Watoto Children’s Choir comes to Hurstpierpoint

Watoto Children’s Choir

The Watoto Children’s Choir from Uganda is currently on a 3-month UK tour, where they are set to perform to nearly 100,000 people in churches, schools and community spaces across the nation. In years gone by they have performed for Her Majesty The Queen, US Presidents and countless governments in parliaments across the globe, sharing their stories of hope through song and dance. The Watoto Children’s Choir has recently released a new album ‘Better Days - There Is Hope’.

The Watoto Children’s Choir will be performing in a free concert this month, taking place at Holy Trinity Church, Hurstpierpoint on 24th May at 6.30pm.

Executive Director of Watoto UK Andrew White says: “We are delighted to continue the UK tour in Hurstpierpoint, as we seek to raise awareness of the incredible work of Watoto in caring for vulnerable women and placing the orphans in families across Uganda and South Sudan.
”Other than going to Africa yourself, what better way to learn about all the good work Watoto is doing, than through this heartwarming, musical performance. The proceeds made from the album will help Watoto continue to provide vulnerable children with an education, medical care, a safe place to call home, and most of all, the love of a family.”

Hurst Open Gardens seek new participants

By Prue Heron

Open Garden will take place on Sunday 16th June, 1pm to 5.30pm, providing you with all the treats you have come to expect from Hurst Open Gardens – including that hidden-away oasis of peace, the majesty of a manicured lawn, views to die for, flowers of every variety – with plenty of locally grown plants to buy for yourself. There’ll be tea and home-made cake, entertainment to soothe you, stalls with local goodies and much, much more.

We have had a wonderful response for our call for gardens but need a few more to complete the event. If you’re thinking you’d like to but are unsure, then one of our last year’s gardener’s comments should reassure you: “I am an enthusiastic and seasoned punter of Open Gardens events across Sussex and Hampshire. They are always an inspiring and motiving celebration of people’s outside personal spaces shared for the joy they bring and for charitable ends. I fought my imposter syndrome which questioned whether my 10m by 7.75m north facing back garden with challenging clay soil was worthy or sufficiently interesting and, setting aside my doubts, agreed to take part. The bubble of chatter from the constant flow of visitors snaking to and from the garage all afternoon dispelled any misgivings I may have had. It was lovely to take part and maybe my garden has inspired you.”

Bakers – we welcome your home-made cakes with open arms – ditto gardeners with plants to spare – they really help swell the final coffers – all of which go to our local St Peter and St James Hospice.

We’d love to hear from you. Please phone Prue on 07769 904724/01273 835064 or email on prueheron@ gmail.com. Contact details are also on our website and FB page. Keep an eye on both for regular updates about the event, including tickets information. www.hurstpierpointopengardens.co.uk

St Lawrence Fair weekend 2024 picks a green theme

By Lona McDonald

We’re looking forward to a fabulous St Lawrence Fair weekend this year - keep the date free, the Fair will be held on Saturday 6th July, with many of the usual events leading up to it. Follow us on social media, and also our website, to keep up to date with all the latest news: www.stlawrencefair.co.uk

Following our AGM in October, we would like to welcome back many of our previous committee members who are staying with us for another year, extend a very warm welcome to our new committee members and offer heartfelt thanks to our outgoing committee members who have put in so much over the last few years to make the Fair the success it is.

We’re very happy to confirm that the Executive Committee for 2024 are unchanged, and planning is already underway for this year’s events:
Co-Chairs: Nic Stenning and Rachael Babister
Treasurer: Simon Winnard
Secretary: Lona McDonald

The Fair is organised by a small committee of around eight volunteers, with a few additional non-committee volunteers, without whom we couldn’t do what we do. As always, we would welcome anyone who would like to get involved and to any extent - from helping to put posters up to advertise events, to being more involved with any of our sub-groups or helping out on the day… and many other things. If you would like to find out more, drop us an email at stlawrencefair@gmail.com - we’d love to hear from you!

And finally…after a broad public poll and a vote which included representatives from many of the groups who regularly enter our procession, we’re thrilled to announce the theme for 2024... HURST GOES GREEN. This can be anything from sustainable living, nature and eco-friendly activities to literally anything green: Shrek, green fruit and veg, Kermit the Frog…the list goes on…we look forward to seeing how creative Hurstpierpoint can be with this!

For those of you joining us at our fundraising quiz on 9th February, we look forward to seeing you there - and if you’re not able to join us, we will be holding another fundraising event in the next few months - thank you for your support!

Hurst Festival returns this September 2023

By Katherine Jackman, festival manager

Hurst Festival runs between 16th and 30th September: Over 80 events of all kinds over two weeks, right here in the village. More details can be found in the programme or online, where you can also buy tickets: www.hurstfestival.org

To launch the two week arts festival is the community event - Super Sunday - on 17th September, 12noon until 6pm. It is a day of free entertainment, live music, there will be a dog show and a barn dance, as well as stalls for food, crafts, charities and so much more! The bell ringers from Holy Trinity Church will start the annual Treasured Transport Parade at 1pm led by Burgess Hill Marching Band – if you want to be part of it and you have ‘treasured transport’ email: treasured.transport@hurstfestival.org for an entry form.
We will be closing Hurstpierpoint High Street from 10am and filling it with stalls and music and many of our beloved High Street retailers will spill onto the High Street with fun additions such as gin tastings and gingerbread decorating!

Added to these locals will be a smorgasbord of independent traders of all kinds including Village Pizza caravan, Greek Food, East Meets West, Donuts, Ice Creams, Gelato and Crepes! We have plenty of vegan and gluten free options – including the fabulous Pakora – their Bhajias are cooked in a yellow split pea batter, so everyone can enjoy them! Add to this some amazing charity stalls, craft, clothes, book stalls and face painting from Garden Spa.

South Avenue Rec will have the Hurst Festival bar on it, so help support this free community day by buying a cold local beer, wine or even a cocktail. The Rec will have an arena of entertainment and free bouncy slide, football goal game and nerf gun game. Donations please!

We are also delighted to announce a fabulous new addition to Super Sunday: ‘Hufts’ - the new Hurst Festival Dog Show at 1.30pm on the Rec. Also, on Super Sunday in the afternoon, we will be having a large barn dance for everybody on South Avenue Recreation Ground curtesy of the amazing live band and callers - Shenanigans. Let’s all come together to dance and celebrate Super Sunday!

South Avenue Recreation Ground Arena
12noon – 1.30pm Mid Sussex Radio DJ
1-1.30pm Treasured Transport Parade
1.30-2.30pm Super Sunday Dog Show
2.30-3pm Hurstpierpoint Gymnastics Club Demonstration
3.15-4pm Barn Dance for all with Shenanigans
4-4.15pm Mid Sussex Radio DJ
4.15-5pm Barn Dance for all with Shenanigans
5-6.30pm Mid Sussex Radio DJ

Village Garden Stage
12noon-2pm DJ Emz
2-3pm Voxy Music
3.30-5pm Open Mic
5-6pm DJ Emz

Plea for help from Hurst's St Lawrence Fair

By Nic Stenning

Hello Hurstpierpoint, we are desperate for some help with a couple of things to enable us to run the St Lawrence Fair this year. Without help, we may struggle to put on all of the events that we normally do which (we think) would be a massive shame. Firstly, we desperately need someone who has some health and safety knowledge around events, to cast an eye over our H&S manual - it was written by someone who has now left the village and is very comprehensive. But we have nobody on the committee who is close to H&S for events and hence we’re not sure if it is up to date and complies with current regulations and guidelines. You wouldn’t need to join the committee (unless you want to of course), we just need an expert eye to guide us for this year please. Secondly, we have been let down on payment by a couple of larger sponsors and so the coffers are a little bare. We really need to pull funds in to enable us to actually run the Fair this year. We have some current advertising and sponsorship packages but they have evolved over the years with nobody really ‘in the know’ helping us to maximise them and really make them worthwhile for our advertisers and sponsors, (the ones who do pay us!). We want and need to really make these work both for us and for our supporters. Are you in marketing or advertising and could you offer us a bit of your time to cast your eye over our current offerings? Ideally, you’ll know all about the Fair and the events we run so you can help us optimise the sponsorship and advertising opportunities that we can offer. Again, you don’t need to join the committee (unless you want to!) and we don’t need you to sell them (unless you can and want to) or sort out the artwork etc that comes in (unless you can and want to help with this - there’s a theme here). We really are DESPERATE for help on both of the above so please, please, please get in touch with us at stlawrencefair@gmail.com, we’re keeping everything crossed as we really do need this help to allow us to run everything we normally do!

Santa's Fun Sunday in Hurst this December 2021

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One of the highlights of the Hurst calendar, when the High Street is closed to traffic and the village comes together, takes place on 5th December as we celebrate Santa’s Fun Sunday from 12pm to 6pm. With a fabulous array of shopping opportunities on display it is a fantastic way to kick off your Christmas gift shopping whilst all importantly supporting your local retailers.

Hurst Traders proudly present this Christmas Extravaganza, an event for the whole community to come together and enjoy, celebrate and have fun traffic-free. Our shops have a wide array of fabulous gifts for all tastes and budgets. As always, the cafés, pubs and restaurants will be open offering an incredible range of hot food and drinks from pulled pork and burgers to pizza and fish and chips. Guest food stalls French creperie, Thai, Halloumilicious, Hot Donuts, Marples home-made cakes and ice cream. There will of course be plenty available to drink from speciality beers, gin and wine tasting, to expresso martinis and of course hot mulled wine.

A huge selection of stalls will be lining the High Street with charity stalls and local crafts, children’s books, ceramics, clothes, handbags, decorations and soft toys to name but a few. What of Santa himself? He will be in his very own igloo on the green between 1-3pm and will be free of charge to visit.

Christmas trees will be on sale and to order from Garden Sage, street music will be on display, Emma DJ doing her stuff on the green along with choirs and 10 Straw Dogs outside the chemist. Singing and dancing performances by Zoe at Creative Space Studios will keep us all entertained. Face painting has proved so popular at these events that to help avoid queues this year there will be three available, so get in there nice and early. There will be a huge bubble display, a singing Elsa from Frozen, donkey rides on the South Avenue Rec, as well as stilt walkers and elf skaters and the ever-popular snow machine.

We welcome back Harris’ fair who are providing children’s rides and hook-a-duck, located opposite the Poachers Pub. The event will be kicked off by the bells being rung from the Holy Trinity Church and during the afternoon the Holy Trinity Choir will be singing traditional Christmas carols.

We are asking our High Street residents to please decorate and light the outside of your homes to add to the festive atmosphere. Hurst Traders invite you to wear seasonal clothes, wrap up warm in Christmas jumpers, silly hats and advise you bring a torch. We look forward to seeing you; please bring your family and friends and let’s make this a very special community event. Can we remind everyone to please remove all cars from the High Street by Sunday morning at 8am as all space is allocated to stalls and events. The road closes to traffic from 11am and reopens at 6.30pm. Thankyou. Hurst Traders.