We will really miss Robyn, who is leaving us to join her family’s business and train to be a Plumber. Watch the interview with her about her role at HFS (click play above).
We are looking for someone with the same positive attitude, love of active work, friendly but professional communication skills and enjoyment of coaching and helping others.
Could it be you?
We’ve simplified our opening times. From 1st July 2018 we will be open from 9.30–4.30 every day from Tuesday to Saturday.
This means there will be more time for our Saturday shoppers to explore our stores.
We will also be able to provide some collections and deliveries on Saturdays for folk who cannot take time off work during the week.
We will be closed so our team can rest on Sundays and Mondays.
HFS featured in Tiernan Douieb’s Partly Political Podcast.
Tiernan compered our fantastic comedy fund-raiser in May and wanted to feature HFS as part of Small Charities Week.
We talk about the challenges and joys of running a small local charity, the issues affecting people in our area, how policies affect us and how people can get involved and support us.
Listen to the Partly Political Podcast (Contains some swearing. Interview starts approx 20 mins into episode)
Photo of Tiernan Douieb and Mark Thomas on stage at De La Warr Pavilion in May by Bob Mazzer
Hastings Burlesque’s ‘Before they were Famous’ show at The Palace on June 9th raised an impressive £270 for our Refuge workshops!
Thanks to everyone who supported the event and bought our “Naughty or Nice” raffle tickets – and to performer Miss Elsie May for this fab shot with our Re-use Manifesto.
Our Workshop on Wheels visits local Refuges to help women who have survived domestic violence build confidence with DIY skills and make items for their new homes.
We are really grateful to Hastings Burlesque for their support.
We’re campaigning to reverse East Sussex County Council’s proposed cuts to the Discretionary East Sussex Support Scheme (DESSS). This local welfare provision scheme provides emergency help to households who are struggling, providing food, utilities or household furniture to those in need.
ESCC proposes to reduce the amount it spends on DESSS by 70% and stop providing household items such as beds, cookers and fridges. HFS has been proud to be part of delivering the scheme in Hastings and Rother, helping low-income households that are starting again after homelessness, escaping domestic violence, moving into independent living after care, or recovering from a crisis such as a house fire.
A survey on the proposed cuts has been set up by ESCC and can be completed online by anyone who has ever used the scheme. HFS is bringing this survey to the attention of all our customers who have been DESSS beneficiaries and is offering printed copies of the survey in both of our stores.
HFS featured in an article about this by Dr Frances Ryan in The Guardian.
The surveys are available on the County Council website.
Congratulations to our volunteers Sam and Mark (pictured in front of van) who have both been offered jobs at Combe Haven Holiday Park.
Sam has been volunteering at our Hastings store since the start of the year, and his eventual goal is to join the army. We wish him every success.
Mark, on the other hand, is not saying a final farewell to us yet, as he will continue to volunteer on the days when he’s not working at Combe Haven.
Looking for a route back into paid employment? Read more about volunteering with HFS here.
Thanks to hundreds of local Tesco shoppers for voting for HFS – we won £2,000!
The funds will help us support volunteers to gain skills, confidence and experience. A lot of our volunteers need support to take on their role with us and to build up towards moving on into training or work.
Thanks to your support we can help more people.
Our friendly team can’t wait to welcome more members!
Read more about volunteering with HFS.
Our Decorating Skills course starts on 15th February, and Advanced Carpentry on 14th. You may not meet your Valentine at the HFS workshop but we reckon we can teach you how to love decorating!
With fantastic wallpapers donated by Brewers and tools from Trade Paints, the workshop is well-stocked. Tutor Ron can’t wait to share his tips and tricks for getting a perfect finish when you decorate a room. Choosing the right tools for the job, preparing walls and surfaces for decoration including painting and wallpapering. Learn how to hang paper, match patterns, trim edges, and work around objects like sockets and light switches.
The course runs for 4 weeks at our Bexhill workshop.
There’s still time to grab a place on one of our New Year courses.
Whether you fancy trying carpentry for the first time, want to polish up your furniture restoration skills or learn how to put up wallpaper, our courses cover practical skills you can use at home.
We run supportive, friendly, small groups of adults so it’s easy to join in and enjoy the experience.
Read more here and enroll at an HFS store.
| Workshop start dates from Jan 2018 | |
| Sessions are weekly for 4 weeks unless otherwise stated | |
| Restore: furniture restoration | Weds 10th Jan |
| Recover: upholstery | Weds 10th Jan |
| Decorate: wallpapering skills | Thurs 15th Feb |
| Revamp: paint effects | Thurs 11th Jan |
| Woodwork: carpentry for beginners | Thurs 11th Jan |
| Woodwork: advanced carpentry | Weds 14th Feb |
| Read more here and enroll at an HFS store. | |
We’re back from our break and looking forward to helping you furnish your homes and offices in 2018.
Pop in to see us in Hastings or Bexhill:
Mon-Thurs 9.30-4.30
Fri 9.30-4
Sat 10-3
Call HFS
