Over the decades, the parish has traditionally hosted numerous annual events, almost all linked to the Church, Memorial Hall, and/or Platt School. A large percentage of these, such as the Flower & Vegetables Shows, Empire Days, Church Fairs, etc., have now passed into history, so it is wonderful that a new yearly (hopefully!) event has arrived in the village in the form of the St. Mary’s Platt Scarecrow Trail. Dotted around the community, you will have noticed twenty fantastic creations outside locals’ houses, the church and the pub. Tomorrow will be the last day to see these, and you can vote for your favourite at the church. This has been a brilliant addition to the community, and I look forward to seeing it return next year.

The weather throughout the month has been a mixed bag; one day it’s high summer, the next, mid-autumn. One thing is sure: October looks set to be vibrant, with many of the trees in Platt Woods, for example, already showing early signs of turning gold over the coming weeks. A few weeks ago, I was able to film house martins above the hopping mist over Crouch and was thrilled to see that they remain very much at large in the area, strafing the evening skies over Stonehouse and beyond.

St Mary’s Platt Scouts playing wide games at night in the woods, a tawny owl watching on with curiosity. The blood moon hanging in the sky at Beechin Wood, an ultra-marathon passing along the Wealdway, sunset sheep, a falconer with a hobby (I think), crab apples, rosehips, sweet chestnuts, acorns and conkers, and, of course, Platt cats.

This is Platt in September 2025.