Northiam

Coffee Stop: On Wednesday mornings the kettle goes on in the Church Centre and “everything stops for tea” – or coffee and a chat. All welcome between 10am and noon.

Women’s Institute: On Wednesday afternoon, the WI will be having a talk from Tony Hope on Henry VIII. The competition will be A Royal Souvenir, which should provide some interesting items, as members always seem to have some amazing treasures to bring to meetings. Meetings are held in the Jenkins Room at 2pm on the first Wednesday of each month.

The winner of the Flower of the Month is decided by the number of coins placed by each flower. The coins are donated to the Association of Country Women Worldwide, and over the year a useful sum is raised for this good cause. The craft group continues to meet once a month and this year is making aprons and folding bags to keep in handbags, now that we are all trying to do without the plastic ones.

Thursday Seniors: Thursday Seniors’ Club meets every Thursday in Northiam Village Hall from 10.30am until 2.30pm. All pensioners are welcome, and free door to door transport can be arranged for anyone in Northiam, Beckley, Peasmarsh and Broad Oak if you are on the Rye Community Bus route. The cost is £7 and includes welcome tea/coffee, a freshly cooked 2 course meal, extend chair exercises and a talk/entertainment. Call Joan 252568, Jane 252973 or Linda 252283 to find out more as a member or a helper.

Chitiwiri: I hope you found last week’s report on Chitiwiri as inspiring as I did. Sally has just contacted me to say that she has decided to have another clothes collection specifically to provide food for the feeding programme at Chitiwiri. The situation is desperate out there at the moment with food being very scarce and becoming more expensive every day. It is heartbreaking. At the moment the children are only getting one bowl of porridge a day which is provided by the feeding programme at the school. The programme was supposed to start with 250 children (half the school) to see how it would work and how the women who are cooking would manage. They have been so successful that they have extended it to the whole school of 500 children. I am very proud of them for their hard work!!! However, it means that the money doesn’t go as far!! It is £10 per day to feed the 500 children and we need 30-40 more days’ food before the next harvest will be ready.

The clothes collection will be on Monday 14th March by 10 am. As usual I can take unwanted clothes, shoes, belts, bags, bed linen, jewellery, soft toys, towels, toiletries and perfume. I can provide the bags or please put in black bin liners. Contact Sally or Richard Bickersteth on 0790 333 8614 to arrange a time to deliver. Many thanks to everyone for their amazing support. It makes such a difference.

St Mary’s Services: Jan 31st: 8am Holy Communion, 11am Fellowship Service (all age)

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