We were very sad to hear of the death of EHAS founder Christine Burges who died at home on 16th March, 2021.

Christine ran the first EHAS playscheme in 1972, almost 50 years ago.  For almost 40 years she ran EHAS providing holiday activities, playschemes, camps, outings and wonderful opportunities for disadvantaged children in Edenbridge and the surrounding area.  In 1997 Christine was awarded an MBE for her service to the community.  She will be remembered with affection and missed by many in the Edenbridge community.

EHAS will strive to continue Christine’s work and to support those children and families in need.

 “it has been a real privilege knowing and working alongside Christine.  From my first involvement with EHAS over 25 years ago I felt enthused by her passion to enhance the lives of others within our community.  Her commitment to supporting local families was heartfelt.  

Nobody could replace Christine, she is the embodiment of EHAS and I know that she will be looking down on us knowing that we are doing our best to continue her legacy. 

I will miss her greatly and I genuinely believe that she will be missed by all those whose lives she has touched”.

Sharron Medhurst, EHAS Manager since 1997

“For me getting to know her over the past 25 years and being involved with EHAS I admired her determination, dedication, love for children and sense of fun.  Nothing was impossible and everyone mattered great or small.  With the Hub she created a happy, secure place and through the opportunities which EHAS playschemes, camps and outings presented a wealth of exciting and inspiring experiences for generations of Edenbridge children.

 She will be missed by many as she touched so many lives, but her influence will live on”.

Giny Best, Chairman EHAS  

“When we moved to Edenbridge in 1975, I met Christine, she was incredibly kind, scooping me up. She was, in a word “Lady Edenbridge” no-one could have done more for the families. EHAS was a unique club and well ahead of its time. Generations of children returned to help, long after they had left school. She will be sorely missed but has left an enormous legacy to the town”.

Sheila Henderson, EHAS Trustee and supporter 

“Christine was a wonderful woman – tall and commanding and a brilliant organiser.   She also had a great sense of humour.   She was so kind and generous and was very helpful to us when we first came to live in Four Elms.   Above all she was great fun. Her eventful life gave her such experience and this was all brought to bear in her wonderful chairmanship of EHAS for forty years. An inveterate traveller, she went off on her own sometimes and on one trip, circumnavigated a section of the Andes in Peru for example. Finally she was an amazing cook, having gone to Paris where she was taught by a top chef when most of her contemporaries were dining and dancing. She was a very dear friend and we shall miss her enormously”.

Margaret Sim  Secretary to EHAS and supporter and friend