Udimore

Rosemary Crouch tells me that 15 members of Mothers’ Union had a most informative and interesting walk around St Mary’s graveyard last Wednesday afternoon. Aided by Stella Knight, Sue Lee had undertaken a complete survey of the graves, at the request of Fr Martin, and now acted as guide, reporting on their findings. She has placed on the table just inside the church a booklet listing all the headstones with legible inscriptions, methodically arranged for each section of the churchyard in turn. This booklet is to remain there, for the perusal of anyone who is interested in finding any particular grave, or graves. We should all be very grateful to Sue and Stella for devoting many hours to this comprehensive task.

This Sunday morning a Family Eucharist will be celebrated in St Mary’s Church starting at 11.15am.

This Sunday afternoon Beauchamps garden will be open to the public again for the National Gardens Scheme from 2 till 6pm. Matty and I look forward to welcoming many of you there. Even if you’ve visited our garden on previous open days, this year it’ll be quite a new experience, because we’re opening two weeks later than usual, and on top of that it’s been such a very early season anyway. Entry £4.50, many very good plants for sale, and delicious teas by the Friends of St Mary’s. For more details (and a photo) please turn to the “Garden of the Week” on page 50.

Do try and get over to Winchelsea next week to visit the annual exhibition of our Hayesland Group of painters and potters in the Court Hall. It runs from Wednesday June 18 to Monday June 23, 11am to 5pm every day, free admission. As usual there will be a wide range of exhibits, many of them for sale.

Tickets for the Overseas Group Summer Lunch in the Hall next Thursday, June 19, may well have sold out by the time you read this, but please ring 01424 882657 or 01424 883430 for possible returns: excellent value for £8.50, and there will be a short talk on this occasion about Sightsavers, one of the charities supported by the Group.

Richard Holmes

Beauchamps