Please note that Blackwell Hollow will be closed between 9.30am and 3.00pm on Monday 11th May to allow urgent treeworks to be carried out. Diversions will be put in place

Boxing Clever

FELBRIDGE Boxing Club will be having its first-ever show at Imberhorne school on 31 May when members will take part in 15 bouts at an event officiated over by the Amateur Boxing Association of England.

It is hoped the show will promote the club and raise much-needed funds to help it grow.

Spokesman Jacquie Russell said “We are extremely grateful for the support we have had from both East Grinstead Town Council and the East Grinstead Sports Council, and are delighted that the current Mayor and her husband (a former schoolboy boxer) will be in attendance, as will the Leader of the Town Council who has pledged to donate a Town Council trophy

“As part of our commitment to the local community there will also be a fundraising element for our local charity Advance. Based in East Grinstead, Advance specialises in helping children with brain injuries.”

Jacquie added that the Club is keen to involve the local business community as sponsors for the event.

For more information check out the Club’s webpage at www.felbridgeabc.wordpress.com

Felbridge Amateur Boxing Club, Amateur Boxing Show
Saturday 31 May 2014
Imberhorne Lower School, Windmill Lane, East Grinstead West Sussex.
Doors Open 3pm. First Bout 3.30pm (times approximate)
Tickets on the door: adults £10/ children £5

Town Council PR meets Pirate Gran

CHILDREN’S author Geraldine Durrant, who is responsible for the Town Council’s PR, has waved her storybook heroine off on a UK wide tour in Pirate Gran a new stage adaptation of her books by the award-winning Scamp Theatre Company.

Geraldine attended the opening weekend of the show at Watford Palace theatre where she met actress Pauline Goldsmith playing the eponymous Pirate Gran – and Gran’s crocodile Nippy who has been made by Toby Olie, one of the puppeteers who designed and operated War Horse.

“It was a real once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Geraldine. “The show was sold-out and sitting in the dark with a theatre full of small children watching Pirate Gran come to life was magical – as an author you don’t usually see people enjoying your characters.

“Scamp are renowned for their imaginative productions and their innovative use of stage props, and somehow Gran’s sitting room changes into a ship, and she and Nippy win the Pirate Games in the world’s first instance of Dressage and Steeplechase done live, on stage, on a crocodile.”

With the critics’ plaudits already ringing in their ears, Gran and her pirate crew are now off on a UK tour which includes appearances at the South Bank’s Udderbelly Festival, a month in Edinburgh, and at Eastbourne’s Devonshire theatre in May where Geraldine will be taking all her grandchildren to see the show.

“A lot of people have spent a lot of time and talent bringing Pirate Gran to life and having finally seen the result I couldn’t be more thrilled or more grateful that of all the books in all the world, they stumbled across mine,” laughed Geraldine.

Geraldine meets Pirate Gran played by Pauline Goldsmith. “I was surprised to discover that Pirate Gran is Scottish as I had always imagined she was Cockney, but having seen Pauline’s fabulous performance I now realise how very wrong I was,” said Geraldine.

Race for Ripley

THE fifth Andy Riley Memorial Race will take place at 10am on 21 September.

The 10k route will start at Imberhorne Upper School and follow footpaths and the Worth Way to the turn point in Crawley Down, before returning to East Grinstead station.

From there, runners will use local roads to the finish in Imberhorne Recreation Ground.

The run, in honour of England rugby union international Andy Ripley, will raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK and Wooden Spoon.

For more information or to enter the race see www.eg10k.com, or ring Lance Quirico on 07792 669856.

Check out Chequer Mead

For more details contact the box office on 01342 302000

Barron Knights concert – Soundtrack of Our Lives: Thursday 3 April at 7.30pm

PROBABLY the most entertaining group to come out of the 60s and 70s, The Baron Knights are the only group to have toured with the Beatles and twice with the Rolling Stones.

Tickets £17.50

Billy Pearce – Funny Guy: Thursday 10 April at 7.30pm

LEEDS-born Billy Pearce first came to National prominence when he reached the finals of Central TV’s top talent show New Faces.  He’s appeared at eight Royal Variety shows and has won pretty much every award going including a British Comedy Award.

A national treasure, Billy has appeared on TV shows such as Tonight at the London PalladiumThrough the KeyholeBlankety Blank and You Bet

His one man show Funny Guy comes to Chequer Mead for one night only.

Tickets £18.50.

Sussex Youth Dance presents The Spring of Youth – Saturday 12 April at 7pm

SUSSEX Youth Dance Company are proud to present their new Spring repertoire accompanied by a few specially invited Youth Performance Groups.

This exciting evening celebrates the power and creativity of our local young performers and promises to be a versatile and professional show for all ages.

Tickets £7.50/ £5/ family ticket £20.

The Vienna Festival Ballet presents Cinderella on Wednesday 16 April at 5pm and 8pm

CINDERELLA is one of the best-known fairytales, and Vienna Festival Ballet’s full length version has all the familiar ingredients – a downtrodden young girl, a glass slipper, two comical ugly step-sisters and a handsome prince.

The specially commissioned score, created solely for Vienna Festival Ballet by Chris Nicholls, features music from some of Rossini’s most famous operas La Cenerentola, the Italian Girl in Algiers and Silken Ladder.

Tickets £19/ £17.50 concessions/ £12.50 children under 14.

Elvis the Movies Experience – Thursday 17 April at 7.30pm

ELVIS the Movies Experience, starring Mark Summers as Elvis Presley with a full stage cast, is the musical stage show as seen in the West End and packed with all The King’s greatest movie hits.

Mark Summers has just won the National Tribute Awards as the UKs Official Number One Elvis Tribute.

The show also features special guests including for the first time a Priscilla Presley Tribute.

To find out more visit www.elvislegacy.com

Tickets £16/ concessions £15.

Bob Drury Presents The Neil Diamond Story – Friday 25 April at 7.30pm

FEATURING Cracklin’ Rosie, Sweet Caroline, Hello Again, Love on The Rocks, America and more recent acoustic material, Bob Drury’s one-man show is a ‘must see’ for all Diamond fans.

Tickets £12.

Going on in the Gallery

FOUR Friends – Thursday 3 April to Wednesday 16 April 2014

FOUR Friends, four artists, four visions, four nationalities, four ways of looking at the world….

Jude Kingshott, Amelia Leigh, Jules McConnell, and Leslie Morgan are a diverse group of artists with different concerns and interests, working individually and collectively with textiles and mixed media.

Bunny Run on Sunday 13 April for St Catherine’s hospice

THE Bunny Run, sponsored by Tuplin in aid of St Catherine’s hospice, will take place at Victoria Park in Haywards Heath on Sunday 13 April.

The feel-good family fun will feature Easter-themed activities and a guest appearance from Bertie the Bunny.

Participants – who can run, walk or hop over the 2.5 k course – will receive a pair of bunny ears at the start and Easter treats at the finish line.

Entry in advance (before 6 April) is £10 per adult, £5 per child, £25 family (2 adults, 2 children).

Entries on the day £15 per adult, £8 per child, £40 family.

Local businesses pledge support for Marathon

The local business community has pulled together to show their support for the Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend, which takes place on 3, 4 and 5 May 2014.

Local companies have lined up to become official sponsors and to give their backing to the exciting Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend.

Freedom Leisure, Mansell McTaggart, Crest Nicholson, The Orchards Shopping Centre in Haywards Heath and the Burgess Hill Town Centre Partnership are the five main sponsors of the event and the Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend would simply not be possible without their financial support. Many other local businesses have chosen to get behind the event by contributing prizes that encourage people to get involved.

Runners lining up to take part in the Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend will find their efforts well rewarded thanks to a fantastic range of prizes that have been donated by generous local businesses. Hamilton Studios in East Grinstead has provided a free photo shoot and print worth £95, Haywards Heath based personal training specialists Fit for Moore are offering 3 month training courses and Smiles & Styles in Burgess Hill is giving away vouchers for free hair and beauty treatments as well as a selection of pampering products for men and women.

The overall winners of the Men’s and Women’s Marathon will receive dinner and an overnight stay for two courtesy of the Felbridge Hotel and Spa.

Race day prizes are not just for adults, youngsters will have the chance to win as well. The top three finishers in each age category of the Mid Sussex Mile races will receive a free swimming session at a nearby Mid Sussex District Council leisure centre courtesy of centre operators Freedom Leisure.

The Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend is organised by specialist race managers Nice Work on behalf of Mid Sussex District Council, with support from Burgess Hill, East Grinstead and Haywards Heath Town Councils.

There is still time for local companies to get involved and any businesses that would like to support this unique event should contact Glen Wilkinson at Glen.Wilkinson@midsussex.gov.uk or by calling 01444 477207.

“The Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend is a fantastic event for the whole community and I’m delighted that local companies have been so quick to show their support and get involved”, said Councillor Frank Osborne, East Grinstead Town Council Member for Amenities and Tourism. “The generous donations we have already received from local businesses have ensured there are plenty of terrific prizes for runners to win by taking part in the Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend this year.

“The Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend is a unique event that appeals to families, fun runners and long-distance athletes. The marathon distance is split over three races on three consecutive days, so you can pick the distance that’s right for you.

“Runners of all ages and abilities are welcome so if you’re not already registered then what are you waiting for? Sign up today.”

The Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend begins with a 10-mile race in East Grinstead on Saturday 3 May, moves to Haywards Heath for a 10-mile race on Sunday 4 May and finishes with a 10-kilometre race in Burgess Hill on Monday 5 May. Combined, the three races cover a total of 26.2 miles – the classic marathon distance. Younger runners aged 8-11 and 12-14 years, as well as adults who are new to running, will be able take part in Mid Sussex Mile races in each of the three towns.

Full details on the Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend, including information on how to enter online or by post, are available at www.midsussexmarathon.co.uk.

Mid week Collectors Fair

Wednesday 16 April, 11am to 4pm

MONTHLY Collectors Fair for coins, postcards, stamps and other collectables with  some full-time dealers not always seen locally. Admission free.

Enquiries 01342 327554

Venue – The Wagg Studio at Chequer Mead.

Fun at the town museum

ACTIVITIES run from 10.30 am to 3pm. No need to book –  just turn up and stay as long as you want.

There is a charge of £1 per child to cover the cost of materials. The activities are for 5 to 11-year-olds.

Spring is in the Air on Tuesday 8 April – celebrate Spring with games and crafts: take home what you make.

Mayhem at the Museum on 27 May – games and crafts: take home what you make.