Winchelsea Village Voice

Winter miscellany is the subject and members are invited to bring and read poetry or prose on a winter theme of their choice.

n Tomorrow morning (18th February) there will be a gathering at the Methodist Chapel to welcome the Rev. Peggy Heim who will be talking on ‘Women Preachers in early Methodism’. Both men and women are, of course, welcome to attend and coffee will be served from 10 am for a 10.30 am start.

n Also tomorrow, the Friends of the Ancient Monuments will be holding their Annual General Meeting in the Court Hall. This will begin at 10am.

nSt Thomas’ Church has three services this Sunday 19th February. The first is the Holy Eucharist at 8 am which is followed by the Parish Eucharist at 10.30 am. Then at 4 pm there will be an Evening Prayer at the Church.

n Don’t forget to buy lemons and Maple Syrup for your pancakes on Shrove Tuesday 21st February. You will also need eggs, flour, milk and sugar and a light weight frying pan to get a good flip when tossing the pancakes.

As it is a Leap Year be careful that they don’t leap out of the pan! The next day is the start of Lent which is usually a time to give up something you like as well as to re-evaluate your Christian faith.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday (22nd February) and there will be two Eucharists at St Thomas’ Church; the first at 9.30 am and then 6 pm. Lent boxes will as usual be available at the Church and this year the proceeds will support the Rye, Winchelsea and District Memorial Hospital.

As is customary there will be the Stations of the Cross worship each Friday over the Lent period from 12 noon, to be followed by Lent Lunches. The money raised from these Lunches will also go towards the Hospital.

n There will be a visit to Castle Street from the Mobile Library on Wednesday 22nd February. This will be at the usual time of 1.40 to 2.10 pm.

n The Rye, Winchelsea and District Association of the National Trust has organised a walk to take place on Tuesday 21st February.

This month it will be meeting at Wittersham Church for a circular 3.5 or 7 mile walk and lunch will be at the Swan Inn (Wittersham). If you wish to take part in the walk please confirm at least 24hrs before by email: [email protected] or phone: 01797 260637.

n Icklesham Parish Council held its full council meeting at the New Hall last Monday. The items on the agenda concerned the approval of a donation of £100 to Winchelsea Archaeological Society.

This was for its help in carrying out an archaeological watching brief as the new post and rail fence in Jubilee Field was installed and providing a written report of its findings; as is required by English Heritage and Rother District Council.

A second point of significance was the request to Rother District Council for a road closure order in Winchelsea to celebrate the Queen’s diamond Jubilee on Saturday 2nd June (2012) from 2pm to 11pm.

This will be at German Street, Hiham Gardens and High Street (from Hiham Gardens to the junction with St Thomas’ Street) and IPC will be asked to support the road closure.

Matters for future agendas that may be of interest to local residents will include:

Housing Needs and Affordable Housing; Quality Council; Duties and responsibilities of councillors and staff; Skills audit of councillors to help direct skills to Council activities; Security and parking at Pear Tree Marsh Allotments and Policy for contributions towards publications and websites.

Cindi Cogswell

31, High Fords

Icklesham