Hailsham

CATS CREAM TEA: Cats Protection will be serving cream teas at the Cats Protection Centre, 63 Marshfoot Lane, Hailsham on Sunday between noon and 3pm. There will also be cakes, stalls, refreshments and a raffle. Visits the cats too. Entry is 50p or a tin of cat food.

WORKING WITH WOOD: There is a free Street Learning Course every Tuesday and Thursday at Training Now! Station Road Industrial Estate between 10am and 1pm. Book on 01323 887199. Beginners welcome.

HAILSHAM LIONS: Come along to a drop-in meeting on Tuesday at the Charles Hunt Centre, Vicarage Field at 7.30pm. New enquirers and members welcome. Phone local rate number 0845 9828.

COMEDY SONGS: The Six Bells Folk and Blues Club at The Six Bells Public House, The Street, Chiddingly meets on Tuesday for a theme night hosted by Ella Moonbridge at 8.30pm. All welcome. For more information and programme of future events visit www.6bellsfolk.co.uk.

HUB LUNCH: On Wednesday there is a Hub Lunch for older people at The Ropemaker Centre, Ropemaker Park, South Road. It starts at 11am with coffee followed by a talk from Caroline Ansell, MP for Eastbourne 2015-17 on Tales from Westminster which is then followed by lunch for just £4. Please book in advance on 01323 442485.

MR KIPLING: A talk by Sue Bobbins on Wednesday evening to members and visitors of the Hailsham Historical and Natural History Society entitled Mr Kipling Without the Cakes. Doors open 7pm for 7.30pm start at The Charles Hunt Centre, Vicarage Field. All welcome. Visitors £2.50.

GARDENING GROUP: Get Out and Garden. This free Street Learning Course is every Thursday during September from 1pm to 3pm at Station Road allotments in Hailsham. If you would like to take part ring 01323 887199 for details and to book.

COMMUNITY GROUPS FORUM: The next meeting for representatives of local groups, charities, clubs and other organisations in Hailsham is on Thursday at 6.30pm in St Mary’s Hailsham Parish Church lounge. This meeting has Mike Tyrell from Simply Beautiful Print coming to talk to the group about the advantages of collaborating for printing needs under one supplier. Any group reps very welcome.

CHARITY GOLF DAY: On Friday September 7 Hailsham Rotarians are hosting on behalf of Parkinsons UK Hailsham branch a full day programme at Wellshurst Golf Course in Hellingly from 11am. The day includes a round of golf, followed by and evening meal all for just £48. You can have just the meal at £15 or just the golf for £33. Please book on 01323 841150. Have a great day out and support a worthy local cause.

HAILSHAM FESTIVAL: There are so many exciting events coming up during Hailsham, more than 30 at the time of going to press, which starts on September 8 and runs until Sunday September 23 including theatre, dance and art trail as well as competitions, recitals and musical entertainment. Competitions start early and closing dates are 10th for the Film competition, third for Poetry, fifth for Short Story. The Pop-up Shop in Hailsham High Street will be open weekdays, except Wednesday from 10am to 4pm and on Saturdays from 9.30am and 3pm from September 3 to 22 with some additional days during the festival so that you can pop in to pick up a programme, find out more about all the events and buy tickets. The art trail runs throughout the Festival and you can visit the extensive list of exhibition venues throughout the town and peripheral villages to view local artists’ work. The list of events are as follows and more details can be found in the programme available at many outlets and online: Wealden Writers, Storytelling for children, Grease Singalong, Stuart and Henry, Barn Dance, Storytelling for Adults, Art, Wine and Cheese, Adrenaline Jive, Abbalicious, Coffee Morning, Jason Lines, Downland Poets, Mayor’s Concert, Folk in the Yard, If I catch Alphonso Tonight, John Lake Trio, Zumba’thon, Festival Jazz Jam, Richard III and Psychosis, Dance Folk, Festival Film, Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll, Figaro Pie, Musical Oh What a Lovely War, Wakin’ Snakes, Singing Workshop, Zulu Afternoon Workshop, Festival showstopper – Zulu Tradition, Helen Sharpe Quartet and finally the Hailsham Community College Ensemble. Hailsham FM also have a Tea Quiz, there are Health Walks, Demelza Coffee Morning, Film and Poetry Awards and so much more. Don’t miss out, get your programme and start planning how you are going to spend Hailsham Festival fortnight.

WEALDEN WRITERS: As part of the Hailsham Festival, Wealden Writers are holding a book event with several visiting writers coming along on Saturday September 8 from 10am to 2pm in Hailsham Parish Church. Entry is free. Guests include Jim Malone, author of The Sisters of Battle Road and the other speaker is Tony Penrose, writer and broadcaster, who has lectured all over the world about his Parents, the surrealist artist Sir Roland Penrose and his wife, the photographer Lee Miller, and the circle of friends, including Picasso, that regularly visited their home at Farley Farm in Chiddingly. There will be book signings from a diverse range of writers (Dave Dyer and Sarah Page) on local history, children’s stories, fiction, poetry and biography. During the afternoon, the winners of the short story competition, Meet the Ancestors, will be presented with their prizes. Details and guidelines on how to enter the competition are available in the free Hailsham Festival Programme which is widely available throughout the town and local area. This free event is being sponsored by East Sussex County Council Building Stronger Communities Fund.

HAILSHAM FM QUIZ: Book now. Following the remarkable success of their Easter Tea Quiz earlier this year, Hailsham FM and Environment Hailsham will be hosting a Family Quiz with tea and cake selection, plus a prize raffle on Sunday September 16 between 2.30pm and 6pm. There will be a wide selection of questions plus, of course, the obligatory music and picture quizzes. Tickets are £7, children £3.50 include entrance to the quiz with tea and cakes in the interval. Minimum of eight guests per team. Tickets for this popular event can be purchased from Richard on 01323 842931 or by calling in at Hailsham FM’s studio in the Asda car park between 9am to noon each day.