Icklesham

Magpies, Oast House Field

• Saturday 4 May Icklesham Horticultural Society has its annual plant bring and buy sale in the Memorial Hall 10am - 2pm..This is a big opportunity to sell, swap and buy plants, bulbs and seeds. At the same time there are several craft stalls, a tombola and refreshments. The Hall is just off the A259 with lots of free parking on the adjacent recreation ground. Queries? phone Sandra Stunt 01424 814401.

*Sunday 5 May 10.30 Parish Eucharist and the Rogation Day procession when crops are blessed and part of the parish boundary is symbolically walked. Traditionally called ‘’the beating of the bounds’’.

• Sunday 4-6 in the Queen’s Head live music is hard rock from Black Sheep.

* Over this Mayday Weekend Icklesham Village Store is open on Saturday 9am - 3pm,Sunday 9am -12.30pm and is closed on Mayday Monday.

Windmill Orchard Farm Shop and Tea Room is open on Saturday 9am -5pm , Sunday 10am - 4pm. On Bank Holiday Monday it’s open 9am - 4pm. Bikers are welcome and can drop in for the café with easy parking half way on the Winchelsea-Icklesham straight

• Wednesday 15 May at the Rye Ferry Road Clinic the Patient Participation Group host a talk by Larri Hayhurst R.N. on ‘’Advance Care Directive’’.

• Sunday 19 May The Rye and Winchelsea Rotary Club has its 15th Annual walk for charity. To obtain an a sponsorship form or register phone 07530772000 or email [email protected] The route is from Rye to Icklesham and back. At Icklesham there will be drinks in ‘’the village hall’’. Next year 2014 the start of the First World War in 1914 will be commemorated in many different ways. One way should be to respect the War Memorials which each grieving community produced. Icklesham has no cross,monument or heroic Statue. The Village c hose to have its Memorial Hall.

• Hedgerows and verges have spring flowers by now. A tallish plant with clusters of white/mauve flower heads is either called Cuckooflower or Lady’s Smock. Here amorous male Orange Tip butterflies will be searching for a mate. She is often hidden with her folded wings showing a mottled grey which is perfect camouflage - she has no orange on her. Each flower head has enough food for one caterpillar so eggs are laid singly. She tries to put other females off with a nasty smell left on the egg. When this fails sometimes another egg is laid. When this second caterpillar hatches it is immediately eaten by caterpillar number one. As the flowers die the caterpillars become chrysalises and will emerge in spring 2014 and the cycle is repeated with the occasional cannibalistic events.

• Last Saturday’s over 60s party hosted was a great success and all the guests give a big ‘’Thank You’’ to the Robin Hood Bonfire Society and Boot Sales whose generosity had provided everything. About 50 guests enjoyed lunch including delicious puddings washed down with wine. Local band Ricochet played music from the 50s and 60s which had everybody dancing. Even the tables had to be moved to make a bigger dance floor and all realised that you are never too old to Twist.So well done all the Bonfire boy and girls who worked so hard to make his an excellent do.

• Apologies to Pam Lee. Your name was mistakenly omitted from the list of Parochial Parish Council members.

• The next Church Market will be on Saturday 18 May.Home made cakes and savouries always sell.If you are able to provide any they would be gratefully received. Contact Sylvia Archer 01797 224288.

• June already has two important dates. Saturday 8 Christine Wheeler is hosting a Strawberry Tea in her garden at Chantry Lodge, Workhouse Lane. It will be raising funds for the Parish Church. More details later. Saturday 22June and Sunday 23 June Flower Festival and Art exhibition in the Parish Church. The Flower Club, the Church Flower Ladies and Icklesham Art Group have got together to put on this event which will be the biggest single fundraiser for our village Church this year.Christine 01424 814927 is the person to contact.They are still looking for people to do traditional flower mats which can be done at home.

• The May Parish Magazine highlights one way anybody can contribute: “Despite the fact that many of our flower arrangers are kind enough to donate their flowers, they are still our biggest cost. If you are unable to contribute in other ways, perhaps you would consider sponsoring an arrangemeint. Flowers in these arrangements can cost between £10 and £25 ( we anticipate about 30 arrangements), so you will appreciate how quickly the costs mount up. Any sponsored arrangements will be acknowledged in our programme and/or by arrangement.”