Category: News

Lee Mason presents Let the Good Times Roll : Friday 1 June at 7.30pm
DIRECT from London’s West End, Lee Mason stars in the fabulous Let The Good Times Roll, a live 10-piece production which pays tribute to the music of the 50s and 60s, including Rock around the Clock, Teenager in love, Be my baby, The wonder of you, The Locomotion and Please please me….

Jazz Café : Wednesday 13 June at 7pm
ENJOY the best of live jazz combined with the finest bistro menus at Chequer Mead’s monthly Jazz Café.

Searchlight Theatre Company presents Chariot – The Eric Liddell Story : Thursday 14 June to Friday 15 June
THE inspiring story of Eric Liddell, Scotland’s finest Olympic Athlete, who ran with purpose in all areas of his life, with a desire to win and to be honourable to God.

Keith James presents The Great Canadian Songbook : Monday 18 June at 8pm
PERSONAL interpretations of the music of Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Leonard Cohen in an intimate solo concert.

Chequer Mead Lunchtime Concert Series presents Miyuki Kato – Piano: Tuesday 19 June at 1.30pm
MIYUKI has given a number of concerts in Wales, England and Japan. These include a recital in St Martin in the Fields and an interlude performance in a service of thanksgiving for Sir Hardy Amies at St James’s Church, Piccadilly. She won fourth prize at the international Piano Competition in Gargano, Italy in 2003, and first prize at the National Eisteddfod in 2004.

Sophie Eastwood Dance Academy presents The Tale of the Secret Beanstalk: Thursday 28 June to Saturday 30 June
THE children of the Sophie Eastwood Dance Academy, Forest Row, are proud to present The Tale of the Secret Beanstalk, an original and enchanting story told through the beautifully choreographed dances with inspiring music and sparkling costumes.

This is a youth production.

THE latest East Grinstead Town Council Survey, which is being conducted to gather information for the Neighbourhood Plan, is now available online.

There is a link right at the top of this page – above the main heading. It takes just a few minutes to complete and the Council is keen to encourage residents to give their views.

CLLR John Saull called his year as Town Mayor a “pleasure and a privilege” when he handed over the mayoral chain to his successor, Cllr Liz Bennett, at last month’s mayor making.

John chose two local charities to benefit from his term as East Grinstead’s first citizen, St Catherine’s hospice and The Guinea Pig Club, each of which received cheques for £2,250.

* John is pictured above at the Masqued Ball which was his final fundraiser as Town Mayor – although unlike other guests, his anonymity was rather given away by his chain of office.

TOWN Mayor Liz Bennett met members of the world famous Guinea Pig Club for lunch last month. The Guinea Pigs were badly burned as airmen in WWII, and operated on by pioneering plastic surgeon plastic surgeon Archie McIndoe.

Pictured (l to r): Russell Foxley, Bob Marchant, Town Mayor Liz Bennett, Sam Gallop CBE, Sandy Saunders and Jack Perry.

TOWN Mayor Liz Bennett was among the 150 swimmers who took part in the centenary celebrations for the East Grinstead Swimming Club.

Liz swam against a constant jet of water in the ten foot, 12,000-litre pool which was provided for the occasion by East Grinstead spa specialists Hydropool.

Event organiser Paul Crowther, who was on site for 27 hours straight to ensure the event went swimmingly, said: “It has exceeded expectations and we think we are the first people to swim in a high street in England.

“Thanks to South East Water’s kind donation of the water, we were able to celebrate our centenary in style and the event was a huge success. We were delighted to join forces to promote efficient water use while showing everyone how to enjoy it at the same time.”

Others who joined Liz, who swam part of the inaugural mile immediately after cutting the official opening ribbon, were Town Clerk Julie Holden, Chris Lomas of the Casablanca Café and presenter Krys O’Brien from Meridian FM.

CLLR Liz Bennett is our new Town Mayor, with Cllr Margaret Belsey as her deputy.

Liz, who is also a District and County councillor, has lived in East Grinstead all her life and has “two beautiful daughters”.

She is very much involved with the town community and her charity work has included prison visiting, and volunteering for the hospital radio service at the QVH.

In her acceptance speech Liz said:

“I am very privileged and honoured to take up the role of Town Mayor in this, a very significant and momentous year for the town.

“In June we celebrate, the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen. This is a once in a lifetime event and, I believe, a rare opportunity for the community as a whole to come together over the celebrations.

“I am also thrilled that East Grinstead has been chosen for the Olympic Torch to pass through on 17 July. This will be an historic occasion for the town and will attract large numbers of people which will give the local economy a welcome boost.

“So both the Queen’s Jubilee and the Olympic Torch will make this year one to remember for all of us, and I will be proud and honoured to represent the town during the planned events to mark both of these landmark occasions.

“I have lived in this town for my entire life and have always been amazed by, and grateful to, the charities that work with, and give so generously to, others. This year I am pleased to be given the chance to give them all my support and learn more about each of them.

“As is the custom of the Town Mayor, I have chosen my own charity to support this year and it is one close to my heart. In 1995 I met the most remarkable young man. I was his teacher and he my student, in what was then known as Kingsway School, here in East Grinstead. What is noteworthy and remarkable about this, was that I taught a class of 12 to18-year-old mainstream students, amongst whom was this young man who had had a brain injury from birth and yet came to the school and was able to study and enjoy recreation with all the other students.

“Back then, this didn’t happen in education and was something of a pioneering exercise. This student made a big impression on me, with his strong determination to do well in his studies: and hearing his plans for the future with such excitement, I developed a strong respect for him and his family in their endeavours to help him succeed.

“This student of mine is now an adult and still just as remarkable, his name is Doran Scotson and he has cerebral palsy. His mother Linda, set up The Advance Centre in Station Road, here in East Grinstead.

“Linda set about extensive research and studied for a PhD working on the respiratory system and with Linda’s passion and determination to find a better way of living for her son and others like him, the Advance Centre has now helped families in East Grinstead and worldwide. Doran has also continued to achieve and has even run a Half Marathon. He is an inspiration to us all.

“So I have chosen The Advance Centre. To support and promote such amazing work, by such a dedicated team of people, is a great privilege for me and I would like to thank Linda now, for all the years she has been in the town, working to improve the lives of so many brain-injured children.

“Finally, as your Town Mayor for the coming year, I pledge to work hard to support you all in your aspirations for the town and the people who live and work here.”

IT was cold. It was wet. It was boggy.

But for the runners who defied appalling weather to take part in the first-ever Three Towns Marathon, it was brilliant, said Tania Banham, owner of Sussex Living Magazine, the race sponsor.

The race took part in three stages over the three day May Bank holiday weekend,  kicking off with a ten mile run at East Grinstead. Stage two was a second ten miles around Haywards Heath, with a final 10k leg around Burgess Hill, making up the classic 26.2 mile Marathon distance.

In all, more than 1100 runners took up the challenge and made it through the triple finish lines, cheered on by friends and family.

“We really enjoyed all three days and it was wonderful to see so many people in the local communities coming together and having a great time. It made us very proud to be sponsoring this fantastic event, and we’d like to thank everyone including the Councils, the other sponsors, the runners and the public for making it a weekend to remember,” said Tanis.

A tough 234 runners completed all three races and they each received a special commemorative Sussex Living Marathon Weekend medal for their efforts.

And despite the damp and rainy conditions, the  runners recorded some impressive finishing times.

The winners of each race were as follows:

East Grinstead 10 Mile race
1st Russ Mullen         1 hour 4 minutes 23 seconds
2nd Bob De Wolf       1 hour 6 minutes 58 seconds
3rd Timmy Gedin       1 hour 7 minutes 46 seconds

Haywards Heath 10 Mile race
1st Matt Bradford       59 minutes 30 seconds
2nd David Bradford   59 minutes 43 seconds
3rd Russ Mullen        1 hour 1 minute 15 seconds

Burgess Hill 10 Kilometre race
1st Timmy Gedin      36 minutes 28 seconds
2nd Russ Mullen      36 minutes 50 seconds
3rd Louis Taub         37 minutes 48 seconds

Overall winner was Russ Mullen who was awarded a trophy and vouchers. But his success came at a price Russ, a childcare worker from Hassocks, admitted afterwards.

“I’m a bit of a state at the moment and my legs are a wreck,” he said.

“I fell over twice during the race on Monday and cut up my knees. East Grinstead was really boggy. We were up to our waists at some points of the course. One of the fields was probably the most ridiculous I have ever run in. It was only about 400 metres long, but it seemed to last a lifetime.

“But I got a trophy for winning the East Grinstead leg, a cup for the overall thing and £200 in vouchers. I can deal with a bit of mud for that.

“I have never done a series of races like that before, but it was all good fun and it went really well.”

FORMER Town Mayor John Saull attended a sports taster session for older people organised by Mid Sussex District Council last month to celebrate the Olympic Games.

The events, both physical and cultural, were designed to encourage them to keep fit and healthy, and included Tai Chi, Line Dancing, Bones and Balance Exercise, Short Mat Bowls, Flower Arranging and Bingo, as well as an innovative exercise bike which could produce smoothies.

Information about all aspects of maintaining happy healthy independent living were available from Age UK and stall holders included Wiltshire Foods, U3A, ITs Simple, Action for Deafness, the Carers Association, Mears, Princess Royal Hospital’s Bones and Balance Team, and Mid Sussex Health & Wellbeing team. For more information about MSDC’s work visit www.msopc.org.uk, telephone 01444 242760 or email anita@msopc.org.uk.

PELTING Spring rain may have caused a few sleepless nights for stall holders, but the annual May Fair on Bank holiday Monday dawned surprisingly dry if not actually sunny.

The annual fun day, organised by the East Grinstead and District Lions, proved as popular as ever with families who thronged the High Street to enjoy all the fun of the fair including belly dancers, a Zumba class, magic act and the Ariel Musicality choir.

TOWN Clerk Julie Holden took up the Three Towns Marathon challenge to run the 10k Burgess Hill leg in aid of her local church on Bank holiday Monday.

Julie,  a fun-runner who had never attempted more than 5k before, set herself a personal target of an hour-and-a-half and was delighted to make it in just 84 minutes.

The winner of the Burgess Hill leg, Russ Mullen from the Haywards Heath Harriers, romped home in an impressively brisk 36 minutes, but Julie was well ahead of the last-placed runner who took 98 minutes.

As Julie crossed the line, wearing her distinctive East Grinstead Town Council Queen’s Diamond Jubilee t-shirt, she was welcomed by Town Mayor John Saull, and Mid Sussex District Council chairman Cllr Mandy Thomas-Atkin, who presented the top runners with their prizes.