturday, and everyone is welcome to come along and join in the bible themed craft activities, followed by family worship and singing in the church from 4.30pm to 4.50pm and then back to the hall for a meal together. This month it is lasagne, salad and home-made cakes. There is no charge for Messy Church and there is no need to book in advance, just go along in the time you have available. To find out more please ring Fr Kevin Agnew or Mrs Kate Agnew on 01323 502079.

LIVE MUSIC: Fifth Avenue will be entertaining customers at the British Queen from 8.30pm tomorrow, Saturday. On Sunday Leigh Baker will be providing the music from 1pm to 3pm.

THE WHEATSHEAF: Live music will be on offer at the Wheatsheaf from 8.30pm tomorrow, Saturday.

ART EXHIBITION: Teresa Currie’s new art group was started in January 2014 at St Mary’s Church Hall in Decoy Drive Hampden Park. The group meet there on a Wednesday from 12.30pm to 2.30pm and cover a wide range of mediums and subject matter.

They will be having their first exhibition from 10am to 5pm tomorrow, Saturday, in the same venue. On display and for sale at affordable prices will be original artworks, prints, limited edition prints, photography, painting on wood, painted furniture, crafts, wire and cane sculpture and artists’ cards. Refreshments are available all day and there is ample parking to the front of the hall in the car park and there is also disabled access. For details and samples of the students’ work visit www.teresacurrie.carbonmade.com .

ASTRONOMY: Eastbourne Astronomical Society will be meeting from 7.30pm to 10pm tomorrow, Saturday, at Willingdon Memorial Hall. Prof. David Rothery will be giving a talk about the planet Mercury - newly revealed.

MUSIC IN THE PARK: This will be taking place from noon to 4.30pm on Sunday at Huggetts Lane Recreation Ground and is an event not to be missed. It will be opened by chairman of the parish council Cllr John Pritchett. Music will be provided by Lawrence Gillians, Con Brio, Howlin’ Blues and the Kingfisher Scout Band. There will be a large number of stalls including charity stalls supporting Chestnut Tree House, the Firefighters, Epilepsy, and the JPK Sussex Project. There will also be food outlets. Plenty of fun activities are being provided for the children including fairground rides and a bouncy castle. The dog show and agility course will be starting at 1pm. For further details of the dog show, please ring Angela on 07415 859360. Music in the Park is being sponsored by Peter Shoesmith, Tesco Express, Ross and Co, St Anne’s Vets, The Landscape Group, Willingdon Residents’ Association and Wilmoths. All monies raised from this event will be shared between Chalk Farm LDC and Kent, Sussex and Surrey Air Ambulance. Admission is free.

THE GLEN CHORALE: If you missed the Glen Chorale’s concert on June 1, there is still an opportunity to see it at 2.30pm on Monday at Wannock Village Hall. The programme is called Ages and Seasons and follows a theme from childhood, maturity and into old age. The musical director is Ansy Boothroyd. Tickets are £6 each to include refreshments. For further information please ring 01323 482623.

MEETINGS: Willingdon and Jevington Parish Council will be holding a planning meeting at 7pm on Monday followed by an amenities meeting at 7.30pm at Willingdon Community School. Please ring 01323 489603 for further information. Meetings are open to the public.

THE 3 MMM’s: Will be meeting at 8pm on Wednesday at St Mary’s Church Hall when Caroline, one of the members, will be giving an illustrated talk about her recent visit to Australia and New Zealand. Please note this is a change from the original programme.

WILLINGDON WI: The WI will be meeting at 2.15pm on Thursday at Willingdon Memorial Hall when C and P Goodman will be giving a talk and demonstration entitled From Sheep to Knitting Wool.

THE GROWERS’ GROUP: This group will be meeting at 7pm on Thursday at the Red Lion to discuss gardening topics.

JEVINGTON AND FILCHING WI: The WI will be meeting at 2pm on Thursday at Trinity Church Hall when Peter Wilson’s talk is entitled The Great American Songbook. For further information please ring Rose on 01323 849562 or visit the club’s website at www.jevingtonwi.co.uk .

NEIGHBOURHOOD PANEL: At the recently held Willingdon Neighbourhood Panel meeting at St Mary’s Church Hall, three priorities were chosen. They were inconsiderate and illegal parking at Willingdon Primary School, dog fouling, and fly tipping at Broad Road. PCSO Ali Beadon will continue to patrol at dropping off and collecting times at the school, educating parents and carers on the dangers of inconsiderate parking. She will also ask residents for details of offending vehicles so that the drivers can be dealt with accordingly.

PCSO Ali Beadon has emailed WDC street scene team who have put up three notices in Park Croft about dog fouling. She has asked the team if they could do the occasional patrol and has also requested Willingdon and Jevington Parish Council to provide a dog bin for that area.

PCSO Ali Beadon has reported two separate offences of fly tipping. one in Broad Road and one in Coppice Avenue. She has been made aware that letters have been sent to residents in the area.

The next police street meeting is at 6pm on Thursday at the junction of Church Street and Lodge Avenue so do go along and discuss any issues relevant to the work of the PCSO. For further information ring Ali Beadon on 101 ext 68233 or her mobile 07787 685 755.

FETE: Jevington Village Fete is being held from 1pm to 5pm on Saturday June 13 in the rectory fields next to St Andrews Church. It will be well sign posted and parking is free. Attractions include craft stalls, WI cakes, flower displays, plants, tombola, raffle, bric-a-brac, a tea tent and bar with real local ales. This year, a food festival element has been added. It includes Indian food, Thai stir fry, artisan-made sausage in a bun and traditional English picnic fayre made by Jevington’s own Pop-up restaurant chef Ben Dawson. The fete opens earlier this year so that visitors can sample the extra foods on offer including the four original recipe chutneys made by the villagers to sell on the home produce stall. The Jevington Hot Club Gypsy Jazz Quartet will be providing the musical entertainment. Anna’s Ferret Roulette and Matthew’s Mouse Town are not to be missed and then there is the table cloth trick, three Punch and Judy shows, a coconut shy and beat the goalie. There is also a barrow of booze to be won. The fun dog show has classes for everyone so do take your dog along. Admission to the fete is £2 or £1 for senior citizens and any money raised will be in support of the local community and Demelza Children’s Hospice.

WINDMILL: Polegate/Willingdon Windmill will be holding a music day from 2pm to 5pm on Sunday June 14 organised by Gerry Page. His select band of talent will entertain on the mill plat together with any local musicians who would like to participate on the day.