AAH (All About Horsham) May 2022

MAY 2022

AAH (ALL ABOUT HORSHAM) MAY 2022

9 News Round-Up Chris Tarrant opens new extension at Phoenix Stroke Club, whilst The Cabin features in Killing Eve

20 Charity Horsham businessman Dominic Sakakini launches appeal after spending five days in Ukraine

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23 Fashion Ladies fashion outlet Cuckoo recently celebrated is first year in Horsham’s Carfax

29 Art Ex-photographer Steve Bicknall creates sculptures that explore man’s relationship with nature

COVER STORY The May 2022 cover features Guy Watts, owner of Architectural Plants in Pulborough. He is pictured in the sculptural garden, which shows how ornamental ceramics can help complement trees and plants.

Alan used a studio light for this photo, with Jason McBride from Architectural Plants holding stopping it blowing over in the wind! Ben interviewed Guy in the beautiful timber hut. They had spoken before, back in 2009, when Ben was editor of The Resident and Guy rowed the Indian Ocean with Andrew Delaney.

However, this was the first time they’d met in person.

Coming within a whisker of making the cover were Jai Parbat, owner of Cuckoo in the Carfax, and Geoff Callister at The Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in West Grinstead.

ABOUT AAH AAH is an independent monthly magazine, owned by editor Ben Morris, a life-long resident of the Horsham District. It is distributed to doors, as well as pick-up points around the Horsham District.

EDITOR: Ben Morris editor@aahorsham.co.uk (01903) 892899 AAH Magazine, 2 Viney Close, Ashington, RH20 3PT ADVERTISING: Ben Morris advertising@aahorsham.co.uk (01903) 892899

Villages: The Palmer family (BBH) the Murray family (Wickhurst Green) Nathan Williams (Mannings Heath); Lynsey Hare (Billingshurst), Nick Morris (Ashington), James Hobbs (Thakeham), Derek Bradnum (Nuthurst) The Morris family (West Chiltington)

ADVERT RATES Eighth Page £55 + VAT (93mm x 63mm) Quarter Page £110 + VAT (93mm x 133mm) Half Page £185 + VAT (190mm x 133mm) Full Page £310 + VAT (A4 with 4mm bleed) Double Page: £520 + VAT Special offer: Every sixth advert is placed free of charge, like a coffee shop! We can also design adverts if you need help, at no extra charge.

PICK UP POINTS & STANDS Thousands of copies of AAH are also available in our stands at businesses, clubs and shops...

Horsham: The Living Room (Swan Walk), Henry Adams (Carfax), Crates Local (Carfax) Pavilions in the Park, Horsham Rail Station, New House Farm, New Street Butchers, At Home Estate Agents (Caterways), The Holbrook Club, Gwyn’s Bakery (Bishopric) Village Stands: Billingshurst Leisure Centre, Bluecoat Sports (Christ’s Hospital), Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens (Lower Beeding), Warnham Village Stores (Warnham), Slinfold Golf Club (Slinfold), Steyning Leisure Centre and Cobblestone Walk (Steyning), Spring Gardens Nursery (Washington), Joanna’s Boutique Tearooms (Storrington), The Milk Churn (Rudgwick), Meadow Stores and Cafe (Thakeham) NEW: Golden Plaice (Ashington) Supermarkets: In association with Self Select Distribution, AAH is now available from the free pick-up points at Tesco Extra in Broadbridge Heath and Sainsbury’s in Horsham.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Alan Wright alanwrightphotography.co.uk Email: alan.wright@ alanwrightphotography.co.uk 07747 617387 Alan works for AAH on a freelance basis and is available for family portraits, as well as corporate and commercial work.

AAH ONLINE aahorsham.co.uk AAH is published online on the 1st of each month. Archive editions are online too, along with past features.

DISTRIBUTION The magazine is delivered to about 13,000 homes in Horsham, Southwater and villages including Broadbridge Heath, Billingshurst and new estates at Highwood and Wickhurst Green.

DOOR-TO-DOOR TEAM Horsham: Jacquie Paterson, the Judd family, the Rollingson family, the Voisey family, Katie Drysdale, the Garner family, Jill Shuker, the Arliss family, the Bloomfield family, Eve Lovett, Lara Green, the Gavira family, Harvey Dold, Alessandro Cavallo, Jack Nicholls, the McCormick family, Charlie Merchant, Harry Baker, the Walker family.

Southwater: The Brown family, the Chapman family

BACK ISSUES We keep copies of past editions. They cost £3.50 each (includes postage). editor@aahorsham.co.uk LEAFLETS We can deliver leaflets with AAH at a cost of only £40 + VAT per 1,000. For details, email Ben at: editor@aahorsham.co.uk NOTES We are delighted to have a new pick-up point at Golden Plaice in Ashington.

Nathan Williams is now moving on, having delivered in Mannings Heath village for several years. All the best with your new job, Nathan!

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Special Feature

Sport

Business

Music

The remarkable 500-year history of The Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in West Grinstead

Horsham Park Bowls Club competes in three leagues, with men, ladies and mixed teams

Architectural Plants in Pulborough hopes to hit new heights under new owners

Sandgate Singers in Storrington combine choral classics with contemporary musical songs

JOYS OF THE JUBILEE

(©HDC/Horsham Museum)

Notes from the Editor: Looking forward to a Royal celebration

Unusually, I’m quite excited about the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which will take place over the Bank Holiday weekend of 2 – 5 June.

I say unusually, as I’m not a big fan of the monarchy. I’m sure there are many people who love to read those Mail Online articles about the Duchess of Cambridge recycling a dress she wore in 2017, or a body language expert (is that a real job?) telling us what William and Harry really think of one another. I’m just not one of them!

When William and Kate married in 2011, I skilled the celebrations and spent the day delivering the very first edition of AAH to homes around Mannings Heath, where they’d organised a street party. I remember it well, as the much-missed Rotarian John Le Rossignol spotted me toiling with my fluorescent bag and insisted I join his dinner party! I had no desire to attend the Golden and Diamond Jubilee celebrations either. The thought of wearing a pointy paper hat, waving a Union Jack and embarrassing swaying side to side as a neighbour you hardly know throws their arm around you for a hearty rendition of the national anthem, just never appealed to me...

Why then, the sudden change of heart? I even find myself thinking of ways I could help. Maybe put up the bunting or make egg cress sandwiches. Maybe coronation chicken. People would love that! Or make

a playlist of coronation anthems, like Land of Hope and Glory and Zadok the Priest. All the ones they do on The Last Night of the Proms, but not that one where the crowd pretends to cry, as that’s a bit weird.

I think my unexpected willingness to participate can be attributed to four things: The first is that I don’t want to miss out.

Elizabeth II is the longest-serving monarch in our history and in 1200 years, we’ve never had a Platinum Jubilee. So, why ignore it just to stay indoors watching Pointless Celebrities?

The second is nostalgia. I see photos like the one above, from a Horsham street party in 1977, and wouldn’t mind being a part of a similar scene. You can see people made an effort to wear red, white and blue outfits; they’ve laid out matching paper cups and plates, with kids down one end of the table spilling orange squash, adults at the other, pretending not to mind as their bottle of wine gets passed along. Someone called Bill or Clive is probably up a step-ladder hanging up bunting, and one of the mums will have a brought a tray full of them chocolate cornflake cakes, no doubt.

It’ll be nice to be part of a new piece of history in 2022. Although I hope it doesn’t get too millennial. Last thing anyone wants is for some guy with a trendy beard and an acoustic guitar playing a John Lewis version of God Save the Queen. That’ll be awful.

The third is simply to acknowledge that The Queen – regardless of personal views on the monarchy as an institution – is deserving of a little fanfare, right? Even Donald Trump hasn’t got a bad word to say about her.

And the fourth is the thought that this might well be the last time we can come together as a nation to mark a Royal occasion in such a way. This will perhaps be the Queen’s last jubilee and it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that the monarchy’s status diminishes without her steely, assured guidance and leadership.

The world is changing and Royal trips abroad now have an undercurrent of ill-feeling as past indiscretions (I’m aware that may be putting it lightly) catch up with us, as a nation.

Perhaps the time of the Royals being the UK’s global figureheads - and us being largely content for them to represent us is drawing to an end. Or maybe not. Maybe we’re about to embark on a glorious new era where the monarchy embraces change and shows us the way forward. What do I know about it? I’m waffling as I’ve had five foam cups of Prosecco. I didn’t mean to have that much, but Dave at number 42 or is it Mike - anyway, he kept filling my cup up! The kids? I don’t know, love! I saw a load of them run off towards the park.

Don’t worry, they’ll be fine! “Rule! Britannia, Britannia rules the waves…der der der der der der…shall be slaves!”

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NEWS ROUND-UP Announcements & Events from across the Horsham District Email submissions to editor@aahorsham.co.uk

Katie Watson and Emma Barnard, daughters of founder Jenny Filby, with trustee Don Burstow and presenter Chris Tarrant

wheelchairs. Chris suffered a stroke during a flight from Bangkok to London in 2014 and doctors performed emergency surgery to remove a blood clot from his leg. He needed speech therapy and physiotherapy and made changes to his lifestyle to minimise the risk of another stroke. He said: ‘Having a stroke was a terrifying experience and the rehabilitation is tough.

The Rotary Club of Horsham is helping to fund lorries delivering medical and other essential supplies to Poland to support Ukrainian refugees. Since March, two lorries from PJ Logistics in Billingshurst have undertaken the 1,300-mile trip to Wroclaw and Steniatyn as part of a local initiative called ‘From Sussex with Love’.

A third lorry is scheduled for May. Rotary project organiser Roger Cato said: “Through generous local donations and our reserve fund, we hope to fund additional trips and keep the wheels rolling for desperate Ukrainian families.”

HelpFromSussexWithLove

The bicentenary of the death of Horshamborn poet Percy Bysshe Shelley has been marked by the planting of a chestnut tree in the Shelley Wildlife Garden at Warnham Local Nature Reserve. It is said that Shelley often sat under a specific chestnut tree near the Mill Pond for inspiration. The planting was carried out by Horsham District Council Chairman Cllr David Skipp, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture Cllr Roger Noel and Cabinet Member for Horsham Town Centre Cllr Christian Mitchell, pictured with Friends of Warnham LNR and representative of the Parks and Countryside team.

Places like Phoenix Stroke Club make such a wonderful difference.’

Don Burstow, a trustee at the club for over 40 years, oversaw much of the building project and joined stroke survivors, donors, volunteers and trustees at the opening.

Donors include The League of Friends of Horsham Hospital, The Wolfson Foundation and The Hope Keith Villagers Trust.

(©AAH/Toby Phillips 2017)

Chris Tarrant, former presenter of Who Wants to Be A Millionaire? opened the extended and refurbished building for Phoenix Stroke Club on 14 April.

More than £325,000 was raised for the extension, which includes a therapy room and a landscaped garden, helping the Horsham club to reach more people, particularly stroke survivors in

This may be too late for some readers, but the Broadwood Morris Day of Dance is scheduled to be held in Horsham on Saturday 7 May, from 10.30am. Organised by Broadwood, the town’s Morris Dancing side, the event sees sides from across the country taking part in dances, with a smattering of folk music too. A procession from the Rec Rooms to West Street, via Carfax, begins at 11am, with dancing across town until 3pm, when sides join forces for a ceilidh at the Bandstand. Check for updates before attending.

Broadwood Morris Day of Dance

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Julian and Jiaxin Lloyd Webber(©Simon Fowler)

(©Toby Phillips Photography 2016)

A Jubilee Street Party hosted by The Capitol will be held in Carfax, Horsham, on Friday 3 June from 12pm, to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The event is free and there will be street food and local beer stalls, as well as children’s activities. The Capitol will take over the Bandstand to showcase local talent, followed by an evening filled with music. No need to book, just turn up on the day.

Southwater Jubilee Jamboree will be held at the Ghyll Sports Field, Pevensey Road, Southwater, RH13 9XZ, on Saturday 4 June, 2 – 6pm. The event includes a Royal fancy dress competition, football-themed games from Southwater FC and Southwater Royals, Southwater Bowls’ open day, bouncy castle, live music and performances by local groups.

As part of Petworth Festival and to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, there will be a Royal Variety Performance at Seaford College, Lavington Park, Petworth, on Saturday 28 May, from 7.30pm.

Acts include pianist and songwriter Joe Stilgoe, pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, jazz singer/pianist Liane Carroll, The Dunlop Sisters and Judge the Poet, with Trevor Eve hosting. The Petworth Festival is held at various venues from 13 - 30 July. Highlights include Vimala Rowe’s take on Billie Holiday’s legendary 1956 Carnegie Hall

show (14 July) and Jon Gomm, known for his virtuoso guitar style (19 July). Ben Waters and his band play jazz and blues by the likes of Fats Domino, Huey “Piano” Smith and Jerry Lee Lewis (22 July) while Julian and Jiaxin Lloyd Webber return to the showrooms of Sofas & Stuff in Fittleworth for two intimate concerts (26 July). Other highlights include flamenco guitarist Juan Martin (27 July) and much-fêted British singer-songwriters Beverley Craven and Judie Tzuke join forces on 28 July. petworthfestival.org.uk

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Jubilation!

The Petworth Festival celebrates the Royal Jubilee with a …

Petworth Festival

2022

Ruth Wall (credit: Lottie Davies)

Wednesday 13 – Saturday 30 July

featuring

Joe Stilgoe • Jeneba Kanneh-Mason • Liane Carroll The Dunlop Sisters • Judge the Poet hosted by Trevor Eve

Saturday 28 May 2022 from 7.30pm (ends 10.00pm) at Seaford College, Lavington Park, Petworth GU28 0NB Tickets and details at

www.petworthfestival.org.uk

Highlights include: %(1 :$7(56 Ǵ %(9(5/(< &5$9(1 -8',( 7=8.( -8/,$1 -,$;,1 //2<' :(%%(5 /26 3$&$0,126 )7 3$8/ <281* Ǵ 0,/721 -21(6 1$7$/,( &/(,1 Ǵ 587+ :$// Ǵ 6($1 6+,%( Ǵ 67(9(1 26%251( And many more!

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A highlight of the 2022 Shipley Arts Festival will be a commissioned piece by baritone and composer Roderick Williams OBE (pictured). The piece is inspired by the rewilding project at Knepp and reflects the turtle doves which thrive on the estate. The Stradivarius Piano Trio perform parts of the commission at the Knepp Castle Wilding Concert, hosted by Sir Charles and Lady Issy Burrell, on Sunday 19 June, 6.30pm. The programme also includes Schubert’s Trout Quintet. The world premiere of Williams’ complete Knepp Piano Trio will be held at Sedgwick Park on Wednesday 22 June, 7.30pm. The baritone will also sing Sea Fever by John Ireland, who is buried in Shipley. bernardimusicgroup.com Northsyde will be performing at Coolham Live Music Club on Saturday 14 May. Eddy Smith, who brought his excellent band, the 507s to the club last September, is also on the bill. The event raises funds for Ukraine.

Coolham Live Music Club Lights & Bushels Theatre Company presents Kathryn Attwood’s Dissolving the Pearl at The Capitol Studio on 23 - 25 June. Horsham’s award-winning theatre company presents the premiere of this absorbing play, which imagines the relationship between England’s first celebrity in 18th century London and the man who created her image. Tickets £15 from thecapitolhorsham.com

2019 Best Drama (Under 18) winner Mattie Boys receives his award from host Davey Pearson (©Toby Phillips Photography )

The Horsham Film Festival returns in 2022 and is welcoming submissions.

HFF22 has two age groups (Over 18s and Under 18s) with five categories in each, including Best Drama, Best Documentary, Best Comedy, Best Animation and the Your District Award, which goes to a film of any genre which is either filmed in or about the Horsham District. Films can be up to 15 minutes in length. Entry is via FilmFreeway with a deadline of 30 September. Over 18 entries £15, Under 18s free. This year, the awards night is held at Everyman Cinema, Piries Place, with screenings for all shortlisted films. To enter, visit filmfreeway.com/horshamfilmfestival

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Relay for Life Horsham, held in aid of Cancer Research UK, begins at the South of England Showground, Ardingly on Saturday 8 June, from 12pm midday.

Relay For Life is a family festival, focused around a 24-hour relay in which team members take turns to walk around a track to raise funds for the charity. A Candle of Hope ceremony will be held at 9.45pm. To sign up or for details visit cancerresearchuk.org/get-involved/ The League of Friends of Horsham Hospital host a Summer Fete at the hospital on Saturday 21 May, 1 - 4pm. There will be a bouncy castle, face painting, live music and children’s rides. It will be opened by the Chairman of Horsham District Council, Dr David Skipp. Adults 50p, children free. Free parking at Collyer’s College.

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Horsham resident Ian Walder is organising a golf marathon at Rookwood Golf Club on 4 - 9 July.

Combining his love of endurance events and golf, the event involves four rounds of 18 holes, close to 26 miles. Ian, 57, has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), a progressive neurological condition, and is raising funds for the West Sussex North Branch of the MND Association.

There are five tee times per day (up to 20 golfers) and Ian would love to hear from anyone who can join him and his society friends. Email Ian at: iwsmokingunn@gmail.com Horsham Matters hosts its first charity golf day at Slinfold Golf & Country Club on Friday 10 June. The 18-hole tournament costs £60 per person (teams of 4) to include breakfast, post-golf lunch and prize-giving ceremony. Email fundraising@horsham-matters.org.uk The Dog and Bacon Golf Society has donated £1582 to the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance.

The funds were raised last year at the Horsham pub’s society day with fines, auctions and a raffle boosting the coffers. The society has been established for over 15 years and every year the nominated captain selects the charity, with Dave Redman choosing the Air Ambulance.

Horsham-based social enterprise Mycarematters has launched a new service to help people prepare for later life and end of life care. Thanks to Lottery funding, the ‘My Future Care Service’ is free to people living in West Sussex. The ‘My Future Care Buddy Service’ allows people to have a friendly chat on the phone or via video call with a trained Buddy, to help them with plans for later life, with participants also receiving a free handbook. Call (01403) 210485 or email info@mycarematters.org

Horsham Rugby Club in 2017

The Thakeham Group has reached a deal to continue as the main sponsor of Horsham Rugby Club, to include the men’s first and second team, ladies’ team and young players in the Horsham Minis. The home builder has also pledged to develop a Horsham Rugby Club Schools Outreach Programme to introduce more players of all ages to the sport. The programme will offer local primary schools with coaches to run tag rugby sessions. In the farreaching new deal, Thakeham will also facilitate financial support for selfemployed players who suffer injuries and further improve inclusivity at the club.

Thakeham Flower Festival and Open Gardens, the oldest Flower Festival in West Sussex, will be held at St Mary’s Church, The Street, Thakeham, on 10 - 12 June, 10am – 5pm. As well as flower displays in the church and Open Gardens, there will be music, a dog show and a Teddy bear parachute jump from the Church tower. Evening events at Thakeham Village Hall include Friday’s Auction of Promises and Saturday’s Murder Mystery Dinner. stmarysthakeham.org

Daisy White and Lisa Brace will run a bootcamp writing retreat on 8 - 10 July. The three-day retreat offers everything an aspiring writer needs, from tips on finishing a manuscript and submission secrets to mentoring and exploring publishing routes.

Guest speakers include TV and film writers Debbie Moon and Hayley November, TV producer Steve Moon And BBC news correspondent Alastair Fee. For details visit daisywhiteauthor.co.uk/sussexwriting-retreats 13

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The Cabin in Faygate (AAH/Toby Phillips 2015)

The Cabin Cafe on the A264 Crawley Road at Faygate was featured in the season 4 finale of popular TV thriller, Killing Eve, screened on Sunday 10 April.

In the episode ‘Hello, Losers’, central characters Eve and Villanelle (played by Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer) visit the truck-stop café and order curly fries.

Cabin Café Faygate Local author Howard Malleson has published a book, Teaching The Heathens: The story of schooling in the village of Mannings Heath in the Sussex Parish of Nuthurst through the 19th and 20th Centuries.

The book is the result of a collaborative project Howard undertook with help from Nuthurst Local History Society.

Published by Grosvenor House, it is available on Amazon, priced £12.99.

Elizabeth Harrin has written a new book, Managing Multiple Projects: How Project Managers Can Balance Priorities, Manage Expectations and Increase Productivity. The Horsham writer’s book includes tips on how to juggle work, keep your boss happy and still leave the office on time.

Elizabeth’s books offer real-world business advice, based on 20 years’ experience in project management roles. The 240-page book is published

by Kogan Page and is available on Amazon in paperback or as an ebook. elizabeth-harrin.com Two books by Southwater writer A.P Handley have been published by The Real Press, based in Steyning. The first book is Pedro Miguel, a historical fiction set in 1971. In the midst of the Vietnam War, a radio officer serving aboard a British freighter must encrypt a message to prevent an international catastrophe.

The second book, Bunkeya, is set in the Congo and focuses on post-colonial Africa. Both books are part of the writer’s Danny Rook Secret History series. The books are available in paperback or as an ebook. therealpress.co.uk

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Horsham District Council has new funds available to support small businesses. The Local Enterprise and Apprenticeship Platform (LEAP) provides grants of up to £2,000. The scheme is aimed at start-ups and small businesses with less than 20 full-time employees. Applicants need to match fund the grant by contributing 25% of their project cost. Apply before 4 July at www.horsham.gov.uk/business/businessfunding/leap-business-grants

Female mallard with ducklings and (below) a male mallard (©Roger Wilmshurst/SWT)

A new App is being launched as part of the Steyning Festival on 1 June, to give insight into the town’s lively social history. The App gives details on the lives of 24 former Steyning residents including a World War II pilot who undertook secret missions, a suffragette and a soldier from Napoleonic times. The App is the work of volunteers and represents a collaboration between Steyning Museum and the Friends of Steyning Parish Church. It uses Echoes technology and tours are suitable for all ages. There is no charge for the half-hour self-guided audio tours, although donations are welcome. To book a tour visit steyningfestival.co.uk Sussex Wildlife Trust has urged people to stop feeding the ducks at Woods Mill nature reserve in Henfield, as excess bread is polluting the lake and harming wildlife.

Nutrient pollution caused by large amounts of bread can cause harmful algal blooms, which deplete the lake’s oxygen and kill off aquatic wildlife.

Charlotte Owen, Conservation Officer at SWT, said: ‘Excess bread is also harmful to the ducks and can cause malnutrition, disease and bad behaviour. We are now seeing a large group of last year’s ducklings constantly roaming the reserve in search of people who might feed them, rather than

exhibiting natural behaviour. Ducks naturally eat a wide range of aquatic insects, snails, worms, pond weed and other vegetation and there is plenty of natural food available.” sussex wildlife trust.org.uk

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The Downs Links crosses the A281 near Rudgwick (©AAH/Alan Wright 2021)

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43 18

AAH is an independent, monthly magazine established in 2011. We deliver directly to 12,000 homes, with rounds in many parts of Horsham as well as Holbrook, Highwood, Broadbridge Heath, Wickhurst Green, Mannings Heath, Nuthurst, Southwater, Billingshurst and West Chiltington.

From April 2022, in association with Self Select Distribution, we’ll be printing more copies for free pick-up stands at Tesco Extra in Broadbridge Heath and Sainsbury’s in Horsham.

ALSO AVAILABLE FROM OUR BRANDED STANDS AAH also has many of our bespoke, spring-loaded stands, placed across the Horsham District.

Henry Adams (Carfax), Crates Local (Carfax), Pavilions in the Park (Hurst Road) Horsham Rail Station, Gwyn’s Bakery (Bishopric), At Home Estate Agents (Caterways), New Street Butchers, New House Farm, The Holbrook Club, CoCo’s Salon (Southwater) Spring Gardens Nursery (Washington), Billingshurst Leisure Centre, Billy’s on the Road, Sumners Ponds, Faygate Village Store, Bluecoat Sports Centre (Christ’s Hospital), Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens (Lower Beeding), Meadow Stores (Thakeham) Warnham Village Stores (Warnham), The Milk Churn (Rudgwick), Slinfold Golf & Country Club, Steyning Leisure Centre, Cobblestone Walk (Steyning) and Joanna’s Boutique Tearooms (Storrington) ALSO: NOW BACK IN SWAN WALK - FIND OUR STAND IN THE LIVING ROOM (by Sports Direct)

To advertise in AAH, email Ben at advertising@aahorsham.co.uk

Consultants have identified a Pegasus crossing – a signalised crossing for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders – as a potential option for improving road safety at the A281 Downs Link in Rudgwick.

Since a fatal accident in 2020, West Sussex County Council has made several improvements, including new signs and the Installation of wooden guard barriers on the Downs Link access ramps. Users of the Downs Link and local residents are campaigning for a new bridge, but Joy Dennis, County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “The initial estimated cost for a bridge is £2m. It is difficult to make a case for a bridge when that same level of funding could pay for other, multiple

improvement schemes around the county and when a Pegasus crossing would provide similar benefits.”

WSCC commissioned a consultant’s report into what measures could be taken at the site, with three options considered including a bridge, a Pegasus crossing or a traffic island. The island was ruled out because of insufficient land, with the Pegasus crossing, with an estimated cost of £600,000, deemed the most feasible option. Campaigners say a Pegasus crossing isn’t safe, due to the speed of approaching traffic (including HGVs) and limited visibility. WSCC will continue to work in partnership with SUSTRANS and carry out feasibility studies to define the full scope of works required.

East Mews Dental Care in Horsham has signed up to TerraCycle to collect and recycle oral care waste which cannot be recycled by traditional means.

This includes toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes and floss containers. A publicly accessible drop-off point in the practice allows customers and staff to send their oral care waste for recycling. For each shipment of waste sent to TerraCycle, East

Mews Dental Care receives a reward, which they donate to Friends of Trafalgar School. terracycle.com

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s new fire station and training centre in Horsham is taking shape. Willmott Dixon began work at the site off the A24 at Highwood Mill last November and in April, representatives from West Sussex County Council visited to see how it’s progressing. The training centre will be the first of its type in the county and will allow firefighters to train in a

range of realistic scenarios, such as live fire conditions, working from height and road traffic collisions.

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Dominic Sakakini, owner of Sakakini Jewellers in Horsham, is fundraising for Ukraine after visiting the country. He spent five days in Ivano-Frankivsk in the west of Ukraine. The city has been hit by some Russian missiles, but is generally seen as a safe haven for those fleeing the besieged north and east regions due to its close proximity to the Polish border.

Dominic interviewed refugees, volunteers at donation centres and medical staff to gain an understanding of the aid they need. Since returning, he has established a Just Giving page and already surpassed an initial £5,000 fundraising target.

Dominic said: “Currently, thousands of very well-meaning people are transporting donated goods to Poland in vans. Very few are going into Ukraine because their insurance doesn’t cover them. The trip to Poland costs about £800

in transport fees and a van can only take two pallets, which averages out at £400 each. But by buying food and essential items by the pallet from depots already established in Poland, we can get aid into Ukraine more cheaply and much faster.”

Dominic has organised a charity dinner with a two-course meal, live music and auction at The George & Dragon, Dragon’s Green, on Thursday 26 May, £28pp.

Dominic Sakakini with a Ukrainian flag signed by people he met (©AAH/Alan Wright)

MARTYN EDWARDS

(©Dominic Sakakini)

“I will be using the money raised to buy as many pallets as I can for Ivano-Frankivsk.

The reason I’m supporting people there, rather than elsewhere, is because of its similarities to Horsham. The population is 200,000 compared to our 140,000, and I wonder how we would adapt if 32,000 people descended into our town in one week, needing food and shelter. Would we cope?

The people of Ivano-Frankivsk have done that, but need more support.”

For links to the Just Giving page, visit Sakakini’s Facebook page Sakakini Jewellers

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CUCKOO CELEBRATES THE DIVERSITY OF MODERN WOMEN’S FASHION

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Jai Parbat, Owner of Cuckoo in Carfax, Horsham (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Cuckoo is an independent women’s fashion store in Horsham’s Carfax. Despite having been founded while the nation was recovering from the pandemic and at a time when high street shops are increasingly impacted by online retailers, owner Jaishree Parbat has enjoyed a successful first year. AAH met Jai to find out more...

Inside Cuckoo (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Why Cuckoo?

It seemed to fit in with the whole idea of opening a fashion shop in the midst of a pandemic. I liked the name immediately, as it’s snappy and fun.

Is this your first shop?

Yes. I previously worked in insurance and had vague plans of becoming a counsellor before my mum, Ranjan, was involved in a serious car accident. Her story was featured in an episode of 24 Hours in A&E on Channel 4 (Series 18, episode 13). At the time, mum was running her own shop, Orchid, in Horley.

While she was recovering, I helped look after the shop and really enjoyed it.

Cuckoo in Carfax, Horsham (©AAH/Alan Wright)

So, your family has retail experience?

It’s in my blood. My dad, Pravin, was a market trader in Crawley for many years. He would sell whatever was in vogue at the time - even shell suits! Later, with other relatives, he ran a shop in Horsham’s Middle Street called Abigail’s, where Ryman’s is now. Even when I was young, I would help out when required and these experiences gave me ideas and inspiration for what I would do with my own shop.

You’ve gone in a different direction though?

My parents predominantly dealt with fast fashion. But times have changed and I wanted to slow things down and offer something modern. I like fluid fashion,

Jewellery at Cuckoo (©AAH/Alan Wright)

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Jai Parbat, owner of Cuckoo (©AAH/Alan Wright)

©AAH/Alan Wright)

Cuckoo’s clothes are beautifully presented (©AAH/Alan Wright)

which isn’t aimed at a particular age group and can be worn by someone who is 21 or 90.

Modern fashion is so broad. There used to styles that defined each generation, but it’s so diverse and individual now. Designers take inspiration from the 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond, so entire decades can come back into fashion within a year. This wonderful amalgamation of styles has made fashion more diverse, which is great as people can wear clothes they feel confident in.

What brands do you sell at Cuckoo?

We have several Scandinavian designers, as well as French and British brands, suiting a wide range of tastes. We have beautiful print

fabrics by Sugarhill Brighton, which can be quite off-the-wall sometimes. ICHI is a vibrant and energetic Danish brand, while Nümph and Soya Concept are two other Danish labels offering classic items with a contemporary touch. Grace & Mila is a French brand known for affordable but good quality clothes. I spent a lot of time in Horsham, looking at what women of all ages were wearing. This only confirmed how broad our tastes are, so my focus has always been on quirky yet functional clothes. I like colour and individual style, but designs need to wearable and affordable too. We also have a small selection of jewellery by Big Metal London, Hot Tomato,

©AAH/Alan Wright)

Wolf & Moon and Sarah Verity Parham (SVP), another independent business. I chose items that complement the clothes we sell.

The shop is well organised…

We have wooden hanging rails, which were made especially by my partner Adam, a carpenter by trade. Clothes are arranged predominantly by colour, making it easy for people to pick out items that complement one another. This co-ordination is mostly down to Jo Paone, who’s a magician! She has many years of retail experience and I’m lucky to have her working with me!

25

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Cuckoo has beautiful hand-made hanging racks (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Is it true that some people know Cuckoo from the doggy in the window?

Toby, my Bichon Frise Pomeranian, often sits amongst the mannequins and is so still that people aren’t sure if he’s real! We also have a puppy, Teddy, who is sometimes in here too.

Why choose Horsham?

Adam saw this unit when it was vacant and thought it would be perfect for a boutique fashion shop. He knew of my desire to start my own business and has supported me every step of the way, even organising our first viewing. I immediately loved it, but still couldn't imagine running my own shop. It was only when I spoke to mum and she

Jai is always on the lookout for new designs (©AAH/Alan Wright)

encouraged me to follow my heart, that I decided to go for it.

There are several other fashion boutiques in town…

I was a little intimidated by them, in all honesty, because they’re beautiful and do what they do very well. Before I opened, I looked at what they offered and what I could do to complement them. I want to contribute to Horsham being a hub for stylish fashion boutiques, rather than detract from what the town already has, especially as some of these shops have been here for many years.

I hope Cuckoo has its own niche.

How have things gone in the first year?

We celebrated our first anniversary on 17 April and it’s going very well. People have built an appreciation of the shop and we’ve had some lovely customers from the beginning. They are starting to return and some have fallen in love with Cuckoo!

WORDS: BEN MORRIS PHOTOS: ALAN WRIGHT Further information: 33 Carfax, Horsham, RH12 1EE cuckooboutique.co.uk CuckooHorsham cuckoohorsham

43 26

©iStock/shironosov

FUN WITH FOOD Bluecoat Nursery, set in the beautiful grounds of Christ’s Hospital School, has vacancies for the autumn term.

We are a term time pre-school, open 36 weeks a year.

We accept both 15 and 30 hours’ free entitlement, if your child is eligible. We welcome children from 2½ to school entry.

Our free flow nursery has a fully-equipped garden.

We use the on-site sports centre once a week for PE and have access to all of the school grounds including a vegetable garden.

All staff are experienced and fully qualified.

Free parking on site.

For a prospectus or to arrange for a visit:

Email: nursery@christs-hospital.org.uk Call: 01403 247446

Christ’s Hospital Enterprises Ltd (CHEL) hosts Fun with Food: An Introduction to Baking Course dates: Monday 30th May, Tuesday 31st May Wednesday 1st June Ages from 8 years old 9am to 12:30pm Held at Christ’s Hospital School, Catering Department £30 per place (price includes adult and one child) Numbers are limited so book early!

To book your place on the course, email

chel@christs-hospital.org.uk

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NATURAL INSTINCT Steve Bicknell at his Thakeham studio (©AAH/Alan Wright)

THE CONCEPTUAL SCULPTURES OF STEVE BICKNELL

Steve Bicknell worked as a professional photographer before finding further success in publishing, specialising in calendars and children’s books. In recent years, he has pursued a passion for sculpture, working from a studio in Thakeham. Here, Steve describes his artistic journey and the concepts behind his thought-provoking work….

The Swimmer and various sculptural forms (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Creating a Vision

Trial & Error

We were downsizing to a cottage which needed extensive work. I worked closely with the builders, project managing the entire renovation, and enjoyed myself immensely, especially when it came to landscaping the garden. I had a vision of what I wanted and that included a sculpture amongst the trees. I searched online but couldn’t find the right piece. During the renovation, I helped make concrete worktops and had loved the visual impact of the material. So, I decided to make my own sculpture using similar materials.

I jumped straight in at the deep end and created a large conceptual piece of art.

Being self-taught, the process involved a lot of trial and error. To begin with, I needed a metal frame, so I contacted local blacksmiths. The Iron Lady at Bradwell Blacksmiths in Angmering immediately engaged with my ideas and gave me a better understanding of what was possible. I started making small test pieces with clay and could now churn out pots all day if I so desired! However, it’s conceptual art that interests me…

Man with Flowers (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Steve Bicknell sculptures (©AAH/Alan Wright)

29

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Steve with his popular piece, Nude in Blue (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Seeds of Success My first sculptural piece was a giant pumpkin. It was a large concrete sculpture with real pumpkins inside it. However, because concrete is a porous material, the pumpkins started to ferment and unpleasant odours leaked out! So, I broke the piece apart and reworked it, planting seeds inside instead.

It’s conceptual, with nature at its heart. Life grows from a seed and eventually returns to the earth and in some cases, seeds can germinate after thousands of years. The idea of that process happening within my work, hundreds or even thousands of years after I’ve gone, fascinates me.

Natural Themes Nature plays an important role in my life. When I ran my own publishing company, I produced many nature books and calendars. The relationship between humanity and nature is a recurring theme in my work.

‘Spores’ is a conceptual sculpture based on a pink

“I’m intrigued by shipwrecks or plane wrecks, where gradually nature takes over and creates its own beauty.” oyster mushroom. It contains pink oyster spores that could be released as the piece breaks apart over time. I will not see it happen, but I love the concept, in the same way that I’m intrigued by shipwrecks or plane wrecks, where gradually nature takes over and creates its own beauty. ‘Fronds’ illustrates the flexibility of nature and how plants can grow in unusual shapes in certain environments in order to survive. The theme is explored further in my ‘Return to the Earth’ series. With ‘Water Woman,’ limestone gradually erodes as water drips over the deep ridges in her body.

The Boxer (©AAH/Alan Wright)

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Before committing to a large sculpture, I make a maquette (small model) in clay to work out its shape and dimensions. After a while, I found I enjoyed making these small pieces more than anything else and decided to cast some in bronze. As I had experience of constructing large sculptures, the small pieces also had a strong framework of reinforced steel, which made it easier for the foundries to create moulds for bronze casting.

Bronze is expensive, but it lasts forever and has a wonderful permanence about it. As an artist, you sometimes look at a piece and know something isn’t right.

When you’re working with bronze, the work needs to deserve it, as the finished piece is going to be passed down through generations. If you’re ever lucky enough to own bronze art and display it in your home, you’ll find you develop a special relationship with it and it may even further your appreciation and understanding of beauty in other facets of life.

32 36

Steve with pieces including the striking Winged Man (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Small Time

Distorting Reality I distort the human body.

Technical excellence doesn’t interest me. However, I try to make my pieces attractive from all sides and think my photographic experience helps me do that. Some pieces are more representational of the

human form than others. ‘The Swimmer’, which has a striking copper base, encourages the eye to follow a continuous line through the body. With ‘The Boxer’, I was about to take it to the foundry when I beat it about a bit more with my hands. It added another dimension. One customer was fascinated by it and asked if

Sculpture Open Studio Saturday 14th May 10.00am to 5.00pm

Sunday 15th May 10.00am to 4.00pm

BICKNELL Oak Farm, Goose Green Lane, Thakeham, RH20 2LW Please come along and join us for a drink and to meet Steve, along with his collection of contemporary bronze and ceramic sculpture.

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WWW.BICKNELLSCULPTURE.COM

work, exploring the deterioration of the human body and delving deeper into our association with nature, as opposed to seeking smoother lines. Every piece of art leads to another and an artist is continually evolving. On his death bed at the age of 90, the great Japanese painter Hokusai said that if heaven would afford him five more years of life, he might manage to become a true artist. An artist is never happy, but the most important thing is to follow your passion. As soon as you start making what sells, or what please others, you’re not a true artist.

the marks on his body were spiritual. I found that interesting, as she connected to the work in a different way.

Nude in Blue Some pieces attract more attention than others. I’ve sold several limited edition pieces of my ‘Seated Nude in Blue ‘as the colour is striking and people are drawn to its natural curves. Yet I find I’m heading in a different direction with my

INTERVIEW: BEN MORRIS PHOTOS: ALAN WRIGHT Further information: Steve Bicknell hosts an Open Studios at Oak Farm, Goose Green Lane, Thakeham, RH20 2LW, on 14 – 15 May. He will be joined by guest ceramicist Laura Day. For details visit: bicknellsculpture.com Bicknell_contemporary African Torso (©AAH/Alan Wright)

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A time to give: making provisions for the special people in your life Claire Carberry, Private Client Solicitor discusses how families with special considerations can provide for their loved ones by creating a trust fund It’s fair to say that many people find making a Will a challenge – and this can be particularly hard when you have a loved one with special or additional needs.

What support will the state provide and what additional support will they need? Who will provide it and how will it be paid for? How can you provide for that person without causing them to lose benefits? Will leaving them money attract the wrong kinds of ‘friends’? In many cases families do nothing or simply ‘cut out’ the person needing special provision, relying on someone else to ‘do the right thing’.

Let’s take the Smith and Brown families, by way of examples. The Smith family have a daughter and a son with autism and they aren’t sure how much support their son will need when he is older. If they choose to do nothing, legislation means that their estates will pass to both children in equal shares, leaving their son to receive his share with no safety net and to battle the complexity of means testing and other financial issues.

If they choose to leave everything to their daughter, it will be hers to do with as she sees fit, however, if she dies, becomes unwell, is made bankrupt or marries and divorces, she may not be able to use the money to provide for her brother, even if she wants to.

Janet and John Brown are a married couple with no children.

Janet is living with dementia.

Neither have made Wills and John no longer wishes to leave his estate to Janet – he is worried that she won’t be able to manage it. John assumes that the state will provide for Janet and is intending to leave his estate to their nephews. This could leave Janet in a vulnerable position if she runs out of money – she may have to move to a care home and if this is funded by the state it may mean that she and the family have no choice as to where she goes.

For both families, it may be sensible to create a trust. This will allow them to formally appoint trustees who will manage the

Call: 01403 210200 Email: claire.carberry@coolebevisllp.com www.coolebevislaw.com

money going forwards. They can state who should benefit from the trust fund, in what circumstances and who should receive the balance of funds when the beneficiaries die. This can be done in a fixed, prescriptive manner or can be left to the discretion of the trustees from time to time, removing the need to second-guess what might happen in the future.

‘A trust fund allows families to formally appoint trustees, who will manage the money going forwards.’

Careful management may mean that there are few (if any) tax or benefit implications. The monies in the pot can be both sheltered against unwelcome influences and used for the benefit of those named when needed – whether that be to fund sheltered accommodation, pay for additional care and support or simply allow the beneficiaries to enjoy life’s little luxuries from time to time.

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SECRET HIST THE SHRINE & THE HAYLOFT WHERE PRIESTS RISKED IT ALL

In rural West Grinstead sits one of the most striking religious buildings in the Horsham District. Built as a Catholic Shrine to Our Lady - a reference to Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ - the church doesn’t boast a big weekly congregation. However, the history of the site ensures it attracts pilgrims from all over the world...

SECRET MASS During the reign of Elizabeth I (1558 – 1603), the Caryll family lived at Benton's Place in the parish of Shipley. The family owned many houses and farms in the area and were devout Catholics. During the Reformation, when the Church of England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church, the Carylls were known to give shelter to priests, many of whom acted as chaplains to the family.

The Priest’s House was part of their West Grinstead estate. There is no record of exactly when it was built, but it may date

back to the early years of the 16th century.

It was here, in the hayloft, where priests, often disguised as shepherds, sought sanctuary, with a tiny Chapel allowing for the priest’s devotions.

The punishment for those caught by the militia or magistrates was severe, with priests arrested and often being hung, drawn and quartered. Catholic families like the Carylls also risked a lot by hiding priests and for continuing to say Mass. However, the isolated location of West Grinstead offered some salvation and the Priest’s House came to be known as “the little cottage in the forest”, a safe house for

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www.newhousefarmshop.co.uk (01293) 851890 New House Farm, Old Crawley Road, Horsham, RH12 4RU A priest’s hole at West Grinstead, which offered them a place to hide during Reformation (©AAH/Alan Wright)

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37

Relics from Fr. Francis Bell in the Priest’s House Chapel (©AAH/Alan Wright)

priests and seminarians to hide. It is now thought to be the oldest continuously occupied Catholic presbytery in England.

Geoff Callister, Parish Administrator, said: “We are as sure as we can be that no Catholic priests were caught here, because the entire building would have been razed to the ground. There are three priest holes and they would have interconnected to give priests a better chance of avoiding capture.”

While no priests were captured here and the house survived, the Carylls’ devotion to Catholicism would cost them dear, as they eventually lost their houses, lands and possessions. However, they endowed the

The Priest’s House Chapel (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Priest’s House to the Catholic Church, to ensure Mass would continue to be offered. Centuries later, the hayloft once used as a secret Chapel survives and is visited by hundreds of people each year.

FRANCIS BELL It is thought that Father Francis Bell was Mission Priest at West Grinstead in the early part of the 17th century, as he was known to be friends with the Carylls. Today, Fr Bell is remembered as one of the martyrs of Tyburn. Part of the evidence against him included him having said Mass as West

Grinstead. He was executed in 1643 and beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1987, although Fr Bell has not yet been canonised as a Saint. In the Chapel of the Priest’s House, there are relics believed to be from the Franciscan priest. These include part of his vertebrae, hairs from his beard and fabric from his sandals. His final letter, written from Newgate Prison on 22 November 1643, has also survived.

The Chapel altar (above, right) would once have been at the Caryll family’s nearby manor house, where local Catholics would have met for Mass. The house has long since disappeared, having been destroyed in the Second World War. Although it looks like

38

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Statue of Our Lady and a crowned baby Jesus in the Shrine’s Chapel (©AAH/Alan Wright)

it is made of marble, it is in fact wood.

Other relics that have survived and are on display include a pewter chalice found under floorboards and a bell, perhaps used as a warning during Reformation.

SCHOOL & ORPHANS It wasn’t until the Relief Act of 1829 that the Catholic Church was emancipated in this country. However, even by the 1700s, although it remained controversial, Catholics could say Mass privately without fear of the death sentence.

Indeed, records show that when Bishop Challoner visited West Grinstead in 1741, he found 80 Catholics at Mass.

By the end of the 19th century, the Franciscan priests who had served the Mission for so long had gone. The Parish was at a low ebb when French priest Monsignor Jean-Marie Denis, who had fled revolution in his homeland, arrived in West Grinstead.

Appointed priest in 1863, Denis’ arrival revitalised the Parish with a new church, school and convent. He opened a school for poor children and orphans in a wooden stable, and it grew to accommodate 100 children. In 1871, the Education Act meant a new building was needed and generous donations led to the creation of a large hall to take in more than 100 pupils. The site hosted a school for many years. It was known as St Joseph’s and St Mary’s and later the site became home to St Thomas More School for Roman Catholic Boys. It closed in 1984 and was demolished to make way for new housing.

39

Mgr. Denis also made plans for a new church. With the Caryll family no longer able to provide financial support, he

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Creating an LPA will cost £149.00 Plus VAT at the current rate A pewter chalice, altar stone and ancient bell found in the Priest’s House (©AAH/Alan Wright)

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A chalice owned by Francis Bell and a letter from the priest before his execution (©AAH/Alan Wright)

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Geoff Callister, Parish Administrator at The Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Inside the Shrine’s Chapel (©AAH/Alan Wright)

sought funding from the Continent. Rome supported the plan, agreeing that the church should be built as a shrine “in honour and in thanksgiving for the restitution of the Catholic faith in England.”

A large crowd was present at the crowning ceremony on 12 July 1893, where the Papal Delegate Bishop Bitt represented the Holy See and Pope Leo XIII. Relics from Rome to mark the creation of the church included a Papal Chalice (given by Pope Pius IX in 1875) and his Zucchetto.

An interpretation of Madonna Della Consolata (©AAH/Alan Wright)

NEW CHURCH With the number of parishioners increasing, a curate was appointed to assist him in 1887. This was Fr. Francis Bourne, who later became the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.

Mgr. Denis died in 1900, but is honoured at the church, along with others who served the school and convent. Some of the Sisters are buried in the cemetery, as is writer and poet Hilaire Belloc (1870 – 1953).

The Belloc family were parishioners and used to attend with writer GK Chesterton, a convert to Catholicism.

Perhaps the most important individual monument is the statue of Mary and an infant Jesus Christ. Geoff Callister said: “In Turin, there’s a Church of the Virgin of the Consolation. It is home to Madonna Della Consolata, which was painted by St Eusebius in the 4th Century. The idea of having a similar painting here as a devotional centrepiece was mooted, but Rome insisted that because this was the first Marian Shrine to be built in England since before Reformation, it had to be a statue. So, that is what you can see above the altar, alongside St. Bruno, St. Thomas More, Bishop Thomas Grant and Fr. Francis Bell.

41

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“We do have a small copy of the Turin painting in the Secret Chapel and a more modern interpretation in the Shrine itself.”

UNIQUE PLACE Susan Goddard at the organ (AAH/Alan Wright)

Today, the Shrine is combined with St Gabriel’s Church in Billingshurst.

Whereas St Gabriel’s hosts Mass on a Sunday morning and on four other occasions each week, The Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation has only a later Sunday service with Canon Tim Madeley conducting the service.

42

Our appropriately named on-site café and bar with its thoughtfully created Breakfast and Seasonal Menus offers a selection of hot and cold options for your indulgence.

Many of our cakes and sweet treats are handmade on site. Locally sourced ingredients feature throughout our menus including local craft bakers’ breads and burgers from our very own beef herd.

Not feeling hungry? From the bar we provide a generous choice of soft drinks, draught and bottled beers, premium spirits and a wide selection of wines all to be enjoyed overlooking our beautiful Sumners Lake. Find a comfortable spot outside on the upper or lower decking and take in the scenery or cosy up in our Safari Tent and enjoy the warmth and crackle of log-burning stoves.

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Geoff Callister is among the West Grinstead congregation and enjoys hymns and even Gregorian chanting at the church, although sometimes he is the only one singing! “The church is traditional in that we stick to original liturgy, whereas most Catholic churches have adapted to become more relaxed and informal. However, we are seeing renewed interest in the Old Religion, with people embracing Latin services. Because it’s a Shrine, Our Lady of Consolation serves a different purpose to most churches, but it’s important that places like it exist. It remains a special and unique place, as different parts of the building tell the story of 500 years of Catholicism.”

The Shrine has wonderful acoustics, best demonstrated by the church’s JM Walker & Sons organ. The organist is Susan Goddard, who sadly lost her husband David, former priest, in 2018.

Susan said: “ I've been here 25 years as David was the last incumbent and spent 21 years at West Grinstead. It’s always a joy to show people around. To think it was once used as a hiding place for priests going to and coming from the continent is mind-blowing.

As one of the few places that survived, it serves as a reminder of how Catholics risked their lives to celebrate their faith and that’s what draws pilgrims today. You sometimes find yourself thinking about what they went through in those times, knowing they would be executed if they were captured. That’s why it’s such a special place.”

WORDS: BEN MORRIS PHOTOS: ALAN WRIGHT This article uses extracts from Fr. David Goddard’s history on the Shrine and Geoff Callister’s tour talks.

Further information: For services and pilgrimages, visit: consolation.org.uk

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SOUND OF SILENCE

Crystal Bowls soothe the mind at launch of Hästens Dreamer

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Horsham Bedding Centre hosted an exclusive event to celebrate the arrival of a new bed by Swedish manufacturer Hästens on 8 April.

To celebrate its 170th anniversary, Hästens has launched the Dreamer, inspired by the power of the human mind. The Dreamer also pays homage to founder Pehr Adolf Janson and the six generations of “dreamers” (master craftsmen) who helped establish the luxury brand.

During the event, customers and guests met Daniel ‘Diesel’ Eriksson, who has made what many believe are the finest beds in the world for 23 years. They also had the chance to have a relaxing lie down while sound healer Kate Fleur Young provided a spiritual experience with crystal bowls. Kate said: “It’s unusual to do this in a bed store, but it’s very forward thinking. Sound healing helps relax the mind and promotes wellness, and complements the brand’s emphasis on a good night’s sleep.”

While Hästens is a famous name in Scandinavia, where its blue and white checked design has become iconic, its beds are only available at a handful of selected stores in the UK. Last October, Horsham Bedding Centre formed a partnership with the brand and has devoted the top level of its four-floor store to its beds.

Linda Sevelius works with Horsham Bedding Centre and other stores to raise awareness of the brand in the UK. She said: “In Scandinavia, people appreciate the importance of sleep. I was born in Finland, studied in Denmark and live in Sweden, so I can tell you that Scandinavian nights can be very long and very dark and a restless night can impact on your mental health.”

“But we all need to place greater emphasis on sleep, as it’s when your body rests and regenerates after the day’s physical and mental exertions. People justify spending £50,000 on a car they only use for a short amount of time each day, yet when it comes

to a bed, where they spend eight hours a day, they spend much less and give little thought as to which one to buy. We are trying to change that.”

Since launching Hästens, Horsham Bedding Centre has seen a surge in interest in the brand. Some are intrigued by what a £160,000 top-of-the-range Grand Vividus looks like, while others travel from far afield to try a Hästens themselves. The brand will soon be introduced at Jones & Tomlin’s sister site in Chichester, and Tim Ellis, Manager of the Horsham branch, plans to host further events to highlight the beds.

He said: “We believe these beds to be the very best, but buying one shouldn’t be a quick purchase. It’s an investment for life, so we recommend that people make an appointment, so a member of staff can share the story of Hästens and find them their perfect bed.”

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BOWLED OVER Horsham Park Bowls Club (©AAH/Alan Wright)

HORSHAM PARK BOWLS CLUB SEEKS NEW MEMBERS The members of Horsham Park Bowls Club enjoy one of the most scenic locations in town. Yet despite its spot at the heart of the park, it’s easy to miss, with the green concealed by hedges, tennis courts and the dragon maze.

Matches have been played here for over half a century, but for all its history, Horsham Park Bowls Club is in need of new blood after the pandemic. Attracting younger members has always been a struggle, but now people are retiring later and face additional demands, many sacrificing their leisure time to help relatives.

Bowls is a great social game (©AAH/Alan Wright)

John Robey, Publicity Officer, said: “We need to attract players earlier, when they’re in their 40s or 50s, otherwise the club and many others like it across the UK won’t survive. For most, bowls is something people take up in retirement, but they are not joining in sufficient numbers to replace those we are losing.”

“Unfortunately, young people think the game is slow and boring, so bowls must adapt. One way to do that is to introduce faster formats, as cricket has done. Bowls England recognises this need and is promoting Casual Lawn Bowls, which we will be supporting. The rules are essentially

The club attracts players of all ages (©AAH/Alan Wright)

the same, in that the aim is to get closest to the Jack, but with fewer Ends played.

There’s no dress code either, aside from flat shoes. Some perceive bowls to be stuffy and the formal dress code contributes to that image. By relaxing the rules and by shortening game times so that they take an hour rather than hours, we hope to appeal to a new generation.”

“This Casual format has worked well in other countries, notably Australia, so we hope people will give it a go. Bowls requires some skill, but it’s not difficult to get the hang of and it's very sociable too.”

The green is well screened from the park (©AAH/Alan Wright)

47

Bowling Comrades

The green in immaculate shape, now the foxes are gone! (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Back in 1967, the West Sussex County Times ran an advert for the possible formation of a new bowling club, to play on a new green built by Horsham Council in the park. After a public meeting, Horsham Park Bowling Club was formed with Robin Peters – only 25 at the time – named first Secretary.

His parents Percy and Edith were also founder members.

Robin, the only surviving founder member, is currently unwell, but his brother David Peters remains an active member and his name also features on the Honours Board.

David said: “My parents met on the bowls green in Dorking and moved to Horsham in the knowledge that the Council were building a new site. My dad was the club’s first men’s singles champion in 1968 and my mum was part of the winning pairs team. In the 1960s, many clubs didn’t host mixed matches, but right from the outset, ladies have been an integral part of the club.”

There are good days and bad days on the rink! (©AAH/Alan Wright)

“In the 1960s, many clubs didn’t host mixed matches, but right from the outset, ladies have been an integral part of the club.”

In 1973, Horsham Park Bowling Club was joined by Warnham Comrades Bowls Club in a ground sharing agreement, as the Comrades had lost their own green in the village, after playing there since 1934. With both clubs experiencing a drop in memberships, they amalgamated in 2002 to form Horsham Park Bowls Club, wearing Warnham’s colours.

Today, it is one of the few local clubs with an outdoor green, with others including Horsham (based on Pondtail Road) and Southwater. Both these offer short mat bowls too, so their

48

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More locally, lenders have increased rates with little or no notice. However, it is still a competitive market and there’s some fantastic offerings out there.

The club enters teams in the Mid Sussex, Border and Nellie Mercer Leagues (©AAH/Alan Wright)

members can play a form of the game all year round. Horsham Park doesn’t have that capacity for short-mat, although the indoor facility in Broadbridge Heath means anyone wishing to keep playing in the colder months need not travel far.

and taken seriously. Our men’s side play in the Border League, which uses a similar format, with each club having three teams at a match. Sometimes, you see a bit of needle and there are clubs that really go for it, with lots of high fives. We tend to be more gentlemanly!”

Competitive Edge

‘We also enter the Nellie Mercer League for ladies, host internal competitions and play friendly matches against about 40 other clubs, so there’s no shortage of opportunities to play.”

Horsham Park compete in three leagues and also plays friendly matches and in-house tournaments. The Mid Sussex Bowls League matches are played on Tuesday evenings, where Horsham Park’s opponents in Division 3 include Southwater and East Grinstead.

David Spurr, Club Chairman, took up the game in 2007 after inheriting a set of bowls from his father. He went to a taster session and took up short mat before becoming a member at Horsham Park. He said: “In the Mid Sussex league, teams must have at least one player of both sexes. This gives matches a more sociable atmosphere, although it's still competitive

Ladies Bowls The ladies’ game is strong and there’s a good balance is terms of membership numbers at the club. Ladies Captain Bryony Wood said: “We are competitive, usually fluctuating between the two divisions of the Nellie Mercer League. In the higher division, we come up against established teams who play together regularly and tend to get better results. But our ethos is to give everyone a chance of playing.”

As such, many people have Make sure been requesting longer term fixed rates to ensure they paperwork is in know exactly what their order to ensure monthly budgets will look like over the coming months and minimal years. This in turn has put stress on the mortgage questions from valuers (along with Covid the lender issues), to visit and value properties as quickly as possible, especially when in a contract race to secure a property. Some lenders have had service issues and some had delays. So before starting the process, make sure your paperwork is in order to ensure minimal questions from the lender and a quick turnaround.

Start with your credit score. Your credit score is one of the most important measures of your financial health. It tells lenders how responsibly you use credit. The better your score, the easier you will find it to be approved for new loans or new lines of credit, as well as your ability to successfully get a mortgage.

Make sure your last three months bank statements are in order and have no missed payments, all income is accounted for and you are upfront about all of your expenditure, debts, HP loans, student loans, etc. Lenders need all this from the outset to confirm affordability. Some may need to know any pension deductions on your payslips and so on. Transparency is key from the start of the process.

With so much information on the internet (not all of it being correct), it’s worth just sitting down with a professional who knows exactly how to deal with a lender and who will know what they want and when they want it.

That will ensure you get the right result, whatever your requirements, as quickly as possible.

49

43 50

Bryony Wood, Ladies Captain (©AAH/Alan Wright)

There’s a strong Ladies side (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Horsham Park Bowls Club (©AAH/Alan Wright)

“Playing bowls gives you the chance to visit other villages, meet people and of course enjoy lovely teas afterwards. That was case before COVID anyway and at the moment we’re down to tea and biscuits! The social side has always been important.”

“Bowls is a big part of my life and when something comes up, I always look at the calendar to see if it clashes with a match. Of course, if you work in the daytime, you’re restricted to weekends and evenings, but it’s still possible to play and it’s one of the few games that doesn’t require a partner. It’s wonderful, especially on Sundays when there’s music on the bandstand.”

Town Challenge If the club has a grudge match, it’s the fixture against Horsham Bowls Club. The two compete annually in the Town Challenge, playing legs home and away for local bragging rights. However, more troublesome neighbours in recent years have been the foxes. The club had to erect an electrified fence to protect the rink, as Club Captain and greenkeeper David Turley explains…

“Huge chucks of the green were being dug up at night, so we put up a camera trap and saw a vixen and two cubs jumping around and ripping up the grass. David Attenborough

eat your heart out! We tried to deter them in various ways, but in the end put a fence up, which worked. Now, the green is perfect and we just need to attract new players. It’s a good game for people of retirement age, as it’s not that physical, but it has something for all ages. So come down and see what bowls can offer!”

WORDS: BEN MORRIS PHOTOS: ALAN WRIGHT Further information: Horsham Park Bowls Club holds an Open Day on Saturday 28 May, 12 – 4pm. horshamparkbowlsclub.co.uk 51

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A NEW L

HOW ARCHITECTURAL PLANTS SHAPE BEAUTIFUL GARDENS Architectural Plants was established in 1990, when founder Angus White was labelled “eccentric” by the press for his modern take on sculptural gardens. In 2015, the business moved to Pulborough, where it is now reaching new heights with Guy Watts at the helm. AAH spoke to Guy as the nursery embarks on an exciting new chapter in its history…

Before we talk about plants, we should mention that you’ve been in the news before…

Back in 2009, along with my good friend Andrew Delaney, I rowed across the Indian Ocean. We were the first rowing pair ever to do so, spending 102 days at sea. I can’t believe that 13 years have passed since! We both have great memories of the experience, yet at the time it was gruelling, both physically and mentally.

Is it right that even prior to the ocean row, you loved plants?

Yes, and that interest is all down to Architectural Plants. When I was a schoolboy at Forest and a student at Collyer’s, I worked there during weekends and summer holidays. At the time, it was based in Nuthurst, with a second nursery in Chichester. It was a beautiful place full of incredibly exotic specimens and that was where I fell in love with plants. That’s why, it feels right for me to be back here.

Architectural Plants in Pulborough (©AAH/Alan Wright)

LEAF

How did that come about?

I co-founded a London-based social enterprise scheme called Streetscape, along with another friend from Horsham, James Gubb. We provided apprenticeships in landscape gardening for people aged 18 – 25 who were unemployed, and ran it for eight years. In 2015, Architectural Plants closed their two nurseries and amalgamated into this much bigger site in Pulborough and soon after the move, I was invited along to talk about Streetscape. It was then that I spoke to former owners, Angus White and Robin Redmile-

Gordon, about the idea of returning to the fold.

Were they looking to take a step back?

I think it was more about having a succession plan in place. By then, Architectural Plants had been going for more than 25 years and had moved to a new location, and perhaps it was time for somebody new to inject fresh energy. In 2015, I returned as Commercial Director and two years ago I became the sole Director.

Since then, we’ve seen very strong growth.

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(©AAH/Alan Wright)

Jay Osman helps run the apprenticeship scheme (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Why did A.P move to Pulborough?

It’s an enormous site and presented us with a blank canvas on which to create something even more beautiful than Nuthurst. We have new timber huts, similar to those at the old site, but there’s a grid-like layout, giving it an almost industrial feel. There’s also vast potential to expand. We’re shaping a garden of the future by landscaping around a beautiful pond, to demonstrate to customers what’s possible with our plants. We are also next to Brinsbury College, presenting opportunities to collaborate and inspire the next generation of horticulturists.

Because of my experience at Streetscape, that’s something I’m passionate about.

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Are you offering apprenticeships?

We have a home-grown Architectural Plants apprenticeship scheme, working with Brinsbury and other colleges to help young people. We want to complement their studies by giving them a chance to develop the hands-on skills they need, as it’s only by working with plants you truly learn. Jay Osman, another of the Streetscape team, has joined us to help grow this. We already have four apprentices and after a recent recruitment drive we hope to have up to a dozen soon.

(©AAH/Alan Wright)

In terms of plants, what makes you different?

Architectural Plants is all about shape and form. We have Japanese Niwaki garden trees, European topiary, hardy palms, tropical plants, evergreens, bamboos, planted grasses and much more. We have beautiful specimens like the Agapanthus ‘Blue Storm’ and Aloe Striatula, which has upright, candle-like flowers. Many of our plants are evergreens and there seems to be growing demand for those, as they provide a natural screening. We also have some big plants and last year lifted six trees out by helicopter!

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(©AAH/Alan Wright)

Are most of the plants imported?

We do import from the continent, but increasingly we work within the UK market. As well as transportation costs rising, the rules have changed following Brexit and that’s allowing UK growers to be more competitive.

We also have a new laboratory, meaning we can propagate on-site.

Home-grown plants used to be an important part of the business and it’s becoming so again. It was an expensive investment, but it will help us grow special plants like Arbutus X Andrachnoides, a rare hybrid strawberry tree. Propagation is in danger of becoming a lost art with certain types of plants and it’s important we don’t lose these skills, so the lab is good news for everyone here, as you never stop learning in horticulture.

“We have a new laboratory, meaning we can propagate on-site and sell home-grown plants.”

Do you help people with design too?

Garden design is an important aspect of the business and we have built a good reputation for bold and innovative landscaping. The designers work closely with customers, suggest plants and ideas and talking about practical aspects too, such as irrigation, to make it an exciting, hands-on experience. I also love sculptural art, so we work with some fantastic artists including David Klein and Marion Brandis, whose pieces complements the plants.

Sculptural art by Marion Brandis (©AAH/Alan Wright)

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Guy Watts at Architectural Plants (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Jay Osman (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Why did you introduce an appointment only system?

We became appointment-only during COVID, when we had to close the café, and it worked well enough for us to stick with it. We’re not stopping anyone from browsing, and it’s not about applying pressure on people to buy. It’s about us wanting to provide a better service to customers. Now, people can book a slot online and when they arrive they can have a drink or even something to eat, then benefit from the expertise of our specialists.

Before the pandemic, there were times when we were too busy to help all our customers and we wanted to improve that situation.

“We want to make this a destination, where customers can see a real demonstration garden.”

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What are your future plans?

We have a 10-year plan for Architectural Plants, outlining how we’d like to grow both the site and the apprenticeship scheme. We want to make this a destination, where customers can see a real demonstration garden, enjoy the experience and maybe be inspired to create beautiful features in their own garden. We’ve been doing that for more than 30 years and I’m sure that won’t change any time soon.

WORDS: BEN MORRIS PHOTOS: ALAN WRIGHT Further information: To make an appointment call the nursery on 01798 879213 or email: enquiries@ architecturalplants.com architecturalplants.com Architectural Plants archiplants ArchiPlants

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The Sandgate Singers perform Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem at Our Lady of England Catholic Church, Storrington (©Alan Wright Photography)

During the long Easter weekend, you may have been listening to Classic FM’s Hall of Fame, an annual countdown of the 300 greatest pieces of classical music, as voted for by listeners.

You may have wondered where you own favourite would appear, or if Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending had again claimed top spot (it had!) But John Fisher, Chairperson of the Sandgate Singers, was contemplating why so few choral pieces were placed near the top of the list. Are they falling out of favour?

Sandgate Singers (©Alan Wright Photography)

When compiling a choral concert programme, choirs often have to turn to better known works to attract a bigger audience, such as Handel’s Messiah (featuring the Hallelujah Chorus), Vivaldi’s Gloria or Lacrimosa from Mozart’s Requiem.

After a while, it can all become a little too familiar and that is perhaps one reason why choral choirs can struggle to appeal to younger generations. Fortunately for the Sandgate Singers, they do things a little differently to most choirs and look beyond classical music for inspiration.

Noreen Gazey, Deputy Chairperson, said: “We hold two concerts a year and the summer event usually has a combination of both classical and more light-hearted music. Last year, we celebrated 100 years of Broadway and previously we’ve performed the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. This year, we’re hoping to perform a choral interpretation of a song from West Side Story. This helps us appeal to a wider audience, as people love to sing and hear songs from films and musicals.”

Accompanist Alison Manton (©Alan Wright Photography)

Sandgate Singers (©Alan Wright Photography)

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William Waine, Musical Director of Sandgate Singers (©Alan Wright Photography)

“We also don’t just sing baroque choral works either, often performing more contemporary work, like Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana and Benedictus from Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man. Several members even travelled to Berlin to perform The Armed Man with the composer, singing alongside 1600 other choristers from all around the world. That came about after we performed it at a very successful concert at Arundel Cathedral. We’d like to reach those heights again, but to do so we need new members after a difficult time, some of which can be attributed to COVID.”

Sandgate Singers (©Alan Wright Photography)

“Several members travelled to Berlin to perform The Armed Man with Karl Jenkins, singing alongside 1600 other choristers.”

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Hope & Glory The Sandgate Singers is a community-based choir that meets in the Sullington Parish Hall every Monday evening in term times.

Sandgate refers to the name of an estate and popular park close to Storrington.

The choir was formed in 1983, initially as an evening class at Rydon School (now the Rock Road campus of Steyning Grammar School).

Membership grew when it amalgamated with Trinity Church Choir and it has maintained a close relationship with the community, often holding concerts at Our Lady of England Catholic Church in Storrington.

At its peak, the choir had close to 100 members, but the last two years has seen a decline, with a particular shortage of basses and tenors.

During lockdown, members continued to meet on Zoom, helping maintain the club’s strong social side. Inevitably, it was hard to sing choral pieces in harmony, but with former Musical Director Peter Allwood at the helm, the Zoom get-togethers helped to ensure the club survived financially.

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The Sandgate Singers committee includes John Fisher, Jennifer Lee, Noreen Gazey and Steve Mansfield (©Alan Wright Photography)

After hosting several concerts online, the choir returned to live performances last November with Haydn’s Choral Mass. Then this April, the Singers performed Faure’s Requiem alongside works by contemporary British composers Bob Chilcott, John Rutter and the aforementioned Karl Jenkins. The choir is now preparing for its Jubilee Celebration Concert on Sunday 26 June.

John Fisher said: “We’ve tried to create a programme of music associated to the Queen, as well as her own favourites. So, we have Handel’s Zadok the Priest alongside Shirley Bassey’s Diamonds are Forever. This

concert will be very different, as we’ll be singing the National Anthem too and we hope there will be a good atmosphere, with tea and cakes and audience participation too.”

New Messiah June’s concert will be the choir’s first conducted by new Musical Director William Waine. Will sang at his Parish Church as a boy, before taking up a Choral Scholarship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he directed the Christ Church College Choir.

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The Sandgate Singers is always on the lookout for more basses and tenors (©Alan Wright Photography)

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During a short time as Lay Clerk at Gloucester Cathedral, he occasionally conducted the Cathedral Choir and Youth Choir, before he became Musical Director of the City of Wolverhampton Choir and later Cantemus in Havant. He is also the founding director of the Chichester Cathedral Voluntary Choir. Now with Sandgate Singers, he’ll be working closely with accompanist Alison Manton, who has been with the group for 30 years.

Will said: “I've known about the choir for a while, as I was a soloist when they performed Messiah some years ago. The

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Sandgate Singers (©Alan Wright Photography)

“I like to run choirs for the benefit of the people who sing in them, as much as the audience.”

Will Waine

vacant MD’s position came up at an ideal time for me, as I needed a new challenge. Now I’m looking forward to sharing the music I love with the choir and the audience.”

“People will be familiar with some of it, as my passion is baroque by the likes of Bach. However, there are works that people aren't so familiar with and in some cases, you can present a new take on a piece that the choir has sung many times before. For example, Handel included extracts of Messiah into his Foundling Hospital Anthem, a lesser-known yet beautiful piece with a 25-minute cantata that most people won’t have sung before, and at its heart is the rousing Hallelujah Chorus.”

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“I like to run choirs for the benefit of the people who sing in them, as much as the audience. I try help singers to achieve something they perhaps didn’t think they were capable of and also to make them think differently about music that’s familiar to them. By creating a sense of individual achievement, we can improve as a choir and that will shine through in our performances.”

Weigh A Pie… The choir has also been involved in a number of community engagements and it’s hoped these can happen once again as the country returns to some normality. This includes singing to elderly or vulnerable people in the community.

John Fisher said: “My mum didn’t talk for the last few years of her life, but once I visited her at the care home and sang Hubert Parry’s Jerusalem, and something changed. She remembered it from her church days and started singing along. The care workers were amazed, as she hadn't spoken in two years.”

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Will Waine and the Sandgate Singers (©Alan Wright Photography)

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“That inspired us as a choir to visit other care homes, as music triggers happy memories.

You see people singing along or tapping their feet in tune. When it comes to such events, we focus on songs like The White Cliffs of Dover, The Lambeth Walk and Somewhere Over the Rainbow, as they help to form memories. It’s a wonderful way of putting something back into the community and makes a real difference.”

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“Before COVID, about 20 of us were involved in this. We’d like to get it going again, but we need new faces to make us stronger. Many people love singing at home, yet may be reluctant to join a choir. We would encourage them to come along. We don’t hold auditions, so there’s nothing to be nervous about. If they give it a go, they can make their own judgement as to how the music fits their scale. We’re a very friendly club and that’s why so many of us have stuck with it for decades!”

WORDS: BEN MORRIS PHOTOS: ALAN WRIGHT Further information Sandgate Singers meet at Sullington Parish Hall, Thakeham Road, Storrington, RH20 3PP on Mondays from 7.30 – 9.30pm.

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