We are getting into the festive mood with two events this month. On Saturday 14th December we will be hosting our annual Christmas party for senior citizens. The event is free to all senior residents of Mayfield and Five Ashes, past and present.  Most of the helpers and servers also qualify for the free party! This year, Colkins Mill Church are again kindly letting us take over their space, the Mayfieldians are sharing their Christmas decorations and the Mayfield Band will be providing the musical entertainment. We will be offering a Christmas-themed lunch, with cold meats and salads, home made mince pies and Christmas cake, followed by carol singing. It's lovely, heartwarming event, sharing some joy across the generations. If you would like to attend, please check with Nicola at Sew Inspired if there are any places left. If you can help bake or serve, please do let me know.

Then, instead of our regular monthly bonfire drinks at the Rose and Crown, we will be enjoying an early Christmas supper at the Middle House on Thursday 19th December. We will be back at the Rosie in the new year, on Thursday 16th January 8-10.

Wow, another spectacular evening of torchlit processions! Your Bonfire Society and village groups were joined by a record 30 visiting societies and 4 bands, creating a procession of fire though the village stretching about a mile long. So long, that the procession took extra time and the fireworks were a few minutes late.  The crowds in the High Street and along the procession routes clearly enjoyed the show and it was great to see the youngsters waving our new kids torches.

This year the early revellers were serenaded by Mayfield band, who set up beside the Bonfire Bar, and they even played the theme tune to Pirates of the Caribbean whilst a Bonfire walker dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow strolled by. The torchlit processions then began with the Memorial Service and fiery poppy banners, and this year the wreath was laid by Ann Martin, in memory of her late son, and in celebration of her 50 years service as Mayfield's lollipop lady. 

We would like to thank the dozens of helpers who worked throughout the year to make it such a success. Including fundraising the £10,000 needed to run the event, cutting and assembling the 5,000 torches and creating the banners; arranging the fireworks and running the bar and catering; as well as the many behind the scenes roles of organising road closures and putting out the hundreds of cones and signs; manning the barriers; and then clearing up afterwards so the village looked like nothing had happened.

We would also like to thank those who shook collection buckets on the night, and you for the generosity of our lovely village, who donated £1,800 to local causes the Mayfield 1st Scouts, Mayfield Youth Band and MAYFACS Shedders, as well as for the senior citizens’ Christmas party and the cricket club. Thank you Mayfield!

But there's no rest for the Boyes and Belles, and we have already held our first fundraising quiz to raise money for 2025. Our next event will be the Senior citizens Christmas party on Saturday 14th December in Colkins Mill Church, where we will be serving a buffet lunch with Christmas songs  and music from Mayfield Band. The party is a wonderful event and free for all senior citizens from Mayfield and Five Ashes, if you would like to come along, please put your name down with Nicola in Sew Inspired.

Carnival may only just be over, but there's no rest for the Boyes and Belles, as we start fundraising for 2025 with our popular autumn quiz on Saturday 19th October at Five Ashes Village Hall. Doors and the bar open at 7pm and the quiz will run from 7:30 to 10:00pm. We will be serving our traditional ploughman's supper. Tickets are available online from our website https://mayfieldbonfire.co.uk/events/ and in Burnetts and Sew Inspired, cash only in the shops. 

Your Bonfire Boyes and Belles are delighted to announce our next annual Carnival and Torchlit Procession will be held on Saturday 21st September. Mayfield Bonfire Society has held a carnival almost every year for nearly a century, except during times of war, typhoid and Covid. At over a mile long, with 5,000 burning torches, the Mayfield procession is believed to be the longest in Sussex, other than the Lewes Grand United Procession on 5th November. Thousands of people flock to the village each year to take part in the carnival and watch this spectacular event.

The Map shows the procession routes and approximate timings and there is more detailed information about the routes and road closures below. Look out for the new set of Bonfire banners hanging in the High Street throughout September, made by our creative team of sewing Boyes and Belles.

As always, we will be collecting for local charities on the night so please do remember to bring cash and give generously. This year we are collecting for Mayfield Youth Band and MAYFACS Shedders, as well as the Scouts, Cricket Club and Senior Citizens Christmas party. You can also donate online at the Bonfire Bar.

We need to raise around £10,000 to put on the carnival procession and would like to thank Mayfield Parish Council for their grant and continuing support for the Bonfire Society. We would also like to thank our members, patrons and friends for their generous support.

You can help us raise funds by using our Bonfire Bar, which will be in its usual place in the High Street beside the cannon, serving Harvey's beers, plus cider, wines and soft drinks. This year we will have an extra small bar outside the Scout Hut from 9pm to help quench thirsts at the end of the processions. There will also be various food stalls in the High Street and the Fun Fair on Court Meadow, together with fireworks at 9:45pm. 

Thank you to all our many kind helpers who have made the 5,000 torches in preparation for the torchlit processions, and to all those who work tirelessly over the weekend to put on the village’s largest event, and then to clear up again afterwards. An army of volunteers help put up the signs and marshal the roadblocks, set up the radio communications and liaise with the police, set up and man the all important bar, make cakes and sandwiches and serve refreshments for visiting societies, and carry collection buckets to raise funds for local charities. Most of the members and volunteers are helping behind the scenes, whilst a small group of Boyes and Belles will dress up to lead the procession.

The society are looking to recruit more members and volunteers who can help in any way. Whether you love dressing up and walking in the procession, can help the working party make torches, perhaps help out at a fundraising event, or just offer an hour or two of support on the day.

ROAD CLOSURES. AND PARKING

As usual, most roads in the village will be closed to all vehicles. Road Closures begin at 6pm and affect Tunbridge Wells Road, High Street, Fletching Street (down to Alexandra Terrace junction), East Street (to Sandy Lane junction), The Avenue, and Station Road (including the junction with Stone Cross and Love Lane). Some roads will be opened to traffic once the procession has passed, but the High Street and parts of Tunbridge Wells Road will remain closed until 11.30pm, or until it is safe to open them.

Please respect the Barrier Marshals as most of them are volunteers giving up their time for this fantastic community event. This is an official Road Closure Order and if contravened may result in prosecution by the Police.

We are asking residents and visitors to please observe the parking restrictions in order to allow unobstructed processions and to avoid damage to parked vehicles. Please do not park anywhere on the procession routes (see map). We cannot accept responsibility for any damage to vehicles or property left on the procession route.

For visitors, parking will be possible along one side of the Tunbridge Wells road, and this road will become one-way, heading away from the village, from 9pm.  

CARNIVAL TIMETABLE

COMMEMORATION 6.45pm. The evening begins with a service to remember the dead at the War Memorial, where a wreath will be laid accompanied by a short Eulogy, followed by a minute’s silence and lighting of the fiery Poppies.

PROCESSIONS:

FIRST PROCESSION 7.15pm. Forms up along Station Road (Bands form up in the top of West Street), lights up at the Horse trough, then proceeds up the High Street, down Fletching Street, and stops at the Rose & Crown.

SECOND PROCESSION 8.15pm. Leaves the Rose and Crown, up Fletching Street, down the High Street, along Station Road to beyond Old Lane, and then turns on itself and returns up Station Road to stop just before the Horse trough. Vehicles in the procession will continue to the junction with Love Lane and turn there. 

GRAND PROCESSION 9.15pm. Lights up at the Horse trough, proceeds up the High Street and around to the gates of Court Meadow where it de-torches.

FIREWORKS 9.45pm: The fireworks display will commence as soon as the end of the procession has cleared the Court Meadow gates, which we anticipate will be around 9.45pm. Please note no fireworks are permitted by members of the public at our event. 

We look forward to seeing you at another spectacular torchlit carnival.

Do join us on Saturday 20th July at Five Ashes Village Hall for a 50th anniversary showing of the cult movie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and help raise funds for the Carnival. Doors open at 7:30pm for the bar and you can simply enjoy this great rock and roll movie, maybe join in with the audience participation, sing along to your favorite tunes, dance the Time Warp, or even dress up with the chance to win a prize for best costume. Tickets £10 are available online and in Burnetts and Sew Inspired.

https://mayfieldbonfire.co.uk/events/rocky-horror/

Our Open Gardens fundraising for June was a tremendous success, with 200 visitors enjoying a stroll around the six beautiful gardens, plus the lovely sunshine and homemade cakes. We would like to thank our generous garden hosts, who worked tirelessly in the dreadful spring weather to get their gardens looking amazing. And to thank the army of kind helpers who baked the cakes, served the teas, stewarded the gates, moved the furniture and cleared up afterwards. We raised £2,000, almost enough to pay for the fireworks, though not quite enough to cover the cost of the insurance for the Carnival.  

This month we will begin making the 5,000 torches needed for the Carnival torchlit procession. The sticks are chopped, the board cut and the 30,000 holes drilled all ready for assembly. We will be meeting at the Scout Hut on most Saturday mornings throughout July and August from 10am till 1pm. If the rain stops, we will be outside having a chat and cuppa whilst we work. If you can spare an hour or so, please do come along to help. It's easy but dusty work, so wear old clothes and gloves.

Catherine Hawley 

bonfire@gawain.online 

We have a busy month of activities for the whole family so do come along and meet us in June. More details of these events are available on our website www.mayfieldbonfire.co.uk/events. 

On the afternoon of Sunday 2nd June it's our first Open Gardens. Our generous gardeners are kindly opening their private gardens for an exclusive opportunity to explore six gardens and enjoy home made teas in The Warren and East Street. Bring the family for an afternoon stroll, tickets £6 available online and on the gate, free for under 16s, and dogs are welcome on leads.

We would also like to thank the Warren residents, and in particular Val and Rene, for raffling a giant 3kg chocolate bunny to help raise funds for the Carnival. 

Next, we are taking part in the 80th anniversary D-Day commemorations on the evening of Thursday 6th June with 1940s-themed music and entertainment on Court Meadow, starting with church bells from 6:30pm and culminating in lighting a beacon to celebrate the ‘light of peace’ that emerged out of the darkness of war. Come and enjoy a summers evening in Court Meadow with a licensed bar, songs and music of the era, a display of military vehicles, and the commemorative beacon lit at 9.15pm to coincide with the national act of remembrance. Free to attend. Dress up in period or come as you are. Bring a chair to relax, or get up and dance to the music. Hopefully it will be a lovely summer evening, but the Scout Hall is available if the weather is inclement.

Do join us on Thursday 20th June for our regular social drink and catch up at the Rose and Crown from 8-10pm.

Finally, on 29th June we will be at the Mayfield Primary School Fair, where you can have fun making our new design of children's torches. These will be replica torches, lit by fairy lights, which can be individually decorated.  Grown ups and teens can also have a go making one of the 5,000 torches we will burn in the Carnival procession.

And all month we will be drilling the 30,000 holes in torch sticks and board to prepare the materials for torch making in July and August.

Catherine Hawley 

bonfire@gawain.online 

We have a busy month this May with preparations for the Carnival underway as well as a couple of events where you can come and meet us and find out more about your Bonfire Society. 

The planning and organising for the Carnival Procession on Saturday 21st September is going well, we have booked the various locations, fireworks, food stalls and first aid and recently had our road closure application approved. We are hoping the wet weather is over as we are unfortunately behind schedule on cutting and preparing the 5,000 torches we will need to assemble this summer for the procession. A small team of volunteers and members are working most Saturday and Sunday mornings to cut and drill the sticks, if you can spare a few hours to help please do get in touch. 

On Saturday 11th May we will have a stall at the May Fare where you can meet other members and find out more about everything that goes on behind the scenes to put on the spectacular Carnival Procession. You can also join the 59 Club, see our new range of merchandise and get tickets for our events coming up in June - the Open Gardens on Sunday 2nd and the Rocky Horror Picture Show on Saturday 22nd June.

On Thursday 16th May we will be holding our Annual Meeting in the Rose and Crown at 7:30pm, before our regular monthly social get together at 8pm. The annual meeting will be brief, members are invited to join us to elect our directors and approve the accounts, then we will revert to the bar for drinks and a catch up with friends and members on everything happening in the society. 

Do come along and get involved with your friendly bonfire society.