Severe Weather Emergency Provision & Homelessness

The Severe Weather Emergency Provision (SWEP) has been activated in Hastings for tonight (Thursday 19 December - facebook). The council has been working with Warming Up The Homeless (website) to provide a place of overnight safety for rough sleepers during the severe weather expected tonight. The overnight centre will be at Gizmo House, 23 Priory Street, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 1EA.

Warming Up The Homeless have confirmed that: • People with pets are welcome • Three hot meals a day will be provided at no cost • People can access free shower facilities • People can access free laundry facilities. People do not need to approach the council in order to access this SWEP provision. But if anyone has any queries regarding this provision outside of office hours, the out of hours team can be contacted on 01424 451999.

The Council is continuing to offer support to rough sleepers this winter including support to find a longer-term home. If you are concerned about someone who is rough sleeping, please get in contact via StreetLink. Stay safe folks.

Combining Ale, the FILO, Pickled Onions & Charity!

By Steve the Beermeister 

OK, I own up that the main purpose of my visit yesterday to the First In Last Out, 14-15 High Street TN34 3EY (website) wasn't just to drink real ales brewed in Hastings, indeed, close by and up the road actually, but because for a number of years now I have gladly taken advantage of the rather special spicy pickled onions (above) prepared and provided by Elina (once apprenticed to Paul; see older blog), and a wonderful puller of real ales too! Elina starts work on the onions well in advance of this holiday season, and all proceeds from the sale of the pickled onions go to the charity for homeless people in Hastings, Eastbourne and Bexhill, Warming Up The Homeless (website). So, not only have I contributed to that charity, I have excellent pickled onions to go with the cold meat, cheese and bubble & squeak that I shall be enjoying on Boxing/St Stephen's Day, quality, cheers Elina!

But, also, the beers... the 4 handpumps shown in the photograph above, plus a seasonal winter warmer that was a wee bit too sweet for me to drink more than a half of, quite pleasant, liquid Caramac came to mind, and with rum added to the cask, many thanks to Adam (whose back is in the image above) for serving it up. When I first arrived the first other customer I recognised was Eddie, who, coincidentally, I have seen a few times recently after not seeing each other for ages, great to chat, cheers Eddie! 

So my main drinks were two of the above ales, the easy to drink FILO Churches Pale Ale (4.2%), a refreshing session ale brewed with one of my favourite U.S. hops, Amarillo, and the stronger 4.8% FILO Gold,  brewed with another great hop from the USA, Cascade, their 'premium ale, nice and pale and golden, good stuff!

So, a pleasant afternoon was had, good ale, good company, and pickled onions to add to the mix, many thanks again to Elina for her time and patience, cheers! 

The FILO Brewery website.