Archive for July, 2009

New parkour and play area in Bewbush is a great success

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009
Parkour site in Bewbush
Parkour site in Bewbush

Today Crawley Happy Times Online had the pleasure of attending the official opening of the new rejuvenated park on Breezehurst Drive, Bewbush, Crawley.  Although the rain decided to fall on us for the first hour, it did not deter the residents of Crawley coming along to see what the rejuvenation project had to offer its community.

And what a splendid park it is!  The new site has been put together with such attention, it really can’t help but be impressive.  In four sections you will find a toddler’s park, kitted out to a very high specification, with safety in mind throughout. There’s also a teenagers’ park with some wonderful features, including an inventive trampoline built into the ground which was admired and thoroughly used when we were there.

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West Sussex County Councillor Chris Oxlade

In between each of these sites stands the climbing wall, with a fantastic sponge flooring for a safer drop.  Then last but not least stands the most amazing and spectacular parkour site, with varying architectural concrete blocks and an abstract metal sculpture.  Alister was part of the consultation and design team and absolutely vital to the project, assisting in the technical placement of the concrete blocks. Alister, Urban Playground Team, told us he was very pleased with the outcome and hoped it would encourage the youth of Crawley to come together in a focused and energetic environment.  You can hear more about what Alister had to say about the site in the following interview below.

The Worshipful the Councillor Mayor Brenda Burgess was present to officially open the new park.  Mayor Brenda Burgess told us that, although she didn’t do parkour herself, she would be keeping a close eye on how the park influenced the youngsters, with the intention of using the knowledge and learning to build other parks within Crawley.  Mayor Brenda Burgess also told us how

Mayor Brenda Burgess showing how it should be done

Mayor Brenda Burgess showing how it should be done

 they had built the new park once consulting with the local community on exactly what they needed and what would be best for the youths of our town.  We apologies for the lack of sound, it was a very windy day! 

County Councillor Chris Oxlade (West Sussex County Councillor for Bewbush) was also present to give his support and to welcome the families and children who attended.  Chris was very happy with the outcome and hoped it would lead the way for future projects.

Alistair aka Buster speaking to the children about parkour

Alister aka Buster speaking to the children about parkour

Appreciation for this wonderful project includes Nikke Gladwin-Paffett, Community Services Manager for Children & Young People.  Nikke has worked in this field for many years so has a massive amount of experience to tap in to.  Nikke arranged a design and play consultation where around 30 children from the Bewbush area where invited to design and draw what equipment they would like most in the park.  Nikke then took them on a play tour of various other parks so they could see the different types of play equipment available to them.  Along with Nikke and four of the main contractors, the children then sat around and worked out what was best for the new site.   Geoff Waller who was from the civil engineer company also played a vital part in the project as did the designers and parkour professionals Urban Playground – Alister and Miranda.  And not least, the young parkour people of Crawley who advised us in the early stages.

Liz Hart deserves a big mention as Liz was heavily involved with this project and helped to make it a great success.  Liz is the Community Arts Officer based at The Hawth and has been working with the youth of Crawley for many years, improving their access to performing arts in various forms.  Although when we spoke to Liz she prompted there is no I in team!  Liz said former colleague Dave Downey was a part of the ‘team’ and his title was Active Crawley Officer, Extreme Sports, who now works at K2 was a great contributor to this project.  Dave’s interaction with the children’s ideas and his input into the the parkour site were invaluable. Yvonne Newman, Client Project Manager, Property Services and Procurement was another great contributor of time and effort.  The whole concept was built up over a two year period and it took twelve months to complete and construct. 

We were amazed with the different types of equipment which made up the four sites.  They are innovative, educational and great fun to play on.  Personally I had a little go on one of the pieces of equipment called ‘ridgerider’ and fell off with great style may I say.  Not completely recommended for the larger people of the town.  Here are the pictures to prove my bravery.

Going, going......

Going, going......

We are very excited about this new park and look forward to the invite to the next rejuvenation project Crawley has to offer.

.....Going, gone!!

.....Going, gone!!


Sussex Bootcamp is coming to Crawley

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

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After a successful run of Bootcamp sessions in Horsham and Haywards Heath, Sussex Bootcamp is now coming to Crawley! 

Ben Davis, one of the fitness instructors of Sussex Bootcamp said “we are really excited about the next Bootcamp sessions which are being held from Monday 3rd August until Friday 28th August at Hazelwick School, Three Bridges and sessions start from 18.15 meeting in the car park at the front”.

For anyone looking to lose weight or just tone up after dieting, this is definitely for you.  For further information and lots of video testimonials please visit here.  Do hurry if you wish to be on this session as spaces are limited and going fast!

Click on the picture to be able to order your copy today

Click on the picture to be able to order your copy today

Shelley and Becky from Crawley Happy Times Online are going to be participating in this session of Sussex Bootcamp and will be giving a weekly update on their progress.  Please keep checking in to see how they have done.

Members of Oriel Youth Wing leading the way

Friday, July 24th, 2009
Kolbie Hayes & Stuart Bayliss presenting

Kolbie Hayes & Stuart Bayliss presenting

On Thursday 23rd July, Crawley Happy Times attended an awards ceremony at Oriel Youth Wing, with the expectation of a brief award-giving event, then home early for a cup of cocoa.  How wrong were we!?  On arrival, the youth wing was busting with excited children, proud parents and various youth workers.  We were greeted by Jo Bell and Michaela Homewood, both youth workers.  Jo and Michaela look after the youth wing and had obviously put a lot of effort and time into making the evening such a wonderful event.  With 388 members of the youth wing, they are always very busy.

As the evening began, two young presenters, Kolbi Hayes and Stuart Bayliss, came on to the stage to welcome us all to this evening and to introduce the presenters.  First up, we were treated to a fantastic slide show, put together by Callum Vitler (accompanied by music from Queen and Bob Sinclair), giving everyone in the room an insight into what the children had been up to during the year, with some wonderful clips of adventure holidays and day trips.  They had been to London, Thorpe Park, Lodge Hill and Southwater Country Park to

Councillor Henry Smith speaking to the audience

Councillor Henry Smith speaking to the audience

name but a few, involving themselves in activities like basketball, dancing, football, paintball, first aid training days and many other activities, providing discipline, exercise and by the looks of it, plenty of fun!  It really was a joy to watch the children of Oriel youth wing being so supportive, considerate and polite to one another.  And, of course, they were being educated in so many different ways.

Next we were introduced to Henry Smith, Councillor for Maidenbower, who told us his last visit to the youth wing was back in June 2006.  Henry congratulated the children and helpers on their achievements  and then went on to compliment everyone involved in keeping the youth wing’s operation so successful; wishing them continuous success for the future.  Henry awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award to Callum Vitler.  We recommend keeping an eye on this young man.  Something tells us he may be destined for great things!

Debbie Green then took the stage to present Darren Hollis with the Wishfish Inspirational Award.  Another name to keep an eye on!

Next we had what can only be described as a masterful rendition of Michael Jackson’s ‘Smooth Criminal’, performed by young Charlie Mott. Charlie must have put an awful lot of practice and effort into this performance.  We filmed it for you to enjoy too.  Well done, Charlie.

Steve Hemmings volunteers his time to help with the music side of the youth wing and we had the pleasure of some examples from his ‘pupils’ showing off what they had learned under Steve’s guidance.  In fact, the support from various adults/parents just clarifies: the more we help and support our children, the further they can go.

The words team work, respect, unity, helpfulness and many more great words came to mind throughout the evening.  Especially when older teenagers, Jessi Gasson and Karl McCaughan demonstrated what they had achieved with 5 younger members: in just 6 weeks they had become spectacular dancers.

The names of these dancers are: Charlotte Mortlock, Sophie Nulty, Blaize Szantos, Chloe Martin and Louise Brooks.  It was a brilliant demonstration of unity and teamwork and pretty good dancing!

It was a real feel good evening which we are extremely glad to have been part of.  The youth of

More certificates being presented

More certificates being presented

Crawley do not always get a good writeup, but let me reassure you, the young children we met on Thursday were articulate, polite, considerate, positive, educated and well-presented.

On the subject of support, Sergeant Ben Websdale and Police Community Support Officer Lucy Hailes proudly attended, admiring the achievements of the children and the efforts of others, even joining in the festivities at the after-party.

Crawley Happy Times would like to thank Jo and Michaela and all the supporters and children for a wonderful evening. Special thanks go to Margaret, Michaela’s Mum, for the delicious spread she put on which was enjoyed by all, including myself :-)

Members receive their First Aid certificates

Members receive their First Aid certificates

We look forward to reporting on the awards of 2010!

Full list of award winners: -

 

TROPHIES/CERTIFICATES/THANKS LIST
YOUNG PEOPLE

 
YOUTH FORUM
Matt Sykes – Certificate
Josh Park – Certificate
Kieran Slater – Certificate
Sam Allen – Certificate
Jack Arnell – Certificate
Ed Brooks – Certificate
James Thompson – Certificate
Callum Vitler – Certificate
Kolbi Hayes – Certificate

JUNIOR VOLUNTEERS
Stuart Bayliss – Thanks
Callum Vitler – Thanks
Kolbi Hayes – Thanks
Calum Macleod – Thanks
John Currie – Thanks
Darren Hollis – Thanks
Satheesan Nagendran – Thanks

MUSIC MENTORING
John Currie – Certificate
Darren Hollis – Certificate
Lauren Meineck – Certificate
Mathieu Clay – Certificate
Tyler Green – Certificate
Tyler Green – Certificate
Sam Trumpeter – Certificate
Faith Butler – Certificate
William Stothart-Mason – Certificate
James Thompson – Certificate
James Hawes – Certificate

PEER MENTORING
Satheesan Nagendran – Certificate
Laura Fagan – Certificate
Stuart Bayliss – Certificate
Chelsea Hardwell – Certificate
Avalon Harris-Trussell – Certificate
Charlotte Pattenden – Certificate
David Fox – Certificate
Calum Macleod – Certificate
Dan Kordowski – Certificate
Faith Butler – Certificate
James Coupar – Certificate
Lee Jeffery – Certificate
Samah Malik – Certificate
Noel Reynolds – Certificate
Liam Tankard – Certificate
Matthew Vincent – Certificate
Stephen Whittingham – Certificate
James Thompson – Certificate

DANCERS
Karl McCaughan – Voucher as thanks
Jessie Gasson – Voucher as thanks
Chloe Martin – Certificate
Sophie Nulty – Certificate
Blaize Szantos – Certificate
Louise Brooks – Certificate
Charlotte Mortlock – Certificate
Charlie Mott – Certificate

TROPHIES
Outstanding Contribution Award – Callum Vitler
Wishfish Inspirational Award – Darren Hollis

ASDAN
Darren Hollis – Certificate
Callum Vitler – Certificate
Darren Hollis – Certificate
Charlotte Pattenden – Certificate
Avalon Harris-Trussell – Certificate
Stuart Bayliss – Certificate
Calum Macleod – Certificate
Satheesan Nagendran – Certificate

FIRST AID
Misty Harris-Trussell – Certificate
Chelsea Hardwell – Certificate
Callum Vitler – Certificate
Avalon Harris-Trussell – Certificate
Charlotte Pattenden – Certificate

D OF E SERVICE AWARD
Lauren Meineck – Certificate
John Currie – Certificate

A demonstration on the drums

A demonstration on the drumsJo Bell speaks of her pride for the members and the youth wing

Stuart Bayliss playing Ludovico Einaudi's Nefeli

Stuart Bayliss playing Ludovico Einaudi's Nefeli

Sgt Ben Websdale trying to catch up with the talent in the room

Sgt Ben Websdale trying to catch up with the talent in the room

The Presenters Kolbie Hayes & Stuart Bayliss

The Presenters Kolbie Hayes & Stuart Bayliss

A building to be proud of

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
Leader of West Sussex County Council Henry Smith

Leader of West Sussex County Council Henry Smith

Henry Smith, leader of West Sussex County Council, was kind enough to talk to the Crawley Happy Times on Monday.

Please see the video below for his interview (which took place in the Henshall Suite, mentioned below).

A first impression

Henry met us outside the brand new registry office (which opened in December 2008) and talked to us about the different facilities that the council provide in this prestigious building.

Wonderful Stairs to the Registry Offices

Wonderful Stairs to the Registry Offices

As we walked up the opulent red carpet, I could imagine the excitement of a bride-to-be going to meet her groom.

Henry then introduced us to Dorothy, the registrar, and Dorothy showed us around the waiting area and the two function rooms.

The facilities

The first room, with a capacity of 30, is for registry office weddings and ceremonies.

The second room, capacity 80, is used for Registry Office Weddings, Civil Partnerships and Citizenship Ceremonies. With the ‘Romeo and Juliet’ balcony, surrounded by various plants and bushes, the Henshall Suite is perfect for your special occasion.

The Henshall Suite

The Henshall Suite

The Romeo and Juliet Balcony

The Romeo and Juliet Balcony

Citizenship Ceremonies, originally performed in Chichester, are a regular occurrence in Crawley and light refreshments are available from Squires, the local catering company.

Being kind to the planet

The building, less than a year old, is one of the most environmentally friendly in the county. Built with a reduced carbon footprint in mind, the roof is made from Sedem Moss, providing nourishment for the local avian community and adequate insulation for the building. The building’s water supply is heated by the sun and locally sourced, renewable wood-chip powers the boiler.

The smaller of the two Marital rooms

The smaller of the two Marital rooms

Crawley Happy Times says:

Shelley and I were impressed by the glorious colour schemes (which included green and purple sofas in the waiting room and regal-gold in the Henshall Suite) and the responsible building construction.

If you’re looking for a lovely Reception Office Wedding, Civil Partnership Ceremony or Citizenship Celebration, just pop down to Southgate Avenue, Crawley, RH10 6HG, or call 01243 642122 for more information.

Crawley Library

The Teen Area

The Teen Area

On entering the library, you’re hit with the silent buzz of the Crawley community gently strolling around the ground floor, searching for a book of their choice.  Henry Smith walked me through the different sections with a quiet pride at the success and vibrant decoration of this splendid building.

How it all works

At the front entrance you’ll find an easy-to-use self-service scanning machine.  This is used by the public to borrow and return books (which works a little like the tills at your local supermarket).  I spoke to a library user: Mr. Davis of Crawley, who said “the system.CRO7 is quick and easy to use.  If you have any problems or queries the staff are always friendly and willing to help”.

The whole building is sign-posted for easy navigation and there is access for disabled users.

Décor and atmosphere

The bright, wonderful décor of the building makes it a relaxing place to be.  I noticed a lot of people sitting in dedicated areas reading, revising, without a care in the world. The relaxed ambiance is almost tangible. There are various wooden pillars throughout the building with quotations by famous

Great wooden poles with famous petic quotes

Great wooden poles with famous poetic quotes

Authors etched in scripted calligraphy, giving each room a literary feel.  The exuberant colours of the chairs and sofas give the building a modern look, juxtaposing the new with the old of the writing and the history of the literature and poetry within.

Sections and rooms

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Spacious computer work areas

There are so many areas and sections to the library.  It’s hard to know where to start.  For any avid reader, it is like being a child in a sweet shop.  The ground floor houses the Children’s Library, Teen Area, Foreign Library, Large Print & Audio for people with hearing or sight difficulties and a Sound & Vision section for the music lovers.

On the first floor you are welcomed by many computers with internet access.  They are all up-to-date systems, with plenty of room between stations, so you can work comfortably.  This is an essential form of communication for some community members who do not have access to the internet at home.  Speaking to family or friends abroad is a lifeline for some and is welcomed with open arms.

Statue of Mr Longley

Statue of Mr Longley

This floor also offers spacious meeting rooms for any occasion.  Henry Smith informed me the Council often use them for their committee meetings and they are also used by many charities and local companies.  The names of each room are in honour of some of Crawley’s greatest contributors;

The Bill Buck Room

The Longley Room

The Bastable Room

Working with the community

There are so many positive things about this magnificent building: I would encourage anyone to visit to see for

Fantastic childrens play and learning area

Fantastic children's play and learning area

themselves.  Not only have they established a section called ‘Keep West Sussex Working’, consisting of helpful books on trades and professions, but (children and pensioners) can use the library completely FREE!

Our thanks go to the staff and, of course, Henry Smith for showing us around.

~ Shelley

Correction: – Everyone can use the library for FREE!

Beautiful surroundings

Beautiful surroundings

Heart of Bewbush – Neighbourhood Regeneration Project

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Bewbushopenday4 Dear All,

Please read here for the details of the offical launch.

I would like to invite you to join the Worshipful the Mayor Councillor Brenda Burgess as she opens the newest Community Park in Crawley at Breezehurst Drive Bewbush.

We would be pleased to see you on Monday 27th July 11:00 onwards.

Come along and see the new multi use games area, the youth and toddler areas and the first purpose built parkour training facility in the country.
Watch the Urban Playground Parkour Team demonstrate how the training site can, with practice and discipline, be used.
View the work of the children and young people involved in the extensive consultation and see how a dream became a reality.

For more information please feel free to contact me.

Kind regards

Beverly

Beverly Loxston
Community Services
Events and Promotions Officer
beverly.loxston@crawley.gov.uk

 

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Enjoy a full range of food with Meals on Wheels

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

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Enjoy a range of nutritional hot meals and desserts with the West Sussex Meals on Wheels service.

The service helps thousands of older or housebound people to remain independent in their own home.

West Sussex County Council provides Meals on Wheels with WRVS, one of the UK’s largest voluntary organisations.

The service is available all across West Sussex. Customers can choose from two main courses everyday and two desserts, with the meals delivered direct to their door.

A week’s worth of food can also be delivered frozen so the meals can be heated up and eaten as and when.

West Sussex County Council Catering Advisor Hilary Waitt said: “As well as providing hot and nutritional meals, the Meals on Wheels service also carries out a vital ‘safe and well’ check to make sure customers are okay.

“All volunteers are trained to spot problems and will pass any concerns to the local meals organiser or, if necessary, contact the emergency services.”

There are a number of reasons why someone might want to sign up to the Meals on Wheels Service. They may have just come out of hospital, might not always be able to get to the shops, or if they think it would be a good idea to have someone keep an eye out for them.

An assessment from a GP or hospital isn’t needed to apply for Meals on Wheels – people can contact the service direct.

For further information contact 01903 231341 or visit the County Council website at www.westsussex.gov.uk.

BoyaBase raises the roof

Monday, July 20th, 2009

HalfMoon1

Saturday evening, myself and a couple of the Crawley Happy Times crew popped down the Half Moon for a few drinks and to see The Analysir mix it up on the decks.  As the night went on, The Analysir belted out some great tunes, some old, some new.  There were some old faces there too and we enjoyed a great night of toe tapping, body-grooving beats.

The Crew

The Analysir, AKA Merv Thorne, has been DJ-ing for over twenty years and does a lot of work with the youth of today in Crawley, helping them find their path in the music industry.  Merv’s ambition would be to get a little place in Crawley town centre where he can hold ‘Open DJ’ nights, which I think would be a great asset to the town: the community will be able to share others’ knowledge and have a great night at the same time!HalfMoon5

Merv explained to me that his friend, local lad Chris (Lil Chris), would be mixing it up later on in the evening, with some light house and garage tunes.  Well, let me tell you, Lil Chris was well worth the wait!

My knowledge of DJs may not be completely universal, but I would definitely say Lil Chris has a brilliant future in the world of music and DJing.  I guess he has had a great tutor in The Analysir (who he promptly ‘bigs up’ in his interview).  Great set Lil Chris!

If you missed Saturday night, then I would suggest keeping an eye out on Facebook or on here for the next event featuring The Analysir.

HalfMoon4

HalfMoon3

We spoke to the bar staff at The Half Moon (Toni Green and Chloe Riche) who told us they loved working behind the bar and enjoyed the atmosphere, specially when The Analysir was in the house!
HalfMoon6

The Half Moon has a nice atmosphere and reasonable costs for drinks.  I can personally recommend their BBQ Chicken Pizza.

An excellent show by the 999 services and community workers

Monday, July 20th, 2009

Station5

On Saturday, 18th July, Crawley Happy Times had the pleasure of attending the Emergency Services Open Day held at the Fire Station in Crawley.  And what an amazing day it was!  We were greeted by young police cadets who all volunteered for the day’s supervision of the visitors.  Then into the main hub, (which usually holds the Fire Engines), neatly laid out with happy smiling members of each emergency services eager to give advice, freebies and just have a chat.

Lovely Ladies From The CouncilFirst we encountered the two lovely ladies from Crawley Borough Council who were giving advice on crime prevention and giving away some wonderful tools such as UV Pens and Bicycle Identity Tags.  The ladies were also  promoting some fantastic events happening in Crawley over the coming months (please see events page for further info).  Our thanks go to Beverly Loxton from the Community and Promotion Services and Trish Emmans, Community Safety Support Officer, for the goodies and information they provided.

Then it was off to gawp at the large, vibrant ambulance which dominated the corner, looked after by Nigel Martin, Ambulance Technician and Seamus Higgins, First Responder from the South East Coast Ambulance Service.  I asked Nigel what advice he could give me should I be sitting at traffic lights when an ambulance with flashing lights approaches from behind. Nigel said “the best thing to do is to move safely to the side of the road, not to panic, and let the ambulance guide you if you are unsure”.  I also asked what a driver should do if they are traveling on a usual roadway.  Nigel said “indicate, pull over to the side of the road and stay stationary until the ambulance has passed, then indicate back on to the road and continue your journey safely”.

Nigel mentioned the worst thing a driver could do is slow down, rather than stop, as this may hinder them from tackling obstacles up ahead. Station7

Next we had the greatest pleasure of speaking to Tracy Stocke, Senior Crime Scene Investigator, who was helping visitors with their questions alongside her colleague Stephanie Griffiths.  It was very exciting to speak to Tracy (I am a great fan of CSI).  Tracy explained how the job is not quite as ‘romantic’ as depicted in the series and it was in fact really hard work, although I definitely got the impression from Tracy and Stephanie they thoroughly enjoyed their roles and performed then extremely well.

The event was blessed with sunshine (even though it rained much later in the day) and everyone had a great time. We spoke to Gary & Michelle who were there with their son Jake, who was approaching his second birthday. Both Gary & Michelle said they had enjoyed the day immensely and Jake was having a great time.  Their only gripe was the lack of seating for young Jake to eat his chips.  We agree with this statement and approached Sergeant Darren Taylor about this later in the day.

Sergeant Taylor said “we are considering moving the event to the old bowling alley car park next year, which should help with this problem”.  Sgt Taylor (of seven years’ service), is the brains behind the whole event and deserves a massive pat on the back for his efforts (with a little help from his colleagues and the other services of course).  Sgt Taylor proudly looked on the festivities alongside Sgt Jen Station4Miller (eight and a half years service), who was slightly confused about her name as this was her first offical day as a married woman!  Congratulations Sergeant Miller.

Below you will see the interviews from Firefighter Tim Taylor, who is the newest recruit to Crawley (4/5 months’ service), Firefighter Tim Schwaiger who was kitted up to show the weighty outfits our firefighters endure, and last but not least, Pete Martin, District Commander Crawley. Station12

There was so much noise and excitement generated by the visitors that our camera may not have picked up the sound very well on the interviews.  We are about to invest into a more up-to-date system, so this will not happen in the future.  It’s all about learning as we go :-)



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Community cash boost for top 10

Friday, July 17th, 2009

TEN community groups serving a wide variety of ages and needs have benefited from West Crawley County Local Committee’s latest round of cash grants.

The Committee agreed grants totalling £7345.  The cash comes its Community Initiative Fund, which is money it receives from West Sussex County Council to help the activities of local community groups.

The organisations receiving grants included:

Crawley Friends Housing Association – £1000 to buy equipment and materials for Camfield Gardening Club, which encourages vulnerable adults to work together.

Creasy Drive Venture Playground – £560 towards its Cook Club, which teaches children how to cook healthy meals.

Crawley Youth Movement – £550 towards events that encourage young people to come together and unite against crime and disorder, particularly gun and knife crime. 

St Andrews Friendship Club – £485 to cover the cost of rent for an alternative venue where this club for older people can meet in a friendly environment while the church is being redeveloped. 

Alan Quirk, Committee Chairman, said: “The aim of our Community Initiative Funding is to benefit the local community by ‘pump priming’ new initiatives or supporting one-off applications for specific projects.

“On this occasion we were able to bridge the generation gap. Young people cooking up healthy meals, vulnerable people getting dug into gardening and older residents able to enjoy a chat and a cuppa – they’ve all benefited from our current round of funding.”

Family fun at Crawley Fire Station

Friday, July 17th, 2009

crawleyboroughcouncilsmallCrawley Fire Station will be opening its doors to the public this Saturday (July 18), giving West Sussex residents an insight into the activities of their local firefighters.

The event will be held at the Fire Station on Ifield Avenue from 11am to 4pm and will have lots for all the family to enjoy. Refreshments will be available, along with face painting and rides on vintage fire engines for the family. Admission is free.

It’s also an opportunity for members of the public to see first hand the range of activities involved with being a modern firefighter, with demonstrations of fire fighting and rescue skills throughout the day.

Crews will be on hand to talk about fire safety in the home, at work and out and about. They will also demonstrate how they would release a casualty from a road traffic collision. The chip pan demonstration vehicle will be used throughout the day to show the dangers of chip pan fires.

The Fire Investigation dog (Hattie) will also be there, along with Sussex Police’s investigation dog, representatives from South East Coast Ambulance Service and the Territorial Army.

The day will also provide the ideal occasion for the public to find out about West Sussex County Council Fire and Rescue Service’s free Home Fire Safety Check Service.

Capture Sussex with revamped Image Library

Friday, July 17th, 2009

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More than 15,000 images of West Sussex and the surrounding area can now be viewed and downloaded from the improved Sussex Image Library website.

The high quality images, many of which are free to use, cover all the characteristics of West Sussex, from countryside scenes and sandy beaches to our historic towns and villages.

The library mixes iconic city and rural settings with tourist attractions, farming scenes, business and transport pictures.

The site, which has a number of new, easy to use features, is the result of a partnership between West Sussex County Council, Arun and Horsham District Councils and the South Downs Joint Committee. The day-to-day business is run by PPL Photo Agency in Walberton.

County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy, Deborah Urquhart, said: “There is a wide selection of free to use images, which we are sure will prove very useful, especially for organisations working to promote business and tourism in our area.

“Photographers will also find it a useful medium in which to publicise their work.”

For further information visit the site at www.susseximagelibrary.com, or email ppl@mistral.co.uk

Compare care providers with West Sussex website

Friday, July 17th, 2009

An innovative website is up and running, enabling people to select and compare care providers across West Sussex.

It ties in with the launch of the 2009/10 West Sussex Care Guide, giving information and advice on support and care services for adults across West Sussex.

The Guide is published jointly by West Sussex County Council and the West Sussex Forum, which represents and works on behalf of independent care providers across the county.

A new feature for this year is the Caringinfo.com (www.caringinfo.com) website, believed to be the first of its kind in the UK. It displays the Care Quality Commission overall star rating for each care home, and enables people to select and compare care providers on the basis of their rating.

The Care Guide and website contain information on the different types of care available and who may be eligible for help from the County Council. There are also details of carers support services across the county and information on self-directed support and how the scheme works.

Readers of the Care Guide can also find out more about various community services, including the Meals on Wheels service and the differences between residential and nursing home care.

The Care Guide contains a list of useful contacts and has listings for care homes across the county, banded together into the relevant locality, including how many places each home has and what type of care they provide. Registered care at home organisations are also listed geographically.

West Sussex County Council Leader Henry Smith said: “West Sussex is unique in publishing a care guide as a collaboration between the council and the independent sector. It’s an informative and important guide outlining all types of care available in West Sussex and how to access those services.”

Paul Renshaw, Chief Executive Officer of The West Sussex Forum, said: “Information and advice are the glue of a 21st century care system that seeks to function well and deliver choice and control to older and disabled people, their families and carers.

“Until now, those people in West Sussex who fund their own care or who do not meet the criteria for local authority support have been left to navigate the system without any professional input – often at a time of major change and considerable personal upheaval. Caringinfo and The West Sussex Care Guide are leading the way in helping people get the support and advice they need.”

For a copy of the care guide contact your Locality Office. You can also view the guide on the County Council website at www.westsussex.gov.uk or the Forum website at www.caringinfo.com.

Have a ‘scent’sational summer with Taste West Sussex

Friday, July 17th, 2009

The latest edition of Taste West Sussex is out now, with features on West Sussex businesses and making the most of summer with locally produced food and drink.

The Summer 2009 edition of the foodie magazine also has discounts and competitions including the chance to win an ice cream maker, a barbecue, or bags full of local produce.

Features include:

· New life for lavender: find out why lavender is making a comeback in West Sussex and what it was used for historically.
· Fish food: learn what fish is local to West Sussex and how buying fish caught locally helps the county’s fishmongers and fishermen.
· Use it or lose it: support your local pub though the economic downturn, read the history behind some of the more unusual West Sussex pubs and take a test to find out how much you know about your local.
· Have a walk and a pint: a feature on a five-mile circular walk in Shoreham, and where to stop for refreshment.
· Home on the (free) range: keeping chickens is growing ever-popular in the county. Find out how easy it is and learn from the experiences of others.

There are also dates for diaries, including farmers markets and food events from June to the end of September, and a variety of recipes using local produce.

Taste West Sussex promotes the wide range of food and drink produced and on offer in the county.

With the credit crunch hitting hard and some businesses struggling to survive, it’s important to support local business as much as possible.

And don’t forget to buy a Bag of Taste to put all your locally produced purchases in. The environmentally friendly jute bags cost £2.95, plus 50p postage and packaging. To find out more visit the West Sussex County Council e-shop at www.westsussex.gov.uk.

Taste West Sussex is available from a number of outlets including local food retailers, Sussex Stationers and via the County Council website at www.westsussex.gov.uk/taste.

The next edition of the magazine will be out in October 2009.

Your chance to dance?

Friday, July 17th, 2009

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Auditions are taking place this September to join the prestigious West Sussex Youth Dance Company.

The Chichester-based Company is open to young people aged from 14 to 19, who live in West Sussex and want to improve their dance skills.

The auditions are taking place on:

· Saturday September 19, at the Pavilions in the Park, Horsham
· Tuesday September 22, at Olympos, Burgess Hill
· Sunday September 27, at the University of Chichester, Chichester.

When in the Company, dancers develop their choreographic and performance skills and get to work with top professionals.

They develop their contemporary dance technique, work with professional choreographers and take part in high profile performances, including performing at county and regional showcases in the South East.

West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy Deborah Urquhart said: “By joining the Company, dancers get an experience similar to that of a professional group. They also see what it’s like to be involved in the dance industry through high quality performances and regular training.”

The Company has been running since 2003 and has a weekly class at the University of Chichester during term time. The style of dance is primarily contemporary, although other styles are also used. It’s open to both girls and boys.

You can find out more by viewing a film at West Sussex Video. Go to the County Council website at http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/, click on ‘West Sussex Video’ and then ‘Your Chance to Dance’.

The auditions will be taken by the Company Artistic Director Justine Reeve and will consist of a basic contemporary technique class and short creative workshop.

The deadline for audition applications is Friday September 11.

For an application form contact Jason Bradberry on 01243 753839 or e-mail jason.bradberry@westsussex.gov.uk.

107 Club: Mid Month Madness Review

Monday, July 13th, 2009

On Friday, Shelley dressed up in our glad rags, put our dancing shoes on and went out to the 107 Club to interview Nathaniel, AKA ‘DJ Heaven Sent;. Shelley asked DJ Heaven Sent about his ambitions, his favourite artists and what inspired his interesting moniker. Watch the video below for his answers.

Emma, 21, one of the bar staff at the 107 club. She told me that she had worked at the club for eight months and loved it because all the staff were friendly and like a family.

Claire, 22, a student nurse working part time at the club, told me about the type of act they attracted. Many big artists such as The Artful Dodger, Miss Dynamite and DJ EZ have played the club and they hope to get many more famous acts to attract both local people and those from across Surrey, Sussex and even from London.

Pete, 25, worked at the 107 club since it opened, around seven or eight months ago. He loved the music, especially funky house and dance, and that he really enjoyed the atmosphere and the fact that the staff are such a close knit team.

Claire, Pete and Emma

Claire, Pete and Emma

Ryan said that he felt like part of the building and said that he was committed to bringing the people of Crawley what they wanted. Ryan’s promotional staff put a lot of work into finding out what people think of their evenings and aim to listen to all feedback.

Ryan wants the club to be a central part of the community and hopes to expand their evenings and perhaps even make the club available during the day, for community groups to use. Ryan struck me as a confident person, with lots of great, fresh ideas. If you have any ideas for improving the club or want to suggest a new type of club night, then please contact the club directly on (01293) 527870.

The 107 club, a former Job Centre, is decorated beautifully, with lovely lighting, an upstairs VIP area and two bars, close to the dance floor. As you ascend the stairs, you are greeted by a large mirror, perfect for checking your makeup and lit perfectly for applying a last minute coat of lipstick.

And the club’s not just great for the ladies: the guys won’t be disappointed either – on Friday there were plenty of gorgeous girls too!

Rowdy revellers at the 107 Club.

Rowdy revellers at the 107 Club.

The 107 Club and DJ Heaven Sent come highly recommended. Dress yourself up to the nines, get down there and dance the night away. You won’t regret it.

BoyaBase Bangin’ Beats

Monday, July 13th, 2009

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Proudly present

an evening of funky house, club anthems & garage

Half Moon, Southgate

Friday 18th July, ’09

20:00 until midnight

Special offer just for our readers click here to print

Beats brought to you by the excellent

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An evening not to be missed

Welcome to the world: Asa Stephens-Mitchell

Thursday, July 9th, 2009

Crawley Happy Times is proud to present the first in a series of ‘welcome to the world’ posts, celebrating recent births.

Asa, born at 03:38 on the 12th of June, 2009, is the son of Bob Mitchell and Claire Stephens.

Older brother Gabriel, with mum Claire, meets Asa

Older brother Gabriel, with mum Claire, meets Asa

Little Asa has two bigger brothers, Gabriel, one, and Linus, four, who seem to be charmed by his arrival.

Web analyst Bob and Claire chose the name Asa for their new baby as it was ‘rare’, but Bob says it’s taking them a little while to get used to it. Asa, a name derived from Hebrew, appears in the Old Testament as the name of the third King of Judah. Asa shares his fantastic name with Asa Candler, founder of Coca-Cola and Asa Dotzler, cofounder of Mozilla‘s ‘Spread Firefox‘ project.

Astrological profile

We find astrology fun, so we thought we’d look into what might lay in store for Asa, a Gemini.

Astrology.com says that Asa is likely to be very talkative, intelligent and inquisitive. Always bright and full of vitality, Geminis make friends easily with their charming nature.

We all wish Claire, Bob, Linus, Gabriel and Asa the best of luck.

Images courtesy of www.asamitchell.com

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Mid Month Madness @ The 107 Club

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

The 107 Club is proud to present

Mid Month Madness!

Friday 10th July, ’09

22:00 – 03:00

Hosted by The 107 Club, 107 High Street, Crawley, RH10 1DD

featuring

Party Anthems & Club Classics with

‘DJ Heaven Sent’

Download the printable PDF especially for our readers

All drinks £2 before midnight
VIP all inclusive £25
Entry & drinks (exc. cocktails & champagne)

For information on this and future events please go to
www.the107club.co.uk

A highly recommended night!

Come back next week for Crawley Happy Times’ review of the night!

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Turn and shuffle with Crawley Salsa

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

“There are shortcuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them” – Vicki Baum

On Tuesday, Shelley, Becky and I went to Crawley Salsa to trip the light fantastic.

We arrived at Pizza Express, on the Boulevard in Crawley, at 7.45pm for an 8pm start. As we arrived, Jon, the owner of Crawley Salsa, welcomed us and we stood on the sidelines, nervously waiting for the warm up to begin.

Getting started

Shelley and I stood at the end of the row of eager dancers, hoping our videographer, Becky Fuller, wouldn’t film too many of our misguided steps! (See below for videos).

As the warm-up commenced, we quickly got into the rhythm of things and were swaying our hips in time to the music. Sadly, our feet had other ideas…

Once we’d done our five minute warm-up, we broke up into two groups – the initiated and the beginners.

The great thing about Crawley Salsa is that it’s open to everyone; even, as their site’s FAQ proclaims, those with ‘two left feet’. This was music to my ears, as I regularly trip over, even when completely sober.

Three steps to graceful dancing

Duncan and Lucy, the teachers assigned to the novices, expertly guided us through three basic dance moves. The first, ‘Son’, was a simple back-and-forth movement. When we were asked to pair up, Shelley and I immediately went to dance with each other. However, we were soon politely coerced into dancing with one of the four available men.

Dancing with a stranger

I paired up first with Aaron, 21, an electrical engineer from Crawley. As I learned later, this was his second lesson and he was attending with a friend who was dancing in the more advanced group. Aaron told me that he came to the lessons because he wanted to meet new people and add some variety to the working week. When I enquired as to how long he planned to come to the lessons, he grinned and exclaimed that he hoped he would be coming ‘for a very, very long time’. Obviously, Jon and co. had made a good impression.

Shelley paired up with Arturas, a Lithuanian chap, who told me that he was a keen and experienced ballroom dancer. This much was clear, as he demonstrated some great control over the ladies and moved like a pro.

Dance move one: Son

After a few giggles of embarrassment and looking at the floor, we were soon dancing the ‘Son’. In Cuban Salsa Dancing, the man is in control, which caused a little confusion as we were all new to this sexy, passionate choreography. Some of the more dominant women (read: Shelley and I) were a little uncomfortable at letting a man take the lead, but we soon got used to it.

Dance move two: Enchufla

Once we’d got the hang of the basic steps, we moved on to the ‘Enchufla’ (shuffle). The Enchufla includes a turn, which meant a little more co-ordination than the steps we’d learnt before. Stepping back and then forward, both partners must then turn 360 degrees and return to the normal position.

Dance move three: Dile que’no

Once Duncan and Lucy had decided that we were ready to move on to the last dance move for the evening, we were shown the Dile que’no (tell her no). When I learnt this move alone, I was fine. However, when a man was added into the equation, I found it difficult to grasp. It must have just been me, because everyone else seemed to pick it up quickly.

Swapping partners every few minutes added variety to the class and we met lots of new people. The ratio of the class is generally 60:40 women to men, yet as we rotated on a regular basis, we always managed to dance with a partner of the opposite sex.

Advanced dancers

As Shelley and I were so engrossed in sashaying across the glossy floor with our lovely partners, we didn’t see too much of the advanced class. However, from what we did observe, everyone seemed to be having a fantastic time.

I later interviewed Synnove from Norway, and Rachel, from Crawley, who told me that they’d been attending the classes since January. Although Rachel had been ‘dragged along’ by Synnove, who took the lead in finding a Salsa class, Rachel soon started to realise the benefits of attending Crawley Salsa as she had ‘lots of fun’ at the class and had met ‘loads of really great new people’, some of whom are now good friends.

Crawley Happy Times says…

Shelley and I really enjoyed our night. Not only did we have great fun, we learnt some wonderful new moves and have been practicing them around the office! We really recommend that you visit Pizza Express on a Tuesday night, partake of their lovely food, (which we sampled ourselves) and then head upstairs for some saucy, spicy footwork with Jon and all the team at Crawley Salsa!

Watch Shelley and I in the beginners’ class in the video below:

What should I wear?

Some people dress up for the class and some people come in what they were wearing at work, so it really doesn’t matter what you wear, as long as it’s comfortable and doesn’t restrict your movement too much.

Jon says that the best type of shoe to wear is one with a sole that will turn well on a wooden floor. Trainers, whilst comfortable, usually have a rubber sole that will prevent you turning properly, so avoid those if you can. Ladies who wish to wear heels should find ones with a lower heel. I suggest kitten heels for comfort and style. More from Jon, in this video, below:

Get involved

For more information on Crawley Salsa, including up-to-date prices, you can visit the website, join the Facebook group, call Jon on 07944 513544 or email jon@crawleysalsa.co.uk*

Or, of course, you can just turn up at Pizza Express [map] on a Tuesday night at 7.45pm.

* As Jon gets a lot of spam, he uses ‘Spambot’ which will reply to your email, asking you to confirm your membership of the human race by clicking a link.

Council news

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

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The Crawley Happy Times has set itself the remit of providing positive, community news from Crawley.

West Sussex County Council send us their happy council notices and we post them here, online, so you know what’s going on and you can get involved!

Click here for an archive of recent council news.