Catsfield

Fete and Flower Show: Saturday’s fete, flower show and evening dance put on by the Catsfield Horticultural Society was a huge success and was blessed with beautiful sunshine and lots of visitors. Congratulations must go to Vanessa, Diane Wilson and her Fete committee and Chris Parkes and his Show committee for bringing back this traditional event to the playing field and proving that it could still take place with the support of a good team of volunteers. The five hundred or so adults who paid to come through the gate (not to mention countless children whose admission was free) thronged the playing field throughout the afternoon. The wide variety of stalls and entertainment had something for everyone and it was very pleasant to listen to the Battle Town Band whilst sitting at tables enjoying the WI teas. The standard of entries in all classes in the Show tent was very high and the judges had a hard task deciding the winners. The overall awards for the horticultural classes all went to Ivan Luck and Brian Croft. John Overall won the handicrafts section, Jacqueline Kemp had the highest points for cookery over all and Pauline Putland won both awards in the flower arranging classes. In the Catsfield Residents’ Classes, Jo Fowler won the cup for the most points and Alexander Davis aged 10 won the Children’s cup. Keith Bishop won the Newtime Salver for preserves and the President’s Tankard for the highest number of points in the whole show. Well done to them all, such a lot of hard work! Saturday night’s dance with the superb ‘Swingstreet Band’ was a fitting climax to a hugely successful and enjoyable day. The busy bar was run by Jim Campbell from the village shop, assisted by Simon and Megan Richardson. Lots of dancers and just listeners made the evening a marvellous success. Apparently the ice cream van was also busy and children were using the playground until the moon appeared. We were lucky to get the ‘Swingstreet Band’, who played for us at the Jubilee celebrations, so if you

Sports News: An extremely interesting afternoon’s cricket at home versus Sedlescombe completed a busy weekend at the Playing Field. Catsfield batted first finishing at tea with 194 for 7, David Taylor scoring 31, Derek Fuller 46 and Andy Williams 51 being the main scorers. It was just like old times having Tony Taylor in the side skilfully finishing with bowling figures 10 overs, 3 maidens, 3 for 34, other wicket takers were Derek Longley 2 for 4 runs and James Wilson 1 for 37. Captain Keith Cook constantly changed the bowling trying to get a victory, but with only 8 wickets taken we ended up with a draw. During the match a German tourist called in to ask what game we were playing, we were just about to launch into the rules of lbw when she hurriedly left. It begs the question what do Germans play in the summer? Do they spend it in football training and if so, where does it get them? Speaking of which, the first of three friendly football matches starts on Saturday and the cricketers will be playing Brightling Park at home on Sunday.

Forthcoming Event: The St Laurence Church Flower Festival takes place in the church over the August Bank Holiday weekend, 23rd, 24th, 25th based on the theme ‘A Work of Art’. All the details of this and associated events in next week’s column, but make a note of the dates because it’s going to be well worth a visit! Finally as we all commemorate the events of WWl on the hundredth anniversary, the prize-winning ode written by John Overall for the show entitled ‘The Village Pump’ seems appropriate to include here.

The moon shone on the village pump

One hundred years ago

She drew her water from the sump

And thought about her Joe

Her son who made her very proud

They’d sent him off to France

To fight the war to end all wars

The village band that played so loud

Those pals who gave no backward glance

To shouts and cheers and roars

She still goes to the moonlit place

But Joe will go no more

He disappeared without a trace

In mud and dirt and gore

So now she comes here all alone

Without her darling lad

Never will he have a wife

Nor children of his own

She’s never ever been so sad

What a waste of his young life

The moon still shines unto this day

Their names now set in stone

Those village boys who went away

To fight and die alone

Their spirit was unshaken

They fought so we are free

Our futures will be brighter

By our brave young Sussex yeomen

Who died for you and me

And we always will remember

Jill Jarrett

Broadview, Bexhill