The award-winning Visitor Centre was chosen to show a preview of The Hastings Show, an exhibition celebrating our town, organised Alison Purdy, with support from watercolour artist and furniture maker Stewart Walton and photographer John Cole. The exhibition was opened by the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Town Crier last Friday evening, and continues every day until Sunday 23rd September, from 10am-5pm. Items on display at the exhibition include mirrors and furniture made from materials salvaged during the post-fire restoration of Hastings Pier, photographs of some of the construction workers, watercolour paintings of Hastings scenes, and Hastings themed mirrors. All the work is for sale. Alison says: “I had the idea to put on an exhibition of design and artwork inspired by Hastings, and particularly the Pier, around five years ago when the reconstruction work began after the devastating fire. “I was given some of the salvaged wooden joists, which I have subsequently turned into unique decorative mirrors. “It has been a long path to bring this show together, working with various incarnations of Hastings Pier Charity, and then Mr Gulzar the new owner, but everyone has been very supportive and I’m so excited to have the opportunity to show my mirrors on the beautiful Hastings Pier. “A big thank you to everyone involved in this exhibition.” The Hastings Show has been very well attended so far, with hundreds of people coming along to enjoy the handmade items on display. There has been an overwhelmingly positive response to the show. There is the chance to get involved yourself at the Creation Station, where you can draw, paint, write stories and poetry about Hastings. There will be prizes for the judges favourite entries. At the weekends there are a number of talks and workshops - there was a full house for last Sunday’s fascinating talk on the structure and maintenance of the pier by Restoration Project Manager David Spooner and Chief Engineer Peter Wheeler. Last weekend there was a show by a group of local poets, and this weekend (Saturday September 22 and Sunday 23) there is a performance poetry workshop, and a talk by Kevin Atkins on the history of the pier. Most are free - tickets available at www.ticketsource.co.uk/thehastingsshow. For more information on the exhibition and work by Alison Purdy please visit www.purdyshop.com or Facebook/PurdyGlass. Pictures by Roberts Photographic.