WADHURST TOWN IN FOCUS - August 2008

Hospice in the Weald, WadhurstCoffee Morning
Our June meeting at Monica Lloyd’s house raised £96.50.  Many thanks to everyone who donates their time, produce and cakes so very generously.       Val Tunbridge  01892 782498

OPEN CIRCLE
Too old for Sticky Fingers and OASTies? Too young at heart for Cameo Club? But in need of a bit of cheerful company, coffee and a chat? Why not come along to Open Circle? We meet on the fourth Friday of each month at Carillon Cottage, 10.00 to 11.30am.

WADHURST FOOTPATHS SOCIETY
Members and friends meet on the last Sunday of each month in the car park behind One Stop, Washwell Lane, Wadhurst at 2.00pm. The next walk will be on 31st August: Stonegate Station/Hammerden/Bearhurst/Old Shoyswell.

 WADHURST WINEMAKERS CIRCLE
There will be no formal meeting on Friday, 1st August but there is tea for members and friends on Sunday 3rd August at 2.30 pm . Contact Ruth for details on 750674.
The next Friday evening meeting at the Recreation Ground is on 5th September

KENT & SUSSEX BORDER LIONS CLUB
We meet every third Wednesday at Hurst Green Village Hall, all are welcome. Ring David Francis on 01580 200672 for more information.

Mayfield and District U3A
We do not meet in August, but the September meeting on Thursday 18th will be a talk on Buckingham Palace, by Pat Wright, who is a well know speaker and author. 

WADHURST GARDENING ASSOCIATION
SUMMER SHOW: Regardless of the sudden change in the weather, members of the Association still managed to exhibit first class displays. Sweet peas were in short supply for the Show, but members were able to find exhibition quality flowers. It was good to see some new faces—hopefully new members who seemed interested in what we as an Association did.

Mr Ron Lewis kindly entertained us with his sad but humourous description of being a war-time evacuee.

NO MEETING IN AUGUST. Next meeting 8th September in St. George’s Hall                                           Mary Terry (01892 783154)

WADHURST BRIDGE CLUB
New Members are most welcome to join a group of friendly players of varying standards.
Help and some tuition is given. Friday afternoons 2.00 to 5.00pm at Sparrows Green Pavilion.
Telephone Margaret McAuley on 01435 867824 or 07964 347898.

CARE FOR THE CARERSAre you caring for a relative or friend? Would you like to meet other carers for a coffee and a chat? Then come along to our monthly meeting at Carillon Cottage, every third Thursday from 10.30am - 12 noon. For further details please contact Sarah Burchett (01323 738390).

PARENTS AND TODDLERS GROUP
Meetings are held every Monday at St George’s Hall from 9.30am. Everyone welcome! For further details please contact Nina on 01580 201158.

Tea with Tigger
Bring your babies and toddlers for a chat over a cup of tea and biscuits on Tuesdays from  2.00 to 4.00pm at Carillon Cottage.
For further information contact Carillon Cottage,  Tel 01892 785658.

Stonegate Farmers Market
Please note there is no market in August and the new time for July and September onwards is 10.00 to 12.00 (not 12.30) For information call 01580 200386.

AFTERNOON FELLOWSHIP - Meets on the last Thursday of every month at 2.30pm in St George’s Hall. 

NEW WADHURST RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
Our first year has proved that in a small way we can make some changes on issues that concern us all by group discussions and meeting with other organisations, including ESCC, WDC, Parish Council, Developers, etc.Why not come along? If you would like further details please contact 01892 782294 or 783843.

 MINI MARKET in the Methodist Church will not be held in August because of the holiday season. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking everyone who supports this event, both those who are regular customers and all who come on a one-off occasion. All are welcome and much appreciated. The next Mini Market will be on Saturday 6th September. We look forward to seeing you there.

WADHURST INDEPENDENT PHOTOGRAPHERS
WIP meets every second Tuesday of each month, at 7.30pm, upstairs in The Greyhound Pub, Wadhurst.

FAMILY SUPPORT WORK (Knowles Tooth)
Knowles Tooth Open Day - Sunday 7th September 2 - 5 p.m.  Fun for all the family, rain or shine, and a chance to see what goes on there. I would welcome any raffle prizes.
Service of Thanksgiving and Celebration for the work of F.S.W. at Chichester Cathedral - Tuesday 30th September.
Mammoth Book Sale - Friday 14th/ Saturday 15th November at Knowles Tooth - just a wake up call to sort out some books please but I will not be collecting them before September.    Jill Brewster   01580 830008

The MULLINS MEMORIAL FUND supports people living in the parish of Wadhurst. The help provided is usually practical, but may occasionally come in some different form in order to make someone’s life easier. Perhaps you are the person who could do with help or you know someone else who could do with some help. This is a small local charity able to continue working thanks to the generosity of others and our own fund-raising efforts. Contact one of the Office Bearers on 782181, 782835 or 783212.  
Be assured that whatever we do is done in complete confidentiality.
For the rest of the year, the current plans of the Mullins trustees include the Farmers' Market in October, two dramatic performances in the Parish Church in November and, of course,  the annual Christmas Quiz published on 1st December. More details of each of these events will be published in Focus in the coming months and your support would be gratefully accepted.

WADHURST TREFOIL GUILD
Next meeting: Monday 4th August 2.15pm at Carillon Cottage
Owing to inclement weather, the July garden picnic was held in the conservatory overlooking the garden at Eileen Hemsley’s - a very enjoyable evening! However in June we had two garden picnics to welcome and entertain guiding friends from Skierniewice, Poland, who spent a week in Wadhurst. They also visited London, Rye and Winchelsea, Bedgebury and Tunbridge Wells.

WADHURST TWINNING ASSOCIATION has received an invitation for a group to spend a weekend in Aubers on Saturday and Sunday 27th and 28th September.
The plan is to travel over on the Saturday in various cars because the cost of a coach has now become prohibitive and to meet in Aubers at noon. Families will provide lunch and the afternoon will be planned with/by hosts. The evening meal will see various families joining together and on the Sunday morning, there will be a large market in Lille. The rest of the Sunday will see everyone together at the Foyer rural and the boules tournament.  The group will leave around 5/5.30 pm
Wadhurst has won the last two boules tournaments so the Aubersois will be seeking revenge no doubt. 
Members of the Twinning have received full details but any non-members who would be interested in taking part can contact the Secretary, Heather Woodward on 783212. For details about joining the Twinning and its various acitivities, please contact the Membership Secretary, Janet McFarlan, on 783291 or the Chairman, John McKenzie on 784342.

 WADHURST HISTORY SOCIETY has regretfully decided to cancel its barbecue on Sunday 10th August at Combe Manor. It was impossible to handle the catering and costing when not enough people had signed up for tickets by the time of the last major selling opportunity. The Society was very grateful to William & Phyllida de Salis for offering their lovely gardens as a venue and for being so understanding when it was decided to pull the event.
A FEW spaces remain on the History Society coach outing to St Mary’s, Bramber on Saturday September 27, leaving the Greyhound at noon. The cost of £23 includes a conducted tour of this fascinating mediæval house, followed by a farmhouse tea and a tour of the garden. For details and to purchase tickets, contact Rachel Ring on 01892 783455.

Besides the interest of the meetings and the wide range of speakers talking about such diverse subjects every month – and Madelyn has organised another superb group for 2009 - a number of the Society’s members are busy discovering as much as they can about Wadhurst itself. As quickly as possible and certainly before it is too late, they are trying to build a picture of Wadhurst over the years.

People in their 80s now will have their own memories plus what they heard from their parents and grand-parents about life in the early 20th Century and even in the 19th Century when Wadhurst was still a farming community. The task-groups are soon to start research about Wadhurst in the 1950s and 1960s. That community changed greatly immediately after the war as we are all very well aware but then there came the international upheavals of the 1960s, which must have had an impact upon the population of Wadhurst. Buildings and land were lost as development impinged upon Wadhurst; the population changed also as jobs and businesses disappeared.

It is important to track those changes and their implications on our community so that future generations can understand when, how and why they happened. Memories can be recorded by chatting to someone or they can be written down.  The important thing is to hear them and what a lot the future generations will learn and understand. Nobody’s memories are “not interesting to anybody” or “unimportant”.  Please, can YOU help the team create a full, detailed picture of Wadhurst over the years?

Write down your memories, or dictate them to someone, or have them recorded for typing up later. If you could contribute in any way to this on-going research, please would you contact David James on 01892 890330 or Heather Woodward on 783212.

WADHURST WOMEN’S INSTITUTE
Our speaker last month was Mr Chris McCooey, who had visited us on a previous occasion, and will also be known to members of  the History Society.  This time Mr McCooey introduced us to characters from his book ‘Rogues, Rascals & Rebels of Kent & Sussex’.  From this book he chose to highlight the lives of Dr Bodkin Adams of Eastbourne, suspected of mass murder, the actor Dirk Bogarde ‘who never came out of the closet’ and Cynthia Payne, the suburban madame and her House of Cyn.  He covered these contrasting figures in an absorbing 45-minute talk, the undoubted highlight of which was what he had to say about Mrs Payne.  Mr McCooey an eloquent speaker, who also uses his eyes and facial expressions to good effect, soon had his audience overcome with laughter.   Next month’s meeting will be the annual Garden Party (venue to be arranged),.  At September’s meeting Mrs A Chance will talk on being ‘Saddle Sore in Montana’.  The competition will be a souvenir of the USA and the trading stall will carry Harvest Fare.  New members are always welcome.

OPERA IN THE OPEN
Saturday 2nd August is the date of the annual Opera in the Open at Bayham Abbey. Opera Ventura will be entertaining us this year with many favourite arias and excerpts from well-known operas (some sung in English). Bring a party, a picnic and chairs, and enjoy this unique experience in the romantic setting of Bayham Abbey. Gates open at 5.30 pm, concert starts at 7.30 pm. Tickets cost £25, children under 15 free.
Phone: 01892 891115. Post: LMF, The Down House, Lamberhurst, Kent TN3 8ET

ST. LAURENCE CHURCH, HAWKHURST FLOWER FESTIVAL 8th-10th August
Friday 8th August 10am-5pm: Tea & coffee available all day.
Saturday 9th August 10am-5pm: Lunches to be served 12-2pm. Organ recitals 11am-12pm & 2-3pm.
Sunday 10th August2-5pm: Cream teas to be served 3-5pm.

WADHURST BRASS BAND - www.wadhurstbrassband.co.uk
A couple of months ago I described one of our first events this summer – a concert at the Pantiles which we enjoyed enormously thanks to great weather. This month I want to tell you about another recent experience which was equally satisfying (for me at least) but for very different reasons.

Picture a cold wet Sunday morning in a field that has recently been vacated by a herd of unidentified animals which obviously enjoy a healthy high fibre diet. Under a gazebo that is fighting a losing battle with the wind and the rain sit a group of hardy souls (lunatics?) with brass instruments. This was the scene at the finishing line of the Bewl Run. As the runners began to arrive we played every lively tune we could think of to encourage them. You would think that this would be a miserable bunch indeed but not a bit of it. Gallows humour quickly set in and even as the tubas desperately tried to find a dry(ish) spot to sit, and our esteemed leader Ken held the poor gazebo together with one hand while gamely waving his baton with the other - the jokes kept flowing. Towards the end of all this one of the finishers who was trying to keep dry under our shelter told us that it was the sound of the band playing that had got them through the final stretch. For me this event summed up all the best things about Wadhurst Brass Band – fantastic team spirit and serving the community.

Interested in Joining the Band?
If you play an instrument please get in touch. Jenny’s number is below or you can contact us through our website. Our rehearsals are on Thursday evenings at 8 o’clock. Everyone is really welcome and if you happen to play cornet (maybe trumpet) then that is even better.

Learn to Play
Our Training Band meets at 7pm on Thursdays and we would be really pleased to see you if you fancy giving it a go. They are an enthusiastic bunch of all ages so don’t be shy. We have instruments for you to use so there really is no excuse

Dates for 2008 – see you there!

Contacts:           Jenny Cooper             Band Manager       01892 782247
Lydia Fuggle             Secretary                   01892 782308

WADHURST RUNNERS - BEWL 15 RACE

Chairman’s Report:
Bewl 15 running race (Sunday 6th July) has come of age. Wadhurst Runners reported that the race had unprecedented success with two runners beating the old course record, the Ladies race course record plus 11 other category records broken and 6 administrative records broken. 18 records in all.

The race started with perfect conditions with a record entry of 660, bolstered by Bewl 15 being promoted to part of the Sussex Grand Prix Running Race Series of 18 races; hence the tremendous upsurge of entries this year. The Runners World rating so far after 39 entries shows 93% satisfaction and 99% of the runners would run the race again. This may well put Bewl 15 in the top 50 races in the UK, including the famous Hasting ½ marathon and the Flora London Marathon, on this performance.

In all a record 571 runners completed the run, comprising 38 teams from throughout the South. The rain held off until 12:15, but did not dampen the spirits of the runners nor the dozens of marshals, who patrolled the 14.2 mile race course of a single lap around the spectacular beauty of Bewl Water.

Despite the gruelling conditions, the standard of runners was much improved over 2007. Michael Mackay, one of the runners, said ‘The standard is high this year as I was 63rd but on equivalent time I would have been 24th’. Andy Southern commented ‘You are mad to run the Bewl 15 but you would be mad not to’. Mackay also commented ‘Bewl 15 is second only to the Flora London Marathon for its superb organisation’.

Bewl 15 was organised by East Sussex running club, Wadhurst Runners. To find out more about Wadhurst Runners log on to www.wadhurstrunners.co.uk

The club, which welcomes runners of all abilities, meet at Uplands sports centre reception, every Tuesday at 7.15pm and also every Sunday at 9.00am. For further details please contact Albert Kemp on (01580 200024) or email: albert@barnfieldkemp.demon.co.uk.

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