Mountfield

ADVENT CAROLS: Jackie Spriggs writes: “On Advent Sunday a great congregation gathered at Mountfield Church in semi darkness to mark the weeks before Christmas, going from darkness to light. A procession moved into the church bringing the light from which all the congregation’s candles were lit, and by the end of the first hymn all the candles all around the church were also lit creating a glow the like of which would have been the only illumination in our dear church in past times. The scene was complete when the East Window — a scene of the Nativity — was lit from the outside into the candlelit chancel to focus our thoughts on the Incarnation, and was particularly effective as it materialised gradually as the halogen lamp warmed up. Traditional Advent hymns were sung with great gusto, between which were traditional biblical readings and modern poetry and prose read by representatives of our three parishes of Brightling, Mountfield and Netherfield. In the absence of our priest Rev’d Ann-Marie Crosse, who is convalescing after surgery, the service was led by a very old friend, Rev’d John Chater, a former Dean of Battle. Altogether a wonderful occasion to begin the festive season.”
By The Newsroom
Published 4th Dec 2014, 23:00 BST

CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PARTY: Vicky Staley writes: “Calling all the children to the Mountfield Christmas Tree Party! It takes place on Saturday 13th December between 4pm-6pm at Mountfield Village Hall. All children living in Mountfield of primary school age or younger (0-11) are invited to this free party by the goodwill of the Village Hall Committee and the Parish Council. Please reserve a place by calling Vicky on 01580 882147 or email [email protected] as soon as possible.”

CALLING ALL GARDENERS: Chris Holden writes: “Your Village Hall needs you. The Mountfield Village Hall Committee is hoping to brighten up the outside of the hall with some flower tubs for next spring and summer. To achieve this we need your support, please. Can you help us with any of the following? During this autumn and winter we are looking for large tubs and pots of any description. And next spring we should welcome compost, seedlings and/or rooted cuttings, spare annuals and bedding plants, any outdoor potted plants that are no longer wanted, and a few hours to help with planting. If you have anything to offer, please contact Chris on 01580 389053 or [email protected]. We can collect. Please help us to make the hall blooming beautiful for 2015.” It’s a lovely idea and your Village Voices will be rooting round to see what they can find.

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DIARY DATES: Three dates for your diary. Robertsbridge Christmas Capers are tonight (Friday 5th). The East Sussex and Romney Marsh Hunt’s Christmas Fair will be at Kitchenham Farm, Ashburnham, on Sunday (7th) from 10.00 – 2.00 with great stalls and fortifying BBQ snacks and drinks. Entry is £2.00 on the door and all proceeds will go to the Battle Muffin Club (who have an interesting website with a history of their wartime origins). And Battle’s Late Night Opening is next Thursday next week (11th).

BARBARA VALENTINE: We asked Barbara how she got on at the Robertsbridge Christmas Fair the other weekend. She reports: “We all had a good time at the fair but I didn’t do a huge number of portraits. I did, however, do a line drawing of a rag doll, made by one of the other stallholders, for her to use as a logo!.” And in a recent Village Voice, we wondered just how much Barbara has raised for St Michael’s Hospice over the last year. She has replied: “With the help of my painting group who help me so much, I aim to raise £1000 a year but have only made £870 so far this year. Well, the year isn’t over yet, and my next venue is the Christmas Fair run by the Day Services at St Michaels Hospice on Thursday 4th December, at the Hospice from 11.00 – 1.30. I’m not perceiving this as a major opportunity to raise money, more a chance to do portraits of the staff, volunteers, and patients, as a fun thing for them and for me. My classes at the village hall have just broken up for the Christmas break, restarting January 13th, so I have more time to spare and am available to do portraits at any local event, even parties, where I am very happy to paint in exchange for a donation to the Hospice.” More on St Michaels’ Christmas Fair next week and if you are planning an event where Barbara can raise some money for the hospice, or if you are interested in joining her art classes in the New Year please let us know.

MOUNTFIELD CLUB: The Club held a darts bullseye evening last Saturday which was well attended. Congratulations go to Bruce Sargent and Sue Baker who were the evening’s winners. On the Friday December 19th, the Club is hosting a Christmas Quiz Night starting for about 8.00. On the same evening, the Club will be making its grand Christmas draw with plenty of prizes and tickets only a £1.00 each. For more information please contact Steve Smith on 07720 298971.

AUTUMN: We cannot let this autumn pass without comment. There have been sights we have simply never seen before such as whole bushes of hazel with bright yellow leaves, oaks in every range of foliage colour in their palette, the field maples brighter than we’ve ever seen and, in the hedge by the church is a hawthorn bush with bright yellow leaves. We had to stop to check what we were seeing. The autumn of a lifetime.

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CONTACT US: We were interested to se that Mountfield Football Club are handsomely heading Division 1 of the East Sussex Football League. It would be great to have even just a few lines about the club from time to time. We can be contacted on 880614 or via [email protected].

Peter and Valerie Miles

[email protected]