Winchelsea

Methodist talk: Don’t forget that Jo Kirkham Chairman of the Rye Castle Museum will be talking about how Rye Royale got its name at the Methodist Chapel tomorrow (Saturday). The doors are open at 10am when coffee will be served ready for the talk to begin at 10.30am and there is plenty of space for everyone so do come along.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Mar 2015, 23:00 BST

Mothering Sunday: This Sunday March 15th is Mothering Sunday and posies of spring flowers are traditionally handed out to all mums in the congregation during the service. If anyone is able to help make these posies please come along to the church on Saturday March 14th at 10.30am and bring some greenery plus small flowers if you have them. The Mothering Sunday Eucharist service starts at 10.30am in St Thomas’ Church and will be led by the Rector Canon Robin Whitehead.

Literary Society meets: A date for your diary is next Friday March 20th when the Literary Society is meeting to hear a talk by Professor Stephen Prickett on: The King James Bible as Literature. Stephen Prickett is a Professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Glasgow and Honorary Professor of English at the University of Kent. He has published many articles on Romanticism and theology amongst others and his most recent publication is: The Edinburgh Companion to the Bible and Arts (2014). Non-members are welcome to come and listen. Light refreshments will be at hand and doors open at 7 for 7.30pm at the Court Hall.

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Club quiz: This year’s Bowls Club Quiz will be held in the New Hall on Saturday March 21st at 6.30 for a 7pm start. If you are a table of six please book in advance via Peter Turner (01797 224617). The entry fee is £9 p.p. which includes two courses of refreshments. A vegetarian option is also offered which you will need to request when booking. During the evening wine and beer will be available.

Garden Society Outing: The Garden Society’s first outing of the year is on Wednesday April 15th, leaving the Town Sign at 9am and back by 6pm. Beginning with a tour of the Chelsea Physic Garden which is London’s oldest botanic garden with around 5000 different plants and an excellent café. The garden, located on Chelsea Embankment, was founded in 1673 for training apothecaries and contains rare species including natural medicines from around the world. After this tour there is a visit to the Royal Horticultural Society’s Great London Plant Fair in Westminster for the annual spring show. This is a stylish event where many leading nurseries show off their best plants. It is possible to buy plants and the refreshment facilities are very good. The theme of the show this year is English Gardens and there will be a display of innovative front gardens. As this outing is aimed at keen gardeners it will be subsidised out of Garden Society Funds but entry to the Plant Fair is free to RHS members and £5 if booked well in advance, so please contact Howard Norton (Chairman). Tickets are now on sale at The Farm Kitchen for £22 if you are an RHS member or £27 if you are not and cheques should be made out to ‘Winchelsea Garden Society’. Also the deadline for getting your ticket is Tuesday March 31st because of confirming numbers with the coach company and paying for the Chelsea Physic Garden tour.

Easter lilies: At Easter St Thomas’ Church has a special lily fund in memory of a loved one and a large lily arrangement is soon to be mounted on the steps to the altar. If you would like to give a lily to the display the minimum contribution is £3 and you will need to contact 223050 as soon as possible to make the arrangements.

Choir in the Church: St Thomas’ Church was the venue for the Cantate Choir and musicians of King’s College School, Wimbledon last Sunday afternoon. The conductor was Peter Hatch and the choir of twenty-six sixth formers gave a lively and competent performance which highlighted their versatile musical skills. Included in the repertoire were popular songs from The Lord of the Rings, Les Miserables and West Side Story, as well as ‘Let it Be’ by Lennon and McCartney and P. Mealor’s ‘I am the Gentle Light’. Daniel Phillips’ expertise provided the rhythmic accompaniment on the Grand Piano and the talented solo performers were flautist Mia Kunitsyna with her fascinating rendition of Flute Sonata in G Major; Noah Poulson who gave a spirited piano recital of Intermezzo in A major by Brahms; cellist Kai Konishi-Dukes, he strummed a dramatic movement from Schumann and Susannah Hardwick with strong operatic voice sang Lascia ch’lo pianga by Handel and Apres un reve by Faure. A large audience filled the pews and all proceeds from the concert were generously donated towards the maintenance of the church building. They gave an exciting performance and so congratulations to the musicians and a big thank you to all who helped behind the scenes and supported the event.

Winchelsea Beach

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Swift Conservation: Tomorrow (Saturday) as part of the Friends’ Winter Talks Series for the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve there will be a talk on Swift Conservation. Edward Mayer will be updating with the latest news on the protection of these remarkable birds that he describes as bringing spectacular action, drama and excitement to our town, city and village skies. Swifts can be seen speeding through the air screaming their heads off or swooping into crevices of buildings but they are on the amber list as numbers have declined. Please meet at the Community Hall for 2.30pm, donations are appreciated and the talk is open to all.

Quinquennial inspection: This year it is the turn of St Richard’s Church to undergo a detailed Quinquennial Inspection. The inspection will be carried out with a diocesan approved architect and be undertaken this month (March). St Richard’s Church was built in the 1960’s and has always been kept in a good state of repair. So far the recent electrical inspection went very well. If any health and safety work is required in the inspection report it will have to be prioritised and undertaken during the next five years.

Cindi Cogswell

31 Highfords, Icklesham