Udimore

ANNUAL MEETINGS: Last Wednesday evening the Annual Parish Meeting was followed by the Annual Meeting of Udimore Parish Council. Inspector Dan Russell of Sussex Police had been invited to address the first of these meetings. He spoke of the many changes in the pattern of policing which have occurred since the days when all villages had their own resident village constables. The role of the Police Community Support Officers who replaced them was initially to maintain similar visible police presence over a slightly wider area, but now that role too has changed , to allow PCSOs to work in teams responsible for even wider areas. Our local team of PCSOs, for instance, may be called on to operate throughout Rother District, and indeed sometimes in Hastings too. These changes, though understandably not well understood by the general public, have enabled the police to deal more effectively with the ever changing nature of crime, including nowadays such offences as cyber crime, money scams and human trafficking.

Turning to one of the forms of crime that has most impact on us in Udimore, he noted a suggestion from the audience that anti-social bikers could best be discouraged by being booked by the police (while dismounted in Rye) for such illegal practices as wearing coloured visors, obscuring their number plates and fitting noisy exhaust pipes.

We are very grateful to Inspector Russell for taking the time to come and give us a most interesting talk, which deserved a larger audience than was present that evening.

The second meeting began with the confirmation of Cllrs Bob Turgoose and Keith Dean as chairman and vice chairman of the Parish Council for the following year, and the allocation of responsibilities to individual councillors. Among the other items on the agenda was the “Your Udimore” event, which was generally agreed to have been most successful. Though not responsible for its initiation, the Parish Council had underwritten its expenses. In fact donations by those attending combined with bar profits, payments for second helpings at the barbecue and sales of postcards to generate a small overall profit. This is to be kept in a separate account for other similar social events in the future.

The next meeting of the Parish Council is to be held in the Hall at 6.30pm on Wednesday, July 19.

PEASMARSH FLOWER FESTIVAL: In Peasmarsh Church the annual festival this year, with the theme of “Music”, continues all through the Bank Holiday weekend, open from 10am till 6pm, Saturday to Monday. There will be delicious refreshments available, a plant stall and a raffle. In the church Peasmarsh Ladies Choir will give a concert at 7pm on Saturday evening, and on Sunday Holy Communion will be celebrated at 11.15am and the Benefice Evensong at 6pm.

BREDE CONCERT: Also on Saturday, at 7.30pm in St George’s Church Brede, there will be a grand Concert, presented by Gary Marriott and Duncan Reid, in aid of the Friends of St George’s. Tickets, to include a finger buffet and glass of wine, cost £8.50 and may be obtained from Marion Firman (01424 751165) or at the door.

SUNDAY SERVICE IN ST MARY’S: Holy Communion will be celebrated at 8am.

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