AAH July 2018

JULY 2018

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BEN’S COLUMN

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The Importance of Nike Air Jordans

Genuine Goods, Courtesy of Shady Dave When I was 12, basketball player Michael Jordan was the world’s most famous athlete.

The success of Jordan-branded Nike products, from boots to hats, earned the clothing company billions of dollars.

Even living on a farm in rural Shipley, I was well-aware of the cultural impact of the Air Jordan range. Any kid wearing Jordan boots would enjoy a stratospheric rise in their playground popularity.

However, they cost a fortune back in an era when people were not accustomed to spending £60 on footwear. My parents were not alone in asking why their vertically challenged son – with limited basketball potential – would find Air Jordan boots essential to their social status.

Realising I was not alone in my desire for fashion beyond the modest means of my family, I sensed a business opportunity.

Surely, counterfeit goods would be a money-spinner!

So, I drew the outline of an Air Jordan logo (a silhouette of a slam dunk) on to a plain white Tshirt from Quality Seconds. Then, I filled it in with a permanent pen and along with a cousin, established a stall at the end of the drive.

I have a son the same age now and if he suggested anything like that, I’d consider him idiotic.

Nonetheless, my mum was supportive of my entrepreneurial spirit and even went over part of the T-shirt’s logo a second time, as the ink was fading.

One passer-by did stop, more out of intrigue than anything. But he left without paying the £5 asking price. It was a crap T-shirt drawn by a 12-year-old, after all.

I think I inherited my rogue trader tendencies from my grandad. He had a mate called ‘Shady Dave’ and whenever the family needed something that might normally set us back a fair sum, he’d utter the immortal words: “I’ll have a word with Shades.”

One year, he went to Malaysia just before Christmas and came home

a degree of naivety or calculated risk for someone to be conned.

“I feel such an idiot, officer! He looked so trustworthy when he pulled up in an Y-Reg 3 Series, busted open a suitcase and sold me this Prada handbag for £20 before driving off when he mistook a parking warden for the fuzz.

Now you’re telling me, it’s a fake!”

JULY 2018 Ben Morris: Words & Design Toby Phillips: Photography Thanks

Jeremy Knight of Horsham Museum for text and images relating to History feature (p49) Jeremy again for his My Story pictures (p25) Elaine Boys for additional images of Mattie’s acting (p32) Horsham Bridge Club for arriving early on a club night for pictures (p42) PMW Communications for telling us about Natural Nurture (P54)

with suitcases full of clothes and jewellery for the whole family. All the grandchildren were kitted out in dubious Chanel, Gucci and Benetton clothes for the next couple of years, whilst the grownups got to pick-a-watch.

“These are 100% genuine!” he would proclaim, as if insulted by any insinuation they weren’t authentic. A quarter of a century later, we still mimic my grandad’s words.

them at the market. He declared his income tax and VAT during his five years of trading and made good on his returns to HM Revenue and Customs. He also pointed out that Ford didn’t make mats and mud flaps for its sport range, or licensed anyone else to do so. So, it wasn’t like he was costing anyone else business.

They say there’s no such thing as a victimless crime, but this must come close!

I don’t condone the trade of illegal goods, but bearing in mind my own past, there are times when I have some sympathy for those punished for selling counterfeit goods. The caveat being that they are honest about their dishonesty!

On such example comes from Belfast in 2016, where a trader was given a two-year suspended sentence for breaching trademark laws. He’d made car mats and mud flaps bearing the Ford ‘RS’ or ‘ST’ logos and was selling

Genuine labels of desirable brands can set people back hundreds, often thousands of pounds. There are those that can afford these goods and are happy to pay for it.

There are also those that aspire to be part of that world, but are prepared to buy cheap imitations, even if they don’t last long. If both parties are aware of the authenticity, or otherwise, there can still be a roguish charm to this unauthorised trade and in this internet-savvy age, it takes either

I raise this issue as two weeks ago, a Horsham woman was issued with a 12-month community order, including 120 hours of unpaid work, having been caught redhanded by West Sussex Trading Standards selling fake Ray-Ban sunglasses, Michael Kors bags and UGG boots on Facebook.

I’m not saying she’s been hard done by, as I note that Trading Standards twice warned the offender before they pressed charges. Also, I don’t know what she was charging for goods.

When people are pricing fake products as though they’re genuine, that’s a different and more unsavoury matter.

In February, for example, WS Trading Standards caught a man selling fake Rolex watches for thousands on eBay. He’d made £659,043 from selling watches at considerable sums and there’s little justice in the leniency of his punishment. Still, as a buyer, there is always a degree of calculated risk is such purchases.

Genuine Rolex watches do not fall off the back of vans.

In conclusion, I’m not saying that people who sell fake goods are bad, or that they’re good either.

I’m not saying you should never buy expensive goods from unauthorised online sellers, but I’m not saying you should either.

To be honest - and it’s apparent I rarely am - I’m not sure what my point is. If any readers have any idea as to what the moral conclusion of this column should be, please email me at editor@aahorsham.co.uk There’s a 100% genuine vintage Nike Air Jordan T-shirt on offer to the best suggestion.

Ben

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CONTENTS 10

News Round-up

Joy for incinerator objectors and 12-hour lawnmower race details

14

Midnight Walk

St Catherine’s Hospice event turns the streets of Horsham orange

25

My Story So Far

Jeremy Knight talks about his difficult school years and his career in museums

32

One to Watch

COVER STORY: JULY 2018 Our July cover features Zoe Goring, Marketing Director of the Wiston Estate.

Zoe is pictured at the estate’s first vineyard near Washington, where three varieties of grape are grown.

Zoe hadn’t been expecting to be photographed, but proved patient with Toby’s requests. These included moving a bench from the barn where the estate hosts tastings and on to the fringes of the vineyard. We also arranged bottles of Wiston wines on the bench as the picture

AAH: THE TEAM

Mattie Boys has acting ambitions after starring in Idris Elba’s TV comedy

EDITOR: BEN MORRIS editor@aahorsham.co.uk 01403 878026 / 01903 892899 LETTERS: The Editor, AAH Magazine, 2 Viney Close, Ashington, RH20 3PT

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ADVERTISING: KELLY MORRIS advertising@aahorsham.co.uk 01403 878026 / 01903 892899

The Wiston Estate has become of the country’s leading wine producers

PHOTOGRAPHY: TOBY PHILLIPS www.tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk info@tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk 07968 795625

Food & Drink

42

Group Discussion

Horsham Bridge Club is hugely popular, with over 300 members

49

History

How a wealthy Horsham family purchased amazing images of Japanese life

54

Business

Natural Nurture nursery puts outdoor play at the heart of child development

needed more colour. With it being so early in the season, signs of fruit are only just starting to appear on the vines.

Ben, the editor, is just out of shot, holding one of Toby’s studio lights against the vines so it doesn’t fall on the uneven ground.

Other contenders for the front cover include Jeremy Knight at Horsham Museum (My Story So Far) and two images from Natural Nurture near Billingshurst. The first features Tracey Poulton and her son Dan with an old Land Rover on the farm.

WEBSITE: www.aahorsham.co.uk We publish AAH online every month. You can read archive editions too.

ADVERTISING Eighth Page Advert: £55 + VAT Quarter Page Advert: £110 + VAT Half Page Advert: £185 + VAT Full Page Advert: £310 + VAT Every Sixth Advert is Free For details or an AAH information book email advertising@aahorsham.co.uk or call 01403 878026 ARCHIVE EDITIONS/PHOTO SALES Past editions can be purchased for a cost of £3.

Contact the Editor.

Images can be purchased, either as digital downloads or prints. Contact Toby for details.

DOOR TO DOOR DISTRIBUTION Horsham: Max Paterson, Jacquie Paterson, Dominic Goddard, John Gatehouse, Kathryn Bland, Lewis Spiller, Richard Judd, Pat Gibbs, The Cocoracchio family, Tom Hayler, George Voisey, Gemma Voisey, Mattie Boys, Katie Drysdale, George Williams, Edward Hitchings,

Southwater: Connor Brown, Jack Taylor Villages: Samuel Dauncey (Mannings Heath) Adam Browse (Warnham) Tommy Charlwood (Ashington), Ben Morris (Stands), Mike Hoare (Nuthurst), Connor Wykes (Partridge Green), Oak Tree Farm Care (Maplehurst & Copsale); The Palmer family & Amy Butler (BBH); James Hobbs (Thakeham), Callum Matthews (Storrington) PICK UP POINTS 4,000 more copies are available at businesses, clubs, organisations, and community centres across the district.

Our stands can be found at...

Horsham: Henry Adams (Carfax), Artisan Patisserie (Market Square), Pavilions in the Park, Horsham Museum, Horsham Rail Station, Crates (Carfax) New House Farm, Swan Walk, The Capitol, NEw Street Butchers (New Street) Village Stands: CoCo’s (Southwater); Billingshurst Leisure Centre, Coco’s (Billingshurst) Barns Green Village Store and Sumners Ponds, Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre, Bluecoat Sports (Christ’s Hospital).

NOTES: We have a new stand at New Street Butchers in Horsham. We’re also looking for distributors in the villages of Slinfold and West Chiltington.

If you would like more details, email Ben at editor@aahorsham.co.uk.

LEAFLETS We can deliver leaflets with copies of AAH. Please email editor@aahorsham.co.uk for details and distribution details.

The cost is £40 + VAT per 1,000 copies (£45 for A4 leaflets) SOCIAL MEDIA You can follow Ben and Toby on Twitter @AAHMagazine and @tobyphillips1 AAH is not on Facebook.

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Picture: No Incinerator 4 Horsham outside County Hall

West Sussex County Council’s planning committee has rejected an application for a Recycling, Recovery and Renewable thermal treatment plant in Horsham. At County Hall, Chichester, councillors voted 8 - 4 against the Britaniacrest’s proposal.

The news was well received by community group No Incinerator 4 Horsham, many of whom were present at the debate and have campaigned against a previous application.

Incinerators have advantages, cutting down the amount of waste that goes to landfill and producing energy that can be used to generate electricity.

However, Norman Clarke of No Incinerator 4 Horsham and David Johnson, chairman of CPRE Sussex and North Horsham Parish Council, spoke out against the proposal, raising fears about the incinerator’s impact on local roads and air quality.

Billingshurst author Juliet West’s second book, The Faithful, has been published by Pan Macmillan.

The book is set in in the Sussex coastal village of Aldwick in 1935, where 16-yearold Hazel faces a long, dull summer with just her self-centred mother Francine for company. But when Oswald Mosley's blackshirts arrive, Hazel's summer becomes far more interesting.

From the beaches of Sussex to the battlefields of civil war Spain, The Faithful is a rich and gripping tale of deception and desire.

Before the Fall, Juliet’s debut novel, was shortlisted for the Myriad Editions novel competition in 2012. Juliet also writes short stories and poetry. www.julietwest.com

The opening date of Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens has been postponed until January 2019, due to delays in planning approvals.

The presence of a great crested newt was detected (although it has never been seen) in one of the greenhouses, delaying the building of a new entrance and ticket office. A survey is also underway to detect a bat that is possibly located inside the manor house.

Owner Penny Streeter said: “This is a year-long restoration project already and this set back is disappointing for us and the

The Queen of Dictionary Corner, Susie Dent, visits The Capitol, Horsham on Tuesday 25 September.

Take a journey into the curious, unexpected and surreal origins of the words we use every day, alongside stories from Susie’s 25 years on Countdown and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. The evening will include some of Susie’s favourite words from the towns and regions she visits and she’ll be asking the audience for their own.

Tickets cost £19.50 from (01403) 750220 or visit www.thecapitolhorsham.com

Adam Streeter, general manager, pictured at Leonardslee in September 2017

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many members who have already joined.”

However, Leonardslee House can now accommodate groups for weddings and private parties by appointment, whilst a restaurant and tea rooms are expected to open in August. www.leonardsleegardens.co.uk

NEWS ROUND-UP cloth cap, ill-fitting suit and classic underdog character that led Charlie Chaplin to describe Wisdom as his ‘favourite clown.’ Success on the silver screen and the hit song ‘Don’t Laugh at Me’ sealed Wisdom’s fame. But, as ever, fame came at a price.

Tickets cost ÂŁ18.50 from (01403) 750220 or www.thecapitolhorsham.com

Jack Lane as Norman Wisdom, pictured for AAH

Wisdom of a Fool returns to The Capitol on Friday 28 September.

Jack Lane’s brilliant portrayal of the legendary entertainer Norman Wisdom started life in Horsham before playing to packed houses across the UK. Jack takes the audience on an emotional rollercoaster, revealing the man behind the

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The car park at Piries Place has been demolished as work begins on a modern car park to replace it.

The replacement will have more spaces, which will be wider than previously, with easier access.

Additional parking spaces are available at the council offices at Parkside, Chart Way and in the Dukes Square Car Park behind the Drill Hall on Denne Road.

Additionally, a further 33 car spaces are available at the Pavilions in the Park.

The redevelopment of Piries Place is due for completion by mid-2019.

Horsham Museum and Art Gallery hosts an exhibition of the work of Raoul Millais until 4 August.

Born in Horsham in 1901 to a family of artists, Raoul inherited a love of painting.

This small exhibition displays a variety of his sketches, portraits and equestrian subjects, collected by the Friends of Horsham Museum over the last 15 years.

The exhibition also includes footage of a 1968 documentary interview with Raoul Millais. www.horshammuseum.org

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The 12-hour race in 2016 (Picture: AAH)

The British Lawn Mower Racing Association’s (BLMRA) flagship 12-hour event is held at Five Oaks, Billingshurst on 4 August. Qualifying starts at 3.15pm with the race commencing at 8pm.

The teams line up in a traditional Le Mans grid formation, with drivers running to their machines at the start.

Teams of three drivers compete at speeds approaching 50mph, without any form of suspension other than a padded seat.

The £6 entry fee (children and parking are free) raises money for good causes, including Ingfield Manor School for Children with Cerebral Palsy. www.12hour.co.uk

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Sports Week returns for an eighth consecutive year at Millais School, Horsham, from Wednesday 25 - Friday 27 July, from 10am - 3pm every day.

The summer holiday club, organised by Brighton Road Baptist Church, includes dodgeball, softball, basketball, Danish longball, handball and ultimate frisbee over three days.

The cost is £30 and includes a T-shirt, drinks bottle, games-in-the-park night and fun awards ceremony. Sports Week is suitable for children in school years 6 - 9 and registration forms can be downloaded from www.brbc-horsham.org.uk

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The Capitol is appealing for boys and girls aged 8 - 18 who can dance and sing to participate in this year’s family pantomime, Sleeping Beauty.

They are looking for up to 24 children to form two teams. There will be weekend and after-school rehearsals in November and December, followed by a run of 38 performances from 14 December 2018 6 January 2019.

Auditions will be held on Sunday 15 July and only applicants who register in advance will be considered. To register, email hazel.fisher@horsham.gov.uk

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Images: Toby Phillips Photography for St Catherine’s Hospice

NEWS ROUND-UP

St John’s Church in Broadbridge Heath has unveiled a mural by Nicola Bridgman, an artist and illustrator who lives in the village.

The inspiration for the work came from Pieter Bruegel’s painting The Blue Cloak, which portrays more than 100 Dutch proverbs. Nicola’s piece depicts around 30 of Christ’s parables.

The mural was unveiled on 3 June by Rev Paddy Beresford in honour of his service and upcoming retirement. Although the church hall was built almost 10 years ago, there had previously been nothing to signify that it is part of St John’s and its outreach activities.

BEL Signs mounted the print for free as a service to the community.

The St Catherine’s Hospice Midnight Walk hit the streets of Horsham on 9 June. More than 1,000 men, women and children made their steps count by walking seven, 13 or 20 miles under the stars to raise money for local people facing death and bereavement.

The night began at Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre with a lively warm up by

Clubbercise guru Jo Cooper and an energising performance by Horsham Rock Choir.

Walkers set off in a sea of orange and neon, with many taking the chance to light a candle in memory of a loved one at St John’s Church in Broadbridge Heath. Among the walkers were a team of nurses from St Catherine’s, who walked

20 miles. After completing their challenge, participants crossed the finishing line to cheers from staff and volunteers. They enjoyed breakfast whilst wearing a medal to mark their incredible feat.

It is hoped that the event, sponsored by Gatwick Airport, will raise £157,000. www.stch.org.uk

NEWS ROUND-UP

A team of young people from The Amber Foundation in Ockley experienced the trip of a lifetime with Ocean Youth Trust (OYT) South.

Amber, which supports around 270 homeless and out of work young people each year, partnered with OYT South to offer 10 young people the opportunity to sail a 30-metre vessel, Prolific, along the south coast. Young crew members not only sailed the boat, but helped to keep watch and navigate.

On their 160-nautical mile trip, the group sailed to Gosport, Weymouth, Isle of Wight, Poole and Cowes before returning to Southampton, where they were awarded Royal Yachting Association certificates. https://amberweb.org

The Alzheimer’s Society hosts a Summer Garden Tea Party at Trenchmore, Burnthouse Lane, Cowfold, RH13 8DG, on Sunday 5 August, from 3 – 5pm.

The tea party is especially for people with dementia, their families and friends. A representative from Horsham Alzheimer’s Society will be present. Enjoy an open garden party with live music, delicious tea and cakes. There is no charge. Please call to confirm, if the sun isn’t shining.

For information contact Joanne on (01403) 864419.

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Picture: www.robertwhitecomedy.com

NEWS ROUND-UP

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Knitters, crochet fans, yarn-bombers and crafters will enjoy Horsham Museum’s summer exhibition.

Knitwits includes items from the museum’s extensive costume collections as well as knitted and crocheted contributions from Horsham residents.

The exhibition will also display items from artists such as Materialistics and Max Alexander. Materialistics is a group of knitters and stitchers that uses recycled materials where possible and has reproduced iconic works of art by the likes of Andy Warhol and Gustav Klimt through knitting, crochet and sewing. Knitwits is now open and runs until 7 September. www.horshammuseum.org.

Musical comedian Robert White performed live in his home town of Horsham on 22 June. It followed his appearance in the final of popular ITV show Britain's Got Talent. Robert’s keyboard and comedy act proved a huge hit with audiences, as he often poked fun at the celebrity judges. www.robertwhitecomedy.com

Picture: The Rec by Adam Voice

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Horsham has a new music and comedy venue. The Rec Rooms is located at the site of the former Shelley’s nightclub).

Horsham District Council, which owns the building, hopes the enthusiastic new tenants will also improve the bowling alley and laser quest facilities and revive the fortunes of the once popular but recently ailing Horsham Park venue.

The Rec Rooms, launched with a performance by tribute act The Rollin’ Stoned, comes after the venue was redecorated and refurbished. It has a capacity for up to 300 people.

Speaking for The Rec Rooms team after the first live show, Graham Kempster said: “Horsham can now be proud that it has a dedicated live music venue and this is just the first of many great nights we have planned.” https://therec.io

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“I hope to use my experience in the police force to help others.”

Tom Wheelhouse

A former Metropolitan Police officer has used his experience to develop a new Horsham-based coaching business, Mightify.

Tom Wheelhouse has created the 999 Resettlement Programme as a stepping stone for emergency services personnel wanting to make the transition back to civilian life. Tom resigned from the police force in 2013 but initially found himself struggling to adapt, with little knowledge of how to present himself in a professional way and with a limited

view of private sector employment.

Tom said: “Armed Forces leavers have numerous avenues open to them in the forms of advice, support and grants, but that framework isn’t in place for those exiting the police, fire services or NHS. I hope to use my experience to help others in the same or similar situations.”

Information on the 999 Resettlement Course and other initiatives open for all can be found at www.mightify.co.uk

Seven pupils from William Penn Primary School have been presented with a national award for their green invention.

More than 150 schools entered the Better Energy School Awards, run by the Young People’s Trust for the Environment, with the Coolham school’s entry winning the southern region prize.

The William Penn Green created ‘Go for Green’, an ethical and sustainable clothes detector game, designed to highlight the environmental problems within the fashion industry.

At the awards ceremony at London Zoo, William Penn School received a shield and £1,000, presented by children’s author Andy Stanton.

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Leonardslee owner Penny Streeter at the new vineyard (image submitted)

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Leonardslee is now home to the first Pinotage vineyard in the country.

On 21 June, entrepreneur Penny Streeter and the South African winemaker Johann Fourie were joined by guests in planting the red wine grape at the famous estate in Lower Beeding.

The estates at Leonardslee and Mannings Heath Golf Club are now both part of The Benguela Collection. Between the two sites, 66,000 vines (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinotage) are under cultivation over 16 hectares.

It is hoped they will produce about 50,000 bottles of sparkling wine annually.

In the meantime, the Benguela Cove vineyard of Walker Bay, South Africa, will provided wines for tastings. www.leonardsleegardens.co.uk

HAODS (Horsham Amateur Operatic and Dramatics Society) present Wendy & Peter Pan at The Capitol from 14 - 18 August. This retelling of the classic J.M Barrie story, adapted for the Royal Shakespeare Company, puts Wendy Darling at its heart and features classic characters including Peter Pan, Hook and Tinkerbell. It gives some of the young HAODS performers a chance to shine, with a large junior cast involved in the production. Tickets cost from ÂŁ15, from (01403) 750220 or www.thecapitolhorsham.com

The Refill campaign is coming to the Horsham district. The campaign started in Bristol in 2015 and there are now over 10,000 Refill Stations around the UK. The idea is simple - promote refilling a water bottle to cut the number of plastic bottles being thrown away.

Kinder Living have agreed to be the official local partner of the national Refill campaign and has taken on the challenge of recruiting businesses to become Refill Stations and encouraging homeowners to make more sustainable choices.

Each participating business displays a Refill sticker in the window and there’s a free app which shows where Refill Stations are located. The official launch of Refill Horsham District will take place at the Kinder Living stand at Funday Sunday in Horsham Park on 8 July. Any business wishing to take part can email refill@kinderliving.co.uk

Whatever place you’re into

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Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre 01403 211311 Billingshurst Leisure Centre 01403 787500

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The Loxwood Joust, most spectacular mediaeval festival in the land, will be held at Loxwood Meadow on 4 – 5 and 11 – 12 August.

Highlights include the Living History Village, where inhabitants go about their daily life with the smiths sharpening swords and axes as their good wives cook stew over steaming pots. Experience the authenticity of battles, an all-action jousting tournament and a torture zone featuring The Executioner. For tickets visit http://legendpresents.co.uk/ loxwoodjoust/

Ashington C of E School will be holding its third Village Treasure Trail on Sunday 15 July. The fundraising event for the school offers a prize of £100 for one lucky team that can successfully answers questions on a walk around the village.

Registration starts at 1pm at the school and all entries must be returned by 3.30pm. The trail is intended to be accessible for all and cost £5 per team (maximum 3 adults).

After the trail, a welly-wanging competition and other traditional games will be held at the school.

Visit www.treasuretrails.org for more information and to enter a separate online trail with an additional prize of £50.

Dominic Dover-McCarthy completed a 120-mile walk from his work in Horsham to Cambridge to raise funds and awareness for good causes.

Dominic, who works at Total Therapy Studios in Denne Parade, decided to take on the five-day challenge to support National Walking Month. Dom said: “I know in my heart of hearts that this walk isn’t that impressive for some, as I’ve got friends who could do this without breaking a sweat. However, I’m not the sporty type and this was a huge challenge!”

Dom raised money for the Mary How Trust, Samaritans and Alzheimer’s Society. http://thebigwalktowork.co.uk/

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NEWS ROUND-UP

22

Horsham District Council has announced which projects will receive grants and funding to stage special events for the Horsham District Year of Culture 2019.

There were more than 150 applications received, with representatives from Horsham District Council, the Arts Council, Creative Assembly and West Sussex County Times debating their merits. Eventually, 38 projects, ranging from ballroom dancing to sculpture, have been selected.

Successful projects include a lantern

procession by Billingshurst Community Partnership, a poetry corner in Horsham Park and a Sussex Comedian of the Year competition.

The Year of Culture 2019 has also commissioned Steyning artist Sarah Duffield (previously featured in AAH) to create four paintings to “capture and encapsulate the Horsham district’s unique landscape” and is inviting the public to select their favourite scenes. Email your suggestions by 10 July to yearofculture2019@horsham.gov.uk

Horrible Histories returns to The Capitol in September, with Awful Egyptians and Terrible Tudors.

Using actors and ground-breaking 3D special effects, these two shows bring historical figures and events to life.

From the fascinating Pharaohs to the power of the pyramids, discover the foul facts of death and decay with the meanest mummies in Egypt in Awful Egyptians on 13 - 15 September. From the horrible Henries to the end of evil Elizabeth, hear about the Terrible Tudors on 13 - 16 September. For tickets call (01403) 750220 or visit www.thecapitolhorsham.com

To submit News/Events for consideration in this section, email Ben Morris at editor@aahorsham.co.uk Please send images and press releases by 18 July for the August edition.

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KNIGHT MY STORY

25

AT THE MUSEUM

with 740 stones, all catalogued, with numbered cards detailing what it was and where it came from.

I was born on 22 November 1959, half an hour after my twin brother, Stuart. We were premature and I was placed in an incubator. For the first few months, I was very poorly, whilst my brother was fit and healthy. I would wriggle during feeding and once knocked my mother’s front teeth out.

My father left Barnardo’s aged 14 with no qualifications. He spent 10 years at evening classes, becoming a mechanical engineer and draughtsman. When I was six months old, we moved from London to Melksham, Wiltshire.

My parents later bought a plot of land in rural Wiltshire, where they designed and built a bungalow.

Occasionally cattle would wander into the garden to eat mum’s roses.

It was an idyllic childhood. I would pick blackberries and elderberries and my dad made his own wine.

Along with Stuart and my older brother, I would walk a mile and half to primary school every day. It was only 50 years ago, but children didn't think anything of it.

I only did two A-levels; history and geography, as I took extra writing lessons. Typing was discussed as another option, but it was perceived as a job for women at that time. I still type very quickly with only one finger. I was given an extra half an hour for my A-level paper on the condition that I spend that time making it legible.

Jeremy Knight, manager of Horsham Museum, talks about cleaning skulls, Italian corruption, Shelley Fountain and his terrible spelling...

During my early school years, I had a terrible stutter and no co-ordination. I would be given mundane tasks to fix it, like stacking bricks on a trolley. I suffered with double vision and wore glasses with a plaster over one lens, in the hope that it would strengthen my weak eye, but it didn’t. I was also hyperactive and incredibly thin. The doctor told my mum not to worry and remarked that I could always get a part in a film about Belsen.

archaeological books, or things like the Guinness Book of Records. However, my spelling and writing was atrocious. On Mondays, the teacher would give us a paragraph to learn to improve our spelling. On Fridays she would ask someone, usually me, to write it on the board in front of the class. She would use embarrassment to improve spelling, as she thought it signified laziness. I’d get a wrap around the knuckles with the ruler as teachers didn’t believe someone who claimed to read so much could spell so poorly. They thought I was lying.

I was reading constantly and read everything in the children's library, so borrowed adult books. I hated fiction and instead read

One teacher had served with the RAF during the war. Sadly, he probably wouldn't pass teaching qualifications nowadays, but he

was passionate about history and inspired me. But many other teachers couldn't cope with me and I was almost placed in the remedial group at the local comprehensive. Fortunately, my mother intervened and asked for an educational psychologist to assess me.

Growing up, I loved archaeology and aged eight I knew I either wanted to work in a museum or become an archivist. My parents’ idea of a holiday was to load up the camper and explore castles, landscapes or natural history.

During one trip to the Lake District, I bought a stone polishing kit and we drove home with over a hundred stones in the boot. I bought an old cotton reel dispensing cabinet and filled it

I went to Lampeter University in Wales to read history and archaeology. My exam papers were written, dictated and typed before being marked. I graduated in 1981 at the peak of the recession. After one of many unsuccessful interviews, I visited Wiltshire Museum in Devizes and enquired about voluntary work.

The curator invited me back the next day. One of the museum library volunteers was Naomi Corbyn, who I got on well with.

She was excited about her son becoming an MP, so I always kept an eye on his career.

On my first day, I was handed a toothbrush and 74 Anglo-Saxon skulls and told to clean their teeth.

But I loved it and was soon given permission to create an archaeological display of Mesolithic Wiltshire. The government introduced the Manpower service scheme, offering pay of £80 a week to help people learn a skill. This allowed me to stay for another year, when I worked on 10 displays on Neolithic Wiltshire, helping us will the Small Museum of the Year award.

Jeremy (right) was interested in the natural world from a young age

26

Jeremy (left) enjoyed an “idyllic childhood” with his two brothers in rural Wiltshire. Below: Jeremy celebrates his 16th brithday in a suit and tie

I moved out of my parents’ home when one of the volunteers, the renowned archaeologist Peggy Guido, offered me a spare room.

The rent was £20 a week, with half in cash and half in sherry.

Peggy was of that generation of amazing people who would name drop unintentionally. I remember we watched Tea with Mussolini and she remarked she’d met Mussolini. She’d had lunch with Hitler and was friends with people like the sculptor, Eric Gill.

Peggy thought my writing and use of English was appalling, so along with another neighbour who could speak multiple

‘I was handed a toothbrush and 74 Anglo-Saxon skulls and told to clean their teeth.’ languages, helped me re-learn English as a foreign language.

Through Peggy, I also met many inspiring people, including the artist John Piper, who was commissioned to create a stained-glass window for the museum. It was the end of the era of the passionate amateur who had the ability, enthusiasm and resources to explore.

After a year of Mesolithic and

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Neolithic displays, I attended a teacher training course. I felt it was important to be a better communicator if I wanted to work in museums and teaching was a way to improve those skills. I’d also had such a terrible time at school that I hoped to help young people facing a similar situation.

Whilst the Institute of Education in London agreed with my

opinion that poor spelling and handwriting shouldn’t be the determining factor for success, the reality was that teachers couldn't understand how somebody with such difficulties could be expected to teach.

However, entering the teaching profession wasn’t what I wanted.

I simply needed to learn to communicate better, as I love to tell and hear stories.

After university, I had applied to over 700 jobs and went to 120 job interviews. Although unemployed for five years, I did temporarily work at a cheese factory, wrapping roulade in cling film. I would have probably

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MY STORY

Jeremy has always worked closely with local publications to promote the museums he has worked at. These newspaper cuttings are from his time at Littlehampton Museum.

27

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worked for my uncle’s textiles company in Yorkshire had I not landed the role of assistant curator at Littlehampton Museum in 1986. I took to the job like a duck to water.

At my interview, I suggested that we should host an exhibition on Lord and Lady Littlehampton, a cartoon created by Oscar Lancaster which for decades featured in The Daily Express. I visited the publisher, John ‘Jock’ Murray, and he allowed us to host an exhibition of 40 original cartoons. It attracted coverage in The Times and was a big coup for the museum. I was given one of the original drawings by the publishers, although I had to seek permission, as there are strict rules about receiving gifts while working for the council. There was no end of discussion about it!

I have a very strong ethical code. I also hate the attitude that life isn’t fair. Just because life’s not fair,

doesn't mean that we as individuals shouldn't try to make it as fair as possible.

One day, the curator announced he was retiring. Even after running Littlehampton Museum for a year, I had a three-hour interview before being appointed on a far lower salary than my predecessor. It was frustrating, so when a job came up at Horsham Museum in 1988, I applied. There were eight councillors, four staff members and several members of the Friends of Horsham Museum group present at my interview. I was later told that I almost wasn’t offered the post as some felt I was overly enthusiastic.

Horsham Museum had become quite moribund. Elizabeth Kelly (now Bridges) had a huge task in improving the condition of the museum after Evan Perry’s tenure as curator. There were dead pigeons in the attic and holes in the roof. After

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28

“My first thought when I heard about the fountain was surprise, considering Shelley drowned!�

four years, she left and I came in with that work half complete. The museum needed love and attention, but even during my interview, a councillor remarked that they were thinking of closing it, so I might not be there long. But I could see the museum had fantastic artefacts and presented a great opportunity. Within a year, visitor numbers had risen from 18,000 to 28,000.

For the millennium, money was set aside for community projects through Heritage Lottery Grants. I thought of designing heritage plaques around the district, with a booklet to encourage people to follow a trail. Some thought it was an uninspiring idea, but councillors loved it as it included villages, with places like St Mary’s House in Bramber, King’s Mill in Shipley and Parham House and Gardens featured.

This project was carried out while we simultaneously worked on a grant-funded re-development of the museum.

In terms of local people of historical importance, Percy Bysshe Shelley stands out. I immediately wanted to build a collection of Shelley items, as I came here four years before his bicentenary. As a hobby, I collect rare and antiquarian books, so attend book fairs and auctions and know where documents come up. I initially purchased a copy of Shelley's grandfather's will and since then we’ve built up one of the country’s finest Shelley collections. In 1992, we staged an exhibition of artefacts as part of a Shelley festival which attracted worldwide attention.

TOOVEY’S "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." – William Morris

I visited Lerici in Italy, where Shelley died.

Several Italian officials had been to our festival and were keen on establishing a Shelley exhibition in Italy. I was invited to assist them and to hear readings of Shelley-inspired poems. As I’d come from England, the Italians classed their event as an international poetry festival! I was convinced that the huge amount of money granted to the Italian festival was most likely being misused to pay bribes during a corrupt election, so upon my return, I advised against establishing a cultural partnership.

After the Shelley festival, then HDC Chief Executive Martin Pearson agreed that Horsham should have a sculpture in the poet’s honour. Angela Conner was asked to create a fountain with moving features and I was approached to write a caption for it. My first thought when I heard about the fountain was surprise, considering Shelley drowned! But my feeling was that it had been commissioned and the council might as well celebrate it rather than hiding it away somewhere. It was a radical piece of art for a radical man.

29 Jeremy (far left) points out to his brothers that the cowboy guns they’re using are not authentic, as the Colt 45 had a steel finish with wooden grips. He also has several issues with their costumes.

MY STORY

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30 The sculptor originally wanted to call it ‘Whoosh’ because of the noise it made. I wanted each of the eight benches to bear an inscription from one of Shelley's poems, but she didn’t like that.

We compromised; she gave up on the name and we gave up on the Shelley text idea. At the official opening, it was raining but 3,000 people turned up. The fountain wasn’t working and there was a man sitting inside the sphere, peddling like mad to move the mechanism up and down!

inaccurate versions being written.

I’ve completed seven volumes, taking us up to 1939, with one more volume to write. I produced the books in my own time with all profits going to the museum. Yet people still complained about my spelling and punctuation. It was like being at school again! Yet they themselves haven’t put their head above the parapet to research and produce anything like it.

I’ve always felt that you can only do your best and that’s what I always give.

If it did what was originally intended, which was to light up and have water spouting from the top, it would have been more impressive. It's a shame it's gone, as it was replaced by something which has no connection to Shelley. For 10 years, it appeared every day at the introduction to the regional television news, which was priceless coverage for the town. A lost opportunity.

As a museum, we’ve punched above our weight many times, linking up with the V&A for an exhibition on cloisonné in 2013 and this year hosting a watercolour exhibition, linked with the Royal Academy’s 250th anniversary.

If my major concern was attracting high visitor numbers, I would hold populist exhibitions that have no cultural merit. For councils, visitor numbers are an easy way of saying something is popular, but I use the public comments book or

This is my 30th year at Horsham and the 125th anniversary of the museum. There are still things that I would love to do, particularly to promote tourism. We have 52 mediaeval buildings, over 1,800 listed buildings in the district, ancient bluebell woodlands, castles, South Downs Way and incredible food and drink producers. But Horsham has forgotten its history. We have a road named after a donkey at Ben’s Acre, but not of the Queen of England who lived here!

“We have a road named after a donkey, but not of the Queen of England who lived here!” online sites like Trip Advisor to gauge our success.

People are continually surprised by the size of the museum and the variety of our displays. Sometimes, I see people showing friends or family around and referring to it as

“our museum.” We’re running this for the public's benefit, so when people are proud of what we have and take ownership of it, it’s a sign that we’re doing something right.

I started writing the History of Horsham as I was tired of

INTERVIEW: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS/ JEREMY KNIGHT

If you’d be interested in our My Story So Far feature, email Ben at editor@aahorsham.co.uk or call (01903) 892899.

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32

IN IT

FOR THE LONG SCHOOLBOY STARS IN IDRIS E So, who’s this then?

This is Mattie Boys, an AAH delivery boy from Storrington.

However, he appears in our One to Watch feature because of his acting talent.

Star of the school play, was he?

He did appear in the Steyning Grammar School production of Billy Elliott, playing the title character’s best friend, Michael.

But since then, he’s appeared in Sky’s comedy, In the Long Run. The first six-part series was aired in the spring.

Sorry, not heard of it!

It’s a well-received tale about an immigrant family making its way in Hackney in the 1980s. It is based on the childhood experiences of the show’s creator, Idris Elba.

As in…

The star of Luther and The Wire, as well as numerous films including Pacific Rim and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.

The comedy also stars comedian Bill Bailey, who plays Mattie’s dad.

What role does Mattie play?

Mattie is Dean, a 12-year-old boy who is best friends with Kobna, the son of central character Walter, played by Idris Elba. Walter becomes good friends with Bagpipes, played by Bill Bailey. Mattie said: “Idris wrote the comedy and it’s based on his childhood, with him playing his own father. A lot of the filming took place in south London and I needed to have a cheeky London accent.”

Must have been great fun!

Mattie has fond memories of

filming as there was a friendly, down-to-Earth atmosphere among the cast and crew. He also enjoyed wearing clothes from a different era. “Dean wears a shell suit and after filming, I was sent a shell suit of my own as well as headbands, retro candy and other 1980s memorabilia as a memento.”

So, how did Mattie become an actor?

It’s been an interest of his for a while. At the age of four, he attended Star Academy drama club in West Chiltington, before

“It is difficult knowing that most of my auditions are going to end with a ‘no’ for one reason or another.”

ONE TO WATCH

moving to an older class run by the same academy in Worthing. Summer and Christmas shows gave him a taste of acting and at the age of 10, he registered with an online talent agency. Then he landed the lead role in Jake the Magnificent.

What was that about?

It’s a short film written by Simon Wade and is still available on YouTube. Mattie said: “Jake is a boy who wants to be a magician and has an imaginary magician who helps him learn the craft. For his birthday party, Jake hosts his own magic show and attempts a vanishing trick at the film’s culmination. It doesn’t quite go to plan, as the audience member blows up! It’s certainly not a clichéd ending!

It was after this experience that I decided I wanted to become an actor.”

Easier said than done...

Indeed. So, Mattie signed up with a London-based agency,

Talent Inc. After attending numerous acting workshops and performing to talentspotters from the UK and America, Mattie gradually started picking up auditions.

Inevitably, most end in disappointment, as is the nature of showbusiness.

Mattie said: “It is difficult for me and my parents, knowing that most of the time it’s going to end with a ‘no’ for one reason or another. You can spend hours preparing and going all the way up to London for an audition, but five minutes later you're doing the reverse journey.”

Must be hard finding regular work?

It is, although Mattie can at least rely on his occasional appearances as a member of the Symes family.

Who? The Symes family appear in clips aimed at social media, to promote Horsham Time Well Spent events, including Piazza

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33

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34

Mattie at Piazza Italia as a member of the Symes family, used to promote events in Horsham

Italia. Mattie is the son in the Symes family, who are captured enjoying Horsham’s town centre atmosphere and businesses in short films produced by Silvertip Films. Mattie said: “My mum knows someone at Silvertip, as they produced a promotional video for Bluecoat Sports Centre, where she works.

They were looking for a young local actor and my name was put forward. It’s like I have three different families, with the Symes family, my In the Long Run family and my real family!”

Does acting run in Mattie’s real family?

His siblings share his love of

performing. Younger sister Yasmin is a budding actress, having appeared in commercials and in the London production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, starring Sienna Miller. Older brother Jake Boys, meanwhile, is a YouTube star.

A what?

Jake has 325,000 subscribers to his channel on the video sharing website YouTube. He posts videos about his life and loves, occasionally makes prank calls and generally has a good time.

Recently, he’s been offering predictions on ITV’s Love Island.

Your enjoyment of the videos very much depends on whether

you happen to be a teenager.

But Jake’s success has certainly had an impact on his younger brother, as Mattie has his own YouTube page.

Is Mattie interested in working behind camera as well?

To the extent that he’s been saving his acting money in order to buy equipment. Mattie said: “I bought a laptop so I can edit videos on my YouTube channel.

When I first started making videos, I was very young and I was just trying to copy my brother. Next, I want to start doing my own things behind the camera and making short films with my friends.”

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What’s next for Mattie?

He still attends Star Academy in Worthing and is also enjoying one-to-one acting classes. In terms of on-screen performances, Mattie was in Barcelona last month, filming a new Kia commercial due to air later in the year.

Will there be a second series on In the Long Run? A second series hasn’t yet been commissioned, but it’s been well received and Mattie would love to wriggle back into his shell suit!

WORDS: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS/ THE BOYS FAMILY

36

How Wiston Estate became a major player in the rapid rise of English sparkling wines...

The first vineyard was only planted in 2006, yet the family-run Wiston Estate has already gained international recognition.

Owned and operated by the Goring family, who have lived on the land since the 18th century, Wiston has contributed significantly to the remarkable growth of English sparkling wines.

AAH met Marketing Director Kirsty Goring to find out more…

How big is the Wiston Estate?

It’s a 6,000-acre estate stretching from Washington in the west to Steyning in the east, fringing Ashington in the north and Findon in the south. Since 1743, it has been home to the Goring family.

Is the land predominantly used for farming?

It is largely farmland, with a combination of arable and permanent pasture. Some of the estate is part of the South Downs National Park. There are over 100 residential properties on the estate, as well as a quarry at Rock Common. The Goring family no longer lives at Wiston House.

Instead, it is the headquarters of Wilton Park, an executive agency of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Where do the Gorings live?

Since the Second World War, when the house was requisitioned by the government (it housed the 10th battalion of the Highland Light Infantry), Wiston House has been leased out and the family live at Findon Park and elsewhere on the estate. However, we reclaim the house for three weeks every year to host events, including Big Church Day Out. Why create a vineyard?

My mother-in-law, Pip, is from Cape Town. She met Harry Goring while he was on a gap year in South Africa and they fell in love. Even on the plane journey to

England, Pip suggested that they should plant vines to remind her of home. But Harry, in his gracious English manner, didn’t agree. For 36 years, Pip would occasionally raise the matter with Harry and the agronomist, who advises on the estate’s crops. Then, in 2005, an agent of a major Champagne house enquired about renting some of the land to plant vines.

Harry understood that it wouldn’t go down well if he leased the land before giving his wife the opportunity first. So, in 2006, they planted vines.

Where did you find a winemaker?

Initially, Harry and Pip were going to pick the grapes and have the wine made elsewhere. They visited some of the finest wineries in the region, including Chapel Down, Ridgeview and Nyetimber.

It was at the latter that they met Dermot Sugrue, who became our head winemaker. When Dermot visited Wiston, he could see great potential in the chalk land and felt we could create vintage wines. He was also attracted to the freedom of an exciting, small-scale project.

Does being a smaller vineyard help when it comes to creating a vintage?

Large scale winemakers predominantly make non-vintage wines. They blend from the crop of different years to create a consistent style from year-to-year.

We have a non-vintage range of wines, distinguishable by a rectangular label. However, we are very proud of our vintage range, which have an oval label. We grow three varieties of grape – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – and our vintage wines can be a blend or a single varietal wine. The vintage wines are dictated by the conditions for that year and Dermot will discuss the options with Harry, Pip, my husband Richard and others in the family about what the best options are.

BRU The barn used for wine tasting and tours at Wiston

FOOD & DRINK

37

T FORCE What do you currently have in the vintage range?

We have our classic Cuvée Brut from 2009 and 2013, which is a blend of all three grapes. Our Blanc de Blancs 2010 is made with 100% Chardonnay and our vintage Rosé from 2014 is made with 68% Pinot Noir, 22% Pinot Meunier and 10% Chardonnay.

One of the major differences with the vintage wines is that during the first fermentation, we use oak barrels. That’s not to produce an oaky taste, but to encourage

more distinguished textures.

Consequently, during the second fermentation, you see more complex flavours.

You’ve already scooped several accolades…

Last year, our Cuvée Brut 2013 won the sparkling wine category at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) after picking up the Platinum medal for best English sparkling wine at the 2017 Decanter World Wine Awards, coming first out of 136

wines. Our Blanc de Noirs 2010 was awarded three separate trophies in the WineGB Awards 2018, including the top accolade of Supreme Champion. After eight years, it has a wonderfully developed taste. It’s a very rich wine with great legs and has the potential for even more flavour to develop.

when a new one is released. The more awards they win, the more demand there is. With our non-vintage wines, we work in partnership with other chalk vineyards along the South Downs. These tend to be initially fermented in stainless steel barrels before a second fermenting stage in the bottle.

You also have a range of non-vintage wines?

The vintage range is always of limited quantity and it's exciting

What is the main difference with English sparkling wine to Champagne?

Its fresh and incisive taste,

38

“It’s worth noting that some French winemakers are planting vineyards in the south of England.” coupled with its dry profile, makes it easy to pair with different dishes, so chefs have taken to it. Most people perceive Champagne as a drink served as an aperitif, but the English sparkling wines offer something else.

What do the French think of it?

For several years, English sparkling wines have been winning international awards. It’s worth noting that some French winemakers are planting vineyards in the south of England now (Taittinger has purchased a 170-acre site in Canterbury) so the French view appears to be, if you can't beat them, join them!

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Is your success primarily down to location?

That is certainly a major factor. We’re privileged in that by owning a large amount of land, we could select the ideal site for a vineyard. Harry knows this part of the estate well and it has always been a spot that catches the sun and somehow avoids the biting winds. The vineyard is south to south-east facing and is partly sheltered by established woodland, with a nice open valley bringing in the sea breeze. There’s also a natural slope to help fend off frost. Dermot was excited about the chalk here, as it’s like what he experienced working for a Champagne house in the Côte des Blancs. Arguably, this ground produces wines of more sophistication and it’s testament to how suited this site is that only two years after our first planting, we were taking a vintage.

Why are so many English vineyards based in West Sussex?

The weather is very important and we’re fortunate in that the south of England usually offers a long growing season. We often try to hold our nerve and not pick grapes until the middle of October. Many Champagne houses had to pick in August last year because it was too hot, which didn’t allow the grapes to totally ripen.

Different regions can have different problems, but we’ve been incredibly

FOOD & DRINK

39

Wiston’s vintage range is represented by an oval label

fortunate. Only in 2012, one of the coldest years on record, were we not able to pick. But it could be that temperatures continue to rise and in another 50 years, Scotland has the better climate for wine.

There seems to have been a tremendous amount of goodwill towards English wine producers?

The growth in this sector has coincided with a trend towards people wanting to know where their food and drink is coming from. With supermarket shopping, there was a huge gap between the food we eat and where it had come from. Closing that gap and restoring local connections has been exciting for consumers. Also, a vineyard draws a community together because it employs a lot of people, from pruning the wines to pressing the grapes.

Does it help being a family-run business?

People like the story of the Goring family and the estate’s history. Pip, who has been the visionary from the outset, is still

hugely passionate about the project. She never had a long-term business strategy and has been as surprised as anyone by the success we’ve seen. It’s only 12 years since the first planting and yet here we are in 2018 as winners of the Supreme Champion award.

Is there competition between local vineyards?

We work very well together. If it wasn't for the likes of Bolney, Ridgeview and perhaps most notably, Nyetimber, people wouldn't have heard of English sparkling wine. It certainly wouldn’t have the reputation for quality that it enjoys and we all benefit from that. So, we have come together to create Sussex Wineries, with the aim of promoting Sussex as a winemaking region. We hope that people will one day come here in the same way that they visit the Napa Valley or Champagne.

Where can people buy Wiston wine?

We deliver locally through South Downs Cellars and Hennings Wine

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James McLean, Vineyard Manager at Wiston

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Merchants. We also exclusively produce our Goring cuvées for Hallgarten & Novum Wines, which are distributed to restaurants. You can also find us at The Village Larder in Washington, Sussex Produce Company in Steyning and Findon Village Store.

New opportunities seem to be coming up every day and just this week we’ve agreed to work with etch. restaurant in Brighton.

What’s next for the business?

We’re not looking to rival the scale of some of the other wineries. Perhaps we’re a little more like the French, in that we’re happy to plant smaller vineyards. As well as the original 6.5hectare site, we've planted another 2.5 hectares of Chardonnay and a hectare of Pinot Noir. They’re small steps, but our ambition is to create some of England's best wine, rather than most of it!

Are more awards on the horizon?

I feel we are still releasing more mature and exciting wines. We do see increased taste from the bigger bottles and our Cuvée 2008 Magnum is a true wonder.

It's just phenomenal! We are just about to release the 2009 Cuvée in 75cl bottles too, having swept the board with the 2013 vintage, so we’re hoping that will generate more international interest in what is happening here at Wiston.

INTERVIEW: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS

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42

MEMBERS

In Agreement:

Jim Downs teaches newcomers to the game

BRIDGE

ISN’T BUST YET! Horsham Bridge Club

Horsham Bridge Club is one of the most popular in the district, with over 300 members playing the notoriously difficult game for four people.

Bridge is played throughout the week at the club’s town centre base, with courses available to newcomers to the game.

We met chairman Jane Handley, president Keith Norman, long-serving members Mick Carrington and Gerry Stanford, and bridge teachers Jim Downes and Gini Phillips.

Jane: We have just over 300 members with new people joining all the time. The appeal comes from bridge being such a sociable game. You meet new people and it’s an affordable way of being part of a vibrant club.

We meet every weekday evening as well as two afternoons, with a social session on Sundays. Even if you don't have a playing partner, we will find you one. If you enjoy games, bridge is wonderful, as it requires strategy and keeps your brain active.

Keith: There is a great social side to our club and many friendships are formed. Smaller groups come together as friends to play bridge at home or organise other social trips.

Jim: Bridge is complicated.

People often assume that they

will learn the game quickly, but that’s not the case. It’s not just a card game with others around your table. You're playing against everybody else in the room, which increases the element of competition and strategy. A reporter once asked a world champion, ‘How long does it take to learn bridge?’ He replied: ‘I don't know, I'm still learning!’

Mick: Most members take it very seriously. Bridge is fun and sociable, but there is a huge element of competitiveness and that never fades, no matter how old you are. We have cups and trophies for different club nights, as well as a cup for the player who accumulates the most points over the year. Players all want to come out on top.

Gerry: Bridge isn’t a game for those interested in money. That may be a reason why younger people prefer games like poker.

For me, bridge is the card equivalent to chess, albeit with even more possible scenarios and combinations.

Jane: Players can and have represented the club at county, regional and occasionally national level. Just a couple of years ago, one of our pairs won a national inter-club knockout competition. We organise competitions for players of all

GROUP DISCUSSION

43

George Wilbourn must have a favourable draw

‘Bridge is the card equivalent to chess, albeit with even more possible combinations.” levels, from beginners to experts and from mixed pairs to senior classes. As we’re affiliated to the English Bridge Union (EBU), players earn points from every game.

Jim: The EBU maintains a record of your last 2,000 games, so members can see how they are faring not only within their club, but across the country. It’s an incredible system.

Gini: When it comes to learning the game, the EBU has produced useful lesson plans for us teachers. The method gets people playing cards very quickly. We start by teaching people about the bidding process, but we immediately relate this to game play. It used to be the case that new players would have several lessons before a deck of cards was even

opened. Naturally, people would get very bored. It’s better to learn as you play.

Jim: We run classes for beginners. Our next beginners’ course starts in September, on Tuesdays. Most new members tend to be newly retired and have more free time. One lady had recently lost her husband and bridge helped her get out of the house. She met new friends through the club. That’s one of the great things about bridge; once you know the basics, you can play against anyone. You might not win, but you can play!

Jane: In terms of difficulty, bridge can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. You can stay at a more basic level if all you want is an enjoyable evening with friends.

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Gerry Stanford is another bridge club stalwart

“Sun Alliance was employing young graduates and with their maths background, many enjoyed bridge.”

At the other end of the scale, the game can be extremely complex. But our club, and indeed all those affiliated with the EBU, has evolved to give players of all levels the opportunity to earn points.

Keith: The social side is great, but most of us are playing to win! There are different forms of the game, but the most common way is to play in pairs with four people on a table.

There is an element of luck involved, but the experienced partnerships don't get it wrong very often. The best players make their own luck.

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Mick: The club has seen many changes. I joined in 1973, when there was a lot of younger members. Sun Alliance was employing young graduates and because of their mathematics backgrounds, many enjoyed bridge. The demographic has

changed over the years and now bridge is perceived as a game primarily for older people.

Young people have a wider range of interests; the most obvious being computers. They don't want to sit down and learn how to play bridge.

Gerry: There is a drive to encourage young people to play, but it’s a tough sell. For several years, I’ve been offering beginner classes at Collyer’s College. I might get 10 turn up for the first session, but after six weeks, I’m usually down to three or four! Those that are interested often go on to university and although we might lose them, hopefully they come back to the game in later life.

Mick: There has certainly been an expansion in terms of the club’s overall membership. In the 1970s, we had about half the number of members, with a

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GROUP DISCUSSION

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Mortgage Definitions We regularly get asked to explain the different types of mortgages and how they fit in the wider borrowing environment – so here goes: Residential Mortgage. This is usually the method through which borrowers raise money to purchase or re-mortgage the property which they live in. This is a highly regulated mortgage type and every effort is made by lenders and advisors to ensure that the right options are provided with affordability fully examined to ensure that it is the right deal.

Jane Handley is the current chair of Horsham Bridge Club

Buy to Let Mortgage. This mortgage is provided to assist applicants purchase or re-mortgage a property which they will let to tenants on a legally agreed contract. Normally, the agreement will be on a six monthly renewable term and the rent must fit lenders calculations to ensure sufficient income to support the mortgage and allow for possible interest rises during the term of the mortgage. This is quite an involved and sometimes complicated mortgage transaction as lenders are bound by an additional series of rules, especially where a property has been previously lived in by, or willed to, the applicant.

Equity Release Mortgage. This mortgage is best suited to those in various stages of later life and where income is not sufficient on its own to support a mortgage. The lender calculates the amount it will advance based upon the clients ages and property value. The mortgage debt will increase during the term as monthly payments are added to the initial mortgage debt. This is a highly complex arena and advisers have to take additional qualifications to operate in this sector.

wider demographic. Now, most members are retired. There’s nothing wrong with that, although it’s a shame that younger generations aren't so interested.

Gerry: It's a frustration to me that people come to bridge in later life, when perhaps their ability to pick up the game has faded. Bridge is testing on the brain and players need to develop numerical skills.

That’s second nature to me, because I’ve been playing for so long that little compartments in my brain are trained for it. I don't necessarily remember people's names, but I remember cards! It's like going into a supermarket and remembering the aisles for your regular shopping items.

smoking before it was compulsory to do so, but for decades, every table had ashtrays. We had a licensed bar too. The other big change has been the way bridge has embraced technology. There was a time when pairs had to fill in their contract and results with a pen and paper. We’d collect them all at the end of each evening and half a dozen people would stay behind to calculate scores. The data would be written on a paper spreadsheet and we’d have to add up the totals. The results would eventually be posted on the wall, so you couldn’t find out how you’d done until the following night.

Now, the information is transmitted to a computer and the results are ready within minutes.

Keith: For a long time, members used to be able to smoke here.

There would be a huge fog across the whole room! We banned

Gini: Lots of players go home and review games to see where they went wrong. It gives us all the chance to learn from mistakes.

Bridging Finance is a short term loan that is secured against property (or land) and is used to 'bridge' the gap until longer term finance can be arranged. It is crucial that a viable exit s trategy is demonstrated to the bridging lender at application.

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“A pack of cards is one of the greatest inventions of all time.”

Jane: Computers have transformed many aspects of the game. It’s not just the results, but the way we generate hands. The computer will select random numbers and tells the automatic dealing machine which cards to place, so there’s no way that players can anticipate the deck. The machine likes to have a bit of fun too. It might produce eight hearts without a single club, for example, which makes it far more interesting.

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Gerry: Bridge has been my companion ever since I went to college. I’ve played the game wherever I've worked, all over the country, playing tournaments in America, France, Italy and all over the country. I’ve always maintained that a pack of cards is one of the greatest inventions of all time, which goes some way to showing my passion for the game.

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49

Oriental Images Captured in Henderson Family Archives

Felice arrived in Japan in 1863, but two years later, a fire destroyed his photography studio and many images were lost. So, he started again and produced two albums.

One was entitled ‘Native Types’ and were portraits of the Japanese. The other was ‘Views of Japan’.

The Hendersons, a wealthy family who lived at Sedgwick Park, purchased some of these handcoloured photographs and sent them home to be mounted. Even today, the images attract great interest as they depict a fascinating time for Japan.

About 150 years ago, Japan underwent one of the most significant revolutions in its history.

Horsham resident Robert Henderson, whose family traded rubber in Malaysia and had other business dealings across Asia, was visiting

Japan at that time.

Robert and his wife Emma, who also travelled extensively, came across photographer Felice Beato, who was capturing images of the people as Japan was on the cusp of monumental change...

50

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Japan had been pressured into expanding trade with the west in 1853, much to the annoyance of the Tokugawa shogun, the military elite who effectively ruled Japan from 1603 in the Emperor’s name.

Europe and the United States of America had made huge advancements with its militaries, while Great Britain had brought China to its knees during the first opium war.

Japan had two options. It could close contact with the west. Or, it could reinstate the Emperor and use that role as a bulwark against western imperialism, by making the Emperor powerful enough to lead the charge of modernisation. In 1968, that is what happened.

The Samurai did revolt in the Meiji Restoration (The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise is partly based on the story)

but by 1869, Japan was developing trade links around the world and sending its people across the globe on fact-finding expeditions. Consequently, the speed of change was rapid.

HISTORY

51

In 1931, Horsham Museum was given four albums of photographs, taken in 1874 – 75, illustrating the travels of Robert and Emma Henderson family.

The albums include images from India, Singapore, Borneo, Siam, China, Japan and America. Initially, they were somewhat neglected. It was only in the mid-1980s that then curator, Elizabeth Bridges, contacted experts on the work of Beato and another photographer, Samuel Bourne, and their importance was realised.

The Hendersons also donated other items from their travels to the museum, including a large Satsuma earthenware vase and a Chinese bronze incense container in the form of a temple dog.

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52

The albums are now seen to contain some of the finest examples of mid-Victorian photography by both men, but the condition of the albums had deteriorated.

In the early 1990s, the museum was contacted by a donor who was willing to fund the cost of

conservation. Thanks to his generosity, the album bindings were conserved with the photographs carefully restored.

With people continually intrigued by east Asia, the pictures remain a fascinating insight into a largely lost world.

Images are courtesy of Horsham District Council’s Horsham Museum and Art Gallery, with words by Jeremy Knight. More photos from the Henderson collection, including one of head hunters previously published in AAH, can be seen at the museum.

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GROWING UP’S

A BLAST DOWN ON

JOLLITY

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Strawberry Fields Tea Room Our tea room was voted Best Tea Room in the Sussex Life Food and Drinks Awards 2014.You can enjoy cakes and sandwiches, paninis and Ploughman’s Also, don’t miss our Full English Breakfast (Served until 12pm).

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FARM Natural Nurture, a nursery school on the rural outskirts

of Billingshurst, is growing in popularity with its old-fashioned approach to children’s education and development. AAH met its founder, Tracey Poulton...

The Inspiration Came When…

The Idea Came to Fruition When…

I was working with DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). A project was launched after a survey revealed that most children didn’t know where food came from.

Most believed you had to kill a cow to get milk and when asked to draw a chicken, some drew nuggets!

There was a governmentinitiative, supported by leading supermarkets, to create educational programmes for primary school children.

We used a double-decker bus with a life-size, fully-operational model cow, so children could learn about milk. We reached 150,000 children and discovered that the experience stimulated more questions. Having learned about milk, they would ask where a carrot came from and so on.

After three and a half years, the scheme ended. But I had seen the direct correlation between rising mental health issues and children not being outside. I thought about establishing my own educational centre based on outdoor play.

I came across the 33-acre Pear Tree Farm in 2008. We spent a couple of years converting the historic farmhouse, seeking planning permissions and going through the many bureaucratic hoops involved in establishing a farm-based nursery.

It was like wading through treacle and I was close to giving up.

Then, I saw a TED talk (Technology, Entertainment and Design) by author and educational advisor Ken Robinson. He said that the imagination of children needs to be stimulated and it was grass roots businesses and organisations, not governments, that were going to have to do that. That inspired me, so I ploughed on and Natural Nurture launched four years ago. I was even able to buy the old bus I’d used with the DEFRA project.

We’re now a fully biodynamic site, so we don’t use artificial chemicals on soil and plants and promote the use of compost and manure. We also generate our own electricity through solar panels and a wind turbine.

BUSINESS

The Initial Priority Was….

Getting through the first winter, as it tested our entire vision.

There isn't a conventional classroom at Natural Nurture. We have sheltered campfires and cabins for when it's cold, but we are outdoors nearly all the time.

I was staggered by the ability of the children to stay outdoors and embrace all weather. We have found that their association to weather is never negative, as different conditions present opportunities. When it’s windy, they fly kites. When it has been

“For thousands of years, every generation has grown up playing outside. Now, there is a perception of the outdoors being dangerous.” raining, they can play Poohsticks.

On cold days, we light a fire or drink hot chocolate.

As the children are outside a lot, we have Scandinavian-style uniforms during winter, with fleeces and jackets. The children dress themselves, which is part of the process of making them more independent.

For thousands of years, every

generation has grown up playing outside and gradually learned to be sure-footed, confident and empowered. Now, there is a perception of the outdoors being a dangerous place.

Children gain so much more by running down hills, climbing trees and interacting outside. It gives them the ability to risk assess.

Without exposure to risk, they are

55

far more vulnerable.

They have boundaries at Natural Nurture, but are given the freedom to explore their imagination.

That’s not always the case with children and that must change, otherwise we’ll create a generation of zombies.

The Key to a Child’s Imagination Is… Boredom! Kids invent things when they’re bored, but some parents diarise a child’s life so that they’re constantly busy. If an adult had a schedule like that, they would crash and burn!

56

ALL ABOUT HORSHAM MAGAZINE Dan Poulton is a good male role model for the young children

WRITTEN BY LOCAL PEOPLE AAH is an independent magazine, owned and produced by Ben Morris, a life-long resident of the Horsham District.

Since the magazine was first published in May 2011, AAH has been renowned for its colourful features and superb images by Toby Phillips Photography.

We believe that our editorial content is unrivalled in the Horsham District, with innovative ideas such as our ‘My Story So Far’ and ‘News Round-Up’ features.

ADVERTISING IN AAH Each month, the magazine is delivered to 15,000 homes in Horsham, Southwater and villages including Broadbridge Heath, Mannings Heath, Ashington, Partridge Green, Copsale, Storrington and Washington.

In addition, AAH is distributed to hundreds of businesses.

Thousands more copies are picked up from our stylish spring-loaded stands as well as Sainsbury’s and Tesco.

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How are we going to create innovative leaders if we don’t allow children downtime to explore and stimulate their imagination?

Learning isn't just about ABCs. It's about good communication skills achieved through outdoor interaction. We have found that children who use technological devices a lot are behind in that respect.

There's a correlation between the growth of devices and the decline in communication skills and it raises the question of what sort of adults we are turning our children into.

Phones and computer devices are being used as a babysitter and children are not encouraged to interact. Whilst recognising that technology is part of modern existence, we must acknowledge the ramifications and put other things in place to allow children to be stimulated.

There is no such thing as a perfect parent, but we can ensure that negative influences are not passed on to young children. Some parents are honest and say: ‘I don't do the

outdoors, but I know it’s important.’

They know this is the right environment for their children.

Children Most Love…

The animals, which are a key part of the farm. We have three dogs including Bear, who is head of play, and Scamp, who is head of adventure.

We also have chickens and four gilt pigs, two breeding sows and piglets, which we’re fattening up.

The children harvest apples from the orchard and collect acorns to feed them. On a hot day, the children know that animals need water and in doing so understand that they do as well. A lot of subliminal learning comes from being on a farm and knowing things need looking after.

We have an ‘adopt a turkey’ scheme, whereby parents buy a turkey and children feed it to learn about the food cycle. One child sat underneath the dinner table on Christmas Day when it dawned on

BUSINESS

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Tracey Poulton helps children feed the pigs, whilst (left) the youngsters at Natural Nurture take a drinks break in the shade after a busy morning jumping on hay bales, swinging on tyres and feeding the turkeys

“One child sat under the table on Christmas Day when it dawned on him that the turkey he’d been feeding was in the oven.”

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him that the turkey he’d been feeding was in the oven. But most of children embrace the idea!

We have 462 fruit trees, with varieties of apples and pears, as well as strawberries that the children use to make jam. Two large poly tunnels are used to grow herbs and plants, and we give them home-made meals every day. We even show children how to eat with proper cutlery, as these are transferable skills to take forward to primary school, where our children adjust quickly to their new environment.

Early Years Development Is Important…

For a child’s mental and physical ability. I feel that we are changing the lives of these young people in a positive way. Children are learning about food, as well as developing their muscles through physical exercise and using the landscape to feed their imagination.

We've had a few cases where children have needed extra guidance. One girl suffers from dyspraxia and we worked with a play therapist to improve her co-ordination and communication. After several weeks, she looked up and it was the first time I noticed she had blue eyes. I almost cried as that was the first time

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58

COLUMN RSPB Pulborough Brooks

Image: RSPB

Greg Pratt, Tracey Poulton and Dan Poulton: Three generations of the same family work at the farm

she’d made eye contact with me. If you don’t make micro changes at an early age, they can often be magnified in later life. Every child challenges us in one way or another and there's always different dynamics within a group, so you need a flexible approach to education.

Some elements of education go through a churning out process.

They do not identify what children are good at. We nurture their strengths and work on the little weaknesses they might have.

Another Thing People Like Is… That we have a fantastic and vastly experienced team.

People also like the fact that this is a family-run farm and business. There are three generations involved, with my father Greg Pratt and my youngest son, Dan, both here.

The children look up to Dan. It’s important to have male role models, because many nursery schools are full of women.

We received a very firm ‘Good’ from OFSTED. They love the concept and it's certainly in their thinking process that children need to be outside much more. Yes, the children might slip off a hay bale or get stung by a nettle from time to time, but they learn how to use a dock leaf.

We’re evolving how we teach and play all the time. Recently, I've been working with a psychiatrist to evaluate what we

are doing. We’re trying to learn more about a child’s learning process and how various outdoor activities can stimulate the brain, but I do know that this environment does young people a power of good.

INTERVIEWS: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS

For more details, contact Natural Nurture Nursery Pear Tree Farm, Billingshurst, RH14 9DP, on (01403) 782787 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) Email: info@naturalnurture.org Web: www.naturalnurture.org

Survival of the Fiercest on Heath The height of summer is the time to experience lowland heath habitat at its finest. Its characteristic flora will be in bloom, with bees and butterflies dancing round the purple heathers, and the vivid yellow gorse flowers filling the air with the delicate scent of coconut. It all seems very pleasant at first glance but here’s the reality - this is a battleground for the survival of the fiercest! To live on the heath you have to be extremely tough, and its inhabitants have adapted special skills to help them; some more unpleasant than others.

Perhaps the fiercest of all the invertebrates is the green tiger beetle.

These iridescent beetles are pretty quick in the air and on the ground; if they were scaled-up to be the size of an actual tiger, they would be the fastest creatures on earth! On areas of bare ground, tiny mounds of earth with holes in the middle mark the presence of digger wasps whose larvae hatch out underground, if they don’t first get eaten themselves by the larvae of the ruby-tailed wasp.

Most small creatures should watch where they step, for fear of walking into the well-placed trap of the labyrinth spider, but danger could come from above too – jumping spiders prefer to make a surprise ambush on their prey.

The next time you go walking on the local heathland, take a look at the bare ground to see what battles are raging.

Emily Summers RSPB Pulborough

2018 ESTATE AGENT IN HORSHAM

WE WON...AGAIN! We are thrilled to receive the British Property Award Gold for Estate Agents in Horsham for the second year running.

For a free valuation, please call us on

01403 886288

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