Category: News

6 FREE creative Zoom sessions for older people, and people living with Dementia and their carers are available starting Tuesday 27 April at 11am.

All are welcome to take part in these sessions – if you live in Sussex or Australia!

They are free informal and friendly sessions with no creative experience needed – a space for people to get together and have a chat. Packs will be issued beforehand with some creative materials.

Follow this Eventbrite link to book a place.

The East Grinstead Town Councillors and Staff are deeply saddened to hear the announcement of the death of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. I will be writing to the Palace to express our condolences in the coming days.

As a mark of respect the Union and Town Flags will be flown at half-mast from today, and through to the day of the funeral.

An online official book of condolence from the Town will be set up from today available on our website.

There is also a hard copy book for the public to sign with messages of condolence however due to the current pandemic, anyone that wishes to make a physical entry should contact the Mayor’s Secretary on 01342 323636 or email k.hamper@eastgrinstead.gov.uk  for an appointment.  The Books will close the day after the funeral. This will be available from Monday 12 April.

On its closure, this will be kept here as an official record. My letter of condolence will indicate this fact for the palace records.

Other books may be opened in other public buildings. Civic engagements will be reconsidered and those that are deemed appropriately sober during the period of mourning will be attended as planned.  Event organisers where it is not deemed appropriate to attend during the period of mourning will be contacted with apologies relayed. I hope that I will be able to attend a later event for your organisation.

This is a sad time for the Country as a whole, residents of East Grinstead are encouraged to share their feelings with others and use the books of condolence.

Cllr John Dabell
Town Mayor

East Grinstead Town Council held its Annual Town Meeting (With Special Speaker – Dr Mark Lythgoe) via Facebook & Zoom. The meeting was a remarkable success with over 1,600 views on Facebook.

If you wish to watch or rewatch the Annual Town Meeting, please click the following link: https://www.facebook.com/egtowncouncil/videos/130894035635513

If you do not have a Facebook account, please click the following link to view on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAwoHi4dajA

The Town Council will mark the anniversary of the day that lockdown started by The Town Mayor, Cllr John Dabell, laying a wreath of daffodils and spring flowers at the Memorial Wall at Mount Noddy and just for the 23rd March a bouquet will rest on the Covid remembrance bench by the McIndoe Statue.

Nationally Marie Curie are calling for a day of reflection back over the lost year of 2020,  to take place on the anniversary of the Prime Minister placing the country into lockdown on 23rd March.  A time to collectively think back over all who have been lost or suffered at the hands of the pandemic.

The Daffodil is the emblem of the Marie Curie Cancer Care.

The Covid remembrance bench was unveiled on 24th February and has been a point for people to sit and reflect, on this reflection day the hand-tied bouquet will sit on the bench to mark the anniversary while the Town Mayor will then lay a wreath at the cemetery’s memorial wall.

The Memorial Wall at Mount Noddy is the focal point for any town-wide or national grieving, and anyone is welcome to place flowers in remembrance there at any time.

Following the Station to Statue route the monoliths and heritage panels will provide historical information and walking distances to landmarks such as the Museum,  High Street, Railway Station and Forest Way. Each sign will have a QR code (which can be scanned by a smartphone) and link you directly to a page on the Visit East Grinstead website or the Museum to tell you more about the spot.  There is also a digital map embedded on the Visit East Grinstead website which will advise of the route and the stops along the way.

The initial phase has five monoliths (the Railway Station, two on London Road, the McIndoe statue and the entrance to the Forest Way) and five heritage panels (St Leonards Park, Whitehall Buildings, Sackville House, Sackville College and McIndoe Statue).

If this is successful we will be looking to add more to this trail linking the Worth Way and adding more information about hidden historical treasures in East Grinstead. As well as fun for visitors it is hoped to encourage the Bluebell Railway users to venture into East Grinstead during their day trips. Councillor Helen Farren (Chairman of the Amenities and Tourism Committee) said “As we start to open up again, we hope this trail will encourage people to explore our towns diverse history.”

The links will all go through to visiteastgrinstead.com or the Museum website and will be maintained by the Town Council.   The Monoliths and panels will be in place by the end of April.

East Grinstead Town Council has set its budget and precept for the 2021/2022 year.  The precept, which is 0% change from last year is set to drop marginally to £88.11 per year per band D property. The annual charge ranges from £58.74 for a Band A to £176.21 for a Band H property.

Council Leader Dick Sweatman said: “the Council being mindful of the hardship and uncertainty of finances for many this year has reworked the budget to have no increase in the precept, yet still be able to deliver projects during the next year (such as space-saving in the Cemetery and upgrading some play equipment at East Court) along with the usual services include graffiti removal/public works for the County Council/civic planting/street furnishings/town events and promotions.   The Council also gives financial support to business initiatives and many local community organizations.”

The total East Grinstead Town Council band D council tax, equates to  £1.69 per week, comparing favourably with other consumer costs such as a dozen large eggs at £1.80, or a pint of beer at £3.93.

On Saturday 6th February, East Grinstead Town Mayor, Cllr John Dabell, had his vaccination at Meridian Hall in East Grinstead.  John, who is 71, is encouraging everyone when they receive their invitation to get their vaccination, to go along and not to worry as he didn’t feel a thing.  John, and District Councillor Norman Webster who coincidentally was having his vaccination at the same time, thanked all the staff and volunteers for their hard work. The Town Mayor said “It was all so simple and efficient, it was jab a dab a doo.  The clinicians and volunteers are all doing a super job. ”

The Meridian Hall is the vaccination hub for the East Grinstead Area, encompassing the East Grinstead surgeries of; Judges Close, Moatfield and Ship Street along with Crawley Down Health Centre. The Centre started vaccinations on 14th January and have (as of Saturday 6th February) vaccinated over 6,500 people with their first shot.  NHS Alliance who run the centre say that they are well on track to have offered vaccines to all residents in the top four groups (through to the over 70s or those living with chronic underlying illness) by 17th Feb. This week the centre is operating on Wednesday and Thursday, for those with appointments.

Home visits are also ongoing for those identified or identifying when contacted that they need to have a home visit to receive the vaccine. This is carried out by a different team and maybe slightly behind the Meridian Hall roll out.

The roll out will then continue with the next set of groups, while also starting the second shots by the end of March. Residents are not urged to contact their surgery to find out when they will be vaccinated but wait to be contacted.  They are also reminded never to give their bank details to anyone purporting to offer the vaccine,  there is no charge and no need for bank details to be given.

East Grinstead Town Council has placed two commemorative benches for the Covid pandemic, one bench to remember all who have been lost or suffered through the lockdowns and one to thank the great efforts of so many who have and continue to help to bring us through.

The two benches were placed at the McIndoe Lawn on 24th February, unveiled by Cllr Helen Farren (Chairman of the Amenities and Tourism Committee, pictured), Cllr Farren said “These benches are our permanent memorial to all affected by the Pandemic, through the grief of losing a loved one, the loneliness of shielding and even being restricted on going outside.

We also wanted to separately say thank you to all those working so hard to keep us safe and bring us through. As the Prime Minister, this week announced the roadmap towards the end of restrictions and a return to normality it seemed appropriate for East Grinstead to unveil our memorial”.

There are two benches one is a bespoke wrought iron bench with representative images of all groups of people touched by the pandemic and with the inscription:

For many months, to sit outside was but a wish

The second is an EGTC standard bench, with the inscription:

Recognising all those who helped to overcome Covid 19 NHS, Key Workers and all volunteers

It is hoped as people sit on the benches by the Statue they will reflect on the struggle of the second world war where pioneering surgery was developed, through to the 2020/21 pandemic where again pioneering science was needed to bring us back to being able to enjoy the simple things like sitting on a bench in the sunshine. While remembering those who did not make it.