Telscombe

FITNESS PILATES: Every Monday morning and Thursday evening at the Civic Centre. Get fit, tone up, prevent back pain, improve flexibility and posture. Equipment provided, just bring some water. Only £6 per class or £40 for eight weeks. Contact Jennie Palmer email: [email protected] phone: 07825 702775.

FLOWER CLUB: Peacehaven and Telscombe Flower Club meet on the third Wednesday of each month, 2pm for 2.30pm start at the Civic Centre. with floral demonstrations. Chairman: 01273 586191, treasurer: 01273 581341.

YOGA: Every Monday from 7.15pm to 8.15pm in the Civic Centre. Contact Jane email: [email protected] phone: 07703 167895.

DANCEC CLASS: Little Stars Pre-School Dance Class for pre-school children aged 2 to 4 years every Tuesday from 9am to 9.30am in the Civic Centre. £3.50 per session. Contact Anneli Smith on 07930 490058.

SUPPORT GROUP: Stroke Association Support Group meets on the first and third Thursday of each month from 2pm to 3.30pm in the Civic Centre. Come along to your local stroke group and meet other people who have been affected by stroke. Website: stroke.org.uk. Stroke Helpline: 303 303 3100.

COUNCIL MEETING: Annual Town Meeting on Wednesday April 18 at 7.30pm in the Civic Centre. Meeting for town electors.

FOOTNOTES: Fear is a terrible thing. Fear of the unknown even worse. A friend called me to explain he had been coerced into taking a part in his wife’s amateur dramatic production and with the opening night looming, he was terrified. ‘How an earth did you manage to do this for all of your life’? he asked. I did gently point out that the amateur stage was a different animal entirely from the professional one, and then asked him what the problem was. He was just frightened of appearing in public, forgetting his lines, entrances etc., I repeated Guilguids’s words to myself many years ago .’Blow your nose, and check your flies’. After a few similar pieces of advice, I wished him luck and rang off. I reflected how lucky I had been to discover at twelve, that only on a stage in front of an audience did I feel totally at home and relaxed. But I did understand how he felt and remembered, when in repertory on the South Coast in my twenties, performing in a ‘who dunnit’, the equally young actor playing the Inspector, who did not appear until the third act and had the opening line, ‘I am Inspector Grant and you must be Mrs. Bellamy the cook’ addressed to the actress who opens the door to him. On the first night and in a frenzy of nerves, as the door was flung open, he stepped onto the stage and said, ‘I am Mrs Bellamy the cook and you must be Inspector Grant.’ The curtain came down to roars of laughter, including the remainder of the cast, who had fought and lost the attempts to keep straight faces. The sun is shining, the garden is looking good. Have a great week and go safely wherever your life takes you.