Author: Pauline

Village Hall News & Events March 2023

News

photo of window box showing spring bulbs
New spring bulbs in the planters outside the hall

At last week’s Village Hall AGM, all members of the current committee were re-elected. We are delighted that they are all willing to continue but we still have spaces and would warmly welcome new members and/or volunteers to help with various regular small tasks to keep this community space available to all residents. You can find out more in our newsletter published last month.

We are also very pleased to announce that we are one of 37 halls taking part in Rother District Council’s Village Halls Energy Project.  Each hall will have a free energy assessment followed by recommendations for ways to improve energy efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint – vital to help cope with rising prices. Although some potential actions may be limited by our listed building status, it will provide us with a useful basis for future planning. Find out more about the Village Halls Energy project at their web page Village Halls Energy Project – Rother District Council

Events in March

  • Saturday 4th March Library Cafe 10-12noon
    (our monthly Saturday morning opening)
  • Friday 17th March Quiz Night 7.00pm onwards for a 7.30 prompt start.
    • £5 per head to include buffet supper; please bring your own drinks
    • All welcome – bring your own team (max 6) or join in with others on the night
    • Prizes for the winning team and raffle draw during the interval

And our regular weekly activities:

  • Monday 6th March (and every Monday)
    • Art Club 10-12
    • Library Café 2-4pm
  • Thursday evenings Beginners Yoga 8-9pm
  • Friday mornings Chair Yoga  11am -12 noon 
    For more details of yoga classes and to book a place, please visit https://www.living-yoga.co.uk/classes

To view all forthcoming activities or to book the hall for your own event, please go to our Main Hall Bookings Page  and to book our newly refurbished Billiard Room, go to the Billiard Room page

Iyengar Yoga Workshop

(Posted on behalf of Brenda Booth)

Iyengar Yoga Workshop
11th March  10.30am-1.30pm
at Brightling Village Hall TN3 25HH.

For Turkey Earthquake Appeal
All Proceeds to British Red Cross

Open to all Iyengar yoga students in the area.
Please contact Brenda Booth at  brendaboothkent@aol.com if you wish to attend or donate.

Dallington Forest Walk 26th March 2023

(Posted on behalf of Brenda Booth)

Dallington Forest Walk  led by Doug Edworthy (Tree Warden Dallington and Brightling)

26th March Meet at top of Bakers Lane – main road end – at 11am (and don’t forget that the clocks go forward the night before).

Walk will be approx. 2 to 3 hours 

Please contact Brenda Booth (co-ordinator)

Email Brendaboothkent@aol.com Text 07730402908

Village Hall News February 2023

Our annual newsletter is published to coincide with Village Halls Week (January 23th -29th) –  a national campaign by Action with Communities in Rural England highlighting the  contribution that England’s 10,000+ village halls make to rural communities. This year’s focus is on the way that village halls can provide warm, welcoming and inclusive spaces – something that Dallington Old School Village Hall aims to do every week with the community Library Café as well as our other activities. You can view the newsletter here  Old School News January 2023 PDF FINAL to find out more about how the hall is run, what we can offer and how local residents can support this community space.

In particular, you are  warmly invited to the forthcoming Annual General Meeting on 15th February at 7.00 to hear what’s been going on and let us know what else you’d like to see happening at the hall.

Other events in February:

  • Saturday 4th February Library Cafe 10-12noon
    (our monthly Saturday morning opening)
  • Wednesday 15th  Village Hall AGM All welcome
  • Friday 10th 2.30- 4.30 Beetle Drive

And our regular weekly activities:

  • Monday 6th February (and every Monday)
    • Art Club 10-12
    • Library Café 2-4pm
  • Thursday  9th and 23rd Beginners Yoga 8-9pm  (note half term break)
  • Friday 10th and 24th  Chair Yoga  11am -12 noon (note half term break)
    For more details of yoga classes and to book a place, please visit https://www.living-yoga.co.uk/classes

To view all forthcoming activities or to book the hall for your own event, please go to our Main Hall Bookings Page  and  to book our newly refurbished Billiard Room, go to the Billiard Room page

St Giles Services February 2023 (and Christmas report)

Church services in February

  • Sunday 5th         11am             Service of The Word
  • Sunday 12th       6.30pm         Evensong
  • Sunday 19th      11am.              Holy Communion
  • Sunday 26th    9.30am           Holy Communion

Christmas Report

Christmas was a busy and happy time for all involved in the church. It started with our festival of Christmas Trees, a project devised and driven by Wendy Miers. As we have on our doorsteps an ancient woodland, Wendy named the exhibition, ‘The Magic of Dallington Forest’. The idea was that those in the village who cared to join in would decorate a tree in whichever way they chose and the enthusiastic response delighted Wendy and all those fortunate to enjoy the display. So on Friday, December 16th the church was a hive of industry and before our eyes a forest of trees appeared, decorated with diverse themes and all lit up with twinkling lights.
The next day, December 17th, there was a coffee morning and an opportunity for visitors to come and enjoy the sight.
The final glory was a tall and beautiful tree very kindly given to the church by Jon Avery.
Now the scene was set for the Carol Service on December 18th. This as always took the form of the old, old story being told in the reading of Nine Lessons and carols. One could never tire of hearing these words.
Afterwards wine and mince pies and much looking at the trees.
December 24th, and in the wind and pouring rain, we made our way to the church to celebrate Midnight Mass. The service was led by the Rector, the Reverend Marc Lloyd, to whom we give grateful thanks for starting a busy Christmas  marathon with us.
On the first of January we had the pleasure of welcoming the Reverend Tony Cannon. We thanked him for leading a service of Holy Communion to start our year.
Lastly, and to wind up our Christmas celebrations, on January 6th Marc held a short service for Epiphany. Coffee and cakes beforehand and decorations down afterwards, but in a brief interlude Marc read the wonderful story by T.S. Eliot of ‘The journey of The Magi’ and now everyone had arrived in Bethlehem.

posted on behalf of Bobbie Steel

Events in Dallington over the next few days

(Posted on behalf of Jane Messer)

Are you feeling at a loose end after the excitement of Christmas and New Year’s Eve? Grey skies getting you down? All the more reason to come and join your fellow villagers for this week’s events (and if you know someone who’s on their own or doesn’t see online alerts, do encourage them to come along too.)  There will be plenty more going on in Dallington in 2023 so keep an eye out for future announcements.

  • On Friday 6th January: 
    It’s your last chance to see our lovely Christmas tree festival in St Giles Church. Join us for coffee and home made cake or other refreshments from 10am, followed by a short service celebrating Epiphany – the visit of the wise men to Jesus. (And afterwards, any volunteers to help dismantle the Christmas decorations in the church would be gratefully received).

Please note that the date given in the parish magazine and Messenger (Thursday 5th January) is incorrect. Our apologies if this causes you a diary clash but we hope to see you on Friday.

  • On Saturday 7th January: 
    Library Café from 10am to 12 noon in the Old School Village Hall. Do bring any books that you no longer wish to keep and browse our bookshelves for replacements, or just have a chat with neighbours over tea, coffee and homemade cake or other refreshments.

It’s the 150th anniversary this month of the opening of the hall extension, now the Billiard Room, so you can also  take part in a free competition to see how many balls you can pot in 10 minutes (no previous experience needed!)

  • Sunday 9th January:
    6.30pm Evensong in St Giles Church
  • Monday 11th January (and every Monday)
    Art Club 10-12, Old School Village Hall
    Library Café 2-4pm, Old School Village Hall

Book now for the Wild About Dark Skies Festival February 2023

(Posted on behalf of Doug Edworthy) December 2022

Poster showing two people pointing up at night sky. Text in blog postBookings are now open for the Wild About Dark Skies Festival

Wild About Dark Skies Festival events – 18 – 26 February 2023 – across the High Weald are free to attend. These include planetarium shows, astronomy demonstrations, special guest speakers, dark skies walks, light pollution workshops, dark skies storytelling for children, and much more. But to make sure we can accommodate you all, it is important you book in advance to secure your place, for you and your family.

So, check out the Wild About Dark Skies events in your local area and book your place on Eventbrite – see the High Weald AONB website (www.highweald.org/wildaboutdarkskies)

If you would like to print off and display this newsletter  please download via this link wild_about_dark_skies_festival#2

Wild About Dark Skies Festival 2023 – in association with High Weald AONB and kindly supported by Sussex Lund.

The Wild About Dark Skies Festival is a collaboration between local Wild About groups in Battle, Burwash, Crowhurst, Ticehurst and Wadhurst; East Sussex and Wadhurst Astronomical Societies; High Weald AONB Partnership; International Dark Skies and Dark Sky Lighting. It is kindly supported by Sussex Lund.

The Beacon is loaded….

Snowy field showing beacon in background The Beacon is loaded and rain protected ready for next Wednesday’s Winter Solstice event.

This will take place at the Dallington Recreation Ground  (Sugar Loaf Field) on the Battle Road, 21st December 7.00 onwards, mulled wine and food before we light the beacon (full details in our earlier post).

Thanks to Nick Harding for the loading and the photos . Hope to see many of you there.