Viva Lewes Issue #158 November 2019

ON THIS MONTH: GALA
The singing prison governor
Homelink Gala at Glyndebourne
What do comedians Eddie
Izzard, Steve Coogan
and Zoe Lyons, presenter
Katie Derham, writer Simon
Fanshawe, and actors Toby
Stephens, Nimmy March
and Sophie Okonedo have in
common with the governor
of HMP Lewes? The answer
is they’re all appearing at Glyndebourne this
month to help raise money for local charity
Homelink.
The charity, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary
this year, works to provide permanent
housing for those who are homeless or at risk of
losing their homes. Liaising with Lewes District
& Eastbourne Borough Councils – as well as with
other organisations, such as job centres, women’s
refuges, children’s services, the Sussex Rough
Sleeper Prevention Project, and Southdown
Housing in Lewes Prison – Homelink provides
interest-free loans to hundreds of people
each year who are homeless or facing eviction,
enabling them to move into private rented accommodation
in the Sussex area.
The Homelink #homes4homeless Anniversary
Gala takes place at Glyndebourne on Sunday
17th November and will feature a host of homegrown
talents, including the aforementioned
celebrities (all of whom have links to the area)
and Lewes Prison Governor Hannah Lane (pictured).
She and a group of her colleagues have
formed a choir, and, under the tutelage of local
musical director and conductor John Hancorn
(also pictured), are preparing to perform at the
event.
“When we were approached to get involved, I
thought it was a great idea,” she says. “We’ve got
strong connections with
Homelink, as it’s a local
charity and helps many of
our residents who don’t
have anywhere to go when
they are released. Around
30 per cent of our men are
officially ‘of no fixed abode’
when they leave here, and
many end up staying with friends or family and
‘sofa surfing’, so the service Homelink provides
is vital. We wanted to support that – and I also
thought it would be a good opportunity to
mythbust what prison staff are like, as we’re all
different and from different backgrounds. Then
I got roped in to take part myself!”
The Lewes Prison Staff Choir is made up of
staff from a range of positions, Hannah adds,
including officers, teachers, admin staff and
chaplains. “We haven’t decided what to wear yet,
but the consensus is it would be nice to wear our
belts and chains, so that there’s the identification
with the prison.”
There’s something else unusual about the group.
The members’ differing shift patterns mean that
the choir won’t have the opportunity to sing together
as a whole until the Gala itself, making the
Glyndebourne performance truly a one-off.
“Before this, I hadn’t sung since primary school!
It’s a great opportunity – to be able to sing at
Glyndebourne and to raise money for a really
good cause. We’ve got our slot, plus the Grand
Finale, when everyone will be on stage together.
It’s going to be amazing. I just hope we don’t
let anyone down, as the standard will be very
high...” Anita Hall
Glyndebourne, 17 November, 3pm. For tickets,
see glyndebourne.com. leweshomelink.org.uk
Photo by Sam Stephenson
41