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
Sunday 9 December – Christmas Fun and Crafts – Things to make for Christmas
THE activities run from 10.30 am to 3pm, and there is no need to book – just turn up and stay as long as you want.
There is a charge of £1 per child to cover the cost of materials. The activities are for 5 to 11-year-olds.
South Eastern School of Art: Friday 30 November to Wednesday 5 December
THE second Annual exhibition from SESA – an independent award-winning art school in Sussex, offering drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture classes for students of all ages and abilities.
CHEQUER Mead Lunchtime Concert Series presents the Forest Row Lifeboat Choir: Tuesday 4 December at 1:30pm
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…
Chequer Mead Youth Theatre presents Christmas Tales: Wednesday 5 December at 7:30pm
IN an old clock belonging to the mysterious Master Humphrey, a number of manuscripts which reveal the true spirit of Christmas are discovered.
No other author is as associated with Christmas as Charles Dickens, and in this, the bicentenary of his birth, CMYT presents new and dramatic adaptations of some of his Christmas stories including The Story of the Goblins Who Stole A Sexton – the short story on which A Christmas Carol was based.
This is a youth production.
The Band of the Coldstream Guards presents A Winter Concert: Thursday 13 December at 7:30pm
CHEQUER Mead is delighted and honoured to welcome back The Band of The Coldstream Guards who will perform a variety of music at this very popular annual concert. Book early to avoid disappointment and support a very worthy cause giving essential assistance to our Armed Forces (both past and present) and their families.
Cuisine Studio presents Jazz Café on Friday 14 December at 7pm
ENJOY the best of live jazz with the John Gowers Jazz Quartet combined with a bistro menu at Cuisine Studio’s popular jazz event.
Please reserve a table for a meal by calling Mandy, Roger or Paul on 01342 324860.
The Company of Friends presents Cinderella – for full listings see the story below.
Friday 21 December to Sunday 30 December:
GET ready for another unmissable Chequer Mead Christmas pantomime from the Company of Friends. The most popular and romantic pantomime of them all, Cinderella will be brought magically to life by a superb cast, an abundance of comedy, stunning sets and costumes and fabulous special effects.
The best pantomime outside London.
THIS year’s official Christmas card from the Town Council at East Court features Town Mayor Liz Bennett with the band of the Grenadier guards outside the historic Grade II listed building.
TOWN Mayor Liz Bennett has presented the East Grinstead Access Group with a cheque on behalf of the Town Council.
TICKETS are flying out fast for this year’s panto at Chequer Mead which will be the familiar rags-to-riches tale ofCinderella.
The most popular and romantic pantomime of them all, Cinderella will be brought magically to life by a superb cast, an abundance of comedy, stunning sets and costumes, and fabulous special effects in a programme with times to suit all the family.
Book early to avoid disappointment.
Performances
Friday 21 December at 5:30pm (limited availability)
Saturday 22 December at 1:30pm
Saturday 22 December at 5:30pm
Sunday 23 December at 1:30pm
Sunday 23 December at 5:30pm
Monday 24 December at 11:00am
Monday 24 December at 2:30pm (limited availability)
Thursday 27 December at 1:30pm
Thursday 27 December at 5:30pm
Friday 28 December at 1:30pm
Friday 28 December at 5:30pm
Saturday 29 December at 1:30pm
Saturday 29 December at 5:30pm
Sunday 30 December at 11:00am
Sunday 30 December at 2:30pm
Tickets: £15
Pensioners: £13.50
Wheelchairs: £13.50
Children: £13.50
Students: £13.50
Family Ticket: £54 (Two adults, two children)
Cuisine Studio: Pre-theatre meals are available for this show at Cuisine Studio, our in-house restaurant. To book a table, call 01342 324860.
CUISINE Studio at Chequer Mead is offering patrons a special seasonal menu throughout December to celebrate Christmas.
The three-course menu features a choice of six main courses including turkey and all the trimmings, Scotch beef and guinea fowl, three desserts or a selection of farmhouse cheeses with home-made chutney, plus coffee/tea and a mince pie for just £22.
To book a table, call 01342 324860.
STOP Press: Town Mayor Liz Bennett will be lighting the Rotary Club’s Christmas tree in the High Street on Saturday, 1 December at 3pm. Town centre shoppers will be able to hear a short service of blessing and join in Christmas carols.
MUSICAL duo Marks and Kennard returned to Chequer Mead last night (Tuesday 28 November) with a brilliant evening of fast-paced comedy.
Julian Marks is the endearingly owlish straight-man on the keyboard, while tenor Mike Kennard delivers hilariously risqué songs which often teeter perilously on the brink of social disaster but never quite fall into the pit of impropriety, except perhaps in the minds of the audience – for which of course this irresistible pair cannot be held responsible.
The Flanders and Swann de nos jours, these masters of the double entendre have borrowed from all the comic greats including Fascinating Aida, Richard Digance and Tom Lehrer whose Vatican Rag remains as funny as it was 40 years ago.
And I am ashamed to admit that in his reprise of Kenneth Williams’ famous pastiche on a French love song Kennard’s fine voice rendered the romantic trials of Crepes Suzette almost touching.
Marks and Kennard also performed some brief snatches of their own work including a well-observed Chicago-style tribute to East Grinstead, East Grinstead, a train-spotter’s town…which suggests they might introduce more original songs to their set.
And you have to admire any duo who can get their largely middle-aged, middle-class audience cheerfully singing along to a farewell chorus of “b——s”.
Marvellous, life-enhancing fun – and if you missed it, you missed a real treat.
Geraldine Durrant
IN the run up to Christmas, Mid Sussex District Council is offering an early present to local shoppers and traders by providing all-day town centre parking for just £1.
The Council is helping to spread the Christmas cheer with discounted parking on Saturdays in the towns of Burgess Hill, East Grinstead and Haywards Heath. The £1 parking offer will only be available in long stay car parks owned by Mid Sussex District Council.
Parking in Mid Sussex is completely free on Sundays so that’s a whole weekend of shopping for less than the price of a loaf of bread. The parking discounts will be available from Saturday 1 December at the following locations:
“Our three towns offer shoppers a diverse retail experience and people will now be able to enjoy visiting them for less by parking on Saturdays for just £1,” said Councillor John de Mierre, Cabinet Member for Economic Development.
“As a Council we want to show our support for local traders and the wider community during the busy Christmas period. I hope our parking offer not only encourages our residents to shop locally but attracts other people to visit and spend their money in Mid Sussex.
“There is no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than browsing local stores for gifts and with so many great retailers in Mid Sussex there is no reason to go anywhere else.”
The Christmas lights will be turned on in Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath on Saturday 24 November and East Grinstead on Saturday 1 December. To encourage people to share some Christmas cheer with local traders on the day, Mid Sussex District Council is offering free car parking in all its short stay car parks from 1pm.
In Burgess Hill the celebrations will start at the bandstand in Church Walk from 5pm. There will be fun and games with Heart Radio’s Jack the Lad and the Heart Angels, a special appearance from Fireman Sam and fire engine rides provided by the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.
In Haywards Heath, festive events will run all day but the highlight will be Santa and his sleigh pulled by live reindeer, which will arrive on South Road from 4.30pm. A firework finale will take place at 6pm in Victoria Park.
Across Mid Sussex, 17 car parks have now achieved the Park Mark Safer Parking Award, creating a safer environment for users and their vehicles. For more details about parking across the District, please visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/parking.