Hailsham

PARKINSONS SOCIETY: Today, Friday, the Hailsham branch is having a social event at Summerheath Hall from 2pm to 4pm with the band, Recycled. All welcome.

AUTUMN FAIR: Come along to the Charles Hunt Centre, Vicarage Lane between 9.30am and 12.30pm tomorrow, Saturday, when there will be lots of handmade items for sale. If you would like a table for £6, please ring 01323 844398.

HAILSHAM TOWN FC: Come along and support your local football first team at the Beaconsfield tomorrow, Saturday, when they kick off against Littlehampton at 3pm. The Beaconsfield is across Western Road Rec or accessible via Diplocks Way, signposted opposite SE Tyres. Entry is £5, £2.50 children.

BLACK CAT DAY: Cats Protection at 63 Marshfoot Lane, Hailsham are holding their very popular Halloween Fair on Sunday from noon to 3pm. They will have all their usual stalls with a scary feel as well as cakes, refreshments, barbecue in the garden. Lots of games with prizes for the big or little ones and a raffle at 2.45pm. No trip to the centre would be completed without meeting the many playful, loving and affectionate feline companions ready and waiting for a home like ours. Admission is 50p or a tin of cat food. No dogs allowed.

COMMUNITY HALL: Bookings from residents and local community groups are being taken for the hire of Hailsham’s brand new community hall, the James West Community Centre, which is located off Brunel Drive in the north of the town and opened its doors to the public just a few months ago. The centre consists of an 18m x 11.7m hall, able to accommodate an audience of around 200 seated for public performances. The building also includes two meeting rooms (10 and 16-person capacity), a large kitchen, store rooms, toilets, changing rooms and a PA system. The facility can be hired for community events, sports, business meetings, memorial services, youth groups and other social events, as well as private function hire. For further information or to make a booking, contact Hailsham Town Council on 01323 841702 or by email: [email protected].

UNIVERSAL CREDIT: There is a Universal Credit Support Day on Thursday at the Wealden District Council office, Vicarage Road, from 10am to 3pm for anyone who may need help with applying. There will also be advice on budgeting. South East Water and Hailsham Foodbank will also be there.

WORLD VEGAN DAY: There is a celebration at Bebbles Langos, George Street at 7pm on Sunday. If you would like to book or find out more call 01323 301490.

COMMUNITY GROUPS: Do you belong to or help organise a local community group or charity and wish to benefit from sharing experiences and ideas with other local groups? The Hailsham Community Forum is keen to encourage community groups, associations and charities in the area to exchange ideas, learn from each other, network and collaborate to come along. They have speakers from voluntary services organisations, grants advisors and other charities. CGF have recently secured a competitive rate from a local printer for all those flyers and banners. The next forum meeting will take place at 6.30pm on Tuesday November 6 at the Hailsham Parish Church lounge when Lena from Ditzy Media will be going along to talk about making the most of Social Media.

PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY: Last week the society enjoyed an Evening with David Mills ARPS who has been a member of the club since 1971. David is known predominately for his black and white photography, but during the evening he showed an array of pictures, many in colour. Although he talked about some pictures from the 1970 and the 80’s, most were taken more recently. His love of the Snowdonia area in Wales is well known to members, and he also showed pictures taken in Iceland, Spain, Scotland and many other places. David has an amazing talent for choosing specific points to photograph on buildings and his architectural pictures are stunning. He also showed a panel of pictures taken of the Selfridges building in Birmingham which won the Strong Trophy last year. With David’s amusing comments and great photography all agreed it was a brilliant evening.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY: The next meeting of the society is on Wednesday November 7 at the Charles Hunt Centre, at 7pm for refreshments and 7.30pm start. The evening will start with the Society’s AGM, after which the Chairman, David Bourne, will present a display of his own collection of interesting photographs and artefacts, with an invitation to any member of the Society, to do likewise – time permitting. At the October meeting members were pleased to welcome Ian Everest, a regular speaker, who gave a talk entitled Tales from the Riverside. This was, in fact, a glimpse of past life in the River Ouse Valley. Ian divided his presentation under the headings of arts, farming, aviation, industry, settlements, sport and people. Illustrating many of these subject with photographs, old and new, a wealth of interesting facts covered and history and development of the area, from Roman occupation to the present time. The importance of the historic ports of Newhaven and Seaford and their evolution, along with the Tide mills, and the ever-changing course of the Ouse, all played major roles in the story. Please note that the Museum is now closed for the winter but will reopen in May 2019. For further information about the Society, please contact the Chairman of the society, David Bourne on 01323 440359, and for information about the Museum, Maxine Kitcher on 01323 843206.

FLOWER CLUB: In April this year the club held their ever-popular general knowledge Quiz Night. From the proceeds of the quiz the club made a generous donation of £200 to the Sussex Kidney Trust. The cheque was presented to Christine Madeley who represented the club. The club would like to thank all the people who continually support the quiz night to enable it to raise money for such a good cause. The Flower Club welcome guests and new members to its meetings every third Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm at the Civic Hall, Vicarage Lane. Contact details: Christine Campbell-Dyke 01323 842222.

CHARITY BARN DANCE: Get your tickets now for this event in aid of Citizens Advice featuring Hellingly Folk Dance Band at the Kings Head, Lower Horsebridge on Friday November 23 from 7pm to 10.30pm. Tickets are £10, U16s £5 in advance from Hailsham Citizens Advice, Western Road, The Kings Head, Lower Horsebridge or Hailsham Camera Centre, 53 High Street, Hailsham or £12 and £6 respectively on the door. Bar snacks, drinks and a raffle.

GRASS VERGES: Hailsham Town Council is calling on residents to nominate which grass verges on public highways in the town should be designated wildflower sites. The announcement for suggestions of areas of grass that could be left as ‘wildflower patches’, follows the Town Council’s decision at its meeting held in September to fund additional grass cuts in 2019, amounting to a total of six cuts (of which the Town Council will provide funding for four and the County Council paying for two as part of their schedule of allocated grass cuts). At the meeting town councillors concluded that there are a small number of verges that can be left intentionally uncut to maintain flower-rich habitats in specific areas of interest and these will be cut later in the season (twice a year). The deadline for receipt of nominations is 4pm on Friday November 30. A detailed survey offering suggestions of designated wildflower areas has been received by the Town Council and a meeting held with County Council officers to discuss where several wildflower verges can be located. A full list is required by the end of the year and nominations for suggested locations are now being sought from members of the public. If you would like to nominate specific grass verges or sections of verges, please contact the Town Council by email ([email protected]). Residents in Hailsham with enquiries regarding the responsibility of urban grass cutting or complaints about the standard and frequency of such cuts should contact East Sussex Highways on 0345 60 80 193.