Category: News

Cllr Bob Mainstone, Town Mayor, accompanied by the Mayoress, Cllr Christine Mainstone, presented awards to residents and staff at the first Spring Ball of Pathway Healthcare at the Yoghurt Rooms, Busses Farm in East Grinstead.

Pathway Healthcare, has two centres in Sussex, support and care for adults with learning difficulties, complex needs and challenging behaviour.

Following the presentations Bob wished every success to Pathway Healthcare and commented, “We support the essential need for the care of adults with complex learning difficulties and we like Pathway’s aims of focusing on abilities rather than disabilities and helping people live fuller lives”.

Pathway Healthcare is shortly to open a new centre in East Grinstead.

Photos show Cllr Bob Mainstone with Pathway Healthcare staff.

The Town Mayor, Cllr Bob Mainstone opened the townscape exhibition at the Museum on 27 May.

The exhibition featured the work of local artists from Example.  They created displays based on objects from the Museum an idea pioneered by Museum curator Jessica Hadfield.  The artists with their work in the exhibition: Hannah Buckley, Harriet Brigdale, Sheri Gee, Sue Dodds, Annie Burrows, Jackie Watkins, Andy Webb and Renate Wilbraham.

Councillors also supporting the opening ceremony: Cllr Julie Mockford, Cllr Norman Webster, Cllr Adam Peacock,  Cllr Peter Wyan,  Cllr Dick Sweatman,  Cllr Norman Mockford and Cllr Christine Mainstone

Cllr Bob Mainstone in his speech explained, “The Town Council view the Museum as a vitally important community asset…… or in other words we love the Museum! We are proud to support it with an annual grant.  This latest exhibition by a talented group of local artists is a brilliant idea and is of a very high quality.”

To find out more visit www.eastgrinsteadmuseum.org.uk

The East Grinstead Town Council summer events started with a real bang on Sunday 5 June as Dancing Queen (Abba Tribute) gave a great performance and had everyone dancing on the terraces.

Nearly 2000 sunseekers packed the terraces and spilled on to the Mid Sussex playing fields as families picnicked, partied and played with the music as background from 1pm.  Step up and Sing started the ball rolling followed by local Legend Bonx Trigwell (billed as Mr Bonx). Jenny Green next took to the stage with her easy listening medley with 60s and more up to date tunes,  then headliners Dancing Queen (Paul R Roberts Productions) hit the stage encouraging dancing, singing and swaying along to Abba’s hits from Ring Ring and Waterloo to the Winner Takes it all and Thank you for the Music.

The Crowd had a great time in the sun and many left announcing they would be back for the next free event on 3^rd July, the carnival show where Kylie Minogue tribute Rogue Minogue  will be the headliner following local bands from Rock Choir, Sackville School and the ever popular Tar Babies.    The show starts at 1.30 as the East Grinstead Carnival Parade arrives at East Court.

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IN a regular feature on the Town Council website, we will be remembering, on the anniversary of their deaths, the East Grinstead soldiers who died during WWI,  and who are named on the High Street War Memorial.

This month we recall (as recorded on The Roll of Honour website):

Walter BILLINGS

Private L. 6177 2nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st Division.

Died of wounds on the Somme 26. 6.16. Aged 36. Regular Soldier born in West Hoathly and enlisted in Brighton.

Son of Mr. Billings and Mrs. Mary Isabel Billings of Birch Grove, near West Hoathly.

Buried Maroc British Cemetery F. 149.

Alfred GREENAWAY

Private SD/2692 13th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 39th Division.

Killed in action on the Rue de Bois 30. 6.16. Aged 24. Son of William George and Emma Greenaway, of 25, Glen View Road, East Grinstead.

Born in East Grinstead and enlisted in Hastings.

Buried Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery F. 924

Gordon W. JELF

Lance Corporal 15/1313 15th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

Killed in action near Arras. 4. 6.16.

No record with SDGW.

Buried Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras F.1182

James JENNER

Private SD/4029 13th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 39th Division.

Killed in action on the Rue de Bois 30. 6.16. Aged 19. Son of Mr. and Mrs. W.Jenner of 12, Council Terrace, East Grinstead.

Born in East Grinstead and enlisted in Hastings.

Buried St. Vaast Post Military Cemetery F. 631

George KING

Private G/571 ‘C’ Company. 7th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 12th Division.

Killed in action at Houplines 13. 6.16. Born in East Grinstead and enlisted in Bexhill.

First fatal casualty of the 7th Battalion, on the Western Front.

Buried Houplines Communal Cemetery Extension. F. 1140

Cecil  LUFF

Private TF/ 3312 1/4th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 53rd Division.

Died in military hospital in Alexandria, Egypt. 28. 6.16.

Son of Mr. Luff and Mrs. Elizabeth Luff of 3, Chequers Road, East Grinstead. Born in Plaistow, West Sussex and enlisted in Bognor.

Buried Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.

 

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“I would like to pay tribute to our past Mayor, Cllr Dick Sweatman for the excellent service he has given throughout the last council year. He has attended a huge number of events and functions at which he has always given a positive view of the town its organisations. On top of that he has also attended his share of Town Council meetings and Mid Sussex meetings. Dick is a “man of the people” and has had time to chat and get to know everyone he has met no matter what status they hold. At the beginning of the year Dick was very unsure of making speeches, and was resorting to learning his words off by heart. We have all noticed his improved confidence and now he speaks from the heart and often without notes. Dick has broken all records with his charity donations and he deserves huge credit for his determination to raise funds beyond anyone’s expectations. Congratulations Dick we applaud you!”

“Thank you to my fellow councillors for voting me in for this prestigious position of Town Mayor. I have waited patiently for nine years to wear the famous chain of office and I intend to work hard for the town and enjoy every moment doing so. I have a most able Mayoress, Cllr Mrs Mainstone, who was herself Mayor ten years ago and I won’t be short of advice on how to do things properly! May I wish everyone involved with the Town Council a successful year working together to make East Grinstead the great place that it is.”

“Finally, thank you again for electing me as your Town Mayor for 2016 – 2017”

Town Mayor, Cllr Bob Mainstone, attended the opening of the new facilities at Little Brook Equestrian Centre, Newchapel on Thursday 26 May.

The ribbon was cut for the official opening by Dame Judi Dench who is the patron.

The project involved the rebuilding of part of the indoor school. It now provides an area for the children to use before and after their riding session with a kitchen, eating area, TV room and disabled toilet.

Rob Holwell and Brian Richens members of the East Grinstead Lions help to run riding sessions and were in action on the opening day.

Photo shows Lion Rob Holwell and Town Mayor Cllr Bob Mainstone

“Per Ardua ad astra, we’d rather drink than fight”  was sung with gusto on Friday for perhaps the last time, by a group of men who fought in the 2nd World War and received horrific injuries from burns in aircraft and other incidents.    The Guinea Pig Club held its 75th Annual General Meeting at East Court, East Grinstead today followed by a Town Mayors reception for the members, widows and officers of the club along with guests from surgeon Sir Archibald McIndoe’s family, the Queen Victoria Hospital where they were treated and members of the friends of the Guinea Pigs Club which included past Town Mayors and Councillors of the East Grinstead Town Council and representatives of the Blond McIndoe Research Foundation and the Town Museum.

The Club decided after the AGM in 2015 that it may not hold another AGM as the Guinea Pigs are dwindling in numbers (there are 19 left living in the UK and approximately 55 world wide),  however the East Grinstead Town Council offered to host the milestone 75th Anniversary and final AGM and mark it with a Town Mayors reception.   Club Chairman Sam Gallop CBE said “the Council and Clerk are true friends of the Guinea Pigs and we were delighted to accept the offer “.

The AGM received a special message from the Duke of Edinburgh (President of the Club) and the Council presented each guest at the lunch with a commemorative 75th anniversary lapel badge depicting the Guinea Pig Emblem and the Town Crest to symbolise the enduring relationship between the Town to the Club.

Town Mayor Bob Mainstone said “Since 2004 each Town Mayor has been granted the privilege of being made a member of the Friends of the Guinea Pig Club,  we are very proud of the relationship between the town and club, and delighted that we can mark this end of era historic occasion, by a civic reception. We will miss their annual event in the future but wish to ensure that the men and the club are never forgotten in East Grinstead”

Following the Lunch the Guinea Pigs were taken to see the flower bed in the High St which depicts the 75th anniversary and then on to the Town Museum where they were shown the plans for the extension to permanently display the story of the Guinea Pigs and the medical equipment used by Sir Archibald’s Team at the Queen Victoria Hospital.

Guinea Pigs in attendance 20.05.16 East Court – AGM and Mayors reception:

• Sam Gallop CBE
• Jack Perry
• Sandy Saunders
• Eric Pearce
• Des O’Connell
• John Miles
• Alan Morgan
• Doug Vince
• Jan Black

Top Table:  Air Marshall Chris Nicholls, Mayoress Christine Mainstone,  Rene Gallop, Sam Gallop CBE, Town Mayor Bob Mainstone,  Margaret Collins DL,  Adonia Montford –Bebb, Gordon Bebb

On Tuesday 24 May Cllr Bob Mainstone, Town Mayor, attended the Choral evensong in commemoration of the life of Thomas Cure who died in 1588.

Thomas Cure was a very important person of Southwark, as a Member of Parliament and Master Sadler to Edward V1, Mary 1 and Elizabeth 1. He bequeathed land and property to Southwark and to this day residents benefit from his legacy. Today his legacy still provides almshouses and annual grants of £700,000 to support local groups.

The link to East Grinstead is that Thomas Cure was twice a Member of Parliament representing the town. He owned property between East Grinstead and Forest Row.

The Town Mayor was the first representative of East Grinstead to be invited to this annual commemoration and was accompanied by the Mayoress Cllr Christine Mainstone.

Bob commented, “This was a very special occasion as the link with East Grinstead has never been made before. We met members of Thomas Cure’s family who were interested in building a stronger relationship between Southwark and East Grinstead. Thomas Cure gave the town seal to East Grinstead in 1572 and the Mayor’s chain has a copy of the seal on its main link. I am working with our Town Museum to see what other information can be found about Thomas Cure and his local connection. Following the Evensong there was a reception where a special beer was sampled made in honour of Thomas Cure by a Southwark brewery.”

More information about the Charity www.ustsc.org.uk

Photo shows: 1. Cllr Bob Mainstone, Town Mayor, with members of Southwark Cathedral.

2 . Tomb of Thomas Cure