Fairlight

It’s into the final week of waiting before the ‘Seasons of Life’ Flower Festival at St Andrew’s, which starts on Friday, June 30, and runs throughout the weekend, on Saturday, July 1 and Sunday, July 2. The church and the tower will be open on each of the three days, from 10 am to 5 pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 12 noon to 5 pm on the Sunday. And you will already know there is a Family Fun Day on the Saturday, with a barbeque and refreshments and stalls and, in the morning, a Teddy Bear zip wire from the top of the tower!

MOPPs today and next Friday: Today, Friday, June 23, it’s the ever popular Keith Osbourne, with his Music for Health, plus a visit from Eye concern as well. Lunch today consists of steak and mushroom pie, with fruit crumble and custard to follow. Next Friday, June 30, Deborah Derber will be giving a talk on how to avoid scams. Also here will be free hearing aid maintenance, and a lunch of roast turkey and all the trimmings, and then fruit jelly and cream

The Wine and Social Club Murder Mystery evening: This type of evening is currently among the most enjoyed favourites in the village, doubly so when it is partnered by a fish and chip supper! For their almost-here Murder Mystery, the Wine Club have st of £12 per head, the same fee as members pay. The night in question is Monday, July 10 in the village hall at 7 for a 7.30 pm curtain up. The play, specially written by Keith Pollard (who he? decided to open the doors to all those non-members who would very much like to be there, at a co), features nine, but sadly not all, of the most accomplished Fairlight Players and friends – Tom Edie, Amy Godfrey, Andy Godfrey, Keith Jellicoe, Stephen Leadbetter, Tom Miller, Jim Saphin, Alice Tigwell and Vicky Veness. It’s entitled ‘A Good Deal of Murder’. If you fancy a good night out, please contact either the Club’s Hon Sec Jill Lewing on 812340, or Hon Bookings Sec Peter Norris on 814328. A considerable number have already booked and paid, so tickets are not limitless…!

The Tuesday Ladies Club: Next Wednesday, June 28 is the Club’s summer outing – this time round to Amberley, near Arundel. There is a vague possibility that there could be a spare seat or two on the coach, though they equally well may all have gone by now. Contact Mary Stewart on 813031 or 07952 414514 to make sure.

Players’ Auditions: Really early this time round are the auditions for the Fairlight Players November production of ‘Yes, Prime Minister’ written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn. They’re on Thursday, July 6 at 7.30 pm in the village hall. To be directed by Aisling Edie – on her directorial debut in the village – the show will run from Thursday 9 to Saturday 11 November. Hon Sec Carol Ardley has the books already, and if you’d like to borrow one, call her on 814178. She can also advise you on the characters in the piece and the audition pages, all of which details have already appeared in an email attachment.

Royal British Legion Coffee Morning: This was at the Fairlight Lodge Hotel, the new home of RBL Branch, and was on May 18 – ages ago, but I failed to pick up the follow up. John and Margaret Pulfer extend a warm thank-you to all those who attended and made it such a success. The morning raised a profit of £206, and special thanks are due to the vocal talents of Juliette Vane and the keyboard skills of Roland Friday, for their many renditions of patriotic songs. They also thank the committee members and friends for baking delicious cakes and buns, and Maggie and Nicola for their expertise at the Hotel and extra special thanks to Christopher of Fairlight Lodge for a fantastic sponge sandwich with a strawberry decoration!

The Pett Level Independent Rescue boat needs volunteers: This year the Rescue Boat Association requires more volunteers to help save lives along the hazardous coastline between Rye and Hastings. This is very rewarding work which only requires a time commitment from 9 am to 1 pm, just the four hours, on Sunday mornings. Volunteers, who must be between 16 and 65 years of age, will be fully trained and have their kit provided. Why not go along on a Sunday Morning to see the invaluable volunteer work that is done at Pett Level, or contact John Pulfer, on 814866, or by email to [email protected] You could also go to their website, www.plirb.com, for more information.

Music at Guestling Church: This year’s ‘Cantabile, Songs for a Summer Evening’ Concert takes place at St. Laurence Church on the July 15 at 7 pm. The concert is presented by Molly Townson, and includes Kate Rogers and Fiona Osborne, sopranos, Richard Eldridge, accompanist, and the Guestling Church Choir. Tickets are £12, which includes refreshments with strawberries and cream, and can be obtained directly from the Church, or from from Gill Perry, on 814578 or Molly Townson, on 812520. A number of Fairlight residents are Guestling aficionados, who will be appreciative of this venture. All concert proceeds will go to the St. Laurence Church Restoration Fund.

Tragedy in Fairlight: After so many comments here, week in and week out, about the state of roads like Fairlight Road, Battery Hill and those in the village itself, I feared I might have been prescient last Thursday when I learnt that a Bexhill cyclist had so sadly met his death coming down Battery Hill. A little later, we learned more. The strobe-flickering light under the full summer canopy and the fact that the driver of the car involved was an 88-year old woman – these two details shortly proved to be wholly irrelevant, though the same may not be true of the potholes. I expect a proper report appears elsewhere in this newspaper. The potholes and the Battery Hill visibility are problems still. For the latter, I can only say that, if you are following a black, dark grey or dark blue car up or down the hill, if it has no lights on, the change of general light level as you enter the verdant tunnel means that car will become invisible. PUT YOUR LIGHTS ON! This applies as much to the grandest marques as the bangers, and they’re likely to be going faster in their invisibility.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage at www.ryeandbattleobserver.co.uk/

2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RyeandBattleObserver

3) Follow us on Twitter @RyeObs

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Rye and Battle Observer - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.