Thank you Alan

Alan stood down as woodland warden last year. He has accepted the presidency of the charity which since 1980 has cared for the Bexhill beauty spot on behalf of Rother District Council as a wildlife habitat with free public access.

His 17 years of voluntary service were marked last October by the presentation to him by Rother chairman Cllr Wendy Miers at the October Rother council meeting of a framed citation thanking him for his service to the community.

He was also honoured at last year's Chamber of Commerce/ Observer Bexhill Achievers' Awards with the President Of The Year award.

On Friday evening, his own colleagues honoured with the presentation by High Woods Preservation Society chairman the Rev Paul le Sueur of a cheque from his friends.

A buffet supper awaited guests at St Augustine's Church Hall.

But first, those attending worked their way through a 25-point natural history quiz.

Questions, complete with illustrations, were on cards dotted about the hall. Numbered sheets for those taking part to write their answers were also provided.

And it was all the work of the president, smiling broadly as friends wracked their brains to recall the many aspects of woodland interest Alan has pointed out in the countless guided walks of the High Woods he has led over the years - and continues to lead, for his Spring Flower walk for the public leaves the woodland car park off the upper section of Peartree Lane tomorrow at 10.30am.

Which animal had left this broad path through the Bluebells? Which tree was this, viewed in the snow? There were birds and butterflies to identify - even the woods' spider population to estimate (90 million!).

Referring to last year's awards and the evening's presentation, the chairman told members: "It is really a good thing when someone has given such long, faithful service as Alan has done that it should have been appreciated by members of the public and by this society.

"We are so pleased that he is able to take an active interest in the society."

When he replied, the thoughts of the president, who was accompanied by his wife Pam, were already on the May 5 Spring Flower Walk.

"People have such short memories. This time last year it was absolutely freezing and it went on until the end of May."

Last year, the walkers had difficulty in finding a single Bluebell. This year they were already fully out and there was a risk that their best would be over by the time of the walk.

The president paid tribute to the work already undertaken by Sarah Clark as his successor as woodland warden.

Her husband, Wesley, has been hard at work making chain-saw carvings of fungi which are being erected in the woods near the pond.

The president said it was highly encouraging that a young family should take on the continuing work of the society.

Sarah's plans for the management of the woods included a second disabled trail to give wheelchair users access to another beautiful part of the woods.

He concluded with a warning. Many lovers of the High Woods did not realise that if the Ashdown brickworks quarries were ever used for landfill how close the rubbish would be to the High Woods or how devastating its effect would be on the wildlife there.