For the Diary

The Friends of Conquest Christmas Craft Fair, Brede Village Hall

Saturday 30th November 2024 10:00 – 14:00

The Friends of Conquest Hospital Christmas Craft Fair will be held at Brede Village Hall, with space for 21 fantastic crafters to sell their wares. Visitors can expect a wide range of home-made crafts including needlework, woodwork, pottery and jewellery.
We’ll have refreshments available for purchase and there will be a tombola too. Entry is free, as is parking

Recent Events

August saw a fantastic Horse Show held at 18 Pounder Farm to raise funds for The Friends of Conquest. The Horse Show was the inspiration of Karen Johnson, who attended a lunch at Fairlight Hall in aid of the Friends. Karen, a keen horsewoman, organised a day of competitions ranging from showing, riding and handling of horses to dressage classes. All by kind permission of Terry Chedzoy, 18 Pounder Farm.
The volunteer judges were local equestrians experienced in showing at high levels, and a para dressage competitor who represented GB. Both were encouraging, motivational and inspirational with their advice to the grass roots competitors. All were proud to have contributed towards such a worthy cause. There was a refreshments stall and a raffle, which were generously supported by everyone at 18 Pounder Farm. Thank you to all involved in the organisation of this event, and to all of those that took part. A fantastic £700 was raised from the event.
Sarah Coop trustee of The Friends of the Conquest who competed on the day, said ‘It was an exceptional community event and great to see everyone pulling together to have fun and generously raise funds for The Friends of the Conquest’.

We hosted a delightful Open Gardens fundraising event on a sunny Wednesday in July, bringing together the local community and keen gardeners at Glydes Farm and Little Midge near Ashburnham. Donations are still coming in from this event, with the total now exceeding £3000, which will help The Friends of Conquest Hospital fund additional equipment and services to support our valued local hospital.

The event, made possible by the generosity of the garden owners, showcased the beauty of these two stunning country gardens and raised vital funds for the Conquest Hospital. Visitors were serenaded by the beautiful music of Glashin, with Paul and Jo Dengate on guitar and flute, respectively. The event also featured a tombola, fun games, and a plant stall with generous donations from the public and Fairlight Hall.
Culinary delights were plentiful, with ploughman’s lunches expertly prepared by The Pumphouse Café & Deli, cheese from Cheese On Sea, cheese scones baked by Doroteya Turner, and a vast array of cakes made by many kind and generous volunteers. Visitors also enjoyed lovely coffee from a machine kindly lent by Warbleton Church.

The event’s success was made possible by the dedication of numerous volunteers, including regular fundraising helpers, first-time volunteers, and 19 members of the AXA Health finance team who participated as part of a company sponsored volunteering day. Their fantastic, helpful, and friendly support was invaluable, and The Friends extend their heartfelt thanks to all involved. The local community around Ashburnham also played a crucial role, supporting the event by minimizing road disruption and even postponing muck spreading to ensure a pleasant atmosphere for visitors!

This was our first Open Gardens event; from the positive feedback from visitors, it certainly won’t be our last! If you are interested in opening your garden to help raise funds for The Friends of Conquest Hospital, organising a company sponsored volunteering day or for other ways to get involved please contact Angie on angie@conquestfriends.co.uk.

We held our Summer Craft Fair at the end of June, which was our first event to be held in Ninfield, and we are delighted to advise that due to the hard work of our volunteers and support of our stallholders the event raised a fantastic £822.23 for The Friends. We saw slightly lower footfall than we would have liked (we’re blaming that lovely summer sunshine that kept everyone outdoors) but it was a lovely day regardless. A huge thank you to our volunteers on the day, as well as our incredible bakers.

We were kindly invited to run the refreshments in Winchelsea New Hall for Winchelsea’s Secret Gardens Open Day in April. We also ran a plant stall and tombola too. From the event, we raised a fantastic £897.55 for The Friends of Conquest Hospital. This simply wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our wonderful community. The volunteers on the day were dedicated, friendly and hard working. We also had volunteers bake and donate some incredible cakes and savouries. In addition, we received some very generous donations of plants, including some that proved very popular from Fairlight Hall Gardens. We’d like to thank the organisers of the event, who invited us us along as part of their open day for the National Open Garden Scheme. Thank you also to those that helped, donated or attended the event – we really do appreciate your support.

Our Spring Craft Fair held in late March was a fantastic event, with some beautiful crafts on offer from talented local crafters. With plenty of donated homemade cakes and savouries on offer, the refreshments were very popular, as was our tombola. This event relies on the wonderful volunteers that bake for us in advance, and help out on the day too. We raised a fantastic £938.68 from the event. Thank you to our stall holders, visitors and volunteers for making it such a wonderful day.

Our Christmas Craft Fair held in late November was a great success, with plenty of shoppers visiting to peruse and purchase from the very talented crafters showcasing their wares. The tombola was as popular as always, and the refreshments did a roaring trade, selling out by the end of the event. A huge thank you to the wonderful ladies of Brede WI, who ran the refreshments on the day and baked many of the goods we had on offer. Thank you also to our additional volunteers, both bakers and on-the-day helpers. Without dedicated volunteers, these events simply couldn’t happen. Thank you also to @drallimindustriesltd for sponsoring this event – we really do appreciate the support! The total raised at this event was a fantastic £871.48.

Egerton Ward’s pub quiz at The Comet pub st leonards on sea in November was a roaring success, raising a fantastic £684.00 towards the re-invigoration of the Egerton and Benson Ward courtyard garden. It was a close-run quiz, with a tie for first place between Dad’s Carers and the Apple Turnovers. Both teams generously donated their winnings to the charity, for which we are very grateful. A huge thank you to The Comet for hosting and providing snacks for our quizzers, to Jules and Raise for being an amazing quiz master and scorer respectively, and to Hustwayte Building Maintenance for sponsoring the event.

Whatlington Singers & Friends kindly held a choral concert at St Peter’s Church in Ashburnham on Saturday 10th June. This event raised a huge £624.16 for The Friends of Conquest Hospital. We are incredibly grateful to the choir for their hard work and commitment in supporting us.

Local choir Friends Unlimited kindly held a concert in aid of The Friends of Conquest Hospital. The event was held on Saturday 13th May, and raised a fantastic £300.00. We are very grateful to the choir for their hard work and commitment in supporting us.

Staff at the Hastings branch of Lloyds Bank kindly held an Easter Prize Draw in aid of the Conquest 21 project to renovate the courtyards of the hospital. They raised a fantastic £700.00 from their efforts, for which we are very grateful indeed.

Our Spring Craft Fair, held at Brede Village Hall in early March 2023 raised a fantastic £1182.87 towards the MacDonald Ward courtyard garden project. A huge thank you to Fiona Hosford, who generously gave her time for harp performances throughout the event. We’re also incredibly grateful to the ladies of Brede WI, who baked and served refreshments throughout the event.

The Carol Singing in Priory Meadow in early December raised £108.71. With many thanks to Lesley van Egmond from Love Vocals and her students for their performances, and Priory Meadow for kindly allowing us to be there.

The Night at the Races held by the team from Egerton Ward in November to raise funds to renovate their Courtyard Garden raised a fantastic £750.00

The Zumbathon held by the grateful family of a patient of Kipling Ward in November raised an incredible £760.00 for the ward.

August saw a fantastic Horse Show held at 18 Pounder Farm to raise funds for The Friends of Conquest. The Horse Show was the inspiration of Karen Johnson, who attended a lunch at Fairlight Hall in aid of the Friends. Karen, a keen horsewoman, organised a day of competitions ranging from showing, riding and handling of horses to dressage classes. All by kind permission of Terry Chedzoy, 18 Pounder Farm.
The volunteer judges were local equestrians experienced in showing at high levels, and a para dressage competitor who represented GB. Both were encouraging, motivational and inspirational with their advice to the grass roots competitors. All were proud to have contributed towards such a worthy cause. There was a refreshments stall and a raffle, which were generously supported by everyone at 18 Pounder Farm. Thank you to all involved in the organisation of this event, and to all of those that took part. A fantastic £700 was raised from the event.
Sarah Coop trustee of The Friends of the Conquest who competed on the day, said ‘It was an exceptional community event and great to see everyone pulling together to have fun and generously raise funds for The Friends of the Conquest’.

We hosted a delightful Open Gardens fundraising event on a sunny Wednesday in July, bringing together the local community and keen gardeners at Glydes Farm and Little Midge near Ashburnham. Donations are still coming in from this event, with the total now exceeding £3000, which will help The Friends of Conquest Hospital fund additional equipment and services to support our valued local hospital.

The event, made possible by the generosity of the garden owners, showcased the beauty of these two stunning country gardens and raised vital funds for the Conquest Hospital. Visitors were serenaded by the beautiful music of Glashin, with Paul and Jo Dengate on guitar and flute, respectively. The event also featured a tombola, fun games, and a plant stall with generous donations from the public and Fairlight Hall.
Culinary delights were plentiful, with ploughman’s lunches expertly prepared by The Pumphouse Café & Deli, cheese from Cheese On Sea, cheese scones baked by Doroteya Turner, and a vast array of cakes made by many kind and generous volunteers. Visitors also enjoyed lovely coffee from a machine kindly lent by Warbleton Church.

The event’s success was made possible by the dedication of numerous volunteers, including regular fundraising helpers, first-time volunteers, and 19 members of the AXA Health finance team who participated as part of a company sponsored volunteering day. Their fantastic, helpful, and friendly support was invaluable, and The Friends extend their heartfelt thanks to all involved. The local community around Ashburnham also played a crucial role, supporting the event by minimizing road disruption and even postponing muck spreading to ensure a pleasant atmosphere for visitors!

This was our first Open Gardens event; from the positive feedback from visitors, it certainly won’t be our last! If you are interested in opening your garden to help raise funds for The Friends of Conquest Hospital, organising a company sponsored volunteering day or for other ways to get involved please contact Angie on angie@conquestfriends.co.uk.

We held our Summer Craft Fair at the end of June, which was our first event to be held in Ninfield, and we are delighted to advise that due to the hard work of our volunteers and support of our stallholders the event raised a fantastic £822.23 for The Friends. We saw slightly lower footfall than we would have liked (we’re blaming that lovely summer sunshine that kept everyone outdoors) but it was a lovely day regardless. A huge thank you to our volunteers on the day, as well as our incredible bakers.

We were kindly invited to run the refreshments in Winchelsea New Hall for Winchelsea’s Secret Gardens Open Day in April. We also ran a plant stall and tombola too. From the event, we raised a fantastic £897.55 for The Friends of Conquest Hospital. This simply wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our wonderful community. The volunteers on the day were dedicated, friendly and hard working. We also had volunteers bake and donate some incredible cakes and savouries. In addition, we received some very generous donations of plants, including some that proved very popular from Fairlight Hall Gardens. We’d like to thank the organisers of the event, who invited us us along as part of their open day for the National Open Garden Scheme. Thank you also to those that helped, donated or attended the event – we really do appreciate your support.

Our Spring Craft Fair held in late March was a fantastic event, with some beautiful crafts on offer from talented local crafters. With plenty of donated homemade cakes and savouries on offer, the refreshments were very popular, as was our tombola. This event relies on the wonderful volunteers that bake for us in advance, and help out on the day too. We raised a fantastic £938.68 from the event. Thank you to our stall holders, visitors and volunteers for making it such a wonderful day.

Our Christmas Craft Fair held in late November was a great success, with plenty of shoppers visiting to peruse and purchase from the very talented crafters showcasing their wares. The tombola was as popular as always, and the refreshments did a roaring trade, selling out by the end of the event. A huge thank you to the wonderful ladies of Brede WI, who ran the refreshments on the day and baked many of the goods we had on offer. Thank you also to our additional volunteers, both bakers and on-the-day helpers. Without dedicated volunteers, these events simply couldn’t happen. Thank you also to @drallimindustriesltd for sponsoring this event – we really do appreciate the support! The total raised at this event was a fantastic £871.48.

Egerton Ward’s pub quiz at The Comet pub st leonards on sea in November was a roaring success, raising a fantastic £684.00 towards the re-invigoration of the Egerton and Benson Ward courtyard garden. It was a close-run quiz, with a tie for first place between Dad’s Carers and the Apple Turnovers. Both teams generously donated their winnings to the charity, for which we are very grateful. A huge thank you to The Comet for hosting and providing snacks for our quizzers, to Jules and Raise for being an amazing quiz master and scorer respectively, and to Hustwayte Building Maintenance for sponsoring the event.

Whatlington Singers & Friends kindly held a choral concert at St Peter’s Church in Ashburnham on Saturday 10th June. This event raised a huge £624.16 for The Friends of Conquest Hospital. We are incredibly grateful to the choir for their hard work and commitment in supporting us.

Local choir Friends Unlimited kindly held a concert in aid of The Friends of Conquest Hospital. The event was held on Saturday 13th May, and raised a fantastic £300.00. We are very grateful to the choir for their hard work and commitment in supporting us.

Staff at the Hastings branch of Lloyds Bank kindly held an Easter Prize Draw in aid of the Conquest 21 project to renovate the courtyards of the hospital. They raised a fantastic £700.00 from their efforts, for which we are very grateful indeed.

Our Spring Craft Fair, held at Brede Village Hall in early March 2023 raised a fantastic £1182.87 towards the MacDonald Ward courtyard garden project. A huge thank you to Fiona Hosford, who generously gave her time for harp performances throughout the event. We’re also incredibly grateful to the ladies of Brede WI, who baked and served refreshments throughout the event.

The Carol Singing in Priory Meadow in early December raised £108.71. With many thanks to Lesley van Egmond from Love Vocals and her students for their performances, and Priory Meadow for kindly allowing us to be there.

The Night at the Races held by the team from Egerton Ward in November to raise funds to renovate their Courtyard Garden raised a fantastic £750.00

The Zumbathon held by the grateful family of a patient of Kipling Ward in November raised an incredible £760.00 for the ward.

August saw a fantastic Horse Show held at 18 Pounder Farm to raise funds for The Friends of Conquest. The Horse Show was the inspiration of Karen Johnson, who attended a lunch at Fairlight Hall in aid of the Friends. Karen, a keen horsewoman, organised a day of competitions ranging from showing, riding and handling of horses to dressage classes. All by kind permission of Terry Chedzoy, 18 Pounder Farm.
The volunteer judges were local equestrians experienced in showing at high levels, and a para dressage competitor who represented GB. Both were encouraging, motivational and inspirational with their advice to the grass roots competitors. All were proud to have contributed towards such a worthy cause. There was a refreshments stall and a raffle, which were generously supported by everyone at 18 Pounder Farm. Thank you to all involved in the organisation of this event, and to all of those that took part. A fantastic £700 was raised from the event.
Sarah Coop trustee of The Friends of the Conquest who competed on the day, said ‘It was an exceptional community event and great to see everyone pulling together to have fun and generously raise funds for The Friends of the Conquest’.

We hosted a delightful Open Gardens fundraising event on a sunny Wednesday in July, bringing together the local community and keen gardeners at Glydes Farm and Little Midge near Ashburnham. Donations are still coming in from this event, with the total now exceeding £3000, which will help The Friends of Conquest Hospital fund additional equipment and services to support our valued local hospital.

The event, made possible by the generosity of the garden owners, showcased the beauty of these two stunning country gardens and raised vital funds for the Conquest Hospital. Visitors were serenaded by the beautiful music of Glashin, with Paul and Jo Dengate on guitar and flute, respectively. The event also featured a tombola, fun games, and a plant stall with generous donations from the public and Fairlight Hall.
Culinary delights were plentiful, with ploughman’s lunches expertly prepared by The Pumphouse Café & Deli, cheese from Cheese On Sea, cheese scones baked by Doroteya Turner, and a vast array of cakes made by many kind and generous volunteers. Visitors also enjoyed lovely coffee from a machine kindly lent by Warbleton Church.

The event’s success was made possible by the dedication of numerous volunteers, including regular fundraising helpers, first-time volunteers, and 19 members of the AXA Health finance team who participated as part of a company sponsored volunteering day. Their fantastic, helpful, and friendly support was invaluable, and The Friends extend their heartfelt thanks to all involved. The local community around Ashburnham also played a crucial role, supporting the event by minimizing road disruption and even postponing muck spreading to ensure a pleasant atmosphere for visitors!

This was our first Open Gardens event; from the positive feedback from visitors, it certainly won’t be our last! If you are interested in opening your garden to help raise funds for The Friends of Conquest Hospital, organising a company sponsored volunteering day or for other ways to get involved please contact Angie on angie@conquestfriends.co.uk.

We held our Summer Craft Fair at the end of June, which was our first event to be held in Ninfield, and we are delighted to advise that due to the hard work of our volunteers and support of our stallholders the event raised a fantastic £822.23 for The Friends. We saw slightly lower footfall than we would have liked (we’re blaming that lovely summer sunshine that kept everyone outdoors) but it was a lovely day regardless. A huge thank you to our volunteers on the day, as well as our incredible bakers.

We were kindly invited to run the refreshments in Winchelsea New Hall for Winchelsea’s Secret Gardens Open Day in April. We also ran a plant stall and tombola too. From the event, we raised a fantastic £897.55 for The Friends of Conquest Hospital. This simply wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our wonderful community. The volunteers on the day were dedicated, friendly and hard working. We also had volunteers bake and donate some incredible cakes and savouries. In addition, we received some very generous donations of plants, including some that proved very popular from Fairlight Hall Gardens. We’d like to thank the organisers of the event, who invited us us along as part of their open day for the National Open Garden Scheme. Thank you also to those that helped, donated or attended the event – we really do appreciate your support.

Our Spring Craft Fair held in late March was a fantastic event, with some beautiful crafts on offer from talented local crafters. With plenty of donated homemade cakes and savouries on offer, the refreshments were very popular, as was our tombola. This event relies on the wonderful volunteers that bake for us in advance, and help out on the day too. We raised a fantastic £938.68 from the event. Thank you to our stall holders, visitors and volunteers for making it such a wonderful day.

Our Christmas Craft Fair held in late November was a great success, with plenty of shoppers visiting to peruse and purchase from the very talented crafters showcasing their wares. The tombola was as popular as always, and the refreshments did a roaring trade, selling out by the end of the event. A huge thank you to the wonderful ladies of Brede WI, who ran the refreshments on the day and baked many of the goods we had on offer. Thank you also to our additional volunteers, both bakers and on-the-day helpers. Without dedicated volunteers, these events simply couldn’t happen. Thank you also to @drallimindustriesltd for sponsoring this event – we really do appreciate the support! The total raised at this event was a fantastic £871.48.

Egerton Ward’s pub quiz at The Comet pub st leonards on sea in November was a roaring success, raising a fantastic £684.00 towards the re-invigoration of the Egerton and Benson Ward courtyard garden. It was a close-run quiz, with a tie for first place between Dad’s Carers and the Apple Turnovers. Both teams generously donated their winnings to the charity, for which we are very grateful. A huge thank you to The Comet for hosting and providing snacks for our quizzers, to Jules and Raise for being an amazing quiz master and scorer respectively, and to Hustwayte Building Maintenance for sponsoring the event.

Whatlington Singers & Friends kindly held a choral concert at St Peter’s Church in Ashburnham on Saturday 10th June. This event raised a huge £624.16 for The Friends of Conquest Hospital. We are incredibly grateful to the choir for their hard work and commitment in supporting us.

Local choir Friends Unlimited kindly held a concert in aid of The Friends of Conquest Hospital. The event was held on Saturday 13th May, and raised a fantastic £300.00. We are very grateful to the choir for their hard work and commitment in supporting us.

Staff at the Hastings branch of Lloyds Bank kindly held an Easter Prize Draw in aid of the Conquest 21 project to renovate the courtyards of the hospital. They raised a fantastic £700.00 from their efforts, for which we are very grateful indeed.

Our Spring Craft Fair, held at Brede Village Hall in early March 2023 raised a fantastic £1182.87 towards the MacDonald Ward courtyard garden project. A huge thank you to Fiona Hosford, who generously gave her time for harp performances throughout the event. We’re also incredibly grateful to the ladies of Brede WI, who baked and served refreshments throughout the event.

The Carol Singing in Priory Meadow in early December raised £108.71. With many thanks to Lesley van Egmond from Love Vocals and her students for their performances, and Priory Meadow for kindly allowing us to be there.

The Night at the Races held by the team from Egerton Ward in November to raise funds to renovate their Courtyard Garden raised a fantastic £750.00

The Zumbathon held by the grateful family of a patient of Kipling Ward in November raised an incredible £760.00 for the ward.

August saw a fantastic Horse Show held at 18 Pounder Farm to raise funds for The Friends of Conquest. The Horse Show was the inspiration of Karen Johnson, who attended a lunch at Fairlight Hall in aid of the Friends. Karen, a keen horsewoman, organised a day of competitions ranging from showing, riding and handling of horses to dressage classes. All by kind permission of Terry Chedzoy, 18 Pounder Farm.
The volunteer judges were local equestrians experienced in showing at high levels, and a para dressage competitor who represented GB. Both were encouraging, motivational and inspirational with their advice to the grass roots competitors. All were proud to have contributed towards such a worthy cause. There was a refreshments stall and a raffle, which were generously supported by everyone at 18 Pounder Farm. Thank you to all involved in the organisation of this event, and to all of those that took part. A fantastic £700 was raised from the event.
Sarah Coop trustee of The Friends of the Conquest who competed on the day, said ‘It was an exceptional community event and great to see everyone pulling together to have fun and generously raise funds for The Friends of the Conquest’.

We hosted a delightful Open Gardens fundraising event on a sunny Wednesday in July, bringing together the local community and keen gardeners at Glydes Farm and Little Midge near Ashburnham. Donations are still coming in from this event, with the total now exceeding £3000, which will help The Friends of Conquest Hospital fund additional equipment and services to support our valued local hospital.

The event, made possible by the generosity of the garden owners, showcased the beauty of these two stunning country gardens and raised vital funds for the Conquest Hospital. Visitors were serenaded by the beautiful music of Glashin, with Paul and Jo Dengate on guitar and flute, respectively. The event also featured a tombola, fun games, and a plant stall with generous donations from the public and Fairlight Hall.
Culinary delights were plentiful, with ploughman’s lunches expertly prepared by The Pumphouse Café & Deli, cheese from Cheese On Sea, cheese scones baked by Doroteya Turner, and a vast array of cakes made by many kind and generous volunteers. Visitors also enjoyed lovely coffee from a machine kindly lent by Warbleton Church.

The event’s success was made possible by the dedication of numerous volunteers, including regular fundraising helpers, first-time volunteers, and 19 members of the AXA Health finance team who participated as part of a company sponsored volunteering day. Their fantastic, helpful, and friendly support was invaluable, and The Friends extend their heartfelt thanks to all involved. The local community around Ashburnham also played a crucial role, supporting the event by minimizing road disruption and even postponing muck spreading to ensure a pleasant atmosphere for visitors!

This was our first Open Gardens event; from the positive feedback from visitors, it certainly won’t be our last! If you are interested in opening your garden to help raise funds for The Friends of Conquest Hospital, organising a company sponsored volunteering day or for other ways to get involved please contact Angie on angie@conquestfriends.co.uk.

We held our Summer Craft Fair at the end of June, which was our first event to be held in Ninfield, and we are delighted to advise that due to the hard work of our volunteers and support of our stallholders the event raised a fantastic £822.23 for The Friends. We saw slightly lower footfall than we would have liked (we’re blaming that lovely summer sunshine that kept everyone outdoors) but it was a lovely day regardless. A huge thank you to our volunteers on the day, as well as our incredible bakers.

We were kindly invited to run the refreshments in Winchelsea New Hall for Winchelsea’s Secret Gardens Open Day in April. We also ran a plant stall and tombola too. From the event, we raised a fantastic £897.55 for The Friends of Conquest Hospital. This simply wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our wonderful community. The volunteers on the day were dedicated, friendly and hard working. We also had volunteers bake and donate some incredible cakes and savouries. In addition, we received some very generous donations of plants, including some that proved very popular from Fairlight Hall Gardens. We’d like to thank the organisers of the event, who invited us us along as part of their open day for the National Open Garden Scheme. Thank you also to those that helped, donated or attended the event – we really do appreciate your support.

Our Spring Craft Fair held in late March was a fantastic event, with some beautiful crafts on offer from talented local crafters. With plenty of donated homemade cakes and savouries on offer, the refreshments were very popular, as was our tombola. This event relies on the wonderful volunteers that bake for us in advance, and help out on the day too. We raised a fantastic £938.68 from the event. Thank you to our stall holders, visitors and volunteers for making it such a wonderful day.

Our Christmas Craft Fair held in late November was a great success, with plenty of shoppers visiting to peruse and purchase from the very talented crafters showcasing their wares. The tombola was as popular as always, and the refreshments did a roaring trade, selling out by the end of the event. A huge thank you to the wonderful ladies of Brede WI, who ran the refreshments on the day and baked many of the goods we had on offer. Thank you also to our additional volunteers, both bakers and on-the-day helpers. Without dedicated volunteers, these events simply couldn’t happen. Thank you also to @drallimindustriesltd for sponsoring this event – we really do appreciate the support! The total raised at this event was a fantastic £871.48.

Egerton Ward’s pub quiz at The Comet pub st leonards on sea in November was a roaring success, raising a fantastic £684.00 towards the re-invigoration of the Egerton and Benson Ward courtyard garden. It was a close-run quiz, with a tie for first place between Dad’s Carers and the Apple Turnovers. Both teams generously donated their winnings to the charity, for which we are very grateful. A huge thank you to The Comet for hosting and providing snacks for our quizzers, to Jules and Raise for being an amazing quiz master and scorer respectively, and to Hustwayte Building Maintenance for sponsoring the event.

Whatlington Singers & Friends kindly held a choral concert at St Peter’s Church in Ashburnham on Saturday 10th June. This event raised a huge £624.16 for The Friends of Conquest Hospital. We are incredibly grateful to the choir for their hard work and commitment in supporting us.

Local choir Friends Unlimited kindly held a concert in aid of The Friends of Conquest Hospital. The event was held on Saturday 13th May, and raised a fantastic £300.00. We are very grateful to the choir for their hard work and commitment in supporting us.

Staff at the Hastings branch of Lloyds Bank kindly held an Easter Prize Draw in aid of the Conquest 21 project to renovate the courtyards of the hospital. They raised a fantastic £700.00 from their efforts, for which we are very grateful indeed.

Our Spring Craft Fair, held at Brede Village Hall in early March 2023 raised a fantastic £1182.87 towards the MacDonald Ward courtyard garden project. A huge thank you to Fiona Hosford, who generously gave her time for harp performances throughout the event. We’re also incredibly grateful to the ladies of Brede WI, who baked and served refreshments throughout the event.

The Carol Singing in Priory Meadow in early December raised £108.71. With many thanks to Lesley van Egmond from Love Vocals and her students for their performances, and Priory Meadow for kindly allowing us to be there.

The Night at the Races held by the team from Egerton Ward in November to raise funds to renovate their Courtyard Garden raised a fantastic £750.00

The Zumbathon held by the grateful family of a patient of Kipling Ward in November raised an incredible £760.00 for the ward.

August saw a fantastic Horse Show held at 18 Pounder Farm to raise funds for The Friends of Conquest. The Horse Show was the inspiration of Karen Johnson, who attended a lunch at Fairlight Hall in aid of the Friends. Karen, a keen horsewoman, organised a day of competitions ranging from showing, riding and handling of horses to dressage classes. All by kind permission of Terry Chedzoy, 18 Pounder Farm.
The volunteer judges were local equestrians experienced in showing at high levels, and a para dressage competitor who represented GB. Both were encouraging, motivational and inspirational with their advice to the grass roots competitors. All were proud to have contributed towards such a worthy cause. There was a refreshments stall and a raffle, which were generously supported by everyone at 18 Pounder Farm. Thank you to all involved in the organisation of this event, and to all of those that took part. A fantastic £700 was raised from the event.
Sarah Coop trustee of The Friends of the Conquest who competed on the day, said ‘It was an exceptional community event and great to see everyone pulling together to have fun and generously raise funds for The Friends of the Conquest’.

We hosted a delightful Open Gardens fundraising event on a sunny Wednesday in July, bringing together the local community and keen gardeners at Glydes Farm and Little Midge near Ashburnham. Donations are still coming in from this event, with the total now exceeding £3000, which will help The Friends of Conquest Hospital fund additional equipment and services to support our valued local hospital.

The event, made possible by the generosity of the garden owners, showcased the beauty of these two stunning country gardens and raised vital funds for the Conquest Hospital. Visitors were serenaded by the beautiful music of Glashin, with Paul and Jo Dengate on guitar and flute, respectively. The event also featured a tombola, fun games, and a plant stall with generous donations from the public and Fairlight Hall.
Culinary delights were plentiful, with ploughman’s lunches expertly prepared by The Pumphouse Café & Deli, cheese from Cheese On Sea, cheese scones baked by Doroteya Turner, and a vast array of cakes made by many kind and generous volunteers. Visitors also enjoyed lovely coffee from a machine kindly lent by Warbleton Church.

The event’s success was made possible by the dedication of numerous volunteers, including regular fundraising helpers, first-time volunteers, and 19 members of the AXA Health finance team who participated as part of a company sponsored volunteering day. Their fantastic, helpful, and friendly support was invaluable, and The Friends extend their heartfelt thanks to all involved. The local community around Ashburnham also played a crucial role, supporting the event by minimizing road disruption and even postponing muck spreading to ensure a pleasant atmosphere for visitors!

This was our first Open Gardens event; from the positive feedback from visitors, it certainly won’t be our last! If you are interested in opening your garden to help raise funds for The Friends of Conquest Hospital, organising a company sponsored volunteering day or for other ways to get involved please contact Angie on angie@conquestfriends.co.uk.

We held our Summer Craft Fair at the end of June, which was our first event to be held in Ninfield, and we are delighted to advise that due to the hard work of our volunteers and support of our stallholders the event raised a fantastic £822.23 for The Friends. We saw slightly lower footfall than we would have liked (we’re blaming that lovely summer sunshine that kept everyone outdoors) but it was a lovely day regardless. A huge thank you to our volunteers on the day, as well as our incredible bakers.

We were kindly invited to run the refreshments in Winchelsea New Hall for Winchelsea’s Secret Gardens Open Day in April. We also ran a plant stall and tombola too. From the event, we raised a fantastic £897.55 for The Friends of Conquest Hospital. This simply wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our wonderful community. The volunteers on the day were dedicated, friendly and hard working. We also had volunteers bake and donate some incredible cakes and savouries. In addition, we received some very generous donations of plants, including some that proved very popular from Fairlight Hall Gardens. We’d like to thank the organisers of the event, who invited us us along as part of their open day for the National Open Garden Scheme. Thank you also to those that helped, donated or attended the event – we really do appreciate your support.

Our Spring Craft Fair held in late March was a fantastic event, with some beautiful crafts on offer from talented local crafters. With plenty of donated homemade cakes and savouries on offer, the refreshments were very popular, as was our tombola. This event relies on the wonderful volunteers that bake for us in advance, and help out on the day too. We raised a fantastic £938.68 from the event. Thank you to our stall holders, visitors and volunteers for making it such a wonderful day.

Our Christmas Craft Fair held in late November was a great success, with plenty of shoppers visiting to peruse and purchase from the very talented crafters showcasing their wares. The tombola was as popular as always, and the refreshments did a roaring trade, selling out by the end of the event. A huge thank you to the wonderful ladies of Brede WI, who ran the refreshments on the day and baked many of the goods we had on offer. Thank you also to our additional volunteers, both bakers and on-the-day helpers. Without dedicated volunteers, these events simply couldn’t happen. Thank you also to @drallimindustriesltd for sponsoring this event – we really do appreciate the support! The total raised at this event was a fantastic £871.48.

Egerton Ward’s pub quiz at The Comet pub st leonards on sea in November was a roaring success, raising a fantastic £684.00 towards the re-invigoration of the Egerton and Benson Ward courtyard garden. It was a close-run quiz, with a tie for first place between Dad’s Carers and the Apple Turnovers. Both teams generously donated their winnings to the charity, for which we are very grateful. A huge thank you to The Comet for hosting and providing snacks for our quizzers, to Jules and Raise for being an amazing quiz master and scorer respectively, and to Hustwayte Building Maintenance for sponsoring the event.

Whatlington Singers & Friends kindly held a choral concert at St Peter’s Church in Ashburnham on Saturday 10th June. This event raised a huge £624.16 for The Friends of Conquest Hospital. We are incredibly grateful to the choir for their hard work and commitment in supporting us.

Local choir Friends Unlimited kindly held a concert in aid of The Friends of Conquest Hospital. The event was held on Saturday 13th May, and raised a fantastic £300.00. We are very grateful to the choir for their hard work and commitment in supporting us.

Staff at the Hastings branch of Lloyds Bank kindly held an Easter Prize Draw in aid of the Conquest 21 project to renovate the courtyards of the hospital. They raised a fantastic £700.00 from their efforts, for which we are very grateful indeed.

Our Spring Craft Fair, held at Brede Village Hall in early March 2023 raised a fantastic £1182.87 towards the MacDonald Ward courtyard garden project. A huge thank you to Fiona Hosford, who generously gave her time for harp performances throughout the event. We’re also incredibly grateful to the ladies of Brede WI, who baked and served refreshments throughout the event.

The Carol Singing in Priory Meadow in early December raised £108.71. With many thanks to Lesley van Egmond from Love Vocals and her students for their performances, and Priory Meadow for kindly allowing us to be there.

The Night at the Races held by the team from Egerton Ward in November to raise funds to renovate their Courtyard Garden raised a fantastic £750.00

The Zumbathon held by the grateful family of a patient of Kipling Ward in November raised an incredible £760.00 for the ward.

August saw a fantastic Horse Show held at 18 Pounder Farm to raise funds for The Friends of Conquest. The Horse Show was the inspiration of Karen Johnson, who attended a lunch at Fairlight Hall in aid of the Friends. Karen, a keen horsewoman, organised a day of competitions ranging from showing, riding and handling of horses to dressage classes. All by kind permission of Terry Chedzoy, 18 Pounder Farm.
The volunteer judges were local equestrians experienced in showing at high levels, and a para dressage competitor who represented GB. Both were encouraging, motivational and inspirational with their advice to the grass roots competitors. All were proud to have contributed towards such a worthy cause. There was a refreshments stall and a raffle, which were generously supported by everyone at 18 Pounder Farm. Thank you to all involved in the organisation of this event, and to all of those that took part. A fantastic £700 was raised from the event.
Sarah Coop trustee of The Friends of the Conquest who competed on the day, said ‘It was an exceptional community event and great to see everyone pulling together to have fun and generously raise funds for The Friends of the Conquest’.

We hosted a delightful Open Gardens fundraising event on a sunny Wednesday in July, bringing together the local community and keen gardeners at Glydes Farm and Little Midge near Ashburnham. Donations are still coming in from this event, with the total now exceeding £3000, which will help The Friends of Conquest Hospital fund additional equipment and services to support our valued local hospital.

The event, made possible by the generosity of the garden owners, showcased the beauty of these two stunning country gardens and raised vital funds for the Conquest Hospital. Visitors were serenaded by the beautiful music of Glashin, with Paul and Jo Dengate on guitar and flute, respectively. The event also featured a tombola, fun games, and a plant stall with generous donations from the public and Fairlight Hall.
Culinary delights were plentiful, with ploughman’s lunches expertly prepared by The Pumphouse Café & Deli, cheese from Cheese On Sea, cheese scones baked by Doroteya Turner, and a vast array of cakes made by many kind and generous volunteers. Visitors also enjoyed lovely coffee from a machine kindly lent by Warbleton Church.

The event’s success was made possible by the dedication of numerous volunteers, including regular fundraising helpers, first-time volunteers, and 19 members of the AXA Health finance team who participated as part of a company sponsored volunteering day. Their fantastic, helpful, and friendly support was invaluable, and The Friends extend their heartfelt thanks to all involved. The local community around Ashburnham also played a crucial role, supporting the event by minimizing road disruption and even postponing muck spreading to ensure a pleasant atmosphere for visitors!

This was our first Open Gardens event; from the positive feedback from visitors, it certainly won’t be our last! If you are interested in opening your garden to help raise funds for The Friends of Conquest Hospital, organising a company sponsored volunteering day or for other ways to get involved please contact Angie on angie@conquestfriends.co.uk.

We held our Summer Craft Fair at the end of June, which was our first event to be held in Ninfield, and we are delighted to advise that due to the hard work of our volunteers and support of our stallholders the event raised a fantastic £822.23 for The Friends. We saw slightly lower footfall than we would have liked (we’re blaming that lovely summer sunshine that kept everyone outdoors) but it was a lovely day regardless. A huge thank you to our volunteers on the day, as well as our incredible bakers.

We were kindly invited to run the refreshments in Winchelsea New Hall for Winchelsea’s Secret Gardens Open Day in April. We also ran a plant stall and tombola too. From the event, we raised a fantastic £897.55 for The Friends of Conquest Hospital. This simply wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our wonderful community. The volunteers on the day were dedicated, friendly and hard working. We also had volunteers bake and donate some incredible cakes and savouries. In addition, we received some very generous donations of plants, including some that proved very popular from Fairlight Hall Gardens. We’d like to thank the organisers of the event, who invited us us along as part of their open day for the National Open Garden Scheme. Thank you also to those that helped, donated or attended the event – we really do appreciate your support.

Our Spring Craft Fair held in late March was a fantastic event, with some beautiful crafts on offer from talented local crafters. With plenty of donated homemade cakes and savouries on offer, the refreshments were very popular, as was our tombola. This event relies on the wonderful volunteers that bake for us in advance, and help out on the day too. We raised a fantastic £938.68 from the event. Thank you to our stall holders, visitors and volunteers for making it such a wonderful day.

Our Christmas Craft Fair held in late November was a great success, with plenty of shoppers visiting to peruse and purchase from the very talented crafters showcasing their wares. The tombola was as popular as always, and the refreshments did a roaring trade, selling out by the end of the event. A huge thank you to the wonderful ladies of Brede WI, who ran the refreshments on the day and baked many of the goods we had on offer. Thank you also to our additional volunteers, both bakers and on-the-day helpers. Without dedicated volunteers, these events simply couldn’t happen. Thank you also to @drallimindustriesltd for sponsoring this event – we really do appreciate the support! The total raised at this event was a fantastic £871.48.

Egerton Ward’s pub quiz at The Comet pub st leonards on sea in November was a roaring success, raising a fantastic £684.00 towards the re-invigoration of the Egerton and Benson Ward courtyard garden. It was a close-run quiz, with a tie for first place between Dad’s Carers and the Apple Turnovers. Both teams generously donated their winnings to the charity, for which we are very grateful. A huge thank you to The Comet for hosting and providing snacks for our quizzers, to Jules and Raise for being an amazing quiz master and scorer respectively, and to Hustwayte Building Maintenance for sponsoring the event.

Whatlington Singers & Friends kindly held a choral concert at St Peter’s Church in Ashburnham on Saturday 10th June. This event raised a huge £624.16 for The Friends of Conquest Hospital. We are incredibly grateful to the choir for their hard work and commitment in supporting us.

Local choir Friends Unlimited kindly held a concert in aid of The Friends of Conquest Hospital. The event was held on Saturday 13th May, and raised a fantastic £300.00. We are very grateful to the choir for their hard work and commitment in supporting us.

Staff at the Hastings branch of Lloyds Bank kindly held an Easter Prize Draw in aid of the Conquest 21 project to renovate the courtyards of the hospital. They raised a fantastic £700.00 from their efforts, for which we are very grateful indeed.

Our Spring Craft Fair, held at Brede Village Hall in early March 2023 raised a fantastic £1182.87 towards the MacDonald Ward courtyard garden project. A huge thank you to Fiona Hosford, who generously gave her time for harp performances throughout the event. We’re also incredibly grateful to the ladies of Brede WI, who baked and served refreshments throughout the event.

The Carol Singing in Priory Meadow in early December raised £108.71. With many thanks to Lesley van Egmond from Love Vocals and her students for their performances, and Priory Meadow for kindly allowing us to be there.

The Night at the Races held by the team from Egerton Ward in November to raise funds to renovate their Courtyard Garden raised a fantastic £750.00

The Zumbathon held by the grateful family of a patient of Kipling Ward in November raised an incredible £760.00 for the ward.

For fun today