Catsfield

Kimber’s Men: Tickets are selling fast at the Catsfield Village Stores for the ‘Singing up a Storm’ performance by Kimber’s Men when they appear at the Village Hall at 7.30pm next Saturday 21st February. It promises to be a great evening’s entertainment with stories and lively sea shanties, so buy your tickets soon priced £9 and £6 for concessions.

Lent Lunch: On the following Saturday 28th February from 11.30am – 1.30pm there will be a Lent Lunch held in the Village Hall to aid the funding of St Laurence church. Adults £5 each and children £3.50 each, pay on the door.

Wednesday Lent Groups: Starting from Wednesday 25th February at The Parish Room at St Georges Church, Crowhurst at 11am (coffee available from 10.30 onwards) or The Rectory, Church Lane, Catsfield at 7pm for 7.30pm start. These relaxed and encouraging meetings will be looking at different passages relating to the Easter Story and you are welcome to attend at whichever time or place suits you best.

Women’s World Day of Prayer: On Friday 6th March people from around the world will be worshipping together in a day of prayer using a service prepared by the Christian women from The Bahamas. These special services are interdenominational and all are welcome at St Laurence church at 2.30pm and refreshments will be served afterwards.

Dates for your Diary: The WI Jumble Sale and Cake Stall on Saturday 7th March from 10am – 12noon in the Village Hall.

The Concert in St Laurence Church on Friday 13th March at 7.30pm.

WI: The Village Hall was full for the February meeting of the Catsfield WI, which was good to see after the low attendance last month. After a rousing rendition of Jerusalem, the President led us through the business matters which included the Jumble Sale on 7th March, the Annual Meeting of the ESFWI on 25th March at Eastbourne and other events taking place over the next few months. A presentation of the competition cup was made to Nicky for scoring the highest number of points over the past year and silver teaspoons were given to the runners up.

We settled back to listen to our speaker Michael Hoad, knowing that we were in for a treat as his slide shows of the South East are always a pleasure. This one was entitled ‘Roaming the Cuckmere’ and I for one sat with a permanent smile on my face and even a tear now and then, as we were guided through our beautiful Sussex countryside following the Cuckmere river as it headed between the hills of the South Downs to the sea. Our trip started in Heathfield and took us through the villages of Rushlake Green, Warbleton, Horam, the market town of Hailsham (which hosts the only remaining livestock market in Sussex) and to picturesque Michelham Priory. Onwards past Arlington Reservoir, Berwick church, Milton Street, Wilmington’s Long Man and the tiny church at Lullington to name but a few. St Andrew’s church known as the ‘Cathedral of the Downs’ at Alfriston was the last of our journey, standing above the banks of the Cuckmere, next to the ‘Old Clergy House’ on the Tye.

From there we were taken along the footpaths on the banks of the river, smiling at the image of the annual ‘Tug o’ War’ with the teams taking opposite banks and the losers facing the inevitable outcome! Past the ‘High and Over’ White Horse and on to the meanders leading down to the sea, with wild flowers and plants growing in the shingle and the Coastguard Cottages standing above the estuary and that well-known magnificent view of the Seven Sisters. The whole talk was enlightening, nostalgic and enchanting and reinforced the notion that we live in one of the most beautiful counties in England. Thank you Michael, for a delightful afternoon.

The next meeting will be on Thursday 5th March at 2pm when the speaker will be Catsfield’s own Sarah Moore, who will be demonstrating and talking to us about ‘Spinning – Past, Present and Future’.

Jill Jarrett

Broadview, Bexhill