Catsfield Village Voice

HARVEST SUPPER

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances the Harvest Supper in the Village Hall on Saturday 26th September at 7pm has had to be cancelled.

CADS

Vanessa writes – It’s pantomime time!  We are looking to bolster the team ready to put on the next production.  So if you can’t act, can’t sing and definitely can’t dance, you are definitely what we’re looking for – we want you!  Or even if you would only like to be involved back-stage, there is plenty to do and we will welcome you with open arms.  We are a very small team that we need to boost.  CADS need YOU!  Email Vanessa at vanessa [email protected].

CATSFIELD COMMUNITY GARDENERS

Catsfield Community Gardeners, previously known as Catsfield Horticultural Society were thrilled to see so many people attend the coffee morning in the village hall on Saturday and to hear the positive views, suggestions and offers of help to make our village more colourful and creative on the gardening front. It was a most enjoyable event with a wide selection of delicious cakes to have with tea or coffee, all free as was the entry and tickets were sold for the raffle.  Our committee will be looking at all the ideas and hope to move forward accordingly. We still need more volunteers for the positions of secretary and treasurer please, these are no longer such arduous tasks in this new and pared down society.  Anyone who was unable to make Saturday but would like an input or to volunteer please write suggestions and contact details and pop them through the door of 19 Church Road, Catsfield.

CATSFIELD WI

The September meeting in the Village Hall was well attended and was our ’At Home’ meeting when we provide our own entertainment.  First, we sang ‘Jerusalem’ as usual but sadly an ‘a cappella’ version since the banishment of the old upright piano played by David who has accompanied us for many years. The usual business matters were carried out and Janet the treasurer said that the Fete Committee had awarded the WI a donation of £200 from the profits for making and serving the teas and cakes on the day.

Then came the opportunity for new and old members to introduce themselves and tell us about their former employment. Committee member Janis was the first to regale us with her stories of her time as an Air Hostess, of the countries she had visited and the famous passengers she had met.  The next speaker was another Committee member, Gail who talked about her training in various departments of Fortnum and Mason, also meeting famous clients and once having to deliver coffee and sugar for Prince Phillip (whom she didn’t meet) to Buckingham Palace.  Judith, who is a clarinet player and teacher, trained at the Royal Academy and then later became a school teacher, some of which she hated. She eventually did supply teaching for many years at a country school which she found totally different from working in London. 

 Chris who worked at Barclays Securities dealing mainly with African countries before joining the TSB in a managerial role travelling all over the country. Christine talked about her career in nursing at the old RESH before starting a family, Hester told of working at the Dept of Trade & Industry, starting as a shorthand typist and later dealing with trade agreements between various countries. Beverley who has lived in Frickley Hollow for most of her life, married a Catsfield man, has raised three daughters there and is an avid gardener. Linda who was also a nurse and worked in all the local hospitals but having her family was the most important job. Frances who had told us previously about her teaching career, said how following her recent big birthday, she flew to America to meet her great granddaughter and was treated to champagne on the flight over.

Alison who was also an Air Hostess and once was told by the captain that they were leaving immediately without an important passenger whom he had just been told was guilty of gun-running.  She met Janis when they both worked as cabin crew for BA and were eventually made redundant because of the Covid Pandemic and she has since become a magistrate. Nicola who lives in Netherfield was next to speak and said that following a career in IBM and moving to Sussex, she decided to do some volunteering and now gives hand-care treatment to patients at the Conquest hospital and trains new volunteers. She also became Parish Administrator at Netherfield church and joined the Lib Dem party following Brexit.  She was elected last year to become the local Lib Dem District Counsellor, recently ‘found’ Catsfield WI where she received the warmest welcome and loves being a member. Janet followed, she had spoken before about her earlier employment and this time she talked about being a film extra at the Boreham Wood film studios, meeting famous people and being an extra in many well-known films.  She finished in the 1980’s and moved to Sussex. Jane was the last to speak about her career once her children were older, working at her local hospital as a receptionist in the fracture clinic and later in the diabetic clinic before they moved to Catsfield.

It was an extremely interesting afternoon and an opportunity to learn more about our fellow members. A superb WI tea had been prepared by Val and Frances and was very welcome.  The raffle was drawn and we all went home after a most pleasant couple of hours.  The next meeting will be on Thursday 1st October at 2pm when the speaker will be Melinda Stone, who has talked to us before about Herstmonceux Castle, next time telling us about ‘Women’s Daily Lives in the 17th Century’ which promises to be very interesting. New members and visitors are always welcome.

JAN WRITES

In a recent Village Voice Ann wrote about the heavy horses (as she has again today) that were once the heartbeat of farming before tractors took over.  As a child in Sedlescombe, we lived next door to Luff’s Farm where Mr Farrow and his family resided.  They had kept a pair of heavy horses called Punch and Judy who were such gentle giants that we children could ride on them with no fear.  It was a very hard slog to farm in those days, many local men were employed and quite often they were provided with ‘tied’ cottages. We lived in such a cottage in Whatlington when my dad was cowman at Leeford Farm.

SPORT from Ann

It was quite a shock when I arrived an hour late at the Playing Field for one of the last home cricket matches to find our Club's mainstay Keith Cook being attended to on the field by his two daughters Barbara and Katherine and play stopped.  Apparently, a throw back to the bowler had hit Keith on the back of his head.  We thought we had managed to survive this season without any injuries, but sadly this wasn't the case.  A short period with an ice pack and a quiet sit down sufficed before the lure of being back in the action as our umpire saw him rejoin the field.  We were playing Beckley who could only muster 9 players, but since a rallying cry had gone out in the week, we were flushed with players and managed to help Beckley out in the field.  Some great batting by us resulted in 175 at tea with Charlie Ferguson retiring on 54.  Mention must be made of evergreen Russell Cole's 10 runs unbeaten, also to our two lady players Grace and Beth who made tremendous contributions.  A splendid tea was provided by Sally Taylor and other family members, as we sat around on a lovely autumnal day.  Beckley batted and were all out for 115, thanks to some clever bowling by David Taylor and Charlie Ferguson, made man of the match.  The Playing Field looked lovely showing some signs of the grass recovering the drought, but on close inspection there were plenty of dirt patches, especially on the football pitch which will take a much longer time to recover.  You will notice the mention of the Taylor family, and it is so nice to have one of the old village families represented in our team, along with the very welcome newcomers.

FARMNG (from Ann)

I wondered some time ago whether there would be a Ploughing Match this year and I'm pleased to say there will on Saturday 26th September at Warbleton.  Our local farmers are waiting to start sowing hoping for more moisture when they will make up their mind whether to plough or cultivate, an increasing debate as they wrestle with the lack of rain.  Many readers are interested in the rams on my field, and I can tell you they are beginning to charge each other and the noise of their heads crashing into each other, is not pleasant.  They are getting ready to do what they do best, but it's still too early and the lack of grazing means I will keep them a bit longer.  Over the road is a small herd of Sussex Red cattle constantly flicking their long white tipped tails to swish away the flies.  In the meantime, the hornbeams are beginning to turn golden and I've got mushrooms growing in the garden.  Autumn is on its way.