Heathfield, Punnetts Town, Broad Oak

CHURCH SERVICES: Sunday, 9am Holy Communion (sung service) at All Saints' Church led by Rev Mitch and Christo Corfield preaching. Toy service, with donations going to Family Support Work. 10.30am Holy Communion at St Richard's Church led by Rev Mitch. Includes a presentation by the founders of IBBA School (South Sudan). 3pm Sunday@3, at St George's Church. Different time during the winter months. Led by Rev Mitch.

CONCERT: Friends of All Saints Church and Heathfield Choral Society present Wassail. Christmas music and extracts from Vivaldi’s Gloria, 7pm Saturday December 8 at All Saints Church, Old Heathfield. Tickets £8, under 16s £4, available from Gemini Cards, High Street, Heathfield; Heathfield Choral Society; www.wegottickets.com or phone 01435 863784.

FOOD BANK: Items are urgently needed. They have plenty of beans and soups but other supplies are very low. If you are able to donate an extra item, it will be gratefully received. There are boxes for donations every Sunday in all three churches.

HISTORY SOCIETY: For this, the last meeting of the year, the members were visited by a famous person from their own pasts. It was Bob Newhart the American accountant turned comedian famous for the deadpan delivery of his monologues and fondly remembered by those who had first enjoyed listening to them in the 1970’s. It was Joe Mendell who brought them back to life for us in an evening of nostalgia and laughter. Who could forget Sir Walter Raleigh’s phone call from America describing tobacco and coffee to a somewhat sceptical Englishman back home or the nervous passenger en route to Hawaii in the very budget line airplane or the advanced driving training instructions for bus drivers or perhaps most famous of all Mrs. Webb’s driving lesson? We do not meet again now until the New Year so this was an excellent way to put us in the mood for the festive season. Best wishes to all of you who read this from the members of the history society and why not join us in 2019.