Category: News

Mid Sussex County Council are looking for an “Ambassador” for  a team of students from one of our local senior schools participating in a STEM Challenge.  All senior schools in the Mid Sussex district are participating. They have been set an identical technical challenge and at some point next year will compete against each other.  This year it is around building a high-speed radio-controlled car from a kit, then making some innovations to the design in order to win the challenge.

As part of the programme each school has an “Ambassador” assigned to them from a local company, who needs to be able to commit about 60-75 minutes one afternoon a week to visit the school and give the group of pupils some guidance.  Sadly, the organisers  have never managed to get a company from East Grinstead involved and just this week someone who was supporting an East Grinstead school has had to drop out.

They are now looking for a supportive East Grinstead company who could spare an employee (a few companies actually assign this role to an apprentice) to be an Ambassador to an East Grinstead school?  If this is something that you would like to get involved with, please contact Samantha West of East Grinstead Business Association.

From Friday 25th October the Town Council will be remembering all those lost in conflicts and supporting the Royal British Legion.

A display of crocheted poppies will be arranged at the High Street War Memorial flower beds in a moving tribute. These will remain in situ until the week after Remembrance Sunday.

Extra poppies have been turned into brooches and these will be available for a suggested donation of £1 from the Town Council Offices at East Court and the Tourist Information desk (a service of the Town Council) within East Grinstead Library.

Wooden poppies from the display of 2018 are also available for a suggested donation of £5

All proceeds will be given to the local branch of the Royal British Legion.

East Grinstead Lions Club President and RDA volunteer Ron Millen presented Sally O’Neill with a cheque for £500, part of the proceeds from the Club’s July donkey derby.  Sally organises pony club jockeys to ride the racing donkeys and a number of the RDA volunteers come along and support by leading donkeys for child pony rides.

Taking centre stage in the photo is miniature donkey Wade who at 7 months old joins the stable to try to help nervous children overcome their concerns by stroking, petting and brushing him.

Wade has been purchased by the East Grinstead and District Lions Club in remembrance of their Club colleague and Thursday RDA volunteer Rob Holwell, who sadly collapsed and died from a heart attack just 2 days after what turned out to be his last session at East Park in March of 2017.  Rob’s Lions Club colleagues had voted unanimously to pledge £3,000 to buy a pony in remembrance of their friend.

However, a pony of the right temperament has proved difficult to find and in March Sally floated the idea of buying a miniature donkey.  Wade was born and bred in Wales, as was Rob, and since arriving at East Park has been getting up to mischief by jumping over stable doors and eating Sally’s shrubs and flowers and generally making everyone laugh and smile.  Anyone who knew Rob would know how appropriate this is as he had a wonderful sense of humour and did not take life too seriously.  Donkeys are very long lived and Wade will be around for many years to come – provided that is he doesn’t eat too many more of Sally’s shrubs!!

After Wade’s purchase, and in light of the sad loss of RDA pony Spice, the Lions Club have topped their pledge back up to £3000 so that East Park can continue to search for a replacement pony.

Age UK East Grinstead & District have rooms available for hire at the Glen Vue Community Hub in East Grinstead. The rooms vary in size and can be used for small meetings, presentations, groups or clubs.

The Glen Vue Community Hub is very central, being close to the train station, bus network and a public car park is situated to the rear of the building. The Centre is open from 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday and Age UK East Grinstead & District would like community groups and local residents to be aware the building is available to book. Hourly room hire rates start from £8.00 per hour, dependent on room size, (a minimum of 2 hour bookings available). There is also a reception and waiting area.

Rooms available include:

• Woodbury – for a maximum of 48 people, the room is 9 metres by 4.5 metres.
• Imberhorne – for a maximum of 27 people, the room is 4 metres by 3 metres.
• Ashplats – for a maximum of 3 people, the room is 2.6 metres by 2.9 metres.

If you want to hire a room, contact Katie McDonald on accounts@ageukeastgrinstead.org.uk or 01342 327046 (Option 2).