In order to celebrate the 175th Anniversary of Pett Methodist Church, the church is organising a special weekend of art and flowers. Saturday & Sunday 17th & 18th June. There will be refreshments: tea/coffee & cakes, homemade soup and a Bring & Share lunch on the Sunday after the service, (normal time of 10.45am). Our special service on Sunday will be led by Rev Dawn Carn.
We want to make sure that all our members and friends are aware of the event and know that they are invited.
If anyone is able to help in any way then that help will be very much appreciated. Cakes are definitely needed, as are stewards, refreshment servers and Welcomers with friendly faces! Raffle prizes are also needed for the Saturday Raffle.
As well as the art & flowers, the Archive Resource Centre will be putting on a historical display and The Kytes will be singing unplugged on Sunday afternoon.
Once again, village residents will be opening their gardens for the ever-popular biannual Fairlight Open Gardens for two days, Saturday and Sunday, July 1st & 2nd.
This event, kindly sponsored by Just Property, hopes to raise much-needed funds for local charities, including MOPP, Fairlight Playgroup and Nursery, and Community First Responders.
Tickets, valid for all gardens on both days, will be available from next weekend at The Village Stores and Garden Gems, plus at any of the gardens on the day. £8 per person, children free.
Refreshments, including tea, coffee, cakes, savory snack, ploughman’s lunches, and cold beer and wines are available at various gardens. Plus of course, The Cove Pub and Restaurant will be open on both days from midday.
The long awaited new village sign will be unveiled on Saturday morning on the 3rd June.
We have been extremely fortunate to be honoured with the presence of the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex who will be carrying out the unveiling!
Following a short speech, the sign will be unveiled by the Lord Lieutenant shortly after 10:00am that morning. Protocol dictates that the Lord Lieutenant should arrive last at this type of function, so I am asking that if you would like to witness this unveiling would you please arrive at 9:30 promptly. There will be NO parking spaces available as we will be gathering on the forecourt of the post office and the Lord Lieutenant will require a parking space. A small marquee may be erected should the weather be unfavourable, but this will be for dignitaries only so do please bring a brolly if it looks like rain.
The new sign will be unveiled almost in its original location. However, East Sussex Highways have asked me to move its position a little further up Battery Hill for safety reasons.
The placing of the new sign will be commemorating 100 years of the first home to be built in Fairlight and the 75th anniversary of the Fairlight Residents Association. I look forward to seeing you there and helping the FRA mark this historic chapter in Fairlight’s grand history. NOTE please do bring a camera if you are coming, and then send the shots to the editor of the FRA Magazine, Carol Sharpe carol20th@sky.com as we would like to print the best ones in the next FRA Magazine!
I still meet electors who have not heard the result of the 4 May Rother District Council election and am aware nothing until now has gone out on the FRA email scheme.
Elections were held on 4 May 2023 for all Rother seats, with counting the next day.
The composition of the council is now –
Party
Number of Seats
Conservative
10 (-5)
Rother Association of Independent Councillors
8 (+1)
Lib Dems
7 (no change)
Labour (6) + Lab & Co-Op (2)
8 (+6)
Green
3 (+2)
Independent
2 (+1)
In Southern Rother Tim Grohne (Con) and I (Lib Dem) were returned to represent the ward. I congratulate Tim on his election and commiserate with the unsuccessful candidates.
Councillors represent all electors, irrespective of party allegiance.
As before no one party has an overall majority, and an Alliance of Rother Association of Independents, Labour, Lib Dem and Greens is being formed.
The most significant features are the rise of Labour and the Greens, and the reduction in Conservative seats. Lib Dems retain the same number of seats as before (though some in different wards). Independents have increased by one.
In cabinet (a political body) Rother Association of Independents will have 4 seats, Labour 3, Lib Dems 2, Green one.
Unfortunately the two Lib Dems will be the only non-Bexhill cabinet members. By way of counterbalance one rural member, Cllr Sue Prochak MBE (Robertsbridge), will be joint Deputy leader with Cllr Christine Baylis (Lab, Bexhill). Cabinet portfolios will appear on the Rother website in due course.
In nearby wards there were some developments of note. Rye and Winchelsea returned two Labour members in place of a Lib Dem and a Conservative. There was no change in Eastern Rother (2 Cons) or Brede and Udimore (1 Con). In Seddlescombe and Westfield Jonathan Vine-Hall (RAI) stood aside and Beverley Coupar (RAI) was elected in his place together with sitting member Cllr Carl Maynard (Con) the Conservative group leader and our County Councillor. Jonathan Vine-Hall (previously planning chair) stood in Northern Rother but was unsuccessful.
I note that 16 of the 38 councillors are new to the role.
Chair and Committees
Cllr Vikki Cook will be Chair for the year, with Cllr Richard Thomas as Vice-Chair. Chair of the Council is a largely honorific and representational role, though the Chair presides over Full Council meetings and is an ex officio member of all committees.
Membership of committees is determined in proportion to each party’s representation on the council.
By tradition and following good practice the Overview & Scrutiny Committee is chaired by a member of the opposition party, in this case Cllr Paul Osborne (Con, Eastern Rother).
I (Andrew Mier) shall chair the planning committee but will not have Jonathan Vine-Hall’s planning policy brief, nor his place in cabinet. My fellow ward councillor Cllr Tim Grohne (Con) will join me on the planning committee
Membership of other committees will be available on the website – Agendas for the formal first meetings of Planning, Licensing, Overview and Scrutiny, and Human Resources are already available and contain the names of all proposed committee members.
Full election results and Councillors’ contact details are available on Rother’s website.
This is a reminder that our Annual General Meeting will be held in the village hall, this,Wednesday 24th May. at 7.30pm
The AGM business will be followed by a free glass of wine and a talk by a representative from Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat
We are always on the lookout for new committee members to keep the FRA fresh and alive. Enabling us to best meet the needs of the village. If you are interested in joining the committee or want to know more, please speak to Chris Smart of any of the committee, or come along to the AGM and chat to us there. Click here for the 2022 AGM minutes and the FRA constitution.
Don’t forget Activate’s 25th birthday bash today, starting at 4pm with fun for the younger folk and ending with the wonderful Kytes in the evening, who could want anything more !
There’s a cake making competition, candy floss, ice cream and BBQ.
Come and meet crew from Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat and have a go at ‘ play you’re cards right’ .
We look forward to seeing you all. Oh and what’s more, the sun is meant to shine all day, perfect x
Dear resident Please find attached the agenda for the Parish Council’s Annual Parish Meeting to be held on Tuesday 23rd May 2023 at 7pm in the Village Hall Would you also note that the Planning Committee meeting of the same date has been cancelled due to no applications being received. Thanks Pauline
Fairlight Friday Lunch Club have an outing on Friday 16th June 2023 to ‘The Pilot’ at Dungeness for a Fish and Chip Lunch and we have a few spare places available on the coach.
We will be leaving the Village Hall at 10.30am and return by 3pm. The cost is £22 which includes travel and lunch of small cod and chips, peas and bread and butter, coffee and tea.
If you are interested in joining us, please contact Annette on 07703585329 or email mopps.fairlight@gmail.com
Many thanks
Kind regards Annette Holmes
Co-ordinator of Fairlight Friday Lunch Club Marsham Older Peoples Project Charity Mobile: 07703585329 email:mopps.fairlight@gmail.com
Dear Residents, To keep you updated, the planned water connection for today has been cancelled by The Clancy Group, due to an emergency elsewhere. I will let you know the new date asap. Thanks Piers
NOT EVERYONE HAS HEARD THAT ACTIVATE YOUTH CLUB IS CELEBRATING 25 years on SATURDAY 20th MAY. THIS SATURDAY!!! !!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!! Please spread the word! ENTER THE COMPETITIONS AND COME AND ENJOY YOURSELVES !
Next week on 15th May there will be a company making a site visit to the Activate Hut and surrounding area, in connection with the new Community Hub project.
On 17th May there will be contractors working around the Activate Hut drilling holes in the ground for water testing purposes. There is nothing to worry about. The Parish Council know they are there
During the week there will also be contractors working in the Children’s Play area installing some new equipment. So the playground will be out of bounds.
Please pass this information on to your friends, neighbours, other users of Wood Field and dog walkers etc who may not have access to the internet
Thanks Pauline
Mrs P Collins Proper Officer and Responsible Financial Officer Fairlight Parish CouncilKerri, 35 Waites Lane, Fairlight, Hastings. TN35 4AX Tel: 07487 822729 Email: fairlightparishcouncil@gmail.com Working days: Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Hi all just to let you know this is what you need to look out for, unfortunately no sign writing at the moment. Yes will be out today, will be nice to see you all again.
P.s as this van is a little smaller we can only accommodate one person at a time or small family group. Please do not stand waiting in the stair well, so people can get of safely. Thank you
We have been booked in for our temporary water supply on the 16/5/2023 so the section of Lower Waites Lane adjacent to site will be closed for vehicles for half a day.
We are planning to do our foul water connection into the existing manhole at the bottom of The Avenue w/c 22/5/2023 and have allowed a week to carry out the works. We will endeavor to keep the traffic flowing.
Hello Everyone, Following the youth club’s post yesterday we thought you would like information on the 2 competitions taking place at our celebration party.
All taking place on Woodfield, Fairlight Recreation Ground. May 20th!!!
Cake making competition for all to enter:
Make a CELEBRATION CAKE to be judged and then shared as we celebrate!
Prizes for Under 11’s, 12 – 16 years and 17 years & over.
Please have your cake, labelled & delivered between 3pm and 4pm to the Clubhouse on Woodfield, ready for judging at 4pm.
FANCY DRESS COMPETITION
For all children aged 7 years and under.
Please be ready to show off your wonderful costumes
I hope that you are all aware that the youth club is about to celebrate 25 years here in Fairlight.We are now looking forward to celebrating on Saturday May 20th from 4pm onwards and we are including something for everybody whatever your age. Please see the information here and decide:
Shall I enter the Celebration Cake competition? (Drop off from 3pm – 4pm in the clubhouse for judging.)
Shall I enter the fancy dress competition?
When shall we have a go at the taster Bowling with the Bowls Club?
Am I brave enough to try the Slack Line?
Etc, Etc!!!
Refreshments will be provided at a fair cost but there will NOT be a Bar so please bring your own drinks in the evening and a rug or chair to sit on would help.
Activate Youth Club Party
Celebrating 25 years!
Programme
From 4pm: Bouncy Assault Course
Slack Line
Cake Competition Judging in the clubhouse
Taster Bowling with the Bowls Club
4.30pm: Fancy Dress Competition
Silly Games
Tea & Cakes-sharing of donated cakes.
5pm: BBQ
6pm: Disco & Games with Bobby Vee
8pm: Dancing with The Kytes
No Bar: Please bring your own drinks.
Teas, coffees, soft drinks available.
And….. Ice creams and Candy Floss!
RAFFLE! PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT, DISPLAYS, HOME-MADE T-SHIRTS & OTI (our new mascot) BADGES!
Our Annual General Meeting will be held in the village hall, on Wednesday 24th May. at 7.30.
The AGM business will be followed by a free glass of wine and a talk by a representative from Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat.
We are always on the lookout for new committee members to keep the FRA fresh and alive to enable us to meet the needs of the village. If you are interested in joining the committee or want to know more, please speak to Chris Smart of any of the committee, or come along to the AGM and chat to us there.
Please click this link for the FRA page where you will find the 2022 AGM minutes and the FRA constitution
The trusses are complete on plots 1 to 6 with the facia ond soffits ongoing. The roofer will start felt and batten plot 6 on tuesday working towards plot 1.
We will also be starting m and e first fix next week in 1 to 6.
The sub structure blockwork is on going on plot 10 and the block and beam ongoing on plot 9.
The scaffold is ongoing on plots 14,15 and 16 with a crane booked for thursday to lift the first floor panels.
Open reach will commence the upgrade from site to Waites Lane as previously advised.
Local NHS Hearing Aid Maintenance sessions are being held this week at:
Pett Village Hall between 10am and 11.30am on Wednesday 3rd May
Fairlight Village Hall between 10am and 12noon on Friday, 5th May
If you have an NHS Hearing Aid come along to collect your free batteries and have your aids checked over, cleaned and retubed
DEAF AWARENESS WEEK
This week is Deaf Awareness Week and charity East Sussex Hearing are holding events throughout the county.
Locally we are holding an Information Day in Hastings Town Centre (near Costa) on Thursday 4th May from 10am to 3pm. Join us to celebrate the Coronation and learn more about hearing loss.
We’re also at Rye Hub on Wednesday 10th May from 10am to 1pm.
For further information please call East Sussex Hearing on 01323 722505
Open letter to the residents of Fairlight and surrounding villages.
Fairlight Post Office and Stores is closing.
Leonie and Graeme have agonised long and hard over this very difficult decision, one which has not been taken lightly. From our beginning in July 2016, Leonie and Graeme have worked tirelessly to ensure that Fairlight continued to benefit from the continuation of the Post Office and Village Store. Sadly however the business is no longer viable and sustainable.
Over the last few years and in particular since the end of the Covid lockdown period, we have seen newspaper sales fall by approximately 50% with margins being reduced. Constant late newspaper deliveries especially on Saturdays, has seen customers go into Hastings where newspapers arrive considerably earlier.
We have seen the enormous rise in online shopping keeping customers away from our shop and we have seen the large rise in the cost of energy bills required to keep the business running.
Latterly, we have seen weekly pensions paid directly into bank accounts. The Royal Mail given the opportunity to work in opposition to the Post Office, charging far cheaper rates online than on offer at the Post Office counter and the Royal Mail are collecting from customers houses directly. Our parcel post has reduced by approximately 45%.
All of the above grouped together have seen Fairlight Post Office and Stores start making significant losses which are no longer sustainable. The business has gone from 6 staff members to only Leonie and Graeme to save significant amounts on wages. The family has invested a significant amount of money over the years trying to keep the business afloat. Sadly this cannot continue.
The shop closure date is yet to be confirmed however we will start running down our stock immediately.
Fresh bread, fresh milk and daily newspapers along with Leonie’s home baking will continue to be on sale in the short term and until the final closure date is confirmed.
The Post Office counter and lottery counters have closed with immediate effect.
Leonie and Graeme would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our customers who have supported us over the last 7 years. It has been wonderful journey meeting you all, speaking with you all and a pleasure to serve everyone. Both of us hope that we can continue to live locally and continue to join and mix at the large array of events that the wonderful village of Fairlight has to offer.
Leonie and Graeme
Fairlight Post Office and Stores. Graeme Gambrell Director Southern Stores (2015) Ltd T/As Fairlight Post Office and Stores
I am writing to make your aware that Open Reach will be upgrading the system from the BT pole at the junction of waites lane and lower waites lane to the BT box opposite the Fairlight Gardening club on Tuesday 9th May for approximately 3 days
We will keep the access free for pedestrians however there will only be access for vehicles from 1 direction at any given time and also disruption to access homeowners driveways whilst the trench is being dug until the road plates are put down. We will liaise with affected properties on a daily basis.
Any queries, please feel free to contact me. Thanks Piers Cowley
