Hailsham

MACMILLAN: Coffee mornings to raise funds for Macmillan from 10am to noon today, Friday, at the new James West Community Centre, Brunel Drive with stalls and craft sale. There is also one at the HMI Western Road. The Charles Hunt Centre are holding theirs on Monday October 8 from 9.30am to 1pm.

OLDER PEOPLE DAY: Take your Older Persons Day booklet along with you to Freedom Leisure today, Friday, for the Active 4 Life event from 9.30am to 10.30am. If you don’t have a booklet pop into the Wealden District Council offices next door and pick one up from the racks in the foyer and reception. You can also book into the 10.30am to 11am Fitball session. The cost is just £1. There is a Pilates session from 11.30am to 12.25pm which is also £1, Lane Swimming from noon to1.30pm, also £1 with your OPD booklet. After all this activity there is a Movies Make Memories showing of The Wizard of Oz at the Hailsham Pavilion from 1.30pm for 2pm start. The cost is just £3 and carers go free. You can book on 01323 841414 or email [email protected] or just turn up. On Friday October 5 there is a Bingo and Bowls session at Bentley Grange, Binder Lane. You are welcome to come along between 2pm and 4.30pm for a fun afternoon with raffle and free entry. The Bingo and afternoon tea cost £1.50. On site parking. Enquiries to Collette on 01403 226185.

MODEL CLUB: This evening, Friday, at Union Corner Hall, Hawks Road, the Hailsham and District Scale Model Club meets from 7.30pm to 10.30pm. £3 includes refreshments. Join other members for informal chat with your finished or work in progress.

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STREET MARKET: Tomorrow, Saturday, amongst Brenda is back after a break on baby knits. I have to say I bought a lovely pair of tiny knitted pink knitted and lacey shoes for a new arrival which were gorgeous. She now has a variety of cotton dresses and skirts for tiddlers. Rob is there with his loose sweets for those nostalgic moments of flying saucers, rhubarb and custards, lemon sherbets and pips and many more. Mismatch will be there with either their colourful clothes from their shop in St Mary’s Walk and or they will be perfuming the air with their vast range of scented products. Adrian as always on fruit and veg, Frank with a wide range of sausages and Joan with chutneys and pastries and a snack for lunch. Bucklers will be promoting their new deli also based in St Mary’s Walk and will be handing out tasters of the wide variety of cheeses and cured meats. Next week the Kind Hearts Festival will be running alongside the market with vegan food choices as well as events across the town.

FESTIVAL EXHIBITION: Gallery North, 70 High Street will continue to show artwork submitted during the Hailsham Festival until October 27 for you to enjoy. The Gallery is open from 10am to 4pm from Tuesday to Saturday.

LAUGHTER YOGA: The Square Youth Café will be having a fun evening of laughter yoga on Monday from 7.30pm to 8.30pm.

RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION: Town Farm Residents Association is meeting on Tuesday from 7pm in Vega Close Community Centre. Get involved in your community and go along and find out what is happening near to you.

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HAILSHAM TOWN FC: Support your local football team on Tuesday evening when they kick off at 7pm against Wick. There is a clubhouse and bar open at half time and throughout. Entry is £5 adults and £2.50 children and concessions. The ground is at The Beaconsfield, accessible through Western Road Rec or off the Diplocks Industrial Estate signposted through the twitten opposite SETyres.

HAILSHAM LIONS: The Lions are meeting on Tuesday at 7.30pm in the Charles Hunt Centre. If you would like to know more about The Lions and what they do or if you are considering joining, pop along and find out. All welcome. Enquiries on 0845 833 9829 (local rate).

FOLK AND BLUES CLUB: On Tuesday it is a Singers Night hosted by Lisa Jackson. If you enjoy folk and singing the blues, come along to the Six Bells, The Street, Chiddingly from 8.30pm and join in if you like. More information is available at 6bellsfolk.co.uk. All welcome.

THE HUB: This is a monthly group for older people meets on Wednesday at the Ropemaker Church on Ropemaker Park, South Road, with coffee at 11am and a talk, followed by pre-booked lunches for just £4 which can be booked on (01323) 442485. This month there is a talk by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service on Fire Safety in the Home. This presentation will look at safety in the home particularly as relates to older people.

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TALES BY THE RIVERSIDE: At Wednesday’s Historical Society meeting, Ian Everest will be coming to talk to members and guests at the Charles Hunt Centre from 7.30pm. Guests very welcome pay just £2.50 at the door.

BINGO EVENING: The Charles Hunt Centre welcomes everybody to join them for eyes down at 7.30pm to 9pm. It’s just £1 for 10 games with other games available. Bring your own refreshments. Doors open 7pm.

KIND HEART FESTIVAL: This takes place alongside the Street Market next Saturday, October 6, in Vicarage Field and at venues all over Hailsham Town. There will be a health and wellbeing area with refreshments in the Civic Centre, outdoor activities on Western Road Recreation Ground, an art and photography display in Chapter 12, an Eco Zone in the Charles Hunt Centre, with vegan cake and savouries sale, a film festival in Hailsham Pavilion, storytelling in the library and live music and DJ also in Chapter 12. And if this isn’t enough there will be also be face painting, dance and special promotions at Bucklers, MsMatch and much more. To find out more visit www.kindhearts festival.com or call 07984 651866.

MAD MARSH RUN: The first of its kind and setting off across the Pevensey Levels from Longley’s Farm, you can find out more and how to enter at www.mad-marsh -run.myshopify.com. An event with lots of the Level’s natural obstacles to transverse on the way, it’s going to be great fun but it’s not going to be pretty. The challenge is that it is not about when you finish but more about if you finish.

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TWINNING QUIZ: Book your tickets now for another of the Hailsham Twinning Association’s popular quiz and supper events. This is taking place at the Charles Hunt Centre for £8pp which includes supper. Join a team or bring your own of up to six people. BYO drinks. There will be prizes and a raffle. Book via Pauline on 01323 846539.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY: Members at the September meeting were pleasantly entertained by Sue Bobbins, who tackled the enormous task of telling us something of the life story of Joseph Rudyard Kipling without the cakes. Sue, a volunteer guide at Batemans, Burwash, the home of Kipling in his latter years, told us of her personal fascination for his story and literary works, having previously known nothing of such, prior to her current involvement at the lovely National Trust house. Her sincere and often amusing delivery fully evidenced her interest in the subject, and I am sure, inspired and encouraged listeners like me, to want to seek out more of this amazing man’s full and complex family history. Named by his parents in remembrance of their courting days at the beautiful Rudyard Lake in Staffordshire, Kipling led a well travelled life, recording his inspired thoughts and observations in stories, poems, and even songs. Much of his later work centred on children, largely affected by difficult periods of his own childhood and, despite the tragic loss of two of his own three children in the early years of their lives. A captivating and interesting presentation of the wide range of his activities and literary compositions is difficult to bring together in such a short talk, but Sue accomplished this well enough to inform, amuse, and educate her audience in a subject which many of us had previously only enjoyed a passing interest.

On more local matters, please take note that the Hailsham Museum is only open for public viewing, until the end of September, the last openings being September 29 and 30, and will not re-open until the weekend of May 3 and 4 next year. For more information about the Society, please contact the Chairman, David Bourne on 01323 440359 and for the Museum, Maxine Kitcher on 01323 843206.

PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY: Pete Bamforth ARPS, of Chichester Camera Club and the elite Focus group, was the guest speaker entitled And then I Discovered Really Big. For him photography came alive when he progressed to A2 sized prints. His subjects included landscapes, architecture, portraiture as well as abstracts and he showed prints from various locations. These included Glen Coe, Haygate with abandoned buildings, Mull and Iona which reminded him of his native northern Ontario. There were visits to Birmingham library and the silk road where he photographed locals and the markets. Pete was complimented on his entertaining and inspiring presentation by John Deller, vice chairman, in his closing speech and by many members as they left the hall.

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JOIN TOGETHER: The Join Together is social project in Hailsham which aims to support local people to develop their social networks and feel connected. If you feel lonely or know someone who does? Or if you are willing to give some time as a volunteer to support others, the SCDA is looking for volunteers who would be willing to spend a couple of hours a week with someone who is lonely or isolated. The Sussex Community Development Association is working to get people connected and tackle the root causes of loneliness and social exclusion. For more details, please contact us on 01323 446404 or email [email protected].