UCKFIELD TOWN NEWS 30 May 2025
This column will now include Buxted, Nutley. and Maresfield in its copy. Any organisation wishing to promote their event please contact: melbutch160@gmail.com
COPPAFEEL
Karen Bedwell. When over 75 men and women come together to walk 10km in Uckfield to raise money for the CoppaFeel breast cancer charity, the rain clouds clear, the sun comes out and Uckfield High Street is filled with a mass of pink. It never ceases to amaze me that when someone needs supporting in this town how so many people come together. Two and a half months ago Sue Tagliavini got confirmation that she would be taking part in a 100k charity walk and needed to raise funds to do so. Michelle Wright Poulter offerred her help and support and today weeks of fundraising culminated in a fantastic community 10km walk and The Town Crier and I were only too pleased to join and support. The walk was not just about fundraising, it is about raising awareness that breast cancer strikes women and men alike and can go undiagnosed in the young. It was to start a conversation about checking breasts and chests however old you are and asking for help if anything is different. It was a fantastic event, wonderful to see all ages walking and talking. Lovely to see old friends meeting up and people making new friends on the way. Wishing you the very best for your walk Sue. https://coppafeel.org/
UCKFIELD TOWN MAYOR
A massive thank you to Scott from Paynes Plumbing & Heating who have embraced the People Need People Project and helped Ridgewood Village Hall (RVH) with the installation of solar panels. As a charity RVH needs to fundraise to keep the hall maintenance up to date for the benefit of the community that use it. In recent years the cost of electricity has risen and the only way to balance those costs is to increase the hall rent which affects other community groups and charities. The committee have been raising funds for solar panel installation and Paynes stepped in and offered to supply second hand working solar panels and the inverter free of charge and RVH paid for labour and scaffolding. This reduced the cost by more than 50% and enabled RVH to get the panels installed last week and keep the costs of hire of the hall down for the community groups and lower their carbon footprint. It is a win-win situation for everyone .Thank you to everyone at Paynes for your amazing community support.
UCKFIELD DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Members of the Uckfield Chamber of Commerce returned to the stunning rural setting of the Bluebell Vineyard for the late spring members’ meeting. We made a refreshing change by hosting the evening in the Vineyard’s Tasting Room, located next to the marquee that has welcomed us in previous years. Guests were treated to a glass of Bluebell bubbly or a soft drink alternative on arrival, before enjoying some time to network in the relaxed and scenic setting. The casual mingling and gentle clinking of glasses set the tone perfectly for an informative and engaging evening ahead. Chamber business Chamber Director Ian Noble opened the meeting, still relishing in his team’s victory in the FA Cup, before handing over to President Chris Dowling, who gave an update on what’s been happening in the Chamber. We also heard from Kevin from the Bluebell Vineyard, who gave an overview of the venue’s history. He explained that before becoming a vineyard, it was a pig farm, which Kevin amusingly referred to as going from swine to wine! We also welcomed recently re-elected Uckfield Mayor, Karen Bedwell, who gave an update on the People Need People project, which is an opportunity for local businesses to help out in the community by offering their services. Our guest speakers for the evening were Sam and Jo from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). They delivered a compelling and thoughtful presentation on how employers can better support individuals who have been long-term unemployed and may be living with health conditions. Their insights were well-received and sparked meaningful conversations around inclusivity and support in the workplace. We were also pleased to announce an upcoming event in October, where we’ll be offering practical guidance for local businesses on becoming ‘Disability Confident’ – a valuable step towards creating more accessible and supportive working environments across Uckfield and the surrounding areas. Tasty treats: After the presentation, guests enjoyed a delicious ploughman’s supper, prepared by Chamber member Jane Midgen from The Wealden Kitchen. There were options to suit all tastes, including gluten-free and vegan alternatives. And the homemade brownies were a decadent treat to round off an enjoyable evening. A special thank you to all who attended and helped make the evening such a success. We look forward to seeing you at our next members’ meeting, which will be held on 17 July at Horsted Place Hotel. Book your place now.
VERY CHATTY CAFE
If you are in need of good company and friendship, welcoming and warm space and a delicious homemade meal, please do come along to Chatty Cafe which runs twice a month in the Belmont Centre. Chatty Cafe is a fantastic community outreach project that has become so important to so many. We offer a warm space, friendship, a community atmosphere where anyone is welcome and some say it is an ever-expanding family. We meet in the Belmont Centre on the second and last Fridays of the month (excluding August) 10.30am until 12.45pm providing refreshments mid-morning followed by a hot meal at 12.15pm. We include a generous raffle, a quiz, activities, crafts, jigsaws, a book swap, and we love to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. In the winter months of January, February and March, we meet every Friday with coffee and cake at 10am until 12pm on the intervening Fridays, to enable friendship, warmth and conversation to be shared. If any of our regular members are unwell and can't attend, we try to deliver a gift or arrange a visit. We have special events, speakers, mark notable calendar dates and provide a programme of our dates and event. If you wish you can arrive, sit, enjoy the refreshments, and relax or bring your knitting, crochet or your companion dog! Everyone will always be welcomed. We have an amazing 'Chatty Team' of volunteers that put an incredible amount of time and effort into these sessions which have certainly become a lifeline for so many in our community. We thank them wholeheartedly for their dedication to Chatty Cafe and feel so blessed that we have them! Please do join us at our next session30th May at The Belmont Centre - you will be warmly welcomed.
RAYSTEDE TACK SALE - 1 JUNE
Will you find a bargain at our Raystede Tack Sale? We have plenty of treasures ready to be discovered. Come along to our Equine Barn on Sunday 1 June from 10am - 12pm to grab yourself a deal. Tickets are free but booking is essential: http://www.raystede.org/.../tack- s ale-Sunday-1st- June We look forward to seeing you there!
EAST SUSSEX WRAS
Thank you so much from WRAS, our Sussex Wildlife Ambulance Service, for all the extra 'dog food' donations via our Amazon Wishlist to feed our Fox Cubs, they are growing so fast. You made the difference - thank you. East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service is a registered charity 1108880, undertaking wildlife rescue work across East Sussex. Funded purely on donations and run with the help of over 150 volunteers. Every year WRAS receives over 3,000 calls for help. Office: 01825873003. www.wildlifeambulance.org. www.facebook.com/wildlifeambulance. www.youtube.com/user/eastsussexwras. The Sussex Express Supports East Sussex WRAS. Our busy season is in full flow at the centre with our orphan room alone having over 110 birds! Our orphan team volunteers are doing an amazing job at keeping them all fed, cleaned and content!