Ukrainians seeking host family in Hurstpierpoint and surrounding areas

By Jenny Brown

The Hurst village community gave a great welcome to Ukrainians fleeing their homeland. In a variety of ways, different people and groups have helped out. Most of the earlier guests have now settled, found work and are in their own rental property either in Hurst or nearby.

However, as the 3rd anniversary of the latest Russian invasion of Ukraine comes round, there is still uncertainty about the future. Many of our local Ukrainian friends have family members in increasingly dangerous situations, and some would like to bring them to the UK for safety. For example, one local Ukrainian lady living in Hurst with her primary age child is looking for someone willing to host her parents (in their mid-60s). Currently, the UK government is granting visas for 18 months, and offering a ‘thank you ‘ payment of £350 per month to hosts. The commitment to host is six months.

If you think you might be able to help, or you know someone who might, please get in touch for more information: jenny.brown1106@gmail.com.

Hurst Parish Council news - March 2025

Berrylands Pond Update

Over the last few years, and with the active support of our MSDC Ward Councillors (latterly Cllr Geoff Zeidler), the Parish Council has been seeking the restoration of the Berrylands Farm Pond at Sayers Common. It has increasingly been lost in the undergrowth, along with the Sayers Common village sign. The change in the MSDC grounds maintenance contractor to Glendale has provided the opportunity for some of the undergrowth and trees to be cleared, and for the volunteers of our local Woodland Flora and Fauna Group to now focus on improving the health of the pond. The Group are always looking for volunteers so please contact the Office if you wish to help. Meanwhile, the village sign needed a good clean. The Parish Council has taken it down and the SCVS have very kindly volunteered to repaint it.

Hurst Meadows Butterflies

Weekly from April to September, volunteers walk the same route recording numbers and species of butterflies. This helps us monitor the health of the Meadows as a habitat for wildlife. The data is then sent to Butterfly Conservation to form part of the national picture. If you are interested in taking part in spotting and recording these beautiful insects, find out more on Thursday 27 March 1.30 - 3.00 pm Village Centre, Hurstpierpoint.

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

News from Mid Sussex District Council - February 25

Free Playdays for February half-term

Children can look forward to more free fun Playdays for the February half-term. Organised by Mid Sussex District Council, the indoor events will be run from 2pm – 4pm and there’s no need to book, just turn up and take part. There’ll be a host of different activities for children, up to age 10, at the following venues:

• Tuesday 18th Feb @ Kings Centre, Burgess Hill, RH15 9LR
• Wednesday 19th Feb @ Jubilee Centre, East Grinstead, RH19 2HL
• Friday 21st Feb @ Dolphin Leisure Centre, Haywards Heath, RH16 1LY

Cllr Anne-Marie Cooke, Cabinet Member for Communities and Communications, said: “Our popular free Playdays are back for February half-term. We’re so pleased to be organising these free activities for local families once again. Please come along and join in. We’ll see you there!”



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


Village Pizza Kitchen opens new restaurant in Hurst

Village Pizza Kitchen (VPK) has recently relocated across the road to 155 High Street, where they are now operating as a restaurant, whilst still offering takeaway.
Having outgrown their premises at 126 High Street, VPK identified 155 as a new potential site when it was still operating as Feathers Boutique, before it briefly became Hurst Restoration. They have transformed the space into a cosy and stylish restaurant, offering their award-winning pizzas and an enhanced selection of pasta dishes, starters and puddings, along with an excellent wine list.

Founder and Owner, Jo Malone, who has lived in Hurstpierpoint for 15 years, said: “We are really excited to finally introduce an Italian style restaurant to Hurstpierpoint. It is something myself and many others I know have always felt that the village needed. We have built up an incredible customer base since we f irst launched Village Pizza Kitchen during lockdown four years ago and it is wonderful to be able to see them now enjoying our delicious pizzas straight out of the oven!”

Village Pizza Kitchen has gone from strength to strength since its inception in 2020, having won a number of awards, including recently being named as the UK’s Best Independent Pizza Takeaway by the prestigious industry body, the Pizza, Pasta & Italian Association, for the second year in a row. They also now have their own dedicated kiosk inside the iconic Amex stadium, where they additionally supply pizzas for the corporate hospitality lounges.

Village Pizza Kitchen is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday.

News from Hurst and Sayers Common Parish Council

Memory Cafe

A reminder that the Parish Council continues to support the monthly Memory Cafes run by AgeUK in Hurstpierpoint and Hassocks. These are aimed at people who are experiencing memory loss whether they have a diagnosis or not and their families/partners/ carers. These get togethers are informal and fun as well as providing support and advice. The next Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Memory Café will be on Tuesday 4th February at Court Bushes Community Hub, Willow Way from 2pm - 4pm. From 11th March, Memory Cafes at Court Bushes will take place on the second Tuesday of the month, also from 2pm – 4pm. There will also be a café twice monthly at Adastra Hall in Hassocks on the first and third Tuesday of the month from 10:30am – 12:30pm. To find out more please call 01444 450248, or email midsussex@ageukwsbh.org.uk

Parking Restrictions in Trinity Road

Parking around the Health Centre in Trinity Road has become very congested at certain times. This area is used for parking by several different groups including local residents, people working in the High Street, health centre staff and visitors, school staff and parents, and shoppers. Unfortunately, parked cars are beginning to block access to the health centre and to properties beyond that for larger vehicles such as ambulances, f ire engines etc. This is obviously of great concern. In addition, sight lines, especially at junctions are being obscured and this could lead to accidents. Several additional double yellow lines are therefore proposed around the junctions and can be viewed on our website. If you agree with these changes, please email the Parish Council to say so. Your emails will be passed to WSCC as evidence of support for the scheme.

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

Forthcoming copy dates

2026 copy dates for Hurst Life magazine

June’s Hurst Life
Copy date 12th May
Delivery between 23rd - 29th May

July’s Hurst Life
Copy date 9th June
Delivery between 20th - 26th June

August’s Hurst Life
Copy date 14th July
Delivery between 25th - 31st July

September’s Hurst Life
Copy date 11th August
Delivery between 22nd - 28th August

October’s Hurst Life
Copy date 15th September
Delivery between 26th September - 2nd October

November’s Hurst Life
Copy date 13th October
Delivery between 24th - 30th October

December’s Hurst Life
Copy date 10th November
Delivery between 21st - 27th November

Hurst Village Cinema

By Mike Thatcher

A happy New Year to you all. It’s a busy month with four films, including the best film ever made, so I’ll crack on.

On Thursday 9th at 7.30pm we show Pan’s Labyrinth (15), Guillermo del Toro’s classic from 2006. For years I avoided this film, largely because of its label of ‘fantasy.’ Eventually, I decided to see what all the fuss was about and it blew me away. Set in post-Civil War Spain in 1944, it follows Ofelia, who escapes into a mystical labyrinth to avoid the brutal reality of her world dominated by her sadistic stepfather, Captain Vidal, brilliantly played by Sergi López. If you’ve heard of it but not seen it, come and see what all the fuss is about for yourself.

Then, on Thursday 16th at 7.30pm, we screen Sword of Trust (15). We don’t deliberately avoid showing comedies at HVC, it is just that good ones are really hard to find. This laid-back film from Lynn Shelton is a well-timed reminder that Americans can indeed poke fun at themselves, with delightful results. It follows pawnshop owner Mel, (played by Marc Maron, who also provides the deep South bluesy soundtrack), who becomes entangled in a bizarre conspiracy involving Civil War truthers. Blending humour with social satire, it shows real characters reacting normally and unheroically under pressure.

And then, ladies and gentleman, in my opinion, the greatest film ever made and perfect in every way: Magnolia (18) on Friday 24th at 7.30pm. Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson admitted he is resigned to never making another film as good as this, and he made There Will be Blood, Boogie Nights and The Phantom Thread. It centres around seven intertwined stories in the San Fernando Valley, stories of flawed, complex characters struggling with trauma, regret and the desire for redemption. A stella cast, (Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, Julianne Moore, Tom Cruise, John C. Reilly) who produce pitch-perfect performances and a brilliant score by Aimee Mann. The ultimate ‘come and see what all the fuss is about’ film.

We round off on Sunday 26th at 3pm with Perfect Days (PG). One of those films you know you are in safe hands from the start and that you won’t be sent on an emotional rollercoaster. Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days is a quiet, contemplative exploration of solitude and routine, following a Tokyo restroom cleaner named Hirayama. Through his meticulous daily rituals, we see beauty in ordinary moments: cleaning, listening to music, and taking in small details of city life.

Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council news - December 2024

A Winter Walk through Hurst Meadows

Are you looking for a very short accessible circular walk with impressive views, beautiful trees, rolling fields, the sound of birdsong and benches to sit and rest and take all this in? The new cyclepath through Hurst Meadows from the eastern end of Trinity Road makes the countryside accessible for everyone. It is all-weather and suitable for buggies, wheelchairs and those with limited mobility.

Combining a walk along the cyclepath with a return along the Millennium Garden path makes for a varied and interesting short ramble. There really is so much to see and enjoy in just a very small area. Things to look out for include the kestrel which has taken to hovering over the part of Fifteen Acres field adjacent to the cyclepath, the old apple trees which were once part of the orchard of St. Georges House and the animals and birds carved from the Monterey pine tree which once stood in the House gardens. You will be able to see nature recovery taking place in the ex-arable fields and hear the green woodpeckers calling from the trees that surround them. Last year we heard skylarks above Hurst Meadows in January so if you are very lucky you may also be rewarded by hearing their beautiful song.

We have had so many positive comments about the cyclepath and it really has been heartening to see just how many people of all ages are using it.

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

Mid Sussex District Council news - November 2024

Urban Events mark the first steps taken in new partnership for Burgess Hill

Following the Council’s recent decision to progress the formation of a Joint Venture with NewRiver REIT plc (NewRiver), which aims to deliver the redevelopment of Martlets Shopping Centre in Burgess Hill, both parties are jointly delivering a series of activities to mark their commitment to the partnership and help enliven the school holiday and festive periods for the local community. ‘Urban Events’ is a series of free activities during October half-term and in the run up to Christmas, aimed at young people aged 8-16 to bring local people together and drive activity into the town centre. Details of the events can be found on Mid Sussex District Council’s website and on social media. Search Urban Events on www.midsussex.gov.uk

Mid Sussex libraries host free events to support Positive Ageing

This month is the first West Sussex Positive Ageing Month with a series of free events for residents offering information and advice on healthy ageing. As a joint initiative between West Sussex County Council’s Library Service and Public Health, all libraries in Mid Sussex will offer information and book displays on healthy ageing while selected libraries, including Haywards Heath and East Grinstead, will hold events. Depending on venue, these will include health and wellbeing checks, hearing tests, physical movement assessments and expert talks on maintaining wellbeing as you grow older. For more information visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/positiveageing

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

Hurst Parish Council news - November 2024

Speed Indicator Display

The Parish Council owns and operates a Speed Indicator Display (SID) which is placed at different locations throughout the parish, and the data is collected for analysis. Between 26th April and 21st May 2024, the device was located on Cuckfield Road, Hurstpierpoint, recording 52,800 recorded vehicles, 3598 of which exceeding the speed limit, 332 of those by more than 10mph. One vehicle was recorded at 74MPH! Between 4th July and 1st August 2024, the SID was positioned on Reeds Lane in Sayers Common, where of the the 37,329 vehicles recorded, 6,490 were speeding, with 163 of those travelling more than 10mph over the limit.

According to www.think.gov.uk/themes/speed, speed contributes to around one in four fatal collisions on our roads and kills or injures 58 young people every week. We urge everyone to be mindful of their speed when travelling through our villages.

South Avenue Recreation Ground

The hammock in the play area has been repaired, and with the help of Section 106 money two new larger waste bins have been installed. We have also received confirmation of additional section 106 money and generous funding from the Hurst Society to plant the new avenue of lime trees.

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

Pete the Pond to give talk for Hurst ReThink

By the Hurst Rethink team

The inspirational wetland and wildlife landscaper Pete the Pond is to give a talk at the Scout Headquarters on October 2nd at 7.30pm. Pete the Pond will talk us through the why, what and how to have a wildlife-friendly pond in your garden, having worked tirelessly for over twenty years helping to sustain and restore many local aquatic ecosystems.

Of all the features you can add to your garden, a wildlife pond is the number one all-star addition. The water reflects light, plant fronds and clouds, and the life it attracts adds movement and year-round interest. Putting in a pond is a generous act as it’s such a valuable resource for all kinds of creatures. As chemically-supported farming around Hurst drives creatures out of the fields and into our garden world, having a pond is a powerfully eco-friendly gesture. Also, a pond for frogs and toads might just help your slug problem.

There are some clever moves to be had, and Hurst Rethink has joined forces with Pete the Pond for an evening of information designed to give you a head-start as a wildlife pond owner. In the interval, browse stalls promoting the cause of local mammals and birds, buy plants from Garden Sage and local honey, and enjoy tea, coffee, and Ukrainian homemade cakes sold to raise money for the Ukraine cause.

Tickets are £3 and available at hurstrethink.org

Hurst Village Cinema's October 2024 showings

By Mike Thatcher

Small changes afoot at Hurst Village Cinema. As I look further over my shoulder at my 50th birthday receding into the distance, I have decided to bring forward the start time of regular films to 7.30pm, so we can be tucked up by 10pm on a more regular basis! It will also give me more flexibility to programme the occasional very long film, such as the incomparable Magnolia, which in the past, I have baulked at.

We kick off the autumn season on Thursday 10 October at 7.30pm with Blackbird, Blackbird, Blueberry (15). In a small traditional Georgian village, Etero has chosen to remain unmarried, making her an easy subject of gossip in the village. Unexpectedly, she finds herself sexually involved with a delivery man and is suddenly faced with the decision of whether to go down the traditional or independent route in pursuit of happiness. Gentle, sardonic and simply presented.

Then, on Friday 25 October at 7.30pm, we screen Rose (12A). On a coach trip to Paris with her sister, Inger reveals her struggles with schizophrenia to the group, receiving both pity and discrimination. A comedy-drama that gives a much more realistic view of the subject matter of neurodivergence, as it is in part based on the director’s experience. It is also brilliantly cast; Sophie Gråbøl is mesmerising and her antagonist on the trip could not be more convincing and unlikeable.

Then, on Sunday 27 October at 3pm, we are very pleased to show Wilding (PG), followed by a Q&A with Laura Vaughan-Hirsch, from the White Stork Project. Based on Isabella Tree’s best-selling book, Wilding tells the story of a young couple that bets on the future of their failing, 400-year-old estate at Knepp, daring to place its fate in the hands of nature. Ripping down the fences, they set the land back to the wild and entrust its recovery to a motley mix of animals both tame and wild. It is the beginning of a grand experiment that will become one of the most significant rewilding experiments in Europe. This is a charming, hopeful and necessary story of ecological regeneration.
We are delighted that Laura will join us to answer questions arising from the film. Please note that the ticket price is £6 with all proceeds going to White Stork.

Mid Sussex District Council newsletter - Oct 2024

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Please be vigilant of fraudulent QR codes!

Fraudulent QR codes have recently been found on payment machines across council-owned car parks. These QR codes, which falsely claim to be for the PaybyPhone service, are designed to trick individuals into handing over their card details. It is important to note that Mid Sussex District Council does not use PaybyPhone for parking payments and uses MiPermit. We’ve also been made aware of a national scam where text messages are being sent with a parking fine and a link for payment. This is a scam. We don’t issue parking f ines via text message. Councillor Chris Hobbs, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Leisure and Customer Services said: “We are asking residents not to scan these QR codes for their own protection. Our enforcement officers, who play a crucial role in ensuring the security of our parking facilities, were the first to spot and highlight this issue. Their quick action has been essential in mitigating the risk posed by these fraudulent QR codes.” For more information or to report any concerns, please contact the council’s parking team at parkinginfo@midsussex. gov.uk or by calling 01444 458166.

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O Type blood stocks are running low!

Mid Sussex District Council is continuing to support the NHS who need your help now more than ever to keep providing lifesaving blood and urgently needs more ‘O’ group blood donors to come forward and help boost stocks. Book an appointment today: visit www.blood.co.uk or call 0300 123 23 23.

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

Hurst & Sayers Common Parish Council news - October 2024

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Memory Café Court Bushes Community Hub

We were so pleased that a joint project between the Parish Council, Sussex Vale Rotary Club and the local AgeUK led to the first of the reinstated monthly memory cafes taking place on 3rd September 2024. These are aimed at people who are experiencing memory loss whether they have a diagnosis or not and their families/partners/carers. These get togethers are informal and fun as well as providing support and advice.
We know there are many of you in our villages living with memory loss and that you and your loved ones often feel lonely and cut off from the rest of the community. Please come along to your local Memory Cafes where you will receive a warm welcome. These take place at Court Bushes Community Hub, Hurstpierpoint, BN6 9TH on the 1st Tuesday of the month and at Adastra Hall, Hassocks, BN6 8AG on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. To find out more please call 01444 450248, email midsussex@ageukwsbh.org.uk or ask in the Parish Office.

Community Grants

A reminder that the Parish Council awards small grants to local voluntary groups and charities who need f inancial assistance and who provide services which directly aim to improve the quality of life of residents in our Parish. Grant applications are considered at our regular Community Engagement Committee Meetings. The next deadline for submitting a grant application is 31 October 2024. Further information and guidance on applying for a grant is available on our website www.hurstpierpoint- pc.gov.uk/services-information/grants or ask in the Parish Office.

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

Local Hurst parents join smartphone campaign

By Dan Sokell

A local Smartphone Free Childhood (SFC) community has formed, comprised of 300+ parents of children at St Lawrence and Downlands schools. In this nonjudgemental space, parents and carers can discuss the issues, share information and form strategies to delay and manage the use of smartphones by children.
To reduce peer pressure and reach a point where children using smartphones is no longer considered the ‘norm’, we need more parents to consider delaying the use of smartphones. SFC WhatsApp communities have been set up for both St Lawrence and Downlands schools and we have already engaged with the head teachers of both. Please use the QR codes to request access if you are interested in joining.

A representative of the group said: “The evidence is becoming clear – smartphones are damaging to our children’s wellbeing. Laws help to protect our children from things like alcohol and tobacco but regulation on smartphones is well behind the curve. SFC helps parents to understand the risks and take back control.” Anna, a local parent added: “We’re already in contact with headteachers at St Lawrence and Downlands, who have both been supportive. We are working with both schools to build and implement strategies that will help to denormalise the use of smartphones both in and out of school. We’re also liaising with the SFC parent groups of other schools which feed into Downlands, like Ditchling, Albourne and Windmills.”

When children first started getting smartphones a decade ago, there was no research about their impact. Now there is, and it’s overwhelming. Exposing children to things their brains aren’t yet developed enough to deal with can cause a host of problems including anxiety and cyberbullying, according to the latest research.

New Befriended choir and tea party in Hurst

By Gail Millar

Befriended have launched a choir and tea party in Hurstpierpoint, starting in September. Singing is proven to be good for you physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and cognitively. At our choir we have lots of fun singing together songs from the musicals, old time songs and well-known hymns. Our wonderful choirmaster, Ira, encourages everyone to sing with joy, gusto and enthusiasm. Our choir is inclusive and accessible to all.

As with all Befriended activities, we enjoy tea and cake whilst building friendships. The choir will take place on three Tuesday afternoons each month at the village centre 2-4pm starting on the 17th September. Come and let’s make music together.

Befriended, in partnership with Holy Trinity Church, are delighted to launch a new monthly tea party on the third Sunday of each month, 3-5pm at Court Bushes, Willow Way. The tea parties will include quizzes, useful information, birthday celebrations, a scrumptious afternoon tea, a variety of entertainment and most of all the opportunity to meet and make new friends. Our tea parties are renowned for being places of joy, happiness, fun, enjoyment and connection. Befriended is committed to ending loneliness and isolation amongst older people living in our community. We will do this through addressing the causes of loneliness and isolation, bringing people together, having fun and making meaningful friendships.

We launch our first tea party on 15th September. We look forward to seeing you there. If you want to know any more information email office@befriended or call 0300 7727703.

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