Staplecross

Once again, it would appear that Mother Nature has outwitted us all, inasmuch as she plays havoc with our events & planning arrangements. One minute we are all enjoying warm sunny days, with Bar-B-Q’s ,Pimms in the garden and sunhats and the next, it’s back on with the woollies and wellingtons!. Perhaps she’s just trying to make us all enjoy the ever changing Seasons that she provides for our wonder and enjoyment throughout the whole of the year. This Sunday, September 22nd sees the Autumn season begin until Saturday December 21 when Winter officially takes over ~ all in a space of a few weeks ! and slipping quietly away between them both, British Summertime ends on Sunday October 27th . But life’s not all doom and gloom.~ the colours of Autumn are spectacular and must be looked on in wonder. As the days become shorter and the nights draw in it becomes just the right time to start planning things; Next years holiday~ Friends you’ve promised to visit, but not got around to doing so yet;~ Perhaps that spot of re-decorating;~ Or a hobby you’ve fancied taking up.;Night classes~ the lists are endless, You could look around your village or parish and see what’s on offer and maybe consider joining one of the many Social Groups, Sports Clubs or Societies that abound within it’s perimeter.Ask around, ~you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what’s on offer, and who knows what it could lead to.

A few announcements to be made~ beginning with the sad news that there will probably NOT be a Panto this year in Staplecross. This is due to the lack of grown ups wanting to sometimes, behave like kids and put on a show.or at least commit themselves to assisting with one. S.C.A.T.S. have taken the decision, following their meeting last week, to take a sabatical year out in order to re-think the future of this wonderful and dedicated group of thespians. It would be very sad, “Oh ~Yes it would” if this small but super little company would fold. So if you want to help out, if not now, then maybe in the future, please get in touch with Pauline on 01580-830570.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The results of the Horticultural Show hosted by the Ewhurst, Staplecross & Bodiam Garden Society and held at the Staplecross Village Hall on Saturday September 7th are now to hand, and are as follows:~ Vegetable Section: Classes 1 to 16 ~ Class 1. 3rd prize B.Hillier. ~Class 2. 1st. B.Hillier. 2nd E.Wood.~Class 3. 1st B.Hillier and 2nd C.Stevens. ~Class 4. 1st B.Hillier. 2nd M.Whitaker 3rd C.Stevens.~ Class 5 1st B.Hillier. 2nd C.Stevens.~ Class 6. 1st B.Hillier 2nd M.Whitaker and 3rd J.Winchester ~Class 7 1st E.Wood.There were no entries for Class 8. ~Class 9 1st P.Dance 2nd B.Hillier ~Class 10 2nd Place C.Stevens.~Class 11 1st place B.Hillier and 2nd place M.Whitaker.~Class 12 1st S.Collins 2nd B.Hillier and in 3rd C.Stevens. Class 13 1st M.Whitaker 2nd E.Wood and 3rd C.Stevens.~Class 14 1st Place M.Whitaker 2nd B.Hillier and 3rd P.Dance ~Class 15 2nd place was taken by M.Whitaker. Closing the classes for the vegetableSection Class 16 was won by M.Whitaker 2nd place went to B.Hillier and 3rd place to E.Wood.

Flower Section: Classes 17 to 30 ~ Class 17 No entries. ~Class 18 1st J.Gilson. 3rd place J.Goodwin ~Class 19. 1st place J.Gilson 2nd place C.Stevens.~Class 20.3rd place J.Gilson ~Class 21.1st place F.Wouters 3rd place J.Winchester.~Class 22 1st place went to P.Dance. ~Class 23 1st place J.Wouters 2nd place S.Collins and 3rd place K.Bishop.~Class 24 1st place M.Whitaker. 2nd place F.Wouters and 3rd S.Collins. ~Class 25 no entries.~Class 26 1st R.Close 2nd place P.Dance and 3rd J.Gilson.~Class 27 2nd place P.Dance.~Class 28 1st Place R.Close and 3rd place S.Collins.~Class 29 again no entries. ~Class 30 3rd place was awarded to P.Dance who also took 1st place in Class 31.

Fruit Section:Classes 31 to 33.~Class 32 was won by M.Whitaker with J.Dance taking 2nd place. ~Class 33 was won by J.Gilson.

Flower Arranging Section: Classes 34 to 37 ~Class 34 1st place P.Dance. 2nd place S.Collins with 3rd place going to J.Gilson.~Class 35 was won by P.Scowen.~Class 36 1st place P.Dance. 2nd J.Gilson.~Class 37 2nd place went to P.Scowen.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Home Produce Section: Classes 38 to 47 ~Class 38 1st place E.Wood. 2nd place K.Bishop.~Class 39 1st place K.Bishop 2nd place J.Winchester with R.Biggs in 3rd place.~Class 40 1st K.Bishop. 2nd place R.Wouters 3rd place R.Biggs.~Class 41 K.Bishop 2nd place C.Ames-Lewis.~Class 42 In 1st place K.Bishop 2nd place M.Whitaker and 3rd place went to E.Wood.~Class 43 1st place K.Bishop 2nd M.Whitaker 3rd place P.Scowen. ~Class 44 1st place K.Bishop 2nd place P.Scowen.~ Class 45 1st place P.Scowen and 2nd place K.Bishop.~Class 46 2nd place M.Whitaker with P.Scowen in 3rd place.~Class 47 1st place K.Bishop.

Handicraft Section:Classes 48 to 53. ~Class 48 In 1st place B.Fox 2nd place K.Bishop . 3rd place P.Scowen.~Class 49 1st P.Scowen 2nd place L.Lindeman and 3rd place went to J.Winchester. No entries for Class 50 and Class 51.~Class 52 1st place went to E.Wood with P.Dance in 2nd place who again took class honours in Class 53.

Special Awards: Class 14-Chairman’s Prize went to Maggie Whitaker who was also awarded a £3:00 gift token for Class 16.Maggie also won the Hurley Cup and the Cottagers Cup with Keith Bishop being a worthy runner up for this award. The Member’s Rose Cup went to Joan Gilson who also won the Clayton Cup. The Mona Peck Award went to Pam Dance, who also won the Hughes Silver Challenge Award, with Keith Bishop winning the Fred Buck Award. Jim Hillier took the Banksian Medal as well as the E.S.B.Challenge Cup. There was no outright winner for the Parva Cup but the Norma Stringer Floral Cup will awarded at the November AGM of this popular and friendly Garden Society. Congratulations to ALL those who won awards and places but special thanks to those that didn’t, as without you this show would not be the success that it always is.

The Jumble Sale held last Saturday on behalf of the Staplecross Village Hall raised an admirable £560:00. This was success indeed as competition was fierce in the form of two adjacent villages holding Jumble Sales at the same time,and the buyers having to battle the very heavy rain outburst that arrived with them, soon after the doors opened. But an enjoyable time, though hard work for some, was had by all, if the smiling faces and bulging bags being carried homewards, were anything to go by, and the money raised will be welcomed into the Village Hall funds, for the ulimate benefit for all who use this venue.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Sussex Police are calling on all residents of our rural communities to become involved in their local “Speedwatch” initiatives. Supported by Sussex Police as well as our local councils, this project is run by our local communities in an effort to have an effect on drivers exceeding the speed limits throughout the locality. All volunteers will be trained in the use of speed detection equipment and organise their own monitoring sessions and recording those drivers that exceed agreed speeds. This information will be processed by the local Community Speedwatch Team and all offending vehicle details will be passed to the Sussex Police Operation Crackdown Team who will arrange for letters to be sent out to the registered owners. Persistent offenders will be visited or targetted by police officers in an effort to reduce offending rates. The teams will be supported by their local PCSO and neighbourhood policing teams. PCSO Demi Georghiou, who is responsible for Sedlescombe, Staplecross and Ewhurst comments “This is an excellent opportunity for people to take action to reduce anti-social and dangerous driving in their communities and help provide a better quality of life for all residents.” Residents are also reminded that speeding is not the only ill to be witnessed on the road and are encouraged to use http://www.operationcrackdown.org/ to report ANY driving offences, from dangerous overtaking to mobile phone and seatbelt offences So if you want to help make the places where we live, work and play a better, safer place to be, contact your local police dept. or email them.

A few months ago, way back in June, I stated, that Ewhurst Parish Council had set up a working group to explore the practicalities of setting up bulk energy purchase schemes within the parish. These could include Electricity, Gas and Heating Oil. Well ~ things have progressed since then and as the cold weather approaches, now could be the time to join in this scheme and help cut down your energy costs. If you are interested in becoming part of this rapidly expanding enterprise, please contact the Parish Clerk, Richard Farhall on 07775 ~333096 or by emailing him at [email protected]

For those people who are interested in wildlife and who isn’t? the chance to learn more about, and hopefully meet, some of those creatures, with 1st hand experience thrown in, is surely an opportunity not to be missed. Those lovely people of The Woodland Trust, are organising a ‘Bat Walk’ down at Brede High Woods on SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22nd. It’s not too long an event, being between 6 ~ 9pm, but long enough for you to discover ‘bats’.as you are expertly led through the beautiful woods,in search of these amazing creatures. You will learn about the local bat population, their lives and their habitat. As with many of the Woodland Trust events on their yearly programme, this is a free event but numbers are limited. So for more information of this fascinating venture, please contact Martin Felstead at: [email protected] or ring him on 0845~2935734. Still at the Brede High Woods, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 29th brings around another Volunteer Conservation Task Day. This is where and when you get to do your little bit in helping to protect and preserve this very special wood. Lasting from 10am until 3pm approx it is such a worthwhile job and so appreciated by the Rangers. If you can help, please contact Sue for more information at: [email protected]

More stomping about in the free, fresh air, but perhaps with longer strides and a faster pace, are those dedicated followers of footpaths, ‘The Rother Ramblers’, These intrepid travellers have organised another walk for THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26th. Meeting at 10.am by the Recreation Ground in Broad Oak. Park your vehicles in the layby or roads close by, choose between a picnic lunch or a pub lunch and don’t forget to bring your four legged friend with you for his enjoyment also. This is a fairly long walk (?) of 12.5 miles and is a circular route encompassing Broad Oak- Brede and Staplecross. Contact Julia on 01424~437928 if you would enjoy joining in with this group. On SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 29th another ramble has been arranged. This is a little shorter, being only 8 miles and is another circular route, but this time around Capel parish. The group are meeting at 10.30 am at Pembury Church near Kent College. Please bring a picnic lunch and mans’ best friend, as he is allowed to accompany you. Please ring Lionel on 01424~752452 for details

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

All around the country, top to bottom, and side to side, like minded people are taking part in the Mammoth Event that is being arranged in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. This charity is hoping to arrange the world’s biggest coffee morning and Staplecross community are going to be a part of it. A super coffee morning is going to be held on FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 27TH from 10am until 12 Noon in the Village Hall at Staplecross. There will be a super raffle, a Tombola, Lots of yummy cakes to tempt you, together with many side stalls offering lots of enticing goodies. For everything you buy, the money will all go to raising funds so that more people can have a Macmillan team in their corner~from the day they are diagnosed, through treatment and afterwards.This hateful disease effects not only those suffering from it, but their families, friends and loved ones. It touches us all and this is a great opportunity to say “Come for a Coffee” to everyone you know. It’s a relaxed, chatty, and friendly sociable event and a wonderful, worthwhile cause that all and sundry can unite behind. If you can’t make the coffee morning in Staplecross, please try and pop in to one that is close to you, perhaps near work, or the shops, or schools. By having a coffee or more, wherever you are, you’re doing something that will help make sure people affected by cancer, don’t have to face it alone.

Everyone knows that the children are back at school. Maybe it’s because the house is neat and tidy for longer~ or you can actually hear the radio as you go about your daily tasks that seem to get done that much quicker without their ‘help’. Well, the children at Staplecross Methodist Primary School are helping in other ways. They, along with the teachers, Staff and PTFA have been gathering ‘stuff’’ ready for their autumn Jumble Sale. This will be held in the Village Hall, Northiam Road, Staplecross on SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 28th and the doors will ‘open for business’ at 2.pm. Any donated jumble can be left at the village hall from 9am on the morning of the sale for sorting & selling. Please contact the school on 01580~830256 if you need stuff collected, or you need more information.

The church services for Ewhurst parish commence on SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22nd. Trinity 17 at St. James the Great, Ewhurst Green. 9.30am Holy Communion (BCP) and conducted by Reverend Gordon Winchester who will then move on to St. Mark church,in Northiam Road, Staplecross for the service commencing at 11.15am again Holy Communion (BCP). These services, as are the churches, are open and welcoming to everyone. Please feel free to contact Gordon if you wish to discuss any matter with him. You can get in touch with him on 01580~830268. He will be only to pleased to give you any assistance or comfort you may need. Avoid Wednesdays though,~ that’s his day off but if he’s out & about, he’ll return your call ASAP upon his return.

Don’t forget, if you are arranging any event and you’d like extra coverage of it, please contact me and I’ll broadcast it to everyone. As always, please send me your notices as soon as possible,~ it’s never too early,~ to allow for as much coverage as possible.

Related topics: