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FOREWORD The Get Hastings team has worked especially hard on this, our Winter issue and we hope that you enjoy unwrapping all of the content that we’ve lovingly put together. We deliberately didn’t put any clues to our content on the cover as we wanted it to be a surprise, like opening a present! And what a gift this issue is. We get festive with community choirs, we chat to the brilliant Project Art Works collective, there’s an upside-down violinist (yes you read that right), local artist, Ben Fenton, the Seaview Project who benefited from our Independent Christmas Shopping Guide, we celebrate punk icon Poly Styrene with James Endeacott, Lucy Cooke discusses her best-selling book, we have a recipe from Galleria, and Tony Howard tells us what needs doing in our gardens to take us into Spring. Christmas and the winter months can be a very difficult time for some but we live in an area where people really care for one another so please do open up and tell someone if you’re struggling. There is always someone who is happy to listen and help. The Get Hastings team would like to wish every one of you a very lovely Christmas and a joyous new year. With love, The Get Hastings team

Mel Elliott Editor-in-Chief Beth King Editor/Producer

Kathy Foley Editor/Producer

Caitlin Lock Photographer/Producer

Steven Larkin Graphic Designer

Additional Graphic Design Laura Mingozzi-Marsh

Contributing Writers Sophie Harper Damien Pestell James Endeacott Louise Coulthard Lee Humphries Tony Howard Daisy Caffrey

Contributing Photographers Steve Painter JJ Waller Toby Shaw Georgii Kashcheev Josie Barnes Contributing Illustrator Jackie Parsons

Cover image: Steve Painter

CONTENTS 4. Project Art Works

40. ‘Bitch’ by Lucy Cooke

The inspiring Turner Prize nominees tell us about their project which tackles neurodiversity with creativity.

Lucy Cooke discusses her best-selling guide to sex, evolution and the female animal.

12. It’s Not Just About the Music Damien Pestell belts out a few numbers with the Lifted Up Community Choir and Hastings Punk Choir.

20. Daria Fisher: Sound Upside Down

Violinist, Nike ambassador and new St Leonards resident tells us about her music and why she likes to make sound, upside down.

28. Blue Plaque: Poly Styrene

James Endeacott plays a personal tribute to Poly Styrene, X-Ray Spex singer and punk icon.

32. Ben Fenton on Painting & Mental Health Local abstract landscape artist and Brutalist architecture fan opens up about his work and his battles with mental health.

We would like to thank all of our contributors, and our gratitude also goes out to Scantech Lithographic Ltd who partially sponsored this issue. Thank you to all of the brilliant independent businesses who have supported us with advertising.

44. Book Reviews by Printed Matter Lee from Printed Matter bookshop on Queens Road gives us some of his favourite political reads.

46. Community This issue tries to get you off of the High Street and into some of our wonderful local shops with our Independent Christmas Shopping Guide. Galleria provides a very special alternative to turkey, we pay a visit to the wonderful Seaview Project and we have our usual Young Voice and a very festive How We Met feature too.

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This Magazine is printed onto stock from FSC managed forests and is fully recyclable in accordance with ISO certified standards for environmental, quality & energy management and is Carbon Balanced. This publication was printed locally by Hastings Print & Signage, an Environmentally Aware and Eco Friendly printing company.

Written by Sophie Harper Photography by Caitlin Lock Project Art Works, an inclusive rights-based art organisation in our hometown supports people who have complex support needs in a way that not only helps give them a platform of communication they feel comfortable with, but turns the table on societal norms and is striving to change the generalisation and assumptions around people often invisible from public life. We were lucky enough to be invited along to see for ourselves how this community is working together to engage, learn, and connect as human beings by embracing the unique differences of each individual.

“The core mission, the core value of the organisation is the same today as it was then – it’s about working with people in marginalised groups using art really as a vehicle for communication and for people to be able to represent themselves.” He explains how, often, people assume the programme at Project Art Works is about the development of neurodivergent artists, but he says that’s not really the point. “It is part of what we do but actually we position ourselves as a rights-based organisation. We create a bespoke programme for up to 40 artists who come each week and we work with people over a long period of time and develop these trustbased relationships – we don’t just work with individuals – we work with their families and support teams and through all the areas that impact their lives.”

Above: Kate Adams

Going back to the beginnings of Project Art Works, Kate Adams and Jonathan Cole co-founded the organisation in 1997. Kate tells me, “Project Art Works (was) inspired by my son, Paul, who among many other amazing attributes, has complex support needs. We began with a series of freeform creative residencies in special schools using materials and processes that were responsive and facilitated absolute creative freedom of interaction and exploration. The methodologies we developed in these early residencies remain the bedrock of our practice that now spans art, support, and activism.” The specialist workshops gathered pace and after a few years naturally evolved into the organisation it is today, Project Art Works. In 2000, the project was run by a team of four, including Tim Corrigan, the project’s Creative Director, who met Kate and Jon as a student. “From the very beginning it was about the rights and representation of people with quite complex support needs,” says Tim.

Katie Taylor joined the team four years ago as part of the Lottery funded projects and works alongside Patricia Finnegan to manage the creative programme. Katie explains that rather than see the programmes Project Art Works run as a progression of work with goals to achieve at different stages throughout the course, it’s more about understanding what each artist or maker is taking from and saying with their artwork. “I think sometimes people have a way of seeing all charities as the usual model of there being a group of people ‘in need’ and so this has been a shift in understanding the reciprocity in the way this place runs – here it’s more about just being human together. There’s a real give and take between the people paid to be here and the people paying to be here. It’s quite a special and unique environment in that sense. Obviously, it’s operating within all these different worlds – it’s a charity, it’s a social care organisation, it’s a cultural organisation, and we’re navigating all of those boundaries.” The common theme as I talk to each team member, and actually during an insightful tour of the studios where we were privileged enough to speak to and spend time with the artist/makers, is that there is no ‘us and them’ mentality and no formal agenda other than to support and better understand each other. “Themes of human connection and what it reveals about identity and how we view each other remain central,” says Kate. “We seek to protect the rights of people with complex support needs, challenging paradigms of

inclusion in art; responding to the functional and ethical structures of diligence and care; and respecting self-determination and privacy whilst working towards greater visibility, understanding and appreciation of neurodiversity in culture. I have never had a ‘forward plan’ or sense of career, so the way in which Project Art Works has evolved has been a wonderful surprise really!” She explains that the political context and awareness of disability and neurodivergence has shifted, which has led to more recognition of Project Art Work’s work through the Turner Prize shortlist and their inclusion in Documenta Fifteen last year – an international showcase of contemporary visual art. Tim tells me more about the artist/makers who attend the studios in relation to what different individuals might be seeking from the art collective. “The work is made in lots of different ways,” he says. “We could categorise these in three ways: people for whom being here is more akin to a traditional art college in some ways where people identify as artists, who have quite autonomous practices and want to see their art shown in exhibitions; then there’s very instinctive art makers who actually

might not identify as artists but have that relationship with materials and making and being creative; and then there are people for whom it’s very sensory and it’s actually about creating an environment around the ways we can reach and connect with each other. Lots of the work is collaborative between artist facilitators and people who access the studios and much of the work is created by people who might not necessarily be interested in a final product, so the artwork simply represents a moment in time being spent together.” Katie adds, “The essence of the creative programme is really about being able to engage in the way you’d like depending on how you feel on a particular day and knowing you have a space to do that in. There’s no graduation point so there’s no sense that you’ll just be here for a year or three years and at the end of that you will have learned these skills because they’re on the curriculum. Some of the artists have been using the studios for 17 years – that’s the longest so far – so it’s very much led by what each individual wants. Sometimes there will be collaborative projects where there’ll be a proposition that everyone can respond to in their own way, it’s always kept open and flexible.”

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Left: Katie Taylor Right: Tim Corrigan

Right: Sam Smith Below: George Smith

Clockwise from left: Jack Goldsmith Oliver Crowther & Luke Bebb Ellen Prebble

Top right: Georgie Scott & Paul Colley Right: Lucy Jenion Below: Sean Ormonde

They each tell me about the day-to-day running of the studios, which is just about to expand to merge the Linton Road bridge arches and Trinity Hall. “At the moment, in the context of increasing pressure on social care services, we have a growing list of people who are interested in working with us. We are seeking additional funding and developing a new space and models for partnering with other locally-embedded organisations so that we can continue to build and strengthen our community,” says Katie. “We are always happy to meet with someone and talk to them if they have an interest and sometimes you discover other ways you can work with someone outside the studio, or you might identify a need that only we as an organisation can address – because we are pretty specialist.” Kate tells me how they not only build relationships with the artists and makers who attend Project Art Works, but the families and care givers for those individuals too. “As well as our studio practice Project Art Works has developed our Support Collective. This is a group of people with lived experience of disability, family carers, support workers, and representatives from health and social care. We collectively share the aim of working towards person-centred and inclusive models of support and care and protecting the rights of people with support needs. This is a group that is open to anyone to join and particularly relevant for local people. We offer training, advocacy, and coordinate meet ups.”

Walking around the studios and chatting to artists like Jack Goldsmith, Paul Colley, and Ellen Prebble about their work, it’s clear this is a space where individuals feel the freedom to express themselves both creatively and emotionally. Tim tells me he feels Project Art Works offers a place for the people who

“We talk a lot about the non-hierarchical nature of the studios and I think people feel that their voice really counts. It’s a social space, a place to be heard.” — Tim Corrigan

access it to feel in control of their environment, where the power dynamic is reversed. “We talk a lot about the non-hierarchical nature of the studios and I think people feel that their voice really counts. It’s a social space, a place to be heard. We run quite a specialist element to the programme, it’s aimed specifically at people who might present quite serious behaviours of distress – we would have called it challenging behaviour some time ago, but actually it’s more the idea that the behaviour is a sign that something’s not right in someone’s life, which is a challenge for people who are supporting them. Often when people do operate in that way, they find that their lives get shut down quite quickly because there aren’t places that can support them – so they might be excluded from a school or college setting and they become more isolated. We try to fix environments, not people, so we create the right space for people to be in. A weekly art session isn’t going to fix everyone’s problems, but we can be a part of that joinedup approach around someone’s life and that can actually be quite impactful on their wellbeing and the wellbeing of the people supporting them and those two things are completely linked.” During our visit, I got to spend some time with artist Ellen Prebble, who specialises in wildlife and landscape painting. “I’ve done loads of commissions and I also paint birds, because birds are brilliant,” she says showing me a vibrant painting of an albatross. “That’s going in my exhibition,” she declares proudly. She tells me her exhibition is opening in January and running until April at Hastings Museum. Ellen takes pictures first or is given a photo as a reference point and then creates her artwork from those. “This is Venice,” she announces, unveiling a colourful canvas painted from a

photograph her mother took whilst on holiday. Ellen’s interpretation is exacting with focus on every detail – I’m immediately drawn in and start thinking about the commissions I’d like to put to her myself. Patricia Finnegan, the project’s Artist Development Lead, says she loves watching Ellen work as she starts with block detailing from one corner and works her way from there until the full canvas is done. “It’s like watching a jigsaw come together.” Ellen tells me that painting makes her happy and makes her feel relaxed. She shows me the paintings she’s chosen so far for the exhibition and says she’s looking forward to choosing more. “That one is brilliant,” she says unabashedly pointing to a painting she did of Kate’s garden – a commission that has been borrowed back for the exhibition, “I really nailed that one.” She’s not wrong. Tim explains that in order for there to be real equity, it has to be reciprocal, “There’s something every day we learn or takeaway, something that makes us laugh, and that’s why it’s about us being together,” he says. “There are lots of ways in which people make work free from self-conscious restraint that holds a mirror up to the way in which creativity is often constrained by this idea of who’s this for, who’s going to look at it, how’s it going to represent me – and when you’re free from that you’re making work in a very different way and there’s a lot to take from that, there’s a lot to take from different ways of being in the world, which again reflects back the absurdity of the social constructs we live our life in.” projectartworks.org ⚫ 11

Written by Damien Pestell Photography by JJ Waller

Singing is a popular hobby in the UK with over 2 million people regularly attending over 40,000 choirs across the country. In the Hastings area alone there are at least six different ones to choose from, appealing to a range of different musical tastes and approaches.

“You get to a certain period in your life when your kids have gone and you need a new purpose. It’s time for us to follow our dreams now.” Lifted up choir in Bexhill is a gospel choir run by Day Lavale. When I visited them they were in the middle of rehearsals for their biggest concert so far, a big Christmas gig at the De La Warr Pavilion. Stepping inside the old church where they meet there was a hubbub of activity as people greeted each other before practice. I spoke to a couple of regulars, Stella and Caz about what it means to them. Caz told me, “You get to a certain period in your life when your kids have gone and you need a new purpose. It’s time for us to follow our dreams now.” The choir itself is divided into different sections based on voice type, so you sit with the people who have a similar pitch to you. I’d sung in a choir before so I knew I was a tenor/ bass and so I positioned myself amongst them. As I sat down I got speaking to Chris, a fellow bass who was sitting behind me. Chris is a former maths teacher with a very deep voice. He told me, “If I’m not the oldest, I’m definitely one of the oldest.” and also that, “It’s a great sense of community”. As practice began, Day hushed everyone down and we started an energetic warm-up to get our body and vocal cords moving. It was led by an enthusiastic lady who seemed to really enjoy her job. 15 minutes later, and breathing a bit more heavily, the warm up finished and we got to the singing. We started by working our way through some of the classics including, ‘Lovely Day’ by Bill Withers, ‘All I Need’ by Marvin Gaye and ‘You’ve Got a Friend’ by Carole King. It’s music I enjoy so it was easy to get into the swing of it. Day is very charismatic and kept the choir in check with equal parts stick and carrot. Laughing and joking with the group at one moment, before singling out the different sections for improvement the next. At one point he declared, “I’m coming for you tenors!”. To which, I must admit I was a little scared. But it was all in good humour and I really respected his skill as a musician in tuning the choir to the levels needed.

“It’s a family. When we get together, I think people leave a lot of their troubles at the door.”

After belting out a few more hits, it was time to take a break and I was delighted to find that there was a large spread of food put on. Singing is hungry work and I re-stocked my energy levels with some delicious homemade bhajis, before resuming with some interviews.

Nathan is a surveyor for Network Rail in the day but at night he is the keyboard player for the choir. An integral role helping Day to guide the group. He had a very welcoming energy and clearly enjoyed being part of the choir, saying, “It’s nice to play with other people, we all bounce off each other.” Shortly after speaking to Nathan, I located Day and we sat down to chat. He may seem fierce on the stage, but in person he’s actually very gentle and passionate about what he does. He said, “I was brought up in the gospel tradition and sang in choirs from a young age.” He carried his passion for singing into his adult life, running a successful singing programme in London which had concerts at venues such

as the Royal Albert Hall as well as appearing on TV. But, eventually he got burned out and lost his love for it. He said, ”I left London and came to Bexhill to get away from it.” He was unsure if he would return to music, but after some time out and deliberation, decided to try again and formed Lifted Up Community Choir in 2019. The choir has become a success, with another set up in Eastbourne, but it wasn’t always the case. Explaining, Day said, “I got a bit of a surprise when I started, because only 6 to 8 people came in the first year. I realised that my heart wasn’t in it. I had to commit or not do it at all.” When he committed, the numbers changed and the Bexhill ensemble is now over 100 strong. But he also told me it’s not just about the music, saying, “It’s a family. When we get together, I think people leave a lot of their troubles at the door”. Leaving the choir to finish their practice I made my way out, feeling all the better for coming.

The second choir I visited was the following night. Hastings Punk Choir is run by Karen Burgess and they practice in the Electric Palace Cinema in Old Town. Which is where I arrived before rehearsals began on a rather stormy night. A little soggy but pleased to be there, I set my wet jacket on the radiator and Karen welcomed me in. Intrigued by what a Punk choir was, Karen explained. “We promote enjoyment first and that anyone can sing. We don’t take ourselves too seriously.” adding, “We want to sing songs that other choirs wouldn’t sing”. After speaking with Karen I met Terese, originally from Cork who was surprised to find herself in a choir at all. She said, “When I was little I loved singing, but I was always told to be quiet so I thought that I couldn’t sing.” There was a good turn out as the punks started to arrive. And it was lovely to see them all dressed up in their punk gear with lots of red and black with check trousers and t-shirts from the era.

Just before we started I sat in a spare seat at the back and got speaking to Lorna who was next to me. She said, “I can’t sing, but I always wanted to be in a rock band.” As we began I opened the song book to ‘Germ Free Adolescent’ by X-Ray Spex. A little bit different to Marvin Gaye and with some rather unusual lyrics, but you know what, it was really fun. And despite many of the group saying they couldn’t sing, together they were very tuneful. The one thing that really stood out to me was the force of the songs. As they moved to the stage I stayed in my seat and received a personal performance where I could actually physically feel the songs in my seat.

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As they sat back down we continued. Some of the lyrics in the songs were tricky to get right so we had to practice them, which is where Tom came in. He is the musical director of the choir and a teacher by day. He said, “It’s not my genre. A lot of them are influenced

“We promote enjoyment first and that anyone can sing. We don’t take ourselves too seriously.”

by punk, but also there are a lot who are just intrigued.” Continuing he said, “People want reconnection with others, it’s like therapy and we’re all mates now.” The next song I did know, ‘Teenage Kicks’ by The Undertones, which we all enjoyed and laughed at the mistakes we made. The music itself was definitely of a period I wasn’t familiar with, but I was still able to appreciate it.

I snuck out the back as practice drew to an end. They were off to the pub after for a social drink. It was a great experience to spend time with two of our local choirs and witness the benefits of singing first hand. I for one am a convert, all that’s left to do is decide which one to join. ⚫

“People want reconnection with others, it’s like therapy and we’re all mates now.”

DARIA FISHER SOUND UPSIDE DOWN Interview by Caitlin Lock Photography by Toby Shaw & Georgii Kashcheev

Daria Fisher Sound Upside Down

Hailing from the same Russian republic as Tchaikovsky – sound producer, singer, classical violin player and former Nike Women Ambassador Daria Fisher dropped in to St Leonards at the end of the summer and decided to… hang out.

After reaching out to me in search of a local production crew for her newest video concept, we arranged to meet for coffee at Hanushka (Robertson Street, Hastings). Within seconds of meeting Daria, it was quite clear that she means business: calm, collected and friendly – driven and dynamic with a modest style that commands curiosity, Daria’s energy is exciting and I immediately asked to interview her for this magazine. “I want to hang upside down from a bridge or a tree next, perhaps on an aerial installation on the beach”. Ok, Daria… tell me everything!

“Well, I was born in a city called Izhevsk in the Udmurt Republic, which is also the birthplace of the renowned composer

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. We are good people and speak a different language, Udmurt, which my grandparents mostly spoke. Unfortunately, this language is quite ancient, so fewer people speak it now. Mostly, it’s spoken only in my republic. I started playing the violin at the age of five. I had a very good violin teacher, and I practised a lot. My mom is also a violinist, and she inspired me to play because I always heard her at home, as well as in the orchestras she performed in.” Daria not only mastered the violin at a young age, but began her career as a street performer at the age of six. Self-assured and unapologetically herself, it’s easy to imagine a younger Daria effortlessly dazzling and captivating passersby on the streets of St. Petersburg, Milan and Nice.

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“Someone suggested putting me on a crane for a performance! It was higher than I expected, but it helped me realise that my music is part of the environment.”

It was her mother’s career that inspired Daria to spread her wings and leave her homeland. “I found freedom in Italy. Initially, we moved there for my mom’s career, but I stayed to continue my violin studies at the academy in Milan. It was in Italy that my personal style began to take shape. I played less classical music and started incorporating electronics, vocals, and effects that I liked at the time. I was also influenced by David Blaine, Tarkovsky, and David Lynch’s cinema (just listening to his voice felt like healing to me).” By this point, you might be as intrigued as I am to learn how this evolution led to Daria playing her violin suspended high above the ground… “It was Christmas in Bergamo when my performance style became more elevated. I had long told my friends that when I play, it feels like my music is above the ground in the air, above me. I could describe it as my state in the air above the ground. Someone suggested putting me on a crane for a performance! It was higher than I expected, but it helped me realise that my music is part of the environment. I think I was on the 23rd floor. And all the people seemed very small. I had the opportunity to perform my music at a different level.”

It was around this time that Daria was noticed by Nike, who approached her while she was performing on the streets of Moscow and asked her to become one of the heroines of their “Believe in More” project. The collaboration increased the production value of Daria’s work, providing her with a platform to showcase her talent in style and music in high-quality videos and streetwear fashion photoshoots. Daria created music and video inspired by Nike Woman’s new collection. It’s fair to say that the opportunity took Daria’s artistry to a new level. Fast forward to Moscow in 2020: Daria is hanging upside down, high above the snowy landscape while her Nike video plays in stores throughout the Russian capital. “My eyes were constantly watering from the low temperatures, but I was completely focused on the final video. Playing in this inverted position feels like freedom; you can feel the changes it brings to your body and your performance. This element of danger makes you think differently and consequently, makes you play differently. In my work, I always try to be surrounded by nature; I believe we are all connected. I feel like a high channel.”

Daria Fisher Sound Upside Down

This connectedness is always present in Daria’s music. Ethereal, deep, transcendental electronic music with otherworldly vocals and hints of her classical background. “My music is more reminiscent of rituals. Perhaps the sound of a broken violin mixed with electronics. I blend my vocals, violin, and create electronic sounds. Usually, I work alone on sound creation, from mixing to mastering. I’ve had experience working with other soundtrack producers, but I realised that it’s important for me to do it independently because no one else can know, feel, and convey the meaning the way I hear it within myself. I strive to express my feelings through music as clearly as possible.” So, Daria, why St Leonards?

“I visited a friend here, fell in love with the place, and moved here the next day! I’ve lived in many places in Russia, Italy, France,

and London, but I like the closeness to nature here – the peace and space makes me happy. I don’t have many favourite places yet because I’m a newcomer, but I enjoy going into the forests and being near the water.” What’s next for Daria Fisher? “I’m currently in St. Leonards – I want to connect with other performers and promoters and start organising concerts myself. I also want to create more videos where I perform upside down in the local environment. I’m ready to take risks for my art. I want to inspire people and I don’t want it to be easy.”

Listen to Daria’s music releases at soundcloud.com/fisherdaria Watch Daria’s incredible visual creations on her Instagram @dariafisher_ ⚫

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Written by James Endeacott Illustration by Jackie Parsons Poly Styrene is a Punk Icon. Poly Styrene’s image, words and music will live forever. Poly Styrene will continue to inspire, educate and excite generations to come. Poly’s daughter, Celeste Bell summed her mother up beautifully in her introduction to the book ‘Dayglo – The Poly Styrene Story’ (Omnibus Press, 2019). “She was an artist, a maverick, an individual and an eccentric. She marched to the beat of her own drum with little care for social norms and expectations. She also struggled, as so many creative geniuses do, with mental health issues. But my mother was an incredible human being. An inspiration in every sense of the word. An inspiration not only to me but to thousands of people across the world. Many of those young people are young women, who, through listening to my mother’s lyrics, have been able to find their own voices.” In July 1976 Mari Elliott and friends were in Hastings celebrating Mari’s 19th birthday. Mari knew Hastings well having spent a few holidays there. As they passed the pier, someone noticed a tacky dayglo sign that read ‘SEX PISTOLS’... Mari entered the almost empty ballroom, stood in the centre and watched Johnny Rotten, Glen Matlock, Paul Cook and Steve Jones tear the roof

off the past and point towards the future. Mari was energised seeing Sex Pistols and like so many before her, she decided to take it further. Her already blossoming musical skills (she’d recently released a reggae-tinged single called ‘Silly Billy’ on GTO Records) took a turn as she began to write more radical lyrics and started to feed off the mass consumerism around her. Mari Elliott soon became Poly Styrene and X-Ray Spex were born. X-Ray Spex burned fast and furious. In three short years they released five singles and one album. Songs that still resonate to this day. Hearing Poly scream OH! BONDAGE UP YOURS still sends a shiver down my spine. Her vocals on Identity make you sit up and take notice. Who are we and what have we become? I really believe Poly was more punk than punk. Punk was not about spitting, swearing and having funny coloured hair. Punk was and still is an attitude. Do your own thing. Be yourself. Be individual. Sounds easy but as we all know, it’s not. It’s easier to do what other people are doing and to go with the flow. Yeah, we’ll argue every now and then about this and that but ultimately, we toe the line. Listen to those five singles and one album and be inspired. On July 3rd 2021 an unofficial blue plaque was placed on the house in St Leonards where Poly had lived from 2004 – 2011 before her untimely death in a local hospice. It was unveiled 45 years to the day that she’d seen Sex Pistols on Hastings Pier and on what would’ve been her 64th birthday. I went to have a look at the plaque a few days later. Standing there on my own, tears started to roll down my face. I didn’t know Poly personally and to be honest I’d not listened to the X-Ray Spex album all the way through for many a year but something touched me and I wept. I wept for all the outsiders who still struggle, for the people who need to find strength to carry on. I also cried tears of joy for the thousands of people around the world who have been spiritually saved and enlightened by lyrics and music. Suddenly I found myself outside the science lab at Heath Grammar School, Halifax in late 1978. I was a skinny kid with a shock of ginger hair and not an ounce of anger in me. Schoolchildren can be cruel though and I was picked on constantly…

bullied actually and it was pretty awful. I don’t like to remember because it upsets me and I never understood why they did it. Was it because my accent was slightly different? Because my hair was too curly? Because my parents had split up? Whatever the reason, it was a constant in my life. Maybe not every day but it was there, lurking in the shadows of the dusty school corridors. Like many others before and since, I retreated into myself and got lost in my own world. My world was music and records. I was obsessed – I would spend any pocket money I got on singles by whatever punk or new wave band I could find. Rich Kids. Siouxsie and The Banshees. The Fall. The Clash. Stranglers. X-Ray Spex. I really loved X-Ray Spex, especially the single that had come out earlier in the year called ‘The Day The World Turned Dayglo’. I knew all the words to pretty much every single I owned but there was something about X-Ray Spex – the words seemed modern and bright and otherworldly. For a 13-year-old kid from Halifax listening to those X-Ray Spex singles was like getting a colour TV after years of black and white. It was that important.

Anyway back to the science lab. I was in line to go into class and three or four bullies started calling me names and prodding me. I asked them to stop

and that I was tired of it. Prior to them coming over to me I’d been enthusing about X-Ray Spex to my friend Anthony who was buzzing off my excitement. One of the bullies noticed this and questioned what I was talking about. I told them I was telling my friend about this great band and a single they’d got out and how good the words were. “Sing all the words to that song or we’ll kick your head in.” Terrified but also quietly confident I sang every verse and chorus proudly and to my astonishment they kept their side of the bargain and left me alone. The bullying slowed down after that and life at school became a little easier. Shortly before her death, Poly was interviewed by BBC Radio 6 Music… “I know I’ll probably be remembered for ‘Oh Bondage Up Yours!’ but I’d like to be remembered for something a bit more spiritual.” You are Poly. You are. ⚫

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BEN FENTON ON PAINTING & MENTAL HEALTH Interview by Mel Elliott All imagery by Ben Fenton

Ben Fenton is a Hastings-based artist, known for his abstract paintings of local architecture and coastline landscapes. In this interview, Ben opens up about his long-term mental health struggles, his relationship with the area and the sea — and of course, his art.

WE LAST AN ETERNITY (DUNGENESS POWER STATION) 2022 Oil on canvas H: 76cm X W: 102cm

Are you Hastings born and bred? “No, I’m originally from Dungeness in Kent, so I’m a Stonerunner. My father was a trawlerman so we moved around somewhat but obviously stayed beside the coast, also living in Greatstone, Rye and Winchelsea Beach. My grandparents owned Prospect Cottage, but when my grandfather died, my nan sold it to Derek Jarman. I moved here in 2018. I had been living in Rye but my mental health had been worsening for some time, leading to me ending up in a secure mental health hospital in 2017. When I was released, I was homeless. I moved to Hastings to try and rebuild my life.”

So how did you find navigating your way out of homelessness? “The secure mental hospital was one of the most frightening experiences of my life. I have

long had dealings with the lack of effective mental health care, both in London and here in East Sussex, throughout my adult life, but it was entirely encapsulated by my stay there. I then spent three months homeless. I did attempt to end my life, and I believe I would have succeeded without the love and support of my parents. I believe it is absolutely imperative to be as open and honest as possible about mental illness because, without a shadow of a doubt, the stigma still remains and forces too many people to suffer silently. The only way to overcome that, and force change in the understanding that this is not something to be romanticised or feared, is by normalising its discussion. So I eventually got enough money together to rent a grotty little flat in Hastings and decided to take my art seriously.

WHEN YOU RISE WITH THE DAY, I MIGHT NOT HAVE TOO MUCH TO SAY NO.01 (DYMCHURCH GRAND REDOUBT) 2022 Oil on canvas H: 122cm X W: 152cm

“I believe it is absolutely imperative to be as open and honest as possible about I now live in the Old Town with my son and mental illness because, without my daughter, who has just graduated and lives in London, visits regularly. We all love it here.” a shadow of a doubt, the stigma Have you received a diagnosis regarding still remains and forces too your mental health? How is it these days? “I suffer from manic depression and borderline many people to suffer silently.” personality disorder. Such fun! There’s a well I soon found an art community that was willing to welcome me in (Tina Morris, Ray Gange and Rowan Corkill). Life began to slowly feel like it was worth living again.

worn old cliché about artists needing to suffer for their art. I really don’t know whether that is true, but I do know that my mental illness has instilled a resilience in me that has stood me in good stead to keep making work, and the work I do make is entirely about my mental health. My life would be very different indeed if I didn’t have this. There are often weeks and

months at a time when it beats the shit out of me. When I can’t function and life seems like an endless series of resets. Because of this relationships, and even friendships, are impossible. The most insidious aspect of my mental illness is loneliness. It can be utterly crippling, so I try to express that through my painting.”

“I hope that my work at first seems serene, and perhaps even beautiful, but if you were to sit with it for some time, the emptiness becomes apparent.” Do you think that your mental health struggles play a part in your paintings? For example, can you see your good days and your bad days in them? “I hope that my work at first seems serene, and perhaps even beautiful, but if you were to sit with it for some time, the emptiness becomes apparent. The best way I can think to describe it is this:The paintings I make are my attempt to express the Manic Depression and Borderline Personality Disorder I have suffered from all of my life, through the beauty of empty spaces. The most insidious aspect of my mental illness is the loneliness I can never shake free from. By painting the unpopulated architecture and desolate coastlines I grew up with, I try to convey a feeling of isolation, manifested through a colour palette of vividness and light because it is imperative to understand that mental illness is not about darkness, but absence.” And does painting provide you therapy in some way? “So indeed, painting is my job and my living. In fact it’s my vocation. But much more than that, it is my daily therapy without a doubt. I spend most of my life in a room on my own making art and there I am happy. I am very fortunate in that respect. However, I would swap it all in an instant to be able to hold together a loving relationship and family life.”

Are you self-taught or did you attend art school? “I am a self taught artist. I moved to London at 18 as an apprentice hairdresser and quit that to become a gym instructor in Soho. I bought

myself a couple of canvas boards and some oils and began to paint, with the ambition of one day making something I would be happy to hang on my wall.” What does your creative process look like? “My paintings always begin as photographs that I take myself. I have thousands stored away that I may sit on for years before I think they’re ready to try and work on. I plot them in and then begin a process I have developed slowly over the last five or six years. It’s very laborious and involves the application of oil paint and spraying of white spirit whilst the canvas is manipulated to achieve texture and direction. That is repeated, often for weeks, until it feels right, then paint is scraped on, and off, again and again before lining in is attempted. There really is no definitive timescale to the paintings I make. If everything flows well, they could take three to four weeks, but some are worked on for months, and others years.” What is it about Brutalist architecture that appeals to you? “My fascination with painting concrete begins back on my native Romney Marsh. The sea defences have always been imperative to the Marsh due to it being so far below sea level. The unofficial motto of the land is borrowed from the Dr Synn novels which were set in Dymchurch:- ‘Serve God, honour the king but first maintain the wall!’ The modern sea walls found at Broomhill Sands and Dymchurch are concrete rebuttals to the English Channel reclaiming the lands we have borrowed from it. Again, I find a beautiful simile between that and mental illness, but on an aesthetic level, concrete is fascinating. I began attempting to paint it through the

I WAS NOWHERE. I AM NOW HERE (MARINE COURT. ST LEONARDS) (COMMISSION) 2023 Oil on canvas H: 92cm X W: 122cm

AND THEN THE SUN CAME OUT AGAIN (BOTTLE ALLEY) 2023 Oil on canvas H: 50cm X W: 75cm

I KNOW YOU DO NO.01 (BROOMHILL SANDS) 2023 Oil on canvas H: 70cm X W: 100cm

I KNOW YOU DO NO.02 (BROOMHILL SANDS) 2023 Oil on canvas H: 70cm X W: 100cm

sea walls and Bottle Alley and realised it’s impossible to capture, due to its surface morphing and reflecting the environment and weather surrounding it. Those early attempts led to further exploration and something of a eureka moment. I had always felt an affinity to Brutalism due to its uncompromising nature, but pairing the scale and vague foreboding of Brutalist architecture with the almost intangible nature of its veneer gives me an itch I need to scratch.” And what is it about Bottle Alley that you love to paint so much? “When I moved to Hastings I was very quickly recommended Bottle Alley as a possible place to paint. I instantly fell in love with it, and the other architectural gems scattered around the town by Sidney Little. But there is something about Bottle Alley’s strength, solidity and faded grandeur, set against the shifting shingle and endless cold grey green waters that inspire me. Along with the Dymchurch Grand Redoubt, it has best come to represent my mental illness in my works.” Where are you exhibiting at the moment? “I am represented by Taylor-Jones & Son Gallery in Deal, Kent so the art I make is exhibited there.” What locations do you have in the pipeline for painting? “Next year I am planning on photographing and painting the Maunsell Forts off of the north Kent coast. I shall also be exploring more of the British Isles and painting the coastlines and architecture that I feel is appropriate.” Your grandparents owned Prospect Cottage before they sold it to Derek Jarman. What was it like spending parts of your childhood there? “I am a Dungenesser. It was a very different place in the late seventies and eighties. I spent the first week of my life there as my dad was away at sea. When we moved away, my sister Melanie and I would often spend weekends and school holidays visiting my grandparents. It was obviously normal to us, but with hindsight it was incredibly free and exciting, as well as wild and woolly. We would roam the beach and the gravel pits and my papa would have daily

bonfires out the back. My grandparents were incredibly loving and each night we would camp down in my nanna’s bedroom and she would tell us stories as the rain battered down and the intermittent beam from the lighthouse illuminated the room through her thin pink curtains to the accompanying mournful call from the foghorn. It was blissful!”

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Did you have a happy childhood? I read that your father would take you out fishing at the age of four. “My father first took me out to sea when I was four years old. He fished out of Rye then, and because it is a mile and a half from the sea, once you had committed to steaming out, you had to stay out for at least twelve hours. That first night was particularly stormy and we didn’t have life jackets so he tied me to the mast! I thought it was the greatest thing in the world. Dad was an experienced fisherman and I never once felt in any danger, despite it being a job fraught with so many things that could go drastically wrong. I’ve seen water spouts, submarines breach through the water and masses of jellyfish as far as the eye could see. It was again, something I took for granted when I was young, and despite it being incredibly hard work, a privilege that not many people get to experience. I have nothing but respect for anyone who works on the sea.” Would you say that you’re ambitious as an artist? What are your dreams for the future? “Ambition as an artist is something I struggle with, and ambition as a man that has this mental illness often seems like a luxury I cannot afford, or am not allowed. However, I do have things I want to achieve. I hope I can continue to make the work that I do. I am of the opinion that every day in my studio is a little victory. I believe my work is constantly improving, and that excites me. I hope that I can demonstrate that mental illness is possible to live with. Most importantly, I hope I can be a good father and find a point where I can find real happiness.” ⚫

Interview by Louise Coulthard Photography by Josie Barnes

She’s a New York Times best-selling author, award-winning filmmaker and founder of The Sloth Appreciation Society, Lucy Cooke is a witty British zoologist living in Hastings. As a millennial feminist and Attenborough addict I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Lucy’s latest book, ‘Bitch: A revolutionary guide to sex, evolution and the female animal’, hailed as one of the 50 Best Books of 2022 by The Telegraph. We sat down in her characterful home, amidst two large porcelain leopards and her delightful dog chewing his favourite toy (a fluffy yet very soggy croissant). Sipping coffee from her ‘The Worlds Worst Feminist’ mug, Lucy and I got down to the business behind Bitch. What’s your background and how did you end up where you are today? “It’s been a strange and wonderful experience! I grew up around here, my dad was a countryman and my grandfather was a shepherd, they were self-taught experts on birds. Just people who understood the natural world and knew about it from old-fashioned observation. I grew up going frogging in the ditches of Romney Marsh and looking for bird nests in bluebell woods with my dad, so I always loved nature. I became fascinated with evolution when I saw David Attenborough’s ‘Life on Earth’, it blew my mind, this extra-ordinary diversity which existed beyond my back garden. I won a place at New College, Oxford and studied Zoology, but knew I was never going to be a scientist, I’m a storyteller. When I left university I got into television, I was Jonathan Ross’s secretary, then worked on a whole load of comedy shows. I had an unconventional life crisis and decided I wanted to leave TV and head off around South America by myself looking for frogs. I wanted to make a funny film about amphibian extinction and decline. Nobody would give me any money so I thought ‘I don’t need your permission, I can just go!’. Rather than filming it, I wrote a blog ‘The Amphibian Avenger’, and it ended up taking off in an unexpected way. National Geographic read it and asked me if I wanted my own TV series which was a bizarre thing. Not what I had planned! But that’s how I ended up in front of the camera and writing. It’s where my life pivoted, I became a storyteller.”

What lead you to write Bitch? “Not just being bought a ‘World’s Worst Feminist’ mug by my friend! I’m really interested in how culture shapes science.

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I was taught by Richard Dawkins at Oxford, the standard Darwinian paradigm: males being the active drivers for evolutionary change and females being the passive footnotes. I found that a depressing thing to be taught, particularly this idea that females were coy and submissive, seeking chastity and males seeking promiscuity, it did my head in. Who are the males having sex with if the females are chaste, it doesn’t make any sense! Cut to years later, I find myself in the Serengeti. We were trying to have a conversation with a lion by blasting out a recorded sound of another lion’s roar and out of the gloom, to my amazement, came three lions. Two females and a male. The male buggered off, but the females lay in front of the Jeep, legs-a-kimbo. The guide informed me that they probably want to mate with us and that female lions are incredibly promiscuous during their fertility period and will mate with multiple males. Nobody had ever taught me that! It sparked an interest... maybe things aren’t how I was taught. There was a story to tell about the revolution that is happening in our understanding of what it is to be female. I realised this was a really big subject and it was worthy of a book. Obviously, academics have written about this bias, but it hasn’t necessarily transferred into popular culture. That’s the space I’m interested in, where popular culture and science meet. It’s fascinating to me that we are still so hung up on these patriarchal stereotypes that date back to the Victorian era.” What has the impact of feminism had on evolutionary biology? “There were feminists who contested Darwin at the time but they weren’t privy to the same education so they didn’t have the same clout, their voices were unheard. In the latter waves of feminism, there were groups of women scientists who were the first generation to benefit from the same kind of education as men. They were empowered to ask questions about females. Science is all about asking questions. One tends to ask questions about their sphere of interest, for so long science was dominated by men who naturally were interested in the male perspective. It wasn’t

‘Bitch’ by Lucy Cooke

all sexism, you’re just interested in what you’re interested in, viewing the world from the prism of your own existence. Once women started arriving on the scene and challenging these stereotypes it meant we were able to ask new questions which recognised female agency.”

“IN THE LATTER WAVES OF FEMINISM, THERE WERE GROUPS OF WOMEN SCIENTISTS WHO WERE THE FIRST GENERATION TO BENEFIT FROM THE SAME KIND OF EDUCATION AS MEN.”

We often presume animal couples are heterosexual, so I was particularly interested in your research with Bonobos, which you say are the ‘make love, not war’ apes, and research suggests they’re fundamentally bisexual. What else did you find? “That side of the story was really revelatory to me. I went in search of sexist bias but what I wasn’t expecting to find was a heteronormative one, it was fascinating. We have this idea that all animal couples are male and female, but when you look at the animal kingdom sex and sex roles happen in all sorts of different ways. A great example is the albatross. Albatrosses only lay one egg, it’s energetically expensive for the female and it takes six months to fledge the chick so you have to have pairs to raise it, parents will tag team. Some nests had double clutches, so all sorts of explanations were flying around as to why there might be two eggs in one nest. It was only less than ten years ago that Lindsay Young, a scientist there, checked if both parents were actually male and female. She found to her surprise a third of the nests were female-female. One couple that I met had been together for 17 years, they had raised eight chicks and three grand chicks. Their relationship just works, they do all the same lovey-dovey nuzzling and dances that a heterosexual couple would, but they are two females. It just shows the plasticity of sexuality and sex roles and makes a mockery of this stereotype and idea that gender behaviour should all fall in line.”

When researching Bitch was there anything that surprised or disappointed you? “You’d like to think matriarchies are better than patriarchies but when you look at the meerkats and how vicious and brutal their society is with the females in charge, eating their competitors’ babies for breakfast, it’s no more pleasant than a patriarchal one. Although I did find inspiration amongst the orcas, which are a matriarchal society and one of the only species we know of that go through menopause. They’ve evolved longevity to live beyond their ovaries, which is very rare in the animal kingdom. These post-menopausal grannies have a role in their society, they’re not disappearing into the background like a grey puddle, they’re at the front leading it. That was very inspiring.” You visited some amazing research locations, did you have a favourite? “I would say Madagascar. I’d wanted to go all my life and this book gave me the perfect opportunity. Islands breed freaks, they are evolutional factories of idiosyncrasy. You have lemurs there but also these crazy chameleons and badass spiders like the Darwin Spider that makes the biggest web in the world, she’s in Madagascar devouring her lover after sex. There’s just so much to revel in there.” You travel so much, but what keeps you in Hastings? “The reason why I moved back down here was because I felt a connection with the landscapes. I grew up with them, particularly Pett Level, the marsh and those big, big skiesand the canals. I’m still drawn to them, It’s like my happy place. I really love that. It’s about the whole environment down here.” What’s next? “I’m writing a new book called Cock and Bull: The Great Masculinity Myth. It’s the flip side of Bitch. Males have been victims of patricidal stereotypes as well, which has limited our understanding of male behaviour, so I’m writing about what alpha males are really like in the animal kingdom. I’ve been really grateful living in Hastings whilst writing and felt so supported by the local bookstores. Hastings Bookshop is running a night where I’ll talk about Bitch and sign books. It’s on Thursday 7th December, I’ll be selling my Sloth calendars there too!” ⚫

BAGELS thesleeperstore

47 KINGS ROAD • ST LEONARDS-ON-SEA OPEN: WEDNESDAY TO SATURDAY

photolotte

The Top Five New Books at Printed Matter...

Reviews by Lee Humphries of printedmatterhastings.co.uk

How to Dismantle the NHS in 10 Easy Steps by Youssef El-Gingihy (Paperback, £10)

The Deficit Myth by Stephanie Kelton (Paperback, £10)

The only thing I find wrong about this book is the title in that it should have been the “Tax-Payers Money” Myth. This book, although written from an American perspective, applies to the UK economy as we have our own sovereign currency. The book describes Modern Monetary Theory (MMT), in a layperson’s way to help you understand how government spending actually works especially as our currency is no longer tied to the Gold Standard. It flips all the Thatcherite dogma about there being no ‘public money’ on its head and is a paradigm shift all must understand for any genuine change in our country.

Written by a GP, this is a 40 year history of how our NHS has slowly been privatised by stealth. All political parties come out of this badly and none more so than New Labour breaking up the NHS into Primary & Secondary Care. This break up also then led to the creation of Foundation Trusts and Private Finance Initiatives (PFI’s), being introduced. Rather than spending public money to build new hospitals, PFI’s were used to pay the private sector to build – which came with high interest payments and in some cases would then bankrupt hospitals. The final nail in the coffin came with the Coalition government’s Health & Social Care Act 2014 which enabled selling off the profitable parts of the NHS, buildings, hospitals, etc, and abolishing the Duty of Care. Waiting lists became longer, burnt out staff left or switched to the private sector and it’s been deliberately run into the ground ready for the introduction of American-style healthcare insurance which will soon replace free healthcare.

by Pavlina R. Tcherneva (Paperback, £10)

As opposed to the Universal Basic Income (UBI), this book argues that we should all have access to full employment as the government should be the employer of last resort and offer employment to all of those who want a job. Pavlina argues that we urgently need a Green New Deal due to climate change, and this involves employing thousands of extra people to achieve this goal and she explains how it would be financed by public spending – challenging those who still believe in Thatcher’s dogma that our government is the same as a household.

Tenants

Treasure Islands

by Vicky Spratt (Paperback, £10)

by Nicholas Shaxson (Paperback, £10)

A field I’ve worked in for many years around housing, this book is a great source of examples of how the UK’s private rented sector has been for a long time an unregulated headache for so many tenants and due to the mass sell off of social housing, made much worse as this is now the only form of housing for most of the country. Vicky also highlights the plight of vulnerable people who are approaching their local authorities for housing and can often (if they are accepted of deserving support), be housed in temporary accommodation far away from schools, jobs, friends, family, etc, causing added stress and anxiety. Vicky also talks about the Property Guardian experience in one of her chapters highlighting that other housing options can also be problematic. A well researched book and very pertinent.

A great book exposing the monopoly power of finance both in its role to lobby government to suit its agenda and assist wealthy people to hide money away so they have to pay little tax, leaving taxation to the little people. This is the first of two books (The Finance Curse being the 2nd), addressing this problem of how the City of London uses secrecy and lobbying to assist its clients to evade taxation via tax havens, and how the City of London has used its historic mystery to enable it. As Shaxson writes, any country that allows finance to get too big and powerful is then cursed by it. The City lobbyists insist on deregulation and to shrink the State (meaning public spending), thus enabling the indebted man and woman, leading to huge amounts of private debt. ⚫

The Case for a Job Guarantee

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Instead of our usual district guide, this issue tries to get you off of the High Street and into some of our wonderful local shops with our Independent Christmas Shopping Guide. Galleria provides a very special alternative to turkey, we pay a visit to the wonderful Seaview Project and we have our usual Young Voice and a very festive How We Met feature too. 47 — Galleria Seafood Bar recipe 50 — Get Growing with Tony Howard 52 — Seaview Project 58 — Independent Christmas Shopping Guide 66 — Young Voice 68 — How We Met 70 — 5 x 1 Photo by Caitlin Lock

GALLERIA

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S E AF O OD BAR

Words by Mel Elliott Photography by Steve Painter (stevepainter.co.uk) Gianluca Tozzi and Jack Booth opened Galleria seafood bar in 2020 during the small gap between lockdowns. Their aim was to support the local fishermen and women by serving up dishes where seasonal fish and veg is the star, as well as showcasing some of the best English and European wines with their relaxed yet intimate space. Gianluca originates from Puglia on the South Coast of Italy, famous for its world class cuisine. With affordable lunch menus and to-diefor tasting menus, Galleria showcases local fish and other produce at its very best. Already, since opening, they have been labelled Best Newcomers

by The Good Food Guide and I’m sure there’ll be more awards coming their way. We asked Gianluca if he would kindly supply a recipe for something a bit special for anyone who would like to give turkey a miss this year and he didn’t disappoint. Open Wed – Sun email info@galleriabar.co.uk to reserve a table galleriabar.co.uk

Galleria 39 Norman Road St Leonards

Pan fried Halibut supreme, lemon cauliflower purée, wilted spinach with a clam pernod beurre blanc

For the clam pernod beurre blanc 24 clams 2 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped Dill stalks (reserved from purée) 50ml or 1 small glass of dry white wine 50g butter 50g flour 50ml Pernod (or Ricard) 100ml double cream 1 egg yolk Leave the clams in heavily salted water for at least 2 hours in the fridge. Wash them before using and discard any that are open.

A delicious treat for the festive season. Halibut has a lovely meaty texture that combines perfectly with the smooth cauliflower purée and the clam pernod beurre blanc. If halibut is unavailable then cod would be a good alternative. Just make sure the fillets are nice and thick. Serves 4 For the lemon cauliflower purée 2 shallots, finely chopped 1 potato, peeled and finely diced 1 large cauliflower, chopped into small pieces Milk 100g cold Butter plus extra knob for sautéing Zest of 1 lemon Salt & pepper Small bunch fresh dill, leaves stripped and chopped (keep the stalks aside for the sauce). In a medium saucepan, sauté the shallots and potato with a knob of butter. Add the chopped cauliflower and sauté all together for a further 5 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Cover with the milk and simmer at a low heat until soft. Strain and reserve the milk and put the cauliflower, potato & shallots into a blender. Blitz, adding some of the strained milk until you reach a creamy but firm consistency. Add the lemon zest and chopped dill leaves.

For the wilted spinach 500g fresh spinach, washed and dried 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 2 tbsp olive oil Salt & pepper Juice of 1 lemon Sauté the sliced garlic with olive oil. Add the spinach and 2 tbsp of water to wilt the spinach Season with salt & pepper. Finish with the lemon juice.

In a medium saucepan heat 2 tbsp of olive oil garlic cloves and dill stalks in a large pan, add the clams and some freshly ground black pepper. Deglaze with the dry white wine and cover with a lid until the clams open. Remove the clams as soon as they open. Strain the juice and keep to one side. In a small saucepan, heat the butter. When slightly bubbling add the flour and whisk until the roux becomes golden in colour. Add the clam juice (approx 150g) and Pernod to the roux and keep stirring. Separately blitz the double cream with the egg yolk. Add the cream and egg mixture to the roux and keep stirring. Be careful not to overcook. For the halibut 4 halibut fillets (each about 180-200g) Sunflower oil Preheat the oven to 190 C (170 C fan). Heat a frying pan/skillet suitable for cooking in the oven. Season the fish with salt and pepper and massage some sunflower oil on to the fillet. Pan fry on each side and then finish in a preheated oven at 190 C (170 C fan) for 4-5 minutes depending on thickness of the fish. To serve Put a portion of the cauliflower puree onto each plate. Add the wilted spinach. Place the halibut fillets on top and place the clams around. And to finish, spoon over the clam pernod beurre blanc. Buon Appetito! ⚫

Tony at Harborough Nurseries, photographed by Caitlin Lock.

It’s winter, the days are short, cold, and sometimes miserable; however, there is plenty to get you warmed up in the garden when the weather allows. Growing up in the northeast in the 60’s and 70’s (yes, I’m that old), we had much harder winters than we do this far south, but it was always a time to get the garden in order for the new season, preparing beds, pruning, and making plans for the new growing year. Plan with your growing buddies what veg to grow. You can’t grow it all, but sharing the range of food you grow and swapping with your friends and neighbours is such a wonderful thing to do and shows off your produce. It’s very rewarding and a fantastic way to expand or pass on your knowledge. If the ground is dry enough, winter is a great time for digging – but keep off any soil that is frozen or waterlogged. Leave it be for the frosts to break it down naturally, believe me it makes it much less of an effort in the spring. You can add organic matter, leaf mould, farmyard manure or home-made compost, whack it on top and let the worms do the work. Make paths and stick to them, really try not to walk on the areas you will be growing, whether it’s vegetables or flowers. If you must, then use scaffold boards to even your weight. Compacted soil, a growing environment does not make! Soil needs to breath and drain well.

PRUNING DECIDUOUS TREES & SHRUBS When there are no leaves to obstruct your view, deciduous trees and shrubs can be pruned. We always use the three Ds method when pruning, (Dead, Damaged and Diseased), removing this wood first before standing back and looking at the shape before going in for the kill as my dad used to say. After the initial 3Ds prune, you want to visualise a bowl shape, open at the centre. Take out congested branches that are growing in towards the centre, letting in light and air, especially with fruit trees. Always prune below a leaf bud or an outward facing branch. Leaving a stub will only invite disease as this will die back. There is a rule for what fruit trees you can prune in winter and those that you must not:

Anything with a stone in the fruit (plumb, apricot, cherry) must not be pruned when the trees are dormant, this is best done around July and August as pruning them in winter will invite disease, a common fault in eager new gardeners.

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However, anything with a pip in the fruit, (apples, pears, quince and medlar), can be pruned in winter. It’s a great time for planting bareroot trees, shrubs and even some perennials. Bare root are woody perennials that are sold this time of year without any soil, Roses being one of the favourites. They tend to be cheaper than pot grown and are an economical alternative this time of year. However, planting in frozen earth is not a good idea so only plant if the soil is workable. Early in the year (around February) you can start to sow some juicy crops indoors on a sunny windowsill, here is a list of what you can sow. Use a seed compost or add fine grit to multipurpose, it’s important for seeds to have a very well-draining soil.

FEBRUARY February is the time you can sow greenhouse crops such as tomatoes, aubergines, peppers and cucumbers. You can also start off your peas, broad beans, radishes, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, onions, leeks, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts. They do need warmth to germinate. It is best to do this on a windowsill. You can also pre-sow both herbs and vegetable crops in containers and pots on the windowsill.

MARCH The following crops can already be sown directly in the vegetable garden in March: Brussels sprouts, radishes, turnips, chard, spinach, cress, autumn and winter onions, carrots, peas, and leeks. The following seeds can be pre-sown on a windowsill in March: Tomato, endive, aubergine, chervil, cucumber, broccoli, brassicas, peppers, parsley, and leeks. Yes! It’s about to get busy! And it’s a joy to be in the garden preparing for Spring. ⚫ 51

SEAVIEW PROJECT WHERE HEALTH, WELLBEING & HOUSING MATTER

Written & photographed by Caitlin Lock

Since 1985, Seaview has been providing an open-access Wellbeing Centre in the heart of St Leonards-on-Sea. Seaview’s range of support services helps marginalised people with addiction problems, mental health issues, ex-and at-risk offenders and rough sleepers achieve personal growth and fulfilment.

This is no mean feat. The Wellbeing Centre operates as a day service and there’s lots to be done in order to safely open as a night shelter – but if anyone can do it, Seaview can. “It’s all down to the staff – they go above and beyond to make sure people are safe. It takes a lot of energy, organisation and commitment from the team. So many hands went up when we asked who was willing to help us with the emergency shelter, to work the night shifts and make sure everyone is fed and warm.” I asked Sue what her role is at Seaview. “I’m the Projects Manager, so I do a whole range of things and oversee a number of projects within the centre. I monitor them, make sure their performance is on track. I also manage and support various services and staff. I’ve got a particular interest in introducing the creative arts to Seaview, because I recognise that, in the words of one of our peer workers, people that come to Seaview are more than their problems. I’m a big advocate for helping to bring out the potential in each individual that we see. The arts and music is a good way of doing that. We have Seaview Choir which is peer run and a Seaview Music Group. We’re lucky to have a range of creative artists that come in, including Barefoot Opera and we are working with Emerging Futures at the Town Hall to create an exhibition at Big Yin art gallery on London Road in St Leonards. Sue first started in 1996 and has left a number of times but keeps coming back for more “because it is such a special place!” She tells me. I arrived at Seaview’s Wellbeing Centre on Hatherley Road on a Tuesday lunchtime. Sue Burgess, Projects Manager for Seaview Project has kindly set aside some time for this interview in what is quite clearly, a very busy day. “Hastings Borough Council have just asked us to set up and open as an emergency overnight shelter because of the storm that’s forecast! We need to repurpose the centre for rough sleepers who have nowhere to go as there are torrential downpours and high winds forecast”. When does that start?! I ask. 54

“Tomorrow!”

“Seaview has been operating for almost 40 years and is well established in the community, we have good relationships in the town and people seem to really value the work that we do. We’re not about keeping people stuck here. What we’re about is supporting people until they feel ready to integrate into the community and manage without us. Of course, we always welcome people back whenever they need us, but we’re not about creating a dependency culture here – we’re really keen that people step onto pathways of support so that they are then able to step outside and live their lives autonomously,

knowing that they can come back at any point. People often refer to us as a family.” It operates a well-being open access centre for people over the age of 18, we’ve got staff on hand who offer support in a whole range of issues. It’s a very busy service, we see up to approximately 100 different people a day, across all of our services. We offer a freshly cooked meal every day Monday to Friday for just a pound, to make sure people eat warm nutritional food. We do encourage people to pay that one pound as we think it’s important for people’s dignity and to get used to budgeting as well. However, if we know people don’t have any money at all, then we will give a free meal and we encourage people to pay us back at a later date. We offer regular services from St John’s Homeless Healthcare Service and we also have a doctor coming in every Monday morning. The Dentaid bus comes here approximately every two weeks. Dentaid is for people who are homeless or have got substance misuse issues and the doctor is open access to anyone. Also on offer: A free telephone service, cleaning facilities, showers, a clothing cupboard, a suite of computers with free wi-fi and a small amount of food supplies. The Seaview Outreach Programme “We operate a rough sleepers outreach service that goes out early in the morning,

twice a week, checking on rough sleepers’ welfare and reminding them of services available to them. We also signpost to other agencies in the town to make sure our clients are getting a holistic support service. We are not experts in everything but one of the things Seaview workers are skilled in, is knowing which services to draw down for any individual. Working in partnership is an essential part of our work.

Opposite: Sue Burgess Above: Seaview Project entrance Visitors at Seaview Project

We also have a peer support service run by people with lived experience. That’s a really powerful service because a lot of our service users are in recovery or taking their first steps away from substance misuse or alcohol. They often look to our staff as beacons of light who have been successful on their recovery journey. The Seaview ADDER team works with some of the most excluded people in the town – those with heroin and crack problems that are not currently engaged in any services. This team goes out and proactively looks for people and works hard to build trust and engagement with the view to helping them access health services and get treatment. We have an alcohol outreach service which does something similar, working with people on the street with alcohol issues. Again, this is what the Seaview staff are really good at, engaging with individuals that perhaps others don’t, and building that trust. 55

Elaine I volunteer at the tea bar on Tuesdays. I make hot and cold drinks, talk to the clients, generally help with the kitchen and take orders for lunch. I first started working here 12 years ago. They help people with a huge range of issues and work hard to make them feel better. It’s an essential service with so much knowledge and experience from the 40 years they have been operating, I hope it never goes away. Volunteering is great fun and amazing to be working with such an important service. Mick ‘I moved down here in 1990, I got off the train, moved into a B&B and met a guy named George, who is no longer with us – but he introduced me to Seaview, I didn’t even know it was there! Before I split up with the missus, I was working full time – I didn’t have a clue about things like homelessness and day centres. I’ve been coming here on and off since then! I’ve seen some changes over the years. They do a lot here for people with problems: mental problems, money problems. I had some problems with receiving benefits after a nasty accident and they helped me with that. They also helped me with getting free meals at that time. I used to run the gym! I got my level 2 qualification here. We were doing charity runs at one point, with the Hastings Carnival, we won first place in the Pram Race one year too! I like to play pool here and talk to people. I’ve got some friends here. With Seaview, if they can help you, they will. If they can’t, they’ll help you find someone that can. The staff here are a great bunch. Seaview has done a lot for me. I’ve got my dog now and if my hip is not hurting too much I’ll get on the bus to Silverhill and walk down to Alexandra Park, I like to sit on the bench and listen to the birds sing. It’s really peaceful. There’s a tree there where the branches form a ‘U’ shape which makes the perfect seat! I like to walk on the beach when the tide is out too.

Seaview always needs help with: Monetary donations – Friends of Seaview scheme is for those who are able to give a monthly donation but single donations are welcome too.

Opposite: Elaine Above: Mick

Volunteers – We regularly recruit. Donations such as: Warm winter coats Warm clothes Jeans for males and females in smaller waist sizes Underwear – briefs, boxers, knickers and bras Toiletries Used tech such as mobile phones and tablets Non perishable food items Please visit seaviewproject.co.uk to find out how to donate. ⚫

A LOCAL CHRISTMAS SHOP LOCAL & INDEPENDENT THIS CHRISTMAS TO SUPPORT SEAVIEW PROJECT Each of the shops showcased in this guide has donated £15 to the brilliant, local charity: Seaview Project. This year, shopping local means more than ever! Illustrations by Mel Elliott

Independent Christmas Shopping Guide

AURA QUE Our brand celebrates sustainability, fair trade and timeless design. From artisan-made bags, hand-knitted socks, felt slippers and merino accessories, to recycled jewellery and ecoconscious homewares, each piece tells a story. Discover our collection, designed in Hastings, where beauty meets conscience! 18-19 Robertson St, Hastings auraque.com

BEAK & TAIL Beak & Tail Butchers is the lifelong dream of two brothers who grew up in the area. We strive to offer free-range, locallysourced, grass-fed meat of the highest quality. We offer a broad array of products ranging from A5 Wagyu steaks, to the more everyday items like minced beef and chicken fillets.

THE BOTTLE OF HASTINGS I’m Victoria, the new owner of The Bottle of Hastings. I’ve been sourcing a delicious range of wines for you to enjoy over the Christmas festivities. I offer exciting wine flights and wine by the glass, from a dry Manzanilla or a Pet Nat to a Bulgarian Pinot Noir. Come and enjoy a cheese board, posh olives, or truffle infused nuts. Whatever your budget or level of decadence, I have just the thing for you to enjoy! 91 Queens Rd, Hastings thebottleofhastings.com

34 Robertson St, Hastings @beakandtailbutchers

BUTLERS EMPORIUM Established in 2009 in a beautiful exhardware shop built in 1831 , we source and gather beautiful gifts, textiles and an everchanging array of objects for you and your home. We go especially crazy at Christmas with gifts for everyone – come and see us. We also offer gift-wrapping for a tiny extra cost at Christmas. 70-71 George St, Hastings butlers-emporium.square.site

Get Hastings Winter 2023

CAPSULE CANDAROMA Light up your holidays with Paula’s Winter’s Night Candle – £24.00. This seasonal blend of cinnamon and nutmeg with a splash of orange and frankincense creates a warm, inviting atmosphere. Handcrafted with eco-friendly packaging, it’s the perfect gift for a cosy Christmas. Experience 40 hours of good vibes and make your home a winter wonderland. Shop local and elevate your well-being! SPACE17, 17 Bexhill Rd, West St Leonards paularoberts.co.uk

Capsule is an independent boutique in Old Town Hastings selling carefully selected brands of men’s and women’s clothing as well as accessories and gifts. We sell products to enhance your closets or allow you to find the perfect gift. We’re passionate about giving you that magical boutique experience. Our Christmas gift ideas are Chuckle Soaps: Scrabble Word – £7.00 and Lego Figure – £6.00. These are great stocking-fillers and the Lego soaps are particularly great for getting children to wash their hands as they want to get to the Lego figure inside the soap. 17 Courthouse St, Hastings

FLOT AND JETSAM For the discerning and individual Fashionistas. Don’t just blend in to the high street crowd!!

CHEESE ON SEA Cheese on Sea is an artisan cheese shop and cafe based on Claremont in the America Ground. Offering an ever-changing variety of cheeses, charcuterie and deli items we have everything you need for your perfect cheese boards and much more. Come in for your Christmas essentials and stay for a toastie or a raclette!

Clothing from colourful knitwear (jumpers and cardigans), striking dresses and organic boiler suits to quirky homewares, funky cushions, local artisan jewellery/ art, cards and much more in our boutique store. 19 Claremont, Hastings flotandjetsam.com

10 Claremont, Hastings cheeseonsea.com 49

HARE & HAWTHORN We stock a wide range of books for adults and children, as well as a large selection of Christmas cards and gift wrap. We also sell stationery, fine pens, children’s art range and calligraphy pens and inks. We will also have the popular Kit-Cat Klocks back again this year in limited numbers and True Grace candles. 51 George St, Hastings hareandhawthornbookshop.co.uk

MADE IN HASTINGS

THE HASTINGS BOOKSHOP Situated in the historic America Ground, The Hastings Bookshop is a local, independent bookshop which stocks a wide range of titles for adults and children; including new fiction and poetry, philosophy, art, music, picture books and much more. Staffed by experienced booksellers, we are always happy to offer recommendations and we can also order specific books upon request. 5 Trinity St, Hastings hastingsbookshop.co.uk

The original Shop of Wonder established in 2004. Situated in the historic Old Town of Hastings, Made showcases the work of local makers and artists alongside a carefully curated selection of must-haves, including a wonderful sock collection! The shelves are filled with an ever-changing array of treasures including pottery, stationery, textiles and knitwear and the walls are adorned with exquisite original art. 82 High St, Hastings madeinhastings.co.uk

MERCHANT 57 Berni & Peter launched Merchant 57 during the pandemic and with the support of the locals have gone from strength to strength.

MAKERS MARKET AT THE YARD Hastings Makers Market: November 25th and December 2nd, 11am to 4pm. Over 60 stalls and open studios. Superb selection of hand-made presents, local produce and vintage treasures. Open studios at The Yard: December 2nd to 9th, 11am to 4pm. Late-night shopping: December 7th. Clogs, vintage, burgers, cushions, home wear, cakes, jewellery, prints, ceramics, clothes and more.

On offer is a vibrant mix of goodies which are colourful, joyous and The Yard, Waterworks Rd, Hastings unique. Predominantly brand new theyardhastings.co.uk (but also vintage) homeware from all over Europe, with beautifully curated cushions, blankets, rugs and tableware. Great Christmas gifts ideas too including jewellery, candles, perfumes, lotions and potions. There’s something for everyone! 22

57 High St, Hastings @hastingsmerchant57

Get Hastings Winter 2023

ONLY COCO CHOCOLATES Made only 15 mins from Hastings, Only Coco Chocolate hand-make all their chocolate using only the best, sustainably-sourced ingredients. With over 50 different flavours of chocolate bars, a huge selection of hot chocolate and chocolate goodies, Only Coco has it all. Indulge in the ultimate festive treat this year with our handmade Mince Pie Chocolate bar! Made with real mince pies! Crafted with luscious single-origin chocolate from Venezuela, this delectable delight boasts a rich 43.5% cocoa. Taste the magic this Christmas! 20 George St, Hastings only-coco.co.uk

PENBUCKLES DELICATESSEN Penbuckles is a small delicatessen in the heart of Hastings Old Town. We specialise in British and local artisan cheeses, wines and charcuterie with all the accompaniments you may need. We offer lots of gifts for foodie friends and family and bespoke hampers filled with things you know they will love.

PAISLEY & FRIENDS A colourful shop in the heart of St Leonards, selling ethically produced and environmentally conscious clothing, accessories, cards and gifts. So whether you’re after an orange water bottle, a yellow overshirt or a pink cardigan, we might just have you covered this Christmas! 56 Kings Rd, St Leonards paisleyandfriends.co.uk

PERIDOT JEWELLERS Peridot Jewellers has been serving St Leonards for over 100 years. Specialists in on-site jewellery repairs. Scrap gold and precious metals purchased at top prices. Luxury watch specialists. Secondhand Jewellery bought and sold. 46 London Rd, St Leonards peridotjewellers.co.uk

Don’t forget to place your Christmas cheese order! 50 High St, Hastings @penbuckles

Independent Christmas Shopping Guide

RESTE Looking for a gift that’s a little different? You’re guaranteed to find something at Reste, a beautiful mix of homeware and lifestyle products, all carefully considered. Find traditionally made crafts, local pottery, handmade furniture, natural beauty and wellness gifts, an eclectic mix of old and new, all sitting alongside a heady choice of seasonal dried flowers and Christmas wreaths. 58 High St, Hastings reste.co.uk

ROCCABELLA If you’re looking for unique jewellery, Roccabella hand-make their jewellery here in Hastings using beautiful rough gemstones and real leaves, perfect for a unique gift or something special for yourself. 80 High St, Hastings roccabella.co.uk

SEA WHISTLE Thoughtfully curated emporium for children from birth to 8 years, selling sustainable clothing in organic and natural fabrics as well as beautiful wooden toys, books, and gift ideas. We stock quality European shoes including barefoot styles from pre-walker to junior sizes and we have a qualified specialist children’s shoe fitter with a vast experience of early years and special needs. Pop in for a more personal shopping experience. 23a Courthouse St, Hastings seawhistleshop.co.uk

SHOP HOUSE Shop House Hastings is a small shop on the High Street crammed to the ceiling with unusual gifts to suit every depth of pocket. We are particularly well known for our felt mice, but we are so much more than that – we are constantly evolving. 22

49 High St, Hastings @shophousehastings

SOAK The perfect Christmas gift shop supplying Hastings’ best loved organic, natural toiletries and skin care. Brands include: Neal’s Yard Remedies, Dr Hauschka, Ren Skincare, Korres, Evolve, Noble Isle, Tisserand and Dr Bronner’s, as well as locally-made favourites: Rock Rose Beauty, The Hastings Soap Company and Romney Marsh Wools. Huge soap and bath bomb selection, candles, bath toys, body brushes, wash mitts, hammam towels and gift packs. 45b George St, Hastings soakhastings.com

Get Hastings Winter 2023

THE ST LEONARDS GROCERY A much-loved store, right in the heart of the St Leonard’s community. Selling high quality fruit and vegetables, Sussex cheeses, local milk, eggs, smoked fish, charcuterie, meats and the delicious Bodiam ice cream. We have a wide range of grocery and store cupboard goods, as well as some remarkable Hastings-grown mushrooms! This popular store is passionate, and we specialise in local produce. Oh... and we deliver for free, throughout the town! 15 London Rd, St Leonards

THE WARDROBE CLOTHES AGENCY A specialist designer and vintage clothing emporium, specialising in high end quality clothing for both men and women. From decadent evening and party wear to gorgeous unique coats and suits, perfect for the chilly months. Together with accessories and shoes, our ever-changing and fast-selling garments from nearly new Prada, Vivienne Westwood and Ozzie Clark through to quality vintage from every decade, there is always something unique and one off, perfect for the party season! 64a High St, Hastings

WARP&WEFT At Warp&Weft we offer a range of OTP garments and accessories that are designed and handmade in-house in the finest materials. Our made-to-measure service guarantees you a perfectly tailored, timeless garment that you will treasure. This season, treat yourself or a loved one to a different retail experience and come and visit us in store. 68a George St, Hastings warpandweftoldtown.com

WOW AND FLUTTER An independent record shop in the heart of Hastings’ offbeat America Ground, full of treasure for all budgets. Along with an extensive selection of used records and CDs, we sell vintage comics, books, contemporary graphic art and cult Japanese toys. Though records are the shop’s focus all year round – including our curated wall of rare albums on rotation – come Christmas time we fill the space with unique gift ideas, from pin badges to Japanese anime cels to festive favourites on vinyl. 8 Trinity St, Hastings wowandflutterhastings.com ⚫ 49

YOUNG VOICE

BY DAISY CAFFREY, 22

To me at first, Hastings may as well have been Hell. I moved here when I was nine and it felt like my life was over. I cried every morning and every night for weeks and when family would visit from London I would scream and beg for them to take me home. Over the years, however, I grew to love Hastings and will be forever grateful to call this town my home. Soon after joining my new primary school, Christchurch, I met Izzy who remains my best friend to this day. She had also moved from London a few months beforehand and we joined in solidarity as the young generation of DFLs – whilst waiting to pick us up in the playground it seemed our mums had had the same idea. It didn’t take us too long to find our feet after that and since then, when I look back, my memories are filled with family, friends, food, music, parties, and plenty of time spent at the beach. We certainly weren’t the most popular house on the street, as ours was always full of visitors and parties weren’t a rare occurrence.

Even these days, where parties and guests are much fewer and far between, something that I have always enjoyed is that when friends come to visit from afar, I get to see Hastings through fresh eyes, and share my favourite places and people with them; whether that be sitting outside Kassa in the sun with a mango shake, playing scrabble by the fire in the Albion on a winters evening, heading down

to the courtyard for some pasta feeling sundazed after a day at the beach, or indulging in my favourite pastime, eating pizza (Monellis, The Imperial and Pizzarelli are my favourites). Its similar too, working behind the bar in the old town, when tourists come to visit or people who have recently moved down pop in and tell of the things that they love or have discovered about Hastings, it reminds me how there really is something for everybody down here – so much so that it does become its own little bubble, and its difficult to convince yourself of reasons to ever need to leave. I often think of Aleister Crowley and the curse he put on this town: if you have lived in Hastings then you can never truly leave, and if you do try you will always end up back here. I have spent many an afternoon sifting through stones on the beach in hope of finding one with a hole through it. Finding and keeping with you one of these sacred hag stones is apparently the only way to bypass this curse. In fact, I had attempted to move back to London a couple of years ago, right around the winter Lockdown at the end of 2020. I spent a few months hanging around doing little other than watching shit TV and drinking cheap wine from the Lidl at the end of the road, and after spending one sunny weekend back in Hastings in January I realised that doing nothing in Hastings was far more rewarding than doing nothing in London. Perhaps it was the unfortunate timing of my Lockdown move that brought me back, or perhaps it was the curse...

Despite its curses and maybe somewhat bad reputation, I personally have always felt pretty safe growing up here. Seeing familiar faces wherever you go definitely has its positives and negatives at times. As a teenager if I was ever bored or at a loose end, all I needed to do was wander down to the old town and I would always find at least a couple of friends hanging out at swan gardens, the Stade, or Love Lane; whether that be at 3 in the afternoon or 3 in the morning. As much as we were limited with actual activities to do, we could always manage to entertain ourselves for hours on end in each others company. Trying to crawl home inconspicuously along the seafront at 7am, on the other hand, always proved particularly challenging. I can’t speak about my experience growing up in Hastings without mentioning the beach. Having that sprawling sea at our doorstep as a constant when life seems so fast this side of the shingle is a privilege that now I’m not sure I could live without. In times of frustration, overwhelm, content and reflection, there really is no place I’d rather be. ⚫

Hastings beach, photographed by Andrew Thongkham.

Cecily & Frank Interview by Mel Elliott Photography by Toby Shaw

Cecily, and her husband, who goes by various different names: Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Old Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, Papa Noel and sometimes people even refer to him as ‘Frank’. This is a very busy time of year for these two so we were honoured when they decided to chat to Get Hastings about how they met in 1973, back when tinder was something you’d use to light an open fire ahead of a cosy night in... not that these party animals had many of those.

Get Hastings Winter 2023

Opposite: Cecily has been good this year. Left: They’re just like us.

‘I imagine London back then was great fun, what did you get up to?’ I asked. ‘I was always having parties in my flat in Chelsea’ Cecily said. ‘Every Saturday night, and there were always people sleeping on the floor. For a while I had the Walker Brothers living next door. We’d go to nightclubs such as The Black Cat in Notting Hill. At one point I lived with a Bunny who worked at the Playboy club and we shared a bed. I would sleep in it at night time and she’d have it during the day.’ In 1973, Cecily was working at Miss Selfridge on Duke Street. ‘It was the only place to back then!’ she said enthusiastically. ‘And I came over from the Netherlands on a boat,’ Frank said. He had written to many stores in London seeking display work and Miss Selfridge came up trumps. Cecily had a boyfriend at the time and lived above a hair salon. ‘My friend Suzy and I became friends with Frank but I had no romantic intentions with him and I didn’t think he had with me either. Anyway, my flatmate had a party and I said why don’t you sleep in my bed and he took advantage of that! He would come to parties and bring a big bottle of Cointreau, not a rubbish warm Chardonnay or what have you... and then it just went on from there!’ Cecily didn’t meet her father until she was four years old as he was away at war until 1945, she admits that this had a lasting impact on her love life in that she was looking for a father figure and had countless relationships.

But she and Frank formed a close bond and they married four years later at Marylebone Register Office and of course, it was Christmastime (they will be celebrating their 46th anniversary this year). ‘Frank was 27 when we got married and I was 34’ Cecily told me. ‘I was thirty!’ Frank corrected her. ‘No you were 27!’ ‘No, because I said I’d never get married until I was thirty!’ ‘Anyway, we were definitely married in 1978’ Cecily concluded before telling me that some people think that they bicker a lot. They were both working at Selfridges on Oxford Street that day and they’d hidden their wedding clothes in an empty office Cecily explained. ‘We told our colleagues that we were going to the family planning clinic at lunchtime. We changed into our wedding gear and then dashed out the back. When we returned we picked up a lot of party food from Selfridges food hall and took it back to the office. My boss burst into tears when she saw us so I threw my bouquet at her. We went across the road to Fino’s wine bar and then ended up at Coconut Grove... we can’t remember anything after that!’ I always had an inkling that Santa liked to party! This Christmas, be thankful for the ones you love... oh and drink plenty of Cointreau. ⚫

Interview & Photography by Caitlin Lock Name: Grace Age: 30 Occupation(s): 9–5 at bath enthusiasts HQ, freelance writer, weekend crystal jewellery seller. Lives: for coffee. 1. When did you last cry? Last week I was in Schiphol Airport, in Amsterdam, slightly hungover, eating a vegan burger and drinking very bitter coffee. I asked my partner to explain what exactly veal was – I’d never known, having been raised veggie. I sobbed over my patty at how cruel we humans are.

2. What’s your most treasured possession? Materially, I’d probably say my rings; I wear a dozen silver rings every day and cannot go without them. They all have stories. Physically, my intestines (what’s left of them!). Mentally, my care for others. Spiritually... my knack for serendipitous happenings.

3. What did you want to be when you were a kid? A painter, or fine artist! Then a novel writer. Then a journalist. Then an actor. Then an award-winning coffee maker (tick!). As I grew up I realised I wasn’t very realistic with my aims. Ah, well! I’m a writer now. 4. What is a recent happy memory that you’ll treasure? I gathered some of my oldest and closest friends together for my 30th birthday – we went back to our uni where we all met, rented a flat in our old student village and played drinking games in the kitchen before hitting the town like the idiotic 18-year-olds we once were. It was perfect. 5. What advice would you give to your younger self? Don’t waste time and energy on people who don’t get what you’re about. You don’t have to convince them. ⚫

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