2010 08 South Downs Living by Roger Booth

August 2010 | No 63

Discover the

Bedelands of Burgess Hill June 1963

JFK comes to Sussex Elsie Wagg

East Grinsteadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founder of the National Garden Scheme

Hayley Westenra

Singing in support of Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Armed Forces at Ardingly Showground on September 4th the local magazine for mid sussex

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S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

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Contents Free local community and lifestyle magazine South Downs Living is published monthly by: Roger Booth (Studio) Ltd 48 Keymer Road, Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 8AR Tel: 01273 842550 Fax: 01273 842597 www.southdownsliving.com Editor: Roger Booth editorial@southdownsliving.com Deputy Editor: Nicole Tata editorial@southdownsliving.com

8 Publisher’s Comment 9 Letters and comments 10-12 Burgess Hill

13-22 What’s on in Mid Sussex 23 Mid Sussex Vets

Creature comforts

24-25 Extreme charity work

Advertising: Tel: 01273 842550 Suzi Reeve suzi@southdownsliving.com Tanis Banham tanis@southdownsliving.com Sonya Clare sonya@southdownsliving.com

25-34 Gardening 27 Kingspan

Production, Design and Artwork: Lee Meads lee.meads@southdownsliving.com Accounts: Carla Faulks – Tel: 01273 847518 carla.faulks@southdownsliving.com Photography: Olga Forster, Lee Meads, Ruth Lawrence, Carrie-Anne Sillence. Design/Artwork/Repro: Roger Booth (Studio) Ltd Tel: 01273 846834 Printed by: The Magazine Printing Company PLC, Enfield, Middlesex Cover image: Hayley Westenra © Crown Events

Lee goes wild at the weekend

More than just a load of old rubbish

30-32 Local history cover

Sussex welcomes JFK

Bolney Stoves Hot stoves for cool homes

36-37 Elsie Wagg

cover Opening gardens for charity

39 The Sportsman at

Goddards Green Everyone’s a winner

Slaugham walk

25-34 43

Mothering Heights Lisa de Silva on being a 21st century mum

44-45 Beauty and Style 47 A picture of health

Nuffield Health Haywards Heath Hospital

48 Denture care for everyone 5 0-51 Roger Green

Grabbing life by the horns

52-53 Distribution details 54-57 South Downs Living Online

Mid Sussex community news

57-59 Local business directory

30-32

August 2010 | No 63

cover Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve

Contributors: Roger Booth, Tom Briggs, Les Campbell, Simon Kerr, Ruth Lawrence, Roger Linn, Lisa de Silva, Nicole Tata.

Distribution: Carla Faulks, Phil Mepham distribution@southdownsliving.com

10-12

Discover the

Bedelands of Burgess Hill

50-51

June 1963

JFK comes to Sussex

36-37

Elsie Wagg

East Grinstead’s founder of the National Garden Scheme

Hayley Westenra

Singing in support of Britain’s Armed Forces at Ardingly Showground on September 4th THE LOCAL MAGAZINE FOR MID SUSSEX

Whilst every reasonable care is taken with all materials submitted to South Downs Living the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to such materials. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form either in part or whole without written permission from the publishers. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and the publisher can take no responsibility for omissions or errors. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited submissions or the return of submitted items. The inclusion of an advertiser in this magazine is not necessarily a recommendation. Please ensure that you make the usual checks, for example take up references to the quality of work or use a supplier who belongs to ‘check a trade’ or another reputable organisation.

South Downs Living is a member of the Periodical Publishers Association, the FSB and West Sussex Trading Standards ‘Buy With Confidence’ scheme

South Downs Living August 2010

Welcome to our

August issue T

Roger Booth Publisher

his month we have another walk for you around Slaugham, hope you enjoy it. We discovered that the National Garden Scheme was the brainchild of a lady called Elsie Wagg from East Grinstead, so we wanted to tell you about it (page 36). Did you know that John F Kennedy (35th President of the United States) visited Chelwood Gate a few months before he was assassinated in 1963? No? Well, see page 30. There is much much more to read. Enjoy.

The tragic deaths of two young people in Mid Sussex recently, 11 year old James Howard from Hurstpierpoint and 15 year old Scott Turner from Burgess Hill, move us all with grief and we would like to express our sympathy to their friends and family. We may look to God and ask why he has taken these precious lives away. For me, God is everywhere (and not a she, he or an it) and dwells in the heart of every one of us, so if God was really involved in these terrible tragedies then he (she or it) would have been destroying his, her or its own dwelling at the same time, an obvious nonsense. For me God only knows life, love and peace and would be puzzled if you mention death, darkness or hate. “What’s death?” I can hear him, (her or it) say. At times like this we can become more aware of how precious life is and we may then look at our own lives, and appreciate all the more that we are alive and have that precious breath which, when lost, means everything else for us is lost as well. Not long ago I was diagnosed with hypertension. “A walking time bomb,” my doctor said. Unless I took action I could die at any moment from a stroke. After a few days of disbelief I started to work on my Will and looked at succession planning for my business. But I also looked up at the sky much more than I did, and noticed things about the clouds and the colours that I normally didn’t. What if I wasn’t able to see them tomorrow? Well, today I would appreciate them all the more. Recently I went back to Newcastle where I had lived for many years and drove around all the places where I had lived, and where this happened and where that happened. Not with nostalgia, but with a feeling of just ticking them all off into my memory. I knew that this could be the last time I would be there. I also met many of my old friends. It was so good to see them all. I am now on a medical regime and attend the gym regularly. But I still know that I am very lucky to be able to be here and enjoy this beautiful world that seems to have been created just for me. Roger Booth, South Downs Living magazine 48 Keymer Road, Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 8AR 01273 842550 roger@southdownsliving.com

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

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Letters and comments

We are always thrilled to hear what our readers think of South Downs Living, and we promise to do our best to take on board your comments and suggestions on how to make our magazine even better. Please keep sending your comments – good or bad! editorial@southdownsliving.com

What a consistently brilliant magazine you publish each month. So many things in Sussex I have learned about thanks to South Downs Living. The latest is learning why William Allen Lane has the name it has! How much we need people like him. Can remember being stunned a few months back to learn that the industrial park in Burgess Hill was once a pleasure area. Is absolutely scandalous it was not restored after being used for wartime purposes. Your magazine is so well written and so many superb photos. What a terrific team you all are. As regard the poem Desiderata. I could not agree more about it being so beautiful. Have you ever heard the musical version? It was in the charts many years ago and just in case you have never heard it I have attached it.

19 May 2010 Dear Roger, Having lived in the Chailey area for 40 years, I must thank you for the May cover of South Downs Living – it answers a question that has puzzled me for some time: how large areas of Chailey Common becomes torn up, and what those strange trumpeting noises are I have heard while walking on the common! Dear Roger and Nicole,

Yours sincerely, Ron Peren, Newick

May 2010 | No 60

Dear Roger,

McIndoe’s Army

The Guinea Pig Club

History

The Battle of Haywards Heath

Regards Annabel Pritchard

Local Walk

Chailey Common

Art Special

Shepherd Interview with David ld Arts Festival First ever Lindfie hout Mid Sussex Open Houses throug

Thank you for the article on Charles Kempe in the June issue of South Downs Living. You did a very impressive job with it – both in design and content. It has also been very helpful for the Staplefield fundraising appeal – and we are now well on the way to meeting our financial target and should be able to begin and complete the conservation next year. With very best wishes Rachel Daniels

suss ex azin e for mid the loc al mag

Hello Mr Booth, Myrtle suggested I send you this sonnet or your monthly magazine. As she serves in the museum at Ditchling, and I’ve known her for many years I thought I’d have a go. Yours faithfully, Kali Ma, Hove Shakespearian Sonnet: Ditchling Village Sudden arrival on this ‘miniature’, Has tight round-abouts, and polight ‘give-ways’; Where her narrowness had seen better days; When horse & cart were followed for manure. Old, and rather quaint with a long history Of village crafts, – every folk knowing each One’s community life, and the ‘cloth’ teach Sunday’s variations of God’s mystery. An interesting museum tucked away Behind the central churchyard, and pleasing, Where one partakes of tea when visiting; Or, pick-nick on the green by the pond a-day. One must while, a-while, when one comes upon This village, set ‘neath its hilly beacon.

Hello Roger, Another great magazine issue. We really enjoyed McIndoe and Muster Green articles. I had in Frontline Gates on Friday and told them it was via your SDL ad and I have Dale at Dream Gardens coming at 2pm today and will tell him it was via your SDL ad. I called Gravetye about booking a table for my mother’s 75th and told them I’d seen the SDL ad (thought they’d gone bust until I saw that big page ad) and the Palmer ad reminds me I must get my mower serviced by them so I’ll mention SDL! Off to Chailey Common with your walk at the weekend if it warms up and am about to phone The Oasis about their Meerkats – to get them along to the Edenbridge Show that I promote, so all in all another very useful issue of SDL! I like how you’ve got those A Boards to show where it is being circulated too, e.g. that pub on the left as you go into Fox Hill and for me it has made it a more interesting publication to expand out to East Grinstead. Congrats! Victoria Henley Burgess Hill resident and Public Relations expert

South Downs Living August 2010

Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve … far from the

madding crowd Discovering Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve in Burgess Hill, I honestly wasn’t expecting to be so pleasantly surprised. Walking through a meadow abundant in colourful wildflowers, each footstep must have disturbed a dozen grasshoppers. The ground was literally alive with them and the air vibrated with chirping. Clovers and cornflowers, bees and colourful beetles – here was the diverse life of an old meadow, alive and kicking in the 21st century.

by Ruth Lawrence

he land was a working farm from the 1300s which was divided into a group of smallholdings. It is composed of rare unimproved meadows and woodland which has escaped fertilizer and additives, which means it has retained its precious diversity and species’ rich variety. The 33 hectare site is corralled by a rail track and housing estate. It opens out into a series of inviting contrasting environments where you could easily spend an entire day. Park behind the playing fields at Maple Drive and walk through woodland rich with old oaks and beech trees to emerge in meadows teeming with life. The reserve has won the Green Flag award (a national indicator of excellence in parks) four times and has achieved an award for green space management. It has become a prime example of a good management plant which has been a blueprint for others to follow. Experimental areas have been in place now for over 10 years that have resulted in a better understanding of how to encourage a naturally diverse mix of wildflowers. Hay is cut from the meadows just once a year in late summer as opposed to conventional farming which cuts grass in June when at its sweetest. This practice allows wildflowers to finish seeding and ensures future diversity. The old hay meadows at the south west

of the reserve were cleared from woodland 700 years ago and those north east of Big Wood were part of an open common for at least a thousand years, covered in bracken and gorse. The ancient hedgerows to the west of the reserve include hazel, hawthorn, blackthorn and wild cherry, providing perfect nest sites and acting as corridors for wildlife. The boundary, which runs to the left of Wet Meadow into Old Arable, predates the Norman Conquest and probably originated in the 8th or 9th century, forming part of the boundary between Keymer and Clayton. Walking among these historic boundaries, the gnarled trees twist around you with a sculptural beauty and it’s tempting to wonder at the changes that have occurred within their lifetimes. Big Wood is part of a royal chase which ran from Ditchling in Saxon times. Called ‘Freckebergh’ in the Middle Ages, the name lives on in the nearby Freeks Farm. Hornbeam is the main species in this wood, once harvested by coppicing and also used to make barrels. 700 years ago a cooper (barrel maker) used to live on the reserve land, next to a natural spring. There are rare wild service trees in Big Wood, a species that used to be planted outside inns to indicate ‘service’ within. The chequered bark meant that inns used to be commonly known as ‘chequers’. Continued on page 12 >

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Corralled by a rail track and housing estate, Bedelands opens out into a series of inviting contrasting environments where you could easily spend an entire day. Park behind the playing fields at Maple Drive and walk through woodland rich with old oaks and beech trees to emerge in meadows teeming with life.â&#x20AC;?

South Downs Living August 2010

“This is an ideal place to take children – with open spaces and great hiding spots, there is so much variety within the reserve representing different ecosystems in small scale.”

< Continued from page 10

There are several small ponds, home to the water loving plants Yellow Flag and Branched Burr-Reed. The ponds support much wildlife, dragonflies whirr across the surface like elongated jewels and damselflies feed on vegetation. The ponds may have originated from marl digging, a type of clay once used to improve agricultural land, indicated by the unusual tussock sedge that forms tiny ‘islands’ jutting from the bottom. Bedelands is managed by a steering group working to a management plan involving tasks such as path and hedge maintenance and coppicing. The work is undertaken by local contractors and the Friends of Burgess Hill Green Circle Network. The important annual haymaking prevents a build-up of dead vegetation and allows wildflowers to bloom in later years. Experimental sheep grazing has been in progress for a few years in conjunction with the University of Sussex. The Friends assist the Council to KEY manage the reserve, organising talks and walks, Broadleaved open to local clubs, societies and schools. The reserve is easy to access: there arewood gravel paths, boardwalks and a car park to the south, Hedge next to the playing fields. Recent work has been aimed at improving access for those with disabilities. It’s an ideal place to take children Grassland– with open spaces and great hiding spots,meadow there is so much variety within the reserve representing different ecosystems in small scale. While I Pond walked across Watford Meadow, I met a dog walker who told me he’d seen foxes, badgers, the Stream occasional grass snake and then he whispered: “And I’ve seen a puma – a big black cat on long weta legs!” I quickly moved on, half expectingMarshy to see area couple of foraging giraffes...

Bedelands is a real and unexpected gem, largely undiscovered because it is so well hidden behind housing; it is one of those delights that repay deeper exploration. In 2000, it won the prestigious Millennium Marque, one of only 17 in the South East to receive the award for environmental excellence. In 2003 the entire site was designated a Site of Nature Conservation Importance because of the quality of the wildlife. Whether you are looking for somewhere to show wildlife to children in a safe environment, or you’re a photographer, walker or you simply want to escape town for a while, Bedelands is an oasis of interest and relaxation. If you want to experience an ancient wildflower meadow, lie in the long grass, shut your eyes and let yourself dream. ■

BEDELANDS FARM

Path

Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve

www.midsussex.gov.uk/Bedelandsfarm Access point www.burgesshill.gov.uk/bedelands www.bh-green-circle.org.uk/sites/bedelands-farm Site boundary

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

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South Downs Living August 2010

What’s on visit us online at www.southdownsliving.com email editorial@southdownsliving.com Tuesday 27 July – Tuesday 31 August, Get more active this summer at CURVES. At Curves, it takes just 30 minutes, 3 times a week to see real results. To lose inches and meet likeminded women, visit your local Curves and ask for the six-week trial offer. In addition, if you work out 3 times per week, you can join as a full member for FREE. 6 weeks for just £39 (conditions apply). HAYWARDS HEATH: Ashenground Community Centre, Southdown Close RH16 4JR Tel. 01444 416721 / 07779 839138 HASSOCKS: 16 Keymer Road, Hassocks BN6 8AN Tel. 01273 841003 www.curves.co.uk

For more information email rebecca.dowden@tesco.net or visit www.localboxoffice.com.

Tuesday 27 July, 10.30-14.30 Sussex Wildlife Trust: Bugs and Beasties. Woods Mill, Shoreham Road, Henfield, West Sussex BN5 9SD. Art-Holiday Club Event. Walk through the woods on the reserve looking at natural colours and shapes, make a giant sculpture in the woods and produce your own work of art from natural materials to take home. Toilets and disabled toilets. All weather paths. Members: £9 per session, nonmembers: £12 per session. Booking essential, please ring 01273 497561.

Tuesday 27 – Friday 30 July Young Professional Singers’ Workshop. Drama Studio, Oakmeeds Community College, Burgess Hill.

Tuesday 27 July, 13.30 Serendipity: Clarinet & Cello. Chequer Mead Community Arts Centre, De La Warr Road, East Grinstead.

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in the morning then enjoy a lunch provided by us and in the afternoon transform your beads into a necklace and earrings. Call 01444 248475 for information.

Wednesday 28 July, 14.00-17.00 Children’s Safari on Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve, Burgess Hill. Come along to this popular event, bring drinks and a picnic. Take part in pond dipping, listen to stories and play other outdoor games.

Wednesday 28 July, 10.30-16.00 Jewellery Classes at Giraffe Gems. Ote Hall Farm, Janes Lane, Burgess Hill. Make polymer-clay beads

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What’s on visit us online at www.southdownsliving.com email editorial@southdownsliving.com No dogs please. If it is raining on the day we will still run some of the events in the NCT hall (next to Burgess Hill football grounds). For accompanied children aged 4-11 years. Free. Meet at Burgess Hill football grounds car park, off Maple Drive, Burgess Hill. Organised by The Friends of Burgess Hill Green Circle Network. Contact 01444-242667 or visit www.bh-green-circle.org.uk

Wednesday 28 July, 19.30 Charles Eamer Kempe Lecture. St Mark’s Church, Brantridge Lane, Staplefield. Adrian Barlow, probably the leading authority on Charles Eamer Kempe is to give a lecture entitled ‘Kempe in Sussex’ in aid of the Staplefield village Kempe Wall Paintings Appeal. Tickets cost £7.50 and are available from: Tony Peel Cross, Little Ashfold Farm, Cuckfield Rd, Staplefield, West Sussex RH17 6ES, tel. 01444 401741 and Sue Tuckwell, Silver Birches, Tanyard Lane, Staplefield, West Sussex RH17 6EJ, tel. 01444 40025. Please enclose an SAE if applying for tickets by post and make cheques payable to St Mark’s Church (frescoes appeal). Numbers are limited. Staplefield village is working to raise £25,000 to restore the Kempe wall paintings in St Mark’s Church. The paintings are exceptionally rare as only three examples of Kempe wall paintings are known to exist. The Staplefield paintings are the earliest examples and they are the only ones in a parish church.

Wednesday 28 July, 20.00 Sussex Bonsai Group. Village Hall, Wivelsfield Green. Demo by Ken Norman. EVERY MONTH: Bring and Buy Table, Tree of The Month (for Members and Novices). For information contact Barry McMenamin on 01444 243533 or visit www.sussexbonsaigroup.co.uk

Thursday 29 July Jewellery Classes at Giraffe Gems. Ote Hall Farm, Janes Lane, Burgess Hill. 10.30-12.30: Polymer Clay Children’s Class. 14.00-16.00: Chain and bead necklaces. Call 01444 248475 for information.

Thursday 29 July, 18.00-21.00 Payot Skincare Launch Evening. Sparkle Beauty Salon, 16 Lower Church Road, Burgess Hill RH15 9AA. There will be a facial demonstration, performed by one of Payot’s skincare specialists. This will also include a demonstration of Payot’s signature 42 step modellage massage technique, which you will find in all our skincare rituals – an experience not to be missed. Also, an introductory talk on the brand and special offers on treatments booked on the night. Free gifts available with product purchases. Entry to this free event is from 6pm-6:30pm. Come along with a friend and enjoy a relaxed evening with a drink and nibbles supplied. If you are interested in joining us on the evening, please call us on 01444 248428 or call into the salon to reserve your places. Places are limited and are on a first come first serve basis. We look forward to seeing you on the evening.

Thursday 29 July, 19.30 Music for a Summer Evening. The Old Meeting House, The Twitten, Ditchling. featuring Andrew Wickens (violin) and Elizabeth Hill (piano). Music will include The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams and Summer from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Tickets £8, to include wine and summer fruits in the garden with music by Ian Chisholm, available from Ditchling Post Office.

Friday 30 July, 14.00-16.00 Jewellery Classes at Giraffe Gems. Ote Hall Farm, Burgess Hill.

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Our free range meat beats supermarket prices

Polymer Clay Children’s Class. Call 01444 248475 for information.

Saturday 31 July St Peter & St James Ladies Day, The Longines Royal International Horse Show, The All England Jumping Course, Hickstead. Visitors are encouraged to ‘dress to impress’. A committee will tour the ground to find the six best-dressed ladies, who will then be invited into the International Arena for the judges to select a winner. The top prize will be a 3-day luxury break for two at Loch Lomond.

Open: Thursday, Friday until 5pm Saturday 9am to 2pm South Downs Living August 2010

What’s on visit us online at www.southdownsliving.com email editorial@southdownsliving.com

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Tel: 01444 882580 Mob: 07764 235072 • Family run business • Home visits by mobile showroom Over 30 years experience

Valuation Day

Pictures Tuesday 10 August 10am to 2pm Our London Pictures Specialist Veronique Scorer will be at the Hove office at the times and dates listed to give free appraisals for our forthcoming sales To make an appointment or for further information please contact Lorraine Foster on 01273 220 000 or email: lorraine.foster@bonhams.com Bonhams 19 Palmeira Square Hove, East Sussex BN3 2JN www.bonhams.com

Supporters of the Hospice are offered a 20% reduction on tickets for Ladies Day; these can be purchased through the Hickstead Box Office (01273 834 315). For further information visit www.hickstead.co.uk

Saturday 31 July, 11.00-14.00 Butterfly Walk on Bedelands Nature Reserve, Burgess Hill. Butterfly Walk led by Barbara Allen and Sandra Solly. Meet in Bedelands car park off Maple Drive at 10.50am and bring a picnic. Organised by the Friends of Burgess Hill Green Circle Network, a local charity caring for the wildlife spaces and corridors around Burgess Hill. Call 01444 242667.

Saturday 31 July, 14.00 Westmeston, Streat and District Flower Show. Westmeston Parish Hall. Come and enjoy the exhibits, stalls and sideshows, raffle, bonsai demonstration and special guests The Plumpton Morris Dancers. Tea and a slice of homemade cake. We always welcome new entrants to our classes so if you grow flowers, fruit or vegetables, enjoy cooking or photography or have enthusiastic young members in your family who enjoy gardening, art and cooking please contact us on 01273 891137.

Saturday 31 July, 21.00 Moths, Bats and Gloworms Evening. Bedelands Nature Reserve, Burgess Hill. Meet in Bedelands car park off Maple Drive at 8.45pm and bring a torch. Contact 01444 242667.

Sunday 01 August, 14.00-18.00 Fulking Village Fair. Stalls, entertainment, competitions, real ales, champagne and pimms, dog show, afternoon teas and cakes. Fun for all the family.

Wednesday 04 August Jewellery Classes at Giraffe Gems. Ote Hall Farm, Janes Lane, Burgess Hill. 10.30-12.30: Beginner’s Class. 14.00-16.00: Chain and bead necklaces. Call 01444 248475.

Wednesday 04 August, 11.00-14.00 Sponsored Toddle & Fun Family Picnic. Beech Hurst Gardens, Haywards Heath. In aid of St Peter & St James. Toddle for ages 5 and under. Pre-

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

Registration essential! Please call 01444 471598 for more details.

Wednesday 04 August, 12.00-16.00 Summer Roadshow 2010. Whitemans Green, Cuckfield. Tons of fun for teenagers. Featuring live bands on stage, fire brigade, police, Mid Sussex Golf por’s, displays, chance to see what’s on in your area, football activities, refreshments, competitions and loads more... For information check out www. yourspacewestsussex.co.uk/ roadshow. Local bands, singers, dancers wanted aged 11-19. Call 01444 450438 or email lisa.powell@westsussex.gov.uk to sign up and let us know what equipment you need or will provide and what time slot you require! Looking forward to seeing you there!

Wednesday 04 August, 20.00 Chanctonbury Ring Morris. The Sloop Inn, Scaynes Hill RH17 7NP. Dancing clog, with Ashdown Forest Morris. Contact Clive Funnell on 01273 494377 or visit www.crmm.org.uk

Friday 06 August, 10.30-15.00 “Drop in and Dig” at East Grinstead Museum, Old Market Yard, Cantelupe Road, East Grinstead. Be an amateur archaeologist and see what you can find (a Festival of British Archaeology event). Suitable for 5 year olds and upwards. Cost £1 per child. No need to book, just drop in. Visit www.eastgrinsteadmuseum.org.uk

Friday 06 August, 14.00-16.00 Jewellery Classes at Giraffe Gems. Ote Hall Farm, Janes Lane, Burgess Hill. Polymer Clay Basic’s Class. Call 01444 248475 for details.

Friday 06 August, 19.00 / 21.00 Ghost Walk: Hurstpierpoint. Meet Village Centre car park. Join us for a spooky stroll around some of Mid Sussex’s most haunted villages with paranormal investigators Scott and Rebecca. Prepare yourselves for a wealth of intriguing historic tales of murder most horrid, where highwaymen

www.southdownsliving.com

Cuckfield Golf Centre haunt and grey ladies still roam today! Meeting at Village Centre Car Park. Tickets £5.00. Contact 01444 455440 or visit www.freedom-leisure.co.uk

Tuesday 10 – Friday 14 August, 10.00-16.00 Sussex Wildlife Trust: Ancient Skills Week. Bentley Wildfowl Woods, Halland near Lewes.

There will be cakes, tombola, book sale, raffle and bric-a-brac. All in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Suitable for 11-14 year olds. Enjoy five days of practical activity gaining experience of ancient skills, fire lighting and woodcraft techniques with Sussex Wildlife Trust. Overnight stay in reconstructed prehistoric buildings on the Friday night. Parents welcome on Saturday afternoon. Booking essential, please ring 01273 497561.

Saturday 07 August Court Garden Farm Vineyard Tours and Tastings. Orchard Lane, Ditchling.

Tuesday 10 August Jewellery Classes at Giraffe Gems. Ote Hall Farm, Burgess Hill.

Saturday 07 August, 10.00-12.00 Haywards Heath Macmillan Coffee Morning. Presentation Church Hall, New England Road, Haywards Heath.

An afternoon in the vineyard, vineyard tour and a comparative tasting. £8.00 per adult. To book please call 01273 844479 or visit www.courtgardenfarm.co.uk

Saturday 07 August Battle Prom Concert 2010. Borde Hill Garden, Haywards Heath. The UK’s premier classic picnic proms with Spitfire, cannons, cavalry and fireworks. Now in its 13th year. The ‘Battle’ in the concert name refers to an entirely unique performance of Beethovens Battle Symphony - a powerful piece of music which was composed to include 193 live firing cannons as part of the score! For more information and to book tickets visit www.bordehill.co.uk or call 01444 450326.

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S r e mm

More than just a golf course

UP TO 50% OFF THIS SEASON’S LADIES’ GOLF CLOTHING

10.30-12.00: Lucite beads, pretty summer necklace. 14.00-16.00: Beginner’s CLass. Call 01444 248475 for details.

Tuesday 10 August, 10.00-11.00 Healthy Walks East Grinstead. Meet at Imberhorne Lane, East Grinstead. Designed to help you get fit, explore new areas of the beautiful Mid Sussex countryside and to help you get to know other like-minded people in a safe and supportive environment. All the walks are led by trained walk leaders. Terrain will be mostly flat, but some slight hills may be unavoidable. No stiles. Distance is 1.5-2.5 miles. For more information please contact 01444 477561 or email rangers@midsussex.gov.uk

www.cuckfieldgolf.co.uk | Tel: 01444 459999 Staplefield Road | Cuckfield | West Sussex | RH17 5HY

Townings Farm Shop Meat for the connoisseur www.towningsfarm.co.uk

Wednesday 11 August Cuckfield Golf Club: Pimms & Pink Ladies Charity Event. Staplefield Rd, Cuckfield RH17 5HY. Tel: 01444 459999 www.cuckfieldgolf.co.uk

Wednesday 11 August, 13:00 Tiger Arts Lunchtime Concerts. All Saints Church, High St, Lindfield. Tuesday 10 – Friday 13 August Young Professional Singers’ Workshop. Drama Studio, Oakmeeds Community College, Burgess Hill. Run by Rebecca Dowden LRAM, Professional Cert (Hons). Email rebecca.dowden@tesco.net or visit www.localboxoffice.com for more details.

Andrew King (Classical Guitar). Lunches served from 12.15 in the Tiger lounge. Admission free. Collection at the door.

Wednesday 11 August, 14.00-16.00 Jewellery Classes at Giraffe Gems. Ote Hall Farm, Janes Lane, Burgess Hill. Crystal Ring using seed beads, with Beryl. Call 01444 248475.

Beef, Pork, Lamb, Hogget and Mutton

All reared by us in the heart of Sussex. Using only traditional and rare breeds renowned for their superior flavour. OPen: Mon, Tues, Wed, Sat, 9 – 5 Thurs, Fri 9 – 6.30 Tel: 01444 471352

Townings Farm, Plumpton Road, Chailey, Lewes Bn8 4eJ South Downs Living August 2010

Drive-in Movie

Saturday 18th September 2010 Plumpton Racecourse

What’s on visit us online at www.southdownsliving.com email editorial@southdownsliving.com Thursday 12 August, 14.00-16.00 Jewellery Classes at Giraffe Gems. Ote Hall Farm, Janes Lane, Burgess Hill. Flower garden attractive necklace. Call 01444 248475 for information.

Friday 13 August Cuckfield Golf Club: Senior Fun Day. Staplefield Road, Cuckfield RH17 5HY.

A mother. A daughter. 3 possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget!

MAMMA MIA!

Enjoy an unforgettable evening out at your local drive-in movie. Bring your own picnic or enjoy food and drink from our movie vendors and usherettes. There will be special prizes for the best dressed moviegoers and a funfair to entertain all!

Doors Open 6.00pm

Movie Starts Approx 8.15pm

Tickets are available to book through our website www.plumptonracecourse.co.uk and are priced at £25 per car for advance sales (maximum of 5 per car). Cars on the night will be charged at £30, subject to availability. The soundtrack for the movie is played through your car stereo system so you will require a FM stereo to tune into. You will be issued with the frequency on arrival.

Telephone: 01273 890383 www.plumptonracecourse.co.uk

Harvey Self Drive Taking Risk out of Rental....

Local Company Established Over 30 years

Join our senior clinic followed by a fun golf event. Tel: 01444 459999 www.cuckfieldgolf.co.uk

Friday 13 August Open Day: The Sussex Beauty Training School. 43 Silverdale Road, Burgess Hill RH15 0ED. We offer internationally recognised CIBTAC courses in Beauty Therapy, Holistic Therapies and Electrical Facial Treament. Courses commence 21/10 and 7/1. Call 01444 233060 or visit www.sussexbeautytraining.co.uk

Saturday 14 August Court Garden Farm Vineyard Tours and Tastings. Orchard Lane, Ditchling.

admirers of Vintage Cars. Bring your own classic car or come and view some of the beautiful cars on display around the pub. Bacon rolls, tea and coffee are available from 9am and we will be offering our full pub menu and a Hog Roast on the day. Everybody welcome. Tel. 01342 810369 or visit www.catinn.co.uk.

Sunday 15 August, 11.00 Working Heavy Horses. High Beeches Gardens, Handcross, West Sussex RH17 6HQ. Horses from the Working Horse Trust work the wild-flower meadow in the traditional way. Crafts, demonstrations and plants for sale. An exhibition about old hay making techniques and equipment will be in the Coach Room. This will be a day of fun and interest for all the family and a chance to get up close to these magnificent animals. Contact 01444 400589 or visit www.highbeeches.com

An afternoon in the vineyard, vineyard tour and a comparative tasting. £8.00 per adult. To book please call 01273 844479 or visit www.courtgardenfarm.co.uk

Saturday 14 August, 10.00-13.00 Local Market: Cuckfield. The Talbot Inn courtyard. Monthly food market of local produce. Come and buy some delicious local cheeses, game, fish, organic vegetables, apple juice, jams, chutneys, cakes, bread, meat, poultry and more.

• Largest Mercedes fleet in Sussex

• 24 hour 365 day Mercedes breakdown cover

• Quality vehicles at competitive prices

• No mileage charge

• Comprehensive 25 item safety inspection carried out before each hire

• FREE evening collection (subject to availability) • Ample free parking

Also available are sack trolleys & ratchet straps for hire

Tel: (01273) 833154 Newhouse Farm, Cuckfield Road, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex BN6 9LL

www.vht-rentals.co.uk

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

Saturday 14 August, 14.30-16.30 Garden Party, Walstead Place Care Home, Scaynes Hill Road, Walstead, Haywards Heath RH16 2QG Ardingly Choral Society will be entertaining. Contacrt 01444 483885 or email walstead@caringhomes.org

Sunday 15 August, 9am onwards Vintage Car Day. The Cat Inn, Queen’s Square, West Hoathly RH19 4PP This event started by the previous owners has now become well established for owners and

Sunday 15 August Cuckfield Golf Club: 18 Hole Golf Challenge. Staplefield Road, Cuckfield RH17 5HY. Open to all members and nonmembers. Tel: 01444 459999 www.cuckfieldgolf.co.uk

Sunday 15 August, 10.00-17.00 Sussex Food Festival. Horsted Keynes Station, Horsted Keynes RH17 7BB. See page 54 for details.

www.southdownsliving.com

3105 Breeze up South Downs Ad.1:Layout 1

Monday 16 August, 10.30-15.00 Mini Gardens – East Grinstead Museum, The Old Yard, Cantelupe Road, East Grinstead. Make your own miniature garden. Suitable for 5 year olds and upwards. Cost £1 per child. No need to book, just drop in. For details see www. eastgrinsteadmuseum.org.uk

Tuesday 17 August, 10.30-14.30 Sussex Wildlife Trust: Bugs and Beasties – Wildlife in Colour. Woods Mill, Shoreham Road, Henfield, West Sussex BN5 9SD. For wildlife colour matters, whether you’re a bright red ladybird or a speckled brown sparrow. Investigate how nature uses colour and make your own colourful creature. Members £9, non-members £12. For details call 01273 497561 or visit www.sussexwt.org.uk.

Tuesday 17 August, 16.00-19.00 Cuckfield Golf Club: Mid Summer Madness. Cuckfield RH17 5HY. Junior Golf Extravaganza & Barbecue (Cowboy & Indian theme). www.cuckfieldgolf.co.uk. Tel: 01444 459999.

Polymer Clay summer picnic with a twist... you can’t eat the food! Call 01444 248475.

Wednesday 18 August, 10.30-12.30 Jewellery Classes at Giraffe Gems. Ote Hall Farm, Janes Lane, Burgess Hill.

A Mcindoe Surgical Centre cosmetic surgery open evening is a great way to gain pre-surgery advice and support from our consultant surgeons and hospital staff. The evenings are relaxed and informal and consist of a short presentation followed by questions and answers. Time permitting you will have the opportunity to have a quick chat with the consultant presenting. Please be advised this does not replace the need for an individual consultation which will be tailored to your individual needs. Spaces are limited, to reserve yours contact 0800 917 4922 or complete the event form on the events section at www.mcindoesurgical.co.uk

Breeze up to the Downs at Devil’s Dyke, Ditchling Beacon and Stanmer Park by bus from Brighton. Phone Brighton & Hove City Council on 01273 292480 for times, fares and ‘Breeze’ leaflets. Visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/ breezebuses to download leaflets. Or visit www.traveline.info to plan any bus or train journey.

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Wednesday 18 August McIndoe Surgical Centre: Cosmetic Surgery Open Evening. Holtye Road, East Grinstead. RH19 3EB

The aim of the workshop is to have fun and to enhance dancing, singing and drama in a mini version of Mamma Mia. All your favourite songs will be covered including Money, Money, Money and Super Trouper. There will be a chance to audition during the workshop for lead parts. Parents are invited to come and watch on Friday the 20th in the afternoon at the Jubilee Community Centre. Open to 7-14 year olds. Call 01444 250407 or visit arieldramaplus.co.uk

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Monday 16 – Friday 20 August, 10.00-16.00 Ariel Company Theatre: Mamma Mia workshop. East Grinstead.

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Walk to Poynings via Saddlescombe and back. OS 292126. Contact Frances on 01273 842628.

Tuesday 17 August 12.00-15.00 Jewellery Classes at Giraffe Gems. Ote Hall Farm, Janes Lane, Burgess Hill.

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Sunday 15 August, 14.00 Footpaths Conservation Society Walk. Meet Pyecombe Church.

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Tim French & It’s Magic present

Making Waves on Broadway

Wave bracelets. Call 01444 248475 for details.

Wednesday 18 August, 20.00 Chanctonbury Ring Morris. The Plough Inn, Plumpton Green BN7 3DF. Visit www.crmm.org.uk or contact Clive Funnell on 01273 494377.

Thursday 20 August, 14.00-16.00 Jewellery Classes at Giraffe Gems. Ote Hall Farm, Janes Lane, Burgess Hill. Beginner’s Class. 01444 248475.

The Broadway, Haywards Heath Sunday 29th August 11am till 10pm

Pop • Rock Jazz • Blues Brass • Opera

Saturday 21 August Hike 4 Hospices. See page 54 for details. www.hike4hospices.com

Saturday 21 August, 14.30 Bolney Horticultural Society: Summer Flower and Vegetable Show, Rawson Hall, Bolney. Admission free – all welcome.

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Tickets: Advance £7, £12 on the day Children 11 & under FREE www.itsmagic.org.uk or tel: 01444 255115

South Downs Living August 2010

07/07/2010 16:32

What’s on Fully Licenced | Wi-Fi Available | Ample Parking to Sunday & OPEN DAILY Monday Bank Holidays 9am to 6pm

ALL DAY BREAKFAST £4.30

Daily Lunch Specials, other favourites, Sandwiches, and Snacks also available

SUNDAY ROASTS £6.95

Opposite The Green in NUTLEY, East Sussex TN22 3LJ Tel:01825 713322

Celebrating 75 years

FREE

Sewing thread with every dress fabric purchase over £5 Offer ends 28th August. Subject to availability.

01444 454648

Established 1935

www.baldwinsdrapers.co.uk

120 & 120a South Road Haywards Heath (opp Victoria Park)

Sheffield Park Station TN22 3QL Tel. 01825 720800 Sussex Food Festival 15th August

Try and buy local produce and enjoy a trip on a steam hauled train

Vintage Transport Weekend 21st/22nd August Children’s Fun days during August

Punch & Judy shows on Wednesdays, Magic Shows on Fridays (Punch & Judy also over the August bank holiday weekend) Quizzes on Thursdays & Teddy Bear Hunt on Sundays. Save £££ by purchasing tickets at least 8 days in advance of your visit (not available for special events) For more details and for special offers see our NEW Website

www.bluebell-railway.com Trains run on the hour from 11.00am - 4.00pm

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

visit us online at www.southdownsliving.com email editorial@southdownsliving.com Sunday 22 August, 10.00 Mid Sussex Ramblers: Circular from West Hoathly. Meet West Hoathly Finches Field car park. 10 mile circular walk via West Hoathly – High Weald Landscape Trail – Tickeridge Farm – Fen Place Mill – Sussex Border Path – East Grinstead – Saint Hill – Standen – Weir Wood reservoir – Giffard’s Wood. Leaders Sue and Paul. Please bring picnic lunch. Contact 01825 722135. As the Ramblers group for the Mid Sussex area, we offer a varied program of walks throughout the year to suit all ages and walking abilities. Walks are arranged on most Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays and Bank Holidays, with half day walks of 3 to 6 miles and, for the more energetic, all day walks of 10 to 12 miles. During the summer months there are also Wednesday evening walks (3 to 4 miles) and weekend walking breaks and coach outings with walks. During the winter months we hold indoor meetings in Haywards Heath, with illustrated talks on a wide range of topics, and social evenings in local pubs. Whether you are new to walking or an experienced walker, you are welcome to come along and give us a try. To find out more, visit www.midsussexramblers.co.uk or telephone Tony on 01444 469470.

car. For more information visit www.towningsfarm.co.uk or phone 01444 471352.

Sunday 22 August, 11.00-16.00 St Barnabas Antiques Road Show. Windlesham House School, Washington, Pulborough, West Sussex. In partnership with Campbells Auctioneers of Worthing, we are holding a valuation day where you can bring along your antiques and valuables to be valuated by specialists. Donations made for all items to be valuated with all proceeds in aid of St Barnabas. We will be joined by Special Guest Mark Stacey as seen on BBC’s Flog It. For more information call 01903 265824.

Tuesday, 24 August, 10.30-15.00 Mini Beasts – East Grinstead Museum, The Old Yard, Cantelupe Road, East Grinstead. Make your own creepy crawlies. Suitable for 5 year olds and upwards. Cost £1 per child. No need to book, just drop in. Visit www.eastgrinsteadmuseum.org.uk

Wednesday 25 August Ansty Garden Club. Ansty Village Hall. Patrick Coulcher talking on ‘The Burren, Ireland.’ Contact Gail Burrell on 01444 482055.

Wednesday 25 August, 20.00 Chanctonbury Ring Morris. Royal Oak, Wineham, West Sussex BN5 9AYH. Contact Clive Funnell on 01273 494377 or visit www.crmm.org.uk.

Sunday 22 August Cuckfield Golf Club: Junior Captain’s Challenge, Staplefield Road, Cuckfield RH17 5HY www.cuckfieldgolf.co.uk Tel: 01444 459999

Sunday 22 August, 10.00-16.00 Vintage Harvest Fair. Townings Farm, Chailey BN8 4EJ. A fun day out in Sussex for all the family, experience a vintage harvest with working vintage agricultural machinery. Traditional and rare breed farm animals. Novelty dog classes. Rural crafts and much more.... Catering available. Entrance only £2 per

Wednesday 25 August, 20.00 Sussex Bonsai Group. Village Hall, Wivelsfield Green. Club Show by Members. EVERY MONTH: Bring and Buy Table, Tree of The Month (for Members and Novices). For details contact Barry McMenamin on 01444 243533 or visit www. sussexbonsaigroup.co.uk

www.southdownsliving.com

Saturday 28 August, 9.00-13.00 Hassocks Village Market. National Tyres Forecourt. Saturday 28 August, 10.00-14.00 Balcombe Village Craft, Gift & Local Produce Market, Victory Hall, Balcombe. This market will be in aid of the Victory Hall (Charity Reg No 227978) – famous for its World War I Murals and well worth a visit! (you might have seen the Ian Hislop documentary). Plus lovely stalls to browse, inc Free Spirit clothes & accessories, Baroque beads, Philip Bird photography, plus cakes, Aileens chutneys & jams, sausages, cakes, veg, apple juice, plants. Table & refreshments by the Victory Hall Management Team. Free Entry.

Saturday 28 August, 19.00 The Moonlight Ball. Norfolk Pavilion, Ardingly Showground. Black tie event in aid of St Peter & St James Hospice. Tickets £50 to include: Drinks reception, 4-course dinner, raflle, auction and live music. Email moonlightball@live. co.uk for details.

Sunday 29 – Monday 30 August Edenbridge & Oxted Agricultural Show. Ardenrun Showground, Ray Lane, nr Lingfield, Surrey RH7 6LL. See page 56 for details.

Saturday 29 August Court Garden Farm Vineyard Tours and Tastings. Orchard Lane, Ditchling. An afternoon in the vineyard, vineyard tour and a comparative tasting. £8.00 per adult. To book please call 01273 844479 or visit www.courtgardenfarm.co.uk

Sunday 30 August, 9.00 Rotary Club Mammoth Car Boot Fair. Oakmeeds College, Station Road, Burgess Hill. All proceeds will support Rotary local and international projects. Stall Price is £8 per car or £10 per car on the day. To pre-book a space please call 01273 844314. Stalls can be set up from 8am. For more information phone telephone 01444 871776 or visit www.therotaryclub.co.uk

Monday 30 August 12.00-17.30 Country Fayre, Shermanbury Park, A 281, north of Henfield. Repeating the successful event in 2008, the fair is in aid of the church roof appeal. The day includes many of the crafts, skills, games and traditions which have been played out in the park over the last 1,000 years of the Church’s history. Hedge laying, wattle making, bloodhounds, pole lathes, Morris dancing and much much more. Lunch, Tea and beer tents. Entry is £3.50 – children under 16 free. A good family day out.

Tuesday 31 August, 12.00-14.00 Fundraising Picnic. Adastra Park, Hassocks.

The Kitchen Specialists that you can trust

The Parish Council are hoping to put in some new play equipment in Adastra Park. The Council are putting in a substantial amount and are applying for a grant from Mid Sussex District Council for the balance. To bolster the application we are hoping to raise some money from the public, with a picnic near the playground. The cost will be £3 per family which includes a raffle ticket. Bring a picnic and, if you can, a cake (homemade or bought) to sell on our cake stall and enjoy games for the family whilst supporting this worthy cause. If you are unable to make it and would like to donate anyway or can help on the day please call Lucinda on 01273 841147 or email lougjones@ hotmail.com.

Friday 03 September, 19.30 Rave On – A Tribute to Buddy Holly. Chequer Mead Community Arts Centre, East Grinstead. Founder member of ‘Rockin’ on Heavens Door’ Marc Robinson brings you ‘Rave On – a Tribute to Buddy Holly’ with support cast the Fortt Brothers as the Everly Brothers and Barry Steele as Rooy Orbison. Tickets are £15.00m (Concessions £13.50), available from www.chequermead.org.uk or call 01342 302000.

Friday 03 September, 19.45 Hurstpierpoint Flower Club. Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint. Mrs Debbie Damm of Hastings: Nature’s Montage.

The Kitchen People www.kitchenpeople.co.uk 61 The High Street, Lindfield West Sussex RH16 2HN

Tel: 01444 484 868 Email: paul@kitchenpeople.co.uk South Downs Living August 2010

What’s on visit us online at www.southdownsliving.com email editorial@southdownsliving.com Saturday 04 September, 14.00 Guided Walk: Discover Hammonds Ridge Burgess Hill.

We guarantee a warm welcome at all our events and meetings. Members £5.00. Temporary Membership £6.00. Contact Chairperson Geraldine Davey 01273 845534 or Secretary Sandra Burford on 01273 834168.

Come along and discover Hammonds Ridge, its history, wildlife and its views. Walk led by Heather Warne and other members of the Green Circle Network Group. Children welcome but must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Bring a drink and binoculars if you have any. Please wear suitable footwear. Sorry, no dogs. Meet at 13.50 at the entrance gate opposite Tesco roundabout off Jane Murray Way, Burgess Hill. Free - Donations Welcome. Contact 01444-242667 or visit www.bh-green-circle.org.uk

Saturday 04 September Albourne Village Show. See page 54 for details.

Saturday 04 September Tunes of Glory: Spectacular Military Tattoo and Concert. South of England Showground, Ardingly. See page 56 for detailds.

Sunday 05 September, 10.30-15.30 Book Fair, Adastra Hall, Hassocks.

Saturday 04 September, 10.00-15.30 Craft Fair. King Edward Hall, Lindfield. Organised by Heber Opera. There will be all kinds of craft stalls, including jewellery, textiles, lino prints, rush seating and much more. Heber Opera will also be running a cake stall and tombola to raise funds. Refreshments, including home made cakes and sandwiches. Admission £1 (50p concessions). Call 01273 495220 for information if you are a stallholder and would like to find out if any tables are still available.

Secondhand, Antiquarian, Collectable and out of print books offered by dealers from across Sussex Kent and Surrey. Admission 50p. Refreshments available . Come along and see the fast range of books available to purchase from our specialist and general dealers – there is sure to be something to suit every taste and pocket. For more information phone 01273 233274 or visit www.booksonline.com

Sunday 05 September, 11.00 Charity Fun Dog Show. Wick Farm, Blackstone Lane, Blackstone BN5. In aid of The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust. Classes for all, rosettes to 6th place, trophy to best in show. Agility demonstration, Dog Grooming Demonstration, Trade

26 July - 27 Aug

Sunday 05 September, 14.00-17.00 Family Fun Sunday. Knowles Tooth Children’s Centre, Langton Lane, Hurstpierpoint BN6 9EZ.

Thursday 19 August 17.50 Shrek Forever (U) Tickets: £5 adults (£4 concessions) Call the box office on 01444 455440 or visit www.southerncinema.co.uk

Relaxing afternoon for the whole family enjoying stalls, bouncy castle, dance display from Lets Dance, activities, BBQ, beer tent, fun dog show and much more. For more information please call 01273 832363 or visit www.familysupportwork.org.uk Adult entry £2, children entry and parking is free.

Sunday 05 September, 14.00-17.30 Newtimber Place – Garden open for charity. Newtimber Place, Newtimber, West Sussex BN6 9BU. Garden open as part of the NGS garden scheme. Beautiful 17th century moated house (not open). Gardens and woods full of bulbs and wild flowers in spring. In summer, roses, herbaceous border and lawns. Moat flanked by water plants. Mature trees. Wild garden, ducks, chickens and fish. Refreshments. Visit www.newtimber.co.uk

there’s a Play Other Summer Events: Brass Band & Picnic: 25 July Battle Proms: 7 Aug Jazz & Picnic: 8 Aug Brass Band & Picnic: 22 Aug Jazz & Picnic: 12 Sept

Haywards Heath, RH16 1XP

01444 450326

www.bordehill.co.uk

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

stands, BBQ, Refreshments. Bring your unwanted dog and horse equipment for the animals in The Gambia. Free parking. Enquiries 01444 819086 or 07843 487625.

Wednesday 18 August 15.00 Shrek Forever After (U) 17.20/20.00 Letters to Juliet (PG)

Where there’s a Will...

Kids‛ Summer Fun

Southern Cinema Clair Hall, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath RH16 3DN.

An Elizabethan Romp with

Music Saturday 18 September 7.30pm

Presented by The Green Room Theatre Company and Heathfield Drama Club

The Barn Theatre Oxted Booking online at www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk or enquiries The Green Room Theatre Company 01342 870526

All Tickets £10

www.southdownsliving.com

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Creature comforts Walk into the Mid Sussex Veterinary Clinic at Wivelsfield and the first thing you notice is the spacious, light filled reception area. Animals need a sense of their own space to feel secure and the practice’s purpose-built, welcoming premises offer a stress-free environment to their visitors.

he surgery, run by Marie Arkell and Chris Dawson, has been open for a year, offering affordable healthcare for small animals, with state-of-the-art equipment, ample parking and easy access. Dogs and cats have separate accommodation and the entire building is air-conditioned to maintain a perfect temperature for recovering animals. Marie and Chris use the same lowrisk type of anaesthetic agents used for humans, and heart, breathing and gas monitors are routinely used during all operations. They offer a service called laparoscopic or keyhole surgery and are the only practice locally to carry out spaying using this technique. The advantages are numerous: there is less pain, incisions are smaller, there are fewer complications and patients usually return home the same day. The surgery is open 8am -7pm during the week, perfect if you need an appointment before or after work, and 9am-2pm on Saturday. There is an emergency clinic on Sunday morning from 10-10.30am and a 24-hour emergency service is available

too. Marie stressed that they will always offer advice and answer questions over the phone – the ethos of the clinic is to be “friendly, approachable and caring.” In addition to cats, dogs and rabbits, exotic pets – including reptiles and birds – are catered for too. Pet chickens are also looked after, something that most

“We will always offer advice and answer questions over the phone – the ethos of the clinic is to be friendly, approachable and caring.” vets won’t do, and people can bring in injured wild animals for treatment. Home visits can be undertaken if required and there are also nurse clinics offering free advice, such as puppy parties and weight clinics. There is plenty of preventative care too; from annual vaccinations, flea control and worming to quality food, dental care and pet passports. When I visited the clinic, the sweetest looking spaniel was recovering, paw

by Ruth Lawrence

wrapped in a red bandage. With two nurses in close attendance, the dog looked so relaxed – an indication of the highest levels of care. The staff go out of their way to make the animals feel comfortable, and the contented expressions of their patients speak volumes. Marie qualified at the Royal Veterinary College in London and has lived in West Sussex for 35 years. She specialises in the keyhole spay procedures and has a particular interest in endoscopy and soft tissue surgery. Chris qualified at Liverpool University and has special interest in canine geriatric medicine, radiology and orthopaedics. ■

Mid Sussex Veterinary Clinic Morehouse Farm, Ditchling Road Wivelsfield, West Sussex RH17 7RE Tel. 01444 363636 www.midsussexvets.co.uk

South Downs Living August 2010

by Nicole Tata

Some people seem to go out of their way to court adventure – in a good way. Take Lee Meads, Studio Manager and Chief Designer at Roger Booth Studio. Unflappable during the week when his creative flair is called on daily to produce stunning artwork, high quality commercial design and, of course, South Downs Living magazine, he has found a powerful source of energy for recharging his creative batteries.

“

“I guess you could call me a part-time adrenaline junkie!”

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

’ve always been interested in adrenaline sports – I love the rush you get from it,” Lee admits. Over the years, he has notched up quite a few extreme experiences: bungy jumping and skydiving in New Zealand, scuba diving in Australia and the Maldives, riding elephants in Sri Lanka… and, closer to home, zorbing on Devil’s Dyke. So when PMW Communications asked local businesses to participate in their ‘Chandlers Champion Challenge’ to go white water rafting for charity, Lee jumped at the chance to add another heart-stopping activity to his repertoire and joined three other volunteers on a day trip to Northampton. All professionally kitted out, supervised and instructed, the group bonded in a raft as they took in a series of breathtaking twists, turns and drops on the man-made white water course. Judging by the broad smile with which he told us of the moment the boat tipped over into the rapids – hard to tell whether by accident or design – it must have been a real laugh. Lee had always wanted to do something for charity, and this was the perfect opportunity to combine his love for extreme sports with a chance to give something back. He decided to support the Alzheimer Society, a charity close to his heart. “Alzheimer’s affects whole families as much as – sometimes more than – the sufferers themselves,” he says from personal experience. PMW are also planning a sky diving event, and swimming with sharks, both of which Lee is keen to put his name down for. Apparently the sharks are quite large… “I guess you could call me a parttime adrenaline junkie,” Lee laughs when he sees my alarmed face.

www.southdownsliving.com

On deeper reflection, perhaps Lee has simply mastered the art of staying grounded in a busy life, drawing on all his senses to maintain his inner equilibrium? Lee leads an active life: he is a regular at the gym and works out at home. And then there’s Ziggy, the dog, who takes him for long walks twice a day. Lee’s athletic physique is generously decorated with body art and piercings – another creative outlet perhaps? “I’ve always been into art, painting, sculpture, anything creative really. But I realised pretty early on that there is little money in art unless you become a famous artist!” So he got hold of a copy of Adobe Photoshop and started learning about graphic design, going to college to get his HND and working at a printing company to understand the industry from the ground up. Joining Roger Booth Studio over four years ago, he is the now in charge of the Design Studio, producing high end business cards, stationery, leaflets and websites for all sorts of commercial applications. Lee also does the artwork for South Downs Living magazine and a variety of other publications produced here. His latest passion is photography, so watch this space! Calm, cool and in full control at work, Lee was falsely rumoured to spend his lunchtimes sitting screaming in his car so that he could retain composure in the office. Now his secret is out: it’s extreme sports that keep him sane! ■

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advertising feature ■

More than just

a load of

old rubbish

On the way to interview Mark Ratcliffe, the Managing Director of Kingspan, the specialist Skip Hire and Waste Management company, I kept thinking about Eric Morecambe saying ‘What do you think of it so far?’

by Roger Linn

f course I hadn’t written anything by then, but I thought I was going to be writing about rubbish. Wrong! What I actually discovered was a highly successful and thoroughly modern company which, since its founding in 2004, has gone from strength to strength. It is a key local player in an industry which really didn’t exist until a comparatively short time ago. The momentum which has carried Kingspan forward is, of course, the ‘green’ wave which is now so much a part of our daily lives. Experts in waste processing, Kingspan are now recycling an incredible 89% of all the materials they collect from business and households. Mark says that the legislation which provided for steep regular increases in Landfill Tax, already at around £48 a tonne, caused many commercial customers to take the subject of waste management much more seriously and they tried to reduce their volumes. And Kingspan have been central to these efforts. They not only segregate waste onsite at their modern waste management centre in what was the old bus depot in Moulsecoomb, Brightonne, but provide skilled professional advice on waste

management to companies from small enterprises to ones as large as Tesco. The results are very good news for all of us, as the amount of rubbish heading for landfill sites continues to shrink. Familiar with Kingspan’s bright, good humoured advertising campaign for its skip hire service, I asked Mark about

“Kingspan not only segregate waste on-site at their modern waste management centre, but provide skilled professional advice to companies from small enterprises to ones as large as Tesco.” Kingspan’s services for the ordinary consumer. “We care about them just as much as the big boys,” he said “and we’re happy to give advice too. Unlike some other skip hirers, when someone contacts us, we tell them that if they can specify what’s going into the skip, it’ll probably be cheaper for them than hiring one for just general waste. And when

we give a quote, it includes not just the total skip service, but acquiring the Local Authority permit to have the skip located on a road or right of way. We really do try to make the whole process hassle-free.” Serving the whole of East and West Sussex, Kingspan had around 1500+ skips of all sizes deployed throughout the county on the day I went to see them. They’ll be serviced by the newly expanded vehicle fleet, which now comprises six additional 18 tonne skip loaders and two additional massive 32 tonne ‘roll-on roll-off’ trucks, all of which – as if to emphasise Kingspan’s ‘green’ credentials – are low-emission vehicles. At a cost of over £400,000 the new fleet is a good indicator of just how well Kingspan is doing and what a vital role they now play in our community. ■

Unit 1, Moulsecoomb Way, Brighton BN2 4PB Tel. 01273 608711 www.kingspanwaste.co.uk

South Downs Living August 2010

Watch the birdie What could be simpler than taking pictures of the enchanting wildlife in your garden? Trained photographer, Ruth Lawrence, went to find out…

ne of the best things about a wildlife garden is having a ready supply of subjects to photograph. Raised on a diet of Attenborough documentaries and Blue Peter, my DIY approach to attracting photogenic wildlife owes more to ingenuity than patience. How would I attractively portray a vibrant woodpecker when my plastic birdfeeder looks about as natural as an Argos gnome in a cornfield? In a moment of Percy Thrower-esque creativity, I constructed a lure from a hefty fallen branch, nailed jauntily to a plywood base. I made deep holes with a scarily efficient German drill bit and crammed in leftover pieces of a disappointing vegetarian microwave dinner. When seen through the lens it looked sufficiently treelike to be

convincing, so I balanced it next to a picturesque honeysuckle, focused the camera and waited. Predictably, no woodpecker materialised and I sloped off for a cuppa. With a steaming mug raised to my face I saw the ‘trunk’ move sideways. As scalding water dripped down my hand, I noticed the neighbour’s cat rubbing itself pervily against the trunk. Did my bird bait contain catnip? Was the branch tomscented, or was it just a weird cat? During the long wait, I remembered how, 10 years ago, I’d been one of a pack of paparazzi, cameras trained on a doorway, waiting for someone famous or briefly notorious to emerge. The similarity ended there. Tom Cruise never had to shin up a tree trunk and Naomi Campbell hadn’t

Designing serious gardens to make you smile! by Malcolm Uhlhorn B.Sc (Hons) Garden Design

needed enticing with tidbits to pose and look perfect. Lost in a fug of cosy nostalgia, I caught a flash of red in the corner of my eye as an adult woodpecker began a long descent from the trees. It was one of those slo-mo, orchestra accompanied, perfect moments – my finger hovered on the shutter button and I held my breath. The woodpecker landed and stayed for only a couple of seconds, enough for four great shots. Certain of success, I confidently replayed the pictures only to find I’d left the shutter on the slower speed I’d needed during the overcast morning. Four hideously blurred photos of something that might as well have been the vengeful Argos gnome looked back at me. No need to worry, Attenborough. Your team is still safe for a while. ■

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June 1963: Sussex welcomes JFK Left: President John F. Kennedy and Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. Photo by Brian Seed//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

There are some moments in history where everyone can remember where they were and what they were doing. The most famous of these is the assassination of US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy in 1963. Some Mid Sussex residents retain an even clearer and, indeed, much happier memory of where they were when the iconic President visited the UK – well, they were in the same parish after all!

by Tom Briggs

t was June 1963, a mere five months before by the Public Record Office in 2002, the Foreign that fateful day in Dallas, Texas and, while the Office purchased a double bed for him – precise details of the 35th President’s brutal Macmillan’s single divan was apparently not demise are still shrouded in mystery today, big enough – although he brought along his own there are plenty of eyewitnesses who recall his visit mattress and pillows. The same document divulges to Mid Sussex with crystal clarity and an evident the insistence of the White House that there should fondness. Kennedy was visiting Prime Minister also be a communications centre established Harold Macmillan at his private home, Birch 25 miles away in Brighton; the Grand Hotel was Grove, in Chelwood Gate, during a tour of Europe commandeered for this purpose. and stayed for only one night. Despite the brevity The lengths that officials went to warranted of his stopover, the impact of President Kennedy’s a grand entrance and Kennedy duly obliged. arrival was seemingly Following his arrival felt by all, thanks to the at Gatwick Airport precautions that were and brief speeches by “Macmillan and JFK were whisked away taken. The strength of himself and Macmillan, in helicopters, landing on a football the security transmitters the leaders were pitch at the Isle of Thorns Camp in stopped televisions from whisked away in working, the registration helicopters, landing on Chelwood Gate, close to the Prime numbers of cars were a football pitch at the Minister’s home at Birch Grove.” taken – several times Isle of Thorns Camp in over in some instances – Chelwood Gate. and an 8-year-old boy George Long worked found himself in trouble with the police for at the site as Groundsman and was fortunate enough carrying a toy rifle! to witness the arrival and catch it on camera. “They This wasn’t the only amusing incident during unloaded Kennedy and Macmillan and just drove the good-natured visit, however. American security them over to Birch Grove from there,” he explains. officers were spotted hiding in trees around Birch “It was quite exciting really; they gave some of Grove, while the offer of help from two Sussex the local children a ride in the helicopters on the Police officers on bicycles was diplomatically Sunday afternoon and my boy was quite annoyed as declined as the area was already swarming with we had gone out and missed it!” heavily armed American officials. In addition, Kennedy then spent the evening with extra supplies of Kennedy’s blood group were Macmillan and was pictured looking relaxed in delivered to the Queen Victoria Hospital in East a rocking chair while chatting with his host – Grinstead and, according to information released presumably about the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Continued on page 32 >

South Downs Living August 2010

Above. Memorial stone at Forest Row Village Hall. Left: Helicopter carrying the two world leaders landing at The Isle of Thorns Camp in Chelwood Gate. Photograph courtesy of George Long.

< Continued on from page 31

they released a joint statement in support of and very short but he said would give a homily which was signed a couple of months later – and nonetheless, because he couldn’t let this occasion afterwards, according to some accounts, even go without saying a few words,” she laughs. “This found time to visit the Red Lion pub for a couple actually went down very well with the President, of pints. though, and he made time to shake hands with Being a devout Catholic, Kennedy wanted to people outside the church after the service.” attend church on the Sunday and the nearest one The sense of appreciation demonstrated was Our Lady of the Forest in Forest Row. Among by Kennedy was clearly mutual and, at the those to catch a glimpse of the famous leader as suggestion of the same priest, a special mass is he left Birch Grove for church was local resident, still held each year to commemorate his visit. Robert Philpot, who was around 13 years old at Following the closure of Our Lady of the Forest, the time. “My father this is now taking place decided to take us to in East Grinstead. the corner of the road Footage of JFK “It was faintly amusing to see an beside the entrance visiting the church can, American car with four heavily armed to Birch Grove as we in fact, still be viewed security guards holding onto the sides! knew they would have online while other to slow down to turn surviving reminders Not something we have ever seen or out of the grounds,” he of the visit include a are likely to see again – an armoured explains. “Dead on time, memorial stone on the convoy in the heart of rural Sussex!” the convoy drove out. It south-east wall of Forest travelled quite slowly – Row Village Hall and a no sense of urgency like clump of trees planted modern times – but it accelerated away once on in the Ashdown Forest near to Chelwood Gate. the main road. JFK’s visit was fleeting, but clearly made a “My memory is of a deeply tanned man with lasting impression on all those in attendance. a sturdy chin. He was certainly good looking and While his tragic passing some five months after his you could see why women adored him,” he says. brief sojourn to Sussex will be what the majority “It was faintly amusing to see an American car of people automatically think of when his name is with four heavily built – and heavily armed – uttered, there are a lucky few who remember with security guards holding onto the sides! Not affection his day in the small corner of the world something we have ever seen or are likely to see that we call home. ■ again – an armoured convoy in the heart of rural Sussex!” Upon arrival at the church – which sadly Video footage of JFK’s visit to Britain on 29-30 June 1963 closed at the end of last year – President Kennedy can be found online: was greeted by the priest. Yvonne Nulty was www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTejbCVFFVU a member of the congregation at the time and, although she missed his visit due to being abroad, www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=62598 remembers the excitement that lived long beyond it. “The old priest was asked to make the mass

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

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South Downs Living August 2010

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advertising feature ■

Hot stoves for cool homes One of the better prospects of a long dark winter is the thought of coming home to a dancing wood fire. Central heating may be easier to ignite, but can you really imagine a family gathered snugly around an enamel radiator?

nce you’ve lived with a proper wood fire it’s difficult to imagine winter without one. Nothing else really comes close to the hypnotic beauty of real flame. Call it primal, sensual or whatever you like, a roaring fire is hard to beat. Bolney Stoves of Goddards Green supply a vast range of woodburners, without the need for a conventional fireplace. Although their smallest 3KW traditional stove fits into a standard British fireplace, owner Paul Labus says that there’s much more interest in the larger, bolder contemporary stoves. More like sleek sculptures than the fussy Victorian designs we are more familiar with, modern stoves are elegant statement pieces that fit into any period or style of home. The company has recently won a prestigious contract to sell three premier brands including ultra-efficient heat store stoves Rika from Austria and Handöl and Contura from Sweden. The stores are heat-retaining stones hidden in the top of the stoves that hold warmth for hours after the fire has cooled down. Easy to light, these stoves reach their full output in a few minutes, have an 80% efficiency and can heat an area up to 150 cubic meters. If you have access to a wood supply, heating is free after the initial purchase, which starts at £1,500 for a contemporary stove. Your conscience can remain clear too, for wood is a cleaner fuel than gas, oil or coal.

Looking through a Handöl brochure, it’s obvious why these stoves are proving so sought after. The fire is raised so that, unlike a traditional open fire, you can see the flames above the furniture without having to look down to a hearth. Safely enclosed behind glass, the flames are at television height and far easier to reach without having to stoop with an armful of logs. All products from Bolney Stoves come with aftersales services and a warranty of between two and ten years. While some stoves can be taken away direct from the showroom, the new heatstore stoves only take three weeks to arrive. The

by Ruth Lawrence

“More like sleek sculptures than the fussy Victorian designs we are more familiar with, modern stoves are elegant statement pieces that fit into any period or style of home.”

company is in the process of installing a new workshop in line with their new models and in September will be running a Stove School. This will consist of an Information Day where you can gain advice and compare these stunning contemporary stoves with more traditional designs. A stove is a big investment and this is where a local company like Bolney Stoves is invaluable. Take your questions and preferences along to the showroom and have all the options demonstrated and explained in person. Wood burning stoves have come a long way in recent years – not only are they ultra-efficient and environmentally less damaging than other heat sources, they are beautiful objects in their own right. Winter has never looked so inviting. ■

Bolney Stoves

The Farmers Stores, Gatehouse Lane, Goddards Green, Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 9LE Tel. 01444 871815 www.bolneystoves. co.uk

South Downs Living August 2010

Elsie Wagg Opening gardens for charity There’s something special about an English summer – and here we’re not talking about torrential downpours or droughts – but rather the unique opportunity to visit the private gardens opened occasionally through the year under the aegis of the National Garden Scheme.

he National Garden scheme was the brainchild of Elsie Wagg who, with her brother Alfred, lived at a house known as the Hermitage in East Grinstead. Her portrait (above) was painted in 1893 by John Singer Sargent, the leading society portraitist of the day. Alfred was something of a financial wunderkind, and was credited for single-handedly saving the solvency of the Bank of Iceland after the stock market crash of 1929, a curious echo from the past with lessons for today perhaps. Certainly, Alfred was awarded

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

Iceland’s highest honour of the Knight of the Falcon for his saving of the Bank. Elsie started the scheme in 1927, initially to benefit the Queen’s Nursing Institute, and encouraged garden owners to open their properties for “a shilling a head.” Novelist and gardener Vita Sackville West remarked on the fact, writing in the New Statesman: “These mild gentlemen and women who invade one’s garden after putting their silver token into the bowl ... are some of the people I most gladly welcome and salute. Between them and myself

by Simon Kerr

a particular form of courtesy survives, a gardener’s courtesy, in a world where courtesy is giving place to rougher things.” Many gardening historians agree that it was Elsie Wagg’s innovative scheme that truly opened up gardens to a wider public. Hitherto these sorts of visits were the sole prerogative of a handful of grandees – now gardens were to be opened to one and all. Fittingly, it was Elsie’s home at the Hermitage that was the first private house to open its doors to the public.

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Bankton Cottage, Crawley Down, West Sussex RH10 4EY Sunday 08 August, 2-5pm Admission: £4 (children free)

3½ acres of surprises: the walled garden, cottage garden in flavour and filled with an exuberance of flowers, sits alongside a formal lavender parterre and serpentine yew hedges. Nearby informal pond leads towards raised bed vegetable plot. Beyond the walls, shrubs, old fashioned roses and orchard lead to woodland and lake, where ducks, moorhens, terrapin and a pair of scandalous swans hold sway. Fernery, bog, gravel gardens. Contact: Robin and Rosie Lloyd. Tel. 01342 718907 email: rosie.lloyd@dsl.pipex.com Clinton Lodge, Fletching, East Sussex TN22 3ST Mondays 26 July, 02 August, 09 August, 2-5.30pm Admission: £5 (children free)

Far left: East Court Mansion, East Grinstead. The house was donated to the Town by the Wagg family on the death of Alfred Wagg. Left: Portrait of Elsie Wagg by John Singer Sargent, 1893.

The outbreak of hostilities in 1939 saw the suspension of the scheme, as many gardens’ flowerbeds and lawns were dug up and turned over to the production of valuable foodstuffs. Post-war the gardens were reopened to the public and – since the introduction of the National Health Service meant that the Queens Nursing Institute was now state funded – the National Garden Scheme pledged their funds for retired nurses and other worthy medical causes, a tradition that continues to this day. Today the scheme includes gardens great and small, and from a modest start of raising £3,000 in its first year, the charity has now raised nearly £42 million, £25 million alone in the last 10 years. Elsie stayed at the helm of the organisation until her death in 1949, and to this day she continues to be hailed as one of the great garden heroes, a fitting verdict indeed. Sadly though, her much loved home at the Hermitage is no longer, having being sold to developers after the death of Elsie’s brother Alfred. ■

6-acre formal and romantic garden, overlooking parkland, with old roses, double herbaceous borders, yew hedges, pleached lime walks, copy of 17th century scented herb garden, medievalstyle potager, vine and rose allée, wild flower garden. Canal garden, small knot garden and shady glade. Contact: Lady Collum. Tel. 01825 722952. www.clintonlodgegardens.co.uk Colwood House, Warninglid, West Sussex RH17 5SP Wednesday 18 August, Sunday 22 August, 2-6pm. Admission: £4 (children free)

10 acres of garden, with mature and specimen trees from the late 1800s, lawns and woodland edge. Formal parterre, rose and herb gardens. 100ft terrace and herbaceous border overlooking flower-rimmed croquet lawn. Cut turf labyrinth and forsythia tunnel. Water features and fountains, ornaments, gazebos and pavilions. Pets’ cemetery. Giant chessboard.

water features, wild flower meadow, vegetables in raised beds. Mound, Sunken Garden, Scary Path, Fern Stumpery, variety, humour and interest throughout. Safari Hunt for children . Contact: Laurence and Rebeka Hardy. Tel. 01825 790237 email: rebeka@flb.uk.com Newtimber Place, Newtimber, West Sussex BN6 9BU Sunday 05 September, 2-5.30pm Admission: £4 (children free)

Beautiful 17th century moated house (not open). Gardens and woods full of bulbs and wild flowers in spring. In summer, roses, herbaceous border and lawns. Moat flanked by water plants. Mature trees. Wild garden, ducks, chickens and fish. Contact: Mr and Mrs Andrew Clay, www.newtimber.co.uk Westfield, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex BN6 9JX Sunday, 15 August, 2-5pm Admission: £3.50 (children free)

For garden lovers, this ‘colonial-style’ 1-acre garden is packed with tropical plants such as cannas, bananas, phormiums, palms and grasses and is surrounded by mature trees. For parents, Westfield is a great place to bring the children as there is a Treasure Hunt in the large woodland garden for them to enjoy. Contact: Phil & Cherry Radford For a comprehensive guide, get your free copy of the NGS Sussex Gardens 2010 booklet which lists each of the 151 gardens open in the county. www.ngs.org.uk

Contact: Mr & Mrs Patrick Brenan Latchetts, Danehill, East Sussex RH17 7HQ Friday 06 – Saturday 07 August, 1.30-5.30pm Admission: £5 (children free)

Fascinating, beautifully kept, country garden, now 8 acres. Many new features. Fine lawns, colourful borders, unusual plants. Christian walled garden, ponds,

South Downs Living August 2010

Sussex cover 2009 5/27/09 10:57 AM Page 2 2 Sussex cover 2009 5/27/09 10:57 AM Page 2 2

Tai Kar Restaurant Beijing & Cantonese cuisine Fully air conditioned

O 20 OF N FOO% OFF £30 D B OR ILLS OVE R*

ckenden ManOr O OCKENDEN CKENDEN MANOR ANOR Two Course LunCh

Set in the Tudor Village of Cuckfield this charming house is Set in in nine the Tudor Village of Cuckfield thisfrom charming house set acres of grounds just an hour London andis set in nine acres20ofminutes groundsfrom just Brighton. an hour from London and From20our daily lunch menu minutes from Brighton. It is within a short drive of Wakehurst, Nymans, Borde Hill It is Leonardslee within a short drive making of Wakehurst, Nymans, Borde Hill and gardens it an ideal spot for lunch, and Leonardslee afternoon gardens making it an ideal spot for lunch, or dinner. Why not visitafternoon our new tea kitchens after your lunch, tea or dinner. please mention this when booking

for £12.95

Present this advertisement and receive Present this advertisement receive 10% off your total lunch or and dinner bill 10% off your total lunch or dinner bill (not available with any other offer)

*price is per person available from Monday to Friday on presentation of this voucher. Excludes Bank Holidays, is subject to availability and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Please quote offer with whenany making reservation. (not this available other aoffer) Valid until 31st August 2010 DEN M CK •O CK •O EE

U UC K F I E LL CKFIE

Cuckfield,West Telephone 01444 Sussex 416111 RH17 5LD Telephone 01444 416111 Facsimile 01444 415549 Facsimile 01444 415549 www.hshotels.co.uk www.hshotels.co.uk

OR • • O NR ANA

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N DEN M N

evening feasT menu Eat as much as you like!

Best Eatery 2009 Bright fm Awards

Served from 5:30pm - 10:30pm

£11.95 adult £6.50 for under 10’s Sunday – Friday inclusive

OpEning HOuRS: Lunch Fri-Sat 12-2pm, Sun 12-3pm. Dinner Mon-Sun 5.30-11pm TAkE AwAy SERvicE AvAiLAbLE

18-20 Sussex Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 4EA

www.taikar.co.uk

Telephone 01444 458029 * valid Sun-Fri evenings until 31st August

A selection of dishes available • Chingri-Jhul • Murgh Khurchan • Goan Chicken Mosalla • Duck Mosalla

Book online now www.nizamindian.co.uk

10% discount on all takeaways* Nizam Indian Restaurant 139 South Road • Haywards Heath

Tel: 01444 457527/01444 412794 Car Park at rear of restaurant

Branches also at:

Nupur Indian Restaurant 122 High Street • Hurstpierpoint

Tel 01273 833156/01273 834016

• for a limited time only. Please mention South Downs Living when ordering

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S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

I don’t earn commission, I want you to advertise when it’s right for you not when it’s right for us. I’d love to meet you. Sonya Clare Field Sales South Downs Living magazine 48 Keymer Road, Hassocks, BN6 8AR 01273 842550

www.southdownsliving.com

advertising feature ■

Everyone’s a

winner

Take a short stroll from Burgess Hill through leafy Gatehouse Lane – hidden away behind a couple of roundabouts just off the A23 at Hickstead – and discover The Sportsman, a charming country pub that has something for everyone.

att Palmer and Mike Dunne carried out major refurbishments to the Grade II listed building when they took on The Sportsman at Goddards Green a year ago on 10th August. They seem to have achieved the impossible: modernising the pub’s appeal while retaining its old style charm, they’ve created a popular and welcoming destination for locals and visitors alike. When I arrived with the boyfriend one warm summer’s lunchtime, there was an easy vibe all around. The large informal garden is perfect for relaxed dining, and the same goes for inside. Light and airy with painted wood panelling and rustic tables and chairs, it’s simple, tasteful and just modern enough. It being a hot day, the BF ordered the Cold Meats Selection from the Specials Board (£8.95) – a huge platter of salami, prosciutto, roast beef and pork, served with crispy potato skins and mixed salad and topped off with a little ramekin of bright yellow piccalilli. “This isn’t at all what I expected,” he said, thinking pared down continental antipasti, “but it’s delicious,” he added, tucking in appreciatively. Together with crunchy skins done properly, the piccalilli – retro 1970s relish making a comeback? – pulled it all together beautifully and gave the dish real oomph. I fancied the 6oz prime beef SportsBurger (£10.95) – sans bun, I noticed, hoping against the odds for a low carb intake. The burger came loaded with avocado, bacon and cheese and a large portion of golden fries just like my mum used to make in the days before chips got a bad reputation. A dollop of home-made

by Nicole Tata

coleslaw on the side added more homecooked charm. With the burger juicy and fresh and all the flavours fresh on the tongue, this dish was another winner. Did we have room for dessert? Not really, so we shared the Cappuccino Crème Brulée with Amaretti Biscuits. A true sensory delight, we gorged on cool crème under a sweet sugar crust, we cooed over fresh summer berries drizzled with coulis, and we savoured every crunch of almond biscuit! One mark of a good kitchen surely has to be the ability to produce traditional dishes to a high standard (and with originality!), raising them above the ordinary. This is where The Sportsman scores: Matt and Mike do good, honest

“ This is where The Sportsman scores: good, honest pub fare is prepared with a passion for food and at great value for money.” pub fare prepared with a passion for food and at great value for money. “It’s been a good year,” said Matt, “but we’ve worked hard and there are lots of things we still need to do.” Certainly, they don’t seem to stand still for long enough to rest on their laurels. In addition to running the pub and kitchen – a new menu is now available, bookings for Christmas will be taken very soon – they are both full of new ideas for the pub. There are now regular Quiz Nights, Curry Nights on a Monday, regular music nights and various special events. Not to mention plans for a new Kids Play Area, a Hog Roast Jazz Night, Fireworks Night and lots more outdoor

events. For a special first anniversary celebration, make a note in your diary for Elvis Las Vegas Night on 21 August with live music, American buffet and casino tables – and make sure you book in advance for this event. “We’ve had some fun this year,” says Mike cryptically. “And we’ve had great feedback from our customers.” I’m not surprised because this pub has it all. ■

The Sportsman Gatehouse Lane, Goddards Green, West Sussex BN6 9LQ Tel. 01444 233 460 www.thesportsmanpub.com

South Downs Living August 2010

Slaugham Walk This walk starts and finishes at Slaugham Parish Church which is situated about a mile to the west of the A23. Given its close proximity to this busy road, the village is a peaceful place and relatively secluded. This is an easy 4 mile walk along established tracks and lanes, passing through part of the National Trust Nymans Estate at Handcross.

A23

Chodd’s Farm

Hardcross

Cow Wood

Dillion’s Farm

Nymans

West Park Farm Homestead Wood

A23

Co o

sL an

Tanyard Wood

Slaugham Park

A27

Blackbrook Lane

Hoadlands Wood

by Les Campbell

B21

ith your back to the Church, walk up the main street of the village, past The Chequers pub, and follow Park Road for approximately a mile to the link road from the A23 to the B2110. Cross to the opposite pavement and turn left and then right over the bridge to Handcross and the Red Lion pub. Cross the road to the Handcross village sign and take the confined path signed Nymans Woods alongside the entrance to the National Trust Gardens. The path descends steeply downhill and into the woods. At crossing tracks, continue ahead down steps into Cow Wood. The path is joined by a track coming in from the left and within a few yards, turn left at a fingerpost indicating Long oop Inn Walk, and pass through an avenue of tall conifers. FINISH The path bears right, and descends to reach a lake, where you should turn right and carry on with the lake on your left. Freshfields AtWapsbourne the time Place Wood of surveying this walk, the path at this point was temporarily closed awaiting repairs Sheffield Park Bu tte Station rbo rbox Farm xL ane the surface following damage caused by forestry to extractions earlier in the year. The National Trust Massetts Wapsbourne Farm have kindly provided an alternative parallel route, so look out for signs. Ignore the first path on your left over a footbridge and at a path junction take the left fork, with Lindfield Farm Warr’son your left and Oldhouse on the hill another lake Wood Warr’s Farm above. In a few metres, turn left to cross a footbridge over a stream, then onto duckboards over marshy ground and ascend steps to a stile into a field. Cross the field diagonally right, to a gateway with a cattle grid to a concrete lane. Turn right uphill and follow the lane out to the B2114 at Staplefield. Cross the common to a pavilion and turn right to Slaugham Road and follow this relatively quiet road for a little over a mile back to the Church. To alleviate some of the road walking, shortly past the entrance to Slaugham Manor, turn left into the Woodland Trust’s property Church Covert, bearing right to walk parallel with the road, then left and through a gate into the Churchyard. The alternative footpath route from Staplefield to Slaugham involves crossing four lanes of the busy A23, and is definitely not recommended! ■

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

The Chequers Pub START/FINISH

Slaugham Church Covert

Staplefield Home Farm

Distance: 4 miles Paths are generally easy to follow but care should be taken to follow the signposts through Cow Wood. Stiles:

Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer Map No.134 Parking: There is usually adequate parking in front of Slaugham Parish Church, but if a service is taking place, parking is available in the main street in the vicinity of The Chequers pub. Refreshment: For pub enthusiasts, four hostelries are encountered along the way – The Chequers (Slaugham) at the start and finish, the Red Lion (Handcross) and The Victory and Jolly Tanners (Staplefield).

www.southdownsliving.com

HATE being overweight? You may well have got to the stage where you just don’t know how to lose your weight anymore Rachel Ricketts, Weight Loss Consultant, is only too familiar with what being over weight brings. Not only had she been overweight for 35 years herself, but every day she hears from people just how much they hate being overweight and how it affects so many different areas of their lives. Rachel has helped literally hundred of clients lose weight with the Metabolic Weight Loss Programme. The average weight loss of clients is 10-14 lbs a month. When you are losing weight too slowly, not only is it demoralizing but can be one of the main reasons for giving up a diet.

Lianna lost 3 and half stone.

Clients constantly remark that they don’t feel hungry or have cravings, making their programmes very easy to follow. No pills, diet shakes etc are used – only foods that are easily available.

Rachel frequently receives referrals from doctors. ‘This is one of the few weight loss programme that our surgery will endorse.’ ‘This is the first time I have seen a diet so rapidly reduce cholesterol’. ‘I am amazed at how quickly you have lost the weight, come off all your medication and yet look so well at the same time’ ‘A lot of my patients have lost their weight with you, now the time has come for me to do the same!’

Are you familiar with one or more of the following?

Key points of the Metabolic Weight Loss Programme

• Difficulty in following a diet due to cravings and always feeling hungry • No matter what you do and how hard you try, you simply cannot lose weight

• Average weight loss of clients, 10-14 lbs a month

• You are not eating enough to warrant the weight you are

• Each stage of the programme tailored to you

• You gain weight very easily, but find it very difficult to lose • Despite how much you exercise, you can’t lose weight

These problems can often be triggered of by puberty, pregnancy, menopause of simply just aging. In addition medication, stress, giving up smoking, change of lifestyle, bad eating habits can also affect one’s weight. The Metabolic Weight Loss Programme addresses these problem areas. The first 2 stages will get you to the weight that you want to be and the last 2 stages focuses on maintaining your weight. It is ideally suited for those who want to bring their dieting days to and end once and for all. Each stage of the programme will help you with any life style changes that are necessary for losing and maintaining your weight.

Julie lost almost 6 stone in 7 months

• No pills, diet shakes, etc. • One-to-one support • Easy to follow guide lines for weight maintenance Marg lost 4 stone 4lbs

Weight Loss Consultant : 01342 327396 or 01444 226328 www.rachelrickettsweightloss.co.uk

call now for a free consultation – absolutely no obligation South Downs Living August 2010

Blue Sky A5

23/6/10

11:01

Page 1

Under New Management

Try Before You Join

Visit us for the best prices on rimless glasses. If you find them cheaper elsewhere, we will match the price!

For personal group training and studio classes

Enjoy a 4 week Blue Sky membership

For Only ÂŁ40 With a proven record for weight loss Get help to improve your fitness levels Achieve great results in an effective and safe way

Just arrived! New range of frames by Maxmara.

01444 440683 www.blueskypfc.co.uk Orchards Shopping Centre in Haywards Heath next to Tesco Express

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

JAI KUDO 7 Keymer Parade Burgess Hill, RH15 0AB

Tel: 01444 236367

www.earlyandedmonds.co.uk

www.southdownsliving.com

Mothering Heights -

Lisa de Silva on being a 21st century mum

G ‘ lamp’

up your holiday…

ne would expect it of Eco Mum and Outdoorsy Mum, but Alpha Mum?! When Mrs Alpha announced to the book group that they were camping this summer, jaws dropped and seven (largely unread) copies of Wolf Hall hit the floor. But after 15 minutes of intense cross-examination, all was revealed. Alpha Mum was not spending her summer under a leaking Millets Value Tent, sleeping in a sodden sleeping bag, eating tinned spam and joining the ranks of the great unwashed – far from it. Apparently, their ex-City worker friend now runs a yurt farm in Somerset. “They’re all hand-crafted from green oak with king-sized beds, 800 thread count sheets, fluffy towels, wood-burning stoves, wet rooms, Wi-Fi, phone chargers, iPod docking stations, satellite TV… and you get your own deck with a hot tub!” Is this really in the spirit of Baden-Powell? This year, camping or ‘glamping’ – glamorous camping – is de rigueur amongst wannabe bourgeois bohemians. Combine it with a Festival, where you can indulge in a spot of vibrational healing, get a tattoo, experience a voyage of ‘self-discovery’ in the beer tent and listen to bands you’ve never heard of, and hey, it’s Woodstock 1969 and you are the ultimate in spiritual hipsterdom. So, what’s behind this renewed passion for Festival life and sleeping in fields? Well, in Credit Crunch Britain, this type of break is great value for money, but does our desire for the Great Outdoors go deeper than this? In our fast-paced, digital world, are the simple pleasures of finding a clean shower, sitting round a campfire, listening to birdsong (or Florence) and laying under the stars, an antidote to the stresses and strains of our daily lives? Is this the 21st century version of a Vision Quest – the Native American practice of withdrawing to the mountains for a few days with a shaman (go-between of the human and spirit worlds), to commune with nature and return to the world with your ‘vision’? After an unpleasant introduction to camping in 1984, Mothering Heights remains unconvinced about canvas, but is currently considering a yurt mini-break. Camping or Glamping – enjoy yours! © Lisa de Silva 2010

Returning to work?

Looking for exceptional childcare? Find just what your 0-5 year old is looking for at

www.robinsnestnursery.co.uk

Open 7.30 – 6.00 Monday to Friday every week of the year.

Only 5 mins walk from Haywards Heath station.

Free taster sessions Robins Nest Day Nursery

Tel: 01444 413103

47 Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3BN

Chartered Certified Accountants and Registered Auditors

• Free Initial Consultation • Fixed Price Fees • Friendly & Professional • Family Business Specialists

Steven Bentley FCCA, FMAAT, ATT

Suite 6, 141/143 South Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 4LZ

Haywards Heath Office: +44 (0) 1444 456358 Email: info@bcca.uk.com Website: www.bcca.uk.com

South Downs Living August 2010

A la mode

Are you after a beauty update, in need of some retail therapy, or just on the look-out for some new style ideas? To help you get the best out of this summer, take a look at these offers.

Your educational wooden toy shop

Birthday Toys, Newborn Gifts and Party Bag Fillers.

New stock now available. Fantastic push-along toys, summer and outdoor toys Check out our website and join our mailing list to receive future offers and discounts. T4Toys, 95 London Road, East Grinstead RH19 1EQ 01342 328988 | www.t4toysonline.com

Childrens fun sessions throughout the summer

• Quality beads • Semi precious stones • Crystals • Findings • Tools & threads Our highly popular polymer clay and our new “Needle and thread seed bead” classes for adults and children can be arranged to suit you. Giraffe Gems, Ote Hall Farm, Janes Lane, Burgess Hill, RH15 0SR Tel: 01444 248475 Open: Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-5pm

Hair Emporium UP TO 50% OFF our summer collection

E L A S

Come and browse our beautifully selected ladies wear collections from Sandwich, InWear, Fenn Wright Manson, Day Birger Mikkelsen, Lauren Vidal. Easy parking at rear. Fifteen The Broadway, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3AQ Tel/Fax: 01444 473788 www.fifteenthebroadway.com

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

Free lip product with every hair colour service while stocks last. Full spectrum™ hair colour system up to 99% naturally derived* *from plants and nonpetroleum based minerals We have a great range of hair, skin and body products for holidays, or why not come in and ask our advice to customise or personalise a gift. Vouchers are also available. Hair Emporium, 50 Keymer Road, Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 8AR Tel. 01273 841234 www.hairemporiumltd.co.uk www.southdownsliving.com

SALE

The Leaping Hare

starts Monday 2nd August Up to 70% off many items Sassy is open Mon – Sat 10am to 5.30pm

New YaYa collection now in stock

126c High Street, Hurstpierpoint, BN6 9PX | Tel: 01273 831110

Summer SeaSalt collection 20% off! The Courtyard, Trading Boundaries Sheffield Park Nr Fletching, East Sussex TN22 3RB Tel: 01825 790099

www.handbagsandcashmere.co.uk

Summer Offers 2 for 1 Back Massage £26

Lose 10 lbs per month • Guaranteed Weight Loss • No Pills or Potions

Enjoy a summer pedicure with LCN Pedique gel colour £35

• Guaranteed Inch Loss • One to One Support • FREE Initial Consultation It’s not you. It’s your metabolism! SureSlim East Grinstead/Crawley, The Cornmill Complementary Health Centre, Judges Close, High Street, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 3AA Tel: 01342 410999 eastgrinstead@sureslimuk.com www.sureslimuk.com

Offers End 30th Aug Sussex Beauty School now enroling for Sept 2010

Tamarind, 43 Silverdale Road, Burgess Hill 01444 233060 | www.tamarindtherapies.co.uk www.sussexbeautytraining.co.uk

September

next month in

Weddings If you would like your business featured here, please call us on

01273 842550 South Downs Living August 2010

McIndoe Surgical Centre McIndoe Surgical Centre ® ®

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S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

www.southdownsliving.com

advertising feature ■

A picture of

Left: The Nuffield Health hospital in Haywards Heath. Above: The reception area is bright, airy and welcoming.

Nuffield Health

If you happen to see a group of power walkers out in Haywards Heath on a Monday evening, you can rest assured that they’re taking a taste of their own medicine. For every week, a team of staff from Nuffield Health Haywards Heath Hospital can be found striding their way to fitness.

EGE

Sainsbury Superstore

to Cuckfield and Burgess Hill

L R OA HAL

MU STER GREEN N TH MU S T ER G REEN CH URC H R O S TH AD SO UT HR OA DA 27 2

Clair Hall

B UTLERS G REEN ROAD

RO AD

OAT

BOLT RO D

Library Council Off. Town Hall

to Ardingly

Cricket Ground

OC A23

To Lindfield & Ardingly

EY S Y DN

Dolphin Leisure Centre

C OL L

MILL GR R D

SR D

The Ashdown Nuffield Hospital Nuffield Hospital Haywards Heath

for operations, helping patients to plan by fixing the cost of treatment before surgery. Organising an appointment is easier than you might imagine: anyone can arrange treatment by asking their GP to refer them to a Nuffield Health consultant. The hospital provides a range of services from hip, knee, and spine surgury through to gynaecology and digestive disorders. All patients have single rooms, choice of surgeon, and involvement in their treatment programme.

WAY

BRIDGERS MILL A

HA R L AND

W IC K H AM

Balcombe

T RD U

Sixthform College

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Nuffield Hospital Info 4pp

RD ER S RN

“People come back because the quality of care here is second to none. Patients have access to leading specialists in their field, and our staff are very friendly and caring.”

Further evidence of the commitment to wellbeing are the free events staged by the hospital, where people can come to learn about various conditions and spend time talking to specialists on subjects such as Women’s Health and Urology. “What I love most about my job is the fact that what I do influences the lives of hundreds of people who walk through our doors. It’s making a difference in helping to improve the quality of their lives and their general sense of wellbeing,” Andrew tells me. A relative newcomer to the hospital, he has already signed up for the gym and is a regular on the Monday evening power walks. ■

for the local community. Any profit the hospital makes is ploughed back into improving patient services and buying new equipment. “We can make patient care our utmost priority as we don’t need to answer to any shareholders.” While a lot of patients have medical insurance many patients are self-funding. The hospital offers special package prices

PAD D

hen I meet General Manager, Andrew Lennox, he gets straight to the point. “Fitness and wellbeing are at the heart of what we do,” he tells me, “whether that’s through the services offered here at the hospital or through our Fitness & Wellbeing Centre at Crawley.” Nuffield Health has recently bought out the Cannons chain of gyms and, by adding access to professional health services, has pioneered a whole new approach to health and fitness. Not only do gym members receive professional advice and treatment from physiotherapists, they also have the services of a team of Wellbeing Advisors, who can advise on everything from weight management to back pain. What strikes you first as you enter the Haywards Heath Hospital (formerly known as The Ashdown), is the warm, friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Patients agree – with an impressive 97% score for customer satisfaction and very high rates of repeat business. “People come back to us because they know that the quality of care here is second to none. Patients have access to some of the leading specialists in their field, and our staff are all very friendly and caring,” explains Andrew. For those who didn’t know, Nuffield Health is a registered charity, with a remit to provide affordable healthcare

by Lisa de Silva

To Lewes

Nuffield Health

to Princess Royal Hospital

Deborah Muldoon, General Manager

Further Information

pleasant as possible and our dedicated team of professionals are friendly, efficient, caring and aim to put you at ease from the moment you arrive.

to visit the hospital please call our Enquiry Line on 01444 476776 where we will be happy to help you.

We are proud Hospital to have high standards Haywards Heath If you require any in Patient Care and Clinical Audit information on withHaywards an annual inspection by the Burrell Road, Heathfurther 1UD ourRH16 comprehensive Healthcare Commission. range of services and Our staff are committed to making Tel 01444 456999 www.nuffieldhealth.com facilities, or would like each patients visit to hospital as

South Downs Living August 2010

Nuffield Hospitals is a Registered Charity Number: 205533 and a Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England Company Number: 576970. Registered Office: Nuffield House, 1-4 The Crescent, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 4BN

Nuffield Hospital Haywards Heath, Burrell Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 1UD Phone 01444 456999 Fax 01444 454111 www.nuffieldhospitals.org.uk

■ advertising feature

Denture care for everyone Whether it’s an initial denture consultation, ensuring a comfortable fit or visiting clients at home, customer service is at the heart of everything The Denture Care Centre does. by Lisa de Silva

his care and support has not Fitting dentures is an art and it can gone unnoticed and levels take several visits for a client to feel of customer satisfaction are completely comfortable wearing and using impressively high. “Everyone them. At the Denture Care Centre, this is remarks on the relaxed and friendly all part of the service. Initial consultations atmosphere,” explains Janet Ellis who are free of charge and, once the dentures runs the clinic alongside her husband have been fitted, clients can return to the Martin. “Our sole focus is dentures, clinic as many times as necessary without which means we have so much more incurring any extra costs. time to spend with our clients and can The service also extends to talk through the whole process with domiciliary visits for private patients them. We find they really appreciate the who can’t get to the clinic and need to reassurance.” be seen at home. A The Denture “Our sole focus is dentures, dental nurse always Care Centre works accompanies these which means we have with both private visits for added and NHS clients. In reassurance and so much more time to fact, the NHS side security. While spend with our clients.” of the business has Martin is a qualified been so successful Clinical Denture that they’ve just been awarded a bigger Technician (CDT), his colleague contract to meet growing demand. Shameer is currently in training, so that “More people are beginning to realise eventually the clinic will have two fully that they can come here and ask for qualified and registered CDTs, meaning new dentures – and on the NHS it’s they can see even more clients. completely free, provided certain The team are all passionate about criteria are met. They don’t even need what they do and about removing the a referral from their dentist,” Janet tells stigma that surrounds the wearing of me. “What’s more, no-one has to worry dentures. “We use our teeth everyday about having a mouth full of white and they’re a vital part of wellbeing,” tombstones, because today’s dentures Janet explains. “Just because you may are designed to give a much more be old doesn’t mean you shouldn’t natural look.” have a great set of teeth.” ■

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

Above: Martin Ellis. Right: Denture repairs are carried out on the premises by fully qualified Clinical Denture Technicians.

Our Top Tip:

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Over time, dentures will erode, making chewing a slow and difficult process, so it’s important to have them checked.

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As dentures wear down, your jaw begins to move forward, affecting the shape of your face. There’s no need for cosmetic surgery, new dentures is all you need!

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Regular monitoring also means any sign of dental disease can be identified and dealt with early-on.

The Denture Care Centre Turners Hill Road Crawley Down RH10 4HE Tel. 01342 716822 www.denturecarecentre.co.uk

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South Downs Living August 2010

Roger Green:

Grabbing life by the horns

by Ruth Lawrence

What do Roman emperors and wildflowers have in common? The unexpected answer lies in the flock of rare breed sheep kept by Roger Green, the ex Chief Vet for the Ardingly Show.

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

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is rams bear emperors’ names and the ewes answer to those of English wildflowers and herbs. Meeting one of the ‘boys’ face to face, I was surprised at his sheer size. Imagine a small Shetland pony in a pair of wide curling horns and you have an idea of his dimensions. Roger is passionate about preserving the diversity of old breeds, explaining that the sheep are called White Faced Woodlands. Coming from the high Pennines, they are a slow maturing breed improved in the 1850s with Merino blood from Spain. Roger farms the sheep to sell as breeding stock, although rams who do not reach the standard are sold for meat. Butchered at a local abattoir they are sold direct without a middle man, in line with Roger’s ethos of keeping farming simple, local and sustainable. Having been involved with farming since 1975, Roger used to judge at the Royal Norfolk and the Great Yorkshire Show. He joked how “Northerners think that Southerners don’t know a damn thing about sheep” and recalled an anecdote about a Yorkshire farmer: After Roger rejected a ram for not having fully developed testicles, its owner, looking affronted, shouted: “Well, I’ve got small ones and I’ve got children!” Roger has run the farm single-handedly since his wife’s death in 2003; it was involvement with the farm that pulled him back into life after losing her to cancer. He remembered how the routine of feeding animals and nurturing his land kept him connected and gave him a thread of normality to guide him back from this difficult time. Returning to the beginning of his career, Roger qualified as a vet in1960, entering a large animal practice in Devon and later Cornwall for five years. Lack of financial opportunity eventually brought him to the South East, although I got the impression that part of his heart still belongs in the West Country. He particularly loves the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall where he plans to spend more time once fully retired, although with five children and nine grandchildren he has plenty of family commitments. He ran a busy general practice until 1995 which was eventually sold after his wife’s death but he still finds time to inspect riding schools and pet shops. He monitors breeders of species such as tortoises and owls, who have to adhere to stringent rules.

As a trustee both of the Blue Cross and Pets for Therapy, Roger evaluates individual dogs and their owners for suitability for the scheme. Chosen animals and owners visit hospices to provide stimulus and support for patients, as interaction with animals has been proven to bring real benefits to people. Cats can join the scheme too, although they are in a minority and Roger said that volunteers are always needed for this highly effective service. This year was Roger’s last as Chief Vet at the South of England Show and I wondered how he would fill the gaps left as his commitments began to dwindle. Not only is he a non-playing member of Haywards Heath Rugby Club, but he also sings in two local church choirs at Hurstpierpoint and Brighton. His choirs

opportunity he would have missed. He also sat on the Council of Europe Committee for the Protection of Farm Animals from 1990 to 2002 and ran the welfare committee for that organisation. The welfare of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and chickens came under his scrutiny, and issues such as broiler production methods were criticised for unnecessary cruelty. The Committee also successfully banned fox fur farming, due to the unbearable cruelty of keeping the animals in tiny cages which leads to neurotic behaviour in animals designed to roam freely over large territories. It is testament to the dedication of people like Roger that such practices are opposed and thankfully brought to an end. Roger’s passion against the imprisonment of animals is obvious;

“The wellbeing of his sheep shows in their relaxed expressions – the ewes seem curious, the lambs inquisitive and the rams bold yet gentle. Roger has spent his entire life caring for animals one way or another and countless creatures have benefited from his concern, knowledge and quiet welfare.”

have sung in Bristol, Portsmouth and Winchester Cathedrals as well as Chichester on numerous occasions. He began singing aged just seven in the choir where his father was church organist. He remembers sitting next to him as he played and eventually became a choir soloist. He continued singing at school and college and joined the choir when he came to live in Sussex after being recruited in the local pub. His youngest son Phillip has inherited his fine singing voice and is now a talented tenor. Although Roger seriously thought about emigrating to New Zealand or Canada earlier in life, his links with this country proved too strong to break and he remained here, later to become President of the Royal College, an

on his own farm there is little in the way of confinement for any living thing. Wildflowers abound and insects buzz abundantly among his experiments with vegetable growing. It looks like the kind of farm from a bygone, looser time, where haphazard vegetation clings to inviting doorways and animals look happier for being less organised. He has created a farm that works for all species, not just the owner. The wellbeing of his sheep shows in their relaxed expressions – the ewes seem curious, the lambs inquisitive and the rams bold yet gentle. Roger has spent his entire life caring for animals one way or another and countless creatures have benefited from his concern, knowledge and quiet welfare. His present flock mirrors his harmonious, natural approach to farming; Roman emperors and wildflowers are indeed a happy combination. ■

South Downs Living August 2010

Get your copy of all over

Mid Sussex South Downs Living is distributed in towns and villages across Mid Sussex and nearby places reaching over 50,000 readers. We have over 100 distribution points where you can pick up your free copy. You can also read the magazine online at southdownsliving.com Thanks to the following local businesses who have agreed to have one of our swing signs: Burgess Hill: Burgess Financial Services

Handcross: Handcross Hardware and Craft

Crawley Down: Denture Care Centre

Hassocks: Budgens

Cuckfield: Reeves Pantry, Sparks Farm Shop

Haywards Heath: Archies Sandwich Bar, Hair Passion, Sarah Lacey Dry Cleaning, Grape & Grain, Bewarm TV, Fox & Hounds, Trading 4U

Ditchling: Oaks Poultry Farm East Grinstead: Sportsman Wine Bar Goddards Green: The Sportsman

JanTon News – Hurstpierpoint

The White Horse– Hurstpierpoint

SSouth o u t hDowns D ow nLiving s Living August 2010 March 2010

Hurstpierpoint: Co-Op, Janton News, The White Horse Keymer: Keymer News Lindfield: Heart & Soul, Clough’s Nutley: Anne’s Café Staplefield: Jolly Tanners

Sarah Lacey Dry Cleaning – Haywards Heath

Cloughs – Lindfield

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South Downs Living August April 2010

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Hassocks WI: Trip down memory lane

Sussex hospices need your help

Albourne Village Show

The Hike for Hospices sponsored walk takes place on August 21 and 22. Every penny raised pays directly for patient care at St Barnabas House, The Martlets, St Wilfred’s and St Peters & St James hospices. This year’s walk covers 43 miles along the South Downs Way between Lewes and Goodwood. It’s divided into six legs so people of all abilities can take part. Last year 400 walkers raised £42,000 – and Sussex Rotarians hope this year’s hike will be even better. Between them, the four hospices provide specialist palliative care to tens of thousands of people suffering from advanced life-limiting illnesses right across Sussex. Patients are never charged for their care. But this service does not come cheap. For all four hospices, the total cost of providing this care is £13.5 million per year. Only a small portion of these costs are funded by the government and so each hospice has to raise between 70% and 80% of the costs themselves. Online registration is now open, so put your best foot forward and help make a difference. www.hike4hospices.com

The very popular Albourne Village Show will be held this year on the 4th September at the Village Hall and on the Green. This is an event at which the local residents can come together to enjoy a fun and relaxed afternoon but of course all are welcome. This is a show of the traditional kind with lots of attractions including craft stalls and an auction of produce. There will be several classes in which to enter not only your flowers but also your fruit and vegetables. Cakes and preserves will be judged and there will be a photography class, this one being judged by the public. Refreshments will be available throughout the show and there will be the chance to buy cakes and plants to take home. Last year, for the first time, apple pressing was introduced and this was a big success. You are welcome to bring us your apples which, for a small charge, we will turn into juice. We will also be selling freshly pressed juice and other apple products. As always, help is needed to organise the show. If you would like to help in any way at all, big or small, please contact Margaret Butler on 01273 834827.

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

What an evening!! We were very honoured to have Dame Vera Lynn and her daughter Virginia to share the night with us. We had 150 ladies attending, including women from other local womens’ groups as well as other WIs. The evening started with several women sharing their wartime accounts from a child evacuee, a land girl, a nurse, a midwife post war and then we had a ‘roaming mic’ for other ladies to share their stories. James DiCastiglione was our interviewer, the curate from The Point Church, who did a fantastic job – thanks James. After tea, cakes and lots of chatting we had our very own WI choir singing wartime songs. They were simply AMAZING! We had two solos, one by our own choir master Lucy Griffiths, beautiful voice and then by Grace Stainer,13 years old, who sang White Cliffs of Dover. She was stunning. We then all joined in for a good old sing-song! For many of us, it was a real privilege to hear these accounts of life during the war. They were thought provoking, challenging and sometimes funny! We raised £350

on the night for The Dame Vera Lynn Trust, which was well received by our special guests. We are now on a welldeserved summer break but kick off on Monday, 20th September, 7.45pm at Adastra Hall, Hassocks, with a Fun Quiz Night! Look forward to seeing you then. As always, non-members welcome.

Sussex Food Festival The Bluebell Railway are excited to be hosting our popular annual Sussex Food Festival on Sunday 15th August 2010 at Horsted Keynes Station, This is a superb backdrop to a wonderful day out. The Sussex Food Festival is a mouth-watering event which celebrates the finest local produce. This event is an amazing opportunity to show off all of the fresh, home cooked, traditional and organic delights our much loved county have to offer. If you would like to sample what Sussex has to shout about, then join us in making this festival of food full of flavour and a taste sensation! Open from 10am-5pm. Admission: Adult £1.50, child 50p (free for travel ticket holders).

Dame Vera Lynn (centre) with ladies from the Hassocks WI

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South Downs Living August 2010

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Tunes of Glory is coming to Ardingly ‘Tunes of Glory’ features five of Britain’s top military bands on parade together with the sensational soprano Hayley Westenra and classical singing quartet Blake live in concert. The event on Saturday 4th September begins at 1pm when the Ardingly Showground opens to ‘Tunes of Glory’ ticket-holders. People can spend an afternoon visiting a huge variety of exhibitions and sideshows, enjoying a picnic or sampling some of the delicious fare on offer together with a tempting range of beverages. Admire the huge collection of classic cars on display alongside an array of military vehicles dating back to World War II jeeps and half-tracks. There will be all kinds of attractions including muchloved Dad’s Army who will be on parade outside their own Home Guard sandbagged encampment. Another special guest is celebrated wildlife and aviation artist David Shepherd CBE, who will have a wide range of prints and original works of art on display. Look out, too for the Swingtime Sweethearts performing evergreen great songs from the 1940s and 1950s. In the late afternoon look out for the Tigers free-fall parachute team. Later guests

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

will hear the unmistakeable sound of a Merlin engine – the signal for all eyes to turn skyward to view the flypast of a Spitfire from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. In this 70th anniversary year of the RAF’s ‘Finest Hour’ what better way to pay tribute to those young men who defied the Luftwaffe in the summer of 1940. In the evening, the worldfamous Band of the Royal Marines, the 80-strong Royal British Legion Youth Band, the colourful Reading Pipe Band and the Pipe Band of the Gurkhas will entertain us with a host of favourite military music. Later, on the full-size concert stage specially erected for the event, a 40-strong Concert Orchestra will perform a stirring selection of music including the themes from 633 Squadron, The Great Escape and the Battle of Britain. Later the Orchestra will accompany the hugely popular classical quartet, Blake. The night becomes even more magical when star soprano Hayley Westenra takes to the stage. New Zealander Hayley has rocketed to world fame in just a few short years. Hayley will doubtless be singing the lovely, lilting Pokarekare Ana but as a huge fan of Dame Vera Lynn, we can doubtless look forward to this sensational

Hayley Westenra with Dame Vera Lynn

songstress paying a special tribute to the one and only ‘Forces Sweetheart’. The audience can also expect a riproaring finale from Hayley as the Ardingly sky fills with a spectacular laser show and fireworks display and the arena sees the return of the massed military bands. In tandem with the bands and adding a uniquely Sussex theme to the event will be a torchlight parade of Bonfire Boys and Girls in their colourful costumes. Arena seats cost from just £33 each. Book online at www.tunesofglory.co.uk or call 01273 556959.

Hurstpierpoint Singers We like singing because it’s great fun! We are holding a Choral Workshop on Saturday, 11th September at 10.30am at Hassocks United Reform Church. Singing is good for your heart, for asthma and reduces stress (so this is the year!). We shall sing music from The Beatles, a Negro Spiritual and the Hallelujah Chorus etc – familiar music, and no experience is required. Stephen Hope will conduct. Music will be provided. There will also be coffee and tea, but bring your own lunch. At 4.30pm there will

be a mini concert to perform what we have learnt. So come and have a sociable, fun day with us. Tickets £10, available from Janton News, High Street, Hurstpierpoint; Pavilion Electrics, Keymer Road, Hassocks and on the door. For more information phone Ingolf Katza on 01273 833727 or visit www.hurstsingers.co.uk.

Edenbridge & Oxted Agricultural Show This year’s Show at Lingfield on Sunday 29 and Monday 30 August features the famous Cheshire Dog Display Team with a thrilling display of high speed agility races, fire jumping and police dog action. There will also be one of the largest turnouts of horse-drawn Coaches and Four In Hand Carriages in the country – a rare spectacle from a byegone era. New to the Show this year is an Antiques and Collectables Marquee. Come and browse for a family heirloom, an unusual gift or something to add to your collection. Visit ‘The Gardening Roadshow’ in the Horticultural Marquee where you can talk with experts about your garden or allotment. Every member of the family will find something unusual to see and do. Come and

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see the new breed of sheep, featured on the national news, which don’t need to be shorn in one of the largest livestock sections to be found at an agricultural show. Learn about beekeeping and cheesemaking. Have a go at fly fishing, clay shooting, archery, the laser challenge or drive on the four by four off-road course. Watch Falconry displays, the farriers at work, a Ferret road show, gun dog displays; listen to the Oatlands Pipe Band and a Jazz band, enjoy locally-produced British fare in the Food Hall and bag a bargain at over 300 shops.

Specially for the children there will be fairground rides, a carousel, a pets’ corner, baby farm animals and a crèche. Audition to read the news or the weather at the BBC Radio Surrey Roadshow, make crafts in the WI marquee and see rows and rows of magnificent Shires being prepared for showing in the Heavy Horse Village. Over 1,500 horses, ponies and donkeys will be competing in six rings from fun gymkhana classes to Horse of the Year Show qualifiers. The show culminates in the spectacular Grand Cattle Parade at 4.15 p.m. in the main ring

on bank holiday Monday. Truly a sight to be seen! For the first time this year you can book your tickets online. Including a new concessions ticket this year. Reduced

price tickets can also be purchased at outlets around the area including Martells in East Grinstead. See www. edenbridge-show.co.uk or call 0906 7500 333 for details.

Local business directory To advertise in our Local business directory please call 01273 842550 AROUND THE Home

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Dirty Ovens? 08456 030702 www.dirtyovens.co.uk

Advertise in

Office open 9am to 3pm

Plumbing & Water Mains Hydraulic Boring Bathroom Installations Drainage & Groundwork Property Maintenance

TORO

We also clean hobs, hoods, microwaves, ranges and agas

Lisa on 01273 846823

www.ladiesthatdo.co.uk

D & M Chivers

Garden Machinery Sales & Service

Domestic Ovens CleaneD

Cleaning & Ironing Service * House move and Spring cleaning * Commercial/Office cleaning * Our staff are fully insured & have completed a thorough training programme. For further information and a brochure please call;

Professional, reliable, hardworking and friendly service

lavendercarpets@yahoo.com

Established 1986

Offering a stress-free professional cleaning service tailored to each clients individual needs.

46a Keymer Road Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 8AR Telephone: 01444 232241 Mobile: 07932 119766 E-mail: thewindowdressers@hotmail.co.uk

Tel. 01273 843714 Mobile. 07733 104006 Email. casschivers@aol.com

Gibney’s Painters & Decorators The Complete Decorating Service

Tel: 01444 245115 Mob: 07895 470148 i n d i v i d u a l

d e s

i g n

b a t h r o o m s

s u p p l y

i n s t a l l

BATHROOMS THAT REALLY WORK jamiestaffordbathrooms.co.uk

this two-unit

gibneydecorators@hotmail.com

Est 1983 Electrical Services

+ VAT or less

• Test & Reporting on Existing Installations • Rewires • External Lighting • Electrical Works for Kitchen Refits • Fuseboard Replacements and Upgrades (to 17th Edition) • New Extensions and Conservatory Work

Call

Free Quotations

space for £40 per month

01273 842550

Tel: 01273 843794 or 07564 119248 01273 831802 / jamie.stafford@virgin.net

Fair, LocaL & accountabLe

Fully insured and guaranteed

Reach thousands of readers – your existing and potential customers. Advertise in South Downs Living.

S o u t h D ow n s L i v i n g August 2010

www.southdownsliving.com

AROUND THE Home

ttic sset LO F T C O N V E R S I O N S

LO F T C O N V E R S I O N S Attic Attic Asset Asset is is aa specialist specialist loft loft conversion conversion company that can utilise your company that can utilise your loft loft space space to to create a valuable asset to your home create a valuable asset to your home

Bookfair

Burgess excavations Hassocks

CPCS & CITB qualIfIed CITy & GuIldS

◗ driveways + drop kerbs ◗ all building work undertaken ◗ water mains ◗ re-pointing ◗ garden ponds

If If you you are are exploring exploring the the possibilities possibilities and and benefits benefits of of aa loft conversion Attic Asset are offering: loft conversion Attic Asset are offering: A A FREE FREE no no obligation obligation feasibility feasibility survey survey An opportunity to visit An opportunity to visit local local conversions conversions both both completed completed and and in in progress progress

For free estimates, advice and competitive prices contact David on:

tel: 01273 846969 Mob: 07736 355088

email: david.burgess@live.com

From 1.5 ton to 30 ton machines

◗ all tree surgery undertaken ◗ specialists in sand schools and astroturf

BOOKFAIR Sunday 5th September Adastra Hall. BN6 8QH 10:30am– 3:30pm Admission 50p (Free with this ad) Refreshments Available For more information call 01273 233274 or visit booksonlinebrighton.com Books Bought : interesting single items or collections Please phone if you have a collection to sell. pets

Dragonfly Saddlery & Pets Enjoy summer with your 4-legged friends Treat your dog to one of our colourful patent collars. All sizes to suit all dogs. Leads to match from £7

Please Please contact contact us us with with your your enquiry enquiry by email: info@atticasset.co.uk by email: info@atticasset.co.uk or or call call 01273 835131 or 07734 444799 01273 835131 or 07734 444799

www.atticasset.co.uk www.atticasset.co.uk

J Lee Trees

Fully insured Free estimates

J Lee Trees Ltd offers a fully insured professional tree care service throughout Sussex

Justin Lee (AA Tech Cert) tel: 01273 831339 mob: 07947 564119 www.jleetrees.com email: info@jleetrees.com

Reach thousands of readers – your existing and potential customers. Advertise in South Downs Living. WANTED

Lady artist wishes to purchase old/antique furniture suitable for furnishing large property in France, under renovation Dining table/chairs, chest of drawers/bedroom furniture and any decorative items - particularly oriental, required

Vehicle repair

We also have ball throwers, car safety harnesses, rugs, cages, shampoos & easi-dri towels. Open Monday – Saturday 9.005.30 Sunday 10.00-3.00

Freephone 0800 374878 / 01273 844606

www.dragonflysaddlery.co.uk The Goods Shed, Station Goods Yard (near Parkers Building Supplies), off Keymer Road, Hassocks, BN6 8JA

SDBS Southdown Bodyshop Why have major changes made to your vehicle when a simple repair would suffice? Unit 27, Mid Sussex Business Park, Ditchling Common, Ditchling, West Sussex BN6 8SE. Email: SDBS@hotmail.co.uk Tel. 01444 254910 / 07788 580024

Railway GaRaGe Station Goods Yard, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 9DG

Please contact Susan in confidence 01273 440578 or 07967 604264 www.sueheathergallery.com commissions undertaken in contemporary animal portraiture

24 Hour gentle In-Home eutHanasIa

Home Visit specialists 01273 842115 0845 02 12345 Full range oF treatment

pets

www.vets2home.co.uk

BRENDON HORSE & RIDER CENTRE

Free ColleCtion and delivery serviCe

Visit us for Competition and Country Clothing for all ages. New Summer Shirts and Jackets. Ariat, Caldene, Whitaker, Horseware New white & coloured Breeches/Jods Supplements & Treats for Happy Horses www.brendonsaddlery.co.uk Shop in store or on line

tel: 01444 230805 / 258465

01273 845545

• ClutChes • Brakes • Welding

• serviCing • Cam Belts • diagnostiCs

Pyecombe, Sussex BN45 7ED