A community website for the residents of Dallington in East Sussex
(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 [email protected] Text 07730402908
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.
And our regular weekly activities:
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
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
(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.
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.
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!)
(Posted on behalf of Doug Edworthy) December 2022
Bookings 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 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.
I’m afraid I’ve decided to cancel this afternoons Library Cafe as conditions are still making travel on foot or by car so difficult. Please stay warm and stay safe!
You are invited to join other local friends and neighbours at the
Dallington Village
Christmas Lunch
Thursday 15th December 2022
12 noon for 12:30(ish)
At Dallington Old School Village Hall
If you would like to print out a copy of the flyer to share, please use this link Village Christmas Lunch 2022 flier
(Posted on behalf of Doug Edworthy)
During 2022 a survey of vascular plants was conducted in the beautiful Dallington Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which straddles the parishes of Brightling and Dallington.
Originally surveyed and designated a SSSI way back in 1953 when regionally and nationally rare species: Wood Fescue, Hay-scented Buckler-fern, Cornish Moneywort, and Ivy-leaved Bellflower were found, there had been no systematic survey or recording since then.
So, funded by the Peter Smith Charitable Trust, this last Spring and Summer three separate surveys were undertaken to discover how many species were still present. The results were interesting in that a total of 48 ancient woodland indicator species were found, but disappointing in that two of the rare species now appear to be extinct in the SSSI.
Visit the Dallington Forest Project website to learn more. The survey report and data can be found at https://dallingtonforest.uk/plants/
“Tree-hugger”
(Posted on behalf of Bobbie Steel)
Services and other events in St Giles in December 2022
Sunday December 4th. 11am. Service of The Word
11th. 6.30pm. Evensong
18th. 6.30 pm. Carol Service
Christmas Eve 24th. 11.30pm. Midnight Mass
Sunday January. 1st. 11am. Service of The Word
There is to be a celebration of Christmas Trees in the church. Local groups and individuals are invited to decorate a tree in any way they choose, to remember loved ones, celebrate a special occasion or simply for the joy of taking part. Wendy Miers will be able to give more information. On Saturday December 17th there will be a coffee morning and it is hoped that lots of visitors will come and enjoy seeing the decorations in the church.
The next day, Sunday December 18th, there will be more hospitality after the Carol Service with mince pies and wine.
The Reverend Marc Lloyd will officiate at the Midnight Service starting at 11.30pm on Christmas Eve.
On January 5th Twelth Night will be marked with coffee and cakes, followed by a short service after which the Christmas decorations will be taken down.