We are reviving the scheme to keep our Fingerposts in good shape by asking villagers who live near one of these signposts to keep them clean, check for damage and report back to the Parish Council when repairs are needed. If you would to help us keep our iconic fingerposts in good repair, get in touch with Jay, cllr.ashworth@ashburnham-penhurst-pc.gov.uk

In the past East Sussex County Council have provided match funding for any repairs but this has been withdrawn which means that costs are to be met solely by the Parish Council. By keeping our Fingerposts in good repair we hope to retain them in our village for as long as possible.

We welcome Linda Mordecai as our newest Parish Councillor following our

meeting in July. You may see her and her partner Jon litter picking around the

village lanes – they go out regularly and help keep the lanes and Kitchenham

road clear. We are delighted that Linda has joined the council and look

forward to all she will bring to our council and community.

Cllr Nicola McClaren has asked us to share the Rother District Council Annual Report. Click on the link to view.Rother Annual Report

The minutes of the AGM held on Saturday 11th March are now available for download at the village hall page “About the charity”. Click the title above to access the link.

The planning application for the construction of the extension to the village hall has been given planning approval. Next step is building regulations and then the big one – RAISING THE MONEY!

The parish council is still running short handed. The full complement is 7 councillors and we have only 5. This puts a strain on the others and it means that meetings are sometimes down to the minimum of 3 which is a quorum. The time demand is not great (minimum of one evening meeting every 2 months) and the duties are not onerous and you can make very much what you want of the role in terms of engagement. Some councillors do a tour of duty for a few years only and that’s fine. So please think about it and if it is not for you then you might know of someone for whom it would be a good fit. Contact any councillor or rhe parish clerk to find out more.

Jane Warrener takes over as parish clerk on 1st April 2026 on the retirement of Brian Holdstock after ten years as clerk. Jane is an experienced clerk having served as clerk for three year to a local parish in Wealden. Clerk email contact is unchanged and a new mobile phone link will be published once Jane takes up her role.

The parish council will make up the shortfall if the income does not cover the costs. The fireworks are a huge outlay and a big risk for any organiser if the weather is just good enough for the event to go ahead but bad enough to deter visitors. At its meeting on 24th September the Council decided that it is an important village event and the organisers need to have confidence that they won’t lose money.. This year the organisers are the Village Hall Revival Group and any proceeds will go towards the village hall extension project.

Over the next few weeks until the end of September you may well get a knock at the door from a member of the Village Hall Revival Group who are going house to house delivering the briefest of questionnaires asking for views on the proposed extension to the village hall. It is important to know the level of support and essential that we take steps to find out before we can approach potential funders for grants.

If you are not at home when someone calls they will leave the questionnaire which also tells of the many ways to give your feedback.

Thursday 8th May 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE Day), when the nation will unite to remember the end of the Second World War in Europe. Around the country, events will be taking place to pay tribute to those involved in that conflict, as well as reminding us to pray and work for peace in our communities and in the world. 

Locally there will be an Act of Commemoration as part of the Rogation Service, the Sunday beforehand.  Also, both Ashburnham and Penhurst churches will be open on Thursday 8th May, for those who would wish to remember and reflect on this poignant and significant anniversary – cards with specially prepared prayers commemorating VE Day will also be available for those who wish to use them.