Category: News
Christmas Family Festival
East Grinstead does Christmas rather well, in case you haven’t noticed. Well we would wouldn’t we? The lyrics to the famous carol ‘Good King Wenceslas’ were written by hymnologist and warden of Sackville College, John Mason Neale.
The third of our Wenceslas weeks Christmas event filled the town on Sunday 3rd December. The Christmas Family Festival has been a long tradition in East Grinstead; this was the 23rd year and it didn’t disappoint. London Road was closed to traffic and filled with fun fair rides, charity and craft stalls and the very popular French market. Meridian FM were on hand to play festive music and shoppers were entertained by Nexgen street dance academy, InChoir and Amber Tichener. Silvanian animals and Hula hoop demonstrations and the famous Proffessor Crump were on hand throughout the day.
Father Christmas made an appearance, driven in an open top car with Town Mayo,r Cllr Julie Mockford and the May Queen, and stayed for the day to listen to the requests made by all the ‘good’ children in his grotto.
The next Christmas event to look out for is the High Street ‘Twas the Sunday before Christmas’ on Sunday 17th December 10am to 4pm A Dickensian themed shopping day with traditional costumes, games and treats and who knows, maybe a surprise or two!
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East Grinstead Lights Switch On
The town came together again on Saturday 25 November for the Rotary Tree of Light and Town Switch On.
The Town Crier heralded the start of the event and the East Grinstead Concert Band were already in place as Revd Andrew Hawken welcomed the gathered crowd and gave his Christmas message. Father Christmas, pantomime characters and pixies mingled with the children as Sackville School Junior choir entertained, the concert band played and Christmas carols were sung.
The winners of the Big Reveal were announced before the Town Mayor Cllr Julie Mockford began the countdown to the switch on the lights.
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An East Grinstead Christmas
Christmassy magic came early to East Grinstead on Friday 17th November with The Big Reveal. The High Street Traders get together to create this wonderful annual family event to reveal their festive windows. During the preceding week, brown paper began appearing around the town covering the shop windows from prying eyes and on the evening of the 17th fevered excitement began to mount.
Aided by the Town Council and the Meridian Rotary Club, the traders had arranged for the High Street to be closed and the crowds began to gather and watch as the paper was ripped away and the displays revealed.
There was more Christmas magic as snow began to fall. (Snow machines on this occasion, but don’t tell the children!)
Once the windows were unveiled, the crowds were treated to some musical entertainment, a Christmassy silent movie and some late night shopping and were encouraged to vote for their favourite window.
The winners were revealed during the Christmas tree lights switch on Saturday 25th November.
Winner: Emma Louise
Runner Up: The Red Cross Shop
Third: Nest
Put your questions to the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner
Sussex residents have the chance to pose questions to the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) at a meeting in January.
Written questions are now being invited for Katy Bourne and the Sussex Police and Crime Panel.
The meeting will take place at 10.30am on Friday 19 January at County Hall in Lewes.
Members of the public can submit questions by writing to pcp@westsussex.gov.uk or by telephoning 0330 222 2542. Questions can be about any policy issue relating to policing in Sussex (but not related to operational policing matters, or a live case). The Panel will have the opportunity to discuss the Commissioner’s written response at the meeting.
The deadline for submitting questions ahead of the meeting is noon on Friday 5 January.
The main item on the agenda is scrutiny of the PCC’s proposed precept. More information on the consultation is available at www.sussex-pcc.gov.uk/get-involved/public-consultations
The Panel comprises councillors from all 15 local authorities across Sussex, plus two independent members, and carries out the role of scrutinising the actions and decisions of the Commissioner.
More details can be found on the Panel’s website in the Question the Commissioner section at www.westsussex.gov.uk/pcp
The meeting will be webcast live on this website: https://eastsussex.public-i.
Lest We Forget
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):
John BREWER
Rifleman 211857 21st Garrison Battalion, The Rifle Brigade.
Lost when the troopship SS”Aragon” was torpedoed by a submarine off Alexandria on the 30th December 1917. Aged 40.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Brewer of College Lane, East Grinstead. Husband of Ellen Agnes Brewer of 6, Station Road, Lingfield, Surrey. Enlisted in Guildford Formerly with the Royal West Surreys.
Buried Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.
Benjamin George GODWIN
Private TF/201066 1/4th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 53rd Division.
Killed in action near Jerusalem 17.12.17. Aged 20.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Goodwin of 87, West Street, East Grinstead, Enlisted in Chichester.
Bur, Jerusalem War Cemetery, Palestine.
Thomas Frederick TRUCKLE
Private 38269 2nd Battalion, The Royal Berkshire Regiment. 8th Division.
Killed in action near Ypres 2.12.17. Aged 23.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. William James Truckle of Longley Cottages, London Road, East Grinstead.
Commemorated on The Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium MR. 30
Back to Exercise
Park all day in Mid Sussex this Christmas for £1
Christmas shoppers can park all day in Burgess Hill, East Grinstead and Haywards Heath for just £1 on the Saturdays leading up to Christmas this December.
Mid Sussex District Council has reduced the cost of parking to just £1 in specific long stay car parks to encourage people to shop locally and support local traders. Parking on Sundays is already free and it will cost just £1 to park in the Franklynn Road car park in Haywards Heath, Queens Crescent and Station Road car parks in Burgess Hill and the Vicarage or Norton House car parks in East Grinstead on Saturdays too throughout December.
“Christmas is the most important time of the year for most local retailers and we are showing them our support by dropping Saturday parking charges to just £1 all day in the run up to Christmas,” said Councillor Gary Marsh, Cabinet Member for Service Delivery.
“Popping into town is a quick and convenient way to pick up gifts for friends and family so please show your support for local traders this Christmas by shopping in your local town or village.
“I hope this encourages even more people to shop locally and attracts shoppers from other areas to visit Mid Sussex.”
Short stay car parks in East Grinstead and Haywards Heath will also be free after 1pm on the day of the Christmas light switch-on events. To support these events you will not have to pay during the afternoon on Saturday 26th November at:
- The Orchards, Haywards Heath
- Hazelgrove, Haywards Heath
- Haywards East, Haywards Heath
- Gower Road, Haywards Heath
- Haywards West, Haywards Heath
- Queensway, East Grinstead
- Kings Street, East Grinstead
- Chequer Mead, East Grinstead
- Christopher Road, East Grinstead
The light switch on events are free and will feature fun for all the family with the opportunity to sing carols and meet Pantomime Characters in East Grinstead or visit Mickey Mouse and Father Christmas on his sleigh, pulled by real reindeer, in Haywards Heath.
For more information please contact our parking team on 01444 477212 or email parkinginfo@midsussex.gov.uk.
Age UK East Grinstead & District Charity Quiz Night
Funds released for medical centre improvements
Mid Sussex District Council has released £124,791 in Section 106 developer contributions to increase capacity at two local medical centres.
Lindfield Medical Centre has received £68,957.66 and Northlands Wood Medical Centre has secured £55,833.66. Both facilities will use the money to fund the creation of an additional consulting room at each centre for a nurse or GP to use.
Rebecca Slattery-Kavanagh, Practice Manager at Northlands Wood Medical Centre said:
“Northlands Wood has seen rapid growth in its patient list as a result of new housing developments in the area. The award of this funding is fantastic news because it will allow us to continue taking on new patients and will ensure the sustainability of the practice for the future.
“We hope to start the work to create an additional consulting room on the first floor in spring 2018.”
Section 106 contributions are provided by developers and are negotiated by Mid Sussex District Council. They contribute towards the infrastructure improvements that are necessary to ensure new developments make a positive contribution to the local area and community.
The funding for Lindfield Medical Centre has been provided as a result of new developments near Gravelye Lane, Lyoth Lane and Newton Road in Lindfield. The funding for Northlands Wood Medical Centre has also arisen from the developments near Gravelye Lane and Lyoth Lane, as well as the Wilmington Way development in Haywards Heath.
Councillor Jonathan Ash-Edwards, MSDC Cabinet Member for Resources and Economic Growth said:
“When new housing is built it’s vitally important that we invest in, and continue to secure developer contributions towards, local infrastructure to make sure our community facilities continue to improve for residents.
“We know that local medical provision is a big concern for many people so I’m delighted that these Section 106 developer contributions will be used to expand GP services in the area. The money will enable doctors and nurses to make the best use of their space and increase their staffing levels, so they can provide a better service and manage the greater demand on their facilities.”
Geraldine Hoban, Accountable Officer at NHS Horsham and Mid Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), added:
“The CCG has worked closely with the Council on this funding bid. We are delighted to have secured additional investment in primary care in these areas of planned population growth.”
For more information about Section 106 developer contributions call Elizabeth Lancaster, MSDC Infrastructure Officer on 01444 477066 or email Elizabeth.Lancaster@midsussex.gov.uk.