Author: Andrew Taylor

STEVE Jenness, of local independent financial advisers Baker Jenness, gave older people an insight into how the cost of care can be funded at a meeting in East Court Mansion last month.

The audience at the event, which was hosted by Mid Sussex Older People’s Council, also heard from town MP Nicholas Soames about Government plans to care for the UK’s increasingly aging population.

Mid Sussex District Council’s Department of Work and Pensions, West Sussex County Council’s Carewise, and Energy Efficiency advisers were also on hand to provide information about the financial benefits available to senior citizens.
As well as individual older people, representatives from welfare groups and other organisations which work with the elderly in Mid Sussex attended.

“The event came just at the right time for us – it’s an issue we are currently considering,” said one resident afterwards.
East Grinstead Town Mayor Cllr Liz Bennett said: “Events like this are not just about the information being shared, they are also about older people living in Mid Sussex getting together and building self-supporting networks.”

* Find more information about Mid Sussex Older People’s Council, or funding care, by leaving a message on their answerphone on 01444 242 760, emailing anita@msopc.org.uk or visiting their website www.msopc.org.uk

SUSSEX Crimestoppers is joining forces with police colleagues in the Thames Valley, Kent, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Surrey to tackle metal theft crime head-on in the South East.

Theft of metal is now one of the fastest rising crimes, and costs the UK economy an estimated £770m a year. Heavily influenced by commodity prices and the growing economies of both developing and developed countries, it affects communities, industry and commerce, and poses a real and significant threat to public safety and critical national infrastructure. It is an international problem and whilst metal prices remain high and global demand continues to rise, the crime is big business and an issue that will not disappear on its own.

“The summer holiday season will see many buildings, particularly schools and offices, left vulnerable to both organized crime and opportunistic thieves. But thieves are not invisible unless we choose to ignore them,” said Crimestoppers spokesman Kathy Burke.

“Metal theft is the hot topic today,” she continued. “We read about incidents in the papers and many of us may well have felt the impact of metal theft on our day-to-day lives including train cancellations from cable and track theft, loss of phone and internet connections, and school closures. However, awareness of metal theft is only part of the battle. In order to stop criminals continuing to disrupt our lives we all need to be proactive, vigilant and to report our suspicions quickly.

“To this end Crimestoppers offers the public a safe and anonymous way to stop the thieves either by contacting us on 0800 555 111 or using our secure, online form direct from a mobile phone at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. “But we can only be effective if you make that call.”

Police Forces in the South East have also introduced a new scheme named Operation Tornado. This will make it easier to trace anyone who sells metal to Scrap Metal Merchants, and will help to remove and prosecute dealers of stolen metal.

Crimestoppers will be working throughout the year to further enhance and support this initiative.

Inspector Martin Pattenden, the Sussex Police lead for Operation Tornado remarked: “As a Force we are committed to reducing metal theft in Sussex. Operation Tornado aims to target unscrupulous dealers rather than inhibit legitimate businesses. However we still need intelligence from the public to tackle this crime from all angles and the Crimestoppers anonymous service provides a valuable tool to enable communities to provide information safely and free from fear.”

* To pass on information about metal theft or any crime anonymously, Crimestoppers can be contacted online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org through the new mobile site or computer, or by calling 0800 555 111 number. Whichever form of communication chosen, anonymity is guaranteed.

THE arrival of summer sunshine after months of drenching rain brought families out in force to enjoy this year’s Midsummer Market.

Stallholders took over the London Road in East Grinstead, and shoppers were able to buy food, gifts and craft items, while their children enjoyed street performers and rides.

But organiser Jo Wilkins says it could be twice as nice next year with a second appearance of the popular market, which has become a must-do on the town calendar. “The summer market has only been going for six years, but it’s a real success,” said Jo. “It brings a lot of people into the town and makes it a nicer place to live – so we might look at doing two during the summer months of 2013.”

Town Mayor Liz Bennett was escorted around the market by tourism officer Simon Kerr, who described the atmosphere as “buzzing”. Liz also took the opportunity to visit some of the town’s regular traders, including the newly-opened Fat Face, and The Market Square.

“The town centre was very busy on Saturday and it was wonderful to see so many families out enjoying themselves, and to talk with businesses, stallholders and residents,” she said.

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EAST Grinstead Camera Club will be marking the start of its 58th year with its annual photographic exhibition from 30 August until 5 September.

The public are welcome to a reception on opening night to meet Club members, and to enjoy some of their images and a little live music.

New members are always welcome.

SPEED cameras on the A22 which were ‘bagged’ more than a year ago to allow drivers time to adjust to new speed limits, will be back in action this autumn.

Signs warning drivers that there are cameras along the stretch of road leading from East Grinstead to Felbridge have already been reinstated, and the cameras themselves will be back in use as soon as overhanging foliage has been trimmed back.

THE Old Dunnings Mill pub hosted a reception for East Grinstead’s Olympic torchbearers after they had done their lap through the cheering town on July 17.

Pub manager Janet Webb said: “We are very much a local pub and we are always trying to embrace the local community, so we were very pleased to be able to play our part in this historic and once-in-a-lifetime event.”

The recordings of the Town Council’s Diamond Jubilee Literary Award winners will be played on Meridian FM on Wednesday 29 August between 7-8pm.