Orbit

Archery Gardens: When Hastings Got an Arrow in the Eye

Posted on 7 July 20259 July 2025 by Hex News Team

Hex News Team Archery Gardens is an almost-completed housing development in St Leonards. It used to have Hastings College on the site, and before that it was Victorian landscaping with some fancy houses. The 117 homes we see now on the site were built by local Battle-based developer Gemselect, in partnership with one of the…

Orbit: emptying and destroying homes during a housing crisis

Posted on 18 April 202524 April 2025 by Merlin Betts

Merlin Betts Hey reader. I’ve gone a bit rogue here and written you a 4,000 word article. I realise in this day and age that makes it less appealing to read. I’ll probably break down parts of it into other shorter articles, but in the meantime this is my best attempt at a proper overview…

Hastings Examiner (Hex for short) is a community news source for Hastings, East Sussex.

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Have a look around. If you like what you read, check out our mission statement or get in touch via info@hastings-examiner.uk. We’re a voluntary organisation and welcome anyone who wants to get involved.

Everything still under development.

We’re a largely text-based outfit here, so you’re going to find a few poets lurking.

A Poem – on Surrender

Kalai Preston

Surrender to the moments around,
Supplicate to the eternal sound.
Heaven draws you ever nearer,
When you hold your soul ever dearer.

Listen to the subtle waves,
Of light dancing and be saved.
There is beauty to behold,
If you are only ever bold.

Surrender into every moment,
Realise that you too are golden.
We cannot control the world at large,
If we try our spirit goes far.

Control only your gentle response,
To what happens and not all at once.
Be the observer rather than act,
And with your soul you make a pact.

Beauty sees itself reflected,
In all others and it is dejected,
By words that purport the negative alone,
Be most positive and put down your phone.

Surrender is an act of love,
To higher forces from above,
That watch all tenderly and always hold,
That space in which you can be bold.

This section is meant for local poets. Submit your poems to info@hastings-examiner.uk. They’ll be added to our archive and eventually featured here.