By Lindy Elphick
It has struck me lately how much choice we have here in our village for our leisure time. Someone recently asked me how many clubs, societies and associations there are in the village... I have just counted 57 different entries on cuckfield.org vying for your attention.
Most are charities or volunteer groups run by already busy people giving their time for free. Take a moment to look around and see how many different kinds of entertainment are held in our locality – each wanting your support, your time. I ask that you keep this thought in mind when you are sitting at home deciding whether to go along or not bother... how lucky we are to have the choice and the variety – so go on , buy a ticket, support, go along, have a cuppa – you don’t know where it may lead!
As mayor, I stand on the Independent State of Cuckfield committee for the twelve months of office. Like all the other groups in this community, so much time and effort goes in to make each event special. It is this unique variety that gives you – the resident –the choice of how to spend your leisure time.
By the time you read this ISOC will have held its Easter Walking Races and Easter Egg Hunt, so a huge ‘Thank You’ to all of those who walked, hunted and helped in any way. Within a matter of weeks we can look forward to a firm village favourite - the Cuckoo Fayre on the Recreational Ground, Monday 6th May.
The Fayre opens at noon and I will have the honour of officially opening it at 1pm – the last of my ‘official’ duties in my mayoral year. Each stall holder pays a small fee to the ISOC to assist with the ever rising cost of putting on this event, therefore most of the money taken by the stallholders will raise much needed funds towards the running costs of their organisation, especially needed during these lean times. In particular, maybe I could mention the ISOC stall, the ‘Wheel of Fortune’, as all money taken here goes to help towards the costs of the event.
The ISOC have booked plenty of entertainment to amuse all the family and fill your afternoon:
• Punch & Judy Shows
• Street Dancing (weather permitting)
• Balloon Modelling
• Circus Skills Training
• Dog Show (better bring Lottie with me!)
• Village Band
• Licensed Bar
Fingers firmly crossed for a dry, warm, sunny day – and I look forward to seeing you there. I’ll be the one in the new hat!
PS: We could do with a couple more Mayoral candidates for this coming year’s election – take it from one who knows – it is such a lovely thing to do.