Winchelsea

Tomorrow (Saturday) is the annual Christmas Fair, open from 10 am to 12.30 pm in the New Hall and you are invited to come and have fun. The range of stalls includes pottery, jewellery, handicrafts, homemade produce, plants, paintings and more for sale. Also there is a fantastic raffle and tombola, plus coffee, tea and hot mince pies. Admission is only 50p and all proceeds are in aid of the New Hall Refurbishments.

The Mayor and Winchelsea Corporation, in association with the National Trust, invite all to the Town’s tree planting ceremony, near the New Hall and alongside the Cricket Field at noon tomorrow, following the Christmas Fair. Building upon the extensive Jubilee celebrations in Winchelsea this summer they are delighted that the Queen’s Lord Lieutenant for East Sussex, Mr Peter Field, will honour the townsfolk at the Tree Planting Ceremony.  Mr Field will plant a Field Maple in commemoration of 60 years of Her Majesty’s accession to the throne.  He will also use the special spade first used by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother when in 1988 she planted a commemorative chestnut tree in the churchyard celebrating the town’s 700th anniversary of its founding.

The congregation of St Thomas’ Church was pleased to welcome the new Bishop of Chichester Dr Martin Warner at the morning service last Sunday. During the service Bishop Martin reassured the Church that the appointment of a new Rector for Winchelsea was in the process of being completed and it was hoped there would be results within the year. On Sunday 25th November the Rev’d Teresa Munro will be preaching at the 10.30 am morning worship in St Thomas’ Church. This is history in the making as she will be the first woman to do so in the 700 year history of the church. All are invited to come and support the Rev’d Teresa and listen to what she has to say on this significant occasion.

The Mobile Library will be stationed in Castle Street on Wednesday 28th November, as usual from 1.40 to 2.10 pm.

Winchelsea Garden Society looks forward very much to seeing you in the Court Hall at 7.30 pm on Thursday night, 29th November for their Gardener’s Question Time.  This is a new departure for them and it would be nice if it could be well-supported.  It should be a light-hearted evening with plenty of laughter as well a good lot of garden advice.  The evening will kick off with a glass of wine and the hall temperature should be warm as various groups will have been using it throughout the day. You will be able to ask your questions in person, but if you’d like to write them on a piece of paper for the chairman to read out, that would be fine too. (You can be anonymous if you want).  The team would be grateful for a few questions in advance so, if you could email a question to Howard Norton or alias Eric Robson (as in BBC’s Gardeners Question Time) in the next three days, he’d be most grateful. Also if you have an ailing plant and you need a diagnosis, please bring it along or a bit of it, unless it’s just too big if only for a laugh!

Sussex Brass will be leading a concert of Traditional Carols in St Thomas’ Church, arranged by the Bonfire Boyes. You are welcome to come along to the concert which begins at 7 pm on Saturday 1st December.

The Travelling Crib will begin its travels around the town on the on Advent Sunday 2nd December. If you are able to host the little nativity figures of Mary and Joseph for a night and then carry them on to the next host please write your name on the list provided at the back of the Church. Ideally 24 hosts are needed but last year it worked fine with 18. Also starting on Advent Sunday is the Prayer Partner Scheme and there are forms to complete at the back of the Church by 1st December if you would like to participate. It is a secret activity whereby the identity of your prayer partner is not revealed until the next Advent in 2013.

An after Christmas delight this year is the performance of the Wind in the Willows which will be held on Friday 28th December at 4.30 pm in St Thomas’ Church. The show which is adapted and directed by James Reynard will be presented by the Rain or Shine Theatre Company who regularly put on shows in Winchelsea during the summer. Tickets can now be bought by contacting 01797 224446 or [email protected] and the cost per person is £9 adult and £4 child (6-15 yrs) with proceeds in aid of the Winchelsea Bonfire Boyes.

Winchelsea Beach

The morning worship at St Richard’s Church this Sunday 25th November begins at 9.15 am and will be led by Canon Richard Orchard.

The date of the next meeting for Icklesham Parish Council is confirmed as Monday 26th

November and the venue is Icklesham Memorial Hall, commencing at 6.15 pm.

On Wednesday 28th November there will be a visit from the Mobile Library to Sea Road, as from 11.55 am to 12.30 pm.

Don’t forget that the next Fellowship Lunch is on Friday 30th November at 12 for 12.30 pm in the Community Hall. Booking is essential and if you would like to attend please contact 01797 227168 by Monday at the latest.