Author: Andrew Taylor

Beverley Craven – Wednesday 1 October at 8pm

BRIT-Award winner Beverley Craven is embarking on an extensive UK tour supporting the release of her brand new album Change of Heart launched in Summer 2014. Beverley is looking forward to performing her new songs live alongside timeless classics Promise Me, Holding On, Woman To Woman, Love Scenes and many more. With a witty narrative and unforgettable melodies, her poignant sentiments will leave you with a warm glow of nostalgia, or maybe even the odd tear.

www.beverleycraven.com

Tickets £19.

ACE Theatre Company presents It Runs in the Family, a farce by Ray Cooney – Friday 3 October at 7.30pm and Saturday 4 October at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

“If you are going to tell a lie, tell a whopper!” Doctor Mortimore takes this advice as a stranger from the past arrives and throws his life into turmoil. This hilarious high-octane farce will have the audience in fits as he tries to deceive his wife and colleagues to cover up his secret.

Tickets: Evening performances £13/Concessions £11
Matinee performance £11/Concessions £8

East Grinstead’s Got Talent – Auditions Sunday 5 October from 10am – 4pm

HAVE you got a talent? Do you scream at Simon Cowell on the telly because you know you’re better than the BGT hopefuls? Well now’s your chance to prove it. Whether you can balance spoons on your ears, sing opera, do uncanny impressions, or just have the best voice or dancing feet in town, we want to invite you to show off your talents.

If you want to go along and watch the auditions, entry is free but you must have a ticket from the Box Office.

Registration will be 9am, but if you want to take part in the auditions you must pre-register with Pete or Terry on: 01342 325577. The competition is open to individuals or groups, over the age of 14.

The EGGT final will take place on Sunday 2 November.

The winner will headline a show at Chequer Mead in February 2015

Free Entry

Morgan & West: A Grand Adventure – Friday 10 October at 8pm

TIME travelling Victorian magicians Morgan & West have lost the secrets to all of their tricks and by hell or high water intend to get them back. Join the dashing duo in a thrilling adventure show filled to the brim with magic as they cross continents, meddle with miscreants and sneak into secret societies.

Can Morgan & West catch the crooks, recover their quarry and confound the crowds with their clever conjuring? Find out in… Morgan & West: A Grand Adventure!

Tickets £13/Concessions £11/ Family Ticket £45

Smile Productions Present:Absolute Bowie – Saturday 11 October at 7.30pm

JOURNEY through the Bowie years – Ziggy Stardust, Aladin Sane, Thin White Duke, Let’s Dance era.

Europe’s leading Tribute Show. Space Oddity, Life on Mars, Starman, Heroes, Ashes to Ashes and more!

Tickets £16

www.absolutebowie.net

Chequer Mead Friends present An Evening of Eastern Promise – Tuesday 14 October at 7.30pm in the Pavilion

BELLY Dancing or ‘Middle Eastern Dance’ is probably one of the oldest dance forms in history. Although the dance has moved towards a more contemporary style, adapting to our current cultures, the movements and gestures are from ages past.

Chequer Mead Friends host an evening of exquisite demonstrative Belly Dancing techniques followed by an explanation by Lea of Hipsinc Belly Dancing School of how Belly Dancing came about and evolved.

Tickets £12 (which includes the two course meal). Grand Raffle.

Blast From The Past presents Smile Smile Smile – Wednesday 15 October at 7.30pm

SMILE! Smile! Smile! the latest show by acclaimed historical musicians Blast from the Past has been especially created to mark the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War.

Blast from the Past use music and song to tell the story of ‘The War to End All Wars’ with a a scintillating mixture of soldiers’ songs, music hall numbers, war poems set to new music and original compositions.

The show does not flinch from conveying the full horror of the first global conflict but also celebrates the courage and humour of the Tommies under fire and the folks at home.

Featuring a host of singalong wartime standards such as ‘Pack Up Your Troubles’, ‘Tipperary’ and ‘Goodbye-ee’ as well a host of other great songs – ‘Smile! Smile! Smile!’ is the perfect way of remembering the sacrifice of our forebears while enjoying a great evening out.

Tickets £12

Jimmy Jones The Guv’nor does Grinstead – Friday 17 October at 8pm

CALLED by fellow comics ‘The Guvnor’, Jimmy Jones is a true comedy legend, who is now in his 55th year in show business and is just as risqué as ever. Renowned as being one of Britain’s most successful live comedians, Jimmy has played sell-out shows from the London Palladium to a Las Vegas residency. Book early to avoid disappointment.

Age advised 18+, due to mature content.

Ticket: £17.50/ Concessions £15.50

Paul Daniels – Back….Despite Popular Demand! – Saturday 18 October at 7.30pm

PAUL and Debbie are taking to the road again in Autumn of 2014, with another brand new show where they will performs a selection of their favourite magic and a number of new tricks never performed in public before.

Ticket: £18.50/ Concessions £15/ Children £12/ Family Ticket £50

Jethro – The Legend At Large – Thursday 23 October at 8pm

CORNISH comedy legend Jethro is back, as large as life, with his very own unique brand of irresistible West Country tales for a fun-filled night of adult comedy.

Jethro promises more tear-jerking, farcical stories featuring his old mates Denzil and Slip Along Trevaskis, as well as hilarious tales from his extensive repertoire and his successful career in TV and theatre.

This is an adult show.

Tickets £19.50

East Grinstead Choral Society Presents Mozart’s Requiem and Vivaldi’s Gloria -Saturday 25 October at 7pm

THESE classical favourites have an immediate and universal appeal. Vivaldi’s joyous Gloria and Mozart’s inspiring Requiem promise a memorable evening. East Grinstead Choral Society are joined by The Meridian Sinfonia and professional soloists.

Tickets £15 / Pensioners/CMF £13 / Children/Students £8

Pics coming separately

Hansel & Gretel – Monday 27 & Tuesday 28 October at 2.30pm

AN extremely light, family fun filled, feel-good feast. Hansel and Gretel aren’t greedy – they just want a better life for themselves and their father. Their lives are turned upside down with the arrival of an unwelcome visitor – who, thanks to a handful of breadcrumbs, eventually leads the way to a woodland adventure with a large cottage built of gingerbread and cakes, with window panes of clear sugar.

The occupant of the cottage promises soft beds and delicious food…but it would appear that she has other plans!

Hansel and Gretel’ brings together amazing magic, sets and costumes – with puppets, illusions and a full supporting cast.

Tickets £10 / Concessions £8 / Family Ticket £32

NT Encore Screening Frankenstein – Thursday 30 October at 8pm

NATIONAL Theatre Live’s thrilling broadcast of Frankenstein returns to cinemas for a limited time, due to unprecedented audience demand.

Directed by Academy Award-winner Danny Boyle, Frankenstein features Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternating roles as Victor Frankenstein and his creation.

Childlike in his innocence but grotesque in form, Frankenstein’s bewildered Creature is cast out into a hostile universe by his horror-struck maker. Meeting with cruelty wherever he goes, the friendless Creature, increasingly desperate and vengeful, determines to track down his creator and strike a terrifying deal.

In this screening, Benedict Cumberbatch with be playing ‘Creature’ and Jonny Lee Miller will be ‘Victor Frankenstein’

Tickets £12 / Concessions £10

Chequer Mead Silver Screen presents The Evil Dead Friday –  31 October at 8pm

PREPARE to be scared with Friday becoming Fright Night this this cinematic screening of Sam Raimi’s 1981 cult classic film “The Evil Dead”.

Five friends are holed up in a remote cabin where they discover a Book Of The Dead. An archaeologist’s tape recording reveals that the ancient text was discovered among the Khandarian ruins of a Sumerian civilization. Playing the taped incantations, the youths unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left ito fight for survival.

Tickets £5 / Concessions £4

OFCOM has granted Meridian FM, the town’s radio station, a new five-year license which will allow it to broadcast to East Grinstead and the surrounding areas until March 2020.

107 Meridian FM Chairman Liz Bennett said: “I am absolutely thrilled to receive the news that Ofcom has extended our licence for a further 5 years. This is due to the hard work and dedication of over 70 volunteers under the management of Peter Monnery, our fantastic MD.

“My gratitude and thanks must also go to our dedicated and diligent secretary Sally Monnery who coordinated the complex and detailed submission that has led to an unopposed maximum license term.

“Ofcom has noted our high levels of local live output, our community news, travel and sports programmes, and our dedicated educational work with teenagers. Meridian FM’s sole purpose is to support the community of East Grinstead, and our surrounding towns and villages, and it is to this end that I am very proud to be its Chair.”

Managing Director Peter Monnery was also delighted by the renewal. “Our local news, events guides, and sports coverage encourage community involvement, promote social cohesion, and build a brighter, better place for us all to live.

“I would like to thank our Chairman Liz Bennett for her outstanding dedication to this precious community asset through some emotionally tough and stretching times in the last year. Also Programme Controller Tony Tappenden for a revolution in our output, Marketing Director Richard Leader for excellent work on our application, News Editor Roy Henderson for his dogged dedication to deadlines and Events Coordinator Tony Nash for his tremendous work promoting Meridian FM at community events.

“All of these factors have led Ofcom to grant us the maximum term of five years for our license, an amazing achievement.

“But of course we would not be a radio station without the work of our local talented and dedicated presenters, giving their time to broadcast live an average seventeen hours a day, seven days a week. What a fantastic credit to our community.”

Town Mayor Nick Hodges offered his own congratulations on behalf of the Town Council. “This is super news for the town as the station has undergone many changes in the past year and is looking to embrace the future offering a real local alternative for radio listeners – we wish them well.”

* Meridian FM can be heard by tuning to 107.0Mhz on the FM Band found on all car and domestic radios. It features local news, views and varied music, with up-to-date information on weather, travel and traffic in our area.

If you want to make a request or simply tell Meridian FM your news, e-mail studio@MeridianFM.com or get in touch on 01342 325222. Look them up on Facebook, Twitter and www.meridianfm.com.

Or tell listeners local breaking news by e-mailing meridianfm.newshub@gmail.com.

Meridian also offers a range of training initiatives for all ages; however they particularly support teenagers with the Broadcast Club, and school and university students with work experience.

Meridian FM is currently looking to expand their volunteer base. They particularly require people with journalistic flair, and also fundraisers for the new “Friends of” initiative. Technical skills and people to support back room tasks are always in demand, but whatever your skills or interests they would love to hear from you.

No previous experience necessary. Please contact admin@meridianFM.com to find out more.

THE Town Council has paid tribute to East Grinstead disability campaigner Eric Mackie who died last night.

Eric was the driving force behind the Disability Access East Grinstead and Area Group that has its headquarters in East Court.

On learning of the death of Mr Mackie, who had been in hospital for the past week, Town Mayor Cllr Nick Hodges said: “Eric was tenacious and unrelenting on his crusade to ensure that the disabled had the same access and opportunities as able-bodied people, and his enthusiasm and energy will be a lasting tribute to a gentleman who was seeking equality for all.

“He will be greatly missed and while we know he is irreplaceable we look forward to seeing the Access Group continue their work in the future.

“Our thoughts are with Eric’s family at this sad and private time for them.”

AUGUST 4, 2014 marked the 100th anniversary of the declaration of WWI and the centenary was commemorated throughout the UK.

South & South East in Bloom decided to recognise the event through a special award for the Best War Memorial display honouring the anniversary.

East Grinstead’s beautiful and moving tribute Fields of Conflict was designed jointly by a team from the Town Council – Town Clerk Julie Holden, Katrina Hamill and East Court gardener Jenny Watson – in consultation with Ferring nurseries.

The beds were dedicated to The Royal Sussex Regiment, The Victoria Cross (one of which was won by the town’s own Private Sidney Godley), The Unknown Soldier and The Poppy which became an emblem of the Fallen, and won widespread admiration from visitors and residents alike.

The hanging baskets throughout the town also reflected the War theme with red and white flowers to represent blood and bandages.

Julie said: “This is a great accolade. When we first started talking last year, we wanted to recognize the VC and the Sussex Regiment but also to reflect the trenches in a poignant way. We had no idea that it would end up being award-winning.

“There have been many compliments and we know that people have appreciated the display.

“But to win the best in the whole South and South East is simply staggering.

“We are very grateful to East Grinstead in Bloom for entering the display.”

Jenny Watson, who drew the bed designs when learning of the theme, said “I was thrilled when the announcement came, I jumped out of my seat and smiled from ear to ear, it is a wonderful recognition for the town.

*Awards also came for the Best Allotment – Mount Noddy. Congratulations to the allotment holders and management committee

2nd best cemetery St Swithuns. Congratulations to the the Friends of St Swithun’s churchyard.

A spotlight award went to East Grinstead in Bloom to recognise their promotional work on social media and their website. Congratulations to the committee.

Imberhorne School also won Gold in the schools category, with a Silver Gilt for St Mary’s. Congratulations to them both.

The town was awarded a Silver Gilt award for overall displays. Thank you everyone who looks after any display.

East Grinstead in Bloom co-ordinates the bid and encourages groups to improve areas and also do some direct work like the station forecourt. They also work with the town schools.

EAST Court gardener Jenny Watson who helped design the stunning High Street WWII themed flower beds, receiving the award for the Best War Memorial at the South and South East in Bloom awards last Thursday.

Please be advised that West Sussex County Council has received a request for Temporary Traffic Regulation as follows:

 

Road Name	A264 Holtye Road
Village / Town / Parish	East Grinstead
Specific Location	between its junction with Sandhawes Hill and the County boundary
Type of TTR	Road Closure
Reason for TTR	to allow BT safe access for cabling works.
Proposed start date	21:00hrs on Monday 10th November 2014.
Proposed duration	1 night
Diversion route (if applicable)	via A264, B2026, B2110, A22, A264 and vice versa.
Access arrangements	Emergency and pedestrian access will be maintained at all times. Vehicular access to properties and businesses within the closure will be managed by the contractor.
Applicant name	A Plant Lux
Applicant contact tel number	03700 500 792.
Any other details	This closure will only be effective between 21:00hrs and 06:00hrs.

 

If you are over 65 on a low income could we help you with a Christmas voucher

Pick up a form at East Grinstead Town Council, Citizens Advice Bureau, Age UK or Library, or download here.

Completed forms must be returned on or before Monday, 27 October 2014

to: East Grinstead Town Council, Ashurst Wood Parish Council, Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Age UK or Library

THE 11th Adam Dabell Memorial Match will take place at the Wasp’s East Court Club on 9 October.

Adam, a keen player, died from a hidden cardiac condition during a match, and since then his family and friends have worked to raise awareness of hidden heart conditions in apparently fit young people, and to raise money for research via the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young.