Westfield

Sad information: News has arrived on the passing of Mary Finch who was the wife of Michael Finch, the former vicar of Westfield Church for many years during the mid 1960’s to the 1980’s. Both she and Michael were great stalwarts of village life, having raised a family here in Westfield before moving on to Laughton, finally retiring to East Anglia.

The “new” New Inn: Have announced the opening of their garden, which now gives you the opportunity of eating outside, in the conservatory or in the pub. For bookings & further information telephone Patrick on 01424 752800. The regular coffee mornings have commenced on Wednesdays from 9.30 onwards. Just give Patrick a call to find out more.

New PCSO: We are fortunate as a village community to have been taken under the wing of a new and enthusiastic Police Community Support Officer, Demetrius Georghiou. With a view to being a prominent and approachable figure in our village, Deme is keen to introduce himself to village residents, parents and guardians and would be happy to say hello whilst on his rounds.

Westfield Lane/ Church Lane: (A28) is closed overnight for roadworks from its junction with Maplehurst Road to the junction with Vicarage Lane. This is due to start on 13 April from 7.30pm to 6am for 15 nights until 1 May.

Westfield Youth Club: is running a quiz night tomorrow April 18 in Westfield Parish Hall. There are limited numbers of tables left for up to 8 people, so make sure you book quickly. The fun starts at 7pm for 7.30, and admission is £5 per person to include a hot meal. Call Min Stratford 07952 995743 to book.

Westfield Women’s Institute: meets in the Parish Hall at 2.15pm on Tuesday 21 April, when Sharon Lynn will be talking about Medical Detection Dogs and their role in saving lives on a daily basis. Note that this is a week later than usual second Tuesday due to a Rother Group WI centenary event on April 14, when many members will enjoy lunch at Leeford Place followed by entertainment from a magician. New members are always welcome; just turn up, or for more information contact the President, Mrs Julie Lloyd, on 01424 754013.

The result of the East Sussex: review of bus services has now been published. The changes for Westfield are better than feared, but from April 26 there are important alterations.

Service 340/341 (Hastings –Tenterden) will be replaced by a new hourly Stagecoach Service 2 to/from Ashford, with no more afternoon gaps at Tenterden. The new route from Westfield to Hastings will go directly to the Conquest Hospital, then to Hastings Station via Elphinstone Road and Queens Road. This means it will NOT call at Sainsbury’s or Silverhill.

The new bus times from Westfield to Hastings will be 07:11, 08:11, 09:36, 10:21 and then mostly hourly from11:46. Buses from Hastings will leave at 09:00, 10:10, 11:10, and then mostly at 20 minutes past the hour.

From Hastings our buses will no longer continue as Service 344 to Rye via Fairlight. Instead the Hastings to Rye part of the 344 will be replaced by a new Service 101 from the Conquest Hospital, which will continue to Dover.

Service 342 (Hastings-Broad Oak-Rye) will continue as a separate route operated jointly by Rambler and Renown, but with timings to suit school pupils. The mid-afternoon services will be removed.

Connections at Broad Oak with the Rye Town Service 326 will be lost due to the retiming of Service 2.

The Friendship Club: continues to meet alternate Mondays from 2-3.30pm in the Parish Hall. Whist and bingo are enjoyed by members, with a chat over tea and biscuits. The subscription is just £5 per year, and new members will be made very welcome. For further information please contact Jean Hobson on 753095. The next meetings are on April 27.

Westfield Scout Group: is celebrating its centenary in May. The Group has an excellent reputation with all that it offers to Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, but sadly in this special year the future of the group is uncertain as new leaders are urgently needed when work commitments force the retirement of two leaders in July. If you can help, even on an occasional basis, please contact Frances 01424 754548 or Rose 01424 754080 for more information.

Westfield Community Hub: Meets at the Plough on Friday mornings from 10am-12 noon. For further information www.westfield-hub.co.uk

Westfield School Governor: A number of vacancies have recently arisen within the Governing Body, including a Parent Governor role and newly created ‘Co-Opted’ roles. Governors play a critical role in keeping the governing body aware of the views of parents and the local community. Serving as part of a team and an enthusiasm for the work of the school is paramount to a successful governing body. If you are interested and/or want more information you might find it useful to talk to our Chair of Governors, Bruce Miller. Please contact Bruce via the school office on 01424 751404. If you wish to stand for election, please obtain a nomination form from the school office.

Westfield Newsagent: is now a collection point for myHermes parcels. This is very useful for sending and collecting parcels. Please pop in for more information. They are also collecting the supermarket vouchers on behalf of the village school, just drop them in.

Pass and Move: runs football coaching sessions every Saturday at St Leonard’s Academy from 9-10.30am (£3.50) or 9-11.30am (£5) and in Westfield during the week & over school holidays. For information please email Duncan on [email protected], or call Tony on 07545 813545, visit Facebook:/PassMoveBattle or see the website, pass-move.com.

Westfield Football Club: is still seeking volunteers to help provide local football opportunities at all levels and ages. If you can offer occasional or ongoing support, on or off the pitch, please contact the club secretary [email protected].

The village website: www.westfieldvillage.co.uk has all sorts of information about village organisations, events, Westfield Community Association and the Parish Council. This is your website, set up to serve the village community, and your contributions, news and views are needed.

Westfield Community Hub: Meets at the Plough on Friday mornings from 10 – 12. For further information www.westfield-hub.co.uk

The next meeting of the Rye and District Association: On Thursday April 30 there is a visit to Alan Bennett’s ‘The History Boys’ at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley. Contact Ros Adkins on 01797 253763 for booking information.

To send information: for the Westfield Village Voice please email [email protected]

George Sunderland

Heathlands