Staplecross

EWHURST, STAPLECROSS & BODIAM GARDEN SOCIETY: It’s always so nice to get productive feedback from events that have taken place recently within our parish and none more so when the reports are first hand!. The monthly meeting of this inspiring and very friendly horticultural club was ‘twinned’ with the superb speaker, Ed Flint, - He of ‘Head Gardener at Tidebrook Manor’ fame and the first of the Society’s “Annual Shows” - the Spring Flower Show. Ed was a brilliant speaker and valiantly kept us all enthralled - even under pressure due to the ‘tantrums’ of his laptop - with his humour and vast knowledge of his love of gardens and gardening. Speaking to us of his ‘ Favourite Perennials’, -(whilst others were battling to coax the laptop into behaving) - he gave us all many pointers and good advice and charmed us all with his witty banter. At long last, the laptop decided to play nicely, - well done to all those clever bods who quickly and aptly sorted out the problem - it was so appreciated by us all ) - and we were all well rewarded with our patience as the slides then shown were just beautiful to see. Many of the plant species shown were distinctive and unusual and certainly gave us more excuses than ever to visit garden centres and nurseries in the hunt for some of these plants to place in our own more humble herbaceous borders. Fitting in very nicely with this great speaker was the huge and stunning array of Spring flowers, all entries for this local and unpretentious flower show. The vast variety of flowers shown really gave you believe that Summer and all the better times of the year really is just around the corner. It would appear that judging from the pleasing comments given, this was one of the best Spring Shows in recent years, with exhibitors making the most of all the many beautiful flowers available to us at this time of the year, and proudly ‘having-a-go’ at 1 or 2 of the classes available, as entries were also up on last year. To also add a feather in our cap, so to speak, we were able to happily welcome a few more new members into our fold. I’ll bring you the actual and full results of this show as I receive them. - All in all, it was a fabulous evening event from start to finish and if any of you, including those newly moved into the parish and were maybe looking to join a very friendly, welcoming and helpful horticultural group, and would like to learn more of what else is lined up for the coming months, then please contact either Ruth (Sec) on 01580~831918 or Peter (Chair) on 01580~830524. They’d love to hear from you.

EWHURST PARISH COUNCIL - ANNUAL ASSEMBLY: It was lovely to see so many members of the community attend this years recent event. Although it was no doubt due to the additional invited guest speakers from E.S.C.C. Head of Highways Dept. Mr. Roger Williams and R.D.C.- Planning Strategy Director Mr. David Marlow - to whom many of the audience asked question regarding their concerns and queries that were relevant to them personally and to the parish as a whole,- it was also nice to see the many displays from the various societies, groups and clubs within the parish. A delicious buffet provided by our local W.I. was also laid out for us all to enjoy and together with all the ‘mingling’ brought together an enjoyable and thought provoking evening for all those who attended.

EWHURST PARISH VILLAGE SIGNS: Many residents may already have heard that Ewhurst Parish Council is replacing the three village signs, at - Cripps Corner; Ewhurst Green; and Staplecross with more durable iron fretwork signs. The Council would like to issue an open invitation to all interested members of the community to come along and view, - and pass comments on - the new draft designs at a SPECIAL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING to be held TODAY. FRIDAY APRIL 24th at St. Mark’s Church Room, Northiam Road, Staplecross commencing at 8.0pm. Everyone is most welcome to attend and your thoughts, preferences and comments on this subject matter are most sincerely sought. - So come along and tell us what you think !.

STAPLECROSS BOWLS CLUB: Continuing with their busy start to their 2015 schedule, the club will be holding the second of their New Member Sessions on Friday April 24th (TODAY) at their club pavilion, Northiam Road, Staplecross at 6.0pm. The Club teams and their supporters will be travelling to Biddenden on Saturday April 25th for the first of this year’s fixtures and a few days later, on Wednesday April 29th, the teams will again be playing away, but this time to Herstmonceux (W). Over the weekend they will be playing at the home ground as hosts. as Saturday May 2nd will see them play against Fairlight and on Sunday May 3rd their opponents will be Hawkhurst. Both matches will commence at 2.30pm, so please come along and cheer our side on. Our local bowls club will also be sharing a very enjoyable sociable evening on Saturday April 25th ( that’s TOMORROW) with another club Staplecross Bonfire Society as they ‘co-host’ their popular “Race Night” event. This is an annual event that these two local groups have great fun arranging together- more information on that later, further down in the column. What a busy but dedicated group this is and if you’d like to learn more of this game or perhaps would just try a taster session, then please contact Evelyn on 01580~830107 or [email protected]

STAPLECROSS LINE DANCING SOCIAL: Do you fancy a little jovial foot tapping, body swaying, happy singing evening amongst other like-minded happy and friendly people ? Well - mosey on down and dance the night away in Staplecross on Saturday April 25th. and the place for this ‘hoe-down’ is the Village Hall, Northiam Road where the fun and festivities will begin from 6.30pm. There will be many varieties of dance routines from original classic through to the modern new routines. All of these are stepped out to a wide selection of great music happily rolling through the ages. ~ Country to Waltz - Rock to Pop - 50’s to 2015 and all done with a smiley face and a happy heart. This evening is just I of 4 social evenings held each year, all of which are great evenings of dance with great company. There will be a charity raffle and everyone is welcome, regardless if dance or not !. - So whether you can gyrate with the best of them or your two left feet just shuffle along, come along and join in this fun and friendly social evening. For further information of this and other line dance classes that Helen runs, please ring her on: 01797~252087 or email [email protected]

STAPLECROSS BONFIRE SOCIETY: As mentioned previously, this fun filled event is co-hosted with another of our parish’s popular clubs - the Bowls Club. Arranged to take place on Saturday April 25th in the Staplecross Social Club, Northiam Road, Staplecross from 7.30pm onwards. This has always been a friendly social evening and is just one of the many fundraising events that this amazing group put on throughout the year. Why not come along and join in the race fever? Maybe place a wee bet on a race - bets start from £1:00 and you could win some welcome cash in return. Even if you don’t, a great time will be had by all. Delicious hot food and other refreshments will be available, so please come along, join in the fun, possibly add to your coffers, and know that if not, the monies raised on the night will all go to worthwhile good causes. Please contact Brian on 01580~830570 for further details.

ROTHER RAMBLERS: Still enjoying the free fresh air and regardless of the weather, the members of the Rother Ramblers have again two more walks planned for our enjoyment. Beginning on Saturday April 25th with a 6.5 mile meander ‘Following the Romans to Nineveh’ the group & all those interested in joining in with them will meet at 10.0am at Benenden village green, near the church. OS EXP 136.TQ808327.(Sat Nav TN17 4DN) A short refreshment stop midway is recommended and for all further details please contact Rita & Lionel, on 01424~752452, as they will be your ‘Walk Leaders’ for the day. Walk No: 2 is just a little longer stroll of only 7.5 miles and is a delightful stride along’ Etchingham and Rother Valley’. The meeting point for this walk is Etchingham Railway Station. OS.EXP 136.TQ714263.(Sat Nav TN19 7PA) at 10.0am. Please note the 9.50am train from Hastings arrives at 10.17am. Parking is available at the railway station where sadly charges apply, or on-street parking near church. There may be the possible option to visit garden nursery and café mid-morning. Bring a picnic lunch if weather is fine. John is your ‘Walk Leader for today, so do please contact him on: 01424~773998 for more information.

THE HERDMAN ASSOCIATION: Another exciting and altogether different event is planned by this social group and for our enjoyment, and this promises to be a really interesting and thought provoking evening. A talk, entitled “The Pirates of The Puntland”, - An Encounter with Somali Pirates in the Indian Ocean,- and given by Brigadier Hugh Willing will take place at the superb Arthur Herdman Pavilion in Ewhurst Green (Sat Nav TN32 5TB) on Wednesday April 29th and will commence at 6.30pm. Bookings are only for the seating capacity, as all of the kind (and hopefully generous) donations received will go to the amazing charity “Walking with the Wounded”. This humble, but so worthwhile charity was set up by H.R.H. Prince Harry and is one which is also close to Hugh’s heart. To book your tickets for this splendid evening event and to find out more information on this and other fantastic events lined up by the Herdman Association for our enjoyment, please contact Glenys on 01580~830491 or email her at [email protected]

STAPLECROSS STOOLBALL CLUB: This energetic and successful sports group played their first match of the season yesterday (23rd) against a team from Battle, ‘The Scorpions’ at their home ground at the Staplecross Playing Field,-results not known at present- The next match in their fixture list is an away game on Thursday April 30th. with the opponents being the Civil Service and this match will be played at Bexhill. Have no fear if you missed them playing at home as their next match here is due to take place on Tuesday May 5th at 6.45pm, so you can go along then and cheer them on. If you’d like to learn more about this sport or you fancy taking part and becoming a member please contact Pauline on 01580~830570 in the first instance, for more information.

CHURCH SERVICES: Church services for the parish of Ewhurst will commence at St. James the Great, Ewhurst Green on Sunday April 26th. Easter 3. at 9.30am. This service will include Holy Communion (BCP) There will be NO SERVICE today at St. Giles church, Bodiam. A service will follow directly after at St. Mark’s church, Northiam Road, Staplecross at 11.15am. This service will also include Holy Communion. The Reverend Gordon Winchester will conducting both services and if there is any church matter in which he can be of service to you, please don’t hesitate to contact him. You may reach him at The Rectory, Ewhurst Green -Telephone No: 01580~830268 or via his email: [email protected] He’d be delighted to help you in any way he can.

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH: If your Group, Club, Society or Charity is planning an event, however large or small it may be and you’d like a small feature of it within this paper, please do get in touch and I’ll be happy to help promote and publicise your event. If it’s of interest to you,--- it’ll be of interest to us. I look forward to hearing from you Thank you

Anne Reed

[email protected]