Staplecross

Never ones to let the grass grow under their feet, or to even let a few drops of rain curtail their enjoyment, those charming chaps and chappettes from the Rother Ramblers have once more lined up two more interesting walks for our enjoyment and to lead us all nicely into February..The first to take place on Sunday February 2nd. is an 8.5 mile circular tour of Benenden. The group will meet up at 10.am, in the car park and picnic area in Tottenden Wood, north section of Hemstead Forest (SatNavTN17 4AY) A picnic lunch is suggested and as is normally the case, please bring your dog for company, cuddles and a little bit of healthy exercise for him too. Please contact Lionel on 01424 752452 for all further details. The second of our strolls around our beautiful countryside is planned for Wednesday February 5th at 10.am. This is going to be a more modest distance of 6 miles and will be a Woods Corner circular with the group meeting in the Swan Inn car park.(SatNav TN21 9LB) If you will not be using the pub for lunch afterwards, ~ and who wouldn’t want to avail themselves of a lovely pub lunch in warm surroundings which to sit and relax after all that long walking ~please park in the laybys nearby. There will be a short stop for refreshments midway through the walk. Once again, our four footed friends are permitted to accompany you. For all further details and more information, please telephone Peter or Jane on 01424~733330. As on all of these walks, however short or long the duration, please make yourself known to the ‘One in Charge’ ~ the walks group leader. He or she will be delighted to make your acquaintance and will be pleased to welcome you to the walk and to the group of other like-minded people. Who knows where a few new steps may take you to. Don’t be shy ! Try one walk and see where it leads.

Following on from the committee meeting the previous week, our local W.I. namely Staplecross & Ewhurst Green will once more be holding their monthly meeting on Tuesday February 4th. This will take place at their usual meeting place, 2.30pm at St. Marks Church room, Northiam Road, Staplecross.(SatNav TN325QH) Once the ‘business’ part of the meeting is over, the President, Mrs Ann Prodinger, will have the happy task of welcoming our latest guest speaker. This month it’s Mr. Paul Lendon who ,with his talk entitled “Ticket to Ride” will give us an intriguing insight into life on the Orient Express. Just the very name, ~ “The Orient Express” ~ continues to conjure up a world of a bye gone age; of mysterious goings on; of luxury and liberties and with maybe an occassional murder thrown in just to hold our interest !. What splendiferous and sumptuous snippets will he reveal to us this month? Come along and find out. New members are always very welcome and are encouraged to come and find out more of what this warm and friendly social group get up to. There is usually something going on each week which is sure to be of interest to you ladies out there. Please ring either Ann on 01580~831944 or Kathleen (Secretary) 01580~831964 for more details and information.

The Mobile Library Service will once more be gadding about through our countryside, keeping our rural residents up-to-date with all the latest best sellers and old firm favourites alike. As you may remember, this service is now operating on a fortnightly time scale. Scheduled for Thursday February 6th it should arrive in Cripps Corner, on the car park of the White Hart Inn between 10.15am and 10.40am. After serving the residents at that hamlet, it will then travel via Sedlescombe on to Staplecross, and park in Cricketers Field between 11.50am and 12.20pm. After completing the transactions there, the van will wend it’s way through Brede, Northiam and Bodiam to complete it’s day’s journey at Ewhurst from 3.40pm until 4.10pm. You will have heard the old adage ~”Use it or Lose it”~, well it certainly is true in this case. This is one of the few, FREE services that are still available to us all. Do please make use of all the facilities that this unique service offers. It’s much, much more than just books.Try it and you’ll see.

I have been asked by the Staplecross, Ewhurst & Bodiam Garden Society to help rectify a small error. On the members’ programme the date of the MAY 2014 meeting has been incorrectly given and shows it as Thursday May 22nd 2014. This has had to be changed to FRIDAY MAY 23rd 2014. and this is all due to the European Elections taking place on that date. The society will be next meeting on Thursday February 13th at the normal time of 7.30pm in Staplecross Village Hall. --More news next week.

This is an advance warning to enable you to ensure you get your tickets and don’t miss out on a super, and thoroughly enjoyable, evening social gathering. Now, are you fed up with being indoors of an evening, with your entertainment revolving around the TV screen ? Do you fancy shaking off those winter blues ? Would you like to ‘ Trip the Light Fantastic’ or ‘Rock Around the Clock’? ~ Do you want to try a sexy, sultry ‘Tango’ or a bit of headbanging ‘Status Quo’ ?. Do you like your movements slow and steady or fast and furious ? Either and both beats of music ~ and more~ are available for your enjoyment and delight, so why not try them all ? To make this even more of a fantastic event, a temptingly delicious two course meal is included. To take part in this very social and entertaining evening which will all come to fruition on Saturday February 22nd,and will be at the Staplecross Village Hall at 7pm. ~ all YOU have to do is book your ticket for the Staplecross & Ewhurst Bonfire Society Annual Dinner and Dance. Tickets are a meagre £16:00 per person. Cheap as chips.! For all further details and more information please contact their Publicity Officer; John Lederer on 01580~830744 or Brian Scowen on 01580~830570. ~ Go on, give it a twirl, !

Church services for the parish of Ewhurst begin on (Candlemas) Sunday February 2nd. Presentation of Christ.- Commencing at 9.30am.with a service which includes Holy Communion at St. James the Great, in Ewhurst Green. Reverend Gordon Winchester will then conduct a Family Service at St. Giles, Bodiam at 11.15am. There will be NO SERVICE at St. Marks, Northiam Road, Staplecross on that day. Do please telephone Gordon with any questions about baptisms, weddings or any other matter on 01580~830268. Leave a message, if he’s out and he’ll respond as soon as possible upon his return.

Don’t forget to contact me if you have any news or items of interest that you’d like to see mentioned here. I’ll do my best to help you spread the word, promote your event and give you the maximum coverage. I look forward to hearing from you.