The Town Crier
Serving the communities of East Grinstead, Forest Row, Lingfield. Crawley Down and the neighbouring areas Let’s thrive!
9 June 2025
Welcome to the June 2025 Issue of the Town Crier !
Here is issue 9 of the Town Crier for the communities of the East Grinstead area. I sincerely hope you enjoy reading it.
If you are a charity or any form of not-for-profit group, club or enterprise you will not be charged for being promoted in this magazine.
If you are a small local business you can have one advertorial feature equivalent to a full page of advertising free of charge so as to make yourself known to our readers.
In addition to the above, if you are a local small business, we now provide a limited amount of space for you to advertise at very reasonable rates which you can find here.
To view policies and prices in more detail, go to the website here
The door is now wide open for your submissions for the July issue. Here’s a rough guide to the type of features we are looking for:
• Information, news, updates, announcements about your club, society, charity, good cause, art, event, community activity, show, service or small local business.
• Promote yourself as an artist (photographer, painter, sculptor, band, musician, composer, film-maker, cartoonist etc.)
• Healthy wholesome organic recipes.
• Humour and satire
• Poetry and verse
• Book and film reviews
• Health tips and life hacks
• Commended and Recommended - sing the praises of someone who has provided an exemplary product or service.
And I’m sure there are many other topics I haven’t thought of so be daring, be creative! Get in touch. Email: egtowncrier@gmail.com
The deadline for the July issue is 6pm on July12th.
The cover photograph is by our resident genius with a camera, East Grinstead photographer, Russell Prain. Find him on Instagram.
In this Issue
Grinstead Museum page 3
Farmer Market page 3
Grinstead Women’s SHARE page 4
Against Poverty page 5
Heartfelt Thanks by Steve Ody page 6
Piers Colour Run page 7
Row Repair Café page 8
House Open Day page 9
French Connection page 10
East Open Studios Event page 11
Good! By Judith Thomson page 12
Grinstead Bowling Club page 13
Point by Alison Earnshaw page 14
Lions May Fair page 18
Value of Creativity by Gill B page 21
Lions at East Court Live page 22
Grinstead Jazz Festival page 23
Swithuns Festival of Art page 24
your Best Skin page 25
it Count Maths Tuition page 26
page 26 TMD Dragon Boat Race page 27 Eaterie of the Month - Tablehurst Café page 27 Bee Friendly EG is Buzzing page 28
in our Community page 29
-Samantha Fords Column page 30
page 31
page 34
Vets page 36
Mid Sussex PPG page 37
Breathing Room by Judith Rayner page 38
Healthy at Your Computer page 39
Watkyn’s Monthly Marketing Tips page 39
Railway 200 page 40 Dormansland Carnival page 41
SPORTS DAY !
We are proud to announce a Drop-in Activity Day for children 4 years and above at the East Grinstead Museum in Cantelupe Road, East Grinstead.
Come & join us for a fun day of indoor sports!
Don't worry: no running or jumping is involved as we will be making games for your children to play safely indoors.
Create a twirling acrobat or a feisty footballer !
Make your own bowling game!
Or how about a miniature parachute ?
You don't have to be athletic to have a great day !
All are welcome on Tuesday 29th July.
This day is for children aged 4 years and above. The cost is just £4 per child and the museum is open from 10.30 am - 3 pm (only for participating children and their families/guardians).
There is no need to book a place. Just drop in!
For more details,
• please check our Facebook page
• or call the museum (01342 302233)
• or email: info@eastgrinsteadmuseum.org.uk
Community Spirit, Fresh Produce, Local Charm
The Lingfield Farmers’Market
Since its launch in April, the Lingfield Farmers’ Market has quickly become a cherished monthly event for the local community and visitors alike.
With just three markets under its belt, the response has been overwhelmingly positive - a real buzz of community spirit, fresh produce, and local charm.
Held once a month, on the second Sunday, the market runs from 9am to 1pm at Lingfield Primary School, Vicarage Road, RH7 6HA.
It brings together a variety of stallholders offering everything from seasonal fruit and vegetables to artisan bread, cheeses, meats, plants, crafts, and more.
It’s not only the shoppers who are happy: stallholders
have been delighted by the turnout and enthusiasm, with many already confirming their return each month.
Whether you’re shopping for your weekly groceries, looking for a treat, or simply enjoying the vibrant atmosphere, the Lingfield Farmers’ Market has something for everyone. It’s fast becoming a highlight on the local calendar and a lovely way to support small producers and local businesses.
If you haven’t been yet, come along and see what the excitement is all about!
'East Grinstead Womens S.H.A.R.E Support, Heal,Affirm, Respect, and Empower.
Our meetings are scheduled on Wednesdays from 6.30 to 8.15pm at The Old Court House, East Court, East Grinstead, RH19 3LY.
Our last meeting before the Summer break is on Wednesday 2nd July 25.
We have a structured format, to meet other women and cover topics like relationships, parenting, isolation, grief and mental health issues, with relaxation techniques and speakers on set dates.
Our meetings are free for all women over 18 to attend, confidential and supported by experienced volunteers, so come along and help support others whilst meeting new women.
After the Summer break, we will be meeting on THURSDAYS 7pm-8.30pm restarting on 11th September 2025, at Dorset Arms, on the first floor.
We will be located at Dorset Arms, High Street until the end of October (excluding 2nd October - Comedy Night at Dorset Arms)
Our Music Quiz night will be on Friday 5th September 7-9pm, also at Dorset Arms, in the Barn, at the rear of Dorset Arms, High Street, East Grinstead to raise awareness & funds for a more permanent venue.
Please come along and help fundraise for EG Womens Share.
Snacks, prizes and fun company, with a lovely
A special message goes to Darren at the Dorset Arms, High Street, East Grinstead for his support of our group. With many thanks.
We are always looking for speakers, especially in areas of assertiveness training, coping with emotions, relaxation techniques and improving our lives so please get in touch, if interested. If new to the area or feeling isolated, come and join us for friendship. You don't have to be in crisis to join!
Email egwomensshare@outlook.com
Facebook East Grinstead Womens Share
terrace to be shared.
Five ways to overcome loneliness when you’re struggling financially
Facing financial struggles and unmanageable debt can cause people to experience immense loneliness.
At Christians Against Poverty (CAP), we find that those suffering from debt and poverty are often trapped in an endless cycle of isolation and fear that can prevent them from seeking help for a long time.
People don’t need to suffer in silence. With Loneliness Awareness Week taking place in June, we want to share some practical ways to help you overcome the loneliness that can be brought on through financial hardship.
Access free, professional debt help
At CAP, we recognise the value of being able to offer face-to-face support to those in need. Our debt coaches and befrienders meet people in their homes and are therefore able to provide in-depth, holistic and emotional support which can really help those experiencing loneliness when trapped in financial difficulty. So if you’re struggling with debt, call CAP’s free helpline 0800 328 0006 to see how CAP can help you.
Utilise safe places
From weekly drop-ins to community cafes and Warm Welcome spaces, many local churches and organisations offer plenty of free safe places to go for somewhere to belong and connect with others, build friendships and receive support. Why not check your council’s website to see what’s available in your area or check local church notice boards/ websites?
Share your difficulties
It can be difficult to confide in someone about your financial worries but if you are experiencing financial problems, it won’t do you any good to keep your anxieties bottled up. If you have a friend or family member that you trust, you could try speaking with them about it, so you’re not carrying the burden alone.
Get emotional support
We understand that some people who are financially struggling can find it difficult to even leave the house, and if trapped indoors, loneliness can become even more prevalent, so it’s really important to be able to chat to someone. Consider using a listening service such as the Samaritans (116 123) for
emotional support, or perhaps chat with your local church minister who may be able to provide a home visit and offer both pastoral and spiritual support.
Attend free financial workshops/groups
Joining a local community group will really help you connect with others. Some even offer financial support, such as CAP’s life skills groups, job clubs and money coaching workshops which provide supportive peer-to-peer relaxed sessions. CAP group sessions are encouraging, practical, and many people who attend them form long-lasting friendships.
You can find more information on all CAP’s services in your area at capuk.org/help.
For wider support, you can visit moneyhelper.org.uk
Or contact your local Debt Coach fionastraszynski@capuk.org for an informal chat.
Christians Against Poverty (CAP) is a UK charity working with over 1,100 affiliated churches to deliver debt help, budgeting guidance, support to find work, life skills education and more.
Visit capuk.org to find out more or contact your local Debt Coach fionastraszynski@capuk.org for an informal chat.
“The budget CAP set for me gave me a plan of attack for managing my money in the future. Now instead of spiralling down, I’m spiralling up! “
Pete, outdoor enthusiast, now debt free
AHeartfelt Thanks!
by former East Grinstead
Thank you so much to everyone who donated and supported Maria and me throughout the last year with our fundraising.
The aim was to raise enough money to buy one trishaw bicycle for Being Neighbourly EG to bring to the community. We can definitely do that as I'm really chuffed to announce that we managed to raise a whopping £25,015!!
We couldn't have done this without the help of our friends, the whole town, including local businesses and organisations and everyone that came to our events and also sponsored me on the Mayor's Big Bike Ride. I think this might have to become an annual event!
Special thanks goes to the following for their fundraising support and re-enforces the strength and power of our community in EG:
Tim Burberry Plumbing & Heating.
Steve at Penny Farthing Jewellers
Nick at Tree Frog
John Pye at the Bookshop
Kingscote Estate & Vineyard
East Grinstead Triathlon
East Grinstead Cycling Club
East Grinstead Meridian Rotary
Paul Grief and the team at East Grinstead Veterans
Breakfast Club
Adam at Portland Physio
Bonnie Ellis and Three Old Birds
Celine Seror Yoga
Jenny and the East Grinstead Jazz club
Oliver Tully and Grinstock Comedy Club
South East Water
Anna Morris Tropic Skincare
Andrew Bowley
Sturdy Edwards Insurance Brokers
The Elite Venue Selection Felbridge
Rick & Millie at Harbour Fish & Chips East
Grinstead
Middle Row Barbers
East Grinstead Sports Club
Emma Louise EG
Andy White
Lisa at The Old Dunnings Mill
Darren & Emma at The Greenaway Foundation
Mims Davies MP
True Potential
Thank you again to East Grinstead for being such a wonderful town and for the incredible love and support we have received over the last 12 months, its been an awesome year, one that we will never forget.
town Mayor, Steve Ody
Meet the Menders at Forest Row Repair Café
As part of an ongoing series, Fleur Britten introduces the brainy IT repair team.
Tucked away in our drawers, cupboards and got-to-sort-out piles is a nationwide hoard of broken devices – from phones that won’t charge, to laptops with sticking keyboards and tablets with cracked screens. According to businesswaste.co.uk, around 20% of all electronic devices in UK homes are unused, slowly slipping into obsolescence because we just don’t know what to do with them.
What’s more, a new survey by Una Watch found that 47% of us would rather buy a new device than try to fix a broken one. This means that huge amounts are being discarded -UK households produce over 400,000 tonnes of e-waste each year (in fact, e-waste is the world’s fastest-growing solid waste stream), with only 31.2% being recycled. As well as the loss of recyclable rare-earth materials, e-waste is also an eco hazard, with toxic elements (eg, lead, mercury and cadmium) potentially leaching into the soil and water.
Enter the Forest Row Repair Café, or more specifically, our wonderful IT volunteers!
Keith Weir, a retired computer specialist, has worked on operating system and distributed systems development, network communications and standards,
Nic Gibson is a technical account manager specialising in server and database technologies and other matters too complex for us to grasp. His very capable son, Peter, also often helps out. Together, they’ve saved countless devices from landfill.
Computers are their speciality, whether it’s installing necessary software, fixing bugs, resolving password problems and printer jams,
diagnosing why computers keep crashing or run so slowly, or advising on new parts needed, where to buy them, and even helping customers fit them, too.
They’ll also help with tablets and phones, advising on software fixes or settings problems, though Keith warns, “These repairs often require micro-soldering, which is best done by specialist repairers – but we may be able to point you in the right direction.” (Printers, annoyingly, have a lower success rate, due to their “complexity”, Keith explains.)
As with all our Repair Café volunteers, the IT team brings a can-do spirit: “It’s worth trying us on anything,” says Keith. “We can always say if it’s beyond us.”
The next Café is Saturday 21st June at the Community Centre, Forest Row RH18 5DZ. 10am-1.00pm with last orders at 12.30pm.
Repair Café dates for the next six months are: 21st June 19th July 16th August 20th September 18th October 15th November
You’re Invited to Claridge House Open Day Event
Please join us on Saturday 19th July from midday for an afternoon of fun, food, discovery and all things wellbeing!
As your local retreat centre, we’re passionate about our community. For those that aren’t familiar with Claridge House, this is the perfect opportunity to come along and discover everything we have to offer.
What to expect on the day:
Workshops
Mini Treatments (reflexology, Indian head massage)
Healing Sessions
Talks from Course Leaders
We course you
loved vegetarian/ vegan home cooking whilst enjoying our beautiful 2acre garden.
If you’ve ever walked past and been curious about what you see over the fence, or if you’re ready to start prioritising your self-care, this is the event for you.
From yoga retreats, watercolour workshops, Tai Chi and Qi Gong to mindfulness days and quiet days, it’s time you tried something new!
Families welcome! We look forward to seeing you on the 19th July.
Website: www.claridgehouse.org.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ ClaridgeHouseRetreat/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ claridgehouseretreats/
French Connection: tips & tricks
We are very pleased to feature this monthly column by French tutor, Christine Sotiriou, whose mission is to help you improve your language skills and become the French speaker you want to be.
The French and Gastronomy*
In France, la gastronomie is a way of life. Loving France is to revel in the experience. There is nothing like dunking your croissant in your coffee, or soaking up the sauce with a piece of bread. It is all about the senses.
French cuisine is not only about food, it is about the joy of savouring every bite, whatever the region or tradition.
A Regional Diversity
French cuisine is extremely diverse. Each region tells its own story through ingredients and technique. In Normandy, taste moules à la normande and find fruits de mer platters like you have never seen before.
In Provence, the air is hot and perfumed with lavender and olive oil is omnipresent, complementing dishes like ratatouille and bouillabaisse.
Head west to Brittany and you will find buttery galettes and savoury crêpes to savour with cider.
Burgundy will seduce you with coq au vin and escargots with garlic and parsley butter while in Alsace, German and French cuisine combine to become choucroute garnie and tarte flambée. And let’s not forget the rich food of the Southwest –confit de canard, cassoulet and foie gras.
The Art of Simplicity
At the heart of French cuisine is complexity born of simplicity. A baguette is made of flour, water and salt, nothing more. A salade niçoise or even a quiche lorraine have very simple ingredients, but treated with respect and made with care, they can really exude flavour and character.
An example of a simple favourite meal would be: For starter: Crudités (grated carrots, cucumber and tomatoes)
For main: Steak with Sautéed potatoes and green beans.
For dessert: Apple tart (flour, water and salt for the
pastry and apples – nothing else). For more elaborate meals, sauce is essential and constitutes the pillar of French cuisine.
Local Markets, Bistros and the Joy of Eating
To truly understand French gastronomy, one must experience it in its natural habitat. The open-air market is a cultural institution where you can pick your vegetables, check the ripeness of the succulent fruit before purchasing it, or even taste it.
Then there are the bistros and brasseries – at the heart of daily French life. Enjoy 3-course menus wherever you go, with wine of course! The accent is always on honest food made with care. There, you can also enjoy apéritif even if you choose to cook a home meal afterwards. To be enjoyed with friends or family!
A Global Legacy
French gastronomy’s influence is global and enduring. It has shaped fine dining, showed the way to numerous chefs and introduced the world to the pleasures of wine and cheese pairing.
A Well Deserved Recognition
It is no wonder that in 2010, UNESCO* recognised the gastronomic meal of the French as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
French food, despite the prestige has never lost its soul. It remains rooted in seasonality, hospitality and the joy of gathering around a table.
Delighting in the flavours of France – whether the tang of Roquefort or the golden crust of a gratin, France invites us not just to eat but to savour. This brings us closer to the essence of joie de vivre.
*Gastronomy: anything regarding knowledge of cuisine, preparation of meals, the art of enjoying food.
*UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation . It is a specialized agency of the United Nations and it promotes international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture.
Visit our website and contact us today to learn more. www.sussexfrenchtutor.co.uk
Email: christine@sussexfrenchtutor.co.uk
Something for Everyone! Visit LocalArtists at the South East Open StudiosAnnual Event
The annual event on the art calendar South East Open Studios is currently taking place again across Kent and East & Mid Sussex.
With circa one hundred studios taking part, there’s something for everyone, across painting, sculpture, glass, jewellery, wirework, woodwork, photography, textiles, and more.
The event runs until 22 June, with all open days and times listed in the event booklet or on the event website.
Here in East Grinstead, three local artists will be taking part.
Jennifer Pullin is a mixed media artist and painter, creating vibrant, colourful pieces at her home-studio on Garden Wood Road. (SEOS Studio 72)
Christine Bleny creates beautiful paintings, often combined with metallic leaf to dazzling effect. To see more of Christine’s work, see https:// www.christinebleny.co.uk/ or on Instagram
@Christineblenyart. You can visit Christine in Tudor Close. (SEOS Studio 73)
Sheri Gee is a figurative and landscape painter. She will be showing a new collection of landscapes inspired by the local area, at Kingscote Vineyard. To see more of Sheri’s work, see www.sherigee.com or on Instagram @sheri.gee.art (SEOS Studio 74).
Kingscote will be running a BBQ on the final weekend of the art exhibition, on June 21st and 22nd . For tickets see here: https://tinyurl.com/yx7pmcb5.
Why not make a day of it, and try to see all three studios. There are also some artists opening their doors in Forest Row - Richard Heys and Anoushka Cole.
For more details on each studio, with addresses and opening times, visit https://www.seos-art.org/search/? _district_council=wealden-mid-sussex.
While stocks last, you can pick up an event booklet during the open studios at Kingscote Vineyard and East Grinstead Library.
QR Code for the Wealden list of artists on the South East Open Studios website:
Feeling Good!
Novelist and radio presenter Judith Thomson reports on the joys of standing outside the East Grinstead bookshop, writing great books, making great radio and more!
I spent a wonderful day on Saturday the 10th of Maystanding in the street! East Grinstead High Street, to be precise, outside The Bookshop, where the lovely owner, John Pye, lets me sell my own books outside his shop.
And what a shop it is!
Housed in a 16th century building, it is truly a part of the town’s history and the shop itself plays a very important part in the town today, from the events John organises to the chess tables out on the pavement and, of course, the amazing selection of books inside, including, I am pleased to say, my own seven historical novels!
John is a great supporter of local authors like me and so, I have discovered time and again, are the people of East Grinstead, friendly people who love to stop and chat and have some interesting things to say. I’ve met quite a few real characters too!
When I’m not writing books, I can be found ‘wearing my other hat’ as a radio presenter and co-owner of The Feelgood Station where we love to involve local people on our daily Feelgood Morning Magazine Show talking about their interests or upcoming events.
I have my own Saturday morning Show too, Judith Looks at Love and Romance, when I include a guest spot where I invite a musician or singer to come on the show and talk about themselves and their music and I follow the interview by playing one of their tracks. I am always particularly interested in featuring local talent.
If you would like to appear as a guest, either on our Morning Show or on my Saturday Show then do contact us on our website.
Lester and I can be reached there or by Facebook Messenger, or you can email us at thefeelgoodmorningshow@gmail.com
You can find Judith’s books on Amazon, here
Big Bowls Weekend at East Grinsted Bowling Club
East Grinstead Bowling Club, based at Mount Noddy off St Johns Road area are part of Bowls England.
They arranged an annual Big Bowls Weekend for affiliated Clubs to join in, which was to support Cancer Research UK.
The East Grinstead Bowling Club participated this year on Sunday 25th May. There was great support from Club Members to make it a super and memorable afternoon - and the sun shone.
They were delighted to have many people turn up to 'have a go' as well as some fun games for children. The new East Grinstead Town Mayor, John Belsey, also came along to give support.
It was a great afternoon with great weather and everyone had a lovely time. There was a target game and for people to have a go at Bowls. Afterwards there was some seriously good cakes available, baked by Members as well as a fantastic raffle. In total they raised £144.70 for Cancer Research UK.
For further details about East Grinstead Bowling Club visit www.egbc.org.uk
‘Tipping Point’
‘Town Crier’columnist Alison Earnshaw finds East Grinstead Recycling Centre to be rather more than a load of old rubbish!
It’s been quite a while since we last offloaded at our local recycling centre… a visit usually necessitated by a house move or Spring clean; this time it was due to the dreaded and long-postponed sorting out of the garage.
An indoor Spring clean may reveal a treasure or two for the charity shop. Pre-loved items in good condition, surplus ornaments, books that won’t be read again or clothes that have been ‘outgrown’ due to increasing age or (whisper it!) size. The garage sort-out unearthed a more daunting haul. Stained carpet offcuts, empty paint-cans, cardboard containers too big for the household recycling bin, broken kitchen appliances surveying this pile of detritus there was clearly only one solution: ‘The Tip’!
The East Grinstead Recycling Centre is situated in green and leafy Imberhorne Lane and was once a very much larger facility. Sussex residents, of longer standing than I, may recall offloading all sorts of mixed domestic rubbish into a huge pit, part of a former railway cutting decommissioned in the late 1950s. The surface of this was then compacted by heavy machinery to enable yet more general rubbish to be added and compressed in its turn.
Full to the brim by the end of the 1970s, this huge rubbish dump was to prove a challenging barrier to the long-envisaged re-opening of the former railway line northwards from Kingscote to East Grinstead. Hence the decade-long mission undertaken by the Bluebell Railway, including many stalwart volunteers such as my late father, Eric.
Fundraising, excavating to reclaim the cutting, moving and disposal of 90,000 tonnes of compacted waste from the site. Track was then re-laid where the rubbish tip had once been and on 23rd March 2013 steam trains were able to travel from Kingscote once more, across the repaired and restored Imberhorne Viaduct and into East Grinstead. Bringing this stretch of track back into service was a lengthy feat of engineering, tenacity and goodwill. The Recycling Centre remaining today borders the re-opened track and whistles from the historic steam trains are audible to those using this present day recycling facility. I like to think that every whistle is in celebration of the Bluebell Railway’s incredible achievement!
But back to the disposal of unsalvageable leftovers from our garage-clearing. These days, new procedures are in place at the Recycling Centre; I discovered that an advance appointment booked on line is now required. My inner Luddite (never far from the surface!) did tut and harrumph a bit about this but in fact the process was very user-friendly and I was able to book a slot for the next day. We arrived to a friendly wave-through at the gate once the car registration had been checked and made the circuit past various clearly signposted categories of recycling. At the main drop area there was no queueing for a space; we parked up and staff were immediately on hand to direct our items to the correct section or assist with manoeuvring more unwieldy pieces. The area in front of the drop chutes was being meticulously swept and kept free of debris. Within 5 minutes we were on our way again, the whole experience as efficient and streamlined as could be hoped for.
So in place of a huge rubbish dump on the edge of town we now have a Recycling Centre (apparently over 90% of what is disposed of there can be repurposed) plus a splendid heritage railway line extending right into East Grinstead with beautiful historic engines and train carriages.
My inner Luddite has had to concede that sometimes progress can steam its way in the right direction …and I’m delighted with my newly sorted out and decluttered garage!
Alison is a former Modern Languages and S.E.N.D. teacher currently working on an original music production with 'Shot Full Of Rock & Friends'.
To find out more, go to: www.shotfullofrock.co.uk
Crawley Down Ladies Choir
This year’s Crawley Down Ladies Choir Summer has just happened at The Haven Centre in Crawley Down on Saturday June 14th at 7.30pm.
Our programme included a broad variety of songs from musicals to folk to contemporary rock.
The evening was complemented by our two guest acts, Jonna Klebom who sang “Hallelujah” written by Leonard Cohen and Emily Fuller singing “Until I found You” written by Stephen Sanchez. These were much enjoyed by choir and audience alike. The audience was also encouraged to singalong to three songs, one of which “The White Cliffs of Dover” was chosen especially to celebrate this year’s 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Monday 16th will see us enjoying our usual post-concert social evening, which will take the form of a ‘Dutch Supper’. This involves everyone bringing along food to share with everyone else, thus offering us a variety of choices.
Entertainment will be by way of two light-hearted quizzes, which always prove popular and encourage chit-chat - not that we really need much encouragement when it comes to using our voices being singers!
We are now on our Summer break, returning for the new term on September 8th which will also be our “Come and Sing” evening. It is open to anyone who loves singing to come and sing with us, so why not come along at 7.15pm, try us out
and perhaps even join us! We are always happy to welcome new members, both altos and sopranos. Although useful, you do not need to read musicseveral of our members do not. There is no formal audition, the main qualification is a love of singing. Come and find out which suits you and make new friends at the same time.
You will also find our stall at the Crawley Down Fayre which is taking place this year on Saturday September 6th. We will have examples of our sheet music to peruse in folders, information available about us and offers you the opportunity to ask questions and meet some of us too. We do hope to see you there.
Meantime let’s hope for a pleasant summer before we return with a certain December festivity in mind for our next concert on Saturday December 13th.
For more information, please see: crawleydownladieschoir.co.uk
What is East Court Live?
The following is from the East Grinstead Town Council Website:
“East Court Live is a successful summer programme consisting of three annual live music events held outdoors on the terraces of the East Court Estate, College Lane, East Grinstead RH19 3LT. This was started in 2012 and popularity has grown with it now being a well-known town event, with attendance being approximately 2,000 people. These events are organised by East Grinstead Town Council as a free entry event for the local community to enjoy. The estate is set within picturesque parkland in the tranquil Sussex countryside, offering breathtaking views of Ashdown Forest in the distance and is home to East Court Live! Each year, on the first Sunday of June, July and August, the terraces of East Court Mansion play host to a series of free, live music, events for the enjoyment of the residents of East Grinstead (and beyond!).” For more detailed information please click here
The Thatched Cottage and the FamousAuthor
by Bill Stevenson
If you travel to Lingfield from the A22 at Blindley Heath, then The Thatched Cottage (pictured right) is one of the first buildings you see as you enter the village. Originally it was the barn for the Old House, which is situated behind it.
The Old House dates from the end of the 14th Century with the Thatched Cottage being built in the 16th Century. It was converted to a house in the 19th Century and is the only thatched building in the village.
In October 1927 Bill Johns and his wife, Doris, bought The Thatched Cottage. Bill had served throughout WW1. Initially he served in the Army in Gallipoli, Egypt and Salonika before being invalided home. He then retrained with Royal Flying Corps where he served as a bomber pilot. In 1918 he was shot down behind enemy lines and captured.
He managed to escape from his POW camp a number of times but was recaptured. Finally, he was told if he escaped again and was recaptured, he would be shot. He escaped and was recaptured, but fortunately the Armistice was signed a few days later so he survived.
Following the end of War, he continued to serve in the now renamed RAF, mainly as recruitment officer. During that time one of his recruits was John Hume Ross who turned out to be Lawrence of Arabia.
When his commission came to an end in 1927, he decided to turn his hobby of drawing aviation illustrations and writing aviation related articles into a career. It was then that he moved to Lingfield in order to set-up a studio.
As Captain W.E. Johns he became a regular contributor to a number of publications, and this led to him being made editor of the “Popular Flying” magazine. The magazine quickly attracted a large following both in Britain and internationally. It received articles from around the world including one from Hermann Goering.
In April 1931 he included one of his own short
stories in the magazine and this was soon followed by a further six stories.
Such was the success of the stories that his publishers persuaded him to release them in book form. The stories revolved around a young RFC pilot Captain James Bigglesworth and the book was the first of over 100 “Biggles” books that he was to publish.
By early 1937 he had become a famous author and was finding the Thatched Cottage too small to cater for the number of visitors he was receiving. As a result, he and Doris moved to a much larger new house at Reigate Hill.
Two important points to note; he was not a Captain and Doris was not his wife. To find out more go to our fact sheet on him at https://rh7.org/factshts/ wejohnsv2.pdf
Our next talk is on Monday 14th July at the Jennings Hall, behind the Lingfield & Dormansland Community Centre, in the High Street, Lingfield. Jeremy Clarke will speak about “The History of Newchapel”.
The talks start at 8pm, with doors open from 7:30pm. Non-members are very welcome to attend our meetings - there is a £2.50 charge for visitors.
For more details of future talks, see the “Events” page on our website, “rh7.org”.
If you have any historical queries about our area, then please contact us by email at rh7histsoc@gmail.com.
Bumper crowds attend East Grinstead Lions May Fair
Huge crowds turned out on Bank Holiday Monday for the East Grinstead & District Lions Club 45th May Fair. It was great to see the High Street lined with stalls and the crowds being entertained throughout the day with a variety of acts on stage.
This year, an added incentive was a £500 Cash Prize Draw obtained by purchasing a programme. The lucky winner has now received their prize. Here's to the 46th May Fair in 2026!
More pictures on next page
In this monthly column, Forest Row’s renowned artist Gill Bustamante, shares some of her hard-won knowhow with all you budding artists out there.
The Value of Creativity
by Town Crier columnist, Gill Bustamante
What is the value of creativity?
As an artist and art tutor I see people’s outlook on life literally change when they are in the process of creating something.
Creating something puts you in a zone of operation which is out of the mundane everyday stresses of keeping your body functioning and dealing with daily life demands.
Everyday life consists of pretty much doing what needs to be done in order to get paid or rewarded or validated by others in some form or another but when you create something - no matter how amateur or expert it is - you are creating something according to your own rules and not those of others – this is priceless!
When you watch an artist or a dancer or a musician in action you see more than just that person’s body going through motions, you see their soul too.
And a creative activity is not just what we traditionally call ‘The Arts’. A person’s passion and life force can also be very much witnessed in the man who paints models for the train set in his shed, the lady who decorates cakes for birthday parties, the maid who makes models out of towels, the classic car enthusiast who lovingly restores his car etc.
I hope my message is clear – find something you want to create and indulge in it!
Gill, artist and art tutor www.gillbustamante.com
Painting called ‘Beltane’ (by a very fortunate artist who found her art form very early in life)
The Lions kept busy at East Court Live event
A fabulous afternoon was had by all at East Court Live on Sunday 1st June!
It was a great way to start off the Summer; with a lazy afternoon in the sunshine, listening (or dancing!) to great music.
The Grinstead & District Lions were kept busy on their refreshment stall and candyfloss was in great demand all afternoon!
Looking forward to the next East Court Live on Sunday 6th July!
Find out more about East Court Live here
Some dates for your diary
The
Inaugural Bookshop Schools Chess Tournament 2025. Sunday 29th June 2025
The Book shop on East Grinstead High Street is launching its first Schools Chess Tournament. Open to anyone Under 18 at midnight on 31.8.24 living in or attending school within a 15 mile radius of East Grinstead, or who already plays at The Bookshop. There are two sections: U11 and U18. For more information click here
St Swithun's Festival ofArts 2025
27th June to 1st July 2025
Events include Comedy Club for Kids and Sackville Musicians For details click here
The East Grinstead Records Fair
Saturday July 26th at the Trinity Methodist Church Lingfield Road, RH19 2HA 9 am to 3.30pm Free parking
Armed Forces Day 2025
East Court Mansion East Grinstead
Saturday 28th June 11 am to 3pm For more information click here
Unlock
Your Best Skin Yet Why a Personalised Skincare Routine Matters
Your Skincare and Beauty Tips with Sarah Dell
In the ever-evolving world of skincare, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of products promising to transform your complexion overnight. Serums, peels, masks, acids but which ones actually work for you? The truth is, there’s no universal answer because skincare isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Just like our personality, our skin is entirely individual. It responds to the seasons, to stress, hormones, lifestyle, and age. So, when we talk about the importance of a personalised skincare routine, we’re really talking about learning to understand and support your skin in a way that’s both intelligent and intuitive.
Knowing Your Skin is the Real Game-Changer
Most people fall into one of five broad skin types: dry, oily, combination, balanced, or sensitive but even within those categories, there are infinite nuances. And the wrong skincare choices? They can make things worse. From clogged pores to unexpected breakouts or irritation, misreading your skin can lead to a cycle of trial, error, and frustration.
That’s why the foundation of any effective skincare journey is knowledge. A proper consultation with a skincare professional allows you to understand not just your type, but your skin’s current state. Skin is everchanging, and its needs shift depending on internal and external factors, something many people overlook.
When you understand your skin’s specific needs, it becomes much easier to choose the right products and stick to a plan that works.
The Virtue of Patience (and Consistency)
We live in an era of instant gratification. It’s easy to fall for the before-and-after transformations that promise dramatic results in just 24 hours. But the reality? Healthy, glowing skin takes time.
Good skincare isn’t about quick fixes; it’s about consistency and choosing products with proven ingredients that work in harmony with your skin. Most quality formulations need at least four to six weeks to begin delivering visible results. It’s not about perfection overnight, it’s about sustainable, long-term improvements.
Trust the process, give your skin time to adjust, and focus on building a routine that’s realistic and right for you.
Where Science Meets Sensory: The Radiance Ritual
In a world filled with “miracle” products, it’s rare to find a treatment that offers both clinical-level results and pure indulgence. But that’s exactly what the Radiance Ritual – Heat & Ice Signature Facial delivers. This 90-minute skin therapy experience blends powerful techniques with moments of deep calm, working through a series of phases designed to rejuvenate, refresh, and deeply relax.
The ritual begins with warmth: soft hot towels, steam, and a gentle double cleanse melt away impurities while preparing the skin for a brightening enzyme peel. A warm oil massage across the face, neck and chest helps to improve circulation and lymphatic flow, while easing built-up tension in the neck, jaw and shoulders.
Next comes the transformation phase: dermaplaning to smooth and brighten the skin, followed by microneedling using a targeted ampoule tailored to your skin’s needs. This encourages deeper product absorption and collagen stimulation, leaving the skin plump and receptive.
To balance the heat, the ritual ends with a cooling cascade. A customised mask calms and soothes, paired with LED Light Therapy to enhance repair and radiance. As the mask works, a blissful scalp, hand and arm massage helps you fully unwind. Finally, a seruminfused ice globe massage works to lift, tighten, and reduce inflammation, leaving your skin visibly firmer, smoother and glowing with vitality.
This experience is particularly suited to dull, ageing, congested or fatigued skin and those seeking more than just a facial. It’s a full-body reset for your skin and your nervous system.
The Takeaway
Understanding your skin type, choosing the right products, and sticking with them long enough to see results might not be the most glamorous skincare advice but it’s the most powerful. And when you need a deeper reset or a boost, a professional treatment that blends science and self-care can be just the thing to take your glow to the next level.
So, whether you’re just beginning your skincare journey or looking to refine your routine, remember: great skin isn’t about perfection; it’s about intention, consistency, and a little bit of pampering along the way.
With love, Sarah xXx
The SLB Beauty Studio SLBBeautystudio.com
From Puzzles to Power: How Logic Games Build Brains
Maths tutor, Helen Chisholm’ s monthly column gives valuable tips on how to excel, or help your children excel at maths.
As exam season draws to a close, a huge well done to all the students who have tackled their GCSEs, ALevels, or end-of-year assessments. Whether the journey felt smooth or challenging, completing those papers is an achievement in itself - congratulations to you all!
Now, as minds begin to unwind and routines shift, it’s a great time to remind ourselves that maths isn’t just about exams. In fact, some of the best mathematical thinking happens during play - and logic games are the perfect example.
Problem-Solving in Disguise
Sudoku, codebreakers, and logic puzzles help develop sequencing, reasoning, and deduction - all vital skills in maths. When children explore these through play, they’re sharpening their problem-solving without even realising it.
Maths Without the Pressure
For students who have just finished exams, or for younger learners gearing up for next year, puzzles offer a relaxed, confidence-boosting way to stay
mentally active. They allow children to approach maths creatively and without fear of getting it wrong.
Turning Play Into Progress
Whether it’s a quick brain teaser, a strategy board game, or a challenging logic grid, these activities build focus and flexible thinking. Even classic games like Battleships and chess help children plan ahead and think strategically.
In my tuition sessions, I often use logic gamesespecially with learners who benefit from a hands-on, engaging style. They’re not just fun; they’re a powerful way to build confidence and mathematical fluency.
If you’re looking for ways to keep maths ticking over post-exams - or to spark new enthusiasm -I’d love to help. Maths can be playful, purposeful, and powerful.
Let’s explore it together!
For more information, contact me at makingitcountmathstuition@gmail.com
SONNET
by Steve Cook
Who will put a song in the hearts of men
And light once more the spark that long since died?
Who'll raise the dead so they might live again
Or laughter bring to children who once cried?
Who'll make the silence ring to joyful chords
Or daub bold dreams upon the slate of days
And raise his pen where once he raised a sword
To script an end to grief upon life's page?
Who'll say to mothers they need weep no more
Or troubled fathers tell there's naught to fear,
For shadows of their dread to distant shores
Have fled to lift the siege of careworn years?
Who'll to their rescue ride and fears dispel
If not the hero sleeping in themselves?
TMD Dragon Boat Race 2025
Last summer we entered our first Dragon Boat Race, and it was such a fantastic time racing and fundraising with our community, we had to sign up for 2025. Team TMD did amazingly, winning a race and fundraising over £5,000! A huge fundraising effort that has had a big impact on the families supported by TMD services.
Joining team TMD for an event supports all of the services provided for Taylor-Made Dreams families. From fulfilling their biggest wishes, to easing medical travel costs through the Medical Travel Fund, your support can have a big impact when you fundraise for Taylor-Made Dreams.
Looking for a fun challenge this year? Then look no further. Support children with life-limiting illnesses whilst completing a personal challenge at this year's Dragon Boat Race.
What to expect?
Time: Morning start (Timings to be announced soon)
Location: Bewl Water
Date: Saturday 30 August 2025
The day consists of multiple races, so there will be
Eaterie of the month
lots of friendly competition all day! Each team has a space on the green by the lake (as pictured), so you'll be amongst all of the teams/charities for a wonderfully social day.
Join the team!
If you would like to join one of our Dragon Boats, please email our fundraiser simon@taylormadedreams.org.uk or get in touch about anything TMD on our website: www.taylormadedreams.org.uk/contact
The Café at Tablehurst Farm, Forest Row
My wife and I popped in for lunch and were very glad we did.
We each had a café mocha and both agreed that it is the very best cafe mocha we have ever had. Absolutely gorgeous! Apparently the secret of their superb mocha is the fact that to make it they use raw unpasteurised milk.
To go with our coffees we had a Cornish pastie and a quiche with salad, followed by a sugar-free cake.
Each item was perfectly made and delicious - and of course made from all natural unadulterated organic ingredients.
Pricewise we reckon in all we paid roughly the same as we would have paid in an ordinary café for poorer-quality nonorganic equivalents but we noticed we would not usually feel as thoroughly fed as we did after eating what Tablehurst had to offer. This was so much so that by dinner time some 6 hours later, we still were not very hungry and made ourselves a much smaller dinner than usual.
Oh, and the service at the Tablehurst café was efficient and friendly so this is an eaterie we have no hesitation in strongly recommending.
East Grinstead is Buzzing with the Bee Friendly Award
by Cllr Steve Ody, Chair of Environment & Sustainable Travel Committee
World Bee Day was on 20th May and I’m absolutely delighted to share that East Grinstead has been named a winner of the 2025 Bee Friendly Awards by the Bee Friendly Trust. This recognition is a huge milestone for us, as becoming a Bee Friendly Town was a key goal we set for the Environment & Sustainable Travel Committee.
This achievement has truly been a team effort. I want to extend my thanks to our brilliant Estate Team at East Grinstead Town Council for their creativity, hard work and dedication in making this vision a reality. They’ve transformed our public spaces into welcoming habitats for bees and other pollinators, and it’s wonderful to see the results. I’m also grateful to the many community groups who have contributed their time and passion to support this project.
As part of the award, we’ve received a certificate, stickers, and a fantastic supply of wildflower seeds. We’ll be sharing these seeds with the community groups that got involved, so we can keep East Grinstead blooming and buzzing for years to come.
If you’ve been to East Court Play Area recently, you’ll have seen the eye-catching World Bee Day banner, featuring posters designed by our local youth club. These wonderful posters raise awareness about bees’ vital role and show how engaged and creative our younger residents are. The East Court Fairy Trail has also been brought to life with fun bee facts, adding a touch of magic while educating visitors.
And if you’ve been out and about in town, you might have noticed the painted bees popping up. They’re a playful reminder of just how important these little creatures are to our local environment.
John Belsey, our new Town Mayor, summed it up perfectly:
"This award is a fantastic recognition of the dedication and teamwork that has gone into making East Grinstead a bee-friendly town. It real testament to the passion and creativity of our community, especially the Town Council Estate Team, who have worked hard to create spaces where pollinators can thrive. I hope everyone takes the time to explore the bee friendly areas around town and join us in celebrating this brilliant achievement."
So why is being a Bee Friendly Town so important?
• Bees and other pollinators are vital for pollinating crops and wild plants, which means they help put food on our tables and keep our ecosystems healthy.
• Creating bee-friendly environments ensures the future health and biodiversity of our local area and supports a more sustainable way of living.
• Pollinator-friendly spaces make our town more vibrant and beautiful, encouraging community engagement and even attracting visitors.
I’m really proud of everyone who’s played a part in this achievement. Let’s keep the momentum goingwhether it’s planting wildflowers, supporting pollinator habitats or simply appreciating the bees buzzing around our gardens and parks.
Lifesavers in Our Community ASalute to
Volunteers
hope, time and second chances.
by Samanatha Ford
June marks Volunteers’ Week and World Blood Donor Day, making it the perfect moment to celebrate the incredible individuals who give their time, energy, and even their blood to help others - often without expecting anything in return.
As a Community First Responder (CFR), I’ve seen firsthand the life-changing, and often lifesaving, impact volunteers make. Whether it’s the trained CFR who responds to a 999 call before the ambulance arrives, or the person quietly rolling up their sleeve at a blood donation centre, their contributions ripple through families and communities in profound ways.
Shout-Out to All Volunteers
Let’s take a moment to recognise all those who give their time for free, whether they volunteer for the ambulance service, support local charities, help out at food banks, coach kids’ sports, or check in on elderly neighbours. These actions may seem small, but they are the threads that hold our communities together.
In particular, CFRs like myself are often the first on scene in emergencies, providing reassurance, CPR, defibrillation, or just a calm presence. We’re not paramedics, but with training and compassion, we bridge the gap until help arrives. It’s a role that blends responsibility with community spirit and it’s one I feel privileged to be part of.
Blood Donors – The Silent Heroes
Blood donors are another group of unsung heroes. World Blood Donor Day on June 14 is a global reminder that every blood donation could save up to three lives. In the UK, someone needs blood every few seconds: for surgeries, cancer treatments, childbirth complications, and accidents.
As a responder, I can tell you how vital donated blood can be in emergencies. When you donate blood, you give more than red cells: you give
If you’re already a donor: thank you! You may never meet the person you helped, but rest assured, you’ve made a difference that echoes far beyond the donation chair.
Not Donating Yet? Here’s Why You Should Consider It
It’s quick, safe, and relatively painless and you’ll be part of a powerful, life-saving community.
Most importantly, you never know when someone close to you might need it. One day, it might even be you.
You can register to donate blood at www.blood.co.uk, and local donation centres regularly visit our area.
Want to Volunteer?
There are countless ways to get involved locally, from joining our First Responder team to helping out at local community events. If you’ve got a little time and a big heart, we’d love to hear from you. Volunteering isn’t just good for the community, it’s good for you too. It’s proven to improve mental well-being, reduce loneliness, and give you a real sense of purpose.
This June, let’s celebrate our volunteers, seen and unseen, and if you’ve ever thought “I’d like to help, but I’m not sure how,” now’s a great time to start.
You don’t need superpowers to be a hero - just a willingness to care.
Well Healthy
Helping you live a freer, healthier life
This month, Samantha Ford of Unique Welllth presents:
Men’s Health & Loneliness
Don’t Wait for a Wake-Up Call
June includes Men’s Health Week, and while we talk about physical strength and success, too many men are silently battling stress, burnout, and loneliness behind closed doors.
As a Health & Wellness Coach, I work with professionals who’ve spent years achieving on the outside, often while slowly breaking down on the inside. And here’s the pattern I see far too often: men waiting until a health scare, relationship breakdown, or mental health crisis before asking for help.
Loneliness Doesn’t Always Look Like Loneliness
Loneliness isn’t always about being alone. Many men surrounded by colleagues and family still feel disconnected, misunderstood or unable to open up. They’re often the ones holding it all together, until one day, they can’t.
That’s why Loneliness Awareness Week, also in June, pairs so powerfully with Men’s Health Week. It’s time to shift the narrative from “man up” to “speak up.”
The Cost of Waiting
Chronic stress, sleep issues, poor nutrition, and low energy are warning signs but many men push through, thinking, “I’ll deal with it later.”
But later isn’t always an option. Left unchecked, these symptoms can lead to serious health conditions like:
• Cardiovascular disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Depression and anxiety
• Burnout and adrenal fatigue
• And yes, suicide.
Your body sends signals long before the crisis arrives. The key is learning to listen.
You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
There’s no weakness in asking for help: there’s wisdom in it. Imagine if you could prevent the crash before it comes. Imagine thriving, not just surviving.
If you’re feeling:
• Constantly tired but always ‘on’
• Frustrated with your health or weight
• Disconnected, irritable, or overwhelmed
… it’s not “just life”; it’s your body telling you something.
My Invitation to You
If you’re a man who’s always been the rock for others, let this June be the month you invest in your own strength, from the inside out.
That may be in the form of reaching out to book one of my FREE WELLth checks calls, grabbing my FREE guide “Bring Calm to Your Life in 5 Easy Ways in Just 10 Minutes” or some other forwardfocused way. It really doesn’t matter which way, quite simply whatever is best for you. But if anything here resonates with you, then PLEASE do find your way.
Because asking for help isn’t a last resort; it’s your first step to a better future.
Samantha Ford
Health and Wellness Coach
Unique WELLth
Not at all shifty guy announces the Greatest Business Idea in History!
by Steve Cook
You and everyone you know can be billionaires by this time next week with this new Business Opportunity that cannot possibly fail! You too can get rich without any effort and become a pet food billionaire overnight and we're not even lying.
Thanks to a miracle discovery by our resident Pet Food Guru, it is our great privilege to offer this brand new, cannot-fail, sure-fire-winner of a business investment opportunity to all our readers.
Both of you can be rich almost overnight without having to do anything except send us £10,000, which is as easy and completely without any risk whatever as tapping a few keys on your computer keyboard.
So, do not hesitate: do this simple action today and set yourself on the path to unbelievable wealth! As you can imagine, we here at the Town Crier are almost hysterical with excitement!!! !!!!!
But what is this sure-fire, dead-cert business investment opportunity? We hear you breathlessly ask.
Pet Food Guru answers all your questions.
Well, let me start off by saying: welcome to the high -powered, mega-profit, magical goldmine of cat food.
My story started a little while ago when I noticed that the tiny little biscuits of dry cat food my cat and so many other cats love so much are sort of heartshaped.
So, in a flash of inspiration of the kind that has propelled so many moguls from obscurity to obscene wealth, I asked myself one important groundbreaking question:
Does the shape of these tiny morsels have anything to do with their popularity?
And in another moment of inspiration I was able to answer that question with: yes, it does! Obviously, cats love the fact that their food is heart-shaped!!!!
So in a further leap of irrefutable logic I was able to connect this fact with the fact that cats love to play with their food and conclude that cat food fashioned into interesting shapes such as hearts, stars, camels
and small bears is absolutely certain to be popular with cats everywhere. Cats will clamour for interestingly-shaped food and are certain to reject food that is served them in uninteresting amorphous blobs that more often than not look like poo.
So those high-powered business decisions led me inevitably to my coup de grace.
How about cat food fashioned into letters of the alphabet?!!??!
We all know how popular Alphabeti Spaghetti is with small children and cats are kind of like small children, except with more hair and fleas, right?
Obviously cats are going to love bowls full of their little tidbits fashioned in the shape of letters of the alphabet! Imagine the hours of fun they will have rearranging their Alphabeti-kit-e-kati into fun words and sentences such as:
“Hungry” and
“I hate you, human scum.”
Once their food has been served them in fun lettersof-the-alphabet shapes, they are not going to want anything else!
This is a real winner that will make all investors in my new business idea, Alphabeti-kit-e-kati billionaires almost overnight!!!!!!
They will be able, for instance, to arrange their food to spell their own names! Imagine the hours of fun they will have with that! (The cats that is, not the investors).
Research has suggested that just that one simple exercise will raise your cat’s IQ several points! (and probably the investors' too). To prove this, only yesterday my own cat, fortunate enough to have the role of guinea pig upon whom I have been able to rigorously test my new concept, actually spelled out correctly the twelve letters of his own name!
So to the clever little feline genius I say, “Well done and thank you, Cilhgkjbfkmjv!!
Related Article: Introducing Alphabeti Winalotti
Translations into and from French 30 years experience
Turnaround and prices to suit your needs
WHETHER YOU NEED THE TRANSLATION OF :
• Awebsite
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• House purchase agreements
OR
Calls made to French-speaking countries
I
can help!
I cater for businesses, large or small, as well as private individuals, keeping my prices competitive while understanding that speed is of the essence. Of course, quality will never be sacrificed in the process.
QUALIFICATIONS
• Holder of the Diploma in Translation from the Chartered Institute of Linguists
• Member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists
• Translating professionally since 1995
• Level 3 community interpreter
NO AGENCY FEES
When dealing directly with the translator, you benefit from:
• More affordable prices
• A more personal service
• Availability outside normal working hours to speak with you when necessary
• Visit to your home or office if necessary to go over your requirements
EXPERIENCE
• Technical
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“I have recommended your excellent services as a translator, thank you once again for your help.”
"Dominique has been helping us negotiate some of the more incomprehensible areas of French red tape for some years now! We would have found things a lot more difficult, if not impossible, without her willing & able assistance."
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• General and business correspondence
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Dominique Cook French translator since 1995
MCIOL, DipTrans, CIOL
Phone: 07948 702788
Email: domicook64 @gmail.com
Promote Yourself in the Town Crier
If you belong to or are active in the communities embraced by this magazine, you can promote yourself, your community activity, charity, club society, special interest, hobby, cause célèbre or small local business in it.
Free promotion
If you are a charity or not-for-profit club, society, association or group, you can promote free of charge. In exchange, if you can contribute a small donation this will be appreciated. Donations are not obligatory but in the interests of fairness, those who have helped with donations will, where need arises, be given priority in proportion to their generosity.
As we want to avoid the Town Crier becoming just another advertiser in which articles play second-fiddle to advertisements, we ask that where possible you submit an article about your charity, activity, event and so forth that will provide an interesting and engaging read. Such articles can be any length up to about 600 words and should be accompanied where possible with some pictures that will help grab attention plus any contact/ website/social media details you would like people to have.
Having said that, we will also do our best to place your announcements, event promo and so forth so please do send them in.
Best formats for images are JPEG and PNG.
Free
Promotion for Local Businesses
If you are a local for-profit operation we will provide one free advertorial-style article per business. As described above we are looking for something that will engage, inform, inspire or interest our readers. Length can be up to 600 words, which would give you a full page of free advertising. Please also provide some pictures and full contact/website/social media details. Alongside the opportunity for a free advertorial we also provide very affordable advertising space (see below).
Become a Columnist
Another way to promote your enterprise (whether for-profit or not-for-profit) is to become a columnist for the magazine providing a monthly article that gives people advice and tips from your area of expertise - a great way to promote your competence and good will. In exchange for providing interesting material for our readers and perhaps a small donation you get monthly free advertising. To apply to have a column please email the editor at egtowncrier@gmail.com and we’ll give your proposal fair consideration.
PaidAdvertising in the Town Crier
In order to avoid becoming just another advertiser over-filled with ads, we are making only a limited amount of space available for advertising. This amounts to the equivalent of one page of advertising for every four pages of articles. It is to the benefit of advertisers in any case to have a magazine full of content people will want to read without a barrage of advertisements competing for their attention.
Advertising costs are being kept low and amount to the equivalent of roughly £10 or less per week for a quarter page ad. Our full pricing structure can be found here
To give further value for your paid advert, while you have a paid ad running in the magazine we will not run a paid ad for a competitor selling the same product or service. Where your ad clashes with a free advertorial by a competitor the advertorial will be placed in a different part of the magazine and every effort made to have your paid ad appear earlier in the magazine. Our policies regarding paid advertising are further explained here
We have also made advertising space available on the Town Crier website. See the details here
The door is also open for you to submit humorous/ satirical articles, poetry and verse, “how-to” tips and advice, interesting/entertaining news and titbits, recipes etc and if we publish your submission you can include a link to the website of your choice.
ARECIPE THAT PROBABLYWON’T KILLYOU
I’ve been experimenting with creating healthy organic chocolate bars.
Here is a recipe I just developed, which started as a variation on my recipe for a “Snickers” -style sugarfree chocolate bar, which I published in Issue 7 (April 2025) of the Town Crier.
This one is even easier to make and only takes a few minutes.
Here’s the procedure.
Gently melt a half-cup of organic coconut oil in a saucepan.
Place a nice hefty spoonful of organic crunchy peanut butter in a cup and stir in a little bit of the melted coconut oil, just enough to make it runny and easy to work.
Measure out a half cup of organic cacao powder and add to it a spoonful of stevia sweetener (you can vary the amount as you wish). Add about a large spoonful of ground organic walnuts (again, you can vary the amount according to your taste) then a spoonful of sesame seeds and a spoonful of linseeds.
Add all this to the melted coconut oil and stir thoroughly until well mixed.
Pour the mixture into ice-cube trays to make several small chocolate squares (depending on the trays, you’ll have about twenty squares, the equivalent of about three chocolate bars.
Whilst the mixtures is still liquid drop into each compartment a small blob of sugar-free jam in whatever flavour you prefer (St Dalfour is best).
Put it in the freezer until set.
Take it out and scoff it.
a
Please send it to the editor at horleytowncrier@gmail.com And here’
you want to share?
A housewife, an accountant, a shopkeeper and a chicken factory manager inadvertently start Earth's first interstellar war and they are very sorry about that.
Plus Earth's first interstellar sing-song, featuring a well-known rugby song and they are very sorry about that too!
Also features some attempted probing and quite a lot of running away.
"Excellently hilarious book! " GK
"I thoroughly enjoyed it but I think you should put a warning on the cover, advising people not to read it in public, I giggled a lot & laughed out loud several times, very embarrassing when I'm sitting in a coffee shop! " GF
"The author’s signature blend of wry humour and observational skill makes this short story a joy to read. Gently satirical, it good-naturedly pokes fun at human society while hinting at a darker reality beneath.
"Treat yourself to a copy, you won't regret it. Be warned though, this is not a book to read in a library . . . too many laugh-out-loud moments."
Ingenue Magazine
Buy it now while Earth is still free or join the Earth Resistance (Library Branch)
Available in eBook and Paperback: Find more details here
Modality Mid Sussex Patient Participation Group
We published our previous Newsletter in February 2025. Here is a brief update on what has happened since then.
In the previous Newsletter we announced “Rapid Health went live on 23 October 2024. Initially, patients were very sceptical, but it quickly became apparent that the new booking system was a massive improvement on the previous system. Negative comments and abuse on social media dropped dramatically. Many patients made positive comments. Some patients even praised Modality!”
We have continued to carefully monitor the service being provided by Modality. There has been a noticeable, steady improvement, but there is still a long way to go. Complaints in social media and submitted to the PPG committee have virtually disappeared, but we acknowledge that is not the way to judge how satisfied patients are.
As a PPG we are privy to data relating to the work carried out by the MMS health centres. From this we can see that some aspects have improved, but not to the extent that we want, or expect.
We continue to meet regularly with various representatives from Modality, both locally and their operations centre. Our discussions are very frank!
Members of the PPG committee are also patients and are thus just as frustrated at times as other patients.
We were hoping that the CQC would speedily carry out their re-assessment of the performance of M.M.S. and publish their report so that we could gauge the extent of the improvement.
Disappointingly, this has not been the case.
Now that the situation is improving, members of our committee are able to devote more of their time to carrying out tasks that other PPGs routinely do as an ancillary service to their patients.
With the ever-increasing use of modern technology, e.g. smart phones, tablets and laptops, being utilised by the NHS, we recognise that there is a significant number of patients that are effectively being excluded from communication. With this in mind, your PPG is about to embark on a project to ensure that those patients are not ignored. We call it “DIGITAL INCLUSION”.
In the next few months, we will communicate in any way we can, both new and old, details of how we will be reaching out to those vulnerable patients to ensure that they are included in all necessary information with regards their personal health.
by Judith Rayner
The Breathing Room: Mid-Year Moments for Realignment
June often feels like a quiet threshold.
The energy of spring has lifted us out of hibernation, and the pace of summer hasn’t quite taken hold. It’s a pause, a moment to look both ways.
I often encourage my coaching clients to use this time for a gentle check-in. Not with pressure or a list of things they haven’t done, but with compassion and curiosity. Halfway through the year, we have a choice: to keep moving on autopilot, or to realign with what matters most.
Ask yourself: What do I want more of in the second half of this year? What feels off course - and what’s quietly calling me back? These aren’t questions to rush. Sometimes the clearest answers emerge when we give ourselves space to breathe.
Try this: take yourself for a short walk, even ten minutes. Tune into your senses: what can you see, hear, feel, and smell? Let yourself arrive fully. Then pause, place a hand on your chest or belly, and take five slow, conscious breaths. Breathe in through your nose… and gently out through your mouth. Notice the shift.
This is a powerful reset, a reminder that clarity often comes through the body, not the mind.
You don’t need to overhaul everything. Often, one breath, one intention, or one simple shift in rhythm is enough to set change in motion.
If you’re craving a deeper pause, a space to reset or realign, through breathwork, coaching, or both, I’d love to help. You don’t have to figure it all out alone.
Sometimes it starts with one small conversation… and a little space to breathe.
Judith Judith@walkandtalk4success.com
Some useful tips for Staying Healthy at your Computer
As a professional translator of 30 years, I have spent a lot of time sitting down at my desk, typing away in English or in French, depending on the work received.
There are many people who, like me, spend most of their days at a computer and research has found that unfortunately this is not good for anybody’s health. Prolonged sitting can affect blood circulation and slow down metabolism, so it is important to move in between tasks.
Here are a few tips to stay healthy and sprightly as a desk/computer worker:
1. Make sure to stand up at least every hour, stretch and walk about for around 2 minutes. You’ll avoid getting stiff, backache and you will “reset” your concentration. My favourite two-minute walk is to the kettle for a nice cuppa, but I sometimes just go and ruffle the cat’s hair.
2. If you can, work part of the time sitting down, and part of the time standing up, if you have a desk that enables you to do so.
3. Make sure to hydrate enough throughout the day. It is easy not to notice that you are dehydrating as you don’t feel like you are doing much. But you are.
4. Don’t snack unless you really are hungry. If you
don’t move much, you’ll put on weight more easily, especially as the years add up, so will the extra pounds.
5. If you can have a walk outside at lunch time, then do so. You’ll get fresh air and exercise and putting your attention on the things around you will refresh you mentally too, making you ready to take on the rest of the day.
6. If like me you are on the short side, get a footrest. You’ll avoid sitting in awkward positions that are detrimental to your posture and blood circulation.
7. Make sure your chair is comfortable and at the right height, and the right depth, for you.
8. At the end of the working day, if you are working from home, try and go into the garden or go for a walk, and if working in an office, see if you can bike or walk home.
9. To protect your eyes, get an anti-blue screen to put on top of your computer.
Do you have any tips on staying healthy? Write in to the Town Crier and let us know.
egtowncrier@gmail.com
Dominique French translator and interpreter
Passionate about good food, organic growing and herbal remedies domicook64@gmail.com
5 Ways to Use AI Without Losing Your Brand Voice
Monthly Marketing Tips by Alice Watkyn of Mouthy Marketing
AI is brilliant for speeding things up: writing blogs, drafting web copy, pulling together email content. But hand over too much, and suddenly your business starts sounding like it’s run by a corporate fridge.
Your tone of voice is what sets you apart and builds trust with your customers. Keep hold of it. Here’s how:
1. Start with your own phrasing
Before you ask AI for help, write a sentence or two in your natural style. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just enough to anchor the tone. Otherwise, you risk sounding like a press release.
2. Edit with intent
AI is a great drafting partner, but not a final editor. If it gives you something that sounds generic or overly polished, cut it back. Remove anything you wouldn’t actually say to a real customer.
3. Be ruthless with fluff
Watch out for the usual suspects: em dashes, semicolons and words like ‘fostering’ or ‘solutionsdriven’. If it feels stiff or overcomplicated, simplify it. Your customers aren’t reading for fun, they want clarity.
4. Give it something to work with
If you’ve got old emails, blog posts, or landing pages that really hit the mark, feed them into the tool. Ask it to match that tone, not invent a new one.
5. Always do the read-aloud test
If it doesn’t sound like something you’d say out loud, it’s not right. Your tone of voice isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’ it’s part of what builds trust.
AI should support your voice, not replace it. Use it wisely and you’ll stay fast and on-brand.
https://www.mouthymarketing.co.uk
East Grinstead’s Unique Commemoration of a Rich and Enduring Legacy
This summer marks the 200th anniversary of a landmark moment in transportation history.
As part of Railway 200 - a year-long celebration of the railway extraordinary past, its essential role in modern life, and its promise for a sustainable future - East Grinstead Town Council is commemorating the occasion in a unique way.
Specially designed flower beds have been planted to symbolise the deep connection between nature, community, and the enduring legacy of the railway.
Among the displays is a striking replica of Locomotion No.1 lovingly handcrafted by the Town Council’s own handyman, accompanied by other iconic railway symbols and local landmarks.
An information board near the flowerbeds provides visitors with more details about the railway’s rich heritage and the significance of this bicentennial celebration.
Chairman of the Amenities and Tourism Committee, Cllr Ed Godwin, said:
“ An eye-catching tribute to Railway 200, huge thanks to our gardener, handyman, and outdoor
Farewell for now!
We hope you enjoyed this issue of the Town Crier. The July issue is already under construction so please don’t miss out and get your submissions in early. Browse this website for more info and look out for Town Crier bulletins and updates.