Author: Andrew Taylor

IN a regular feature on the Town Council website, we will be remembering, on the anniversary of their deaths, the East Grinstead soldiers who died during WWI,  and who are named on the High Street War Memorial.

This month we recall (as recorded on The Roll of Honour website):

Gilbert Harold COOMBER

Private TF/200698 1/4th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 34th .Division.

Killed in action near Grand Rozoy on the Marne 29. 7.18 Aged 20.

Son of George and Maria Coomber of 5, Mill Cottages, Dunnings Road, East Grinstead. Born and enlisted in Horsham. Brother of Sergeant Albert Coomber.

Commemorated on The Soissons Memorial.MR. 18.

Charles William HUMPHREY

Private 36825 12th Battalion, The Norfolk Regiment. 31st Division.

Killed in action 24. 7.18. Aged 18.

Son of Arthur and Sarah Humphrey of 30, Stockwell Road, East Grinstead. Born in East Grinstead and enlisted in Brighton.

Buried Le Grand Hasard Military Cemetery, Morbcque F. 19

William Stanley TIZZARD

Private TF/ 200181 1/4th Battalion, Thessex Regiment. 34th Division.

Killed in action at Grand Rozoy on the Marne 29. 7.18. Aged 21.

Son of George and Mary Anne Tizzard of 7, Railway Approach, East Grinstead. Born and enlisted in East Grinstead.

Buried Raparie British Cemetery, Villemontoire F. 524

Henry UNDERWOOD

Lance Corporal 21835 1st Battalion, The East Surrey Regiment. 5th Division.

Died of wounds 1. 7.18.

Born in East Grinstead and enlisted in Kingston on Thames

Buried Aval Wood Military Cemetery, Vieux Berquin F. 352

Mid Sussex District Council is giving you the choice to pay for parking by card, cash or phone in Burgess Hill, East Grinstead and Haywards Heath town centre car parks.

New payment machines will help make parking as quick and simple as possible by enabling you to pay for parking with your bank card or by calling, texting or using an app on your mobile phone.

You can still pay for parking with cash in the conventional way but mobile payment is being introduced alongside cash payments as a handy alternative.

The MiPermit app is a quick, easy-to-use mobile phone service that allows you to pay for parking electronically, rather than with cash at a machine. By using the app you will not even have to visit the ticket machine and you can request a text message reminder when your parking is about to expire.

Councillor Marsh, Cabinet Member for Service Delivery said, “This is a progressive step for our well-used town centre car parks and an end to the frustration of not having the right change at the right time.

“The app also offers the option to extend your parking without returning to your vehicle, which is great when you find you need more time in town.”

The new machines are expected to be installed in time for the summer holidays.

Residents in West Sussex are being advised to take precautions with heatwave conditions continuing this week, according to the Met Office.

A Heat Health Watch Level 3 has been issued for the South East from today (2 July) until tomorrow night, with highs of 31˚C during the day, and 16˚C expected overnight.

High temperatures are then expected to continue into the weekend.

West Sussex County Council is reminding us to take extra care, as heat can have a severe impact on health, and during hot spells vulnerable groups, such as the very young, older people, and those with underlying medical conditions, can feel the effects of the heat more.

Hot weather can also make heart and breathing problems worse.

West Sussex Cabinet Member for Adults and Health Amanda Jupp said: “While many of us enjoy the heat at this time of year, high temperatures can be dangerous, especially for older people, young children, those with serious illnesses, and others who may be particularly vulnerable.

“During this period, please make sure you keep well hydrated with plenty of cool drinks, keep safe in the sun, use sun cream, wear a hat and look for shade if you feel you need to cool down.

“I would also encourage you to look out for anyone who may need help maintaining their health and wellbeing, or anyone struggling to cope with the heat.”

Some tips on how to cope in the hot weather are:

• avoid getting too hot in the first place – keep windows closed if it is cooler inside, close curtains or blinds. Open windows again when it starts to get cooler outside and temperatures drop but be mindful of security
• check your home’s thermostat or thermometer to see how hot your home is getting
• have plenty of cold drinks and avoid alcohol
• have regular cool baths and showers
• avoid being outside during the hottest part of the day (11am to 3pm), stay in the shade and avoid strenuous activity
• wear appropriate cool, light clothing and a hat
• when going outside, make sure you and your family use sun cream at all times to protect your skin

For more advice, you can visit our Safer Seasons page.

Anyone worried about their health during hot weather or a heatwave, especially if taking medication, feeling unwell or having any unusual symptoms such as weakness, feeling faint, headache, muscle cramps, feeling sick, heavy sweating and intense thirst, should contact their doctor, speak to a pharmacist, call NHS 111, or visit the website. Alternatively get a neighbour or friend to help you get help.

Mike Richardson and Ron Woolley, together with Lis Woolley and Tanya Hayman from the Womens section, will travel to Europe for The Royal British Legion’s Great Pilgrimage 90 – 5-9^th August 2018

Members of the East Grinstead branch of The Royal British Legion are to join thousands on a pilgrimage of Remembrance to World War One battlefield that culminates in a parade and ceremony in Ypres as part of the end of the First World War centenary commemorations this August.

The Royal British Legion event, known as the Great Pilgrimage 90 (GP90), takes place between the 5^th and 9^th of August and will be one of the largest in the charity’s history.

GP90 will mark 90 years since the original Royal British Legion Pilgrimage in 1928, which saw 11,000 World War One veterans and war widows visit the battlefields of the Somme in France and Ypres in Belgium, a decade after the conflict ended.

That Pilgrimage culminated in a march through Ypres to the Commonwealth War Grave Commission’s Menin Gate Memorial for a ceremony to commemorate the launch of The Hundred Days Offensive and in remembrance of those who never returned.

Local Legion members, Mike Richardson and Ron Woolley, together with Lis Woolley and Tanya Hayman, will represent the East Grinstead Branch and the local community at the event, as Standard Bearer and wreath layer respectively.

Mike, Ron, Lis and Tanya, will tour some of the same battlefields and cemeteries visited by those on the 1928 Pilgrimage, before marching along the original route through Ypres, to the Menin Gate on the 8^th August, bearing their branch standards and wreathes.

They will join more than 2,200 other Legion representatives and dignitaries, including Civic and military guests from the UK, Commonwealth and Northern Europe who are taking part. Once at the Menin Gate, Ron and Tanya will lay wreathes on behalf of the East Grinstead community.

Derek Capel, President of the East Grinstead Branch of The Royal British Legion, comments: “Great Pilgrimage 90 is a unique opportunity for the Legion community to come together and bear our Standards along the same route in Ypres taken 90 years earlier by the veterans and widows of the First World War. The East Grinstead Branch looks forward to proudly representing the town at the event.”

As local champions of Remembrance, the East Grinstead Branch of The Royal British Legion is looking to work in partnership with their community to bring their unique Remembrance  message to the Menin Gate, on their wreathes, where they will be displayed in a wreath installation for viewing by the general public until the end of August.

The parade will start at midday and we encourage the public to make the trip across to Ypres for the 8^th August and fill the Market Square to watch the parade, One Hundred Days ceremony and then enjoy an afternoon of musical entertainment including The Central Band of the Royal British Legion.

If you want to find out more about GP90 or your local Royal British Legion branch, then please contact Ron Woolley on ronwoolley1937@gmail.com

On Thursday 21 June business leaders from across the District attended an event to hear its economic ambitions for the area.

Hosted in Burgess Hill at the offices of CAE (the worldwide leader in civil, business, and defence aviation training) over seventy delegates from across the business community were treated to a number of guest speakers highlighting why they had chosen Mid Sussex to grow their businesses.

In opening remarks, Sir Nicholas Soames MP outlined the importance of work to strengthen the local economy in the light of Brexit: “Mid Sussex and its entrepreneurial business leaders have enormous potential that we must foster and support and so I do commend the Council’s work. I have been delighted to welcome a number of senior Ministers to Mid Sussex over the last few months and all have made clear their desire to support the District’s ambitious plans.”

MSDC Deputy Leader Jonathan Ash-Edwards then focused on MSDC’s ambition to transform the local economy and create thousands of new high value jobs in technology-led industries.

Councillor Ash-Edwards commented “Our Economic Development Strategy focuses on four key themes of Place, Premises, People and Promotion. Taken together the actions under each of these themes will help to deliver a transformed Mid Sussex that is not only a great place to live and a great place to visit but also a great place to do business.”

The first of the guest speakers Wayne Channon, Chairman of Cells4Life and Stabilitech, both Mid Sussex success stories, outlined his reasons for moving from London to Mid Sussex to grow his biotech businesses.

“Moving to Mid Sussex allowed me the room to grow my two businesses, Stabilitech and Cells4Life” said Wayne. “Access to a highly skilled workforce and a strong supply of skilled graduates looking to work in Sussex means we are that much closer to our goal of developing pioneering new approaches in delivering and administering vaccines.”

Wayne was followed by Justin Thomas, Director at NewRiver REIT, who outlined his company’s ambitious £65 million investment to regenerate Burgess Hill town centre.

Justin said “We have identified Burgess Hill as one of our key investment opportunities with its large catchment area and fast growing population. We have exciting plans underway to help transform the town centre to include a new cinema, hotel, significantly enhanced retail and leisure offer together with a full centre refurbishment for Burgess Hill”.

The final speaker of the evening, Sussex University Professor Adam Tickell, rounded off the event by explaining how Mid Sussex can attract a large number of university graduates into the workforce. “We have a large number of highly skilled undergraduates who progress through the university with many looking for high-tech roles without having to move out of the area.” He also emphasised the importance to the economy of the ground breaking research undertaken by universities like Sussex.