The Hurst June/July/August 2024

the Hurst

Welcome to the Summer edition of the Hurst. Despite the dismal weather, we are heading positively into the summer months with the annual village fete to look forward to on the Cricket Field on 15 June. Recent village fetes have been very successful and go a long way to bringing the village together for fun, chats and so much more. We’re sure this year won’t disappoint!

The lighter evenings also mean that the cricket season is underway – good luck to our village team in their efforts this year. And, of course, good luck to our enthusiastic walking footballers and bowls players!

Our Hero of Hurst Green this issue is Jim Lings who, as a youngster, took part in the D-Day landings on Sword Beach. Jim is a long-time resident of Hurst Green who will celebrate his 100th birthday this Christmas. He told his D-Day story recently to his neighbour Ray Young.

We also profile Sheila Humphries who sadly

passed after years of involvement in many aspects of Hurst Green life.

And, of course, we say au revoir to Annabelle and Richard Blackaby who are departing for sunny Yorkshire this summer. In recognition of the outstanding contribution they have made to village life, the council are awarding them ‘Freedom of the Parish,’ in June. A full report will follow in our September issue.

The village school has been busy as we head towards summer with activities, outings and more. A vacancy has arisen for a Governor and full details about this are within these pages.

Our next issue will be out in September. Do let us know if you have any news, or any issues you feel we should cover. If you have any nominees you feel are worthy of our Heroes of Hurst Green spotlight, do let us know. The deadline is 1st August.

In the meantime, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish everybody in Hurst Green a very happy and joyful Summer.

Editor: Francesca Wooldridge thehurst.hg@gmail.com

USEFUL CONTACTS

Allotment Association 01580 860251

Breakfast Club (75+) 01580 860760/860358

Brownies 01580 860742

Comedy Capers 01580 860221

Cricket Club 07796 976809

First Responders 07837 224905

Holy Trinity Church 01580 880282 (Vicar), 01580 860649

Cars Mobile Car Mechanic: Cliff Mercer 07909 911869

Hurst Green C of E School 01580 860375

Nursery School 01580 860375 x211

Parish Clerk 01580 860111

Rother District Council 01424 787000

Short Mat Bowling 01424 773478

Twinning Association 01580 860977

Village Hall Booking Agent 01580 860425

HELPFUL LOCAL SERVICES

Leather repairs Kay Lloyd,Wealden Saddlery 01580 860860

Dogs Holiday and day care: Lorely Watson 01580 880061 / 07796 392653

Pippin’s Pet Sitting and walking: 07717 681972

Sarah.janeheasman@hotmail.co.uk

Eco-friendly products Joanna Girling 07443 411677 girling.joanna@gmail.com

Electricians Gareth Skinner 07929 839309

Tim Russell 07771 687636 trussell.5@btinternet.com

House Portraits Christine Masters Art 07833 342020 www.christinemastersart.wordpress.com

Pest control Paul Messenger 07940 744411 paul@roecallservices.com

Plastering and tiling Edd Ripley, 07875 494493

Plumbers Aaron Plumbing & Heating LtdAaron Rowsell 01580 230330

Steve Walker 07564 405702

Private car hire and taxi service

Hugo, 01435 883803 Mob. 07931 605057

If you would like to be included in this list please email thehurst.hg@gmail.com This is a free listing.

The view from inside the pavilion

Last year’s start to the season was very wet and we thought it couldn’t get worse but the Great British weather has confounded expectations again. The wettest six-month period (Oct-Mar) on record had given us a pitch like sponge and serious doubts for whether the first game would go ahead in mid-May.

Not much we could do about that so with the pitch looking soggy, Ian Hirst thought he would treat us to something different – the inside of our pavilion.

This imposing structure on the edge of the field was built in the 1950s from concrete block and corrugated iron and it shows! It’s just about watertight but in serious need of improvement/replacement. Whilst it has its character quirks, including the photo wall, galley kitchen, tasteful carpeting throughout and sheet metal ceilings(?!), it’s in need of a bit of TLC.

Is there anything you could do to help? If you’re getting carpets replaced or getting rid of an old dishwasher (working please) then perhaps we can take it away and put it to a new use. Contact details below.

Longer term, we’re hoping to work with the Parish Council to realise their vision for the Drewett Field as part of the neighbourhood plan, which includes a new pavilion.

The fete will take place on the cricket pitch on the 15th June and we’ll be running the smash the crockery stall. If you hate your plates and want to make a mockery of your crockery, there’s a collection box outside the village hall!

We might also get round to playing some cricket at some point… if the sun shows itself.

If you’d like to play, umpire or score for the club, we practice on Tuesday evenings (starting at 6.30pm) and play on most Sundays over the summer.

Email us on hurstgreencc@gmail.com or check our facebook www.facebook.com/ hurstgreencricketclub

all makes and models of vehicles

if it’s still under manufacturers warranty)

Letter from the Vicar

I am sitting here looking at a vaseful of glorious peonies that were kindly given to me by the husband of a parishioner who I went to visit yesterday. They smell amazing as well!

the martyrs who shed their blood and with Jesus’s mother Mary, who is also associated with white lilies.

I have been thinking about the symbols that we use and their meanings, and surrounded as we are by the abundance of beautiful flora at this time of year I have also been thinking about the symbolism of flowers. Peonies symbolise love, honour, happiness, wealth, romance and beauty (so just about everything good!) and are traditionally given on special occasions as an expression of goodwill, best wishes and joy. Their name comes from Greek mythology, from Paeon, who was the physician to the gods and was said to be able to heal even the deepest wounds.

We are blessed to have many beautiful roses in our garden. The night my husband first asked me out, nearly 47 years ago, he gave me a single red rose. Of course, roses have been a symbol of love and romance for centuries. In Ancient Greece, Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty was associated with roses, which were said to bloom wherever she walked. Her blood turned roses red after she pricked herself on a thorn in a garden into which Cupid had shot an arrow. In Roman mythology roses were a symbol of desire and secrecy and were associated with Venus, their goddess of love. In Ancient Rome newlyweds would wear rose crowns and scatter their beds with rose petals. In the romantic Victorian era, people used the language of flowers to send secret messages and red roses symbolised love, passion, romance and devotion and were used to send the message, “I love you”, the deep red colour representing the intensity of love and desire. White roses symbolise eternal love. In Catholicism red roses are associated with

For Christians the most powerful symbol of God’s love for us is not a flower but the Cross. That is why we have crosses in churches and why many of us wear them around our necks. It has been said that it might be seen as strange to wear a representation of an instrument of torture and death. A bit like wearing an electric chair on a chain. But we believe that Jesus chose to die on a cross to show us how much we are loved by God, that God Himself would enter the world that He had created as one of us and lead us back to Himself, ultimately giving Himself up to be murdered by crucifixion but to defeat death through the resurrection and go on to be reunited with God the Father. For Christians the symbols we use are pictures of the experience that we have of God’s love. If you’re interested or have any questions about Christianity why not think about coming along to the next Alpha Course, starting on September 24th at the Vicarage. We eat a simple meal together, watch an interesting video and have a discussion and we would love to welcome you. If you would like to talk to me about the Alpha course or about anything else at all do get in touch.

God bless, Rev Annette annette@jhbd.co.uk 01580 880282 07900 332791 www.hurstgreenhtc.org

To make a donation to the work of Holy Trinity, use this QR code to go to our Just Giving page. Thank you so much – it will make a huge difference.

HURST GREEN WALKS

Allan Cheek continues his regular feature in the Hurst describing different walks of varying difficulty. Allan is happy to discuss this and other Hurst Green walks in more detail including the possibility of leading small groups. For information, contact Allan by text/ WhatsApp 07803 502972

Hurst Green to Northbridge St. (Robertsbridge) 7 miles anticlockwise circular

Starting at our usual spot opposite the Clockhouse, head down Station Road then down Burgh Hill to Etchingham, taking a left turn off the main road just after the church to the driveway and public footpath beside the first cottage.

Pass through the gate crossing the little river Dudwell. Bear left across the first field then head uphill crossing Lundsford farm drive through both gates and continue keeping between the buildings and the pond.This path heads downhill to another two gates leading slightly right then following the stream on your left (often squidgy here). Keep going uphill through Gigmore Wood then levelling out into the open keeping to the right-hand side before finding the cottages at Squibs Farm.

Continue straight through the farmyard through an open gate and hedge on your right. At the bottom of the hill cross the bridge then head uphill diagonally to the top corner which then descends steeply to cross a stream then uphill to gates crossing a farm track into open pastures overlooking the railway.

Ignore the first footpath, keeping the trees on your right to find a gap and continue the other side with a fence to reach a downhill wide path which leads under the railway then divides. Keep to the left-hand path over a footbridge towards the soon to be restored Rother Valley Railway. Turn left beside the track and cricket ground to pop out onto High Street Robertsbridge. Turn left, then left again before the roundabout onto Northbridge Street (the old A21). This leads to the crossing of the actual A21.

Cross and turn left on the footpath leading to the houses on Rother View. Head towards the end and turn left at No28 to pass some garages then straight ahead into a small wood then uphill into open pasture and a stile at Beech House Lane. Turn left and walk for approx. 1000yds to the end then right along Bodiam Road for 150yds reaching Mill Cottage on your left and a five bar gate and footpath sign.

Go up here to the end where you’ll find Stage Field on the right with its beacon and view. However, we go left and round the strange green circular building atop a reservoir. Follow the path to a metal gate and downhill to another where it enters open pasture. The path leads down then crosses at right angles towards a hedged gap beside Little Iridge cottages. Turn right on the track to the T-junction then left to nearly the end and cottage where you’ll find a metal gate on the left. Bear right to another metal gate where the path leads eventually downhill to a gate entrance to a wood with a steep and often slippery down and up over a stream. The path meanders through several old gates to a new wooded plantation, two stiles before reaching the final stile which pops you out directly onto the A21. Take care crossing and head right back to the start.

At just under 7 miles this walk should be comfortably completed in about two and a half hours.

CHURCHYARD CHAMPIONS

For three months the churchyard has been treated to the skills of two local teenagers. Freddie and Josh offered, as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award, to help out clearing paths and cutting back brambles, and recently we let them loose on 2 petrol strimmers. All under adult supervision of course! Well done lads, you’ve got a job for life… if you like…

Sheila Humphries

31 October 1945–26 March 2024

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

Sheila was born 59 days after the end of the Second World War and was followed by two brothers, Ron and Robert.

“A six or seven year old boy in charge of a hosepipe in a kitchen – what could posssibly go wrong?”

They lived with their parents in a house with a long garden in Edmonton, North London which had, as was normal in those post-war days, a large vegetable plot, long chicken run and hutches for rabbits –all for human consumption.

In 1959 they moved to Hastings, running a guest house, with three double letting bedrooms. Their Mum worked four

12-hour night shifts a week as a nurse, and on return home would then cook full English breakfasts for the six guests, then had a sleep during the day, before cooking evening meals for those guests and the family. Sheila, Ron and Robert acted as waitress and waiters. The bed linen changeover occurred on Saturdays when Sheila would help Mum in the bedrooms and then Robert would join in with the washing. They had the latest in laundry technology – a twin tub washing machine – which was on wheels and contained two compartments, one for washing with an ‘agitator’ which moved the washing clockwise and counterclockwise in hot soapy steamy water, and a second compartment with a spin dryer. The idea was that, once washed, the items would be pulled using wooden tongs from the washer into the spinner, spun, and then rinsed by filling with cold water from a hose from the kitchen sink tap and spun again and then repeated. Robert was in charge of the rinsing and spinning: a 6/7 year-old boy in charge of a hose pipe in a kitchen – what could possibly go wrong? When his attention wandered, he would hear Sheila say, “Pay attention, Robert!”

In 1960 at the age of 15, Sheila left school and took her first job in a coffee bar on the corner of George Street and High Street, a steamy place with a juke box and lots of leather jackets! In 1964, the year the Mods and Rockers came to Hastings, she started work in a pharmacy. Some years later, Sheila would work in the pharmacy at Tesco and complete her exams to qualify as a pharmacy technician.

Sheila had a wicked sense of fun. Around 20 years ago, when she was on holiday in Spain, she attended a show which included a knife thrower and his assistant. The

audience was asked for a volunteer to take the part of the assistant: obviously no-one in their right mind would volunteer –except Sheila, who went on to the stage! She survived the experience unscathed. But that wasn’t all. Sheila abseiled down the tallest building in Hastings for charity and, more recently, she and Mandy had their heads shaved in the Community shop as part of ‘Brave the Shave’ to raise funds for MacMillan Cancer Support.

Breakfast Club and the Renew Café. She attended Holy Trinity Church and as part of the church work, Sheila helped out when Holiday Clubs were run at the school and she also took part in the fashion shows which were a great laugh!

“Sheila helped children to read at Hurst Green CE Primary School and volunteered at the Community shop”

Sheila was caring. She would always volunteer to help others, whether it was the Brownies or other children’s groups. After moving to Hurst Green in 2014 she helped children to read at Hurst Green CE Primary School and volunteered at the Community shop. She particularly enjoyed village life and being part of the cast in the Comedy Capers at the village hall. She valued the company of others in the village, meeting up regularly with friends each week at Planters for coffee as well as at the

Sheila loved dogs and none more so than LouLou.

Sheila doted on her son, Paul, and his wife and granddaughters, who were all a great comfort to her.

Robert says,” A few days after Sheila had passed away, I went into the garden on the first cloudless evening we had had for quite some time. The stars in the sky had never been more magnificent. One star in particular stood out and seemed to be twinkling more than all the others. I stood watching it for a long time.”

Paul says, “Our family would like to send their most sincere thanks for your support and sympathy during this difficult time. Your kindness will always be remembered.”

Sheila certainly had a full life and will be missed by many people in the village.

Hurst Green Church of England

At Hurst Green Primary School, the children have been enjoying the warmer weather after such a long, wet period. We are lucky enough to have a school field that all of our pupils use for playtimes and PE lessons and where we will hold our annual Sports Day this week. There will be competitive races where children will score points for their houses and parents will be supporting and taking part in the Tug O’ War!

As I write, Year 6 are taking their Statutory Assessments in Reading, Maths, Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar for which they have worked extremely hard. Last year, we celebrated being in the top three schools in East Sussex for our combined SATs

results. As our Year 6’s prepare for the next step in their educational journey, they will be taking part in various end of school activities including Bikeability, our play, a leaver’s service in St Matthew’s Church with other local schools and our own leaver’s service in the village. Year 5 and 6 recently had a visit from Sussex Police to warn them about keeping safe online.

Last term, all of the children enjoyed a visit from FRED’s NHS Bus where they learnt the importance of keeping well by eating healthily, getting plenty of rest and exercise and limiting time spent on devices.

Last month, each class took part in a collaborative art competition run by The Royal Academy of Arts. Our theme was climate change and if we win our art work will be exhibited in the Summer. Additionally, we have a KS1 Craft Club and KS2 Art Club both of which take place after school and where the children produce some creative pieces of work using inspiration from well-known artists.

Many of our children took part in the Hastings Music Festival at the White Rock Theatre including our choir. Our talents

Primary School and Nursery

shone through (with the help of Mrs Ham and Miss Flack!) and the children were awarded a plethora of certificates and medals.

We are delighted as we have been gifted a large sum of money by our PTA to enable to us to order new books for our classrooms and book corners. The children are extremely excited by the brand-new collection of fiction, non-fiction and poetry books.

Recently we have welcomed two new teachers to our team: Mrs C Turton who is teaching our Year 3 and 4 children and Mrs A Barnes who is our new Early Years lead. We look forward to the knowledge and expertise that they will bring to our school.

As part of our Enrichments, classes will be going on various school trips this term including a trip to the immersive art gallery Frameless in London, Bodiam Castle, The Natural History Museum and our preschool trip to Blackberry Farm for our youngest children.

HURST GREEN VILLAGE HALL

WHAT’S ON WEEKLY

MONDAY 11am Lunch Club (2nd Monday each month, 07798 556999 to book) 7pm Short Mat Bowls

TUESDAY 8.45am Pilates (07798 663820) 7pm Jive & Lindy Hop (07766 881045) 8pm Parish Council Meeting (4th Tuesday of each month)

WEDNESDAY 10am Upholstery (termtime) 5.30pm Brownies (termtime)

THURSDAY 8.45am Pilates 1.30pm Short Mat Bowls 8pm Zumba

FRIDAY 10am Breakfast Club (2nd & 4th Friday each month)

Booking agent: Sue Endean 01580 860425, 07718 282605

Charity no. 229672

Heroes of Hurst Green: Jim Lings

With the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings around the corner, Ray Young from The Ridgeway tells the story of a Hurst Green resident who valiantly took part in this extraordinary feat. A genuine Hero of Hurst Green!

I am indebted to my good neighbour Jim Lings for allowing me to tell his story of the D-Day Landings in which he took part.

the Regiment but, in common with others, there was little he could do about it.

After vigorous training, rumours were spreading that an invasion of France to free Europe of the scourge of Nazism under Adolf Hitler was being planned.

“A mortar shell landed near to Jim, exploded and fragments of shrapnel flew into his left forearm”

This was top-secret but, amazingly, Leonard Dawe, a school teacher from Leatherhead, Surrey submitted a crossword puzzle to The Daily Telegraph on May 27th 1944 containing the word, ‘Overlord.’

Jim lived in Earlsfield SW18 and was born in 1924. During the Second World War he was training in the art of butchery. In 1943 he was called up to serve in the Army but was conscripted to join The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Scottish Regiment. This was largely due to the fact that they were very short of men, having lost many in North Africa and Italy.

Jim was given the number 14649304. He didn’t take to the ‘bullshine’ and strictness of

This was the codeword for the invasion. MI5 became involved and Mr Dawe was arrested and intensively interrogated but finally freed, though they made him swear to secrecy on the Bible, believing his choice of word was purely coincidental.

Such was the level of secrecy, Jim explained, that he had no idea where they sailed from but he was heading for Sword Beach so it may have been from Shoreham near Brighton. Sword Beach was a British

operation, as was Gold Beach. The Canadians went to Juno Beach and the Americans headed for Utah and Omaha Beaches.

On June 6th, the sea was extremely rough and Jim’s assault ship was turned round and returned to base. They were sent out again on June 8th and this time they reached Sword Beach. Jim told me of accidents that occurred when troops were clambering down the rope nets from the assault ships to the landing craft.

When he hit the beach in the morning, Jim was armed with a Sten gun that was single or automatic shot, and pouches of handgrenades. He managed to make it inland, towards the town of Caen. The Regiment was under constant fire. This came from enemy mortar fire, a particularly unpleasant experience. It was here that Jim was severely wounded. A mortar shell landed near to him and a mate, exploded and fragments of shrapnel flew into Jim’s left forearm. The wound was enough to have him removed from the battlefield and returned to England. He still has a ‘souvenir’ in his arm which has been picked up on Xrays!

As you can imagine, it was not easy for Jim to tell me his story. He says he sometimes feels guilty that he had to leave his mates and that he is still alive. All I could say to him was, “It was the enemy who fired the mortar; it wasn’t your fault”. But luck or fate, or whatever you may think, Jim was there fighting for freedom.

130,000 men landed in France that day and by June 30th a further 850,000 had joined them. With 148,000 vehicles carrying 570,000 tonnes of supplies, it was the biggest amphibious landing in military history.

Oh, and I nearly forgot…Jim will be 100 years old on Christmas Day this year!

Advertise in the Hurst!

For a quarter page: £25 for one issue, £90 for a year (4 issues)

For a half page: £50 for one issue, £180 for a year (4 issues)

For a full page: £100 for one issue, £360 for a year (4 issues)

Please email us for further details: thehurst.hg@gmail.com

Have you ever thought about becoming A SCHOOL GOVERNOR?

Our village primary schools are an important part of the local community and are valued by the children, staff and parents alike. These days, small schools are often at risk of closure. One of the important things the school needs, in order to avoid this, is strong governance.

The Role of a Governor is to:

• help the school with its strategic vision and direction

• hold the headteacher to account for the school’s performance

• make sure the school budget is properly managed

The benefits of being a governor are immense. These benefits include:

• Developing one’s own professional skills and experience such as strategic planning, chairing, financial planning, and team working, all of which are valued by employers and can assist career development.

• Building relationships and networks in the locality and supporting children and young people in the community. Governor input will help the school to improve and its children to get the best education possible.

I am Chair of Governors at Hurst Green

CE Primary School and Nursery, and we have a strong board, but one of our valued community governors will be resigning at the end of the current academic year (July) due to additional work commitments. We are therefore looking for another member of the local community to fill their shoes. Practically, this voluntary position involves:

• Reading reports and attending meetings typically 6 times a year.

• Visiting our lovely school ideally 6 times a year (including writing a short report). Some of these visits involve observing lessons and talking to our wonderful children, staff and parents as part of planned governor monitoring. Some would involve attending school events that are a crucial part of school life.

• Attending online training

We are particularly keen to find a new governor that understands simple accounts and/or has an interest in finance, but above all, they need to have the time and an interest in ensuring local children receive the best education possible. Anyone over 18 years old can be a community governor, and you don’t need to live in Hurst Green, so if you think you could help us, please get in touch for further details.

I look forward to hearing from YOU!!!

Elaine Lambert, Chair of Governors Hurst Green CE Primary School & Nursery elambert@hurstgreen.school https://hurstgreen.e-sussex.sch.uk/ governor-vacancy/

HURST GREEN VILLAGE FETE SATURDAY

JUNE 15TH CRICKET FIELD FROM NOON, BE THERE!

THE FLORAL BOUTIQUE LTD

20, HIGH STREET, ROBERTSBRIDGE

Tel 01580 880977

thefloralboutiqueltd@gmail.com

FRESH FLOWERS FOR ALL OCCASIONS FOLIAGE & FLOWERING PLANTS

Also stocking – Candles, glass, ceramic pots.

AGENT FOR DRY CLEANING & LAUNDRY SERVICE

Open Monday – Saturday

Telephone orders welcome

Wide delivery area

Major credit cards taken Committed to using less plastic

The

George Hurst Green

Dine in and takeaway Malaysian menu available through eurasia kitchen (wed-sun lunch 12.00 to 14.00 dinner 17.30 to 21.00) under new management

Draught beers & ciders ¤ cask ales ¤ WINE & Spirts

fresh coffee ¤ sweet and savoury pastries ¤ fresh sandwiches ¤ Homemade cakes ¤ ice creams

meeting place for local groups and societies

Wifi ¤ large patio and garden ¤ TNT sports

Leon and Ruth would like to welcome you to the, new look, Royal George pub. Come and meet for a coffee and slice of cake in our coffee shop during the day or a pint and a glass of wine in a friendly pub atmosphere at night.

Open all day Tuesday ~ Sunday closed on monday

London Road, Hurst green, east sussex, tn19 7PN Tel: 01580 531508 e mail: theroyalgeorgehg@ gmail.com Find us on Facebook & instagram