Staplecross

Wednesday April 16th sees our Village Hall throwing open it’s doors once more for the local Staplecross Luncheon Club will once more be meeting up again with their members for their monthly dining group.On the menu this month is another mouth-watering temption;~ Roast Pork, Roast Potatoes and all the trimmings, followed by either Chocolate Pudding OR Syrup Pudding with either cream,custard or sauce.- I’m drooling as I write! - All this is most ably prepared and cooked to perfection by our lovely Chef June together with her band of merry helpers. New members are always warmly welcomed at this social event and it’s not just for residents of our parish as many diners who attend live outside our area. Our membership rules have not changed. There are only three.~ 1)..Once you have ‘signed up’, it is assumed that you will be joining us each month unless notice is given to Anka to the contrary. This simple ‘rule’ simplifies catering and minimises waste. 2)..Members have to be of ‘a certain age’ ~ this is a polite way of saying that guests have to be 50 years of age and beyond, to enable them to enjoy these delicious, beautifully cooked, plentiful menu’s of great variety and quality. 3)..Entrance is free,all you have to do is pay £5:50 for your meal, which includes tea or coffe afterwards.

This social group of ‘Mature’ adults will “Meet, Greet and Eat” at 12.30pm and if you would like to come along and join us in this friendly and happy event, please contact Anka Buss on 01580~830260 who would be only too happy to set a place at our table for you.

Ewhurst, Staplecross & Bodiam Garden Society meeting will take place at the Staplecross Village Hall on Thursday 17th April at 7.30pm. Along with their speaker for this month, Mrs.Sue Marshall who will give a talk on the “English Love Affair with Iris” will be their annual Spring Show. With the preceeding warm sunny weather we have all been enjoying recently, there really should be NO EXUSES for NOT bringing your offerings to this lovely little show. I’m sure there are a great number of beautiful blooms just waiting to be plucked from their growing places, be they~ garden beds, greenhouses or cold frames and exhibited for all to admire their beauty. Flowers should be brought to the hall at 7pm in readiness for displaying them to their best advantage before the meeting opens in earnest a short while later. There will naturally be a raffle to help plump up the club’s funds and visitors are always most welcome to attend

For more information on this event or further details of what this friendly little social group has arranged for the rest of their calendar year, please contact: Mrs Maggie Whitaker on 01580~830041 who would love to hear from you.

Our trusty little free service aka the “Mobile Library”, will, once again, be trundling down our country lanes in order to provide us all with hours of sheer enjoyment in the form of free literature. Arriving on Thursday April 17th between 10.15am and 10.40am it will park on the forecourt/car park of the White Hart Inn at Cripps Corner. Having served the residents of this hamlet, it will,- via Sedlescombe,- then arrive at Staplecross in Cricketers Field for the duration of 11.50am and 12.20pm. to serve the residents here. After losing itself within the villages of Brede, Northiam and Bodiam, it will reach it’s final port of call being Ewhurst Green between 3.40pm and 4.10pm.where it will carry out it’s last service of the day. Many people do not realise that this service is not just about books. There are many other facilities on offer, including audio tapes, children and teenage reading interests, educational subject matters, such a boon when studying either at school, college or at home. There are also newspapers available, internet connections and a whole host of surprising facilities available at your fingertips. Just give them a try..find out whats up those enticing steps and help keep this little free service, so vital to our rural communities, and the treasure it surely is, from becoming another of those services lost to us all through lack of use.

Rother Ramblers invite all and sundry who share their passion for walking and those who would just like to give it a try to join them on one of their many strolls arranged throughout this year. The walks vary from a mere 4-5 miles to longer ones of perhaps 10-12 miles. all within this beautiful countryside of ours with it’s stunning scenery and spectacular ever changing landscape. Two charming walks are arranged for our delight over the next few days, the first will take place on Friday April 18th (Good Friday) and will consist of an 8.5 mile circular route around Iden and Stone. The group will meet in Iden Recreation Ground (SatNav TN31 7XD) at 10.0am. A picnic lunch is suggested and once more your doggy pal can accompany you on this little stroll. Lionel will be your ‘Walk Leader’ on this occasion and if you require any further details of this ramble, please contact him on: 01424~752452 and he’ll be happy to help you. The second walk is a slightly longer stroll of 9.5 miles and will be another circular tour (obviously to return us to our other modes of transport) This one will take us around Icklesham and Udimore, both of which have gorgeous views to admire on the way. Taking place on Sunday April 20th. again at 10.0am (Easter Sunday) the group will meet outside Icklesham Recreation Ground (SatNavTN36 4BN) On street parking in layby’s is suggested. No mention is made of a refreshment break -either a picnic lunch or a pub lunch so please check with the organisors of this walk which in this case are Julia and Con.and they can be reached on 01424~437928. One thing is certain, - you may take your four footed friend with you and that will make the walk all the more enjoyable.

Dates for your Diaries:~ Ewhurst and Staplecross Bonfire Society will be holding their usual fun filled Race Night on Saturday April 26th. More details to follow, or please contact their Publicity Officer Jon on: 01580~830744

Our very own Staplecross Art Group, are holding their exciting Art Exhibition in April.- opening on the evening of Friday April 25th from 7.30pm and during the days of Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th from 10.0am.Come along and view these brilliant little masterpieces on show. Give your support for these artists efforts. Maybe you’ll consider purchasing one for your own home to complete your own interior design or look. Please just go along and admire the wealth of talent that is hidden within our parish ~ you’ll be surprised at what you’ll find. For more details of this exhibition or about joining the Art Group perhaps, please ring Hilary on :01580~830704. ~ She’d love to hear from you.

There will be four (4) church services for the Parish of Ewhurst during this week as we lead up to that very special and precious time in the church calendar,~namely Easter. The first service will be given on Sunday April 13th~Palm Sunday~ with a 9.30am service with Holy Communion (BCP) at St. James the Great, in Ewhurst Green. There will be NO SERVICE on that day at St, Giles, Bodiam. A Morning Praise Service will take place later that morning at 11.15am at St. Mark’s, Northiam Road, Staplecross. The second of this weeks sevices will be on Thursday April 17th~Maundy Thursday~ there will be NO SERVICES conducted at St. James the Great, Ewhurst Green OR St. Giles, Bodiam, but there will be an evening service beginning at 6pm to include Holy Communion at St.Mark’s Church, Northiam Road, Staplecross. Our third church service will take place on Friday April 18th~Good Friday~. Beginning at 9.30am with a Good Friday Service at St. James the Great, Ewhurst Green. A little while later, at 11.15am. another Good Friday Service will be conducted at St. Giles, at Bodiam. There will be NO SERVICE on this day at St. Mark’s church Staplecross. The final church service for this Holy week will be on Sunday April 20th~ Easter Day~beginning at 9.30am at St. James the Great, Ewhurst Green, This service will include Holy Communion. This will be followed by a 11.15am.service which will also include Holy Communion at St. Giles, Bodiam. There will be NO SERVICE at St. Mark’s church, Northiam Road, Staplecross, on this day. Each and all of the aforementioned church services will be conducted by Reverend Gordon Winchester and please remember if there are any church matters that you would like to discuss with Reverend Gordon Winchester please do ring him on: 01580~830268 or via his email [email protected]

As always, if you have any items of interest either for your own event or on behalf of a club, social group or organisation, I really would love to hear from you, so do send any notifications for publication in to me whenever you can. May I also gently remind you that I need a minimum of two (2) weeks notice for articles sent in for publication, so it’s never too early.

However you intend to spend this much awaited and longed for Bank Holiday week-end, fill it to the brim with wonderful times and happy memories. Spend time with friends and family and those that matter and enjoy every moment. May the sun shine on all you have planned. ......Have a very Happy Easter

Anne Reed, [email protected]