Hastings Amber Weather Warning: Heatwave from Pirate Sunday!

The Met Office has issued an Amber Weather Warning for Hastings for the 3 days from Sunday (Met Office website), I imagine most people are well aware that the temperature has been a wee bit warm recently, but the particular concern for an excessive heatwave in Hastings is for those 3 days (Heatwave music video). The image above is a wee bit old, but the same information is still being issued by the NHS, indeed, the advice given for heatwaves hasn't been altered for 3 years and still includes advice regarding social distancing (NHS website). But do drink plenty of water, avoid excessive alcohol consumption, stay cool, stay out of the sun during the middle of the day, watch out for vulnerable people, and wear sun screen to protect your skin.

Enjoy the coming days and piratical events (blog), but remember to stay safe folks!

100th Birthday Celebration, Fat Tuesday Cometh & More!

If you wondered what all the singing was about on Tuesday at Winkle Island, then I can advise you that it was a rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday" in celebration of George's 100th birthday, many congratulations to him, and quite a few glasses were raised to him yesterday as well! 

Sadly, George died on the 10th of January 2023, R.I.P. 😢

Indeed, the Hastings Fat Tuesday Music Festival 2022 is soon to be upon us, from the 25th February to the 1st of March, 2 years on from the last Fat Tuesday, which was the final major event in Hastings before the first COVID-19 Crisis lockdown (blog). The festival kicks off with the Fat Friday Mardi Gras Ball on Friday 25th, culminating with the Fat Tuesday Tour of 13 pubs and bars in the Old Town on the evening of Tuesday 1st March; more details will follow here, but if you can't wait, see their website.

Hastings Fat Tuesday is the largest Mardi Gras celebration in the UK, which, like the usually impressive New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro Mardi Gras, were all cancelled last year due to the pandemic. This year most of the parades in New Orleans will be shortened, and the Rio Mardi Gras has been put back to April the 20th to the 30th. 

On Tuesday I noticed a very significant Police and PCSO presence around Hastings and particularly in the town centre, this being a continuation of Hastings Police high-vis patrols, engaging with Hastings folk and maintaining an eye on the area (twitter).

And a warning, as if you didn't already know, that Storm Eunice will be upon us overnight and tomorrow, with an Amber Weather Warning that wind speed down here is forecast to reach up to nearly 50mph, with gusts of up to more than 70mph! Rain is forecast between 02.00 and 10.00 (Met Office), which will feel unbearable, I imagine, noting wind speed, so batten down the hatches and stay safe!