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Activities
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 - with a visiting speaker - are held at 7.30 pm in the Main Hall, East Court. Non-members,
including potential joiners, are most welcome: £1.50 entry.
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
To stimulate civic pride in younger members of
the community, prizes are awarded annually to children from local
schools for either debating, essay writing or art on subjects related
to the town's buildings, culture or heritage.
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.
2010 events
Friday February 19
OPEN FORUM
An opportunity to discuss current issues facing East Grinstead and
the Society.
Friday March 19
THE ASHDOWN FOREST CIRCA 1900
A talk and slide show, by PETER KIRBY.
Wednesday April 7 3.30 pm
SPRING GARDEN TOUR GRAVETYE MANOR
Led by the Head Gardener. Maximum 16 places; reservations please
on 01342 321 525.
Friday April 16
WALKS IN THE WEST COUNTRY AND PLACES I HAVE SLEPT
Walks and the unusual places
that he has slept, by RICHARD MASON.
Saturday May 1 10 am to 1 pm
TOWN & COUNTRY HERITAGE: WEST HOATHLY TO EAST GRINSTEAD
Walk from St Margaret's Parish Church, West Hoathly led by
CHRISTOPHER WHEATLEY. For help
with transport, please call 01342 321 525.
Sunday May 2 2.30 pm
19th and 20th CENTURY EAST GRINSTEAD: TOWN TRAIL 2
A guided walk starting from High Street War Memorial, led by
ANGELA COLE.
Monday May 3 10 am to 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.
Friday May 21
MY LIFE WITH WATER
45 years work on the River Ouse, its conservation and
preservation, by JIM SMITH.
Saturday May 29 9.30 am to 4 pm
STAINED GLASS & CONVENT ARCHITECTURE
Ashdown Park Hotel, Speldhurst and Tudeley, with pub lunch.
Reservations please on 01342 321525.
Sunday May 30 2.30 pm
EAST GRINSTEAD'S VICTORIAN HERITAGE; TOWN TRAIL 3
Walk starting from Chequer Mead Arts Centre, led by CHRISTOPHER
WHEATLEY.
Friday June 18
A.A. MILNE, CREATOR OF CHRISTOPHER ROBIN
A talk by Christopher Rudd
Friday July 16
I MARRIED THE VICAR
The highs and lows of parish life, from a vicar's wife's
perspective, by ROMY McCABE.
Thursday September 9 to Sunday 12
HERITAGE OPEN DAYS: FREE ACCESS TO LOCAL BUILDINGS AND EVENTS
Sunday September 12
GUIDED WALK THROUGH HISTORIC EAST GRINSTEAD
St Swithun's Church at 2.30 pm on, led by ELKE WAGSTAFF.
Friday September 17
DESPATCHES FROM THE HOME FRONT
A talk on the war diaries of Joan Strange, 1939-1945, by CHRIS McCOOEY.
Saturday September 18
LONDON OPEN HOUSE: SMALL GROUP OUTING BY TRAIN
Meet at East Grinstead Railway Station 9 am for a day excursion to see
some notable buildings.
Friday October 15
43rd ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Followed by a talk by a councillor.
A Saturday in October 10 am to 4 pm
LOCAL HISTORY FAIR
See an exhibit by LAURA SANSOM on our activities & what is
underway in Sussex.
Friday November 19
HOW TO BE, OR NOT TO BE, AN EDWARDIAN LADY
A talk on manners and conventions of Edwardian society, by ELIZABETH
LANYON.
Friday December 10
SOUNDS AND SONGS OF WORLD WAR TWO
With words and music, by DON LAY.
Friday meetings start at 7.30 pm in the Main Hall, East Court, with a
charge of £1 per member for coffee.
Non-members are welcome
(£1.50 per person for Friday meetings; £2 per person for other events;
children free).
For more information, contact the Programme Secretary
Tel: 01444 482576
Email: bowley902@btinternet.com
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