BBC News • 12th September 2026

Brighton's art trail benches 'bring people together'

Thirty painted "book bench" sculptures have been placed across Brighton as part of a charity art trail. The sculpture trail is designed as a walking route through the city from Saturday until 8 November. As well as the painted book bench sculptures, schools and community groups have also designed an additional 40 mini book benches...

BBC News • 10th September 2026

'At 100, my independence is very important to me'

The niece of a woman who is playing croquet and golf, dancing, doing yoga and leading a computer group as she turns 100 has described her as a "freak of nature". Jean Farguson, from Midhurst, in West Sussex, was born on 10 September 1926 and is a former Guinness World Records holder for the oldest competitive female croquet player. "My independence is very important to me," Farguson told the BBC. "Although, my friends are very helpful."...

BBC News • 2nd September 2026

School uniform costs hit families, say charities

Charities in Sussex have warned new school uniform costs could add financial pressure on struggling families. This is despite new rules limiting the number of branded items state schools can require, which the government says will save parents money. Children's charity Pelican Parcels, in Brighton and Hove, said it was set to double its school uniform support by the end of 2026 in response to "rising local demand"...

BBC News • 18th August 2026

People urged not to report neighbours' barbecue use

Residents in the South East have been urged not to report their neighbours for using barbecues unless there is an emergency. Surrey Fire & Rescue Service (SFRS) has urged the public to only call 999 in an emergency following a high volume of calls regarding neighbours with barbecues, bonfires and campfires in their gardens. Firefighters in East Sussex have also seen an increase in requests for assistance from other services to help deal with "complex and long-running incidents", the service said...

BBC News • 14th August 2026

New gallery celebrates Albion's 125-year history

A gallery celebrating the 125-year history of Brighton & Hove Albion is set to open to the public on Saturday. As a permanent and interactive exhibit of the club's journey, its curator, Jody East, said that fan voices and experiences were crucial in bringing it to life. "To be able to open the doors and share it with the world is really exciting," she told the BBC...

BBC News • 21st May 2026

Young jobseekers 'discouraged' by ghosting and AI

Young people in the South East have said being "ghosted" and rejected by employers has made them feel "lost" while seeking their first full-time jobs. UK job vacancies fell by 28,000 (3.9%) to 705,000 between February and April, the lowest in five years, latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates show. Fergus Chamberlain, 22, from Hastings, in East Sussex, said "radio silence" from employers during his final year studying computer science at the University of Brighton left him "complete...

BBC News • 12th April 2026

Brighton Marathon runners cross the line in their thousands

Thousands of runners have taken part in a "record-breaking" Brighton Marathon, organisers have said. About 14,000 participants completed the race after setting off from the city's Preston Park on Sunday, with Rugby World Cup winner Jess Breach as the official starter. The event followed the Brighton & Hove 10K, which started earlier that morning. Sam Cook, of Horsham in West Sussex, won the men's marathon for the second year running, while the women's race was won by Amy Harris. Thousands of runn...

BBC News • 1st March 2026

Thousands hit the streets for half-marathon

Thousands of runners wound their way around Brighton in the city's half-marathon on Sunday.The race was started by Olly Alexander, with the singer and actor then joining other runners on the 13.1-mile (21km) seafront course.The star, who represented the UK at Eurovision in 2024, said he was excited but nervous for his first half-marathon."The training's been challenging but I've enjoyed myself," he said.

Thousands of runners wound their way around Brighton in the city's half-marathon on Sunday....

BBC News • 27th February 2026

The town where feeding birds could cost you £1,000

People in Worthing, West Sussex, could soon be fined up to £1,000 for feeding wildlife in the town centre. Worthing Borough Council said there were "increasing concerns" about the impacts of "excessive and unregulated" feeding of wild animals, like pigeons and seagulls. It said a proposed ban, using a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), would help combat public health risks from animal droppings, scavenging, damage to public spaces and local businesses, and pests like mice and insects. Residents,...

BBC News • 25th February 2026

What will happen to my food waste?

Separate food waste collections are being rolled out across Sussex this year in an effort to boost recycling. Research carried out by the BBC shows five out of 13 authorities will not have food waste collection services fully in place by the Government's 31 March deadline. Sussex councils say 40% of the waste that currently goes into general waste bins is food waste. Waste collected in East Sussex and Brighton & Hove will be made into compost while waste from West Sussex will go to an anaerobic di...

BBC News • 22nd January 2026

'Patients get care they need, not what they want'

It is 08:30 GMT and a dozen patients who have been queuing outside on a gloomy January morning stream into Princes Park Health Centre in Eastbourne. At the same time, 30 patient calls immediately queue up on the phone lines and medical forms filled in by patients online begin appearing on the system. It is the start of a busy morning. More than 150 patients request care in person, by phone or online before midday. The health centre has been a pioneer in piloting the NHS "total triage" system over t...

BBC News • 27th December 2025

'Being blind, running is my form of freedom'

A blind runner in East Sussex has praised his local Parkrun for its accessibility, saying it has helped transform his life. Keith Turner, 58, from Brighton, went fully blind at 19 from congenital glaucoma – a rare condition that impacts a person's eye drainage system, gradually causing sight loss.Assisted by an award-winning community of volunteer guide runners at Hove Promenade Parkrun, Keith says running has become "a form of freedom" for him.Now on the verge of his 200th Parkrun – a volunteer-...

BBC News • 12th December 2025

De La Warr Pavilion celebrates 90th anniversary

The De La Warr Pavilion in East Sussex is celebrating its 90th anniversary since opening by asking the public to share their memories at the venue.The Grade I listed arts centre in Bexhill opened on 12 December 1935.As part of the celebrations, the creative hub said it was building a digital archive to honour the people, stories and artists that had shaped the venue's history.On the morning of its 90th birthday, the De La Warr announced it had been given £7.6m from The National Lottery Heritage...

BBC News • 9th December 2025

Fundraisers sleep rough for homelessness charity

The organisers of a charity sleep-out in East Sussex said they wanted to offer "a tiny glimpse into the challenges young people face when sleeping rough".The Big City Sleepout, run by Clock Tower Sanctuary in Brighton, saw 33 participants – including comedian Suzi Ruffell – sleep at the foot of the Brighton i360 from 20:00 GMT on 8 December to 06:00 on 9 December.As a drop-in day centre for people aged between 16 to 25 experiencing homelessness, the charity said it had raised more than £20,000 b...

BBC News • 7th December 2025

Jane Austen's forgotten Sussex seaside retreat

As the world marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth on 16 December, a town in West Sussex has been paying its own tribute to the author who spent time immersing herself in local life.Arriving in Worthing on 18 September 1805, Austen lodged at Stanford's Cottage on Warwick Street, now the site of a Pizza Express.Susan Belton from The Worthing Society told Secret Sussex that the author's visit left a cultural impact, inspiring her final, unfinished novel Sanditon."The proportions of th...

BBC News • 6th December 2025

Community raises £4,000 after shop windows smashed

The owner of a convenience store in Sussex says she has been left feeling scared after her shop was attacked two nights in a row.Chaula Patel has run the St Pancras Stores, in the Southover area of Lewes, with her husband, Janak, for 31 years.A fundraising page, which has received 200 donations from residents in neighbouring streets, has raised more than £4,000 after the shop's front windows were smashed.Two teenage boys, a 15-year-old and 17-year-old, have been arrested on suspicion of burglary...

BBC News • 3rd December 2025

Gravestone and decorations vandalised at church

The vicar of a church in Sussex said he was shocked to witness vandalism of its churchyard amid an "ongoing battle" with anti-social behaviour.St Andrew's Church in Hove said its CCTV footage showed a man tearing down and shattering outdoor lights, ripping flowers from a World War Two memorial and attempting to remove a headstone from a grave.Reverend Dan Henderson told BBC Radio Sussex: "People come to the churchyard to seek peace and reflection...it's a shock to see someone do that for seeming...

BBC News • 6th October 2025

Feline fans on the prowl in Brighton cat tour

Two hundred cat enthusiasts took to the streets of Brighton on Sunday for what the organiser believed was the "UK's first cat tour". Brighton Cat Tour followed a planned 4.8km (2.98 mile) route stretching from Seven Dials to Hanover, with 25 cat owners volunteering their homes as pitstops to show off their pets. Stefan Gutierrez, the charity event's organiser, said 105 homes registered interest after a TikTok video promoting the event in August reached almost 100,000 views...

BBC News • 5th August 2025

Hospice to become 'first for LGBTQ+ people in UK'

A hospice in East Sussex has announced it is to become the UK's first dedicated hospice for the LGBTQ+ community. The move by Sussex Beacon, based in Brighton, has been dubbed a "landmark development" by NHS Sussex, aiming to combine inclusive care with expertise in specialist HIV care. The charity has been offering palliative and end-of-life care to people with HIV for more than 30 years, recently expanding its services to the wider LGBTQ+ community, regardless of HIV status. Chief executive Rache...

BBC News • 4th August 2025

Care homes given pioneering dementia training

A scheme in Surrey aimed at improving access to dementia care and upskilling care home staff has been called "the first of its kind in the UK" by Surrey County Council (SCC).Two Admiral Nurses, specialist dementia nurses who work with families, are delivering training to build the expertise of care home staff in supporting people with complex needs.So far 10 care homes which have received training have seen waiting times for admissions fall by three days on average, down by almost 19 per cent, a...

BBC News • 29th July 2025

'I heard building collapse crash on baby monitor'

Residents have been told to avoid their gardens and keep their windows closed until the collapse of a building in Brighton has been resolved by the city's council. East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service said it sent three fire engines to the scene at Ryde Road just after 08:00 BST on Sunday. There were no reported injuries. Danny Edwards, who lives on the road, told BBC Radio Sussex: "I heard a crash on the baby monitor and [saw] a plume of smoke coming down the alleyway." Brighton & Hove City Council s...

BBC News • 28th July 2025

Filmmaking scheme to 'nurture new generation'

An event in "celebration of local film talent" is being hosted to create filmmaking opportunities and a short film competition for Kent-based directors and artists.Screen Ashford, a collaboration between Screen South and Ashford Borough Council (ABC), said it seeks to "support the local industry and nurture a new generation" of filmmakers following its launch in 2024.Organisers said three short films from local artists will be shown at the free event, followed by Q&A sessions with the filmmakers...

BBC News • 20th July 2025

Nearly half of hospital loo users do not wash hands

Almost one in two of people that use a hospital toilet do not wash their hands, according to new research from the University of Surrey.The 19-week study, in partnership with Bispebjerg hospital in Denmark, put sensors on toilet and sink pipes to monitor hygiene behaviours.From 2,636 flushes, it revealed 43.7% (1,153 flushes) of people using a hospital toilet skipped handwashing, with figures peaking at 61.8% on certain weeks.Despite assumptions that handwashing may be "second nature" after Covi...

BBC News • 20th July 2025

Rain-soaked fans recreate Wuthering Heights dance

A sea of people in red dresses and wigs danced through the rain for an annual tribute to Kate Bush at a Kent harbour.The dance in Folkstone took place at midday as as a series of events were held across the UK to recreate the iconic music video for the 1978 hit Wuthering Heights.Toby Cotton, one of the organisers of the Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever, external, previously told BBC Radio Kent it was "something that everybody really enjoys."One dance took place at midday and a second will begin a...