Fun dog show returns to Weald on Saturday 1 June

CANINE PARTNERS: A second Pandora’s Fun Dog Show is being organised in Weald. The first was held in memory of Robin Marchant’s well-loved Canine Partner, Pandora, who died last year. The Show was extremely successful with Nala, a very old Rhodesian Ridgeback, being declared overall winner. Unfortunately she died this year, so on Saturday 1 June from 11am on the Village Green villagers can remember two well-loved dogs as well as raising money for the charity Canine Partners. There will be fun dog classes for all types of dogs although they must over six months old on the day of the show. There will be a wide variety of stalls including plants, books, glass, soy melts, patchwork, and more. For more info contact the organiser, Ragna Tulloch on 01732 463363.

FLOWER SHOW: Despite the early flowering of most daffodils this year there were plenty left to put on a fine display at the Weald Horticultural Society’s Spring Show held at the Memorial Hall on Saturday 6 April. There were classes for flower arranging, cookery, children’s crafts and many types of flowers, cacti and shrubs. Overall entries were up by a 100 on last year, to over 300, so thank you to all of those who entered and helped to fill the hall with the colour and scent of flowers.

Winners of cups and trophies were awarded to Carol Ryman, Chris Andrew, Mike Conacher, Julie Todd, Brian Jarvis, Flora Pearce, and Emelia Jones. Show Secretary Sheila Turley would like to thank all who helped on the day plus the behind-the-scenes helpers. There will be a Summer Show on Saturday 15 June.

YOUNG DICKENS: Ian Porter gave an excellent talk to members and friends of the Weald History Group at the Memorial Hall recently. The topic was Young Dickens and his London although Ian also provided information about the writer’s life in relation to the different areas of Kent he had inhabited and the real people that Dickens made into characters in his books. When he is not giving talks Ian Porter conducts walking tours of London.

A MUSICAL FEAST: CIRRUS will be performing in Weald Memorial Hall on Monday 6 May at 7pm. Cellist David Burrowes will be joined by Martin Smith and Suzanne Loze on violins, Morgan Goff on viola, and pianist Mike Stanley. The CIRRUS programme will start with Haydn’s String Quartet in Bb  op.64 no.3 followed by Janacek’s  String Quartet no.1. The final piece will be Elgar’s Piano Quintet op 84. A light supper, which will be served in the interval, is included in the £20 ticket price. Please contact Susan Gidman on wealdnews@hotmail.com or call 01732 454222 to order your tickets.

QUILTS FOR PREMATURE BABIES:  Weald’s Village correspondent Susan Gidman writes: “Ten years ago my good friends Hari and Shalini had twin boys. Some of you have met them as they greeted guests to the Indian themed Sunday Brunch in Weald last year. They were born very early with Jay weighing in at 1lb 10oz and Neel at 2lb 1oz.

“My own twin brother and I were also early but weighed in at 4lbs each, a very low weight at the time. Weighed together, Shalini’s twins didn’t even weigh as much as one of us. You may be wondering why I am telling you all this? Well I went to an extremely interesting talk at Jean Conacher’s U3A quilting recently about making small quilts to cover incubators of premature babies and it struck a chord with me.

“King’s College Hospital, a Centre of Excellence, nurses around 800 premature babies a year in their neo-natal unit – between 35 and 40 at any one time. The team of specialists have found that, in addition to the increased oxygen and consistent warm temperature provided by the incubators, keeping babies in a semi-dark environment has significant benefits; with little or no stimulation, all their energy can be given to feeding and breathing.

“Jenny Strong, leading the project on behalf of the Dulwich Quilters Group, is hoping to gift at least 200 quilts to the unit. If King’s College Hospital has to buy a quilt to cover the incubator it costs in the region of £350. By donating at least 200 a year (that is the ambitious plan) Jenny hopes to save the neo-natal at least the annual sum of £70,000.

“There is a real benefit to the parents too as they can associate the quilt with their baby so if, as happens from time to time, their baby is moved in the unit from one place to another the parents can find their son or daughter easily by looking for the pattern of the quilt. The quilt goes home with the baby, hence the need for an on-going project to make replacements. The wonderful thing about these quilts is that they don’t have to be elaborate and can be made reasonably quickly. Perhaps if you have been ‘boomerang bagging’ you might like to do something different for a while or if you want a different project.”

To find out more, or to get together in a small group to ‘have a go’, please contact Jean Conacher on 01732 463635 or email, jeanconacher@hotmail.com

The Weald Village news is compiled by Susan Gidman. If you have any news or events you would like her to consider for the village column you can call her on 01732 454222 or email it to her at: wealdnews@hotmail.com