Hellingly & Horsebridge

HORSE DRIVING SHOW: The Oaks Driving Club Annual Horse Driving Show is on Sunday from 9am to 3.30pm at broad Farm, Hellingly. Driving classes include exercise vehicles, private driving, multiples, mountain and moorland and many more categories. Also there is ridden and in-hand arena events plus a carriage capers Funday. Refreshments are available. For more information and entry forms visit www.oaksdrivingclub.com.

SCALEXLTRIC RACING: Tomorrow, Saturday, evening there is a dads with their 7 years plus children, slot-car racing club from 7pm to 9pm at Emmanuel Hall, Hawkswood Road, Horsebridge. The cost is £1 which includes refreshments. Call Tony on 01323 849023 or just turn up.

ACTIVE PLAY: On Tuesday there is another free Active Play and Family Afternoon provided by Hellingly PC in association with Hailsham Freedom Leisure . It runs from 2pm to 4pm in Hellingly Country Park. Children can play, do arts and crafts, mini sports sessions and much more whilst parents enjoy some complimentary refreshments. No need to book, just come along. Sessions are aimed at 5 to 16 year olds, however all ages are welcome. Under 8s must be accompanied by an adult. No refreshments or facilities are provided at sessions. Active play is part of Active Communities Wealden and will be running free sports and play sessions across Hellingly, Horsebridge, and Hailsham throughout the Summer holidays. To stay up to date with all the Active Communities sessions and activities follow their Facebook page at www.facebook .com/active communitieswealden or keep checking the website page https://www.freedom-leisure .co.uk/centres/active- communities/Wealden.

MOTHERS UNION: Hellingly and Upper Dicker Mothers’ Union welcomed Elaine Bowdery to a recent meeting in Hellingly church. Elaine, a Project Officer for the ESCC Safer East Sussex Team, gave a very detailed talk about Scams Awareness. Scams are fraud, and fraud is a crime which should not be ignored. Many people are being affected by scams - locally, regionally and nationally. We all need to raise awareness. These criminals are intimidating and promise fictitious rewards and unfortunately many, mostly vulnerable, members of society, frequently fall victim to these outrageous actions by some very unkind individuals. Criminals rely on loneliness, vulnerability and social isolation. Very surprisingly, only 5 percent of these crimes are actually reported. This is why it is so important to make as many people as we can aware of what is going on. The average age of a victim is 75 years. 53 percent of 65 year olds and over have been targeted. The frightening thing is that details obtained by these wicked people can and do get shared by others. These criminals make themselves out to be a friend. It has even been known that these criminals escort victims to their banks while they draw funds. The problem is immense. Together we can talk about scams, spread the word of Friends Against Scams and hopefully work towards preventing people being targeted. There are different types of scams postal, telephone, doorstep and online scams. Often we are tricked into thinking there is a too good to be true offer and people do fall for this. It often involves giving money to obtain rewards back, and obviously that never happens. Frequently letters received in the post look authentic are sometimes personalised, so we must be very aware of what these letters are trying to achieve. Telephone scams are dangerous. We should never answer customer surveys or give any personal information over the telephone. Always check with your bank, or other organisations that the call is genuine. They will not mind you checking. It pays always to be aware and to spot a victim if we can. Elaine was a very enthusiastic speaker and she had lots of very interesting information, slides and recordings to share. Share this information with everyone you know and if you would like to know more visit www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk as it has a very important message. This is a National Trading Standards team initiative which aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams. Elaine is running a county-wide project, The East Sussex Against Scams Partnership, and as part of this work, Elaine holds sessions for organisations and groups who want to help raise awareness.

FIRST AID COURSE: Would you know how to deal with a medical emergency like resuscitation of an adult, child or baby. Do you know how to put a casualty in the recovery position, deal with a choking incident, control severe bleeding, deal with a heart attack, angina or a stroke? If not, you will be keen to sign up for the Community First Aid Course being held on the morning of Saturday October 20 from 9.30am to 12.30pm at the Ecohub Hellingly, New Road, Hellingly. You could even gain a certificate of competence which is valid for three years. The course costs just £20 which includes a non-returnable £10 deposit to secure your place. To book contact Marita Edwards on 07724 134751 or email [email protected]. Places are limited.

HELLINGLY WI: The members of Hellingly WI would welcome any ladies who would like to come along for a visit to one of their meetings, and maybe join them in the future. A small group of friendly ladies, they meet once a month in Hellingly Village Hall, on the first Tuesday of the month at 2.30pm. They enjoy speakers with a large range of interests, lunch outings to places of members’ choice, visit other Wls for group meetings and to celebrate their Anniversaries. The branch has a garden party in the summer, and an annual afternoon outing. But one of the important parts of the organisation is the making of new friends. Hellingly WI was started in 1918, so last year they were proud to celebrate 95 years of continual presence in the Parish. If you would like to help them reach their 100th Birthday, don’t be shy go and give them a try Please contact 01323 442592 for more information.

OPEN GARDEN: Tomorrow, Saturday, from 11am to 4pm and on Sunday from 2pm to 5pm Camberlot Hall Garden will be open in aid of St Wilfrid’s Hospice on Saturday with stalls and refreshments. Serving until 3.30pm. All monies raised during the day will go the hospice. No entry fee, but donations to the Hospice please. On Sunday it is also open for the National Garden Scheme. Tea and cakes. Entry adults £5, children free.

OBERON’S CURE: At Michelham Priory on Sunday, The Rude Mechanical Theatre Co bring us Oberon’s Cure. In this prequel to A Midsummer Night’s Dream an old goat of a fairy is not capable of resisting a beautiful young ‘ooman woman. Now when has that not been in the news recently. But the waspish Hippolyta, running amok in the forest, is more than a match for him. Love is thwarted as the human and fairy worlds collide. But will it triumph in the end? A funny and at times deeply romantic play about how we deal with desire. Picnics from 6pm for 7.15pm start. Tickets: £16 with a range of concessions from www.therudemechanical theatre.co.uk or (01323) 844224.

MICHELHAM PRIORY: Special event days coming up are Wildlife this Wednesday. A day full of wildlife activities on Michelham Priory’s picturesque island. This fantastic event provides a great opportunity for visitors of all ages to get up close to nature. Visitors will have the chance to get up close to snakes, lizards and more. The fun doesn’t end there. Explore with a nature trail and enjoy activities throughout the stunning grounds and gardens pond dipping, bug hunting, and face painting at a small extra charge. Children’s trail all day. Prize available on completion.

Bring your little explorers along for a day of discoveries. Look out for Family Games Fest on Wednesday August 22, Superhero day on Monday August 27. For more details visit www.sussexpast.co.uk.