Hailsham Town News

Pupils from HCC and Hailsham Primary Academy will be carol singing before the official switch-on and Santa will be attending (courtesy of Hailsham Rotary Club) handing out sweets to children. Hailsham FM will be live with Christmas tunes. There will be market stalls, food, face-painting and lots more. After the switch-on at 6pm, Hailsham Parish Church will be serving hot drinks. Activities will start around 2pm and the High Street will be closed from 4pm until after the switch-on.

RUMBLE WRESTLING is at the Civic Community Hall, Hailsham on Saturday 29 November for a fun evening of family entertainment from 6 pm. Tickets from www.rumblewrestling.com.

CATS PROTECTION CHRISTMAS FAIR is at the Charles Hunt Centre (not the Adoption Centre) Vicarage Field, Hailsham, BN27 1BG on Sunday 30 November from 12 noon until 3pm. The Adoption Centre in Marshfoot Lane, will be open.

MEET THE CHARACTERS OF CHRISTMAS at this family-friendly experience of the Christmas story, including crafts, songs and a delicious tea on Sunday 7 December. Bookings at https://hailshamparishchurch.churchsuite.com/events.

HAILSHAM PARISH CHURCH CHRISTMAS programme of events start is now available on their website. If you do not have access to the internet then you may be able to pick up a printed programme or a summary of events is as follows: Friday 28 The Church will be open for refreshments before and after the Hailsham Christmas Lights Switch event from 6pm. Sunday 30 is Advent Sunday 8.30am Holy Communion Service, 10.30am A Countdown to Christmas All Age Service and a great way for all ages to get ready for Christmas, 6.30pm An Advent Candlelight Service of a traditional service of hymns and readings for Advent. On Monday 1 December 2pm Daytime Carols, a short Christmas service featuring your favourite readings and carols followed by festive refreshments.

HAWKES FARM SNOWFLAKE SPECTACULAR is on Saturday 29 November from 11.30am to 2.30pm at Hawkes Farm Academy primary school, Hawks Road. They offer fun, games, market place, hot and cold food, Father Christmas in his grotto.

HAILSHAM PHOTOGRPHIC SOCIETY met last week for a print and PDI battle with Seven Sisters Camera Club. The events was judged by Ken Woods. As keenly contested as any Ashes Test, Hailsham's regular Print and Projected Digital Image head to head with Seven Sisters Camera Club always makes for an enjoyable and exciting evening. The competition requires each club to submit a total of 12 Prints and twelve Projected Digital Images (PDIs) with each image being assessed and scored out of a possible 20 marks. As the independent judge for the night, Ken Woods’ easy going style and sense of humour was well received by all present albeit many were still showing their competitive edge by trying to keep a running total of all scores as the evening progressed. Ken's comments and advice on each of the submitted entries were also well directed, holding back a number for more detailed thought prior to awarding final scores to each. Throughout the whole exercise he was of course unaware which of the two Clubs had entered any particular image.

Within the Print Section Seven Sisters scored a total of 211 to Hailsham's 208 whereas the PDI Section favoured the home team with Hailsham scoring 217 to Seven Sisters 209 thus giving a narrow overall victory to Hailsham with 425 points to Seven Sisters 420 points.

Congratulations to everyone whose images were chosen to represent their Club. Special mentions to those whose photographs achieved maximum (20) marks from the judge - David Hammond and Giles Smith from Seven Sisters, and Bob Bell and Paul Shilliam from Hailsham. A selection of images entered can be seen on the Society's website at www.hailshamphotographicsociety.co.uk

HAILSHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY AGM was last month. Chairman, Richard Goldsmith, reported on another successful year, with membership continuing to exceed 120. There had been a varied programme of speakers, although the January meeting had to be cancelled due to a sudden snowstorm. In July, Jan had organised a guided walk along Eastbourne seafront which was attended by around 16 members.

The application last December to the Chalk Cliff Trust for a grant towards setting up the Rope Museum at Knockhatch was approved and the money received within 24 hours but the project has been delayed due to other work taking place at Knockhatch, but it is hoped that progress can be made soon.

The Society had taken part in a number of events during the year - laying a wreath at the Remembrance Day service, "What Can I Join in Hailsham?" event, the VE day service at the war memorial in May, the very successful VE Day 80th commemoration event on 10 May, the Percy Burton commemoration event in September, and the Nostalgia Fair. In August, they had also put on a display at Arlington Pop-Up Museum's farming exhibition and talk, and supplied a display about ropemaking at St Wilfrid's Catholic Church when they exhibited the saintly relics of St Andrew (patron saint of ropemaking). The event at Arlington subsequently resulted in an unexpected donation to the Society.

The children from Grovelands School have not visited the Heritage Centre Museum this year, due to changes in their curriculum. Opening of the Museum in May was delayed by 3 weeks, due to electrical work taking place at the Town Council building.

Richard had put together a display on Percy Burton for the commemoration event and afterwards, Barratt Homes made a donation to the Society and are also organising visits to the memorial at Cuckoo Fields for local schoolchildren. The Percy Burton display was shown at Hailsham Library.

Richard has resumed giving some local history talks, assisted by Paul Endersby. The Society continues to benefit from ticket sales in the Wealden Community Lottery.

Richard wished to thank all those who had helped in any way this year: the Museum Custodians, and Jackie for organising the rota; the Museum Working Party - mainly Mick, Rosemary and Sue, with occasional help from David, Stewart and Andy, Lita for the newspaper reports and those who help out at meetings - Sam, Jim, Linda, William and Alan of Age Concern.

Finally, Richard advised that as he would be 80 in 2027, he was intending to stand down as Chairman at the next AGM.

A WREATH-MAKING WORKSHOP is taking place on Friday 28 November at Grovelands School from 6.30 to 8.30pm. This is hosted by professional florist Kerry Decaux and your £30 includes everything you need to make your wreath. Book at www.pta-events.co.uk/frogs.

The Laurel is also offering to teach you to make your own Wreath on Saturday from 2 to 4pm. Pop in to book.

MEET THE TWINNING ASSOCIATION at their pre-Christmas Eat and Meet and AGM on Friday 28 November at 7pm at Charles Hunt Centre. Meet the members and if you would like to become one of them, the membership is £10 per year. If you are already a member this this is the occasion to renew and book in for your New Year meal.

PERCY BURTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY REPORT The next Hailsham Historical & Natural History Society will be about Sussex Sports by Matthew Homewood. The November meeting talk was delivered by Chairman, Richard Goldsmith who showed slides and told of the courageous act of Percy Burton in WW2. Percy Burton was born on 6 June 1917 in Cape Province, South Africa. In 1938 he joined his brother in Oxford and learnt to fly with the Oxford University Air Squadron before being posted to join No: 249 RAF Squadron. In 1939 he got his wings and became a Pilot Officer.

By 1940 he was flying Hurricanes as part of 249 Squadron and met the Duke of Kent. It was part of 249 Squadrons mission to engage in intercepting German aircraft before they reached London during the Battle of Britain. On 27 September 1940 Percy chased a Messerschmitt Bf110 from Redhill at tree top level south following the rail track. When they reached Hailsham Percy deliberately flew under the enemy plane and rammed it, taking the tail off and causing it to crash in the field in Mill Road. Percy’s plane lost a wing tip and crashed into an oak tree in the same area.

On hearing of the importance of the site, Barratt Homes developed a park at what is now known as Cuckoo Fields, with the installation of a commemorative bench, a cross next to the oak tree and plaque in his memory and honour. It is the only memorial to a single airman in the whole country.

Percy Burton Park was unveiled on 13 September 2025, to remember his legacy, 85 years after Percy laid down his life for Great Britain.

Enquiries about the Society should be made to 01323 843102 or 07850 893997 or email [email protected].

DIPPY DOODAH CRAFT WORKSHOPS are for Christmas Cracker making on Tuesday 2 December. Pop in to the café on the High Street to book. There is then Stone Painting on 6 December.

CALLING PAST HAILSHAM YFC members back as far as the 1990s to celebrate 80 years of Hailsham YFC next month. Current member Lucy and her ex-member Auntie Claire have been transferring never before seen tapes to digital of Hailsham members in the 90s. Go along for an evening of old memories and nostalgia, reminiscing on lots of clips “I’m sure some of you hoped would never see the light of day.” No need to book.

HAWTHYLANDS LIGHTS SWITCH-ON will be on Saturday 29 November at 6pm. They will be raising funds for St Wilfrid’s hospice, Eastbourne this year, a charity that is close to their hearts as a family. The box (covered by cameras) will still be in place on the gatepost for cash donations but also a QR code will be around the display, as requested last year, for you to scan and donate if you have enjoyed the display.

TREASURE POTS MINI MARKET will be offering lots of stalls and activities on Saturday 29 November for the whole family. There will be gifts, crafts, games, prizes and charity stalls, a £1 Bargain Table and Christmas refreshments. Entry is free. There will be cake decorating for the children, skill swap, glitter tattoos and lots more from 11am to 2pm at the Charles Hunt Centre, Vicarage Field, entrance in Waitrose Car Park, Vicarage Lane BN27 1BG.

DUCATI OPEN WEEKEND at Unit G2, Swallow Enterprise Park,, BN27 4EL Hailsham is on 29 from 9am to 5pm and 30 November from 10am to 3pm. Admission is free for this action-packed weekend celebrating everything Ducati. Free admission, Used Bikes Specials, Clothing Specials, Food and drinks available, Family-friendly vibes.

CAR BOOT, MARKET & CAFÉ is this, and every Friday at the Cattle Market Site, Market Street, Hailsham from 6am to about 1pm. Free entry. Sellers £8 per car. Market café open for breakfast, lunches and light snacks. Lots of stalls, plants, butchers, NatWest mobile bank (11am). Hailsham car boot and market is open all year round except Christmas week.