News

Local churches will be taking part in the Eastbourne COP26 March and Rally on Saturday 6th November alongside 28 other groups and organisations from across the political, religious and ideological spectrum. Some will  use the TearFund resources including banners referencing ‘love your global neighbour’ and ‘act justly, love mercy, walk humbly’.

Look out for the bright yellow banners on the day. The march will assemble from 12 midday at Bankers Corner and walk to the Wish Tower Slopes for a rally at 2pm.

This November, the UK will host the UN climate summit COP26 in Glasgow. Governments of practically every country will come together to make plans for tackling the climate crisis. Decisions made will affect us all – especially those living in poverty who bear the brunt of the climate emergency. Through prayer and action, we can all play our part in making this a significant milestone as we tackle climate change together.

Whether or not you’re in Glasgow during COP26, there are plenty of ways you and your church can get involved. Go to this TearFund page, which will be updated regularly with new events and prayer resources to help you take action.

COP26 is a key focus of Tearfund’s Reboot campaign, aimed at seeing a breakthrough in the climate crisis.

Local churches will be taking part in the Eastbourne March and Rally alongside 28 other groups and organisations from across the political, religious and ideological spectrum. Among those participating are Gather Collective, an Eastbourne community church. Their Gather Community Garden will be among the stall holders. Dave Roberts, part of their leadership team is urging people to participate and to use the TearFund resources including banners referencing ‘love your global neighbour’ and ‘act justly, love mercy, walk humbly’.

Look out for the bright yellow banners on the day

In the recent Church of England elections to the General Synod, five of the candidates elected for the next five-year term 2021-2026 were from Eastbourne. These include Canon Andrew Cornes – elected to the House of Clergy, and Mrs Catherine Butcher, Dr Simon Eyre, Mrs Tina Nay and Mr Jacob Vince, elected to the House of Laity.

The General Synod is the national assembly of the Church of England.

Other members elected from Chichester Diocese include Canon Archie Coates, Revd Arwen Folkes, Ven Luke Irvine-Capel and Revd Martin Poole elected to the House of Clergy, and Mr Martin Auton-Lloyd, Mrs Camilla Foottit, Mrs Mary Nagel and Mr Bradley Smith elected to the House of Laity.

A new phase of ministry in Devonshire Ward: 

The trustees of Eastbourne Christian Resources CIO (ECR) and  Kingdom Way Trust (KWT) are very pleased to announce a new era in  the use of 91-93 Seaside Road. They have agreed upon a plan to  ensure that the furtherance of the Christian Gospel and advancement  of the Christian faith in the Devonshire Ward of Eastbourne continues  into the future. 

Since 1949 there has been a Christian Resource Centre operating from 91-93 Seaside. The  sale of Christian Books, Bibles and other resources flourished through many turbulent  times. However in recent years it has become increasingly more difficult to sustain a retail  operation.

Along with much of the ‘High Street’ the Eastbourne Christian Resource Centre has been  significantly impacted by the change to ‘online’ shopping and diminishing footfall into the  shop. The repeated lockdowns in 2020 disrupted trading and brought into focus the  concerns the ECR trustees had about continuing retail operations.

It was clear that the charity could not continue to sustain the trading losses incurred by the  bookshop in the last few years, and so it was with some sadness that the Trustees agreed  to cease trading operations at the end of January 2022.

The issue for the ECR trustees, having taken this decision, was what to do with the  freehold property which the charity owned, and from which the bookshop operated.

Around this time KWT indicated that they were looking for a suitable premises as a  weekend drop-in venue for homeless and vulnerable people in the town. In addition, KWT  needed additional space for private appointments; collaborative work with other  agencies; support and recovery groups; Alpha Courses; a meeting place and hub for the  benefit of those they work with.

The trustees of both charities recently met to explore a way forward, which would be in  line with the aims and objectives of both charities. The board of KWT trustees indicated  that the building would indeed be suitable for the projects they had in mind. The board of
ECR trustees determined that the vision of KWT would ensure a continuing Christian  presence in this area of the town and agreed in principle to pass the freehold of the  property onto KWT, subject to Charity Commission approval.

Bob Clark, Chair of the ECR Trustees said;

“We are excited to be able to ‘hand on the baton’ to Kingdom Way Trust, in the progression  of Christian ministry from the Christian Resource Centre premises, after so many fruitful  years. Their vision for building God’s Kingdom is the same as ours – one life at a time”. 

David Barratt, Chair of KWT Trustees commented;

“We would like to express our deep gratitude for this wonderful gesture. This exciting  opportunity has been presented to us through the “gifting” of the Seaside premises to  KWT, for the furtherance of Christian charitable work in our Town. We are truly humbled by  this. All involved at KWT share the same desire as the ECR trustees to see people restored,  renewed and transformed. The strategic proximity of the building, to many of those we  seek to help, means that lives will continue to be impacted and changed through these  premises which have been part of the work of God in the town for over 70 years”. 

The two groups of trustees will now work together to ensure a smooth and speedy  transfer to allow KWT to begin the new phase of Christian ministry at 91-93 Seaside  sometime in 2022.

The Eastbourne Christian Resource Centre will continue retail operations through  the Christmas period and into January before finally closing its doors on 31st January 2022. 

18.10.21

FREE FOOD PROVISION AROUND EASTBOURNE TOWN CENTRE

The Matthew 25 Mission                                                                                     

Monday – Friday  

8.00-10.00am and 12noon- 2.00pm – Take-away food

Surviving the Streets

 All Week

7.00-10.00pm emergency helpline – 0800 048 7740 – hot food deliveries for the homeless

Sunday                                                                                                                         

7.00 – 8.30pm outside Coffee Republic –  food parcels

Salvation Army

 Rebourne Corner: Monday – Friday   

10.00 – 11.00am  Sandwiches (and hot drinks until 1.45pm)

Citadel: Tuesday and Thursday

6.00 – 7.00pm  Hot food take-away

Friday

9.00am-1.30pm  ‘Healthy Breakfast’ (provided by RSI Team)

Warming Up the Homeless

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

7.30 – 10.00pm starting opposite the Grand Hotel, then past the Bandstand, through Terminus Road to the BR Station, then to Jevington Gardens. Hot food, snacks (Only outside the Grand Hotel for   1 hour on Thursdays and Saturdays: 7.30-8.30pm)

Feedbourners

Wednesday:

7.30-8.30pm (or sooner, if food runs out) outside Coffee Republic  –  Hot food, snacks.

Absolute Angels 

Thursday:

6.30 – 7.30pm –-  Outside Poundland  – Hot food, snacks

Food 4 Thought

Friday:

7.00 – 8.00pm – The Matthew 25 Mission Car Park – Hot food, snacks

St Saviour’s Church (South Street)

Saturday:

Second Saturday each month  10 -12noon – ‘Chat Stop’ drop-in – tea/coffee/cake

Third Saturday each month  11.30am & 1.15pm – ‘Meal for One’: book: Yvonne Dyer 07702 199844

St Peter’s Church, The Hydneye, Hampden Park – STARTING SATURDAY 23^RD OCTOBER…..

Saturday:

12noon – 2.00pm – Lunch

Updated 5^th October 2021                          Graham J Horsnell

A 3 year old community-led housing group is getting ready to develop
land and build its first five affordable homes for people in housing need.
There are more than 500 similar groups across the UK, which are on
track to deliver thousands of new homes, and help alleviate the housing crisis.

More than just housing, this movement is all about communities making
supportive, affordable, secure homes, together.

Eastbourne Community Land Trust (ECLT) is a registered Community Benefit Society, and
currently, the Society’s 70 members are looking for new people to get involved. Co-
founder, Sandy Medway says:

“We are local volunteers with a passion to see community led homes make a significant
difference in Eastbourne. Our affordable home ownership scheme will enable people on
low incomes to own their own home and feel secure.”

Anyone can become a CLT Member for just £1 and get involved or have a say in how the
Society is run.

The first housing project is in Langney where we are acquiring a plot of land to build five
new houses (two 3Bed and three 2Bed). These are for key worker families in housing
need and if you know of anyone who may be interested then please encourage them to
get in touch via our website at eastbourneclt.co.uk or via our Facebook page
@EastbournCommunityLandTrust

The Society raises funds through donations, and by raising finance through Community
Shares, Grants, Mortgages, and Investment Loans. The CLT model is a proven,
independent and sustainable way to create affordable housing, through community-led
development.

CLTs are set up and run by local volunteers, and because homes are
subject to an asset lock, community members become long-term stewards of the land it
owns and the homes it builds. This ensures genuine affordability based on what people
actually earn in their area, not just for now but for every future occupier.

The Community Land Trust movement is a young and rapidly growing movement in
England, as more and more communities take the future of their neighbourhood into their
own hands. Half the CLTs in the UK were formed in the last few years, and with every site
development, CLT member organisations are encouraged to share good practice.

The Society’s trustees in Eastbourne have benefitted during lockdown from networking with
other CLTs to learn about the progress being made by other community led housing
groups.

Chair of Trustees for Eastbourne CLT, Sandy Medway, says, “As a new community-led
housing group, we have learned much during lockdown from other groups, who are ahead
of us with their developments. We are astounded by what they have achieved. As
volunteers we’ve been particularly encouraged and helped by leaders of schemes in
Sussex. The government is channeling funds into community-led housing projects and
Eastbourne CLT is now ready to benefit from this resource.

The guest speaker at the Society’s AGM on 21 October is Tom Warder, leader of the
Sussex Community-led Housing Hub, who will give an overview of the unfolding landscape
of emerging Sussex based CLTs. Members of Eastbourne CLT will also be sharing their
plans for the Langney site, and their passion for making a positive difference. Check out
our Facebook page for details and to get an invite.

Councillor Alan Shuttleworth, and others from Eastbourne Borough Council, have been
hugely supportive of the group, commending their ability to mobilise sufficient interest to
form a committed membership, willing to serve and set up the Society.

To read more, visit the Society’s website at eastbourneclt.co.uk. To join the ECLT mailing
list for updates, or to enquire about membership, contact the Society’s Chief Officer, Mrs
Sandy Medway, on 07710 309893, or by email at eastbourneclt.office@gmail.com
To Donate visit https://tinyurl.com/558h9yhz or

– END –

Further details from Sandy Medway at eastbourneclt.office@gmail.com

This Sunday 24th October, sees the  re-starting of the Upper Room meetings.

The time is 7:30pm and the venue is St Barnabas next to the Langney Shopping Centre.

‘We are really pleased that God has led us to start this again. A chance to linger in his presence, with no agenda other than seeking His face. We never quite know what will happen and what direction God will take us in on these evenings. There is freedom and also a bit of quiet time in which to contemplate and commune with Jesus.’

For more details please click on the link below:

https://twcc.church/church-life/midweek/upper-room/

Eastbourne community church, the Gather Collective, are inviting people from other churches to participate in a midday fortnightly book club around the themes of creation care, climate change and food topics. The group will meet in person and via Zoom, with the face to face version coming from the Gather Community Garden Quiet Room and the Zoom call being broadcast from there at the same time.

It starts on 13^th October from 12.30 -1.30 pm.

Initially it will start with a book called PlanetWise – dare to care for God’s world, written by Dave Bookless, who heads up A Rocha UK, and is also a vicar at a church in Southall, London. It is clear that the issues of climate change, living simply and sustainably, and with less waste, etc are important issues of our time. Especially for those of us who believe that this world belongs to God and He cares about how we treat it.

Here’s a quote from the back of the book:  This is not another book on green issues to make you feel guilty. There is hope. God can take your small and insignificant efforts and multiply them in his great plan, Besides, honouring him, living simply can be an exciting adventure.

There are other recommendations from Ruth Valerio, Elaine Storkey and Nicky Gumbel.

If this is something that would interest you, you can order the book from the Christian resource centre  or via an online retailer. We will begin by reading through the Introduction and Chapter 1 before we meet. There are questions after each chapter that can help us in expressing our thoughts on the day.

What about lunch if you attend in person?
It would be helpful to bring a packed lunch and a flask of something warm, so that we can eat and reflect together from the outset.

How long will it last?
There are 9 relatively short chapters, so it would take 5 weeks (doing 2 chapters per session), meaning that we would finish on the 8^th December, (meeting every other week).

It would be helpful if you could let them know if this is something you would be up for. You can register your interest here

The Hospital Chaplaincy & Pastoral Support Team are looking for Volunteers to assist with providing spiritual support for patients and relatives at both Eastbourne DGH and Hastings Conquest Hospital.

Training and support will be provided. If you, or anyone you know, may be interested please contact Lead Chaplain Graham Atfield on 07972 242753 or by email to graham.atfield@nhs.net.’