Author: Andrew Taylor

Mid Sussex District Council has awarded grant funding of over £12,000 to help local micro businesses grow and expand.

The Mid Sussex District Council Cabinet Grants Panel met on 18 June to discuss the first round of grant funding this year and the funding allocations to eight local businesses were confirmed on 27 June.

Micro business grant applications only opened in May this year and already 35 businesses in Mid Sussex have applied for funding. The micro business grants are allocated on a first come, first served basis and local businesses are encouraged to apply now to avoid disappointment.

Strawberry Moon Skincare in Burgess Hill has been granted £1,748.25 to help expand their product line and purchase new equipment. The business produces handmade skincare products, which are environmentally friendly and are packaged with zero plastic waste. There is growing interest from retailers looking to stock Strawberry Moon products and this grant will help them to speed up the production process and meet increasing demand.

Active 1^st, a Turners Hill based business which provides a variety of after school clubs and gymnastic classes, has been awarded £3,500 to upgrade its facilities and take on an apprentice. Plans include the installation of new purpose fit flooring to improve safety and the purchase of new British Gymnastic Standard equipment. The improvements will help Active 1^st increase the opening times of the gym and enable new health and fitness classes to be established.

Gary Nation, Company Director at Active 1^st said:

“Active 1st are delighted to have received a grant from Mid Sussex District Council. It will make such a difference by enabling us to have a safe and state of the art facility which will enable us to attract and coach lots of budding gymnastic stars of the future. The grant will be spent on new gymnastic equipment and a much need renovation of the business space.”

The funding has been provided by West Sussex County Council, reinvesting Business Rates back into the local business community. Grants of up to £2,000 remain available to support the growth of any Mid Sussex business with fewer than 10 employees and an idea for a project that will help their business grow. Up to £1,500 is also available to help micro businesses take on an apprentice and businesses may apply for both kinds of grant at the same time if they wish.

For more information about micro business grants visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/businessgrants.

East Grinstead Town Council is proud to be the current custodian of East Court. This year an exhibition celebrates the 250th Anniversary of the building.

Built in 1769, the house was initially a family home set in 900 acres, including three additional farmsteads.

Over the years it became an army barracks, was squatted and finally home to East Grinstead’s Urban District Council, later to become East Grinstead Town Council.

Come along to East Court, to see how the house has changed in this free an exhibition covering the last 250 years.

Open from 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday – College Lane East Grinstead West Sussex RH19 3LT

This exhibition will run through to the end of the year, however opening times may change as events may make the hall inaccessible to the public. Please call to check if exhibition is open.

A family event and a mayoral quiz is planned to mark the anniversary on 6th August. Details to be advised.

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Mid Sussex District Council has awarded over £200,000 in grant funding to help local sports clubs and community organisations improve their facilities and services.

The Mid Sussex District Council Cabinet Grants Panel met on 18 June to discuss the grant funding allocations and the award of £205,669 to the successful applicants was confirmed on 27 June.

Haywards Heath Rugby Club has been granted £150,000 towards construction of a new state of the art multi-sports pavilion at Whiteman’s Green in Cuckfield. The current clubhouse has been repaired many times over the years but is no longer fit for purpose. Over 1,500 Mid Sussex children and adults participate in sports at Whiteman’s Green every week and this new facility will become a valuable base for lots of different local sports clubs. It will also become a community social hub providing facilities to a wide range of other local organisations. The funding has been provided by Section 106 financial contributions, payments made by developers towards the improvement of local infrastructure.

Brighton Science was awarded £2,500 to provide Pocket Science Festivals at five venues across Mid Sussex. The festival uses exciting activities and hands on demonstrations to reach out to children who may not engage with science in schools. The aim of the project is to make science accessible, affordable, and most importantly fun, for both the children and their parents.

St John’s Church in Felbridge secured £714 towards a pilot project to engage local teenagers and help them to learn new skills. A group of five to eight teenagers will work to repaint and modify a Toyota Celica car during the school summer holidays. The project aims to increase social inclusion, improve mental wellbeing though accomplishment, provide ownership of a creative and practical project and establish mentors and role models outside school.

The charity Relate North & South West Sussex has been granted £2,000 to enable them to continue providing counselling services in East Grinstead and the surrounding villages. Relate champions the importance of healthy relationships as a way to create strong family ties. It’s an approach which helps people to engage with their local community and reduces the need for intervention by statutory agencies. Counselling for young people helps them to deal with challenges in life and provides skills that help them to remain in school.

Councillor Norman Webster, Mid Sussex District Council Cabinet Member for Community said:

“We have some wonderful projects here that all contribute to the strong sense of community we have in Mid Sussex. There’s support for those who are vulnerable, community activities that families can enjoy together and lots of sporting opportunities that encourage people to be healthy and active.

“Many of these initiatives are only possible because local volunteers give up their time to do something special for others in the community. We must thank them for everything they are doing and I’m delighted that Mid Sussex District Council is able to demonstrate its support by providing this grant funding.”

For more information contact the Mid Sussex District Council Community Services Team on 01444 477275 or email Elaine.Clarke@midsussex.gov.uk.

On Saturday 29th June East Grinstead commemorated the Armed Forces past, present and future with an event at East Court. After a short service and wreath laying ceremony at the war memorial the Air Training Corps cadets performed a series of precision drills to music performed by the Nautical Training Corps cadets. Speeches and entertainment followed in the Meridian Hall and the Meridian Court yard.

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