Category: News

A delegation from East Grinstead will be visiting Bourg de Peage on 2 June to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the links between our town and its “twins” in France, Mindelheim in Germany and Verbania in Italy.

The first known “twinning” in the UK took place after World War II when a soldier returning from Poix-du-Nord to his home town in Keighley suggested maintaining a link between the two towns.

The idea spread rapidly and today there are more than 1,700 special relationships between towns in Britain and abroad. To join the East Grinstead Town Twinning Association contact Ken Averill on 01342 315375.

* Town twinners had a successful day at the May Fair when they raised almost £350 pounds with a tombola, and through the sale of cakes and plants.

Ashplats Ward:

• Jacqueline L Beckford, 7 Woodlands Road, 3EH – Lib Dem: 652
• Liz Bennett, 39 Copse Close, 3EF – Conservative: 1100
• Danny Favor, 7 Barn Field Place, 3FD – Conservative: 893
• Tony Scott, Flat 2, Railway Approach, 1BP – Conservative: 886

Baldwins Ward:

• Margaret Belsey, Gotwick Farm, Holtye Road, 3PP – Conservative: 755
• Nick Hodges, Wellbourne, 75 Lingfield Rd, 2EP – Conservative: 750
• Norman Webster, 7 Newlands Crescent, lLF – Conservative: 698

Herontye Ward:

• John O’Brien, 5 The Dell, 3XP – Conservative: 1065
• Dick Sweatman, 81 Estcots Drive, 3YW – Conservative: 1054
• John Saull, Little Beeches, Woods Hill Lane, 3RF – Conservative: 936

Imberhorne Ward:

• Heidi Brunsdon, 83 Blount Avenue, 1JN – Conservative: 1069
• Bob Mainstone, Mallaig, Windmill Lane, 2DY – Lib Dem: 879
• Frank Osborne, Wisborough, Furze Lane, 2BQ – Conservative: 871
• Rex Whittaker, 11 The Stennings, 1PF – Conservative: 912

Town Ward North:

• Ben Burns, 3 The Close, 1DQ – Conservative: 187

Town Ward South:

• Nicola Burns, 3 The Close, 1DQ – Conservative: 537
• Peter Wyan, 7 Clays Close, 4DJ – Conservative: 484

Worsted Ward:

• Garry Sillitoe, 3 Farm Close, 3QQ – Conservative: 163

Councillors representing East Grinstead on Mid Sussex District Council 2011/2015

Ashurst Wood:

• S J Barnett Lib Dem

Ashplats:

• Mrs L Bennett Con
• P Reed Con

Baldwins:

• Mrs M Belsey Con
• N Webster Con

Herontye:

• E Belsey Con
• D Sweatman Con

Imberhorne:

• Mrs H A Brunsdon Con
• B Mainstone Lib Dem

Town:

• C M Ingham Lib Dem
• J O’Brien Con

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

The London Road will be closed to traffic between the High Street and King Street for the event which will also play host to a number of other stalls and fairground attractions, as will Queen’s Walk.

Enquiries from prospective stall holders are welcome, says town tourism officer Simon Kerr.

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

AN exhibition marking 75 years of Art Deco in East Grinstead will be held at the town museum in Cantelupe Road from mid-June. Entry to the museum is free.

A TEAM of volunteers have started work to transform the area of rough land on the corner of the Lewes Road and Blackwell Hollow into a wild flower garden. Working around the bulbs which are a feature of the site during the Spring, the team was able to sow flowers which should bloom throughout the summer and well into autumn.

Town Council spokesman Keith Astley said: "This is a prominent area of land close to the town centre which should become a lovely feature throughout the summer months."

THE third Spring Sunday event, held by High Street traders in mid April to promote local shops, proved a huge hit in Summer-like sun.

"It was extremely well-attended," said town tourism officer Simon Kerr. "It was like having a country fete come to town and the traders who organised it deserve a real hats-off salute for their imagination and initiative.

"It was a great success and everyone obviously enjoyed it very much indeed."

A group of Harley Davidson enthusiasts enjoyed an April run out by following the 0 degrees Greenwich Meridian from the grounds of the Royal Observatory in south London to the Meridian line marker on the East Court estate.

EAST Grinstead’s Music and Arts Festival exists to encourage and promote dancing, singing, speech and drama, painting and art in Sussex and neighbouring counties.
Tickets available on the door.
For more information see: egmaf.org.uk
Dancing will take place on 1 May, 7 May and 14 May.

THE Chequer Mead lunchtime concert series presents Music for Clarinet, Flute and Piano on 17 May from 1.30pm – 2.30pm.
Clarinetist Jeremy Lowe and flautist Ivor Humphreys will be joined by pianists Simon Morris and Carey Humphreys in a recital of music ranging from the Baroque to the 20th century.
Reservations for a meal at Cuisine Studio can be made on 01342 324860.
Tickets £4/concessions £3.50 or £3 each when buying three concerts in the series.

THE Vienna Festival Ballet presents Cinderella on 18/19 May.
Music by Rossini, choreography by Sheila Styles.
Cinderella is one of the best-known fairy tales, and the Vienna company’s full-length version has all the familiar ingredients including a glass slipper, two comical ugly stepsisters and a handsome prince, plus a specially commissioned score created for them by Chris Nicholls, featuring music from some of Rossini’s most famous operas.
Reservations for a meal at Cuisine Studio can be made on 01342 324860.
Tickets £18.50/ senior citizens £15.50/ children £12.50.

ACOUSTIC Sussex presents Jon Allen on 20 May.
With shades of a young Bob Dylan or even Rod Stewart, Jon’s soulful, slightly gravelly voice is accompanied by acoustic guitar and occasionally harmonica.
His songs are so beautifully melodic, many of them already sound like classics.
Reservations for a meal at Cuisine Studio can be made on 01342 324860.
Tickets £12.50/ concessions £10.

THE Show Providers present The Essence of Ireland on 24 May when the acclaimed company makes a welcome return to Chequer Mead after a sellout performance last year.
This time they have teamed up with The Roy Castle Fund to raise money for Cancer Research UK.
This exclusive green tie and tiara evening will be hosted by a celebrity guest and will give theatregoers the chance to watch a wonderfully exhilarating show while donating to a worthwhile charity.
Tickets £50 (includes canapes, glass of champagne on arrival, auction and raffle).

CUISINE Studio presents its regular Jazz Cafe on 25 May.
Tickets, on entry, £5 per head.
Table reservations for the bistro menu at Cuisine Studio can be made in advance only by calling 01342 324860.

BULLFROG productions presents Peter Pan the Musical at three performances over 27/28 May.
Written by Piers Chater Robinson from the play by JM Barrie.
Reservations for a meal at Cuisine Studio can be made on 01342 324860.
Tickets £12/ children £10/ family ticket £39.

CONCHORD Big Band, performing as the Glenn Miller Air Force Band, presents On Parade! on 29 May with a programme of music from WWII and the forties.
The concert will be a fundraising evening for the British Legion which celebrates its 90th birthday this year.
Tickets £14/ concessions £12.

GUIDES, Brownies and Rainbows joined the Council’s outdoor staff and volunteers from the Ashplats Conservation Group to plant 3,000 bluebells along the new woodland walk at East Court last month.

Work on the walk, which runs behind the children’s play area, should be complete in time for the judging of this year’s South and South East in Bloom competition.

THE Spring Craft Fair will take place at Chequer Mead on Monday 2 May with stalls selling high quality gifts and crafts. Cuisine Studio will be open to serve teas and lunches. 

The Passage of Time 1989 – 2011, from 5 to 11 May:
John Scotland shows work that maps his development over 22 years, seeing the land and the figure in a literal and visionary way.

Colour in Art, from 12 to 18 May:
Inspired by some of the greatest 20th century artists, a love of colour and a passion for art, this exhibition brings together a rich variety of work by artists aged between 28 and 92.

Seven Sins Tattoos, from 19 to 25 May:
Seven Sins marks ten years in the tattoo business with a display of skin decoration.