Hailsham

CHRISTMAS SERVICES

Hailsham Parish Church: Sunday 23 – 9.30am Holy Communion: A short reflective service to begin Christmas. Christmas Eve – 3pm, 4.30pm and 6pm – Christingle Family Carol Service: Three identical services, choose the time that suits you best, 11pm Holy Communion: A quiet reflective service as Christmas arrives. Christmas Day: 8am Holy Communion, 10.30am Christmas Family Celebration: informal and fun – Christmas joy for all. Sunday 30 – 8am Holy Communion, 10.30am New Year All Age Service.

NEW YEAR BUSES: Local bus operator Cuckmere Buses has stepped in again to fill a big gap in the seasonal timetables over the festive break. Hailsham Town Council, along with one other parish council, is part-subsidising the cost of running a special service on New Year’s Day on Cuckmere Buses route 50 from Hailsham to Eastbourne via Polegate and Willingdon. Cuckmere Buses. Full details of the New Year’s Day number 50 service are available now on the Cuckmere Buses website (cuckmerebuses.org.uk) and via the Wealden Bus Alliance’s website: wealdenbus.org.uk.

WHAT CAN I JOIN?: Saturday 26 January from 10am until 2pm and tell friends and family to come along and find out what groups there are to join in Hailsham. Some will be showcasing what they do and are there for a chat and to find out more. Several singing groups from across the town will have slots during the event. We already have 25 groups booked in with more groups signing up every day. You will also be able to find out about opportunities to volunteer in the town if this is how you would like to get involved. Demelza will be on refreshments and Hailsham Vegans will have samples for you to try. Freedom Leisure will be there to tell you about signing up for memberships and keeping fit and Slimming World will be helping you along the way. If it is a new hobby there will be the Model Making Club, Flower Club, a one-stop Sports desk with Hailsham Active and many more. I will keep you posted in the weeks to come. Entry is free and there is no fundraising. Last year almost 300 people came through the door, get ready for another opportunity to find out what clubs, groups, associations and charities you can join in Hailsham. There is a free prize drawer and refreshments. Joining something is a great way of putting an end to feelings of isolation and loneliness.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY: Meetings of this Society are held monthly, the next, and first of 2019, will be on Wednesday 2nd January, at the Charles Hunt Centre, in the Vicarage Fields Precinct, Hailsham, BN27 1BG, when the speaker will be Ed Tyhurst with a presentation entitled “Aluminium Harvest, WW2 Plane Crash Sites”. Starting at 7.30 p.m., but with refreshments available from 7.00 p.m., all are welcome, with a charge of £2.50p for non-members of the Society.

LIONS: You can rely on the lions - Last Saturday, Hailsham Lions hosted their annual Christmas tea party at The Charles Hunt Centre for the ‘young’ of town. Greeted with glasses of warm mulled wine, over seventy guests enjoyed sandwiches, cakes, and copious cups of tea. Father Christmas also popped by to give out Christmas cards which held a special raffle ticket to win a large food hamper. Entertainment was provided by the ever-popular singer Just George. It’s true to say, everyone had a wonderful Festive afternoon and that includes the Lions! However, it was quite a different story earlier in the week when Lion Chris Millen came to the rescue of a member of the public. Whilst a customer was browsing in the Lions’ Book Shop, opposite the town’s market, Mr Millen spotted her bike, which was parked outside the shop, being stolen by a teenager. The 71-year-old Mr Millen immediately gave chase up to the traffic lights at the end of the high street. He said of the incident. “He saw me chasing him, but as it was crowded with pedestrians he couldn’t get through. So, he dropped the bike on the ground and legged it. I still gave chase again, but unfortunately I lost him.” Bicycle was returned in one piece to its very grateful owner by a breathless Lion.

TOWN COUNCIL: The Town Council Offices in Market Street, Hailsham, will close for the Christmas holidays on Christmas Eve afternoon and re-open at 9am on Wednesday 2 January 2019. Information on all Town Council services can be found via www.hailshamtc.gov.uk, in addition to on the notice-boards located in Vicarage Field and the Town Council offices in Market Street. Please note the Town Council will operate its 24-hour emergency phone line for residents during the Christmas holidays, to report damage to or request an urgent repair for Town Council maintained buildings and grounds only. The number to call is 07946 211045. Hailsham Town Council members and staff would like to take this opportunity in advance to wish residents a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CLUB: Bob Webzell, ARPS, EFIAP, very kindly stepped in at the last minute to judge round 2 of the PDI competition. There were 40 images in the Advanced section and six were chosen to go through to the final. They were Descending to Zero and Thorney Seahorse, Sulu Sea by Sean Keen, Gentle Giant by Moxy Child, Take Off by Roger Joyce, Death on the Garden Table by Roy Broad and Path to the Devil’s Kitchen by Ray Beckwith. In the Development Class there were 14 images and the following three were chosen, Three Oaks by Tony Lelliott, A Seat with a View by Martin Rumary and Early Morning at Corfe Castle by Bryony Bruce. Vice Chairman, John Deller, did an admirable job in praising Bob for his comments and choice and thanking members for their hard work in preparing the hall.

BURNS NIGHT: The Hailsham Old Pavilion Society will be holding a Burns Night Charity Dinner Dance on Friday 25th January 2019, 6.45 for 7.15pm, at the Willingdon Golf Club, Southdown Road, Eastbourne.

Tickets are £30 each for three courses, coffee and a tot of whisky. There will be a traditional Piper, and Scottish dancing followed by a disco until midnight. The dress code is evening dress, black tie or lounge suits, Scottish accessories optional.

For enquiries and booking forms please contact Caroline Place on 01323 846000 or e-mail [email protected].

TOMBOLA: Please support the Hailsham Lions at their tombola in the Quintin’s Centre tomorrow.

STREET MARKET: There is no Street Market on Saturday 29 December. It will be back in the New Year on 5 January.