Upper and Lower Dicker Village News

THE DICKER RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION Meet and Greet event is taking place on Sunday 20 September in the Village Hall from 11am to 12 noon. Go along and join the Dicker Residents’ Association for a friendly get-together with fellow residents. Meet new neighbours, catch up with familiar faces, find out what is happening in and around the village. There will be tea and cake for a donation which will go to Macmillan Cancer Support. Everyone is welcome.

 BLUEBELL WALK AND BEATONS WOOD news as relayed by owner, John McCutchan MBE: Regarding the Wildflower Meadow, this year reminded me of 1976, when haymaking was so easy, just cut it, then three days later bale it up, with the result being plentiful, excellent-quality, and the cheapest hay we have made, without the usual worry of rain spoiling it. In Millenium Avenue, seed of Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris), Corncockle (Agrostemma githago) and Red Campion (Silene dioica) have been ordered, but the profusion of self-sown oak trees is a worry. Initially I thought the mildew on their leaves, coupled with the lack of rain, would have been nature’s way of decimating them, but not a bit of it. Each one has a long tap root, so if we cut them down, I expect they will simply re-emerge next year as multi-stemmed plants. This is happening throughout Beatons Wood, so I am concerned about the effect it may have next spring on the emerging white wood anemones and, of course, the bluebells. Enquiries to the Woodland Trust and RHS Wisley for their advice are my next task.

BATES GREEN GARDEN is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays alongside the Laurel tearoom in the Bluebell Barn from 10am to 5pm. Emma Reece, Head Gardener, gives an update on the garden: Emma Tee held a sketchbooking workshop here with a select group of enthusiastic artists. They were fully engaged throughout, even as I trudged about with watering cans and a barrow, and their presence created a lovely atmosphere in the Garden. There is so much here to inspire.

Harriet continues to develop and improve the Middle Garden and worked with Terence recently to reshape the Thuja occidentalis that grows in the blue and yellow border. This conifer, possibly the cultivar ‘Rheingold’, had become large and scruffy-looking, and Harriet came up with the idea of smartening it up, which Terence duly did. What a great result – this large shrub is now much more in proportion to its neighbours.

We welcomed a group from Butts Brow WI into the Garden last month. They were a delightful group and enjoyed seeing how we have been coping with the extremes of weather this year. We are now taking bookings for 2027, so do email us if you think your group would like to visit. We can arrange guided tours and bespoke meals, and we love showing off what we do here.

It’s an annual tradition now that our WRAGS student always gets to go wading in our Wildlife Pond. Eilidh donned the waders and jumped in (not literally – it’s very slippery underfoot!) to enthusiastically cut back the over-enthusiastic Potentilla palustris. This bog strawberry bears very pretty, deep red flowers in early summer and attracts all manner of pollinators. The pond is now all set to receive and store this welcome rain.

THE ARTWAVE EXHIBITION in Upper Dicker, is part of the rural trail of the annual Artwave Festival. Five local artists will be taking part. Come along to Starnash Farmhouse Studio, Coldharbour Road, Upper Dicker BN27 3PY between 11am and 5pm on the next two weekends in September Saturdays and Sundays 12th 13th and 19th 20th. Entry is free. All are welcome. This is Venue 54 in the official Artwave brochure.

A MUSIC BINGO FUNDRAISER is being held at Upper Dicker Village Shop on Friday 18 September starting at 6.30pm for 7pm start. This is a ticket only event. Please pop into the shop or pick up a flyer for more details. This event is in aid of St Wilfrid’s hospice.

MUSIC BOX WEALDEN a local community arts organisation, celebrates its 50th concert with international recorder star.

Lewes-based recorder virtuoso Piers Adams and keyboardist Lyndy Mayle bring their unique electro-baroque concert experience ‘Baroque Fusion’ to the Great Barn at Michelham Priory at 5 pm to 7pm on 3 October. The concert marks three years of successful concerts with Music Box Wealden, which brings local artists and quality music to the doorsteps of audiences across Sussex.

Piers Adams is widely regarded as one of the greatest recorder players of our time. Over a 40-year career he has recorded numerous CDs and given thousands of concerts and broadcasts across the world attracting the highest acclaim for his bold and creative musicianship. ‘The leading recorder virtuoso in the world today’ Washington Post.

Combining the simplicity of the recorder with modern-day synth technology led to the release of his ground-breaking album Bach Side of the Moon in 2018 and to the formation of Baroque Alchemy with Lyndy Mayle.

Baroque Alchemy re-imagines music from baroque masters to tango, folk and jazz, creating a perfect blend of ancient and modern. It has given sellout performances throughout the UK and Europe.

Lyndy Mayle was a multiple prizewinning student before working as a music director at the National Theatre in London and as a recording artist on film and TV soundtracks. She practised for many years as a music therapist and a highly respected piano teacher. Baroque Alchemy marks her return to the concert platform.

Music Box Wealden, the brainchild of local pianist William Hancox, is a Community Interest Company which provides a varied programme of classical music to venues throughout Sussex, with many performers drawn from the wide pool of talented professional musicians who live locally.

Entry is £20, free to MBW members. Tickets available at https://musicboxwealden.co.uk/concert/c052-baroque-alchemy/. Tickets will not be available on the door. Bring a torch for the pathway to the Great Barn.

THURSDAY COFFEE MORNINGS for Upper Dicker are held at The Plough, Coldharbour Road, just beyond Bedes and are open to anyone who would like to join other villagers for a coffee and chat. Meet from 10.30am.