Staplecross

E.S.B. GARDEN SOCIETY - QUIZ NIGHT: Last chance for all those people who would like to join in this friendly and easy-going social event. I’m speaking of course, of the ‘Quiz Night’, hosted by the Ewhurst, Staplecross & Bodiam Garden Society and which will be taking place at the Village Hall, Northiam Road, Staplecross on Saturday January 21st at 7pm. - That’s TOMORROW !. This fund raising event is a happy, fun-filled evening, with questions on a variety of categories at all levels. - this enables everyone taking part to really enjoy the night, making the most of the friendly rivalry which is always bantered around. The hot supper choices of tasty home made soup with excellent bread followed by hot crumble puddings should help prepare the team contestants for the remaining evening’s work !!. For more information and to book your last minute places, please contact Maggie on 01580~830041 or Pam on 01580~830320. Don’t worry if you can’t make up a full table, we’ll always find a welcoming space for you !.

ROTHER RAMBLERS: Still out & about and enjoying whatever the weather deigns to give us, the members of that friendly walking group, the Rother Ramblers, have arranged two more walks for us to enjoy if we so wish. Walk No:1 is an 8.5 mile circular trip taking in the village of Ditchling, part of the South Downs and Plumpton. Planned for Sunday January 22nd, the meeting point will be the car park behind Ditchling village Hall. OS EXP122. TQ326151. (SatNav BN6 8TT) at 10.00am. This village hall is just to the east of the crossroads, in the centre of the village, on the B2116. The ‘walk notes’ state there is a stiff climb onto the Downs at the beginning of the walk,- but the views will surely be worth the effort !. As always, a picnic lunch is suggested and our canine friends are always welcome to join us---perhaps they can help with the pull to the top of the Downs! Adrian will be your ‘walk leader’ on this excursion and you may contact him on 01273-514336 or mobile: 07729-861854 for more details. Walk No:2 is a mere 8 mile circular meander of ‘North of Punnetts Town’. Planned to take place on Wednesday January 25th, the meeting place for this trip will be the Punnetts Town village car park, almost opposite the Primary school. OS EXP123. TQ619204. (SatNav TN21 9DE) again at 10.00am. For this outing, the ‘walk notes’ suggest ‘a few ups and downs, looking for new paths’-- intriguing !. Once more a picnic lunch is suggested and of course our four legged friends may accompany us. Martin will be our ‘walk leader’ for today and you may contact him on 01424-752793 for more information.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES: Quiz and Supper Event. - Bill and Jan Hooper are organising a Quiz Night at the Herdman Pavilion on Friday February 3rd which will include supper. Doors will open at 7pm. for a 7.30pm start. For tickets and all further information, please contact Bill on 01580-831263 or email bhooper”hotmail.com This promises to be a popular event, so please book your place soon.

LOCAL OPEN SURGERY: - Huw Merriman, your local member of Parliament together with Angharad Davies, your local East Sussex County Councillor and Tony Ganly, your Rother District Councillor will be hosting a local ‘Open Surgery’ in which they would like to invite residents, to come along on Friday February 24th between 11.0am and 12.30pm. and talk to them about any local problems, issues or areas of concerns you may have. We don’t often get the chance to see our ‘local MP’ - let alone have the opportunity to discuss with them all, our concerns regarding those issues that matter to us all. Well, - Now is your chance.- come along to the Village Hall, Northiam Road, Staplecross and speak to them of what matters to you and any local concerns you may have. The Councillors, which will also include some local parish councillors, will be there to (hopefully) answer your queries and questions, discuss your concerns and take note of your comments. Tea and biscuits will be available and all will be very welcome. This day’s programme will also include a visit to our village school, Quarry Park and local businesses, culminating in another ‘open surgery’ meeting at 6.00pm, again at Staplecross Village Hall. Now could be the perfect time to ‘Speak your Piece’ -- so come along and have your say!.

CHURCH SERVICES: The church services for the parish of Ewhurst will commence at St. James the Great, Ewhurst Green, on Sunday January 22nd. Epiphany 3. at 9.30am. This service will include Holy Communion (BCP) There will be NO SERVICE today at St. Giles church, Bodiam, but a service which will also include Holy Communion (BCP) will follow directly afterwards at 11.15am at St. Mark’s church, Northiam Road, Staplecross.

If there is any church matter on which you feel you may need further assistance, especially Baptisms, Weddings and sadly, Funerals, then for the time being, do please get in touch with the appropriate Churchwardens: ~ For all Bodiam matters, please contact Graham Peters - email at [email protected] or telephone number 01580~830203. For all Ewhurst Parish matters please contact Jo Goodwin - email [email protected] or telephone number 01580~830601. Help in some way is always at hand and always so generously given, so do please contact them.

PLEASE CONTACT ME: If you are arranging an event in the foreseeable future, --- whatever the nature of the event and however large or small, if you’d like some extra coverage for it,- courtesy of this newspaper, then do please get in touch. If it’s of interest to you, - it’s of interest to us. it’s never too early to send in any of the details and to tell us what you are planning, - many of you will be turning your thoughts to other events in the near future - remember - Spring (surprisingly) is just around the corner, so please do contact me, as I’d love to hear from you and to help ‘spread the word’ on your behalf...............

Thank You.

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