Winter - Spring 2026 Newsletter
A DIFFICULT YEAR
2025 was a really tough year for HEART, struggling through an increasingly competitive fundraising arena, with many vital projects and charities going for the same pots of money. We had to constantly streamline to survive, stretching our small staff team and culminating in one of our co-founders Alastair Fairley stepping back.
In September we had to temporarily close our HEART Community Drivers programme because we could no longer afford safe, supported, volunteer co-ordination. But we managed to keep the Community Info Hub open by the skin of our teeth and through sheer determination from our staff and volunteers. Then in late October an early cold snap compromised the heating in the Town Hall and we had to close for five weeks.
HEART was under threat of permanent closure and we worried about the people that rely on us. In December we wrapped up warm, got the Info Hub back open and dug deep - then our fortunes changed…
NEW HOPE
At the beginning of December we received a small grant from Whitbread who have opened the new Premier Inn in Hastings Town Centre. A week later Sussex Community Foundation successfully awarded us a grant from two trusts the Elm Fund and the Tufnell Family Fund which meant that we could fully reopen the hub.
And then, after weeks of blood, sweat and tears ( and more tears ) plus fundraising and keeping HEART alive - on the 12th of December we were told we had successfully raised 3 years of grant funding from The National Lottery: Reaching Communities Fund.
We are beyond delighted. Thank you to everyone that has supported us.
2026 JOBS AND GETTING BACK OUT THERE
This year is all about building in resilience and sustainability which means investing in and fully supporting both our core team and our fab cohort of volunteers, so we can help even more people in our community.
Starting this January we will be recruiting - so watch out on our social media pages, newsletters and email blasts if you’re looking for a job where you’d like to be part of a motivated team making a difference in Hastings.
We will be hiring a Volunteer Network Manager, so that we can get our Community Volunteer programme up and running again. We know our Volunteer Drivers, The Food Bank, Citizens Advice 1066 and our beneficiaries have all really missed us and we can’t wait to get back on the road and turn our phoneline back on.
We will be reconnecting with all our volunteers, sending out call-outs and looking for more people to help - so roll up your sleeves!
THE COMUNITY INFO HUB
The Info Hub is back open as usual from Wednesday to Friday 10am - 4pm. Over the last year we have helped over 4000 people in our drop-in sessions and it just keeps growing.
We are really happy to welcome Xtrax into the Info Hub becoming our latest hub partner - well known for the brilliant work they do with young people in Hastings.
In March we will be building our new Info Hub Digital team, so we will be recruiting for a Digital Team leader and new Digital Volunteers. We’ll let you know shortly how you can apply.
PARTNERS AND EVENTS
Citizens Advice 1066 Drop-in
CA1066 are in the Info Hub on the:
1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month 2-4pm starting on the 28th January
Remember you may have to queue but you are welcome to have a cuppa in our community room while you’re waiting.
Macmillan Friends & Family mornings
A chance for people close to someone who has cancer to find out about support, how to talk about it, ask questions and have a chat.
It’s informal, open to everyone and you can have a cup of something.
First Thursday of each month starting March 5th: 11-1pm.
Kids Coding Clubs
TechResort are back with their Lego robots and nerd-tastic game building coding clubs.
Free, Inclusive and high quality fun in the Easter holidays. Watch This Space.
We’ll tell you how to book soon.
Welcome! Hastings In Stitches
We’re so pleased to have the sister piece of this amazing work bringing together artists, community groups and charities from all over Hastings.
To mark it’s place and in the true spirit of what it represents we’ll be holding an event on:
Saturday the 21st of March
to invite all those involved and we can’t wait.
A big thank you to James and Tara.
