Catsfield

World’s Biggest Coffee Morning: Last Friday, 28th September Caroline and Janet hosted Catsfield’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning at Twisley Cottages, Potman’s Lane. Caroline reports that a great many people turned up and would like to thank them all and the helpers for making the event a big success. As the money is still arriving, she can’t say yet how much was raised for charity but it was certainly a good amount.

Harvest Festival: On Sunday, the Harvest Festival Thanksgiving Service was held at St Laurence Church. It was also a Family Communion Service and Harvest Lunch was available afterwards. The church was dressed for the celebrations with foliage, fruit and flowers and looked really beautiful and, after the choir had led us in singing ‘We Plough the Fields and Scatter’, the children made many trips up to the altar with harvest gifts of fruit, vegetables and provisions. The service continued in harvest theme, in Father Michael’s sermon references were made to Robin Hood and he wore an appropriate hat to make the point, while he ‘robbed the rich and gave to the poor’. At the end of the service we heard about the massive east window behind the altar being in a serious state of collapse and needing a huge amount of money to save it. Therefore, the enormous cheque for £1000 which was presented to the church by members of the Catsfield Triangle Committee as part of the proceeds from the Catsfield Boat Race held in the summer, came as a wonderful boost to the fundraising. After the service, an enormous spread of delicious food was waiting for the congregation and a pleasant time was spent eating, drinking and chatting with friends.

Catsfield Remembers: On Saturday 10th November in the Village Hall at 7pm there will be an event to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of WWl. This will include an Act of Commemoration, a ‘Trench-style Meal’ and a period entertainment. Tickets cost £12 each and are available now from Sandra on 0142477708. She has already sold quite a few and places are limited, so book yours soon if you’re interested.

This will be followed the next day by a special Remembrance Sunday Service, held in the evening this year as part of the Nation’s Tribute entitled ‘Battle’s Over’. This will include the Last Post being played in the churchyard, the lighting of a memorial beacon and followed by the joyful sound of the church bells ringing out for peace. What a blessed relief that sound must have been to the village, the country and the world one hundred years ago. More details nearer the time.

Farming: The groundsman was called back to farming last week in an effort to get the wheat in before the weather turns, will it turn? A day power-harrowing a large field ahead of two following tractors, one to plough and the other to drill. It was quite a sight in the autumn sunshine surrounded by flocks of seagulls. The cereals are now planted but there will be a delay before the field beans can be sown.

Fortunately, it was another lovely day for the annual ploughing match at Church Farm, Guestling on Saturday. One of the highest, steepest farms in the area, it could have been miserable, but we were lucky. Sitting with friends on a straw bale in the sun facing a pair of perfectly matched heavy horses from Poundland Farm, silently, skilfully coming towards you was perfection. Madge and Dolly then turned doing that lovely movement of hind legs crossing over to turn with their pure white feathers waving about making a wonderful sight. The groundsman and his mates were much more interested in meeting each other, looking at the soil, discussing yields and reminiscing about old tractors.

Sport: Then back to the village for a home cup match against Sedlescombe, which we won 1 - 0. We had a blue card issued against the player who had, ironically, suggested a penalty of having to take the kit home to wash if you succombed and so he is probably ironing the socks at this very moment. The groundsman was substituted as linesman at half time by a much younger Martin Gurr! Tomorrow another home match against Tackleway.