The Cuckfield Society – Notes from the AGM

General Update

The Cuckfield Society held a lively, well attended AGM at the Queens Hall on 18th April. This was the first AGM since the 2018 results were disseminated in August 2019. The long gap being largely due to the pandemic, lockdowns and being rather busy with such a depleted committee. At the last AGM, our chairman, Paul Mantripp requested additional committee help from the members and also asked for feedback on the future of the Society. There was no response and therefore we had no mandate to change anything.

SCAG Proposal

So at this meeting, we were looking at options for our future. A proposal was outlined to take SCAG (Stop Cuckstye Action Group) charitable donations into the Society whilst the Society continues to progress its own aims and constitution. The monies would be kept separate and ringfenced. Paul re-iterated that the aims and objectives support those of SCAG (our constitution requires us to promote appreciation of our beautiful village and encourage the support and collaboration of others in the preservation and sympathetic growth of our community. Our goal is to stimulate public awareness of issues facing Cuckfield and to encourage strong feeling of community within our residents).

Click the image to enlarge it to read the full notes

Borde Hill Garden Festival

Celebrate life in full bloom at Borde Hill Garden Festival, where the splendour of nature meets aspirational outdoor living.

New for 2024, the Borde Hill Garden Festival, nestled within the stunning heritage listed Garden in West Sussex, the Festival is set to take place on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd June and will showcase the best finds for both home and garden. There will be over 40 beautifully curated independent stalls selling planters, garden furniture and artisan accessories to discover, alongside rare and unusual plants from national specialist nurseries. Guests will also be able to enjoy eclectic live music on the South Lawn, explore curated talks from leading garden designers and experts, and experience irresistible flavours from some of Sussex’s best pop-ups. Just an hour from London, the Borde Hill Garden Festival offers the perfect day out for families, friends and garden enthusiasts alike.

Inspired by Borde Hill’s rich history of championing horticultural excellence, a programme of engaging Festival Talks will bring together some of today’s most exciting Garden designers, experts and creatives. Our host will be Garden Media Guild Co-Chair, garden writer, columnist, and gardening podcaster Mike Palmer.

Continuing Borde Hill’s legacy of making gardening accessible for all, Head of Horticulture, Harry Baldwin, will host a panel discussion – an exciting opportunity to put your gardening questions to the experts who will share practical tips and tricks. Additionally, the RHS will be available throughout the weekend to provide invaluable garden advice – an essential resource for those with burning horticultural queries.

The Borde Hill Garden Festival will take place on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd June from 10am-5pm.

Cuckfield Dramatic Society presents Blithe Spirit

Cuckfield Dramatic Society is excited to finally announce that the long awaited and anticipated Noel Coward play Blithe Spirit is coming to the Queen’s Hall later this month and we hope that you will be able to attend.

The production was originally scheduled for October last year but due to unforeseen events and illness the heartbreaking decision to cancel the show was made.

Lines had been rehearsed, characters developed, music, sound effects and lighting developed and a fabulous set painstakingly built – we had even bought the ice creams!

It is ironic that this play remained unseen, as ‘The Unseen’ is the title of the novel that Charles Condomine, husband of Ruth and deceased wife Elvira, is having trouble writing. He invites Madam Arcarti over for an evening séance in order to gain some inspiration but gains far more that he had anticipated. As the haunting sound of Irving Berlin’s ‘always’ plays on the gramophone, Madam Arcarti slips into a trance and summons the ghost of Elvira. Only Charles can see or hear her. The flirty Elvira makes attempts to disrupt the relationship between Charles and his current wife Ruth, who is driven to her wits end.

This cleverly written witty play is a ‘must see’. Transport yourself into another realm as only theatre can at The Queen’s Hall.

As Coward once wrote; “The theatre is a wonderful place, a house of strange enchantment, a temple of illusion.”

Blithe Spirit is on at The Queen’s Hall between 22nd and 25th May. www.ticketsource.co.uk/cds