Westfield

Services at St John’s Church, Westfield on Sunday, December 8 are Holy Communion (BCP) at 8am and All Age Worship with Holy Communion at 9.30am. As usual, there will be Holy Communion at 9.30am on Wednesday.

Westfield Church will be open each evening from Saturday, December 14 until Christmas Day for visitors to admire the display of decorated Christmas trees from village organisations. The theme is ‘A Christmas Carol’, and donations in aid of St. Michael’s Hospice will be added to those collected from the Christmas lights. Hot drinks will be available.

Everyone is welcome to the traditional service of lessons and carols by candlelight at the church next Sunday, December 15 at 6pm.

The Friends of Westfield Church would like to thank everyone who supported the Christmas Fayre last Saturday. It was a busy and happy afternoon which raised the record sum of £626, which will be put to good use in helping to maintain the fabric of the church.

Westfield School holds its Christmas Fayre today from 3.30pm in the Community Hall, with festive fun and games and a visit from Santa.

The famous Westfield Christmas Lights are due to be switched on this evening at 6pm. Around twenty houses and gardens, mainly in Churchfield and Church Lane, will be decorated with lights and Christmas scenes, and residents will be collecting donations to St. Michael’s Hospice, so please be generous. This is the ninth year that the Westfield residents have supported the Hospice in this way; they raised an amazing £5,562 in 2012! The lights stay on until January 5.

There will be a Table Sale in the Community Hall tomorrow, Saturday December 7, from 2pm. Tables at £3 can still be booked from Heidi 07977 802826 or Lisa 07989 025037.

Please support the ‘Carols Sing-a-long’ with Richard and Graham at ‘The Plough’ on Wednesday, December 11 at 7pm, with a raffle for local charity.

The Westfield Community Association carols around the village Christmas tree will be next Friday, December 13, at 7pm. Local musicians will be providing the music for community carols, and there will be hot soup afterwards.

Visit the village website www.westfieldvillage.co.uk for information about village organisations, events, Westfield Community Association, the Parish Council, and all sorts of useful links. Remember this is YOUR website, set up to serve the village community, and your contributions, news and views are needed.

The Friendship Club who meet in the Parish Hall from 2pm. to 3.30pm have their Autumn date December 9th which will be our Christmas party. They would be pleased to see new members who will be given a very warm welcome.

Community Speed Watch volunteers for Westfield. Information from Sussex Police invites villages to set up groups of volunteers to carry out this worthwhile speed check. I am sure you will all agree that some motorists travel far too fast through our village and we need to do something to help change their behaviour. Villages that have already taken part in a speed watch initiative report that there has been a noticeable reduction in speeding. Initially, I am looking for expressions of interest, volunteers need to have some free time to participate in initial training by the police and then become part of a group of ideally 10 who would operate the equipment on a rota basis. Unfortunately, if there is insufficient interest it will not be cost effective for the police to deliver training. To find out more See http://www.westfieldvillage.co.uk/node/4527

If you can help Westfield Football Club in any way please contact the club. They are presently putting things in place to ensure both local football opportunities at all levels & for all ages with the 1st team playing in Senior Football. Therefore if you would like to offer one off or ongoing support, both on & off the pitch, before during or after games please get in touch with the Secretary on [email protected]

The Youth Club offers a great time. It runs on Wednesdays from 6.30-8pm. You need to be a member, so contact Dan 07899917952 to register.

St Michael’s Hospice Neighbours has a campaign in the village. This scheme is looking for people to volunteer their time by giving a few hours a week, fortnight or month on a day and time that suits them, within their local area, to help with everyday tasks such as putting out the washing, walking the dog, cooking and daily chores – or just chatting over a cuppa. The first Westfield volunteers are being trained, but more are needed. Please contact Jane Cave on 01424 445177 ext. 6012, or email [email protected] if you think you can help.

The F3 women’s group meets on a regular basis in the village.

Christmas preparations. There will be a Carols Sing-a-long with Richard and Graham at ‘The Plough’ on Wednesday, December 11 at 7pm, with a raffle for local charity.

The WCA Carols around the tree will be on Friday 13 December at 7pm, and musicians, particularly wind instrument players, are needed to play for this; please ring Janice on 01424 753684 if you can help.

Westfield Beavers are now full & taking names for a waiting list.

Westfield Women’s Institute meets on Tuesdays, ring 01424 754013 for more information.

Supermarkets vouchers for Westfield School can be dropped into the new look “Westfield News & Village Store” where Richard & Dan will happily collect them from you.

The Westfield HUB meets at ‘The Plough’ on Fridays from 10am to 12noon. A warm and friendly welcome and a decent cup of tea/coffee are assured at the Hub every Friday morning between 10am and midday.’

Table sale in the Westfield Village Community Hall, 7th December - doors open 2pm.

Neighbourhood Watch – Coordinators are required to cover Churchfields, Cottage Lane, Main Road, New Cut & New Moorsite. For more information please contact our village PCSO Richard Perchard on 07796336862 or [email protected]

Early Notice of a party. Westfield 80s fancy dress disco at the Community Hall

7.30 till 12.30pm. Bring your own alcohol and nibbles. £5 per couple

£3.00 per person on 22nd February 2014. Ticket information to follow.

What would you like to see included in the village website? The Westfield village website team members are always looking for ways to improve this community website. Please help by completing our short feedback survey. The link is on the home page of www.westfieldvillage.co.uk

Friday 13th December: A Christmas Extravaganza with Geoff Hutchinson at 2.00 pm in Brede Village Hall. Geoff will give us a joyful start to the Xmas celebrations with his wit and charm – Just For Us. The charge for this occasion will be £6.50 pp including a spot of Christmas spirit with savouries, mince pies and mulled wine. If you would like to join us please book with Ros Adkins on 01797 253763; [email protected]

Forthcoming events in 2014

Thursday 16th January: Our first Talk of the new year is ‘Dante Gabriel Rossetti - his Art and Poetry’ presented by Nick Shaddick a local art and design historian.

All Talks will be at Brede Village Hall commencing at 2.00 pm. The entrance fee of £2 (members) and £3 (non-members) includes refreshments after the talk.

Rye & District Lions – inc Westfield. Ambrette Rewarded for Bravery. At the Annual Rye Raft Race in August, organised by Rye & District Lions, the crew from The Ambrette Restaurants, Rye and Margate, raised the most of any raft in sponsorship money. Their chosen charity was the RNLI and the total sponsorship raised was over £700. Sue Clay, President of Rye Lions presented them with the silver trophy for the team that raised the most sponsorship at the Rye restaurant. The Lions were so impressed with the fortitude and bravery of the Ambrette crew that they decided a special award of another trophy was warranted. The additional large silver salver presented to them is engraved with the message “Rye & District Lions Club Raft Race Special Award 2013.To the Crew of four from the Ambrette Restaurant at Rye. Despite capsizing four times, they finished and raised the highest sponsorship for the RNLI”. Most of this capsizing was due to ramming from larger rafts with many more crew. Some of the Ambrette crew were from their other restaurant in Margate. Last Sunday, eighty-four Lions, partners and guests celebrated Rye Lions 37th Charter Lunch at the Brickwall Hotel, Sedlescombe. This is their “birthday party” marking the date on which the Club was formed 37 years ago. Guests included the President of Rye and Winchelsea Rotary Club, Colin Baker, and the Lions South East District Governor, Mike Parker. In proposing a toast to the Lions, Rye’s President, Sue Clay, said that they had experienced one of their most successful years and had raised a total of £14,000 and donated £15,000, much of which went to local good causes. The Raft Race alone raised £8,000. In responding to the toast, Mike Parker, praised Rye Lions on what they have achieved over the last year and earlier and hoped the Club would continue to attract more new members.

Rye Lions next fund-raising event will be their Christmas collections outside Jempsons, Peasmarsh and Jempsons Budgens at both Rye and Hawkhurst.

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