I S SU E 111
M AY / J U N E 2017
F R E E
SE RV I NG T H E C OM M U N I T I E S OF F R A N T, E R I D GE & BE L L S Y E W GR E E N
Carvings in Eridge Church by Duncan Hardy
I N T H I S I S SU E …
3
Letter from the
Rectory by the
Reverend James
Packman
4
Church Services,
features & News
from the Pews
7
Parish Council
news and updates
8
Frant’s Summer
Guitar Festival
players are
announced
10
“My brush with
Royalty” by
Wealden MP
Nus Ghani
14
What’s on in the
Parish: events,
useful contacts
& dates
A DV E RT I SE M E N T S
PA R I SH N E W S
From the Rectory
In case you missed it – Disney have just released a
new adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. The story is
a classic, and it’s a pretty impressive re-make – with
incredible visual effects and the popular stirring
songs. My sister-in-law even gets a mention in the
credits at the end of the film. She worked as Casting
Associate on the film, matching actors and actresses
with the various characters in the story. I’ve lost
count of the number of times she has walked down
the red carpet at premieres in London!
Many great stories take themes from the great story
of the Bible, and Beauty and Beast is no exception.
Take for example the Beast. He is under a curse
that has deformed him and robbed him of his true
likeness. Jesus describes us in a similar way. For all
our goodness, our hearts are calloused and our minds
deformed. We suffer from a selfish streak that means
we hurt those we love and find ourselves getting
angry, impatient, proud, distrustful, and so on. And
regardless of how many times we try to turn over ‘a
new leaf’ we find we are stuck – unable to break free
of our curse. That is why, like the Beast, we need a
Saviour. For the Beast, this saviour comes in the form
of Belle, a gorgeous and tender-hearted girl from
a nearby village, who shows love to someone who
is generally considered to be unlovable. In fact it’s
—2—
not just others that think the Beast is unlovable – he
seems to agree! But as he experiences Belle’s love, he
is transformed, until the climactic moment (spoiler
alert!) when he is finally restored to his true self – a
prince who can live happily ever after. In the Bible we
find a different Saviour – not a beautiful sweet-heart
but a peasant preacher. Yet he too comes to love the
unlovable – even those who believe they are beyond
the love of God. And if we allow him to, he can change
our hearts, so that on one great day in the future, all his
people will finally be restored to their true selves and
will dwell in glory with him forever more.
Of course, many people treat the Bible’s story as
some sort of fairy tale – something nice for families
to enjoy in the holidays. But there’s one crucial
difference: the Bible is grounded in history. I was
reminded of that this Easter, and particularly of a
book by Albert Henry Ross (under the pseudonym
Frank Morrison) called ‘Who Moved The Stone?’ He
set out to disprove that Jesus rose from the dead, but
on considering the evidence he realized it was true
and became a Christian!
If you get the chance then make time to go and
enjoy Beauty and the Beast. And while you’re at it,
make time to enjoy the great and inspiring story of
the Bible too.
—3—
PA R I SH N E W S
PA R I SH N E W S
St Alban’s, Frant & Holy Trinity, Eridge
He is risen!
Easter is a very special time for
Christians around the world, and we
made the most of our celebrations in the
Parish. Here’s what happened…
We started thinking about Easter on
Maundy Thursday evening with a quiet
service in Holy Trinity Eridge known
as Tenebrae. ‘Tenebrae’ simply means
‘gathering darkness’ and it’s not hard to
see how appropriate this word is. After
enjoying the Lord’s Supper together,
we listened to eight Bible readings that
recount the events leading up to Jesus’
crucifixion – starting with the Last
Supper with his disciples, through to
his trial. As we heard each reading, we
were reminded of the creeping darkness
of those events, and this was reflected
by the extinguishing of a candle in
the church after each reading. This
culminated with the last candle being
extinguished as we heard that Jesus was
led out to die, leaving us in complete
darkness. It was a very moving service.
On Good Friday morning we had an
all-age service at 10am in Frant. Children
and adults alike had the opportunity to
explore the significance of Jesus’ death
by thinking about what it would be like if
we got the equivalent of a parking ticket
every time we did something sinful, and
how impossible it would be for us to pay
off all our fines! At the end of the service
James nailed these to the cross as a
reminder that Jesus offers to get rid of our
fines by dying for our sins.
On Good Friday afternoon there was
a service of meditation in Eridge, led by
Imtiaz our Curate. He led us through
a number of Bible readings about the
crucifixion of Jesus, giving space and a
thought for us to meditate on after each
one. This was an excellent way to spend
an hour focusing on the death Jesus died
in our place.
Then on Easter Sunday the mood was
very different as we celebrated that fact
that the crucified Jesus had risen back to
life! The early-risers were up for the 7am
sunrise service which was a traditional
communion service. This was followed
by an Easter Breakfast in the Stables
with a banquet of delicious food! Then
we had our main Easter celebrations
in Frant and Eridge churches. James
helped us think about the significance
of the resurrection, including using
pictures that can been seen in two
different ways, to illustrate the fact that
when you realise Jesus is alive it changes
Rector
The Reverend James Packman — 750638; [email protected]
Churchwardens
St Alban’s: Matt Gurney—783874, Patrick Crowley—784709. Holy Trinity: Jonathan Lynn—864304, Christopher Hall—750385
www.frantchurch.org
Services for
May/June 2017www.eridgechurch.org
9:30am Family Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7th May. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Traditional Communion 8:00am
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Family Service 11:15am
9:30amCommunion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14th May. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Communion11:15am
5:00pmFrant@5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21st May . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Church on a Farm at Great Danegate, TN9 9HU; 11:30am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:30am Morning Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28th May. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Communion 11:15am
5:00pmCommunion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9:30am Family Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4th June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Traditional Communion 8:00am
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pentecost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Family Service 11:15am
the way you see everything. Both services
were great celebrations with rousing
singing and much joy.
News from the Pews
It’s been a busy time at church since the
last edition of Parish News. Not only
have we had Easter but also Mothering
Sunday, when every lady in church went
home with a posy of daffodils. And
coming up soon is Church on a Farm.
This is a very popular annual service
when we go out to one of our local farms.
This year we are kindly being hosted
by Christopher and Susanna Hall at
Great Danegate, TN3 9HU on Sunday
21st May. Absolutely anyone is welcome
to join us for a brief service starting at
11:30am. This will be followed by a picnic
in the grounds for anyone who wishes
to stay, as well as the opportunity to
have a stroll and explore the farm. You’ll
meet some interesting people and some
interesting animals!
It is also an exciting time for Holy
—4—
Trinity Eridge as a new stained glass
window is due to be fitted. All being
well there will be more news in the next
edition of Parish News.
Looking at the church registers
we see that Charlotte Robertson was
baptised on Sunday 5th March at St
Albans Church in Frant. There were
also two funerals in Frant – both for
ladies who have had long connections
with St Albans Church. We said goodbye
to Sheelagh Raban-Williams on Tue
4th April, and then to Jenny Trew on
Thursday 13th April.
For those who missed it, we had a visit
at St Albans Frant earlier in the year
from Carlton Andrews, a representative
of Community Storehouse, a foodbank
based in Paddock Wood. It is good to be
reminded that there are many families
who genuinely don’t know where their
next meal is coming from, and that we
can make a difference to their lives.
Donations are always welcome in St
Albans Frant.
9.30amCommunion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11th June. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Communion11:15am
5:00pmFrant@5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trinity Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:30am Morning Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18th June. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Traditional Service 11:15am
9:30am Morning Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25th June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Communion11:15am
5:00pmCommunion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
There is a Sunday Club for 0–14 year olds at Frant when it isn’t a family service—all welcome!
WOR SH I P AT BE L L S Y E W GR E E N
Sunday Services: 10.30am
Good Friday service at 10.30am; Bible Study & Prayer: Thursdays, 7.30pm
Enquiries: Ken Davies, 01732 357791
—5—
A DV E RT I SE M E N T S
PA R I SH N E W S
Frant Parish Council
As the newest member of the Council I
am astounded by the range of activities
that your Parish Council has to consider.
We have a very limited budget so that
there are real constraints on what can be
achieved but a combination of judicious
spending and using whatever influence
we have I have no doubt that the Parish
is a better place for us all to live in and
work as a result of this endeavour. We are
very ably served by our Chair William
Rutherford and our Clerk Rosie Karim.
We currently have a vacancy in the
Frant ward and if anyone is passionate
about this corner of the county please do
consider applying to become a member
of the Council. I am sure that you will not
be disappointed.
Here is a snapshot of some of the
current subjects that we have been
considering:
For those of you who live in Bells Yew
Green traffic speed continues to be a
concern particularly along the Bayham
Road. We have commissioned a traffic
speed survey. This has shown that the
majority of the speeds recorded were
shown to be within the speed limit
so that that County highways will be
unlikely to intervene but the Council will
continue to monitor this and raise the
issue at all appropriate forums including
the next meeting of the Strengthening
Local Relationships group. This
group comprises representatives from
the Parish Council and East Sussex
highways. In addition to problems of
speeding the group has been reviewing
the road signage in the Parish and the
Parish Council with help from matched
funding from the County Council will
be repairing some of the finger posts in
the Parish. In case you don’t know what
these are they are the traditional wooden
road signs which are generally much
appreciated and loved around the Parish.
Now that Frant village green is in the
ownership of the Parish Council thanks
to the generosity of the charitable trust
which previously owned the green there
are some exciting plans to ‘green’ the
green by leaving the margins uncut to
encourage wildlife and to implement a
pictorial meadow on part of the green
using wildflowers indigenous to the area.
You should start to notice this occurring
during the course of this year.
The annual Parish meeting will
take place on 25 May and all residents
in Frant Bells Yew Green and Eridge
—6—
are very welcome. It will be your
opportunity to learn more about some
of the exciting plans for the Parish over
the next year including a celebration of
the centenary of the ending of the first
world war in 2018. There will also be
the launch of the process of creating a
Neighbourhood Plan which will create
the statutory framework of the priorities
of the Parish over the next few years.
It is most important that there is as
much community involvement in this as
possible and we hope that there will be a
number of people who will be willing to
help us in creating this plan. It is a great
opportunity to help shape the future
direction of the Parish. Once the plan
is in place this will trigger the release of
more money for the Parish to improve
the infrastructure of the Parish where
the monies becomes available as a result
of the grant of planning permission for
certain types of development.
the children all enjoyed very much. We
thank the PTFA for all their hard work
in organising and arranging these great
events and raising considerable funds for
the benefit of the children. We have been
able to purchase new reading books and
a very smart entrance welcome rug.
All topped off with our ‘Good’ Ofsted
inspection which was extremely positive
with many hugely complementary
comments, a very positive and busy
term! With the Summer Term now
beginning, we look forward to new
Topics and more great learning, Sports
Day with a summer bar-b-que and the
end of year Key Stage 2 Production,
which remains a secret at the time of
writing, but promises to be quite a
spectacle!
Frant School News
“I have just returned from visiting
friends in Norfolk and visited Norwich
Cathedral. In the Chapel of the
Innocents I found this prayer:
—Cllr Michael Stevens
The Spring Term has flown by with
exciting topics, great learning, and a
variety of trips including The Natural
History Museum, Sky Studios and
Groombridge Place.
We have participated in a number of
sporting activities with great success;
notably coming second overall in the
Uplands Tag Rugby tournament and
second overall in the VSA Netball
tournament.
We have celebrated ‘World Book
Day’ and enjoyed a wonderful week of
activities to encourage the children’s love
of books and stories. This culminated in
a day with the children dressing up as a
character from their favourite book. We
also had a ‘Crazy hair’ day to raise money
for the Red Nose Day appeal.
We are delighted to announce the
arrival of our new crossing patrol person
who is helping to deliver the children
safely across the road outside the school
both before and after the school day.
We thank the PCC for their donation
towards this very valuable service.
Local artist Deborah Thomsett has
worked with the children to produce a
wonderful new art installation in our
school hall. This provides a focal point
during our assemblies, as well as being a
beautiful addition to our school hall.
The PTFA have been very busy this
term organising a very effective Jumble
Sale and a super Easter Egg Hunt which
—7—
Chapel of Innocents,
Norwich Catherdral
A Frant resident sent this for publication
– an incredible message of forgiveness.
O Lord, remember not only the men
and women of good will but also those
of ill will. But do not remember all the
suffering they have inflicted upon us;
remember the fruits we brought thanks
to this suffering; our comradeship, our
loyalty, our humility, the courage, the
generosity, the greatness of heart which
has grown out of this; and when they
come to judgement, let all the fruits that
we have borne be their forgiveness.
This prayer was found written on a piece
of wrapping paper in Ravensbruck, the
largest of the concentration camps for
women in Nazi Germany.”
Paddock Wood Choral Society
Paddock Wood Choral Society invites
you to join it for a refreshing summer
break “Around the World in 80 minutes”
on 24 June starting from St Andrew’s
Church Paddock Wood at 7.30pm. Enjoy
a whistle-stop tour round the globe
with fabulous music from a variety of
countries in a variety of styles including
Opera, Oratorio, Musical Theatre and
star solo performances. Early booking
recommended to ensure you get the best
seats at [email protected] or ring 01892 836250.
PA R I SH N E W S
Woof Meanderings
Ohhhh don’t you just love the blossom
surrounding everywhere at the moment
… The Owner gets very excited as says
it is the most glorious joyful flower and
even nicer when the sun is shining as
everything looks so cheery and happy,
her absolute bestest is apple blossom, so
we all have to wait with anticipation for
the constant comments of ‘it’s loveliness’
when in flower.
The weather though has not been so
good and I was not too impressed to have
my Spring/Summer look when I was
taken off to Mrs Groomer the other day
… normally I am relieved to have much of
my lustrous coat removed as it is warmer,
but not really so far. Thankfully it grows
back quickly so I don’t feel so chilly.
I was in rather a spot of trouble
recently, as I was found after some
particularly artful climbing into the
Easter Egg selection bucket about to
devour some glorious smelling chocolate
eggs… hmmmm that waft of chocolate
had been luring me for days… I had
already broken into one egg when The
Husband stopped me and trotted off to
The Owner to say, ‘aren’t chocolates bad
for dogs’ so I was then in big trouble and
we were all summoned to be lectured,
including The Child; on the dangers
of chocolate for dogs as it contains a
chemical called theobromine which is
particularly prevalent in better quality
dark chocolate. Luckily I had only just
taken a mouthful out of a cheap choccy
egg. It also transpires that even grapes,
raisins, currants and sultanas are all
toxic to dogs and it is believed that the
dried versions are more toxic. Well, I
have to say, I do love to sneak a morsel
of Hot Cross bun from an unsuspecting
individual if I can, but they are The
Owner’s most favourite treat ever
and particularly from the glorious
Groombridge Baker at this time of year,
so that puts me right out of the running
even more so on these now.
My dear old friend Stanley was over
the other day, we had a lovely catch-up
and gallop around. Although, if he does
not want to come with me on a specific
walk at my pace, I just have to sit and
wait for him and he finally emerges in
his inimitable merry way trundling
along the path. We were walking with
The Owner’s super-lovely friend last
week, but Stanley is not keen on her little
Treasure at all and is most dismissive
to him and spends his time putting
him in his place for any unnecessary
manouevers that get in his line of
walking, but despite this, he is my superspecial friend.
I did see the Glorious Dolly on Palm
Sunday, ohhhh what an utter joy it was to
see her with her beauteous coat reflecting
in that one lovely hot sunny Sunday
we had … she looked quite wonderful
and I found myself just marvelling at
howwondrous she is as we had such a
lovely roar around the daffodills and
despite knocking a few over … everyone
just oooohed and aaahhhhed at how
lovely we are together …
Frant Summer Guitar Festival
A very exciting line up of guitarists will
be appearing at St Alban’s Church, Frant
during June and July. Details below:
» Charles Alexander & Andy
Robinson (Charles wrote and presented
a 12 part BBC Radio 3 series ‘The Guitar
in Jazz’)
The duo presents music from the
repertoire of Django Reinhardt, Wes
Montgomery, Tom Jobim, Pat Metheny
and more…
Friday 2nd June 2017, Tickets £12
» John Williams, John Etheridge &
Gary Ryan
The world’s finest guitarist’s for one
glorious night in Frant
Friday 30th June, Tickets £20
—8—
PA R I SH N E W S
» The Remi Harris Trio
Probably the finest young exponent of
jazz guitar today…’Absolutely brilliant’
(Jamie Cullum) ‘One of the most exciting
young guitarists’ (Martin Taylor MBE)
Saturday 1st July Tickets £12
Frant Church, High Street, Frant, Near
Tunbridge Wells TN3 9DX. All concerts
start at 8pm, (doors open at 7.30pm.
Licensed bar area. Tickets from Frant
Stores, Britten’s Music,
Tunbridge Wells
or online from
www.wegottickets.com.
Tel. 01892 864304/
07768 115184
RPSB Broadwater Warren:
Spring has definitely arrived at
Broadwater Warren with spring flowers
starting to emerge in the woodlands
and the first summer migrant birds
such as tree pipit and whitethroat
arriving back on the heathland.
Woodlark are already setting up their
territories and are being recorded at
various points all around the reserve,
including areas where they have not
been seen before. You may have been
lucky enough to hear the beautiful
descending song of the woodlark
yourselves. A pair of rare lesser spotted
woodpeckers have been spotted near
a probable nest site. It’s been a good
few weeks for raptors with a group of
6 buzzards recorded circling above the
woods and a young peregrine falcon has
been spotted on two or three occasions.
Several species of butterfly have been
on the wing including red admiral,
comma, brimstone, orange tip,
speckled wood, holly blue and comma. The warm weather has also seen
several bee species digging in some of
the vertical bare sand that is found at
the reserve. The ponds have started to
come alive with the sound of toads and
there is already quite a lot of spawn.
Over the last couple of months our
volunteer work parties have been busy
creating live hedges on one of the paths
from the car park. This has opened up
some excellent views of the heathland
and also helps to create wildlife
“corridors”. The best part is, the hedge
will almost maintain and build itself
as it is made up of still living trees and
saplings. They have also been busy
improving some of the paths around the
reserve, hopefully ensuring that areas
will now be easier to walk on come
the following winter. All the material
used has been recycled from the winter
work that has been carried out in the
woodland, with the chip is from the
conifers that were felled last year. Experts have ‘electrofished’ the
Decoy Pond to remove carp, a nonnative species introduced for angling
and ornamental purposes that has
a negative effect upon the pond’s
ecosystem. They feed upon plants that
grow on the bottom of the pond and
on various invertebrate larvae. Their
foraging activity churns up the mud
and increases the turbidity of the water,
making it harder for other plants to
grow due to the lack of light. Around
80 individual fish were removed and
we have installed a grate to prevent any
more carp coming in from upstream.
We hope this work will improve the
fortunes of all the dragonfly and
damselflies come the summer as well as
a range of other aquatic invertebrates.
Unfortunately we have had a report
of a member of the public’s dog being
attacked by another dog. We need to
stress the importance of dogs being
kept on leads and under control, not
only to avoid disturbance of nesting
birds, but to help prevent incidents like
this. If anyone sees anything of note,
please do not hesitate to let us know at
the office and/or contact the police. We
are continually monitoring our policy
on dogs.
We were delighted to find 3 dormice
in our nestboxes in April. It’s a little
early for them to be coming out of
hibernation, but we hope it’s a sign that
2017 will be a good year for dormice at
Broadwater.
» Volunteer co-ordinator
We are looking for a volunteer to help
Alan, our Volunteer Co-ordinator and
Office Manager (a volunteer himself),
in the office here in Eridge. Our
volunteer team now totals nearly 90
and we require someone who could give
2 days a week to help with volunteer
management. The duties would
include:
· Attending events to talk about
volunteering and recruit new
volunteers
· Managing the advertising of
volunteer roles on the RSPB website, in
local media, on social media, etc.
· Dealing with enquiries from
potential new volunteers
· Registering new volunteers on the
RSPB’s central database
· Compiling a volunteer briefing pack/
induction booklet
Please get in touch with Alan on
01892 752430 or alan.loweth@rspb.
org.uk if you are interested and would
like to know more.
Events
» Saturday 6th May
Dawn Chorus Wildlife Walk
5:00am to 7:30am
Price: £6 (£4 for RSPB members)
» Thursday 25th May
Learning bird song
—9—
7:00am to 10:00am
Price: £6 (£4 for RSPB members)
Booking is essential for all these
events. Call 01892 752430 or e-mail
[email protected] Frant Nursery School News
There was a definite spring feel at Frant
Nursery last term with lots of fun and
exciting activities getting the kids geared
up for Easter and the summer term.
We had a fantastic Easter egg hunt,
where the children made their own
baskets and then had a fun afternoon
collecting eggs and meeting the Easter
Bunny! The weather held out, there
was plenty of cake and chocolate and a
great raffle – the nursery raised £176 at
this event taking the fundraising total
so far for the last two terms to just over
£1,000 which is brilliant. We also had
a visit from a lamb, celebrated world
book day and made lots of beautiful
cards for Mother’s Day – the children
worked very hard at these are were very
proud of their work (as were we).
Events to look forward to in the
Summer term are our annual Summer
BBQ on Sunday 2nd July and a
Travelling Trends Fashion Evening on
Friday 23rd June – everyone is welcome
so put the dates in your diary and look
out for posters and more information
nearer the time.
We would like to take this
opportunity to thank Jennie Holland
who has been the administrator at the
nursery for the past couple of years. She
has worked very hard and been a great
advocate for the nursery and we will all
miss her very much. We are however
very pleased to welcome Shelley
Holdsworth who will be taking over
this role and who we know will be an
excellent addition to the team, details
on how to contact her are below.
If you find any Sainsbury’s Active
Kids Vouchers in your purse or the
bottom of your bag we would be very
grateful for them to be sent out way.
You can collect these up until the end
of June and can pop them through the
nursery letter box, in the dedicated box
on the shelf in the small hall or pass to
a member of staff or parent who will be
able to pass these on.
For more information on Frant
Nursery please visit our website www.
frantnursery.co.uk or call Shelley
Holdsworth on 01892 890961.
PA R I SH N E W S
News from our MP, Nus Ghani
As a Member of Parliament I am
fortunate to be able to take part in
many fascinating opportunities. A
particularly special moment was being
able to attend a reception last month,
hosted and attended by Her Majesty
The Queen at Buckingham Palace, to
celebrate the beginning of the UKIndia Year of Culture.
The event was a wonderful celebration
of the strong ties between the UK and
India and it was a privilege to attend. It
was a truly spectacular occasion: a huge
projection was shone onto the façade of
Buckingham Palace, featuring a peacock
as the national bird of India. As guests,
we were treated to a fantastic array of
Indian-themed performances.
The splendid art in the Palace
prompted much discussion about arts
and culture in India and Britain. I am
a firm believer that sharing in arts and
culture brings communities within the
Commonwealth together and it was
a pleasure to discuss favourite pieces
with the Queen and the other guests
at the reception. We also discussed
the relationship between India and
Britain; I am confident about the future
of trade between our two countries.
Furthermore, I am sure our local
vineyards will be pleased to hear that
when I mentioned the prospect of
increased trade of British wines, it was
met with an enthusiastic reception!
I was also delighted to meet the
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the
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reception. We discussed the fantastic
work that they do with young people,
particularly regarding mental health,
an issue that I have spoken about in the
Commons. I was also able to share with
them the work done by our excellent
schools in Wealden and the project
that I have just started doing with the
Government, striving to improve the
number of apprenticeships available
to young people from all backgrounds.
In particular, we are working to
encourage girls to enter into roles
in the areas of Science, Technology,
Engineering and Maths.
I have subsequently had the
opportunity to meet Prince Charles and
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, at an
event honouring public service. I was
proud to be able to talk to them about
our wonderful towns and villages in
Wealden and the preservation of the
beautiful Ashdown Forest; indeed, the
Duchess of Cornwall said that she knows
the constituency very well and has many
fond memories of time spent there.
I was honoured to act as a
representative of Wealden when meeting
the Royal Family and I was delighted to
find that we held many shared interests
and priorities.
A DV E RT I SE M E N T S
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PA R I SH N E W S
Frant Open Gardens Update
Our gardens in Frant are bursting to life
this spring and on Saturday 3rd June
from 11.00am to 4.00pm, approximately
18 gardens will be opening up for you
to visit. It is very exciting. We are on
the Open Gardens website so we will
hopefully attract lots of visitors. The
proceeds will go to improve the wild
spaces around The Green.
There will a children’s mini garden
competition, vintage cars to admire
outside The George (who are doing a
special gardeners lunch), plants for
sale, tea, coffee and delicious cakes
at the village hall. If anyone is willing
to help for a couple of hours serving
teas or selling plants please phone Jan
07823886160. Anyone who would like
to pot up a plant for us to sell please leave
with Sandra at 2 Green View Cottages.
At the moment we have perennials, herbs
and succulents. But we need many more.
Please find something in your garden to
share with us.
Jan is working really hard producing
garden entrance maps for the day
(Available at the hall). The cost for adults
is £5.00. Accompanied children go free.
Gardens with be easily identified by
signage outside.
No dogs are allowed.
We will have everything crossed for
good weather. See you on 3rd June. Back
to the weeding!!!
Parish Past
Unusual vicars: continued. William
Dyke was inducted vicar in 1603.
His father, Thomas, was a well-to-do
ironmaster with - among others - a forge
at Dundale: the bridge on the BYG/
Kippings Cross road marks its original
waterwheel dam. He also had business
in London and acquired the lordship
of the feudal Manor of Frant. By 1637
William is shown to have inherited many
of these interests and in addition bought
up substantial amounts of land within
Frant parish. He appears a conscientious
priest however, and also a busy husband.
He married Sarah Newman in 1604
and until her death in 1628 church
registers show an almost biannual
production of children, all except one
son sadly dying young. She must have
been worn out by grief and pregnancy,
the lot of many in those days. During
the Civil War (1642-48) Dyke supported
Parliament (the Abergavennys fought
for the king, no doubt another difficult
relationship), Dyke’s ironworks produced
cannon for the parliamentary armies
and he collected taxes in their support.
It is impossible to know how his
congregation felt: probably Eridge men
simply followed their lord and the rest
Parliament, although Sussex sentiment
generally - insofar as it is possible to
generalise - was for Parliament.
In 1638 he drew a ground plan of
the church, which survives, partly to
record the seating plan: men at the
front, women at the back! This shows a
basic square nave with two chancels, of
what appears very plain architecture.
The Dyke family was both too large and
too prosperous to live at the vicarage,
at that time a small cottage, and he
commissioned a new residence - still
called Newhouse - to the south of the
Frant-BYG road. It is possible on old
maps to trace his private bridleway from
there to the church. A hundred years
ago initials WSD 1615 and WD 1666 (his
son) were visible there, also WD in the
barn, but these have now vanished. Dyke
died in 1660, and there is then a hiatus
in unusual vicars - although several were
wealthy pluralists and one fought in the
Peninsula War - until the 19th Century,
when the idiosyncratic return … to be
concluded.
—Pat Wright
Charity Fashion Sale
Frant Memorial Hall
Come along to Frant Memorial Hall on
Friday 23rd June to the Nursery School
Charity Fashion sale. Try on and buy the
latest fashion collectionsfrom top high
street stores at bargain prices! M&S,
Debenhams, Monsoon, Next, TopShop,
Oasis
Tickets are £8 each (includes a glass
of prosecco or soft drink on arrival) and
are available at Frant Nursery School &
Frant Post Office & Stores.
Drinks will be available to purchase
from the bar.(Cash only).
Everyone is welcome, so please
join us for afun filled evening whilst
supporting your local nursery. For
further information please email
[email protected]
New Community Choir In Frant
Firstly we would like to say a big thank
you for the great response we’ve already
received. When we decided we’d like
to try to do this we started by emailing
some of the key people in the village to
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PA R I SH N E W S
make sure we wouldn’t be treading on
anyone else’s toes by competing with
something similar that someone else is
doing. We hoped for replies saying that it
would be OK - what we actually got was
very enthusiastic responses and people
spreading the information to each other. So thank you very much Frant.
Frant Combo Choir starts on
Wednesday April 26th, so at the time
of writing we’re looking forward to the
first meeting a few weeks ahead, but
at the time you are reading this the
choir may already be up and running. You can come along and join in any time
you like. We meet every Wednesday
in term-time from 7.00 till 8.00 p.m in
the function room of the George Inn,
High Street, Frant, TN3 9DU. It’s
for all ages (adults and children). We
do choral arrangements of songs in very
varied styles (Rock and Pop, Show Songs,
Folk, Classical and many more). There
are no auditions, anyone can join, no
musical knowledge is necessary. The
aim is to enjoy singing, not to produce a
professional result, though there will be
opportunities to perform. It will be very
informal and fun - we encourage you
to get a drink at the bar and bring it in
with you. Just to tell you a little bit about
ourselves - Tony is a music teacher, Patsy
is a singer, we perform together as a vocal
duo “Topaz” mainly in restaurants.
Well teach you in a very fun way how
to warm up your voice, how to sing
without any discomfort, how to increase
your voice range, especially how to get
more high notes without strain and we’ll
demonstrate the right and wrong way
to get the high notes (that’ll be funny) –
some of you will find yourselves singing
notes you never knew you had. You’ll
learn how to harmonise. We’ll teach you
how to sound your consonants properly
and open up your vowels and how to sing
diphthongs correctly. We’ll teach you
how to breathe properly, how to use your
diaphragm muscle correctly and how
to stand properly. Did we mention that
all this will be done in a very fun way? If
necessary we can teach how to overcome
stagefright. But the main thing we’ll do is
have fun singing great songs together.
The first time you come there’s nothing
to pay and no obligation to come back, so
you can definitely come for the free tryout and see if it’s right for you. After that
it’s £17 per half a term (5 sessions), £10
for children.
If you want to know any more, please
ring us (we love to have a chat) or email if
you prefer. Tel:- 01892 536171 or email
[email protected]
Some people think they can’t join
something like this because they can’t
sing. This is absolutely wrong. Everyone
can sing. There is no such thing as tone
deaf. Our voice is the one instrument we
are all given free. Everyone’s instrument
is different and unique. If you come
to Frant Combo Choir you'll learn to sing
better than you can already. Hope to see
you there. Tony and Patsy Gosling
Frant Parish Friendship Group
At our February meeting Heather
Woodward gave us another excellent talk
on Rudyard Kipling and Batemans. His
early life was not a happy one, Victorian
children being seen but not heard,
and was left at the tender age of 5 with
complete strangers on the south coast
while his parents returned to India.
This childhood obviously influenced his
later writing and his devotion to his own
children.
Gill Barnes and Jackie Simmons are
organising an Outing to Batemans in
early May, so we shall all be studying the
Bell Pull and little ‘Spying Window’ in
the Hall along with many other features
mentioned in Heather’s talk.
On the 1st March we had a group
outing to Trinity Arts to see Look Back
in Anger. An iconic play by John Osborne
which many of us had seen in our youth.
We again enjoyed it demonstrating the
enduring relevance of a great playwright.
The talk for our March meeting was
entitled Gongoozling for Beginners –
life on the canals by Neil Sadler. Neil
a retired policeman from the Sussex
force decided he needed a new interest
in retirement and bought a share in a
narrow boat. He then proceeded along
with his long suffering wife Julie to travel
the canals of Britain. His experiences
were very entertaining who would have
thought that travelling by canal could be
so exciting and hazardous!!
Our last Speaker of the year will be
Pat Wright and her subject will be ‘The
Wonderful Mediterranean’. This will
take place on Thursday 27th April.
We will also be showing a DVD of
Frant and Bells Yew Green that has been
produced by Dick and Wills Prime and
will be offered for sale. They are very
generously contributing any profits to
the Friendship Group Funds.
Our Older and Active exercise
IMPORTANT NOTICE
TO ALL RESIDENTS
On Thursday 25th May, the Parish
Council’s annual meeting will be
taking place in The Stables. This
is an opportunity for you, the
residents, to hear about important
issues concerning your Parish
including updates on housing,
the “Neighbourhood Plan, the
greens, traffic and the many other
issues the Parish Council has
been focusing on in the past year.
Please join us at 7.30pm where
you will have the opportunity
to ask questions and speak to
the councillors afterwards.
Refreshments are provided.
classes continue to be very popular and
welcomes new members. There has been
a lot in the media recently about keeping
fit in later life and this doesn’t have to be
a chore, quite the contrary, our classes
are fun and also a social occasion with
tea and biscuits and gossip afterwards!
These are run on the first and third
Thursdays of the month in the Stables at
2.15 from September to May
In order to continue with the teas,
there is a Rota for making it after the
class. If anyone is willing to help please
let Trudi (750554) or Margaret (750591)
know. You don’t have to be at the class
just turn up to make the tea and wash up
at 3.00pm.
Eridge Fair
» Sunday 25th June 2017
The next Eridge Fair will be held on
Sunday 25th June 2017 in Eridge Park.
The fair encompasses a quintessentially
British feel with a traditional country
village fair. With the ever popular
PIMMS bar, to the bric-a-brac and
tombola alongside exceptional events
going on throughout the afternoon it’s
got fun for all the family and is an event
not to be missed.
We have lots of opportunities to get
involved in the day. From running a stall,
getting involved in the marketing, to
baking a cake, or helping set up or clear
up, please contact Antony Freeman on
[email protected] if you’d like more
information.
The fair is entirely run by volunteers
and all our proceeds go to local charities.
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Ashdown Forest Decorative and
Fine Arts Society Events
The following interesting events will
be taking place at the Crowborough
Community Centre, Pine Grove,
Crowborough, on 11th May at 2pm and
8th June 2pm respectively:
The Frome Hoard: the largest pot of
Roman coins ever found in Britain
Dr Sam Moorhead tells us about the
Frome Hoard, which, found in April
2010 is the largest cache of Roman coins
ever found in Britain in a single pot. The
discovery prompted a major appraisal of
Britain’s ‘forgotten emperor’ Carausius
and casts a light on the Roman West
Country, one of the wealthiest regions in
the Roman Empire north of the Alps.
Join us for what promises to be a
fascinating afternoon followed by a
hot drink and a biscuit. Members free
of charge, taster session for first time
visitors.
» Thomas Heatherwick: the modern
Leonardo?
For twenty years the Heatherwick
Studio has combined curiosity and
experimentation to produce a vast range
of solutions to design challenges. His
Olympic Cauldron and new London
bus are highly acclaimed. Ian Swankie
looks at the problems presented and
the wonderfully creative ways in
which Heatherwick and his team
have responded. A visit to the Bombay
Sapphire Distillery is planned for later
this month.
Come along for a fascinating afternoon
followed by a hot drink and a biscuit.
Members free of charge, taster session
for first time visitors.
­­ he “Parish News” is published by the Church
T
and distributed free by volunteers. The publisher
acknowledges the support of the Parish Council.
Any views expressed in this magazine are not
necessarily shared by the Publisher. The “Parish
News” reserves the right to edit submissions as it sees
fit. Publisher: Rev James Packman.
Editor: Carmel Kinley. Design: Jonathan Christie.
Advertising: Susan Piccioni.
Printed locally by LR
Online Print Services
01892 752277
[email protected]
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Printed on paper from
managed forests &
controlled sources.
Please recycle after use
PA R I SH N E W S
Parish Diary
May/June 2017
» Thursday 11th May
Ashdown Forest Decorative and Fine
Arts Society Event; Crowborough
Community Centre, 2pm (see page 13)
» Friday 26th May
Frant Parish Council Annual Meeting;
The Stables; 7.30pm
» Friday 2nd June
Charles Alexander & Andy Robinson
Concert; St Alban’s Church, Frant
7.30pm (see page 8)
» Saturday 3rd June
Frant Open Gardens; 11am – 4pm
» Thursday 8th June
Ashdown Forest Decorative and Fine
Arts Society Event; Crowborough
Community Centre, 2pm (see page 13)
» Friday 23rd June
Charity Fashion Sale; Frant Memorial
Hall; 7.30pm (see page 12)
» Sunday 25th June
Eridge Summer Fair; Eridge Park (see
page 13)
» Friday 30th June
John Williams, John Etheridge, Gary
Ryan Concert; St Alban’s Church, Frant
7.30pm (see page 8)
» Saturday 1st July
The Remi Harris Trio; St Alban’s
Church, Frant 7.30pm (see page 8)
Regular Meetings
Little Fishes: Baby & Toddler Group
Every Tuesday 10:30—12.00pm in The
Stables, Frant. A warm welcome to all.
Ignite (School Years 3–6)
meets each Thursday (term time only).
TFC (School Years 7–13)
Contact Ed Pascoe for more information:
[email protected]
Coffee Morning at The Stables, Frant
Every Wednesday, 10:30am—12noon.
Come for a hot drink, a cake and a chat.
Sunday Club Open to anyone aged 0-14,
and meets during the 9:30am Sunday
service at Frant (except for the 1st
Sunday of each month when the children
join in with our family service).
A DV E RT I SE M E N T S
Useful contacts
Council contacts
Frant
Frant CofE Primary School
Amanda Gander-Miller: 750243
Frant Nursery School
Shelley Holdsworth: 01892 890961
[email protected]
Frant Sunday Club
Ed Pascoe: [email protected]
Frant Bowls Club
Alan Taylor-Restell: 862346
Frant Cricket Club
David Pearson: 750789
Frant Garden Club
Dianna Tennant: 752029
Frant Panto & Drama Society
Alan Richardson: 01892 825378
St Alban’s Bell-Ringers
Mary Freestone: 750269
Frant Memorial Hall
Bookings Officer: 07467 069648
Frant Music
Lesley Lynn: 01892 752261
Frant Stables
Helen Carpenter: 750368
Frant Parish Friendship Group
Brian Gill: 750266
Frant Film
Philip Goodwin: 750886
Frant PCC Administrator
Rosie Karim: 752261
Chairman
William Rutherford: 752254
Vice Chairman
Carmel Kinley: 750217
Frant Ward
Johanna Howell: 750141
Sue Hutching: 750761
Michael Rowland: 526746
William Rutherford: 752254
David Wright: 750905
BYG Ward
Marcus Breese: 750012
Carmel Kinley: 750217
Andy Macdonald-Brown: 891273
Eridge Ward
Giny Best: 527931
Michael Stevens: 852739
Clerk to the Council
Rosie Karim: 524376
[email protected]
or www.frant.info
County Councillor
Bob Standley: 783579
District Councillor
Johanna Howell: 750141
William Rutherford: 752254
Parish Council meetings
Full PC meetings are held at 7.30pm
every 3rd Wednesday of the month.
Planning meetings are held on the first
Monday of the month.
Eridge
Eridge Cricket Club
Alan Ellis: 541861
Eridge Garden Club
Gay Park: 861475
Eridge Village Hall Hire
Booking Secretary: 07552 363650
Eridge Choir
Michael Stevens: 852739
Bells Yew Green
Bells Yew Green Chapel
Ken Davies: 01732 357791
BYG Cricket Club
Andy Brooks: 07876 011782
Short Mat Bowls Club
Pam Mepham: 891426
BYG Village Hall Hire
Chris Bacon: [email protected]
Bells Yew Green Society
Alex Whittle: 07980 833114
Police Community Support Officer;
[email protected];
07787 685741
[email protected];
07912 896202
Parish News can be downloaded
from: www.frantchurch.org
or www.eridgechurch.org
Advertising enquiries:
01892 750285 or
[email protected]
Contributions for our next issue
should be sent to the Editor:
[email protected]
or 01892 750217
Deadline: 10th June 2017
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