Category: News

FOUR members of the East Grinstead Hockey Club have been chosen to represent Great Britain at the London Olympics.

Captain Barry Middleton will be joined by Glenn Kirkham, Iain Lewers and Ashley Jackson who comes from Tunbridge Wells but plays for East Grinstead.

Barry Middleton, Team GB Men’s Hockey captain. Photo courtesy of Team GB

Barry called it “a great honour” to have been selected for Team GB for the third time, and said he would be particularly proud to represent his country in front of a home crowd.

“We have an amazing group of guys who have put themselves through so much pain in search of a dream we all share. We will be giving our all to achieve this dream while providing a lot of excitement at the same time,” he said.

“I look forward to stepping on the pitch in London and hearing that Great British crowd getting behind us.”

*Men’s hockey was first introduced at the 1908 London Olympic Games. Great Britain won gold in 1908, 1920 and in 1988.

TOWN Mayor Liz Bennett accepted an Olympic Torch made by local school children as part an Olympic Legacy project to get youngsters involved in sports.

Pupils designed torches which were then taken in relay from school to school across the town and surrounding areas, to encourage them to get involved in a physical activity.

In this photo, pupils from Estcots and Blackwell primary schools hand over their torches at East Court.

The EHL is Europe’s premier club hockey tournament and East Grinstead Hockey Club has been competing in this event since October 2008, thanks to consistently strong performances in the English Premier League by the Men’s 1st XI. The competition is for the best 24 teams in Europe and is hockey’s equivalent of the Champions League, but instead of running matches at home and away throughout the season, it is arranged across four long weekends. In October / November each year, the qualifying teams are divided into two groups of 12 and each group competes on a league basis in rounds 1.1 and 1.2 at two different venues. These two “mini tournaments” eliminate four teams each and the resulting 16 teams then compete on a knockout basis over the following Easter weekend – firstly as “KO16”, then as “KO8”. The Final Four then play in the Semi-finals and Final in May.

The EGHC Committee has considered very carefully whether we could host one of the first rounds and we have decided to commit to doing so during this Olympic Year. We are planning to host Round 1.2 on the weekend of October 26th to 28th. We feel this is an ideal time for the Euro Hockey League to make it’s debut appearance in England, with the boost that hockey’s profile will receive during the 2012 Games. We also think the EHL presents a fantastic opportunity to bring the many strands of our family Club together.

The Committee has put a team in place to make this happen, but we will also need a large number of club volunteers between now and the end of October to help our plans come to fruition. We will be posting details of the volunteer roles on the website very soon, but if you would like to find out more about this now, please email EGHC_Grinner@Live.com.

CESAR Guarin, the 56-year-old Filipino elite runner will be visiting East Grinstead to celebrate the end of his 2,262 kilometre Ultra Marathon from Helsinki to London which started on 27 May and which will end on 24 July.

His endurance test is the latest stage of a 43,258-kilometer global run which will encompass 42 countries across the world.

Guarin is running in tribute to all Filipinos who live abroad, and to their host countries for their contribution in helping the Philippines economy, enriching Filipino cultural heritage and promoting tourism, and to highlight Filipino innovation and ingenuity.

The UK leg of the run will start in Edinburgh and will take in a route of cities with Filipino Communities including Glasgow, Manchester, Bradford, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff, Bristol, Swindon, Oxford, London, Brighton, Mitcham and Milton Keynes before arriving in East Grinstead on 25 July when Guarin will attend a reception in the Mayor’s Parlour to meet local Filipinos including Cllr Danny Favor, and members of the Town Council.

THE Parish Halls are now on the market with estate agents Park and Bailey. Offers for the town centre halls must be submitted by 31 August.

Proceeds from the sale will be used for the enhancement of existing facilities, and for additional community resources, at Chequer Mead community theatre.

THE new lavatory block in the car park opposite the town cinema is now open.

The building has a pitched roof, exposed brickwork and plain tiling in a traditional style which councillors believe with enhance the character and appearance of its town centre location and benefit both the local community and visitors to East Grinstead.

East Grinstead Council leader Norman Webster welcomed the completion of the new facilities, which have been opened before the expected inrush of visitors to see the Olympic flame pass through the town, and ahead of next year’s extension of the Bluebell Railway into East Grinstead station.

SUMMER Exhibition from the pupils of Sackville school: Monday 2 July to Thursday 12 July

Zhen – Shan – Ren International Exhibition: Thursday 19 July to Wednesday 1 August 2012

Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance are the characteristics of the universe, the cornerstones of human morality, and the foundations of peace and freedom. They transcend time and space, culture, religion and politics. These artists’ works glorify the divine, and grapple with questions of good and evil.

Kicks Dance –  3 and 4 July:

AN evening with the students of Kicks Dance

This is a youth production.

Chequer Mead Youth Theatre presents  Uncle Tom’s Cabins – Friday 6 July at 7.30pm

FOLLOWING the success of Cold Comfort Farm and Son of a Preacher Man Chequer Mead Youth Theatre presents Uncle Tom’s Cabins, a tale of holiday camp intrigues, world domination and knobbly knees. This is a youth production.

JC Vocals presents their Students Summer Show

Saturday –  7 July at 7.30pm:

THIS year sees the 7th annual JC Vocals show, an exciting evening with students old and new performing a wide variety of songs, from the latest chart hits, to excerpts from hit shows…This is a youth production.

Ariel Drama Academy presents the Ariel Drama Academy Showcase – Monday 9 July at 7.30pm

ARIEL Drama Academy is proud to present an evening of song, drama, and dance which their students have been working on throughout the year. This is a youth production.

Domransland School present Scheherazade – Tuesday 10 July at 7pm

This is a youth production.

Bullfrog Productions presents Sweet Charity –

Friday/Saturday 13/14 July

TAXI dancer Charity continues to have faith in the human race despite apparently endless disappointments at its hands, and dreams that one day she will finally meet a nice young man to romance her away from her sleazy life. This is a youth production.

Bullfrog Productions presents Rapunzel – Saturday 14 July at 2pm

AN enchanted story of a princess with long tangled hair who is put in a tower by a wicked witch, until she is found by a handsome prince.

Based on the film Tangled this is a youth production.

West Hoathly Church of England Primary School presents A Golden Grecian Odyssey – Monday 16 July at 7pm

Scenes and Sounds from Ancient Greece.This is a youth production.

Blackwell School presents A Summer Production –

Wednesday 18 July at 7pm

This is a youth production.

Choirpower present Diamonds – Friday 20 July at 7:30pm

CHOIRPOWER are looking forward to entertaining their audience this year with some lovely music and a few very modern arrangements.

Heathfield School of Dance presents Pure Imagination – Saturday 21 July at 2:30pm and 6pm

Summer Dance show by the Heathfield School of Dance. This is a youth production.

Jazz Café – Thursday 26 July at 7pm

ENJOY the best of live Jazz provided by the amazing Institute Jazz Band – combined with the finest bistro menus at our regular Jazz Cafe evenings.

For more information contact the box office on 01342 302000

EAST Grinstead’s famous Midsummer Market returns on Saturday 21 July, when London Road will be closed to traffic. This increasingly popular family event, which brings a taste of the Continent to the town, also offers local stall holders the chance to promote themselves.

Contact Simon Kerr at the Tourist Desk on 01342 410121, or email tourism@eastgrinstead.gov.uk for more details.

THE Mid Sussex Wellbeing Team in partnership with Freedom Leisure has set up a new free Junior Wellbeing programme aimed at families with a child who is above a healthy weight.

This exciting and fun new programme provides expert one-to-one support from a qualified instructor over ten sessions to help improve health and wellbeing. The sessions will be tailored to individual needs and scheduled at a time which suits the family.

The programme aims to support families to eat more healthily and to be more active. Families will learn how to make small changes to their lifestyles which can be used in everyday life no matter what their ability levels or time constraints. Basic goals of the course are to:

• Support families to eat more healthily
• Increase confidence
• Increase fitness and activity levels
• Support children and adults to achieve and maintain a healthy weight

When and where will the session be held?

East Grinstead sessions will be run at the King’s Centre.

In the event that the family cannot get King’s, sessions can be provided in alternative locations considered to be safe and accessible by the instructor and family.

How to sign up?

Families with a school aged child or children can contact Mid Sussex Wellbeing by telephoning 01444 477191 or e-mailing info@midsussexwellbeing.org.uk

Referrals with consent may also be made by GPs, Practice Nurses, School Nurses, Health Visitors and Parent Support Team.

About Mid Sussex Wellbeing

The Mid Sussex Wellbeing service can help you to find local wellbeing information and services. You can also get advice and support on how to make small changes to improve your health and wellbeing, including how to stop smoking, how to become more active, or how to make your meals healthier.

The free, friendly and impartial service is provided by Mid Sussex District Council in partnership with the NHS. You can find out more about local activities and support services by visiting our website or talking to our friendly Wellbeing Advisors over the phone or in person.

How can the Mid Sussex Wellbeing service help me?

• Have you thought about losing weight, but don’t where to start?
• Do you want to get more active and energised, but aren’t sure what’s happening in your area?
• Do you want to stop smoking, but aren’t confident in taking that first step alone?
• Do you sometimes feel low and want a boost to your general wellbeing?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then the Mid Sussex Wellbeing service can help you.

We can offer advice and information and we will also put you in touch with more specialist support if it’s needed.

There are three simple steps to get started:

1. Get ready – Think about the changes you would like to make to lead a healthier lifestyle
2. Get set – Check out the website for local activities or support that can help you achieve your goals. Phone or email for a one-to-one chat with a Wellbeing Advisor, or to make an appointment if you need that extra bit of help.
3. Go – We will give you advice and support on how to take control and build small changes into your life. We understand how hard it can be, but we can help to make it easier.

For more information please telephone 01444 477191 or visit our website www.midsussexwellbeing.org.uk