Hailsham Town News

This means listeners will now have the convenience of accessing their favourite shows anytime, anywhere. Radio Illumini founder Martina Mercer said, "We are thrilled to make this transition and can't wait for listeners to experience the flexibility and ease that Mixcloud offers. Whether they're tuning in from home, on the go, or halfway across the globe, Radio Illumini will always be just a click away." Among Martina's credentials is a merit diploma in Radio Journalism, and her expertise and experience has been invaluable to successfully running the station. "We want to extend our thanks to everyone for their support, loyalty and love throughout our journey so far. The enthusiasm and feedback have been invaluable in making Radio Illumini a vibrant and cherished community. Join us on Mixcloud and continue to enjoy the best music, shows and content. Together let's make this new chapter even more remarkable." One of the station's future plans is to promote a live show featuring The Amy Winehouse Experience and the Legends Tributes On Tour.

THE ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SHOW by Hailsham Photographic Society takes place on Friday 7 at 7.30pm and Saturday 8 March at 2.30 and 7.30pm at Hailsham Civic Community Hall, BN27 2AX. Tickets cost just £8 from Stevens and Carter, Estate Agents , 47 High St. Hailsham, from Club Members or via ‘Contact us’ on the website at www.hailshamphotographicsociety.co.uk. This 2 hour show provides an Audio Visual Extravaganza of stunning images and audio videos from the Society's Members and covers a wide range of topics. With beautiful examples of photographic subjects from landscape, travel, portraits, abstract, street photography and natural history there will certainly be something of interest for everyone. With ample free parking nearby and with refreshments and a raffle also available, everyone is invited to come along and enjoy the show to support and raise monies for local charities which this year is East Sussex Wildlife Rescue. Representatives will be available during the Show to explain a little more about their valuable work.

HAILSHAM FARMERS MARKET is this Saturday 8 March from 9am to 12.30pm. Come along to the Cattle Market Site, Market Street, Hailsham BN27 2AG and support local producers thereby reducing your carbon footprint. Although there will be a smaller selection of stalls than normal, they will all be selling quality products. Joining the producers this month will be Sarah-Jane Moore with her beautiful homemade cakes. Also returning will be Fresh Meadows Farm with their selection of delicious locally farmed meats alongside our regular producers of local honey, artisan bread and pastries, plants ready for your garden and lots more. This market will run, whatever the weather, so please support your local farmers, producers and craftspeople. As always, there is plenty of free parking on site, so you can pick your goods and pack your shopping straight into your car.

ELECTRA STAR DANCE were the guest speakers on Tuesday 25 February at The Rotary Club of Hailsham. Polly Bidgood and Michelle Urtel from the Electra Star Dance at Horam explained that Electra Star was started in September 2017 at Horam by Laura Farley. Since then, attendance has grown and they now have almost 300 members. The Danceschool opened its own studio in March 2020. They are very keen to promote the club's ‘core values’ – Kindness, patience, teamwork and opportunities. “Opportunities” includescholarships, auditions, pantomimes, ballet parades and school fairs. This year the Electra Star has qualified and been selected to represent England at Dance School Cup in Burgos, Spain. The Dance World cup began in 1972 and last year 9,500 children from 66 countries took part and this year 71 countries will take part. It is the dancing equivalent of the Olympics. This year one solo dancer, aged 9 years, and one group of dancers from Electra Star Dance have qualified and been selected to represent England. This is a total of 19 dancers. The cost per dancer will amount to £1,300. This includes entry fees, kit, rehearsals and costumes. (The total cost per dancer will be about £3,000). The dance school has already been raising money through Christmas raffles, carol singing, tuckshops, bingo nights, sponsorships, bag packing at Waitrose and Radio appearances. To date they have raisedalmost £8,000.

THE HAILSHAM PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY annual Panel Competition for the Strong Trophy requires entries of six images on any subject matter but where the required essential elements of cohesion and complementarity display a sense of belonging and harmony between all images. Sadly this was to be David Eastley's last visit to judge at Hailsham with him having taken the decision to retire from judging after some twenty years in the business. An extremely popular and experienced judge David was at great pains to emphasise just how impressed he was with the very high technical quality of all eleven panel entries. In providing his detailed assessment of each panel David confessed that with such a high standard on display he was having to be incredibly pernickety in order to move towards any final decision as to placements and commendations. After further detailed comments, scrutiny and assessment, searching for and pointing out the smallest of areas for improvement in those that were not selected, David's final choices were as follows: 1st Sandstone landscapes by Liz Scott, 2nd Grasses in the snow by John Lewis, 3rd Still life with a hint of Art Deco by Cherry Larcombe. Highly Commended: Street Art by John Daley and Garden Birds by John Evans. All Placed and Highly Commended Panels are available to view on the Hailsham Photographic Society website at www.hailshamphotographicsociety.co.uk

YARN BOMBING FOR VE DAY is being organised and everyone can take part. Four years ago crafty-minded groups and individuals yarn-bombed the Hailsham High Street Bollards. Yes, you guessed it folks, they are going to do it again for VE Day in May 2025. So please get designing and link your design to VE Day 80 years. These need to be ready for you to put up on a Bollard Starting the top end of the High street by the Art Gallery then work down the high street on 1 May to be left up for the whole of May. If you have any questions ring Mary on 07723 444209 and spread the word please. Knitted, crocheted or material sleeve that can be decorated. Let your imagination go wild and be creative. There are 38 Bollards to cover up. You can also go along and work in a group on Mondays from 10am at Dippy Doodah’s in the High Street.

THE RAILWAY CLUB is a Social Club in Hailsham for people over the age of 55. It starts at 10am to 1pm. Enjoy hot refreshments and biscuits whilst you chat and make new friends or bring existing friends along. There are pool tables, games, jigsaws, books and the occasional speaker. This also doubles up as a warm space and if you are feeling a bit isolated or lonely. It is on the lower level of the Station Youth Centre in Western Road (what was the Free Church). It has disabled access via a lift and a slope to the right of the building to the hall.

HAILSHAM COMMUNITY RUN takes place on 18th May and is a fully inclusive event. The 1 mile is especially open to all forms of disabilities and you can use any aids required to enable you to participate in the course which is 2 laps of a road in Vicarage Lane. There is a full Changing Places Pod on Site than can be accessed with a radar key. Sign up to take part at HailshamCommunityRun.co.uk.

TWO MONTHS TO GO until the Hailsham FM Stringtown Stories competition closing date. The Hailsham FM Short story competition is back for 2025 and they are again looking for budding local story writers to write a story to feature in its next series of Stringtown Stories. To enter the competition, all they need is your story. It needs to be an original story that is no more than 1500 words long and supplied via email or post by midnight on the 30 April 2025 along with your name and age and contact details. Postal entries please send to: Stringtown Stories competition, Hailsham FM, 2B St Mary's Walk, Hailsham, BN27 3JF. Winners will be announced in late June and have their stories made into an audio book, voiced by a professional voice actor and then played on Hailsham FM in the Autumn in its brand new series. Send in your tales and we could be listening to your story on the radio. Email entries to be sent to [email protected]. For more details and terms and conditions visit www.hailshamfm.com.