Staplecross

ROTHER DISTRICT COUNCIL: Did you use a Polling Station to vote on June 23rd.? If so, Rother District Council would like to hear about your experiences to help them plan and improve Polling Stations for the future. This survey is ONLY open to anyone who visited a Polling Station, in person, in the Rother District on MAY 5th and JUNE 23rd 2016. For P.C’s; Laptops and Tablets, to complete this questionnaire, please go to http://www.surveyserver.net/?pollingstationspc and for Smart phone friendly questionnaire please go to http;//www.surveyserver.net//pollingstation This survey covers all aspects of visiting a polling station including car parking; signs and posters; internal layout and the staff on duty. There is an opportunity to give your views, ideas and suggestions about your Polling Station in the online survey. The Polling Stations with the most responses are, - in order 1) St. Stephen’s church hall, Bexhill, - 2) St. Mary Magdalene church hall, Bexhill. -3) Netherfield and Udimore are the highest rural polling stations - (so far!) with -4) Beckley; Rye Harbour; Whatlington; East Guideford; the Methodist church, Sidley, all in equal fourth place, but more responses are needed to get the full picture. Unfortunately, you are not eligible to do this survey if you did NOT visit a Polling Station in 2016. For more information please email [email protected] This survey closes on 31st July 2016.

STAPLECROSS BOWLS CLUB: Continuing with their hectic summer schedule the members of this lively and dedicated outdoor bowls club have four (4) more matches during this week alone, sadly they are all away games which may prove difficult for some local people to come along and show their support in person. Match no:1 will be played against Westfield on Saturday July 2nd.and this match will be part of the ‘Rother League’. The following day, -Sunday July 3rd sees Match no:2 being played and their opponents are cited as ‘Mermaid Fling’. Match no:3 will be played on Tuesday July 5th with the opposition being the Sidley Martlets team with a 2.00pm start and this match also is part of the ‘Rother League’. Final game of the week is on Wednesday July 6th and the opposing team is Hawkhurst. This is an evening match commencing at 6.15pm and again, is part of the ‘Rother League’.

STAPLECROSS STOOLBALL CLUB: Only one game is going to be played this week and that will be on Tuesday July 5th when the team travel to Crowhurst for an away game against the Stoolball team of that village. This promises to be an enjoyable evening so if possible, do go along and show your support.

ROTHER RAMBLERS: Just two walks are planned for this week, both very different, but both very enjoyable and both close enough for us to take part in, if so desired. Walk No: 1 it is a slightly longer stroll than normal, being of 10 miles and takes us on a circular from Peasmarsh, via Iden and Playden. Planned to take place on Sunday July 3rd. the meeting point will be “The Maltings”, at Peasmarsh. OS EXP.125. TQ890226. (SatNav TN31 6SR) at 10.00am. Parking will be ‘on street’ and a picnic lunch is the order of the day. Your ‘walk leader’ for this excursion is to be David and you may contact him on 01580~852432 for more details. Walk No:2 will be a “Strawberries and Pimms walk” and will be a lovely evening stroll of 6 circular miles from Sandhurst to Bodiam. The meeting point for this outing is to be Sandhurst church OS EXP136. TQ790273. (SatNav TN18 5NS) at 6.30pm. The walking notes mention that there will be NO drinks stop midway, ~ save yourself for the end. and will be a leisurely walk, with a couple of hills. Rita & Lionel will be your ‘walk leaders’ for this evening and for all further information please contact them on 01424~752452.

MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICE: That brilliant little Mobile Library van will be back trundling along our country lanes once more, as it continues with it’s busy schedule. This time the white van will be visiting Ewhurst Green on Thursday July 7th. It is due to arrive at 10.40am and departing at 11.10am. Please note; ~ this is to be the first of two visits - second is scheduled for 28th. for this vital and free visit of the Mobile Library service for this month, so please ensure that you don’t miss it. There are many things of interest within the portals of this wonderful, free, Library Service vehicle, so please come along and find out for yourself.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES: A ‘Summer Fun Day’ is planned to take place at the Cross Inn, Staplecross on Saturday July 9th. The Hosts, Staplecross Bonfire Society, promise that there will be loads to do for all the family, with many stalls to peruse, live music to enjoy, & great food to eat. Entrance is free which is another bonus. Please do all you can to support one of our local charities as once again, this promises to be a great time out for all the family. Therefore, if you possibly can, make sure you don’t miss it !.

Ewhurst “Festival of Flowers” and Concert is arranged to take place over the week-end of Friday 29th - Sunday 31st July at St. James the Great, Ewhurst Green TN32 5TD. The Flower Festival will be open every day between 10.30am and 4.30pm. An evening concert with a superb soprano, Charlotte Beament and the a cappella singing group “Green Street Blues” - Bizet, Blues, Ballads and Barber shop with wine & canapes takes place on Saturday July 30th from 7.30pm. On Sunday a Thanksgiving Service for the ministry and life of the Reverend Gordon Winchester will be conducted on Sunday July 31st commencing at 11.15am. This promises to be a spectacular day out, tickets at £15:00 (& £8:00 for a restricted view) are rapidly selling out so for all enquiries re concert please contact Pat Smith on 01580~830857 email [email protected] or Jane Willing on 01580~831724 - jane_willing @Hotmail.com for details.

OPEN GARDENS: This week you are spoilt for choice as along with the St. Michael’s Hospice ‘Open Gardens Scheme’ you also have the option of visiting seven (7) gardens in Burwash which are open under the National Garden Scheme which raises funds for Cancer and Care charities ‘Open Gardens Scheme’. The ‘Burwash - Open Gardens’ is to be held on Saturday July 2nd between 2.00pm and 5.30pm. These gardens are normally hidden from view, yet are located on or close to the village High Street. A combined admission is £5:00 with children under 12 years of age, going free and detailed maps will be available at entry points. Parking is in the village and home made teas, cakes and refreshments can be partaken in the Burwash Village Hall, in the High Street. The gardens ‘to view’ are ~ “Bowzell”,- “Church House”,- “Farley House”,- “Lime Cottage”, “Linden Cottage” with “Longstaffes”,which is adjacent to The Bear PH. in the High Street, and “Mandalay”, which has it’s entrance off Ham Lane, opposite the Rose & Crown PH. Being mainly terraced properties, sadly wheelchair access to rear properties is restricted, but partial access possible in three properties. How to get there:- This village is on the A265, 3 mile East of Junction with A21 at Hurst Green. More details can be found at http://www.burwashopengardens.org.uk/ St. Michael’s Hospice, ‘Open Garden’s Scheme’ continues with their vast summer schedule with Ninfield village being the next to throw open their garden gates. Three (3) gorgeous village gardens are available for you to visit on Tuesday July 5th between 10.30am and 4.00pm. They are all in Marlpitts Lane- TN33 9LD- and are “Elm Cottage” - where delicious refreshments can be obtained, - so you may prefer to finish here - and enjoy the rest! ) “Broad View”, and “Channings”. Admission is £5:00 per person, guide dogs are welcome and parking is available. How to get there:- From Hastings, take the A271 through Battle, turn Left towards Catsfield (signposted Bexhill-on-Sea) Turn Right at mini roundabout and take Right turn into Manchester Road, immediately before ‘Blacksmith’s Inn’, follow the ‘Open Gardens’ signage.

MAN-ON-THE-RUN: The women have done it and now it’s the turn of the men !. On Sunday July 10th. the Battle Committee for Cancer Research will be holding a 5k run - or walk - to raise awareness of cancer in men at the Pestalozzi Children’s Village, in Sedlescombe. This is a MEN ONLY event with entries costing £12:50 for adults and £6:50 for lads - of all ages - under 18. This amazing event started in Herne Bay, Kent, in 2005 and has constantly grown in support over the years and is now held in a number of locations in the South East of England. Applications online are open now - contact manontherun.org Medals will be awarded to all entrants to mark the occasion and to say “Thank You” for your contribution. Proceeds goes to Cancer Research and so far the total added to the funds is over £21096:20 If possible, why not go along and show your support for such a worthy cause.

CHURCH SERVICES: Church services for the parish of Ewhurst will commence at St. James the Great, Ewhurst Green, on Sunday July 3rd.Trinity 6. at 9.30am. This service will include Holy Communion There will be NO SERVICE today at both St. Giles, Bodiam, and St. Mark’s church, 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, then 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, 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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