
SPOTLIGHT: How TechResort changes lives
- Rebecca Maer
- September 14, 2023
Sam Best was researching jobs and considering his future when he came across the Japanese philosophy of ‘ikigai’, said to be the secret to a joyful life. The 19-year-old found that the idea was to fulfil four categories: do what you love, do what the world needs, do what you are good at and do […]
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SPOTLIGHT: What exactly is the problem with local news?
- Rebecca Maer
- September 5, 2023
(UPDATED JANUARY 2025 WITH LATEST READERSHIP FIGURES) I’ve just read a copy of an Eastbourne newspaper. It is a model of good local news reporting with eight stories on the front page. Inside, on packed news pages, the reports include eight court cases and three inquests. The defendants in court included a 74-year-old arsonist and […]
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SPOTLIGHT: The road from Roche to pavement politics
- Rebecca Maer
- August 24, 2023
Brett Wright was elected earlier this month as an East Sussex County Councillor, representing Meads in Eastbourne. His success as a Liberal Democrat resulted in the Conservatives losing their overall majority. We meet the man to find out what motivated him to stand and why he’s hoping his election will lead to a more collaborative […]
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SPOTLIGHT: Why chalk grasslands are so important for all of us
- Eastbourne Reporter
- August 17, 2023
By ecology-trained consultant Julie Bygraves, of Wild Bourne It’s hard to express how special a chalk grassland is – you just have to go to see one. It’s also hard to explain what it is: in genetic terms it’s an assemblage of rare plants on chalk! But the constituent species can vary enormously depending on […]
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SPOTLIGHT: Concern mounts over the future of fragile chalk grassland
- Rebecca Maer
- August 17, 2023
I visit the scarp slope of the South Downs with an ecology-trained adviser and an Old Town local who has walked the area for more than 25 years to hear their fears about how scrub is encroaching on the rare chalk grassland. A company is paid £9,300 of public money a month to implement a […]
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SPOTLIGHT: “He is a huge loss – on all levels, he was a lovely man”
- Rebecca Maer
- August 12, 2023
An Eastbourne man who was struck by a car and killed just a week before his 76th birthday had sung in front of the Queen as a leading chorister and was an accomplished historian, artist, musician and author. Andrew Forrest died after he was hit by a car, which failed to stop, as he used […]
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SPOTLIGHT Artificial pitch approved for Eastbourne United
- Rebecca Maer
- July 18, 2023
Artificial turf has been approved for Eastbourne United football club despite opposition from residents. People living near the ground argued the scheme would bring a huge increase in pitch use and traffic as well as adversely affecting the environment. The club has welcomed the decision as the catalyst to attract more community use to The […]
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SPOTLIGHT: Council update on Fort Fun revamp
- Rebecca Maer
- July 12, 2023
Plans by Defiant Sports for accessible facilities at the Fort Fun site on Eastbourne seafront are inching forward as it was confirmed that quotes to install a new electricity feed are being gathered. But there is still no news on a long-awaited decision as to whether planning permission is needed for work to go ahead. […]
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SPOTLIGHT: What’s happening at Fort Fun?
- Rebecca Maer
- July 10, 2023
The long-awaited renovation of Fort Fun on Eastbourne seafront is under way as the landmark seafront site is cleared ready for work to start. I met the people from the two organisations due to take leases at the site to find out about their plans and what stage work was at. Each lease will be […]
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SPOTLIGHT: Maltese man, 80, given settled status after 60 years in the UK
- Rebecca Maer
- July 5, 2023
A retired hospitality worker who has lived in the UK for 60 years has spoken of his relief at being allowed to stay here under the EU Settlement Scheme. Neville Pullicino, 80, above, who has lived in Eastbourne for 40 years, was told in April he could only stay another six months unless he […]
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