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10 June 2009
AT the last meeting of the Bexhill and District Branch of the CSMA, the members were able to enjoy a very interesting talk about Leonard Cheshire, given by Roger McKenna.
He said that Leonard was brought up near Oxford and that on the outbreak of war in 1939 he obtained a commission in the RAF.
At the age of 25 he was the youngest group captain in the RAF. He became the most- decorated pilot, being awarded the VC, the DSC and two bars, and the DFC.
In 1945 he was the official British observer at the dropping of the atomic bomb over Nagasaki.
When he left the RAF in 1946 he bought a house in Hampshire, called Le Court, with the intention of housing ex-servicemen and women, helping them in the transition from service to civilian life but unfortunately this failed.
Two years later, he discovered that Arthur Dykes, who had lived in Le Court, was suffering from terminal cancer and he was invited to return to Le Court. Soon, a total of 24 people were being cared for and Cheshire then formed what is now known as Leonard Cheshire Disability – a charitable trust that is currently responsible for nearly 300 homes for sick and disabled people throughout the world.
In 1981 he was awarded the Order of Merit and in 1991 he became a life peer, taking the title Baron Cheshire of Woodhall in Lincolnshire. He died of motor neurone disease in 1992.
In 1941 Cheshire married the American actress Constance Binney but the marriage failed and in 1959 he married Sue Ryder, who had also started a charitable foundation but the two charities were kept separate.
THE NEXT meeting of the group will be at the normal meeting place, Cooden Beach Hotel, on Tuesday, June 16 at 7.30pm when one of the members, Ed Walker, will be giving a talk entitled The British Nuclear Deterrent.
On Friday, June 19 there will be a group trip to Bentley Wildfowl Park. Those attending should meet in the Bentley car park.
With the aid and assistance of CSMA HQ, it is hoped to run a fun casino evening in the hotel.
Membership of the group is open to all members of the Civil Service Motoring Association who live in Bexhill, Hastings, Eastbourne and the surrounding area.
Further details can be obtained from the secretary, Tony Calton, on 01424 43496.
THE annual parish meeting of Westham Parish Council took place on Wednesday, May 20 and the council was pleased to welcome several visitors, including the Earl of Lytton, who presented the Quality Parish Status certificate to the chairman of the council.
He congratulated the parish council and explained to those present just how prestigious the award was and how much work was involved to achieve it.
He also thanked the clerk (Alison Coode), T Leggo and L Butcher for their work in helping Westham Parish Council achieve this award.
District councillor Kevin Balsdon congratulated the parish on achieving quality parish status and introduced Cllr Sylvia Martin as the new district council chairman.
He also explained that he was now on the community scrutiny and licensing committee and was a representative for Age Concern.
He remains a parent-governor at Pevensey and Westham School.
Finally, he encouraged everyone to enter a photography competition aimed at promoting Sussex (details were in last week's column).
District councillor Diane Dear said that she was still serving on the same committees as before.
Reports were then received from clubs/organisations within the parish: Joyce Richards (Friendship Lunch), Hazel Picton (Stone Cross Windmill), both written reports handed to the clerk.
J Saunders congratulated the parish council on its award and told those present how Pevensey and Westham Sports Club had cricket and football clubs.
There are now ten boys' football teams and two girls' teams.
The club was the FA Charter Standard Development Club of the Year award in 2006 and 2008 and players have left to join Brighton and Charlton Athletic.
They are looking for an exit for those over 16 and hope to link with Hailsham Cricket and Football Club.
ALF Lovell (Foxes Hollow) congratulated the parish council and thanked the clerk for all her help and the parish council for all its support.
He said there were not too many problems on the estate but the annual carol concert might be blighted by the cost of insuring the event.
Foxes Hollow Residents' Association has 110 out of 170 households as members.
David Gay said Red Dyke Residents' Association had its annual meeting in April and hade approximately 500 members.
It aims to improve the area and its main problems are with the developer.
They also congratulated the parish on achieving Quality Parish Status.
There were many congratulations and thanks to the clerk for all her work and help, which were typified by K Saxby who also thanked her for setting up the evening.
ON Thursday, June 11, Tempest Photographers will be visiting Hankham School to take class and group photos.
Also on the same day in the afternoon, it is visiting time for those children who will be joining the school in September.
The school football team will be taking part in a competition being organised by Hailsham Community College on Tuesday, June 16, and on June 17 the school will be visited by a team from St Dunstan's with a presentation called World Without Vision, which is for Key Stage 2 pupils.
Year 6 from Stone Cross School are away on a school journey this week.
Pevensey and Westham School will be holding its summer fair on Saturday, June 20 from 11am to 1pm.
All the fun of the fair will be there, with sideshows, cake stalls, hopefully face painting, filing and painting of nails, body tattoos and many other attractions.
It is not too late for you to offer your help to the PTFA. Contact chairman Tracey Buchan via the school office.
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Weather for Eastbourne
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
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