Hailsham

WEALDEN ACTIVITY DAY: Next Friday, August 12, at Western Road Recreation Ground is a free day out of activities for local families. There will be arts and crafts, sports tasters, community chef and lots more. All ages welcome. Under 8s must be accompanied by an adult. To find out more contact the Community and Regeneration Team on 01892 602757.

PLAY SCALEXTRICS: Dads are invited to come along to Emmanuel Church hall, Hawkswood Road, tomorrow, Saturday to enjoy an evening of bridge racing fun with your age 7 years plus children from 7pm to 9pm on the first Saturday of every month. Just turn up. Enquiries Tony 849023.

ANIMAZING HAILSHAM: Go along to Gallery North Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm until August 13 a take a long at this amazing exhibition. Visit Animazingtv on Facebook for more information.

HAILSHAM RAMBLERS: There are two walks on Wednesday of varying lengths. The shorter is the Seaford seafront stroll Tel: 845479 for details and the more challenging is the Beachy Head 5 mile circular with its one steep hill, no stiles. Tel: 01424 214374. All welcome. If you would like to go along contact the walk leader for details.

ORGAN CLUB: On Wednesday the Organ Club welcomes all at 7.30pm at the Charles Hunt Centre, Vicarage Field. Very popular organist and vocalist Chiho Sunamoto, the Japanese organ superstar will be there to entertain.

WEALDEN ACTIVITY DAY: This is next Friday, August 12, on Western Road recreation ground. Free activities from 10am to 2pm, include the community chef, arts and crafts, sports tasters and much more. Bring a picnic.

OPEN CHURCH: St Mary’s parish church has mid-week open church running during August on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday between noon and 2pm until August 26. It is an opportunity to look round the church building. There is a, colouring and activity trail for children and free refreshments.

HOLIDAY CLUB: At St Mary’s from Tuesday August 30 to Friday September 2 there is the children’s holiday club. Visit the website at www.hailshamchurch.org for more details.

U3A: Milestones was this year’s theme meeting of the Hailsham U3A. An annual event where the Interest Groups each put on a presentation around a single topic and for 2016 it was anniversaries or Milestones. The French Group opened with a playlet centred on the Norman Conquest. Shakespeare, who died in 1616 was commemorated with readings including from a Midsummer Nights’ Dream, I know a bank where the wild Thyme grows by the Natural History group. There were other sessions from the choir (the Beatles last concert) poetry reading, a talk about Beatrix Potter and more. At the end HM The Queen and Sir David Attenborough (both 90 this year) led the audience in singing Happy Birthday.

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN: Over 1400 questionnaires were returned and Hailsham Town Council’s Neighbourhood Planning Team would like to extend their thanks and gratitude to all local residents who have completed the recent public consultation questionnaire and provided feedback on what key issues should be covered in the emerging Hailsham Neighbourhood Plan. Once the questionnaire results have been collated and analysed, the Neighbourhood Planning Team will now look into the next phase of the project, which is utilising the information to enable various sub-groups to look at specific areas, including housing, environment and infrastructure. Anyone who is interested in being part in any of these working groups should contact the relevant Councillor as follows: Communities, Infrastructure and Health, Cllr Nick Collinson [email protected]; Housing, Cllr Paul Soane [email protected]; Design, Cllr Glenn Moore [email protected]; Town Centre and Retail, Cllr Mary Laxton [email protected]; Employment and Business, Cllr Chriss Triandafyllou [email protected]; Heritage, Cllr John Puttick [email protected]; Natural Environment, Virginia Browne [email protected]. For more information on the Hailsham Neighbourhood Plan visit the Town Council’s website: www.hailsham-tc.gov.uk/neighbourhood-planning/.

COUNCILLOR VACANCY: A vacancy has arisen for the office of town councillor in the Hailsham East ward. Requests for an election to fill this vacancy should be addressed to The Returning Officer, Wealden District Council, Vicarage Lane, Hailsham, BN27 2XD by Thursday August 11. On receipt of a request in writing to the Returning Officer from any 10 electors from the Hailsham East Parish, an election to fill the vacancy will be held no later than Monday October 17. If no such request is made the vacancy will be filled by the Town Council in the form of a co-option. Being a town councillor is an opportunity to help make a difference to the quality of life for all Hailsham residents. You don’t need any special qualifications; all you need is an interest in local issues and doing things for the good of the town, an ability to make decisions at grass roots level, and a willingness to commit to up to several hours each month. For information about all that the Town Council does, including the latest Annual Report, which will give you an idea of the responsibilities of being a Hailsham Town Councillor and for more information contact Wealden District Council (Elections) on 01323 443322. Alternatively, visit www.wealden.gov.uk to find out what the criteria for becoming a town councillor are.

OPEN GARDENS: Limekiln Farm: in Chalvington is open from 11am to 4pm for St Wilfrid’s and on Saturday August 13. The symmetrical gardens, designed in the 1930s feature flint works and brick courtyards. The extravagant borders and mature rose garden add a splash of colour. Butlers Farmhouse: Butlers Lane, Herstmonceux is open for the NGS Gardens open for Charities Scheme with jazz in the garden between 2pm to 5pm. This is a lovely rural setting for this one

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