Hi there,
I wonder if anyone from Hastings/St.Leonard's could respond to this if you had the time. I am a single mother of two looking to re-locate to St. Leonard's/Hastings from London. For all the usual reasons: more space, a nice house, cleaner air, a creative community, etc. I am fortunate in that I have a property to sell so would like to eventually buy a house. I have visited the area several times and love the creative energy and friendly vibe, but also I know that in moving, we could radically change our lives. The thing is: I'm black (African-Caribbean) and my children are mixed-race. Would we fit in? When I've mentioned to people in London, I've been warned about the fact that SL/H isn't particularly multi-cultural to which I've just replied - 'is anywhere compared to London?'. The truth is we've never felt uncomfortable when we've visited - quite the opposite in fact, everyone has been totally embracing - I am confident and can more than look after myself, but my children are 5 and 6 years old - I wonder what schools would be like for them? Are some areas more mixed than others? I have to stress that I am not pre-occupied with this - but it is an extra consideration that you have to consider as a person of colour and I would like some advice about if anyone can help me. The areas that I have seen which appeal so far are the Alexandra Park /West Hill areas in Hastings and the area round Lawn Road, Uplands road, etc in St. Leonards. My preference is St. Leonards though. If anyone could advise on good areas that we should consider, and schools (primary and secondary) too, I'd be immensely grateful. Looking forward to hearing from you if you have time. Many thanks. Sunny