Category: Events

The Messenger Magazine Annual Readers Get-Together 26.11.25

The Messenger Magazine’s Annual Readers Get-Together will start at 7.00pm on Wednesday 26.11.25.
All readers of the Messenger Magazine are warmly invited.

Messenger Magazine
Messenger Magazine

The meeting is in Mountfield Village Hall (make sure you go to the right village hall!)

There will be FREE DRINKS (alcoholic and soft) and nibbles. This is partly a social occasion, an opportunity to have a relaxing chat with neighbours and others in Brightling, Dallington, Mountfield and Netherfield. It is also our AGM (Annual General Meeting) so there will be some brief formalities (very brief, we promise) including electing the committee that runs the magazine between parties.

We will also be showing off our ideas for an updated cover design, please come and give us your views.

The committee hopes that as many people as possible will come. It’s an opportunity to show your support for the magazine (if you like it) or tell us what’s wrong (if you don’t like it!), or just a relaxing evening with a glass of wine or something.

I look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday evening.
Andrew Wedmore (Chair, Messenger Magazine)

 

 

VE Day 80 – Helpers Required

VE Day 80 at Mountfield Village Hall

Plans for the VE Day 80th anniversary event at Mountfield Village Hall on the afternoon

of Saturday 10th May from 12.00 – 6.00pm continue to be made. The Hall Committee would like to put out a call for help with the following tasks:

  • Help to set up the hall on Friday afternoon of 9th and Saturday morning of 10th May
  • Volunteers to assist in the kitchen serving tea, coffee and cake during the afternoon
  • Help to prepare ploughmans lunches (10am-12pm)
  • Bake a cake for the refreshment stall
  • Hold a donations collecting bucket at the entrances to the hall
  • Donate a raffle prize
  • Sell raffle tickets during the afternoon

If you can help on any of the above please let Neil Whines know on 07802 703708 or email: mountfieldvh@gmail.com

Cakes and raffle prizes can be left at the hall during the day on Friday or Saturday morning, thank you.

The event itself will include the prize winning re-enactment group ‘Barbed Wire and Bunting’ with a women’s land army display and WW2 military lorry, plus other vintage vehicles.

There will be an exhibition of Mountfield at War and a WW2 display of artefacts from Robertsbridge Aviation Museum.

There will be 1940’s music, and people will be invited to dress in period costume, with a prize for best dressed.

Ploughman’s lunches will be served (1-3pm) plus tea, coffee and cakes all afternoon along with the Mountfield Club bar.

Entry will be by donation, supporting village hall funds. The committee hope that this will be an opportunity for the village to get together in commemoration of this historic event and have some fun. See poster below.

VE DAY 80
VE DAY 80

Extended Deadline for Dark Skies Children’s Writing Competition

In view of the interest generated by the recent High Weald Wild about Dark Skies Festival (28 Oct-10 Nov), the editorial board of The Messenger Magazine have decided to extend the deadline for our  Children’s Creative Writing competition (previously announced in the September issue of the Messenger) to 15th November, 2024

The Festival aims to celebrate the High Weald’s dark skies and raise awareness about the negative impacts of light pollution – on wildlife, climate change and our own wellbeing – and how we can help reduce it.

Our writing competition  is designed to inspire and celebrate children’s responses to this topic. It is open to all children aged 5-11 living or attending school in the area served by the Messenger. We  invite entries of poems, or short stories or articles (maximum 250 words) on any aspect of the theme of Dark Skies. Here are some questions to get them thinking:

    • What’s special about dark skies and why do they matter?
    • What are your own experiences of the dark?
    • What  can you see in the night sky?
    • What do you like about the moon and stars?
    • What are the stories behind constellation names?
    • Why is darkness important to wildlife?
    • What would happen to animals, birds and insects if it stayed light all the time?

The new deadline for entries is  15th November, 2024 and results will be announced in the new year. Prizes will be awarded in the two age categories:
– Young 5-7 years
– Junior 8-11 years.

The winners in each age category will each receive a £20 book token from Rother Books and their entries will be published in The Messenger. Runners up from each of the four villages will receive a £10 token.  All entrants will receive a special Dark Skies bookmark.  Your school may be taking part in the competition but individual entries are also very welcome.

Competition Rules

  • Subject: “Dark Skies”
  • Word count: Up to 250 words (excluding title)
  • Judging criteria: Originality, engagement with theme, language (entries will not be judged on spelling and grammar)
  • Only one entry per child
  • Entries must be the original work of the child and should be submitted by a responsible adult (parent/guardian or teacher with parental consent).
  • By submitting, the responsible adult grants permission for winning entries to be published in The Messenger. Copyright remains with the author
  • Child’s name & age on 15th November 2024 should be included with their entry, along with address and contact details (which will not be published) for notification of results.
  • Entries may be handwritten or typed and submitted by email to messenger@gmail.com or by post to
    The Messenger Children’s Writing Competition,
    Hunters Farm, Kent Lane, Brightling TN32 5HU
  • Entries must arrive by midnight  15th November 2024; late entries cannot be considered
  • The judges’ decisions are final