Category: News

TOWN MP Nicholas Soames was appointed to the Privy Council in last month’s Birthday Honours list.

Mr Soames, a grandson of the wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, has been a Conservative MP for 28 years and has represented Mid Sussex since 1997, having previously been MP for Crawley.

He is a former Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and served as Minister of State for the Armed Forces between 1994 and 1997.

His appointment to the Privy Council makes him the fourth of his family over four generations to receive the same honour.

He said: “I have been a member of parliament for 28 years and I am very grateful to my constituents who made me an MP.

“This is a very great honour for myself and my family.”

There was also an MBE for East Grinstead’s Eric Mackie for his services to the community through his voluntary work as president of the town’s Access Group for the disabled.

The group was established in the mid-nineties to look at ways life in East Grinstead could be made easier for people with disabilities.

The issues Eric has tackled since then include the group’s Pavements for People campaign, to keep car drivers from parking on pavements, and a recently revised booklet which lists facilities for disabled people across the town, including a list of local shops which ‘Care with a Chair’.

But the success of the Access Group is all down to team work, says Eric.

"We can’t afford to pay anybody, so we need to run on volunteers and the team here is smashing.

"I don’t feel like a conquering hero, I just feel there’s a job that needs to be done."

Mark Cutler who works at the Queen Victoria hospital was also awarded an MBE for his work on maxillofacial prosthetics.

Mark studied at Brooklands College in Surrey before graduating with a diploma in dental technology in 1983. After completing both the Prosthedontic and Maxillofacial Prosthetic advanced national certificates, Mark then worked at St Thomas’ Hospital, London and at Queen Marys’ Hospital, Roehampton.

With a particular interest in post-burn tissue hypertrophy, Mark was able to attain the European Association for Burn Injury Scientific Fellows Award and is a member of the British Burns Association and The International Society for Burn Injury.

A Royal Navy (Reserve) officer, he was commissioned in 1989, and took on an operational role with the Navy’s medical branch.

From 1993-97 he was a part-time lecturer in maxillofacial prosthetics at Lambeth College in London, and an external examiner at Manchester Metropolitan University from 2002-06.

In addition to his work at the QVH, Mark has lectured and presented workshops in Europe, North Africa, Scandinavia and South America.

MAYOR John Saull marked the 70th anniversary of the town’s connection with the world famous Guinea Pig Club by inviting 26 members and their guests to tea at East Court.

Despite their long and affectionate association with East Grinstead, it was the first-ever official visit by the badly-burned former airmen who dubbed themselves Guinea Pigs after being operated on by pioneering plastic surgeon Sir Archie McIndoe.

The tea was also attended by former mayors who had been made friends of the Guinea Pig Club, and members of the newly-formed Town Council.

It was one of the new mayor’s first official engagements, and – after his own career in aviation safety – one particularly close to his heart.

John, who has made the Guinea Pig Club one of the two official charities for his year in office, was himself honoured by being made a friend of the Guinea Pig Club at the AGM Luncheon, as was Mike Hollis, the president of the East Grinstead museum, and Town Clerk Julie Holden.

TOWN Mayor John Saull attended a charity concert given by the ConChord Big Band at Chequer Mead in aid of the Royal British Legion.

"The event made £1066.96 in addition to around £400 given in donations on the night", said band member Cllr Frank Osborne, pictured centre, with the mayor and Legion representative Martin Forde.

THE ever-popular French traders will be back in town for the Mid Summer Market on Sunday 23 July – see poster for full details.

Non-charity stalls cost £40, charity stalls are £25. For more details contact town tourism officer Simon Kerr on 01342 410121 or email tourism@eastgrinstead.gov.uk

 

TOWN Mayor John Saull joined West Sussex Deputy Lord Lieutenant Margaret Collins and other dignitaries at a wreath-laying ceremony at East Court to mark Armed Forces Day on 25 June. After a short prayer service, consultant plastic surgeon and burns expert Lt Col Tania Cubison presented veterans badges. The occasion was the fifth held to honour the nation’s service people, past and present.

East Grinstead Mayor John Saull (centre) was among the dignitaries who saw
Haywards Heath Mayor John Sabin raise a flag in support of Armed Forces Day over the Mid Sussex District Council.
(Photo courtesy of Mid Sussex District Council)

TOWN tourism officer Simon Kerr has made two recent broadcasts on BBC radios Surrey and Sussex to encourage donations to the Bluebell Railways 2 million appeal.

The railway preservation charity needs the cash to finish clearing the former domestic landfill site which is all that now stands between the present end of the line and its new extension into East Grinstead’s mainline railway station.

"The early completion of the extension project is of huge importance to East Grinstead", Simon told listeners.

"We have a major tourist attraction all packaged and ready to be delivered to our doorstep – if the Bluebell can raise the 2 million they need to finish clearing the track into town.

The arrival of the Bluebell will bring huge benefits to East Grinstead in the form of an estimated 55,000 extra visitors a year, with a projected boost of 1.1 million into the local economy."

TOWN Mayor John Saull was among the audiences who enjoyed a series of performances by the East Grinstead Group of Schools (EGGS) at Chequer Mead last month.

It was the second year that primary and secondary pupils from 16 schools in and around the town had combined their talents as part of a joint Creative Learning project to make education exciting, and to encourage cooperation between schools.

Pupils worked on projects related to this year’s theme Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow within their own schools, before coming together for two days of workshops and performance at the town theatre.

Among the young musicians showcasing their talents were the Sackville rock band TwentyOne.Ninety and The Imberhorne Jazz Band who provided the foyer entertainment.

Nine-year-old Lilli Lacey from Felbridge school said she had enjoyed the chance to take part in the music-based show and hoped the audience would join in the "big finale" which saw the stage filled with youngsters singing their hearts out.

While Hayley Covel, ten, from St Peter’s, said the EGGS project had given her the chance to meet children from other local schools.

* The Garden Gallery Art Exhibition run in conjunction with the school shows was sponsored by East Grinstead Town Council.

EAST Grinsteads historic High Street, which contains one of the longest uninterrupted runs of Mediaeval buildings in Britain, will be enhanced by the addition of four new wooden planters this summer, jointly funded by the Town Council and West Sussex County Council.

MID Sussex District Council ranger Katie Chatfield is organising regular healthy walks over the coming summer.

The gentle strolls will take place on the first and third Thursdays of the month and will last up to an hour.

Katie says she plans routes which will be no longer than 2.5 miles in length and promises no clambering over stiles will be involved.

Departures will be from the East Court car park at 5.30pm on 7/21 July, 4/18 August and the 1/15 September.

CLLR Nick Hodges will be the new chairman of the Town Council’s Charities Committee. Vice chairman will be Danny Favor.