Please note that Blackwell Hollow will be closed between 9.30am and 3.00pm on Monday 11th May to allow urgent treeworks to be carried out. Diversions will be put in place

All set for Christmas

TOWN Mayor Margaret Belsey flicked the switch to turn on the Rotary Club’s Christmas tree lights in the High Street on Saturday.

Meridian FM had been touting the event since noon, and encouraged by a town crier many of Saturday’s shoppers took a break to gather around the tree for carols accompanied by the East Grinstead concert band.

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Town Mayor’s Bazaar

THE Town Mayor’s bazaar on Saturday was a success with many local charity and community groups taking part to raise much-needed funds.

Mayor Margaret Belsey opened the event which was held at East Court and attracted a steady stream of shoppers who were entertained by Choir Power as they shopped.

Father Christmas is coming to a street near you…

FATHER Christmas will be making a tour of parts of East Grinstead, Ashurst Wood and Lingfield in the run-up to Christmas to raise money for the East Grinstead Rotary Club’s annual appeal for the needy.

Last year the Rotarians gave 350 families and individuals a helping hand in December thanks to the generosity of local people who contributed to the sleigh ride appeal through the town’s residential areas.

Santa’s schedule for this Christmas has just been announced, so make a date to catch him and please give generously to a very worthy cause.

Saturday 7 December Stuart Way
Monday 9 December Lingfield
Tuesday 10 December Estcots Estate
Wednesday 11 December Hurst Farm Road
Thursday 12 December Herontye Estate
Friday 13 December Blount Avenue
Saturday 14 December Fairlawn Drive/Heathcote Drive
Monday 16 December Blackwell Estate
Tuesday 17 December Ashurst Wood
Wednesday 18 December Woodbury Avenue
Thursday 19 December Sackville Gardens
Friday 20 December Stockwell Road/Dunnings Road
Saturday 21 December Gardenwood Estate

East Grinstead responds generously to the Philippines appeal

EAST Grinstead’s Filipino community has raised £2,300 from a charity event held at the Tarana in Lingfield in aid of the Philippines relief fund.

Cllr Danny Favor helped to organise the event, which was attended by Town Mayor Margaret Belsey, fellow councillors and representatives from many of the town’s organisations and community groups.

The money will go towards helping the millions left bereaved and homeless in the wake of typhoon Haiyan which caused widespread devastation and loss of life.

An additional £2,124 was raised by the parishioners of Our Lady and St Peter’s Catholic Church in East Grinstead to support the work of CAFOD in the stricken islands.

Speaking after the Lingfield event Cllr Favor said: “On behalf of the officers and members of the Extra Care Team and the entire Filipino Community here and back home, we would like express our sincerest gratefulness and deepest appreciation to everyone for their thoughts, prayers, kindness and generosity during this terrible time.”

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Flame of Hope Concert

On Friday 8th November, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded, smashed into the Philippines killing over 4,000 people with Typhoon Haiyan sweeping away entire coastal villages and leaving utter devastation in the region’s main city. This Typhoon has affected over 11 million people, 4 million people have been driven from their homes and 1 million homes have been damaged or destroyed. The people who have survived do so without clean drinking water, food or even clothes.

We have a strong knit Filipino community in East Grinstead and we want to do our best to help them.

On Monday 9th December at 7:30pm, this fantastic charity fundraiser, Flame of Hope is being performed at Chequer Mead, with all profits going to aid the Philippines Super Typhoon Haiyan Appeal 2013.

We are so lucky to have the relentless support of such fantastic acts, like, Chris Andre who wowed the Chequer Mead crowds back in September, X-Factor performer Andrea Magee, classical cellist extraordinaire Lizzy May with Silken Strings, Kyla & Nat Stroud, King of swing Stephen Dunnett, and the wonderful Bullfrog Youth Theatre, with the whole night being compered by the wonderful Cheryl Baker!

Please come along on Monday 9th December not to just have a fantastic night but also to show your support for a very deserving fund. Tickets are selling fast so please book your tickets to avoid disappointment

All tickets are £15, with all profits going to the Philippines Super Typhoon Haiyan Appeal, and available from the Box Office: 01342 302000

We hope you can join us on what will be a very special evening.

To bed, or not to bed – that is the Gardener’s Question

TOWN Council staff Jenny Watson and Katrina Hamill took part in a recording of Radio 4’s Gardener’s Question Time at Wakehurst Place in November and Katrina’s question – about next summer’s planting scheme for the High Street beds – was one of ten chosen to be answered by the panel of experts.

You can hear what they advised Katrina when the programme is broadcast on Friday 13 December at 3pm and again on Sunday 15 December at 2pm on 92-95FM.

Christmas Family Festival

TOWN Mayor Margaret Belsey was among the hundreds of people who enjoyed the traditional London Road festivities in the run-up to Christmas. Margaret is pictured below with the Lion’s Club mascot outside Santa’s grotto.

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Park free for shopping and High Street Christmas tree

CAROLLERS and Christmas shoppers will be able to park free in East Grinstead from 1pm on Saturday 7 December.

Mid Sussex District Council offered the seasonal incentive which the Town Council decided to apply on the afternoon that Town Mayor Margaret Belsey will perform the official ‘lighting up’ ceremony for the Rotary Club’s Christmas tree in the High Street.