The Society maintains an annual schedule of events, supports particular projects and awards prizes to schoolchildren. All are to stimulate awareness of quality of life in the town and our distinctive heritage and culture.

The Friday meetings - see below - with a visiting speaker are held at 8 pm in the Main Hall, East Court.    Non-members, including potential joiners, are most welcome: £1 entry.

Events programme

A varied annual programme includes Friday evening meetings on subjects of general interest, three guided town trails, garden visits, outings to important local architectural sites and an excursion, with other local societies, to an interesting cultural or heritage city or site in Southern England. In addition, the Society has an annual open forum evening to enable members to raise matters of concern, it has a stand at the May Fair and participates in Local History Fairs.

2008

Friday January 18
A POLICEMAN'S LOT ...'
By owners of 'Time Span' Historical Presentations; TONY & LIZZA GILKS 

Friday February 15
OPEN FORUM
An opportunity to discuss current issues facing East Grinstead and the Society

Friday March 28
THE BURGESS HILL FIRM OF BUILDERS, 'NORMAN & BURT'
By FRED AVERY of the Burgess Hill Local History Society

Friday April 18
SUSSEX WINDMILLS 
A view from the Chairman of the Sussex Mills Group; PETER J HILL 

Sunday May 4
TOWN & COUNTRY HERITAGE: WEST HOATHLY TO EAST GRINSTEAD 
Walk from St Margaret's Parish Church, West Hoathly, led by CHRISTOPHER WHEATLEY

Monday May 5, 10 am - 4 pm
MAY FAIR: SOCIETY STALL IN HIGH STREET 
A chance to buy second-hand books, home-made jams, cakes and the Society's publications

Sunday May 11
19th and 20th CENTURY EAST GRINSTEAD; TOWN TRAIL 2
2.30 pm - A guided walk starting from High Street War Memorial, led by ANGELA COLE

Friday May 16
SUSSEX VILLAGE LIFE IN THE MIDDLE AGES 
Life as seen through lives and records of the times, by MARK PERRY-NASH

Saturday May 31
CONVENT ARCHITECTURE, MODERN DAY USES & STAINED GLASS
10 am - 4 pm
Ashdown Park Hotel, then stained glass at Speldhurst and Tudeley. Reservations please on 01342 321525 

Sunday June 1
EAST GRINSTEAD'S VICTORIAN HERITAGE; TOWN TRAIL 3
2 pm Walk starting from Chequer Mead Arts Centre, led by CHRISTOPHER WHEATLEY

Friday June 20
SUSSEX INDUSTRIAL HISTORY
From broadcaster and Local History Cert. Convenor, Univ. of Sussex, GEOFFREY MEAD 

Friday July 18
MAGNUS VOLK AND HIS RAILWAY
By the Chairman of the Volk's Electric Railway Association, IAN GLEDHILL 

Saturday August 9
SOCIETY OUTING
Venue to be announced, led by ANGELA COLE

Thursday September 11 to Sunday September 14
HERITAGE OPEN DAYS: FREE ACCESS TO LOCAL BUILDINGS AND EVENTS.

GUIDED WALK THROUGH HISTORIC EAST GRINSTEAD; starting from St Swithun's Church at 2.30 pm on Sunday Sept. 9 led by ELKE WAGSTAFF

Friday September 19
THE RIVER OUSE 
A view from Natural History author and lecturer; W. Cdr. PATRICK COULCHER 

Sunday September 21
LONDON OPEN HOUSE: SMALL GROUP OUTING BY TRAIN
10 am - Meet at East Grinstead Railway Station for a day excursion to London 

Friday October 17
41st ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Followed by a talk by The Warden of Sackville College

Saturday October 25
LOCAL HISTORY FAIR 
10 am - 4 pm See an exhibit by LAURA SANSOM on our activities and what is under way in Sussex

Friday November 21
STEAMING THROUGH SUSSEX 
Railways seen from the West Sussex Record Office, by BILL GAGE 

Friday December 12
THE QUEEN VICTORIA HOSPITAL TRUST
By a retired Trust Governor, HOWARD MATTHEWS 

All Friday meetings start at 8 pm in the Main Hall, East Court. Non-members most welcome.

For more information, contact the Programme Secretary, Tel: 01444 482576,
Email: bowley902@btinternet.com

Projects

Each year community projects are chosen for Society sponsorship through allocation of funds, work or both.

The Society has allocated funds to support a Post Referendum Campaign against poorly conceived housing development planned west and southwest of the town involving in excess of 2,500 homes, without adequate infrastructure. Memorial slabs in St Swithun's Churchyard, commemorating three martyrs burnt at the stake in the High Street 450 years ago, were refurbished and town centre map frames and a memorial seat were re-painted.

Prizes