After last year’s cancellation due to the coronavirus, residents of Lower Park Road in Hastings have revived their annual secondhand sale in aid of charity, as Chris Connelley, one of their number, explains.
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The rise and rise of the Delta strain of Covid-19, which has now made its appearance in East Sussex, has finally persuaded the government to postpone for up to four weeks the fourth and final step of the roadmap back to normality which was scheduled for 21 June. Text by Nick Terdre, research and graphics by Russell Hall.
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With the start of Refugee Week approaching on Monday, Home Secretary Priti Patel’s ever harder line against asylum-seekers, backed by her apparent unwillingness to abide by the UK’s international commitments, has prompted refugee support groups to mount a collective campaign for a fair and humane system, as Felicity Laurence of Hastings Community of Sanctuary Campaigns team explains.
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Patrick Glass pays tribute to a woman who will be missed by the local community as well as by her family and many friends.
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Hastings has been awarded £24.3m from the government’s Towns Fund for regeneration, a little short of what it applied for. But if match funding of £85m can be raised, £100m will be available to invest in the town. Before government funding is released, business cases for the proposed projects have to be developed and approved. Nick Terdre reports, photos by Russell Jacobs.
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In response to the G7 Summit taking place in Cornwall this week, XR Hastings and St Leonards (XRHSL) is holding an action on the beach down from Bottle Alley on Thursday 10 June at 4.30pm, to highlight their concern at the government’s continued lack of action with regard to the climate crisis. HOT’s Erica Smith will be with the chapter of cyclists supporting the action.
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Here’s are some links to the live streams happening now (about to start), next Friday and next Sunday from ‘Wilding’ – “so we can bring nature, live art and music to those unable to leave their homes (or who couldn’t get tickets!”, says Beccy Mccray of The Wood People Connective. The links below offer you the chance to watch them back on demand afterwards too.
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Museum and galleries have reopened, yippee. Culture is being introduced back into our lives. Hastings Contemporary is welcoming the public back with, potentially, a very popular show about the seaside – Seaside Modern. The one-time popular music hall song, Oh I do love to be beside the seaside, Oh I do love to be beside the sea, gives a vague flavour of it, though not in a popcorn and slot machine sort of way. HOT’s Lauris Morgan-Griffiths found it an enticing exhibition to celebrate art after this long hard year of lockdown.
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Tonight Francis Viner, Patrick Kealey and Sam Sharples aspire to catalyse, inspire and create community communication with their pop-up film and connection event, ‘Arts On Fire’. Communication with the co-creative community of Hastings and St Leonards – and emanating beyond these boundaries – inclusive of all: artist and non-artist. (We’re all artists underneath it all.) They interviewed a number of creative expressionists, taking the temperature of the times, asking: How are arts creators faring? What keeps them going right now? What inspires and infuriates them in our unfolding pandemic world? What is at the heart of their process? What role does art play in their life? HOT’s Zelly Restorick asked Patrick Kealey for more details.
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Hastings Fringe is back in business! July sees the much awaited return of the town’s most colourful arts festival, now in its seventh exciting year.
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In collaboration with the local community and various high profile artists, The Wood People Connective have co-created a beautiful, free, forest art fest called ‘Wilding’, offering us live music from Gwyneth Herbert, art installations with 6 local artists, storytelling and craft workshops. ALL WELCOME! Fully inclusive and free of charge. Spread the word!
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The deployment of pop-up and mobile vaccination clinics in Hastings is helping to give a much-needed boost to the relatively low pace with which the local population, especially in the more deprived areas, is being given the jab. Higher rates are being achieved elsewhere in East Sussex. Text by Nick Terdre, research and graphics by Russell Hall.
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It is gratifying how people, businesses and the creative industries have defied the rigours of Covid while retaining their optimisim and energy. HOT’s Lauris Morgan-Griffiths was pleased to discover that seven south east coastal towns have come together to celebrate their stories, histories, community and creativity in outdoor installations.
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In Patrick Kealey’s solo show, The Life and Rhymes of Archy and Mehitabel, Archy, free-verse poet and reluctant transmigrated cockroach, energetically and heartfully relates his life experiences – included a failed suicide attempt and his encounters with various other non-human characters. Although his words are inspired by writing from the early 1900s, Kealey passionately delivers a serious, contemporary message for his human audience. HOT’s Zelly Restorick went along to the opening night at The Stables Theatre.
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Portfolios have been allocated to members of the Hastings Borough Council Cabinet and the new make-up of committees decided. Some newly elected councillors have found themselves with several committee appointments. ESCC Green councillor Julia Hilton has a place on the pensions committee. Nick Terdre reports.
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