Garden of delights return to St Leonards

Sunday August 11th from 1-5pm will see the tenth ‘Garden of Delights’, celebrating the rich cultural mix in the Hastings and St Leonards. As ever this free event will assemble an array of talent in St Leonards Gardens, with acrobatics, dance, music and magic forming the varied programme. Food and refreshments is available, but people are welcome to bring picnics. 

The Garden of Delights is organised by the combined efforts of the Hastings and District Interfaith Forum, Friends of St Leonards Gardens and the Hastings Intercultural Organisation.

Developing choice in housing

Hastings Older Women’s Cohousing group (HOWCH) is hosting a social evening on 22 August, 7-9pm at St Mary’s in the Castle for all those interested in the getting involved with the project. The meeting will discuss possible locations for housing sites as well as the legal framework that is in the process of getting accepted. 

• For further information contact Brekke.larsen@howch.org

A Pledge to Land and Sea

As part of Coastal Currents Festival, a book will be created, for people to pledge how they will change their lifestyle to protect and preserve the environment. “We’d love everyone in the community to write one sentence in the book saying how they will help,” says Juliet Russell, the organiser of the pledge.

Juliet is also inviting people to become ambassadors for the project. The main Pledge will be illustrated by celebrated local artists, displayed in Hastings Museum and then archived in the Fisherman’s Museum.

On September 20th, everyone is invited to West Hill to watch the sunset accompanied by live music and all the Pledges. “We will circle the Hill as custodians to this land and sea,” says Juliet. 

• For further information please contact vocalexplosion100@gmail.com

This year the Garden of Cultural Delights will feature music from, among others, alternative folk singer Tim Hoyte and acoustic musician Trace Walton. Celtic Swing will tempt people’s dancing feet with their Célidh sounds, while drumming crew Section 5 will bring percussion and rhythm to the gardens. Dance will be provided by the Chinese Dancers, with movement of a different kind coming from popular acrobatic troupe Acromax. Local children’s performance group Gizmo will again take to the stage to sing, for the 8th time at the event.

Food and refreshments will be available, as well as activities for children, and stalls from a wide range of community groups.

As last year, The Garden of Cultural Delights will include the Major’s picnic, with the Mayoral role now taken by Nigel Sinden. People are welcome to bring their own picnics to the gardens.

• The Garden of Cultural Delights will be held in St Leonards Gardens, Maze Hill (behind the Royal Victoria Hotel) on Sunday 12th August, from 1.00 to 5.00pm. The organisers wish to thank the Chalk Cliff Trust and Hastings Borough Council for their support. The event is free.

We hope you have enjoyed reading this article. The future of our volunteer led, non-profit publication would be far more secure with the aid of a small donation. It only takes a minute and we would be very grateful.