Uckfield Town News

EAST SUSSEX WRAS

Can you help?

During 2025's peak season (April–October), our wildlife facilities were operating at full capacity. With demand continuing to grow, we are now seeking temporary land to accommodate multiple additional pens within the same site for a variety of animals needing care before they can be released back into the wild. Wildlife cared for within these pens will not be released on site, they are primarily for the rehabilitation period. If you have suitable land available during our busiest months, your support could make a huge difference. Our requirements are: Minimum of 1 acre of land: 24-hour vehicle access to the pens: An onsite water supply: Located within 10–15 minutes of our Casualty Centre in Whitesmith (BN8 6JD): If you feel you may be able to help, or would like to discuss this further, please contact our Lead Casualty Manager Katie: [email protected]. We would be incredibly grateful if you could share this message with your friends, family and wider network, helping us continue to support and rehabilitate as many wildlife casualties as possible this year. Thank you for your continued support.

Casualty Help. We are certainly seeing an increase in casualties coming in each day and we aren't even near our busy season yet. From collapsed foxes and catted pigeons to injured hedgehogs and RTA badgers, they are certainly keeping rescuers busy. If anyone would like to purchase an item from our Amazon wishlist, to help us continue helping our wildlife, and prepare for our busy season, it would be really appreciated! https://amzn.eu/abJOttD Wildlife Casualties. Almost 7,000 Wildlife Casualties in 2025 In 2025, WRAS dealt with almost 7,000 wildlife casualties — an extraordinary level of demand for our charity. The top five council areas where casualties came from were: 1) Wealden -1,814. 2) Brighton & Hove -1,430. 3) Eastbourne — 1,407. 4) Lewes — 1,040. 5) Rother — 452 This was followed by Mid Sussex and Hastings. Traditionally, Wealden and Eastbourne have always been our busiest areas — but in recent years Brighton & Hove has rapidly risen to become our second busiest, after admitting fewer than 30 casualties in 2020. With the closure of other wildlife rescues across the region, more and more animals are being referred to WRAS, placing increasing pressure and workload on our staff and volunteers. Your support has never been more important. Together, we can continue to be there for wildlife when there’s nowhere else to turn.

UCKFIELD TOWN MAYOR

Throughout my 18months as Mayor, I have met some of the most amazing volunteers. People volunteer to make a difference and to give back to their communities, support causes they care about, and help others in meaningful ways. At the same time, volunteering gives back too—building skills, confidence, friendships, and a sense of purpose. It boosts well-being, creates connections, and turns spare time into something impactful. In the end, volunteering is a win-win: Doing good feels good—and helps create a better world for everyone. If you are looking for a way to start your volunteering journey in 2026, please contact Wealden Volunteering who can show you the many different ways you can get involved locally. If you have a few hours to spare and can help drive people to medical appointments, then please contact Sophie at Uckfield Care Drivers as they are desperately looking for support.

LUXFORD CENTRE - VOLUNTEER COOKS NEEDED.

Uckfield charity for people aged 55 and over, providing outings and regular activities each week seeks cooks to help run their weekly lunchtime meetups. No professional experience is required for this role, just good home cooking! Can you help? To register your interest see: https://wealdenvolunteering.org.uk/.../apply-to-be-a.../

BUXTED PARISH COUNCIL

Buxted Parish Council is delighted with the completion of a brand-new bus shelter in Five Ash Down, replacing the previous structure that collapsed. The new shelter has been thoughtfully designed and constructed using traditional materials and the skills of quality local craftsperson. The shelter features a sturdy timber frame, wooden cladding, and a beautifully crafted pitched roof, providing both durability and a warm, rustic aesthetic that complements the character of the surrounding area. The Parish Council worked with a local craftsperson who specialises in traditional oak framed structures. The new bus shelter not only enhances the look of the area but also provides a safe and welcoming space for residents using local bus services. The Council extends its thanks to their contractor for bringing this project to life. (The new shelter is now fully open for public use).

BUXTED TOGETHER

The team completed the stretch of footpath running from Vulcan Farm to Oast Farm, meaning that the whole stretch of footpath running from the Coopers Green Traffic Lights to the entrance to Three Willows (past Oast Farm) has been worked on and the footpath taken back over the last few months. Rubbish was collected, filling more than 2 bags with litter. What a superb effort from the volunteers! Four drains were also cleared: 1. Framfield Road drain on the corner by Buxted Inn/Surgery 2. Drain outside KSV, Framfield Road 3. Totally covered drain on Limes Lane4. and finally, one up near the garage at the end of Limes Lane.

BUXTED BONFIRE SOCIETY

Notice is hereby given that the Buxted Bonfire Society Limited Annual General Meeting is to be held on Thursday, 26th February 2026 at Buxted Football Club, Recreation Ground, Buxted, TN22 4LE. Arrive at 7:15pm for a prompt 7:30 pm start. We ask that those of you who wish to attend please arrive in plenty of time so the meeting can start promptly at 7.30pm. There will be no questions from the floor. If you have anything you would like to be included in the meeting under the heading of Any Other Business, please forward it in writing to the company email address: [email protected] no later than Monday, 16th February 2026. Anything received after this date will not be included.

KINGS HEAD EAST HOATHLY - NEARLY THERE

Since our community share offer closed on 12th December, we’ve been working really hard behind the scenes to complete the purchase of The King’s Head. It’s been a very complex process, and although originally, we had hoped the sale would complete on 23rd January, unfortunately, it just wasn’t possible. However, we are now in the final stages of the legal process, and expect the community to take ownership of the pub early next week!Once we get the keys, we'll carry out a deep clean, refresh and refurbish some areas of the building, and install new equipment and technology. To achieve all of this in the shortest possible time, we're intending to close The King’s Head for up to 3 weeks, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated on plans for re-opening, recruitment, the pub's new website and more.We’re absolutely delighted that Denise, Sarah and Jenny will continue to work at the pub. And whilst we’re sorry that Joey, Lizzie and Becky aren’t coming along too, we wish them all the very best for the future. We’d also like to express our sincere gratitude to Bob and Tracie for working so collaboratively with us throughout this whole process, and thank them for their incredible 30 years of service to the village as landlord and landlady of this much-loved place. Without their commitment to ensuring The King’s Head remains a pub (and specifically a pub that’s owned by its community), this exciting next chapter in its long history would just not have been possible. We wish them a wonderful and well-deserved holiday, and a very happy and healthy retirement.