Author: Andrew Taylor

Healthwatch West Sussex are excited to announce the launch of our Community Fund for local community and voluntary groups with the aim to gather insight into people’s health
and social care experiences with a view to influencing future improvements.

We invite applications for awards of up to £500. Our aim is to keep the process simple and applying is easy so that we can make awards that make a difference to local people. All applications will be judged on their own merits and in relation to how they could contribute to improving people’s health and wellbeing experiences.

We would expect recipients to provide a simple report about their project/activity once completed to include: how many people were involved, how they raised awareness of Healthwatch West Sussex with their members and wider local community: so that we hear the ‘voices of your community health and care needs’. The report could possibly include photographs of the project, that we could use in our community work.

The projects do not have to be expensive or complicated, for example: enough to cover the cost of setting up an event within an existing group, or a new group so that people can meet to share their health and care experiences, or the cost of materials so that a group could produce artwork representing their experiences. No matter what your group is, if you are part of a community in West Sussex, we are keen to hear from you.

We will be reviewing applications every month and will reply as soon as we can.

Interested groups or individuals just need to send a short description of their project idea and the amount of funding they are asking for to cheryl.berry@healthwatchwestsussex.co.uk or call on 07966 529756.

Engagement Officer: Job Reference: 753-CCG-4090KR

Employer: Horsham and Mid Sussex CCG

Location: Crawley/Oxted

Salary: £22,128-£28,746 pa

Are you passionate about hearing from people who use local health services? Are you highly organised, and skilled in managing tasks and priorities in a pressurised environment? . We are looking for an enthusiastic and committed individual to join the Patient and Public Engagement team; working across Horsham and Mid Sussex, Crawley and East Surrey CCGs, you will support the Public Engagement Managers to ensure a systematic and informed approach to reaching and hearing from patients, carers and the public. You will support the successful delivery of a range of engagement mechanisms, and develop robust systems and processes to ensure feedback is recorded and responded to appropriately. You will ensure that good administration processes underpin the work of the Engagement team, including high quality and effective communications to relevant stakeholders.

You will be a vital part of a dynamic and proactive Communications and Engagement team working across the Central Sussex and East Surrey Commissioning Alliance.

NHS jobs Link : Click here

We are advised by Mid Sussex District Council who are the landowners, that they have completed the required legal procedures and are now liaising with the Police regarding removal of the Travellers from their current location.

MSDC Officers are at the site again this morning to continue to monitor the situation and hope to resolve this situation as quickly as possible.

All public enquiries must be directed to Mid Sussex DC (switchboard 01444 458166 www.midsussex.gov.uk) as the Town Council has no other information.

The EG Choral Society trip to Ypres where they will take part in the last post at the Menin Gate.

East Grinstead Town Councils Flower beds in the High Street have once again surpassed themselves and are this year, commemorating four very different anniversaries.

EAST GRINSTEAD AND DISTRICT LIONS (BED 1)

The East Grinstead & District Lions Club was formed in 1968 and 2018 sees the club reach its Golden Anniversary or 50th year. The bed marks this anniversary with the Lions logo; the heads facing both ways, to represent pride in heritage and confidence in the future. All the flowers are blue and yellow to bring out the colours of the logo. Our hanging baskets this year have also given a nod to the Lions anniversary with the predominant colours being blue and yellow.

RAF100 (Bed 2)

1st April 2018 sees the centenary of the formation of the Royal Air Force. Making it the oldest Independent Air Force in the world. It was formed by the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. The RAF motto is per ardua ad astra (through adversity to the stars).
Our bed depicts three plumes to represent the coloured smoke often emitting from the red arrows (RAF aerobatic team); one each in red, white and blue. We also feature models of the planes through history from WW1 bi-planes, WW2 Spitfires through to Typhoons of today, and the RAF100 logo.
The Armed Forces Day on 30th June this year (11am – 3.00pm) held at Meridian Hall in East Court will feature 100 years of the RAF with a static replica of a bi-plane, activities and other free exhibits. All are welcome.

JOHN MASON NEALE – WARDEN OF SACKVILLE COLLEGE (Bed 3)

2018 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of John Mason Neale, Warden of Sackville College between 1846 and his death in 1866. He translated many ancient and medieval hymns from latin and greek, wrote many original hymns and also wrote the carol Good King Wenceslas. Our bed takes inspiration from Good King Wenceslas, the King and his page are setting out against the winters wild lament to take flesh and wine to the old man he saw gathering winter fuel.

100th Anniversary of the end of WW1 (Beds 4/5)

Inspired by the poppies at the Tower of London in 2014, the beds this year have taken our 2014 theme to new heights. These Beds in 2014 won the prize for South East in Bloom’s best War Memorial. Lest we forget, this bed will mark the end of the four years of 100th anniversary commemoration and will remain in situ throughout the remainder of 2018.
A special thank you to the East Grinstead branch of the Royal British Legion who kindly donated the poppies which form the draping sash.

Bringing the Beds to the Town each year is a full team effort, from selecting the theme and the tableaus to be depicted, to agreeing the design, liaising with the nursery for the flowers, designing and producing the props and then placing them all during the first week of June. The East Court Gardener, Outside Service Team, Estates Team and Town Clerk all play a part in bringing the beds to the town.

The Town Council took over the planting of the beds when Mid Sussex district council pulled out in 2011. Over the years the beds have won many admirers, they have become a focal point for locals and tourists alike and are eagerly anticipated each year. The themes to be depicted are now determined well over a year in advance.

Cllr Adam Peacock, Chairman of the Amenities and Tourism Committee said “these beds are such an important focal point for the town centre, the team take great pride in designing and bringing the designs to life, it is an example where our local knowledge that these beds should not be lost to the town have created, not just a display but a feature of the town throughout the summer months”

[AFG_gallery id=’64’]