Plumpton

ILLUSTRATED TALK: On the Plumpton Villa Excavations of 2016 will now take place, at the village hall, on Monday at 7.30pm. The speaker will be Dr David Rudling of the Sussex School of Archaeology who will explain what is to happen at the Plumpton Villa site in 2017 and the opportunities for getting involved. Full details of the 2017 summer excavation, training courses and other events can be found at www.sussexarchaeology.org .

NIGHTINGALE WALK: Plumpton and East Chiltington Wildlife Group annual Nightingale Walk takes place on Friday April 28. All welcome; meet at the Village Shop at 8pm for a short walk into the fields to hear the nightingales. Wear clothing suitable for the weather and ground conditions.

Spring Flower Walk: in aid of St Peter and St James hospice led by Reg Lanaway a local expert in flora and fauna is on Sunday April 30 at 2pm. Meet at The Equestrian Centre, Plumpton College. The cost is £3 (under 14s free) which includes scones, cream and jam at The Half Moon, Plumpton, after the walk. The walk will. Please wear sensible footwear as paths may be muddy.

DITCHLING BEACON: Meet at Ditchling Beacon car park (Map Ref: 332 130) for a walk on Wednesday May 3 at 10.30am. The walk, with the Footpath Society, will be 6.5 miles along the South Downs Way to Streat Hill Farm, down into Stanmer village (to a tea shop for lunch) and back through Stanmer Park to the Beacon. For more details call Bernie Kempton on 01825 722649 or 07791247025.

JUMBLE SALE: Plumpton and East Chiltington have set up a Good Neighbours Group to offer a helping hand and support to others in their community. It can be particularly hard for those living alone or with no close family or friends nearby especially in rural communities so the aim of the Good Neighbours network is to link those who need help with a trustworthy and friendly face. To help to raise the funds to set up the Network the Plumpton and East Chiltington Good Neighbours are having a Jumble Sale at the village hall on Saturday May 6 at 2pm. In addition to jumble there will be a cake stall, tombola and refreshments. Donations of jumble and cakes will be much appreciated at the hall from 9am on the day. Please go along to support the group at 2pm. Admission is 50p, children free.

WALK: Interesting 4.5 mile walk sandwiched between the urban communities of Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath takes place on Saturday May 6 starting at 10.30am. Meet members of the Footpath Society at Beech Hurst Gardens, Haywards Heath, (Map Ref 322 237), ready to start walking at 10.30am. For more details call Gill and Geoff Gamble on 01273 891218 or 07719540121.

FINE ARTS SOCIETY: From Knots to Borders and Beyond is the subject of the Newick and District Decorative and Fine Art Society meeting at the village hall on Tuesday May 9 at 2.15pm. This will be a really wonderful lecture for anyone interested in gardens. The lecturer, Marilyn Elm, is passionate about promoting our garden heritage and will talk on everything, glasshouses, lawnmowers, garden tools, wartime gardening you name it, and even garden gnomes will get a mention. She will also talk about the history of gardening, the planting designs of the medieval plot to the architectural planting of today and the popularity of meadow styles. Marilyn qualified in landscape architecture and interior design and is an experienced tutor and course leader. She has also appeared on BBC TV Flog It (antique garden tools) and is a founder member of the Yorkshire Gardens Trust. The talk will as usual be accompanied by a superb digital presentation and this time they are particularly beautiful. Visitors are always most welcome, £7 on the door with tea and biscuits afterwards and a chance to talk to the speaker. If you require any further information please contact Marjorie Blunden on 01825 723250.

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE: Meet on Wednesday May 10, at the village hall, at 7.30pm to discuss the 2017 Annual Meeting Resolutions (as detailed in my Chailey column). This will be followed by a talk on the Associated Country Women of the World by Dorothy Proietti. The competition is a decorated digestive biscuit. New members are always welcome. For more details about the group call Val Thompsett on 01273 891256.

OPEN DAY: Plumpton College Open Day, in association with the Sussex Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs, is on Saturday May 13 from 10am to 5pm. Entry is £7.50 and free for those aged under 16 years. Take the whole family along and enjoy demonstrations from students, loads of attractions, children’s activities, local food and crafts. For more information about the event call 01273 890454 or visit www.plumpton.ac.uk.

JOIN A WALK: (4 miles) on Sunday May 21, with the Footpath Society, over Wiley’s Bridge along the river to Hamsey. Return towards Offham, crossing the railway line, through woodland before returning via the riverside walk to the car park. Meet at Phoenix Car Park, Lewes, (Map Ref 420 103) ready to start walking at 2pm. For more details call Sandy Washer on 07944187839.

VACANCIES: On the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, this group would very much welcome two new members to help them take forward the Plan through its final stages. It would be helpful (but not essential) if you brought some knowledge of planning processes. You need to be available for monthly (sometimes more) evening meetings. Ideally (but not required), you will be in broad agreement with the revised direction of travel as outlined in the April parish magazine, as they are now at a stage where further major changes would raise serious concerns about timing and completion of the Plan. If you would like to know more about this role please contact Catherine Jackson ([email protected]) or Nick Beaumont ([email protected])

SPRING SHOW REPORT: The Plumpton and District Horticultural Society had a very successful and colourful Spring Show. The main awards were the Best Vegetable certificate (rhubarb), Elves Family Trophy (best exhibit in potted section), 75th Anniversary Trophy and Bird Family Trophy to Ken Beard, Daffodil Society Bronze medal for best bloom and Powell Edwards Salver (best exhibit in classes 8 to 34) to Susan Parmenter, Dora Watson Trophy (best exhibit in the amateur classes) to Dorothy Caselton, Beard and Cottingham Trophy (best exhibit in floral art) to Diane Ellis, Winifred Aubrey Trophy (most points in amateur section) to Dorothy Caselton and Susan Parmenter, Lucy Bracher Trophy (most points in cookery section) to Evelyn Botterill, Balchin Family Trophy (most points in children’s classes) to Amelie and Lydia Pilfold, John Tetley Trophy (most points in novice section) to Margaret Westgate, Mary Beard Trophy (best in cookery section) to Clare Pilfold.

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