Winchelsea Village Voice

CHURCH MARKET is this Saturday July 4th at 10.30am to 12pm in the church.  As usual this popular event is open to all residents and visitors for coffee/tea and refreshments.  Homemade produce, plants and books will be on sale and the proceeds will go towards church maintenance.  Last month’s Church Market raised £240 towards church funds and thank you for your support and  generosity.

PATRONAL FESTIVAL at St Thomas’s Church welcomes all and will be held on Sunday July 5th at 11am for a Festal Eucharist.  This annual celebratory service honours St Thomas the Martyr the patron saint of Winchelsea Church and marks the anniversary of the translation of his remains.  In 1162 King Henry II appointed Thomas Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury.  Eight years later following disputes with the king over the Church’s independence from the monarchy Becket was assassinated in his own Cathedral.  Becket’s murder at the hands of four of Henry’s knights transformed him into a medieval martyr and a saint.  The Mayor David Page along with the Corporation will join the congregation for the Patronal Service which will be followed by fresh coffee and homemade cake.   At 4pm CHORAL EVENSONG will take place in the Church and the Rector’s sherry and port will be served after the service.   

WEDNESDAY TALKS are held in the New Hall every Second Wednesday in the month at 2 for 2.30pm.  The next talk organised by the Second Wednesday Society is on July 8th and is entitled: “A Civil Servant’s View of Government from Wilson to Johnson” by Brian Leonard.  Local resident and retired senior civil servant Brian is the secretary of the Winchelsea Residents' Association (WRA) and leads the Winchelsea Wine Society.  His contributions to Winchelsea include town planning and the preservation of local history.  Brian’s talk is on his personal experiences from stationery cupboards to working with numerous Ministers on various policies and what the future now looks like.  He will be covering the lengthy period between Harold Wilson who served as Prime Minister of the UK (1964-1970 and 1974-1976) and Boris Johnson (PM from 2019-2022)  Visitors to the talk pay £5 entry and the homemade tea following the talk is £2 per person.

MIDWEEK Holy Communion service is held in the side chapel at St Thomas’s Church and invites all for prayers and scripture readings from the Word of God.  Jesus Christ who spoke creation into existence is the Word as stated:  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:1-3)  These morning services, led by the rector , take place on Thursdays at 10am for half-an-hour.

SECRET GARDENS will be opening under the National Garden Scheme on Saturday July 18th from 11am to 5pm and on the afternoon of Sunday July 19th for the Friends of the Memorial Hospital, Rye.  Group admission costs £10 and homemade teas will be served at the New Hall in aid of NGS and local charities.  The thirteen Winchelsea gardens open to visitors are: 1 Barrack Square, 2 Barrack Square, Cleveland House, Cleveland Place, Giles Point, Kent Close Communal Garden, King’s Leap, Lookout Cottage, 2 Mariteau House, The Orchards, Periteau House, 1 St Giles Close, White Cottage.  This year sees the return to the group of Cleveland House and Periteau House, both now with new owners.

WINCHELSEA BEACH Quiz Night with Burger & Chips is this Saturday July 4th at 7 for 7.30pm in the Community Hall.  The choice of burgers is beef, chicken or veggie and you will need to bring your own drinks.  If you would like to participate please book in advance by phoning the Winchelsea Beach Association on 07927 107678.  Tickets are £14 each and teams of up to 6 people are required but if you haven’t got that number you will be able to join a group who are short of people.