Latest news with #JuliaHilton
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Celebrations as two beaches in same town awarded Blue Flag status for the first time
Hastings has been awarded the Blue Flag and Seaside Award status for both Marina and Pelham beaches for the first time. The awards, presented by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, recognise the best beaches in England. This marks a significant achievement for the town in its efforts to improve and maintain the quality of its coastline. Julia Hilton, deputy leader and councillor responsible for tourism at Hastings Borough Council, said: "We are delighted that Pelham has joined Marina beach in receiving both the Blue Flag and Seaside Award for the first time. "Hastings Borough Council is proud of the quality of the beaches we have in our town. "We work hard alongside fantastic volunteers to keep our beaches clean and maintain the water quality, so it is great to see this work being recognised." The Blue Flag and Seaside Award status is not easily achieved, with strict criteria to be met. This includes excellent bathing water quality, with regular sampling and testing for microbiological and physical-chemical parameters. Councillor Hilton acknowledged the challenges faced with Southern Water, but praised the maintenance of the award status as a "great achievement." She added: "One of the key Blue Flag requirements is excellent bathing water quality. "This includes having sampling points in the areas on our bathing beaches most used, as well as near potential pollution sources on these beaches, such as streams, rivers, or stormwater outlets, to ensure these do not affect water quality. "Samples must be taken regularly at these bathing beaches and tested for both microbiological and physical-chemical parameters." Councillor Hilton also encouraged residents and visitors to help keep the seafront tidy by disposing of rubbish responsibly and reporting full bins on My Hastings. She said: "You can all do your bit to help keep our seafront tidy by putting your rubbish into bins or taking it home with you. "If the bins are full, please report these on My Hastings so our waste teams can empty them." She also reminded beachgoers to check the RNLI website for safety advice and to follow the guidance of on-duty lifeguards.
BBC News
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Agatha Christie - Queen of Crime exhibition coming to East Sussex
An Agatha Christie exhibition is set to open in East Sussex. The display, by Gale Goddard, explores the life and legacy of the English author, known for her detective novels and short stories. Titled Agatha Christie – The Queen of Crime, it is set to open on Saturday at Hastings Museum and Art Gallery. Exhibits include displays such as Poirot's dinner setting on the Orient Express, Christie's 1926 disappearance, and Egyptian artefacts linking to Death on the Nile. Original items, books, and objects will also be shown. "Agatha Christie is one of the world's most loved crime writers," said Julia Hilton, leader of Hastings Borough Council, adding that lots of people will be excited to see the display. She said there were suggestions that Christie visited the area, with Hastings and St Leonards referenced in a couple of her books. The exhibition - which is free to enter - is planned to run until 10 August.
BBC News
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Dinosaur gallery reopens at Hastings Museum
A newly-refurbished gallery featuring objects from prehistoric times has reopened at a museum in East Dinosaur Gallery, which welcomes visitors back from Saturday at Hastings Museum, has had its first major overhaul since it was installed in its current location in revamp sees new additions and some that have been locked away in the museum's stores for decades. Julia Hilton, lead for culture and tourism at Hastings Borough Council, said she was "delighted" the gallery was open in time for the school Easter holidays. The display draws on work by geologists and palaeontologists to tell the prehistoric stories hidden within the museum's fossil include a bespoke display case created using repurposed cabinets from the former Old Town Hall gallery retains old favourite features, including the Pepper's Ghost illusions where fossils transform into lifelike models at the press of a project was supported by Arts Council England as part of the museum's National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) funding.
