Community Events
Below you’ll find a list of charitable and other events happening in our area. If you’d like to be included in this guide, email longpier@gmail.com
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DATE AND TIME
Monday 20 September, 8.15pm
DETAILS OF EVENT
Damien Errington has just embarked on his third season as Horticulture tutor at Hadleigh Training Centre. Damien will discuss the practice of social and therapeutic horticulture, the land at Hadleigh and how that relates to his work. He will also do a small workshop to highlight issues for practitioners. He’s also hoping for an element of interaction from our audience!
VENUE
St. David’s Church Hall, 400 Rayleigh Road (off The Rodings), Eastwood SS9 5PT
For safety reasons, there must be no admittance to hall and car park before 8.00pm.
ADMISSION PRICE
Non-members £2.00 - everybody is welcome!
EVENT CONTACT DETAILS
Carole Shorney
01702 201914
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ANNE EARL says: I am organising the third ‘Rock for Havens Sake’ music Festival in aid of Havens Hospices on Sunday 10 April 2011.
The event will be held again at The Mill, Bellingham lane, Rayleigh, Essex. This event is being headlined by the fantastic Dr Feelgood.
I am looking for local young bands to come forward to fill the earlier part of the event…the website addresses are: www.essexinfo.net/rockforhavenssake or www.littlehavensrockforhavenssake.btck.co.uk
All interested bands or artists need to send a demo CD, current photograph and short biography about the band to:
Anne Earl, Event Organiser Roc for Havens Sake, 2 Southwick ROad, Canvey island, Essex SS8 0EP or they can do this via the email address at rockforhavenssake@hotmail.co.uk
Further information can also be gained by calling me on 07828 013043.
The doors open at 11.30 am with the first band on at 12 noon. The day will finish around 11.30 p.m.
There will be a licensed bar, food and a raffle.
Backline equipment will be supplied by Professional Music Technology of Southend. Bands or artists not successful in playing this gig will be kept on record for future gigs to raise funds for the hospices. If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.
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A Brief History of the Mind
Friday 1st October at 7.30pm
A fascinating, humourous, and enjoyable evening during which you will find out about the discovery of hypnosis, surprising uses of pigeons, Freud’s couch, why people talk to empty chairs, and on to our modern understanding of the mind.
During our eclectic journey we will reveal some of the characters that have contributed to our understanding of the mind, and uncover some real and often surprising insights into how people think
Tickets £6.50 available from the website
www.thoughtexplorers.co.uk
Venue: Southend Central Library, Victoria Avenue, Southend on Sea SS2 6EX
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Priory Park will host a great range of activities this Bank Holiday Monday (30 Aug).
From 12 noon until 5pm, there will be something for everyone, with activities including pond dipping, archery lessons by Chase Bowmen, guided walks of the park describing 900 years of its history, basketball with the Essex Pirates, tackle the Northshore Mountain bike track with the Cycle Southend team, Aquabubbles and Bouncy castles.
Most of the activities are free although there will be a charge for the bouncy castles and Aquabubbles.
Red Watch from Southend Fire station will be attending the open day to show the latest in fire fighting equipment and the Ambulance Service will be on hand with a range of CPR dummies for you to brush up on your skills.
If after all of this you need to chill out, then head for the bandstand at 3pm for two hours of music totally fitting for a Bank Holiday afternoon from guitar duo Dave Crawford and Kevin Butler.
To add a touch of glamour legendary Southend rocker Terry Fane will be on the mic from 12 noon to keep everyone informed and on track, and he won’t be taking any prisoners.
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Is there a budding Bugsy in your family? Are you Blousey Brown? Perhaps you know the perfect Tallulah or Dandy Dan.
Youngsters hoping to follow in the footsteps of Essex stars Denise Van Outen and Lee Mead to the West End are invited to audition for a new production of Bugsy Malone.
The musical – based on Alan Parker’s hit 1976 movie about New York gangsters featuring a cast solely comprised of children – will be performed at the Palace Theatre in Westcliff during June 2011.
Southend-based Solomon Artistes are staging the production.
Its hugely respected Producer and Director Ted Houser says “We believe in giving youngsters who would like a career on the stage, the opportunity to see what it’s really like – and at a reasonable cost. We charge just £100 for kids to take part in our shows – and that includes everything, 16 weeks of rehearsals, training, all their costumes and other expenses. Let’s just say I never make a profit on my shows! I am just passionate about giving talented young actors a chance to shine.”
He adds, “Thanks to my contacts we have had West End casting directors and agents in the audience for previous productions and as a result, have seen kids we’ve trained go on to enjoy successful careers on the West End stage and TV screens – something I am incredibly proud of.”
So if you think you can sing, dance or act – and are aged between 7 and 18 – then auditions for Bugsy Malone are taking place on 2 October 2010 at Westcliff Spiritualist Church on Hildaville Drive. It costs just £3 to audition.
If you are cast in the show, rehearsals will take place every Sunday for 16 weeks before curtain up from 1-4 June 2011.
To book an audition call Ted Houser on 01702 437118.
Find out more about Solomon Artistes at www.solomon-artistes.co.uk
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Leigh and Rayleigh Weir Fire Crews are set to pull a vintage fire Engine 13 miles across Southend from Little Havens Children’s Hospice to the Shoreside Pub.
The sponsored fire engine pull will take place on Sunday 26 September and all money raised will be split between the Firefighters Charity and Havens Hospices – which incorporates Little Havens Children’s Hospice and Fair Havens Hospice. The charity provides respite breaks, symptom control and end-of-life care for adults and children living with serious illnesses or conditions.
It aims to make their journey – and that of the family – as comfortable as possible, creating special memories along the way. Havens Hospices will cost £5.2 million to run this year.
The fire engine pull is the brainchild of Leigh’s White Watch, and it is the muscle power of teams of fire-fighters from Rayleigh and Leigh which will move all 12 tonnes of the fire engine from A to B.
Donations can be made online by visiting www.justgiving.com/leigh-charity-fire-engine-pull
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HACT, the Housing Action Charity www.hact.org.uk would like to hear from eligible refugees who might be interested in benefiting from its free refugee housing training and volunteering project.
Reach In project offers refugee volunteers work placements for 4-6 months in housing organizations in various parts of the country, including Southend on Sea and surrounding areas. Successful volunteers also receive nationally recognized Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Level 3 Awards.
The project is in its third wave now. About 20 per cent of those who participated in Wave I and Wave II have managed to get paid employment.
For more information and application packs please contact Devan Kanthasamy, the Refugee and Migrant Network Officer at HACT on 020 7247 7800 or email devan.kanthasamy@hact.org.uk
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Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre is urging local residents to put on their cycling shorts for its sponsored Spinathon in aid of Havens Hospices.
Havens Hospices provide respite breaks, symptom control and end-of-life care for adults and children living with life-limiting illnesses or conditions and rely heavily on public fundraising.
And that’s where the Spinathon comes in. Eight 45-minute charity spin classes will take place on Saturday 11th September with a 15-minute break between sessions.
Spin classes are intensive indoor cycling exercises designed to help improve strength and stamina and burn serious calories, and are overseen by instructors armed with pumping music.
The Spinathon event is open to members of the public aged 14 upwards and will be held in Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre’s new air-conditioned spin studio.
All levels of ability are welcome, with no limit to the number of classes taken, whether it’s one or all of them! There is a minimum donation of £5 per class with sponsorship forms also available.
This is a great opportunity to experience all the superb facilities at Southend Leisure & Tennis centre, whilst getting fit and helping such a worthy cause that is Havens Hospices
Bookings are now being taken on a ‘first come first served’ basis. For more information contact reception or call Jan Harvey, Group Fitness Coordinator at SLTC, on 01702-613000.
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BREAKDANCING SHOWCASE AT
THE HAMSTEL CHILDREN AND FAMILY CENTRE
The Hamstel Children and Family Centre will celebrate the end of this year’s extraordinarily popular Summer Extravaganza with a Breakdancing Show on Thursday 26 August. The show will take place from 2.00 – 3.00 pm at Whittingham Avenue Methodist Church in Southchurch, and light refreshments will be provided.
“The Hamstel Breakers Showcase” also marks the end of the Summer Break Dancing School for children aged 4 – 16 and presents a unique opportunity for friends and family to come along and support the hard work and achievements of talented young people in Southend, who have worked together to put on a very special show.
Imelda Callowhill, Children’s Centre Co-ordinator for NHS South East Essex Community Healthcare, said: “The response to the Summer Extravaganza has been both overwhelming and exciting, and has provided life-changing opportunities for local children and families.”
The Deputy Mayor of Southend, Councillor David Norman, will be attending the show, along with Sarah St. Pierre, Director for Children, Young People and Families, and Stephanie Farr, Service Manager for Child Health and Integrated Early Years, both from NHS South East Essex Community Healthcare.
For further information about local events at NHS Sure Start Centres contact: 01702 577012.
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Jeff Saward
Thursday 16th September
7.30 to 9.30 pm
Westcliff Library
Playful, mystical and meaningful… are you fascinated by mazes?
Do you want to know more of their fascinating history and how through the centuries they have entertained and intrigued many different cultures?
Visit Westcliff Library to be navigated around the subject by an expert:
Jeff Saward is an authority on the history, development, mythology and
symbolism of labyrinths and mazes, travelling widely to research and
lecture on the subject. His books ‘Magical Paths’ and ‘Labyrinths and Mazes’
provide a comprehensive guide to labyrinths and mazes world wide.
Jeff will be visiting Westcliff library to elucidate the origin and purpose of
these fascinating creations from Neolithic times onwards both in the UK and
abroad.
In Greek Mythology the Labyrinth, held a Minotaur to be slain by Theseus,
only a trailing thread allowed his escape. In Medieval times pavement
labyrinths adorned the insides of gothic cathedrals and have long been
associated with group ritual and private meditation. Used decoratively in
Roman mosaics and flourishing in garden form during the Renaissance,
these symbols of man’s contrivance hold a rich history and meaning
throughout the world.
Tickets cost £5 including refreshments and can be purchased from
Westcliff library, from the ground floor counter at Southend Central
library or by contacting 01702 534147. For further details contact
audiencedevelopment@southend.gov.uk
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Stay Safe 2010 Event
Turning Tides Neighbourhood Management Partnership – Media Release
Event: Turning Tides Stay Safe 2010
Date: Thursday 26th August 2010, 11am-3pm
Venue: Southchurch Park, Southend on Sea
Expected Attendance: 5,000 +
Turning Tides Neighbourhood Management Partnership is hosting their annual FREE Family Fun Day in Southchurch Park on Thursday 26th August from 11am–3pm.
This year’s event features FREE displays and attractions from over 50 local organisations including, Essex Police, Essex Fire & Rescue, Southend United Community & Educational Trust, the SOS Bus and many more.
The Event has a safety theme so many of the activities will be providing FREE practical advice on keeping the family safe and secure.
In addition, there will be FREE bouncy castles and face painting as well as a number of FREE activities for youngsters to take part in.
The Event is in it’s fourth year and last year around 5,000 people attended. This year, Turning Tides Event Organiser, Heather Ward, hopes it will be bigger and better. Heather said: “there are many new organisations joining us this year and there is something for all the family to enjoy”.
Background:
Turning Tides Neighbourhood Management Partnership is a Southend Together funded initiative to improve the quality of life for residents of the central parts of Kursaal, Milton and Victoria wards, run by SAVS on behalf of the residents.
Turning Tides Neighbourhood Management project is supported by Southend Association of Voluntary Services, (SAVS). SAVS was established in 1980 and provides support, training, information and representation for non-profit organisations. SAVS is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee.
Websites:
www.savs-southend.org/turningtides
http://www.southend.gov.uk/a_to_z/service/85/community_strategy
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Southend Zimbabwean Network – event
Visitors to the town’s Central Library are invited to discover more about the newly formed Southend Zimbabwean Network (SZN). A free display is being held from Tuesday 24th – 31st August 2010, where visitors can also pick up a membership leaflet giving further details about the work of this locally-based charity.
Initiated in August 2009, the SZN is a partnership with the Turning Tides Neighbourhood Management Partnership (SAVS), with support from The Rosca Trust. SZN hopes to encourage, support and enable the Zimbabwean people within Southend to come together through one voice. The group is a fully inclusive voluntary organisation and membership is open to all who
have an interest in supporting Zimbabwean community, regardless of race or religion.
Last month, Councillor Ann Holland, the Worshipful Mayor of Southend-on-Sea, officially launched the Network at Porters, at which over sixty invited guests and elected SZN Trustees also attended.
Although still a relatively new organisation, SZN has already begun to establish itself in the local community through a series of projects and events, including a successful fundraising meal and a community garden and mosaic project at Moon Corner in Leigh-on-Sea. The SZN also hosted an
evening book talk by diplomat Philip Barclay, author of “Zimbabwe: Years of Hope and Despair”.
On 30th October the SZN, together with Turning Tides, will host “A Taste of Zimbabwe” event to promote the organisation through a free cultural event for the wide Southend community.
Washington Ali, Chair of SZN said “The Network has already proven beyond reasonable doubt that the Zimbabweans in Southend are ready to engage, and wish to work and make a difference in their local community. The team spirit of cooperation and dedication has already made it possible for our recent launch event, and now we want to face the real challenges of getting
down to business and start working for Southend, our home”.
SZN – Join In
On Wednesday 25th August 2010 (11-12noon) there will be an open meeting of the SZN in the Ground Floor Meeting’s Room of the Central Library. New members are welcome.
For more details about SZN membership, please contact Derek Edwards on 07828 587137.
For library services contact Simon Wallace, Community & Diversity Team on 01702 215011 ext
4144, or e-mail librarycommunityteam@southend.gov.uk www.southend.gov.uk/library
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