Sunday Brunch features soundbites from the ‘Sussex & Surrey Soapbox’ podcast latest episode. This is slightly different from the usual format, where we step back from a local issues debate and SPOTlight a local charity making a huge positive difference to our community…. to skip chapters click on the 3 horizontal lines (left in the above player). Have your say via WhatsApp (bottom right) or join the conversation in our Facebook Group HERE. 

Crawley doesn’t need to be “made cultural” from the outside, it needs the spotlight put on what’s already here and the space to build what’s next. Clive Hilton, SUSY Sunday Brunch joins Louise Blackwell, Creative Director at Creative Crawley, to talk about how public murals, playful festivals, and unexpected art in everyday places are changing how the town feels to live in. If you’ve walked past County Mall and spotted the changing window installations, picked up the Book of Crawley, or heard people rave about Around The Lake Festival, there’s a good chance you’ve already met Creative Crawley without realising it.

We get into the practical work behind inclusive community arts: making events free or genuinely affordable, partnering with Arts Council England and Crawley Borough Council, and designing projects that welcome people with any level of confidence or experience. Louise shares the thinking behind using Crawley as a canvas, from resident-led ideas to collaborations that connect communities through making, including garment projects with women from Afghan and Ukrainian backgrounds. We also talk about what “access” really means, and why bringing culture closer to home can foster a positive, creative vibe to the town.

Then we dive into what’s coming up:

1) Saturday 20 June: A youth open day by CCYS and Creative Crawley, exclusively for ages 12 to 18 to explore. 10-2pm at the Dormans Youth Arts Centre.

2) Thursday 11 June: A town-wide call to ‘play’ between midday and 2pm as a launch moment for a future National Festival of Play with Hemingway Design. From playing instruments and board games through to playing sport – Creative Crawley would love to recieve your pictures and clips.

3) Weekend 25 & 26 July: Crawley Fusion Mela, with Creative Crawley curating Saturday’s programme in County Mall. 

Find them at @CreativeCrawley and www.creativecrawley.com, send in your play photos and clips, 

Episode Picture Credit: Ian Greenland

Sunday Brunch featured soundbites from the above ‘Sussex & Surrey Soapbox’ podcast episode…. to skip chapters click on the 3 horizontal lines (left in the above player). Have your say via WhatsApp (bottom right) or join the conversation in our Facebook Group HERE.

 Roundtable Featuring: Michelle Lucas (Special Guest), Maureen Jones, Micaela Leal, Georgie Lucas, Aga Es, Abigail Chapman-Miller, James Tidy & Magdalena Rahman. Host: Clive Hilton. 

Social media can make grown adults talk like strangers at war, and we’ve all felt that shift. We dig into a blunt question: does the internet reward conflict more than community? and is it warping local democracy in the process?

We talk through what the run-up to the 7 May local elections looked like from the front line, including the personal cost of campaigning when online abuse escalates into accusations, slurs, and lazy labels that replace real policy debate. James and Abigail share how quickly people jump to “Nazi”, “transphobic”, or worse, and why that kind of reductionistic language doesn’t just hurt feelings, it discourages good people from standing for office at all. We also explore the tribalism that turns politics into a football match, where winning the argument matters more than understanding the neighbour.

Then we pull back the curtain on the incentives: algorithms, rage bait, bots, and the odd reality that longer angry comments can be worth more than simple support. We debate anonymity and accountability, including the legitimate need for anonymous profiles in situations like domestic abuse, while still calling out how “purple pomegranate” accounts can poison community Facebook groups. We also widen the lens to loneliness, generational change, and what constant screen time is doing to children’s imagination and social skills.

Sunday Brunch featured soundbites from the above ‘Sussex & Surrey Soapbox’ podcast episode…. to skip chapters click on the 3 horizontal lines (left in the above player). Have your say via WhatsApp (bottom right) or join the conversation in our Facebook Group HERE.

Amanda Foster, Youth Worker In Charge with Crawley Community Youth Service (CCYS) shares why they recently adopted a neglected local train station and how quickly things improve when people decide to care. SUSY Sunday Brunch were outside Ifield Station in Crawley on a sunny day as the Adopt a Train Station project kicks off, bringing together local residents, youth workers, and young volunteers who want their station to feel cleaner, safer, and more welcoming. You’ll hear why visible fixes like litter picking, tackling graffiti, and better lighting are not just cosmetic changes but signals that a place is being looked after.

Rowena Tyler, Arun Valley Line Officer from Southeast Communities Rail Partnership explains how station adoption works, what support is available, and how volunteers can turn ideas into action through planning help, grant guidance, and partnerships with rail operators. Along the way, kids share what they’re excited to do and why “one small thing” can add up to something bigger.

We also hear Parveen Khan support this brilliant initiative with appreciation and recognition of the young volunteers. Positive impact is possible when communities stick with it – gardening groups, artwork, heritage restoration projects, and friendships that start with a single litter picker. If you’re in Sussex or Surrey and you travel these lines, there are stations still waiting for adopters, including Littlehaven, Crawley, and Three Bridges. 

Sunday Brunch featured soundbites from the above ‘Sussex & Surrey Soapbox’ podcast episode…. to skip chapters click on the 3 horizontal lines (left in the above player). Have your say via WhatsApp (bottom right) or join the conversation in our Facebook Group HERE.

We sit down with special guests Michelle Harfield, Turning Tides and Ian Wilkins, Crawley Open House for a candid, eye-opening conversation about the real causes of homelessness across the SUSY area — and why the story we often hear barely scratches the surface. In the next episode we will tackle escaping homelessness and the services provided by Turning Tides and Crawley Open House.

Together, we challenge common assumptions, moving beyond the narrow image of rough sleeping to uncover a far more complex reality. From the quiet instability of unsafe housing to the long, uncertain stretches in temporary accommodation and hostels, we trace the real pathways into homelessness — shaped by childhood experiences, trauma, sudden financial shocks, and a cascade of life events that rarely happen in isolation.

In Part 1 we explore:

• your 500 comments in 48hrs to our blunt Facebook post across a number of local groups ‘Why are so many homeless in this town?’ 
• why “homelessness” extends far beyond life on the streets 
• how it’s rarely a single cause, but a compounding series of setbacks 
• the often-hidden role of childhood trauma and adverse experiences 
• addiction as both a coping mechanism and a consequence — not a simple cause 
• how Crawley Open House maintains clear boundaries to keep residents safe 
• how Turning Tides uses harm minimisation to reduce risk and support recovery 
• the scale of hidden homelessness in Crawley — and why “temporary” housing can last for years 
• the impact of evictions, the Renters’ Rights Act, and the shift from Section 21 to Section 8 
• why early support — from families to children’s mental health services — is key to long-term prevention 

In Part 2 we move onto what truly helps people move beyond homelessness—and why simply offering a roof, without long-term support, can sometimes do more harm than good.

Together, we unpack homelessness as a complex, non-linear journey—more “snakes and ladders” than straight path—and examine the structural and human realities that shape it. From the shortage of affordable housing to the unintended consequences of the benefits system, we look at why escaping homelessness is often far more difficult than it appears.

We discuss why stable accommodation must be paired with tenancy sustainment, life skills, and meaningful relationships; how digital exclusion and poor-quality temporary housing create additional barriers; and why models like Housing First—bringing support directly into the home—are proving transformative.

The conversation also explores harm reduction, addiction recovery, and the realities of relapse, including Iqbal’s powerful lived experience of addiction, prison, and recovery with the support of a Naltrexone implant. Along the way, we challenge the idea that people can simply be “fixed,” and instead highlight the importance of long-term, person-centred support.

We also look at innovative approaches like Skywaves in Worthing, where self-contained flats are paired with 24/7 support, and reflect on the critical role of employment, purpose, and positive relationships in rebuilding lives.

Finally, we turn to what members of the public can do—offering practical, thoughtful ways to help that protect dignity and increase safety. From small acts of kindness to using tools like StreetLink to connect people with outreach teams, we explore how compassion, when paired with understanding, can make a real difference.

We also share ways to support organisations like Turning Tides and Crawley Open House through donations, volunteering, and community involvement.

If this conversation resonates with you, follow us on Spotify, Amazon Music, or Apple Podcasts.

Roundtable Featuring:  Special Guests – Michelle Harfield (Turning Tides), Ian Wilkins (Crawley Open House), Iqbal Khan, Aga Es, Maureen Jones & Micaela Leal Host: Clive Hilton.