Latest Message to Residents from the Mayor of Hailsham

With the recent easing of Covid restrictions and return to near-normal daily routines, the Mayor of Hailsham, Councillor Paul Holbrook has addressed the town’s residents, and encourages people to both stay healthy during the winter months and support local businesses in their recovery from the pandemic:

“There are many positives which have come recently, including the reopening of society with a new and more optimistic outlook for us – and a recovery from the pandemic that continues to put us back on track both socially and economically. This itself has been a major step forward in the return to ‘normality’ in our lives!

But, as we move further forward in the fight against Covid-19, we still have some way to go – especially now during the winter months. I’d like to reiterate the recent guidance to residents issued by the Town Council on how to stay healthy in the winter and, with Covid-19 still in circulation, it is important as ever for residents to consider others, such as neighbours and relatives, to protect their health and stay safe over the next couple of months.

Colder temperatures and adverse weather conditions bring with it a number of health risks. In particular, it can make fighting infection more difficult, particularly among older adults and other vulnerable groups. It is important to remember that the majority of winter-related illnesses here occur at temperatures that may be considered quite mild and well before we might see frost or ice. Therefore, it is highly beneficial to check whether older and more vulnerable people you know or care for are able to keep their homes warm and to keep checking even when temperatures remain mild.

Bad weather during the winter months can also make some people more susceptible to accidents such as slips and falls. Add to that, it can become increasingly difficult for the elderly or those with underlying conditions to collect medicines or shop for food.

For this reason, we have published some useful information that can help better prepare people in the local community for the winter weather and to give us the best chance against Covid-19 and winter viruses such as the flu. Please visit our website for further details.

I’d like to take the opportunity to praise people for ‘shopping local’ in recent months and I encourage everyone to continue to support local traders, buy local products and services and help our local economy get back on its feet.

It goes without saying that we should all try and resist the temptation to go further afield for shopping now that regulations are becoming more relaxed. In Hailsham, we are fortunate to have such a diverse range of shops and businesses – not just in the town centre, but town-wide. They all play a big part in the historic market town character for those of us who live here – and equally, for the people who visit.

Our small businesses, as the backbone of the local economy, need the community’s support more than ever at this time to help them get back on their feet, preserve jobs in the long run and benefit everyone by boosting economic recovery. We all have a part to play in Hailsham’s economic recovery and we can all start by continuing to buy goods and services locally.

Furthermore, Town Council staff, as organisers of the Hailsham Street Market, continue to work hard to ensure that the market continues to operate, despite having seen a decline in trading activity since the start of the pandemic, as has been the case for many street markets across the southeast and nationally.

By supporting local producers, growers, suppliers and offering them the opportunity to sell locally – markets are an ideal way of showcasing the diverse range of products available in Hailsham and I’d encourage people to come down to Vicarage Field on Saturdays and support independent trade.

The acquisition of new stallholders is a key aim of market organisers in 2022 and part of our work in terms of helping with local economic recovery. We are keen to support local businesses and proud to offer new traders the chance to sell their goods in the town centre at our street market.

What we must all remember is that local independent businesses – including market traders – are an asset to our community, and it is important that we support our local economy by purchasing goods and services from them whenever possible rather than relying on just the larger out-of-town stores and service providers. Let’s do all we can to support local businesses!

Thank you and stay safe everyone.”