BLIND ASSOCIATION: The next meeting of the Hove Social Group of the East Sussex Association for the Blind, takes place on Wednesday at All Saints' Church Hall, Eaton Road, Hove, from 2-4pm. The entertainment is provided by the Music Makers with Hesta Booth.

Anyone with eyesight problems are welcome. Ring Judy on 883892 if you require transport.

POETS' CORNER: Poets' Corner Residents Society are meeting on Monday at 8pm at the Function Room of the Portland pub. All local residents are welcome at this meeting. The agenda includes keep fit 2000, Y2K projects, recruitment of volunteers and project co-ordinators.

A Poets' Corner Traders Association is planned and will be meeting at 7pm prior to the society meeting.

To celebrate the Chinese New Year a meal has been arranged at the Neptune Chinese Restaurant, Portland Road, at 6pm next Thursday. Anybody wishing to attend will be most welcome. For more information ring 880069.

CHURCH: Portslade Reformed Church, Station Road, will be holding Sunday morning service at 10.30am and Sunday Evening at 6.30pm this week. Coffee mornings are still held each Saturday from 10am-noon. Please call in for a cup and a chat.

CYCLE SHOP: A new bike shop has opened in Portland Road, the first one since Cooks Cycles closed down some years ago. It is on the corner of Westbourne Street and called Syd's2. Servicing and repairs as well as sales are all available. Membership forms for the Brighton Mitre Cycling Club are available in the shop.

Southwick

Hilda Child

Southwick Green: Plans of the enhancement proposals for Southwick Green are on display in the Common Room at Southwick Community Centre.

Adur Council is asking you to vote for the ideas you think are best. There are four ideas to choose from and voting slips to make your choice. The exhibition is on until Saturday. Call in and make your choice.

LUNCH CLUB: The senior citizens' lunch club meets on Mondays and Fridays at Southwick Community Centre at 12.45 for lunch at 1pm. Adur residents £2, non-residents £2.15, for two course lunch.

We would like to welcome some more members, especially for Monday lunches. For more information ring 01273 592819.

TEA DANCE: The next Tea Dance will be held in the Barn Hall on Saturday, February 12. Music by Dickie Lord at the Barn Organ. Admission £1 on the door, tea and cakes available.

ADULT EDUCATION: Among the new classes for this season are women's self defence and homeopathy in the home. Ring 01273 234392 for full details.

Saltdean Doug Streeter 01273 300283

ARTHRITIS CARE: Saltdean and Peacehaven Arthritis Care branch held their New Year lunch in the Jerome Hall and it was attended by 47 members as well as the local mayors or their deputies.

Their president, Dr M. Walters, the eminent rheumatologist, gave a speech and attends conferences world-wide in his effort to keep abreast of treatments for rheumatic disease.

He detailed recent discoveries, particularly in the U.S., some of which will be available in the UK eventually although one treatment cost £6,000 per patient per year, a NHS funding problem no doubt.

He advised long-term rheumatic sufferers to check with their GP to see if they are getting the latest available treatment.

MARATHON MAN: Saltdean's veteran long-distance runner, Norman Paul, 76, of Fountill Avenue, who has run the 90-mile South Downs Way as well as every London Marathon including last year's, was running in the Hastings Marathon when he collapsed with a stroke which has left him partially paralised. He is recovering in hospital at Hastings.

Woodingdean Ray Blackwood 01273 559766

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY: Today: University of the Third Age 5 Deans (which includes Woodingdean) AGM at 2.15 at Saltdean Community Centre. Telephone 620052 or 695851.

Tuesday: Woodingdean Horticultural Society at 7.15pm at Woodingdean Community Centre, Warren Road. Speaker Bill Vince on Vegetable Growing. Phone 305773.

Saturday, February 12: Woodingdean Methodist Church, Ridgway. Auction (this is their 14th year) viewing from 10am. Auction starts 2pm. Details from Terry Hammond on 887618.

Friday, February 18 and 25: 7-9pm, Woodingdean young people meet at Woodingdean Youth Centre, Warren Road, to discuss setting up a new magazine for young people.

RECYCLING: Newspaper and magazine recycling bins in the library car park are sometimes overflowing. More bins or more frequent clearing please.

Coldean John Ovenden 01273 691104

VANDALISM: Church warden Ron Brown tells me that a further 12 single windows at St Mary Magdalen have been broken and several church lights that face the school have also been smashed. It is believed that it will cost in the region of £400 or more to replace the windows and lights.

FENCING: A fencing surveyor has been measuring up for the long awaited new fencing for tenants in Coldean.

Exercise Class: Every Tuesday morning between 11am-noon an exercise class take place for senior citizens in the Coldean Library. The feeling is it is the highlight of the week. One can also sing along to taped music, so here's your chance to have an enjoyable hour and at the same time keep fit.

Central Hove Averil Older 01273 772071

VOLUNTARY HELP: Hove Stroke Club, which meets on Friday afternoons at the Bishop Hannington Church Centre, is in need of drivers and escorts on their minibus. Call in and see the clubs many activities or phone Derek Shaw on 770538.

SAMARITANS: If you are a good listener you may consider training to become a Samaritan. Volunteers are ordinary people aged from 18-75 and come from all walks of life and every kind of background. All they have in common is the ability to listen without judgement.

The next training/preparation classes will be March 25-26 and April 8-9. Application forms must be sent in by February 12. For more information call (01273) 772277.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.