Udimore village voice

Last Saturday’s Table Sale in St Mary’s Community Hall attracted some 40 customers. From the proceeds of entry tickets and coffee and tea, and the hire of tables, the sale made a net profit of some £120 for Hall funds. The Hall Management Committee is very grateful to Carol McCall for all her work in organizing this event.

Next Thursday evening, April 26, in the Hall, the AGM of the Friends of St Mary’s Church at 6.45pm will be followed at 7.30pm by the Annual Meeting of the Parochial Church Council. Everyone in the parish will be welcome at these meetings.

The Overseas Missionary Group’s Spring Lunch in the Hall at 12.30pm on Thursday May 10 will be very good value at £10 a ticket. There will also be a raffle, and a talk about the work of the Papua New Guinea Church Partnership. Tickets are available from Liz Turgoose (01424 882657) or Julie Edwards (01424 882222).

For the next few weeks I shall be taking part in the British Trust for Ornithology’s national survey of nightingales, a migratory species currently in steady decline over much of its range. The Trust hopes that the results of this survey may make it possible to reduce (or even reverse) this decline by better management of the woodlands where most nightingales nest. If you hear any nightingales singing between now and early June (when the survey ends) I should be extremely grateful if you would let me know (01797 223055).

Richard Holmes, Beauchamps