Vacancies for Hastings RNLI Lifeboat Shore Crew Volunteers

Hastings RNLI Lifeboat Station is looking for volunteers to join their Shore Crew. Responsibilities would include, following training, assisting the launch and recovery of the all-weather and inshore lifeboats, and contributing to the upkeep of the station, lifeboats and equipment. For further details and how to apply go to their website.

The role will help the RNLI "save lives at sea by assisting with the safe launch and recovery of the lifeboat on service and exercise." Respect. 👍

Pop-Up Covid Vaccination Clinic in Hastings Town Centre Today

Just spotted this in the town centre outside 'Debenhams' (Hastings Borough Council website for more information). The 'pop-up clinic' will be there until 4pm this afternoon and is for people who are aged 18 years or older, for First dose, Second (if over 8 weeks since First) and Booster (if at least 3 months since Second).

Also, as said recently (blog), from today face coverings are not required in law in indoors public spaces and on public transport, but be sensible and stay safe folks!

Talk on Edward Dannreuther this evening at White Rock Hotel

Christopher Cormack is giving a talk about the Victorian musician Edward Dannreuther at the White Rock Hotel this evening, starting at 7pm. This event is free to attend and the following details are cut and pasted from The Wagner Society's facebook page:

The Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO), under the auspices of the Hastings and St Leonards Society, is sponsoring a talk at the White Rock Hotel on an eminent but overlooked Victorian musician, Edward Dannreuther, who introduced a wealth of new classical music greats to England in the latter half of the nineteenth century, which, though regarded as avant-garde at the time, now form part of an accepted list of 'classics'. Dannreuther set up a holiday second residence in High Wickham, Hastings after spending his honeymoon here in 1871 and in later life, 'Windycroft' became his main residence, setting standards in 'arts and crafts' external and interior architecture and creating a Hastings 'home' for famous pre-raphaelite artists, including William Morris, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and musicians including Hubert Parry. Dannreuther promoted the English language 'song' genre by composing music settings for Rosetti, William Morris and Shakespeare poetry and mentoring composers such as Hubert Parry (famous for composing music for William Blake's 'Jerusalem').

Most of all, Dannreuther is known for his close association with Richard Wagner and as the founder of the London Wagner Society to promote Wagner's music in London and raise money for Wagner's Bayreuth Festival. Dannreuther worked closely with Wagner and Hans Richter in the first Bayreuth Festivals. Hans Richter, who conducted the first Ring Cycles at Bayreuth, went on to be a lifelong friend of Dannreuther and became famous in London for his role in establishing the London Symphony Orchestra. Dannreuther was also a famous concert pianist who played in front of mass audiences at Crystal Palace Saturday concerts and became the first professor of piano at the Royal College of Music in 1895. Dannreuther wrote several key books on music which remain important reference works to this day; he also translated and published key works by Wagner.

Christopher Cormack, who is giving the talk, can reveal much new information on this important Hastings resident as a result of information derived from a hitherto unknown taped interview with Edward Dannreuther's son, Hubert Dannreuther. Hubert Dannreuther, who had both Richard Wagner and Hubert Parry as godfathers, gave the interview in 1969 and went on to live at Windycroft in Hastings until his death in 1977, aged 97. Hubert had had a distinguished career in the Royal Navy. More new information is disclosed from a little-known unpublished memoir of Edward Dannreuther's wife Chariclea, which was held by remaining Dannreuther family members until recently when it was deposited in the Hastings Museum archives. Edward Dannreuther had revolutionary ideas about music, art and architecture: Christopher Cormack will give a flavour of the political revolutionary origins of the Dannreuther family, which, to some extent, is shared with Richard Wagner.

The talk is free of entrance charge, subject to an entirely voluntary retiring collection for the benefit of HPO's work in promoting high-quality classical music in Hastings. It is hoped, it will be the first of several well-researched topical talks on Hastings' classical music past. If you would like to attend please email christopher.cormack@gmail.com by the 24th January.

Thanks also to Stephen Dannreuther who has done much original research of his own on his family, which greatly helped to provide further preparatory assistance for this talk.

PLEASE NOTE: This talk provides a useful introduction to the work being done by Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO) to bring to light and demonstrate how much Hastings is blessed with a rich classical music heritage. In particular, HPO will perform a 'heritage' concert on the following day, 28 January 2022 at the White Rock Theatre covering popular works by Wagner, Rachmaninov and Hastings composers, Keith Beal and Julius Harrison.

For more information, see: https://www.hastingsphilharmonic.com/28th-january

For more about the Pre-Raphaelites in Hastings see my blog.

Covid Pop-Up Vaccine Clinic in Hastings Town Centre Today

From 10.00am until 4.00pm, First, Second (8 weeks after First) and Booster (3 months since Second) vaccinations are available to anyone aged 18 years or older, as appropriate, in the Town Centre outside the old Debenhams building. Details of this and other vaccination centres/sites can be seen at the HBC website.

A Trip to and Walk around Rye...

Entering Rye by one of the gates, after having a wander towards Rye Harbour and around the town. Originally a seaside town, medieval Rye is now nearly 2 miles from the coast following storms and silt being brought in from the Channel, its current position inland was consolidated by the 16th century. Rye, earlier officially a 'limb' of Hastings, became one of the Cinque Ports (website) in 1336; for more details of the history of Rye go to the Historic UK website.

Walking up towards the church I passed the Grade I listed 13th century Ypres Tower, now one of the 2 sites of the Rye Castle Museum (Visit 1066 Country website).

At the top of the hill, and which can be seen from miles around, is the 12th century St Mary's Church (website), which is definitely worth a look around inside. I particular like the Victorian stained glass Burne-Jones window (member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and good friend of the Arts & Crafts Movement's William Morris).

Around the corner from the church, and down a few yards in Mermaid Street TN31 7EY, is the Mermaid Inn (website), originally a 12th century inn (cellar dates from 1156), but rebuilt in 1420 following it being burnt to the ground by French raiders in 1377, indeed Rye, like Hastings, saw many raids in those days! It's a cosy hotel and public house, with low ceilings, beams, and nooks and crannies. Their own beer (brewed for them by Young's I was told, their Bitter rebadged?) was a nice easy to drink 3.7% session ale, and, although I'd had a late breakfast, so didn't eat here, the food did look very good!

Again, just around the corner, and back up round towards the church, and you reach the Grade II listed 18th century Lamb House in West Street TN31 7ES (website). Lamb House is a writers museum and now run by the National Trust, and was once the home of writer Henry James (1897 to 1914).

Around the back of the church is this Grade II listed brick cistern and tower that was built to hold water pumped up from my final destination, down Conduit Hill...

Yes, down the hill, and just a few minutes away from the railway station, in Tower Street, and on the corner with Rope Walk TN31 7NT, is the Rye Waterworks micropub, where I enjoyed beer, good company, and a cracking locally made Scotch Egg. My alter ego and his blog describes this visit in greater depth, cheers! 😉

Great afternoon for us 👍

Saving Bees!

I'm straight copy and pasting from Sussex Wildlife Trust:

We need to end the use of bee-killing pesticides! But the UK Government has authorised their use on crops across England, just weeks after passing the new Environment Act. This catastrophic decision:

> Ignores the 100,000 people who appealed to the Prime Minister to reverse the same decision last year

> Disregards the advice of health and safety experts

> Undermines legal-binding commitments to nature in the Environment Act

We’ve made a simple form to allow you to tweet your MP asking them to say #NoToNeonics in Parliament – and call on the Government to reverse this decision: https://wtru.st/neonics-tweet-MP

As a member, I support this effort to save our bees...

If you'd like to know more about the Sussex Wildlife Trust see their website, or nationally, The Wildlife Trusts website.

COVID-19 Plan B Minus!

So, from next Thursday, the 27th of January 2022, the Government is changing the rules again regarding the Covid-19 Crisis (BBC), believing that the "Omicron wave had peaked nationally." This means that, from next Thursday, face coverings in public places (and in secondary schools from today) will no longer be required by law, although still advised in "enclosed or crowded spaces and when meeting strangers."

Also, Covid passes will no longer be mandatory for nightclubs and large events, although "organisations could chose to use the NHS Covid pass if they wished" and the Government will no longer be advising people to work from home...

Call me cynical, but I wait to see any developments, fingers crossed though.

Stay safe! 

New Year Drinking in the Old Town

By Steve the Beermeister

Rock a Nore View This Week

Well. we've had a few gorgeous days this week, so I've been walking around Hastings, thus time to write briefly about pubs I've visited (in the Old Town) since the New Year arrived. First, the Albion, in George Street, plus they have an entrance opposite the seafront. They sell 3 ales from Sussex and Kent brewers, normally Harvey’s Sussex Best and a pale bitter and a darker beer; one usually from Bedlam Brewery. If visiting make sure you have a debit card with you (or other electronic payment device, how thinks change!) as they do not take cash. Oh yes, and great pasties too (below & blog).

I'm writing this in alphabetical order, so next the Dolphin Inn, Rock-a-Nore Road, with its balcony virtually opposite the Fish Market, and which has recently changed its ale range from 3 regular and 3 guest ales to 2 and 4 respectively. The regulars are Harvey’s Sussex Best and Dark Star Hophead (sometimes a different pale session ale from another local brewery too!), and the guest ales have been including a dark beer (Winter/Old Ale, Porter or Stout), an equivalent to a Special/Best Bitter from local breweries or Youngs Special, and usually an APA style dry pale bitter, often from Kent Brewery or Oakham Ales. Live music has returned on Saturday evenings.

The First In Last Out (FILO), up the High Street and on the right, past the old Roebuck Surgery, which brews its own ales a short way from the pub up Old London Road, and continues to sell 4 or 5 of their own beers, and 1 or 2 guest ales. Their range includes pale to darker beers, including a Porter, and had their own dark seasonal Winter Warmer when I last visited.

The Jolly Fisherman, East Beach Street, a cosy beer drinking establishment, continues to sell a good range of real ales in addition to crafty keg beers. Last weekend they had a Dark Beer Festival, with 10 Stouts and Porters on offer; outside of festivals they do sell darker beers too, not to forget some very interesting Belgian beers.

Finally, the Lord Nelson, at the bottom of East Bourne Street, sells Courage Directors and Harvey’s Sussex Best. Live music is played here on Sundays, early evening.

Cheers!

Walk-in COVID-19 Boosters In Hastings Today, Saturday 8th.

If you haven't had your COVID-19 Booster yet, and it has been at least 3 months since your second COVID-19 Vaccination, you can receive it today, Saturday 8th January 2022*, without the need for an appointment, at Hastings Town Hall, Queens Road/Priory Square TN34 1TL, and at the Hastings Centre, The Ridge TN34 2SA.

Hastings Town Hall - 10.00am to 3.00pm, use entrance opposite Priory Meadow.

Hastings Centre -  10.00am to 3.00pm.

*Information from Hastings Borough Council Facebook Page.

2022 - A Quiet Beginning...

I'm not really a 'killjoy' but I've never been into celebrating the New Year coming in/Old Year's Night, and, taking notice of the pandemic's persistence, I didn't really want to enter anywhere that had too many others crammed into it, so I had a quiet time on the 31st of December and on the 1st of January. Being in the Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club, I did take part in our 'friendly' New Year Knockabout, and yes it was a wee bit competitive... 😉 2 of the members in the image above (it was a bit chilly) finished in the top 3, David H coming first; this after us all playing on each of the 3 courses at Hastings Adventure Golf (website), and well done to all, particularly Mr H!*

Talking about COVID-19 and the incidence in Hastings, as in all over Europe, has been increasing significantly, particularly among younger people, although we're still significantly below the national (huge) average with over a thousand infected individuals in Hastings, which works out as 1,160 per 100,000 in the week ending the 1st of January, compared to the 1,676 per 100,000 average in England (BBC).

So, remember to stay safe folks!

* I came 12th... 😀 out of 12 😏 as I'm not much cop... Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

It's been yet another strange year, a mixture of hope and dismay, just yesterday, I was forced to walk out into the road by 2 cyclists riding straight at me on the pavement, rather than starting a fight I chose to risk my life, but... Also, just this week, we met a lad from up North who visited Hastings because he found out he had 3 brothers and a sister who he had never known existed, friendly chap who even bought me a pint!

Anyhow, let us hope we can return to some sort of normality before another year is out, and my thoughts are with all our family members and friends who have suffered losses, those who have been ill and come through it, and those who still suffer, stay safe...