Wheelers New Tuesday Runs are a Success
Up to eight riders have been getting out regularly every Tuesday to enjoy a sociable run with Rye’s Cycling Club. Places visited have included Pett, Appledore, Lydd, Stone and Brenzett, all short rides at speeds within anyone’s capabilities. More riders can be accommodated. Anyone who wants to join the group, old or young alike, can just turn up at the Riverhaven Hotel Car Park any Tuesday at 1 pm. There are no formalities and the group will ride at the speed of the slowest rider.
For those that cannot make it in the daytime there are slow rides every Thursday meeting at 6pm. at the Riverhaven and for the more experienced rider, training runs at 6.30 most Wednesdays from the Riverhaven. (Phone 222420 for confirmation).
The runs on Sundays leave the Riverhaven at 9am., two groups meeting up for breakfast.
Another point of contact with the club is the monthly meeting at 7.30pm. on the second Thursday of every month again at the Riverhaven. New prospective members are welcome to come along.
The Club, which was the first Cycling Club in England, has gone from strength to strength since its reformation in 2000. Membership is now well over twenty and Wheelers enjoy many aspects of cycling, from pleasure rides to serious racing.
There are seven keen time-trialists training for their first events which will be held this month.
By The Editor
Sledgehammer to Crack a Nut
A two week experiment which took place at Corby, a small town in Northamptonshire, during the first two weeks in April was part of the Government’s new get tough on young yobs initiative. It involved an army of police enforcing a curfew on all under sixteens, unless accompanied by an adult, from the streets after 9pm.
I have no problem whatsoever in a curfew for trouble makers, under or over sixteen, but to lump the innocent with the guilty seems very unjust to me.
In Rye we have problems with young louts but their numbers form just a small percentage of the children in this town. Problems have been caused by three things to my mind.
One: abolition of the old system of policing the town when police houses were sold off for profit and policing was centralised to Senlac (Hastings)
Two: Availability of alcohol in Supermarkets and Off Licences and Three: The breakdown of discipline in schools due to the ever stronger ‘do-gooders charter’ which has taken every sanction save for exclusion out of the Head Teacher’s control. Exclusion just puts the troublemakers out on the streets, the last place they are wanted.
Children are our most precious commodity, they should be guided and supported and encouraged to get involved with clubs, sports and groups as we were in our time. Allowing them to roam without such guidance leads some towards bad associations.
More parents could look around and see where they can help their own and other children in the difficult and exciting years of growing up. Almost every organisation in this town that caters for children and teenagers from the Brownies up, is short of help.
Dozens of youngsters on their bikes spend hours in the Gibbet Marsh Car Park doing ‘aerobatics’ off the top of a steep bank, I have watched them out of my window, they are keeping themselves completely out of mischief, causing no trouble and are waiting for the day when a proper skate park becomes available. This would have been ready years ago if the old Rye Borough Council was still in charge of Rye’s affairs. Rother District Council is too involved funding the De La Warr Pavilion! Ray Fookes is doing his very best to get this project funded but it may be that private initiatives by Rye people will be needed if it is to become reality. Perhaps, once the St. John get their new ambulance the next local fund-raising effort could be directed towards this end.
We have a fine Swimming Pool but this would have never come about if the Rye Swimming Pool Association had not been formed and fought tooth and nail for funding. Rother tried to claim the credit but it was lottery money, money raised by the Association, and our money out of rates, that paid for it at the end of the day.
Well Done Beckley
What a great event the Beckley ‘Try-athlon’ turned out to be. Dozens of competitors of all ages having fun without too much officialdom about to make it too serious. Cycling through the lanes from Beckley to Peasmarsh, then a run over the fields to the Thomas Peacocke finishing with twenty lengths of the swimming pool. Robert Dunnett was fastest on the day recording 47 minutes and 13 seconds for the tough course. Veteran Rye Wheeler, Granville Bantick managed one hour two minutes. The really good news is that the event will be run again next year and may possibly become an annual fixture.
The Town Manager Reports….
Town Manager, Yolanda Laybourne, has reported that £1,000 has been allocated to new cycle racks in the town. This has come from the £5,750 that had to be realised by the end of April. The balance of £4,750 is being spent on additional gull proof litter bins.
In addition, ESCC will itself fund a new package of signing within the town which will make clearer the signing to Gibbet Marsh car park, and will also rationalise and improve some of the existing signs.
The Town Manager also told me that the “Rye Goes Pop” Concert on the Salts, which was so popular last year, will be repeated this year on Saturday 7 August. Style Promotions will again be running the event with some small improvements suggested by Yolanda.
In her last report the Rye Town Manager highlighted the fact that this was her final year. Future resources of funding would soon need to be identified should the Town Management Action Group wish the post continue.
Fighting On
Councillor Peter Dyce has taken great interest in the local health set up. He fought tooth and nail to get the respite ward opened at Rye Memorial Care Centre. Now he is fighting a battle, along with the rest of Rye Town Council, to keep the Postern Gate Surgery in Rye. His recent letter in the Rye Observer underlines the complex system of the local health authority and his personal understanding of the situation. He is of the same opinion as me, those people who look at maps in Lewes and lay their plans accordingly, seem to forget one thing, a map is FLAT it does not show that the mile long trip from Rye Station to the proposed site of the new surgery includes a VERY STEEP HILL.
Service With A Smile
A couple of years ago I mentioned how pleasant the staff were at Barclays Bank in Rye High Street. Two years on and I feel I must give them another mention. It does not seem to matter how busy they are they always go out of their way to be helpful and polite. I repeatedly walk out feeling better than when I went in, even on the days when the balance is not as high as was expected!
Jim Hollands
MAY DIARY
1. Boundless :imagination and imagery – Selected artists and crafts people invited to exhibit in a show which celebrates the imagination, at Rye Art Gallery – Easton Rooms until 27th June 1 & 2 Antiques & Collectable Fair. F.E. Centre Lion Street 9.30am. – 4.30pm.
2. Rye Bowls Club. Pre-Season Fling. Rye Bowls Greens. 2.30pm.
2. Rye Wheelers Club Run. Riverhaven 9am.
4. Rye Wheelers afternoon run Riverhaven 1pm.
4. Farmer’s Market and every Wednesday
4. War Memorial Sculpture – Brian Yale will present an illustrated talk on war memorials, from classical times to the present, at the Stormont Studio, at 7.30 pm. Entry: FRAG members £2 non-members £3.50.
5. Rye Bowls Club. Home to Clive Vale 2.30pm.
5. General Market and every Thursday
5. Flea Market. R.C.C and every Thurs.
6. Cookery Demonstration – Juliette Bidwell will give a cookery demonstration at Iden Village Hall, with lunch to follow. All proceeds in aid of the Memorial Care Centre. For further details contact Anne Hostler 01797 223810.
7. W.I. Market 10 – 10.45 am. and every Friday. Rye Community Centre
7. Rye Film Club. 7pm. Community Centre
7. St Mary’s Church – Friends of St Mary’s AGM and talk by Alan Downend on E.F. Benson. Time 7.30 pm.
8. Rye Bowls Club. Home to Hastings 2.30pm.
8. Frank Sinatra et al – Malcolm Laycock of the BBC will return to give a talk on Frank Sinatra at the WI Hall, Playden at 7.30pm. Tickets £7.50.
8. Playden Weekend – In its third year, Playden Weekend will be held on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 May. There will be an art and craft show at St Michael’s over the two days.
9. Rye Wheelers Club Run. Riverhaven 9am.
9. Rye Classic Motorcycle Show and Bike jumble – The Bike jumble will be held once again at Lydd Airport. For further details contact 01797 344277
10. Rye Bowls Club. Home to British Legion 11am.
10. Rye Mayor Making Ceremony – Rye celebrates the appointment of the new mayor.
10. St Mary’s Church – Mayor Making Service at 6.15 pm
11. Rye Wheelers Afternoon Run. Riverhaven 1pm.
12. Rye Bowls Club. Home v. St. Leonards 2.30pm.
13. Rye Wheelers Monthly Meeting. Riverhaven 7.30pm.
16. Rye in Bloom Plant Fair – Popular event with a large selection of plants for sale. Bedding, perennials, herbs, vegetables & shrubs. Community Centre, Conduit Hill – 10am – 2pm Admission 30p.
16.5. Rye Bowls Club. Home to Iden 2.30pm.
16 Rye Wheelers Club Run. Riverhaven 9am.
18. Wheelers Tuesday Afternoon Run. Riverhaven 1pm.
19. Rye Bowls Club. Home to Ashford Town 2.30pm.
21. Wheelers Club Run. Riverhaven 9am.
21. Rye Bowls Club. Home v. Rosemount 2.30pm.
22. Rye in Bloom Water Festival – A celebration of Rye’s Water – Conservation, Lifestyle, Leisure and Pleasure. Come along and meet Southern Water, The Environment Agency, The Fire Service, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, local fishermen and much, much more on Strand Quay 11am – 4pm.
22. Rye Bowls Club. Home to Staplecross 2.30pm.
23. Wheelers Afternoon Run. Riverhaven 1pm.
23. Rye Harbour Church – Family Service at 10.30 am.
23. Rotary Club Walk – Walk for charity – Entry forms from Phillips and Stubbs, Cinque Ports Street or contact 07946 357 472.
27. Rebecca – Rye Players’ present Daphne du Maurier’s spine chilling drama from 27th to 29th May at the Community Centre, Rye, Time 7.30. Tickets £5.00 available from Hamiltons or Neame Designs.
29. Rye Wheelers 12 Hour, two up, Sponsored Relay Marathon and Fun Day. Cycling event starts at 8 am. At the Town Hall Buttermarket. Stalls, Live Music, Bar, Local Crafts and fund raising events in aid of Rye St. John Ambulance.
29. Rye Harbour Church – Patronal Festival
30. Pentecost/Whit Sunday Songs of Praise and Patronal Festival for all at Rye Harbour Church. Time 6pm.
Entries for next months Diary Page must be with us by 15 May.
Rye’s Own June 2004
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