Piddinghoe

FILM FOR FREE: Piddinghoe Village Hall's big screen will be showing the last of the winter and spring series of Film Nights tonight (Friday) with Namaste, an extraordinary presentation, the story of a young lady's journey to Nepal, starting as a health worker and finally setting up a wonderful charity. The subject is Dr Kate Yarrow from Lewes who, in 2014, began her mission to establish DoctorsForNepal. And this one-hour tale depicts her marvellous journey. It is absolutely free for film-goers who can merely turn up tonight and experience the courage, resilience and indomitable spirit of those Nepalese who live in the remote areas of their country, largely deprived of any type of professional health care and often, as you will see, needing to walk for days on end to see a medical practitioner. The film was shown recently at The Depot in Lewes and has been acclaimed by, among others, the broadcaster Jon Snow. It is hoped Dr Yarrow will be able to attend but if not her representative, film-maker Cesca Eaton will be on hand to discuss it. Nepalese-style food and drinks will be available and donations to the charity will be invited as well as the opportunity to buy other items in support of DoctorsForNepal. Start time is 7pm.

ON SONG FOR SUMMER: The Ouse Valley Singers have been engaged to perform Summer is a-Coming In, a medley of music including classical, folk, pop and funk at St John’s Church on Saturday June 23 at 7.30pm. They are a community choir based in Kingston but also include members from Lewes, Brighton and Newhaven as well. The show is a celebration of summer and there will also be contributions from instrumentalists and a student band called Funkionality from Sussex Downs College. Tickets cost £5 and are already available from Vanessa Giles at Halyards or Christine Bentham at Elderberry House (Court Farm Close). They will also be available on the door on the night and children under 12 come in free. All proceeds will go to Newhaven Food Bank which apart from a small Newhaven Town Council grant, is entirely dependent on the goodwill of generous donors.

BOOK CLUB: The next meeting in the village is on Thursday June 28 when the subject is Life Class by Pat Barker. Full details from Vanessa at Halyards.

TAKING SHAPE: Finally they have flattened much of the hideous rubble on the site adjacent to the village hall and it is much easier to imagine the lovely bungalow that Mr and Mrs Spence are planning to build there (hopefully). Now with the disappearance of much of the rubbish the site looks bigger than probably most villagers envisaged. Would the restoration of the lovely stone walls, which the previous builder wrecked, be too much to ask? Another bricks-and-mortar project flowering into reality is the splendid space behind the Simmonds residence where lovely Gill is being provided with an attractive modern accommodation. The garden and walk-way attached is now looking ready to blossom. The joy of having an architect for a grandson.

PILATES: With Rebecca in the village hall tomorrow (Saturday). Three hourly sessions as usual from 8.15am.

INDOOR SPORTS: All equipment for darts, table tennis, cards and board-games available for a small donation at the village hall on Wednesday nights from 7.30pm.

ART AND KNITTING: Lots going on with the ladies in the hall on Thursdays from 2pm to 4pm.

YOGA: Tim’s class starts at 6.30pm on Thursday evenings.