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
THE Town Mayor’s Christmas Bazaar is taking place on Saturday 7 December at the Meridian Hall, East Court from 10am to 4pm.
There will be choirs including St Mary’s primary school choir, Father Christmas, a tombola, refreshments, gifts to buy and more.
Come and support your local charities.
Chequer Mead Lunchtime Concert Series presents the Forest Row Lifeboat Choir – Tuesday 3 December at 1pm
THE Forest Row Lifeboat Choir was formed in 1946 after the loss of the Rye Harbour Lifeboat Mary Stanford and her 17 crew in 1928.
The brother of a crew member lived in Forest Row, met the village postman and moved by the disaster, they formed the choir to sing carols to raise funds for the RNLI which they continue to do so to this day.
Sarah Benton Vocals presents Sing Out At Christmas – Wednesday 4 December at 7pm
SARAH Benton brings her hugely successful Sing Out show back to Chequer Mead, just in time for Christmas.
All profits will be going to the Queen Victoria Hospital charitable fund celebrating their 150 year anniversary. This is a youth production.
Desperado presents Eagles Greatest Hits – The Singles on Friday 6 December at 7.30pm
DESPERADO pay homage to a musical phenomenon by faithfully recreating everyone’s favourite Eagles songs in their latest UK tour.
The Supersonic 70s Show presents Christmas CrackerZ on Saturday 7 December at 7.45pm
THIS incredible live band featuring the West End vocals of Janey Bombshell and Mark Keen will take you on a journey of seventies hits from Queen and the ELO, through the The Osmonds, David Essex and David Cassidy, the Glam Rock of Sweet, Mud and T Rex, to the classic sounds of The Carpenters, Saturday Night Fever and Grease…
Ariel Choir and Guests – Sunday December at 7.30pm
ARIEL Choir is part of Ariel Company Theatre.
Following their appearance with Peter Andre at the O2 and the Brighton Centre, the Choir will perform both rock and pop classics.
They will be joined by the Ariel Musicality Choir and the Ariel Tempest’s finalist of the BBC Sports Relief Does Glee.
The Philippines Super Typhoon Haiyan Appeal presents Flame Of Hope – Monday 9 December at 7.30pm
IN light of the typhoon tragedy in the Philippines and with East Grinstead’s strong links through our Filipino community in town, we have organised a benefit concert at Chequer Mead on Monday 9 December, with all proceeds going to the Philippines Super Typhoon Haiyan Appeal.
Performers will include the amazingly talented Chris Andre, the ultimate 2 tone experience The Skatonics, fresh from X Factor Andrea Magee, the stunning cellist Lizzie May, swingster Stephen Dunnett, the stunning vocals of Kyla and Nat, and a selection from the musicals by The Bullfrog Youth Theatre.
Crockham Hill School presents Christmas Show – Wednesday 11 December at 7.30pm
CROCKHAM Hill School present their seasonal special. This is a youth production.
The Band of the Life Guards presents A Winter Concert – Thursday 12 December at 7.30pm in aid of SSAFA (The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association)
CHEQUER Mead is delighted and honoured to have a return visit of The Band of The Life Guards who will perform a variety of music at this very popular annual concert.
Book early to avoid disappointment and support this very worthy cause giving essential assistance to our Armed Forces (both past and present) and their families
Company of Friends presents Jack and the Beanstalk from Friday 20 December to Monday 30 December
SEE story here for times and ticket prices.
THE first presentation of the Sir Patrick Moore Astronomy award was made to Cameron Gray, at an award winners night held at Sackville school on 20 November.
Following the awards ceremony, a bench was unveiled to be placed in front of the school’s observatory dedicating the building “To the inspiration of Sir Patrick Moore, East Grinstead Stargazer”.
Sackville’s observatory was completed in 2012, shortly before Sir Patrick’s death, after which the Town Council approached the school to ask if they might like to dedicate it to the former resident’s memory.
The school had the idea for an annual award to recognise a student who makes the biggest contribution to Astronomy, not just the top grade. The Town Council readily offered to pay for the award and to make an annual prize of a voucher to the Telescope Shop in Lingfield.
The award is a piece of meteorite mounted on a wooden plinth with a reflective base (pictured below).
Town Clerk Julie Holden said: “I hope that this would have been thought of as fitting by Sir Patrick, and an encouragement for the next generation to create a passion for studying the stars.”
IT’S make-your-mind-up-time for anyone planning to see Jack and the Beanstalk at Chequer Mead this year, with many performances now close to sell-out
So to avoid disappointment check out times and ticket prices below:
Tickets: £15
Pensioners: £13.50
Wheelchairs: £13.50
Chequer Mead Friends: £13.50
Children: £13.50
Students: £13.50
Family Ticket: £54.00 (two adults, two children)
For more information call the Box Office on 01342 302000.
SHOPPERS using the Norton Road and Vicarage car parks in East Grinstead on the 7, 14 and 21 December (Saturdays) will be able to leave their cars all day for just £1.
THREE ‘significant’ upgrades scheduled to take place on the main railway line from East Grinstead into Victoria over the Christmas and New Year will mean changes to the usual timetable.
The infrastructure improvements include:
During the period that the work is being carried out Southern will run a revised service, and Gatwick Express services will not run from 25 Dec to 1 Jan. More information on these service revisions can be seen at www.southernrailway.com/
One option for passengers will be to travel to and from London via East Grinstead on a direct train.
Frequent rail replacement buses will run between East Grinstead station and Gatwick Airport or Three Bridges, with trains to/from stations further south. East Grinstead station will therefore be a hub for passengers changing at the station for their onward travel.
East Grinstead Camera Club – Thursday 5 December to Wednesday 11 December:
EAST Grinstead Camera Club’s exhibition of prints and projected images is testament to the diverse range of background, ability and the imagination of its members in producing photographic images. The equipment used ranges from Smart phones and compact cameras to SLRs. The club has been very successful over the last few years, winning competitions within both the Sussex and Surrey Photographic Federations. They have also represented Surrey Photographic Association at the PAGB national competitions. The Club meets weekly from September to May each year. New members of all levels are always welcome. Admission free.
Moths and More – until Wednesday 11 December:
ARTISTS Alex Duncan, Jackie O’Malley, Brenda Parsons, Emma Vining and Jane Whit from Moths and More, bring a sumptuous mix of creative textiles, paper cuts, jewellery and ceramics to The Greenstede Gallery at Chequer Mead in time for Christmas shopping. Admission free.
FRESH from their recent triumphs in Oliver! musical comedy duo Marks and Kennard were back at Chequer Mead this week with their hilariously risqué double act.
Their deliciously indecorous performance last year played to a packed foyer, so it was good to see them centre stage in the main theatre this time around for their latest show After A Decent Interval.
The pair are a perfect performing partnership.
Julian Marks on the keyboard is the bespectacled straight-ish half of the duo, his impish charm being the foil for Michael Kennard’s more outré persona in an act which echoes the on-stage relationship of Morecombe and Wise.
It probably isn’t an entertainment for maiden aunts – although there is more tap-dancing on the draining board of innuendo than actual plunging into the sink of iniquity.
But Marks and Kennard deliver their infectiously funny routines with such gleeful effrontery that their audience was pleased to be corrupted not offended – as evidenced by the positively shameful community singalong of “b******s” at the end of the evening.
The new material in their show included clever re-workings of Gilbert and Sullivan’s A Policeman’s Lot and the updating of some music hall favourites, while Kennard’s lovely performance of David Foster’s Grown Up Christmas list was a thoughtful pause in the non-stop hilarity.
It was hard to say in the end whether the pair were more audaciously impudent, facetiously humorous or saucily waggish.
But they were certainly very rude.
And very VERY funny.
Geraldine Durrant
Hospital health chiefs are heading to East Grinstead for their latest public consultation on their plans to become a foundation trust. Now they want people in the town to come along and play a part in the trust’s future development. Becoming a NHS foundation trust is an essential goal for Surrey & Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, and one it aims to achieve by April 2015.
Chief Executive Michael Wilson said: “Achieving FT status these days is about achieving a mark of quality – it’s a badge that says we deliver the best services. It also means the people we serve can have a greater say in our plans by becoming members and electing a Council of Governors.
“This consultation is about finding out what people think of our plans to become an FT – what our membership could look like and how they can influence decisions. I would encourage everyone to come along to the public meetings we are holding and play an essential role in shaping our proposals.”
Alan McCarthy, Trust Chairman, added: “Becoming an FT will increase the trust’s accountability to patients, staff and the public. We will carefully consider all feedback we receive during the consultation so that we can become an FT and continue to deliver safe, high quality care.”
Foundation trusts are different from existing NHS Trusts as they have more financial flexibility, are free from central government control and have different governance arrangements.
The additional freedom enables FTs to make decisions about their own future – decisions they reach with the involvement of the communities and the patients they serve.
The public consultation runs for 12 weeks and will end on February 28 next year following a series of meetings across the region. The Trust’s proposals can be found on their website at www.sash.nhs.uk/ft
How can members of the public respond?
There will be 10 events hosted across the SASH region where members of the public can hear more about the trust’s plans. Times and venues for these events are as follows:
About Foundation Trusts (FTs)
FTs remain part of the NHS and remain free at the point of use. They are subject to NHS standards, performance ratings and systems of inspection. FTs are also membership organisations from which a Council of Governors will be elected. The Council of Governors will engage with the membership and represent members’ views when decisions are made about trust’s future.
THE East Grinstead Volunteer Service is currently selling packs of Christmas cards with two local designs of East Grinstead. £6 for a pack of 10: five of each scene pictured below.
For more information see the EGVS website www.egcvs.org.uk/news/christmas-cards-now-sale
