Category: News

THE Friends of Chequer Mead have paid for the replacement of every tap in the building as a green initiative to save energy and prevent vandalism.

Theatre manager Hannah Kester said the move was part of an ongoing initiative to ensure the town’s community arts centre is as green as possible.

The new taps are the kind which have to be held down to use, which means they cant be left wastefully running. People often leave them on accidentally if they have been standing chatting, but we have also had incidents of vandalism where the sinks have been deliberately blocked with paper and the taps left to run, said Hannah.

We are always looking at new ways to save energy and we are very grateful to the Friends for paying for this particular work to be done.

THE Town Council has agreed to pay the following grants to local sports clubs:

• £200 to Chartham Park Golf Club
• £250 each to the Felbridge Badminton Club, the East Grinstead Cricket Club, East Grinstead Meads FC, the East Grinstead Hockey Club, and the East Grinstead Sports Club
• £275 to the East Grinstead Swimming Club and to TS Resolution NTC for youngsters training in sailing and canoeing.

GRINSTEADS unstoppable hockey squad saw off Beeston to take their third consecutive indoor title at the Wembley Arena national finals in front of a 5,000 strong crowd in January.

England captain and East Grinstead midfielder Barry Middleton credited their triple triumph to a strong squad, a good bench and creative play, which he said was the key to the indoor game.

The England skipper also paid tribute to the 3,000 East Grinstead fans who made the journey to the finals.

A few of the players have been here their whole lives so their support has been fantastic for the side, he said.

THE town museum in Cantelupe Road is hosting an exhibition of old work implements, mounted by the Tools and Trades History Society, until 22 May.

The Society preserves the hand tools used in historic trades which are often the only remaining evidence of what were once everyday activities.

To find out more, email TATHS at treasurer@taths.org.uk

ACOUSTIC Sussex presents Jackie Oates, the double winner of the 2009 BBC Folk Awards, on 3 March. One of the most celebrated of a new wave of performers, her 2010 CD release Hyperboreans established her as one of the leading young artists in Britain today. Table reservations for a meal at Cuisine Studio 01342 324860. Tickets £12.50/concessions £10.

THE Bohemians bring A Night of Queen to East Grinstead on 5 March when the tribute band, established in 1996, will re-enact the glory days of Freddy Mercury.
Tickets £15/concessions £13.50.

THE Essence of Ireland, who were a sell out success when they stormed the stage at Chequer Mead last year, are back. This time around they have joined forces with The Roy Castle Fund to raise money for Cancer Research UK. This exclusive black tie evening will be hosted by a celebrity guest and will give theatregoers the chance to watch the wonderful and exhilarating Essence of Ireland while donating to a great charity at the same time. If you liked Riverdance, Lord of the Dance, and Spirit of the Dance, you will love this show, because its even better! Southampton Echo. www.essenceofireland.co.uk www.roycastlefund.org.uk Tickets £50 which includes canapes, a glass of champagne on arrival, auction, raffle and celebrity guests.

THE Premier Entertainment Company presents Class of 2011 on 12 March with a musical tribute to hit shows including Glee, High School Musical and Hannah Montana.Table reservations for a meal at Cuisine Studio 01342 324860. Tickets £12.50/concessions £10/ Chequer Mead Friends £11/ family ticket £40.

THE 13 March sees Chequer Mead Youth Theatre present Son Of A Preacher Man, a musical tale of love, loss and Charlies Angels. Featuring a host of classic songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s, it tells the story of what happened after prom-night all those years ago, and whether things will ever be the same now that Pearl is back in town. Tickets £10 in advance (£8.50 for groups of 4+) or £12 on the door.

CHRISTOPHER Smith will bring To Beijing by Bicycle to Chequer Mead on 17 March, when he will illustrate the inspirational story of his 13 month, 16,500 mile journey, with some breathtaking photography, and sign books about his epic journey. Tickets £10.50/concessions £8.50.

ACOUSTIC Sussex are back with Sandi Thom on 18 March. Sandis 2006 debut single topped the charts in seven countries with the ensuing album selling more than a million copies and winning her an Ivor Novello award. More recently, she toured the UK and Europe with blues powerhouse Joe Bonamassa, inspiring her to explore her musical roots with her 2010 CD Merchant and Thieves. Table reservations for a meal at Cuisine Studio 01342 324860. Tickets £15/concessions £12.50.

ARIEL Theatre Company presents Ariel Vocalzone in You Must Remember This, a concert of golden favourites from the war years, on 19 March. Table reservations for a meal at Cuisine Studio 01342 324860. Tickets £12/ concessions £10.

THE Lunchtime Concert Series continues on 22 March with classical guitarist Laura Snowden from 1.30pm until 2.30pm. Laura, who returns to Chequer Mead following her well-received performance in June 2008, studies at the world-renowned Yehudi Menuhin School with Richard Wright. She is also a composer, and her song Live Free was performed in over 60 countries for the charity Voices for Hospices. Table reservations for a meal at Cuisine Studio 01342 324860. Tickets £4/ concessions £3.50/ or £3 each when buying three concerts in the series.

WEST Sussex Fire and Rescue return with Safe Drive – Stay Alive on 23 March, an important illustrated talk for secondary schools on how to keep safe on the roads.

TWICE voted among the worlds top guitarists by US Guitar Player and with 18 albums to his credit, flamenco virtuoso Juan Martin will appear at Chequer Mead on 24 March. Table reservations for a meal at Cuisine Studio 01342 324860. Tickets £14/ concessions £12.

THE Deborah Lamb Theatre School presents its annual Showcase on 26 March at 1.30pm and 7.15pm. Table reservations for a meal at Cuisine Studio 01342 324860. All Tickets £10.

CUISINE Studio is back with its popular Jazz Cafe on 30 March. Open from 7pm. Entry 5. Please reserve a table for a meal by calling Mandy, Roger or Paul – in advance only – on 01342 324860. Bistro menu available.

Telling Tales – 4 to the 16 March: MAXINE Greer and Hannah Buckley invite artists to work with stories inspired by childhood and memory. Experience a flock of paper birds, mysterious toys and clothes you can read. Witness live storytelling, diaries exposed and love letters rubbed away by touch.

Journeys through Time and Place – 18 to 23 March: A RICH feast of art from a husband and wife team who use a variety of techniques to combine serious messages and humour. Enjoy paintings, collages, folded books, eggs in different uses, images from found objects and textiles, including tapestry weaving, screen-printing and fabric collages. Expect the unexpected!

Sculpture Exhibition – 25 March to 6 April: THE Surrey Sculpture Society, of which this group is a small part, aims to promote sculpture without selecting its members. As a result, both amateur and professional work is exhibited and group members, numbering some thirty local artists, produce a varied selection of work in a varied selection of media. The sculptures are for sale, unless otherwise stated, and range in price to suit all pockets.

THE grassed area of land at the corner of the Lewes Road and Blackwell Hollow will be a wild flower meadow this summer.

The town council’s outdoor staff have already put three inches of top soil over the area which will be seeded in mid-April with a “pictorial meadows” seed mix.

The area, which until now has been grassed over and has only had spring colour from daffodils, should come into summer bloom within eight weeks of sowing and remain in flower until the late autumn.

A NEW “professional” kitchen has been installed at East Court to bring it up-to-date for hirers.

The all-steel kitchen replaces a much older one and will be easier to use and clean said council spokesman Keith Astley.

“More and more people want to hire East Court for meetings, conferences and social events including weddings, and we need to offer them a modern, hygienic kitchen with up-to-date equipment and easy-to-clean work surfaces," he said.

THE lower end of the East Court estate bordering the Holtye Road has been given a facelift with new fencing.

The 82 metre stretch is currently steel, but will be painted black as soon as the weather permits.

PRINCESS Anne will visit East Court to meet Mayor Stephen Barnett and other civic dignitaries when her helicopter lands on the estate on 22 March.

The Princess will be in East Grinstead to celebrate the 50th birthday of the Blond McIndoe Research Foundation of which she is patron.

Her visit will be marked by the unveiling of a painting donated by the conservationist and painter David Shepherd, who lives just outside the town, and with a Spitfire fly-past

Blond McIndoe’s chief executive Jacquie Pinney said: "Having The Princess Royal as our patron is an honour and we are absolutely delighted that she is able to join us in celebrating this very auspicious anniversary.

"The Princess takes a real interest in the work of the charity and her patronage is invaluable.

"We are celebrating 50 years of innovative research but also showcasing our research strategy going forward and her support is a real endorsement of the value of the work that we do which has direct clinical relevance.

"We rely solely on regular donations for us to continue our valuable research into the repair of skin wounds, especially burns.

"We are determined to continue the pioneering work started by Sir Archibald McIndoe for the benefit of future generations."

The party at East Court Mansion is for specially invited guests and has been paid for entirely by business sponsorship.

The mayor, who chose the research foundation as one of his charities for his year in office, said he was "delighted" about the visit.

* Sir Archibald McIndoe’s dream to open a research centre in the grounds of the Queen Victoria Hospital became a reality with the help of close friends Neville and Elaine Blond, shortly after his death in 1961.