Hailsham

MUSICAL PLAY: If I Catch Alphonso Tonight is an account of Billy Merson’s career which spanned half a century of theatrical history, encompassing music hall, revue, musical comedy and cinema, all set against the backdrop of two world wars. His turbulent life is the subject of this new musical play showing at the Hailsham Pavilion tomorrow, Saturday, at 7.30pm. Book your tickets at the box office or on 01323 841414. Tickets £10. More details in the Festival programme.

FOLK: Tomorrow, Saturday, there is much Folk in the Yard at the King’s Head Cacklebury from 3pm to 7pm in the garden with Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds, Bev Lee Harling, and Ian Roland. There promises to be cracking songs, entertaining and varied, packed with memorable tunes, upbeat, positive lyrics and fab playing. Find out more in the Festival programme or just turn up.

ZUMBA’THON: This is on Sunday, at Freedom Leisure from 9am to noon. There will be three Zumba classes running every hour on the hour starting at 9am in studio 1. The cost is £4 per class or £10 for all three. Attending all three classes will qualify you for free entry into the prize draw. Booking can be made at Freedom Leisure reception. All money raised will be donated to charity.

HAILSHAM FM TEA QUIZ: This is at the James West Community Centre, Brunel Drive from 2.30 to 6pm on Sunday, with a break for tea and cakes continuing after the tea break with more quizzing, raffle and prizes. There will be questions for all the family including music and picture quizzes. Tickets are £7, children £3.50 which includes entry to quiz and tea and cakes in the interval. Maximum of 8 per table. Tickets for purchasing from Richard 842931 or drop into Hailsham FM studio near the Asda car park between 9am and noon.

POETRY AND STORYTELLING: The awards ceremony, readings and prizes or the Festival Poetry Competition will take place at Bucklers Café, St Mary’s Walk on Monday between 4.30pm and 6.30pm. Go along and listen. Free entry. Tea, coffee and cake available to purchase. This will be followed between 7pm and 8pm by Storytelling for Adults with Sue Knight and her rip-roaring stories from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Tickets cost £5 which includes Festival Punch from Hailsham Pavilion on 841414.

RICHARD III: A lecture and discussion with Dr Liam Clarke on Richard III and Psychosis at Chapter 12 Wine Bar, 12 High Street between 2.30pm and 3.30pm on Tuesday. This is a free event.

SINGERS NIGHT: The Six Bells Folk and Blues club is being hosted by Keith Wilson on Tuesday at 8.30pm. Sing the blues at The Six Bells, The Street, Chiddingly. For more information visit www.6bellsfolk.co.uk. All welcome.

DANCE FOLK: On Tuesday the Charles Hunt Centre is hosting this traditional country folk dancing session with the Magham Down Folk Dancers. Come and have a go. It is a great way to socialise and have fun whilst keeping your body and mind active. Suitable for all ages and abilities and no previous experience or partner is required. A happy hoedown of an evening, with live music and refreshments. Tickets are £5pp from Hailsham Pavilion or ring 841414.

FESTIVAL FILM: Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll will be showing at the Hailsham Pavilion on Wednesday from 7.30pm to 10pm in which Flamboyant entertainer, Ian Drury, backed by the Blockheads, takes to the stage, explaining to his audience how, as a child, he contracted polio from a swimming pool and the story of his life from that point on culminating in his controversial contribution to the Year of the Disabled. Tickets are £4 available from Hailsham Pavilion or 841414.

FIGARO PIE: An evening of Opera and Tapas awaits at Bucklers Café on Wednesday between 7.30pm and 10pm. An evening of Opera Mayhem for one night only with high-energy, wild, flamboyant entertainment. Scenes, sketches, duets and arias are presented as you’ve never seen them before. With Noa Lachman (Soprano) and Toby Sims (Bass). Cost £29.95 per head including entertainment, glass of prosecco, chef’s two course tapas. Book on 449100.

OH, WHAT A LOVELY WAR: This critically acclaimed WW1 Musical is showing for four performances only between Thursday and Saturday, September 20 and 22, at 7.30pm with a further matinee performance on Saturday at 2.30pm. Joan Littlewood’s legendary musical has been revived to 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 When They Ask Us, Keep the Home Fires Burning and many more. Come along for this tribute to the Men and women who saved our nation over 100 years ago. Tickets are £10 from Hailsham Pavilion 01323 841414 or via www.hailshampavilion.co.uk. Entry will also be available on the door. This is bound to be a popular show, so please book early to avoid disappointment. Licenced bar, interval refreshments and home-made cake available.

BATTLE OF BRITAIN SERVICE: This is on Sunday at Hailsham Parish Church at 10.30am. Followed by the laying of a wreath at the War Memorial. All residents are encouraged to attend to remember the airmen and members of the Royal Air Force who sacrificed their lives through bravery so that we could live in freedom.

THREE MINUTE FLIX: The Awards Ceremony takes place at Hailsham Pavilion on Friday from 7pm to 9.30pm. Put on your best clothes and come along to see all the shortlisted entries in this year’s Three Minute Flix short film competition. Always a fabulous night, the red-carpet evening starts at 7pm, features two halves of screenings and rounds off with the awards presentation. Tickets are just £1 available from the Pavilion Box Office.

BAKED BEAN BONANZA: Come 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.

PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY: The first meeting of the season was a social event with wine and nibbles, leaving time to catch up with members who had not been seen throughout the summer. The Society welcomed eight new members. The evening was opened by Trevor Gellard, FRPS and Roger Reynolds FRPS, FBPPA who showed prints by Bill Wisden MBE, Hon FRPS. Bill sadly died earlier this year but members were privileged to be able to view some of his work from the early dark room days to his latest digital creations. He was never frightened to experiment with new ideas and often went against the rules but had a wonderful eye for composition. Bill was the youngest member to be elected to the London Salon of Photography and was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society for his service to the Society. Members thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

YOUTH SERVICE: Hailsham Town Council has launched www.hailsham youthservice.org, a website devoted to providing information on the council’s wide range of projects, support services and opportunities for young people in the town including various youth clubs and centres including the Square Youth Café in Market Square, open weekdays to 9 to 17-year olds. Also included are the Friday Night Project (FNP), which works with Knockhatch Adventure Park and Hailsham Community College to help create alternative recreational activities for young people on Friday evenings, and the new Monday Club, for 11 to 14-year olds at the James West Community Centre, Brunel Drive with its five-a-side football, table tennis, badminton, volleyball and much more. In addition, Hailsham Youth Service provides support services for young people, including InfoPoint in Market Square, where they have access to information and advice on issues such as bullying, health, drug and sexual health issues. There is also photo and video galleries of activities and news with online parental consent and contact forms.

ART EXHIBITION: The Friday Art Group and The Berwick Art Group are exhibiting as part of the Hailsham Festival Art Trail from10am until 4pm on Friday September 21 at the Reid Hall, Boreham Street. See our artists at work and browse the exhibition where some paintings are for sale. Craft stall, tombola and home-made refreshments will be available. Both art groups meet informally each week and have varied workshops from visiting artists occasionally. The Friday Art Group meet at the Reid Hall Boreham Street on Fridays from 10am to noon and The Berwick Art Group meet at Berwick Village Hall on Tuesdays 9.30am to noon. For more information call Linda on 01323 843102 or Sue on 07774 506561.