Staplecross

ST. GILES CHURCH - BODIAM: Our sister church, the lovely little St. Giles church, in Bodiam, is hoping to be the beneficiary of this little social gathering as a “Coffee Morning” is planned for Saturday June 2nd. at ‘The Old Rectory’, Bodiam between 10.30am and 12.30am. This invitation, kindly given by the hosts, - Heather and Roddy Lewis, is extended to one and all to come along and enjoy tea/coffee and cake with friends and neighbours alike, whilst showing care and support of St. Giles. To tempt us further, there is the added enticement of a cake stall; a plant sale and a raffle to name but a few.

STAPLECROSS BOWLS CLUB: This week again finds the team members busy with more fixtures -almost on a daily basis as they continue with their 2018 Season. The club are set to play four (4) games this week, 2 ‘at home’ and 2 ‘away’. They begin these on Saturday June 2nd. with match no;1 being the first of the ‘away’ fixtures when the club visit Guestling to play their team. Monday June 4th is the 2nd of the ‘away’ matches and the team will play against ‘Gullivers’. This match will form part of the Rother Tournament. On Wednesday June 6th the team will be playing on their own home ground at Northiam Road, Staplecross TN32 5QH. for the first of their ‘home’ games and their opponents will hail from Northiam. This match will also form part of the Rother Tournament. Friday June 8th will find the team up against our own local ‘Stoolball Clun’ for the 2nd of the ‘home’ games. This match will commence at the later time of 6.30pm. Not content with taking part in matches throughout this week during the daytime, the Club has arranged a ‘relaxing enjoyable quiz night for it’s members and their guests in the Clubhouse on Thursday June 7th.

STAPLECROSS SOCIAL CLUB: A gentle reminder that on Saturday June 2nd. another Darts Competition is to be held at this super little social club, situated right in the heart of the village of Staplecross.. Once more all are welcome, there is a £5:00 entry fee and again super cash prizes are awaiting the lucky winners. This Darts Competition is to be held every first Saturday of each month as it is proving to be a popular event at the club. ALSO ## on Saturday June 16th there is going to be a great 50’s & 60’s “Disco Night held here. There will be a buffet available and the fun starts at 8.00pm and goes on until late !. For all further details of these activities - and more,- please contact Dawn or Bill on 01580-83763 - evenings only or via the club’s email: [email protected] - So come along, - join in & have a Grand Night out !.

ROTHER RAMBLERS; Just two walks are organised this week both using new footpaths and both in different directions. Walk No:1 is planned for Sunday June 3rd and is the 3rd and final walk in The Ramblers - “Walk around Britain” event. This is an 8.5 mile Bough Beech and Sevenoaks Weald circular walk. The meeting point is at the dam across Bough Beech Reservoir OS.EXP147. TQ496491. (satnav TN14 6LD at the normal time of 10.00am. The walk notes state there are a lot of fresh paths to discover, which should make for an interesting walk. A picnic lunch is suggested. Rita and Lionel are to be your ‘walk leaders’ and you may contact them on 01424~752452 for all further information. Walk No:2 is arranged for Wednesday June 6th and is a delightful meander of 9 circular miles along country footpaths. The meeting place is Robertsbridge Railway Station. OS.EXP:124. TQ734235. (satnav TN32 5DD) at the usual time of 10.00am. The walk notes state “ The train leaves from Hastings at 9.47am - 9.50am from Warrior Square - to arrive at Robertsbridge at 10.11am. A picnic lunch is also again suggested. Janet is the lady who will be your ‘walk leader’ for this outing and you may contact her on 01424~420570 for more details.

STAPLECROSS & EWHURST GREEN WOMEN’S INSTITUTE: Looking forward to enjoying another afternoon in congenial company with a great WI tea and speaker, the merry members of our local branch of W.I. will be meeting up on Tuesday June 5th in the Village Hall, Northiam Road, Staplecross,TN32 5QG. beginning their meeting at 2.00pm.This venue is now our normal meeting place. The guest speaker at this meeting will be that well known and popular speaker amongst W.I.’s Commander Roger Paine. The intriguing title of his talk will be “Ditty Box - Naval Yarns “ and the monthly competition to accompany this will be a ‘Sea-faring Object’. New members will always be given a warm welcome and for more information please contact Ann on 01580~831944 who will gladly tell you what is on our Calendar of Events and what to look forward to for the remainder of 2018.

HOLDING BACK THE YEARS: This is the last and gentle reminder of this event. An invitation is extended to all those within our community to come along and listen to a talk, organised by the Northiam & Broad Oak Patients Participation Group. This talk - entitled “HOLDING BACK THE YEARS” is to be given by Dr Elena Mucci on Tuesday June 5th.at Northiam Village Hall at 6.30pm for 7.00pm. Dr. Mucci is a consultant for ‘Care for the Elderly’ at the Conquest Hospital, in Hastings and is known to be a fine speaker. She will cover topics such as - fall prevention and means of facilitating good health in later years. This promises to be an interesting evening on a subject of concern to us all. There are good parking facilities at the hall and the refreshments will be provided by our own Northiam W.I. ladies. Please contact John on: 01797~252217 for all further details.

PRAYER MEETINGS AT ST. JAMES; These simplistic, genuine and friendly meetings take place twice a month - on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday at St. James the Great, Ewhurst Green at 7.00pm. The next date for these meetings will be Wednesday June 6th at the usual time of 7.00pm. As well as prayer, many issues are reflected upon within the group. For those who would like to know more of these little prayer meetings and what they entail, please contact Sue on 01580~830251 for more information.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY: here are a few events wide and diverse, as we in the Parish like to offer a varied choice of events that we hope will inspire and entice you into attending ---

DIARY DATE 1: STAPLECROSS BONFIRE SOCIETY: A Jumble Sale is being held on Saturday June 9th at the Village Hall, Northiam Road, Staplecross. Doors will open at 2.00pm to allow entrance to all those fantastic bargains to be had. If you have any jumble and you’d like to donate it here, please drop it off at the village hall -on the day -from 9.30am. There will also be the usual tea/coffee available together with the popular Tombola & Cake stalls. For further information regarding this event and other amazing functions being planned by our own “Bonfire Boyz”, please contact Brian on 01580~830570 - John on 01580~830744 or Louise via email; [email protected] who will all be pleased to tell you more of what they are planning for the rest of 2018.

DIARY DATE :2: EWHURST, STAPLECROSS & BODIAM GARDEN SOCIETY-”ROSE SHOW” - This Annual little local Flower Show deserves a HUGE mention, if only to encourage more people to either pop along and enjoy a delightful afternoon treat or perhaps to entice a few to consider entering a class or two!. There are a surprising number of classes to choose from, - none of which are to be shied from !. and not all of the are just for roses. Schedules can be obtained from the local shop (Londis) in Staplecross. - If these have all been taken, then please ring either of the ‘Show Secretaries’ - Pam on: 01580~881839 or Maggie on 01580#830041 who will always be happy to help and guide you every step of the way. The date for this delightful horticultural show is Saturday June 16th - Staging is between 9.00am and 11.00am.This will be open to the public from 2.30pm, so please do come along and visit.

DIARY DATE 3: ADVANCE NOTIFICATION - STAPLECROSS VILLAGE HALL TRUSTEES would like to invite you to a “MYSTERY ARTEFACTS QUIZ” -- A Quiz Night Out - with a Difference”. Planned to take place on Friday JUNE 22nd. 7.30pm at the Village Hall, Northiam Road, Staplecross TN32 5QG. This will be no ordinary Quiz Night -- No normal ordinary questions- just intriguing teasers & testers using all of your senses whilst having a great fun filled evening !. Big brain power & high I.Q.’s are not needed - but THIS IS certainly a QUIZ WITH A DIFFERENCE as you’ll be making full use of ALL of your senses with mysterious and intriguing artefacts to TOUCH - HEAR - SEE - SMELL and even TASTE whilst working out the questions put before you. This promises to be a fun-filled and light hearted evening with a definite difference. So make a note of the date and book your place. Tickets cost just £8:00 per person to include a 2 course ‘Summer Supper’. Please bring along your own choice of alcoholic beverage, plus glasses. Why not get up a team or two for some friendly rivalry and team fun & banter ?. This evening will certainly have you saying “ WOW! - I never knew that !”. For all further information and to book your table please contact Anne on 01580~831881 or Pauline on 01590~831986. You certainly don’t want to miss this !.

CHURCH SERVICES: Church services for the parish of Ewhurst, will commence at St. James the Great, Ewhurst Green on Sunday June 3rd. Trinity 1. at 9.30am. This service will include Holy Communion. (CW) A Family Service at St. Giles church, Bodiam will follow directly after at 11.15 am. and this service will also include Holy Communion.. There will be NO SERVICE TODAY at St. Mark’s church, Northiam Road, Staplecross. BUT - on Sunday June 10th.- a ‘Children’s Choir’ will be visiting and joining us at Evensong at St. James church, Ewhurst Green. Children’s voices sung in unison, is truly a joy to behold and those folk that agree with these sentiments, will take extra pleasure in learning of an ‘Extra Special Treat’ for us in the form of this visit of a children’s choir. On Sunday June 10th - commencing at 5.00pm, a children’s choir will be singing Evensong at St. James the Great church in Ewhurst Green. This will be something of ‘ a day in the country ‘ for these children from All Saints church in Belvedere. Before the service, the children will partake of a special tea, taken in the Herdman Pavilion, further along the road, and organising a Treasure Hunt for them all to enjoy!. Any help with the catering will be most gratefully received, but it would be most gratifying also to see support in the form of added audience attendance at this Evensong service on this day. How lovely it would be to see good support from ALL 3 churches within our community. Please come along , support them and hear these precious children sing their hearts out for our benefit. For further details, please contact Canon Christopher on 01580-830925 or via his email: [email protected] . - As always, if there is any church matter on which you feel you may need further assistance, especially Baptisms, Weddings and sadly, Funerals, then do please get in touch with the Priest - in - Charge, which is of course our new friend - Canon Christopher Irvine on 01580~830925. Help in some way is always at hand and always so generously given, so do please contact him.

ANY NEWS FOR THIS COLUMN - PLEASE CONTACT ME: However unreliable our weather may be, community life in and around our three villages is not reflected in any weather outlook, as many of our clubs, groups, societies and sports activities are planning lots of things to see, do and enjoy over the coming months. Whatever the nature of the event and however large or small, indoors or outside, then please get in touch. FREE coverage is available, via this column, courtesy of the Observer Newspaper. It’s never too early to send in any of the details and to tell us what you are planning. If it’s of interest to you - it’s of interest to us so please do contact me, as I’d love to hear from you and help ‘spread the word’ on your behalf.............Thank You.