Posts Tagged ‘Information’
Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
Friday 24th – Sunday 26th June
The Hawth, Crawley
What could be better on a warm summer’s day than sitting outside in beautiful woodland surroundings listening to great music and enjoying a pint! Crawley’s 20th annual Folk and Beer Festival offers all this and more from Friday 24th – Sunday 26th June at The Hawth.
All ages will find something to entertain them at this family friendly fest. There are free performances from Spare Parts who play fiddle and concertina, blues from Cajun Dawgs, alternative folk from 4Square, contemporary Irish music with Ciarog plus free workshops in music, song and dance all leading up to the Festival Bal (ticketed event) on Saturday evening. Everyone will enjoy the free colourful dance displays in traditional styles and Morris dancing and then how about enjoying food from around the world at one of the many refreshment stands.
For those who love to shop, the festival market offers the chance to pick up unique pieces of clothing, beautiful craftwork and jewellery, fresh herbs and flowers and much more.
The Copper Family
For older visitors there is also the Beer Festival offering ales, ciders and perries from the beer tent all weekend. There are 45 different drinks to choose from, all from small, local breweries. Sample a pint of Rip Tide from Littlehampton or Brighton Blonde. For those who find themselves over indulging at the weekend there’s also Guilt Complex from Surrey Hills Co and Shooting Star from the Hammerpot Brewery. There will even be a beer from Maidenbower Brewery, you can’t get much more local than that!
Don’t forget to book for the ticketed events too, which this year include the Polish Pogues Warsaw Village Band (Fri 24 June 7.30pm), blues from The Elevators (Fri 24 June, 8.15pm), local folk legends The Copper Family (Sat 25 June, 7.15pm) and The Demon Barbers – Time Gentlemen Please (Sun 26 June 5pm), fresh from winning Best Live Act at the 2011 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
The Demon Barbers Roadshow
If you really want to get into the festival spirit, we have great on-site camping facilities from just £10 and as always, under 12s go free. So why not bring the whole family along!
For more information on the festival line up, blogs and music tasters visit www.myspace.com/crawleyfolkfestival
Warsaw Village Band
Tags: BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Brighton Blonde, Cajun Dawgs, children, CHT, ciders and perries, Community, County council, Crawley, crawley borough council, Crawley Folk & Beer Festival 2011, crawley happy times, Guilt Complex from Surrey Hills Co and Shooting Star from the Hammerpot Brewery, Happy, Henry Smith, Henry Smith MP, Information, les, Maidenbower Brewery, News Bulletins, online, Polish Pogues Warsaw Village Band, rawley’s 20th annual Folk and Beer Festival, Rip Tide from Littlehampton, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, The Copper Family, The Demon Barbers – Time Gentlemen Please, The Elevators, the hawth, The Perfect Summer Weekend, Times, West Sussex, www.myspace.com/crawleyfolkfestival
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Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
Your chance to win Sussex Day prizes
The fifth annual Sussex Day is looming up, and it’s time to plan how you can celebrate your county’s rich heritage. The date is June 16th, chosen because it’s St Richard’s Day, marking the life of the Bishop of Chichester from 1245 until his death in 1253.
Here are just a few of the events taking place – on Sussex Day itself the County Record Office in Orchard Street, Chichester, will be celebrating with a special exhibition called West Sussex On Film. People are being invited to bring along their old films showing the county many years ago.
There are competitions and prizes to be won. The county’s schools meals provider, Chartwell, are running a special Sussex Day school meal competition, for five to seven year olds, and eight to 11 years old.
Entrants will create and cook a main course meal, which must be healthy, suitable for steaming, and have some locally grown or reared ingredients. There are two age categories – five to seven year olds, and eight to 11 year olds – with valuable prizes for the winners.
Mike Coleman, the new Chairman of West Sussex County Council, is offering a £50 cash prize for the best poem about West Sussex. Entries can come from anyone of any age, and can be e-mailed to: competitions@westsussex.gov.uk Runners-up will receive a book token worth £20, and a copy of Sussex, Tales of the Unexpected, by Kim Leslie. The volume details fascinating stories of life from the Tudor period to the last century.
Closing date is 15th June, and the winner will be announced the next day, which is Sussex Day. The runner-up will receive a book prize, courtesy of West Sussex Libraries.
“Sussex Day has become an important day in the calendar, when we take time to remember what a beautiful county we live in,” said Mike. “I am looking forward to receiving lots of poems, and I hope everyone finds some time and some way to celebrate the event.”
If you visit the County Council home page at www.westsussex.gov.uk and write ‘What’s On’ in the Search Bar, a whole host of activities covering various times of the year will appear. You can even invite people to your own event by adding it to our database.
If you still have your bunting from a Royal Wedding party, you could plan another one on a date near to June 16 to celebrate Sussex Day. To get a special offer on West Sussex flags, visit our Sussex Day pages to see how you can buy a 5ft by 3ft flag for just £36 including VAT, post and packing.
To order your West Sussex flags just visit the ‘County Council Merchandise’ section of our eshop.
Finally, sit back and relax, capturing the flavour and spirit of what it’s like to live in one of the best parts of Britain. Our short film ‘Spirit of Sussex Day,’ is a musical and spoken journey into why we celebrate the event. Just follow the link on our Sussex Day pages. To find these, enter the words ‘Sussex Day’ in the search bar of the County Council home page.
Tags: Bishop of Chichester, CHT, Community, county, Hawth, Information, Shelley Fagence-Traynor
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Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
One year after the coalition was formed, Henry Smith MP has welcomed the actions already taken by the Government to support women and families. Looking back on what has been achieved and what is being done, it is clear that right across Government action is being taken to improve the lives of women and families.
Ten things the Government is doing to help women and families:
1. Increasing health visitors to ensure every family has the support and advice they need to give their children a good start in life.
2. Supporting families through the Universal Credit which will lift nearly one million people – including 350,000 children – out of poverty.
3. Pushing for equal pay for equal work by working with employers to encourage voluntary, non-legislative action to improve transparency on pay
4. Tackling violence against women and girls by introducing a new cross-Government strategy.
5. Funding rape crisis centres to reverse the decline in such centres by protecting existing centres and funding new ones.
6. Encouraging flexible parental leave by giving parents the choice of how they take leave for child care.
7. Tackling the glass ceiling through an all-age careers service to ensure young women make broader and more ambitious career decisions.
8. Increased Child Tax Credit to support 4 million lower income families.
9. Extending early years support for education and childcare to the 130,000 poorest 2 year-olds.
10. Supporting 890,000 of the lowest paid workers, many of whom are women, by raising the minimum wage.
Henry said:
“I am proud to support this Government that has done so much to help women and families. Over the past year Government action in so many areas has done so much for women and families right across Crawley.
“An extra 4,200 health visitors will help ensure every family has the support and advice they need. And our new cross-government strategy to tackle violence against women is being matched by stable funding to protect existing rape crisis centres and to fund new centres.
“Despite the tough decisions the Government has had to make on the economy they are helping the most disadvantaged families and the lowest paid workers, many of whom are women. Universal Credit will lift nearly one million people, including 350,000 children out of poverty. Raising the minimum wage and increasing child tax credits will help more.”
Follow Henry daily on Facebook by visiting: www.facebook.com/henrysmithmp
Tags: CHT, Community, Crawley, Crawley MP Welcomes The Government's Actions To Help Women & Families, Henry Smith MP, Information, Shelley Fagence-Traynor
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Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
Free family bike ride
This year’s Crawley Family Bike Ride takes place on Sunday 26th June and includes free entrance to Nymans Gardens, owned by the National Trust.
The second annual ride is from Oriel High School in Maidenbower to Nymans Gardens in Handcross and back. Registration starts at 10am and the ride is suitable for all ages and abilities, although children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
The route follows National Cycle Route 20 and is led by experienced cyclists.
Arrival at Nymans should be at about 12 noon. The return ride starts at about 1pm with arrival back at Oriel at about 3pm. For more information visit www.crawley.gov.uk/cycling or www.horshamandcrawleyctc.org.uk
The ride is part of Bike Week, which runs from June 18-26. Another event sees Crawley Borough Council and Ahead Cycles offering a Bike Doctor service. The Bike Doctor will be beside the Bandstand in Queens Square between 11.30am and 1.30pm on Monday June 20, Wednesday June 22 and Friday June 24.
Bring your bike for a free health check and then take it with you to Ahead Cycles on The Broadway to get a 10 per cent discount on any recommended repairs and services.
Bike Buddies will also run from Three Bridges Station on Monday to Friday, leaving at 8am on two routes – one to Manor Royal Business District and one to K2 Crawley. If you want to learn the best route to work or gain confidence riding with others then join in.
Bike Week aims to promote and encourage cycling as part of everyday life and highlights the social, health, environmental and economic benefits of cycling.
Councillor Lenny Walker, Cabinet member for Leisure and Culture, said: “There’s more to do in Crawley this Bike Week than ever before. The family bike ride is a great way to discover new parts of Crawley as well as visiting a nearby National Trust property, all at a leisurely pace.
“As well as the ride the Bike Doctor and Bike Buddies will help to give more local bike owners the skills and confidence to get out on two wheels this summer.”
Tags: Allan Hambly, Chichester, children, Councillor Lenny Walker, County council, Crawley, Henry Smith MP, Information, Local, West Sussex County Council
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Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
County’s bid to save Jubilee Oak
One of the town’s most significant trees will be cut back in a bid to save it following the discovery of disease.
Crawley’s Jubilee Oak, a West Sussex County Council owned tree which can be found in the High Street, is suffering from a heartwood decay fungus which can also affect the roots.
Unfortunately the disease is in its advanced stages which means the tree will need to be cut back to make sure it stays safe and stable.
Marcus Brooke, a West Sussex County Council Arboriculturist, said: “The tree needs to be reduced now and will need further reductions in future years.
“It will be inspected regularly and if the decay reaches a certain level, the tree may one day need to be replaced.”
The Jubilee Oak was planted in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
Work is due to start on Monday 18th July when the permanent Christmas lights are removed.
On Tuesday19th July and Wednesday 20th July , county council tree surgeons will be reducing the crown of the tree between 9am and 4pm.
Barriers will be in place during the working hours which will reduce some pedestrian access. Four parking bays below the tree will also be closed
Tags: County council, County’s bid to save Jubilee Oak, crawley borough council, crawley happy times, Information, West Sussex
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Friday, May 20th, 2011
Fostering Open Day in Crawley
West Sussex County Council urgently needs to recruit more foster carers in Crawley and surrounding areas because of the rising number of children needing foster care.
As part of Foster Care Fortnight (May 16 to 29), West Sussex County Council is holding a fostering drop-in session at Crawley Library on Saturday 28th May from 10am to 4pm as part of a recruitment drive to sign up more carers.
These informal sessions give people a chance to chat to existing foster carers, like Babs Bower, and members of the highly experienced team, to allay fears and answer any questions people may have about fostering.
Local foster carer, Babs says: “I’ve been a foster carer for under-fives and sibling groups for over 30 years and I still enjoy it. Over the years I have cared for over 100 children; each one of them have been individuals with their own particular needs.
You don’t have to be a certain age or type of person to foster but you do need to be firm, fair and have patience. You have to treat these children as special because they are.”
Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Peter Evans, said: “To provide the highest standard of care, West Sussex County Council does its very best to match West Sussex children needing care to West Sussex foster carers.
“Children thrive on familiarity so our approach also means children and young people who need care stay close to their school, friends, people and places they know.”
West Sussex County Council makes sure a full package of training and support is provided to all its foster carers to meet the needs of the children and young people they care for.
Anyone who’s interested in fostering West Sussex children and young people but cannot make the event can call the Fostering Recruitment Team on 01403 229333 or visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/fostering
Tags: children, CHT, crawley borough council, crawley happy times, Happy, Information, News Bulletins, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, Times, www.westsussex.gov.uk/fostering
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Thursday, May 19th, 2011
WANTED: Volunteers for library’s reading challenge
Read all about it – volunteers aged 13 to 25 years old are needed to help out at West Sussex County Council’s Library Service’s Summer Reading Challenge.
Volunteers will be asked to spare time during the challenge to help families register, choose and discuss books, and to award medals and certificates for children who complete the challenge.
The free annual Summer Reading Challenge, which runs from Saturday 16th July to Saturday 10th September, is aimed at 4 to 12 year olds who are asked to read up to six books from their local Library, winning awards at different stages. The theme this year is the circus.
All volunteers will get:
• full training and support for the work
• experience of working with children and families
• a chance to develop new skills such as organisation, communication and teamwork
• a certificate from Outset Youth Action showing the hours they have volunteered.
Deborah Urquhart, County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Libraries, said: “Whether you can spare a few hours a week or a day, this is a great chance for young people to get involved in a community event and gain some skills.
“People could recommend books to the children that they used to read, and get involved in creating medals and badges.
“The Summer Reading Challenge is always a success, and brings children together as well as expanding their reading skills.”
To get involved, visit http://tinyurl.com/6yvyxr4 and click on the application form. Alternatively, visit your local Library for more details.
Tags: CHT, Community, county, crawley happy times, crawley library, Happy, Information, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, Times, WANTED: Volunteers for library’s reading challenge
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Wednesday, May 18th, 2011
A grand design for the restoration and conservation of Worth Park has been developed – and now it’s your chance to have your say.
A masterplan to return Worth Park in Pound Hill to its former glories has been created, showing new designs for tree planting, pathways and historic features in the park.
Crawley Borough Council wants feedback on the masterplan so interested residents and groups are invited to Ridley’s Court, Milton Mount Avenue on Wednesday 1st June from 2-8pm to view the plan and give comments.
Council staff and the project team will be on hand to talk through ideas and take feedback.
Councillor Lenny Walker, Cabinet member for Leisure and Culture, said: “This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in conserving one of Crawley’s lesser known, but historically significant, parks.
“I urge everyone with an interest in Crawley’s heritage and parks to have a look at the masterplan and give us feedback at this event.”
The masterplan has been developed following an initial grant from the Heritage Lottery Fun (HLF). The final version will form part of the important and nationally competitive round two application process. If successful, the council will win the £2 million grant needed to restore the park and encourage more people to use and enjoy it.
The bid follows consultation with more than 200 park users over the past few years, which identified a great strength of feeling and affection for the park. So far the majority of people listed the restoration of the Clock Tower, gardens, camellia walk, fountain and lake as their top priorities.
Worth Park covers eight hectares and consists of formal gardens, recreational parkland and a lake area, which is a site of nature conservation interest. It was originally a medieval deer park and formed part of the Forest of Worth, which stretched from Slaugham in the south to Worth in the north. The park hides the remnants of a high status late Victorian pleasure garden and landscape, constructed by James Pulham and Son.
For more information and directions to Ridley’s Court visit www.crawley.gov.uk/worthpark
Tags: Allan Hambly, children, CHT, county, crawley happy times, Help shape the future of Worth Park, Information, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, Times
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Tuesday, May 17th, 2011
Bus service subsidies to be reduced by County Council
An ‘impact assessment’ to find out how reductions in bus subsidies will affect passengers is being launched by West Sussex County Council.
The County Council announced in February that it would be reducing the subsidy it gives to bus companies in West Sussex by £2 million, leaving a budget of £2.7 million per year.
Of the 24 million bus journeys made every year in West Sussex, reduction could affect just two million trips.
The savings, which will be phased over a three-year period, are necessary as part of the County Council’s need to reduce its overall spending by £79 million.
The County Council is asking passengers on the selected services to explain how the changes are likely to affect them.
Details of the routes that might be affected from September 2011 will be available online at www.westsussex.gov.uk/buses as well as in local libraries and Help Points.
Sunday and evening services will be most affected but passengers may also see a reduction in the frequency of services on some routes during weekdays. A small number of routes used by school children who are not eligible for free transport are also included in the proposals.
Lionel Barnard, West Sussex County Council Deputy Leader with responsibility for Highways and Transport, said: “We very much regret having to reduce these subsidies but I must stress that although the County Council is withdrawing some subsidies it may not mean an end to the service.
“We are working with the bus companies to look at all possible alternatives. In some cases it might be possible for services to continue running with a fare increase, or a reduced number of buses if the bus operators find a way to absorb the cost themselves.
“We are also keen to work with local residents and community transport schemes to look at alternative ways for people to make their journeys.”
Recommendations on which subsidies to reduce have been made by a specially formed cross-party group of councillors.
The impact assessment closes on Friday June 10 with the first phase of reductions taking effect from September 1, 2011.
As well as information on the County Council website, people can call 01243 642105, email buses@westsussex.gov.uk or write to: Buses, Have Your Say, FREEPOST RSBK-CHTU-KGGG, West Sussex County Council, Chichester, PO19 1RQ.
Tags: Bus service subsidies to be reduced by County Council, CHT, Crawley, crawley happy times, Happy, Information, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, the hawth, West Sussex
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Tuesday, May 17th, 2011
Call to save lives and the planet…at no cost!
Sussex St John Ambulance is urging local people to join a recycling scheme which enables them to do their bit to save lives and the planet at no cost to themselves.
By giving old mobile phones, inkjet, laser and toner cartridges to the Recycle 4 Charity scheme, people can turn unwanted items into much needed cash to support the vital work of the nation’s leading first aid charity.
It costs nothing to join the scheme, unwanted items are collected free of charge and people can keep track of exactly how much money their recycling efforts have generated for St John Ambulance.
Sussex St John Ambulance county fundraiser Jeanne Peterson explained: ‘Many people throw away these items simply because they don’t even realise recycling services for them exist.
‘We hope the fact that this kind of recycling can be used to support a really worthwhile cause will convince people it’s worth making the very little effort involved in backing the scheme. After all, no-one knows when they or someone they love might find themselves in an emergency situation where our first aid training could mean the difference between life and death.
‘It’s a win-win situation – waste is reduced, it’s good for the environment and we get badly needed donations to continue our vital work in local communities throughout Sussex.’
Anyone interested in joining the scheme can get more details and register at the Recycle 4 Charity web site: www.recycle4charity.co.uk/intelsignup.aspx?supporterid=C25268
Or contact Jeanne on 01273 371522 / email jeanne.peterson@sussex.sja.org.uk for more information.
Once registered, participants receive recycling bags and boxes with their unique supporter ID printed on them so they can log into the web site at any time to see how much money has been donated. Posters are also available to enable people to promote the scheme among colleagues, relatives and friends.
The bags and boxes are collected free of charge when they contain a minimum number of items.
All money raised will be used by Sussex St John Ambulance which relies on public donations to fund its voluntary work. The charity has more than 2,000 members in the county who provide first aid cover at hundreds of public events across each year.
For information on making a donation or becoming a volunteer please call 01273 371 500 or visit www.sja.org.uk/sussex.
Tags: Call to save lives and the planet...at no cost!, Crawley, crawley happy times, Information, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, Times, Updates, www.sja.org.uk/sussex
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Monday, May 16th, 2011
Henry Smith has today welcomed the Home Secretary’s commitment to fight crime by slashing police bureaucracy. In a speech on Monday, Theresa May outlined a package of reforms which will save 2.5 million police hours a year – the equivalent of 1200 officer posts.
Henry said:
“These reforms will cut paperwork above all by restructuring the police’s performance review process, and simplifying crime recording. They will change the culture of policing by moving away from the tick box culture of today. This is a truly radical change with Government committing to trust the police to get on with their job.”
Although Labour promised to cut bureaucracy, the police saw more paperwork not less. The police were directed by Whitehall diktat and spent their time chasing centrally-defined targets, rather than responding to the needs of local communities. Despite record spending, bureaucracy and form-filling kept police behind desks. A report last year by the police inspectorate found that only eleven per cent of police officers were visible and available to the public at any time.
The Government is introducing a series of measures as part of their plan to fight crime:
• Slashing bureaucracy. The new package of reforms will save an estimated 2.5 million hours of police time, the equivalent of 1200 officer posts. Steps have already been taken to save up to an additional 800,000 hours of police time by scrapping the stop form and limiting stop and search reporting.
• Removing all targets. All Labour’s targets for the police have been scrapped and replaced with a sole emphasis on cutting crime.
• Providing transparent information. Street-level crime maps on police.uk provide accurate information so local communities can see how police are dealing with crime in their area.
Henry continued:
“This is a watershed moment for policing across Crawley and for our local officers who serve across Sussex and in other forces such as the Met. After years of rising paperwork, Government is taking effective steps to cut crime by tackling the bureaucracy that keeps the police behind desks, not out on the streets.
“Dealing with the paperwork from a simple burglary can require 1,000 process steps. Labour claim to support reducing bureaucracy but couldn’t even answer whether the police should spend more time on paperwork or patrol.
“Only this Government is prepared to trust the police to get on with their jobs – rather than tying them up in paperwork and red tape. That’s why I support the Home Secretary’s decision to scrap all police targets and instead set the police just one goal – to cut crime.”
Follow Henry daily on Facebook by visiting: www.facebook.com/henrysmithmp
Tags: CHT, Community, crawley happy times, Crawley MP Backs Frontline Police Officers, Henry Smith MP, Information, News Bulletins, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, Times
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Monday, May 16th, 2011
Coffee Time for the curious at County Record Office
It was said, at one time, that a person could walk right across West Sussex going from one great estate to another.
Now anyone can find out more about the county’s great estates, from manorial accounts to servant’s photographs, at the County Record Office Coffee Time Session on Wednesday 1st June.
The Record Office, in Orchard Street, Chichester, holds the sessions on the first Wednesday of every month, from 10am – 12pm, for people wanting to learn more about family history from experts, in a relaxed atmosphere over a cup of tea or coffee.
Sessions so far have included learning how to read old handwriting and introducing computer sources for family historians. Future sessions include reading old school records and general advice for beginners.
West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for the Record Office, Deborah Urquhart, said: “Many West Sussex residents will have ancestors who lived or worked for one of the great estates in the county, such as Petworth, Goodwood or Cowdray.
“The estate records held at the Record Office may be a treasure trove of information on someone’s family history.”
There are records on servants who worked in the big houses, including wage books, which show how much they earned and how long they worked for.
There is also information on some of the major landlords, such as their accounts and bills from local and London shopkeepers, lists of charities they supported, and information on their tenants and workers.
Deborah said: “The records of the great estates are well kept and have a good survival rate, especially when the estate has been in the same family for centuries.
“The Record Office has a host of experts who will be on hand to help anyone with their research, giving advice and tips.”
Tickets are £7.50 and need to be booked in advance. Call the Record Office on 01243 753602 or email, records.office@westsussex.gov.uk
Tags: CHT, Coffee Time for the curious at County Record Office, Community, County council, Crawley, Happy, Information, News Bulletins, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, Updates, West Sussex County Council
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Monday, May 16th, 2011
Key into computers with FREE courses for over 50s
Does the thought of ‘opening an attachment’ or forwarding an email scare you? If so, Silver Surfers’ Day could be for you.
To celebrate Silver Surfers’ Day, on Friday 20th May, West Sussex Library Service is holding free courses for those aged over 50, who feel they are being left behind by the computer generation but want to try.
There will be structured training sessions on the Friday at the following Libraries:
• Chichester – 9.15am – 11.15am
• Bognor Regis – 9.30am – 11.30am
• East Grinstead – 9.30am – 1pm
• Horsham – 10am – 12pm
• Willowhale – 2pm – 4pm
There will also be informal and drop-in sessions offered at Crawley, Goring, Littlehampton, Rustington and Worthing Libraries on the Friday and at Lancing Library on Wednesday 18th May, and Shoreham Library on Thursday 19th May. Ask in any of these Libraries for more details.
Trained staff will be there to help the surfers learn how to open an email account, send attachments, and give advice and tips on the best way to make use of the Internet.
Deborah Urquhart, County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for the Library Service, said: “Silver Surfers’ Day is aimed at showing a generation of would-be users, who may feel it’s too late to learn, that the world of the Internet is not scary.
“The Library Service has run courses like this before, with great success.
“For anyone who wants to begin surfing the World Wide Web, this is the perfect opportunity.”
To reserve a place, contact any of the Libraries listed above.
Tags: CHT, Community, Crawley, crawley happy times, Happy, Information, Key into computers with FREE courses for over 50s, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, Times, West Sussex, West Sussex County Council
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Monday, May 16th, 2011
Rainbow flag to fly at County Hall
THE multi-coloured Rainbow Flag, the international symbol of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community, will be flown at County Hall, Chichester, by West Sussex County Council for the first time on Tuesday May 17.
It will be marking IDAHO – International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, which was founded in France seven years ago with the aim of creating a global community sharing the ideal of a world without homophobia.
Hundreds of associations in more than 50 countries have used the day to raise public and political awareness of LGBT rights.
It is held on May 17 because that is the anniversary of the World Health Organisation decision in 1990 to remove homosexuality from its list of mental disorders.
Louise Goldsmith, Leader of the County Council, said: “This was a historic step towards considering freedom of sexual orientation and gender identity as a fundamental basic human right.
“Flying the Rainbow Flag at County Hall is a highly visible demonstration of our continuing commitment to developing LGBT initiatives, tackling discrimination in the community and to eradicating homophobia and homophobic crime.
“We are also determined to tackle discrimination within the workplace and in those organisations that deliver services on our behalf.
Mike Coleman, Chairman of the County Council, said: “This commitment was acknowledged by the charity Stonewall, which campaigns and promotes equality for LGBT people. It said West Sussex County Council is one of the UK’s top 100 LGBT-friendly employers.”
Tags: CHT, Community, county, County council, crawley happy times, Happy, Henry Smith MP, Information, Rainbow flag to fly at County Hall, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, Times, West Sussex, West Sussex County Council
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Thursday, May 12th, 2011
Feeling, happier, healthier and fitter is something many of us want to achieve but if you’ve reached the end of your tether Crawley’s Wellbeing Team could help.
The Wellbeing Team, based at K2 Crawley, offer a free service to help people change their lives by encouraging them to adopt healthier lifestyles.
65-year-old Rhiannon Sharpe from Three Bridges has just been awarded as the team’s ambassador and knows all to well how the Wellbeing Team’s support can be life-changing.
Rhiannon Sharpe
She said: It’s just completely changed everything around for me; everything use to be hard work before I came here.”
Rhiannon, an ex smoker and grandmother of two, was referred to the team by her doctor following a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); a term used for lung conditions including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
In 2009 Rhiannon couldn’t walk up the stairs without stopping and had refused medics’ advice for oxygen to be given to her at home.
She said: “I wasn’t going to start using oxygen at home because it meant I would just sit there and do nothing. Everything had got so much harder; I couldn’t go dancing with my husband anymore and looking after the grandchildren was a big struggle.”
The dedicated team helped Rhiannon get back to health through fun and gentle exercise and advice on healthy eating and lifestyle habits.
She added: “I’m so much happier now; I have a zest for life. I walk two miles every day; I go dancing with my husband twice a week and I’ve taken up swimming. And thanks to all that I’ve lost a stone and a half.”
The fun-loving gran couldn’t swim before she visited Wellbeing but she took up lessons thanks to the team and now she’s a dab hand.
Rhiannon said: “The achievements I’m most proud of are the exercise and the swimming. I’m so pleased my doctor referred me, it hasn’t just changed my life it’s had a positive affect on all my family, especially my husband Rod and our grandchildren.”
Councillor Lenny Walker, Cabinet member for Leisure and Cultural Services said: “Rhiannon’s story is really inspirational and goes to show what a difference the Wellbeing Team can make to peoples’ lives when they’re determined to make a change.
“Rhiannon was referred by her doctor and it would be great to see more of this. The partnership between medical professionals and CBC is really important. The work the team do coupled with the swimming referral scheme are great examples of us working together.”
Crawley Wellbeing has something for everyone, whether it’s advice on getting fitter, kicking a habit or just improving wellbeing.
Call 01293 585317 or complete an online enquiry form at www.crawleywellbeing.org.uk to make an appointment with an advisor.
Tags: Allan Hambly, charity, children, county, Crawley, crawley happy times, Information, Life-changing support from Crawley’s Wellbeing Team, News Bulletins, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, West Sussex County Council
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Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
Tributes to tenant stalwart
John Andrew
Crawley Borough Council pays tribute to John Andrew, a longstanding tenants’ representative, after he died on 22nd April.
John was heavily involved with Crawley Homes as a tenant representative. He played an active role in the Crawley Homes Forum and was its chair for the past four years.
He was involved in many other service panels during his years as an involved tenant from looking at the repairs service to the overall performance of Crawley Homes.
John, who lived in Ifield West, was a very popular person among the other involved tenants and council staff and played a large part in changes to resident involvement.
Over the past year John was one of the representatives who was involved with the Association of Retained Council Housing and will be missed by this national tenants group.
Councillor Lee Gilroy, Cabinet member for Housing, said: “I met John on many occasions. He worked tirelessly on lots of groups and forums and his input will be sorely missed by myself, council officers and his colleagues.
“John took his many representative roles seriously and his hard work and enthusiasm helped to create a better service for all of the council’s tenants.”
He played an active role in his community and was involved in other groups in the town, as well as sitting on the GP panel for his local surgery.
John’s funeral took place on Friday 6th May at Surrey and Sussex Crematorium.
Tags: Allan Hambly, Cabinet member for Housing, charity, children, CHT, Community, Councillor Lee Gilroy, county, Crawley, crawley borough council, crawley happy times, Crawley Homes Forum, Happy, Ifield West, Information, John Andrew, News Bulletins, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, Times, Tributes to tenant stalwart, Updates, West Sussex County Council
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Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
Committee to hear Three Bridges parking proposals
A REPORT on proposed amendments to the Three Bridges Controlled Parking Zone will be the headline issue at the next meeting of the East Crawley County Local Committee.
The Committee meeting will also include:
• A verbal update on a recent consultation on parking issues in Pound Hill.
• Requests for Community Initiative Funding, which is cash the Committee receives from West Sussex County Council to support local organisations that enhance their neighbourhoods.
• The ‘talk with us’ forum. “This is our regular forum that enables people to raise local issues they are concerned about,” said Committee Chairman Richard Burrett.
The meeting is being held on Tuesday 17th May in The Longley Room, Crawley Library, starting at 7pm.
Tags: Allan Hambly, Chichester, children, CHT, Committee to hear Three Bridges parking proposals, Community, county, crawley borough council, crawley happy times, crawley library, Happy, Information, Local, News Bulletins, Pound Hill, Richard Burrett, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, The Longley Room, Three Bridges Controlled Parking Zone, Times, Updates, West Sussex, West Sussex County Council
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Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
ENJOY THE GREAT OUTDOORS SAFELY
The last few weeks of sunshine have been great for people getting out and about to make the most of the good weather but the recent wildfires across the countryside in Berkshire, Lancashire, Wales and Yorkshire, are a reminder of how important it is to take care when enjoying the great outdoors.
In the UK, fire statistics show that on average 74,000 fires are started on grass and heath land every year and While the Met Office is predicting some showers in coming weeks, the fine weather is set to continue for most.
With this in mind, Fire Minister, Bob Neill has issued some top tips on staying fire safe in the warm, dry weather, he said: “We’ve just seen the warmest April on record and despite the rain this weekend, the good weather is set to continue. So it’s important to stay fire-aware when out and about in the sun.
“Fires can be as devastating to wildlife and habitats as they are to people and property, and some simple steps, from taking care with your barbeque, to disposing of cigarettes and matches responsibly, can help ensure you can enjoy yourself in safety – a few moment’s thought could save lives and land.”
By following the Fire & Rescue Service’s common sense advice you can ensure people and the countryside stay safe from the effects of fire:
Wildfires
- be careful not to drop a match or smouldering cigarette in the countryside at any time of year. Dispose of cigarettes and matches carefully and responsibly
Open Fires
When camping in the countryside, if you must have an open fire, remember:
- camp fires should be set downwind
- do not leave fires unattended
- make sure that fires are fully extinguished after use
Grass and forest fires spread rapidly
- never throw cigarette ends out of a car window – they could start a fire and ruin surrounding countryside
- don’t leave bottles or glass in woodlands as sunlight shining through glass can start a fire. Take them home or put them in a waste or recycling bin.
Barbeques
- take care to follow any local rules about using barbeques in the countryside
- never leave a barbeque unattended
- take great care when disposing of the ashes
- always keep a bucket of water or sand nearby for emergencies
Fire safety advice is free and easy to access from West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s Community Safety Team on 01243 642879 or at www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire
Tags: 01243 642879, Allan Hambly, Berkshire, Bob Neill, Chichester, CHT, Community, county, County council, Crawley, crawley happy times, Deborah Urquhart, ENJOY THE GREAT OUTDOORS SAFELY, Fire & Rescue Service, Fire Minister, Happy, Information, Lancashire, News Bulletins, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, Times, Updates, Wales and Yorkshire, West Sussex, West Sussex County Council, West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service's Community Safety Team, www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire
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Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
Calling organisations to help disabled young people ‘Access All Areas’
West Sussex County Council is helping services ensure they offer facilities and activities to young people with disabilities.
A special event called ‘Access All Areas’ is being hosted by the County Council’s Short Breaks for Disabled Children Team on Thursday 26th May.
The team is interested in meeting organisations that can offer facilities for learning or physically disabled young people, and also for those with disabilities such as autism.
The event is aimed at organisations such as:
• Community services
• Specialist schools
• Arts and leisure services
• Horse riding schools and sports centres
• Libraries
• Uniformed youth services such as Brownies, Guides, Cubs, Scouts
• Activity centres
• Cinemas and theatres
• Clubs
The information morning will include workshops, information zones and grant funding packs.
Peter Evans, County Council Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said: “Organisations can find out what grants they can apply for to ensure our disabled young people are given the best opportunities in West Sussex.
“We want to provide funding to enable organisations to deliver experiences and short breaks for our children and young people.”
“The series of workshops and presentations on the day will give organisations the opportunity to talk to others that applied for grants last year and find out how they used their money and what was achieved with it.”
The event is being held at Hilton Avisford Park, Yapton Lane, (BN18 0LS), from 9.30am ending with a networking lunch at 1pm.
Tags: (BN18 0LS), Allan Hambly, Calling organisations to help disabled young people ‘Access All Areas’, charity, Chichester, children, CHT, Community, county, County council, County Council Cabinet Member for Children and Families, County Council’s Short Breaks for Disabled Children Team, crawley happy times, Deborah Urquhart, Happy, Hilton Avisford Park, Information, Peter Evans, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, Updates, West Sussex County Council, Yapton Lane
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Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
The Celtic and Irish Cultural Society as part of Crawley Fleadh 2011 welcomes best selling author Michael Smith to Crawley Library to talk on the remarkable adventures of Irish explorer, Tom Crean.
This lecture, illustrated with many outstanding historic photographs, is based on Smith’s No 1 best-selling book An Unsung Hero, which has has sold almost 90,000 copies worldwide and resulted in a statue being erected in Tom Crean’s honour in Kerry, Guinness theming a TV advertisement on the explorer-turned publican and Crean’s story being taught in Irish schools for the first time.
Lecture on Tom Crean ‘The Ice Man’ at Crawley Library, Tuesday 24th May @ 19.30
Tags: Allan Hambly, children, CHT, Community, County council, Crawley, Crawley Fleadh 2011, crawley happy times, event, Guinness, Happy, Information, Irish explorer, Kerry, Lecture on Tom Crean ‘The Ice Man’ at Crawley Library, Michael Smith to Crawley Library, News Bulletins, Shelley Fagence-Traynor, The Celtic and Irish Cultural Society, The remarkable adventures of Irish explorer TOM CREAN, Times, Tom Crean, Tuesday 24th May, Updates, West Sussex County Council
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