The Hailsham Eye Jan/Feb Edition

Cover Photo: Marie Stone

JAN/FEB 2023

How to spot the signs of anxiety

• Feeling nervous, restless or tense.

• Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom.

• Having an increased heart rate.

• Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)

• Sweating.

• Trembling.

• Feeling weak or tired.

• Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry.

There’s so many more too. However, if you can relate or are concerned that you can see these symptoms in your teen, know that there is a solution, and it may be simpler than you think!

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy may be just the solution you’ve been looking for.

If you would like to find out more about how Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help, please drop me a message to arrange a free consultation or visit my website -

www.theteenanxietycoach.co.uk - to book in a time and date suitable for you

If you’d like to know more about how I can help? feel free to drop me a DM, give me a call on 07539 815909, or visit my website to book a zoom/phone call at a time and date to suit you

www.theteenanxietycoach.co.uk

Sky Creative Sussex

Sky Creative Sussex is an award-winning Arts and Education charity that champions eco-awareness and inclusivity above all! We achieve our goals of spreading awareness of these issues by delivering workshops to disadvantaged individuals through the accessible lens of Fantasy and Science Fiction.

With a hands-on learning approach, we provide a welcoming environment to inspire creativity and help develop social skills to encourage individual growth and support those in need.

Formerly known as Wyntercon CIO, our new name, Sky Creative Sussex, provides clarity in line with our mission statement. This exciting change was made to distinguish us from our unparalleled annual comic convention of the same name. A celebration of individualism!

We frequently partner with and support many local community and voluntary organisations so that they can reach a wider audience.

If you would like to work with us, please get in touch via email at info@skycreativesussex.org

The WynterCon Event

The annual WynterCon event is a comic-con style fundraising showcase in aid of the charity. Organised by the charity’s wholly-owned trading subsidiary, Promethean Promotions Ltd, the event’s purpose is to raise funds for, and awareness of, the charity’s activities and workshops that run throughout the year. Regarded as one of the biggest family-friendly events on the south coast, it has become part of the local calendar.

E V E N T S A T U P C O U N T R Y

CONSISTENCY IS KEY

HAVE YOU HEARD OF JERRY SEINFELD?

‘Seinfeld’ is one of the most successful U.S. Television series of all time - and who would have thought that could be possible from “a show about nothing”?

Years later and Jerry Seinfeld is still raking in millions of dollars every year based off his original Seinfeld television success. With such a successful show, a lot of research, work, time and effort must have went into preparing for each episode, right?

Yes and No…

So how did he do it? The answer is actually much simpler than you may think and it’s a proven method to helping you effectively smash any goal you set yourself in 2023.

JERRY’S SECRET STRATEGY?

He used a system whereby he would aim to write one joke every day. Just one joke. No Matter What. It didn’t need to be perfect or particularly funny, and it didn’t need to be a whole sketch.

Once he’d written his joke he would place a big Red Tick over that day on his calendar and after a few days of doing this a chain would form. The system then became about not breaking the chain, rather than writing the joke itself.

The moral of this story is that nothing is created over night and just the smallest increment of work can add up to a project of mammoth sized proportions. It all starts with taking daily action and progressing over time.

I could give you a thousand examples of how this works, but the method is still always the same.

“The best things in life have been the bad things that taught me stuff”

- Jerry Seinfeld

It’s easy to get started, but consistency is key. Get a big wall calendar that has a whole year on one page and hang it on a prominent wall. Then grab a Red Marker Pen. Each day that you do a small task (like meeting a step goal, or exercising in some way that you enjoy), put a big red X over that day.

After a few days you’ll have a chain. Just keep at it and the chain will grow longer every day. You’ll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your only job next is to not break the chain.

Don’t break the chain.

As you can see, it’s all about getting started, but also having consistency. The importance of starting with just one day and not skipping a day, is that it’s extremely easy to skip the next day after you skipped the first.

Seeing a big calendar with a bunch of red checkmarks is a huge motivation to keep your consistency in check.

For further information please contact Full Range Fitness www.fullrangefitness.com

Having visited this family owned/run pub many times in the summer where we took advantage of the stunning views and peaceful outdoor setting, we were struck by the warm, cosy atmosphere and, to our delight on this rather chilly night, there was an open fire which was definitely welcome! Once we were

settled, we ordered our drinks, Charlotte was driving so opted for a soft drink whilst Jarred chose a Gun Brewery Lager which is one of his favourites!

On perusal of the food menu, we noticed that the majority of the meat they use is sourced from their very own farm in Jevington which is, as the crow flies, just under 2 miles away. We decided to mainly focus on meat dishes as we love locally sourced goods. We began by ordering the Mushroom, Kale and Chestnut Bon Bons with homemade ketchup and the Lamb

“ The brownie had every taste you would expect from a rich decadent brownie – but it really was the lightest brownie we had ever had! ”

Whilst we know that this magazine is called The Hailsham Eye it would be silly to not look to our surrounding areas for a good meal out! We headed to Milton Street which is around 1015 minutes away from Hailsham to the home of The Sussex Ox.

Chips. The bon bons were a taste explosion and were perfectly accompanied by the homemade ketchup. The Lamb Chips are exceptional, confit lamb in the lightest of batters with a minty mayo. Everything was thoroughly enjoyable. If you go to the Sussex Ox you need to try these.

When we saw that one of Charlotte’s favourite meals was on the menu it really wasn’t an option to not have it! Fillet of Beef, Dauphinoise Potatoes, Celeriac Purée with a caramelised red onion sauce. Quite honestly the best steak we have had in years. The chef has added a mini oxtail pie into the dish which was incredible too. There was a perfect amount of everything, it all tasted divine and was perfectly cooked. Jarred chose a Steak and Stout Pie – this dish is the true essence of comfort food; the pastry was dense but flaky and there were big chunks of tender meat

fully encapsulated by it. It comes with a slab of bubble and squeak, kale and leeks and a rich wholegrain mustard tarragon sauce. There certainly wasn’t anything left on our plates, it was all amazing.

In honesty, there wasn’t a huge amount of room left for dessert but the choices were so tempting that we couldn’t resist. We went for a Dark Chocolate Chip Brownie and, a bit of a new one for us, Spiced Poached Plum.

The brownie had every taste you would expect from a rich decadent brownie – but it really was the lightest brownie we had ever had! It came with a chocolate ice cream which had a beautiful flavour too. It was one of those desserts where you think you know what you’re getting but you get all of it and more. Now on to the dessert which we didn’t know what to expect from, the spiced poached plum, this really is a beautiful dessert – it is light yet comforting with reminders of Christmassy times. The vanilla sponge and crème pâtissière that came with it were delicious too. This place truly is a superb choice for a fabulous meal out. There was nothing bad to say whatsoever!

Inherently unfair?

Inheritance Tax (IHT) is widely viewed as unfair, and even the experts agree it’s complex: only effective and early planning can minimise its impact on your estate.

Currently, if your net estate is worth more than the standard nil-rate band of £325,000, 40p in tax is charged for every pound that exceeds the threshold; except that, broadly, if you leave your main residence to a lineal descendant, £175,000 is added to that nil-rate band. Unused elements of both allowances are transferrable on death to a surviving spouse or civil partner.

The IHT regime has been criticised also for being discriminatory against those who do not own their own home, those who do not have children, and those who are not married or in a civil partnership.

Even if there is potential to simplify IHT exemptions, it’s probably too much to hope that the tax will be scrapped. That said, several developed countries have abolished inheritance taxes to create simpler tax systems and encourage creation of wealth through investment and entrepreneurship.

However, IHT in the UK is often referred to as a ‘voluntary tax’, and it does seem that inertia or ignorance is largely to blame for wealth ending up in the hands of the taxman rather than surviving family members. The fact is that with some careful planning, those with estates currently worth more than the nil-rate band can legitimately reduce their IHT liability, or possibly pay nothing at all.

In your gift

Gifts are normally included in the net estate for IHT purposes if they were made less than seven years before death. However, these gifts are ignored if they total less than £3,000 in any one tax year. This means that you can make gifts of up to £3,000 in total in any tax year without attracting IHT. The £3,000 can be given to one person or it can be split between several people. If the exemption is not used in one tax year, it can be carried forward to the next year, potentially enabling a couple to remove £12,000 from their joint estate in just one tax year.

That money could be used to help with the financial chal-

lenges faced by younger family members; for example, topping up a child’s pension or Junior ISA could go a long way to providing them with an invaluable head start in life. And for 2021/22, the Junior ISA allowance is £9,000.

Those with sufficient surplus income may also want to take account of the ‘normal gifts out of income’ rule – if you make regular gifts out of income and in doing so don’t affect your standard of living, the gifts are exempt from IHT. However, to reduce the possibility of a disagreement with HMRC, it is wise to seek professional help from a financial adviser or accountant.

While lifetime gifts can significantly reduce an IHT liability, it’s worth noting that if you don’t take time to write a valid Will, your estate will be handled according to the laws of intestacy. If you die intestate, you will have no control over how your estate is distributed, and rather than everything passing to a spouse or civil partner, a proportion could be transferred to descendants, triggering a potential IHT liability.

If your children’s share is worth more than the individual IHT threshold, they could be liable to pay 40% tax on anything they inherit over that amount. This could be avoided by writing a Will that leaves assets worth up to the tax-free threshold of £325,000 to children, with the balance of the estate left to a surviving spouse. But there may be even better options, depending on circumstances, through the use of trusts.

January/February 1969 to Present Time

Hold on to your vinyl as Hailsham music writer

Sharon Davis races back to the 1960’s

The bizarrely titled and typist’s nightmare “Ob-LaDi-Ob-La-Da” was originally a track hidden away on The Beatles’ “White Album” released in November 1968, which probably wouldn’t have seen the light of day if Marmalade hadn’t spotted it. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney in a Jamacian ska idiom, the phrase was popularised by the London-based Nigerian musician Jimmy Scott, who went through the courts to claim a writer’s co-credit. Mid-way through the case Jimmy Scott was jailed for failing to pay maintenance to his ex-wife and asked The Beatles to pay his legal costs. Cheek! Anyway, Paul agreed on condition he dropped his legal action against them. Job done. Apparently John loathed the song, so the group never issued it as a single in this country. And this is where the Scottish pop/rock group Marmalade came in. Their version sat at the top of the singles chart in January 1969, elevating them into the A-list contingent.

And on a local level, “Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da” was also given the Linda Francis treatment when she performed with Howlin’ Grooves in and around Hailsham. Born and raised in London, Linda found her way to our neck of the woods, where she made her presence felt with her considerable talent, namely, singing, acting and scriptwriting. This loveable lady, instantly recognisable by her curly red hair, was a regular performer at Hailsham’s events, usually with local keyboardist Peter Willson, as part of a jazz quartet. When not singing with others, Linda produced “The Comedy Of Terrors” with John Wilders in September 2012, under The Ropemaker Theatre Company banner; she worked with the talented Green Door actors, and played significant roles in Tony Norman’s musical “A Christmas Carol By Candlelight” where Nicholas Parsons was the narrator. This was one of several shows Linda participated in at The Grove in Eastbourne. As a scriptwriter, she appeared in a couple of her murder mysteries, one being at Callenders Restaurant, while more recently, she gave two scripts to the Hailsham Festival, the last being acted out in September at Rustico.

Not many people were aware that Linda had been fighting a rare type of cancer for several years. And tragically she recently lost the fight. To say she will be missed is an understatement. Not only because she was an immensely talented lady, but because she was a loving, caring mother, grandmother and friend.

Sharon Davis

Down

The best dementia care, on your doorstep

At Care UK’s Bowes House we deliver award-winning care to older people who are living with dementia. Everything we do is focused on supporting your loved one to enjoy a wonderful quality of life – an approach we call ‘Fulfilling lives’.

Our caring and experienced colleagues learn all they can about your loved one, tailoring every aspect of their care and lifestyle to their unique needs and interests. We’re trained in the latest dementia care approaches, thanks to our partnership with the Association for Dementia Studies at Worcester University, and a Dementia Coach in each home supports all colleagues to deliver high quality care.

Enjoy a fulfilling life

Living at Bowes House is all about continuing to enjoy hobbies and interests, making new friends, and even trying new experiences – always with support from our caring team. Reminiscence-themed activities, from music sessions to baking, help to spark happy memories. Dancing, exercise classes, yoga and gardening enable your loved one to stay fit and active.

Our new-build care home has been designed to the latest dementia standards, and has its own café, hair salon, pub and garden. There are regular outings and live entertainment, plus activities with local groups and schools so your loved one feels part of the com-

munity. Signage, colour schemes, soft furnishings and floor coverings are all designed to create a calming and accessible setting.

Dine with dignity at Care UK

Our award-winning ‘Dining with dignity’ approach is all about enabling residents with dementia to continue enjoying delicious and nutritious food. Many of our chefs come from leading hotels and restaurants and our kitchen teams undertake specialist training so they can create tempting modified menus if your loved one needs a special diet.

We use our own bespoke dementia-friendly crockery to promote independent eating, but help is always at hand if your loved one needs it. Food and drink are central to many of our daily activities, and drinks and snacks are always available.

Discover the Care UK difference

At Care UK, we have more ‘Good’ and ‘Outstanding’-rated homes than any other provider, and have won more awards than any other provider in the last three years.

Discover why over 6,500 families trust us to care. To find out more about dementia care at Bowes House please call us on 01323 315398 or email karen.milligan@careuk.com

Be who you’ve always been... a star baker

At Bowes House care home being a star baker doesn’t stop when you make the journey into care. Our dementia specialists support each resident to live life as independently as possible. Bring your life with you to a place you can call home. Award winning, person-centred care for over 40 years. If you’re considering care for yourself or a loved one call 01323

Trusted to care.

Traditional

at Michelham Priory

The tradition of Wassail will be celebrated in style at Michelham Priory House & Gardens on January 21st. Dancing, drumming, fire and feasting will all form part of proceedings as traditional experts transport you back 500 years to when Wassailing was common across Sussex.

Bring along a musical instrument, decorate yourself in foliage and feathers and join the torchlit procession to wake the apple trees from their slumber, scare away evil spirits and celebrate winter like the Tudors did.

The Traditional Tudor Wassail will take place on Saturday January 21st with two separate events on the same day. A family event will take place from 3pm to 5pm in the afternoon, followed by an adults-only Wassail from 6pm. Those taking part will step through the medieval gatehouse and be guided to a fire-filled courtyard before processing by torch to the historic

ard Tudor Dancers. Dan Cook, Property Manager at the site, said: “The traditional celebration of Wassail dates back centuries, to the time when Michelham Priory was owned by Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell.

“As well as being an important tradition for those who rely on farming and nature for their living, it also provided an opportunity for communities to come together to mark the end of the festive period. “We feel there’s no better way to kick off 2023 than by stepping through the gatehouse onto our medieval island for a traditional celebration with friends and family.”

Michelham Priory is set on a private seven-acre island within England’s largest medieval moat. Founded by Augustinian canons in 1229, the site is steeped in history. During Tudor times the site suffered destruction caused by the dissolution of the monasteries, and in World War Two it was home to evacuees and the Canadian Army. This will be the second year a Wassail has been held on the site. Capacity will be limited and pre-booking is essential with no tickets available on the evening.

orchard. A ceremony will see the trees blessed to encourage a bountiful harvest in the year to come.

The event will also include entertainment from Brighton Folk Choir, Blackpowder Morris and Gally-

Tickets are priced at £15 for adults and £5 for children. Family tickets for two adults and up to four children are £40 and one adult and up to three children are £25.

Tudor Wassail

Michelham Prioryww.hookandson.co. www.sussexpast.co.uk

The on-site café will be open throughout serving hot and cold refreshments, including spiced apple juice and cider (alcohol only available at the adults-only event).

To book, visit: https://sussexpast.co.uk/event/traditional-tudor-wassail/

WHAT IS A WASSAIL?

Wassailing is a Twelfth Night tradition, with pagan roots, practised in Britain for centuries. The purpose is to encourage the spirits into ensuring a good harvest the following season.

It traditionally takes place on the twelfth night after Christmas and involves a visit to a nearby orchard for singing, dancing, drinking and general merrymaking. Revellers typically visited local orchards and fruit trees, sang songs, made a hullabaloo (often by banging pots and pans) and were rewarded by the orchard’s grateful owner with some form of warm, spiced alcoholic drink from a communal wassail bowl or cup.

The intention was to ward off bad spirits from the orchards whilst also pleasing the spirits of the fruit trees, to ensure a bountiful crop of fruit in the year ahead. Another form the wassailing tradition took involved groups of revellers going from house to house to drink toasts and wish good health for the year ahead on the dwellers within.

The word ‘wassail’ is believed to be derived from the Old English ‘was hál’, meaning ‘be hale’ or ‘good health’.

COMING UP AT MICHELHAM PRIORY

Travel back in time at February Half Term

Explore 800 years of history at Michelham Priory during February half term.

From the Stone Age through to World War Two, this beautiful site just outside of Hailsham will host a range of family-friendly activities to keep everyone entertained.

Plus, kids go free throughout the whole of half term.

Further details: www.sussexpast.co.uk/ whats-on

Spring delights - 80,000 blooming daffodils

From March to April, more than 80,000 of the flowers in 18 varieties will burst into bloom throughout the grounds of Michelham Priory.

Large swathes of the seven-acre site will become a carpet of yellow as thousands of flowers burst through the ground to herald the start of spring.

Expected to peak during April, visitors can expect to see a number of different varieties, from bright golden cultivars like ‘Dutch Master’, gardener’s favourites like ‘Carlton’, and the exquisite ‘Sempre Avanti’, which translates in Italian to “always ahead”, a large flower with cream petals surrounding an orange cup. There will also be white cultivars, like ‘Misty Glen’, and dwarf varieties such as ‘Tête-à-tête’.

Visit our website for opening times –www.sussexpast.co.uk/Michelham.

www.hailshameye.co.uk

News

from the farm

On the farm

The artic weather just before Christmas caused a few issues. Mainly frozen pipes, and very dodgy hazardous conditions for our milkmen making their deliveries. Very pleased to report all our customers received their milk despite the snow and ice. Our vans coming back from doing farmers markets in London just about made it back too, it took about three hours

longer than usual! The A21 was almost closed with some people staying in their cars overnight! The cows seem happy enough though with the colder winter weather. Indeed, their favourite ambient temperature is around 5 Celsius. With their four-stomach system, omasum, abomasum, rumen and reticulum, they are like walking ovens. They are always so warm to touch, great hand warmers!

The MAD MARSH RUN is back!

We held our first Mad Marsh Run in the spring of 2019. It was a great! More than 200 runners took part. However, with Covid happening we haven’t been able to hold it again. That is, until now!

What is the Mad Marsh Run

Let’s go back four years in time. In 2019, the farm held its very first 10km extreme cross country run with many natural obstacles, including fallen trees, bog, ditch jumps, water and one or two surprises too!

Mad Marsh Run is back!

It wasn’t just these obstacles that made the course unique, it was its location. Set on the farm, the course takes in the very western edge of the beautiful Pevensey Levels, with amazing views across the marsh. It is a course that takes you away from any sign of civilisation as you experience the unique beauty of such an open, untouched peaceful landscape. Taking part is an incredible way to experience the wonderful Pevensey Levels. We are thrilled to hold this event again. Not only will the 2023 Mad Marsh Run have the same 10km course, it will also now include a new 5km run! This new 5km course will have the same challenging fun natural obstacles and lovely views, it just means you won’t have to run so far! There are also spectator tickets available, for those who are supporting runners, or just want a great day out on the Pevensey Levels watching people trying to jump ditches! There will be a Bar B Q on the day with Hook and Son burgers, and tractor and trailer rides offering a ‘hop on –hop off’ service for spectators around the course. For something a bit different, it’s great day out!

We are also looking for volunteers to help steward the event. If you would like to help out on the day, please get in touch.

The event will be held on Sunday 23rd April. Easy to remember, Shakespeare’s birthday and St Georges Day! For more information and to buy tickets, please visit the website www.madmarshrun.com

Another Date for the Diary, Turn Out Day

Don’t miss our other fantastic day on the farm. The annual Turn Out Day is now quite an established Hailsham event. Last year saw over a thousand visitors come to the farm to see how much it means for our cows and youngstock to go back out onto grass again after having been in for the winter. Turn Out Day will be on Easter Bank Holiday Monday, April the 10th. Tickets are available on the Hook and Son website, www.hookandson.co.uk

The day will also include tractor and trailer rides around the farm, a BarB Q, and a Farmers Market in the field.

If you really want to make the most of Turn out Day, and the Mad Marsh Run, why not camp on the farm. Our campsite overlooks the Pevensey Levels and will be open for both these events. For further information, please contact camping@hookandson.co.uk.

Sell first or find first?

Solving the home moving ‘Catch 22’ conundrum

One of the questions we are asked every day is whether a seller should place their property on the market before or after they have found a home to purchase.

By Mike Crane

Many sellers express that they are keen to move but would prefer to withhold selling their home until a suitable property becomes available.

On the face of it, this may seem like the obvious route, but in practice this approach can severely limit your chances of being offered the best homes –if any at all.

Unfortunately, this approach is almost guaranteed to end in failure or cost you many thousands of pounds in lost selling price value and lost negotiating ability on your next purchase.

So, what is the solution to this problem?

• how do you regain control of the whole situation?

• how do you take the pressure off?

• how do you get yourself to the top of the hot list?

• how do you give yourself and your agent time to fully explore all the possible interest in your home over a couple of weeks or more to absolutely maximise your selling price?

• how do you get yourself into the situation where you can walk into any property you want to buy and reserve it there and then?

To find out how to solve this home-moving conundrum scan the QR code and visit our Active Reservation guide. Here you can view our film explaining the Crane & Co solution to this age-old problem and download our guide and fact sheet.

We have a hugely experienced team – independently rated as one of the best estate agents in the country.

All that ability and knowledge is at your disposal, so do get in touch and talk to us about your moving plans – it could be the best move you make!

Scan the QR code here and visit our Active Reservation Guide. Instant Online Valuation in 60 seconds! Scan here

2 The Quintins, High Street, Hailsham, East Sussex BN27 1D 01323 440678 sales@craneandco.co.uk craneandco.co.uk

Why doing the maths in the Estate Agency

Personally I love mathematics, the certainty, the usefulness and the predictability of reliable information that results – enabling confident decisions in a myriad of things we do every day.

By Mike Crane

There are two things that dependable mathematics rely upon; the data you are using and the algorithm or equation that you are applying.

Online instant property valuation tools are now everywhere. Indeed we have one on our website. They are a useful tool for obtaining a quick estimate of the value of the property. But those automatic automated online valuation tools will, in most cases, provide you with the wrong figure!

Online valuation tools use a formula based upon land registry data which is out of date and have no way of reflecting what has been happening in the market over the last three or four months – which is a long time in the local property market.

A perfect example of this is the recent Liz Truss ‘mini budget’ debacle which had a dramatic effect on the U.K.’s finances, banking and markets. None of this is yet reflected in any online valuation calculation.

The property market is much more nuanced than a regional average. Individual properties may be in extra high demand, in that road, of that type, on that day and the price achieved will be reflected in the

selling price of other neighbouring properties that come to the market shortly after. Property prices are often boosted by a vast range of local influences. Furthermore, the automated valuation tool assumes that your home is exactly the same as the day you bought it. Any improvements that you may have made, inside or out, are not reflected in the formula applied.

How to get a fully accurate Remote, No-Visit Valuation of your home without a visit from an estate agent.

If you are interested in an accurate up-to-the-minute valuation of your home that takes into account everything about your home including improvements and renovations and, most importantly, TODAY’S market activity, but are just not ready for a visit from an estate agent yet, we have created a Remote, No-Visit valuation service, enabling us to provide local Hailsham and Eastbourne homeowners with a personalised, written, 95% accurate valuation –without a visit from an estate agent.

To find out more about our new remote valuation service simply scan the QR code here.

RIGHTMOVE’S NO.1 LOCAL ESTATE AGENT

Multi award winners – 2018–2022

2 The Quintins, High Street, Hailsham, East Sussex BN27 1D 01323 440678 sales@craneandco.co.uk craneandco.co.uk

gives you the wrong answer – and how to get the right answer!

Post office banking service for Hailsham residents

The Town Council wishes to assure residents that normal bank transactions can be carried out in branch at the town centre Post Office located at 10 High Street, including business deposits.

Residents can access their high street bank accounts at the town centre Post Office - this service is free of charge and, provided customers have their debit card with them, they can check your balance and withdraw or deposit cash. If you don’t have a debit card, some banks will still allow you to deposit cash via the Post Office, if you have a deposit slip.

The Post Office’s free everyday banking service is available to both businesses and individuals.

However, customers cannot transfer money from their account at the Post Office, or get advice on savings, credit, mortgages or other forms of lending offered by your bank. For these, you will need to contact your bank direct or visit inbranch. Information on which banks offer what services at the Post Office is available online at https://www.postoffice.co.uk/everydaybanking.

Applications open for Hailsham active run!

Running races are set to make a big comeback in Hailsham next year and event organisers are delighted to confirm people are now invited to take part in 10k, 5k, 3k and 1-mile runs, scheduled to take place in May 2023.

Organisers Hailsham Active have partnered with the Town Council and Sport Systems, a specialist management company which organises races across the UK each year on behalf of running clubs, charities and local authorities, to welcome runners to the town to participate in the popular 10k, 5k, 3k or all-inclusive 1-mile runs next year.

The Hailsham Active Run is scheduled to take place on Sunday 21st May 2023, commencing at 9.30am in Hailsham High Street. Entrants are required to be over the age of 15 to enter the 10k run and 11 for the 5k run (with no age restrictions for the 3k and 1-mile all-inclusive runs). The route has been confirmed and will be within the Hailsham parish boundary.

“Hailsham Active is delighted to be co-organising the event with Sport Systems, complementing our mission to create a healthier Hailsham community,” said joint project lead Mary Laxton. “Yes, it’s true, we were inspired by Team GB’s

success in the Olympics last year and are bringing back the ‘Run’ to our great town of Hailsham!”

“In the mid-90s we hosted various fun runs but now, running is a growing community activity, beneficial to participants’ mental health, well-being and helping to combat isolation and stress into the bargain. Of course, this will be a prestigious event that will bring in runners and clubs with their families from across the area, and this in turn will also benefit our local economy and town centre trade on the day.”

“Furthermore, we are encouraging all Hailsham residents with any form of disability or special need to participate in the 1-mile inclusive run especially, using any form of support that they require. There will be a fully accessible portable toilet on site. It’s so important to us to be fully inclusive as a community.”

Mrs Laxton added: “We are advertising far and wide to spread the word of this event, and now the Run is in place, it will go ahead regardless of the weather and applications are open! Let’s do this together and help put Hailsham on the sporting map.”

“It was a shame that we had to postpone the original date scheduled for May of last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but we are pleased that we have now launched the event and are accepting applications now!”

For full details about the event and to register for the Run, visit hailshamactiverun.co.uk.

Supporting Small Business

Happy new year! Winter is a beautiful time in Wealden, and I hope that you have enjoyed the festive season. Please allow me to use my first message of 2023 as an opportunity to pay tribute to our fantastic businesses, who work incredibly hard all year round, and especially in the run up to Christmas.

I am proud that Wealden is home to a huge variety of award-winning small businesses, which keep our high streets vibrant and bustling. To name just a few, I recently visited the award-winning gift shop MAYBUGS and haberdashery shop The Pumpkin Patch, both located in Hailsham; our superb Wealden Hero, Davies & Sons family butchers in Horam, which sources meat of the highest quality from reputable farms in the area; and the fabulous Bluebell Vineyard in Uckfield, home to the award-winning range of Hindleap sparkling wine and a fine example of some of the best quality wines produced in Wealden. These, and countless other small businesses are the backbone of our economy. They are owned by our neighbours, friends and family, are key providers of valuable full- and part-time job opportunities, and the money we spend with them goes back into our communities. Our local businesses were instrumental in keeping us supplied throughout Covid and Wealden District Council has done a tremendous job in supporting our businesses throughout this most challenging time, delivering over £65 million of Government funding to ensure that Wealden businesses continued to thrive beyond the pandemic. I am pleased that the Government continues to support our entrepreneurs

via the Energy Bill Relief Scheme by automatically applying the discount to all eligible bills this winter.

Since I was first elected, supporting Wealden entrepreneurs has been on top of the agenda and this will not change in 2023. I continue working with the Crowborough, Hailsham and Uckfield Chambers of Commerce and meet their representatives regularly to discuss the economy, available support, and issues that impact trade and commerce to ensure that their concerns are heard in Westminster.

However, the success and longevity of our businesses ultimately depends on us, loyal local customers supporting our enterprises all year round. So, if you are still looking for a new year resolution, I would like to encourage you to consider showing more support for our superb small local businesses this year by visiting our high streets in Crowborough, Hailsham, Uckfield, Mayfield, Forest Row and others, and shopping locally. I look forward to bumping into you whilst doing my shopping!

Designer, writer and television presenter, Kevin McCloud leapt into our consciousness with his vastly successful Grand Designs show on Channel 4. This month, the affable architectural business owner talks about the concept of space.

During lockdown, our understanding and appreciation of space was something that was challenged in ways we had probably never expected.

Not only was even outside space challenged and conditioned to be accessed and used in very specific ways, but when at home, our rooms suddenly became multifunctional when they were never designed for such a purpose – our kitchen tables were work desks; our little creative nooks and crannies were filled with children and other imposters!

One of the positive takeouts many of us took from lockdown was versatility, yet in my own life I’m keen to get back a certain amount of separation, because I find it absolutely essential for organising my mind and staying creative.

It’s for that reason that I actually have different work areas, spaces and locations for different types of jobs. By that, I mean I will do all my creative television thinking in a little bale- and stone-walled hut I have, called The Straw Bale. It has a roof, some furniture in there, and serves as a studio away from prying eyes and everyday interruptions you would usually encounter in the house.

I felt I needed this space because with a show such as Grand Designs I am pretty much on-location the whole time. That means there is no set base by which I can connect myself to a project and get in that headspace… unless I make one.

I have an office within the main part of the house, but that is used for much more menial matters, such as answering emails and firing off angry letters to all and sundry!

The concept of space is one that isn’t always objective – it can be subjective as well. For instance, just because you have a big area with which to express yourself, it doesn’t mean it will actually feel big, or spacious.

Similarly, very small rooms can be made to feel much larger than they are with clever techniques and smart aesthetics. I talk around this idea a lot when I mention high ceilings, uplighting and an abundance of floor space, utilising tables and chairs with legs, that guide the eye and light through the space.

In essence, it’s all about how we marry together space and comfort. If done well, you have the first building blocks for somewhere, home or office, that truly inspires you and brings happiness.

Hailsham Boys School sporting success

Hailsham School, currently known as Hailsham Community College (HCC), opened in 1878 and for the first 60 years or more operated as two schools (boys and girls) with separate head teachers, staff and entrances. The first headmaster in the boy’s school was Charles Towler who was head from 1878 to 1911. Following his retirement, he was replaced by his son-inlaw, Robert Hills. Whether it is coincidence or whether Mr Hills was keen to establish the boy’s school in sporting activities is unknown. Either way during his headship the boys did achieve considerable success in football and cricket.

The school participated in the East Sussex Elementary Schools Cricket League. It seems that the schools were divided into those in the east and west of the county and played each other leading up to divisional finals followed by an all-county final. In September 1911 Hailsham reached the east divisional final where they beat Warbleton. In 1920 Hailsham reached the divisional final again and on this occasion, they played Waldron at Heathfield. Waldron batted twice scoring just 13 runs in the first innings and 9 in the second! Hailsham batted once and scored 91. Despite these successes Hailsham never managed to overcome the final hurdle and win the county championship outright. That is until 1930!

Sixty-one schools participated in the 1930 compe-

tition and by the end of the season Hailsham were champions of the east division and Portslade champions of the west. The final was then played on 30 July 1930 at The County Ground in Hove. Hailsham went on to win by 122 runs. Star of the team was T Gardener who scored 105 including 2 sixes and 12 fours. However, the supreme sporting year was 1933 when the school cricket team again reached the divisional final when they played and beat Ticehurst. The match took place at the Central Ground in Hastings. The team then went on to the county final at Hove

Hailsham School Cricket 1933. Mr Hills on the left

Hailsham School football team, County Champions 1933. Mr Hills on the right

where, on 24 July, they faced Lindfield School. Hailsham scored 108 for 3 declared and dismissed Lindfield for 66. Hailsham were champions again. Earlier in the year on 4 April the school football team reached the county final where they met St Wilfrid’s School Haywards Heath. The match took place at Lewes Boys Secondary School where Hailsham won 2-1 after extra time. So Hailsham were both the County Cricket and Football champions in the same year.

However, it is a reflection of the times that the “great and the good” were in abundance. Press reports invariably began by recording who was present with a large sprinkling of Brigadiers, Colonels, Majors and even Generals! It was only after that that the report of the match was referred to. There were always after match presentations and speeches when the presenters usually took the opportunity to impart some pearls of wisdom and advice to the boys. One such was after the Hailsham v Waldron match in 1920. The league secretary spoke and made reference to the new Education Act which, “made special provision for games. The government was at last awake to the fact that healthy boys and girls were an important asset to the country.” He went on to say that he knew, “nothing better that properly organised sport which would produce that physical and moral training by which the spirit to play up for the side was permanently inculcated.”

EYE ON HISTORY

On 28 September 1928 the school celebrated its jubilee, 50 years since the school opened. Celebrations included stoolball and cricket matches between the past and present scholars. The past scholars won the cricket match which was described by the Sussex Express as, “a jolly affair.”

In the following year the school had an outstanding footballer, Leslie Hare who played for the Sussex schools’ team against Kent at Maidstone. Sussex won 2-1. The press report noted that Leslie was the only country boy in the Sussex team. Presumably the rest were from schools in towns?

There were extensive press reports of these matches and other activities.

School sports days were a feature during this period. They took place every year at the Recreation Ground in Western Road. The boys were divided into two teams white and blue. The “white” boys were those who lived on the west side of the railway and the blues came from the east side. Empire Day was regularly celebrated. One such was in May 1922 when a Sports Day was held. Once again it was blues v whites. On this particular occasion C Booth set a new school high jump record of 4’ 7.” Clearly the boys were much younger than the starting age for boys attending secondary schools today, and the school leaving age was still 14. The sports day programme included races for boys under eight.

Jubilee celebration cricket match 1928. Mr Hills seated 5th from the right.

John Torode’s Truffled Macaroni and Smoked Haddock Bake

Want something that combines supreme comfort with a little decadence this Valentine’s Day? Well look no further than this divine truffled macaroni dish with an extra boost from smoked haddock, created by MasterChef’s John Torode.

Method

1. Blend together all the ingredients for the breadcrumbs in a food processor until roughly chopped, season, then set aside. Boil the macaroni one minute less than the time on the pack, drain, toss in the olive oil and set aside.

2. Tip the onion, milk and the smoked haddock into a pan, and season. Simmer gently for 10 mins, then remove the haddock. Flake the flesh and drizzle with the truffle oil and set aside.

3. Mix the butter and flour together to make a paste. Over a low heat, whisk the paste into the hot milk and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Remove from the heat and add half the grated cheese and stir well.

4. Take the pan off the heat, tip the pasta into the sauce and mix well, then fold through the haddock and season with ground black pepper. The sauce may seem a little thin, but it’ll thicken as it cooks. Butter a large ovenproof dish and tip in all the macaroni (I like it piled high), then finish by scattering over the rest of the cheese and most of the breadcrumbs. This can be prepared a day ahead, covered and kept in the fridge.

5. To cook, heat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Bake for 20 mins until bubbling and sprinkle with the rest of the breadcrumbs. Bake for five minutes more, then drizzle a little more truffle oil on top, and scatter some extra herbs, if you like.

Ingredients

(serves 4)

For the macaroni

• 250g macaroni

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 500ml milk

• 300g smoked haddock

• 1 tbsp truffle oil

• 50g soft butter, plus extra for the dish

• 25g plain flour

• 100g gruyère, coarsely grated

For the breadcrumbs

• 50g white breadcrumbs

• small pack parsley, leaves picked

• small thyme sprig, leaves picked

• small pack tarragon, leaves picked

• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped

• small piece of butter

• drizzle of truffle oil, plus extra to serve

The Gun Brewery Taproom

The Gun Brewery Taproom can be found at Gun Hill, near Heathfield. Open Thursday to Sunday and serving our full range of Keg & Cask beer, we also offer a selection of delicious wines, soft drinks and amazing street food. Visit our website for directions, opening times & street food calendar.

Gun Brewery, Hawthbush Farm, Gun Hill, East Sussex, TN21 0JY · · 01323 700200 gunbrewery.co.uk

Knockhatch Adventure Park right on our doorstep, located just outside of Hailsham on the A22. The park sits on over 83 acres of land which is enough space for all of the amazing attractions they have to offer. Opening for a massive 361 days a year from 10am to 5.30pm, this park has something for everyone.

Where do we start, as its cold and wintery we shall talk about their humongous soft play area. This has a generous amount of equipment and areas for all ages, a café serving hot and cold meals, snacks and a Costa café which does the best hot chocolate.

Knockhatch has a reputation for always adding something big every year. In 2022 they added the Sherlock Holmes Experience and the Jungle Kingdom Zoo. Previous years have see the opening of an inclusive playground, Dragon Castle Adventure Playground and the Lost World Playbarm. There is an equal mix of indoor and outdoor activities. As a family we have also benefitted from the new rowing boat dock (so much easier to get out of the boats without falling in!), new jumping pillows and a refit of the Enchanted Forest Crazy Golf. Hole in ones still elude me though.

Knockhatch is perfect for that rainy day when you just need to get the kids out of the house.

As you would have read in previous editions there are also animal experiences you can do, these run all year round and is where you get up close and personal meeting some of your favourite animals they keep at the park whilst getting loads of information and facts about them which is great. Our favourite had to be the Owl experience, such majestic and beautiful birds.

We are so lucky to have

This Spring will see yet another expansion to the park with stage 2 being completed in the Jungle Kingdom, still a secret what it is, but we can say at this stage, we hope it gets warm and you will need to bring your towel!

Did you know that after 3.30pm you can get half price tickets into the park, this is the perfect plan for an after-school activity especially with the darker afternoons, why not head into Froggies soft play for a warm drink whilst the kids burn off that last bit of energy.

Hellingly Rugby Club, based at the Lower Horsebridge Recreation Ground continues to attract players of all experience and ability to join what is probably the friendliest club in the South East.

Like all clubs, the social aspect is a key factor in player recruitment and retention. This year, thanks to our Social Secretary – Daryl Benson – we have had no less than a social every month. These included a fantastic curry night, thanks to our sponsors The Rajdoot Indian Restaurant, a Pub Golf Tournament, with thanks to the local pubs in town and a hugely successful Movember event that raised over £900 in support of prostate cancer awareness.

On the field we have welcomed nearly a dozen new faces who have come to join us on the pitch or to help the club through volunteering support. “The Club encourages all members to become ‘volunteer members’”, commented Club Chairman, Roger Simmons. “It is based on the old fashioned basis that if you contribute to something then you will look after it better. Our volunteers help out with one or two tasks each season and this allows us to keep membership and bar prices at rock bottom prices. When I say it’s the members club, it really is the members club”.

Nigel Gossedge has returned as Head Coach, with former Club Captain, Ian Richardson, supporting our fitness and building successful patterns of play. The 1XV have remained in Sussex 1, which has been rebranded as Sussex Counties 3, enjoying a tough win over Horsham at the start of December. The 2XV is our social team known as The Saxons, playing on nonleague weekends and mixing players from both teams for social games against local teams.

Winter training has moved to the Hailsham Primary Academy 3G pitch on Tuesday evenings at 7pm until

the end of January and focuses on ball handling and maintaining fitness. This has been possible through the generous support of our sponsors, including Crown Wealth Management, Topsail Insurance, Puttick Plumbing and RJ Cortel. Further information about the Club, it’s fixtures and it’s social events is available at www.hellinglyrugby. com. Those wanting more information can contact Roger Simmons via email on hellinglychair@gmail. com. We also have a short video (link below) of the Club curtesy of our other hugely appreciated sponsor – Crane and Co. New players and volunteers will always receive a warm welcome.

https://www.craneandco.co.uk/docs/videosingle/727723715.php

Greenfingers…

The Alan Titchmarsh Column

He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist, and all-round horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh discusses how to keep motivation for your garden going.

The back might ache more than it used to and there’s more than a hint of a painful creak in the knees, but most days I still feel the urge to get out there and do my bit… and even when I don’t feel the urge, I always find it important to push on. After all, my faithful beds and trellises rely on it!

It’s also worth remembering how beneficial the everyday rigours of flowering and weeding, pruning

and digging are. It comes with the territory when you get to my sort of age, but I always remind myself that by the very nature of gardening you are outdoors, filling the lungs with oxygen and experiencing what it is to be around plants, trees and flowers. If that isn’t good for the soul, I don’t know what is!

I think what should motivate us to garden, even on those days when we would rather be in the pub, is the fact there is something unique about every outside space, and it changes on each occasion you set foot out into it.

So in summing up, of course the work can be hard and tiring and there are days when the body seems to be telling me to stop, but I am happy and healthy and have a loving family so things could be far worse. And what would I do anyway? Okay, yes… head to the pub!

On a cold and snowy Sunday we headed off to see the new Owens Entertainment venue in the old Debenhams building on Robertson Street, Hastings.

Although Owens manage the building there are several small local independent businesses within the venue and we decided to go and take a look.

Spread over 3 levels and with over 20 different activities to do, we couldn’t manage to fit in an all-in-one review, so we are doing this in 2 parts with a second instalment in the following edition.

Entry into the building is free and you pay for the different activities once you are inside, so we decided the SOAR TOUR and the Bizarre But True museum were the ones for us that day.

The SOAR TOUR, uses state of the art Virtual Reality (VR) equipment, you are strapped into seats that move and give you the feeling of flying with the wind rushing past your head whilst wearing the

VR headset showing you all of the beautiful scenery along the 1066 coastline.

Starting off your flight from Hastings beach, you head all the way down to Brighton and back taking in all of the iconic landmarks along the way then back again. Such an amazing way to view these sites from angles

you would have never done before. The experience is recommended for ages 10+, but for us big kids we absolutely loved this experience. The oldest rider has apparently been 98!

We then went next door to the Bizarre But True Museum. There are so many interesting facts you just would never think about. We were greeted by Fran and Liam who were very friendly and funny, they made us feel so welcome. They play a little game with you when you start where you can pick what hats they wear until the next customer comes along, all a bit of fun but an experience enhancer for sure! The museum took about 30/40 minutes and we were all given an audio handset so we could take the

tour in our own time.

We measured up against the tallest man ever to be recorded, he would be very handy changing the lights bulbs and dusting on top of the cupboards that’s for sure. Experienced what the water felt like the time the Titanic sunk and its link to Hastings. It’s a great place for your kids to learn some really interesting facts and definitely suitable for big kids too! It was a really great day out with the family and we look forward to heading back for part 2.

A special Hailsham Eye discount can be had by mentioning Days Out In Sussex when buying your tickets in person from the Bizarre But True ticket desk!