Category: News

A recent meeting of the East Grinstead Group of Schools (EGGS) revealed that all the town’s schools are short of volunteer governors.

The role of school governor requires time and commitment but is essential to help promote high standards of achievement for our children and young people in education.

Anyone who is interested in becoming a governor can contact the Headteacher or Chair of Governors via their school website, which will have the necessary contact details.

I HAVE been reviewing the town’s art scene for almost 30 years and can honestly say that I have seen nothing better in that time than Ariel’s productions of Les Miserables.

Their ‘young actors’ school edition was back for a third outing at Chequer Mead this week and so were many of the audience.

Like me, they had been brought to their feet by Ariel’s previous productions and were eager for a reprise.

And we were not disappointed.

For a school edition production the cast must by under 20 and in full-time education, but the mature and nuanced performances of Ariel’s youthful cast made age irrelevant – they were simply astonishingly good.

Tom Ball played Jean Valjean’s transformation from embittered convict to a man of saintly goodness with tender humanity, and the lovely timbre of his voice was particularly touching in the prayerful Bring Him Home.

Olly Hopkins was a marvellous and implacable Javert, a man incapable of understanding the difference between the law and justice. And in the powerful suicide scene when Javert is overwhelmed to realise Valjean is, after all,  the better man, Olly deservedly brought the audience to their feet.

Bethany Elliott’s Fantine was also a wonderful performance.

Her voice, which has always been powerful, has matured beautifully, and as the abandoned mother-turned-prostitute, Beth’s performance was both nuanced and touching.

I Dreamed a Dream was a heartrending paean of angry pain, while the tenderness of Fantine’s death scene was one of the evening’s many emotional highlights.

So the comic interludes provided by the villainous Thenardiers came as a relief.

Peter Heppell as the ghastly innkeeper and Megan Roberts as his wife were terrific and their bawdy double act earned them well-deserved applause whenever they popped up.

Tara Lucas, who has her sights set on a career in musical theatre, was simply beautiful as Cosette. Tiny in stature, and sweet of face, her lovely soprano voice soared effortlessly through the demanding score.

Conor Paterson was a handsome and accomplished Marius, and in Empty Chairs at Empty Tables his performance went straight to the heart of Hugo’s dark fable.

Emily Nott as Eponine put in a stunning performance, and On My Own rightly earned her tumultuous applause from the first night audience, as did her death in the arms of Marius.

Plaudits too for the younger members of this outstanding cast.

Harvey Thorne was terrific as the cheeky streetwise Gaveroche and if he doesn’t play the Artful Dodger at some stage in his career, I will be astonished. And Nicole Clements was delightful as Little Cosette.

The show was well-served by its large cast of ‘lovely ladies’ and doomed youths, particularly Will Carey as idealistic Enjolras and Jarrod Hopson as drunken, cynical Grantiere.

An inspiring and uplifting  evening’s entertainment – and one which I suspect will have its many fans looking forward to more weeping in the dark next time around.

EAST Grinstead police have been on a shoplifting spree to challenge the effectiveness of security measures put in place by the town’s retailers.

They targeted 15 shops and supermarkets around the town centre and made off with goods totalling £753.90 from 13 of them.

Only staff at Sainsburys and Superdrug challenged officers trying to leave their premises with goods they hadn’t paid for.

The four plain clothes officers’ haul included hair straighteners and a shaver worth £120, a wax jacket costing £75 and £150 of alcohol.

The initiative was to raise awareness about shoplifting and encourage shops to sign up to the new East Grinstead ShopWatch scheme.

The scheme, which is an initiative by the Town Council working with the police, is being funded by the Mid Sussex Joint Action Group which will make it free for businesses to sign up to for the first year.

Among the weaknesses found by officers in the present security arrangements put in place by local businesses were security tags and stickers which didn’t activate alarms at the doors, and two instances where they did trigger alerts, but where police officers were still allowed to walk out unchallenged.

Police Sergeant Graeme Prentice said: “This operation was aimed at educating the local businesses about their own security measures and procedures and the general consensus was positive.

“Constructive feedback was given to stores following the Operation, and the Shopwatch website will go live in November allowing the shops to view it through their laptops and hand held devices.

“It will provide businesses with discussion topics on security, information on relevant convicted shoplifters, and the chance to share CCTV etc. This will hopefully raise awareness within the town and create positive interaction between local businesses.

“The Website will be updated regularly by the Police in conjunction with Chichester Business Against Crime, and can be accessed through the Town Council Website secured through the data protection act.

“Police hope that the site will be a welcome addition to the town and that after the first year businesses will agree to continue funding the site at a reasonable cost.”

SEVERAL of the town’s schools have been awarded Kitemark status under a scheme to recognise excellence in their coaching and  the opportunities they offer pupils to participate in sport and physical activities.

Ashurst Wood	Bronze
Baldwins Hill	Silver
Blackwell	Bronze
Copthorne  Junior	Bronze
Estcots	Bronze
Halsford Park	Bronze
St. Mary’s C.E.	Bronze
St. Peter’s  RC	Silver
The Meads	Bronze
Turners Hill C.E	Silver
West Hoathly C.E	Bronze
Imberhorne	Bronze
Sackville	Silver

The schools’ achievements will be acknowledged with a presentation of certificates and plaques by Lorraine Everard, Manager of Mid Sussex Active, and Jeanette Kwayke, Team GB sprinter and World Indoor 60 metre Silver Medallist.

Pictured above: children from Turners Hill who received their school’s Silver Kitemark Award from Jeannette Kwayke, a Team GB sprinter, World Championship Silver medallist and Beijing Olympic finalist in the 100metres.

THE three winners of the EG4IDZ summer challenge, have received their prizes and certificates from Town Mayor Margaret Belsey.

The children, who had completed the competition trail around the town and correctly identified the numbers on Bluebell trains hidden in shop windows, were welcomed into the Mayor’s Parlour with other family members for the presentation ceremony.

The winners seen below with the Town Mayor are Alex, Alice and Conor.

East Grinstead’s Town promotion Officer Dawn Spalding thanked all the businesses and attractions in the town for their help with this year’s challenge.

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10 Years On and Dylan Is Still Full of Beans

Rather like the magic beanstalk, Dylan Holdsworth has grown quite a bit since he made his Company of Friends panto debut in 2004 as part of the junior chorus, and now, almost 10 years on, he’s reached the top and is set to play the hero in this Christmas’ production of Jack and the Beanstalk at Chequer Mead.

The 18 year old has appeared in all but one of the company’s many shows since, and only missed being in their recent production of ‘King and I’ because he was busy auditioning for Performing Arts School. His diligence paid off because he gained a full scholarship and recently started at Laine Theatre Arts.

Dylan will be joined on stage by an all star Company of Friends cast including Michael Spencer as Dame Trott and Ashley Wolfendale as Silly Billy, while his ‘Jill’ is played by Skye Tupholme whose first CoF appearance was as the Artful Dodger in 2003. She has recently gained her degree in Drama and can count several professional stage appearances to her credit.

The panto runs from 20 to 30 December and tickets are now on sale from the CM Box Office on 01342 302000, priced from just £13.50 .

IMBERHORNE resident Hilary Needham was awarded a Community Service award at the Mid Sussex Council’s September garden party.  The garden party was held at the Ravenswood, Sharpthorne and the presentation was made by the High Sheriff of West Sussex, Patrick Burgess.

The recipients of the awards were described as “unsung heroes” who undertake activities to enrich the lives of people living in Mid Sussex. Their varied contributions included fund raising and volunteer work.

Nominations for awards were submitted by Mid Sussex Councillors and local town and parish councils.

Hilary was nominated by Councillor Bob Mainstone in recognition for her continuous contribution to the success of the East Grinstead Music and Arts Festival.

He explained:  “Hilary is a founder member and Honorary Vice-President of the East Grinstead Festival and has been actively involved since 1967…a remarkable achievement! In 1991 she was presented to the Queen at St James’s Palace on the occasion of the National Federation’s 70^th anniversary. Hilary studied at the Royal School of Music and was formerly a concert pianist playing and broadcasting with various orchestras.  I was very proud to see her presented with this award which she thoroughly deserved.”

Also honoured at the award ceremony was Maggie Robson, the former Head of Sackville School who was nominated for her service over 40 years as history teacher, head of department and ultimately Head Teacher. Maggie retired at the end of the last summer term and has now moved back to the north of England to be nearer her family.

And Joyce Webber was honoured for her efforts in raising funds for the East Grinstead Christmas lights since 1986 when she worked at the Town Council.

Joyce helps to manage the Meridian Hall bar at social events where bar proceeds fund the Christmas lights project, and were it not for her East Grinstead would not be able to enjoy Christmas lights as this is their main funding stream.