Hailsham

COMMUNITY GROUPS FORUM: This group next meeting is on Tuesday and is where representatives of local community groups, organisations, clubs and charities meet to swap news, hints and tips and much more. It starts at 6.30pm in St Mary’s lounge. Further details can be had from Michelle Hagger at Hailsham Town Council offices or just turn up. All welcome.

BONFIRE MEETING: The next meeting of the bonfire society is on Monday at 8pm in the Hailsham Memorial Institute on Western Road. If you would like to join the society and get involved in their annual bonfire celebration which this year is on Saturday October 21, then you can go along and find out more about this family friendly society.

RAMBLERS: Hailsham Ramblers are meeting for a long walk along the seafront from Sovereign Harbour to the pier and back on Wednesday. If you would like to go along ring 449256 for details. All welcome.

FARMERS MARKET: From 9am to 12.30pm on Saturday January 14 Hailsham Farmers Market will be at the Cattle Market Site, Market Street with local quality traceable produce and crafts. Start the New Year by ensuring you get the best local produce to help with a healthy diet. All meat sold at the market is raised by the producers selling there, who are happy to tell you about the upbringing and care of their animals. Beeswax hand and skin creams can help in the natural treatment of various skin complaints. Handmade wood items make the most of timber from the local environment. Come along to the Farmers’ Market to support your local farmers and craftspeople. Park free on site, pick your goods from the range at our stalls, pack your shopping straight into your car, and pop in for refreshments to the Market Café. Traders: For information on taking a pitch please call 01892 852168 or email [email protected].

STREET MARKET: The regular street market in Vicarage Field reopens for the New Year tomorrow, Saturday, from 8.30am to 3pm.

SOUTH PACIFIC: Next Saturday, January 14, at The Pavilion, George Street. This romantic film is set on a Pacific Island during World War II and includes memorable songs such as Some Enchanted Evening, I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair, There is Nothing Like a Dame and Bali Hai. Performances at 2.30pm and 7.45pm. Tickets £7 (concessions and children £5.50) available from The Pavilion box office on 01323 841414 or www.pavilionhailsham.co.uk.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY: The next meeting will be on Wednesday and is entitled Ropemakers and Railways. Hailsham has been known for its ropemaking skills for over 200 years. During the days of CB Radio, Hailsham was known as Stringtown. This presentation is by Society member, Paul Endersby, and is at the Methodist Church Hall at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. All welcome. Visitors £2.50. Membership is now due. Annual subscription £14. Chairman David Bourne (01323) 440359.

HEALTH WALK: This group takes a short local walk along different routes in the town each Thursday lasting about one hour. It is for everybody but with particular attention to those who may have health challenges and or are trying to get back to fitness. The walk is at a pace for all and has a trained leader, first aider and has someone at the rear to make sure no one gets left behind.

They meet at the War Memorial every Thursday at 10.30am. If you have any queries, contact Jenny on 07740 899559 or email [email protected].

CRICKET CLUB: Hailsham Cricket Club is an ECB Clubmark accredited club which is starting their junior winter training in January. The details are as follows: the first session is free for new members, they train at Hailsham Community College Sports Hall, they offer training to boys and girls from Reception through to 19 years of age. Cost is £2.50 a session with no annual subscription to pay. For more information on times and costs please get in touch with Rob Wilkinson 07980146841 or email [email protected].

HOPS: This year Hailsham Old Pavilion Society at their AGM handed over the biggest cheque ever to the Pavilion of over £24k. Everybody who had contributed and the many forms fundraising takes, was thanked including the venues at which opportunities were offered to raise funds. This success was also due to an increase in membership. Manager, Paul Nunney reported that the Pavilion had been breaking even the last two years. In the last year the money has been used to rewire the venue and refurbish the box office including online ticketing. Reupholstering and re-stuffing of all the seats in the auditorium is now underway.

GALLERY VOLUNTEERS: Gallery North, Hailsham’s unique art gallery, is urgently seeking extra stewards to man the gallery which opens five days a week from Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm. Currently, stewards work either a morning shift from 10am to 1pm or an afternoon shift from 1pm to 4pm. The role would suit anyone who has an interest in art and who likes meeting people. The gallery’s team of supporters help in other way too, including dealing with admin, social media and publicity, and keeping the building clean and tidy. Established 12 years ago, Gallery North offers at least six varied and diverse exhibitions a year and has links with local schools and colleges. In the New Year, it will be holding a series of art workshops, and will be hoping to initiate an Outreach programme, collaborating with local community settings and working with other art galleries. If you are interest, contact Jenny West at Gallery North on 01323 846938.

MEETING POINT: From January the meetings will be in the afternoon at 2pm starting with tea and biscuits on the first Monday of the month in the Church Lounge. There will be a variety of speakers of interest to both men and women, and all are welcome to join or visit for specific meetings. For any further information call Margaret 846019 or Pam 844341. The January meeting is a New Year Party and as usual there is a fun afternoon planned. Just bring an item of food to share.

BITE IN IS BACK: By the time you read this the Bite-In will have made a new beginning with brand new facilities. The hope to have got to grips with essential training in use of the state-of-the-art equipment and have at least one or two weeks open under their belt. It is also hoped that after settling down hey will be able to broaden the scope of the Bite-In making it a good community meeting place with food according to their ability to provide it. This depends absolutely on sufficiency of staff, those prepared to come every week, come less often but regularly, or stand-by staff serving as and when able, the more the merrier. Cake makers at the ready, start baking. Please see Alan or Ron to volunteer for anything. They also need customers and thank you in anticipation of your support in St Mary’s Parish Church lounge every Friday. Drop in for tea, coffee and light refreshments between 9.30am and noon.

100 YEARS AGO: In December 1916 Rev F C Harvey wrote regarding Hailsham War Savings’ Association: After two public meetings, we have started a War Savings’ Association for Hailsham. The first meeting for enrolling members was held on Saturday October 21. Fourteen members only entered but we have since steadily increased and on Saturday November 18 we had thirty-one members. The scheme is a very simple one. A member can pay 6d per week, or as many more sixpences as he likes, and when he has paid in 15/6 the Association gives a War Savings’ Certificate which entitles the member to 20/- at the end of five years from the date on which the certificate was purchased by the Association. The National need and the high rate of interest offered, and the fact that the money can be withdrawn in cases of necessity on short notice are strong reasons for our pleading for greater support from the inhabitants of Hailsham. It not only fosters the habit of thrift by joining the Association, but you, at the same time, as a patriot do your duty.

HAILSHAM LIONS: Geraldine Gurr, president of the Hailsham Lions, would like to extend her grateful thanks to residents of the town and surrounding area for their overwhelming generosity during last year. This show of kindness has enabled the Lions to help several local organisations, including the hiring of a mini bus for a camping holiday for the 2nd Hailsham scouts, a new pool table for the town’s Youth Café, a donation to the Bakers Farm Park residents for a new defibrillator, and a pallet of bricks to help build a multi-use centre at Pestalozzi Village. The Lions also supported the Ovarian Cancer campaign by financing the cost of a three-month advertisement to publicise awareness of the disease on Hailsham FM and made a contribution towards a Music Box for Julie Reid who works with people who are coping with dementia. Members of the Lions also joined in street collections for both Marie Curie and the NSPCC and were involved in several of the town’s activities including the Christmas Lights switch on. More recently, they made a donation towards purchasing new equipment for the Healthy Living Club, and during December, opened their very first Charity Book Shop in Market Street, opposite Hailsham’s Open Market, where the opening hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10am to 4pm.

Without the public’s continued support, the Lions would not have been able to help those in need, and assist others who will ask for help in the future.

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