Staplecross

PIN No: 2 - The ‘SpeakUp Forum’ is a countrywide network for the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) The help ensure that East Sussex County Council, the VCS and other critical partners work together to deliver the services that you - the residents - most want & need. To find out more of this project please contact speakupforum.org.uk

PIN No:3 Grant Funding to help small & medium size businesses within East Sussex to start up or grow, is now available. The ‘South East Business Boost’ money can be used to help businesses to improve productivity, increase profitability and boost sales. From market research to new machinery, if it helps your business grow, you could be eligible. Grants from £1000:00 up to a maximum of £10000:00 are available and the programme can fund up to 30% of the cost of qualifying projects, with the remaining 70% being funded by the company. To find out more about this project please visit eastsussex.gov.uk/businessboost

PIN No:4 - Just a little reminder of this year’s ‘Summer Reading Challenge’, which In conjunction with our Library Services, is open to all children aged 4 - 11 years of age. Children completing the ‘Summer Reading Challenge’ can win one of 10 Kobo eReaders, in a free prize draw. This year the challenge is called “Animal Agents” and our clever young readers are being asked to read six books and then claim free sticker rewards for each book finished. To sign up for this challenge, just pop into any library or visit eastsussex.gov.uk/summerreadingchallenge to find out more about this fun school holiday activity.

SUSSEX POLICE: In a recent Sussex Police Newsletter, it stated that more & more people, - especially the elderly and more vulnerable - are receiving a high volume of telephone calls, purporting to be from HMRC. So far, none of them sent money, but IT IS VITAL that everyone is aware of the signs and act upon them. Some of the contact methods used by these hateful people to defraud residents in East Sussex - and throughout the whole country are: VOICEMAILS: ~ saying you owe HMRC unpaid tax. and TEXT MESSAGES:~ fraudsters send you a text message requesting you to urgently call back on the number provided. Please be aware that HMRC will NEVER use a TEXT message to inform you about a tax rebate or a penalty. HNRC will also NEVER ask for any payment in the form of vouchers of any description. If you, or someone you know is vulnerable and has been a victim of fraud, please call the Sussex Police on 101 or visit www.sussex.police.uk If you need to report fraud or an attempted fraud, you can do so by contacting Action Fraud on 0300~123 2040 You can also read the latest Action Fraud alerts by following @actionfrauduk on Twitter. Please remember, NEVER hand over any money, or agree to transfer any. If you receive any calls of this description, please contact the police straightaway.

STAPLECROSS BOWLS CLUB: Our teams are busy again this week as they have three (3) matches to play with 2 being ‘home’ games and the 3rd an ‘away’ match - with a difference ! . The first of these will be played on Saturday August 5th with the opponents hailing from Beckley and this game will be part of the Mermaid League tournament. The second match will be played on Wednesday August 9th and our team will face the St Leonards team and this will also form part of the Mermaid League tournament. On Friday August 11th, the team will play the local Stoolball Club and this always popular game will commence at 6.15pm. If you are in the vicinity, please pop along and support our local club as this is always most appreciated. For all further information on how to become more involved in this dedicated but friendly club, please contact Margaret (sec) at [email protected] or Brian on 01580~830570 for all further details.

ROTHER RAMBLERS: Enjoying our big open skies and our glorious countryside, the members of the friendly local walking group, the Rother Ramblers, have arranged three (3) walks for us to enjoy, all enjoyable and all rather different. Walk No:1 is planned to take place on Sunday August 6th and is an eight (8) mile circular stroll of Rotherfield & Saxonbury Hill. The meeting point is the layby or street parking in North Street or Eldridge Lane, in Rotherfield. - near to the primary School and playing field. OS EXP.135. TQ557299. (SatNav TN6 3NE) at 10.00am. The ‘walking notes’ state that “this is mainly woodland with some quiet lane lanes. A visit to Saxonbury Hill Folly ~ reputed to be the highest point in Sussex, - is on the agenda, so camera’s a must !. As usual, a picnic lunch is suggested. Tim is to be your ‘walk leader’ for this excursion and you may contact him on 01424~272459 or mobile: 07832~768588 for more details. Walk No: 2 is booked for Tuesday August 8th and is a lovely 10 mile circular stretch to Kilndown & Bewl Water. The meeting place is Lamberhurst free car park OS EXP.136. TQ676361. (SatNav TN3 8DB) at 10.00am. Once more a picnic lunch is suggested. Carol is to be your ‘walk leader’ for today and you can contact her on 01580~852432 for all further information. Walk No: 3 is the FINAL EVENING WALK of this season’s programme and is planned for Wednesday August 9th. This is a mere 5 mile meander of Stonegate to Burwash and the meeting place is to be Stonegate Station car park. OS EXP.124. TQ658272. (SatNav TN5 7EU) at 6.00pm. The ‘walking notes’ state that there will be crisps & drinks midway and according to the National Rail Website the car park charges are “Off-Peak” rate at £1:50. Rita & Lionel are to be your ‘walk leaders’ for this outing and you may contact them on 01424~752452 for all further details.

STAPLECROSS STOOLBALL CLUB: Back to three (3) matches this week for out busy local stoolball club as they gradually wind down their fixture programme for 2017. Match No: 1 will take place on Sunday August 6th when our team take part in the Icklesham Tournament. This -obviously- is an ‘away’ game which will commence at 10.30am. On Tuesday August 8th the team will travel to Ashburnham for another ‘away’ match here and this game will begin at 6.45pm. The last of this week’s fixtures will be on Thursday August 10th when our team will play host to Icklesham again at the club’s ‘home ground’ at the Playing Field, Northiam Road, Staplecross and this ‘home’ match will also start at 6.45pm. Spectators are always welcome and support from residents of our own parish is particularly so and as these matches are fairly close at hand, to drop by and show your support would be amazing, and could certainly spur them on to victory !. If you’d like more information on how to become more involved in this energetic but fascinating game, please either contact Pauline on 01580~830570 or contact www.sxstoolball on how to get started.

EAST SUSSEX 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 full and busy schedule. This time the little white van will be visiting Ewhurst Green on Thursday August 10th. The van is due to arrive at 10.40am and will be departing at 11.10am. This is to be the first of two visits, of this important, free service to this village this month - so please ensure that you don’t miss it. There are so many things of interest within the portals of this wonderful and so far still free, Mobile Library Service vehicle,- so please come along and find out for yourself. With the vast array of services at your fingertips, Libraries are now certainly, more than just books.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES; Two very important, but both great social events. The first notice is just a little advance notice ~ more of a nudge really,- to remind you that Ewhurst, Staplecross & Bodiam Garden Society will be holding the last of their little horticultural shows, the Flower, Fruit & Vegetable Show, which will take place on Saturday September 2nd in the Village Hall, Northiam Road, Staplecross. If you are a member of this fantastic, friendly garden society, the details of the wide variety of classes in each section together with the entry forms, can be found in your 2017 Programme & Show Schedule. If you are not a member,- and why aren’t you ? - an extract relating to the show can be obtained shortly from the local Londis shop, in Staplecross. Please be aware that entries MUST be received by 5pm on 30th August. Late entries may be received on the morning of the show, at the Secretaries discretion. You may also contact one of the Show Secretaries: Pam Underhill 01580~881839 or Maggie Whitaker 0158830041 for all further information. At this show, there will also be a Plant Stall; a Raffle Stall; and a Cake Stall to tempt you further- as well as the usual delicious refreshments. The Society do hope you will come along & support this lovely and varied horticultural show, -if not by exhibiting, then by just coming along and enjoying the gorgeous exhibits and sharing in a cake and a cuppa amongst congenial company.

MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING: That wonderful annual charity coffee morning event will soon be upon us as we wend our way towards the month of September, so please make sure you put the dates in your diaries/calendar. This event will be held on Saturday September 16th between 10.00am and 12 Noon. This will take place in the Village Hall, Northiam Road, Staplecross and will have many stalls to attract and entice you to part with a coin or two which, as you all know, will all go to such a worthwhile cause. For all further information or perhaps to offer a cake or gift or a raffle prize, please contact Pauline on 01580~830570

CHURCH SERVICES: Church services for the parish of Ewhurst, will commence at St. James the Great, Ewhurst Green on Sunday August 6th. Trinity 8. at 9.30am. This service will include Holy Communion. A Family Service at St. Giles church Bodiam will follow directly after at 11.15 am. This will include Holy Communion. There will be NO SERVICE today 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 telephone: 01580~830203 - email at [email protected] For all Ewhurst Parish matters please contact Jo Goodwin on 01580~830601 or via email at [email protected] 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 free coverage for it, - courtesy of the Observer Newspaper - 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. Many of you will be turning your thoughts to other events in the near future, as the long school summer holidays will soon be upon us, 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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