OUT IN THE FIELD: One man's trash is another man's treasure

Possibly like most people, my first thoughts when I saw that prolific dealer Courtney Birmingham had escaped jail for peddling drugs to people in Eastbourne was pure amazement at the courts system for letting her saunter out of the dock as free as a bird. As a teenager, she was a talented footballer destined to play for England.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Mar 2016, 12:03 BST
Updated 11th Mar 2016, 12:06 BST
Paul Metcalfe at the helm of Eastbourne's Diamond Jubilee lifeboat on Sunday morning with coxswain Mark SawyerPaul Metcalfe at the helm of Eastbourne's Diamond Jubilee lifeboat on Sunday morning with coxswain Mark Sawyer
Paul Metcalfe at the helm of Eastbourne's Diamond Jubilee lifeboat on Sunday morning with coxswain Mark Sawyer

She played football with Old Town boys and ran cross-country for Eastbourne Rovers.

And then, somewhere along the way, it all unravelled and started going horribly wrong and the energy and commitment she put into sport was diverted in the complete opposite direction and she began making a nuisance of herself and dealing drugs.

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I really hope Miss Birmingham takes advantage of the last chance she has been given by a judge and starts to turn her life around once and for all.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure and tomorrow morning (Saturday March 12) I will be selling my no longer loved possessions at a table sale to raise money ahead of my trek to Cambodia next year in aid of the Chestnut Tree Hospice. There will be lots of other folk there selling from tables at the event which has been organised by Jill Parker at the JPK Project along with Sovereign Harbour Rotary Club.

It’s at what used to be Edgmond Chapel in Church Street in Old Town from 10am-2pm.

The event kick starts my campaign to raise £2,000 for the hospice which looks after children from across Sussex with life limiting illnesses and their families.

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There are lots of events coming up including a quiz night and dinners and of course, if anybody has any flat pack furniture they want putting together in return for a donation to the hospice, then as a self-confessed lover of flat pack furniture, I’m your woman.

This weekend Eastbourne Lifeboats will say a fond farewell to Paul Metcalfe, who is having to retire his voluntary role as lifeboat operations manager because he reaches the grand old age of 70 today (Friday).

Paul, born to an Eastbourne family (his father was a Navy man) never likes to be too far from the sea and has been a volunteer in numerous roles at the town’s lifeboat station over the years.

He has worked tirelessly for the RNLI over the years and has been a great ambassador for the charity.

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Interviews are underway to find a replacement and there’s no doubt they’re going to be big wellies to fill.

Happy birthday Paul.

Finally this week, well done to Eastbourne’s tourism department which scooped two highly commended awards at a VisitEngland ceremony for Eastbourne’s four-day festival of flight, Airbourne, and the lovely helpful staff at the Tourist Information Centre in Cornfield Road.

Congratulations to them – and congratulations to the council, which has won a gold award for Remodelling Council Services at the national iESE Awards in Westminster, London.

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Related topics:EnglandOld TownBirmingham