Category: News

TOWN councillors will be making themselves more accessible to East Grinstead residents by taking to the streets once a month with a new mobile “surgery” where they can meet people and give advice on public services. They will be on the High Street on the first Saturday of each month between 10am and noon, and will also be available from time to time to deal with specific issues of concern to the public, and at different venues where necessary.

Some councillors will also continue to attend regular surgeries at the same time on the first and third Saturdays of each month at the town library in West Street.

THE Company of Friends are back at Chequer Mead from 1 – 3 November with their hugely popular Olde Tyme Musical Hall.

For a tremendous evening evening of nimble-toed terpsichore, long-limbed lovelies and some of the oldest jokes ever undusted in public, book now…or it will be too late! Contact the box office on 01342 302000.

TOWN Mayor Liz Bennett took part in the Macmillan Trust’s Big Coffee Morning at the Queen Victoria hospital to raise money for the cancer charity.

The event raised more than  £1,000 towards improving the lives of people with cancer by providing practical, medical, emotional and financial support for patients.

Liz said: “The Macmillan Trust does wonderful work. I was very pleased to be able to support them, and I know they are grateful to everyone who took part in one of the local Big Coffee Mornings either at the QVH or elsewhere in the town.”

Town Mayor Liz Bennett also took tea with the residents of Great House Court in Fairfield Road, who gave very generous support to the appeal.

EAST Grinstead residents can now make their gardens more secure by picking-up a low-cost shed alarm from the Town Help Point in East Grinstead library.

Mid Sussex Community Safety Partnership first gave local people the opportunity to protect their property from opportunist thieves looking to target poorly-secured sheds earlier this summer, but the scheme proved so popular supplies quickly ran out.

So with darker evenings drawing in, the Partnership has now purchased additional discounted alarms which can be bought at £7 each, reduced from the normal retail price of £18.

Residents are also being advised to:

• Use a good quality padlock or mortice lock on shed doors
• Protect access to gardens with fences, walls and lockable gates
• Ensure shed door panels are strong enough
• Put up security lighting around sheds
• Lock valuable items together to prevent them being removed easily
• Help to track property by registering it for FREE at www.immobilise.com

For more information about crime prevention in Mid Sussex, contact the Mid Sussex District Council Community Safety team on 01444 477550 or email communitysafety@midsussex.gov.uk.

THE final phase of the two year scheme to upgrade East Grinstead railway station is now underway.

Southern Rail has already completed the £2.1 million station which will replace the old building, and work is now starting on the upper storey of the new car park which will increase spaces from 236 to 336.

Builders will be installing a prefabricated single deck over the existing car park which will be constructed off-site to keep disruption for drivers to a minimum.The deck will cost in excess of £1 million but project managers hope to open the completed site by the end of the year.

Councillor Heidi Brunsdon said she has been impressed with the revamp so far.

“The town needs this improvement. I am happy with the progress that has been made and hope residents, commuters and visitors enjoy the benefits of this station.”

The old station building will be demolished after the new one and the car park are fully operational. The work is scheduled for March 2013.

Simon Kerr, from the town’s tourism initiative, is also looking forward to the benefits the new facilities will bring the town.

“All the improvements to the station quarter at East Grinstead are going to be a plus for the town.

“We’ll have a brand new state-of-the-art station to enable commuters to have a better experience travelling to work, plus the very real bonus of welcoming people coming down the line to transfer to the town’s heritage steam railway at the Bluebell station.

“I’m just so glad that it’s all coming together at the right time.”

However some residents have criticised the lack of disabled access to Platform 1.

A Southern spokesman said only six trains a day came into Platform 1 adding: “We were unable to get a grant from the Department for Transport  (DfT) for lifts on Platform 1 because only six trains a day come into it, and after factoring in the numbers likely to use it, the cost of putting lifts on both platforms appeared disproportionate.

“In an ideal world we would have been able to put lifts on both platforms, but this was just not possible.”

ICIS Information for Life has launched a new version of its Community and Wellbeing Directory at www.icis-info4life.org.uk.

The unique directory helps residents find out about services, groups and activities in West Sussex, and has a star rating system so services can be scored on their helpfulness and quality.

West Sussex Deputy Lieutenant Mrs Lilian Holdsworth said:“The ICIS Community and Wellbeing directory is a ‘must have’ for all the citizens of West Sussex.

“ICIS has covered every aspect of personal and family life, leisure, disability and care facilities available in the county. Their new website is easy to use and this ICIS resource will be a great benefit for those who don’t know where to turn”.

ICIS also runs a second-hand disability equipment service, a funding research service for individuals in need, a low-cost web building service for voluntary organisations and small businesses, and an employee assistance service.

Find out more on 0800 859929.

THREE worthwhile projects which help people with disabilities lead active lives have been backed by West Sussex County Council.

A grant for £3,000 awarded to the East Grinstead Access Group will help provide a free loan service for mobility scooters and electric or manual wheelchairs to anyone with mobility issues, or the carer of someone who does.

The service will be particularly valuable for individuals who do not meet NHS criteria for mobility support and cannot afford to buy their own expensive equipment.

A contribution of £3,500 has been made towards the Tadpoles Swimming Club, which is affiliated to the National Association for Swimming Clubs for the Disabled. The club caters for all ages and people with a range of disabilities, among them amputees and those suffering from with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and strokes.

The Club will use the grant to purchase equipment for individuals who suffer from illnesses or disabilities for use at the King’s Centre swimming pool.

An award for £500 has been granted to the East Grinstead Readers’ Group. The group provides visually impaired people with the chance to meet and discuss books available in large print or spoken word.

The contribution will go towards paying travel expenses for members who need transport for group meetings.

All three grants were awarded from the County Council’s Members’ Big Society Fund.

County Council Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, Michael Brown, said: “Giving residents the opportunity to stay active is of the upmost importance, so we are glad to support all three of these schemes.

“Each one meets the ethos of Big Society and Active Communities and we hope they bring a lasting benefit to the people who use them.”

Spectra Textile Artists – Pathways and Places: until 3 October

SPECIAL places, journeys and memories have inspired this lively range of textiles pieces which have been interpreted in expressive and experimental techniques. Come and meet some of the artists each day.

Greenstede Quilters 30th Anniversary Exhibition: Friday 5 October to Wednesday 17 October

GREENSTEDE Quilters, who have been established in the town since 1982, will celebrate their 30th birthday by showcasing recent work on quilts large and small as well as other textiles.
Opening times 10am to 4pm.

Contact the Box Office on 01342 302000

What’s on at a Glance – for full details see below:

Roxy Music + Bryan Ferry … A tribute: Friday 5 October at 7.30pm

The Fabulous Shadows: Saturday 6 October at 8pm

TV ‘Psychic’ Tony Stockwell: Wednesday 10 October at 7.30pm

Calendar Girls by Tim Firth: Friday and Saturday 12/13 October at 7.30pm. Saturday Matinee at 2.30pm.

An evening for Horse Owners: Wednesday 17 October at 7.30pm

Classical Guitar – Jonathan Prag: Thursday 18 October at 7.30pm

Re-Take That: Friday 19 October at 7.30pm

Ariel Choir: Sunday 21 October at 7.30pm

Jazz Café: Tuesday 23 October – Open from 7pm

A Night for Orpheus: Wednesday 24 October at 8pm

Sinatra, Sequins and Swing – The Capitol Years Live!:Thursday October 25 at 7.30pm

Wine Tasting with Friends: Friday 26 October at 7.30pm

The Woolmer Music Group – Piano and Violin: Tuesday 30 October 1.30pm – 2.30pm

Gala Olde Tyme Music: Thurs 1 – Sat 3 November at 7.30pm, plus matinee Sat 3 November at 2.30pm

JUDGES for this year’s South and South East in Bloom awards have given East Grinstead’s patriotic red, white and blue scheme a silver gilt certificate in the town centre category.

Julie Mockford, chairman of the town’s Bloom team, said: “We have a strong and dedicated committee who have worked hard to create our award-winning town centre. This is the second year we have won silver gilt and we will be striving for gold (the top mark) next year.

“We are making steps in the right direction and we were particularly proud of the High Street – we have all worked hard to make sure it looked nice.”

More than 320 people attended the awards ceremony in Fareham, Hampshire, where BBC gardener Chris Collins presented the main winners with an engraved glass trophy.

All other entrants received a certificate.

The core themes of the Southern Water-sponsored competition were horticulture and gardening, environmental responsibility and community participation.

The regional campaign encourages residents and businesses to work together to improve their local environment to make them greener, cleaner and a pleasure to live in, work in and visit.

South and South East in Bloom chairman Peter Holman said: “Despite all the doom and gloom in the UK, the In Bloom competition has continued to grow and involve people in a way nothing else does.

“Sometimes people think that we’re all about flowers and hanging baskets, but we’re more interested in the environment and the sterling work of communities. Many new people became involved this year, so we must be doing something right.”

Blooming marvellous: Julie Mockford, the chairman of  the East Grinstead in Bloom committee, with this year’s award.

Photo courtesy of the East Grinstead Observer.