Our snowy High Street in December
Sundays Said Communion (1st, 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month) Communion Service & Sunday Smilers (children 4-11) Every Sunday Evening Service (1st and 3rd Sundays of the month) Weekdays Wednesday - Service of Compline on zoom Vicar of Lingfield and Dormansland The Reverend Ian Whitley Associate Vicar The Reverend Nigel Hinton St John's Vicarage, The Platt, Dormansland. RH7 6QU Benefice administrator - [email protected] Centenary Room Bookings - Benefice Office 8.00am 10.00am 4.00pm 8.00pm 01342 895564 01342 832391 07756 664743 [email protected] 01342 832021 01342 832021 Sunday Morning Service Ministers David & Mary McLachlan 10.30am [email protected] 07551 493418 Sunday Morning Service Father Jack Lusted 9.00am 01342 325705 Sunday Morning Meeting for Worship Please contact Tony Franklin ([email protected]) or Lesley Evans ([email protected]) if you’d like to attend. Resident Friend 9.45am 01342 832150 Worship at St. John’s www.stjohnsdormansland.org Email: [email protected] www.dormanslandbaptistchurch.org.uk Dormansland Baptist Church St Bernard’s Catholic Church, Lingfield www.claridgehousequaker.org.uk Claridge House Quaker Meeting
Let me begin by wishing you a belated ‘Happy New Year’. Another year and another blank canvas ahead. For many of us New Year brings with us new horizons and hopes. Even if we no longer make New From the Vicarage Moving On Year’s resolutions we still make plans for the beckoning weeks and months ahead - visits we hope to make, concerts to attend, holiday destinations to book, special family occasions to organise and the like. Perhaps the last couple of years have taught us not to plan too far ahead but it remains essential for each of us to position within the future, events that help to give it meaning and direction. February is often best known for St Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14th), which is associated with lovers and courting couples. The history of this is shrouded in mystery. Two Valentines are listed in the Roman Martyrology on 14 February. One is a Roman priest martyred on the Flaminian Way, supposedly under Claudius, the other a Bishop of Terni who was martyred in Rome. The Acts of both are unreliable and neither appear to have any clear connection with lovers. Some people see the custom of choosing a partner on St Valentine’s Day as a survival of elements from the Roman Festivals of Lupercalia and Juno Februa. These were a celebration of Pan and Juno, the gods of love, marriage and fertility and were celebrated on 13-15 February. Another thought is that it is related to the belief that birds are supposed to mate on Feb 14th - a belief at least as old as Chaucer! Whatever the origins they have little to do with the commercial trappings we have today. It remains true, though, that nest-building and courtship among our bird populations is not uncommon in February – helped no doubt by our increasingly mild winters. It is also, and more sadly, true that Christian martyrs are common in parts of the world. ‘Release International’ is a SE London based charity working with persecuted Christians around the world*. It reported that in 2022 alone over 6000 Christians were killed and around 17 villages destroyed by Fulani militants in Middle Belt, Nigeria. Inn many other countries like China, India, Egypt, Iran,
Afghanistan and Mexico persecutions and physical assaults are on the increase. Yet against all this the Christian Church in parts of the Middle East, in China and even Nepal show rapid growth. Theses hidden stories of our card sending Valentine bonanza perhaps give us time to reflect both on the beauty and vibrancy of the creation around us, as well as the darker side of our own nature. As the Christian church moves into LENT** towards the end of the month we do well to take time to reflect on the wider world – its joys and its horrors. Nigel Hinton *Release International: PO Box 54, Orpington BR5 4RT. Email: [email protected] **We begin LENT on Ash Wednesday (February 22nd ) with a Joint Service at 8pm at Lingfield Parish Church. Dormansland Diamonds are still very much here for the community in these difficult times. If you need any help or support, please call or text Lisa in confidence on 07710 917427. Here to Help Overheard in the Village! Two ladies passing the time of day... 1st lady asks 'Are you a member of DEWI?' reply comes 'No, I'm a Catholic' You couldn't make it up!
Dormansland Community Hubs Offering a calm and warm environment for you to come sit, work, read, or relax. Tuesdays 9-3pm St John’s Centenary rooms. Wednesdays 11-3pm Claridge House. Fridays 9-3pm Baptist Church hall. Tea, coffee, cake and light lunches available. Feel free to come along for a hot drink or bring your laptop, newspaper, game or knitting
Are you willing to be a Neighbourhood Watch coordinator for your road/street? If, yes please get in touch with me by email and I can let you know what is involved. Mostly just the dissemination of information/tips to your fellow residents. Clive Robinson [email protected]
The family of the late Graham Page (Scuttle) would like to thank the many people who paid their respects to Scuttle especially on the day of his funeral. The love of his family and friends was most important to him and he wanted his final journey around the village to be with his vintage tractor and trailer. Love of the outdoors and his tractors gave him much pleasure particularly in the last two challenging years of his life. Having lived his whole life in Dormansland he was a popular member of the community and his kindness and humour will be sorely missed by many. He will be remembered in our hearts forever. Bert, Cod, Beany, Tog and all the family. Fond farewell to a popular village character. Scuttle 1963 – 2022
Dormansland Pop-up Community Brunch! Please join us for delicious: bacon butties, croissants at DormanslandBaptist Church Everyone is welcome tea, coffee and seasonal specials 4th February, 4th March, 1st April 9.30am-12.30pm First Saturday of each month
A wealth of expertise on your doorstep Mike Walker DipPFS, Cert CII (MP&ER) At Chartham Financial Planning, our client’s best interest is at the heart of everything we do. We work with you to build a secure and prosperous future. We provide an experienced wealth management and financial planning service offering specialist independent advice in a wide range of areas including: Investment Planning Retirement Planning Inheritance Tax Planning Tel: 01342 891129 Email: [email protected] Website: charthamfp.co.uk Chartham Financial Planning Limited is an appointed representative of Best Practice IFA Group Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
The Parish Room was wrapped in an atmosphere of warmth and jollity when DEWI started off the New Year with an entertaining talk by Peter Allen on the History of Pantomime, a very English performing art form which has evolved over many hundreds of years into pantomime as we know it today. We welcomed visitors to our meeting and hope there will be more joining us over the coming months. You are very welcome to come along to one of our meetings to see what you think. We love to see new faces! We meet at The Parish Room, The Platt, Dormansland, RH7 6RA at 7.30 pm on the second Thursday of every month. We usually listen to a talk for the first half of the meeting, then refreshments are served with lots of chat which is when we have a chance to get to know you, then we hear what additional events are lined up for us over the coming months. There is no charge for visitors at our meetings. Dormans Evening WI looks forward to a year of continued friendship, learning, and community participation, and wishes all Village Voice readers a very Anne van Vliet 01342 833183 www.dewi.chessck.co.uk Dormans Evening WI “DEWI” Laurence Williams is holding a Messiah Singalong on Saturday 11th February 9am-3.30pm at St John's. For more details and to register see www.laurencewilliams.org. Free! but donations appreciated. Warm Up Your Vocal Chords?
experience necessary! Saturday 18th February, Saturday 18th March & Saturday 15th April, 10:30am1:30pm. Tea, coffee and cake. Suggested donation of £7.50 per session Tickets and registration details available from [email protected] New Arts & Music Programme in Lingfield Join Jane Gould Smith at St Peter & St Paul, Lingfield, for a fun-filled singing workshop for older voices. Lots of vocal exercises and songs, no
Hello Dormansland residents. As Group Scout Leader for 1st Lingfield and Dormansland I have been forced to make the difficult decision to temporarily close our Beaver Section due to a lack of a Section Leader. Please be assured that this decision was not taken lightly and as soon as this is resolved I will reopen the section. Whilst we have a great team of volunteers across the whole Group we are stretched very thin, all sections are looking for volunteers to join their leadership teams. Our sections and their meeting times are: Beavers - Tuesday 5pm - 6pm Cubs - Tuesday 6.15pm - 7.45pm Girl Scouts - Wednesday 6pm to 7.30pm Explorers - Thursday 7pm to 9pm Boy Scouts - Friday 7pm to 9pm If you have an interest in joining our team then contact me at [email protected] for more details. We also have vacancies on our Executive Committee, which looks after the resources and facilities of the Group, most urgently we need a Treasurer. If you are interested in joining the Exec then contact our chairman at [email protected] Rob Watson
As a teenager, I was quite fit, I used to cycle a lot and did some circuit classes at our local church. In my twenties, I went to the gym. I remember feeling pleased that I was strong enough to help lift a washing machine with my husband David up a flight of stairs when we were moving house, despite a fit of the giggles that could have jeopardised the whole enterprise. A washing machine is no push-over. They have a big concrete block in them to keep them stable as they spin. In my thirties the only exercise I got was running after my four children. Having not exercised for over a decade, I noticed in my late forties that even lifting lighter things had become a challenge not to mention hearing the story of an older lady who had fallen in her flat and was unable to get help because she just didn’t have the upper body strength to get up off the floor. I decided I must never let that happen to me! 10 years ago, after much persuasion from a couple of friends I decided to take up running. One of those friends and I even managed a 10 mile run. Although running was great for my cardiovascular fitness and it kept my weight down, I still noticed that I struggled to lift anything heavy. That upper body strength seems to fade more easily as we get older. A conversation with another friend led to us going together to a personal trainer. I thought I would find it all a bit of a drag, or just too hard, but a couple of sessions, and I was hooked! This was great. Each time I went we did different things, working my muscles in different ways, I began to see definition in my muscles that I hadn’t ever seen Couch to 12kg! 2023 already, and that sense again that I should do something about fitness. But it turns out that fitness, and strength for that matter, mean slightly different things at different times of life. What should I be doing now, in my 50s?
before and really enjoyed the challenge of lifting something just a little bit heavier. I started with a 4kg weights, squatting, lunging, overhead pressing, and many other moves, over time we added 2kg at a time to the weight. I was fascinated how my body gradually adapted to the heavier weights. You might have heard of the app ‘couch to 5k’, encouraging people to get off the couch and run. Well, I didn’t get off the couch and run this time, but I got off the couch and have learnt to lift 12kg from the floor to above my head. The technical term is a single arm clean and press! Please don’t try this at home alone or even with others, it was a gradual journey but one I have really enjoyed and one that has produced so many benefits for me in feeling physically strong again and being able to lift, not to mention the comfort of knowing if I fall to the floor, I can get up. During the lockdown, my daughter Mercy decided to do her Personal Training Qualification and has qualified as a personal trainer. Because I have gained so much from having a personal trainer, I have encouraged her to run a class at our church, we all arrive with our mats and she takes us through some basic exercises. Sometimes we just work on our mats and sometimes she gives us a circuit and we work our way around the different exercises. She uses body weight and kettle bells and she works with all ages and abilities. Beginners are especially welcome. Her Monday evening class (6,30pm) is up and running and still has a few spaces available. Another class will soon be starting at 9.15am on a Wednesday morning. If you are interested in either class, please call her and she can answer any questions. The classes take place in the Dormansland Baptist Church Hall. Mercy’s number is: 07415 210923. She is also available for 1:1 training if classes aren't your thing. Mary McLachlan
The Horti Society meet 4 times a year with Spring, Summer and Autumn shows then an AGM/Christmas social. If you're a keen gardener or absolute beginner why not join us? Our show classes are very broad so there should be something for most to enter in to. We even have a photography class and fun classes for children! Our Spring show is Saturday 25th March at 2.30pm in the Centenary room. Refreshments & homemade cakes available too! Here are the Spring classes: 1. Container of Mixed Spring Flowers 2. Vase of 5 stems Daffodils 3. Vase of 5 stems miniature Daffodils/ Narcissi 4. Vase of 5 stems Double Daffodils/ Narcissi 5. Vase of 3 tulips (Can be mixed) 6. One stem of Flowering Shrub 7. One stem of Camellia 8. A pot of bulbs 9. Polyanthus or Auricula in a Pot 10.*Pot plant– Cactus or Succulent 11. *House Plant – Orchid 12. Table arrangement of Spring Flowers and Foliage from your own garden (Accessories allowed. 15inches max overall) 13. Hellebores, 3 blooms, can be mixed, no foliage 14. Photograph – subject beginning with initial letter T. Any subject with a Horticultural/Nature theme. 15. Three cup cakes 16. Marmalade - in a glass jar, full to the top and sealed Dormansland Horticultural Society
17. A decorated egg *Note Pot Plant entries should not have won any prize in any of the Society’s Shows in the previous two years and must have been in your possession for at least 6 months Children's Classes 18. A decorated egg 19. An Easter bonnet 20. Three fairy cakes Not sure if it's for you? Then please drop into the Spring show and meet us. Membership rates are £7 for adults, £10 joint & free for under 18's. More details available from Tina Boyce, contact details at the back. Happy gardening! Shirley Vinton on behalf of the Horti Committee
A range of services tailored to your individual needs promoting confidence, independence, community participation and pursuit of interests, including your pets. Contact Izzie B at t: 07795 181 481 e: [email protected] Izzie B personal assistance Support at Home Help with Gardening Community Participation Mowing grass, general tidying up, clearance, weeding. Help with shopping, trips to cafes, parks, activities, appointments, theatre, garden centre, walks, using a wheelchair. Help cooking meals, light housework, cup of tea and a chat, arts, crafts, hobbies, reading. Support with pet care, transport to the vet or groomers, supported walks with your dog. Help with Pets
www.lingfieldcollege.co.uk St Pier's Lane, Lingfield, Surrey 0 1.342 838153 Lingfield College Prep is a vibrant and successful day school. Blending academic excellence, supportive pastoral care and a rich programme of co-curricular opportunities to inspire, motivate and nurture every pupil. Saturday 4th March Prep School & Nursery Open Morning
Safe, Secure & Affordable Dog Walking Field near Lingfield £8 per hour Our beautiful fields are ideal for dogs who like the freedom to run and enjoy sniffs and smells but maybe sometimes don’t want to go home or deal with others!
Our February Meeting takes place on Monday 27th February 2023 when we will have an illustrated talk by Claire Brown of Plant Passion who will be telling us about flower farming in the 21st century based on her own experiences with her flower farm in the Surrey Hills. We meet at the Lingfield & Dormansland Community Centre, High Street, Lingfield, RH7 6AB and the doors open at 7pm when refreshments are available with the meeting starting at 7.30pm. Visitors are very welcome to our meetings with a £7 entry fee, or you can become a member. For further information, please email:[email protected] Karil Greenhalgh Have you ever thought about giving flower arranging a go? We are a small, friendly club that meets once a month, when we have qualified demonstrators showing us their arrangements to a theme, talks, workshops and outings. are recruiting! For current voluntary and paid opportunities see volunteer.trusselltrust.org/opportunities
Dormansland Tennis Club is seeking new members. Our club offers coaching and is represented in both the Weald and Surrey leagues and we welcome players of all standards. We have two floodlit courts and our membership prices are lower than all other clubs in the area. www.dormanslandtennisclub.co.uk
Our sub groups have continued to meet including our 2 book clubs, the walking group ventured out for a New Year's walk and our Kindred Krafters installed an elf hunt for children around the village including an Elf Workshop at the Newhache Green. Did you spot them all? We would also like to thank everyone who attended our Wreath Making Workshop in December. We were fully subscribed so apologies to those who we were unable to offer a place. 22 of us squeezed in to the Parish Rooms but we managed to create some beautiful displays. Thank you to everyone who shared photos with us of your wonderful seasonal front doors. Our Spring meetings have been organised and we look forward to Learning the Salsa, a visit to Green Watch at Godstone Fire Station and welcoming Met Detectives for a talk on cyber-crime (luckily all not on the same night!). We have also launched our new Adventurers Club and anticipate the first of our adrenaline filled adventures in the coming months. Our full meeting schedule and more information about our sub groups (which are exclusive and free to all members) are available on our website. We have had a full schedule during December and January at YWI Dormansland including our Christmas meal out at The Lingfield Tandoori, a night of magic and games with a Magician from The Magic Circle, and had a great start to the new year with a film night welcoming two visitors who were new to the WI.
YWI Dormansland meets at the Parish Rooms, The Platt, Dormansland at 8PM - 9.45PM usually on the 2nd Tuesday of the month and we always welcome new members. If you are interested in becoming a member or would like to find out more, please contact me or Sue Alfrey, our membership co-ordinator at the email address below (please note new email address). If you have not been a member before your first meeting is free. Liz Mouland President on behalf of YWI Dormansland EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.ywidormansland.org.uk FOLLOW US ON Twitter, Instagram, Facebook @ywidormansland “HOWDY ALL…” 2023 is already forging ahead so the want to remind you: ·To keep the afternoon/evening free: Saturday, 8th July, 2023 ·The 2023 Carnival theme is The Wild Wild West ·To join the 2023 Carnival village parade (all groups welcome) ·Get in touch if you want a stall (contact: [email protected]) ·Volunteer to help over the Carnival weekend (set up, on the day & clear-up) The scarecrows are taking a well-earned rest this year but an alternative way for everyone to get involved will be announced soon. For all the latest news visit our (and the local communities) social media pages (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) or contact us at [email protected] Carnival will be back soon, and hopefully will bring some of that lovely warm summer weather with it too. The Dormansland Carnival Committee
Annie Robinson [email protected] The views, opinions and updates published in this magazine are those of the content authors and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by the Village Voice. We do our best to check facts wherever possible. From the Editor..... Many thanks for the articles received. Please feel free to send in anything you think might be of interest to your fellow residents and ads to promote local events. At the time of going to print the weather has turned cold and bright. A real blessing to dog walkers like myself who have had enough of slip-sliding around the footpaths and washing dirty pooches! If you're home during the daytimes, do make use of our Community Warm Hubs. There will be a friendly welcome and cake waiting for you. Copy date for the March edition is Monday 13th February. If you are able and would like to support the print cost of the magazine, please scan this QR code to make a donation. Alternatively, email the editor, or call St John's Treasurer, David for details of other ways to contribute. Thanks. Hearing Support St John's are aiming to reintroduce the hearing support services. These will be during the 2nd MEETING UP TOGETHER session each month - on the 3rd Tuesday each month between 10.30 and 12 Noon. This month it will be the 21st February. Contact Ros at the Vicarage for more details.
Parish Room Bookings Police (Surrey) Probus Club Neighbourhood Watch/COMNET Dormansland Primary School www.dormansland.surrey.sch.uk Dormansland Parish Council Clerk www.dormansland.org.uk Dormansland Baby &Toddler Group Hearing Aid re-tubing,cleaning,batteries Horticultural Society Hospitals: East Surrey Crawley Caterham Dene Queen Victoria Lingfield & Dormansland Community Centre Lingfield Silver Band Lingfield Surgery Meals on Wheels MP for East Surrey Tina Boyce Geoff Ledden Anne van Vliet Dormansland Diamonds @dormansland diamonds 2020 Sara Watson & Sally Knight Claire Coutinho www.clairecoutinho.com ClaireThomas, Manager Julie Fuller Mrs Faye Davies and Mr Mark Cook Acting Head Teachers [email protected] John Frost [email protected] Action Research, Dormansland Committee Badminton Club Baptist Church Tuesday Fellowship CARE in East Grinstead and Lingfield (transport to medical appointments is provided by volunteers for those without other means of transport - book between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm) Carnival Committee College of St Barnabas Cricket Club Crimestoppers Darby & Joan Club Dormans Evening WI 01342 833183 101 01342 870570 01342 836775 01737 768511 01293 600300 01883 837512 01342 414000 01342 833655 01342 832359 07395 323456 07710 917427 07432 140892 07846 523226 01342 529150 07787 045372 0800 555 111 01342 833471 01342 832038 01342 870260 01732 863950 01342 833893 01342 833400 01342 836327 07504 481289 0207 219 5972 Dormansland Village Activities and useful numbers Lisa Felton Clive Robinson Alison Hills Vicky Bown Mr and Mrs Galloway Philippa Hosegood [email protected] Chaplain www.st-barnabas.org.uk Chris Kinsville-Heyne Jean Whittaker CKaril Greenhalgh www.dewi.chessch.co.uk 01342 832100 01342 833045 01342 410086
Messy Church Church Flowers Sewing Classes League of Friends Parish Room Bookings Christian Aid Co-ordinator Urban Saints (Baptist Church) Advertising Manager 96 West St, Dormansland, RH7 6QT Printers: En-route Tennis Club Child Protection and Safety Officers Riding for the Disabled South-East Water Emergency Number (24/7) Little Chums Pre School & Forest School YWI Dormansland Churchwardens at St John’s Mr Ray Daines Gatewood,Blackberry Road, Felcourt, RH19 2GH Clive Cobby 15 Beacon Hill,Dormansland, Lingfield, RH7 6RQ Pim Ball Clive Cobby John Wykes www.dormanslandtennisclub.co.uk Liz Mouland www.ywidormansland.org.uk Julie Duggan www.littlechums.com Parish Treasurer & Envelope Scheme Recorder Deerpark, London Road, Felbridge, RH19 2RA Mrs Josien Yates Mrs Anne van Vliet Mrs Rosemary Williams Mrs Susan Calamassi Mrs Roz Daly [email protected] www.en-route.co.uk Dr Tim Taylor Secretary: Mrs Wendy Rose David Jackson [email protected] Cynthia Jones [email protected] Village Voice Editor Anne Robinson [email protected] 01342 894900 07732 711055 07798 823115 07929 878563 01342 833627 01342 832159 01342 322494 01342 870681 01342 833183 01342 834225 01342 833703 01342 832391 07801 741739 01342 833627 01342 870358 07963 434781 07849 308762 01342 314738 01342 859015 01342 870426 0333 000 0365 David Jessup [email protected] Tanzen Academy (Dance Lessons) [email protected] 07894 116254 Front cover photograph Katie Ross