SCA are looking forward to some special community events. Do look out for posters on notice boards and around town, as well as local social media platforms and the SCA website for all information.
Monday 6 April - Easter Picnic and Easter Egg Hunt - 2pm to 4pm
A ‘cracking’ afternoon for the family (children under 12yrs), with an egg hunt, decorated egg and Easter bonnet competitions! The bar will be open from 1.30 pm and families are welcome to bring a picnic. All entries for competitions to be brought to the hall for 1.45pm. There are prizes and goodies for all children taking part.
SCA Spring Quiz Night – Saturday 25th April – 7.00 pm for 7.30 pm
A very popular SCA event, with well-known quiz master Peter Hinde. Tickets available in advance from behind the bar at Ceddesfeld or from Pat (01740 620607), Sarah (07847052761) or Peter (01740 621709).
Mediaeval Fayre - Saturday 16 May - 10am to 4pm - Village Green and Ceddesfeld Hall and Lawns
T-Rex and Princess A-roar-a will be making an appearance this year. The Fayre will open with a vibrant, colourful walking procession featuring children from local primary schools, nurseries, and sports groups.On the green and on Ceddesfeld Hall lawns, visitors can enjoy the usual attractions including Walworth Falconry, Black Sheep Morris Men, ACLE Living History, Durham Rams, Escafeld Knights, True North Trades, Circus Skills and more.Two SCA tombola stalls will be packed with bottles, gifts and vouchers kindly donated by local businesses.
Around the green, you’ll also find a range of craft and gift stalls, plus the traditional fun fair for all ages.In the main hall, hot sausage or bacon buns with tea and coffee will be served in the morning, followed by a tea and cakes café in the afternoon. The bar opens at 11am.
Business Community Support and Volunteers – Mediaeval Fayre 2026
The SCA Mediaeval Fayre is organised by a small committee, who wholly rely on local people as well as various community groups, organisations, and businesses to get involved; to engage and volunteer to help in making the event successful and sustainable.
Several local shops, services and groups already do get involved every year, which is fantastic. Without donations and sponsorship as well as practical help from volunteers with setting up, taking down, manning stalls, running activities etc, the event could not take place. Please do get in touch if you, your business, organisation, or your group, can offer any help with the activities.
Save the Date – Annual General Meeting (AGM) - Thursday 18th June – 8pm
All members of SCA are welcome.
I saw my first butterfly of the year the other day. It was a Tortoiseshell, which was lovely to see, but I do wonder how it’s surviving the driving rain I can see out of the window at the moment!Now that spring is here, I’m looking forward to seeing more butterflies — and, of course, the occasional moth or two. It’s moths I want to focus on in my diary this month.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and The Wildlife Trusts are urging people to support moths this year, as they celebrate the 2,500 species found in the UK. Moths are vital pollinators and important indicators of environmental health, yet their numbers are declining. Populations have fallen by a third since the 1960s due to urbanisation, climate change and pollution.The charities’ annual Wild About Gardens campaign aims to equip gardeners with the information they need to better understand moths and create spaces where they can thrive — including their very hungry caterpillars.
While some caterpillars feast on a smorgasbord of plants, others are picky eaters and rely on just one or a small number of species. Some are so tiny they live within plant leaves as leaf miners, while others are brilliantly camouflaged, resembling twigs, bark, or even bird droppings. Caterpillars are also an important food source for many garden animals, especially birds, mammals and larger insects.
Adult moths can be just as striking as butterflies. Ones to look out for include the pink and olive-green elephant hawk moth, whose caterpillar puffs up to mimic a snake when threatened; the lunar hornet moth, which is cleverly disguised as a wasp; and the Jersey tiger moth in red, cream and black. Although most moths are nocturnal, around 150 species are active during the day — more than twice the number of UK butterfly species.
To support moths and caterpillars in your garden, the Wild About Gardens – Magical Moths guide suggests planting native trees and shrubs that host a wide range of caterpillar species. Good options include willow, honeysuckle, foxgloves, verbascum, comfrey, marjoram, bedstraw and sweet William.You can also create a night-time nectar bar for the hundreds of nocturnal moth species by choosing plants that come alive at dusk, such as sweet rocket, tobacco plant, jasmine and white campion.
To learn more, visit www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk.
Our Speaker was local historian, Alison Hodgson, who told us about Sedgefield in Victorian Times. Far from being a rural backwater, Sedgefield was a bustling and diverse village with inhabitants from far and wide engaged in many and varied activities and occupations. As a very busy crossroads and on a main coaching route, Sedgefield proved ahead of the times in so many ways in that age of great industrial and agricultural change and growth. Perhaps setting the path for a similar pattern over more recent times?
