There are many benefits to social interaction, from lightening your mood to improving your health. So why not enjoy a cream tea or join a street party at a community event near you to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III?

The symbolic religious ceremony celebrates King Charles III’s reign as the new Monarch of the United Kingdom along with his wife Camilla as Queen.

And while the official ceremony will be broadcast live on TV and radio on 6 May, there’ll be Coronation events taking place during the whole Bank Holiday weekend from 5 to 8 May.

One way to get involved is to join neighbours and communities taking part in the Big Lunch – their Majesties have even shared a recipe for Coronation Quiche for you to cook to make sure your celebratory weekend is a tasty success.

We’ve gathered together a few ways to celebrate the King’s Coronation in style, but with so many Coronation events going ahead, we can’t possibly list them all, so make sure you check the official Coronation events map and the Big Lunch interactive map to find Coronation events and street parties local to you.

Coronation Events in East Sussex

Alfriston

What? Alfriston Village Street Party Coronation Celebrations.

Join Alfriston Village for a right royal knees-up celebrating the Coronation of King Charles III. The day starts with a special church service at St Andrew’s Church followed by lunch and music on the High Street, Royal Parade dress up, games, stalls, competitions, cream teas and so much more.

When? 7 May

Where? Alfriston Village High Street

Bodiam, Northiam and Tenterden

What? Best of British Weekend

To celebrate the King’s new reign, Kent and East Sussex Railways has planned a three-day Coronation celebration, with something for everyone. Tenterden Station will host a medley of traditional festivities as well as a nostalgic trip back in time with a journey by steam through the beautiful Rother Valley countryside to Bodiam in East Sussex with a selected number of fares for 30% of the normal price.

When? 6, 7, and 8 May

Where? Bodiam, Northiam, and Tenterden

Bodiam

What? Coronation Celebrations at Bodiam Castle

Celebrate The Coronation of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen Consort against the backdrop of Bodiam Castle, with flags, bunting and picnic spots in the grounds. Join the craft workshop to decorate your own crown or try your hand at the medieval sport of archery, with trained instructors. Children can also enjoy some interactive storytelling throughout the weekend.

When? 6, 7, and 8 May

Where? Bodiam Castle, Bodiam

Burwash

What? Coronation Celebrations at Bateman’s

Escape the crowds and relax in the peaceful gardens of Bateman’s over the Coronation three-day weekend. With lawn games, cream teas and beautiful flower beds, Bateman’s is a perfect place to unwind on this Coronation Bank Holiday weekend. Stroll through the orchard’s spring blossom and visit the house to see Rudyard Kipling’s family home and the book-lined study where the writer worked.

When? 6 ,7, and 8 May

Where? Bateman’s, Burwash

Camber

What? Camber Right Royal Garden Party

A right royal garden party to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. Everyone is invited to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy cream teas, stalls, music and games.

When? 7 May

Where? Camber Jubilee Field and Memorial Hall, Camber

Crowborough

What? Kings Coronation: Family Day out

In celebration of the historic occasion, Crowborough Town Council will be providing an opportunity for residents to come together as a community, and celebrate with friends and families. There will be children’s activities as well as various performances on stage. There will also be food and drink vendors onsite but bringing along picnics will also be encouraged.

When? 6 May

Where? Goldsmiths Recreation Ground, Crowborough

Eastbourne

What? Coronation Brit-Pop Party

Join Eastbourne Bandstand on this Coronation evening and celebrate everything British. The Brit-Pop Society will transport you back to the roots of the Brit-Pop movement of ‘Cool Britannia’.

When? 6 May

Where? Eastbourne Bandstand, Eastbourne

Heathfeild

What?  Coronation Family Fun Day

Live music, stalls, food, and drink and lots of entertainment for adults and children.

When? 7 May

Where? Heathfield Community Centre Playing Field

Pevensey

What? Coronation Tea Party

A right royal tea party in the new community orchard situated against the magnificent backdrop of Pevensey Castle. Tea, milk and maybe some cake! Bring along any royal teaware to add to the regal splendour of the occasion!

When? 7 May

Where? Pevensey and Westham Community Forest Garden, near Pevensey Castle

Ripe

What? Coronation Party

You’re invited to the Coronation celebration with music from live bands, hot food, a raffle, a fancy dress competition and much more.

When? 6 May

Where? The Paddock, Ripe

Seaford

What? Coronation Festival

A community and family fun day to celebrate the King’s Coronation with support from Seaford Town Council. Events include a children’s parade, dog show, performances, games and family fun, local crafts and food stalls, community stalls and hot and cold food.

When? 8 May

Where? Martello Fields, Seaford

Sidley Green

What? Sidley Coronation Party

Enjoy some family fun in Sidley to celebrate the Coronation with a free buffet, brass band, children’s entertainment, raffle, and best crown competition.

When? 6 May

Where? The New Inn, Sidley Green

St Leonards

What? Mencap Coronation Tea Party

A Coronation tea party includes a high tea, entertainment, games and a photo booth. Bring your friends and family, all are welcome. A red, white and blue dress code is encouraged.

When? 5 May

Where? The Robsack Centre, St Leonards

 

The past few years have been tough. The pandemic has left its mark on most people in one way or another, and while the world moved on and things supposedly ‘got back to normal’, many people have been left feeling anything but.

The nation’s mental health has been hit hard post-Covid, as this report from the charity Mind shows. The report states that two thirds (65%) of adults and more than two thirds (68%) of young people with mental health problems say their mental health has got worse since the first national lockdown.

One of the side effects of this is that many people have found they are feeling lonely since the pandemic. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has launched its new loneliness campaign as part of the Better Health – Every Mind Matters campaign to try and combat the rise in loneliness.

While feeling lonely isn’t in itself a mental health problem, the two are strongly linked. Having a mental health problem can increase your chance of feeling lonely, but anyone can feel lonely at any point in their lives, writes Laura Gooch.

My story

I had a baby during the first lockdown and my mental health has been severely affected since then. I’ve always been a sociable person and, while I enjoy time on my own, I need time with family and friends to feel balanced.

The pandemic took that away, and I was faced with being at home on my own with a newborn while homeschooling my older daughter. My husband was a frontline worker. I was on maternity leave, so didn’t have the daily contact with colleagues that I might have had otherwise, and of course all baby groups and parenting groups had been cancelled. Friends and family weren’t allowed to visit and I suddenly found myself in a very lonely world.

When I returned to work after maternity leave, the office landscape had changed considerably. Working from home was now the norm, and while others had had the previous year to adjust, I was returning to a whole new climate. Often, the part of going back to work new parents enjoy is the return to ‘normal’ chat that doesn’t revolve around nappies and nap times, as well as the chance for office banter and a moment to feel like yourself again. That was taken away.

I have never felt as lonely as I have since the pandemic started. I am lucky to have friends and family and some of them may be surprised to read this, but I also think it’s important to talk about it so that others seek help and realise it’s a common problem for many people.

I’ve adjusted more now, and feel in a better place with my mental health than I have for the past couple of years, but of course, feelings of loneliness don’t always leave as quickly as they arrive. There’s a huge amount of stigma around feeling lonely, and it’s a sad fact that often people don’t want to admit to feelings of loneliness.

Not alone in feeling lonely

My story is one of so many and it’s important to remember that loneliness has no common cause. Sometimes it can be triggered by a life event or change in situation, like it was for me, or it may not be triggered by anything at all.

Older people are often thought of as being prone to loneliness, but actually younger people can feel lonely too. It is a feeling that can affect us all, young or old, at any point in our lives. We might live in a busy city or a rural location, on our own or with others, and still feel isolated.

There’s lots of help

Luckily, there is lots of support available. Check out the advice and helplines available on the NHS website for more information and to find what help is available.

Meanwhile, here are some of the top tips for those struggling with feelings of loneliness:

Keep in touch with those around you

Talk to friends and family. Sometimes a friendly chat can make a big difference, whether someone is around the corner or further away.

Join a group

Find a group with a shared interest. Being part of an offline or online group or club is a great way to make connections and meet people. Think about activities that you would like to try out and look for groups centred around these.

Do things you enjoy

Filling your time doing more things you like can stop you from focusing on feelings of loneliness and is good for your wellbeing.

Share your feelings – but do not compare

Talking about how you feel with others can help with loneliness. However, try not to compare yourself with others. Remember that many people may only share the good things happening to them on social media, so comparing can make you feel lonelier.

Help someone else feel connected

Reach out to others. Think about people you know who might be feeling lonely and make an effort to connect with them. Remember that feeling lonely for a long time can make it harder for people to make new connections. It may be difficult for people experiencing loneliness to respond to your friendly contact at first, so be patient and kind.

Invite someone along to activities near you

There are many free and low-cost activities you can take part in throughout the year.

Look at Visit England’s list of cheap and free things to do for suggested events in your local area and invite someone to come along.

Look after yourself

Please look at the support available on the NHS website – there is always someone you can talk to.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, or have thought about self-harm, it’s important to tell someone. Samaritans offer free 24-hour listening support. Call free on 116 123 or visit the Samaritans website.

In a life-threatening emergency, phone 999 and ask for an ambulance.

People across Sussex are being given the chance to live independently for longer with the help of urgent community response healthcare teams.

The teams enable people who might otherwise need an ambulance or treatment in A&E to receive medical support care in their own homes.

Older people and adults with complex health needs who urgently need care can get access to a range of health and social care professionals within two hours. This includes access to physiotherapy and occupational therapy, medication prescribing and reviews, and help with staying well-fed and hydrated.

The teams have already prevented thousands of people from having to go for a stay in hospital and provided support to people when they have left hospital.

So far, more than 800 East Sussex residents have shown kindness and compassion to people fleeing from the war in Ukraine by offering them shelter through the UK government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme.

During the 12 months the scheme has been running, they have offered more than 1,600 Ukrainians a place in their homes where they can feel safe and secure.

To mark the scheme’s anniversary last month, Jovanne Campbell spoke to host Clare about the relationship she shares with her Ukrainian guests and her advice to anyone who’s considering becoming a host.

Clare’s story

Clare hosted Maria and her two daughters, Maya and Emma, in her Lewes home for just over nine months. While the family lived in East Sussex, Clare made sure her home was a sanctuary of peace and safety for her guests.

“I’m not going to sit here and say it was a complete walk in the park; as with every relationship you’re going to have ups and downs,” says Clare.

“Maria and her children left a traumatising situation and it’s important to have an understanding of your guests and also the compassion it requires to manage them sensitively.

“I was so proud when Maria’s eldest completed her first day of school, and when Maria found a job as a translator. Just seeing them being able to move forward with their lives, and also making a few friends in the area, was a joy to behold. It just made me happy that I could play such a small part in helping her get back on her feet.”

Returning home

It was an emotional day for everyone involved when Maria and her daughters decided to return to the husband and father they’d left in Ukraine.

“When Maria left, it felt like my own daughter and granddaughters were leaving me. We completely understood the decision for her to go back to Ukraine to be with her husband,” said Clare.

Since returning home, Maria has sent Clare a Thank You card saying “You gave me the strength to recover and face the future”. The bond between the two remains strong; they regularly Facetime each other and the pair spoke on the anniversary of the invasion as Clare says she still feels a responsibility to be there for Maria and support her emotionally.

Homes for Ukraine heroes

Clare said she found the experience ‘amazing’ and it was something that she would like to do again in the near future.

As the invasion continues, more guests are expected to arrive in the county during the coming weeks. But without the generosity of Homes for Ukraine heroes like Clare we could not provide them with safe housing.

If you can offer a home or spare room for at least six months and would like more information on what you can do to help Visit the Homes for Ukraine webpages or email: ukraine@eastsussex.gov.uk

We’ve a range of information, advice and support services available to guide you through the process, and as a thank you for your help you will receive a monthly payment.

Together with residents and partners, we are developing a long-term plan, an adult social care strategy for East Sussex.

The strategy will be specific to the county, providing a person-centred framework which gives direction for services and staff. It will mean people will know what to expect from adult social care services and support.

Local residents, those who need care and support, their unpaid carers and families have been sharing their opinions with the adult social care strategy project team.

Our Citizens Panel, a group of local residents, has also been involved throughout the process, regularly scrutinising and supporting the development of the strategy.

Through surveys, focus groups, one-to-one or small group interviews, and other research evidence, people gave their thoughts on what’s important to live a good life, what works well, and things they might want to change or improve.

The findings showed that the most important priorities for people were:

1. Having the right support in the right place at the right time
2. Information and communication about care and support
3. Cost of living and cost of care, now and in the future
4. A suitable home
5. Personal connections with others
6. Group activities, hobbies and volunteering

We surveyed health, care and support staff to get their views, then held workshops for decision-makers and other key staff. The workshops discussed the findings and considered the service response.

Next, a long-term plan will be developed that has people and their needs at its heart and is specific to East Sussex. It will reflect what people have told us is important and provide a clear direction for staff and services.

Publication of the plan is expected in the summer of 2023.

For more information about the strategy, including further detail on the six priorities of local people, check out our webpage: Adult Social Care strategy for East Sussex or email the project team on ASCPersonalisation@eastsussex.gov.uk

With raised blood pressure the number one cause of preventable death worldwide, understanding the risks and how to reduce them is a hugely important part of keeping yourself healthy.

With this in mind, more than 130 people attended a blood pressure awareness event and had their pulse checked at Bexhill Primary Care Network and Little Common and Old Town surgery in March.

At the event, more than 40 people were found to have raised blood pressure and two people were started on treatment (for high cardiovascular risk) on the day.

If left untreated high blood pressure, or hypertension, can lead to heart problems, strokes and damage to other vital organs.

Bexhill PCN is supporting GP practices across Bexhill with Cardiovascular Disease prevention and diagnosis by ensuring people receive a follow-up appointment to confirm, or exclude, hypertension and to carry out pulse checks to detect atrial fibrillation.

The event was attended by the local healthy lifestyle service, One You East Sussex (OYES), which provided information on the range of support and programmes they offer. The service took eight referrals on the day with six to weight management and two to Stop Smoking services.

From managing the rise in the cost of living to juggling relationships, stress caused by modern life can have a negative impact on our health and wellbeing.

That’s why we’re encouraging you to look after yourself and manage your worries in a healthy way during Stress Awareness Month this April.

While there’s no single definition of stress, the most common causes are physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension – which can have a harmful impact on physical and mental health in the long term.

Our Every Mind Matters webpage gives you some simple steps to helping you manage those forms of stress, including:

• Connect with others: spend quality time with friends or family
• Live a healthy life: being active, enjoying the outdoors and having a balanced diet can all help to boost our mood
• Do something for yourself: find the time to do enjoyable activities for ourselves
• Get support: talk about your worries with family, friends or NHS recommended services such as Health in Mind

Learn more about the extra help you can receive with your mental health and wellbeing, including how to self refer to therapy and online treatment programmes.

Did you know that around 1 in 100 people in the UK are diagnosed with Autism? Did you also know there are many services in East Sussex that help to make our county friendlier to people who are on the autistic spectrum?

One of those services is Spectrum, which helps young people with autism to access clubs and leisure activities.

World Autism Acceptance Week, which finishes on 2 April, raises awareness of Autism, which can make it difficult for people in these areas:

• Social communication.
• Social interaction, including reading emotions and facial expressions
• Social imagination

East Sussex Local Offer gives more information on autism. If you think you, or someone you know, has autism you can find out how to get diagnosed on the NHS website

Two campaigns will run during March that give you advice and guidance on lessening the risk of strokes and bowel cancer.

The first campaign reminds residents how to spot the signs of a stroke and the need to take action quickly with the relaunch of the Act F.A.S.T. stroke campaign.

The Act F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) acronym provides a way of identifying the most common signs of a stroke.

• Face: has the person’s face fallen on one side? Can they smile?
• Arms: can they raise both arms and keep them there?
• Speech: is their speech slurred?
• Time: even if you’re not sure call 999

The campaign urges people to call 999 immediately if they notice any single one of the signs of a stroke in themselves, a loved one, a friend or a stranger.

The primary audience for the campaign is the 50+ age group as they are more likely to experience a stroke, but it also gives advice on how to identify if somebody you know is showing one of the stroke signs.

Other signs to be aware of are:

• Sudden loss of vision or blurred vision in one or both eyes
• Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body
• Sudden memory loss or confusion
• Sudden dizziness, unsteadiness or a sudden fall, especially with any of the other signs

The campaign was relaunched on 13 February by NHS England, in association with the Stroke Association.

Bowel Cancer campaign

The second campaign encourages residents to complete and return the NHS bowel cancer screening home test kit – especially those from lower socio-economic and ethnic minority groups who are less likely to complete the test.

NHS England’s ‘Bowel Cancer Screening’ campaign aims to raise awareness of the testing kit’s ability to detect signs of cancer while also addressing the main barriers preventing people from completing the test.

The campaign is targeting people aged 56 to 74 to align with the age of eligibility for being sent a home test kit.

Early diagnosis is vital, as detecting bowel cancer at the earliest stage makes you up to nine times more likely to be successfully treated.

The campaign runs until 31 March 2023 and is supported by Cancer Research UK.

Plans to increase access to primary care services, reduce waiting lists and improve 999 response times have been set out in NHS Sussex’s latest five-year strategy.

The ‘Improving Lives Together’ strategy sets out the operational and strategic priorities for improving health and care services in Sussex.

The operational priorities are:

• Increasing access to and reducing variability in primary care services
• Improving response times to 999 calls and reducing A&E waiting times
• Reducing diagnostic and planned operation or procedure care waiting lists
• Accelerating patient flow through the system and discharge from hospitals

Improving Lives Together

The strategy was launched as increasing pressure is being placed on the service from a growing and ageing population, the need to reduce the waiting lists for planned operations and procedures, and staff shortages.

Longer term, the strategy will focus on:

• Building integrated community teams and local partnerships across Brighton & Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex to allow services and organisations to work in a joined-up way to better meet the needs of each local community
• Growing and supporting Sussex’s health and care workforce – to attract more people to work in health and care, as well as supporting and developing the skills or careers of our existing staff
• Improving the use of digital technology and information – to help join up our services and enable people to access advice or care more easily