Hailsham Town News

Please note the change of venue. Come and find out about all the clubs and organisations you can join or volunteer, for where you can take up a new interest, make new friends and get involved in the community. You will be able to talk to a selection of those at this event from the Friends of Hailsham Old Pavilion Society, a new local choir, fitness and sports groups, Freedom Leisure, Youth and Volunteering representatives. The information table can help with finding any interest and organisations that are not represented on the day. There will be refreshments provided by event sponsors, Hailsham Lions, and a survey prize draw if you can help make the event better for you and for organisers, next year. Big thanks also to Pro Eco for their sponsorship along with What’s on in Hailsham local online events guide. Free entry.

HAILSHAM HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY Society next meets on Wednesday 4 February when Adrian Backshall will be talking about Harold Franklin 1915-2016 Toolmaker at Birds.

Last month’s meeting was led by Kevin Gordon talking about Ellis Kelsey a Sussex Photographer 1890-1930. Seaford Museum hold boxes of glass plates showing images of Eastbourne and surrounding areas all taken by Ellis Kelsey. Ellis had trained at the Royal College of Music as a piano and organ teacher. Photography was a very expensive hobby. His family were well off and supported their son’s hobby. When his father retired, he moved the family to Eastbourne in Upper Avenue and King’s Drive. Once here Ellis developed his more creative work in low light and bad weather photography. Ellis was the first to use colour pictures and he was an avid reader and writer in photography, so would have known about keeping up-to-date with equipment to make clear shots and no blurring. He went to all the villages throughout Sussex taking photographs of night and shadows with vertical lines. Some of his plates were sold to Doncaster Museum and Seaford has most of them with still many to identify.

The Hailsham Historical & Natural History Society meet on the first Wednesday of every month at the Charles Hunt Centre, Vicarage Field (car park), Hailsham, BN27 1BG at 7 for 7.30pm.

Visitors pay £3 on the door. Membership is £15 annually, renewable in January. Enquiries: T: 01323 843102, M: 07850 893997, E: [email protected]

FRIENDS OF DEMELZA HOSPICE Care for Children are a small group of like-minded fundraisers who got together several years ago to form the Friends of Demelza (Hailsham). Some volunteers are fully registered and there are some casual helpers who just come along and help when needed. Each year they raise funds by joining local events with their tombolas and bric-a-brac stalls, and they also organise refreshments for events. This often includes making cakes for which they have become locally quite famous. With the help of some others from Hastings the group regularly handle car parking at King John Nursery at Etchingham for their various fairs held there throughout the year. They have a Christmas Market in the Quintins in December and Pam Robinson from the Friends group visits the Demelza East Sussex office in St Leonards to present them with a cheque. In April you will see the Friends of Demelza working away to raise more funds for Demelza at the Bates Farm Bluebell Trail. If you like the sound of this fun way of helping the charity, they are always looking for more volunteers, so contact Pam on 01323 844020. Demelza provides extraordinary care to children and young people with serious or life-limiting conditions, providing expert clinical care and helping to create extraordinary moments along the way.

“We’re there when and where we’re needed most, offering support and services as unique as every family, across Kent, South East London and East Sussex.”

If you would like to find out more about the Demelza charity visit Demelza.org.uk or come along to the What can I Join in Hailsham event on Saturday 31 January at the Charles Hunt Centre from 10am to 1pm.

HAILSHAM PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY met on 22 January for the Southern Counties Photographic Federation (SCPF) Print league competition Judged by Helen Taylor-Shaw ARPS.

There were 48 photographic prints with eight mounted photographic prints entered from each of six different Photographic Clubs and Societies. Judge, Helen Taylor-Shaw, had the difficult task of awarding marks from 6 to 10 to each print, with the awarding of half marks also being allowed. Commenting on the extremely high standard of images chosen to represent their respective Societies Helen provided a detailed analysis and critique of each image, delivered with an easy-going sense of humour, before awarding her final marks.

Two Members of the SCPF were present to assist in adjudicating during the totalling of the marks for each of the six entered teams and to verify final scores. Overall positions and scores were as follows: 1st Salisbury – 67.5 points, 2nd Overton - 66.5, 3rd Fareham and Porchester – 63, 4th Petersfield 62.5, 5th Bracknell 61 and 6th Hailsham 59.5 points.

Many thanks to each of those Camera Clubs participating, to judge Helen, to SCPF for attending as adjudicators and external competitions secretary Richard Moon for arranging the event.

THE NATIONAL GARDENS SCHEME with 175 gardens set to open from January to March 2026 the National Garden Scheme is well placed to offer that wonderful early wellbeing boost. 120 snowdrop gardens and others bejewelled with spring flowers will open their gates offering galanthophiles, curious horticulturalists, plant hunters and those looking for garden inspiration the perfect opportunity to enjoy drifts of delicate snowdrops and delightful dolly mixture colours of crocuses, iris, hellebores and more. With warming refreshments and the chance to buy plants these open days are the perfect start to the garden visiting season. If you would like to see the programme you can now go online at NGS.org.uk to plan your visits.

PROM IN THE PARK is an event resurrected by Hailsham Town Council which, popular event prior to Covid, lockdowns, was organised by the Friends of Demelza Hospice Care for Children. However, HTC will now be organising this in aid of St Wilfrid’s Hospice! This summer community event, will take place on Sunday 7 June from 3pm to 6pm at the Western Road Recreation Ground. Mark the date and bring your picnic, blanket and chairs for entertainment in a relaxed outdoor setting. Jacket potatoes and refreshments will also be available. Warbleton Brass Band will be there with classic and contemporary pieces. Children will be entertained with a variety of activities, including close-up magic, balloon modelling and a traditional Punch and Judy show, courtesy of Jonathan Cann. Hailsham FM will also be present on the day to provide coverage. A charity collection will take place at the end of the afternoon in support of St Wilfrid’s Hospice, helping to raise funds for this important local cause.

NEW FIRE & LEGO WALK Sponsorship means that the entry subscription for this event on 28 March at the Cattle Market site in Market Street, Hailsham, has been halved to just £50. This is great news and will open the event up to applications for many more people to support this wonderful charity. If walking on hot coals or the challenge of trampling across Lego bricks has always been on your bucket list then sign up now by contacting [email protected] or call 0345 833 9827. Raise money for your charity or group or your choice or just for fun. Charities with participants can have a free pitch.

VANISHING PLACE OPEN CALL for a new exhibition at Gallery North. This exhibition will be a reflective, searching exhibition that both celebrates and challenges the beauty of our precious land and seascapes, habitats and ecosystems, urban and wild, natural and man-made.

Organisers are inviting entries from artists at any stage in their careers who are creating work or have existing work that responds to this theme. Submissions are welcomed from artists working in any medium across the 2D and 3D spectrum but predominantly painting, photography and wall-based work. Submission deadline is 9pm on 8 March 2026. To find out more email [email protected] or visit the website.

SOUNDWORKS AFTER SCHOOL MUSIC Club restarted in January and will be continuing throughout February and March for SEN children. The Club for children and their parents or carers aged 5 to 11 and recruiting for 11+, is at Hailsham Family Hub at Hailsham East Community Centre, Vega Close, Hailsham BN27 2JZ from 3.45 to 5pm on 11 and 25 February, 4, 11, 18 and 25 March. For more information email [email protected] to sign up.