AAH (All About Horsham) April 2021

APRIL 2021

Farewell To Toby Phillips

AAH (ALL ABOUT HORSHAM) APRIL 2021 ADVERTISING: BEN MORRIS advertising@aahorsham.co.uk (01903) 892899 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 Double Page: £520 + VAT 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.

APRIL 2021

Toby and Ben as panto pirates at The Capitol in 2013

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It is with sadness that AAH bids a fond farewell to Toby Phillips.

Toby has taken the photos since our first publication in May 2011 and this edition marks ten years of the magazine. With each passing year, his talents have been more in demand and Toby has decided now is the right time to focus on his other corporate and commercial work. It’s an understatement to say that Toby’s pictures have been a big part to our success – AAH simply wouldn’t have made its mark without them. Countless people have remarked on their quality over the years, and it’s been a long running joke between us that I will often try to seek out some praise for my articles too!

It’s been great fun working with Toby and I wish him and Maria all the very best for the future.

Ben, Editor Contact Toby at: www.tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk We are delighted to announce that Alan Wright, a professional Billingshurst-based photographer, will be stepping into Toby’s shoes.

I’ll be sending him to a chocolate maker and a gin producer this month, which hopefully will persuade him to stick around!

PHOTOGRAPHY: TOBY PHILLIPS www.tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk info@tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk 07968 795625 Toby is available for all kinds of corporate and commercial work.

COVER STORY This month’s cover features Freddie St George with his Innocenti Mini. The photo was taken on Jew Street in Brighton, where walls are sprayed with graffiti art. An initial plan to meet Freddie was disrupted by a Covid jab, and because of various commitments, our last available date saw us meeting up in the coastal town. Freddie had to nurse the Mini’s clutch to get there, but he made it.

This was the last image taken by Toby Phillips during his ten year association with AAH. Afterwards, Ben and Toby went to the beach and ate fish and chips, reflecting on good times!

Other cover contenders included David Boyle of The Real Press and Tim Thomas, who is fighting development at Rookwood.

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 and pick-up points around the District.

EDITOR: BEN MORRIS editor@aahorsham.co.uk (01903) 892899 AAH Magazine, 2 Viney Close, Ashington, West Sussex, RH20 3PT

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

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

DOOR-TO-DOOR TEAM Horsham: Jacquie Paterson, The Judd family, The Rollingson family, George Voisey, Katie Drysdale, Tanya Forbes, The Garner family, Jill Shuker, The Bloomfield family, The Arliss family, Jake Lovett, Charlotte Wellbelove, The Gavira family, Hannah and Harvey Dold, The Morrison family, Jonathan Catlow, The McCormick family, Charlie Merchant, Harry Baker, Melanie Bradley.

Southwater: The Brown family, The Chapman family Villages: The Palmer family (Broadbridge Heath) Amy Butler (Wickhurst Green) Nathan Williams (Mannings Heath); Lynsey Hare (Billingshurst), Harry Kent (Ashington), James Hobbs (Thakeham), Derek Bradnum

(Nuthurst) The Morris Family (West Chiltington) Oak Tree Farm Care (Maplehurst & Copsale) WELCOME TO THE TEAM This month, we welcome three new deliverers in Horsham.

Charlie Merchant takes on a new round that includes Warnham Road and Redford Avenue.

Harry Baker is delivering AAH to houses on Rushams Road, Blunts Way and Trafalgar Road.

Melanie Bradley will start a new round in Kings Road, Parsonage Road and Rusper Road.

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

Horsham: 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.

Village Stands: Billingshurst Leisure Centre, Barns Green Village Store, Bluecoat Sports (Christ’s Hospital), Leonardslee (Lower Beeding), Warnham Village Stores (Warnham), Slinfold Golf Club (Slinfold), Steyning Leisure Centre and Cobblestone Walk (Steyning) Spring Gardens Nursery (Washington) and Joanna’s Boutique Tearooms (Storrington) Many of our stands are currently inaccessible due to Covid. We are keeping the stand at Horsham Rail Station topped up.

BACK ISSUES We do keep a few copies of past editions, so if you are after an old magazine, do let us know.

Copies cost £3.50 each and that includes postage. editor@aahorsham.co.uk LEAFLETS We can deliver leaflets with AAH. Email: editor@aahorsham.co.uk £40 + VAT per 1,000 copies (£50 for A4 leaflets) NOTES AAH wasn’t printed in February and March 2021 due to the lockdown.

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News Round-Up

My Story So Far

Music

Culture

Booking system being trialled at local recycling waste centres and ambitious plans for enterprise park at former Novartis site.

Freddie St George talks about the hugely successful Italian Job Mini rally, which has raised nearly £3m for charity.

The English Music Festival, which showcases lesser-known works

by British composers, is coming to Horsham for the fi firrst time.

The Real Press is a small publishing company in Steyning, with a focus on books with a historical angle.

Rubbish Situation Notes from the Editor: Are we encouraging fly-tipping?

It may not be the most pressing issue in the world right now, but there’s a lot of rubbish on our roads.

In the past, you’d typically see McDonalds bags, beer bottles, crisps packets and energy drink cans. A young person’s footprint. We know (and to a degree accept) that many go through a spell where they feel the need to express a rebellious spirit by tossing rubbish out of car windows. But that’s not what I’m seeing now. This morning, I saw fifteen freshly dumped tyres along a lane near my home, including one that has rolled into the river. On a recent bike ride, I saw that somebody had dumped old sheets of corrugated roofing over several miles from Shipley to Dial Post. As if spreading it about made it okay.

Fly-tipping is becoming a common sight in rural locations

In Ashurst, two residents were picking rubbish out of hedgerows. As I rode by with my teenage son, I felt a little guilty. Even though none of the rubbish was ours, the truth of the matter is that more people are enjoying rural spaces now – be it families like mine or MAMILs (Middle Age Men in Lycra). With more people comes more rubbish. It only takes one in a hundred to chuck away a water bottle or let a sweet wrapper blow out their hand to blot the landscape.

which will surely only exacerbate the problem. It’s fair to say that most of us don’t know two weeks in advance when we’re going to clean out the shed, tear down an old fence or chop back an overgrown fern. So, this booking system will surely increase fly-tipping, especially if long queues appear at smaller sites like Billingshurst because they’re placed under extra pressure due to the new system at larger sites.

At the other end of the dumping scale is fly-tipping. The fact that several types of commercial vehicle can no longer use waste recycling centres must be a factor in the increase of dumping at rural or isolated spots. Even owners of vehicles that can use these centres need a commercial licence to enter, and disposing of tyres costs £5 each. West Sussex County Council is now trialling a new booking system at five sites, including Horsham,

Last week, I was sent a reminder from Horsham District Council that my garden waste permit (brown lid bin) ends soon and it’ll cost me £42 to renew. I’m reminded that even though the price has shot up, it’s still great value. It probably is for many, but not for me. My lawn is tiny and it takes me all summer to fill the bin with grass cuttings. I let my neighbours use it too, as there’s no point us all forking out. But I’ve seen some collect their paltry grass

trimmings and dump them in a ditch. I can’t blame them when the alternative is a £42 fee or a two-week wait for the dump.

It’s great to see some people taking responsibility for keeping neighbourhoods tidy. I saw a mother and two children litter picking this week. Hopefully, more will follow. For too long, right-minded people who wouldn’t even contemplate dropping litter would still walk straight past a freshly discarded drink bottle, tutting and shaking their head at the humanity. That mind-set needs to change. We need to pick it up. It’s not radioactive (unless it’s luminous green, in which case, best leave it alone!)

Currently, our roadsides are a mess and do not portray the Horsham District as a great place to live. And to be honest, it doesn’t reflect well on us as residents either.

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Education

Business

Travel

Big Story

Bohunt Horsham is a school operating from a temporary site until a state-of-the-art facility is completed north of the town.

Physiotherapist Sarah Campbell has established The Centered Rider to offer greater symbiosis between horse and rider.

With holidays on hold for most of us, Travel Counsellor Katrina Smith has taken her clients on a Zoom tour of the world.

HDC plans to develop land at Rookwood, but local golfers and wildlife lovers are among those opposing the plans.

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HORSHAM NEWS Announcements and Events from across the District St Catherine’s Hospice will not be holding any of its major fundraising events this year.

Much-loved annual events including the Midnight Walk and the Dragon Boat Festival will return in 2022. Tom Abbott, Head of Fundraising, said: “Postponing events will inevitably have an impact on finances, but it’s the right thing to do.

We’ll be bringing virtual opportunities throughout the year.” People can support the hospice through its weekly Lottery or by donating at www.stch.org.uk/donate

West Sussex County Council has appointed urban regeneration specialists Muse Developments to lead the Horsham Enterprise Park project. Muse will work with Oxford Innovation to deliver an enterprise hub that will encourage new business and economic activity, with a focus on start-ups, micro and small businesses. Key features proposed for the site include a series of new ‘character

areas’ forming a network of pedestrian and cycling routes that connect the site with the surrounding area, with a focus on sustainable landscapes that minimise the impact of cars. At the heart of the development, formerly the home of Novartis Pharmaceuticals, is the iconic 1930s Art Deco building and a grand avenue of blue cedar trees. www.horshamenterprisepark.co.uk

A new allweather running track, sports centre extension, car park and flood-lit 3G sports pitch could yet be built at Christ’s Hospital School, despite planning being refused by the Horsham District Council. The school’s application was refused in September 2019 as HDC felt it would result in significant landscape harm. The school has submitted new evidence and HDC has said it can “no longer refuse the application on landscape grounds.” The Planning Inspectorate will be considering the appeal before deciding whether to grant planning permission.

The Sit & Sip Tasting Room will soon open in Piries Place, Horsham, bringing new jobs to the town. Sit & Sip is a collection of boutique lounge bars with bottle shops, combining city style with the comfort of a local. It offers drinks and light bites and will support local beer and spirit producers, with charcuterie boards featuring meats and cheeses, many sourced locally.

General Manager Megan Tebbutt said: “Our ethos is to bring in top quality products that taste great and put small producers in the spotlight.” www.sitandsip.co.uk

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Residents took part in a Census on Sunday 21 March 2021, a once-in-a-decade survey that provides a picture of the people and households in England and Wales. It has been carried out every decade since 1801, except 1941. This was the first time it has been run mostly online, with households receiving a unique access code. The census included questions about your sex, age, work, health, education, household size and ethnicity. For the first time, there were voluntary questions for those aged 16 and over on sexual orientation and gender identity. www.census.gov.uk

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Horsham Car Centre has closed, blaming a lack of trade caused by the pandemic.

Founded by John Pudney on Roffey Corner, Horsham Car Centre was a long-established dealership for Jeep and specialised in Chrysler and Dodge cars. The MG brand was added in 2019. In a message on its website, HCC thanked its loyal staff.

West Sussex County Council is now trialling a booking system at Horsham Household Waste Recycling Site (HWRS) to maintain social distancing during Covid-19.

With a reduced number of visitors allowed on site at any one time, there have been queues at sites across the county, and at times the police have advised closing them for road safety reasons.

The booking trial launched at the end of March, before the annual spring surge, and covers the Bognor Regis, Crawley, Horsham, Littlehampton and Shoreham-By-Sea sites. Residents will need to go online or call to select a specific

time slot to visit. Slots can be booked up to 14 days in advance and residents can make one trip a week.

WSCC Cabinet Member for the Environment, Deborah Urquhart, said: “Over the coming months as lockdown restrictions are hopefully eased, we expect the demand at sites to continue to be high as people start to visit shops or make journeys which they have been putting off. This scheme will allow the demand to be spread out safely, rather than large queues forming at peak times. www.westsussex.gov.uk/land-waste-andhousing/waste-and-recycling/

Little Barn Owls Nurseries has been named the UK Nursery Group of the Year and attained highly commended for ‘Enabling Environments’ at the Nursery World Awards 2020.

This is the second time the forest and farm school nurseries in Horsham, Southwater and on the grounds of Farlington School has won a Nursery World Award, having claimed the coveted title in 2015. Each nursery has its own private forest school and the Horsham nursery runs a working farm for 20 animals, with a small pig who roams through the gardens alongside quails, rabbits, guinea pigs and wild ducks. Hayley Peacock, founder of Little Barn Owls, has also set up Atelier 21 Future School, the UK’s first progressive school for 4-16 years in Pease Pottage. www.littlebarnowls.co.uk EE is set to upgrade several local 4G sites this year as part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN) initiative to extend coverage in rural areas.

SRN is a programme between the UK’s four mobile network operators and the government to extend 4G coverage to 95% of the country by 2025. Locations to be upgraded in 2021 include Wisborough Green, Ashington, Billingshurst, Coolham, Cowfold (2 sites), Five Oaks, Washington and West Grinstead.

Horsham District Council members have praised the work of the many volunteers who have worked alongside the Primary Care Networks and council officers to support the logistics of the Covid-19 Immunisation Centre at Christ’s Hospital School.

Council Leader Ray Dawe singled out the impact that the Glebe Surgery in Storrington has had on the vaccination effort, as one of the first surgeries to begin vaccinations in the south east.

This was recognised by Nadhim Zahawi MP in an online video post.

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The Rude Mechanicals hope to perform outdoor theatre on Dial Post Village Green on Friday 11 June, 7.30pm.

The play, Little Lily Harley, is about Charlie Chaplin’s childhood in Lambeth.

With a drunken yet charismatic actor father who was rarely around and a beautiful actress mother who had three children by different fathers, Chaplin had an unsettled, often precarious existence.

Due to social distancing, spaces are limited and early booking is advised. www.therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk

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Lesley Garrett CBE is set to perform at The Capitol Theatre on Sunday 20 June. One of Britain’s bestknown sopranos, Lesley was Principal Soprano at the English National Opera, starring in Le Nozze di Figaro, Cosi Fan Tutte and Die Fledermaus and musicals including The Sound of Music. Tickets for the socially-distanced show cost £25. www.thecapitolhorsham.com

Loxwood Drive-in Movies return with an American-style experience from 19 July 1 August.

The venue will offer matinee and evening performances on a large LED screen with films including A Knight’s Tale, Bohemian Rhapsody, Back to the Future, The Rocky Horror Show, Mamma Mia and How to Train your Dragon. Sound is channelled through

in-car stereo systems, and food and drinks can be delivered to cars, which will be parked at least two metres apart.

Tickets for matinee performances are £20 (includes a vehicle and three people) with evening performances £30 (vehicle and two people). Additional persons are £5 (£2.50 for each person thereafter). www.loxwooddriveinmovies.co.uk

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Sussex Green Living is hoping to use a converted milk float to inspire people to take-up eco-friendly initiatives.

The focus of the ‘Inspiration EcoStation’ is to visit farmers’ markets, schools and attend local events to encourage people to switch to clean renewable energy, inspire ideas to reduce carbon footprints, and promote sustainable living. The 1974 Smith Cabac float is being retro-fitted by Georgina Ullmann and digital artist Emma Pile, and has its own sound system. www.sussexgreenliving.co.uk A Horshambased publisher is celebrating after one of its debut authors landed a prestigious award.

Maverick Publishing’s Pirates vs.

Monsters scooped the Bishop’s Stortford Picture Book Award from a shortlist featuring Julia Donaldson’s The Hospital Dog. David Crosby’s book, illustrated by Lee Cosgrove, was crowned the winner at a virtual ceremony in February. Pirates vs.

Monsters is a comic tale about three pirates down the pub bragging about the methods they’ve used to defeat three fearsome monsters. David’s second book, Which Nose for Witch? is published later this year. www.maverickbooks.co.uk

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A new fire service training centre and fire station has been approved by West Sussex County Council’s planning committee.

The £21m development will be built on land off the A24 at Highwood Mill near Horsham for West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service. The new facility will offer facilities for fire and rescue service staff, as well as a 24-hour operational station for Horsham.

The training centre has an emphasis on real-life scenario training, with a combined training tower and breathing apparatus facility, multiagency incident command training facility and a road traffic collision training area. There’s an emphasis on renewable energy, with solar panels and electric vehicle charging points.

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There will be a new development of 51 homes in Billingshurst after housebuilder Bellway bought land to the south of the village.

The homes will be built on a 9.5-acre site off Marringdean Road and will include 33 houses and bungalows, 18 affordable homes for local people through rent or shared ownership, alongside an area of woodland.

As part of the planning agreement, Bellway is investing

£640,000 in local infrastructure and facilities, including £175,000 towards the expansion of Weald School and £162,000 to Billingshurst Primary School.

Other contributions include £146,000 for transport and £76,000 for play areas, with funding also for the Village Hall, library, West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, and Weald Sixth From. www.bellway.co.uk

CALA Homes South Home Counties has become the first homebuilder to be given the go-ahead for new homes on the first phase of a flagship site in North Horsham.

Situated on former farmland to the north of the A264, CALA’s development will comprise a mix of 193 one and two bedroom apartments and two, three and four bedroom homes, including 25 affordable properties. CALA Homes’ application forms part of phase 1A of the site.

North Horsham is a new community being delivered by master planners Legal & General Strategic Land. Outline permission was granted in 2018 for 2,750 homes and a village centre with shops and community facilities. There will also be a new campus for Bohunt Horsham School (see feature on Page 36), a sports hub, business park, green space and pedestrian and cycle routes. www.cala.co.uk

Belway Homes is developing new homes in Billingshurst

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Phase 1 of the North Horsham Masterplan

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West Sussex County Council’s plan for a £15.4m retail site in Broadbridge Heath has come under fire.

WSCC proposes using the current site of its Highways Depot (next to Tesco) to build a food outlet, DIY store, garden centre, drive-through takeaway and coffee shop. But Joanne Kavanagh, prospective Labour councillor for the village, carried out a survey of residents and over two thirds of those who

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Horsham Museum & Art Gallery has bought two library catalogues formerly belonging to Frederick DuCane Godman of South Lodge.

The Museum also acquired a book and an album of 43 botanical illustrations of plants from India and beyond. All three works are an important addition to the Museum’s Godman Collection, which offers an insight into the world of this multi-faceted Victorian.

Godman’s wealth came from brewing, but he was also a Trustee of the British Museum, Member of the Royal Institute, President of the Royal Entomological Society and received the Linnean Society’s gold medal for excellence in 1918, shortly before he died. The recent acquisition was made possible thanks to grants from Arts Council England and V&A Purchase Grant Fund, the Friends of the National Libraries, Friends of Horsham Museum and a private donation.

An exhibition on DuCane Godman will be held when Horsham Museum re-opens in 2022.

Discover the pleasures of English wine with ‘Sussex by the Glass’, a new book focusing on two winemaking families. Sussex produces more wine than any other English county, and the Bolney and Ridgeview estates are pioneers in bringing fine examples to consumers. Both are multi-generation businesses now headed by the daughters of their founders. Author Liz Sagues tells how the two estates were founded and the triumphs and tribulations on the way to success.

Published by Tanwood Press, the book costs £12 from www.bolneywineestate.com Nigel Winter has written a book, ‘The Quiet Churches of Sussex’.

The Horsham solicitor cycled to churches during the pandemic, including St Mary’s at Slaugham, St John’s in Coolhurst, St Nicholas’ in Itchingfield, St Michael’s and All Angels in Partridge Green and Holy Trinity in Rudgwick. Nigel said: “The purpose behind the book was to illustrate what we have on our doorstep.” The book is being sold at cost with people able to donate to charity. www.amazon.co.uk (search ‘The Quiet Churches of Sussex’)

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The Sussex Swim School will be holding Easter Swimming Crash Courses on Monday 12 – Friday 16 April, at pools in Lower Beeding and West Grinstead. The week includes five half hour lessons and is aimed at improving water confidence, ability, strength and stamina in fun lessons with expert teachers. The cost is £70 per pupil.

Regular lessons resume on 19 April. www.thesussexswimschool.co.uk

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The Horsham District Jobs and Skills Fairs return in digital format on 28 April. It’s an opportunity for hiring employers to showcase vacancies and job hunters to explore apprenticeships, jobs and volunteering opportunities.

It’s also a chance to share company and sector career advice to better prepare people for employment.

Registration for employers is free.

Each exhibiting business will have a dedicated page on a website. www.horsham.gov.uk/jobs-andcareers/

Bramber on the banks of the River Adur (Photo: Penny Green)

A beaver that escaped from the Knepp Estate sadly died in January, shortly after his recapture.

Named Bramber, he was one of two beavers from Scotland introduced as part of a partnership project between Knepp and Sussex Wildlife Trust, which aims to help the species return to the Sussex countryside for the first time in 400 years. After his escape, many people spotted the beaver swimming or grazing by the banks of the River Adur (his first sighting was near Bramber). Catching him proved difficult but Knepp ecologist Penny Green spent several days observing

his habits,before setting a trap of apples and carrots. Sadly, Bramber died soon after returning to Knepp. The University of Surrey’s Veterinary Pathology Centre’s autopsy identified septicaemia as the cause of death.

This was most likely due to a bacterial infection contracted through ingesting contaminated food or vegetation prior to his re-capture. The escapes of Bramber and the female, Billie, who was safely recaptured, show that even Knepp’s £45,000-worth of reinforced fencing and barriers were not enough to deter them from exploring. www.knepp.co.uk/

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MINI CARS, BIG PASSION Freddie St George’s passion sparked fundraising rally Freddie St George has spent thirty years organising The Italian Job, a unique fundraising event that sees a convoy of Minis take to the streets of Turin.

Inspired by the famous Michael Caine film, the annual rally has raised £3 million for children’s charities. After mum Giulia was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, Steyning resident Freddie picked up the same accolade in the New Year.

Here, he tells the remarkable story of The Italian Job…

My father was serving in the Royal Navy when he met my mother in Rome. They settled in England and I was born here, but we still have strong family ties in Italy. If you have the right connections there, anything is possible. Those links have helped make The Italian Job possible.

The idea was first mooted in 1989. I met up with friends at Topolino’s restaurant in Hove, owned by the Cavallo family. Angelo Cavallo, who lived in Horsham at the time, had taken part in The Beaujolais Run, a long-running motoring event. Although he enjoyed it, it involved a lot of hard driving and he was looking for a more sedate experience. So, over a few beers, we all came up with the idea of a Mini rally.

I was already a big fan of The Italian Job. I was born in 1969, the year the film was released. We had a VHS player and one summer I watched it practically every day!

I bought my first Mini for just £20 when I was 15. We got it running, although I couldn’t drive it as I wasn’t old enough!

We wrote to Paramount, asking for permission to use The Italian Job name. We told them there was nothing commercial

about the event, as all the money going to children’s charities, and they granted us use. So, the first Italian Job was held in 1990 with 55 teams raising £70,000 for Children in Need and ChildLine. That was a lot of money then, as there was no Just Giving website. It was raised by knocking on doors and passing around sponsorships forms.

I had connections in Trento in the northeast of Italy, where I went to university. With the help of friends and family, we organised the start of The Italian Job there.

The event is competitive, to a degree, in that we organise special stages and hand out penalty points, but speed is never a factor.

It’s really a tourist trophy and I view it as the epitome of social motoring. Cars are registered and we conduct scrutineering to ensure they’re all road legal. Then we follow an itinerary over nine days, taking in the best sights Italy can offer. We tend to go off the beaten track, so we can put the Minis through their paces!

We change the route every year to offer variety for regular participants. As well as visiting Turin, where key scenes in the film were shot, we take the cars to famous

21

Freddie (far left) with John Cooper, the famed creator of the Mini Cooper

locations and enjoy cultural excursions. We might tour a balsamic vinegar farm or a Parma ham producer, or go wine-tasting in Tuscany. In 2019, we were given a police escort on a fantastic tour of Rome. We drove around the Coliseum and the Roman Forum, where normally traffic is restricted.

We’ve also visited the Pope’s summer residence at the Palace of Castel Gandolfo.

After eight years, we switched the start point to Imola, home of the San Marino Grand Prix, where we’ve been able to visit Ayrton Senna’s memorial. We've also driven up to Fiat’s rooftop test track in Turin, which is used in the getaway scene

Freddie (left) has helped raised millions of pounds for good causes

in the original film, and driven on Ferrari’s test track at Fiorano, which is hallowed ground for Maranello fans. One year, we parked in front of the Reggia di Caserta, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Naples.

These are things most people don’t get to do.

Even getting all the cars out to Italy for the start can be a challenge. We have a service van full of Mini parts, as they’re forever breaking down. The idea is that drivers follow a set route to Imola and anyone in trouble gets swept up by the service van.

These days, we keep in touch with mobile phones and GPS, but it was a lot harder in the days of road maps and CB radios.

What’s wonderful about the Mini is that you could be a multi-millionaire or a teenager with a part-time job and have the same experience. They’re a classless car.

There’s an elitism on the roads today, but not with Minis. I was recently driving my 47-year-old Mini when it broke down. Ten people asked if I needed help, including a mechanic who said he only stopped because it was a Mini. I drive a BMW for work and when I’m waiting at a junction, nobody lets me out!

I still have a smile whenever I’m behind the wheel and certainly, there’s nothing like driving a Mini Cooper. John Cooper took

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this tiny car and transformed it into something blisteringly fast. They are incredible to drive, because you’re sat ten inches off the ground with a car that handles like it’s on a Scalextric track. People forget it has an illustrious racing history. Mini Coopers have won the Monte Carlo Rally on more than one occasion!

The Italian Job film was directed by Peter Collinson, whose children Tara and Shane have taken part in our event. We’ve also met Michael Caine, who told us stories about filming. BMC only donated three Minis for the original film, as they didn't realise how successful it would be. All three cars went off the side of the mountain and only parts were salvaged. Preserving the original cars wasn’t a concern, as it’s only with time that the film generated a fan base and the Minis took on a degree of nostalgia.

I still love the film and Caine’s famous line. Once, we were at the Nurburgring, watching The Italian Job on a big screen in the bar. Even though we've seen it a thousand times, we all shouted, “You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!”

There was never a serious debate about letting new Minis take part in The Italian Job rally because of the support BMW gave us from the outset.

Back in the mid-90s, when BMW and Rover were business partners, Rover were big supporters of ours and even donated a Mini for a prize draw every year. We visited the BMW factory in Munich as a convoy of 100 English Minis and they couldn’t have been more hospitable. So, there was never any question that we would welcome drivers with new models.

That said, I’m a classic Mini purist! It’s not that I don't like the BMW Mini - my wife drives a Countryman Cooper and it's incredible. But it's not a plaything and playing with Minis is my passion.

Did You Know?

The 1964 Bedford VAL coach that is left hanging over the edge of a cliff at the end of The Italian Job was later used as a school bus in Scotland, before being scrapped.

Freddie (left) and mum Giulia (second right) at the 2018 rally with Rachel Stevens (S Club 7) and TV judge Rob Rinder, who attended as ambassadors for charity Buttle UK

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Freddie meets Michael Caine, who starred as Charlie Choker in the 1969 film, The Italian Job

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I was invited to Longbridge to see the last original Mini coming off the production line.

It was emotional, as you’re witnessing the end of something historic. Go anywhere in the world and you’ll see old Minis. They’re part of our motoring heritage.

I owe a great deal to Minis. The Italian Job has given me a reason to travel to Italy for two weeks every year and meet amazing people. I met my wife, Kiri, on the second Italian Job, so it's been a huge part of my life.

The thing I'm most proud of is that we’ve raised just shy of £3 million since 1990. As well as supporting children’s charities and a close association with Buttle UK, we support an Italian charity ever year. We are guests in their country and they do so much to help us, especially when you consider the film’s context (where Italian police appear hapless and its car industry is portrayed as inferior). So, it’s only right we support good causes there too. I’m also proud that we’ve inspired others to organise fundraisers. A Japanese Mini

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enthusiast took part in The Italian Job and later organised his own event in aid of the Kobe Earthquake Fund in 1995.

We've been involved in several Piazza Italia events in Horsham, as Mini convoys promoting The Italian Job. I would love to get involved in Piazza Italia again, if it’s held in future, or use Horsham as the start point for one of our events. I took part in the Piazza Tour, visiting smaller towns and villages in the District. I was in a Mini, driving alongside a Fiat 500 Cinquecento.

Did you Know?

Aged 20, Michael Caine worked as an Assistant Stage Manager and performed small roles for the Westminster Repertory Company, which performed at the Carfax Electric Theatre (alongside The Stout House). He adopted the stage name Michael Scott.

We were sandwiched between a Lamborghini and a Ferrari, but I swear we got the most attention!

We usually plan The Italian Job to coincide with the launch of Vino Novello at the end of October. In 2020, we had to cancel it because of Covid-19 and planned a Yorkshire Job instead, to keep the fundraising going. Eventually, we had to postpone that too. As for 2021, things are still up in the air, but we hope to schedule a UK event later this year.

My mum, Giulia, has really been the brains behind The Italian Job. Through her work, she was an expert in travel and event planning, so she’s been at the heart of organising every aspect of the event for 30 years. When we planned the first rally, we never intended for it to be

Giulia St George has been key to the success of fundraising efforts and has received an MBE

anything other than a one-off, but as soon as it was over, entry forms started coming in for the following year! She’s 86 now and is as active as ever. Last year, she received an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours and everyone was chuffed.

In the New Year’s Honours, I too was awarded an MBE, which was a surprise. If I think back 30 years to that night when I met the boys for a pizza, I would never have thought it would lead to something so big.

But I've loved every second of it!

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Interview: Ben Morris Photos: Toby Phillips Photography/ Freddie St George If you are interested in finding out more about The Italian Job rally, or for details of taking part in other events including a Mile of Minis in Oxford on 23 May, visit www.italianjob.com If you have an interesting story to tell and would like to be featured in AAH, email Ben at editor@aahorsham.co.uk 25

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English Music Festival Celebration of British composers coming to Horsham

Orchestra of the Swan perform works by Holst, Warlock and Vaughan Williams

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The English Music Festival (EMF) will be held at St Mary’s Church, Horsham over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, 28 - 31 May. The festival is an annual discovery of orchestral, choral and chamber music by British composers, with a strong focus on unearthing forgotten masterpieces of the late 19th to mid-20th centuries.

Now in its 14th year, the festival is usually held in Oxfordshire. It comes to Sussex for the first time, with concerts to be performed at St Mary’s in the Causeway and the Drill Hall in Denne Road, Horsham. It follows several successful and well-attended live concerts in the town between lockdowns last year.

The New Foxtrot Serenaders

Em Marshall-Luck, Festival Director, said: “The Festival normally takes place at Dorchester Abbey. We regularly have the BBC Concert Orchestra performing, which is broadcast on Radio 3 too, but because of Covid-19 and social distancing restrictions, it isn’t possible for us to host the event at the Abbey this year.”

“We have a smaller event, the Autumn Festival, which we used to hold in a village in the Yorkshire Dales. However, last year we decided to find a venue closer to our core audience base. Someone suggested St Mary’s and when we visited the church, the team were warm and enthusiastic. So, the 2020 Autumn Festival was held in Horsham and it went so well that we arranged several Christmas concerts too.”

Varied Programme “It was wonderful for the musicians to be able to see each other again after months of lockdown. The concerts were a reminder of how important live music is for people’s emotional, social, mental and spiritual health and well-being.

We’re aware of the plight of musicians in these challenging times, especially younger artists lacking opportunities to perform. So, cancelling the EMF in 2021 never crossed my mind and returning to St Mary’s was a no-brainer.”

“Although we are limited in terms of numbers, it is financially viable and allows us to perform in a wonderful venue with great acoustics, to a good-sized audience.”

Em Marshall-Luck, Festival Director

Launching the festival will be the Midlands-based Orchestra of the Swan, under conductor David le Page, who will also be the soloist in Vaughan Williams’ rarely heard Violin Concerto, the Concerto Accademico. The programme also includes string works by Peter Warlock, Walter Leigh, Gustav Holst and John Ireland, who once lived near Horsham.

Internationally-renowned baritone Roderick Williams, along with the Bridge Quartet and pianist Michael Dussek, will perform Ivor Gurney’s rarely-heard The Western Playland, which sets words by A. E. Housman. The same performers recorded the piece on the festival’s recording label,

Ensemble Hesperi

EM Records. This disc, Those Blue Remembered Hills, will be formally launched in the Drill Hall following the concert, with performers discussing the recording. The recital will also feature Williams singing songs

by Gerald Finzi, Hubert Parry and Charles Villiers Stanford, while the Bridge Quartet perform works by Holst, Parry and Frederick Delius.

“We do seek out lesser known composers,’ said Em. “However, we don't want to frighten people off by being too obscure, so we have pieces by Vaughan Williams and Holst too. We’re proud to have given the world premiere of works by Britten and Elgar among many others, as there are still pieces being discovered. It’s great to find a wonderful piece of music by Vaughan Williams or Delius that people have never heard.”

“This year, we’re fortunate to welcome Roderick Williams, who I believe is the finest baritone of our day. Very few singers communicate the text so well, while also being technically perfect. But there’s a wonderful programme across the four days.”

Local Composer Other Festival highlights include Lucy Stevens and Elizabeth Marcus performing a selection of Shakespeare songs, set by 14 composers over four centuries, interwoven with poetry from the Bard’s plays and

sonnets. The Kathleen Ferrier Award prize-winning baritone, Gareth Brynmor-John and pianist Christopher Glynn will showcase the miniature masterpieces of Warlock, alongside those of Bax, Moeran and Delius. Violinist Rupert Marshall-Luck and pianist Duncan Honeybourne will be performing sonatas by Bliss, Howells, Delius and Ireland, alongside the world première of a captivating piano piece by Edgar Bainton.

The Aurora Trio, formed of young soloists Emma Halnan, Jordan Sian and local harpist Heather Wrighton, will perform works for flute, viola and harp by Bax, Bowen, Vaughan Williams and local composer Paul Lewis.

The celebrated Armonico Consort, under conductor Christopher Monks, will delight audiences with much-loved works by Handel and Purcell, while the award-winning Ensemble Hesperi perform Scottish baroque music.

Festival favourites the New Foxtrot Serenaders perform effervescent works by Ivor Novello, Noel Coward, Flanagan and Allen and others, while pianist and broadcaster Paul Guinery presents a selection of light music discoveries by Edward German, Billy Mayerl and Haydn Wood.

Informative and entertaining talks, setting the composers and their music in context, will take place in the Drill Hall.

Speakers include cellist Joseph Spooner, musicologist and conductor Dr Joseph Fort and local composer Paul Lewis.

To view the full programme and for information on tickets please visit: www.englishmusicfestival.org.uk

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The Real Press The small Steyning publishers taking on the mainstream

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David Boyle founded The Real Press, which has a close association with Steyning Bookshop

David Boyle was sat in the office of a publishing director when he had a revelation.

on the wall for my authoring career, which was one of the reasons for starting the Real Press.”

Looking at the bookshelf, he realised that few of the sporting memoirs and celebrity cookbooks had been penned by the person whose name was on the cover.

“As it turned out, I need not have worried. As the big players have consolidated, there is now a multiplicity of minnows taking on the mantle of publishing. However, the major publishers still enjoy a stranglehold over the trade and to succeed, all too often authors must accept their genre definitions and demarcations. That has been a problem for me with my second book, Funny Money: In Search of Alternative Cash, a travelogue about new kinds of money. Unfortunately, it was defined by Waterstone’s as accountancy!”

As an author himself, David decided to fight back against the onslaught of ghost-writing dominating mainstream publishing, launching The Real Press in Christmas 2015.

Since then, the small publishing house has found its niche in historical-based books. It also offers an outlet for local authors and poets and has formed a close association with The Steyning Bookshop.

David said: “Ghost writing may have been a fascinating venture into mass media, but it wasn’t what I would call publishing. As a ‘midlist’ author, it seemed the writing was

“Truths and insights emerge in the cracks between conventional demarcations. That is what makes real, emotional, creative human progress possible. That is the raison d’être of the Real Press.”

Beef on the Menu Its authors include Craig Newnes, who recently penned ‘52 Ways to Survive a Pandemic’ and ‘Tearagh’t’, an evocative novel harking back to the time of the Spanish Armada. Another recent book by the Real Press is ‘Saving Munich 1945: The Story of Rupprecht Gerngross’ by Lesley Yarranton, an historical account of a coup in Nazi Germany which has been largely forgotten.

Kevin Newman is a Washington-based author who heard about the Real Press as he sought a publisher for his second novel.

“I spoke to Sara Bowers at The Steyning Bookshop, asking if she could recommend anyone. To hear there was a publishing company in Steyning was a wonderful surprise. I pitched my idea to David and because it’s historical fiction with a local angle, he was interested.”

Kevin Newman’s book tells the remarkable true story of schoolboy James Bernard Clifton

“David is careful about what he publishes and has an eye for local stories that are quirky and unique. He likes to challenge the norms of publishing and at a time when many books are penned by ghost writers, he is helping to kick-start a more traditional form of publishing.”

Kevin’s book, ‘Beef Every Day but No Latin’, tells the remarkable true story of James Bernard Clifton, an 11-year-old who set up his own school in Hove in 1925. James dictated the timetable and recruited staff, including a one-legged swimming teacher.

He decided that beef would be on the menu

Simon Zec has created a poetry arm at The Real Press

every day, but there would be no Latin classes.

Since publishing, Kevin has become closely involved with the Real Press, helping to promote the work of its other authors too.

During lockdown, he has used his teaching experience to participate in a project run by South Downs National Park, teaching primary history with a local angle. His workshop, ‘Bring out your Belloc and capture your inner Kipling,’ was one of four held online during February and March.

Rhyme and Reason Simon Zec is a performance poet who as Poetry Editor has helped the Real Press branch out into new creative streams.

Simon currently has two poetry collections available, ‘Death of the Suburb’ and ‘In the Downtime’.

“Seeing my book for sale in the shop is an honour and holding a launch event there was a real highlight,” says Simon. “Most of my sales are through the bookshop, as I always direct people there to support them in the same way they support us.”

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Simon has also been involved with various poetry projects during lockdown. “I’ve been writing about my experiences at different stages of the pandemic and through social media have encouraged other poets to do likewise. I hope that eventually these poems can be collated to highlight changes in our lives as lockdown has progressed. It's a strange time and everyone’s writing about their stories and experiences, but finding the nuances that lift these everyday occurrences is key to poetry.”

Hub of the Village Like Kevin, Simon was introduced to David through connections at The Steyning Bookshop, an independent business and hub of village life. David describes the shop as having the same kind of effect on the community as the Bailey Building and Loan bank in Frank Capra’s film ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, providing a “sprinkling of magic” to the place.

The bookshop was founded by Sara and Robin Bowers in 1984 and has since become an integral part of Steyning’s events calendar, welcoming many authors and illustrators. Sara said: “Because it’s been our family home for 34 years, we’re entrenched in Steyning life through the bookshop.”

Sara Bowers outside Steyning Bookshop, after a day of book signing by local resident and author of The Gruffalo, Julia Donaldson 31

Because selling isn’t always the best option...

Did You Know?

Steyning author Julia Donaldson’s muchloved classic, The Gruffalo, is inspired by Chinese folklore.

There is a tale about a little girl who escapes the wrath of a tiger by claiming to be the Queen of the Jungle. The tiger follows the girl and misinterprets the fear of the other animals to be scared of the girl and not the tiger.

The Steyning Bookshop was founded in 1984

32

“At one point, the shop was like a centre for the Grammar School’s Sixth Form, as one of my daughters used to bring her friends here every day after school. It's always been a lively place and latterly we've been fortunate to welcome many writers for events.”

Corelli’s Mandolin’. It was a similar case with Julia Donaldson. The first time she came here, I was anxious about anyone turning up!

That was 20 years ago, before ‘The Gruffalo’.

We love hosting local launches too, including a fabulous lunch for Simon's latest poetry book.”

“Steyning hosts a wonderful festival that’s well supported by the community and venues including Sussex Produce Company and The Gluck Studio. Through the festival, Simon Zec has been able to interview the likes of Sara Pascoe, while Prue Leith, Robert Webb and others have visited the shop to promote books.”

Help from The Gruffalo

“We maintain close relationships with publishers and publicists and they look to us to put on good events for authors. So, we’ve hosted the likes of Louis de Bernieres, who went on to have great success with ‘Captain

Former Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson, who lives in Steyning, has helped keep the bookshop busy over what could have been a challenging lockdown period.

Sara said: “Julia has produced three new books since the first lockdown and has been kindly signing them and offering dedications to anyone ordering them through our website. Since she extended the offer to include any of her books, we’ve been absolutely inundated, and she’s signed

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hundreds of books! She loves acting out her stories too and every week during the first lockdown, she and her husband Malcolm filmed a short performance. My husband filmed some of them and they were hilarious! They made 23 in all, which were made available through Macmillan Publishers.”

A Touch of Bryson As well as supporting other writers through the Real Press, David Boyle has written several of his own books, including the recently published Brexit thriller, ‘The Remains of the Way’. He also helps produce books for leading publishers (recently collaborating with renowned economist Paul Johnson) and remains committed to mining new seams of local history.

“There is something special about publishing in a Sussex village, especially one with a slightly offbeat publishing history itself,” says David. “I find working for yourself and supporting other local businesses very worthwhile!”

Kevin says that Steyning is fortunate to have people like David and Sara bringing people together. “David is a true polymath and has an incredible back catalogue of work. His book ‘Back to the Land: Distribution and the Politics of Life’ has shades of Bill Bryson.

There’s a combination of intellectualism and naivety which makes his books very funny and thought-provoking. He’s enthusiastic and helpful, and has vast experience in publishing. I feel we’re very lucky to have him around.”

Words: Ben Morris Photos: Toby Phillips Photography Find out more about The Real Press at www.therealpress.co.uk Visit The Steyning Bookshop at 106 High Street, Steyning, BN44 3RD www.steyningbookshop.co.uk

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IMAGINE HOMES NOT HOUSES BEAUTY NOT BUILDINGS SUSTAINABILITY NOT SPRAWL WALKABILITY NOT TRAFFIC NATURE NOT DESTRUCTION A NEW PLACE NOT A BIGGER PLACE THIS IS YOUR DECISION AND YOU ARE ALMOST OUT OF TIME SAY YES TO KINGSWOOD SAY NO TO MORE OF THE SAME Most people recognise that more homes need to be built – from first time buyers looking to take their first step on the affordable housing ladder to older residents looking to rightsize.

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places that respect their surroundings and put Nature and sustainability at the heart of everything? Rather than creating yet another housing estate on the outskirts of a town that will satisfy no one, surely we want a walkable new place that creates jobs and opportunities for the next generation? And rather than building houses that can be found anywhere, surely we want somewhere with character and beauty, that is right for a Sussex community?

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Bohunt Horsham’s temporary accommodation at Arun House

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Bohunt Horsham The Multi Academy Trust Changing Education in Horsham A new secondary school is being built as part of a major new development on land north of Horsham.

Pupils wear face masks during lessons

It will be operated by the Bohunt Education Trust (BET), a name that will become increasingly familiar, with Steyning Grammar School also now on its roster. AAH met Georgette Ayling, Headteacher of Bohunt Horsham, to discuss how students and staff are handling a transitional period in temporary accommodation, before moving to a new site...

What is Bohunt Horsham?

We are a free school, part of BET, a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) that runs several schools. The first Bohunt is a successful state school in Hampshire which was converted into an Academy in 2014. Its success has seen other schools come on board and there are now eight across the south of England.

What is different about Free Schools?

Free Schools are closely monitored, like all schools. But they’re free to do things their own way. The idea is to enable schools to be innovative and not just do things the way they've always been. We look at everything to see if it’s right for our school.

Are some people unsure of what Free Schools do?

That has been the case in the past. In West Sussex, there are very few academies compared to other parts of the country, although the number is steadily growing.

People don’t know what Free Schools are and what they mean and in our case, there have also been concerns about the new site and when it will be finished. A lot of the work we’ve done over the past three years has been focused on allaying those fears. The biggest tool in my toolbox is the relationships I have with colleagues at BET. We’re part of a network of schools

The iPad one-to-one scheme has been a huge success

with some of the best GCSE results in the country. It is those standards I strive to exceed.

Do you follow the National Curriculum?

We do, but Bohunt schools spend a lot of time looking at how we can go beyond the curriculum to offer more depth and breadth for students. We’re always looking at new ways of working. For example, we operate an iPad one-to-one scheme, implemented from the outset here. It has served us very well during this challenging last year.

When did the school open?

West Sussex County Council wanted the school to open before the new building was

Bohunt looks beyond the curriculum to offer more depth and breadth

completed and sourced us a temporary site.

Arun House on Hurst Road feels like a primary school in terms of its structure and size, and has been used for education before, as part of Central Sussex College.

Early in the development process, we hoped we would only be in temporary accommodation for one year. The date for transition is now December 2021, by which time the students who started in Year 7 will be in Year 9.

Are the delays frustrating?

Although we look forward to moving, it is just a building and that’s not what makes a school. It is our people, values and culture that define us. Everyone involved in the

school has been so focused, compassionate and hard-working, that as soon as we filled the building, it didn't really matter what it looked like from the outside. It was an exciting, innovative school from the beginning and a great place to learn and work.

How have you adapted at Arun House?

Because we will be staying here for the start of a third year, there will be an extension to the accommodation in time for September 2021. We’ll be using the car park of the youth centre next door for eight additional classrooms and added infrastructure, including toilets. That will enable us to take a full year group of 240

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Use of iPads has helped pupils during lockdown

pupils in September 2021. But it's only for 65 extra school days and a small compromise that we’re willing to take to get our hands on that beautiful new school when it's ready!

How many pupils do you have?

We have 120 students in Year 7 and another 120 in Year 8. When we move to the new site, there will be 240 in each year, starting with the Year 7 intake in 2021. The primary school is scheduled to open in 2023 and pupil numbers will reflect the need in the community.

Do you think you’ll meet those figures?

As local residents will know, the situation with secondary school places has been a

Pupils are excited about moving to the new school site

nightmare in Horsham over the last few years. The brilliant local schools already in and around town have had to take on additional classes. I don't anticipate jumping up to 240 students a year will be an issue. Certainly, there is a need for places and that demand is only going to grow with the rate that houses are being built in the District.

funding. So, it's something we are grateful for. But it’s important we don’t just sell ourselves on the new building. It’s exciting, but BET is about more than that. We are about innovative teaching and creating students who are ‘game changers’. That is what will last, because one day our building will be older and there will be a newer school somewhere else.

Have you reached class capacity at Arun House?

We have been oversubscribed for the first two years, which is something not many new schools achieve. That has a direct impact on the quality of education, as speaking bluntly, pupil numbers impact our

How have you instilled the school’s ethos into the first two years of students?

From the moment I was appointed, my goal was to create a happy, positive place for pupils to learn and for colleagues to work.

Being in a small building with only 120 students gave us the opportunity to have

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some real cohesion. At our very first assembly, I said that we have a unique opportunity to attend a school where there has never been any bullying, where nobody has ever been excluded, where there’s never been a fight. The students were handed that mantle and could create their own culture and the example of that founding year group will cascade down. They will be role models, even beyond leaving after Year 11, as the culture they helped shape will be their legacy.

How are things going at the new site?

They are making fantastic progress. I get regular updates from Wates (construction company), the Department for Education, and Legal & General (developer). There are potential delays due to Covid-19 and Brexit that are built into the programme, but we are on track for the December delivery.

Georgette Ayling, the first Headteacher at Bohunt Horsham

What aspects of the site are most exciting?

One of the most significant aspects for me, as an English teacher, is the new library. A glass-panelled library is front and centre, so one of the first things you’ll see when entering is children reading. We are lucky to have a site with so much green space associated with it too. We have set ourselves a target to increase biodiversity, beyond that of the farmland that was there before. As well as creating 39

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A computer-generated image of Bohunt Horsham, which is being built on land north of Horsham (Courtesy of LSI Architects)

wildlife pathways, we’ll be planting nearly 1,000 trees in the coming months. We also have STEM facilities (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) including state-ofthe-art design technology, robotics and engineering spaces designed to educate students in the careers of the future.

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Will the primary and secondary schools be linked?

We’re committed to being an ‘all-through’ school. Lots of different designs were put forward so that a nursery, primary and secondary school could exist on the site.

What we made a priority was to have a true all-through school to create one community that benefits all.

Have you decided ‘House’ names yet?

We have the opportunity next school year to do that. Each house will have a name, colours, badges and its own identity, as well as a leader and individual culture. This is my third new school project and I know from experience that it’s good to involve the whole community in this process. So, we’re delaying until the next school year so that

as many students, families and staff members as possible are involved in the process of creating our new identity.

How will the transition from Arun House work?

The transition will start as early as October half term. During the break, some things will be moved over and by Christmas, the staff will be inducted and trained in fire evacuation and safety procedures, before students arrive. We will be re-jigging INSET days to enable us to be ready for their arrival.

As for the recent lockdowns, how did you help students learning from home?

My biggest concern was getting support to those who needed it. I know many families have been struggling financially or emotionally. So, we made sure we talked to every family each week, to tell us if their circumstances changed or if there was anything we could do to help. Educationally, we had very high engagement in remote learning, above the national average.

“Educationally, we had very high engagement in remote learning during lockdown, above the national average.”

How did you achieve that?

We are grateful for being an iPad one-toone school. If you are a teacher and you know some students don't have access to devices, it must be morally challenging to be hosting classes, knowing that some pupils are falling further behind with every lesson. I know most schools have things in place to cope with that, but for us to have the iPad system in place was a reassurance when it came to lockdown. Two years ago, when our first cohort of parents and pupils took a leap of faith to join us before the school was even open, we consulted on the iPad scheme and implemented it in September 2019. It takes a long time to learn the platform and understand how to use them properly. We could go through any issues face-to-face with students in the classroom, rather than remotely, and I'm grateful for that now, as it gave us a huge head start when we had to adapt to the pandemic.

Words: Ben Morris Photos: Toby Phillips Photography Find out more about the school visit: www.bohunthorsham.com

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RIDING IN HARM The Centered Rider: Helping People Improve Riding Posture It is not uncommon for riders to prioritise the health and fitness of horses above their own. But are they doing the horse an injustice by neglecting their own aches and pains?

Experienced rider and physiotherapist Sarah Campbell believes this is too often the case. Through her business, The Centered Rider, she helps people work in harmony with the horses they ride.

“Horses are not naturally designed to carry us and humans are not designed to ride them,” said Sarah. “Riding is different to anything else we do, as you’re sitting on an

unstable surface, moving constantly and continually adapting in an unnatural position. People regularly book horses in for physiotherapy sessions to keep them in peak condition. Our own health and fitness, however, usually gets shunted to the bottom of the priority list.”

“But if we expect our horses to carry us, be it a gentle hack or a long cross-country jaunt, do we not have an obligation to ensure that we consider our own balance, symmetry and fitness to make their life easier? Only that way can horse and rider perform to their best.”

Aches & Pains Despite the physical demands of horse riding, many riders do not prepare properly before jumping on. Without warm-up exercises, they may later find themselves walking around like John Wayne! Neck, back and shoulder pain is commonplace, while equestrian riders regularly suffer with back pain, which may be attributed to an ill-fitting saddle or stilted movement in the horse. For Sarah, this highlights the need for better education.

“An unbalanced rider will be unable to give clear and consistent aids to the horse,” she said, “This can affect the horse’s behaviour and force them to adapt their movement to account for the rider’s asymmetry.

Unfortunately, there tends to be a lack of awareness of how such rider pain or crookedness can affect the horse.”

“Physiotherapy is proven to help address weaknesses including asymmetry, imbalance, poor posture and pain, and can potentially help us be better riders and help our horses be stronger and more balanced.

Both horse and rider are worth investing in, because the wellbeing of both – as a partnership – are inextricably interlinked.”

Life-Long Passion Sarah started riding at the age of six and since graduating with a BSc Honours degree in Physiotherapy, has worked at a horse sanctuary and spent five years in the NHS. After moving to Dubai, she worked at a well-respected clinic where clients included the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and leading equestrian riders. Since returning to England, Sarah has continued to enjoy riding, along with her children. But it was only during the first lockdown that she took the opportunity to re-evaluate her goals and realise a long-held desire to couple a life-long passion for horses with her occupational expertise.

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ONY Sarah Campbell has extensive experience of working with horses and riders

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Sarah believes good riding posture benefits the horse too

She said: “I work at Total Therapy Studios, a clinic in Horsham with an excellent, multi-disciplinary team who are very supportive of each other and our need to pursue our passions. My role there offers the flexibility I need to run the Centered Rider.”

“The idea for the business has been formulating for some time, although my initial targets have been impacted by Covid-19.

Every time I made plans for a clinic, the restrictions changed!

Theoretically, I could have continued to meet people at yards during lockdown, but it felt irresponsible to be out when

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The number of regular riders in the UK (riding at least once a month) rose to 1.8 million in 2019. There were 374,000 horse-owning households, with an estimated horse population of 847,000.

everybody else was stuck indoors. So, I’ve instead been taking online courses to expand my knowledge, in the hope I’ll be even better placed when the restrictions are lifted.”

Engaging Muscles As a physiotherapist who understands how horse and rider work together, Sarah uses targeted exercises and therapeutic interventions to strengthen the relationship between them. Riders are evaluated during a walk, trot and canter in both directions, allowing her to hone in on potential issues. Riders are also examined off the horse, which often offers clues that may be restrictive.

“We go through a warm-up programme to engage muscles,” said Sarah. “Even this can alter the way you feel on a horse.

During an initial ride around the yard, it usually only takes a minute or two to find things to focus on, then I can initiate simple cues that will help you improve. Perhaps a rider is gripping to one side or shifting in the saddle, collapsing their shoulders or twisting the reins.”

RE-OPENING ON 8TH APRIL

Sarah observes riders on and off the horse

“As a rider and parent, I’m aware that sometimes we invest in our children and our horses, yet forget that our own health and fitness is crucial too. It seems to be commonplace to evaluate our own physicality these days, but there is a lot of room for improvement. At an elite level, riders pay more attention to personal fitness, but most recreational riders don’t perceive it as relevant. Even experienced eventers can get into bad habits and not review basic technique as often as they should. It’s always good to go back to basics, as being a good rider and communicating well with the horse requires balance, strength and control of one’s body.”

Responsible Riding Most of Sarah’s one-to-one sessions are held at equestrian centres and indoor schools, with riders given a series of exercises to work on between visits.

Occasionally, she works alongside equine physiotherapist Kate Akers, who assesses the horse while Sarah focuses on the rider. They are running a joint

clinic at Woodside Equestrian Centre in Horsham on 11 April and at Alder Lake Farm in Newick on 9 May. Multiple visits are not mandatory, although many clients like the continuity and book regular sessions to ensure bad habits don’t creep back in.

Sarah believes many more riders could benefit. “With increased awareness of the horse-human relationship, I hope there will come a time when incorporating specialist physio is as commonplace as vet and farriery check-ups.”

“People sometimes think, “I'm just a happy hacker and don’t need this sort of thing!” But it's relevant to everybody who sits on a horse, whether it’s eventing, dressage or pony club. It’s our responsibility to be in the best possible shape for the horse.”

Words: Ben Morris Photos: Toby Phillips Find out more at: www.thecenteredrider.com Mob: 07739 016107

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Global Ambitions The Travel Counsellor making dream holidays a reality During the second lockdown, a Horsham travel expert has been offering people a fantastic insight into far-flung destinations including Peru, Japan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Argentina.

With special guest speakers with experience of tourism in their respective countries, the Zoom tours have offered intriguing insights for intrepid travellers of every age.

The Zoom Around the World tours are hosted by Katrina Smith, a local representative of Travel Counsellors, a company praised by the likes of Martin Lewis (Money Saving Expert) and Neil Harris, the Daily Mail’s “holiday hero.”

After enjoying a Zoom talk on Sri Lanka, including hidden highlights courtesy of Jean-Marc Flambert of the Sri Lankan Tourist Board, AAH met Katrina and discussed her fresh approach to travel…

Tell us about your travel experience...

I started working in the industry in 1994 with First Choice, liaising with hotels and training holiday reps. I then worked for a small travel specialist, heading up customer services and quality assurance.

After my children were born, I couldn’t commit to regular travel. So, I changed careers and ran my own interior design company for 12 years. But travel is my first love and I was fortunate enough to join the Travel Counsellors franchise six years ago.

Why choose Travel Counsellors?

Firstly, I enjoy being my own boss. Travel Counsellors was the first travel company to franchise and all its counsellors are based from home, with no presence on the high street. When I started out all those years ago, such an idea was unheard of. Nowadays, thanks to the wonders of the web, I can arrange a holiday anywhere in the world and have a customer base that’s just as farreaching.

You’re not restricted to local clients then?

No. There is a family feel to the company, built on trust, and we help one another when we can and do not take each other’s clients. I have clients in places

Costa Rica appeals to the intrepid traveller

as far flung as Dubai and Vancouver, as well as Horsham. The key is to provide a personal service. We get to know people and learn what type of holiday they’re looking for, in terms of accommodation and experiences.

How do you discuss a client’s needs?

In normal circumstances, we meet for a coffee! They might be looking for something as simple as a beach holiday in Majorca, or thy might want an itinerary that takes them

around an entire country. We talk about budget, whether you’re after a cultural experience, a wildlife adventure, a relaxing beach trip or anything else. We cater for everything from luxurious five star hotels to budget lodges. More recently, we’ve held consultations online, so there is still face-toface contact. I present clients with a range of options and these can be tweaked until it’s perfect.

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Katrina Smith, Travel Counsellor

Is the Travel Counsellors format better suited to unusual trips?

I do enjoy organising tailor-made holidays, as they give me something to get my teeth into! But I handle a lot of package holidays too. I recently put together a trip for a couple wanting to stay in a nice hotel in Madeira, and now I'm working on a complicated itinerary for Canada, for a client who wants to camp on a deserted spot in the Thousand Islands. One couple rode Harley Davidson bikes on an American road trip, only staying in the best hotels. That was easy enough to arrange, but they wanted their luggage to travel ahead of them for each leg of the journey! Another couple stayed in a tent on top of a Land Rover in Tanzania, from where they could look out to see migrating wildebeest!

Why would people use Travel Counsellors?

They know they will be looked after.

People feel safe using travel agents, especially since some online firms have offered credit notes instead of refunds during the pandemic. We refunded every holiday and that’s why Travel Counsellors was named as the top firm for travel refunds by Money Saving Expert and why clients are coming back to us now. We have our own ATOL licence, so even though we pick from different airlines, hotels and tour operators, we package it together.

Travel Counsellors make money through commission, so in some instances you can get a better deal by booking everything directly yourself, but that’s a risk as you lose the ATOL protection.

Do you have access to a wide range of options?

For every destination, there’s huge variety in terms of hotels, flights, transportation and tours. Often with a standard package deal, you are given that early morning flight that nobody really wants. We can avoid that. Also, if you book through me, if you have any issues, I will find out what’s happening. Anyone who booked a flight last summer and tried to get a refund will know how much time that can take! I can help when you are away on holiday too. Last year, a client went down with food poisoning – not from the hotel they were staying at, I hasten to add – and were due to fly home the same day. I managed to alter their flight.

Thailand is an appealing option for families, thanks to great beaches and wildlife

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Are people booking holidays again?

Bookings picked up as soon as people started to be vaccinated. Those who have had the jab are looking forward to being able to travel later this year.

Which destinations are becoming more popular?

Thailand, because prices are low for families. In the summer holidays, it can be cheaper than the Mediterranean.

You will get rain, as it's monsoon season, but there will be sunshine too!

Costa Rica is another spot that’s great for families, as they’re big on sustainable tourism, with lots of excellent eco-lodges and good management of nature reserves.

These are the type of countries we’ve been featuring in our Zoom tours.

How have the Zoom tours fared?

Initially, I was worried nobody would turn up! But they’ve become more and more popular. We’ve been all over the world, from Cambodia to The Rockies, and the feedback has been excellent.

We normally have a guest speaker from the featured country, and they come up with hidden gems off the beaten path. That's one of the key things we do; we show that there is more to a country than you think.

Every country has tourist hotspots and the guide books can create a backpacker trail that doesn’t give you a true flavour. By using experts on the ground, we make sure client’s experience a country’s people, culture and cuisine.

Interview: Ben Morris Photos: Toby Phillips Photography/Travel Counsellors Katrina Smith Tel: (01403) 887190 travelcounsellors.co.uk/katrina.smith www.facebook.com/KatrinaSmithTC

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NOVEMBER Warners Break to Bembridge Coast Sidmouth Festive Break Bournemouth – early Christmas break The Thursford Christmas Spectacular Bath Christmas Market Sunday Night on the Prom DECEMBER Warner Break to Holme Lacy House Longleat Land of Light German Christmas Markets Cruise Christmas in Lake Garda A West Country Christmas

SEPTEMBER The Isle of Wight RHS Wisley Flower Show The Mill at Sonning (Two into One) Tina The Musical OCTOBER Abbaphonic Royal Albert Hall The Knitting & Stitching Show Cockney Matinee with Lunch NOVEMBER Thursford Christmas Spectacular Tina The Musical The Mill at Sonning (Top Hat)

DAY EXCURSIONS MAY Film Music Gala at Royal Albert Hall JUNE Horse Drawn Canal Cruise The Isle of Wight JULY Weymouth Hampton Court Flower Show The Glenn Miller Story Adrian’s Adventure Highclere Castle Joseph at The London Palladium Osborne House AUGUST Highclere Castle

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CGI interpretation of how Rookwood could look (Courtesy of Horsham District Council)

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ROOKWOOD BAT Campaigners and Council poles apart on developlment Of all the green spaces being considered for development in the Horsham District, one is proving to be more controversial than the rest. Rookwood.

While all proposed sites in Horsham District Council’s Local Plan have been met with opposition, the overlapping storylines at Rookwood make for an intriguing cocktail of contrasting views.

Golfers are fighting to save the course they love, wildlife enthusiasts are trying to protect the nearby Warnham Local Nature Reserve, while thousands of residents want to preserve one of the last remnants of green space around the town. No less than 11,400 people have signed a petition to Keep Rookwood Green. At the heart of it all is the landowner, Horsham District Council (HDC), which stands to make £20million if it can push through its own plans.

On the face of it, it’s a classic good versus bad story. But there’s much more to it than that. AAH spoke to representatives on all sides, delving into the issues behind the divisive development…

Let’s start by looking at Rookwood Golf Course…

Okay. Rookwood is an 18-hole course just outside town. It also has a pitch & putt course and offers foot-golf. The course is accessed via Robin Hood Lane, although the road to it goes under the A24, so the course is on the other side of the dual-carriageway (the Horsham side, not the Warnham side).

The course is split in two by Warnham Road, with most fairways to the south. Those to the north are right next to Warnham Local Nature Reserve (WLNR). The golf course land was once part of a much bigger nature reserve and there were protests when it was first proposed, along with the exclusive

Rookwood housing development. Now, the course itself faces a fight for survival.

Is that a big deal?

It is for players, like Graham Hartley. He says, “Rookwood is a public pay-and-play course, not a traditional members club.

That’s why it’s so important. People don't have to fork out for costly memberships or pay inflated green fees for a game of golf.

It’s also a fantastic venue for beginners, especially young people, as it has a ninehole pitch-and-putt course. I’m part of a Senior Section at Rookwood that meets three times a week and it’s a great social environment. It’s very beneficial to our health and is an essential part of my fitness regime.”

They could play somewhere else though…

Graham points out that options have dwindled in recent years. Golf courses at

Rusper, Wildwood and West Chiltington are among those to have closed, while others – including the Kingfisher course at Mannings Heath – have been reduced to nine-holes. He adds, “Rookwood is attractive as it’s affordable for pensioners and has a less formal feel to members’ clubs.”

Why does HDC want to close it?

Ultimately, it comes down to money. The amount that Rookwood pays in rent and rates is not enough for the Council, which owns the land. Ray Dawe, Leader of HDC, says that the course “has run at a substantial loss for a number of years.”

When asked to clarify that, he adds, “Basically, it is a loss, because the operator is not paying what was the agreed rent in the first place. It’s been reduced and they’re still not paying it.”

Couldn’t HDC bring in a new operator?

Cllr Dawe says, “The point is that nobody is going to take over something that has been loss-making for five years, despite the efforts that we put into it. The golfers would argue that it’s well used, but if it’s well used and still not making a profit, you end up at the same conclusion.” Campaigners challenge Cllr Dawe’s claim about HDC making an effort, pointing out that the golf course isn’t even on the Council’s website.

Isn’t it?

Seemingly not. There’s a link on the HDC Sports & Leisure page for tennis, football, BMX tracks and even free musical concerts at the Bandstand, but no link to a golf course on its own land. When AAH pointed out that it hadn’t received a single advert promoting Rookwood in ten years, suggesting that

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Graham Hartley is a regular player at Rookwood Golf Course

perhaps HDC hasn’t done all it could, Cllr Dawe rightly points out that “it is up to the people running the golf course to promote it, in the same way as the operators of local leisure centres do.”

So, we’re losing a golf course and getting more houses then?

That’s not quite the full picture.

HDC believes it can develop the Rookwood site and create more leisure space for people.

How? Houses will only take up 30% of the development space, it claims.

Most of the land will be space that can be enjoyed by more people than which currently use the golf course. Cllr Dawe says, “What we are trying to do is say, okay, what’s the best thing we can do with this land that benefits the maximum number of people? This plan takes a golf course and makes it available for public recreation and extends the nature reserve. Nobody is taking anything away. We’re extending the possibilities of recreation.”

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Rookwood campaigner Sally Sanderson with Murphy, on the fringes of the beautiful 2nd hole at Rookwood Golf Course

Explain what HDC has in mind…

It proposes using the northern part of the site (the nature

reserve end) as community space. There will be no houses built here. Instead, the Council’s vision is to “re-wild” that part of the golf course (which includes the beautiful pond around the side of the 2nd hole), improve biodiversity and enhance wildlife networks around the reserve. Cllr Dawe says, “We are not talking about something like Horsham Park here. We’re talking about a far more natural environment which is more open to nature and the type of place that parks will be like in future.”

What does a park of the future look like?

As you can see from HDC’s visuals (Pages 54, 57, 61 and 62) a great deal of consideration has gone into the design. Certainly more than some of the rather uninspired developments that have gone up in recent years.

There’s potential for a primary school with play facilities, a new visitor centre and car park for WLNR, with key assets of the reserve – including the Mill Pond and the Walnut Plantation – preserved. There will be improved walkways that bring people closer to nature. Adam Chalmers,

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The Council has created several CGI images for Rookwood (Courtesy of HDC)

Director of Community Services at HDC (a non-political position) says, “The general setting is green and sustainable, with very little development. There’s a focus on re-wilding and extending the space so that it can be used by the public.”

Good news for Warnham Local Nature Reserve, then?

Gran a hold of your horses there!

We’re talking about a treasured community asset! The 92-acre reserve is much-loved for its flora and fauna and the Friends of WLNR have concerns. While the reserve has walkways and observation hides, it is carefully managed with large sections deliberately under-developed or out of bounds to visitors. “From a wildlife perspective, it’s better for the reserve to be quiet and secluded,” says Sally Sanderson, Chair of Friends of Horsham Park.

“One of the good things about the golf course is that nobody uses it at night. Without human activity, nocturnal species including owls and bats benefit. You won’t get them with lit pathways and people walking around with dogs.

If HDC isn’t careful, it may find that in 10 years’ time, the reserve isn’t worth visiting and the town will be poorer for it.”

Re-wilding sounds exciting though…

It depends on your interpretation of re-wilding. Knepp is one of the country’s leading re-wilding projects, but that’s a 3,500-acre rural estate around West Grinstead and Shipley. Knepp has free-roaming longhorn cattle, Exmoor ponies, Tamworth pigs, red deer, and has made national headlines with the incredible success of its pioneering stork

breeding project. Tim Thomas, a wildlife consultant and member of Friends of Chesworth Farm, says, “Re-wilding in its true sense means the reintroduction of herbivores, usually over vast tracts of land. Rookwood is so small that it isn’t re-wilding at all. What you can do though is leave the wildlife that’s already on site alone. Over 30 years, wildlife has been allowed to sort itself out at Rookwood and it is important to kingfishers, herons and many other species.”

If’s it’s not re-wilding, what is it?

Morag Williams, a Rookwood campaigner, says, “The Council want to re-wild the northern end, but they also want to build a new car park and school, a café, play areas and create a network of walkways and cycle paths. That isn't re-wilding; that’s a country park.”

True…

Well, Cllr Dawe is adamant it’s not. “I don't think it would be like Knepp,” he says. “But I don't think it would be like Southwater Country Park either. I think it's closer to Knepp than the Country Park.”

Well, thanks for clearing that up!

You’re welcome. Re-wilding or not, when HDC revealed its first plan for development in February 2020, it was met by widespread anger. The Horsham Society, as well as Denne, Trafalgar and Forest Neighbourhood Councils has opposed its plan and 11,400 people have signed a petition against it. Originally, HDC wanted to build up to 1,100 homes, with greater housing density in the southern part. However, to its credit, HDC has paid more than

‘Help to Buy’ viable option for first-timers With changes to both the Help to Buy and Shared Ownership schemes due to come into force at the beginning of April 2021, it’s vital that you remain fully up to speed on how you may be affected by these impending changes.

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The data also showed that Changes to the Help-to-Buy 82% of all completions were scheme are now in effect by first-time buyers. The total value of the equity loans was £17.4bn and the value of the properties sold under the scheme equated to £79.2bn. In addition, between 1 July and 30 September 2020, 13,211 properties were bought with an equity loan.

So, how does the new scheme differ from the old one? The new Help to Buy scheme, running until 2023, will be restricted to first-time buyers and will operate with regional price caps in place (maximum property price in London £600k and South East £437,600 for example). You can borrow a minimum of 5% and up to a maximum of 20% (40% in London) of the full purchase price of a new-build home. You do not pay interest on the equity loan for the first 5 years (interest starts in year 6 on the equity loan amount you borrowed). The equity loan, the deposit you have saved, and your repayment mortgage cover the total cost of buying your newly built home.

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Wildlife consultant Tim Thomas says that the Rookwood area is rich in flora and fauna

just lip-service to the concerns of its registered voters and come back with a revised plan with far fewer houses and more protection for Boldings Brook and the Red River.

flood issues.” Specialist consultants Stantec have now been engaged by HDC and have recommended swales or ditches to facilitate water run-off and slow the flow of rainwater.

What’s Boldings Brook and the Red River?

There’s some confusion as to which is which, but the Red River and Boldings Brook both head south from the Mill Pond at WLNR and run through the heart of the golf course. The Red River gushes out of the Mill Pond and meanders along before joining up with Boldings Brook, which in turn links to the River Arun behind Hills Farm Lane. In HDC’s revised plan, Boldings Brook and Red River get more protection, as the space currently occupied by the 15th hole will not be built on. Adam Chalmers says, “This creates a buffer zone (between new housing) and protects the wildlife corridor. We have high expectations for Rookwood and are engaging with biodiversity and wildlife, while also looking at mitigating some of the current

What’s this wildlife corridor he’s talking about?

One of the campaigners’ main concerns is that wildlife (especially migrating birds) do not see a difference between the golf course and nature reserve.

To wildlife, it’s just a large green space that’s part of a green corridor linking the River Arun, Boldings Brook and the Mill Pond. While the Council’s amended version is better than its first plan, campaigners say that the new houses will still infringe on this wildlife corridor.

Morag Williams says, “The ironic thing is that HDC has partnered up with the Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT) to launch Wilder Horsham, an initiative to link our wildlife corridors. Here, there’s already a natural corridor that benefits mammals, insects and birds.

Only last week, storks flew over the golf course! This area fits

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beautifully alongside the Wilder Horsham project and is already owned by HDC, yet they want to build on it. Why wreck what you’ve already got?”

But the Council thinks it can increase biodiversity?

That’s the plan. Cllr Dawe reckons that the short grass of golf course fairways doesn’t provide much biodiversity anyway and that the Council can increase it by a net 10%.

However, some fear we stand to lose more than we gain. Tim Thomas says, “When the Council talks about 10% increasing biodiversity, this can be achieved by planting a few trees. There’s a fabulous symbiosis on site now, with the golf course using natural fertilisers to help create a tremendous environment.

Where else can you see kingfishers so close to town?

The Council’s vision isn't right for nature.”

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Rookwood campaigner Morag Williams and golf course regular Graham Hartley on a bridge used by walkers, joggers and cyclists

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Tell me more about the housing itself…

All the houses would be built on the southern end of the site.

About 750 homes are proposed,

including 250 affordable homes, with a focus throughout on eco-friendly living that encourages residents to walk and cycle. Cllr Dawe says, “This development is a site that’s aware of climate change and the needs of the future.”

Why does HDC even want to build here, of all places?

Well, as landowners, it does stand to make £20million from the sale…

What?

And Cllr Dawe admits that is a factor. He says, “I can’t pretend that councillors aren’t aware that if we sell the land there’s going to be £18 – 20m for the Council. But it’s got to stand on its planning credentials. If it fails on its planning credentials alone, then it fails full stop. If the Council does get the money, that’s excellent, because it helps pay for other services. As Council Leader, I often hear things about us only doing things for money. But we’re not going on jamborees or visiting exotic places! Money that comes in goes out too, spent on behalf of the community.”

What’s a jamboree?

A lavish party. Often featuring bunting and cake.

That’s a lot of money. Could do a lot of good...

Campaigners point out that HDC has reserves of about £14m already. In the words of Sally Sanderson, it “doesn’t have to sell the family silver just yet!”

Besides, the Council could make even more if it only waited a few decades.

There’s a covenant in place, meaning the Council must split the proceeds from any sale of the land to the Lucas Trust. The covenant was put in place in 1987 – when the Council bought the land from the Lucas family, which owns the nearly Warnham Deer Park.

The covenant was put in place to ensure the land was used for public recreation. It lasts until 2066.

So, what’s the hurry?

The Council is putting together its Local Plan, outlining where houses should be built in future. There are nine strategic sites being considered, including Rookwood. Cllr Dawe says, “The government wants us to build 1,200 houses a year in the Horsham District and wherever you build, people will oppose it. It’s the Council’s job to look at the land and in each instance, test its viability and come up with conclusions. That’s what we have done and eventually, councillors will need to decide. If you asked councillors if they’d rather not choose between sites and that all this housing went somewhere else instead, I’m sure they’d say yes!”

Can’t argue with that, can you?

No, although some residents feel that the town itself is bearing the brunt of development, while rural areas to the south – in villages represented by prominent members of the Council’s Cabinet – are largely left untouched.

Sally Sanderson says, “If you look at the development in the District since 2000, you’ll see nearly all of it has gone in the north. The Council use the argument that it’s more sustainable there, because of transport and infrastructure. But there comes a point where it reaches bursting point and it’s fair to say that infrastructure isn’t coping now. At some point, you are going to have to develop in the south, so why ruin the few remaining green spaces left around town?”

There does seem to be a lot of housing around Horsham…

New estates in Broadbridge Heath, Southwater and the new site at North Horsham is undoubtedly having a big impact. But the Council points to

Horsham District Council says there will be a focus of eco-friendly, sustainable lifestyles at any Rookwood development (Courtesy of Horsham District Council)

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Horsham District Council wants to bring the community closer to nature (Courtesy of Horsham District Council)

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government policy, where building around existing infrastructure is preferred to development in the countryside. Cllr Dawe adds, “If you look at the growth of Billingshurst over the years, proportionately it has been higher than Horsham, so the idea that Horsham is taking it all isn't true.”

He also gives short shrift to the idea that members of the Council are solely protecting their own localities, adding, “It’s never been the case that we build around town because there are fewer Conservative members of the Council living there.”

When will the relentless building end?

Perhaps government policy will change in future, with development plans looked at over a larger area. Currently, the Horsham District is also burdened with housing shortfalls in places such as Crawley and Worthing, because they’re already full.

Which is an unsustainable and quite ludicrous situation. The Council recognises this problem. Cllr Dawe says, “I’ve made no secret of the fact that I would like government policy to not just look at a District and demand 1,200 houses a year. I'd like them to decide nationally where to build homes and there are reforms planned.”

Can’t we wait for these reforms?

Who knows? Maybe that’s covertly going on already. Right now, HDC is under pressure to finalise its Local Plan, incorporating both big developments on greenfield land and small-scale sites dotted around the District. Rookwood is not the only controversial site included. Late in March,

The Guardian published an article about the threat to the Knepp estate by one of the strategic sites at Buck Barn. It’s worth reading. Cllr Dawe says, “We can provide everything in the current Local Plan except for about 3,000 houses. There are land ownership issues at Mayfield’s site (near Henfield) so we probably need to decide whether to put 3,000 houses at Buck Barn or at Adversane. There are issues with both sites, especially infrastructure. There is a long-term plan by Homes England to build 10,000 homes on land west of Crawley and a lot hinges on that. But as it stands, we’ll have to choose between those two sites.

Inevitably, if you build on a greenfield site, it's not good for the environment and you can't pretend it is. But there aren’t enough brownfield sites left anymore.”

Don’t we have policies to protect greenfield sites?

HDC does have a Green Space Strategy, but needs to balance the objectives outlined in this against government housing targets.

Sally Sanderson says: “HDC’s strategy is to ensure that there is sufficient green space to meet the community's needs. But it’s being whittled away. They say that if we can't build at Rookwood, they’ll have to develop Horsham Park or Chesworth Farm instead. They’ve got this Green Space Strategy on paper, but in practice, the Council is looking at opportunities to make money from the green spaces it owns.”

So, what happens next?

The Council is preparing the next stage of the Local Plan (called Regulation 19 – if you weren’t excited enough!) That should be ready around June, before a “period of representation.” Eventually, a planning application for Rookwood will be debated by councillors and either approved or rejected. That application will include finer details in terms of what exactly will be included in the development. Cllr Dawe says, “This is the best plan that we can take forward at this stage. Whether councillors agree with that or not is another matter.”

So, the debate rumbles on?

Oh, yes. Even if it’s approved, campaigners question what will happen in future. Morag Williams says, “The golf course at least generates some money for the Council, whereas country parks cost money. It’s easy to imagine a few years down the line, the Council claiming it’s costing too much and reverting to something more like its first plan for Rookwood, with more housing.

Perhaps if it was serious about its re-wilding ambitions, HDC would entrust the land to Sussex Wildlife Trust, who it’s already partnered with.”

WORDS/INTERVIEWS: Ben Morris PHOTOS: Toby Phillips Photography Visuals courtesy of HDC More information: https://www.rookwoodhorsham.co.uk https://www.keeprookwoodgreen.org https://www.horsham.gov.uk/planning/ local-plan

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The Original 1801 Census How questions of popularity led to the first national survey of people Residents of the Horsham District took part in a national census on Sunday 21 March 2021, a once-in-a-decade survey that provides a picture of the people and households in England and Wales.

It has been carried out every decade since 1801, except 1941, because of the Second World War. Here, thanks to Horsham Museum and Art Gallery, we travel back 220 years to the very first census.

However, while many people get excited about census returns, the 1801 census doesn’t have the granular detail so beloved of genealogists. After all, 200 years ago, nobody cared which person did what job. The most important thing was numbers; finding out how many people lived in the country.

This year, we have undertaken the census during a pandemic. This is not the first time this has happened, as Spanish Flu was raging in 1921. The census of 1801 was undertaken not in a pandemic, but in the middle of a war. But why undertake a census at all, and what did it reveal?

False Dawns There had been various attempts to organise a census, going back 2,000 years. The most famous is probably the one mentioned in the Gospel of Luke, that of Emperor Augustus, who demanded the whole world should be taxed and to do that you had to record the number of individuals.

However, when most people think of a census, they think of the Doomsday book, that great feat of the Anglo-Saxon civil

service hijacked by Norman invaders to find out what they now owned! Though full or errors and not covering the whole country (London and Winchester are among the cities missing), it is a document beloved of historians.

Population Fears To understand the first census in recent times and the reason for its undertaking, it’s important to understand the mind-set of 18th century thinkers. Observant people see changes happening in the world around them. For example, today we see extensive house building, so assume the population is growing. But we don’t know for certain without counting.

In the first half of the 18th century, the population of London was declining.

When people looked at the figures for the number of baptisms and deaths in London, it became clear that more people were dying than being born. The discovery raised concern amongst contemporary commentators and in 1754 an attempt to draft a census passed through the House of Commons, before failing to pass through the House of Lords. People started to assume the population was falling, including Welsh philosopher Richard Price. He argued that the population of Britain had fallen from 6 million to 4.5 million in 70 years.

In 1798, some six years after Price’s death, Thomas Malthus’ seminal book ‘An Essay on the Principle of Population’ was published. The book carried the idea that if the population continued to grow unchecked, there would be a permanent underclass of starving population that would lead to famine and death.

So, two powerful but competing ideas were circulating. One that the population was falling, the other that it was rising.

Into this maelstrom of ideas stepped John Rickman. He wrote ‘Thoughts on the

65

Utility and Facility of Ascertaining the Population of England’ and published it in the magazine of which he was editor, The Commercial and Agricultural Magazine. He presented 20 points as to why there should be a census and how it should be carried out.

gave them to constables who often passed them to overseers of the poor. All bar one question was about the current situation.

Question number 4 was asked to resolve the question over whether the population had grown over the last century.

By the end of 1801, the results had been tabulated and released. In June 1802, the reports were published with a summary by Rickman. No one expected another census to be undertaken, but by 1811, the usefulness of knowing numbers had become apparent.

His arguments included the need to know how many people could fight in a war, at a time when the French Army was strong. He also pointed out that: “No society can confidently pretend to provide the requisite quantity of food, till they know the number of consumers.” Rickman argued for counting people where they lived, rather than the biblical Roman method of making people go back to the place they were born. He also identified that the ministers of every parish, as civil servants, should undertake the work.

The timing was right, as 1800 had seen food shortages. These shortages and the impact of the Napoleonic wars led to William Pitt agreeing to an Act of Parliament. The act was seconded by future MP for Bramber, William Wilberforce, and passed on 27 December 1800, with the first census taking place in March 1801.

The first census was drawn up by Rickman, working alongside the Privy Council. He had just three months to organise it without knowing the size of the task. The forms were 66

The manuscript replies up to and including 1831 were destroyed in 1904, and those for 1881 and 1891 were pulped due to a paper shortage during the Great War. The 1931 census returns were destroyed in a fire in 1942. However, the returns of 1801 survive in bound volumes printed on hand-made paper.

The importance of the census cannot be denied, but arguments remain about how it should be carried out today.

Abstract from the first census in 1801 (Courtesy of Horsham District Council/ Horsham Museum & Art Gallery)

sent out by the General Post Office and had to be completed on 1 March and returned by 10 March. The forms were sent to the Clerks of the Peace and Town Clerks, who then

WORDS: Jeremy Knight Horsham Museum & Art Gallery PHOTOS: Horsham Museum & Art Gallery/ Horsham District Council

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