Author: Andrew Taylor

Residents will know that the Town Council have been taking concerns of noise complaints back to the official communication groups for Gatwick.

Officers are encouraging residents who wish to make complaints to record details of disturbances and periodically send them in to the Town Council (perhaps quarterly to the townclerk@eastgrinstead.gov.uk email) along with reporting it to Gatwick’s Flight Performance Team (FPT) either by email or telephone, The telephone number to ring is 0800 393070. The web site is noise.line@gatwickairport.com.

Please do not report individual complaints to the Town Council, these must be made direct to Gatwick, but we would be pleased to have copies of your records to build up any evidence that would be needed to try to bring forth a change in the future.

Wednesday 13th March, 4.30pm – 6.30pm at Central Sussex College’s Crawley campus

You can register for apprenticeship vacancies, pick up hints and tips on CV writing and interview techniques, and talk to the experts about becoming an Apprentice.

If you’re a business thinking of employing an apprentice, come along and find out more about the range of training available and how we can support you.

We’re working with Gatwick Airport Ltd to help them recruit apprentices – jobs available now!

Bring your CV along to this advice session and apply.

Call: 01293 442205/206 or find out more at http://www.centralsussex.ac.uk/news/eventdisplay.asp?eventid=141

NOT a single complaint was made against East Grinstead Town Council, or any of its 18 councillors, during 2012 according to a disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

Council Leader Norman Webster called the findings a reflection of the Council’s “hardworking attitude and its commitment to residents”.

“We are pleased that we have been able to address the concerns of residents and business people to the degree that they have not found it necessary to lodge any formal complaints,” he said.

“We appreciate the feedback which we receive from people, as it certainly assists us in establishing priorities for the town – the Neighbourhood Development Plan consultation process has been a good example of this two-way communication.”

* The Town Council’s responsibilities include burial grounds, street furniture and the maintenance of public spaces.

AS the elections returning authority, Mid Sussex District Council is conducting a review of two East Grinstead wards, which will be the subject of a 12-week consultation running from 8 March until 31 May 2013.

The proposals are for:

• The movement of the Imberhorne/Baldwins ward boundary to bring it into line with the District Council boundary.
• The merger of the wards of Town North and Town South back into a single ward known as Town.

East Grinstead Town Council has been contacted to formally submit their views on the proposals, as has West Sussex County Council.

Following the consultation, proposals will be considered by the Council’s Leader and Service Delivery Scrutiny Committee on 2 July and then by Full Council on 24 July 2013. Any changes to be made to the electoral arrangements will come into effect at the next full elections of Parish and Town councillors in May 2015.

Full details are available on the Mid Sussex District Council website at www.midsussex.gov.uk/communitygovernancereviews where there is detailed information about the reviews and consultation arrangements.

Monday 11 March 10am – noon at Glen Vue Wareland House, Railway Approach, East Grinstead RH19 1BS

DROP in for a cuppa and have a chat about eating and exercising to keep warm, and affordable warmth in the home. Leave with a goody bag of information, a room thermometer and some soup.

You can expect to talk to a number of people including:

• Committee Members of Mid Sussex Older People’s Council
• Val, aged 75, still teaching yoga, and
• a representative from the Sussex Energy Centre.

If you would like more information please contact Anita Wright, Development Officer, Mid Sussex Older People’s Council, on the Mid Sussex Older People’s Council answerphone on 01444 242 760 or email anita@msopc.org.uk.

* Grateful thanks to the Sussex Community Foundation who gave MSOPC a grant for this event, and Glenvue who have provided the accommodation.

SEVEN East Grinstead car parks are among 17 in Mid Sussex to have retained a prestigious Police award for safety and security following a recent assessment by an independent inspector.

The car parks have been recognised as examples of excellent parking design and will proudly display the ‘Park Mark’ sign of quality for the next 12 months.

The British Parking Association, on behalf of Sussex Police, assessed the award-winning car parks. The assessors declared that all had measures in place to deter criminal activity and create a safer environment for both the public and their vehicles. The Police checked that the car parks are properly managed, maintained and have appropriate levels of surveillance, lighting, signage and cleanliness – all of which contribute to reducing the opportunity for crime.

Crime records show only 13 crimes were reported across all 17 Park Mark car parks in the past year. With 1.4 million vehicles passing through the car parks each year, the chance of becoming a victim of crime is extremely unlikely, around 1 in 100,000.

Mike Bibby, Area Manager for the British Parking Association, said: “It gives me great pleasure, once again, to commend Mid Sussex District Council on this achievement and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all personnel involved. Users of these facilities can be confident the council is making every effort to ensure their safety, and that of their vehicles, is taken seriously.

“The working practices of the Council, and the actual condition of their car parks, is an excellent example for other Local Authorities as to what can be achieved.”

Councillor John de Mierre, Mid Sussex District Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development agreed.

“Securing these Park Mark awards for another year shows our commitment to protecting residents from crime and making our car parks as safe as possible. Figures show that instances of crime in our car parks are exceptionally rare and I hope that motorists take confidence from these Park Mark awards, knowing that nothing is more important to us than the safety and security of the people who use our parking facilities.”

* The ‘Park Mark’ is part of the UK Police flagship initiative ‘Secured by Design’ that promotes crime reduction through effective design and security standards in public buildings, roadways, footpaths and car parks as well as private houses.

The award-winning car parks in East Grinstead are :

• Chequer Mead
• Christopher Road
• King Street
• Norton House
• Queensway
• Railway Approach
• Vicarage Road

TOWN Mayor Liz Bennett has unveiled a series of new signs to guide visitors around Ashplats Wood.

It is hoped that the signs, produced in a joint project by East Grinstead War Memorial Ltd, the Ashplats Conservation Group and Mid Sussex District Council, will guide visitors  around the ancient woodland which borders the lower end of East Court, and explain more about the history of the area which has been actively managed for the past four centuries.

* To join the volunteers who help to manage the wood see the website at www.ashplats.org

Town Mayor Liz Bennett cuts the ribbon on one of the new signs at Ashplats Wood
(Picture courtesy of the East Grinstead Courier and Observer)

TOWN Mayor Liz Bennett led more than 700 walkers along the Bluebell line from East Grinstead to Kingscote in a fundraiser which raised £50,000  for the historic steam railway.

Conditions for the walk were freezing which meant the ground was hard underfoot instead of the mudbath of recent weeks which had necessitated calling the walk off twice before.

But with conditions perfect, the walkers enjoyed their last chance to walk the length of the line before the first train steams into East Grinstead station at the end of March – and raised twice as much money as had been initially hoped.

EAST Grinstead residents can now try out a range of free fitness-class ‘taster’ sessions that have been set up by the Mid Sussex Wellbeing Team.

The scheme was started as a small pilot project last November when places were snapped up in double-quick time.

As a result the programme has expanded quickly to meet public demand and new sessions are now available in East Grinstead for the very first time.

Throughout March, local people will have the chance to try up to four free fitness classes. The sessions are completely free and aimed at people who would like to return to exercise or who maybe have never taken any regular exercise before.

The classes are designed with the needs of beginners in mind, so they are easy to pick up and are conducted at a slower pace.

There’s the chance to try Zumba, the fun dance-based workout that is inspiring thousands of people across the country to take up exercise, or to blow off some steam and release some frustration with a Boxercise session.

Pilates classes show newcomers how strengthening core muscles can help to improve flexibility and tone the body, while Circuit training sessions offer a full body workout which improves overall fitness.

A full timetable of all the fitness taster sessions running March is below:

Day	Session	Time	Venue
Tuesday	Boxercise	18.15-19.00	Moat Church Hall, East Grinstead RH19 1ET
	Zumba	19.15-20.15	Moat Church Hall, East Grinstead RH19 1ET
Wednesday	Zumba	13.30-14:30	Christ Church Hall, Haywards Heath RH16 3LE
Thursday	Pilates	11.00-12.00	Marle Place, Burgess Hill RH15 8HZ
	Circuits	18.00-19.00	Harlands School,Haywards Heath, RH161PJ
	Pilates	19.00-20.00	Harlands School, Haywards Heath, RH161PJ

 “All of these exercise classes are completely free and run by trained fitness experts” said Councillor Christopher Snowling, Cabinet Member for Health and Community. “The instructors understand that many people taking part will be new to these types of exercise, so they take extra time to provide help, support and guidance.

“Regular exercise provides many long-lasting health benefits and it can help you to look and feel great too. I urge anybody who is interested in taking more exercise to contact our Wellbeing team, book a place and try this fantastic introduction to fitness classes.”

The Mid Sussex Wellbeing Team provides free advice and guidance on all aspects of health and wellbeing, including eating healthily, losing weight, giving up smoking, becoming more active, cutting down on drinking, managing stress and feeling happier.  Residents can contact the team directly or visit the Mid Sussex Wellbeing website www.midsussexwellbeing.org.uk, which provides a ‘one stop shop’ for information and advice on physical and emotional health matters.

If you would like more information or to book a space on any of the free fitness taster sessions please give the Wellbeing Team a call on 01444 477048, or email kamella.clough@midsussex.gov.uk

TRINITY Church has held a Commissioning Celebration to mark the start of a Food Bank in East Grinstead, followed by a church service led by Rev Geoff Bell.

The event was attended by members of several of the town’s churches, and by councillors John O Brien, Dick Sweetman and Council Leader Norman Webster.

The East Grinstead Food Bank is now open at Trinity Church at the following times:

• Mon 1pm to 3pm
• Wed 9am to 11am
• Fri 1pm to 3pm

For enquiries email info@eastgrinstead.foodbank.org.uk or telephone 07983 209940

The Food Bank relies on donations to feed local people in crisis. All its food is donated by individuals, schools, churches, businesses or through supermarket collections.

Once or twice a year collections are held at East Grinstead’s Sainsbury’s and Waitrose, where members of the public are offered a ‘Foodbank Shopping list’ asking them to consider buying an item from the list. Shoppers then leave the item(s) they have bought for the Food Bank at a collection point outside the supermarket and are thanked for their generosity by volunteers.

The food is then sorted according to type and ‘best before date’ before being taken off to the warehouse and logged. Any items not suitable for Food Bank use are passed on to help those using Crawley Open House.

Care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers, Citizens Advice Bureau staff, welfare officers, the police and probation officers identify people in crisis and issue them with a Food Bank voucher.

Clients bring their voucher to the Distribution Centre at Trinity Methodist Church where it can be exchanged for a three-day supply of emergency food. The combination of foods given has been decided by dieticians to provide recipients with a nutritionally balanced diet, but volunteers try to add a treat as well, if supplies allow.

Clients are welcomed with the offer of a warm drink and something to eat and the team is ready to listen if they want to share something of their circumstances whilst their food pack is put together.

Volunteers can also direct people to other organisations who can help resolve their longer-term problems.

As a Christian based organisation volunteers will also offer to pray briefly with a client before they leave, IF this is what they would like.

If you would like to give in-date, non-perishable foods, they would currently appreciate donations of:

• Long life fruit juice (1ltr)
• Small pots of jam
• Small/Medium jars of coffee
• Sugar (500g or 1kg)

Donations can be left in the dedicated box in Trinity’s Welcome Cafe. Please note, the Food Bank can only accept food which has at least 3 months before its ‘Best Before’ date.

Town councillors John O’Brien and  Dick Sweetman, and Council Leader Norman Webster with some of the Food Bank volunteers in their distinctive green pullovers.