East Worthing John Hobbs 01903 237440 STAMP COLLECTORS: The last meeting of the year of the East Worthing Stamp Club was their Christmas Social and Auction. Fourteen members entered material for sale and the 117 lots caused much interest during the viewing. I was the auctioneer and after bidding £135 was paid out to members.

At the meeting of the Worthing Philatelic Society, Pamela Puttick gave a most interesting display entitled 'Ship Ahoy'. This was the story of the SS Great Britain shown by stamps and ephemera.

The second half of the evening was taken up by the annual competitions judged by Graham Childs, a director of Harmers of London. The winner of the Postal History section was David Sessions with Canada, followed by Derek Walker (Ceylon) and Joy Emery (China).

The Airmail Rose Bowl was presented to Bob Emery with his Australian WWI airmails followed by John Hobbs (Flights to and from Worthing). Joint third was Rita Winton (Islas Malvinas) and Lewis Elliott (Channel Islands).

The next meeting on December 16 will be the Christmas Social.

Forest Row and Ashurst Wood Pauline Maynard 01342 823618

CONCERTS: Forest Row Choral Society will be joined by the Forest Row Young Singers for their family Carol Concert at 6pm in Holy Trinity Church on Saturday.

The programmes includes Messe de Minuit by Charpentier, which will be accompanied by a string quartet, chamber organ, and two recorders. There will be old and new carols for choir and audience, including a new one written by Steve Moran.

Tickets are £5 and £3 concessions, £1 children and will be available on the door. The choirs will be conducted by Tom Scratchley.

The Astaria Duo will be performing in the Long Room at Michael Hall School tomorrow at 8pm. The programme includes works by Prokofiev, Shostakovich and Rachmaninov. Sean Gildo will be playing the cello and Catherine Moseley the piano.

Tickets £7, concessions £3, from The Seasons in Forest Row.

POPPY APPEAL: The Forest Row Poppy Appeal Committee report that a total of £3,096 was raised in Forest Row in 1999, quite a large increase on last year.

Cooksbridge and Offham Mavis Clark 01273 473666

HAMSEY CAROL SERVICE: Despite the inclement weather about 100 people and children filled the tiny church last Sunday. Rebecca Meitlis from Hamsey had made the church look very festive with a mixture of seasonal greenery.

Accompanied by Geoff Spinks from Plumpton on his keyboard, the congregation sang well loved carols.

MALTHOUSE AFTERNOON CLUB: This month's meeting had a festive flavour when members joined in the singing of carols. Music was arranged by Elizabeth Black from Cooksbridge assisted by Angela and Geoffrey Spinks from Plumpton. The singing was followed by a Bring and Buy which had a Christmas theme.

CAROLS: The service of Nine Lessons and Carols is on Sunday in St Peter's church, Offham, at 6pm.

Members of the choir and anyone who would like to join them will be singing carols in the parish on Tuesday. Meet outside the Pump House, Cooksbridge, at 7pm.

MILLENNIUM CARD: The card which has been produced by our resident artist Moira Hoddell, which shows St Peter's Church, Offham, the Rectory and a glimpse of Hamsey Church, has been produced for the millennium and is being sold for church funds. They are selling well at a £1 each and can be obtained from the rector or from Moira herself.

Lancing Gordon White 01903 761910

ORGAN CONCERTS: Sussex Organ Society announces Curtain Up and the Millennium Parade of 2000. Electronic organ concerts on the first Thursday in each month at 8pm. Stars for the season include Jean Martyn, Glyn Madden, Nicholas Martin, Ian Griffin and several up-and-coming young organists making their first appearance at Lancing Parish Hall.

Admission to all shows £3. Further information from Bob Bradley, tel: 01273 463458.

MARKET: A market is held every Thursday morning in Lancing Parish Hall, 9.15am-noon. On sale are eggs, screws and nails, bed linen, kitchen and bathroom goods, waistcoats, leather bags, batteries, bric-a-brac, gifts.

Wilmington and arlington Kenneth Quicke 01323 483709

PARISH COUNCIL: At a meeting of the Long Man Parish Council last month a resident expressed concern about cars speeding through the village. It was thought that traffic signs were screened by unkempt foliage.

The state of the A27 now causes drivers to try short cuts and this will be dealt with to help Milton Street and Folkington who have the same problem.

There are three planning applications, one for access to a service area at Cophall from the new roundabout on the Polegate by-pass, two for extending the Long Man gardens to include the sale of horticultural hardware, and three the erection of poly tunnels on the site immediately opposite Home Farm.

Yapton & Ford John Dickeson 01243 551972

BUSY WEEK: It was a busy week in Yapton. On Monday December 6 the Yapton and Ford Local History Group met in the Village Hall where an illustrated talk on Old Yapton was given by member David Ruffle.

He has researched some interesting facts about the population changes in the village. In 1676 the population was 121, in 1801 it was 543, in 1871 608, in 1931 769, in 1971 2,558 and in the last available census of 1991 3,454.

Tuesday, December 7, was the day when Yapton Short Mat Bowls Club held their annual dinner at the Barnham Mill.

On the Wednesday morning a table top sale was held in the Village Hall when funds were raised for the Evergreen over 50's club.

Thursday afternoon saw 70 senior citizens in the Hall at the invitation of the Yapton Free Church for a Christmas Tea.

On Friday morning a play called the Queens Christmas Cake, written by two members of staff, was presented by the Yapton Community Pre-school. The costumes and stage setting were evidence of the tremendous amount of work done by leaders Moira Bentley, Jan Crockett and their assistants.

EASTBOURNE Mary Barlow 01323 725754

COFFEE: Eastbourne Arts Centre holds its last Coffee Morning of the century on Saturday underneath the Central Library in Grove Road from 10am-noon with entertainment supplied by Roger and Yvonne Burrell's Music School.

TOMBOLA: St Wilfred's Hospice holds its Christmas Tombola at the Arndale Centre all day tomorrow and at Langney Shopping Centre on Saturday, also all day.

CAROLS: The Salvation Army is having its Evening of Carols and Seasonal Music on Saturday at the Floral Hall, Winter Garden, at 7.30pm. Tickets are £4 from the Box Office (01323 412000) or from the Salvation Army Charity shops in Langney Road and Pevensey Road.

PORTSLADE Penny Gilbey 01273 642085

SANTA: Father Christmas will again be visiting Portslade on Christmas morning to deliver presents to the children. If you would like a present, not too large, delivered to any address north of the Old Shoreham Road, you will need to take it to one of the collection points, either the Post Office in the village or the hairdressers in Mile Oak Road before December 22. There will be a charge of 50p per item.

Also, Father Christmas would like some assistance with the parcels so if you can spare some time on Christmas morning or would like more information, phone Les on Brighton 702052.

FUN DAY: North Portslade Community Association in conjunction with Portslade Community College Youth Service are holding a fun day for all children aged five to 11 years in The Village Centre, Windlesham Close, on Wednesday, 10am-3pm.

There will be arts and crafts, indoor games,sport, a disco and much more.

Tickets are £2.50 per child and places, which will be limited, must be pre-booked. Call the Village Centre on 416838.

FREE TEA: A free Christmas Day tea will be provided for those residents who may be alone this Christmas Day. Churches Together in Portslade invite anyone on their own to come to high tea at the Parish Centre at 3.30pm.

If you wish to come, call Roy on 415427 or Mary on 413243 to let them know. Transport can also be provided if needed.

eastbourne Dee Sharpe 01323 649986

RAMBLERS: Eastbourne Rambling Club will be leading an eight-mile walk on the Downs on Sunday. All are welcome. Meet at The Avenue at l0am.

PARTY: Drusilla's children's Christmas party takes place on Saturday from 4-6pm. There will be a children's entertainer, games and a tea as well as presents from Santa. Book in advance on 01323 870656.

MILLENNIUM: The big millennium bash is family friendly and in aid of a good cause and will take place at the Kings Centre in Edison Road this New Years Eve.

The evening will include a jazz and blues club, disco through the ages, bouncy castle and arcade video games, a toddler play and sleep zone and a big screen video wall with live link the Big Ben. There will be alcohol free drinks and refreshments available.

Tickets are £5 for children £10 for adults and £30 for a family ticket with all profits going to help street children in Mexico.

For further details and to book phone 01323 521125.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.