JANUARY! The month of sales, blues and resolutions — a time to reflect on what we want more, or less, of in the year ahead; a moment to seek new connections or passions to sustain us when things get tough, or simply to find something creative or inspiring to do.

At Ropetackle, January means a deep breath after the madness of Panto and the festive season. We have a big tidy-up (those glittery bits get everywhere!) before opening the doors to new shows, new activities, and – we hope – new faces.

We thrive on community, so step in and discover our weekly activities. We currently host Age is a Stage (drama for the over-50s), the Harmonessence choir, yoga and Pilates classes, creative writing, Move It or Lose It (gentle exercise for older people) and baby sensory groups for new parents.

Also in the daytime, we have Relaxed Film Screenings, open to all but particularly suitable for those with memory loss or dementia: this month is The King’s Speech, plus a matinée – The Four Letters of Love – on the 20th.

January also heralds the start of our deaf-friendly film programme, with a qualified BSL interpreter. The first – DEAF (SORDA) – is on 12th Jan, and open to all.

Our Saturday Sessions – free live music in the foyer – return with Peppercorn Cartel on Sat 10th at 1pm.

For kids, we have the brilliant theatre and puppet show Zoom! on Sunday 25th, as well as Short Stories Tall Tales and a toddler film on the 30th.

In the evenings, there are book and professional storytelling events, films and the Catalyst Club (an increasingly popular night where three guest speakers take the floor to talk about a passion, a hobby, or anything they like for 15 minutes each). The best bit is that the topics are only revealed on the night…

Then, of course, we have the big live shows we’re known for! This month, we welcome Janet Street Porter and Angela Barnes. The must-see Brighton Beach Boys perform Bowie hits on the 10th, London Calling stomp in on the 16th to pay tribute to The Clash, blues and boogie on the 23rd featuring three top acts, and a stunning Brazilian jazz trio on the 24th.

These are just the highlights – for the full programme, take a look at our What’s On Page,

Remember, our doors are (almost) always open from 10am, and our onsite Rose Petal Café serves some of the best coffee, cake and lunches around. We’re right at the end of Shoreham High Street, by the Norfolk Bridge, so pop in, say hello, and maybe start a whole new passion!