Hurst's own Bedlam Brewery commemorates Dame Vera Lynn

Award-winning Bedlam Brewery, near Ditchling at the foot of the South Downs National Park, are releasing The Dame, an exciting new limited 4.2% ABV amber ale dedicated to the memory of their local resident Dame Vera Lynn, the ‘forces sweetheart’ who sadly passed away earlier this year.

As a thank you from the team at Bedlam for her lifetime of national service, they have decided to do what they do best and produce a beer with which people can raise a glass in her memory and by doing so, raise funds for a worthy cause; 20p from every bottle or pint sold will be donated by Bedlam to a charity selected in consultation with Dame Vera’s family, who are supportive of this initiative.

The Dame will be available direct from Bedlam between early October through to the end of November in draft cask ale in Sussex, Kent and London, as well as 500ml bottles nationwide.

Bob Emms, CEO, commented, “Given the challenges we’re all again facing, we thought we would produce The Dame to enable our customers to raise a glass in her memory and look forward to better times. The imagery we’ve created combines local landmark Ditchling Beacon with a field of poppies, both of which were dear to Dame Vera’s heart.

So, here’s to you Dame Vera, thanks for all the memories you have left us with and on your behalf to all of our customers - keep smiling through!”

Reverse Advent Calendar Project 2020 style

By Margaret Carey

For the third year Holy Trinity Church members are going to run our ‘Reverse Advent Calendar Boxes’ project but, clearly, times are different this year. Previously we have asked you to put an item of non-perishable food into a box every day of Advent and then deliver the box to us for the benefit of Family Support Work (FSW), the Sussex based charity which supports families in need. Help is more than ever needed this year, because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The community has been wonderfully generous in the first two years, with dozens of boxes donated to help other families.

This year, because we want to cut down the Covid-19 risk of infection, instead of delivering tins and packets, we ask you to make a financial contribution to FSW, maybe the equivalent of the price of the gift you would put into the box each day. Because we think the Advent Calendar theme is important, we suggest that you might like you to record your gift each day and tot them up on Boxing Day before you make your contribution.

The best way to do this is via the family Support Work website, www.familysupportwork.org. There is a ‘Donate’ button on their opening page. You can also send a cheque to: Family Support Work, Garton House, 22 Stanford Avenue, Brighton, BN1 6AA. So that we know how much the project has raised, and so that we can thank you, please email us after Christmas to tell us how well you have done. Thank you so much.

Special wheelchair to enable Ian’s Snowdon Push

Ian’s Snowdon Push

Local resident Ian Maskell had a bike accident while cycling on the South Downs in 2013. It left him paraplegic and a wheelchair user. Ian said: “After five months in a specialist spinal unit and then community rehab, I thought I would have to stay on tarmac for the rest of my days. But thanks to the support and encouragement of friends, family and charities I have got back into the countryside. This has been fantastic for me.”

He now wants to take part in Back Up charity’s Push Up Snowdon in 2020. To do so he needs a specialist bit of kit called a mountain trike.

He has borrowed one for occasional rides out and says: “This is a fantastic piece of British design and manufacture.”

But at a cost of £5,000 it’s unaffordable, so Ian has set up a JustGiving page, which is aimed at raising enough money to enable Ian to buy the all-terrain mountain trike. The money will be administered and managed by the charity Aspire.

With this all-terrain mountain trike he will be able to take part in the Snowdon Push, donating further sponsorship monies he receives from the Push to Back Up, one of the charities which has helped him readjust and rebuild his life after his accident.

Ian does have form: in 2017 he wheeled 100 miles from the London Eye to the Brighton i360 and raised
over £10,000 for BackUp, Aspire, Spinal Injuries Association and the Architects’ Benevolent Society.

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www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ all-terrain-wheelchair-for-ian