Fairlight Focus

Fairlight Preservation Trust

(Registered Charity Number 1107169)

16 Lower Waites Lane
Fairlight
TN35 4DB

Dear Residents or fellow member,

Over the years the Preservation Trust has cleared the drainage ditch at the top part of Rockmead Road opposite the landslip area, (From Argosy to the first bend of the road) either with the help of volunteer labour or by using professional companies. However, and unfortunately very soon after it has been cleared weeds and debris start to block it again.

It is very important that we keep this ditch clear and keep the water from lying in the ditch and seeping into the ground, so with this in mind the Trust has reached agreement with Rother District Council for a company (Booker and Best) to make improvements to this section of the ditch. By laying Pipes.

The Trust will continue to work with Rother to monitor and keep these pipes and silt traps clear, any help that residents can give us with this will be much appreciated.

It is proposed that this work will start on Tuesday 20^th September and completed by Friday 23^rd September. The road will not be closed but there may be some delays, so if you are able to use another route and avoid this area while the work is taking place it would be very much appreciated.  We do apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

There will be some signage put in place while the work is taking place.

If you need any more information, please contact Paul Capps 01424 812107 or paulcapps@btinternet.com.

May we thank you in advance for your help and forbearance.

Paul Capps

(Chairman Practical Subcommittee)                               16^th September 2022

Protecting Fairlight now and for future generations.

In October there will be some judicious felling of a few trees in Knowle Wood.

We are looking for someone who has the knowledge, tools, qualifications and skills to use the trunks to form seating for people using the wood.

If you can help with this creative recycling, please contact Chris Smart via crsmart1961@gmail.com

For those of you attending Terry’s funeral at Hastings Crematorium on Thursday 22^nd September at 1.15 pm.  Heather & Tom Woolven would like you to know that Terry would not have wished you to be dressed in black but rather in colours and clothes in which you feel comfortable, please.

You are all welcome to come back to their home to celebrate Terry’s life and sense of humour…….. 😊 

• Springers Too, 55 Lower Waites Lane

Dear resident

I have received this email from East Sussex County Council.  Please note there will be minor timing changes to the 101 services.  Details to follow

Thanks

Pauline

Mrs P Collins
Clerk and RFO
Fairlight Parish Council
Kerri, 35 Waites Lane, Fairlight, Hastings. TN35 4AX
Tel: 07487 822729  Email: fairlightparishcouncil@gmail.com

Working days: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 

DON’T FORGET TO SIGN UP TO ROTHER COMMUNITY LOTTERY AND NOMINATE FAIRLIGHT PARISH COUNCIL AS YOUR GOOD CAUSE   

www.RotherCommunityLottery.co.uk

———- Forwarded message ———

From: CET PTS Public Transport <publictransport.pts@eastsussex.gov.uk>
Date: Mon, 12 Sept 2022 at 16:07
Subject: Changes to bus services in East Sussex
To:

Dear colleague

 We are writing to inform you of changes to a number of bus services in East Sussex. These are mainly to Stagecoach’s commercial routes serving the Hastings and Eastbourne areas, where they need to contain ongoing and significant financial losses. Bus use has not recovered above around 80% of the pre-Covid level and like all bus operators, they are struggling with massive operating cost increases too.

Government bus support and recovery funding to bus operators and local transport authorities has been available in various forms since the start of the pandemic. We understand Government funding support will continue until January 2023, then in a revised form possibly to April 2023. The level of funding support will not be sufficient for Stagecoach and some other operators to maintain services.

There are significant changes to bus routes. Following action being taken by East Sussex County Council nearly all communities will continue to be served. Though there will be a number of areas with reduced service frequencies, particularly daytime. There are also instances of service improvements. Details of the specific changes are attached. Updates will be provided on East Sussex County Council’s website.

These issues are being faced by bus users, operators and local transport authorities across the country. Although East Sussex is expected to receive significant funding from Government for its Bus Service Improvement Plan, it is not permitted to use this funding to simply replace services withdrawn by bus operators. The Bus Service Improvement Plan funding will also only be available to April 2025, so any new or improved bus services supported through it are expected to be financially sustainable by this date.

East Sussex County Council, as well as securing indicative funding from Government for its Bus Service Improvement Plan, is providing its own additional support to help maintain as much of the bus network as possible. We are continuing to pay bus operators at pre-Covid funding levels for carrying free concessionary pass users. This is because use of buses by older people has significantly reduced. We also launched, in conjunction with the majority of bus operators, a number of attractive new lower fares initiatives designed to encourage greater user of buses. These include up to four free young people being able to travel free with an adult fare paying passenger or concessionary pass holder. See the East Sussex County Council website for more information. New lower fares on East Sussex bus services | East Sussex County Council

 Yours faithfully

Neil Maguire
Senior Technical Officer
Transport Hub

Team: 01273 335080

Team email: passenger.transport@eastsussex.gov.uk 

eastsussex.gov.uk

We are excited to announce Fairlight’s Flea Market will take place in the village hall on October 23rd.

There will be 15 stalls, selling hundreds of both new and much loved used items, from small furniture to table lamps, clothes, jewellery, greeting cards, household and kitchen items, wool, cushions, comestibles, handmade gifts, and much much more.
Refreshments are available throughout the day, there’s even a raffle!
Admission is free, so come along and join the fun and pick up a few bargains, just in time for Christmas.

St Andrew’s Church will be opened each day from 10am to 4pm for public prayer, lighting of candles and signing of a condolence book.

A message from The Bishop of Chichester, Dr Martin Warner:

Thanks be to God for the life of his servant, Queen Elizabeth II.
Her death is a moment of bereavement for the whole nation, and for the Commonwealth. She will remain in our hearts and minds as an exceptional example of public duty and commitment to her high calling, carried out with unswerving faith in God. Let us come together as a nation to mark her death with dignity and pride.
Our prayers are with those who have been close to her in the service of the crown over many years, together with all the members of the Royal Family as we pray for the new Sovereign, King Charles.

Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, has died at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years.

Her family gathered at her Scottish estate after concerns grew about her health earlier on Thursday.
The Queen came to the throne in 1952 and witnessed enormous social change.
With her death, her eldest son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, will lead the country in mourning as the new King and head of state for 14 Commonwealth realms.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
“The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
All the Queen’s children travelled to Balmoral, near Aberdeen, after doctors placed the Queen under medical supervision.
Her grandson, Prince William, is also there, with his brother, Prince Harry, on his way.
Queen Elizabeth II’s tenure as head of state spanned post-war austerity, the transition from empire to Commonwealth, the end of the Cold War and the UK’s entry into – and withdrawal from – the European Union.
Her reign spanned 15 prime ministers starting with Winston Churchill, born in 1874, and including Liz Truss, born 101 years later in 1975, and appointed by the Queen earlier this week.
She held weekly audiences with her prime minister throughout her reign.
At Buckingham Palace in London, crowds awaiting updates on the Queen’s condition began crying as they heard of her death.
The Queen was born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, in Mayfair, London, on 21 April 1926.
Few could have foreseen she would become monarch but in December 1936 her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated from the throne to marry the twice-divorced American, Wallis Simpson.
Elizabeth’s father became King George VI and, at age 10, Lilibet, as she was known in the family, became heir to the throne.
Within three years, Britain was at war with Nazi Germany. Elizabeth and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, spent much of wartime at Windsor Castle after their parents rejected suggestions they be evacuated to Canada.
After turning 18, Elizabeth spent five months with the Auxiliary Territorial Service and learned basic motor mechanic and driving skills. “I began to understand the esprit de corps that flourishes in the face of adversity,” she recalled later.
Through the war, she exchanged letters with her third cousin, Philip, Prince of Greece, who was serving in the Royal Navy. Their romance blossomed and couple married at Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947, with the prince taking the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
She would later describe him as “my strength and stay” through 74 years of marriage, before his death in 2021, aged 99.

Obituary: A long life marked by a sense of duty

Dear resident

Please find attached the agenda for the Fairlight Parish Council’s Planning Committee meeting and the Fairlight Parish Council’s Finance and Administration Committee meeting. Both are to be held on Tuesday 13th September at 2.30pm and 3pm respectively.

Everyone is welcome to attend.  If you wish to speak or ask a question in respect of an item on the agenda please let me know. 

Thanks

Pauline

Mrs P Collins
Clerk and RFO
Fairlight Parish Council
Kerri, 35 Waites Lane, Fairlight, Hastings. TN35 4AX
Tel: 07487 822729  Email: fairlightparishcouncil@gmail.com
Working days: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 
FPC Planning Agenda 
FPC Finance Agenda

Many of you will have known our Fairlight church organist, Patrick Cox-Smith, who sadly died of cancer recently. Patrick served our community for over 20 years, not only playing at Sunday services but at many of the weddings and funerals that have taken place in the village during those years.

On Friday 16 September at 4pm we are holding a Memorial Songs of Praise in memory of Patrick. The programme will include personal memories of Patrick and we will sing some of his favourite hymns. We are honoured that Dr David Flood, retired organist from Canterbury Cathedral and a special friend of Patrick’s, will come to play the organ for us. 

All are welcome to come and share in this special musical event. Drinks and cake will be served at the end.

Valerie Hornsby
Churchwarden

The Churchwardens of Fairlight Parish
invite you to the Licensing of 
the Revd Sandi Wickens
as Priest in Charge
on Tuesday 20^th September 2022 at 5pm.
St Andrew’s Church, Coastguard Ln, Fairlight, Hastings TN35 4AB

Licensing by The Venerable Dr Edward Dowler, Archdeacon of Hastings
Afternoon tea will be served at St Andrew’s Church following the service.
Please come along to welcome our new incumbent.

RSVP by Thursday 15 September

For catering it would be very helpful to have an idea of numbers coming to the service.
There will be a sign-up sheet at the back of the church for the congregation and others to let us know if they are coming.
Otherwise please drop a note into the letter box at Fairlight Church Office, St Peter’s Church Centre, Waites Lane, Fairlight TN35 4AX
Or email the churchwarden: valeriehornsby22@gmail.com   Tel: 01424 814428

Teddies is a toddler group that meets at St Peter’s Church Centre on Tuesday mornings in term time from 10.30am to 12.00 noon.

Teddies offers a warm, safe space for little ones to play. Lots of toys available on a carpeted floor. Mums and carers can enjoy a coffee and chat. 

Pat and Jane look forward to welcoming you.

Hello everybody

I am pleased to attach news of two forthcoming events at the Fairlight Players, which I hope you will want to support.

As you probably know, between 10^th and 12^th November, we will be presenting George Bernard Shaw’s classic comedy, Pygmalion. Rehearsals are still in the early stages but are going very well, and I think I can promise you a cracking evening’s entertainment. Please put the dates in your diary, and we will let you know when tickets go on sale, early in October.

In the meantime, join us if you can on Wednesday 5^th October for an Open Evening, when you will have a chance to see a little of what goes on behind the scenes at a Fairlight Players production. We hope, through this event, to add to our list of active members to fill those vital jobs that bring a production to life. And maybe we will encourage one or two more to tread the boards – who knows?

With that in mind, please tell your friends and encourage them to come along.

In order to make a success of this event, we have printed a quantity of leaflets for distribution around the local area.

Would you be willing to help us to post leaflets through doors?

Thank you for your continuing support for the Players, and I look forward to seeing you shortly.

With best wishes

Keith

Keith Miller (Chair)

The Fairlight Players

www.fairlightplayers.org.uk

Hello

Further to our holiday from Sunday, please can customers ensure that all post on Saturday 3 September 2022 is received by 10.30am tomorrow morning.

Any post received after our post collection tomorrow cannot be accepted as post will not be collected for 2 weeks.

Thanks and kind regards 
Graeme

As some of you may have already noticed there has been amended planning permission application for the Market Garden site. This application is necessary because the badgers sett on the site has enlarged and therefore some amendments have to be made to the building plan on the site.

The proposed applications main changes are that the turning circle will be reduced and that two parking spaces will be removed and that the enclosed bin store will be smaller. It would also appear that the proposal to have cycle parking within the bin store building has been removed. 

I would not at this point wish in any way to pre-empt  any  decision of the Fairlight Parish Council planning committee when it next meets to consider this and other plans on Tuesday September 13 th. This meeting will be open to the public and the agenda will be published a week before.

I feel that residents should have a chance to look at the plans and if they wish independently to comment on them on the Rother District Council website under planning. Any contributions to the Fairlight planning committee meeting will be welcome.

The new plans are numbered             RR/2022/2069/P

The previous approved plans are numbered RR/2017/457/P
Issy Horsley 

Fairlight Parish Council

FAIRLIGHT POST OFFICE AND STORES

ANNUAL HOLIDAYS

Due to Leonie and Graeme’s annual holiday, please note changes to our

opening hours as follows:-

Fairlight Post Office – Closed from 1pm Saturday 3 September 2022 to

Thursday 15 September 2022 inclusive. Alternative Post Offices at Ore and

Winchelsea Beach.

Fairlight Stores – Fairlight Stores will remain open during our holiday however

closing early each day as follows: –

Monday to Saturday – Closing 3pm

Thursday – Closing 1pm as usual

Sunday – Closing 12.00 as usual

Normal opening hours for both the Post Office and Stores will resume Friday

16 September 2022.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Leonie and Graeme.

The next NHS hearing aid maintenance session is being held this week at Fairlight Village Hall on Friday 2nd September between 10am and 12 noon 

There is also a session next week on Wednesday 7th September at Pett Village Hall between 10am and 12 noon 

Remember there will be another postal strike tomorrow, Wednesday 31st August.

There is not expected to be any post collected and the strike will result in delays.

Please also remember that Graeme at our local Post Office is working tirelessly to keep things running as smoothly as possible. The strike is not his fault so please be kind.

Thank you.

Headcorn Aerodrome

Lashenden Air Warfare Museum

Wednesday 13^th September

The local Branch of the Royal British Legion has invited us Fairlight Trippers, to join them on a visit to Lashenden Air Warfare Museum at Headcorn Aerodrome.

The coach will leave the Circle at 9.30am.  Departure from Headcorn hasn’t been decided yet.

“The ‘Aircraft Café’ will be open for light refreshments then the visit to the Battle of Britain Museum which has many other military artefacts besides for us to enjoy”.  

If you have wondered where the Spitfire that circles Fairlight comes from, here’s your chance to find out.

The cost of this trip as usual depends on uptake, so it should be about £20 including entrance.

If you are interested, then please contact me asap but certainly by Friday 2^nd September.

Regards

Trevor

812340

VILLAGE VOICES

Restarts Monday 19th September at Pett Methodist Church 7.30pm.

I challenge our male population to come along and join us & give Jim and Roland a bit of company.

(Sometimes I wish we were in Wales or Cornwall! 😂😂😂)

Subs are just £1.50 per week.

Graeme and Leonie will soon be taking their annual holiday, during which time the following changes to their opening hours will apply:-

Post Office Counter – Closed 4th September to 15th September inclusive.

Shop Counter – Revised opening hours

Normal opening hours will resume on Friday 16th September

Royal Mail postmen are planning on going on strike on Friday 26th and Wednesday 31st August. Fairlight is not expected to receive any postal collections on these dates.

Please can all customers be aware of the delays that this strike action will cause and ensure that all mail is with us for processing as early as possible in the days leading up to the strike action. 

Graeme Gambrell

Hello,

I haven’t forgotten you!   I hope you are having a nice summer.

Several of you have asked about the Next Trip.  Be assured I am always on the look-out for something.  Unfortunately, there is an issue with future trips, in as much that coach prices have severely increased, and it’s not all about fuel charges, although that doesn’t help.  Added to that, theatre seats are costing more.  Hence be warned that the next trip might seem to be expensive!

I did try a couple of outings to Chatham Dockyard and “Six”, but the uptake wasn’t enough to offer reasonable prices.

I have some of ideas which I will send out in due course, once I have negotiated with the coach companies.  

In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your summer.

Trevor Lewing

812340
trevor.lewing@btinternet.com

A local hearing aid maintenance session is being held this week at:Fairlight Village Hall between 10am and 12 noon on Friday 1st July At these sessions new tubes can be fitted, batteries supplied and basic advice provided free of charge to NHS hearing aid users. Please note replacement tubes are now available for most types of the new Bluetooth aids supplied by the NHS. After this week, future local sessions during July include: – Pett Village Hall, Wednesday 6th July 10am to 12noon- HVA Pop-In Centre, Hastings: Tuesday 19th July 10.15 to 11.45am

Fairlight Village hall Sunday May 15th 10.30 – 12 noon

The FRA has kindly donated  plants and seeds to decorate the village for the Jubilee.Kerry Gentleman and the Fairlight Open Gardens group have been growing these on and they are now ready for planting out in your front gardens and pots.

The group will be at the village hall on Sunday 15 May from 10.30 til 12 noon.There will be no charge for the plants, although a donation to FairFest would be appreciated.All we ask is that you plant them where they can be seen and enjoyed.They have over 300 plants so there are plenty to go round.

A big thank you to all who have been involved with this since the cold days of early spring.

Fairlight Trippers

CHATHAM DOCKYARD & CALL THE MIDWIFE TOUR.

Hello Again,

After I sent out a cancellation of Call the Midwife today, I have received a number of emails from “trippers” who had not seen my original email.  I have therefore reproduced the same email below. I haven’t cancelled with the Dockyard yet nor the coach company.

If you are interested please contact me asap and sooner than that please!  – BY THURSDAY EVENING .  For those who responded last week – you do not need to reply unless you have had a change of mind.

I still need to get sufficient trippers to make the trip viable. 

Would you be interested in visiting Chatham Dockyard and included in the trip will be a guided tour of the TV programme film set for “Call the Midwife”.  

I am looking at Thursday 9^th June leaving around 9.30am and returning by 7.00pm.

You will have the rest of the time exploring the dockyard.  I can organise fish & chip lunch, based on group prices. 

Cost: £37.00 pp inc. coach, entrance & tour. Plus, optional lunch. £17.00.  Total £53.

Worth remembering – the dockyard ticket is valid for one year.

Please let me know if this date clashes with any other event.

Please reply to this email or contact me asap as I need to know what interest there is so that I can confirm the booking.  Tickets are limited to coach size, so don’t delay.

Regards

Trevor

812340

trevor.lewing@btinternet.com