Staplecross

EWHURST & BODIAM PARISH NEWS: APPEAL - We residents of both Bodiam & Ewhurst parish are in the rather privileged position of having a superb ‘Parish News’ available to us. This little church magazine has gone from strength to strength over the last year or so and now contains an amazing number of subject matter and items full of information, issues, local news, tit-bits, & adverts all designed to bring a wealth of knowledge into our hearts & homes. Sadly due to an announcement of another retirement, an ‘appeal for two (2) distributors to take on this very simple, but so important little task is now being made.. Dor & Derek Catt, who were the chief distributors for the Parish News for Ewhurst Parish, are retiring !. Many of you may be aware that a new & exciting little shop has just been opened in Hawkhurst called “Charlie’s Orange”, - well this is the brain-child of Dor & Derek and is full of beautiful items some selected from various French markets, when they visit their holiday home in France and some on behalf of other stall holders. Due to their new business venture, Dor being a Ewhurst Parish Councillor and other work & family commitments, they have decided after several years of co-ordinating the Parish News, that it’s time for a change & hence this appeal !. To make things easier & simpler, the task of chief distributor will now be separated,~ forming two roles. - Ewhurst Green and Staplecross & Cripps Corner. The task of this co-ordination should approximately 1.5 hours & just 10 times per year. The Editor of this brilliant magazine would continue to collect the magazines from the printers, deliver them to the two new distributors, who would then collate them into the subscription lists ( 5 - 15 copies) and then deliver them to the ‘street’ distributors around the villages, for them to pop into the subscriber’s letter-boxes.- Simple !.(- Hubby does the Cripps Corner area & actually enjoys his little monthly meander delivering them.) Nothing arduous or difficult or even time consuming, although you would need to be available towards the end of the month, as that’s when this little project comes into play. If you can spare just 15 hours A YEAR, then PLEASE get in touch with Liz Moore who does the fantastic job of editor. You may contact her either via her email: [email protected] or by telephoning 01580~752052. Liz will happily let you know what to expect & just what is involved.

SOUTHERN RAIL - PROPOSED STRIKE ACTION: Many residents of Ewhurst Parish residents may have been caught up in the recent British Rail disputes which resulted in several train services being disrupted or even cancelled. Sadly, for those who use our local train services, this is a notification of more disruptions to come as RMT Union are set to impose more strike actions this week when the conductor members will also strike on TUESDAY MAY 10th; - WEDNESDAY MAY 11th; - THURSDAY MAY 12th and FRIDAY MAY 13th. If these strikes take place, they will have a significant effect on Southern services on the whole of the days affected, with NO SERVICE on many routes and only a LIMITED SERVICE between approximately 07.30 and 18.00 on others on some dates. Queuing systems will be in place at many stations that are open, so you may have a long wait before you are able to board a train and unfortunately Southern Services cannot guarantee to get you to your destination. Gatwick Express & Thameslink services will be largely unaffected by the strike, but some services will be extremely busy on these days and some Gatwick Express trains will be unable to call at certain stations. Some commuter travels can be rather stressful so, to help make these journeys more ‘fraught free’ and to avoid unnecessary waste of time, money & effort, and to find out whether your service will be one of those on the ‘disruption list’ and for further information, please visit the following link ~ http://www.southernrailway.com/your-journey/strike

ROTHER RAMBLERS: It has been said many times, that the weather in the U.K. - & England in particular, is often unreliable, and whilst it may muddy the hallowed pitches of Premier League football & the revered grounds of cricket and mess up the tennis at Wimbledon, it is all (-so far-) beyond our control. Country fetes, Family holidays, picnics and weddings and not forgetting, of course, travel arrangements, can often be ruined or certainly disrupted by our fickle & unreliable weather. This situation naturally, is upsetting to a large number of people,- but strangely enough, not the members of the Rother Ramblers walking group, who regardless of what the weather is like,- still manage to make the most of what they have got, & ignore what they haven’t. No-one can control our weather and that just makes our countryside more challenging and more beautiful. Two more walks are arranged for our enjoyment and walk no: 1 promises to be a delightful meander in our own area as it is an 8.5 circular stroll around Bodiam, seeing, I’m sure, parts of it from a different viewpoint. Planned to take place on Sunday May 8th the meeting point will be the Bodiam Castle car park, and meet near the site entrance, near the toilet block. Sadly car parking charges will apply, unless you are a member of the National Trust & membership cards will need to be shown to verify this. OS EXP.136. TQ783254. (SatNav TN32 5UD) at 10.00am. Please note that there will be several stiles to clamber over and just two (2) undulating hills- no doubt the views will be amazing and well worth the effort, as this is truly a beautiful castle, in a fairy-tale setting and much loved by film-makers. A picnic lunch is suggested with the added bonus of tea/ice creams or drinks at the journeys end. Carol is to be your ‘walk leader’ for this outing, and as she is a new leader, please show your support and come along and join her. You may contact her on 01797~690788 for all further details. Walk No: 2 is another 8.5 mile circular stride but this time in the direction of and in & around Waldron. Booked to take place on Wednesday May 11th, the meeting place is at the car park, adjacent to Waldron Recreation Ground. OS EXP.123. TQ 547195.(SatNav TN21 0RB) at 10.00am. The accompanying notes suggest that this walk is not too hilly and of course the almost obligatory picnic lunch is once again suggested. Your ‘walk leader’ for this trip will be Martin and you can contact him on 01424~752793 for all further information.

STAPLECROSS STOOLBALL CLUB: As we head further into the merry month of May, the local Stoolball Club, have two (2) more matches to play and the first fixture will be a home match at the Staplecross Playing Field, Northiam Road, Staplecross on Tuesday May 10th beginning at 6.45pm. Their opponents this evening will be Crowhurst, another village team, not too far away. Please, if you are able, do come along and show your support for this energetic but very friendly local sports club. Even if you can only stay a short time, hearing the shouts of support and encouragement, really does make a difference to the team and of course, is always so appreciated. Thursday May 12th sees the team in their second fixture for the week, in the form of an away match against Icklesham also commencing at 6.45pm.If you feel that you’d like to have a try at playing this game, then please either pop along to one of the club’s local ‘home’ matches or contact Pauline on 01580~830570. She’ll be very happy to tell you all about this fascinating and unusual game, how it’s played and just what is involved.

STAPLECROSS BOWLS CLUB: Just two fixtures this week for our dedicated local bowls club and the first one is a home match which will be played on Wednesday May 11th on their home ground in Northiam Road, Staplecross. Their opponents on this occasion will be the Sidley Martlets and this match will form part of the’ Rother League’ fixtures. The following day- Thursday May 12th - will find the team away to Northiam when they will play a match which is part of the ‘Mermaid League’. The team will be soon be back home practising and playing ready for their future matches, at the Club House greens, so you’ll be able to go along and watch in wonder, as they practise their skills with precision and dedication. It really is a marvellous game to watch and admire.

MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICE: Once more, we look forward to welcoming the little Mobile Library Service as the van, carrying all the exciting goodies on board, wends it’s way through our little countryside lanes on it’s way to our little communities. It’s first visit, on Thursday May 12th will be to Staplecross, where it will park in Cricketers Field, between 1.40pm and 2.10pm. Following on from that session, it will then meander down to Cripps Corner, - where it will use the car park of the White Hart Inn,between 2.20pm and 2.45pm. Please note that this will be the ONLY VISIT for the month of May, so do make the most use of this single visit. The residents of this little hamlet can then avail themselves of this vital and much needed service. Please do make as much use of the facilities on board when the van visits your areas. The Library is about more than just books, so please come along and see for yourself and help keep this service going for the benefit of all who live in our outlying rural areas and perhaps, cannot always easily access the Main Branch facilities.

EWHURST, STAPLECROSS & BODIAM GARDEN SOCIETY: Following on from their well attended April meeting, which also incorporated the beautiful ‘Spring Flower Show’, our local horticultural group has really hit the jackpot with their choice of speaker for their May meeting. Unable to hold their meeting at the usual date, due to the hall being used for elections, their next monthly meeting will be taking place at the later date of Thursday May 12th, commencing at 7.30pm - but still at their usual venue at the Village Hall, Northiam Road, Staplecross. The speaker for this event will be the well known and well respected forensic scientist - Dr. Michael Keith-Lucas. The title of his talk is “ People, Pollen & Police”, and he will explain how the lowly pollen has been used as conclusive evidence of a crime - or similar act - therefore helping in the solving of many crimes. Most people are fascinated by crime (whether they admit it or not - as TV ratings for the various ‘Silent Witness’ & ‘CSI’ type of TV shows prove) and Dr. Keith-Lucas will show us how forensic science can and does, play a vital role in the solving of crime, be it proving the actual crime area, or dating the evidence found and other such issues. A humble blade of grass could make or break a crime case ! All of our talks are free for Members and just £2:00 for Non-Members/Guests who will all be made most welcome. This must be one of the best and most fascinating subjects that is to be found on our Garden Society Programme for this year. If you have to miss one meeting, - please, - just make sure it’s NOT this one !

CHURCH SERVICES: Church services for the parish of Ewhurst will commence at St. James the Great, Ewhurst Green, on Sunday May 8th. Sunday after Ascension. at 9.30am. This service will also include Holy Communion. (BCP) There will be NO SERVICE today at St. Giles church, Bodiam, but a Morning Praise service will follow directly afterwards at 11.15am. at St. Mark’s church, Northiam Road, Staplecross. Once more we welcome the return of Canon Richard Orchard, who will officiate at both services and we thank him for kindly continuing to do so. Gordon and Judy truly appreciate all the prayers and messages of love and support which they have received, and we ask they continue to be remembered in your prayers. If there is any church matter on which you feel you may need further assistance, then do please get in touch. You may contact either of the churchwardens ~ Graham Peters -on [email protected] and telephone no: 01580~830203 for Bodiam church matters and for Ewhurst Parish church matters, please contact Jo Goodwin-on [email protected] and telephone no: 01580~830601. Help in some form or another, is always at hand, and so generously given, so do please contact them, as they’d love to help.

PLEASE CONTACT ME: If you are arranging an event in the near future, --- however large or small and you’d like some extra coverage for it, then please get in touch. If it’s of interest to you, - it’s of interest to us. It’s never too early to send in your details and to tell us what you are planning, so please do contact me, as I’d love to hear from you and to help ‘spread the word’ on your behalf.........Thank You

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