Woman produces a new 2019 Bexhill calendar for Children in Need

Margaret Hayles hopes to sell as many of the 2019 calendars as possible, with the first 100 going on sale around town, priced each at £9.95.

She thought Children in Need was a worthy cause as she was a child in need herself, having been abandoned as a baby at Stockwell Underground Station in March 1941.

Margaret said: “I produced this calendar to show everyone what a beautiful seaside town Bexhill is.

“I have been taking photographs of Bexhill for years and I take around 500 a week. It’s my main hobby.

“I will get 100 printed off to start with and see how sales go. Hopefully they will shoot off the shelves and I can get more calendars printed.

“The idea of the calendar is also to put Bexhill on the map.”

Margaret was christened Jean Stockwell when she was taken into care until she was adopted as a toddler by a wealthy family from Wivelsfield, near Haywards Heath, who changed her name to Margaret.

She became a nurse when she left school, then married at 20 and had four children of her own before she was 25.

Margaret has devoted part of her life to charity in the past, having spent 12 years helping the Dreams Come True charity.

As part of her work Margaret appeared regularly on programmes such as TVAM with Anne Diamond to talk about the fulfilling work she did with children.

Margaret helped 2,000 youngsters realise their dreams, whether meeting Cliff Richard, singing a song with David Essex, tuning a Steinway piano in Hamburg, or visiting Legoland in Denmark.

Her work with Dreams Come True came about by chance. One day in 1982 Margaret was talking to a neighbour who happened to say her daughter had cancer and would love her to meet Bob Champion.

At the height of his career as a jockey, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in July 1979.

Margaret’s calendars will be available to buy at the De La Warr Pavilion, Marino’s fish and chip shop in Sackville Road and Hughie’s Beach Cafe.

It is hoped they will be available from more locations around town in the near future.

In other news:

Bexhill’s fireworks extravaganza to go ahead.

Bexhill councillor and former mayor dies.

Sidley and Cripps Corner highways depots set to close.