Old School Village Hall (update 24.3.10)

(Posted on behalf of Dallington Old School Village Hall Committee):

During the current epidemic we are following advice from the government, the NHS and Action in Rural Sussex. The Hall & Billiards Room will remain CLOSED for most activities until further notice. We will of course re-open the Old School as soon as it is safe to do so.

The only exception may be for some essential staff training for careworkers (a key worker category); if so they will be following strict guidelines on social distancing and handwashing to reduce the spread of infection. If you see lights on in the hall, please do not assume it will be open for any other purposes.

For everyone else, please continue to look after yourselves and follow the advice on social distancing and self isolation. Irene Marchant, Dallington Parish Clerk, is posting regular updates and links to reliable sources on this website. Irene is also coordinating offers and requests for help with shopping, collecting medicines or anything else, so please do get in touch if you need anything or know of anyone who may need some additional support. Follow the link in the top menu for Corona Virus Information and Advice.

Postponed: Local History Group Talk 24th March 2020

LOCAL HISTORY GROUP

The final advertised talk in this year’s series, which was to be Pauline Ridley on “Dallington’s Reading Room 100 years ago: what were they reading and why?” on 24th March, has been POSTPONED in accordance with current NHS guidance to reduce the risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection by avoiding large group meetings.

We hope to reschedule this talk later this year or in spring 2021

March 2020 events in Dallington

(from Bobbie Steel)

St Giles Church services in March
- Sunday March 1st 11am. Service of The Word
- Sunday March 8th. 6.30pm. Evensong
- Sunday March 15th 11am. Holy Communion
- Sunday March 22nd 9.30am. Holy Communion
- Sunday March 29th. 11am. Service of The Word

Library Cafe Saturday March 7th from 10-12 and every Monday afternoon from 2-4. Books, refreshments, friendly company.
Art Club (weekly) Monday mornings from 10-12
Book Club (monthly) Monday March 9th 4-5pm
History Group There will be meetings of the History Group on
March 10th (Doug Edworthy on the history of Dallington Forest) and
March 24th (Pauline Ridley on Dallington Reading Room 100 years ago)
All at 7 for 7.30pm in Dallington Old School Village Hall.
Poetry Group (monthly) Monday March 16th 4-5pm
Villagers Group (monthly) The Dallington Village Group will meet on Thursday March 19th at 7pm in the hall. (Please note the change of time). The subject will be ‘Who’s done that?’

Rare Black poplar trees looking for a planting place

(Posted on behalf of Doug Edworthy):

Rare Black poplar trees looking for a planting place

Photograph of black poplar leaves — Image credit; © Copyright Robin Stott and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Our tree Warden, Doug Edworthy, has had a great response from people willing to have one of the rare (and free) Black poplar plants growing on their land.

Due to the generosity of Wakehurst Place (the Kew Gardens outstation where clones of the remaining Black poplar strains are being cultivated) we have six plants more than we have planting places!

These Populus nigra betulifolia can live for up to 200 years and grow to 30 m (100 feet) high. They are the food plant for the caterpillars of many moths, including the hornet, wood leopard, poplar hawk and figure of eight. The catkins provide an early source of pollen and nectar for bees and other insects, and the seeds are eaten by birds.

Doug is looking for land that is boggy or wet, close to a watercourse or on a floodplain owned by someone who would value having one of our rarest trees on their land. If possible, a planting position within sight of a road or public right-of-way would be preferred so they are visible to the public.

They must all be planted by the beginning of March before bud-burst so please get in touch with me urgently if you are interested. Contact details at the end of this message.

To protect the trees from deer and rabbits, and ensure their best start in life, Doug will provide netting, stakes, rabbit guards, tree-ties, mulch and other planting accessories which he has purchased himself, so he would be grateful if the landowner could reimburse these costs at £20.44 per tree.

Also, any help to dig holes and erect fencing would be gratefully received as a total of 29 trees need planting before March.

Email [email protected]
Mobile 07711 090 925
Tel 01435 830195

Snooker tournament December 2019

A very successful Snooker Competition took place during the first two weeks of December. Organised by Karen Gillingham, the event raised approximately £150 for the hall, and attracted new and experienced players for a series of entertaining play-offs. The overall winner was John Wyatt, who receives three months free use of the snooker room as well as a trophy. Please call Karen Gillingham on 01435 831563 to enquire about booking the snooker room.

National Village Halls Week & Old School AGM Monday 27th January

It’s National Village Halls Week – described as “an annual celebration of rural community spaces and the people whose time and dedication keep them going” (https://acre.org.uk/our-work/village-halls-week.php). Across the country, village halls are putting on special events and publicising their work on local radio and social media.

To coincide with Village Halls Week, Dallington Old School has produced its second annual newsletter to let residents know what’s been happening and what we offer. You can download it from this link. Old School News January 2020. Print copies are also available in the hall, and we hope to distribute more around the village.

We would also like to encourage you to come along to our Annual General Meeting next Monday 27th January at 4-5pm (straight after the Library Cafe so the hall will still be nice and warm! ). This is a chance to hear reports and plans from the trustees, to share your ideas for using the hall and to elect next year’s committee.

More information about the hall and some of the clubs which meet there at the Village Hall page of this website.

December 2019 Services & News

(posted on behalf of Bobbie Steel)

Church services in December

Sunday 1st 11am Service of The Word
8th 6.30pm Evensong
15th 11am Holy Communion
22nd 6.30pm Lessons and Carols
24th 11.30pm Christmas Holy Communion
29th. 11am. Service of The Word
After the carol service there will be coffee and mulled wine and mince pies. The repaired heating in the church is working very effectively. One rather imagines that for years we have been heating the space under the foundations and now the heat is being directed inside. The disruption in the vestry made it a very good time to clean and paint, and a working party, led by John Day, has made a remarkable difference. A new carpet has been laid and now our Treasurer, Douglas Sewell, is negotiating with our insurers as to the division of fiscal responsibility, or, who pays for what?

The Christmas tree will be brought into the church and decorated on Saturday December 14th. This will be after the school Nativity Service and in time for the children’s Carol Service before they break up.
Everyone is welcome to help on tree-decorating morning. It is always a very jolly time, just arrive between 10.30 and 11ish.

Dallington WI.
By the time this article is published in the magazines the W.I. here in Dallington will have held the Annual Meeting at which it will be wound up. There will be one last Christmas lunch on December 19th, in the Old School Village Hall at 12 for 12.30.

Art Club Christmas Cards for sale

gallery of card designs Dallington Art Club members have produced a range of Christmas Cards for sale in aid of the Old School Village Hall (registered charity 289652).

On sale at the Old School Library Cafe every Monday from 2-4, the cards cost £2.50 per pack of 5 x A6 cards and envelopes, in single designs (see image) or as mixed packs. If we are low on stock, additional packs can be printed to order.

If you are unable to come in during the library cafe opening hours, please email p.ridley@brighton if you would like to order your choice of cards and support a vital village asset.

Christmas Wreath Workshop 26th November

We are delighted to announce that Pam Fuller has agreed to run a Christmas Wreath Workshop in the Old School Village Hall on Tuesday 26th November from 10-12 for just £5 per head including refreshments .

Pam will provide some materials such as wreath wire and ribbon, but asks everyone to bring the following items:

3 x 14″ lengths of cupressus (cypress) or other evergreen
Ball of green string
Things to decorate your wreath with, eg holly, baubles etc

Snooker Competition

(Posted on behalf of Karen Gillingham)

A Snooker Competition will take place during the first two weeks of December, in the Snooker Room of Dallington Old School Village Hall.

Entry fee £10; winner will receive three months free use of the Snooker Room.

Deadline for entries 30th November – contact Karen Gillingham 01435 831563 or 07941 847750