Plumpton

FREE TENNIS ALL DAY: at the Open Day at Plumpton Tennis Club on Sunday (July 3) from 11am to 4pm. Play tennis free throughout the day, their coach will be on hand to offer taster sessions, advice and coaching tips. Take on the ball machine and see how many returns you can hit. There will be a special “tennis tots” session from 11am to midday for 3 to 5 year olds. A large array of homemade refreshments including sandwiches, cakes and drinks, will be available to make sure you don’t run out of energy so why not enjoy lunch or afternoon tea? Whilst there you can find out about the Club’s Summer Camp Tennis Courses, running in July and August, and membership as their charges are amongst the lowest in the county and two children in a family get free membership if their parents join.

The Club are giving a special offer at the Open Day of 20% off membership. Hourly court hire is available as is competitive “teams tennis” or attending one of the Club’s courses; which are tailored to all ages and standards from 3years old to 70+years young. “Tennis Tots” (3-5 years old), “Rusty Racquets” and Saturday “Drop in” sessions are very popular. You are assured of a very warm welcome, for more details contact Maria Roche, Chair at [email protected] or Tim Gaynor, Membership Secretary at [email protected] or 07779 082629 or visit

www.plumptontennisclub.hitstennis.co.uk.

PLUMPTON ROMAN VILLA: The villa site was first discovered in 1973 when a rectangular pattern of flint and chalk was noticed in one of the Agricultural College fields. Surface artefact collection and geophysics showed it to be the site of a small c.3rd – 4th century Roman villa. The Sussex School of Archaeology have comprehensive 5-day Excavation Training Courses that start each Monday from and there are a range of Saturday Excavation Techniques for Beginners ‘taster’ days until Saturday July 30. Volunteering opportunities are also available from £5 a day with a maximum charge of £50 for the season. For more details call 01323 811785 or email [email protected] or visit www.sussexarchaeology.org.

RUDE MECHANICAL THEATRE COMPANY: You might be wondering who would want to go an outdoor theatre production with all the rain we have been having but who could not want to see the delightfully entertaining, funny, clever and original Rude Mechanical Theatre Company. Summer will be here in time for the Rudes performance on Thursday July 7. The play this year is Macbyrd, a comedy thriller with echoes of a certain Shakespeare play. It will be performed on the village green on what will be a balmy summer evening (the village hall is booked just in case). Doors open at 6pm for those wanting to picnic before the show and curtain up is at 7.30pm. Take a blanket or low chair to sit on. Those wonderful Rudes birds (who made their first appearance in Gentle Harry’s Farm) are back this year with an introduction to Inspector Seed, the detective pigeon. It is a crime thriller with tension and suspense it is also a comedy with the absurdity of the birds’ world and a comedy of manners in the ways of ‘country folk’. You will see a bit of Foyle’s War, a slice of The Archers plus and very healthy dollop of The Rudes. It is a must and tickets are available directly from The Rudes at www.therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk or 01323 501260 or locally from Kathy Baker; [email protected] or 01273-890508. Ticket prices are adults £15, seniors (60 + & retired) £14, students (18+ in FT education) £12, children £8 and families (2 adults and 2 children) £38. Do join them for what promises to be a truly splendid summer evening of fun and entertainment.

JUMBLE SALE: in aid of the Women’s Institute takes place at the village hall on Saturday July 9. Members and friends of the Women’s Institute help at jumble sales for village organisations throughout the year. If they have helped your group or society raise much needed funds and you would in turn like to support them they would welcome donations of jumble, tombola prizes, cakes and offers of help on the day. Please take jumble donations to the hall from 9am to midday and do go along at 2pm, there are sure to be lots of bargains.

CUCKFIELD WALK: five miles, with the Footpath Society, is on Sunday July 17 starting at 2pm at the free car park, Broad Street, Cuckfield (Map Ref: 304 246). The walk heads across country through woodland and farmland via Deaks Lane, Ansty, to reach the sprawling Cuckfield Park where it follows a fenced path back to the Church. For more details call the walk leader June Denyer on 01444 471440 or 07889610183.

MEET: at Dormansland, Ford Manor road near The Plough (Map Ref: 406 427) on Saturday July 30 at 10 am for a 5 mile, field path and track, walk with the Footpath Society. For more details call Gill and Geoff Gamble on 01273 891218 or 07719540121.

STUDENT SUCCESS AT PLUMPTON COLLEGE: The College hosted another successful annual student awards ceremony recently, with nearly 2,000 students, parents and guests in attendance. Dr R Stanier, Chair of College Governors, welcomed the Guest of Honour Carola Godman Irvine, Deputy Lieutenant, and graduating students, staff and invited guests. He reported on the many events which had taken place since the departure in October 2015 of the past Principal, Des Lambert OBE, and the arrival then of the new Principal Jeremy Kerswell. The Principal was thanked for his energy, dedication and stamina. Mr Kerswell announced that he had been made to feel very welcome in his new post; it was now a great privilege to be presenting at the awards ceremony. He thanked staff and senior management for their tremendous achievements, dedication and commitment at the end of another positive academic year. The awards ceremony was an important occasion for graduating students, celebrating and recognising the achievement for many hundreds of students, for many of whom it marked the end of their time in education. The awards ceremony was then directed by Dr David Stokes, Vice Principal. He reported on the year’s achievements, informing that the College encouraged students to participate in educational visits, shows and events, including visits to the College Centre at Snowdonia and also extensively, both within the UK and overseas. Students had been successful in a variety of exhibitions, competitions, shows and events, for wine, forestry and arboriculture, game and fishery management, garden design, horticulture, floristry and with livestock. In addition to their academic studies, College students had organised horse shows and been involved in the annual College Open Day, which attracted some 15,000 visitors. The College had successfully acted as co-host of the International Cool Climate Wine Symposium. Mrs Godman Irvine, DL gave an engaging presentation to the students on her time as a former student and congratulated everyone on their achievements. She commended tutors, supporters and parents for helping students to their achievements and wished all students well for their future careers. On behalf of students, Aprile Jackson and Zoe Deluca Hewetson offered thanks to the staff for the efforts they had put into helping students during their time at college, adding that every student would take away cherished memories and wished everyone much luck for the future.

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