Hailsham News, November 2022, Issue 15

FAMILY’S LIFE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN FOLLOWING

some well-deserved time out.

It’s been a pleasure editing at such a time when I can hardly keep up with the amount of news happening in our town. In this issue, we highlight the incredible Bonfire night which took place last month. It’s always so good to see the town absolutely rammed with residents wanting to witness this event — the most popular night on the town’s calendar. Thousands turned out to witness the procession and firework display which is simply breathtaking every single year.

Last month, we celebrated our first anniversary of Hailsham News our advertisers, contributors and dignitaries to a VIP evening at B12 Bar and Kitchen. It was lovely to bring together all the people that make this newspaper happen every single month to enjoy a couple (or three) glasses of sparkly stuff to celebrate this landmark occasion.

I attended the launch of the new Jungle Kingdom at Knockhatch recently which you can read about on page 13.

Every time I go to Knockhatch, it’s almost hard to believe this attraction is right on our doorstep. During lockdown (I know we should stop mentioning this), Knockhatch simply progressed forward in every single way, kept its staff in full-time employment and achieved a place we can all be proud to call a truly local business.

Paul Gibson, Group Editor

Hailsham News is a publication by Regional Media Group Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales number: 13746177. We have taken care to ensure that the information in this newspaper is correct. Neither the publisher, nor contributors can take responsibility for loss or damage resulting from errors or omissions. Hailsham News does not endorse the accuracy of the advertisements or the quality of the products/services being advertised.

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Brighton Children’s Hospital.

gave Anastasia a special eye test which showed her optical nerves were swollen — they decided to do a CT scan and as a result, she was blue-lighted straight to King’s College in London. Just two days after her symptoms started, they had the devastating news Anastasia had a brain tumour.

was diagnosed as having atypical teratoid/ rhabdoid tumour, known as AT/ RT. It is a very rare, fast-growing tumour that begins in the brain and spinal cord. It usually occurs in children aged three years and younger, although it can occur in older children and adults. About half of these tumours form in the cerebellum or brain stem.

She was taken for an emergency CT scan which showed bleeding to the tumour, so she was rushed to the theatre for a life-saving surgery that night to cut the tumour out. Surgeons managed to cut over 90% of the tumour out which was over 6cm long and over 3cm wide, according to her parents.

On 2nd September, Doctors confirmed Anastasia had a cancerous ATRT brain tumour.

Paulina continued: “She wasn’t able to communicate, eat, walk, move or do anything that a three-year-old should be doing after her surgery. We didn’t know what to expect. It took her nearly three weeks to come around from it. She started talking and eating on her own again which was amazing after not even knowing if she was left brain damaged after

the bleeding or not.”

Anastasia had intrathecal chemotherapy, a 48-hour infusion chemotherapy at the end of September and started her radiotherapy in October along with yet another round of chemotherapy.

Altogether she’s having nine rounds of chemotherapy, four weeks of head and spine radiotherapy and two weeks of boosted radiotherapy. The family were put up in a flat the Royal Marsden in Sutton provided so she can be close and attend her radiotherapy every day for the following five weeks.

Paulina concluded: “It’s been a massive roller coaster ride for our family. She’s been getting her strength back slowly over the last few weeks. She’s even been asking to walk again! Her big brother Oscar, who’s only sixyears-old, has been amazing with her. I am so incredibly proud of her and him and how amazing she’s doing.

I’m trying to raise as much awareness as possible, ATRT is so rare, hardly anyone knows about it. I’d like people to know what to look out for and if anyone’s in the same situation, they aren’t alone. If I could swap places with her, I would! She’s been fighting like a champ — after the strength she has shown, we believe she will fight until she beats this awful disease.”

STURTON PLACE IN HAILSHAM TO BE REDEVELOPED INTO 29 FLATS

Councillors have given the green light to the redevelopment of a site which has stood derelict for more than a decade in the centre of Hailsham. Sturton Place, located at the junction of Station Road and South Road, will be developed to accommodate 29 apartments, following a Wealden South Planning meeting last month.

The site of the former NHS building and Drill Hall has been an eyesore on the landscape, and has also been under fire recently for ongoing anti-social behaviour reports.

Concerns were raised about the current junction layout which is currently inadequate for the development, according to councillors.

But, plans to completely redevelop the junction by creating more space and the installation of traffic signals will allow a better flow of traffic and improve safety, have been approved by East Sussex Highways.

Another concern was the lack of parking spaces in relation to the number of homes. Only 17 spaces have been planned for the development which simply isn’t enough, according to Councillor Cleaver and Councillor Shing.

The pair proposed for the plans to be refused and the total number of dwellings to be reduced to 17 in total — these were thrown out after a majority of councillors agreed with the officer’s recommendation for approval.

Chairman of the Planning Committee asked if a number of spaces in the nearby South Road Car Park could be allocated to residents of Sturton Place to accommodate any extra vehicles. Councillor Shing advised this was a very poor option — allowing council assets to be given to developers is not an option.

Councillor Nigel Coltman did advise the committee that the

Planning history at the site shows it has been used as a drill hall, skate park, garage and health centre since the 1950s.

COMMENTS FROM READERS

Karen Holland: “Seriously! It is going to be chaos at peak times and we won’t talk about the road over the bridge. It is one of the many dreadful roads in Hailsham and really needs sorting before any more traffic has to use it. Infrastructure needs to be sorted first before all these houses are built.”

Anna Tuppen: “This is perfect redevelopment — no fields destroyed and an ugly empty building being repurposed. Yes, the roads will need sorting, but I think this is good.”

Nikki White: “Totally ridiculous. Yes, I understand the need to do something with the site but 29 flats and only 17 car parking spaces, there is no sense to this. How on earth did this get approval? They will need to sort the junction out first.”

PREPARATIONS FOR WINTER CRISIS

BY GROUP EDITOR, PAUL GIBSON

Plans are underway in Hailsham to deal with a tough winter ahead for vulnerable and low-income families.

Rising energy costs and the threat of localised back-outs this winter have urged Hailsham Town Council to make plans in case residents need a place to keep warm.

In a meeting of the Assets Committee, Councillors discussed plans to introduce ‘Hubs’ across Hailsham to support people who really need help this Winter, a sub-committee to set up the hubs has been formed ‘as a matter of urgency’. There are worries local residents could suffer the worst winter since war times and those on any level of income suffer massive increases in energy bills.

East Sussex County Council has suggested its Library network could potentially be a place where residents could turn to as a place to keep warm and save money by not having to heat their homes.

Foodbank services have never been more in demand with a dramatic increase in demand in recent months for their services.

Councillors suggested one large hub for the town is unviable as those who need support shouldn’t be reliant on their own, or public transport to get to the hub, so smaller venues

Although Wealden District Council is responsible for general Emergency Planning for Hailsham and Wealden, councillors are forming the sub-committee which consists of members of the Assets Committee, to immediately discuss plans to create the hubs ahead of the cold period.

During the meeting, Councillor Keogh said

“The impact on our domestic economy by the Russian war criminal Vladimir Putin

LAND OFF BATTLE ROAD COULD SEE 200 HOMES

International energy pressures on everybody in the UK and more importantly the resulting rise in oil and gas energy prices for our local communities.

He added: “In addition to the government’s initiatives, we as a council must do all we can over the forthcoming winter period to put in place initiatives that will enable our residents to come together in a warm and safe environment if and when they need it.”

DIPLOCKS

Cllr Keogh continued: “In times of international strife, it’s all about community spirit”.

A call for volunteers has gone out to man the hubs if they were created. DBS checked staff would be required to look after people attending and to ensure they continue to operate when residents need them.

Locations across Hailsham could include Hailsham East Centre, The James West, Hailsham Library and the Charles Hunt Centre, some of which already provide hot meals and help for those who need it.

According to gov.uk: “Households to start receiving £400 off their energy bills from October, with the discount made in six instalments to help families throughout the winter period.”

There’s a lot of support and help for households who are struggling this winter. The Citizen’s Advice Bureau is the place to turn to if you need help.

We all have the right to heat our homes and feed our families, so it’s so important that anyone who needs support should not hide or be shy, but challenge the energy companies. Ignoring the problem will make it worse, so always speak to your provider and tell them your situation. They are obliged to do what they can to support you.

A screening application has been made to Wealden District Council to build homes on land east of Battle Road in Hailsham.

The application submitted by Fernham Homes is to find out if the land requires an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to build on, prior to a full application being made.

If successful, the land measuring 16.5 hectares would see 200 homes built including 35% affordable housing.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is used to assess the significant effects a development proposal has on the environment.

They make sure that project decision-makers think about the likely effects on the environment at the earliest possible time and aim to avoid, reduce or offset those effects it might have.

The application can be viewed on the Wealden District Council website using the reference WD/2022/6508/SO.

in Hailsham are progressing after plans for four junction roundabout were moved forward. The Ersham Road and South Road Junction will see the large roundabout constructed to ease major traffic congestion at peak times.

In May this year, the Secretary of State approved the request to deregister the common land on the junction of South Road, Ersham Road and Diplocks Way, to make way for a new roundabout.

An application made jointly between Wealden District Council, Hailsham Town Council and East Sussex County Council was needed to deregister the current land and exchange it for designated common land. This

construction of the roundabout.

Ann Newton, leader of Wealden District Council said: “The ability to improve the junction has been years in the preparation and promised to residents of Hailsham for some time. Having already earmarked funding for the project, we are delighted that this decision meets the next key project milestone enabling the delivery of key infrastructure for Hailsham.

“We will continue to work with our partners to ensure delivery on the ground as quickly as possible. We are confident that this change will make the road less congested for traffic entering and leaving the town, which currently is a cause for concern.”

Hailsham News

HAILSHAM CARE HOME GRANTS RESIDENTS’ WISH

It was plain sailing for two Hailsham residents whose dreams came true when they took part in a cruise in Eastbourne harbour.

Gill Relton and Barry Wardle, residents at Care UK’s Bowes House, on Battle Road, enjoyed a special nautical trip and reminisced about their younger years.

In the past, Gill owned a boat on the River Medway in Kent. She was a member of the Medway Yacht Club and enjoyed sailing with her family over many years. Barry also enjoyed leisure sailing with the family.

As a result, a group of residents and Bowes House team members travelled to Sovereign Harbour, in Eastbourne, for a cruise to the Beachy Head Lighthouse. The residents enjoyed a picnic lunch on board before returning to the harbour.

The trip formed part of the home’s ‘Wishing Tree’ initiative, which encourages residents to put wishes forward, allowing them to reconnect with a past hobby or try something completely new. This could be flying a plane or enjoying a fish and chip supper, no request is too big or small.

Karen Milligan, Senior Customer Relations Manager at Bowes House, said: “We love to go the extra mile for residents here at Bowes House and our wishing tree is a fantastic way to understand what’s really important to them.

“We are thrilled we could help Gill and Barry to reminisce and share this experience with us. It was wonderful to see their faces light up the minute they stepped on board and to hear so many stories and anecdotes from their younger years. It was a fantastic experience for everyone involved and I am so pleased we were able to make Gill and Barry’s wish come true.”

Barry Wardle and Gill Relton

GOALPOSTS SHOULD STAY

All that happens in the Hailsham area is the building of more houses, to bring in more people with very little thought of recreation areas for people to enjoy.

Would these sad residents like these youngsters to sit in their homes on their tablets, X boxes, watching tv and not have the recreation they love?

For these people who like to complain, you never know if the next Harry Kane, Lewis Dunk, Solly March(Hailsham lad), Ella Toone, Beth Mead could be playing/ training in our country park.

KEEP THE GOALPOSTS!

Stephen Read

ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN

which leads to Vicarage Lane is extremely narrow and difficult to negotiate at the best of times.

With the extra 200 odd cars that will use this road once the new development is completed, it is an accident waiting to happen. The road needs widening and this should have been done when the pavement was incorporated a few years ago. I also don’t think we need any more houses in Hailsham.

We are already struggling to attract doctors to the existing surgeries and getting appointments is nearly impossible at the moment. Also, where has the wildlife that used to live on Marshfoot Lane and other developments gone?

Enough is enough.

Richard Dodman

COVID INJECTIONS

In a town with a population exceeding 20,000, am I the only one to question why we do not have anywhere in Hailsham to get our Covid booster jabs?

I’ve read the article on page 2 of August 22 issue with interest.

On the back of our ladies’ teams, brilliant success in the Euros and our local Premier League teams’ rise in stature, it’s only natural that interest in football is at a high level.

On the flip side of this, it saddens me to read that some very sad local Gleneagles residents want the recently installed goalposts removed from the country park because of noise problems and unauthorised use and I know that some residents get upset with the parking.

If the posts are removed the football will still carry on as it did before with portable goals.

It’ll soon too dark for the football to carry on in the evenings for six months until April. What will these sad residents complain about then?

I’ve lived opposite the park for nearly 25 years and I do not have an issue with football being played in the park. It is after all for a few hours a week.

I should like to make a comment regarding the Marshfoot Lane development. The road at the top of Marshfoot Lane

Ringing the NHS on their 119 number invariably results in your getting an appointment somewhere usually a good few miles away. (My first experience of this method, back in April 2021 sent me to a village in Kent some twenty odd miles away).

All very well if you are young and mobile but when you are getting on a bit (83 this year and counting) such a round trip can be, to say the least, exhausting.

In a town of 20,000 plus there must be a fair percentage of folk who are getting on in years, don’t have private transport and, like me, use their phones for the sole purpose to talk to people. What are these folk supposed to do?

Public transport, even on short trips, such as say Hailsham to Polegate (where they do have Covid centres), can be difficult and time-consuming.

Is it not possible for someone in the public health service to set up some kind of Covid centre in our town?

Graham Wakefield

To write to the editor, please email: letters@hailsham.news

STRING CAST WOW AUDIENCES AT THE PAVILION

Not every town has its own musical — but Hailsham does! Hailsham writer Sharon Davies takes to the Hailsham Pavilion to enjoy this years performance.

Last month, String brought the town alive at the Pavilion before near-sell-out audiences across three shows. Due to this success, talks are continuing about taking String to Eastbourne and the possibility of recording the songs for commercial CD release.

After the general hubbub of people arriving at the Pavilion, finding their seats, greeting friends and waving at others they think they know, the evening’s entertainment kicked off when the hand-picked instrumental ensemble ploughed headlong into the overture.

During this time, narrator John Bowler, known for his acting roles in television shows, with The Bill and Casualty”among them, walked on stage. He then guided us, with a smile, through the evening, while on occasion became so animated during

some of the scenes, that he was spotted lip-syncing to songs.

This brand new specially-commissioned musical, aptly due to the town’s industrial manufacture of rope, bound together different strands of time into a central love story that runs through one Hailsham woman’s life. A young Harriet (played by Ruby Edwards) and Tom (played by Hey Cupid Are You Working Today? which led into the stunning Last Train On The Cuckoo Line, a duet between the talented Abbie Marsden and David Watts in their respective roles of divorcee Joan Sanderson and Peter, her first love.

There’s a unique vocal exchange between the adult Harriet (Marcia Bellamy) and her now deceased (ghost) husband Tom (Chris Parke) in This House. She wants to move on: he doesn’t want her to, telling her so in no uncertain terms! However, for many people the highlight of this section was the introduction of the farm boys and their loud, pounding rendition of the powerful Sussex Boys We Wunt Be Druv, pushing home the pointlessness of war that took so many lives. Leading this

rousing reprise of patriotism was actor Steve Scott, in his role of local hero Nelson Carter VC. It’s pretty heavy stuff.

The Musical’s creator, Hailsham’s Tony Biggin had his finger on the pulse when it comes to composing softly textured melodies that sweep and flow, providing the perfect backdrop to leading librettist, Stephen Plaice’s sensitive lyrics. This was especially so when listening to the hard-hitting The Day That Sussex Died, a ballad of considerable note with a choir adding a fullness to the song’s sentiments. This cunning mixture of music, blending the mood of the 1st World War with sixties pop and contemporary love ballads, was an ingenious move by Tony Biggin, whose creative skills range from university lecturer, leader of county music services and acclaimed international composer.

Through song and music, the story of the two young lovers, Harriet and Tom oscillated, as each overcome one struggle after the other, until the closing This Town (Ties That Bind) brings it all together, evoking the pride these people have in their town — and that town is Hailsham!

NEW CONTRACTOR APPOINTED TO MAINTAIN ROADS IN £300M DEAL

A new contractor will be responsible for the maintenance of the county’s roads and pavements from May next year.East Sussex County Council has appointed Balfour Beatty Living Places Ltd in a seven-year contract worth £297million, with an option to extend to a maximum of 14 years — worth up to £730 million.

Balfour Beatty Living Places will be responsible for maintaining the county’s highway network and infrastructure, including roads, pavements, drainage, streetlights, traffic lights and bridges. They will also provide winter gritting across the county and deliver highway improvement schemes.

During an extensive procurement process, bidders were asked to demonstrate how they would support the county council’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, ensure quality of work, provide value for money and how they can improve social wellbeing across the county.

Cllr Claire Dowling, the county council’s lead member for transport and environment said: “It is vital for our residents and our economy that our road network is wellmaintained, and work carried out is of the right quality.

“This new contract has undergone extensive scrutiny to ensure it reflects the feedback we receive on our highways work and that it

builds on the successes of the current contract and is fit for purpose for our residents and communities.

She added: “As well as demonstrating that this could be achieved, Balfour Beatty Living Places also showed how its activities would align with our ongoing efforts to reduce our carbon emissions and how its actions would benefit the communities of East Sussex through its social value plan, including training, apprenticeships and community projects and events.

“Balfour Beatty Living Places has a lot of

Fire crews rescue elderlyman from car in river

An operation took place on Saturday (15th October) to rescue a man who become trapped in a car on the Pevensey Levels.

The vehicle was found partially in water on some boggy ground on Rickney Road where East Sussex Fire and Rescue, East Sussex Ambulance Service and local farmers set upon rescuing the man. It is believed the man was trapped in the car overnight.

A spokesperson has said the driver was fine, but was taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital as a precaution.

experience with highways maintenance and major infrastructure projects, delivering services with a number of councils across the country and we look forward to working with them in East Sussex.”

Steve Helliwell, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty Living Places said: “This latest award builds on our longstanding expertise and commitment to providing best-in-class

highways and infrastructure maintenance services across the UK.

“Our dedicated team of professionals will seek to introduce new technologies and innovative solutions wherever we can, helping us to create great places to work, live and play, whilst also leaving behind a lasting positive legacy for the communities in East Sussex.”

Potholes in Marshfoot Lane in Hailsham

Photo: Dan Jessup

A ribbon to officially open Jungle Kingdom was cut by High Sheriff Jane King and guests were able to walk around the newlydeveloped area which features a number of new animals for visitors to enjoy. The Mayor

area for the first time.

The project has taken two years to develop and was the brainchild of Knockhatch’s owner Colin Jaggers who has been continuous in launching new initiatives at the park including the Sherlock Holmes experience which was opened earlier this year.

Jungle Kingdom features some amazing creatures such as otters, coatis, Mongoose, prairie dogs, parrots and meerkats. Popular Barney the parrot is also enjoying a new pen within the Kingdom area.

The High Sheriff Jane King told Hailsham News: “I think it’s absolutely wonderful. I came on a tour a couple of weeks ago, and I just thought it was such a fabulous place for children, especially the new bit because of the see-through fencing. Even little people can get up close and personal with all these wonderful animals. They’re so much fun to watch.”

Zoo Keeper at Knockhatch, Ben Anderson said: “We’ve got a real variety of animals and I’m sure many more will appear over the years. We really want people to come down and meet them and stop us and talk about them. We’ve been building a zoo for two years, so we’ve all been sort of gagging to talk about the animals.”

Jungle Kingdom is included within the normal admission price to the park.

PHOTOS: NEIL GARRETT

Local dignitaries, supporters and media gathered at Knockhatch Adventure Park recently to celebrate the opening of an extension to the attraction.

Hailsham Vicar David Bourne has hung up his robes and bible after serving the town for 17 years at Hailsham Parish Church. At the end of August, the church said a very fond farewell to its Vicar and his wife Kim.

There was a service of thanksgiving and celebration giving thanks to God for his faithfulness and kindness over the years followed by speeches, tea and cake.

The church building was packed with not only current congregation but also those who had moved away, but wanted to be there for the special service.

There was also a good number from Riseley in Bedfordshire where David had served as Vicar prior to coming to Hailsham in 2005. A hog roast followed in the Vicarage Garden so the celebrations continued.

During David’s time as Vicar, David’s focus was on the preaching of God’s word, the Bible and it was constant and central to everything.

He has overseen many changes in the church building not least the opening of the West End entrance in 2021, which includes an accessible footpath and welcoming entrance and lobby area.

Many from the community have commented on how appreciative they are of this entrance area as they are welcomed into the church building.

David and his wife Kim are retiring and moving on from Hailsham but staying in East Sussex.

David and Kim Bourne

HailshamEvents

NETWORKING

HAILSHAM & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Monthly Breakfast Networking Meeting

Thursday 3 November & Thursday 1 December, 7.30am B12 Bar & Kitchen, High Street, Hailsham Members £12, Non Members/Guests £15. Register and pay at: hailshamchamberofcommerce.co.uk/next-meeting. Become a member for £90pa per business.

BIZZYBIRDS NETWORKING GROUP FOR WOMEN

Thursday 17 November, 10am-12 noon:B12 Bar & Kitchen, High Street, Hailsham

Bizzybirds is a networking group for women in the East Sussex area. Coffee, chat, advice, growth. Support, help and more! Meet likeminded women in business. £8 pre-booking via Paypal to jane@ bizzybirds.co.uk

HAILSHAM LUNCH CLUB

Wednesday 16 November, 12.30-2pm: B12 Bar & Kitchen, High Street, Hailsham

An informal networking group for anyone who does business in or around the Hailsham area. A chance for networking over a great lunch! Register for the Club and the event via www.hailshamlunchclub.co.uk

MARKETS

HALSHAM FARMERS’ PRODUCE & CRAFT MARKET

Every Second Saturday – 9am-12.30pm: Hailsham Cattle Market, Market Street, Hailsham

Pop by to visit and select local quality traceable produce and crafts, including fresh and cured meats, vegetables, plants, freshly laid eggs, freshly made bread, honey, chutneys, candles, beeswax body lotion and hand-made cards, plus lots more. Free on-site parking.

HAILSHAM COMMUNITY STREET MARKET

Every Saturday – 9am-1pm: Vicarage Field, Hailsham.

Pop by to visit and select local quality food, gifts, crafts, confectionery and more. And when you’re done you can pop into one of the town’s popular establishments for some brunch, lunch or just for a drink. Make a day of it!

TREASURE POTS INDOOR MINI MARKET

Saturday 5 November – 10am-2pm

Charles Hunt Centre, Vicarage Field, Hailsham

ARE YOU HOLDING A CHARITY OR NON-PROFIT EVENT?

For a FREE LISTING, email your details to: events@hailsham.news

HAILSHAM LEGO® CLUB ‘INSTRUCTIONS NOT REQUIRED’

Come in and browse hundreds of bargains, bric-a-brac, local crafts. Be part of the fab Hailsham community!

Remember, Remember 5th November, hope to see you there. Second hand, crafts, new items, Christmas gifts and gift sets, clothing and more, come and join our friendly team and our lovely locals. Everyone Welcome – Free Entry CLUBS

HAILSHAM FRIENDS CLUB

St Wilfrid’s Hall, South Riad, Hailsham 1st & 3rd Thursday of every month at 10.30am

A friendly social gathering of people who live alone or are carers. Why not join us for a cup of tea and a chat and find out what we do. The Church car park is available or Tel: 01323 893340 or Email: Ken@ hailsham-friends.club.

SOUTH WEALDEN DEMENTIA FORUM

Thursday 24th November, 10am – Bowes House, Care UK, Hailsham

Please let us know if you would like to attend any of the above forum’s so we have an idea of numbers for each meeting, we look forward to seeing many of you at the meetings J

COMMUNITY CAFÉ

POLEGATE COMMUNITY CAFÉ: First Thursday of the month –2-4pm at Polegate Community – 3rd November

HAILSHAM COMMUNITY CAFÉ: Second Thursday of the month –2-4pm at St Wilfrid’s Church – 10th November

SPORTING MEMORIES: Every Wednesday at Polegate Community Centre, 10-11.30am, please contact Emma Brooke – emma.brooke@sussexcricket.co.uk

WEALDEN DEMENTIA ACTION ALLIANCE

Wealden Dementia Action Alliance Meetings

Thursday 3 November, 10am Hellingly Community Hub (please note change of venue).

Summerheath Hall, Hailsham Wednesday 4.15-5.45pm

For children aged 4-12 and their parents/carers. With over 100kg of Lego to build with, including a selection of sets with instructions to build. Whether you would rather free build with the piles of Lego available, take part in the weekly build challenge or build a model kit with instructions, the choice is yours. As long as you love Lego, we’re here for you! Booking essential. For more information: facebook.com/groups/instructionsnotreq.

HAILSHAM HEALTH WALK

Free one hour group walk every Thursday morning 9.30am from War Memorial.

Just pop along. Free and open to everyone, no booking no commitment. Health Walks all led by trained volunteers.

FRIDAY NIGHT PROJECT / HAILSHAM YOUTH SERVICE

Young people in Hailsham aged 11-17 (School Years 7-11) are invited to attend activities and take advantage of the opportunities available through the Friday Night Project (FNP) – A range of recreational activities and events are organised for the Friday Night Project at venues across Hailsham including Knockhatch Adventure Park, Knockhatch Ski Centre, Freedom Leisure and the James West Community Centre. For more details, log on to www.hailshamyouthservice.org

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY

Sunday 13th November, 10:35am, Hailsham War Memorial, Vicarage Field

Parade will leave Waitrose car park to arrive at the memorial. Remembrance service will then begin. Full details, see page 21.

CHRISTMAS LIGHT SWITCH-ON

Friday 25th November, 5pm, Vicarage Field Fun and singing prior to the town centre light switch-on at 6pm. Full details on page 25.

For more details, log on to www.hailshamyouthservice.org

THOUSANDS FLOCK TO TOWN TO WITNESS SUCCESSFUL BONFIRE EVENT

memorial for a traditional prayer and minute’s silence. It was followed by a breathtaking explosion of firecrackers.

The Hailsham Bonfire celebrations returned to town with a bang with the streets becoming host to societies from across Sussex.

The popular event is being hailed a success as thousands of residents lined the streets to witness the procession organised by the Hailsham Bonfire Society which was attended by groups from Uckfield, Buxted, Heathfield, South heighten, Eastbourne, Vines Cross, Waterloo, Barcombe, Isfield & Little Horsted, East Grinstead, Burgess Hill, Rotherfield and Mark Cross. Drumming throughout the procession came from Earthquake, Stix, Pentacle Drummers and TS Zealous. They were also joined by the Hailsham Scouts and Lewes Scout Band.

The procession began at the Vicarage Lane Car Park and weaved its way around town to arrive back at the war

A large bonfire was then lit on the Western Road Recreation Ground later in the evening where thousands gathered to watch the fireworks finale to mark the closure of the night’s celebrations.

Lightning Fibre were the proud sponsors of the evening, which is under constant pressure to raise vital funds to keep the event running annually.

Guy Fawkes night in most parts of Great Britain is traditionally commemorated at large public fireworks displays or small family bonfires, however, towns in Sussex and Kent hold these huge gala events with fires, parades and festivals.

The Hailsham event took a 16-year break due to funding and was recreated in 2005 by local man Guy Osborne, with support from Hailsham Lions. Since then, thousands have been raised for local charities.

HailshamArts

LAURIE’S POEM CORNER

ALL OR SOMETHING

Life is a feast or famine And never seems to even out, Either all the land is flooding Or we’re suffering a drought.

If you want to catch a bus You are standing like a dunce, Past your final waiting time Then four will come at once.

Luck seems to be the same You will get every call right, Then quickly as it changes You lose everything in sight.

Getting your finances done Bills paid with money left, When a run of expenses come And at once you are bereft.

Fishermen cast their bait And the nets are all filled tight, But then there is a long time With not one single bite.

Is it a game that’s played By angels and mascots creed? That allows a win sometimes Before stopping all our greed.

Perhaps it’s our perception Of what we want to obtain. But whatever does befall us We must get back up again!

MR. JONES AT THE MOVIES

The Duke was made in 2020, but not released until April 2022 (Covid, again) so it may seem a strange choice for a review several months later. I’m covering it because it’s being screened at the Hailsham Pavilion on the 14th November at 2:30pm as the second offering in the new programme of “Winter Warmers” screenings. (The first is the excellent “Belfast” which is showing on November 7th, but I’ve already reviewed that).

All the films in the Winter Warmers calendar are priced at £1.50 and that includes a hot drink and a biscuit, so if you would like to spend some cosy afternoons in Hailsham’s own beautiful Art Deco cinema enjoying good films and a nice cup of tea, you can!

So, now, “The Duke”. I was drawn to this movie by the cast and creative headliners. I’ve never seen a film I wasn’t impressed by that involved Jim Broadbent and/or Helen Mirren and this one didn’t disappoint. Add into the mix Roger Michell as the director and you really can’t go wrong. He previously directed “Notting Hill”, amongst many others.

The film is based on the intriguing true story of Kempton Bunton, a 60-year-old campaigner for additional support for pensioners who, in 1961, pulled off the only successful robbery in the history of the National Gallery when he stole Goya’s painting of the Duke of Wellington, even though he didn’t think that it was very good! Having pulled off the crime he then started sending ransom notes demanding that the government invest more in care for the elderly.

I’ll stop there with the plot. This is a gentle and well-crafted comedy that is well worth seeing, especially with a warm cuppa. The kettle will be on!

SUMMER HOLIDAY

I do like revisiting great movies, and this is definitely one of those. This was the Mamma Mia of its day. A feel-good film that you can sit down and enjoy with the whole family without any concern about ageinappropriate material, and that’s a rare thing these days. It’s being screened at the Pavilion as part of the “Golden Oldies” programme. Another great initiative to diversify the offer and entertain the increasing population of Hailsham.

So, what’s the plot? (not that it really matters with so many great songs). A group of young mechanics have an idea. The idea is to turn a bus into a moving hotel so that people can “cruise” on land. They are given one bus to convert to test the business model, and off they go. Several encounters and many songs later… you end up in Greece. Lots of sunshine, music and romance. Just the thing to warm you up as the days get shorter.

If you’re a Cliff fan, you’ll love this. There are also great cameos from Ron Moody, Una Stubbs and David Kossoff (who once did an assembly at HCC).

The date for your diary is 11th November.

I’m thinking of buying a bus …

THE DUKE

POPULAR GIFT SHOP CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY

Hailsham’s busiest gift and homeware shop, Maybugs, recently celebrated four years since opening the shop in Vicarage Field. Since it opened in 2018, the company soon expanded its empire when it opened Flowers by Maybugs next door to its current shop in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic.

Maybugs expanded into Eastbourne town centre in 2021 and then opened a new shop on Devonshire Road in Bexhill this July.

On the shop’s anniversary, co-owner Greg Rose said: “I’m reminded of hearing someone say on opening day in Hailsham, “lovely shop, but that will be gone in 6 months”! Well, here we are four years later, with three gorgeous Maybugs stores. Your continued custom particularly at this critical time of year for retail means the world to us both and the future longevity of Maybugs”

Ahead of the festive season, the company has announced it will pay for customers parking costs from 1st November at its Eastbourne and Bexhill stores.

When customers spend £50 at either store and show their parking ticket, at least £5 and up to £8.40 which can cover up to seven hours parking, will be discounted off their purchase.

John Dale, Sales Director at Maybugs said “Councils and large Corporations who own shopping centres are ripping people off for parking and destroying small businesses at the same time. We all know customers can order online and get something delivered very easily, they are even less likely to go to a town and shop if they have to pay a fortune just to park.”

He added: “We agree that during the summer tourist season it makes sense to charge an increased amount for parking, but during Christmas when locals want to come and support small independent businesses and when it is such a critical moment for so many small retailers like us, why on earth are they putting barriers like this in customers’ way.”

LIGHTNING FIBRE CONNECTS FIRST HAILSHAM HOUSEHOLD

Louise Honeysett became the first Hailsham customer of East Sussexbased independent Full Fibre network builder, operator and ISP Lightning Fibre with a symmetric Full Fibre connection to the modem, delivering speeds up to 1,000Mbps, 25 times faster than the old copper lines used by the majority of households.

Ben Ferriman, Lightning Fibre’s Founder and CEO, commented, “We’re delighted to expand our local network to Hailsham. We are ahead of schedule and hope to complete the whole town by the end of 2022. That will mean over 10,000 homes and businesses can, at last, say goodbye to rubbish broadband! Our full fibre network is hyper-fast and hyper reliable.”

Hailsham Mayor, Councillor Paul Holbrook, added, “I have been very impressed by Ben and his team. Lightning Fibre has engaged proactively with local Councillors, looking into complaints promptly and resolving matters that inevitably arise with a project of this scale. This new network is fantastic for our town.”

Research shows that as well as being ‘greener’, once an area has a symmetric full fibre network, property prices and local economies are positively impacted. Lightning Fibre is building highquality networks across Sussex, creating hundreds quality local jobs and delivering a high-quality service at an affordable and competitive price. Residents and businesses can now switch online or register for updates. Simply visit: www.LightningFibre.co.uk or call 01323 380260.

Co-Owners of Maybugs John Dale and Greg Rose

Louise Honeysett becomes first connected resident

MONKSEY’S MUTTERINGS

CAN YOU HEAR ME?

We all have a mobile phone nowadays, I even had a Nokia 101 which was the first commonly used handheld ‘brick’ and I felt like I was a London Stock Exchange trader as I marched along Hailsham High Street on my way to Key Markets for my bottle of Blue Nun and nonchalantly chatting away about what VHS tape to rent out for the weekend. I had a mobile phone, I was Billy Big Spuds!

We all used to sit on the bus, in a bar or on the park bench and listen to someone chatting with an unseen person as we only heard one side of the conversation, I am sure that I wasn’t alone in siding with one or the other of the conversationalists as an argument or point of view got heated.

How we wished we could have heard both sides of the discussion so as to make a valid judgment if she should dump him for his best friend, whether one or the other was not going out that evening or if they should apply for the job or not!

In the infancy of mobile technology, I can’t remember who I would have been talking to as the 20-something-year-old me pressed my Nokia to my ear, no-one else would either because I didn’t have the thing on loudspeaker so the rest

of the street, town or county could hear the inane clap-trap and drivel that passes as conversation in this day and age.

The Apple, Samsung and Huawei (you aren’t alone in not being able to pronounce it) boffins must hold their heads in their hands wondering why they spent so much effort developing incredible technology for phone earpieces just for people to put their phone on loudspeaker and hold it inches from their ear as they bellow “Say again, I can’t hear you…yeah, I went to the clinic as it was really itchy.”

For the sake of humanity put the mobile telephonic communication device up to your ear, it’s all of two inches away from your skull anyway so it won’t kill you to take it off loudspeaker and save the rest of us from the woeful tales about your pathetic little life.

None of us give a mackerel’s nipple about your conversation so don’t force us to listen to it, at least when I could only hear one side of it then it was interesting as I could make up my own scenarios which was so much better than Dwayne and Candice getting jiggy with it after a bottle of Crème De Menthe.

Until next time people!

Brad Monks: www.verymagic.co.uk

VISITORS URGED TO ATTEND

Tfallen troops.

Hailsham Town Council alongside the Royal British Legion Hailsham & District Branch have been working on the plans which will take place on Sunday 13th November.

The Town Mayor will join fellow councillors and representatives from the Armed Forces, their families, veterans and local organisations for a service at Hailsham Parish Church on Sunday 13th November at 9.30am.

After the Morning Service, there will be a Parade of the Hailsham & District Standard followed by Armed Forces veterans and local dignitaries together with Hailsham army and air cadets from the car park adjacent to the Charles Hunt Centre in Vicarage Field, commencing at 10.35am.

silence at 11am.

Immediately after the service at the War Memorial, attendees are warmly invited to return to Hailsham Parish Church for hot drinks as in previous years.

“This Remembrance Service is an opportunity and a time for us to reflect and remember the sacrifices made both in the past and in current conflicts and thank them,” said Town Mayor Councillor Paul Holbrook, urging people to take time out to remember the fallen. “It is important that as a community we continue to remember those who lost their lives for their country and the Act of Remembrance continues to be of great significance to the people of Hailsham, including the members and staff of the Town Council.”

HAILSHAM CHEF REACHES FINALS OF PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS

his pasta making skills recognised recently as he reached the finals of a National competition to find the best UK Pasta Chef.

Ramses Torres Vidal, 35, who runs Romeo & Juliet, based in the High Street, travelled to London last month to compete in the Papà Award Competition and was one of only six making it through to the finals.

He told Hailsham News: “It was an absolute honour to be in the finals I didn’t quite clinch the title this year, but I intend to enter again next year, so, fingers crossed I’ll take the title in the near future.”

The awards are run by the Federation Italian Chefs UK, sponsored by ‘I love Italian Food’, and were judged by Michelin Star Chef Theo Randall, Italian celebrity Chef Enzo Oliveri, Chef Michael Eyre and Chef Carmelo Carnevale, who have now become friends with Ramses and promise to visit his Restaurant in Hailsham next year.

Ramses works hard to impress the judges

Theo Randall with Ramses Torres Vidal

HAILSHAM AND DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE UPDATE

BY CLIVE SOPER, PRESIDENT

What a difference a month makes. In my last report, I included Queen Elizabeth’s last appointment that of the new Prime Minister Liz Truss and this month reporting one of the first duties King Charles III undertakes being the acceptance of the resignation of Prime Minister Liz Truss, the shortest serving British Prime Minister.

Business, the country and the people of the country expect sound governance from Westminster, it affects everything that we do. Whether it be a house mortgage, income tax, business funding and support, to enable short, medium or long-term planning which in turn provides stability and a sustainable economy ultimately providing the population with the means to survive and prosper.

A government that does not provide sustainable intelligent governance not only lets down the country but spooks the international community causing confidence in the pound and the country to evaporate and interest rates to rise at alarming rates adversely affecting both businesses and individuals.

Let us hope now that the government takes on board its responsibilities to the country and the electorate, ignores its own short-term political desires and concentrates on providing both business and the country with some real, honest, effective governance.

The Chamber has had a busy month starting with a very successful breakfast on the first Thursday at B12 Bar and Kitchen where a well-attended, lively and friendly meeting started the month in style. We continued the upward trend in attendance with some interesting presentations from both

meeting by the Rampion Wind Farm which is proposing a significant extension of 1200mw to the existing offshore wind farm. Consultations have been ongoing with relevant bodies for some years and are approaching a planning application to undertake the works which, when completed are likely to be capable of supplying virtually all of Sussex’s electrical power requirements with clean, renewable energy.

In the past, this energy would have been generated using fossil fuel, most likely coal, creating hundreds of thousands of tons of toxic, smelly, filthy emissions but now there are no emissions from the existing wind farm and there will be none from the new farm when completed towards the end of this decade.

The Chamber is pleased to support the application of this clean, renewable facility which, with the Chamber’s BID proposal and other local proposals will go a significant way towards the eventual target of Zero Carbon.

Talking of the BID, the Chamber is progressing with the presentation document which will outline the objectives of the Business Improvement District (BID), the benefits to local businesses and the greater community within the BID area. By next month this information will be available whereupon the route to a BID application will proceed, watch this space!!

Also, during the next month, the Chamber will be participating in the East Sussex County Council Net Zero future skills survey which will enhance the Country’s knowledge of the skills base needed to support a thriving Zero Carbon economy within the County and allow the businesses to take advantage of the opportunities presented with a trained, skilled workforce.

The Chamber supports the County in this endeavour which in turn supports the BID’s objectives.

Every third Thursday of the month the Chamber holds a lunch meeting starting at 12.30pm.

This month’s venue was Rajdoot in Hailsham High Street.

We had a good attendance who experienced what was generally agreed to be an exciting, very tasty Indian Cuisine meal showcasing the high standard and quality to be expected

in this excellent Hailsham restaurant. The meeting was lively, friendly, and enjoyed by all attendees. Many thanks to Kash and his team for providing an excellent lunch.

I would like to welcome to Hailsham and District Chamber of Commerce this month’s new members: Clearwater Safety Group Ltd; Megatrend Media Ltd; and Print Matters.

SPECIAL REQUEST

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

FROM ONE OF OUR MEMBERS: Hailsham United Junior FC is looking for sponsorship in many areas and I would be grateful if you would consider being a sponsor of our Under 13 Juniors.

Winter is almost upon us, and we would like to provide the team with rain jackets. Players would be requested to wear jackets to match days and training sessions.

It is also worth mentioning that most players tend to wear these items outside of football too, so they will be seen around many other places, not just on the football pitch.

At a cost of £600, this sponsorship covers 15 jackets along with the printing of your company logo and Hailsham United badge.

Sponsorship would also be placed on our website under this specific age groups page along with mentions in any social media posts relating to this specific team.

I am grateful for your consideration in being part of the local grassroots football and look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards, Shaun Stevens (contact: shauns11@outlook.com).

The Chamber breakfast — a great opportunity to network

Last month’s lunch meeting at Rajdoot Resturant

EXPERIENCE A TASTE OF BANGALORE IN HAILSHAM

sensation and then the kick of the tamarind.

South Road. The décor is clean and calm and its most recent refit includes lots of Indian history. Bright, modern surroundings and subtle mood-changing lights give it a chic and trendy feel.

Viv, the proprietor, has recommended so many dishes — I was ‘chicken all the way’ and the idea of Indian lamb and fish dishes once left me cold. I’ve worked my way through the menu and have a few favourites. All cooked to order, you can spice it up (or down), with heat or garlic.

Our latest visit saw the introduction of some new dishes that Viv recommended we try, so we just had to dig in!

Three new starters were Golgappas, Masala Fried Calamari and Spicy Crab Cakes.

The Golgappas are mini flatbreads, spicy crushed chickpeas and potatoes served with a tamarind sauce. This starter was rather fun.

Presented as small spheres of fried crunchy crisps, you make a hole, into which the chickpea and potato mix is added then add tamarind sauce — you have this initial crunch, then spicy and soft

Masala Fried Calamari is pan-fried coated with spices and herbs. I love calamari anyway so I just knew I was going to love this, however, I know there’s a small window of opportunity to get it right. But it was cooked perfectly, the texture and taste were sublime.

Spicy Crab Cakes are minced crab meat, coated with breadcrumbs then fried for a crispy outer crunch and soft, spicy centre, tamarind sauce added the perfect zing!

Two new main dishes were Lamb Achari and Lamb Narangi.

Lamb Achari is a unique flavoured curry in pickled spices. Perfect if you like a hotter curry, packed with flavour, the lamb gives it the perfect taste and texture.

In Hindi, ‘achar’ means pickle. Lamb Achari is a popular Punjabi curry made with the spices often used to make pickles. Also available in Chicken or King Prawn.

Lamb Narangi is a vibrant citrusy dish with fresh oranges with a zing of orange zest. The orange curry is made using juice and zest from the freshest, seasonal oranges.

Another introduction to their ever-successful menu is their Kachampuli, described as a spicy Coorg delicacy with ground coriander seeds, finished with fresh curry leaves and dark vinegar “kachampuli”. Kachampuli is the syrup prepared from the fruit Kokum in Coorg and is used as a condiment in the preparation of the signature curry.

Viv receives a package from India every month containing homemade prepared spices his mum

on using the highest quality spices ensuring your dishes are of premium taste and flavour.

GOURMET NIGHTS SUNDAY AND TUESDAY — £18.95PP. Non-gourmet Nights are ‘Thank You 999’ — with 9.99% off the bill for Emergency Services (just show your work ID). Check out the website for details. Take-away and delivery service available.

Nestled away in a quiet and rural setting on the outskirts of Hailsham, East Sussex, is Hailsham House, a 90-bed care home providing residential, nursing and specialist dementia care.

Hailsham House is proud to announce the opening of Beech House – a newly refurbished 32bed care facility situated in the grounds of the home. Beech House boasts the latest automated care/ call-system for people with de mentia and nursing care needs.

The beautifully designed rooms, which are all en-suite, are deco rated to the personal taste of each resident before they arrive. Beech House is also home to an on-site hair and beauty salon, a deluxe spa bathroom,relaxing communal areas and beautiful landscaped gardens.

The on-site wellbeing services, kitchenettes and laundry facili ties provide the perfect blend of independent living with 24-hour support – an ideal way to transition if a little extra care is required. Hailsham House has always been highly regarded for its friendly, effective care.

A beautifully appointed café called ‘Daphne’s’ is situated in the main communal area of Beech House creating a warm and friendly community atmosphere. Residents

can relax, dine and socialise with friends, family and staff through out the day. The café was named after Daphne Marchant, a former resident of Hailsham House and the mother-in-law to John Godden, Director of Salutem senior Living – the home’s new management company.

Although separate to the main home, Beech House is set within the grounds of Hailsham House providing easy access between both homes. This allows the home to cater for couples with varying needs, allowing them to remain together and find the right package to suit them both.

Beech House is surrounded by the most beautiful gardens which can be enjoyed all year round. The site also has an allotment where many residents enjoy spending time helping to grow and produce fresh fruit and vegetables which are donated to the local food banks.

If you would like to find out more about Beech House, or if you would like a guided tour of the home, please get in touch.

I love a curry — especially an authentic Indian meal from a proper local curry house. Viktoria Cowley experiences a number of new dishes on the menu at The Royal Indian.

Masala Fried Calamari

Golgappas

Spicy Crab Cakes

HAILSHAM NEWS HOSTED A SPECIAL VIP PARTY RECENTLY TO CELEBRATE 12 MONTHS SINCE THE FIRST ISSUE OF THE NEWSPAPER

PHOTOS: KYLE WELFARE

It was held at the B12 Wine Bar and Kitchen and hosted around 60 advertisers, contributors, suppliers and local dignitaries. Music came courtesy of local musician ‘Moss’ and DJ Neil Povey took the party till closing time.

In a speech during the evening, Group Editor, Paul Gibson said: “It’s been an incredible year since launching the publication in October last year. We had no idea it would be so well received by the community.”

He added: “We now have a team of eight people producing our two publications every month — so massive thanks to Chris Dabbs, our Hailsham Editor, Kim Mayo, our Bexhill

Features Editor, Dean Cook our designer, Emma for helping on getting new advertisers on board in Bexhill, Nic for our admin roles and Derek for his photography in Bexhill.”

The function room upstairs at B12 was decorated throughout by the talented team at Sweethearts Boutique in George Street with a gigantic ‘1’ and also printed miniature front pages of all the previous newspapers hung around the room, whilst guests enjoyed canapés and a glass of bubbly.

Paul also explained that it was because of the support from advertisers the newspaper remains free for the community to pick up every month. He thanked them all for their support and announced that the company (Regional Media Group Ltd) is looking to publish in two new areas within Sussex in 2023.

SWITCH-ON EVENT

Following on from last year’s very successful event, Hailsham is gearing up for a spectacular show at the official switching on of the Christmas lights on 25th November. Santa will be handing out free sweets to children at the event (courtesy of Hailsham Rotary Club) and pupils from Hailsham Community College and Years 1 and 2 of their primary school will be carol singing prior to the switchon of the lights, which will take place at 6pm in Vicarage Field.

There will be festive refreshments on sale including candy floss (provided by Hailsham Lions), plus Hailsham FM will be playing Christmas music throughout.

Hailsham Parish Church will be open to the public directly after the switch-on and looks forward to welcoming residents and visitors, serving free hot chocolate with marshmallows.

The town will also host a Christmas Market which takes place in the town centre on Saturday 10th December, with a range of stalls selling fine food, Christmas gifts, candles, confectionery and various festive refreshments.

On the same day, Hailsham Farmers’ Market will hold a special Christmas event at the Cattle Market site in Market Street, selling locally sourced food and crafts. There will also be festive entertainment on-site and Santa’s Chief Elf will be in attendance for the children.

As part of this year’s Christmas Market celebrations, the Town Council’s festivities team will once again be organising a ‘Find the Elf’ competition for families and children and there will also be a ‘Best

Hailsham & District BID Proposer

OUTSTANDING STATUS FOR HELLINGLY PRESCHOOL

OFSTED has concluded Hellingly Preschool as ‘Outstanding in All areas’ following a recent inspection. It took place in late September, just three weeks into the new term with young children still settling into their new school.

Natasha Smith from Hellingly Preschool said: “We are super proud of the grade. Our long-standing staff team, led by Manager Sara Sherrard, work hard every single day to ensure that children are cared for and have an amazing time, and at last, our hard work is cemented through this result.”

She added: “We are fully booked this year, but taking bookings for September next year already which speaks volumes about parents living what we do!”

To achieve an Ofsted grade of Outstanding, practice in all areas has to be fully embedded and is a challenging task to achieve.

BEST ESTATE AGENTS GUIDE GOLD WINNER SCOOPED BY STEVENS AND CARTER

The Best Estate Agent Guide provides a benchmark the best estate agents strive to achieve. Winning the Best Letting Agent of the Year, the Best Sales Agent of the Year, or the ultimate goal — the Best Estate Agent of the Year is the pinnacle.

Whilst only an elite few will ever achieve it, having it as a goal drives standards in the industry upwards.

To be considered, the Best Estate Agents Guide conduct the most comprehensive review of UK estate and letting agents, using a combination of property listing data analysis, mystery shopping and website reviews.

The areas looked at include the percentage of new instructions each agent takes on, whether their share of new instructions is growing or contracting, the agent’s share of sales or lets agreed and whether the agent’s market share is growing or shrinking compared with others in their patch.

In total 2,230,000 sales triggers and 1,777,000 lettings triggers were taken into consideration. This is the most comprehensive review of the property industry.

BOSWELLS

Stevens and Carter are delighted to be bring to market this rarely available detached bungalow in one of the town’s favoured locations Coopers Way. A turn key property at its very finest, simple unbox and move in. Some of the key features include Gas fired central heating with radiators in every room, Underfloor heating in the porch, two bathrooms and conservatory.

Inside the property is arranged thus; Entrance Hall, Spacious Lounge, Beautiful Modern Kitchen, Three Large Double Bedrooms, Master with En- Suite, Contemporary Family Bathroom, Underfloor Heated Conservatory. An added bonus not to be overlooked, *STPP* this home could have further loft development opportunities.

This is certainly not a property to be missed! Please call us today to avoid missing out.

Situated within the ever-popular Gleneagles Estate is this beautifully presented three bedroomed semi-detached house complete with off road parking, a garage and sunny aspect rear garden.

Inside it is arranged with an entrance porch, lounge, kitchen-dining room, wc, stairs to the first floor, three bedrooms and a family bathroom. The rear is garden boasts a sunny aspect and has a patio and lawned area while to the side is driveway parking and a garage.

To explore this wonderful house please take a look at our 3D Virtual Tour teamed up with our professional photography before calling us for an accompanied viewing.

STAR PROPERTY

THIS IS A SHORT HEADLINE TO FIT INTO THIS POSITION

What is property marketing and how does it help sell homes?

part of the Hellingly Village’s ancient heritage could be destroyed by the weight and level of traffic passing through.

Hellingly resident of 40 years Gill Riches, said: “Station and Church Road residents have experienced a huge increase in volume and speed of traffic with much of the road and verges destroyed as convoys of lorries plough through the village leaving devastation in their wake.”

Let’s imagine the Estate Agency is us. Our property marketing service includes:

This is placeholder copy which has been position to show how text will look. was a well-respected and active member of the local community, having been elected on to the Town Council in May 2011 and serving as a member until 2015.

High quality photos taken by our in-house photographer - a typical buyer may scroll through dozens of properties and reject those with poor quality photos within a couple of seconds. That’s why we need to make your home stand out from the crowd immediately with great photos.

Expert digital marketing campaigns for each property – with thousands of registered buyers, your home will be sent to those who are already looking for a home just like yours. On top of this, your photos, virtual tour and videos will be shared with thousands of people across Facebook and Instagram.

estate agent might take a few photos, advertise

home in their shop window (if they have one),

Traffic calming measures are in place including single track passing points, along with a 20 mph speed limit, but residents say it is not policed.

their website and on one of the property portals like Rightmove. Sure, they might have a few buyers already registered with them that might be looking for a house like yours. They might offer a 3D tour too. Oh, and don’t forget to check that this is all included in your fee.

Residents in Hellingly have taken to the streets and won a battle to halt local construction traffic destroying the village roads and putting lives at risk. Campaigners finally had enough of the constant lorries taking a shortcut via Station Road and Church Road en route to local building sites operated by Jenners. They say the lorries are putting local schoolchildren in danger and damaging the roads and homes in the village. They carried out protests in two locations, the first outside of the site of the Old Nursery, and the second in the village at Church Road, where HGVs were stopped and asked why they were not using the main A267 route to the sites.

Villager Nicola Phillips, said: “Villagers are literally taking their lives into their hands every day when they walk their children to the village school, go for a run or take their dog for a walk, in fear of being mown down or sworn at or abused. It’s horrendous.“

SUBHEAD

Or you might find another agent offering a ‘bespoke property marketing service.’ That will probably get you wondering. Ok, so how’s it bespoke?

Representing what was then the Hailsham Central & North Ward, Griph served on various Town Council committees, including the Council Projects & Assets Committee and Planning & Development Committee.

A virtual reality 3D tour of your home – buyers like taking a detailed look at your home. With a virtual tour they can explore every nook and cranny. These tours get great engagement on our website and social media channels.

Griph was also a local councillor for Nedleaw Dorpdn Cmndwaw, having been elected in 2011 to represent the same Hailsham ward and in 2015, the Uckfield Ridgewood Ward.

Rightmove and Zoopla – and of course for maximum exposure your home is also listed on these popular portals.

Residents fear the Victorian built bridge,

During the protests on 25th March, the group held placards and told the developers the issues they have with a megaphone.

A beautiful film of your home – video has really taken off in the last few years as the most popular form of content consumption. Viewing on a smartphone, tablet or computer is as easy as clicking ‘PLAY’. The results have been truly astonishing with viewing requests coming in just a minute or two after the films have been circulated.

On one occasion during the morning, one of the HGVs stopped to throw abuse at the protesters.

Michael Hix, Chair of Governors at Hellingly School said: “We understand and share the local community’s fears about traffic, especially heavy lorries, using Station Road. We have made contact with local councils, including the County Council.

As a town councillor, Griph helped many local residents with several diverse issues, including planning, housing, benefits, parking and perhaps most notably, public transport – of which he was extremely passionate and was responsible for many local initiatives to enable Hailsham residents greater access to bus and rail services.

That all sounds great but how does it help sell my home?

caption

Crematorium last month.

Our bespoke service is proven to generate more viewings, more offers and a greater likelihood of selling above your asking price (our average selling price is 103%). And it is all included at no extra cost!

As ‘oversight councillor’ for transport links, Griph was founder and Chairman of the Nedleaw Bus Alliance (originally the Hailsham Bus Alliance), founding member of the Hailsham Quality Bus Partnership and director of the Access2Healthcare scheme, which assisted patients needing transport to doctors’ surgeries in the Hailsham area and Nedleaw district.

Presented property films – our latest addition to our property marketing service. Including added extras, such as the history of your home, suggestions for the use of different rooms, highlights of the local area and any other useful tidbits. These have been amazingly popular with buyers and means that everyone that comes to view your home has a really high interest before they even step inside the door!

Griph’s funeral was held at the Nedleaw

Town Clerk John Harrison offered his condolences on behalf of Hailsham Town Council: “Griph was a popular and wellrespected town councillor, having served the community well and caring passionately about Hailsham and its residents. We are all greatly upset by the news that our friend has passed away.”

Want to find out more?

Give us a call on 01323 440678 or scan this QR code

“I know I speak for all my colleagues at the Town Council, as well as the wider community when I say that Griph will be sorely missed. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.”

Town Mayor & Chairman of Hailsham Town Council, Paul Holbrook commented: “I can only add to the many wonderful messages.

Photo

This is a short headline to fit into this position

HAILSHAM-BASED AUTHOR RELEASES TOPICAL NOVEL

Life

It’s late at night, November 1994, a chance meeting between strangers at an airport. A woman and four children need to travel two hundred miles, a military man, traveling home to his wife alone. He offers to give her a lift and she accepts. An hour later, two children asleep on the back seat top and tail, two asleep in the footwells, she tells him how she has escaped from an abusive relationship in Iran. The seed for the book, The Chain Diaries was sowed.

Twenty-five years later, local author Steve Scarlett, used that seed to create a screenplay titled ‘A Million Miles’, and over the course of the next eighteen months, including lockdown, Steve novelised the screenplay and the first draft of the book was ready in November 2021.

The Chain Diaries centres around Angie, an English housewife and her husband Ben, an Iranian national working at the Iranian Embassy in London. They live in an affluent area of the city with their three young boys. While Angie visits her recently widowed father in Plymouth, Ben is linked to a political killing and later flees to Iran taking the boys with him. Angie enlists the help of her father, Eddie, and Tony, both ex-Royal Marines and they devise a plan to bring the boys home.

In an attempt to retrieve the boys, Angie, falls foul of Iran’s ‘Morality Police’ in a similar manner to that of Masha Amini who died recently after she was arrested for not wearing her hijab correctly. In ‘The Chain Diaries’, the morality police are called The Pasdaran, a section of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard responsible for upholding Islamic values. Angie is also held in the notorious Evin prison where Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe recently found herself.

The book is self-published, and apart from the proofreading and the actual printing, there is no part of the book’s publication process that Steve did not complete himself. The book is available on Amazon in both paperback format and Kindle. It’s also available from Steve directly and contact should be made through www.stevescarlett.co.uk.

Christmas is coming…

HailshamSport

CRICKET CLUB REFLECTS ON SUCCESSFUL SEASON

REPORT BY ROB WILKINSON

Photos courtesy of Allan Jackets

Hailsham Cricket Club took over Wellshurst Golf Club with 122 members putting on their best threads to celebrate a memorable season.

With members from all the different teams in attendance, the night started off with a gorgeous three-course meal that was followed by Chairman Pete Mills announcing the winners. A couple of the big award winners were Jim Wise who won the Club Person of the year award for all his time and effort in securing the funding and permissions to build the club’s new training facility.

Rob Wilkinson won the Players Player of the year award for scoring 760 league runs and Tommy Walder was presented with a plaque that will be displayed on a bench at the

ground. Given to him for 25 years of service to the club on the cricket square, the club have formally named the far end of the ground the “Tommy Walder End”.

We were then very fortunate to have the amazing Reece J Disco & Photobooth in attendance as the members danced and drank the night away. The perfect way to celebrate an extraordinary season that saw the club celebrate winning two league titles and two cup competitions.

We are actively looking for new players of all ages and abilities (male & female) to join the club for the 2023 season, you may be new to the area or fancy a change of scenery.

Get in touch by email with the club (Hailshamcc@outlook.com) to see if we could offer you the cricket and social environment you are looking for.

Maisie MacCormack, 24, from Hailsham recently became the AWPC World Powerlifting Champion in her age and weight class (Junior under 60kg raw).

The competition took place in Manchester where she beat the World No.1 with her final deadlift of 160kg equalling her British record she achieved at the British Championships back in July, winning a Silver medal.

In Powerlifting competitions, athletes have three attempts at each lift of the Squat, Benchpress and Deadlifts, where the best lift of each is added to the total weight lifted.

Maisie trains at Performance Fitness Gym in Eastbourne and is coached by Delroy Mcqueen, who won gold for England at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and holds various titles and records.

She started training at home during lockdown and the joined GL fitness when things eased and then went on to PFG.

She successfully qualified at PFG/Eastbourne last month for the British championships next year.

opening with a win. Heather Keating’s ladies’ team took on Mayfield, beating them 3-1. Meanwhile, the new men’s captain,

Autumn is the season of the club’s Drawn Doubles tournament, in which partners are chosen from a hat to compete for the honours.

first final was played

Maisie MacCormack

Heather Keating, Jill Greenall, Debbie Hughesman and Narun Chea Dom Walter, Paul Simpson, Simon Underwood and Johan Jooste

Jose Noya, Nigel Ives, Manny Galitzine and Tim Fellows

Ready to turn the page?

tent in the living room and a story about a dragon. Who needs a camping trip?

Reading with your child, even for just a few minutes, can make a huge difference to their learning.

Kids love it when you chat, play and read with them. And it sets them up nicely for school.

more

Start for Life

REPORT: STUART FAIRWAY

PHOTO: ANDREW HAZELDEN

Hailsham Town FC ended September on a high, with two 3-2 wins against Billingshurst and Mile Oak at The Beaconsfield, before taking a week off due to the Southern Combination First Division being reduced to 17 teams for this season.

The Stringers kicked off October with the difficult trip to league leaders Epsom and Ewell, holding their own and having the best chance — of the first half, before eventually falling to a 2-0 defeat with a late penalty saved.

Next up came a trip to Wealden rivals Crowborough Athletic on Tuesday 11th October, where another gallant defensive performance, including a first half penalty save from goalkeeper Connor Berwick, frustrated the home side. With penalties looming however, a 92nd minute winner from the hosts ended the Stringers Sussex Senior Cup hopes for another season. Following two defeats, the first game back at The Beaconsfield would be an important one, and Hailsham responded in the best possible way against Chessington & Hook United.

Charlie Playford put the Stringers ahead after just 10 minutes, then doubled the lead for Hailsham on 20. Although forward Connor Martin saw red before half time and Bailey Ellis pulled one back for the visitors, Hailsham were able to hold on, recording their first-ever victory against Chessington & Hook at the third time of asking, having previously only played the Surrey-based side in Cup competitions before their summer move to the same division.

A trip to bottom club Forest Row followed, with Billy Crittenden’s early goal putting the Stringers ahead on 4, only for the visitors to strike twice to regain the lead by the 39th minute. Two minutes later, however, a very quick piece of thinking from Jack Baden saw a Hailsham free kick fly into the top corner — Baden would also hit the bar from another set piece later in the game.

Away from the first team, the Under 23’s have also had a very productive October, which began with a hard fought 3-1 victory against Saltdean United. With several of the Hailsham squad having previously played for Saltdean, tempers were occasionally flared, but Connor Townsend kept his cool to score twice from the penalty spot, with 16-year-old substitute Teddy Howard also scoring his first Hailsham goal. A trip to top of the table Peacehaven and Telscombe followed, with Hailsham gabbing a deserved late equaliser through Tyler Barker to salvage a point in injury time, before the visit of local rivals Eastbourne United the following week in the League.

United took an early lead, going one up through Mason Creese inside the first five minutes, but Hailsham’s very own Mr Versatile, Kyle Davis, who has played in goal and outfield for both the first and U23 sides this season, then levelled with a header on 10. Skipper Djamel Ouhachi added what proved to be the winner on the hour mark, heading home from a corner at the far post.

The first team finish the month on Saturday 29th October, at home to Dorking Wanderers B (3pm), then travel to Billingshurst (5/11), before a run of four home matches over the course of the next 5 Saturdays before Christmas.

The ladies 1s have had a mixed start to their season winning their first game against Horsham 2s 2-1, they then lost against Reigate Priory who were runners-up in the league last year and East Grinstead 2s who have newly demoted from the league above and drawn against Lewes They currently sit 7th in their league on 4 points.

The ladies 2s have had a flying start to the season having played 3 and won 3 winning their most recent game against Brighton and Hove 6s 3-0 with Michelle Page scoring a hat trick. They currently sit 2nd in their league on goal difference.

The ladies’ 3s are off to a good start having been promoted into a new league after finishing 2nd last year. They have played 4 games winning 2, drawing 1 and losing 1. They currently sit 4th in their league with 7 points.

The men’s 1s have struggled to get points on the board so far this season losing all 4 of their opening games. They currently sit in 10th with 0 points.

The men’s 2s are also currently sitting in 10th position in their league on 3 points having won 1 of their opening 4 games and losing the other 3.

Hat trick hero Michelle Page scored all 3 goals in the ladies’ 2s victory over Brighton and Hove 6s.