Staplecross

This (Friday) evening the Bowls Club will be holding a New Members night at 6pm. This is an opportunity for new and prospective members to go along to the Club in Northiam Road, Staplecross. There is a good supply of woods for you to try out.

The church is holding a fundraising event of a Spring Fayre on Saturday May 4 at the Cross Inn garden in Staplecross. Donations and offers of help to the Churchwardens please (Lizzie Stern and John Barnes).A specific request is for the plant stall. Any gardeners who have surplus plants and is willing to donate them to the plant stall would be most welcome. Items for the tombola stall are also being sought. As well as a plant stall, there will be cakes for sale as well as a raffle. Your help is needed to support both our churches St Mark’s in Staplecross and St James in Ewhurst Green as like any property they need maintenance.

There will be another fundraising event on Saturday June 8 when “Preachers” reputed to be the oldest house in the parish will be opening its gates for viewers to see its attractive gardens. They will be open between 10.30am and 4.30pm when coffees teas and lunches will be available in the garden.

The Bonfire Society is changing its evening meeting day to Mondays, so members and all those wishing to join this enthusiastic band should note that the next meeting is at 8pm at The Cross Inn on Monday May 13. When it is not a Bank Holiday it will be the first Monday of the month.

There is to be a Beetle Drive at the village hall on Saturday May 11 at 7pm, organised by the Bonfire Society. This is always a popular and well attended event for grown-ups and children, at a bargain price of £2 adults, £1 children. Food will be on offer in the form of shepherd’s pie and peas. Should you want more details, Marion Brown on 01580-765764 is the contact number.

A Table Sale is planned for Saturday June 1 in the village hall. Now is an opportunity to sort out all those “come in handy” items you think you might use, have a table (£8 per 4ft table) and anyone with crafts or likes baking could also make some pin money. Setting up time for tables is 8.30am, with doors open from 10am to 2pm. Booking to Hilary on 01580-830704.

Last week it was the Garden Society’s Spring Show. It had been feared in recent weeks that there would be no spring flowers to show, but a few sunny days yielded miracles and the village hall was transformed with yellow, from the tiniest blooms to the big trumpets.

Mrs Janet Bryant was the guest speaker and was a fund of knowledge on “Tubs and Containers”, showing colourful slides of her own and other garden tubs. Members were fascinated by the recycling of a car wheel and tyre, which was transformed into a flower container!

The Show Results were:

Arrangement of spring flowers: 1. Pam Dance. 2. Ruth Close.

Arrangement of spring flowers (novice): M. Falcon.

Cut flowers from exhibitor’s garden: 1. Pam Underhill. 2. Jennie Lynam. 3 Pam Dance.

Specimen spray of shrub: 1. June Simmons. 2. Jennie Lynam. 3. Pam Dance.

Flowering pot plant: Pam Underhill.

Orchid pot plant: Richard Biggs.

Foliage pot plant: 1. Pam Dance. 2. Pam Underhill. 3. Fiona Wouters.

Vase of three tulips. 1. Pam Underhill. 2. Jennie Lynam.

Vase of three single-flowered daffodils/narcissus. 1. Pam Underhill. 2. Ella Wood. 3. Anne Moore-Bick.

Vase of three double-flowered daffodils/narcissus: 1. Pam Dance. 2. Pam Underhill.

Vase of three miniature daffodils/narcissus: 1. Doreen Beeden. 2. Richard Biggs. 3. Anne Moore-Bick.

Vase of three multi-headed daffodils/narcissus: Pam Underhill.

There were no prizes in this show, but points awarded will count towards the Hughes Silver Challenge Cup, the Hurley Challenge Cup and the Parva Cup. Pam Underhill scored 19 points and Pam Dance 11.