Swoove Fitness and RTFJ are Muddy Stilettos winners!

Congratulations to Lindfield residents Esther Featherstone and Richard Talman who were among the winners in this year’s coveted Muddy Stiletto awards. The awards celebrate the best independent small businesses across Sussex, with customers voting to choose the winners. Esther, who runs Swoove Fitness, was chosen as the best fitness instructor. “I feel very honoured to win the 2022 Muddy Stilettos Award for the Best Fitness Instructor in Sussex as I was up against some brilliant instructors,” said Esther. “I truly love what I do and it’s a bonus when members of the Swoovy community are as supportive as they are. I have just passed the £150,000 mark that Swoove has raised for charities since I created it in 2015 so this is a special time to be receiving this award. Thank you everyone that nominated and voted for me.”

Richard Talman, who owns RTFJ Jewellers in Wivelsfield Green, was celebrating a hat-trick of best jeweller awards. “I am delighted and honoured to have received this award for the third time now,” said Richard. “I am really grateful to everyone who took the time to nominate and vote for me. Being recognised for your hard work is a wonderful feeling and makes all the hours you put in worthwhile. My thanks to all at Muddy Stilettos for their work in promoting the fine businesses of Sussex.”

There were also awards for two Haywards Heath businesses, with The Green Tree Gallery at Borde Hill winning the Best Art Space Award and The Urban Sanctuary Best Beauty Salon.

Remembering Lindfield resident Ernest Mackellar Turner

By Roddy Turner

In the April 22 edition of Lindfield Life, in the article on royal celebrations in Lindfield I was pleased to see a photo of my late father, Mac Turner of Meadow Lane, in Highland dress playing the bagpipes, leading the procession through Lindfield as a part of the 1977 Silver Jubilee celebrations. Ernest MacKellar Turner, otherwise known as Mac, was a well-known character in the village, always ready to stop for a chat with anyone, whether walking to the shops or to passersby whilst tending his garden. His rich Scottish accent and warm manner made him many friends, and I know his passing, last year at the age of 88, will be felt by all those who knew him. I would therefore like to tell a little about his colourful, hardworking and very full life.

Mac was born in 1933 in the village of Minard on the shores of Loch Fyne in Argyll, a place of pristine beauty with a strong community, and a lost way of life about which he never ceased to reminisce. Although the village was poor by today’s standards everyone helped each other out and his childhood was coloured by working on farms or roaming in the hills. As a child he developed a strong love of making things, be it model boats or repairing old bikes, and the skills he learned were invaluable in years to come.

Mac’s idyllic childhood was overshadowed by the outbreak of WW2. The whole of Loch Fyneside became a restricted area, as one of the places chosen for the preparations for the eventual landings of D-Day. The local children could attend home guard lectures with the adults, and Mac could strip and re-assemble a Bren gun in double quick time, to the embarrassment of the men who were finding it hard to accomplish!

in 1951 he received his national service call-up papers and took the train ‘down south’ to the RAF camp at Yatesbury in Wiltshire for his basic training, and then to learn a trade as a ground mechanic working on wireless, radar and other technologies of the burgeoning post war recovery years.

To read the full, and beautiful, piece Roddy has written about his late father, please grab a copy of Lindfield Life’s August issue and turn to page 12 and 13, where you’ll see wonderful photos and be taken around the world with Mac.

Funny That King Edward Hall hosts comedy night

Funny That comedy is the brainchild of award-winning Brighton comedian Stephen Grant, the host of the Komedia Brighton for the last 23 years. His business came to prominence putting on A-list comedians – including Romesh Ranganathan and Sara Pascoe - in the garden of a Hassocks pub during Covid times.

Using decades of contacts during his long time in the world of comedy, Stephen has put together special, small scale, high-profile comedy nights that have been selling out across Sussex since mid 2020. Back in February, Stephen’s night was the first public show at the recently converted Hub Theatre at Haywards Heath College, selling out instantly, and excitingly, on Friday 15th July they will be at King Edward Hall in Lindfield.

With its intimate capacity, Stephen told Lindfield Life it’s sure to be busy: “Our plans were to stick in Haywards Heath, but with the college closing for most of the summer and the new Haywards Heath Arts Festival desperate to find a space for our comedy night, we were so excited to find King Edward Hall and the support of the people of Lindfield has been overwhelming. I was born in Sussex and Lindfield was somewhere my parents used to bring me for summer days by the pond, while they sat in the pub! Also, as a Stand Up comedian, I’m very aware it’s the only place in Sussex that has a pub called ‘The Stand Up’. Expect many of our visiting performers to have their selfies taken in front of that sign!”

The lineup for the first show includes Ivo Graham, star of Live at the Apollo, Jessica Fostekew, well-known from Motherland, and hosting the hugely successful Guilty Feminist podcast, Mark Simmons, the expert gagsmith and gag-improvisor from Mock The Week, and Thomas Green, an award-winning Australian comedian.

Lindfield Comedy Club will be on Friday 15th July, starting at 8pm. Tickets available at: www.funnythat.co.uk

Jubilee Beacon Lighting on Lindfield Common - 2nd June 2022

Information published in Lindfield Life - June issue - by Lindfield Parish Council

The Jubilee Beacons is one of the official events of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations taking place over the extended bank holiday, from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June 2022.

The Jubilee Beacons will provide an opportunity for communities and people throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, UK Overseas Territories and the Commonwealth, to come together to celebrate this historic milestone and reflect on The Queen’s 70 years of service.

There is a long tradition of celebrating Royal Jubilees, Weddings and Coronations with the lighting of beacons. A beacon chain, once used as a tool for communication, has now become a symbol of unity across towns, borders, countries and continents. In 1897, beacons were lit to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. In 1977, 2002 and 2012, beacons commemorated the Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees of The Queen, and in 2016 Her Majesty’s 90th birthday.

Now, in 2022, you are invited to come together to participate in this national event. The Parish will join with over 1,500 communities within the United Kingdom and UK Overseas Territories, and light a specially commissioned beacon on Lindfield Common with the event starting at 9:30pm.

The Lindfield trail and open gardens on Sunday 12th June 2022

Gardeners in Lindfield are among the 50 who will be opening their garden gates to the public later this month to raise funds for St Peter & St James Hospice. The annual Open Gardens event, which launched on 21st May with the Hospice opening its grounds to visitors, features six village garden trails, including Lindfield, Hurstpierpoint and Hassocks, alongside several beautiful individual gardens.

The Lindfield trail will take place on Sunday 12th June from 1pm to 5pm, starting at Denmans Lane. The event promises ‘gardens full of variety and packed with interest around every corner, with a delightful mix of flowers, formal and wild areas’. Plants and refreshments will be on sale along the route.

To find our more and to book your space, visit: www.stpjhospice.org/open-garden St Peter & St James Hospice provides end of life care and support for everyone in the local community. All proceeds from ticket sales, refreshments and stalls will go towards providing the best possible care for the right people at the right time.

Haywards Heath Music Society celebrates harmonious birthday

By Ian Barras Hill

Members of the Haywards Heath Music Society gathered at St Wilfrid’s Church Centenary Hall last month to celebrate the society’s 80th anniversary, before enjoying a special concert by the allfemale trumpet quartet Bella Tromba. Birthday cake and fizz were served to over 80 guests, with speeches by Haywards Heath Mayor Howard Mundin and eminent tenor, musicologist and Society President Neil Jenkins.

The U3A Recorder Consort, led by Christine Colbourne, played short selections of music to honour Shakespeare’s 458th birthday. Founded in 1941 by Gertrude Lampson, the Haywards Heath Music Society organises music recitals in the town and the surrounding area, bringing much-needed and affordable live music to Mid Sussex from September to April each year. From classical and jazz to choral and musicals, a full range of music styles is offered, displaying the talents of gifted young professional musicians, both aspiring and established, many of whom go on to pursue international careers such as clarinettist Emma Johnson, Scottish virtuoso percussionist Evelyn Glennie, BBC Young Musician of 2012 cellist Laura van der Heijden and, in 2021, BBC Proms piano soloist Pavel Kolesnikov. For more information about upcoming events or becoming a member, visit: www.haywardsheathmusicsociety.org.uk

Lindfield Cricket Club set up womens' cricket team the Lindfield Pens

By Jill Sayers

With womens’ and girls’ cricket beginning to thrive across the country, it is now becoming one of the fastest growing sports in the UK. This means more opportunities than ever to get involved. Lindfield Cricket Club has recently set up their own womens’ softball cricket team, named the LINDFIELD PENS (a female swan - if that baffles you!) and despite a Covid-interrupted season it has been a welcome break for us all to be playing sport outside and meeting new people. This leads me smoothly on to the social side… we are a friendly bunch of smiley faces, keen to try a new sport and as equally eager to have a glass of bubbles afterwards, making it hard not to enjoy the relaxed format of training (with a few sneaky competitive swings here and there!). But what really makes it so enjoyable for me is it’s the first sport I’ve ever done where I’ve not felt intimidated. There’s no pressure and when you mess up you want to try it again, making it a far cry from school days where it often felt like there was nothing worse than being the last person to be picked for a team in a PE lesson. Hail the women’s new cricket revolution!

This coming season we will be entering the Women’s Softball League. I’m slightly nervous as it makes it sound like they’re upping the ante… but then I know the whole team won’t judge, they will cheer if I fluke something, and laugh with me when I miss a ball, so really, I can’t wait! Matches are local, short, relaxed and best of all the rules are straightforward. With no sign of an afternoon tea (which I have issues with, so it’s to the bar for me afterwards!) it’s not hours of time taken up, and even if you’ve never played before, women’s softball cricket is the perfect antidote to the stress and restrictions the last two years of Covid have brought. If you fancy this refreshing change, meeting new faces, learning a new sport, or - quite frankly - just having a breather from the kids, then please do get in touch as this could well be the most energising thing you’ve done since Covid shook the status quo. You can find us on Instagram @lindfield_pens_cc or email: Bobvivienne.hopkins@btopenworld.com.

How Lindfield Life helped brew micropub The Tap!

Richard, Dave, Paul

During the Summer of 2020 Lindfield Life featured local brewer Paul Swaffield and his brewery, Bestens. This article was read by the mother of local pub manager, Dave Pilling, who passed it onto her son as she knew he would be interested. Dave recalls: “My mum showed me the feature on Paul as she knows I have a passion for craft beer and would be interested in a local brewery. I ordered some beers for home delivery from Bestens, and it was Paul who delivered them. We got chatting about brewing and I offered to help at the brewery. I then spent the next few months helping Paul and his team on the canning line.”

It was during these canning sessions that Paul and Dave discussed their shared dream of opening a micropub. The plan was set in motion when they discussed the idea with Paul’s business partner, Lindfield resident, Richard Evans. The three formed a new company and found ideal premises on South Road in Haywards Heath. After navigating the planning and licencing process, followed by a rapid fit-out, The Tap opened its doors to the public on Friday 1st April. Paul said: “I started brewing as a teenager in my parent’s garage in Lindfield over 20 years ago, and now to have our own pub in Haywards Heath is a fantastic feeling. As well as having our dream pub, we have developed a great friendship between the three of us, it’s been quite the journey.”

The Tap is open from Wednesday to Sunday every week, serving Bestens Brewery beers and a variety of guest craft beers too. Also, with the help of their friends from South Down Cellars they have curated a fantastic wine list as well as offering an array of artisan spirits. Dave added: “It’s amazing to think that none of this would have happened if my mum hadn’t handed me that copy of Lindfield Life!”

Lindfield resident's genius wellbeing gifts - Not Another Bunch of Flowers

A Scaynes Hill business set up by Lindfield resident Anikka Burton following her cancer diagnosis, has received a national award. Not Another Bunch of Flowers has won the ‘Best Alternative Gift Business’ category in the annual Business Excellence Awards, run by Acquisition International. The awards celebrate businesspeople who have ‘battled, persevered and have coped with the unprecedented change and growth during the pandemic.’

“I’m really chuffed!” said Anikka. “We really pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and the whole team has worked so hard, particularly over the last couple of years since covid hit. “This is recognition of their hard work and dedication and it’s wonderful to have it publicly recognised.” Not Another Bunch of Flowers was set up in 2013 after Anikka was diagnosed with breast cancer. “Friends and family wanted to send me a little something along with messages of support, but just didn’t know what to send - apart from flowers,” said Anikka. “Not many people know that flowers are banned in most hospitals. This inspired me to set up a site selling gift alternatives to flowers, including cancer care packages, hospital hampers and get-well gifts.”

Since then, the business has expanded, moving to Scaynes Hill and offering a range of unique and thoughtful gifts for all occasions including new mums, baby gifts, mums-to-be and presents for birthdays and Christmas. “Our build-your-own gifts and care packages have allowed us to offer even more gifts including seasonal gifts, birthdays, christenings, new homes, weddings, engagements and anniversaries,” added Anikka. “And our corporate packages, with their emphasis on wellbeing, have been hugely popular since the initial lockdown.”

Lindfield Cricket Club's 275th anniversary - summer 2022

By Malcolm Page

This summer Lindfield Cricket Club will be celebrating its 275th anniversary. The club will be holding events throughout the season to mark the occasion, including its annual cricket week at the beginning of August when matches will be played against Acton, Kenya Kongonis as well as the inaugural Slam Trophy 20/20 match with the Lindfield Swans versus the Lindfield Trumpeters on 5th August.

In addition, Lindfield members are delighted to have been awarded a prestige match against the Sydney Australia Classics over 50s/60s on Sunday 21st August. This will bring back many happy memories from Lindfield’s Australia tour in 1997 when the club celebrated its 250th anniversary. With the season fast approaching, preparations are full steam ahead on the ground and in the pavilion to ensure a warm welcome to players and spectators. The pavilion lounge is undergoing improvements with new bench seating, tables and chairs as well as complementary signage throughout the pavilion thanks to an English Cricket Board grant. The club will again be running four Saturday sides, a Sunday XI and Midweek XIs as well as the ladies Lindfield ‘Pens’ playing their first softball season in the league.

Together with the Lindfield Academy participating in leagues from under 9-16 and the under 8s All Stars event on Friday evenings from 6th May, it’s going to be a busy season! As we celebrate 275 years of cricket at Lindfield, the club’s historians have started reviewing the archives and are discovering previously unseen information that had been found by Lindfield’s legendary scorer John Pollard. With such a long and illustrious history of cricket in Lindfield, there is inevitably still much more for us to discover about the club’s past, and we are now embarking on the long road of writing a book about the history of Lindfield Cricket.

We would love to hear from any residents of the village who might have any interesting stories that would bring to life the history of our club. Perhaps members of your family once played for Lindfield many years ago, or you have old documents that may be relevant to learning how the club was run in past times? If you have any information, photographs etc about the club or would like to join Lindfield as a player, help with the running of the club or become a non-playing member, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please email: LindfieldCChistory@gmail.com or Bobvivienne.hopkins@btopenworld.com.

Lindfield local runs Manchester Marathon for Ukraine

Lindfield actor Roger Lawrence (May) put on a medal-winning performance in front of an audience of thousands earlier this month. But rather than treading the boards, Roger was pounding the streets taking part in his first Manchester Marathon, raising funds for the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

It was a third marathon for the Lindfield dad who has previously completed the London and Brighton events. “I registered for the Manchester Marathon back in 2020, as I had heard the course was fairly flat and I wanted to beat my previous times,” said Roger. “But after 2020 was cancelled due to the pandemic and I got injured in 2021, I forgot I had a place this year and missed five weeks of training, so I was just grateful it was flat so I could get round!”

Roger finished the course in a respectable 3hrs 57, cheered on by his wife Hilary. “The Manchester course is brilliant for spectators, as the city metro is pretty much unaffected which means that, after spotting their runner, they can jump on the tram and catch them again three stops later! When I ran the London Marathon, I didn’t see Hilary at all(!), but in Manchester I spotted her four times, which made a really big difference.” It wasn’t all plain sailing and there were a couple of early hiccups for Roger. “My earphones stopped working after 10 miles, followed by my Garmin watch, which wasn’t ideal,” he said. “Physically I thought I didn’t feel too bad but, after picking up my medal, I was chatting to two other finishers and when one dropped her protein bar, all three of us realised we couldn’t bend over to pick it up! We just stood and stared at it!”

Roger is thrilled to have raised over £3,500 after starting out with a £500 target. “I was originally going to run for the Stroke Association and Pulmonary Fibrosis Trust (what my father and father-in-law, respectively, passed away from) but, with the current situation, I just had to run for Ukraine,” said Roger, who has already applied for a place in next year’s Manchester Marathon. “I’ve had over 90 donations and have already raised over £3,500 which is just wonderful. And can I please add a massive thank you for all the support.” You can add to Roger’s total via this link: www.bit.ly/3xFWm67

Lindfield Parish Council newsletter - April 2022

Message from the Chairman

I am sure that you will all have been deeply moved by the situation in Ukraine. More than a million people have fled their homes to escape the conflict. Having left behind jobs, belongings and loved ones, they now face an uncertain future. The Disasters Emergency Committee brings together 15 leading UK aid charities, raising funds to respond to overseas disasters quickly and effectively. By donating to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, you’ll help DEC charities provide food, water, shelter and healthcare to refugees and displaced families. The UK Government will match donations from the public pound-for-pound up to £20 million, meaning your support will go even further. You can donate to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal using the following methods: Online: www.donation.dec.org.uk Tel: 0370 60 60 900 (standard geographic charges from landlines and mobiles apply).

To read the full newsletter click the pictures or pick up a copy of Lindfield Life’s April issue.

Lindfield Open Gardens this June 2022

By Jim Stockwell

Now Spring is in the air, many of us are getting busy in our gardens. To get inspiration and a chance to buy plants, why not visit some of the local gardens in Lindfield, which are open for charity over the next few weeks?

The garden at 47 Denmans Lane will be open under the National Garden Scheme on the following dates:
4th April
18th April (Bank Holiday)
2nd May (Bank Holiday)1
6th May

There will be two sessions each day from 10am – 12.30pm and 2pm – 5pm. This beautiful and tranquil one acre garden in the heart of Lindfield, was described by Sussex Life as a ‘Garden where plants star’. Created by the owners, it is planted for interest throughout the year. Spring bulbs are followed by azaleas, rhododendrons, roses and herbaceous perennials. The garden also has ponds, greenhouses and fruit gardens.

The adult ticket price is £5 (children under 16 free). Refreshments and lots of plants will be on sale in aid of St Peter & St James Hospice. Please book in advance via the NGS website https://ngs.org.uk/view-garden/34430. Any unsold tickets will be available on the gate. For plant sales on other days, just walk up the drive and ring the bell for attention.

Also…

Lindfield Open Gardens – Sunday 12th June 1 - 5pm.
The organisers are delighted to announce this ever-popular event in aid of St Peter and St James Hospice will take place on Sunday 12th June. Already several new gardens have come forward and the search is on for other local gardens close to the centre of the village to join in this worthy community event. If you want to know more or could help plan and promote the event, or volunteer as a helper on the day, please speak to Jim or Sue Stockwell on 01444 459363 or email: info@lindfield-gardens.co.uk.

Local Lindfield family 'walk all over cancer' to raise money for Cancer Research

A brother and sister who tragically lost their dad to cancer, have been walking 10,000 steps a day in March to raise funds for Cancer Research. Freya and Charlie Burgess, accompanied by their mum Kelly, have been stepping out onto the streets around Lindfield to reach their target of £300.

Their devoted dad Kevin Burgess died on Christmas Day 2019 after a 10-year battle with cancer. “I’m incredibly proud of Charlie and Freya who are determined to walk 10,000 steps every day in March as part of the Cancer Research ‘Walk all over Cancer’ campaign,” said Kelly. “It’s a way to remember their dad and help ensure that other children don’t lose their parents. One in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime - we all know somebody who has got, beaten or sadly, not survived cancer,” Kelly added. “But we can all play our part to support the research that will beat it.”

The children have braved the recent wet weather to complete their daily steps, and Freya has also been helping to save the planet by picking up rubbish on her route around the village. Donations can still be made on the family’s Just Giving page: www.shorturl.at/mwHT4

The Lindfield Club raises thousands for Mid Sussex Older People's Council

Members of Lindfield Club have raised over £3,200 for charity over the last couple of years. The club usually changes its charity annually, but with Covid preventing many fundraising activities in the first year, the committee decided to carry on supporting Mid Sussex Older People’s Council for another 12 months. The club usually does a range of activities including a meat raffle, race nights, ‘snarts’ competition (snooker and darts), and a charity dinner when social secretary Paula Schofield lays on a three-course meal and guests pay what they think it’s worth into the charity pot! “We love doing things together,” Paula explained, “and it’s great to support local charities at the same time.” The cheque was presented to MSOPC chair Barbara Baldwin and vice chair Val Upton by long-time Lindfield Club member Kath Baker. This year’s nominated charity will be Dame Vera Lynn’s Children’s Charity.

Lindfield Juniors FC raise money for Ukraine appeal

Players, coaches and supporters from all Lindfield Junior teams have joined forces to show support for the Ukrainian people and raise much needed funds for Save the Children’s Ukraine appeal. In the first of a series of events between now and the end of the season, the children and coaches wore blue and yellow kit to training, whilst players, parents and supporters of the club have given generously to the club’s Justgiving page.

U11s coach Dominic Roberjot said: “I had the idea for our squad of 14 to wear blue and yellow to training and raise a few pounds for charity. When I shared the idea with the other coaches, everyone immediately started chipping in with great ideas. Within hours we’d managed to raise more than £1,000! It just goes to show what a fantastic club this is and what an incredible community Lindfield is.”

Faye Waters, Community Fundraising Manager at Save the Children said: “Save the Children is extremely grateful for the quick response and support shown by Lindfield Juniors Football Club and their network, raising much needed funds for children and their families affected by the conflict in Ukraine. We’re planning to deliver lifesaving aid to 3.5 million vulnerable children and their families, but we can only achieve this with the generous support of individuals and organisations like Lindfield Juniors FC.”

More events are being planned between now and the end of the season to show the club’s continuing support for Ukraine. The club has already raised more than £4,500 for Save the Children and the donation page remains open for those wishing to show their support: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lindfieldjuniors

St Augustine’s Church in Scaynes Hill have signed up for the A Rocha Eco Church Awards.

By Jenny Walker

Members of St Augustine’s Church in Scaynes Hill are exploring ways in which it can help to protect the environment and as a part of this we have signed up for the A Rocha Eco Church Awards. Eco Church is an environmental award scheme for churches run by A Rocha, equipping churches to care for God’s creation through their worship, buildings, land, community engagement and individual lifestyles. There are three award levels - Bronze, Silver and Gold and we are at the point of submitting our application for the Silver award.

Ultimately this work is not about the award itself but about analysing our impact on the environment and making changes to make this a more positive one. We have already made a number of changes including LED lighting, using green electricity, using Fairtrade tea and coffee, toilet twinning, recycling milk bottle tops, organising a communal card scheme at Christmas and planting a native tree in the churchyard to encourage wildlife. Recently we have set up an Eco Church Team who have lots of ideas for further actions that we can consider.

Last September our Vicar, Rev Beverley Miles, started a monthly Eco Church session called 23@3. Through this we have engaged with our local MP, Mims Davies, on environmental matters. She joined us at 23@3 for a walk in nearby woodland and a discussion on local environmental matters. We subsequently wrote to her ahead of COP26 raising our concerns about various environmental issues.

At present our focus is on encouraging our church community to consider how to make their own lifestyles more environmentally friendly. To help with this we have set up an ‘Eco Table’ at church to facilitate reusing and recycling goods. People can bring along unwanted items and take away items that they can make use of and for which they give a small donation. All of these donations are used to help the charities which St Augustine’s Church supports.

We are planning a larger scale event to encourage the reuse and recycling of the clothes which most of us have in our wardrobes and no longer require. Our Spring Pre-loved Clothes Sale will take place on Friday 11th March from 10am to 7pm and Saturday 12th March from 10 am to 4pm in the church. Menswear, womenswear and clothes for babies and children can all be donated as well as accessories. All items must be in good condition. We are hoping to have two enjoyable days with refreshments served and everyone is welcome to come along for a browse. As part of our commitment to caring for God’s creation, St Augustine’s Church is also hoping to hold an ‘Eco Festival’ in September with a range of events and activities aimed at engaging people with eco matters and educating and empowering people in their understanding of how to adopt a more eco-friendly, sustainable lifestyle.

Third Lindfield Repair Café success!

The third Lindfield Repair Café took place at Lindfield United Reformed Church on Saturday 5th February after a necessary break in January for Covid safety reasons. Once again, the turnout was remarkable with well over 100 visitors, 87 repairs completed on the day and a further 15 taken away for repair. A huge range of items were fixed including a toy plane, a vacuum cleaner and three clocks. Garden tools and knives were sharpened, and items of clothing and jewellery given a new lease of life.

This month the Repair Café welcomed Computers for Kids, a local charity, and more than 40 computers, monitors, keyboards, printers were collected and donated. At the ‘Kids’ Table’ computers were taken apart, a valuable way to learn how they work, and one young man took the opportunity to learn for his forthcoming GCSE.

Trevor Carpenter, who is responsible for getting the café off the ground, was delighted to welcome Councillor Howard Mundin, the Mayor of Haywards Heath, on an official visit. The Mayor was very impressed with the turnout and what is being achieved. “It was truly wonderful to see the skills of the volunteers at the Repair Café and to witness the buzz of fun and friendship enjoyed by everyone taking part,” he said. “Not only do Trevor and his volunteers repair your goods, but they are happy to share their knowledge and they even have a special kids’ table encouraging young people to repair their toys and games.”

Visitors came from surrounding towns and villages and amongst them were people hoping to set up Repair Cafés in their own local area – one from Cuckfield and one from London.

As always, none of this would have been possible without the hard work and dedication of a team of 60 volunteers and the organisers would like to express their heartfelt thanks. They are always keen to hear from anyone who would like to join them. They would also like to thank everyone who came along with items for repair.

For the next event, to be held on Saturday 5th March, the organisers plan to hold a ‘weaving loom workshop’ for kids, with the chance to make a gift for Mother’s Day. They would love to hear from anyone who has any experience, or time, to make some basic wooden peg blocks, or looms, as well as anyone with some experience to help run the event. Spare wool, ribbon or all material that can be cut into strips would also be very welcome. Contact: lindfieldrepaircafe@gmail.com

https://www.lindfieldrepaircafe.org/

There is a collection point for Haywards Heath Food Bank at the venue so visitors may drop off donations when they visit. Lindfield Repair Café is open on the first Saturday of every month at the United Reformed Church, Lindfield from 10am to 1pm. (On bank holiday weekends the date will move to the second Saturday of the month.)

Please note that the Repair Café cannot guarantee that they will be able to repair all items brought in, but they will always have a go if possible!

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