Hurstpierpoint Village Centre

The Village Centre continues to be a popular venue for the community. Several new groups are now making regular use of the conference room space including Mum & Baby Yoga, Little Glow baby sensory room and Love Art Studios, as well as long standing hirers such as Knit & Natter.

The conference room has tables and chairs to seat approximately 20 people, and the furniture can also be moved to the sides of the room to give space for fitness classes or children’s activities. The large screen is perfect for presentations or hybrid meetings.

The Main Hall and Club Suite are very busy during the week with a full calendar of regular hirers, but spaces for parties and ad-hoc events can be found during the weekends. You can see photographs of all the rooms, as well as rates of hire, availability calendar and how to book, on our website: https://www.hurstpier point-pc.gov.uk/venues/ village-centre/

Hurst Meadows News

Twenty-four species of birds were seen and/or heard in Hurst Meadows on our Early Bird Bird Walk on 7 May led by local ecologist Laurie Jackson. The species were Goldcrest, Robin, Great Tit, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Starling, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Wren, Collared Dove, Jackdaw, Magpie, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Green Woodpecker, Skylark, Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch, Swallow, Swift and Carrion Crow. This is obviously fantastic news and another sign that the mosaic of different habitats, including scrub, that is developing in the Meadows is enabling nature recovery. It was particularly pleasing to see and hear no fewer than four Whitethroats singing in Edgerley Meadow!

Last month members of the Hurst Meadows Working Group met with a hedge-laying expert to assess the readiness for laying of the young native hedges across the Meadows. Hedge-laying is a traditional way of managing hedges to create a thick, living barrier by partially cutting stems, laying them down, and weaving them together. This technique requires an expert craft person and creates a haven for wildlife as well as a healthy hedge. The hedge at the south edge of Buckwilly Field in front of the Layton Fields estate was judged as being likely to be the first section ready for laying and was recommended for this treatment in autumn 2026.

To read the full newsletter, pick up a copy of June’s Hurst Life or click the images to enlarge them.