Staplecross

COMMUNITY NEWS & REVIEWS: As many of you may recall, a mammoth Charity Raffle has recently been organised by a well known local chap - Mr John Lederer - another of our '˜local heroes' - on behalf of two local charities, with the fantastic first prize being a memorable flight in an iconic W.W.2. Spitfire aeroplane. Needless to say, John spent many hours ensuring that ALL 500 raffle tickets were sold prior to the draw date, with the amazing result that the brilliant sum of over £2,000:00 - the maximum amount possible, - can now be divided between the two very worthy recipients; - the Royal British Legion and St. Michael's Hospice. The raffle draw took place at The Cross Inn, a little pub with a big heart, right in the centre of Staplecross village on Saturday April 18th. This event was very well attended by supporters and well wishers alike, with music being provided by a local group 'Jimi & the Jams'. Lovely Lily Matthews picked both the winning ticket and the runner up ticket from the rolling raffle drum, and the winning ticket was claimed by Mrs. S.Warren of would you believe......Staplecross !. - How lovely that this went to a local resident. The runner up, - ' A Tour for Four of the Historic Aircraft Collection' at Duxford, Cambs. was won by A.Nash from Westham, near Eastbourne. This was quite surprising when many of the tickets were sold as far away as Lancashire and Dorset. John would like to give a very big 'THANK YOU' to all those kind people who helped and supported this draw along the way, to those who sold the tickets and especially those who bought them- but home or away, the real winners will be the chosen charities whose staff consistently work so hard and give so much - and always with love, care and unselfishness and who, thanks to your generosity, will be able to continue in their unstinting work for others less fortunate. and may we also say 'Thank You John, & Well Done', for all your hard work in bringing this event to a very satisfactory and happy conclusion.

EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL: E.S.C.C. have appointed a new Highways Contractor. From May 1st. 2016 Costain CH2M will become the new provider for delivering Highway Services in East Sussex. The new partnership will be responsible for maintaining all the roads, pavements, grass and street lights in East Sussex. Most Highway services will continue as normal, but there will be some changes to the service. On April 29th (TODAY) the Highways Contact Centre will be closing early to allow for maintenance works. If you need to contact them, you can do so online and you can still contact them to report any emergencies. A new East Sussex Highways website will be launched on Sunday May 1st. This website will enable you to log and track enquiries, look up information about what they do, view local events and see real-time road works information. Their new website http://www.eastsussexhighways.com/ will be available for all to view from Sunday May 1st. There is also a telephone number to contact - 03456~080193 if you prefer that method.

POLICE & CRIME COMMISSIONER ELECTION: Just a gentle reminder that the elections for the Police & Crime Commissioner for Sussex will be taking place on Thursday May 5th between the hours of 7.00am and 10.00pm for voting in person. The place to cast your vote will be the Village Hall, Northiam Road, Staplecross or the Arthur Herdman Pavilion, Village Street, Ewhurst Green. You should have already received your voting cards which show you the voting station to attend. In case you are unaware, the candidates from which you have to select your choice for the new Commissioner are as follows: Katy Bourne (Cons. party) - James Doyle (Green party) - Michael Jones (Labour party) - Charles Patrick Lowe (UKIP) and James Walsh ( Lib.Dems.) For all the information on any of the candidates standing in our area, please go to http://www.choosemypcc.org.uk/ or call 08001~070708. The voting cards will also show you what to do if an emergency arises. A helpline number 01424~787000 (local rate) is available as well as other contacts: - email: [email protected] and www.rother.gov.uk/elections You do not need to take your card with you, but it may help make things a little easier and quicker if you do.

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ROTHER RAMBLERS: Continuing their enjoyment of our glorious countryside, those walkers of our wild sides, the members of the Rother Ramblers walking group have arranged three (3) more strolls around our beautiful neck of the woods for us to enjoy. Walk No:1 is a mere 6 mile meander of ‘High Woods to Hooe’ circular. Planned to take place on Saturday April 30th The meeting point is the High Woods car park, Pear Tree Lane, Bexhill. OS EXP.124. TQ715095. (SatNav TN39 4RA) at 9.30am. A short break midway is planned and torches will NOT be required on this occasion - very intriguing ! - Rita and Lionel will be your ‘walk leaders’ for today and you may contact them on: 01424~752452 for all further details. Walk No: 2 is in a completely different direction and is a ‘Glynde circular via Ringmer - a distance of approximately 10 miles. Arranged for Saturday May 1st. the meeting point for this outing is Glynde Railway Station OS EXP.123. TQ457087. (SatNav BN6 6SS) at 10.30am - to coincide with trains arriving from Hastings and London. Parking is available at Glynde Recreation Ground. This walk is a hilly mainly downland walk with some roads and fields. There is the option of a picnic or pub lunch at Ringmer, after 6 miles, where there is an optional ‘drop out point’. Buses to Lewes at 25 minutes past each hour, then a train to return to Glynde to finish your excursion if you so wish. This will be a joint walk with the ‘Hammersmith & Fulham’ rambler group and a chance to meet new people and new friends. Lucy will be your ‘walk leader’ on this occasion and you may contact her on: 01424~848332 or mobile: 07817~279241. for any additional information. Walk No: 3 is an 8.5 mile circular tour discovering the delightful scenery around Southease, Telscombe and Rodmell. Planned for Wednesday May 4th. the meeting place will be the layby opposite ‘Itford Farm’. YHA on A26 between Beddingham & Newhaven. OS EXP.122. TQ433055. (SatNav BN8 6JS) at 10.00am. A picnic lunch is once more suggested and as it’s merited as a fine Downland walk, with distant views and is virtually stiles, seems just the job ! Adrian is to be your ‘walk leader’ for this super stroll, so please contact him on: 01273~514336 or Mobile: 07729~861854 for more further details.

STAPLECROSS BOWLS CLUB and STAPLECROSS BONFIRE SOCIETY: A “Fun Race Night”, which as always is shared between these two popular social clubs, is planned to take place on Saturday April 30th - that’s TOMORROW - at the Staplecross Social Club, in Northiam Road, Staplecross, - adjacent to the Village Hall. This evenings’ entertainment begins at 7.00pm. Come along and bet on the races - bets start from £1:00 and you could win some welcome cash in return ! There is free entry for all, but a choice of three (3) supper dishes is available at a miserly cost of £3:50 per person. On the menu tonight is “Moroccan Chicken”, - “Chilli Con Carne” and “Lasagne” - If you would like to partake of this delightful repast, then please telephone Brian Scowen on 01580~830570 with your choice(s), as all meals have to be pre-ordered. This is always a very enjoyable evening, so please try to come along and enjoy it with them. This as always, promises to be a great fun night out.

STAPLECROSS W.I.: Looking forward again to their monthly meeting which will take place on Tuesday May 3rd the members of this happy band of friendly ladies will soon be making their own opinons felt as the main discussion for this special meeting will be the ‘Annual Resolutions’. The WI is an entirely ‘member led organisation’, and the resolutions process ensures that every WI member has the opportunity to set the direction of NFWI campaigns and policy, from the grassroots up. Every year WI members have the chance to put forward issues as ‘resolutions’ that they want to see the national body campaign on. Resolutions go through a year long debating and consultation process. Members shortlist resolutions for debate in Federations and WIs, before making a final selection of resolutions to take forward for discussion at the Annual Meeting in the summer. If passed, these then become mandates and form the basis of campaigning and awareness raising activities in the years ahead. The two resolutions selected to go forward to the Annual Meeting for 2016 are: - Resolution 1 - Avoid food waste, address food poverty - ‘The WI calls on all supermarkets to sign up to a voluntary agreement to avoid food waste, thereby passing surplus food on to charities thus helping to address the issue of increasing food poverty in the UK.’ and Resolution 2 is - Appropriate care in hospitals for people with dementia - ‘We call upon HM Government and the NHS to provide facilities to enable carers to stay with people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia that have been admitted into hospital’. No doubt these two topics will be discussed more widely and deeply, as these subjects are of great interest and close to the hearts of many members - not just locally but throughout the whole country. When both resolutions have been debated they will then go forward to a final vote at the Annual Meeting which this year, is to be held in Brighton, in June. Please don’t think that the W.I. is a long-winded political group of grey haired old ladies, - nothing could be further from the truth, - Nowadays, the W.I. is a vibrant social group of women of all ages, colour and creed who enjoy all aspects of life and who certainly live up to their new logo - “Inspiring Women”. When all the debating is concluded, - then the softer side of our group is shown, when the well deserved W.I. afternoon tea is enjoyed amongst friends. If you’d like to know more about the W.I. - & in particular your nearest group, - then please contact Ann on 01580~831944 who would be only too pleased to tell you all that we’ll be getting up to over the coming months. ~ “Jam and Jerusalem” ? - it certainly isn’t any longer. Why don’t you come along, see for yourself just what we do - and form your own opinion ?

STAPLECROSS STOOLBALL CLUB: Just one match this week, as their season now gets under way in earnest and happily, (for us) it’s a ‘Home match’. This week our local team are playing against another (almost) local team from Brightling. Set to take place on Tuesday May 3rd at their home ground on Staplecross Playing Field, Northiam Road, with the start time of 6.45pm.This is a really great game to watch, so please come along to any of their matches, - home or away - and show them your support. If you fancy having a go yourself, and the club is always ready to welcome new members, then why not have a chat with a club member who will be only to pleased to tell you all about this unique -but not often played- game, what is involved and how you can become a part of it.

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STAPLECROSS BOWLS CLUB: Another invitation from the members of the Staplecross Bowls Club is extended to all those people who fancy coming along and having a ‘try-out’ of this clever & skilled sport. If you have ever considered taking up this fascinating sport, then this may be just the right time for you to come along and have a go !.- All the equipment will be there for you to try out and that includes friendly advice, instruction and encouragement.- you need bring nothing else - other than flat, comfy shoes which are the only request from the club. It will also give you the opportunity to meet the members and find out all about this dedicated and friendly club. Following on from the ‘Taster Day’, will be a “New Member’s Night” and this is planned to take place on Friday April 29th - THAT’S TONIGHT-commencing at 6.00pm. This as always,will take place in the Club pavilion, This is sure to be another enjoyable evening event, so why not pop along and try your hand at it? The Club’s Bowls teams will be playing their first away match the following day - that’s tomorrow, Saturday April 30th when they are at Biddenden. The club’s team will also be playing a team at Herstmonceux for their second away fixture which will be on Wednesday May 4th. You’ll be pleased to note, that the next two matches will be played back on their own grounds on Northiam Road, Staplecross, once more, which hopefully will enable you to go along and give them your support. The first match is on Saturday May 7th & the opponents will be a Fairlight team. Match number two is for the following day, Sunday May 8th when our teams will be facing a team from Hawkhurst and this match will be part of the Rother League tournament. Do try to come along to watch these matches, you’ll be surprised at the level of skill that is shown and the friendliness of the team spirit. Your support is always very much appreciated and the club look forward to seeing you at their grounds.

EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL - MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICE: That amazing Mobile Library van will be back trundling along our country lanes once more, as it continues with it’s 2016 schedule. Once more, the white van will be visiting Ewhurst Green on Thursday May 5th at the earlier times - arriving between 10.40am and departing at 11.10am. these times should be now firmly fixed in your calender & diary. This will also, be the first of two (2) visits this month, (next 26th)- so please don’t miss it. There are many things of interest within the portals of this wonderful, free, Library Service vehicle, so please come along and find out for yourself, make good use of them and enjoy them

EWHURST PARISH COUNCIL: This months meeting should have taken place at the Arthur Herdman Pavilion, Ewhurst Green but due to these premises now being used for the Police & Crime Commissioner’s Election we have moved the meeting back to our usual venue of St. Mark’s Church room, Northiam Road, Staplecross. This meeting will now take place on Thursday May 5th, with the meeting commencing at 7.00pm to include the reports from The Herdman Bequest and the Staplecross Playing Field Association. This meeting will allow all residents of all three (3) villages of Ewhurst Parish Community the opportunity to come along and have your say, as all Parish Council meetings are open to the Public and Press alike. Together with your own Parish Councillors, there are usually representatives from both Rother District Council (Mr.Tony Ganly) and East Sussex County Council (Mrs Angharad Davies) As always, you’ll be able to question, query, comment or complain on any or all of the things going on within our parish. We are all here to listen to what you have to say and perhaps, more importantly, to what you want to happen- or to NOT happen- within this community. We are all working on your behalf, to make our community a better, safer and happier place to live, work and enjoy being in. Please look for the big banners placed outside - just to make sure you notice us. There is usually sufficient parking for everyone and all will be made most welcome.

CHURCH SERVICES: Church services for the parish of Ewhurst will commence at St, James the Great, Ewhurst Green on Sunday May 1st. Easter 6. at 9.30am. This service will include Holy Communion. We are pleased to inform you all that the Reverend Dick Dengate - has once more, kindly agreed to conduct this service in lieu of Gordon Winchester, who continues his treatment with a brave heart, a smiling face and faith in his heart, as always and is doing so well - Our good wishes and prayers continue to be sent to him, Judy and their family, with our love and support to them all. Reverend Dengate is no stranger to our district as he has taken many of our services over time and we look forward to welcoming back an old friend to our parish and our beautiful churches. A Family Service will follow directly after at St. Giles church, Bodiam at 11.15 am. Reverend Dengate will also conduct this service. There will be NO SERVICE at St. Mark’s church, Staplecross today and if there is any church matter on which you feel you may need further assistance, or guidance,- baptisms, weddings or sadly funerals; - 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, so do please contact them.

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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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