Netherfield

Sandra was always interested in the village life and held lots of Charity functions. She was also a great supporter of Netherfield Church and many will remember the Pancake Evenings – the late Tommy Tucker taking charge of the Quiz and Sandra and Richard supplying the inexhaustible supply of pancakes – how they did it one will never know!

After leaving the Netherfield Arms, Sandra and Richard retired to Battle and Sandra was able to concentrate on her Golf which she played at Sedlescombe Golf Club and thoroughly enjoyed. She was elected Ladies Captain a few years ago which she whole heartedly devoted herself to as she did with other organisations she was involved with. She was also able to spend more time with the family and her two grandchildren.

The family, Richard, Kevin, Heidi, Harry and Katie and Sister Jen can take comfort that Sandra was a great friend to many and well known and liked in the community, as around 500 people attended her Funeral Service in St Mary’s Church, Battle.

Sandra will be greatly missed and leave a void in the lives of very many people. - Diana Watson

St John The Baptist Church: One of the loveliest and most rewarding times of the year is the Harvest Festival. After the Holy Communion service and the giving of gifts for needy people in Hastings, we all sat down to a wonderful meal. The many lovely flowers were lit up by bright sunshine through the stained glass windows, making us all feel thankful for friendship and our good fortune, with our thoughts and prayers going to families less fortunate than ourselves.

Our Autumn Fair is being held on Saturday, 14th December, from 10-12pm. As usual there will be lots to browse and buy: crafts, jewellery, cakes, bric-a-brac, books, games, refreshments, garden items, plants and lots more. Please join us, helping to raise much needed maintenance funding. - Gillian

Mountfield Village Hall Cinema Club: Just a reminder that the Big Screen Social Nights are due to start again on Friday week with the second on Friday 17th November. The first presentation is the original “Rocky Horror Picture Show”, starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Richard O’Brian and Barry Bostwick. The date is Friday 13th October. Scary. As always there will be refreshments available and get in the mood for a classic sing-along. Doors open at 7pm and there is a suggested donation of £5 per person. However, feel free to dress for the occasion There will be half price entry for those who wear their Rocky Horror gear.

Reflections on a Garden: Leaves, leaves and more leaves. Piles of them, brown and dry, covering the grass like a blanket of air-dried potato peelings. Our ash tree seems to delight in shedding its load almost “en masse”, and being close to one hundred years old, that is the tree not me, has a lot to drop. Mind you, the resultant leaf mould we produce two or three years down the line, is not only organic and loamy, but dark, handsome and great for the garden. A bit like me I guess.

You might ask if my “heaps” require logistical support solutions on storage and transportation. I can already see my reader is impressed with the fact that my Secondary Modern schooling allows me to move easily between the vernacular and the current management “buzz” words when addressing pressing issues in the garden. There I go again with that blue sky thinking. Actually, when I analyse what I have just said, maybe ignorance is bliss.

Anyway, getting back to the garden, leaves, grass cuttings and organic material is stored in builder’s bags I have kept over the years, after deliveries of bricks, pea shingle or shale as it is commonly known, have been used to form buildings and paths throughout the estate. They last for years and whilst may always look like builder’s bags, do a great job in the grand old art of composting.

More next week

Claverham Monday Badminton Club: It was a damp Monday evening. The winter chill had not reached its peak but the evening air had lost that warm feeling which makes the pathway to the pleasure palace an enjoyable journey. An intense look covered my face as I grasped rackets firmly in my uncovered hand, striding purposefully towards the entrance. I am sorry but somebody has to try and make this stuff worth reading.

Unlike last week fourteen stalwarts of the game arrived to show us what they are made of, which included a new convert called Phoebe. I apologise if I have spelled her name incorrectly. There was also a welcome return of Sandra and Mike, two long-serving members of the club who had been on a sabbatical.

Right from the start competition was reminiscent of the Trojan Wars. Intense, spectacular and educational. Well if Homer was around I am sure he would be writing about our games as well. There were mixed doubles, foursomes and some games where it looked as though only three were playing despite there being four on the court. Just my little attempt at an amusing interlude in a description of utter banality.

There was one difficult moment, when one of our long-standing members, Scott, tripped and fell, trying to make a difficult shot at the rear of the court. He crashed to the floor next to the wall, hitting his back on the bricks and his backside on the tiled floor. Luckily for us, despite being shaken by the experience, there was no damage to the facilities. He, unfortunately, will have a few bruises here and there.

Contact: If you have any stories or articles of interest that will give our readership a reason to buy the paper please contact me on email at [email protected]. Number 07766606611.