Newsletter/Articles
31st January 2007
The next meeting of the East Grinstead Community Partnership will take place at the Maud Barclay Room, Queen Victoria Hospital at 7.30pm on Tuesday 13th May 2008. The meeting is open to the public.
Emergency Help For Worried Parents
DEPUTY Mayor Ginnie Waddingham attended the launch of a new help leaflet containing vital phone numbers to contact in case of family emergencies.
The leaflet, which is going to every home in East Grinstead, was produced by the East Grinstead Community Partnership, and lists numbers for help with alcohol and drug abuse, as well as bullying and bereavement counseling, and the contact details of organisations dealing with missing persons. Ginnie said:
"The best people to help and advise troubled youngsters are usually their own families, but although a lot of information is available to young people themselves, it can be a challenge for parents to find the help they need quickly in a crisis.
"The leaflet is magnetised so it will stick to a fridge, and we hope everyone will keep it handy - you just never know when you might need o help your own or a friend’s children."
Age Concerned....
EAST Grinstead Community Partnership chairman Bobby Hamilton has been co-opted on to the town branch of Age Concern as part of a project to create a new purpose-built centre for the town’s elderly within the Parish Halls. The scheme is still at the planning stage, but councillors have backed proposals for a major remodeling of the Parish Halls subject to receiving the categoric assurance of Age Concern that they will fully participate in partnering the scheme.
The Parish Halls were built in 1933 and since then very little money has been spent on them except for essential routine maintenance work. However heavy rainfall over the last year highlighted the need for a more major overhaul, and it was estimated that it would cost around £160,000 comprehensively to restore the building. Following this assessment, the Town Council entered into discussions with Age Concern about their possible relocation from inadequate accommodation at the Swan Mead Day Centre in Queens Road to new premises within the Parish Halls.
Age Concern confirmed its commitment to providing better facilities for East Grinstead’s growing population of elderly people subject to finding premises of at least 4,000 square feet over two floors, which would provide “dedicated, independent and secure facilities” to meet their needs. As a result of these discussions, the Council has now backed a much more ambitious scheme which could see the existing Parish Halls overhauled and extended at a cost of around £750,000 - subject to Age Concern agreeing to rent part of the building on a long term basis. This new plan would convert the building into three completely independent units, under a single roof. The central portion would be rebuilt and extended to give Age Concern the premises they need in return for an annual rental of around £20,000, while each end of the existing building would be retained as public halls available for hiring as at present.
“This is an ambitious scheme which the Partnership is delighted to be involved with,” said chairman Bobby Hamilton. “The number of elderly people in the town is rising, and this plan will not only provide for their needs, but will retain a rather dilapidated but much-used building for community use by making it more attractive to potential hirers.”
Age Concern - 67 Years Caring For East Grinstead’s Elderly
AGE Concern, which celebrates its 67th birthday this year, has been working in East Grinstead for more than half a century.
The need for services specifically designed for older people became obvious during WWII, and in the years following the conflict local authorities nationwide came to rely on the voluntary sector to meet their needs.
Age Concern’s original name ‘The Old People’s Welfare Committee’ was changed in the seventies, and East Grinstead’s Swan Mead day centre was opened in Queen’s Road 33 years ago. But age seems of little concern to the 250 people who are currently members of the social club, and to the many others who use its facilities on a casual basis.
Anyone over the age of 50 is welcome to go along, but most are in their seventies and many join after bereavement said Swan Mead’s chief officer Lorraine Dell-Louth.
“We are a small centre with limited facilities for disabled people, so we cater mainly for people who are independent to low need,” said Lorraine. “But nationwide, Age Concern cares for more than 1,000,000 people a year - only the NHS provides more services.”
Anyone unable to travel alone to the East Grinstead branch can be offered transport on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a service which Lorraine would like to expand to five days a week - if she can find both the funding and more volunteer drivers.
And an “excellent” in-house chef provides freshly cooked, two-course meals every day for £3.65. Members can also enjoy a wide range of activities which include everything from power walking for the fit, to mobility exercises for the chair-bound, as well as bingo, line-dancing and short mat bowls. And on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month, Lorraine and her team offer a day’s respite to those caring for relatives with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
“We encourage choice and opportunity in a social atmosphere for older people,” said Lorraine, who also organises outings to places like Lakeside, Worthing and even France. But the club has now outgrown its present premises, and Lorraine says the move to a rebuilt Parish Halls will be “a bloomin’ miracle” if the plans get the go-ahead. “We want to shake off the image of Age Concern as a place where old people sit around and do nothing,” said Lorraine, “so we are planning the new building as a ‘healthy living centre’.” Extra dedicated space means the proposed new premises will have room for an IT suite and other educational activities: and a bigger floor area will allow different activities to take place at the same time, instead of having to clear away one before the next can start as at present.
Lorraine also plans to overhaul the catering in a way which better reflects the eating habits of the upcoming generation of retired people. “We find more and more that people want their main meal of the day in the evening, so we will try to provide more choice,” she said.
And with separate office facilities included in the plan, Lorraine says office staff will be able to work away from the pounding beat of line-dancing and other noisy activities.
“East Grinstead already has a population of older people which is 20 per cent higher than similar sized towns, and that figure is growing, so it is vital we provide facilities for them to enjoy an active and enjoyable retirement in a central location.”
* Membership of Swan Mead costs £5 a year, and there is a nominal charge for activities. To find out more - or to volunteer as a driver - contact Lorraine on 01342 327046.
Partnership Backs New Business Forum
EGCP chairman Bobby Hamilton has applauded the move to bring the town’s business communities together to promote their common agenda with a single voice.
Speaking of the newly-formed EG Business Association under chairman Chris Parker, Bobby said he was pleased the Chamber of Commerce had expressed its own wholehearted support for the new organisation.
“I would now like the town’s retailers to see their way to sharing the advantage of a strong business voice in all matters affecting the viability of commerce and industry in the town, on planning, on roads, on parking and on liaison with schools,” said Bobby.
“And by the end of 2008 I would hope it would be the EGBA and not the Partnership, which will lobby on issues connected with traffic congestion and affordable housing for incoming employees, and which will liaise with schools about local skills shortages, and on issues related to the redevelopment of the town centre.”
19th November 2007
The next meeting of the East Grinstead Community Partnership will take place at the Maud Barclay Room, Queen Victoria Hospital at 7.30pm on Tuesday 8th January 2008. The meeting is open to the public.
Presentation to East Grinstead Town Council by Bobby Hamilton
You will recall that Paul Johnston is your representative on the Partnership. You will also recall that you have imposed duties on Ginnie Waddingham which have precluded her continuing to be a key player in the partnership as chairman of the Social and Community working group. Alan Lord has been our vice-chairman; it is difficult to mention his name without a feeling of real gratitude for his leadership of Age Concern, in that capacity a member of Ginnie Waddingham’s working group, and for his collaboration in our study of the short and medium term issues about congestion in the town.
This Social and Community Working Group has undertaken three of the tasks you set the Partnership, meeting the needs of an ageing population, increasing day care facilities within the town and improving facilities for the young. As regards the young, you will know that the working group concluded that the facilities offered by the town are, on the whole, adequate, that the problems attributed to the young were largely problems arising from inadequate parenting. Hence the magnetised leaflet which should now be found on the fridge door of every EG kitchen telling parents where they may seek help in the event of whatever problem may arise in meeting their responsibilities towards their children. The Working Group will now turn their attention to the frightening recent report by the Primary Care Trust and West Sussex County Council on addiction to alcohol and cannabis of children aged 14 and 15. This must be a problem of parental supervision.
Jo Hodgkinson from Sussex Police is a valued member of this Working Group, and indeed of the Steering Group. We are kept informed of police work related to our studies. We are told that no case has arisen in EG of molestation in whatever form of an elderly person by a youth or gang of youths in the street. Yet the fear of such gangs persists among our elderly residents. Hence our projects to overcome this fear. We shall organise education of grannies into the mysteries of mobile phones and computers by other peoples’ grandsons. We shall organise in the library or in the museum recorded sessions when grandfathers will recall to other peoples’ granddaughters what life was like between the wars and during the years to 1945.
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31st October 2007
Community Partnership consults with East Grinstead community
THE Community Partnership’s well-attended public consultation meeting saw Councillors from the Town, District and County join representatives from East Grinstead’s business community, health, education and volunteer sectors, and the police, to drive forward the Partnership’s agenda for positive change.
Among the speakers was Roger Martell who reported on the work of the Environment and Transport committee to improve access to East Grinstead for visitors and businesses.
One achievement in the last year has been the production of a leaflet giving visitors a guided tour of the historic High Street, and the committee is continuing to press for designated coach parking spaces in the town.
The Partnership has also been active in its support for the long-awaited Bluebell Railway extension into East Grinstead station, which it wants to promote as the site for a combined public transport interchange.
To help hospital patients without private transport Roger’s committee has produced a comprehensive timetable of bus routes to local hospitals, and is lobbying for new car parking signs which will direct traffic away from the town centre.
And following a study into the provision of cycle routes around the town, the EGCP is to consider proposed cycle routes, and to press for the provision of more town centre cycle racks.
Partnership backs businesses
PARTNERSHIP Chairman Bobby Hamilton reported to the AGM on the work of Edward Belsey in the area of skill shortages and Post-16 training opportunities within the town.
Bobby said that local schools have good Ofsted reports, offer quality careers advice, and the town as a whole has an unemployment rate of less than 1%. However, there is a need for new housing, business parks and the development of skills among young people and the workforce in general.
The Partnership will look at ways of encouraging local youngsters to consider apprenticeship schemes as a possible alternative to university, and will study the impact of high housing costs on local recruitment.
The Community Partnership will explore skill shortages and post 16 training opportunities issues further, including all interested parties in the discussions. Their investigations will consider the possibility of the extension of apprenticeship schemes as an alternative to tertiary education.
The Partnership will also try to assess the impact of high housing costs on local recruitment and the need for more Key Worker Schemes.
Bridging the age gap
A report on the work of the Social and Community committee was presented to the AGM by Christine Hardisty on behalf of Cllr Ginnie Waddingham.
Among the achievements of the committee over the past year has been the production of a family-friendly advice leaflet (*see full story below) which will go to every home in the town this autumn.
The committee is also working with the town museum on the When I was Young scheme. This is an intergenerational project which brings elderly people and youngsters together to discuss their common experiences, a project which will eventually form the basis for an exhibition.
Other plans designed to bring young people into greater contact with the town’s older residents include a scheme to encourage the youngsters to coach them in the use of computers and mobile phones.
The Partnership will also be active in the coming year in finding and equipping new premises for Age Concern to replace the present outdated facilities at Swan Mead.
Bridging the age gap
CONCERN was raised at the Partnership’s Public Consultation meeting about the Fit For the Future debate into health care provision across the south east.
Queen Victoria hospital spokesman Mary Goode said staff had been surprised that there was no mention of the Queen Victoria Hospital in the discussion paper, while Town Councillor Peter Reed said that a number of people had queried both the timing of the Fit for the Future meetings and the lack of opportunities for questions.
As a result of comments at the meeting, the Partnership agreed to press for representation of local residents at Fit for the Future consultations which were to be held in adjoining counties where East Grinstead people travelled for treatment. They also undertook to promote existing treatments on offer at the Queen Victoria Hospital, and to press for a greater range of treatment options to be made available within East Grinstead.
Partnership monitors plans for town centre change
As part of its ongoing brief to monitor Thornfields' proposals, the Partnership has set up a working group composed of two members of the Chamber of Commerce, two members of the Retailers’ Association and two members of the recently formed Business Association to assess the likely impact of Thornfields' plans on the town’s business community.
EGCP chairman Bobby Hamilton said: “The group is studying the Town Centre Masterplan, drawn up by Thornfields and accepted by Mid Sussex District Council. “Thornfields’ vision of how best the town centre should be developed has been broadly accepted by the Town Council, and the Partnership is engaged in examining the likely impact of the Masterplan on the existing structure, on public realm enhancement and on any problems which could arise in its implementation.” Bobby said he hoped the Partnership’s report would be completed by the end of November.
Partnership help for parents
EVERY home in East Grinstead is to receive a parent help leaflet this Autumn with vital phone numbers to contact in case of family emergencies.
The EGCP leaflet lists numbers for help with alcohol and drug abuse, as well as bullying and bereavement counselling, and the contact details of organisations dealing with missing persons.
Cllr Ginnie Waddingham said: “The best people to help and advise troubled youngsters are usually their own families, but although a lot of information is available to young people themselves, it can be a challenge for parents to find the help they need quickly in a crisis.
“The leaflet is magnetised so it will stick to a fridge, and we hope everyone will keep it handy - you just never know when you might need to help your own or a friend’s children.”
11th September 2007
Tell us what you want, what you really really want.....
TOWN residents will get their chance to influence the East Grinstead Community Partnership's ongoing agenda at its AGM on 13 September. The Public Consultation evening will allow the Committee to reshape their plans in line with the changing aspirations of the town's population, said chairman Bobby Hamilton. "We urge anyone who has ideas about how we can improve East Grinstead to come along and share them with us. The Health Check which was carried out four years ago is not set in stone - we still need to know what East Grinstead people want for their town, and we will welcome new suggestions."
On your bike
THE East Grinstead Community Partnership is exploring ways in which cycle routes around the town can be extended and improved. At present the Worth Way offers cyclists a traffic-free route between East Grinstead railway station and Crawley.
Muddled signage and a unclear road layout make cycle access to the town centre along Railway Approach confusing, said Partnership chairman Bobby Hamilton, and St. Margaret's Loop - which could offer cyclists safe access between the station and Hackenden Lane - remains undeveloped. As a result, the Partnership is looking at options including:
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the provision of a good quality, safe and well-signed cycle route into the town centre from several directions
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joining up the various small pieces of cycle lanes to make a useful network
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quality parking
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the development of St. Margaret's Loop
Pay-to-leave parking
PRESSURE is growing for exit-charges to be introduced at the town's car parks. East Grinstead retailers are behind the move because they say customers are being pressured into cutting short shopping trips for fear of running out of time on their prepaid parking tickets.
Carole Weighill, who owns Threadneedles in the High Street, said she is fully behind the East Grinstead Community Partnership campaign to change the charging system. “All the town's retailers agree that changing to exit parking would make a huge difference,” she said. "It is ridiculous to ask shoppers to prophesy how long they are going to be - sometimes they are much quicker than they thought they might be, other times there are queues, or they bump into a friend and decide to stay in town and have a coffee. But the present system just puts people under pressure to leave East Grinstead as quickly as possible - we've all seen customers enjoying their shopping until they look at their watches, realise the time and have to dash off. It would be far more sensible if people just paid on exit for the time they have actually had."
As a result of comments from town centre retailers the ECGP is now urging Mid Sussex District Council to introduce these changes.
Memories are made of this.....
THE town's young people are to take part in an “oral history” project to record the memories of East Grinstead's older citizens.
The scheme, which will be run in cooperation with the new town museum, the Wallis Centre and Age Concern will encourage youngsters to interview retired people about their lives for a project which will be shown to local schools, youth groups and care homes.
“The project will probably start at the beginning of next year,” said museum curator Rachel Hurst. “The idea will be for the youngsters to discuss with older people themes they have in common - like schooling, or what it is like growing up. “We hope the youngsters will gain a greater understanding of what it is like to be old, and that older people will realise the youngsters aren't as scary as they sometimes think they are.”
The project has already received a £1,100 grant for the purchase of recording equipment which will subsequently be made available for hire by other groups. The Partnership is also behind a second project which could see youngsters coaching older people in the use of mobile phones and computers.
Community volunteers needed
East Grinstead Volunteer Bureau would like to hear from anyone with time and talent to spare - in particular volunteer drivers are needed for EGfleet Community Transport and for the Age Concern bus.
To find out more, contact the Volunteer Bureau at East Grinstead CVS on 01342 328080, or make a date to visit the Volunteers Open Day at East Grinstead Library on Thursday, 11 October.
30th May 2007
The Steering Committee of the Partnership met on Tuesday 8th May 2007.
Credit Union's first year "a success"
EGCP chairman Bobby Hamilton congratulated the town’s new Credit Union on a successful first year’s operation. He called its success "evidence of what can be achieved for East Grinstead by joint endeavour". CU chairman Don Cooper agreed, saying the first AGM in May had been an occasion for “much celebration”.
“We have been well supported and local people have been generous with their grants and with their deposits,” he told the committee.
“We carry some £30k, grants and deposits, in our bank account. We have made our first loans and we have completed the transfer of our accounting from a paper-based system to a computer-based one. And by the end of December 2006 we had met the forecasts which we had set out in our Business Plan.”
With their first year’s operations successfully behind them, Don said the CU’s drive for their second will be a focus on marketing.
“A credit union provides people with the opportunity to save regularly, to establish their creditworthiness, and to borrow with confidence, so we must constantly seek new business and become known as the friendly local savings-and-loan organisation,” said Don.
Local links promote tourism
TOWN tourism officer Simon Kerr says forging links with other regional tourism organisations is paying off in promoting the town as a visitor attraction.
In his report to the EGCP Simon said his collaboration with organisations including the Ashdown Forest Tourism Association had resulted in the publication of several new visitor leaflets and other marketing activities of benefit to East Grinstead.
He was also delighted to report an increase in the number of Bed and Breakfast units in the town, with three new providers setting up businesses. He said that the recent multimillion pound upgrade to the four star Felbridge Hotel will bring visitors and revenue to the town, and a proposed scheme to upgrade hostel facilities in nearby Ashdown Forest will partly address the lack of cheap lodgings within East Grinstead itself.
The new East Grinstead Walkabouts leaflet has also proved popular with visitors and residents alike.
“This was an excellent example of partnership working with both Town and District Councils, together with a valued contribution from the local Ashdown Rambling Club based here in the town,” said Simon.
“There are a high level of enquiries about all forms of outdoor pursuits, walking and cycling being prime examples, and East Grinstead is in a good position to further promote itself as a centre of excellence in this sector.”
Among the other projects currently being worked on by the Tourism desk in East Grinstead are:
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The establishment of facilities needed by the Bluebell Railway when its extension finally brings it into East Grinstead station
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The promotion of the town’s new museum in Cantelupe Road
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Work with the EGCP’s Environment and Transport committee on a new leaflet featuring the East Grinstead conservation area
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Support for the EGCP’s bid for more coach parking provision close to the town centre
Police presence cuts crime
OPERATION Marble, an initiative which gives the police a high profile presence in the town on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights is playing a key role in crime prevention. Police Sergeant Jo Webb of Sussex Police told the EGCP that while crime levels are generally low in the town, the very visible presence of police, and the operation of a Pubwatch scheme at pubs and clubs, has reduced crime including alcohol-related offences, and contributed to a feeling of safety among East Grinstead residents.
Town centre revitalisation
THE EGCP has set up a Working Group to consider the impact of proposals for a major revitalisation of the town’s appearance, shops and services.
The Group which has representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, East Grinstead Business Parks and East Grinstead Traders, will be monitoring the proposals for their likely effects on the town’s business community.
Volunteers needed
EGCP secretary Christine Hardisty has welcomed the appointment of Loral Bennett as coordinator of the town’s Volunteer Bureau.
The Bureau pairs the talents of volunteers with the needs of voluntary organisations within the town, but more are needed to work with children, the elderly, on environmental and conservation projects, and to provide office skills.
For more information about volunteering opportunities, call 01342 328080. The Volunteer Bureau is based in the East Grinstead Council for Voluntary Service office in The Old Court House, opposite East Court Mansion. The office is open from 9.30am - 12.30pm, Monday - Friday.
Next meeting
The next meeting of the East Grinstead Community Partnership committee will take place at 7.30pm in the Cranston Suite at East Court Mansion on 10 July. Members of the public are very welcome to attend.
20th April 2007
Comments on the Mid Sussex District Council Area Action Plan
The Steering Group was asked by Mid Sussex District Council to comment on the Area Action Plan. Download a copy of our response.
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19th April 2007
Public Transport for Hospitals
A comprehensive study which details the times and routes of buses to local hospitals has been put together by EGCP committee member Roger Martell.
The report was prepared in response to widespread concerns about access to healthcare provision of East Grinstead residents without private transport.
Town Clerk Chris Rolley said: "A great many people worry about how they will get to hospital if they fall ill. Roger has done a marvellous job in collating this information and I know his work will be greatly appreciated by people in East Grinstead who have to rely on public transport either to get to our own Queen Victoria hospital or to hospitals much further afield in Crawley, Redhill, Haywards Heath and Tunbridge Wells.
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