Author: Andrew Taylor

EAST Court’s yew hedges have produced 400 kilos of cuttings which will be processed and used for the treatment of patients with cancer.

Limehurst, the company which arranged to have the hedges pruned and weeded, has been involved in producing medical and cosmetic treatments for the past 50 years.

They told the Town Council ‘your hedges at East Grinstead were lovely, and produced a wonderful yield’.

Limehurst are also organizing an on-going programme of rejuvenation to ensure the hedges stay healthy, and they anticipate that eventually the East Court site may yield almost four times as much.

‘Each year we produce hundreds of tonnes of yew clippings with the help of many gardens around England. The treatments tackle various strains including breast, ovarian and small cell lung cancers with many a success story.’

Yew harvesting takes place annually from June to September and Limehurst collects on a daily basis during this period as the clippings need to be as fresh as possible to prevent deterioration of the active compound.

THE High Street flower beds have been planted up to commemorate the centenary of WWI.

The beds have been carefully themed with tributes, which include one to Private Sidney Godley, the first private soldier to win the UK’s highest award For Valour, and the Royal Sussex Regiment.

The wooden barriers draped with barbed wire represent the trenches, and poppies – which became the symbol of the fallen – have been recreated in red flowers.

Unlike many of his comrades in arms, Private Godley, who was born in East Grinstead and is also remembered with a blue plaque on the front of East Court mansion, survived the Great War.

A stone slab will be laid by the High Street War Memorial in his memory on 23 August.

A board by the War Memorial explains the inspiration behind the planting, which has been done by the Town Council.

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ONE of the artworks for the new Townscape art trail has taken roost at East Court mansion.

The wire mythical bird, which resembles a peacock, was designed by Jackie Watkin who lives and works in East Grinstead.

Jackie took her inspiration from a mythical story which she explores in a book – accompanying the sculpture – in the form of a child’s story book.

THE York stone plinth has been built, the flower beds are being planted up and the site of the McIndoe memorial statue – seen above in an artist’s impression of the finished site – just awaits the man himself.

It is hoped that the larger-than-life bronze will be winched into place on Friday, where it will remain shrouded until the covers come off next Monday when HRH The Princess Royal reveals it to the world.

The project, which has been jointly organised by the Blond McIndoe Research Foundation, the Town Council and the EGBA (East Grinstead Business Association) will change the look of the High Street forever.

This is what sculptor Martin Jennings said about his work and the inspiration behind it, when he originally proposed the design.

‘I want to make more than just a statue of the great surgeon. McIndoe’s story is inseparable from that of the Guinea Pig Club, his burned ‘boys’ for whom he was a cross between compassionate parent and strict figure of authority. So I have represented him with a patient (though not a particular person) who has burns to his face and hands but still wears his RAF uniform, as McIndoe insisted his patients should be allowed to.
‘The pilot is turning his head to look back up to the sky in which he can no longer fly but also towards his doctor for reassurance. McIndoe’s hands are on the younger man’s shoulders, suggesting the communication of his extraordinary confidence – his patients always refer in their memories of him to his absolute certainty that they would go on to lead productive lives despite the traumas they’d suffered.

‘Many of McIndoe’s patients suffered terrible injuries to their hands and “main en griffe” (claw hands) frequently resulted. After his wartime burns, my own father’s hands were fixed in a claw shape for the remainder of his adult life. I can remember when growing up how tentatively he sometimes used to hold them and how he used to stretch them when they ached. This is something I want to record in that one small part of the statue.

‘McIndoe encouraged the people of East Grinstead to involve themselves with the social rehabilitation of his patients. I’m proposing that the statue should have a continuous crescent of stone seating encircling it, so that when the people of the town sit down around it they will be helping symbolically to complete it. It seems to me to be important that this monument should be seen not just as a tribute to a great man but to his heroic patients as well and to the community that did so much to support them.’

For more information about any of these shows contact the Box Office on 01342 302000

Prestige Productions present Saturday Night Bee Gees – Wednesday 4 June at 7.30pm

SATURDAY Night Bee Gees is the hit show that transports you through the formidable musical talents of Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb.

Tickets £18.50 / concessions £17.

Josephine Tewson – Still Keeping Up Appearances: Thursday 5 June at 2.30pm

A fun and irreverent afternoon of chat and memories of a 50-year career, with one of Britain’s most loved comedy actresses. From Frost on Sunday to The Two Ronnies, Shelley, Keeping Up Appearances and Last Of The Summer Wine – and there isn’t a Royal Doulton tea cup with hand painted periwinkles in sight!

Tickets £12 / concessions £10.

No Jacket Required  – Friday 6 June at 7.45pm

TO have chart-topping success as a solo artist and as a member of a group is something that not many musicians have achieved. Phil Collins has done just that. This year, No Jacket Required return to Chequer Mead performing nothing but Top 20 hits by both Phil Collins and Genesis in the same concert.

Tickets £17.50 / concessions £15.50.

The British Red Cross presents Dance – Make Your Move (heats) Sunday 8 June at 4pm

CELEBRATE the work of the Red Cross as interpreted by talented young dancers from across the region.

Tickets £8 / concessions £6.

 Beyond Eternity Promotions presents Golden Age of Musical Satire – Wednesday 11 June at 7.30pm

WITH renowned entertainer Peter Gill The Golden Age of Musical Satire takes the funniest songs of the last hundred years and throws them together in a 90 minute, one man and his piano show.

Tickets £12 / concessions £10.

 The National Theatre presents Alan Ayckbourn’s A Small Family Business – Thursday 12 June at 7pm

A riotous exposure of entrepreneurial greed by Olivier Award-winning playwright Alan Ayckbourn (Bedroom Farce, A Chorus of Disapproval).

A Small Family Business returns to the National Theatre for the first time since its celebrated premiere in 1987, when it won the Evening Standard Award for Best Play. Jack McCracken is a man of principle in a corrupt world. But not for long. Moments after taking over his father-in-law’s business he’s approached by a private detective armed with some compromising information. Jack’s integrity fades away as he discovers his extended family to be thieves and adulterers, looting the business from their suburban homes. Rampant self-interest takes over and comic hysteria builds to a macabre climax.

Tickets £12 / concessions £10.

 Surrey Harmony presents Can’t Stop The Beat Saturday 14 June at 7.45pm

AN evening of dynamic, upbeat and fresh entertainment from Surrey Harmony and their special guests – Tempest from Ariel Company Theatre in East Grinstead and Bastet School of Dance in Oxted.

Surrey Harmony sings classic, chart and show songs in close harmony a cappella and is a five-times UK gold medal winning chorus.  With music from Adele to Abba, Les Mis to Phantom, Chicago to Hairspray and more.

Tickets £12 / concessions £10.

Martin Bell OBE – Wednesday 18 June at 7.45pm

MARTIN Bell has spent more than 50 years as a BBC correspondent, including more than a decade as its Chief Washington Correspondent. His war zone assignments have included Vietnam, Bosnia, The Gulf and the Arab-Israeli conflicts. In 2001 he was appointed a UNICEF UK Goodwill Ambassador for Humanitarian Emergencies.

In this fascinating evening, Martin will draw on his own experiences of 50 years in the unquiet corners of the world, with the costs and casualties of recent conflicts very much in mind.

Tickets £14 / concessions £10.

Derek Grant presents Nicholas Nickleby – Thursday 19 June at 8pm

ENTER the world of Charles Dickens in the company of his great great grandson Gerald Dickens as this remarkable actor performs Dickens’ masterpieceNicholas Nickleby, playing every character himself. Gerald will also give a unique insight into the fascinating world of Charles Dickens. This stunning virtuoso performance is a theatrical experience full of drama, variety and excitement that has had audiences cheering across the world. Experience this timeless romantic tale of passion, intrigue and revenge, brilliantly acted.

Tickets £15.

Chequer Mead Silver Screen Presents The Rocky Horror Picture Show – Saturday 21 June at 8pm

GLAM up for this cinematic viewing of a cult classic, which includes the stars Richard O’Brien, Susan Sarandon and Tim Curry – and get one free drink at the bar before the show.

Tickets £5 / concessions £4.

Prestige Productions presents  Patrick Monahan – Tuesday 24 June at 7.30pm

PATRICK Monahan started off on the glamorous Irish/Iranian/Geordie circuit in his native home land of the north east of England before being invited to perform all over the world.

Tickets £18.50 / concessions £17.

DFO International Presents The Manfreds – Wednesday 25 June at 7.30pm

THE Manfreds with  Paul Jones, will be performing many of their biggest hits including 5-4-3-2-1, Pretty Flamingo and Do Wah Diddy Diddy, along with a mix of solo hits and jazz and rhythm ’n’ blues renditions for which they are famous.

Paul Jones, with his award winning harmonica sound, will be joined by fellow original Manfred Mann members, Mike Hugg on keyboards and Tom McGuinness on guitar, plus Rob Townsend on drums, Marcus Cliffe on bass guitar and Simon Currie on saxophone/ flute – all excellent musicians who will provide a full evening’s entertainment.

Tickets £19.50.

Elkie Brooks Live in Concert – Thursday 26 June at 7.30pm

ONE of the most successful and popular singers the UK has ever produced. Now in the 5th decade of her career, she is still proving to be one of the most powerful and versatile vocal talents of our generation.

Tickets £25 / concessions £24.

The British Red Cross presents Dance – Make Your Move (semi-final) – Sunday 29 June at 4pm

CELEBRATE the work of the Red Cross as interpreted by talented young dancers from across the region.

Tickets £8 / concessions £6.

TWO lime trees at East Court will be hung with new signs to mark the line of the Greenwich Meridian and the celebration of the Tree Council’s 25th anniversary in 1999.

THE town branch of Parkinson’s UK is looking for a new chairperson to lead its team of volunteers.

The branch aims to enhance the lives of those with Parkinson’s who live in East Grinstead and Crawley, and fund national research.

In addition to leadership skills, they hope to find someone with a sense of humour who will appreciate the buzz that comes with making a positive contribution to the lives and well-being of local people diagnosed with the debilitating illness, and their families.

The voluntary position will involve hosting monthly branch meetings in Crawley Down, attending occasional committee meetings and supporting other members of the team in their fundraising efforts locally and nationally.

The present chairman steps down at the end of the year, but it would be good to have a two to three month period of handover before he goes.

If you are interested in this position, please contact Carol Booker, at carol.booker@hotmail.co.uk

THE Town Council has agreed to take part in an EU project to trial a Ridan Food Composter which will allow catering food waste to be recycled quickly and easily.

Sending commercial food waste to landfill is unnecessary, unsustainable and costly, and it is far better recycled and reused on site.

The Ridan is an eco-friendly composter which requires no form of power, to turn all food waste quickly into compost, and reduce the amount of waste going into landfill.

A Ridan, which can cut CO2 emissions by over 10 tonnes a year, also saves on waste disposal costs.

The healthy, nutrient-rich compost it produces without the need for electricity will be used around East Court’s award-winning grounds.

A downstairs rear corridor at East Court, the 18th century Grade II listed building which is home to the Town Council, suffered extensive rain damage over the winter months.

But recent work to remove and replace the damp plasterwork has revealed a hidden window (below) which has long since been bricked over.

THE High Street flower-beds have taken on a sombre appearance with timber barricades and (plastic) barbed wire recalling the trenches of WWI.

The theme, which is currently being planted up, is part of the town’s centenary commemorations of the outbreak of the 1914 – 18 War.