Winchelsea

This evening (Friday) don’t forget that the Literary Society meets in the Lower Court hall at 7 for 7.30pm and non-members are invited. The talk concerns the inspiring poet and playwright Robert Browning and is given by John Davison, with light refreshments during the event.

A Coffee Morning in aid of Family Support Work takes place tomorrow October 19th from 10.30am till 12 in Icklesham Memorial Hall. FSW which works with families across East and West Sussex is one of the charities that St Thomas’ Church regularly supports. On September 29th FSW was the Church’s charity of the month and the helpful sum of £192.46 was raised from donations to the collection.

The remarkable French singer Flossie Malavialle will be presenting an evening of popular songs by Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel and will be accompanied by Paul Donnelly an Simon Keegan-Phipps. This will be tomorrow October 19th at 7 for 7.30pm in St Thomas’ Church. The tickets are £12 each and can be purchased online from www.wegottickets/winchelsea (booking fee applies) or from Grammar School Records in Rye High Street, with proceeds in support of the Bonfire Boyes.

Winchelsea Archaeological Society has arranged a talk by Professor Michael Hicks from the University of Winchester, on the subject of Richard III. The talk will be held next Saturday October 26th at 3pm in St Thomas’ Church and the cost is £4 p.p. but free for members and under 16s. Richard III ‘England’s most controversial king’ usurped the throne from Edward V who disappeared with his younger brother, hence giving rise to the legend of the princes in the tower. Richard ruled England from 1483-85 and was killed in the Battle of Bosworth Field. It was just last summer that his grave was discovered under a parking lot in Leicester.

If you are ready for a: What? Where? Why? When? Quiz Night then come along next Saturday October 26th. Where? To the New Hall. When? At 7.30pm. The Quiz is on behalf of the Rye & District Sea Cadets and entry cost is £7.50 which includes light refreshments. During the evening wine and soft drinks will also be available. Please contact Richard Feast on 01797 222629 soon to make your reservations.

The second hand books at St Thomas’ Church have been selling very well but there is a need for new stock. If you have any hardback fiction or non-fiction books in good condition that you would be willing to part with Howard Norton would be pleased to hear from you (tel. 01797 226524). The proceeds will go towards church funds.

St Thomas’ Church Flower Festival, held last weekend, excelled in imaginative displays this year. The many clubs and societies revealed their versions of harvest not simply with superb arrays of fruit, vegetables, flowers and plant life but also as selected themes. Winchelsea Literary Society chose Indian Summer which featured a glittering sari in the centre of warm, colourful foliage and exotic fruit; lobster pots, nets, fish and a ship above the font was the ‘Harvest of the Sea’ arranged by Alice Kenyon and sponsored by The Ship Inn, Winchelsea Beach. A garden collection of autumnal reds and yellows were produced by St Thomas’ Primary School in the form of carrots and tomatoes in a basket, sunflowers, pumpkins and children’s wellington boots. This was given the praiseworthy title: ‘To thee oh God of harvest, we thankful will come’. In the corner of the St Nicholas Chapel the Gervase Alard Tomb had become the shrine of the Great War embellished with rifle, helmet and army coat draped over the last resting place. The scene was depicted in anticipation of the centenary in 2014 and was labelled: ‘An Evil Harvest, Just as the scythe had caught them there they lay, A sheaf for Death, ungarnered and untied’, from The Dead Soldiers by Max Plowman 1917. Other displays included a setting of humanised plants designed by St Thomas’ Junior Choir with the verse: ‘The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land’ Ezekiel 34:27 which is a prophecy for Israel. There were also pastoral settings described as: Harvest Hedgerow, Maturity and Ripeness, Harvest Still Life and the customary Harvest Wheel; in total twenty eight exhibits were on show. Throughout the day there were a good number of visitors and homemade cakes and tea were available with the proceeds in support of church maintenance.

Winchelsea Beach

This Saturday October 19th Rye Harbour Nature Reserve has organised a Camber Castle Exploration walk of 2 miles beginning at 1pm. You will get to explore the Castle, the birdwatching hide and the Castle Water wetland for early winter wildlife. Please meet at Brede Lock at 1 till 4pm and donations would be greatly appreciated.

An evening of Cash Bingo will be taking place on Wednesday October 23rd at 7 for 7.30pm in the Community Hall. As usual light refreshments at hand and bring your family and friends.

With only one week to go until the Fellowship Lunch you will need to book soon on 01797 227168 if you wish to attend. These Lunches are usually very popular and are held at 12 for 12.30pm in the Community Hall at the end of each month.