Hailsham Town News
HAILSHAM PARISH CHURCH CHRISTMAS programme of events 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: This coming week on Sunday 7 at 9.30am Morning Service (Holy Communion), 4pm Meet the Characters of Christmas, a family-friendly experience of the Christmas story, including crafts, songs and a delicious tea. This event needs to be pre-booked via the church website. Thursday 11 at 9.30am ABCs Christmas Party, Saturday 13 at 2.30pm A free Concert of Carols and Christmas Music with Wealden Brass.
TOWN COUNCIL NEWS ROUNDUP: Mickey Caira (Reform) has been elected to serve as councillor for the West Ward following the by-election held on Thursday 27 November.
Hailsham Youth Service offers a wide range of activities and opportunities for young people aged 11-17 in the town. Its Friday Night Project will feature a festive line-up of activities.
Hailsham Town Council will launch the public 6-week consultation for the updated Hailsham Neighbourhood Plan on 3 January 2026. This will mark a key step in shaping the future of Hailsham.
The Town Council is to continue its support for the Hailsham Community Run by the purchase of medals for participants, rental of toilet facilities, event publicity, licences and associated planning costs on Sunday 17 May 2026 and registration is now open at https://register.enthuse.com/ps/event/HailshamCommunityRun2026/.
The Hailsham’s annual Christmas Lights Switch-On drew large crowds and brought festive cheer. The event, which marked the official start of the Christmas season in Hailsham, was filled with community spirit, charity stalls, entertainment and plenty of seasonal shopping.
The Communities Committee in its programme of seasonal activities, includes an annual Best Shop Window Christmas Display Competition.
The latest stage of improvements at Hailsham Cemetery in Ersham Road is well underway and several key projects are now complete. Work includes electrical upgrades to the chapel, external guttering work on the public toilet building and most recently, the transformation of a previously unused building on site into a comfortable waiting room for visitors.
HAILSHAM CHRISTMAS MARKET is on Saturday 13 December, from 9am to 2.30pm. There will be a wide selection of market stalls including handcrafted gifts, locally produced goods and a variety of festive foods and gift ideas. There will be live entertainment throughout the day from The Sussex Stompers and The Jackettes, with a mix of jazz and vintage-style Christmas music. Santa Claus and his sleigh with Hailsham Rotary Club will be there and Hailsham FM will broadcast live.
FARMERS CHRISTMAS MARKET & CAFE will be on Saturday 13 December at the Cattle Market site. At this Farmers Market which supports local farmers and producers there will be the regular traders of local seasonal fruit, greeting cards and Christmas gift ideas, along with local meat, eggs, game, honey, artisan bread and other treats. There will be festive warmed spiced apple drinks, local Radio, Hailsham FM will be broadcasting from the market and during the morning Father Christmas will be visiting and giving out apples to all the children that come along. The Market will run from 9am to 12.30pm. Visit and bag some beautiful Christmas gifts direct from the farmers, growers, and producers themselves. This market will run whatever the weather, so please support your local farmers, producers and craftspeople at Hailsham Farmers’ Market. As always, there is plenty of free parking on site and you can pick your goods from the range of stalls and pack your shopping straight into your car at Market Street, Hailsham BN27 2AG.
WEALDEN BRASS CHRISTMAS CONCERT is at Hailsham Parish Church at 2.30pm, featuring a programme of traditional and contemporary seasonal music. This is a free event.
HAILSHAM PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY COMPETITION took place last week. This was the Print Competition - Round 2, judged by Malcolm Bull of Steyning Camera Club. His relaxed style and gentle humour, facilitating interaction with his audience, made for an enjoyable and interesting evening. Malcolm's carefully considered views and suggestions on each displayed Print offered both advice and support to the photographer whilst holding back many images for his further scrutiny and deliberation. His final choices of prints going forward to the finals later in the New Year were as follows. Development Class - Keith Donald Shield (13 entries): Attitude by John Daly, Creeping thistle by John Daly, Reflections by Nicola Stone. Advanced Class - Founder's Cup (43 entries): Where the Mountains breathe cold by Piers Hamilton, Wren collecting moss for his nest by Phil Lavender, Tree Impressions by Liz Scott, The Art Critic by Jack Taylor, Oriental whisper by Cherry Larcombe, Go away birds by Paul Shilliam, Rhino bond by Marston Hart. Images selected by Malcolm to progress through to the finals can be viewed at www.hailshamphotographicsociety.co.uk.
DEMELZA CHILDREN’S HOSPICE CARE Hailsham Friends branch are hoping to raise much needed funds before Christmas. Last Friday they had a Christmas gifts stall at the Lights Switch On event and they will also be at the Hailsham Christmas Market on Saturday 13 December, again in Vicarage Field, so you have two chances to support this worthwhile charity. Also on 13 December, the Friends of Demelza will be serving festive refreshments to all the visitors when the Sussex Creatives Art group are holding their own Christmas Fayre at Union Corner Hall from 10 to 3pm. Meanwhile the Friends of Demelza (Hailsham) “wish all our supporters a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thankyou Hailsham for all your support.”
SANTA’S SLEIGH ROAD TOUR is well on its way and will be visiting roads between Cacklebury Close and The Holt on Friday 5 December from 5 to 7.30pm, between The Grove and Knights Gardens on Saturday from 4 to 6.30pm, Harebeating Drive to Howletts Drive on Sunday from 4 to 6.30pm, Summerheath Road to Bramble Drive including Diplocks on Monday from 5 to 7.30pm. Tuesday rest. Wednesday is Field Close to Arran Close on the Anglesey Estate (continued on Sunday 14 from Medway to Gournay Road) from 5 to 7.30pm, Thursday is Honeysuckle Avenue to Bulrush Lane from 5pm to 7.30pm and on Friday 12 December between Lansdowne Drive and Goldfinch Lane.
RABI CHRISTMAS CAROL EVENING is on Friday 5 December at 7pm at Hailsham Cattle Market, Market Street, Hailsham BN27 2AG and is raising money for the East Sussex Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution. There will be mulled wine and mince pies on arrival. For tickets and more information contact Gill Hesselgrave on 01323 844613 or email [email protected] or Gillian van der Meer on 01323 832578 email [email protected]. Adults £7 with 16s and under free.
CHRISTMAS FOODBANK invites you to help support their Christmas appeal. In December the foodbank will provide Christmas hampers and gifts alongside emergency food parcels for local individuals and families facing hardship. Donate an item or two from their shopping list, ensuring they can provide food for people facing hardship in your community. You could also donate money to help cover the costs of storing and distributing food, as well as developing sustainable projects. The items they would most like donated this month are savoury biscuits or crackers, boxes of biscuits, festive cakes, mince pies or similar, sweet treats for children, Christmas puddings, tubes or bags of crisps, cranberry sauce, gravy, stuffing and sweet treats for adults. If you have a new gift for an adult or child, please leave it in the collection box. The Foodbank is in Market Square, Hailsham, next to the Town Council office. You can ring them on 01323 398358 and visit them at hailsham.foodbank.org.uk.
NEW WARM WINTER HUB is starting this Friday and every Friday until 28 February from 9.30am to 12pm at the James West Community Centre, Brunel Drive, Hailsham on the Welbury Meadows Estate off the Hempstead Lane & Gleneagles Road roundabout. This is a free warm hub with tea, coffee, cake, biscuits, games, toys and more run by Hailsham Town Councillors and organisers of the Railway Club. Everyone welcome.