Past events

Friday 31st January 2020

Homecall Winter Quiz Evening

Homecall held its 13th annual Quiz Evening on Friday 31st January 2020. Despite the wet and cold January weather 68 Homecall supporters and dedicated quizzers alike turned out in order to attend one of Homecall’s most popular events of the year. Once inside in the warm everyone settled down to an evening of fun, laughter and challenging questions from our Winter Quiz Master Chris Cox.

Homecall would like to extend our thanks to Barry Turnwell for affording us the use of the church hall and to Chris our Quiz Master. We would like to thank also everyone who contributed towards this wonderful evening especially those volunteers who provided our tasty snacks and helped to prepare the hall ready for the quiz.

Scheme Manager Claire Prime said we are extremely grateful for all those donated raffle prizes which helped us to raise nearly £500 on the evening. We would like to thank those of you who ventured out on the evening in order to support Homecall on the night. Without your ongoing support events such as the Homecall quiz wouldn’t happen.

A busy Homecall Winter Quiz Evening

Homecall Winter Quiz Winners 2020

Monday 9th December 2019

Homecall Christmas Lunch sponsored by The Co-op

St Martha’s Church Hall – Little Common

Homecall were nominated as one of the charities that the Co-op Community Fund helped in 2018. We requested funding to arrange some outings for our Clients and at the top of our wish list was a Christmas Party. Homecall were very fortunate that the funding provided meant there was enough not only for the 2018 party but the 2019 Party too.

The Mayor Councillor Kathy Harmer and Homecall Patron Mrs Amdanda Hamblin DL joined the 90 attendees for a Traditional Christmas Lunch at the Egerton Indoor Bowls Club. The 2 course traditional Christmas meal was truly delicious and whilst enjoying coffee and mince pies we were entertained with a singer. Father Christmas took time out of his busy schedule to join us and gave out gifts to everyone and we had a grand raffle which raised £280 which enables Homecall to continue to offer support to Blind and Partially Sighted people living in and around the Bexhill area.

Scheme Manager Claire Prime said ‘The afternoon was so festive and it is wonderful to see our clients, volunteers and supporters enjoying an afternoon together. I would like to say a massive thank you to the Co-op for sponsoring our Homecall Christmas Party and for making it so memorable for us all’

Some of our lovely party guests.

Scheme Manager Claire Prime with Santa's Helper Kathy

Saturday 23rd November

Charity Christmas Fayre

St Martha’s Church Hall – Little Common

Homecall’s Christmas Charity Fayre took place at St Martha’s Church hall for the seventh year and raised over £1000 for the charity. A number of local Bexhill charities joined forces with Homecall on the day to make this the perfect event to kick off the festive season.

Those charities taking part included Guide Dogs for the Blind, The Golden Marigold Club, The Thunder Foundation and of course Homecall. Bizzy Fingers, who are a group of creative ladies who use their craft and skill to raise funds for charity kindly donated their takings for the day to Homecall.

The Fayre was well supported by the general public who enjoyed the refreshments of bacon rolls and homemade cakes. There were lots of fun activities including guess the weight of the cake and a wide range of gifts, crafts and seasonal items on offer to be snapped up in time for Christmas.

Homecall Scheme Manager Claire Prime, said this was a wonderful event with Bexhill charities coming together in order to make the Christmas Fayre a success. All the help and support from all those involved in the preparations and on the day was hugely appreciated. Special thanks must go to our supporters Vernon and Kathy Findlay for their hard work in making craft items for the event which added to the huge success of the day. A BIG thank you and a very Happy Christmas to everyone concerned, and to all those volunteers who made this event such an outstanding success.

Our lovely stall holders ready to help find the prizes on the Tombola

Our wonderful stall holder ready to sell the Homecall Christmas cards.

Our fabulous kitchen ladies ready to make bacon rolls and coffee.

Tuesday 15th October 2019

Peking Garden Fundraising Dinner for Homecall

Homecall’s fundraising dinner hosted by The Peking Garden Restaurant in Little Common on Tuesday 15th October was an outstanding success and a wonderful evening was enjoyed by all.

The tables were set with homemade fortune flowers and the 3 course meal was delicious with a wide variety of wonderful food to choose from it was difficult at times to make a selection.

Leah Norman and Claire Prime, Scheme Managers would like to express their sincere gratitude to Shuai and his attentive staff for hosting this fundraising event for Homecall at the Peking Garden Restaurant.

A grand fundraising raffle was enjoyed on the evening with prizes donated by attendees and local businesses including Pendragon Parties, and the Peking Garden donated a meal for two.

Leah and Claire would like to say thank you to Daniel Barnes from Barclays for his help and match funding the evening. Also a very big THANK YOU to everyone who came and enjoyed the evening helping us to raise an amazing £1570 which includes the Match Funding which enables Homecall to continue to offer support to Blind and Partially Sighted people living in the Bexhill area.

Without your support none of this would have happened!

Some of our lovely supporters enjoying their evening.

The room was filled with fun and laughter

Our new Scheme Manager Claire with some of the lovely raffle prizes.

Friday 6th September 2019

Annual General Meeting

The 34th Annual General Meeting for Homecall was held on Friday 6th September at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road, Bexhill.

Refreshments were available from 10am prior to the meeting, which was opened by Homecall President Jenny Private at 10.30am and the meeting was well attended. Reports from the Chairman, Treasurer and Scheme Manager were all well received.

Chairman Peter Stiles thanked all volunteers, Trustees, supporters and helpers who had worked so hard during the past year to enable Homecall to continue its valuable service to support blind and partially sighted people living in the Bexhill area.

There were 4 volunteers who received Volunteer Long Service Awards this year totalling an amazing 40 years’ service. Patron Amanda Hamblin DL presented 3 on the day to Susan Watts and Doreen Young (5 Years) and Jill Dyer (25 Years).

Our Patron Amanda Hamblin DL chatting to Bexhill Mayor Cllr Kathy Harmer.

Sue Watts receiving her 5 year long service award with Scheme Manager Leah Norman and Patron Amanda Hamblin DL

Doreen Young receiving her 5 year long service award with Scheme Manager Leah Norman and Patron Amanda Hamblin DL

Jill Dyer receiving her 25 year long service award with Scheme Manager Leah Norman and Patron Amanda Hamblin DL

Tuesday 20th August 2019

Homecall Summer Afternoon Quiz

A great afternoon of fun was enjoyed by everyone who came to Homecall’s summer afternoon quiz at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road.

A record number of 68 people came along and Chris Cox began the afternoon by asking a wide range of new questions with new topics and categories set to test every ability. Chris was well supported by her team of markers and scorers who did a sterling job checking all the quiz papers in good time. Afternoon tea with delicious homemade cakes were served during the interval giving everyone a chance to refresh their brain cells ready for the final rounds of quiz questions.

The popular raffle with many generous donations of raffle prizes given on the day helped to raise additional funds. The total sum raised including the raffle was £534.77.

Leah Norman and Claire Prime, Scheme Manager would especially like to thank Chris for her hard work which provided everyone with such a delightful afternoon. A big thank you is also due to our excellent team of volunteers who worked so hard behind the scenes in order to provide everyone with a delicious afternoon tea. Last but not least we would especially like to thank all of you who came and enjoyed the afternoon quiz; your support enables us to continue to help Blind and Partially Sighted People living in and around the Bexhill area.

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Congratulations to our Summer Quiz winners

The room was filled with laughter and fun was had by all

Saturday 22nd June 2019

Homecall Cream Tea and Gardens

We awoke to a glorious summers day, weeks of preparations were now complete, the scones and homemade cakes were ready to be enjoyed and the volunteers arrived early to set up for the day. The gardens in Cranston Avenue, Winston Drive, Cranston Rise and Collington Lane East were looking spectacular

We greeted an amazing 237 visitors and everyone was ready to enjoy a welcome cup of tea served with homemade scones, fresh strawberries, jam and lashings of clotted cream at the beautiful gardens in Cranston Avenue. The variety of stalls and the range of goods and produce available proved to be a big success.

The sum raised was a record breaking £3039.40 plus £1000 Match Funding thanks to Peter Blatchly from Barclays. We are very grateful to everyone who helped make this day so special and would like to thank all those volunteers who helped both before and during the event.

Homecall Scheme Manager, Leah Norman would especially like to express her gratitude to the hosts of our four gardens, Rita and Barry, Colin and Belinda, Eric and Sue and Maureen and Alan who shared their delightful gardens with us and worked tirelessly to make this event such a huge success and was truly an occasion to remember.

Photograph Peter Norman.

Saturday 13th April

Homecall Charity Easter Fayre

St Martha’s Church Hall – Little Common

Homecall’s Easter Charity Fayre took place at St Martha’s Church hall for the second year and raised £1164.21 for the charity. Bizzy Fingers, a group of creative ladies who use their craft and skill to raise funds for charities kindly donated their takings for the day to Homecall and Guide Dogs for the Blind joined in which made this a perfect event to kick off the Easter festivities.

The Fayre was well supported by the general public who enjoyed the refreshments of hot cross buns and homemade cakes. There were lots of fun activities including guess weight of the sweet hamper and a wide range of gifts, crafts and Easter items on offer to be snapped up in time for Easter and the stunning Luxury hamper was won by supporter Val Jenner. Pendragon Parties kindly donated an Easter Balloon display which brightened the hall and was raffled at the event.

Homecall Scheme Manager Leah Norman, said this was a wonderful event with Bexhill charities coming together in order to make our second Easter Fayre such a resounding success. Special thanks must go to our supporters Vernon and Kathy Findlay for their hard work in making craft items for the event which added to the huge success of the day. A BIG thank you and a very Happy Easter to everyone concerned, and to all those volunteers who made this event such an outstanding success.

Photograph Peter Norman.

Friday 25th January 2019

Homecall Winter Quiz Evening

Homecall held its 12th annual Quiz Evening which included a delicious ploughman’s supper with sausages from Betts & Loyd Butchers in Little Common and homemade cakes on Friday 25th January at Christchurch Methodist Church Hall, Bexhill. 72 Homecall supporters and dedicated quizzers alike turned out in order to attend one of Homecall’s most popular events of the year. Once inside in the warm everyone settled down to an evening of fun, laughter and challenging questions from our Winter Quiz Master Chris Cox.

Homecall would like to extend our thanks to Barry Turnwell for affording us the use of the church hall and to Chris our Quiz Master. We would like to thank everyone who contributed towards this wonderful evening especially those volunteers who provided our delightful supper and helped to prepare the hall ready for the quiz.

Scheme Manager Leah Norman said we are extremely grateful for all those donated raffle prizes which helped us to raise an amazing £594.69 on the evening. We would like to thank those of you who ventured out on a January evening in order to support Homecall on the night. Without your ongoing support events such as the Homecall quiz wouldn’t happen.

The Quiz Winners with their winning vouchers

The Quiz losers with their wooden spoons

Monday 10th December 2018

Homecall Christmas Lunch sponsored by The Co-op

Homecall were nominated as one of the charities that the Co-op Community Fund helped in 2018. We requested funding to arrange some outings for our Clients and at the top of our wish list was a Christmas Party for our clients because Homecall visit people in their homes so it is wonderful to see them all out enjoying an afternoon together.

The Mayor Councillor Abul Azad joined the 85 attendees for a Traditional Christmas Lunch at the Egerton Indoor Bowls Club where the room looked festive and the tables were set with crackers and homemade favours. The 2 course traditional Christmas meal was truly delicious and whilst enjoying coffee and mince pies we were entertained with a festive quiz. Father Christmas took time out of his busy schedule to join us and gave out gifts to everyone and we had a grand raffle which raised £261 which enables Homecall to continue to offer support to Blind and Partially Sighted people living in and around the Bexhill area.

Scheme Manager Leah Norman said ‘The afternoon was so festive and it is wonderful to see our clients, volunteers and supporters enjoying an afternoon together. I would like to say a massive thank you to the Co-op for sponsoring our Homecall Christmas Party and for making it so memorable for us all’

Photographs by Peter Norman

Saturday 24th November 2018

Homecall Charity Christmas Fayre

St Martha’s Church Hall – Little Common

Homecall’s Christmas Charity Fayre took place at St Martha’s Church hall for the Sixth year and raised nearly £1500 for the charity. A number of local Bexhill charities joined forces with Homecall on the day to make this the perfect event to kick off the festive season.

Those charities taking part included Guide Dogs for the Blind, The Golden Marigold Club and of course Homecall. Bizzy Fingers who are a group of creative ladies who use their craft and skill to raise funds for charity kindly donated their takings for the day to Homecall.

Homecall Scheme Manager Leah Norman, said this was a wonderful event with Bexhill charities coming together in order to make the Christmas Fayre such a resounding success. Special thanks must go to our supporters Vernon and Kathy Findlay for their hard work in making craft items for the event which added to the huge success of the day.

A BIG thank you and a very Happy Christmas to everyone concerned, and to all those volunteers who made this event such an outstanding success.

Photograph by Peter Norman

Sunday 30th September 2018

Homecall 10th Anniversary Lunch at the Manor Barn

A three course Sunday Lunch with entertainment from Ritchie Lee was enjoyed by 80 Homecall Clients, Volunteers and Supporters in the beautiful setting of the Manor Barn on a lovely September day to celebrate the Homecall 10th Anniversary of being stand alone in Bexhill.

Leah Norman Scheme Manager said 'Today we are celebrating being 10 years stand alone in Bexhill - Let me explain, at its peak Homecall was supporting approximately 400 clients across all of East Sussex but with its loss of East Sussex County Council's funding in September 2006 the charity became totally self-funding and depended on grants, legacies and donations in order to continue to offer the service. Subsequently in September 2008 all areas except Bexhill closed down due to lack of sufficient funding to enable them to continue.

At that time our now President Jenny Private, who was then the Bexhill Coordinator, launched a local fundraising campaign which was successful and thanks to her, John Dowling of the Bexhill Observer, many donations from local residents and local businesses our support to visually impaired people continues in Bexhill today.'

Vital funds were raised with a grand raffle and everyone took home a celebration 10th Anniversary Mug. Leah Norman Scheme Manager said ‘I want to say a massive thank you to our fabulous volunteers and supporters who give their all for Homecall, your support is greatly appreciated’.

Homecall 10th Anniversary Celebrations at the Manor Barn
Photograph by Peter Norman

Homecall Annual General Meeting

The 33rd Annual General Meeting for Homecall was held on Friday 7th September at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road, Bexhill.

There were 12 volunteers who received Volunteer Long Service Awards this year totalling an amazing 100 years’ service. Patron Amanda Hamblin DL presented 4 on the day to Jane Day (5 Years) and Kathy Findlay, Miranda, Warrick and Susan Edouard (10 Years).

A special Certificate of Fundraising was presented to Supporter Vernon Findlay has raised over £3000 for Homecall from making items from reclaimed and recycled timber.

Sadly, our Chairman Robert Hooker and our Treasurer Deborah Harding are moving onto pastures new and stepped down today after being at the helm for 10 years, their support to Homecall has been invaluable and we wish the all the very best for the future. We welcome Paul Murray as Chairman and Jane Day as Treasurer who step into the posts today and we look forward to a bright and exciting future.

Homecall Volunteers receiving their 10 year Long Service Awards from Patron Amanda Hamblin DL (L-R Scheme Manager Leah Norman, Miranda Warrick, Susan Edouard, Kathy Findlay, Amanda Hamblin DL)

Support Vernon Findlay receiving his Certificate of Fundraising from Patron Amanda Hamblin DL

Volunteer Jane Day receiving her 5 year Long Service Awards from Patron Amanda Hamblin DL

Tuesday 21st August 2018

Homecall Summer Afternoon Quiz

A great afternoon of fun was enjoyed by everyone who came to Homecall’s summer afternoon quiz at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road.

A record number of 64 people came along and Chris Cox began the afternoon by asking a wide range of new questions with new topics and categories set to test every ability. Chris was well supported by her team of markers and scorers who did a sterling job checking all the quiz papers in good time. Afternoon tea with delicious homemade cakes were served during the interval giving everyone a chance to refresh their brain cells ready for the final rounds of quiz questions.

The popular raffle with many generous donations of raffle prizes given on the day helped to raise additional funds. The total sum raised including the raffle was £490.

Leah Norman, Scheme Manager would especially like to thank Chris for her hard work which provided everyone with such a delightful afternoon. A big thank you is also due to our excellent team of volunteers who worked so hard behind the scenes in order to provide everyone with a delicious afternoon tea. Last but not least we would especially like to thank all of you who came and enjoyed the afternoon quiz; your support enables us to continue to help Blind and Partially Sighted People living in and around the Bexhill area.

Congratulations to our Summer Quiz winners

Delicious Homemade cakes were enjoyed by all

The room was filled with laughter and fun was had by all

Saturday 28th July 2018

Bexhill Carnival 2018

Homecall are proud that they were part of the Bexhill Carnival 2018 and would like to announce that they received a certificate for first place in the entry class of Motorised Vehicles. The weather was glorious and everyone danced and walked the course and entertained the crowds.

The theme was children’s television programmes and Homecall chose The Smurfs as their theme, everyone dressed up in fabulous Smurf costumes and the Scheme Manager, Leah Norman was also dressed as a Smurf this year as it was too hot for the Homecall Mascot Butterfly!

Grateful thanks go out to Bexhill Rotary who not only supplied the trailer (Peter) they also drove for us (David and Fiona). The trailer was decorated with flowers and butterflies and a beautiful balloon Smurf House and Smurfs supplied by Pendragon Parties.

A massive thank you goes out to the Bexhill Carnival Committee for the meticulous organisation and planning that made the event so special and to the myriad of volunteers who lined the route with drinks and sweets which were greatly appreciated. The day was such fun and it truly was Bexhill at its best.

Homecall winning a certificate in our category - Bexhill Carnival 2018

Amazing Balloons by Pendragon Parties

Our award winning Homecall Float

Scheme Manager, Leah Norman all set up and ready for a day promoting Homecall at Sainsbury's

Saturday 23rd June 2018

Homecall Cream Tea and Gardens

We greeted an amazing 140 visitors and everyone was ready to enjoy a welcome cup of tea served with homemade scones, fresh strawberries, jam and lashings of clotted cream at the beautiful gardens in Cranston Avenue. The variety of stalls and the range of goods and produce available proved to be a big success.

The sum raised was a wonderful £1773.65 plus £1000 Match Funding from Barclays. We are very grateful to everyone who helped make this day so special and would like to thank all those volunteers who helped both before and during the event.

Homecall Scheme Manager, Leah Norman would especially like to express her gratitude to the hosts of our four gardens, Rita and Barry Wright, Ron and Clare Brazier, Keith and Eileen Osborn and Chris and Beth Dawson who shared their delightful gardens with us and worked tirelessly to make this event such a huge success and was truly an occasion to remember.

Photograph by Peter Norman

Saturday 16th June 2018 – 8am – 4pm

Bexhill Sainsbury’s Collection

The kind folk of Bexhill dug deep to help support Homecall's fundraising collection at Sainsbury's on Saturday 16th June. The weather was beautiful and Homecall managed to raise £315.36. Leah Norman Scheme Manager says 'I would like to send out a massive thank you to all our amazing volunteers and supporters who gave up their time to collect and to Sainsbury's in Bexhill for welcoming our collectors'. Thank you to anyone who supported us by putting some pennies in the box or by donating sweets for our sweet tombola, your continuing support is greatly appreciated

Scheme Manager, Leah Norman all set up and ready for a day promoting Homecall at Sainsbury's

Saturday May 19th, 2018

Homecall’s Royal Wedding Afternoon Tea

Bexhill Mayor, Councillor Abul Azad, Homecall Clients, Volunteers and Supporters were treated to a delicious afternoon tea at the Egerton Indoor Bowls Club on Saturday 19th May to celebrate the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Thanks to Rother District Council who helped towards the costs with their Royal Wedding Grant Scheme the room was decorated beautifully and 60 people enjoyed a fun afternoon with a Royal Quiz, prizes for the best dressed Lady and Gentleman and a Raffle whilst watching the wedding on a large screen.

Scheme Manager, Leah Norman said ‘It was a wonderful afternoon celebrating the wedding of Harry and Meghan with a delicious afternoon tea prepared by the team at the Egerton Indoor Bowls Club. I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who helped on the day to make it such a memorable occasion for everyone’.

For further information contact Leah Norman our Scheme Manager on 01424 717795 or email leah.homecall@gmail.com or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/homecallbexhill

Bexhill Mayor, Councillor Abul Azad enjoying the Royal Wedding Celebrations

Clients, Trustees, Volunteers and Councillors enjoying the Royal Wedding Afternoon Tea with Harry and Meghan!

The room was beautifully set for the afternoon -- Photographs by Peter Norman

Saturday 24th March

Homecall Charity Easter Fayre

St Martha’s Church Hall – Little Common

Homecall’s Easter Charity Fayre took place at St Martha’s Church hall for the first year and raised over £903.76 for the charity. A number of local Bexhill charities joined forces with Homecall on the day to make this the perfect event to kick off the Easter festivities.

Homecall Scheme Manager Leah Norman, said this was a wonderful event with Bexhill charities coming together in order to make our first Easter Fayre such a resounding success. Special thanks must go to our supporters Vernon and Kathy Findlay for their hard work in making craft items for the event which added to the huge success of the day.

A BIG thank you and a very Happy Easter to everyone concerned, and to all those volunteers who made this event such an outstanding success. Photograph Peter Norman.

Friday 26th January, 2018

Homecall Winter Quiz Evening

Homecall held its 11th annual Quiz Evening which included a delicious hot supper with sausages from Betts & Loyd Butchers in Little Common and homemade cakes on Friday 26th January at Christchurch Methodist Church Hall, Bexhill. 72 Homecall supporters and dedicated quizzers alike turned out in order to attend one of Homecall’s most popular events of the year. Once inside in the warm everyone settled down to an evening of fun, laughter and challenging questions from our winter Quiz Master Chris Cox.

Scheme Manager Leah Norman said we are extremely grateful for all those donated raffle prizes which helped us to raise an amazing £646.82 on the evening. We would like to thank those of you who ventured out on a cold January evening in order to support Homecall on the night. Without your ongoing support events such as the Homecall quiz wouldn’t happen.

The Quiz Winners with their winning vouchers

The Quiz losers with their wooden spoons!

Balloon raffle prize donated by Pendragon Parties

Saturday 25th November

Homecall Charity Christmas Fayre

St Martha’s Church hall

Homecall’s Christmas Charity Fayre took place at St Martha’s Church hall for the fifth year and raised over £1600 for the charity. A number of local Bexhill charities joined forces with Homecall on the day to make this the perfect event to kick off the festive season.

The Fayre was well supported by the general public who enjoyed the refreshments of bacon rolls and homemade cakes. There were lots of fun activities including guess the number of balloons in the Christmas Model kindly donated by Pendragon Parties and a wide range of gifts, crafts and seasonal items on offer to be snapped up in time for Christmas and the stunning Christmas hamper was kindly donated by the Co-op in Pebsham and was won by supporter Steven Crosby.

A BIG thank you and a very Happy Christmas to everyone concerned, and to all those volunteers who made this event such an outstanding success.

Homecall's Scheme Manager Leah with a balloon Santa donated by Pendragon Parties

The fabulous Luxury Hamper donated by the Co-op which was won by Supporter Steven Crosby

Beautiful Crafts made by our supporter Vernon Findlay

Thursday October 19th 2017

Peking Garden Fundraising Dinner for Homecall

Homecall’s fundraising dinner hosted by The Peking Garden Restaurant in Little Common on Thursday 19th October was an outstanding success and a wonderful evening was enjoyed by all.

The tables were set with homemade fortune flowers and the 3 course meal was delicious with a wide variety of wonderful food to choose from it was difficult at times to make a selection.

Leah Norman, Scheme Manager organised the event and would like to express her sincere gratitude to Shuai and his attentive staff for hosting this fundraising event for Homecall at the Peking Garden Restaurant.

A grand fundraising raffle was enjoyed on the evening with prizes donated by attendees and local businesses including Pendragon Parties, Jelly Beans Toy Shop and the Peking Garden Donated a meal for two. Leah would like to say a very big THANK YOU to everyone who came and enjoyed the evening helping us to raise an amazing £792 which enables Homecall to continue to offer support to Blind and Partially Sighted people living in the Bexhill area.

Without your support none of this would have happened!

Volunteers and Clients supporting Homecall

Scheme Manager Leah with a balloon of the Homecall Mascot kindly donated by Pendragon Parties

The food was plentiful and delicious

Friday 8th September

Homecall Annual General Meeting

The 32nd Annual General Meeting for Homecall was held on Friday 8th September at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road, Bexhill.

Refreshments were available from 10am prior to the meeting, which was opened by Homecall President Jenny Private at 10.30am. The Deputy Mayor of Bexhill Councillor Abul Azad was present and the meeting was well attended. Reports from the Chairman, Treasurer and Scheme Manager were all well received.

There were 4 volunteers who received Volunteer Long Service Awards this year totalling an amazing 25 years service. Patron Amanda Hamblin presented 2 on the day to Molly Armstrong (10 Years) and Zelda Smith (5 Years).

If you would like a copy of the minutes of this meeting please contact the Scheme Manager, details can be found on the Contacts page of this site.

Many thanks to Peter Norman for all you support and the photographs.

Homecall Scheme Manager Leah Norman with Bexhill Deputy Mayor Councillor Abul Azad

Volunteer Molly receiving her 10 year long service award from Patron Amanda Hamblin DL

Volunteer Zelda receiving her 5 year long service award from Patron Amanda Hamblin DL

Saturday 2nd September 2017

Bexhill Festival of the Sea

Largest gathering of Mermaids world record attempt

Homecall were proud to take part in the largest gathering of Mermaids on the 2nd September 2017 at the Bexhill Festival of the Sea. The beach was awash with 325 beautiful Mermaids and Mermen and even the Homecall Mascot Butterfly was dressed as a Mermaid! The target was set at 300 Mermaids so we will await the verification from the Guinness Book of Records. Well done Bexhill and many thanks to everyone involved in planning the event it was fabulous. Special thanks to Kathy Findlay who made our amazing costumes and to Vernon Findlay who dressed as the Homecall mascot. Also thank you to Peter Norman for the great photographs.

Homecall mermaids having fun in the sunshine

Kathy Findlay (left) made these beautiful Mermaid costumes for Homecall

Thursday 31st August 2017

Sussex Community Foundation Champagne Tea

The Stade in Hastings

President, Jenny Private and Scheme Manager, Leah Norman were honoured to attend the Sussex Community Foundation Tea last week with the High Sheriff of East Sussex and Mr Michael Chowen at Stade Hall in Hastings. The tea was to celebrate those working for the community in Hastings and the surrounding areas. It was lovely to have the chance to network with other local groups from the voluntary sector.

The Sussex Community Foundation raise funds for and make grants to local charities and community groups across East and West Sussex and Brighton & Hove. They’ve raised a total of £23.5 million to support Sussex communities since 2006. They manage funds of money on behalf of Sussex donors, connecting them to the groups and communities they want to support. They’ve given over 4,000 grants in partnership with those donors totalling £10.9 million to around 2,000 charities and community groups.

Homecall received a grant from the Sussex Community Foundation for a projector, screen and speakers to enable us to deliver presentations more professionally and the equipment is also used at our training sessions which we are very grateful for.

Scheme Manager, Leah Norman (left) and President, Jenny Private (right) with The High Sheriff of East Sussex

The Sussex Community Foundation Champagne and Afternoon Tea guests enjoying the afternoon

Photographs by ©Tony Mould – My Brighton and Hove Website

Tuesday 15th August 2017

Summer Afternoon Quiz

A great afternoon of fun was enjoyed by everyone who came to Homecall’s summer afternoon quiz at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road.

Chris began the afternoon by asking a wide range of new questions with new topics and categories set to test every ability. Chris was well supported by her team of markers and scorers who did a sterling job checking all the quiz papers in good time. Afternoon tea with delicious homemade cakes were served during the interval giving everyone a chance to refresh their brain cells ready for the final rounds of quiz questions.

The popular raffle with many generous donations of raffle prizes given on the day including a fabulous balloon from pendragon Parties helped to raise additional funds. The total sum raised including the raffle was £343.

All at Homecall would especially like to thank Chris for her hard work which provided everyone with such a delightful afternoon. A big thank you is also due to our excellent team of volunteers who worked so hard behind the scenes in order to provide everyone with a delicious afternoon tea. Last but not least we would especially like to thank all of you who came and enjoyed the afternoon quiz; your support enables us to continue to help Blind and Partially Sighted People living in and around the Bexhill area.

Summer Quiz Loser with their wooden spoons!

Scheme Manager Leah Norman with a fabulous Balloon donation for the raffle from Pendragon Parties

The room was filled with laughter and fun was had by all

Saturday August 12th 2017

Sophie and Friends Entertain

Sophie and friends entertained more than 60 people at the Bexhill United F.C. clubhouse in Brockley Road on Saturday 12th August 2017 with a fabulous evening of music, dance and poetry. The evening was arranged by Homecall Volunteer Visitor Doug Oliver to raise vital funds for Homecall Home Visiting Scheme for the Visually Impaired and raised an amazing £675.

The evening was hosted by Sophie who danced and sang and put the show together. Several very talented young people played instruments, sang songs, rapped and entertained the audience and the evening featured Claire Baldry who entertained the audience with her poetry and the Edwards Sisters, Maisie and Ruby who sang beautifully.

Homecall Scheme Manager Leah Norman said the evening was a great success and to see so many talented people in one place putting on a fabulous show was truly wonderful. Leah would like to thank the entertainers, the Pebsham Co-op who supplied the raffle prizes and the light refreshments, everyone at the Bexhill United Clubhouse and a special thank you to Homecall Volunteer Doug Oliver for arranging the evening.

Sophie entertained us with her singing and dancing and put the evening together for Homecall

Local Poet Claire Baldry entertaining the supporters

Saturday 29th July 2017

Bexhill Carnival 2017

Homecall are proud that they were part of the Bexhill Carnival 2017 and would like to announce that they received a certificate for second place in the entry class of Sponsors and Charity Partners. Even the rain didn’t dampen our spirits and everyone walked the course regardless and entertained the crowds. The theme was a tribute to Disney and Homecall chose Cinderella as their theme. A massive lorry was decorated with beautiful handmade decorations including a Disney Castle and the biggest balloon Pumpkin Coach supplied by Pendragon Parties. Everyone dressed up in costumes for the day and we had Cinderella, two ugly sisters, mice a clock and many other characters from Cinderella! The Scheme Manager, Leah Norman was dressed as the Homecall Mascot Butterfly who fluttered and waved her way along the route. A massive thank you goes out to the Bexhill Carnival Committee for the meticulous organisation and planning that made the event so special and to the myriad of volunteers who lined the route with drinks and sweets which were greatly appreciated. The day was such fun and it truly was Bexhill at its best.

Homecall's Cinderella Float all ready for the Bexhill Carnival

Our Homecall Mascot Butterfly enjoyed fluttering her way along the route

Linda Hall (Mouse) and Kathy Findlay (Clock) looking fabulous in their costumes

Cinderella (Stephanie Crosby) and her Ugly Sisters (Vernon Findlay and Steven Crosby)

It's amazing what you can make with some balloons and cardboard boxes!

Saturday 22nd July 2017 – 10am – 6pm

Bexhill Roaring 20’s Event – Bexhill Seafront

Homecall would like to say thank you for all your help and support at the Bexhill Roaring 20’s event and what a fantastic day it was; sadly the weather wasn’t perfect but we made the most of it and enjoyed the day. The pitch was located on the seafront, just behind the stage so we could see everything that was going on!

Homecall would like to say a massive thank you to supporters Kathy and Vernon for the amazing crafts and help on the day. The stall had crafts, bric a brac and books for sale and the sweet tombola was just a bit of fun raised £266 which is an amazing amount. We feel that the promotion of Homecall is such an important thing and we had both client and volunteer interest on the day which is great.

We were honoured to be involved with the world record Charleston attempt which was great fun. London set the record with 977 people taking part in October 2015 and we smashed it with 1086 people. Bexhill really is an amazing place when you look up and down the seafront and there are just a sea of people enjoying a fabulous occasion – well done Bexhill.

Some of the Homecall ladies all ready to take part in the Charleston World Record Attempt

Leah Norman (Scheme Manager) Joining in the World Record Attempt Charleston Dance

The Homecall stall ready for the Roaring 20's Event

Saturday 8th July 2017 – 9am – 4pm

Bexhill Sainsbury’s Collection

The kind folk of Bexhill dug deep to help support Homecall's fundraising collection at Sainsbury's on Saturday the 8th July. The weather was beautiful and Homecall managed to raise £346.10. Leah Norman Scheme Manager says 'I would like to send out a massive thank you to all our amazing volunteers and supporters who gave up their time to collect, and to Sainsbury's in Bexhill for welcoming our collectors'. Thank you to anyone who supported us by putting some pennies in the box or by donating sweets for our sweet tombola, your continuing support is greatly appreciated.

Scheme Manager, Leah Norman all set up and ready for a day promoting Homecall at Sainsbury's

Homecall Clients, Volunteers and supporters helping with the collection

Saturday 24th June 2017

Homecall Cream Tea and Gardens

We awoke to a cloudy drizzly morning but at 2pm thankfully the rain stopped, weeks of preparations were now complete, the scones and homemade cakes were ready to be enjoyed and the volunteers arrived early to set up for the day. The gardens in Cranston Avenue, Gatelands Drive and Kingswood Avenue were looking spectacular.

We greeted an amazing 78 visitors and everyone was ready to enjoy a welcome cup of tea served with homemade scones, fresh strawberries, jam and lashings of clotted cream at the beautiful gardens in Cranston Avenue. The variety of stalls and the range of goods and produce available proved to be a big success.

The sum raised was a wonderful £1527.42 plus £1000 Match Funding from Barclays. We are very grateful to everyone who helped make this day so special and would like to thank all those volunteers who helped both before and during the event.

Homecall Scheme Manager, Leah Norman would especially like to express her gratitude to the hosts of our three gardens, Rita and Barry Wright, Pat McCarthy and Lal and Gloria Ratnayake, who shared their delightful gardens with us and worked tirelessly to make this event such a huge success and was truly an occasion to remember.

Scheme Manager Leah Norman with helpers from the Pebsham Co-op

Leah with the Bizzy Fingers craft ladies

Homecall helpers on the bric a brac stall

Peter Blatchly who match funded the event for Homecall with Barclays

Wednesday 24th May 2017

Homecall's President, Jenny Private attends the Service of Dedication for the
100th Anniversary of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Homecall's President, Jenny Private, who was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2012 for her tireless work in helping blind and partially sighted residents of Bexhill. Jenny was delighted to be invited to St Paul's Cathedral on the 24th May to attend the Service of Dedication for the 100th anniversary of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire led by Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Jenny said: - The cathedral was absolutely full and every person who attended was a recipient of a medal. I feel honoured to have been invited.

Saturday 6th May 2017: 1pm

Homecall Color Obstacle Rush

Six supporters of Homecall including our Scheme Manager Leah Norman, Trustee Deborah McDowell, Linda Hall and Maria Crosby took part in a sponsored 5K Color Obstacle Rush on the 6th May 2017 at 13:00 at Brighton Racecourse.

This is a unique event combining the fun of colour powdered runs, the thrill of an obstacle course and the atmosphere of a music festival. It was a bright, dry day but very windy in Brighton which was probably a good thing as the paint was blown off us! We started off with warm up exercises to festival music and were led to the start line doing the Conga. We all completed the course and we would like to say a big thank you to little Stephanie for helping us to make up the numbers and to everyone who helped Homecall raise vital funds.

Thank you to everyone who sponsored us for the event and the sponsorship money is still coming in but we hope to have raised a minimum of £500 which is truly amazing.

Homecall supporters in their T Shirts ready for the Color Obstacle Rush

One of the inflatable obstacles along the way

The Homecall supporters were very colourful at the end of the race!

Thursday March 16th 2017

Peking Garden Fundraising Dinner for Homecall

Homecall’s fundraising dinner hosted by The Peking Garden Restaurant in Little Common on Thursday 16th March was an outstanding success and a wonderful evening was enjoyed by all.

The tables were set with homemade favours and the 3 course meal was delicious, and with a wide variety of wonderful food to choose from it was difficult at times to make a selection.

A grand fundraising raffle was enjoyed on the evening with prizes donated by attendees and local businesses including Pendragon Parties, Jelly Beans Toy Shop and the Peking Garden donated a meal for two. Leah would like to say a very big THANK YOU to everyone who came and enjoyed the evening helping us to raise an amazing £866 which enables Homecall to continue to offer support to Blind and Partially Sighted people living in the Bexhill area.

Without your support none of this would have happened!

Homecall Supporters enjoying their starters

Scheme Manager Leah with a balloon of the Homecall Mascot kindly donated by Pendragon Parties

Homecall’s President Jenny Private picking a raffle ticket

Friday 27th January, 2017

Homecall Winter Quiz Evening

Homecall held its 10th annual Quiz Evening which included a delicious hot supper with sausages from Betts & Loyd Butchers in Little Common and homemade cakes on Friday 27th January at Christchurch Methodist Church Hall, Bexhill. Despite a cold winters evening 64 Homecall supporters and dedicated quizzers alike turned out in order to attend one of Homecall’s most popular events of the year. Once inside in the warm everyone settled down to an evening of fun, laughter and challenging questions from our winter Quiz Mistress Chris Cox.

Homecall would like to extend our thanks to Barry Turnwell for affording us the use of the church hall and to Chris our Quiz Mistress. We would like to thank also everyone who contributed towards this wonderful evening especially those volunteers who provided our delightful supper and helped to prepare the hall ready for the quiz.

Scheme Manager Leah Norman said we are extremely grateful for all those donated raffle prizes which helped us to raise an amazing £550 on the evening. We would like to thank those of you who ventured out on a cold January evening in order to support Homecall on the night. Without your ongoing support events such as the Homecall quiz wouldn’t happen.

Christchurch Methodist Hall was packed with excited quizzers

The Quiz Winners with their winning vouchers

The Quiz losers with their wooden spoons!

Wednesday 7th December 2016

Homecall Christmas Lunch sponsored by Hastings Direct

As a charity partner with Hastings Direct for 2016 Homecall were asked for a wish list at the beginning of the year. On our wish list we asked for a Christmas Party for our clients, volunteers and supporters to say thank you for all the support we receive.

Renown coaches collected 85 people from Bexhill and delivered them safely to the Azur in St Leonards-on-sea for a Christmas Party to remember. The room looked festive and the tables were set with crackers, party boxes and homemade favours. The 3 course Christmas meal was truly delicious with a fabulous carvery and a choice of Roast Beef or Roast Turkey with all the trimmings.

Whilst enjoying coffee and mince pies we were entertained by the Christchurch Singers and we all enjoyed singing Christmas Carols. Father Christmas took time out of his busy schedule to join us and gave out gifts to everyone and we had a grand raffle which raised £330 which enables Homecall to continue to offer support to Blind and Partially Sighted people living in and around the Bexhill area.

Our clients, volunteers and supporters would like to say a massive thank you to Hastings Direct for sponsoring our Homecall Christmas Party and for making it so memorable for us.

The Azur ready for the Homecall Christmas Party

Father Christmas giving out presents

Lynne, Margaret and Molly with Father Christmas

The Christchurch Singers singing carols for us

Thank you Renown Coaches

Saturday 26th November – 10am – 1pm

Homecall Christmas Fayre

St Martha’s Church Hall – Little Common

Homecall’s Christmas Charity Fayre took place at St Martha’s Church hall for the fourth year and raised over £1000 for the charity. A number of local Bexhill charities joined forces with Homecall on the day to make this the perfect event during the festive season.

Those charities taking part included Guide Dogs for the Blind, Bexhill Diabetes, The Golden Marigold Club and of course Homecall. Bizzy Fingers who are a group of creative ladies who use their craft and skill to raise funds for charity kindly donated their takings for the day to Homecall.

The Fayre was very well supported by the general public who enjoyed the refreshments of bacon rolls and delicious homemade cakes. There were lots of fun activities and a wide range of gifts, crafts and seasonal items on offer to be snapped up in time for Christmas.

The stunning luxury Christmas hamper was won by Homecall volunteer Jenny Jones who was delighted with the hamper.

Homecall Scheme Manager Leah Norman, said this was a wonderful event with so many of the Bexhill charities coming together in order to make the Christmas Fayre such a resounding success. The atmosphere was happy and festive and great fun was had by all.

A BIG thank you and a very Happy Christmas to all the charities concerned, and to all those volunteers who made this event such an outstanding success.

Lucky volunteer Jenny was delighted to win the Luxury Christmas Hamper

Lots of bargain hunters enjoying the Christmas Fayre

Beautiful brooches made by volunteer Kathy

Thursday October 6th 2016

Peking Garden Restaurant, Little Common

Homecall’s annual fundraising dinner hosted by The Peking Garden Restaurant in Little Common on Thursday 6th October was an outstanding success and a wonderful evening was enjoyed by all.

The tables were set with homemade favours and the 3 course meal was truly delicious and with such a variety of wonderful food to choose from it was difficult at times to make a selection.

We would like to express our gratitude to Shuai and his attentive staff for hosting this fundraising event for Homecall. Also a massive thank you to Peter Blatchly who helped with the planning of the event and match funded it through Barclays Bank.

Last but not least can we say a very big THANK YOU to everyone who came and enjoyed the evening helping us to raise an amazing £1006.50 which enables Homecall to continue to offer support to Blind and Partially Sighted people living in and around the Bexhill area.

Without your support none of this would have happened!

Homecall Clients and Volunteers enjoying the Peking Garden

Scheme Manager, Leah Norman selling tickets for the Grand Raffle

The food at the Peking Garden was hot, plentiful and delicious

Sunday 25th September 2016 – 10am–4pm

Bexhill Lions Sight Festival – De La Warr Lawns, Bexhill

Homecall were delighted that the Bexhill Lions raised money for Homecall with a Sight Festival which took place on De La Warr Lawns on Sunday 25th September from 10am to 4pm. The Bexhill Lions Club created a Vision Village with other charities (ESAB, Guide Dogs for the Blind, RNIB etc) and they manned a delicious Barbeque.

The decorated yellow Homecall gazebo was anchored down on a very windy morning where our Scheme Manager Leah Norman along with our Homecall volunteers and supporters were raising awareness of Homecall with an Information Stand, Sweet Tombola and other items for sale. We raised £119.71 on the day.

Our Homecall butterfly took part in the Draw for Sight which was a poker run and won a prize of a month subscription to Curves gym with a pair of Kings.

The Homecall Butterfly with Rick Hough, President of the Bexhill Rotary Club

The Homecall Butterfly with the RNIB Bear

The Homecall Butterfly helping with the Lions barbeque

Annual General Meeting

The 31st Annual General Meeting for Homecall was held on Friday 9th September at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road, Bexhill.

Refreshments including delicious homemade butter shortbread were available from 10am prior to the meeting, which was opened by Homecall President Jenny Private at 10.30am. The meeting was well attended and reports from the Chairman, Treasurer and Scheme Manager were all well received.

Chairman Robert Hooker thanked all volunteers, Trustees, supporters and helpers who had worked so hard during the past year to enable Homecall to continue its valuable service to support blind and partially sighted people living in the Bexhill area. He also praised the Scheme Manager by saying “I must just say that I find Leah's hard work and enthusiasm to be infectious and very welcome in the important role that she has taken on for Homecall. Hers is the busy day to day work that brings together all the elements of our service and its organisation and she is doing a very good job. Leah recently told me that being Scheme Manager for Homecall has turned out to be her dream job, well I know I can speak for the other Trustees, Volunteers, Supporters and Clients in saying that Leah has most certainly turned out to our dream Scheme Manager”

There were 8 volunteers who received Volunteer Long Service Awards this year totalling an amazing 75 years service. Patron Amanda Hamblin presented 4 on the day to David McQuoid (10 Years) and included 3 of our Trustees who are also volunteers Deborah Harding Treasurer (10 Years) Robert Hooker Chairman (10 years) and Jan Corke Trustee (15 Years).

If you would like a copy of the minutes of this meeting please contact the Scheme Manager, details can be found on the Contacts page of this site.

Many thanks to Peter Norman for all your support and the photographs.

Bexhill Town Mayor Simon Elford with Homecall Scheme Manager Leah Norman

Some of our fabulous Homecall Team

Volunteer and Trustee Jan Corke receiving her 15 year long service award from Patron Amanda Hamblin DL

Volunteer and Chairman Robert Hooker receiving his 10 year long service award from Patron Amanda Hamblin DL

Treasurer Deborah Harding receiving her 10 year long service award from Patron Amanda Hamblin DL

Tuesday 23rd August 2016

Summer Afternoon Quiz

A great afternoon of fun was enjoyed by everyone who came to Homecall’s summer afternoon quiz at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road.

The popular raffle with many generous donations of raffle prizes given on the day helped to raise additional funds. The total sum raised including the raffle was £368.40.

Jay Wootten from Hastings Direct came along to present Homecall with a cheque as Homecall are one of their Charity Partners for 2016 which we are truly grateful for.

Bizzy Fingers were our amazing quiz winners

These ladies were delighted with the wooden spoons for coming last!

Everyone enjoyed the quiz, a fun afternoon was had by all.

Hastings Direct presented the Scheme Manager (Leah Norman) with a cheque as Homecall are one of their Charity Partners for 2016.

Saturday 30th July 2016

Bexhill Carnival 2016

Homecall are proud that they were part of the Bexhill Carnival 2016 and would like to announce that they received a certificate for second place in the entry class of Charity and Community. Earlier in the year the Bexhill Carnival Committee chose Homecall as one of the three charity partners for the Bexhill Carnival which we are very grateful for.

The theme was musicals, theatre and films and Homecall chose The Wizard of Oz as their theme. A massive lorry was decorated with beautiful handmade decorations and the biggest balloon rainbow supplied by Pendragon Parties. Everyone dress up in costumes for the day and we had a lion, a tin man and a scarecrow which were all handmade. The Scheme Manager, Leah Norman was dressed as the Homecall Mascot Butterfly who fluttered and waved her way along the route.

Volunteers and supporters manned the Homecall promotion stall at the end of the carnival at the Polegrove where we had a sweet tombola and raised an amazing £171.

The Homecall mascot butterfly at the Bexhill Carnival 2016

All dressed up and ready for the Bexhill Carnival

Our decorated Wizard of OZ Homecall lorry

Our Scheme Manager Leah Norman proudly holding our certificate

Balloon rainbow by Pendragon Parties

Saturday 23rd July 2016 – 10am – 6pm

Bexhill Roaring 20’s Event – Bexhill Seafront

Homecall would like to say thank you for all your help and support at the Bexhill Roaring 20’s event and what a fantastic day it was; the weather was very kind to us yet again. The pitch was in a perfect location on the seafront, just behind the stage so we could see everything that was going on and luckily it wasn't too loud as the speakers were facing the other way!

Homecall would like to say a massive thank you to supporters Rita and Barry for all their organisation and help on the day. The stall had jewellery, bric a brac and books for sale and the sweet tombola was just a bit of fun raised £146 which is an amazing amount. We feel that the promotion of Homecall is such an important thing and we had both client and volunteer interest on the day which is great.

We were honoured to be involved with the world record Charleston attempt which was great fun. Even with 850 people taking part we didn’t claim back our record from London who set the record with 977 people taking part in October 2015. Bexhill really is an amazing place when you look up and down the seafront and there are just a sea of people enjoying a fabulous occasion it is truly humbling.

Setting up the Homecall stall for the Roaring 20's Event

Some of the Homecall ladies all ready to take part in the Charleston World Record Attempt

Linda Hall (Supporter) and Leah Norman (Scheme Manager) promoting Homecall on the De La Warr Lawns

Saturday 2nd July 2016 – 9am – 4pm

Bexhill Sainsbury’s Collection

A massive thank you to all our amazing volunteers and supporters who gave up their time on a Saturday for the promote and collection day at Sainsbury's, 1 Buckhurst Place, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN39 3NY. Homecall raised an outstanding £253.44 and gained some sweeties for our sweetie tombola for our next event. Thank you to anyone who supported us today your continuing support is greatly appreciated.

Sainsbury's Leah - Scheme Manager, Leah Norman all set up and ready for a day promoting Homecall at Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's Peter and Stan - Homecall Trustees Peter Stiles (Left) and Stan Farrer (Right) helping with the collection

Sunday 5th June 2016 – 11-2pm

Team Up Bexhill – Charity Awareness Fun Day

Bexhill Youth and Community Centre – Station Road, Bexhill-on-Sea

Homecall were delighted to join up with other local charities at a Charity Awareness Fun Day on the 5th June 2016 from 11-2pm at the Bexhill Youth and Community Centre in Station Road. Our fundraising sweet tombola was manned by our dedicated volunteers and raised an amazing £60 on the day. Our Scheme Manager, Leah Norman was on hand to answer any questions about Homecall and the day was a great success.

The Homecall Sweet Tombola all set up and ready for the crowds

Our Scheme Manager Leah enjoying the Charity Funday

Sunday 15th May 2016 – 10.30am

Brownbread Horse Rescue Open Day

Brownbread Street, Ashburnham

Local charity Brownbread Horse Rescue, Ashburnham, offered a neighbourly invitation to join them at its Open Day on Sunday the 15th May raising over £4000 in the process.

A massive thank you to our supporter Rita who had one of the 40 stalls at the Brownbread Horse Rescue Open Day with an array of interesting items for sale including books, jewellery and china. Rita made an amazing £240.20 on the day which was donated to Homecall and Rita’s commitment to helping maintain support to the blind and partially sighted people in the Bexhill area is greatly appreciated.

The annual event was officially opened by Lord Brett McLean of Hastings along with a rousing rendition by the Eastbourne STIX Drummers. The pedigree and novelty dog show proved very popular and was sponsored by ‘Xenca By Paje’ which provided tins of dog products as well as vouchers. The Bexhill Lions ran the Barbeque which was very popular and sold out on the day. In the arena the Para equestrian rider, Emily Lawes, gave a display on her fine horse named Drizzle and many took the opportunity to pat the horse afterwards.

Friday 13th May, 2016

The Queens 90th Birthday Celebrations at Windsor Castle

Our Leah Norman, Scheme Manager was delighted to receive six entry tickets from the Hailsham branch of Waitrose for The Queens 90th Birthday Celebrations at Windsor Castle on Friday 13th May 2016.

Each branch of Waitrose and The John Lewis Partnership was asked to put forward a local Charity in their community to attend the event, Waitrose Hailsham submitted Homecall as their local charity. Waitrose said ‘We choose Homecall as we have had good links between ourselves over the years and we have a Partner (Sandra Shadwell) who is a volunteer for Homecall.

Leah Norman said ‘On behalf of Homecall I would like to say a massive thank you to both Waitrose in Hailsham and their Partner Sandra Shadwell for this once in a lifetime experience. Six of us including Clients, Volunteers, our President (Jenny Private) and I attended the event which was fabulous. Waitrose welcomed us superbly and we felt truly spoilt with the complimentary Champagne, cup cakes and the goody bag which was wonderful. We were blessed with good weather and the evening show was truly amazing with real memory making moments for us all’

Five excited ladies arriving at Windsor Castle!

Homecall enjoying the Waitrose hospitality

Leah signing the Queen Elizabeth ruler!

Homecall thanking Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth

Friday 29th January, 2016

Homecall Winter Quiz Evening

Homecall held its 9th annual Quiz Evening which included a delicious hot supper with sausages from Betts & Loyd Butchers in Little Common and homemade cakes on Friday 29th January at Christchurch Methodist Church Hall, Bexhill. Despite it being a wet and windy winters evening 80 Homecall supporters and dedicated quizzers alike turned out in order to attend one of Homecall’s most popular events of the year. Once inside in the warm everyone settled down to an evening of fun, laughter and challenging questions from our regular winter Quiz Mistress Bernice.

Homecall would like to extend our thanks to Barry Turnwell for affording us the use of the church hall and to Bernice our Quiz Mistress. We would like to thank also everyone who contributed towards this wonderful evening especially those volunteers who provided our delightful supper and helped to prepare the hall ready for the quiz.

We are extremely grateful for all those donated raffle prizes which helped us to raise an amazing £840 on the evening. Most of all we would like to thank those of you who ventured out on a wet and windy January evening in order to support Homecall on the night. Without your ongoing support events such as the Homecall quiz wouldn’t happen.

Christchurch Methodist Hall was packed with 80 excited quizzers

The Quiz Winners were 'Citizens Advice 1066' with their chocolates

The Quiz losers were the 'Smarties' with their wooden spoons!

Saturday 12th December – 10am – 1pm at St Martha’s Church Hall – Little Common

Homecall Christmas Fayre

Homecall’s Christmas Charity Fayre took place at St Martha’s Church hall for the third year and raised over £500 for the charity. A number of local Bexhill charities joined forces with Homecall on the day to make this the perfect event during the festive season.

Those charities taking part included The British Heart foundation, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Bexhill Diabetes, Canine Partners, The Golden Marigold Club and of course Homecall. Bizzy Fingers who are a group of creative ladies who use their craft and skill to raise funds for charity kindly donated their takings for the day to Homecall.

The Fayre was well supported by the general public who enjoyed the refreshments of bacon rolls and homemade cakes. There were lots of fun activities and a wide range of gifts, crafts and seasonal items on offer to be snapped up in time for Christmas.

The stunning Christmas hamper kindly donated by a Homecall Supporter was won by a local Bexhill resident Margaret Donaldson who said that she ‘never win’s anything!’ and was very happy with the prize.

Homecall Scheme Manager Leah Norman, said this was a wonderful event with so many of the Bexhill charities coming together in order to make the Christmas Fayre such a resounding success.

A BIG thank you and a very Happy Christmas to all the charities concerned, and to all those volunteers who made this event such an outstanding success.

Scheme Manager Leah Norman with Father Christmas

Festive shoppers begin to arrive

The Tombola was a great success

Wednesday 25th November 2015 – 7pm

A Brief Musical History of Christmas at the Stables Theatre

A fabulous evening was enjoyed by all in Hastings where The Senlac Rotary Club held their musical event, a brief Musical History of Christmas which was at Stables Theatre on Wednesday 25th November 2015.

Homecall were honoured to be nominated as one of the recipients of profits made from this musical event organised by Peter Cocker.

The doors opened at 6.30pm for the 'Medieval' buffet at 7pm provided by the Sussex Coast College in the Gwen Watford Room which was a fabulous array of mouth watering treats. The show was performed by Blast from the past where songs, carols, tales and drama from yuletide past was enjoyed by all.

On the evening there was a raffle which included 3 first class hampers as prizes. One of our Homecall supporter’s was lucky enough to win the first prize which she very generously donated to Homecall.

Thursday October 22nd 2015

Peking Garden Restaurant, Little Common

Homecall’s annual fundraising dinner hosted by The Peking Garden Restaurant in Little Common on Thursday 22nd October was an outstanding success and a wonderful evening was enjoyed by all.

The tables were set with homemade fortune flowers and the 3 course meal was truly delicious and with such a variety of wonderful food to choose from it was difficult at times to make a selection.

We would like to express our gratitude to Shuai and his attentive staff for hosting this fundraising event for Homecall. Also we would like to extend a special word of thanks to Pendragon Parties for the fabulous Minion and butterfly balloons.

Last but not least can we say a very big THANK YOU to everyone who came and enjoyed the evening helping us to raise an amazing £934.50 which enables Homecall to continue to offer support to Blind and Partially Sighted people living in and around the Bexhill area.

Without your support none of this would have happened!

The tables were beautifully set at the Peking Garden Restaurant

The raffle prizes were generously donated

The food was delicious and plentiful

Leah Norman with the Homecall Mascot made from balloons

We filled the Peking Garden for this fundraising event

Friday 4th September 2015

Annual General Meeting

The 30th Annual General Meeting for Homecall was held on Friday 4th September at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road, Bexhill.

Refreshments were available from 10am prior to the meeting, which was opened by Homecall President Jenny Private at 10.30am. The meeting was well attended and reports from the Chairman, Treasurer and Scheme Manager were all well received.

Patron Amanda Hamblin presented 3 Volunteer Long Service Awards, totalling an amazing 55 years service. One of whom has completed 15 years service and two ladies have completed 20 years service each as a volunteer visitors.

If you would like a copy of the minutes of this meeting please contact the Scheme Manager, details can be found on the Contacts page of this site.

Volunteer Lex receives her 15 year service award

Volunteer Jenny receives her 20 year service award

Volunteer Joanne receives her 20 year service award

Tuesday 18th August, 2015

Summer Afternoon Quiz

A great afternoon of fun was enjoyed by everyone who came to Homecall’s summer afternoon quiz at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road.

Our quiz mistress Chris began the afternoon leading off with a wide range of new questions and categories with topics set to test every ability. Chris was well supported by her team of markers and scorers who did a sterling job checking all the quiz papers in good time. Afternoon tea included a special 30th Anniversary celebration cake and homemade cakes were served during the interval giving everyone a chance to refresh their brain cells ready for the final rounds of quiz questions.

The popular raffle with many generous donations of raffle prizes given on the day helped to raise additional funds. The total sum raised including the raffle was £362.

The proud winners of the Homecall Summer Quiz 2015

The team that were very happy to 'win' their Losers spoons from the Homecall Summer Quiz 2015!

The questions need some discrete discussions amongst the quizzers!

Saturday 25th July 2015

Bexhill Carnival 2015

Homecall are proud that they were part of the Bexhill Carnival 2015. The Scheme Manager, Leah Norman was dressed as Homecall’s Mascot Butterfly who fluttered and waved her way along the route in the sunshine. A massive thank you goes out to the Bexhill Carnival Committee for the meticulous organisation and planning that made the event so special and to the myriad of volunteers who lined the route with drinks and sweets which were greatly appreciated. The day was such fun and it truly was Bexhill at its best.

Homecall's Butterfly waving to the crowds in Bexhill Town Centre

Butterfly Mascot with some friends on the Seafront

The Homecall Butterfly Mascot making friends at the Carnival

Saturday 18th July 2015 – 10am – 6pm

Bexhill Roaring 20’s Event – Bexhill Seafront

Homecall would like to say a massive thank you to supporters Rita and Barry for all their organisation and help on the day. The stall had jewellery, furniture and books for sale and the sweet tombola was just a bit of fun raised an amazing £136.50 which is a great amount. We feel that the promotion of Homecall is such an important thing and we had both client and volunteer interest on the day which is great.

We were honoured to be involved with the world record Charleston attempt which was great fun and we took the record from the Australians with over 500 people taking part, Bexhill really is an amazing place when you look up and down the seafront and there are just a sea of people enjoying a fabulous occasion it is truly humbling.

Scheme Manager Leah (left) with Homecall supporter Linda dressed for the Roaring 20's occasion

Setting up the Homecall stand on a bright and sunny Saturday morning

Homecall off to take part in the largest Charleston Dance world record attempt

Homecall taking part in the largest Charleston Dance world record attempt (can you spot us?)

Bexhill now holds the world record certificate for the Largest Charleston Dance

Homecall volunteer Janice with her husband Paul enjoying the day

Saturday 4th July 2015 – 9am – 4pm

Bexhill's Sainsbury’s Collection

A massive thank you to all our amazing volunteers who gave up their time on this bright and sunny Saturday for the promote and collection day at Sainsbury's, 1 Buckhurst Place, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN39 3NY. Homecall raised an outstanding £212.05 and gained some sweeties for our sweetie tombola for our next event. The day was such a success and we gained both Volunteers and Clients from the leaflets we handed out. Thank you to anyone who supported us, your continuing support is greatly appreciated.

Saturday 27th June 2015

Cream Tea and Gardens

We awoke to a glorious summer day, weeks of preparations were now complete, the scones and homemade cakes were ready to be enjoyed and the volunteers arrived early to set up for the day where afternoon tea would be enjoyed in the two gardens in Cranston Avenue.

Our new mascot butterfly made her first appearance and greeted an amazing 130 visitors as they arrived at the event, where everyone was ready to enjoy a welcome cup of tea served with homemade scones, fresh strawberries, jam and lashings of clotted cream at the beautiful gardens in Cranston Avenue. The variety of stalls and the range of goods and produce available proved to be a big success.

The sum raised was a wonderful £2079.05. We are very grateful to everyone who helped make this day so special and would like to thank all those volunteers who helped both before and during the event.

We would especially like to express our gratitude to the hosts of our two gardens, Rita and Barry Wright and Peter and Jeanie Stiles, who shared their delightful gardens with us and worked tirelessly to make this event such a huge success and was truly an occasion to remember.

Homecall's new butterfly mascot greeting the visitors

The plant and produce stall proved to be a great success

The strawberry cream tea being enjoyed in the summer sunshine

Homecall's butterfly enjoying the pretty garden's

This beautiful tree provided shade on the glorious sunny afternoon

Saturday May 30th, 2015

Homecall’s 30th Anniversary Afternoon Tea

Afternoon tea was enjoyed on the terrace overlooking a Sussex country garden in its May magnificence. What better way could there be for Homecall to celebrate their 30th Anniversary?

That was the vision of Amanda Hamblin, Homecall’s patron and a Deputy Lieutenant of the county, when she and her husband Bryan kindly offered the use of their home at Cross in Hand for the special occasion.

Thanks to the host’s generosity, the beautiful setting, the kind weather and the group of volunteer helpers the afternoon tea party was an occasion to remember.

Clients and volunteers came by coach to Cross in Hand to arrive at this beautiful garden via a shady tree-covered drive. The marquee was set and the tables were decorated with flowers and homemade daffodil flowers with sweets inside as a gift for all.

Robert Hooker, Homecall’s Chairman welcomed everyone to the special occasion and Homecall’s President, Jenny Private provided us with Homecall’s History which was followed by afternoon tea with sandwiches, homemade scones and a vast array of delicious homemade cakes.

To make this day as special as possible for our clients Homecall’s 30th Anniversary and continued success was toasted by Amanda Hamblin with bubbly and a special Homecall anniversary cake. Amanda and Brian were thanked for hosting the occasion by Homecall’s Scheme Manager, Leah Norman.

A free raffle with a luxury hamper prize added even more excitement to the occasion and additional fun and colour was added with a Spring Bonnet competition judged by the hostess with boxes of chocolates as prizes.

We would like to say a special word of thanks to Bexhill Rotary for the kind donation of £500 to help Homecall with the coach hire cost and to Graham Thorley who kindly donated his time and skills to take all the memorable photographs of the day which will be treasured for many years.

For further information contact Leah Norman our Scheme Manager on 01424 717795 or email leah.homecall@gmail.com or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/homecallbexhill

Left to right Amanda Hamblin (Patron) Jenny Private (President) Leah Norman (Scheme Manager) Maureen Daley (Retired Scheme Manager) Robert Hooker (Chairman)

The 30th Anniversary celebration cake made by Scheme Manager Leah Norman

Excitement was added to the day with the chance to win a luxury hamper

The beautifully decorated marquee

Having fun with the Spring bonnet competition

Leah, John Coles and Lynne - Homecall thanks the Bexhill Rotary for the kind donation of £500 to pay for the coaches

Photographs by Graham Thorley

Friday 30th January, 2015

Quiz Evening

Homecall held its 8th annual Quiz Evening which included a delicious hot supper and homemade cakes on Friday 30th January at Christchurch Methodist Church Hall, Bexhill. Despite it being a cold winters evening Homecall supporters and dedicated quizzers alike turned out in order to attend one of Homecall’s most popular events of the year. Once in the warm everyone settled down to an evening of fun, laughter and challenging questions from our regular winter Quiz Mistress Bernice.

We are extremely grateful for all those donated raffle prizes which help us raise additional funds. Most of all we would like to thank those of you who ventured out on a cold January evening in order to support Homecall on the night. Without your ongoing support events such as the Homecall Winter quiz wouldn’t happen.

Winter Quiz Winners 2015

Our Quiz mistress Bernice as always sets us some testing questions

Tuesday October 21st 2014

Peking Garden Restaurant, Little Common

Homecall’s annual fundraising dinner hosted by The Peking Garden Restaurant in Little Common on Tuesday 21st October was an outstanding success.

This was Homecall’s last fundraising event of 2014 and a wonderful evening was enjoyed by all.

The 3 course meal was truly delicious and with such a variety of wonderful food to choose from it was difficult at times to make a selection.

We would like to express our gratitude to Shuai and his attentive staff for hosting this fundraising event for Homecall. Also we would like to extend a special word of thanks to Joan who organised the event on our behalf, very ably assisted by Jenny.

Last but not least can we say a very big THANK YOU to everyone who came and enjoyed the evening helping us to raise an amazing £760.50 which enables Homecall to continue to offer support to Blind and Partially Sighted people living in and around the Bexhill area.

Without your support none of this would have happened!

A great night out for all the family to enjoy

Happy to help our favourite local charity raise funds

Friday 5th September 2014

Annual General Meeting

The 29th Annual General Meeting for Homecall was held on Friday 5th September at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road, Bexhill.

Patron Amanda Hamblin presented 2 Volunteer Long Service Awards, one of whom has completed 20years service as a volunteer visitor. This is the second year running that a Homecall volunteer was presented with a 20 year long service award.

If you would like a copy of the minutes of this meeting please contact the Scheme Manager, details can be found on the Contacts page of this site.

Homecall Patron Amanda Hamblin (right) congratulates volunteer Jill on 20 years service as a volunteer with Homecall

Homecall volunteers receiving their long service awards

Sunday 20th July, 2014

Sussex Day Celebration

This was very much a family day out with something for everyone to enjoy what ever their age. Our grateful thanks to all those at The Bexhill Classic Car Club who organised this wonderful event and to our smashing team of volunteers who braved the afternoon downpours in order to help Homecall raise much needed funds. Last but not least our thanks to all those people who visited our stand helping us to raise £174.40 in order that we can continue to support Blind and Partially Sighted people living in Bexhill on Sea and the surrounding area.

Ready to welcome the public

'I think that it should go over here'!

Saturday 12th July, 2014

Open Gardens and Afternoon Cream Tea

As in previous years the day didn’t bode too well for Homecall’s 2014 Open Gardens event. We awoke to a glum and overcast morning with more than a threat of rain in the offing, however as if on cue when our two gardens were due to open the sun made a welcome appearance and provided a glorious backdrop to our stunning gardens for the remainder of the day.

A large number of visitors attended the event, where everyone was ready to enjoy a welcome cup of tea served with homemade scones, fresh strawberries, jam and lashings of clotted cream at the beautiful gardens in Glenleigh Park Road. The variety of stalls and the range of goods and produce available proved to be a big success.

The sum raised was a wonderful £822.55. We are very grateful to everyone who helped make this day so special and would like to thank all those volunteers who helped both before and during the event.

We would especially like to express our gratitude to the hosts of our two gardens, Christine, Trevor and John who shared their delightful gardens with us and made this event possible.

Plenty to Smile about now that the sun has come out!

A beautiful garden on a beautiful day

Friday January 31st, 2014

Quiz Evening

Homecall held its 7th annual Quiz Evening which included a delicious hot supper on Friday 31st January at Christchurch Methodist Church Hall, Bexhill. Despite a wild evening weatherwise Homecall supporters and dedicated quizzers alike battled the wind and the rain in order to attend one of Homecall’s most popular events of the year. Once inside in the warm everyone forgot about the grim weather outside and settled down to an evening of fun and challenging questions from our regular winter Quiz Mistress Bernice.

We would like to extend our gratitude to Barry Turnwell for affording us the use of the church hall and to Bernice our Quiz Mistress. We would like to thank also everyone who contributed towards this wonderful evening especially those volunteers who provided our delightful supper and helped to prepare the hall ready for the quiz. As always we are extremely grateful for all those donated raffle prizes which help us raise additional funds. Most of all we would like to thank those of you who ventured out on a cold and wet January evening in order to support Homecall on the night. Without your ongoing support events such as the Homecall quiz wouldn’t happen.

Homecall President Jenny Private (far left) presents the 'wooden spoon' prize.

It may be miserable outside but a Homecall Quiz has everyone smiling

Saturday 23rd November, 2013

Homecall Charity Christmas Fayre

St Martha’s Church Hall, Little Common

Homecall’s Christmas Charity Fayre took place at St Martha’s Church hall for the second year running. A number of local Bexhill charities joined forces with Homecall on the day to make this the perfect event to start off the festive season.

Those charities taking part included The British Heart foundation, Barby Keel’s Animal Sanctuary, Guide Dogs for the Blind and of course Homecall.

The Fayre was well supported by the general public who enjoyed the wide range of gifts and seasonal items on offer enabling everyone to get ahead with their Christmas shopping.

The stunning Christmas hamper kindly donated by Waitrose was won by a local Bexhill resident Mrs H. who said that she was ‘amazed to have won’.

This was a wonderful event with so many of the Bexhill charities coming together in order to make the Christmas Fayre such a resounding success.

A BIG thank you and a very Happy Christmas to all the charities concerned, and to all those volunteers who made this event such an outstanding success.

That tray of cakes will do nicely!

Searching for the perfect Christmas present

Wednesday 23rd October, 2013

The Chilli Tree Restaurant Dinner

All at Homecall would like to thank Saleh and his staff for a wonderful evening   

When Saleh learned of our work he had no hesitation in offering us the full use of his delightful restaurant in order to host our annual fundraising charity dinner. The restaurant was full to capacity and we had a great evening full of fun. Salah was an attentive host, not only providing a wide range of delicious Asian cuisine, but he also introduced a wonderful surprise entertainment in the shape of Uncle Bumble and his amazing balloon characters, which captured everyone's attention. The staff were superb with fast and efficient service being the order of the day.   

We had a wonderful evening at the Chill Tree, and at the same time raised over £778 for Homecall.  

Thank you Chilli Tree for a great evening and a great fundraiser.

Friday 20th September, 2013

Annual General Meeting

The 28th Annual General Meeting for Homecall was held on Friday 20th September at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road, Bexhill.

Scheme Manager Maureen Daley advised that total of 6 Volunteer Long Service Awards are to be presented to Homecall volunteer visitors later in the year. However, in addition, volunteer visitor Betty Simpson who has completed 20 years service received her award on the day and was presented with a bouquet of flowers from Homecall’s patron Amanda Hamblin.

If you would like a copy of the minutes of this meeting please contact the Scheme Manager, details can be found on the Contacts page of this site.

Patron Amanda Hamblin chatting to a visitor at this year's AGM

Deputy Mayor of Bexhill Councillor Brian Kentfield pictured with Homecall volunteer visitor Betty Simpson who is celebrating her 20 years service with Homecall this year.

Tuesday August 20th 2013

Summer Afternoon Quiz

A great afternoon of fun was enjoyed by everyone who came to Homecall’s 2nd summer afternoon quiz at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road.

Our quiz mistress Liz began the afternoon leading off with a wide range of new questions and categories with topics set to test every ability. Liz was well supported by her team of markers who did a sterling job checking all the quiz papers in good time. Afternoon tea and home made cakes were served during the interval giving everyone a chance to refresh their brain cells ready for the final rounds of quiz questions.

The popular raffle with many generous donations of raffle prizes given on the day helped to raise additional funds. The total sum raised including the raffle was £267.

All at Homecall would especially like to thank Liz for her hard work which provided everyone with such a delightful afternoon. A big thank you is also due to our excellent team of markers and to our wonderful team of volunteers who worked so hard behind the scenes in order to provide everyone with a delicious afternoon tea. Last but not least we would especially like to thank all of you who came and enjoyed the afternoon quiz; your support enables us to continue to help Blind and Partially Sighted People living in and around the Bexhill area.

July 10th, 2013

Up, up and away: Homecall's High Flyer

Homecall Client and Trustee John Gee has never lost his love of flying and in this, his 90th year, he decided that he would like to take to the air and pilot a glider plane, at the same time raising money for Homecall by way of sponsorship.

During his time in the Royal Air Force, John has flown a variety of aircraft including Spitfires, Vampires and Tiger Moths, but he had never flown a glider... that is until the 10th July 2013.

Arriving at East Sussex Gliding Club, Ringmer on a sunny afternoon supported by a band of Homecall well wishers, John prepared to take to the skies. John’s flight was an aero tow, pulled up by the Club’s Piper Super Club. John sat in the front seat of the Club’s T21 Glider and was accompanied by the Club’s Chairman who also has a long history of flying with The Royal Air Force and with Civil Airlines.

It'll be chilly up there...I'll need my hat!

During his flight John was given control of the aircraft which he thoroughly enjoyed. The aero tow took them up to 2500 feet and they gained some height from the thermals after that, but conditions were not ideal because of ‘sink’ (down draft air).

They landed some 25 minutes after take off to enthusiastic cheers and applause from all the supporters who were gathered on the edge of the airfield to watch him land. John said that he had ‘a great flight’. Raising money for a good cause and enjoyment go very well together it seems.

We would like to thank John for all his efforts (and dare I say courage) for taking to the air on behalf of Homecall. To date John has raised £600 by way of sponsorship from his recent flight.

Saturday June 22nd 2013

Open Gardens and Afternoon Cream Tea

The day didn’t bode too well for Homecall’s 2013 Open Gardens event. We awoke to torrential rain, heavy clouds and sharp winds, however as if on cue when our three gardens were due to open the rain ceased, the winds eased a little and the sun peeped out ready to make a spasmodic appearance throughout the afternoon. That was reason enough for a good number of Homecall supporters, garden enthusiasts and lovers of Rita’s delicious home made scones to venture out and enjoy the delights of the three beautiful gardens that had opened for Homecall on the day.

A large number of visitors attended the event all ready to enjoy a welcome cup of tea served with homemade scones, fresh strawberries, jam and lashings of clotted cream in the lovely garden of Homecall’s President Jenny Private and her husband Roger. The variety stalls and the range of goods and produce available, proved to be a big success.

The sum raised was an amazing £797.15. We are very grateful to everyone who helped make this day so special and would like to thank all those volunteers who helped both before and during the event.

We would especially like to express our gratitude to the hosts of our three gardens, Val, Pat, Jenny and Roger who shared their delightful gardens with us and made this wonderful event possible.

Whatever the weather Homecall's Open Gardens are an event not to be missed.

Relaxing in a beautiful garden, a perfect way to enjoy the day.

Sunday 16th June, 2013

Sussex Day Celebration

Homecall were delighted to be invited to the first Sussex Day celebration that took place in Egerton Park on Father’s Day this year. After a showery start in the morning the rain held off for the remainder of the day with the sun making a welcome appearance for much of the afternoon. This was very much a family day out with something for everyone to enjoy. Our grateful thanks to all those at The Bexhill Classic Car Club who organised this wonderful event, and to those visitors who supported our stands helping us to raise £155.00 in order that we can continue to support Blind and Partially Sighted people living in Bexhill on Sea and the surrounding area.

Now when I said that I could ride a two wheeler....

Staying cheerful despite the weather

Sunday, June 9th 2013

Rotary Club of Bexhill Sponsored Walk

Homecall’s team of walkers joined up with many others on a chilly Sunday morning in order to take part in this year’s Rotary Club of Bexhill Sponsored Charity Walk. The first group of walkers to set off were those taking part in the 15-mile round trip to Battle. The 7 mile group of walkers were the next to go, making their way to Crowhurst and back; this may be the last year that this particular route is available to walk due to the new by-pass road. The final group of walkers set off for the seafront walk at about 10.30am. Everyone completed their walk in very good time thereby raising much needed funds in order to enable Homecall to continue to support Blind and Partially Sighted people living in Bexhill and the surrounding area.

A very big THANK YOU to all our walkers and to all those who have supported them with sponsorship and encouragement.

Brrr... so cold this sweater is staying on!

A well earned rest at the half way stage

Friday February 1st 2013

Quiz Evening

Homecall held its 6th annual Quiz Evening with supper on Friday 1st February at Christchurch Methodist Church Hall, Bexhill. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the supper which included a jacket potato with cheese, green salad and sausages followed by a selection of delicious home-made cakes. We were grateful to Barry Turnwell for affording us the use of the church hall and to Bernice who was our Quiz Mistress. We would like to thank everyone who contributed towards this wonderful evening especially those volunteers who provided our delightful supper and helped to prepare the hall ready for the quiz. As always we are extremely grateful for all those donated raffle prizes which help us raise additional funds. Most of all we would like to thank those of you who ventured out on a cold February evening in order to support Homecall on the night. Without your ongoing support events such as the Homecall quiz wouldn’t happen. As a result of your support we raised a total of £612.20 which enables us to continue to offer support to Blind and Partially Sighted people living in and around Bexhill.

This question looks a tricky one!

Hoping for some easy questions

Saturday 17th November 2012

Homecall Charity Christmas Fayre

St Martha’s Church Hall, Little Common

Despite the unsettled weather Homecall’s Christmas Charity Fayre, which took place at St Martha’s Church Hall, Little Common was a great success. A number of Bexhill charities combined with Homecall joined forces for the day in order to make this a wonderful event to start off the festive season.

The Fayre was well supported by the general public and with so many delightful gifts and seasonal items on offer everyone was able to get ahead with their Christmas shopping.

Michael Gebbie from Diabetes Support Group Bexhill said that ‘we enjoyed the day and despite the poor weather forecast there was a good turn out’.

Barby Keel said that ‘she was very pleased with the day’.

The raffle of the luxury Christmas hamper containing a number of Christmas items donated by Waitrose was won by a local resident Mrs Roberts who said that she was ‘surprised and delighted’ to have won.

Maureen Daley Homecall Scheme Manager said ‘that this was a marvelous event with so many of the Bexhill charities coming together in order to make the Christmas Fayre such a success’. Maureen would like to thank not only the charities concerned but also all those volunteers for their hard work and time which made this such a successful day and of course the people of Bexhill for supporting the charity fayre.

Sweet Temptation!

Roll Up! Roll Up! Everyone's a Winner!

Tuesday October 23rd 2012

Peking Garden Restaurant, Little Common

Lee and Alice Foo at the Peking Garden in Little Common, for the 2nd year running were delighted to welcome friends and supporters of Homecall to their to their stylish restaurant for Homecall’s annual fundraising charity dinner event.

All those attending agreed that the evening would be one to remember. The 3 course meal was truly delicious and with such a variety of wonderful food to choose from it was difficult at times to make a selection from the scrumptious dishes as they arrived piping hot to the table.

The evening ended with the drawing of the raffle and with such an array of delightful raffle prizes on offer it was little wonder that everyone listened with bated breath whilst the winning numbers were called.

We would like to express our gratitude to Lee and Alice and their attentive staff for hosting this fundraising event for Homecall. In addition we would like to extend a very big THANK YOU to everyone who came and enjoyed the dinner helping us to raise an amazing £715.00. Without your support none of this would have happened!

Good Company, Good Food...so much to smile about!

Service with a smile.

Friday 14th September 2012

Annual General Meeting

The 27th Annual General Meeting for Homecall was held on Friday 14th September at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road, Bexhill.

Refreshments were available from 10am prior to the meeting, which began at 10.30am. The meeting was well attended and reports from the Chairman, Treasurer and Scheme Manager were all well received.

Homecall chairman Robert Hooker paid tribute to founder member Tony Brooks who had died earlier this year.

A total of 4 Volunteer Long Service Awards were presented by Homecall Patron, Amanda Hamblin, who paid tribute to the volunteers that have supported their Clients during the last 5 and 10 years.

There was a round of applause when it was announced that Jenny Private was elected president of Homecall and Rita Wright, a volunteer since 1997, a vice president of Homecall.

If you would like a copy of the minutes of this meeting please contact the Scheme Manager, details can be found on the Contacts page of this site.

(From left to right) Homecall Patron Amanda Hamblin, Rita Wright Vice President, Maureen Daley Scheme Manger, Jenny Private President.

Patron Amanda Hamblin with Homecall volunteers who were presented with their long service awards

Tuesday August 14th 2012

Summer Afternoon Quiz

A good time was had by all at Homecall’s first ever summer afternoon quiz at The Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road.

Our quiz mistress Liz began the afternoon leading off with a wide range of new questions and categories. Liz was well supported by our team of markers Michael, Deborah and Robert who did a sterling job checking all the quiz papers in good time. Afternoon tea and cakes were served during the interval giving everyone a chance to refresh their brain cells ready for the final rounds of quiz questions.

The popular raffle with many generous donations of raffle prizes given on the day helped to raise a wonderful £101. The total sum raised including the raffle was £273.

All at Homecall would especially like to thank Liz for her all her hard work which provided everyone with such a delightful afternoon. A big thank you is also due to Michael, Deborah and Robert for the excellent marking and also to our wonderful team of volunteers who worked so hard behind the scenes in order to provide everyone with a delicious afternoon tea. Last but not least we would like to thank all of you who came and enjoyed the afternoon quiz, your support enables us to continue to help Blind and Partially Sighted People living in and around the Bexhill area.

The happy losing team pictured with Homecall Chairman Robert Hooker (centre)

Saturday July 7th 2012

Open Gardens and Afternoon Cream Tea

This year for the first time 3 beautiful gardens were kindly opened on the same day on behalf of Homecall in order to raise much-needed funds for our charity.

The sun made a spasmodic appearance throughout the day but nevertheless stayed with us long enough to enable the many visitors to the gardens to enjoy each garden in its entirety. Over 100 people attended the event enjoying a cup of tea and homemade scones with strawberries, jam and lashings of clotted cream. The variety of stalls and the range of goods and produce available, proved to be a big success.

The sum raised was an amazing £1021.00. We are very grateful to everyone who helped make this day so special and we would like to thank all those volunteers who helped out both before and during the event.

We would especially like to express our gratitude to our hosts Jill, Sheila, Marion and Barbara who shared their delightful gardens with us and made this event possible.

Always a popular stall with Jenny's delicious homemade jams on offer

Everyone enjoying the afternoon in Jill's beautiful garden

Saturday 30th June, 2012

Armed Forces Day Celebration

Homecall were delighted to be supporting this wonderful annual event at Egerton Park once again this year. After a slightly showery start in the morning the rain held off for the remainder of the day with the sun making a welcome appearance for much of the afternoon. This is very much a family day out with something for everyone to enjoy. The event was very well attended with a parade to be proud of, this was Bexhill at it’s very best! Our grateful thanks to all those who supported our stands helping us to raise £122.20 to enable us to continue to support Blind and Partially Sighted people living in Bexhill on Sea and the surrounding area.

Where is everybody?

Fear not, they're on their way!

Sunday, June 10th 2012

Rotary Club of Bexhill Sponsored Walk

The rain held off as Homecall’s team of walkers joined up with many others on a chilly Sunday morning in order to take part in this year’s Rotary Club of Bexhill Sponsored Charity Walk. Everyone was well prepared and eager to start. The first group of walkers to set off were those taking part in the 15-mile round trip to Battle. The 7 mile group of walkers were the next to go, making their way to Crowhurst and back, with the final group of walkers setting off for the seafront walk at about 10.30. Everyone completed their walk in very good time thereby raising much needed funds in order to enable the charity to continue to support Blind and Partially Sighted people living in Bexhill and the surrounding area.

A very big THANK YOU to all our walkers and to all those who have supported them with sponsorship and encouragement.

Homecall Supporters eager to begin their walk

Happy Homecall Supporters proudly displaying their certificates

Dogs and walkers taking a welcome halfway break

Saturday May 26th, 2012

Homecall’s Sparkling Diamond Jubilee Cream Tea

Strawberry cream teas were enjoyed on a sun-lit terrace overlooking a Sussex country garden in its May magnificence. What better way could there be for Homecall to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee?

That was the vision of Amanda Hamblin, Homecall’s patron and a Deputy Lieutenant of the county, when she and her husband Brian kindly offered the use of their home at Cross in Hand for the occasion.

Thanks to the host’s generosity, the beautiful setting, the glorious weather and the group of volunteer helpers the Sparkling Strawberry Tea Party was an occasion to remember.

Clients and volunteers came by coach to Cross in Hand to arrive at this beautiful garden via a shady tree-covered drive.

The sparkle to this strawberry tea was provided by a toast in pink champagne to her Majesty – coupled with one to Homecall’s continued success. – proposed by Amanda Hamblin, she and her husband were thanked for hosting the occasion by Homecall’s chairman, Robert Hooker.

Additional colour was added to the occasion by a Diamond Jubilee hat competition judged by the hostess.

We would like to say a special word of thanks to Rother Council for the grant of £350 and also to The Bexhill Lodge for their kind donation of £180. These sums helped make this special day possible for our Clients.

Homecall patron Amanda Hamblin with husband Brian

Volunteers and Clients arriving for this special day

Winners of the Best Hat competition

Brian and Amanda's beautiful garden

Friday 17th and Saturday 18th February 2012

Charity Store Collection at Tesco Supermarket at Ravenside Retail Park

Homecall were very fortunate to have been invited to hold a fundraising collection at the Tesco Supermarket at Ravenside over a 2 day period on the 17th and 18th February. We held our collection outside the store from 10am until 1pm over the two days and we were very lucky to enjoy mild weather during this time. The public were very generous and supportive of Homecall and we collected in total the sum of £174.60 which will help us to continue to support Blind and Partially Sighted people living within the Bexhill area.

Wednesday February 15th 2012

Bexhill Goes Digital — Talk

With the analogue signal due to be switched off all televisions in the Bexhill area at the end of May and being replaced with a digital signal only, Homecall wanted to ensure that all it’s Clients were up to date and fully prepared for the changeover when this takes place. With this in mind Homecall invited Liz Allsobrook, the Digital Switchover Project Co-ordinator from Action in Rural Sussex and Ian Standley from Drays in Bexhill to give a talk to Homecall’s visually impaired Clients and their team of volunteers. The talk took place on Wednesday 15th February at the Bagnall Room in Sackville Road and was very well attended. Up to 60 people came and enjoyed listening to both speakers who shared their knowledge of the digital system and were more than happy to take questions from the audience. Later during the tea break they were again available to speak with individuals in the audience on a one to one basis. Both speakers were excellent. Liz spoke of the changes within a wider picture and Ian was able to discuss how it would affect us here in Bexhill on a more local level. It proved to be a very worthwhile afternoon and we would hope that everyone who attended the talk is now more ‘digital aware’ and will be ready for the changeover day when it takes place in May

Ian Standley with local knowledge

Liz Allsobrook making it look easy

Friday January 27th 2012

Quiz Evening

Homecall held it's 5th annual Quiz Evening with supper on Friday 27th January at Christchurch Methodist Church Hall, Bexhill. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the supper, which included a jacket potato with cheese, green salad and sausages followed by a selection of delightful home-made cakes. We were grateful to Barry Turnwell for affording us the use of the church hall and to Bernice who was our 'Quizzer'. The popular raffle with your generous donations of 'unwanted Christmas presents' raised a fantastic £133.  Many thanks to all those who came and enjoyed the event which enables us to continue to offer support to Blind and Partially Sighted people living in and around Bexhill.

The Winning Team with Homecall Scheme Manager Maureen Daley

It was thirsty work for the losing team

Thursday December 15th 2011

Care at Home Christmas Tea Party

Homecall Trustees were invited to attend the Care at Home Christmas Tea Party at St Martha's Church Hall just before Christmas.

Care at Home Christmas Tea Party

It was a delightful afternoon and very much enjoyed by all who attended. Clients of Care at Home had a lovely afternoon tea followed by carol singing that was performed by the local Brownie group. Homecall provided a stall with Christmas cards, bric a brac and Jenny's home made jams. Care at Home kindly donated the proceeds of the raffle to Homecall thereby raising in total of £73.50 for our charity.

Tuesday October 25th 2011

Peking Garden Restaurant, Little Common

Homecall’s annual fundraising dinner hosted by The Peking Garden Restaurant in Little Common on Tuesday 25th October was an outstanding success.

The Proprietor Mrs Alice Foo ensured that the evening would be one to remember. The 3 course meal was truly delicious and with such a variety of wonderful food to choose from it was difficult at times to make a selection. Everyone wanted to sample all of the 20 dishes on offer, and of course at this event they could do so.

Keeping an eye on the auction prize

Alice gave a demonstration of Chinese Cookery at its best. She cooked two special dishes for this occasion and then kindly offered them as auction prizes donating all the proceeds to Homecall.

We would like to express our gratitude to Alice and her attentive staff for hosting this fundraising event for Homecall. In addition we would like to extend a very big THANK YOU to everyone who came and enjoyed the evening helping us to raise an amazing £587.50. Without your support none of this would have happened!

Looking forward to the next course

Thursday September 22nd 2011

Annual General Meeting

The 26th Annual General Meeting for Homecall was held on Thursday 22nd September at Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club in Withyham Road, Bexhill.

Refreshments were available from 10am prior to the meeting, which began at 10.30am. The meeting was well attended and reports from the Chairman, Treasurer and Scheme Manager were all well received.

A total of 11 Volunteer Long Service Awards were presented by our Patron, Amanda Hamblin, who paid tribute to those Homecall volunteers that have supported their Clients for 5, 10 and 15 years respectively.

If you would like a copy of the minutes of this meeting please contact the Scheme Manager, details can be found on the Contacts page of this site.

AGM VOLUNTEER LONG SERVICE AWARDS:

Homecall's Patron Amanda Hamblin (right) presenting volunteer Deborah Harding (left) with her volunteer award for 5 years service to Homecall

Town Mayor Cllr. Stuart Wood pictured with Homecall Volunteers who were honoured for 5, 10 and 15 years service

Saturday August 13th 2011

Afternoon Cream Tea at 294 Turkey Road

The sun came out almost on cue for this year’s Open Garden Cream Tea event in August. Over 84 people attended the event enjoying a cup of tea and homemade scones with strawberries, jam and lashings of clotted cream. The variety stalls and the range of goods and produce available, proved to be a big success.

Guests included The Mayor of Bexhill Cllr Stuart Wood, Councillor Mr Michael Ensor, our Patron, Amanda Hamblin, Homecall Clients and volunteers along with family and friends and other supporters of our charity.

The sum raised was an amazing £740 after all expenses were taken off. We are very grateful to all those who helped with the event, both before and during the event and especially to our host Sandy Melvin whose delightful garden, was enjoyed by everyone who came.

Saturday July 16th 2011

Little Common Business Association Fayre at St Martha's Church

Little Common Business Association Fayre is always a great success regardless of the weather. Due to the rainy conditions on the day this popular event was held inside St Martha’s Church Hall.

We would like to thank the many people who supported the Homecall stand buying our greetings cards and showing so much interest in the charity. The evening raised £44.90, but with the interest shown it is hoped several new volunteers will soon be enrolled and information on the support we offer will be passed on to several potential service users.

Saturday 25th June, 2011

Armed Forces Day Celebration

Homecall were delighted to be supporting this wonderful annual event at Egerton Park again this year. Unfortunately the weather was not as kind on this occasion as it has been in the past. Nevertheless the event was well attended by the public and with a parade to be proud of this was Bexhill at it’s very best!

Our grateful thanks to all those who supported our stand helping us to raise £112.74 to enable us to continue to support Blind and Partially Sighted people living in Bexhill on Sea and the surrounding areas.

Sunday, June 12th 2011

Rotary Club of Bexhill Sponsored Walk

In less than ideal weather conditions Homecall’s 12 walkers braved a chilly and somewhat showery morning in order to take part in this year’s Rotary Club of Bexhill Sponsored Charity Walk. Everyone was well wrapped up and ready to go. Our first 2 walkers set off at 9am in order to complete the 15-mile round trip to Battle. The main group of 9 walkers set off at 9.45am for Crowhurst for the 7-mile walk and 1 walker began his 2-mile walk at 10.30am for the seafront walk. Everyone completed their walk in good time (despite 4 walkers getting lost for a while but they quickly got back on track), thereby raising money to enable the charity to continue to support Blind and Partially Sighted people living in Bexhill and the surrounding area.

Despite the miserable weather, the walk was very much enjoyed by all who took part.

A very big THANK YOU to all our walkers and to all those who have supported them with sponsorship and encouragement.

Homecall Walkers still smiling despite the weather!

Rita and Jenny looking forward to the walk

April 2011

Beauty Haven Raffle

Beauty Haven in Buckhurst Place, Bexhill kindly held a raffle throughout April in order to raise funds for Homecall. There were three pampering prizes to be won each designed to make every winner feel like a Princess during this Royal Wedding month.

The draw took place on Saturday 30th April raising the sum of £40 in total.

We would like to thank all the staff at Beauty Haven and their customers for their kind support, it is very much appreciated.

Friday January 28th, 2011

Quiz Evening

Homecall held it's 4th annual Quiz Evening with supper on Friday 28th January at Christchurch Methodist Church Hall, Bexhill. We were grateful to Barry Turnwell for affording us the use of the church hall and to Bernice who was our 'Quizzer'. The popular raffle with your generous donations of 'unwanted Christmas presents' raised a fantastic £170 and overall an amazing £600 was raised on the night.
Many thanks to all those who came and enjoyed the event which enables us to continue to offer support to Blind and Partially Sighted people living in and around Bexhill.

The winning team

Incoming Scheme Manager Maureen Daley, Quizzer Bernice Harvey, Jenny Private the retiring Scheme Manager, with organisers Trustees Jan Corke and Jill Dyer

Saturday November 27th, 2010

Christmas Fayre

Homecall had a stand at this Christmas Fayre, which was held in St Martha's Church Hall, Cooden Sea Road, Little Common. We raised £48 and we are grateful to all those who supported our stand at this event enabling us to continue our support to Blind and Partially Sighted People living in Bexhill on Sea. We are grateful to Bexhill Alliance for inviting us to their event, and to Jill and Jenny for running our stall.

Saturday November 6th, 2010

Table Sale

Homecall had a table at the Little Common Library Table Sale held in The Community Centre, Shepherds Close. There was a good attendance at this event, business was brisk and the Homecall table was well supported raising £44.
Our grateful thanks to all those who came and supported us enabling us to raise valuable funds for our charity.

Tuesday September 28th, 2010

Indian Ocean Restaurant, Little Common

Homecall's fundraising event, hosted by The Indian Ocean Restaurant in Little Common on Tuesday 28th September was a great success, The Manager, Shamim Ahmed, ran a 'Special Event Day' for Homecall and generously gave all the profit from the event to the charity. Homecall is very grateful to Sham and all the staff at the restaurant who looked after us so well and, of course, to everybody who came and supported this event. The meal was delicious and a magnificent £600 was raised for Homecall. A very big 'thankyou' to everyone who came and enjoyed this event while at the same time raising valuable funds for our charity.
It is the first time we have had a fundraiser like this and Sham has already told us he will be doing it again next year when we hope to build on the success of this year.

Tuesday September 23rd, 2010

Annual General Meeting

The 25th Annual General Meeting for Homecall was held on Thursday 23rd September at Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club, 5 Withyham Road, Bexhill, TN39 3BD. The meeting was held at 10.30am, preceded by refreshments at 10am and followed by the Volunteer Long Service Awards, which were presented by our Patron Amanda Hamblin. The meeting was well attended and reports from the Chairman, Treasurer and Scheme Manager were all well received. Applause welcomed our new Vice President, Sheila Lawrence. Following the Volunteer Awards our Patron, Amanda Hamblin, paid tribute to the Scheme Manager, Jenny Private, who is retiring next year and presented her with a gift from herself and the Trustees of a lovely cut glass vase and a beautiful bouquet of flowers.. If you would like a copy of the minutes of this meeting please contact the Scheme Manager, details can be found on the Contacts page of this site.

Saturday August 21st, 2010

Hastings Direct Summer Charity Fete at Collington Avenue Bexhill

With poor weather causing a low attendance this event has, sadly, been our least successful of the year. Homecall information was available to those hardy enough to attend and with books and bric-a-brac to sell a total of £38 was raised for the charity.
Homecall is very grateful to Rita and Barbara along with Stan and Jenny for organising the event and manning the stall throughout the day in the absence of the Scheme Manager, Jenny Private, who was on holiday.

Saturday July 24th, 2010

Bexhill Carnival

Perfect weather prevailed for this year's carnival procession and the town was treated to many a spectacle as the procession made it's way from Turkey Road to The Polegrove.
Homecall thanks all those who have contibuted towards making the day such a success, we are extremely grateful to have been chosen as one of the charities to benefit from the street collection this year.

At the presentation evening on October 2nd a cheque for £400 was received by the Scheme Manager, Jenny Private, who thanked everyone involved and explained that their donation would be put towards display equipment to replace items which had been damaged beyond repair in adverse weather conditions at outdoor events over the past year.

Saturday July 17th, 2010

Little Common Business Association Fayre at St Martha's Church

The new venue for this year's fayre proved very successful on what was a lovely summer evening, albeit a little breezy!
Thanks to the many people who supported the Homecall stand buying our greetings cards and showing so much interest in the charity. The evening raised £28, but with the interest shown it is hoped several new volunteers will soon be enrolled and information on the support we offer will be passed on to several potential service users.

July 6th, 2010

Afternoon Cream Tea at 80 Cranston Avenue, Bexhill

On a lovely summer afternoon almost 100 people attended the event enjoying a cup of tea and homemade scones with strawberries, jam and clotted cream also browsing the many stalls. Guests included our Patron, Amanda Hamblin, Homecall Clients and volunteers along with family and friends and other supporters of our charity. A heartfelt thankyou to you all for coming to the event, which was our main fundraiser of the year. We raised £829, which was fantastic. We are very grateful to all those who helped with the event, and especially to our hosts Rita and Barrie Wright whose lovely garden was admired by everyone who came. Events like these are a lot of hard work to organise but to be supported as we were makes it all worthwhile.

June 26th, 2010

Armed Forces Day Celebration

Homecall supported this wonderful event which was held on a most beautiful summer's day in Egerton Park. There was a good attendance by the public as well as a parade to be proud of.
Bexhill at it's best!
Our grateful thanks to all those who supported our stand helping us to raise £235 to enable us to continue to support Blind and Partially Sighted people living in Bexhill on Sea and the surrounding areas.

June 13th, 2010

Rotary Club of Bexhill Sponsored Walk

In ideal conditions the participants of this year's Rotary Club of Bexhill Sponsored Charity Walk once again made the most of this enjoyable walk. Fourteen walkers set out with 2 walkers covering 15 miles and 12 walkers covering 7 miles. Everyone completed their distances raising money to enable the charity to continue to support Blind and Partially Sighted people living in Bexhill and the surrounding area. The total raised for this year is not yet known, however the total for last year was a superb £606.95.

A very big thankyou to all our walkers!

January 22nd, 2010

Quiz Evening

Homecall held it's 3rd annual Quiz Evening on Friday 22nd January at Christchurch Methodist Church Hall. Despite a slow start with ticket sales, which was quite understandable bearing in mind the snowy weather conditions of the previous week or so, a late rush meant 63 people again enjoyed an evening at this popular event which included background music, supper and several Quiz rounds.

Our grateful thanks Barry Turnwell for affording us the use of the church hall, to all those who came, to those who organised the event and helped on the day and to our 'Quizzer', Bernice, who keeps the questions answerable ensuring enjoyment for all. With 15 teams of four and one team of three the odds were certainly against them, but well done to the 'Cole team' who were victorious despite having one less member in their team than everybody else.

The raffle was as successful as ever due to the generosity of all those who donated prizes and to Geof and Roger who sold tickets raising £172. We made a handsome profit overall of £562.44 for Homecall, which enables us to continue to offer support to Blind and Partially Sighted people living in and around Bexhill.

Thank you all very much for your support.
— Jenny Private

September 24th, 2009

Annual General Meeting

The 24th Annual General Meeting for Homecall was held on Thursday 24th September at Cooden Beach Sports and Social Club, 5 Withyham Road, Bexhill, TN39 3BD. The meeting was held at 10.30am, preceded by refreshments at 10am and followed by the Volunteer Long Service Awards which were presented by our Patron Amanda Hamblin. The meeting was well attended and applause welcomed two new Vice Presidents Anna Cole and John Dowling. Reports from the Chairman, Scheme Manager and Treasurer were all well received. If you would like a copy of the minutes of this meeting please contact the Scheme Manager, details can be found on the Contacts page of this site.

August 22nd, 2009

Summer Charity Fete

Good fun was had by all with a variety of entertainment supporting the many charity stalls on a beautiful summer's day. Homecall ran a Tombola and a Craft Stall and was well supported raising just over £100. Grateful thanks to our 7 wonderful volunteers who ran the event on a rota basis.

July 19th, 2009

The Senlac Classic Car Show & Craft Fayre

The Rotary Club of Senlac Car Show was, for the third year running, dogged by inclement weather. Gusty winds and squally showers destroyed many a display limiting the opportunity of the many stallholders to support the good work of Rotary. However, in good old British fashion, the show went on. The entertainment went ahead, braving the elements, and there was a good turn out of vintage cars which were of great interest to all. Homecall would like to thank The Rotary Club of Senlac for it's support through this event, enabling us to continue to support Blind and Partially Sighted people living in Bexhill and surrounding areas.'

June 12th, 2009

Homecall Open Gardens

Two lovely and very different gardens were open to the public in Bexhill on Friday 12th June from 2pm until 5pm.

25 Pear Tree Lane (new Open Garden for 2009)
The Clinches, Collington Lane East (opposite no. 70)

Homecall were very privileged to have had the opportunity to raise funds through the generosity of the owners of these two beautiful gardens. The event was well supported and enjoyed by all. Homecall raised a little over £430 and we would like to thank everyone who supported this event and, of course, Tony and Jacqui and Val and Ian to whom we are very grateful.

June 7th, 2009

Rotary Club of Bexhill Sponsored Walk

After early morning heavy rain the participants of this year's Rotary Club of Bexhill Sponsored Charity Walk were extremely lucky to once again walk in traditionally warm and sunny weather, a light breeze was also welcomed. Eighteen walkers from Homecall set out with 3 walkers covering 15 miles and 15 walkers covering 7 miles. All walkers completed their distances raising money to enable the charity to continue to support Blind and Partially Sighted people living in Bexhill and the surrounding area. The total raised is not yet known but will be added to this site in due course.

A very big thankyou to all our walkers!

April 24th - 26th 2009

Bexhill Amateur Theatrical Society Raffle

BATS (Bexhill Amateur Theatrical Society) chose to support Homecall with their recent production of 'Hound of the Baskervilles' which ran at the De la Warr Pavilion from the 24th to the 26th April. Homecall was invited to run a raffle at each performance and through their generosity and that of all those who donated our raffle prizes we raised a worthy £175. BATS made an additional donation of £50 and Homecall is grateful to them for their support.

April 3rd 2009, 10:30 – 12:30

Easter Coffee Morning and Plant Sale

Although the weather let us down with a damp and misty morning Homecall held a 'Coffee and a Hot Cross Bun' event for its 3rd fundraising event of the year at Cooden Beach Tennis Club on Friday 3rd April. The event was well attended and with the additional attraction of stalls of plants, books, cakes and greetings cards to buy along with a raffle, Homecall raised a little under £300. We were pleased to welcome our Patron Amanda Hamblin, a previous High Sheriff of East Sussex, to the event. Her support is much appreciated as is that of everyone who continues to support our charity enabling us to continue to support Blind and Partially Sighted residents living in our town.

March 15th 2009

25th Hastings Half Marathon

On a typically sun drenched Sunday Morning in March Stan(#525) completed his 25th Hastings Half Marathon (and some say his last). Although his time was his slowest ever it was, undoubtedly, his most enjoyable. At that pace he was able to enjoy some of the delightful scenes Hastings has to offer!! The effort has, so far, raised just under £500 and with a few more pounds to come and with Gift Aid should provide about £600 for Homecall in total.
Thanks to all who sponsored him and thank you Stan for raising this superb sum for Homecall. We hope your medal was a silver one!

January 30th 2009

Quiz Evening

Homecall held a fundraising Quiz Evening at Christchurch Methodist Church Hall, Bexhill. Organised in the main by two Trustees, Jan Corke and Jill Dyer. The excellent support from Homecall volunteers and Clients along with their family and/or friends and other supporters of Homecall ensured the event was a sell out for the 2nd year.

At £8 a head everyone enjoyed a ploughman’s supper with plenty to quench the thirst followed by biscuits to eat during the quiz. We were very grateful to our musical group ‘SMOOTH’ who played easy listening jazz during supper and provided one round of the quiz questions. Their performance certainly received hearty applause. Following supper Volunteer Visitor Bernice Harvey expertly ran the quiz, obviously a well practiced routine!

Supporters were invited to bring ‘unwanted Christmas presents’ for our raffle. What a brilliant idea! The prizes were plentiful and we thank Roger and Geof for selling tickets raising a magnificent £173. Congratulations to the winning team ‘The Oddments’. A £5 gift voucher was presented to each of the 4 team members.

Very grateful thanks go to the aforementioned and to Volunteer Visitors Sylvia Emery and Viv Reddick and supporter Kate Dyer for helping with supper on the night. Also thanks to Barry Turnwell of Christchurch Methodist Church for allowing us to hold our quiz at the church hall. And last, but by no means least, thanks to Little Common Cheese and Delicatessen and Betts and Loyd who generously gave us discounts

Past events

Homecall Winter Quiz Evening

Homecall Christmas Lunch sponsored by The Co-op

Charity Christmas Fayre

Peking Garden Fundraising Dinner for Homecall

Annual General Meeting

Homecall Summer Afternoon Quiz

Homecall Cream Tea and Gardens

Homecall Charity Easter Fayre

Homecall Winter Quiz Evening

Homecall Christmas Lunch sponsored by The Co-op

Homecall Charity Christmas Fayre

Homecall 10th Anniversary Lunch at the Manor Barn

Homecall Annual General Meeting

Homecall Summer Afternoon Quiz

Bexhill Carnival 2018

Homecall Cream Tea and Gardens

Bexhill Sainsbury’s Collection

Homecall’s Royal Wedding Afternoon Tea

Homecall Charity Easter Fayre

Homecall Winter Quiz Evening

Homecall Charity Christmas Fayre

Peking Garden Fundraising Dinner for Homecall

Homecall Annual General Meeting

Bexhill Festival of the Sea

Sussex Community Foundation Champagne Tea

Summer Afternoon Quiz

Sophie and Friends Entertain

Bexhill Carnival 2017

Bexhill Roaring 20’s Event – Bexhill Seafront

Bexhill Sainsbury’s Collection

Homecall Cream Tea and Gardens

Homecall's President, Jenny Private attends the Service of Dedication for the 100th Anniversary of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Homecall Color Obstacle Rush

Peking Garden Fundraising Dinner for Homecall

Homecall Winter Quiz Evening

Homecall Christmas Lunch sponsored by Hastings Direct

Homecall Christmas Fayre

Peking Garden Restaurant, Little Common

Bexhill Lions Sight Festival – De La Warr Lawns, Bexhill

Annual General Meeting

Summer Afternoon Quiz

Bexhill Carnival 2016

Bexhill Roaring 20’s Event – Bexhill Seafront

Bexhill Sainsbury’s Collection

Team Up Bexhill – Charity Awareness Fun Day

Brownbread Horse Rescue Open Day

The Queens 90th Birthday Celebrations at Windsor Castle

Homecall Winter Quiz Evening

Homecall Christmas Fayre

A Brief Musical History of Christmas at the Stables Theatre

Peking Garden Restaurant, Little Common

Annual General Meeting

Summer Afternoon Quiz

Bexhill Carnival 2015

Bexhill Roaring 20’s Event – Bexhill Seafront

Bexhill's Sainsbury’s Collection

Cream Tea and Gardens

Homecall’s 30th Anniversary Afternoon Tea

Quiz Evening

Peking Garden Restaurant, Little Common

Annual General Meeting

Sussex Day Celebration

Open Gardens and Afternoon Cream Tea

Quiz Evening

Homecall Charity Christmas Fayre

The Chilli Tree Restaurant Dinner

Annual General Meeting

Summer Afternoon Quiz

Up, up and away: Homecall's High Flyer

Open Gardens and Afternoon Cream Tea

Sussex Day Celebration

Rotary Club of Bexhill Sponsored Walk

Quiz Evening

Homecall Charity Christmas Fayre

Peking Garden Restaurant, Little Common

Annual General Meeting

Summer Afternoon Quiz

Open Gardens and Afternoon Cream Tea

Armed Forces Day Celebration

Homecall's President, Jenny Private attends the Service of Dedication for the
100th Anniversary of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire