Hailsham

OH, WHAT A LOVELY WAR: There are lots of scenes, sketches, singalong songs, laughs and poignant moments, from the Theatre group that brings you pantomime every year (so it must be good). Having watched the production, you will be delighted with great performances from all the cast along with mastery of many accents to deliver a fine production for the Hailsham Festival. Come along to the Summerheath Hall, Summerheath Road and enjoy this critically acclaimed WW1 musical which is showing its last three performances today, Friday, evening and tomorrow, Saturday, at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Doors open half an hour before each performance. Commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1 with lots of popular and well known songs including It’s a Long Way to Tipperary, Pack up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag, Goodbye..ee, and many more. Tickets £10 from Hailsham Pavilion 01323 841414. Tickets also be available on the door. This is bound to be a popular show, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

STREET MARKET: Tomorrow, Saturday, amongst all the traders the Foodbank will be having their Baked Bean Bonanza event as detailed below and the Royal British Legion will be selling poppies and other Remembrance memorabilia in readiness for the Remembrance Service and other events on Sunday November 11. Stalls that day, subject to weather, will be Rob on sweets and new in stock a vegan selection, also with vegan products will be Joan with snacks, pastries and chutneys as well as Frank with a wide variety of sausages and the ever-popular Adrian on fruit and veg.

BAKED BEAN BONANZA: Come along to Hailsham Street Market tomorrow, Saturday, and swap a tin or carton for a tin of beans or spaghetti. Hailsham Foodbank is always grateful for every donation, however, at the moment, they have too many beans. So, enjoy beans over the weekend in a sausage casserole, have beans on toast or even a bean hash, with their Baked Bean Bonanza event. Suggested items to bring and swap are fruit, vegetables, custard, rice pudding, soup and tomatoes.

METHODIST OPEN DAY: Tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday, the Methodist Church is celebrating its 150th anniversary. Tomorrow there will be various displays of their rich history and banners and you are invited along to their community café event in the church, Hailsham High Street, opposite the Grenadier Public House, between 10am and 4pm with lunches being serviced from noon to 2pm. All welcome. On Sunday the celebration continues with a special 150th Anniversary Service of Hailsham Methodist Church which will be led by Rev Hellyer, Methodist Church District Chair at 10am followed by light refreshments in the hall.

SINGING WORKSHOP: Tomorrow, Saturday, in Callenders Restaurant, 80-82 High Street, and between 10.30am to noon come along if you love to sing. Even if you do not think you can, join Laura Heales for a fun time of singing and exploring your voice. Visitors will learn a song and some simple techniques that will help you enjoy your voice more. Most important, you will experience the fun to be had in singing together. This is a workshop suitable for all ages (children need to be accompanied by an adult). Absolutely no experience needed, just bring yourself and your voice. Adults £5 includes refreshments, children free. Book at Hailsham Pavilion, George Street or phone 841414 or visit www.hailshampavilion.co.uk. A Hailsham Festival event.

ZULU WORKSHOP: This is a free afternoon tomorrow, Saturday, from 3.30pm to 5pm at Hailsham Pavilion, George Street. The workshop is open to children and adults and you can spend an hour or so with the members of Zulu tradition. Dress in their costumes, learn to sing and chant their centuries’ old songs, join the drumming master class and round it off with some high kicks on the dance floor. The Zulu Tradition Festival Showstopper follows in the evening from 7.30pm to 10pm at Hailsham Pavilion. Described as Ladysmith Black Mambazo with high kicks, the group hail from Durban in KwaZulu Natal and is a company of young Zulu singers and dancers who rekindle their culture and heritage and deliver a heady mix of African harmonies that includes traditional songs as well as Afro-Gospel, with drum rhythms and high energy, athletic dance. They have appeared at Buckingham Palace as well as the South African High Commission and members have performed in West End shows such as the Lion King. This is a Hailsham Festival event.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE ENSEMBLE: The last of the Hailsham Festival events is on Sunday with a performance at Hailsham Pavilion from 3pm to 4pm along with the HCC orchestra and Hailsham Brass, performing classical chamber music from Baroque to Contemporary. Tickets are £2.40 from Hailsham Pavilion.

U3A: On Tuesday there is a members and visitors meeting at the Civic Community Hall at 2pm. The talk is on Churchill’s Secret Army by Gilly Halcrow. Visitors £2.

PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY: Matt Armstrong-Ford, a specialist photographic safari guide, gave a Lecture at Hailsham Photographic Society on Thursday. Going on safari with his parents at the age of 14 changed his life and he realised then what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. After university he moved to South Africa and then Zambia to train as a guide and it was during this time that his love of photography grew. Meeting the woman he wanted to marry brought him back to the UK where he started his business Wild Eye which specialises in safari photographic tours.

We were privileged to see some of Matt’s amazing work showing leopards, lions, zebras, hippos, giraffe and much more. There were some absolutely gorgeous portraits and Matt made the evening especially interesting with his accounts of meeting animals he has known for many months and years in some cases. Vice chairman, John Deller, was not lost for words in his vote of thanks.

MACMILLAN: Coffee mornings to raise funds for MacMillan are happening all over Hailsham from 10am to noon on Friday September 28, so keep your ears and eyes peeled for one near you. Those I know about so far are at Sharnfold Farm, Ersham Road. Tickets cost £10 and include two hot drinks and two sweet treats (cakes, scones and flapjack). Play games, read books and enjoy lots of chatter with friends and family. This is a booking only event, call 01323 768490 or pop by the farm shop. Another, organised by Angela Marden, is at the new James West Community Centre, Brunel Drive Hailsham from 10am to noon. The Charles Hunt Centre are holding theirs on Monday October 8 from 9.30am to 1pm.

COMMUNITY HOUSING SCHEME: Hailsham Town Council invites residents to a public meeting which will be held at the Fleur de Lys Meeting Room (Town Council Offices, Market Street) at 7pm on Monday to find out more about the Council’s new Community Land Trust Committee and how to get involved. If you would like to attend the meeting or request further information, contact Karen Giddings (Hailsham Town Council) on 01323 841702 or by email: [email protected]. Full details about Community Land Trusts in general can be found at http://www.communitylandtrusts.org.uk/

CHRISTMAS EVENTS: Following the success of 2017’s Christmas town events, Hailsham Town Council and project partners are in full swing with the planning and organisation of this year’s Christmas Lights Switch-on and Christmas Market, which take place in Vicarage Field on Friday November 23 and Saturday December 15 respectively. The town centre will be home to a range of stalls selling fine food, Christmas gifts, candles, confectionery and other items at the Christmas Market event in December, and various festive refreshments will be on sale including mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and hog roast to tempt visitors. The event will also feature live music in Vicarage Field provided by The Sussex Stompers and Christchurch Hailsham (carol singing), and a festive performance by Wealden Brass which takes place at Hailsham Parish Church from 3pm. Santa (provided by Hailsham Rotary Club) will be handing out free sweets to children and Hailsham FM will be playing popular Christmas tunes throughout the event. Market traders can benefit from booking a free stall on the day and are encouraged to book a stall by calling 01323 841702 or emailing [email protected]) as early as possible.