The following e-mail was received on 6th August, 2009:-  

"I am the eldest daughter of my late mother Mrs E.C. Lewis (Madge). I was absolutely delighted to read about the pond in your newsletter forwarded on by my sister. When I think of the old dump of bicycle tyres and such like rubbish that used to be and the transformation that took place and has been kept up I can only congratulate all of you.

I was particularly pleased to see the name of Mr Trenfield.  What a loyal hard working asset he has proved to be. How my mother would rejoice to know that he is there still faithfully keeping up the good work they started together all those years ago.

My mother's greatest interest in her old age was the pond.  It delighted her to visit it and remark on the emerging wild life    When her heart condition made it difficult  for her to return up the hill she would need to be teken to the pond by car. Once again thank you and your committee for keeping that little piece of old East Blatchington in such remarkable order.

Yours sincerely, Elizabeth Horne"  

This other e-mail was received in November 2007

My name is Steve White,
I visited East Blatchington Pond today having left Seaford in 1985 and was thrilled to see the pond so well looked after and healthy looking! I was one of the founder members of the pond committee back in the late 70's (aged just 13) and was heavily involved with most of the original restoration work and fundraising.
Many evenings were spent organising fundraising events and begging sponsorship together with Margaret Lewis and colleagues, Including Alan Bowley of the Forestry Commission and Sir George Coldstream, along with a few dedicated local residents (some I can remember). The original meetings I can tell you were more entertaining than an episode of 'The Vicar of Dibley' and the project was entered for the annual conservation awards and was included in the First Conservation Annual (forward by David Bellamy and Michael Heseltine MP).
I can tell you now that with so many elderly residents being involved, the first pair of waders ever purchased by the committee was.... my size. I guess that avoided broken hips etc...
I  think I still have copies somewhere of the early minutes from the meetings as the elders decided that to be a good task for me and would keep me quiet! I am not sure how much information and history you have on the pond restoration, but I am sure that some of it at least should pay tribute to the unwavering efforts of one Cedric Trenfield, who was there from the start and was often to be seen clearing weed and silt traps at all times of the year.
This project inspired me to spend a few days with Alan Bowley and the forestry commission on work experience and then followed into a career in Forestry and eventually, Landscaping. I have now spent 21 years constructing gardens and , in particular, ponds across Sussex. Alan Bowley was the construction expert behind the whole scheme, I was the apprentice and along with the other residents and volunteers put the original graft in!
I now own a successful West Sussex based Landscaping Company and have never forgotten the wonderful time that I had getting mucky for such a worthwhile cause. I am so pleased that others have taken up the mantle and the results are something to be very proud of. Well done to all of you.
Kind regards  
Steve White
www.countylandscapes.com