The East Grinstead Town Crier, ISSUE 11 AUGUST 2025 by The Town Crier

The Town Crier

Serving the communities of East Grinstead, Forest Row, Lingfield. Crawley Down and the neighbouring areas

Issue 11 August 2025

Welcome to theAugust 2025 Issue of the Town Crier !

Here is issue 11 of the Town Crier for the communities of the East Grinstead area. I sincerely hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed putting it together.

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 September 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 cover photograph is by our resident genius with a camera, East Grinstead photographer, Russell Prain. Find him on Instagram.

In this Issue

Satire page 3

East Grinstead Lions page 6

East Grinstead Jazz Festival page 8

Gorilla identifies as human, wins World Heavyweight Crown

Controversial first-round knockout for the Salisbury Simian as the world of boxing successfully avoids offending anyone.

by Steve Cook

In an earlier issue we reported the success of researchers at Neasden University who taught Dennis the gorilla an extensive vocabulary of hand signs by which he was, remarkably, able to master an ever-increasing vocabulary of words.

Dennis, who hails originally from Salisbury Zoo in Wiltshire, progressed steadily from there and soon reached the point where he could hold a conversation with almost anyone, harangue political canvassers, win pub quizzes, falsify his tax returns and so on.

At the post-match press conference, Dennis' brother Andy, who has been his trainer and manager since Dennis' trans-species re-assignment and can be seen here sparring with him at their private gym in Sidcup, responded to questions about Dennis' remarkable rise to the boxing heights:

Speaking through Dennis who acted as his interpreter, Andy said,

This led him inevitably to identify as a human, adopt the surname Rogers and take up boxing professionally.

The rest, as you are no doubt aware, is history. An unbroken string of 347 first-round victories in the heavyweight division (344 knockouts, 2 dismemberments and one opponent who ran away) brought Dennis inevitably to last night's World Heavyweight Championship fight against reigning champion Vladimir Orlov "The Ogre from Omsk".

Orlov fought bravely for twenty-nine seconds and in so doing lasted three seconds longer than any of Dennis ("The Salisbury Simian") Rogers' other opponents, before the latter's raw power and 300 pound weight advantage took its toll.

"I think it was inevitable that Dennis was going to become World Champion. I recognised his potential early on. While he may be a trifle short on technical ability, he has all the natural gifts of strength, power and size that render technical factors, such as an ability to box, of secondary importance."

The outgoing Champion Vladimir Orlov was magnanimous in defeat. We interviewed him as he recovers from a broken spine at London's St Thomas' hospital and asked him about the controversy surrounding Dennis' trans-species re-identification. Did he think that the natural physical endowments of his former species gave him an unfair advantage?

To this, Orlov replied:

"If there is one thing I have learned from boxing, it is that it is important not to offend anyone or hurt their feelings. So if Dennis chooses to identify as a human, who am I to question it? The most important consideration in my opinion is not preventing the destruction of competitive sport through the insertion of daft ideas by complete loons but avoiding at all costs hurting Dennis' feelings. If I have managed to help support Dennis' right to be a human in defiance of all the biological and physiological evidence to the contrary, then I think spending the rest of my life in a wheelchair is a price well worth paying."

Steve Cook admits to being the author of Genghis Kant, which features incredibly alien household appliances and edible musicians. Available in paperback and ebook or injected straight into your brain.

Thus, Dennis Rogers became the first former gorilla to lift the World Heavyweight Crown and the first Briton to hold the title since Tyson Fury.

The Crawley Down Ladies Choir is currently taking a summer break before meeting up again this September in the Birch Room at The Haven Centre, Crawley Down where you will find us practising on Monday evenings between 7.30 and 9.30pm for our next concert on Saturday December 13th.

Our first evening back will be on Monday 8th September. This will also be our "Come and Sing" evening when we open the doors to anyone who would like to join us for an enjoyable evening of song.

If you enjoy singing, whether alto or soprano, have thought about joining a choir but are reluctant to take that first step or have been considering it then

welcoming group of ladies who sing for the sheer pleasure of it. No audition, no need to read music either just come along and find out who we are and what we sing.

Should you be unable to make this date and/or would like to know more please contact Elaine on 07799 652302.

We look forward to seeing you there where you will be sure of a warm welcome and an enjoyable evening of singing together.

You can also find out more about us on our website: crawleydownladieschoir.co.uk

Another GreatAfternoon at East Court Live 2!

The Lions were kept busy on their refreshment stall and everyone enjoyed the wide range of music until the rains came! It was great to see the addition of games for the children provided by the Scouts too. Well done to everyone who came and thank you to the Town Council for organising the event.

More News from the East Grinstead Lions

East Grinstead & District Lions, together with the Bromley, Caterham Oxted and Godstone and Horley Lions Clubs, ran their annual Lions Clubs Zone 2B Fun Day for young people with special needs.

Held at the Oasis Academ, Old Coulsdon, six teams took part; Ducklys Farm, Young Epilepsy (St Piers), Addington Valley Academy, Clifton Hill School and Surrey Choices (2 teams). It was lovely to see the senior students assisting in organising the games and the many supporters, including EG Mayor Cllr John Belsey, who cheered everyone on.

Out-going East Grinstead & District Lions Club President, Sharan Billings, was delighted to hand over the chain of office to in-coming President, Nick Gibson. Sharan had been the Club's President for two years and was the first female in the Club to hold the role. The Lions wished Nick well in his new position and expressed thanks to Sharan for her tireless work for the Club and local community.

Genghis Kant

"Guaranteed free of GMOs, pesticides, artificial additives and subliminal implants. Not funded by the CIA - and I'm not even lying."

Features incredibly alien household appliances and edible musicians!

" . . . a story that could easily have been the result of a late night carousing session between Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams . . . Humorous, irreverent, and written with the insight and acute observation of human behaviour usually associated with great comedy writers, Genghis Kant will have you laughing out loud. I was chortling by page 5 (and that’s just the preface)." Ingenu-e Magazine

"If you like Monty Python, if you like a very good story and if you like great imagination, you will love this book. Check it out . . . ." Reader

“I'm only a third of the way into this book and it is hilarious - everyone should buy it - it is easily as funny as Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Spinal Tap and Terry Pratchett . . .” Reader

“I was just sitting in my kitchen reading Genghis Kant when I laughed so hard I blew toast and jam all over my freshly washed clothing drying on the clothes horse. Thanks for that . . . deeply brilliant writer. Deeply impressed.” Reader

Available in Paperback and eBook or injected straight into your brain

What Do You Want From Your Local Radio?

At Meridian FM – your local, non-profit radio station – we’re on a mission to make radio better for everyone in our community. But to do that, we need your help.

Whether you tune in every day or haven’t yet discovered us, we want to hear from you! What would you like to hear more of? What matters to you? How can we serve your interests better?

Our quick, anonymous survey takes just 2 minutes –and as a thank you, you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win lunch at Bench in East Grinstead!

Visit https://meridianfm.com/survey. Or use the QR Code opposite.

Help shape your local radio – have your say today!

Well Healthy

Helping you live a freer, healthier life

This month, Samantha Ford of Unique Welllth presents:

Cultivating Calm:

How Happiness andAllotments Can Boost Your Wellbeing ThisAugust

August is Happiness Happens Month and here in the UK it also celebrates National Allotments Week (5th–11th August 2025).

What do these two have in common? More than you might think! Both are rooted in the simple, joyful practice of slowing down, getting outside and reconnecting with what really matters.

Why happiness matters for your health

Many professionals I speak to ‘wear’ stress like a badge of honour, yet behind the scenes, it’s impacting their energy, health and their business.

Happiness is often pushed to the bottom of the to-do list, seen as a “nice-to-have” rather than being essential. But research shows that happiness and emotional wellbeing are closely tied to better immune health, lower levels of chronic stress, and improved cardiovascular function.

And the best part? It doesn’t require a complete life overhaul.

During Happiness Happens Month, I encourage you to reclaim just 10 minutes a day for something joyful. Whether that’s time outside, a walk in nature, listening to music, or laughing with a friend, these micro-moments shift your nervous system out of survival mode and into calm, creative flow.

Dig your way to wellbeing with allotments

If you need a practical place to start, look no further than your local allotment or garden.

National Allotments Week shines a light on the community, nutrition, and mental health benefits of growing your own food. Gardening isn’t just good for your plate; it’s good for your head and heart too.

Spending time in nature has been shown to:

• Reduce your stress hormone, Cortisol

• Improve mood and reduce anxiety

• Enhance focus and memory

• Support sleep regulation

Even tending to a few pots on a balcony can help reset your natural energy patterns and offer a sense of achievement. It’s a form of “active mindfulness” where you don’t need to sit still to calm; you just need to get your hands in the soil.

Exclusive WELLth offer: grow your own calm

To help you get started, I’ve partnered with a UKbased seed supplier to offer an exclusive discount on budget-friendly seeds: perfect for first-timers or seasoned growers looking to expand their patch. Get your discount code here

These small actions - 10 minutes of joy, planting a few seeds - may seem minor, but they’re powerful micro-shifts. They’re the start of reclaiming your energy, attention and natural rhythm.

If you’re ready to learn more about how your body’s stress signals may be affecting your health and performance, book your WELLth Check

It’s the first step in breaking free from burnout and building sustainable wellbeing that works with your life, not against it.

For twice monthly health and wellness related updates direct to your inbox, join the Thriving Times community: https:// www.uniquewellth.coach/newsletters

Samantha – Certified Health & Wellness Coach

Helping you decode stress and reclaim your energy, focus & joy.

Behind the Uniform: Honouring Humanity

August brings two powerful reminders for those of us who serve on the front line: World Humanitarian Day (19th August) and International Overdose Awareness Day (31st August).

Both offer a chance to reflect on the weight responders carry and how we can better support one another to cope, connect and carry on.

Honouring those who serve

World Humanitarian Day recognises the dedication of those who put themselves at risk to help others, whether in war zones, disaster areas, or on the streets of our own communities.

While the spotlight often shines on medics, aid workers and firefighters, it includes our local ambulance crews, community first responders and mental health teams too.

But behind the uniform, we are human. We carry the sights, sounds and stories long after the sirens stop.

Burnout, compassion fatigue and accumulated stress are common in emergency services. And they don’t just affect performance, they impact physical health, relationships, and emotional resilience. That’s why recovery and peer support aren’t luxuries. They’re essential to sustainable service.

The growing crisis of overdose

International Overdose Awareness Day shines a light on a sobering truth: accidental and intentional overdoses continue to rise. As responders, we do sometime see the frontlines of this epidemic. Sometimes reviving the same individual multiple times, or bearing witness to the tragedy that could not be prevented.

Many overdoses are accidental, driven by confusion about dosages, interactions or combining substances like alcohol with prescription meds.

Others are intentional -a cry for help from someone overwhelmed, isolated or in deep pain.

So what can we ALL do? Stay sharp with education

Misuse isn’t always intentional. Understanding how medications interact can save lives. Let’s keep this front of mind, especially for older adults.

Prevent where we can

Store meds securely, double-check dosages (yours and others), and don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions when something feels “off.” Prevention is protection, for colleagues, families, and ourselves.

Know the support lines

We’re great at stepping in for others. Let’s not forget the lifelines available for us too:

Samaritans: 116 123 (free, 24/7),

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) – 0800 58 58 58

Unwind without guilt

Give yourself permission to talk, rest, or just be quiet. Emotional load, when ignored, can become burnout. When acknowledged, it can become resilience.

It starts with us

You can’t pour from an empty cup. That’s not just a saying, it’s a physiological reality. Chronic exposure to trauma and stress shifts your nervous system into survival mode, suppresses immune function, disrupts sleep, and erodes long-term health.

Let this month be a reminder: behind every face is a beating heart. And it deserves care too.

Sam – Community First Responder & Health and Wellness Coach, proud to serve East Grinstead and the surrounding area.

Calling local musicians and singers!

Want me to play one of your tracks on my Radio Show and give you the chance to tell people something about you?

The Feelgood Station has listeners all over the world but my Show, Judith looks at Love and Romance, is broadcast from here, in Sussex, and I am always pleased to give our local talent the opportunity to widen their audience.

As well as my own Show, Lester Jones, Co-owner of the Station, and I present ‘The Feelgood Morning Magazine Show’ together every weekday morning and a Sunday Show called ‘In our Lounge’ when we step back into the 50s and 60s and remember what life was like in our childhood.

In addition to this, Lester brings you his weekly Feel Good Fishing Show which has been instrumental in encouraging lots of youngsters to take up the sport.

There truly is something for everyone on our Station and we have recruited twenty-four brilliant Presenters, some from as far away as America and Australia, to bring their own kind of entertainment daily to your computer, phone or tablet by means of our Feelgood Station App, Simple Radio, Deezer, or Alexa Skills or you can log on at thefeelgoodstation.uk

If you would like to appear as a guest on my Show, you can contact me at thefeelgoodmorningshow@gmail.com or through our Facebook page or WEBSITE

East Grinstead Natural History Society Seeks New Members

KEEPING FITAT BRENDONCARE STILDON

Care home Brendoncare Stildon in Dorset Avenue, East Grinstead, is offering a chance to local people to join in with two of its forthcoming seated exercise sessions.

These sessions are on Tuesday 23rd and 30th September between 2pm and 3pm. They are suitable for older people who would like to enjoy some gentle exercise, fun and good company.

If you would like to book a place, please call the care home on 01342 305750, selecting option 2 to get through to our reception team.

The Lingfield Farmers Market

Every 2nd Sunday of the month, from 9am to 1pm, the heart of Lingfield comes alive with colour, flavour, and community spirit at the Lingfield Farmers Market.

Nestled in this picturesque village, the market is a true local gem: warm, welcoming, and packed with friendly stallholders who know their regulars by name and greet newcomers with a smile.

With the summer holidays winding down and school bags being packed, September is the perfect time for families to reset and embrace new routines.

What better way to kickstart the new school year than by making a monthly visit to the farmers market part of your family rhythm?

Whether you’re stocking up on local veg, chatting with the cheesemonger about what pairs well with apples, or picking out pastries for the week ahead, it’s a chance to slow down, shop with purpose, and support local businesses.

More than just a place to buy your groceries, the market is about building relationships, with the people who grow, bake, catch, and make your food.

It’s about rediscovering the joy of simple things, reconnecting with your community, and teaching our children the value of local, seasonal food.

So come along Sunday, 14th September 9am1pm at Lingfield primary school.

Make it a habit. Make it yours.

Lingfield Farmers Market local, lovely, and just around the corner.

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AshdownAdventures

Alison Earnshaw enjoys a Summer stroll onAshdown Forest

“It’s a tiny slice of paradise, isn’t it?”

Early on a perfect Sussex Summer morning I had to agree with the friendly dog-walker who had made this observation. We were sitting on a pleasingly located bench, taking a moment to admire the panoramic view stretching before us over Ashdown Forest into the heat-haze distance.

Not such a tiny slice either! Ashdown’s statistics are impressive; 80 miles of footpaths extending over 10 square miles of heath and heather, interspersed with woodland of Oak, Birch and Pine.

The evidenced history of the area stretches back through millennia and is clarified by an informative visual time-line set out on the exterior wall of the Ashdown Visitors Centre.

It seems humanity was first at this location some 40,000 years ago; the timeline then stretches forward through Medieval and Tudor times to the use of the Forest during last century’s World Wars and onwards up to the present day.

Like many of us fortunate enough to live in the surrounding towns and villages, I’ve been a regular

walker on Ashdown for a couple of decades now.

There are always new routes to explore and something different to discover, even if it’s just the changing clouds and colours in a sky that always looks so much bigger from here.

Armed with an ordnance survey map and one of the helpful trail guide booklets available from the Visitors Centre, any of the many small car-parks is a good starting point for some Ashdown exploration.

These car-parks have intriguing names: for example “Piglet’s” (the apostrophe placement indicating that it’s named after a character from A.A. Milne’s Ashdown Forest-inspired ‘Winnie-The-Pooh’ creation rather than referring to a whole piggy litter!).

Other car-park names include “Smugglers”, “Shadows”, “Waterholes” and “King’s Standing”. I bet there’s a story behind each of them!

This particular Summer’s day we’d headed from “Gill’s Lap” car-park to one of the most famous viewpoints, immortalised in A.A. Milne’s famous quotation “…and by and by they came to an enchanted place on the very top of the forest”.

This is a favourite destination for locals and visitors from far afield who feel an affinity with it due to the ‘Winnie-The-Pooh’ books, T.V. adaptations and related films such as ‘Goodbye Christopher Robin’.

On this occasion we met two young backpackers from Canada who had journeyed here bringing soft toy versions of Eeyore, Kanga, Tigger et al to photograph in their ‘homeland’!

In this era of instant internet transportation to every wonder of the world, international renown as ‘An Enchanted Place’ might be a challenge for our local ‘tiny slice of paradise’ to live up to, yet somehow it does!

There are steep slopes here; not exactly Alpine but you’ll still get a cardio-vascular workout! There are even a couple of waterfalls… by no means Niagara but they have a charming fairy-tale glen vibe to them, especially when at their fullest after a downpour.

Continued on next page

Alison Earnshaw - continued from previous page

A variety of British wildlife resides in this beautiful countryside. At the Visitors Centre a list of official sightings of all sorts of birds is regularly updated, some of which have the Forest as a permanent home, others visiting seasonally.

A few I’d never previously heard of sound like colourful Dickensian characters Master “Jack Snipe” or Mistress “Honey Buzzard”, anyone?

As part of the management of the Forest there are sheep, cattle and ponies grazing the land. Camouflaged in the bracken and gorse they may be hard to spot but I enjoy looking out for them when on a ‘Sussex Safari’, along with Fallow, Muntjac or Roe Deer also making their home here.

On past walks we’ve set off from “Lintons” carpark for a pilgrimage to ‘The Airman’s Grave” which always gives pause for thought and reflection, quietly sited as it is on a tranquil stretch of Forest hillside. This simple memorial commemorates the crew of six, tragically lost in 1941 when their Lancaster plane crashed near this spot.

Ashdown Forest is a place for all moods and all seasons although best to bear in mind the old adage “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing”.

The Forest’s beauty is a gentle one as you navigate its paths but can also be truly spectacular when looking out from a high point across the wide sweep of English landscape.

As we sat on the bench during our most recent walk, the heather was in full pink and purple Summer bloom and everyone seemed to be in a good mood, enjoying the fresh air and sense of space. After all, what could be better than “a tiny slice of paradise” on a Summer’s day in Sussex!

Find and follow Alison on Instagram

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.

Stress and Creativity by

Town Crier columnist, Gill Bustamante

As an artist I am disposed towards looking at things and trying to understand them. One of the things I have looked at a lot is the causes of problems in mental health which includes my own.

We can all list things that cause us stress and ultimately mental health issues, but for me, there are two massive common denominators in what causes me to feel stressed and they are simple ones which I see reflected in pretty much everyone else.

The first situation is that this millennia is bombarding us with demands, ads, advices, invitations to spend money, asking for decisions, increasing reliance on electronic devices and apps, A.I. ‘improvements’ and being told that whatever you are doing you are doing it wrong etc. And this is happening every single second of the day, all the time, constantly and without ceasing. Ever.

The second situation, as if these continuous interruptions were not stressful enough, is the more insidious longer-term result of them which is what happens to your plans, goals, good ideas and intentions. Quite simply, you forget what you were doing every time you were interrupted, or the barriers become insurmountable and you do something else instead and never quite complete the things you have started.

In short, the continual interruptions and diversions and knocking back of the ability to concentrate attention can have quite a detrimental effect on life, memory, stress levels and being able to have an idea and follow it through to a done.

And how does this relate to creativity? Finding yourself an art form or craft is a way you can step out of the whirlpool of modern life. Preferably lock yourself in a shed, leave your phone behind and do things of your own origination and creation rather than looking at everyone else’s and regardless of whether anyone else approves of it or not.

Thank you for reading and good luck if it strikes a chord with you!

Gill Bustamante, Artist

www.gillbustamante.com INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK PINTEREST YOUTUBE

The painting below is called Possibilities Unfolding. Made by totally ignoring everything else and painting in an attic for some hours with the phone off.

ProstateAwareness &

The earlier you find prostate cancer the easier it is to treat. One in eight men (one in four if you are black) will get prostate cancer sometime in their lives. If your father or brother has had it, you are two and a half times more likely to get it.

Prostate Cancer grows slowly, sometimes without any symptoms and has a low risk of spreading. It may never cause problems or shorten your life.

However, if it is growing more quickly your chances improve if it can be caught early and treated.

Some men have no symptoms. However, those that do, include having problems urinating and for others a pain in the back, hips or pelvis. Of course, these are often caused by other things, that aren’t cancer. But it’s still a good idea to get any symptoms

The NHS does not currently run a national PSA

However, East Grinstead and District Lions have now run six successful screenings with the help of PCaSO a prostate cancer charity. In 2024, 1000 men were screened, identifying 48 men who were potentially at risk and needed further medical intervention.

EG & District Lions will be running their seventh screening event on 18th October. The booking system for making appointments online opens 22nd August.

Go to www.pcaso.mypsatests.org.uk and select event ‘East Grinstead’ and follow the registration instructions.

www.eastgrinsteadlions.co.uk

www.pcaso.org

Getting Website Visitors to TakeAction with Clear CTAs

Monthly Marketing Tips byAlice Watkyn of Mouthy Marketing

Every page on your website has a purpose. If someone lands there and doesn’t know what to do next, you’ve lost them.

Your ‘call to action’ (CTA) tells visitors what to do next and it should be the first thing someone notices, not the last. Make it direct, obvious and simple. Book a call. Buy now. Get a quote. That’s what drives people to act.

Many small business websites try to do too much. A homepage that asks people to read a blog, join a mailing list, follow on Instagram, and fill in a contact form is doing none of those things well. If you offer people too many options, they will take none. Pick one goal per page, make sure the button stands out and then back it up with clear messaging that supports the action.

To tighten it up:

• Use a strong button with clear wording, placed near the top of the page

The Machine's in Overdrive

by Steve Cook

The machine's in overdrive manufacturing threat, In a desperate ploy to overwhelm and keep everyone upset,

To fracture and divide the resurgent Human Nation,

Lest peace breaks out and we usher in an Age of Cooperation.

Keep brother fighting brother and kin fighting kin,

With war forever simmering and the planet in a spin.

Create universal scarcity and enslave the race with debt,

Constrained by economics, by uncertainty beset. The strategy of the Overlords for the past ten thousand years

Has been divide and conquer using propagandised fears.

But the Human Nation's changing and the game's begun to fail.

The dinosaur is dying, but beware its thrashing tail!

• Keep the design clean and free of distractions

• Stick to one main goal per page & reinforce it with supporting copy

• Make sure it works on mobile without pinching, zooming, or guessing

• Test different versions over time, but always lead with clarity

A good CTA should make life easier for the person using your site. If a task is even remotely difficult, your visitors won’t complete it. If your button is hidden in a menu, written in soft language, or surrounded by clutter, don’t be surprised when no one clicks it.

Give people clear, straightforward instructions and watch your success rate rise.

www.mouthymarketing.co.uk

Sports & Maths:AWinning Combination

Maths tutor, Helen Chisholm’ s monthly column gives valuable tips on how to excel, or help your children excel at maths.

This summer has been packed with thrilling sporting moments, from England’s triumphant Women’s Euros campaign, to stunning tennis performances at Wimbledon and an epic cricket battle with India.

But beyond the excitement, it's maths that helps make sense of the action.

How Maths Powers Every Sport

Angles, timing, speed, scoring averages, and success rates: maths underpins every decision on the pitch or the court.

Free-kicks in football, strike-rates in cricket, and serve speeds in tennis all rely on precision and calculation.

Verified Stats from This Summer

In Euro 2025, the Lionesses scored 16 goals, achieved an impressive 82% passing accuracy, attempted 104 shots, recovered the most balls (275) and averaged about 17.7 shots per match; all stats that tell a story of strategy and teamwork.

At Wimbledon, Ben Shelton hit serves measured at 147 mph, while Jannik Sinner averaged 202 km/h on his first serve: a great chance to explore kilometres vs miles and unit conversion.

In the recent England vs India Test series, India amassed a staggering 3,809 runs across five Tests, averaging 42.32 per innings, while England endured a dramatic six-run loss in the final Test after chasing 374 runs and falling just short: perfect fodder for calculating run rates and deficits.

Holiday Sports Maths at Home

Here are some fun activities to bring these real stats to life:

Calculate shot-to-goal ratios for the Lionesses or other teams.

Compare serve speeds at Wimbledon and convert between mph and km/h.

Track batting averages or total runs per series and plot simple graphs.

Time sprint drills or ball-control challenges and calculate average speeds.

Sport provides a rich, real-world context for mathematical thinking - no textbook required!

Maths really is all around us, even in the heat of summer competition.

End of Stock

Baby Towels for sale!

£5 per towel, £8 for two, mix and match. Good quality cotton.

White with white border, white with blue border or Panda towel.

Free delivery in East Grinstead area or P&P

£3.95

Contact dominique.cook@lineone.net

BRICKMAKING

by Richard Young

Brickmaking was introduced to Britain by the Romans around 43 AD. These early bricks were about 500mm long by 300mm wide but only about 40mm thick, so would have looked more like tiles to our eyes. Not many Roman buildings were built entirely of brick – they were generally laid in bonding courses in combination with stone or flint.

Brickmaking in Britain appears to have stopped shortly before the Romans left and didn’t start again for about 700 years when it was re-introduced by the monasteries.

The first building in Sussex to have been built entirely in brick was Herstmonceux Castle, completed in the 1440s.

At that time bricks for large houses were often made by itinerant brickmakers who were also the bricklayers. They were fired in stacks called ‘clamps’, which consisted of an open stack of unfired bricks built up in layers on top of a bed of fuel. This was encased with turf and clay, set alight and left to burn until all the fuel was consumed.

By the mid-1500s bricks were often used in the building of fireplaces and chimneys and permanent brickyards using regular kilns instead of the clamp system were developed. Brickmaking was a seasonal activity, the clay being dug in the autumn and left in a heap over winter. When the danger of frost had passed it was moulded into bricks that were left to dry in the open air. Kiln-burning took place from mid-summer until the first frosts.

The development of the railways in the early 19th century led to a massive increase in brickmaking, partly because it became possible to bring in large quantities of coal to fire the kilns instead of wood but also because it brought in brickmakers from other parts of the country. One of the earliest mentioned brickyards in the area is the Wilderwick Brickyard near Dormansland, shown on a map from 1620 and still there in 1914.

There were many small brickworks in the Lingfield and Dormansland area during the mid to late 1800s but the three main ones were at Crowhurst Lane End, Crowhurst and South Godstone. The first mention of the Crowhurst Lane End brickworks was in 1874, although bricks may have been made there as early as the 1830s. Both the Crowhurst Lane End and the Crowhurst brickworks were sold together in 1887 and interestingly the Brickmakers Arms public house was also included in the sale.

The Crowhurst Lane End brickworks was closed in 1913 as it was thought that the clay deposits there had been exhausted. The Crowhurst brickworks was probably started in the mid-1880s and in 1902 became known as the London & Brighton Brick, Tile and Terra Cotta Co. Its company name and management changed many times until in 1958 it was bought by Redland Bricks, where it remained until it closed in 1979. The bricks made there were used on the London sewers, Guilford and Coventry Cathedrals, the Barbican Centre, The Inner Temple and Heathrow Airport.

The other large brickworks in the area was at South Godstone. It started in 1896 but was requisitioned by the military during World War 1. Brickmaking began again after the war and in the 1920s it received a visit from Winston Churchill, who was looking for a company that could match the bricks at Chartwell. This it could do and so supplied 4,000 bricks for extensive re-building works. The plant was again requisitioned by the military during World War 11.

The last two remaining brickworks in the area, at South Godstone and Crowhurst, both ceased production in the 1970s, so ending a long tradition of brickmaking in this part of the country.

Our next talk is on Monday 8th September at the Jennings Hall behind the Lingfield & Dormansland Community Centre in the High Street, Lingfield. Penny Harris will speak about “A Wealden Woman’s War”. The talk will be proceeded by our AGM, which should only take a few minutes. The evening starts 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.

offer:

A Simple relaxation technique

A friendly "hello" over a cuppa before your meeting

A welcome from a trained volunteer who'll sit with you then time to talk (or just listen) about what's on your mind.

The choice to speak, or listen, is yours.

Helpful themes are covered once a month and in workshops

We deal with life's problems & solutions

When & Where?

EVENING MEETING. We restart for TWO weeks only on Thursday 11th and 25th September 7pm8.30pm upstairs at Dorset Arms.

THEN IN EARNEST from Thursday 2nd October 2025, at Chequers Mead Theatre, Dance Studio, De La Warr Rd, RH19 3BS on Thursdays 6.45, meeting starts 7pm to 8.30pm.

DAYTIME MEETING WITH FREE CRECHE for under 5's: TO START on 12th November Wednesday, 9.30 am to register; meeting starts upstairs from Creche area at 10am to 11.30am.

VENUE: 1st Scout Hut, 100, Moat Road, East Grinstead, RH19 3LN with FREE parking 9.30 to 12.30pm only at Kings Centre for attendees.

Please allow extra time to book your car in to Kings Centre. Ideal for mums and carers with under 5 year

Your child is lovingly looked after, so you can focus on you.

VOLUNTEERS are wanted for extra Leaders & creche workers. Training, booklet, First Aid & DBS are available.

Please e-mail ‘egwomensshare@outlook.com' if interested.

Our Values - S.H.A.R.E.

Speak & Support

• Heal

• Affirm

• Respect

• Empower

A Message from the East Grinstead Community and Tourism Desk:

There will be a two-minute silence at midday at the war memorial on East Grinstead High Street on the 15th August

Six back-to-school money saving tips

Summer can be an expensive season.

With kids off for the school holidays, there’s added pressure on parents to pay for additional summer activities as well as the financial burden of the back-to-school expenses.

As a debt help and budgeting charity, Christians Against Poverty (CAP) understands the strain parents are under to find the extra funds needed to purchase uniforms and new school supplies, so here are a few money-saving tips that might help:

Have

a sort-

out

Start by going through what you already have and identify what can be reused for next year. Can you upcycle any hand-me-downs to make them look like new? Make sure to keep anything that your child might grow into, which will save you some money in the future.

Write a shopping list

Make a list of all the things you need to buy and put them in order of priority to work out which things are essentials, and which are ‘nice to haves’. Your child may have their heart set on something that they don’t really need, and you can’t afford. If so, chat through other options with them, such as asking them to contribute towards the cost if they have pocket money saved, or if they have a birthday coming up, they might want to add it to their wish list.

Research costs

Before you hit the shops, do your homework by doing a little online window shopping to find the best prices. This is especially good for high items like electronics, as some online retailers offer price-match guarantees that could lead to significant potential savings.

Find cheaper alternatives

Online isn’t always cheaper but at least being aware of the costs before you go to the shop will make it easier to spot a bargain. Consider your options for finding the best price: try supermarkets, charity shops and school recycling banks as well as online sites.

Create a budget

Knowing what you need and how much it will likely cost will make it easier to create a budget. You might find it helpful to involve your children in this – talking about what you can afford can help manage expectations and prevent any potential disagreements. There are some useful budgeting resources for kids and youth on the CAP website, and information for adults on how to create a budget.

Get emergency aid

Some churches have hardship funds /emergency aid pots available to help locals who are in financial need so if you are struggling with back-to-school costs, consider getting in touch with your local church. It’s also worth checking your local council website to see if they offer uniform grants.

The back-to-school shop doesn’t have to be stressful but if you are struggling financially, please don’t suffer in silence; CAP is here to help!

Visit capuk.org/help to find out more, or get in touch with your local Debt Coach for a friendly, informal chat: fionastraszynski@capuk.org.

The East Grinstead CAP Debt Centre supports East Grinstead and all surrounding villages offering free, confidential, face-to-face debt help. You’re not alone. We’re here to help.

“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

The Breathing Room

August can be a strange one.

There’s still warmth, still summer dates left on the calendar, but something shifts. The energy dips; you can see it in nature as the flowers begin to fade. The light softens and we notice it getting dark a little earlier each day!

And for many people -myself - it brings this low hum of regret.

I thought I’d have done more by now. More time off, more fun. Or maybe more ticking off the list, more progress on work projects. I planned to feel different by this point in the year. Lighter maybe. Less restless.

But here we are, halfway through the summer holidays with the end of another season in sight and I’m realising I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted to do, instead of really being in it.

I know I’m not alone in this.

August can stir up complicated feelings. Not quite ready to let go of summer, but realising we can’t keep chasing the version we imagined. Maybe the simplest way to move forward is to stop, just for a moment, and breathe. Let go of the expectation and

Eaterie of the Month

y When ItAll Feels Like Too Much and Not Enough

by Judith Rayner

reconnect so we can enjoy each day just as they are.

A beautiful grounding breath for you:

Inhale through your nose. Slow and steady, filling your belly. Exhale with a soft sigh. Let your shoulders drop. Let yourself land and notice tension ease. Repeat as many times as you need to feel more grounded.

This is still your summer. It’s not over. But it also doesn’t need to be salvaged or squeezed. You’re allowed to feel what you feel. You’re allowed to start again, gently, from here.

If you're craving a quieter space to think, breathe or talk things through, this is where my coaching and breathwork work really come into their own. I meet you exactly where and as you are.

And Breathe!

Maria’s Café Blenheim Studios, Lewes Road, Forest Row

I am delighted to share with you a very favourable report of our Saturday morning breakfast at Maria’s Café.

The ambience was busy but clean friendly and pleasant. The service was swift and very friendly.

We had the standard full breakfast (see picture) which was plentiful, well cooked and well presented. It was evident that care was taken to provide top quality ingredients. The sausages and bacon were especially good.

Value for money: very good indeed.

Overall: four-and-a-half stars and highly recommended. Very well done, Maria’s Café! Find them on Facebook

Translations into and from French 30 years experience Turnaround and prices to suit your needs

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Spirit alive and well in Ladies’ cricket, in Felbridge!

by Aaron Gee.

Felbridge & Sunnyside Cricket Club, unseen to many in its location behind Kwik Fit, has been enjoying the sound of leather on willow at this, its Chartham Ground, since 1929.

In addition to the many Saturday and Sunday men’s teams, and boy’s junior teams, it’s three years now since the club boasted a girls’ squad.

With girls currently ranging in age from 7 to 15, they are engaged in both softball and hardball cricket leagues in the county and, with such fantastic development in women’s cricket in recent years, it was clear that we needed to expand.

Felbridge & Sunnyside CC began inviting ladies to form a social squad back in February. Many of the women had never played cricket before, but instantly bonded over laughs and new experiences. Coached by myself and assisted by bowling specialist James Green, they have progressed in their abilities – and most importantly have loved every minute of getting together, moving around, and not taking themselves too seriously.

The cricketing abilities have also gone from strength to strength; so much so that the squad has already played in three tournaments, with two more to follow this season.

The first tournament, back in June, was at the rather intimidating Sussex County ground in Hove! This was daunting for some but once there and the games underway, nerves disappeared and our ladies again loved every minute of the experience, coming away with one win and one loss and a thirst for more competition!

Later in the season the ladies joined Felbridge & Sunnyside’s Girl’s cricket squad ‘Phoenix’, at Wisborough Green CC, for their celebration of girls

and ladies’ cricket.

At the end of July, we hosted our own event, the inaugural ‘Styled By Susie, Women’s Spirit Empowerment Festival’, welcoming a number of local Ladies soft ball Cricket teams to the Felbridge ground.

Teams from Haywards Heath (Honeybees), Turners Hill (Tigresses) and Ifield (Ifield Ladies), came to compete with Felbridge & Sunnyside CC (Phoenix Spirit) in our first Ladies festival of cricket.

Soft ball cricket games are much shorter than traditional cricket games. In the tournament teams faced each other on side-by-side pitches, in matches of 8-overs per innings, played to determine which two teams would then battle it out for first place.

The Haywards Heath ‘Honeybees’ who went unbeaten throughout the day were the worthy victors in the final, defeating Ifield ladies who put up a strong challenge with some impressive and committed efforts and wonderful supportive spirit from everyone playing as well as the spectators.

Our thanks to Deputy Mayor Stephanie Reeves for her attendance and prize presentation, including handing the ‘Women’s Spirit Empowerment’ shield to the Haywards Heath team.

The Felbridge & Sunnyside ladies, although they did not come away with a win from this tournament, did win praise from all who attended the tournament, who all loved the day and we hope to see them again next year when we challenge Haywards Heath Honeybees to try and win back the trophy!

If you’re interested in joining the club please contact us via our club secretary Helen, helenfbrooks@outlook.com, or check us out on our Playcricket website - https://felbridgecc.playcricket.com/home, where you will find all joining and match information, or just pop down and visit us when there’s a game on.

Much thanks goes out to our generous club supporters, Martell’s of East Grinstead, Styled By Susie, Carrie Overton Coaching, Kiwiazz Cricket Repairs, Wipe On Wipe Off Valeting services and Black & Stevenson Engineering Ltd, and of course to our resident photographer for all the brilliant photos of this day and many others, Graham Keetley of Harlequine Photography.

See photos on the following page

Haywards Heath ‘Honey Bees’, receiving the shield from Deputy Mayor Stephanie Reeves, and team photo with Deputy Mayor Stephanie Reeves and Graham Radford, Felbridge & Sunnyside CC President.

Felbridge & Sunnyside CC Phoenix Spirit Turners Hill Tigresses

Ifield Ladies

Aaron Gee of Felbridge & Sunnyside CC, gave out special prizes to a player in each team

Dear Editor . . . .

I would very much like to praise and thank whoever is responsible for the gorgeous and skilfully created floral displays that grace so much of the town centre.

Clearly a great deal of thought, TLC and knowhow has been invested in their creation.

I assume the Town Council has something to do with it and one or more creative individuals who deserve some praise.

I took the liberty of enclosing some photos I took with my mobile phone. I hope your readers enjoy them and perhaps someone will name the heroes responsible for beautifying our town.

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.

This monthly column is very kindly provided by Justin Kelly of How To Basically.

This month: Water saving Tips

With a hose pipe ban in force across Sussex it’s more important than ever to ensure we’re conserving water in both the home and garden. Save money and the planet by adopting a few simple habits and adjustments which can significantly reduce your consumption and contribute to preserving this precious resource.

Toilets

Firstly clarify if you have a single or dual flush toilet. Single flush means there’s no distinction on the flush lever/button for the amount of water that’s released on a flush. If you have a single flush toilet consider putting a cistern bag in the cistern which retains an amount of water there when you flush. With a dual flush you can flush roughly a half or full cistern depending on which button you press.

put the pieces in. Undo the nut on the inlet water pipe then the retaining nut on the inlet mechanism. Once you have removed the inlet mechanism note there’s a filter in it that you can check is clean. Now you can adjust the position of the float mechanism that regulates the water coming in. You need to make sure the float mechanism is not higher than the overflow pipe so move it down if need be (there may be a screw head at the top for fine tuning; clockwise brings the float up). There should be a restrictor valve on the top and if that’s not there then there may be too much water coming in so you could restrict it by turning the isolator valve slightly across the inlet pipe. There may also be a washer on the top of the inlet mechanism that you should check is in good condition.

(ii) Flush mechanism: remove this as described above. You need to check the washer on the bottom has not perished and that there is no debris under it which is letting water through to the pan.

(iii) The overflow often forms part of the flush mechanism. It just needs to be set so it’s higher than the setting on the inlet float mechanism. Take more short showers and less baths;

Install low-flow showerheads and taps which use aerators to reduce water flow without sacrificing water pressure;

Turn off the tap whilst brushing your teeth;

With a dual flush toilet you can also set the amount of water which is flushed on each respective flush. To do this first turn off the water to the cistern; there should be an isolator valve on the inlet pipe (see our Plumbing tips published in the May issue). Then take off the cistern lid to access the flush mechanism (typically unscrew the flush button, watch out if there’s a cable you’ll need to detach that too). The flush mechanism is the one in the middle of the cistern looking something like this: and it can be removed by twisting it (to the left or right depending on the model). Once you’ve removed it you should be able to see one side has a half flush gauge and the other side has the full flush gauge. Each of these can be adjusted to change the amount of water that is released on the respective flush. The lower the indicator is set the more water that is released.

Toilet letting by: a toilet that runs continuously can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day. This letting by of water can be seen as a trickle running down the back of the pan. It could be due to the (i) inlet (ii) flush or (iii) overflow mechanisms. (i) The inlet will look something like this: and the easiest way to adjust it is to take it out. First turn off the water to the toilet and remove the cistern lid. Then get a tray to catch any water spillage and something to

If you use a condenser tumble dryer then (provided you use eco detergent) pour your collected water onto your plants;

Use eco mode on your appliances like a washing machine;

Only run the washing machine when you have a full load and consider washing clothes in cold water to reduce the need for heated water, which not only saves energy but also reduces water use in the home.

Use water butts on gutters to collect rain water and interconnect them. Consider investing in an underground tank with a pump in it that way you can collect, store and use collected rain water when needed.

Continued on next page

Water Saving Tips continued

If watering your garden do so directly to the roots (as opposed to spraying on the leaves) and in the early morning or late afternoon. Consider drip irrigation, soaker hoses and timetable drip irrigation systems.

Add a layer of mulch to the garden to retain moisture (and suppress weeds);

Incorporate drought-tolerant plants into your garden to reduce the need to water and collate plants with similar watering needs (aka hydrozoning).

We run courses at How To Basically’s workshop (10 minutes east of Haywards Heath) relating to all these water saving tips so please get in touch if you’re interested (www.howtobasically.co.uk).

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.