AAH magazine March 2012

AAH ALL ABOUT HORSHAM MAGAZINE

Living on a Prayer It’s not a Cult, so what’s the truth about Kingdom Faith Church?

March 2012

Feel-good Factor tempts Intoto to revitalise Horsham showroom Intoto Kitchens has given Horsham town centre a boost with its stunning, newly-refurbished showroom.

Intoto is one of the most established design studios in the area, and has been located in the heart of Horsham in Medwin Walk for over twenty years.

The new-look showroom features modern, high-quality displays exhibiting the latest in German contemporary furniture and appliances from the likes of Neff and Siemens. It even adds colour and energy to the town after dark, thanks to its attractive LED lights.

On 4th February, owners Bruce Boychuk and Paul Wheeler, who also owns Intoto showrooms in Ealing and Teddington, joined showroom manager Tessa Marshall to celebrate the launch the newly refurbished showroom.

Cookery demonstrations were provided courtesy of AEG and visitors were offered complimentary champagne.

Paul and Bruce said: “Horsham has the feel-good factor, which is why we’ve made substantial investment in the town even in these tough times.”

“At Intoto we offer a fully project managed design, supply and installation service. We are also able to undertake any additional works such as electrical work, plumbing, underfloor heating, plastering, decoration and flooring, so you can have a ‘one stop shop’ for your refurbishment works.”

“We pride ourselves on intelligent design tailored to individual needs. We can advise on how to make the best use of space, and then make those ideas a reality.”

“There are many manufacturers of furniture but it is often the design element that sets apart a good kitchen from a bad one.”

Under New Ownership

6-7 Medwin Walk, Horsham, RH12 1AG Tel: 01403 266630 www.intoto.co.uk Showroom Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00am - 5.30pm

www.intoto.co.uk

View old editions at www.aahorsham.co.uk The website also has a news section and events diary.

Awesome Experiences Photography: Toby Phillips; Editorial & Advertising: Ben Morris I’m not a religious man, so it was a little unusual for me to spend a Sunday morning at Kingdom Faith Church.

I’ve always been a bit suspicious of these modern churches, ignorant of what they do and their impact on the community, and dismissing them as ‘Happy Clappy’.

My only experience of church has been weddings and funerals, telling my kids not to kick the pew cushions while the vicar recites a lengthy passage from the book of Genesis, and mumbling the Lord’s Prayer in a monotone drone I only ever use in Church!

So the Kingdom Faith visit was a bit of an eye-opener.

Prayer is led not by a reverend in robes but an unshaven geezer in jeans, who prays for an “awesome time this morning.”

He is supported by a full live band with guitars, bass, drums, keyboards and a psychedelic light show. Toby and I joked that we half expected Bez from the Happy Mondays to jump up on stage for a dance.

But we were made to feel very welcome, and although neither of us will be joining the church any time soon, it’s clear that those who do attend, sing, play and pray, have an overwhelmingly positive experience.

We hope that our feature article can clear up a few misconceptions people may have about Kingdom Faith.

Whilst we’re on the subject of people helping others, the CoCo’s Foundation is hosting a masquerade ball soon.

The Foundation has intrigued us since we first met Chris Connors, owner of CoCo’s, for a feature article last year. Here was a man that openly admitted that he didn’t particularly like children, but whose life was changed by orphans in South Africa.

If they ever make a film about Zombies on Unicycles, Ben should definitely audition...

Along with hairdressers from his salons, Chris has been helping to re-build the lives of these children ever since.

The CoCo’s Foundation is a wonderful charity, and every penny that is raised is put to good use. Details of the ball can be found on Page 29 - please help out if you possibly can.

There are some other bits in here too - paintings of death row prisoners, unicycle hockey, a conductor blasting classical music ponces, grandads on motorbikes and the last man pressed to death in the country. All pretty standard stuff....

We’d like to welcome new readers who may have received AAH for the first time. Due to our ever expanding door-to-door distribution, homes in Wimblehurst Road, Richmond Road, Gordon Road, Pinehurst and The Gables now receive the magazine.

If you’d like to advertise in the magazine, do call me on 01403 878026. We do make a real effort with our adverts, and it pays off - South Lodge Hotel had 28 bookings from one advert in our Meal Review section. Can’t be bad.

Ben

Cover Story We knew what we wanted for a cover shot - a picture of Clive Urquhart of Kingdom Faith in a picture that symbolised how modern and vibrant the church is.

When we arrived for the Sunday morning service, we decided we’d like a photo of Clive in front of the singers and band as the stage was so lively, with a psychedelic blue background that gave good light. But the

right moment never presented itself as Clive - the pastor - stood to the side as the band performed. Toby didn’t want to set the shot up as he didn’t think he could recreate those moments of prayer in a staged shot. So instead, Toby used a shot of Clive with his arms aloft and hands clenched, and using a bit of his Photoshop magic, added the blue background from another image.

If you would like to discuss advertising in AAH, please contact Ben or Kelly on 01403 878026.

Eighth Page £50; Quarter page: £100; Half Page: £175; Full Page £300

CONTENTS 7 Scarlett Fever

A few copies of past editions of AAH are available for £3 each (this includes postage) Please send a cheque (payable to AA Publishing Ltd) of £3 for each copy to: AA Publishing Ltd, 2 Viney Close, Ashington, West Sussex, RH20 3PT.

32 Shirley Rae

Independent fashion boutique Cape Scarlett celebrates birthday in style

After two transplants and open heart surgery, Shirley talks about her life

8 One to Watch

34 Kingdom Faith

Hurdler Nicholas Ofonagoro is aiming for the 2016 Olympics in Rio

What’s really going on at the fastgrowing church in Horsham?

10 Ten of the Best

50 Meal Review

We look back through history to find Horsham’s best known residents

We settle in for a meal at the familyrun Crabtree pub in Lower Beeding

12 Cocos Foundation

56 Loud and Clear

Chris Connors is back in the UK after his latest trip to South Africa

The Horsham hearing specialists who keep a mould of Lewis Hamilton’s ear

14 Group Discussion

58 Horsham Riders

Meet members of the Horsham Unicycle Hockey Addicts

The trials riding club that meets in St Leonard’s Woods

19 Art

63 Events

Claire Phillips takes about new projects and her renowned death row paintings

The month’s highlights include small business event Microbiz

24 Music

66 How Interesting...

Horsham Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 40th year

The grisly tale of John Weekes, who was ‘pressed’ to death in Horsham

The AAH Team Editor: Ben Morris editor@aahorsham.co.uk 01403 878026 / 01903 892899

Contributors Chris Connors (Coco’s Foundation); Jeremy Knight (Horsham History articles)

Advertising Manager: Kelly Morris advertising@aahorsham.co.uk 01403 878026 / 01903 892899

Thank you David Hellyer of Kingdom Faith Church

Photography: Toby Phillips tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk info@tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk 07968 795625

Door-to-Door Delivery team The Paterson family, Geoff Valentine, Cydney Magnus, Nick Price, Sarah Guile (all Horsham rounds), Anna Laker and Alex Besson (Billingshurst), Jamie Towes, Laura Harding and Karen Taylor (Southwater), Jack

Barnett (Monks Gate/Mannings Heath), Karen Parnell (Warnham), Will Smith (Ashington), Rachel Wadey (Partridge Green), The Morris Family (Slinfold, Cowfold. Horsham, Tower Hill, Nuthurst, Maplehurst, Lower Beeding), Toby Phillips (Town Centre) Website Run by Mi-Store of Brighton. Read all of our previous editions online at

www.aahorsham.co.uk

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AAH News Round-up

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6 1 Bluecoat Sports Centre in Christ’s Hospital will again be holding a Swimathon in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. This year, the Big Splash Mile for Sport Relief is teaming up with the Swimathon weekend on 27th-29th April.

Bluecoats invites swimmers of all ages and levels to take part. Teams can choose to swim 60, 100 or 200 lengths, or if you prefer to do it at your own pace, join the SimplySwim challenge. To Enter visit www.swimathon.org 2 The Church of Holy Innocents in Southwater has raised £25,000, reaching the halfway mark in its ‘Turn Up the Heat’ Appeal. A replacement heating system was installed just in time for Christmas, but parishioners must now raise a further £25,000 for the remaining work. Rev Kesari Godfrey said he was overwhelmed by both the efforts made to help raise funds and the generosity of villagers.

3 Horsham Brewery WJ King has joined forces with Drop4Drop to help provide clean drinking water in an Indian village. WJ King has committed to building a well in the Mulla

Community in Andhra Pradesh. The brewery will provide one litre of clean drinking water to this village for every bottle of WJ King bottle of conditioned real ale sold this year.

4 Next year will see the 30th running of the Barns Green Half Marathon and in a break from tradition the race will take place on Sunday 30th September, a month earlier than its usual place in the calendar. For details visit www.barnsgreen-half.org.uk 5 Horsham Junior Baseball Club hosts softball sessions for girls at Southwater Leisure Centre on Sunday mornings until 1st April from 9.30am – 10.30am. Coached by Larry Rushin, the sessions are aimed at girls aged 14 – 16 (girls aged 12-13 also welcome) and are suitable for both beginners and girls that have played softball before. The cost is £1 per session. Turn up on the day, pay and play. For more details call 07732 688053.

6 Monaghan Mushrooms - the new owners of Sussex Mushrooms – has launched a redundancy

All Pictures by Toby Phillips except for Box 1, by an amateur called Ben Morris who has no grasp of lighting or composition

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consultation, with about 10% of the 400 staff likely to lose their jobs. Employees at the site have received ‘at risk’ letters from Monaghan.

The company says that 90% of jobs will be protected and the majority of redundancies will be voluntary.

7 Advice and guidelines have been issued to help anyone planning Olympic or Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Horsham District Council has produced a simple form (available on its website) to apply for a road closure and more comprehensive guidelines are available for those planning larger public events. For more details call Andy Flack on 01403 215139 or email andy.flack@horsham.gov.uk.

8 Chris Jarvis, the CBeebies presenter and patron of the Born Free Foundation, met charity mascot Roary at the Capitol in February.

Chris is a supporter of the Horsham-based international wildlife charity and helped launch the charity’s ‘WildcreW’ club last year.

For details visit www.bornfree.org.uk/wildcrew

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AAH News Round-up 10

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14 9 ‘Like, OMG, Adele just bought this house in Partridge Green. Well, she’s renting this giant mansion for, like, fifteen thousand a month, but she makes that much money every five seconds or something. She wants to get away from the Paparazzi - that’s what she told some reporter on American TV while he filmed the house. The County Times tells you where it is we should go up there! Just say hello, she won’t mind. She’s well down to Earth even though she’s sold, like, eleven billion albums.

Did you see her get cut off at The Brits? How out of order was that! Like, hello! It’s Adele!’

10 You may have also caught a glimpse of Alice Ella in-between the Brits TV coverage.

The Horsham singer enjoyed a ‘priceless duet’ with award-winning Emeli Sande. The duet featured in an advert for sponsors, Mastercard.

11 Leading chef and restaurateur Marco Pierre White visited the Amber Foundation near Ockley on 23rd February. He talked to all the ‘Amberteers’ as he was shown around the centre at Farm Place. He then judged the

15 Amber Bake Off competition, complimenting the young people that had each cooked their own variation of bread and butter pudding.

For information visit www.amberweb.org 12 William Palmer, who lives near Southwater, is to follow in the successful footsteps of his father Jonathan and brother Jolyon by embarking on his own motorsport career.

William, 15, will compete in the Ginetta Junior Championship with front-running team HHC Motorsport. The championship is the UK’s top junior series for drivers aged between 14 and 17 and uses 100bhp cars capable of 120mph.

Read last October’s AAH at aahorsham.co.uk for an interview with William and Jolyon.

13 Horsham District Council was due to meet on 21st February to make a decision on Berkeley Homes’ plans for up to 550 new homes in Southwater. But the meeting was adjourned after English Heritage upgraded a listed building - Great House Farm - that exists on the site. The council is now statutorily obliged to consult English Heritage.

14 A reminder - changes to car parking charges in Horsham’s car parks come into effect on 5th March. Parking tariffs at Swan Walk car park will increase from £1.60 for the first two hour period to £2 while tariffs at The Forum car park will increase from £1.40 for the first two hour period to £1.50. The flat rate of £1 for the first three hour period at Hurst Road will increase to £1.50.

15 The Green Man in Partridge Green hosts an evening of light jazz, with a barbecue prepared

by Nick Illes and his chefs, on Sunday, 6th May. For more see www.the-greenman.co.uk 16 In last month’s edition of AAH, we ran an extensive feature on the future of Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre. Supporters of the centre have now set up a Joint User Group website which will give details on how to get involved in the consultation process. The website was still under construction as AAH went to press, but hopefully www.bbhleisurecentrejug.org.uk will be up and running soon.

A dedicated follower of fashion Cape Scarlett in East Street is celebrating its second anniversary in style, launching bold and bright new lines for the spring and summer season.

Sarah Lidstone, owner of the high quality women’s fashion boutique, has selected a new range of clothing that she hopes will excite her regular customers and entice new visitors to Cape Scarlett.

In addition to current brands such as Almost Famous and French Connection, Cape Scarlett now stocks a fashion range

by Romanian designer Nissa, as well as Great Plains of London. To mark the shop’s anniversary, Sarah is offering a 15% discount on all new season clothing on 5th-10th March.

Sarah said: “We have been listening to what our customers have been saying for the last two years, so we have gone for

new lines which are exciting and very colourful.

“We have introduced Great Plains, which is perfect for the summer and also has a very relaxed feel to it. It is a stylish brand for women of all ages and it doesn’t come with a big price tag.

“We also have Nissa from Romania. Every season I go to a fashion fair in London and thousands of designers gather there from all over the world. Nissa really stood out for me as they make clothes for those special days out such as weddings, a day at the races or the Royal Regatta. It’s just simple yet sophisticated fashion for an occasion.

“We still have French Connection, Almost Famous and Ruby London Jeans. We are keeping all of the brands that are popular and bringing in some fresh designers to reflect what is happening in fashion.”

Sarah has high hopes for the year ahead, and believes that Horsham is increasingly attractive for shoppers. She said: “The town has so much going for it, it would be hard for it not to succeed, as it’s a great place. There are some lovely boutiques now for men and women, and good high street stores as well, so there is a good mix.”

For more details about Cape Scarlett visit the website at www.capescarlett.com

‘The new lines for spring are exciting and very colourful’

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One to Watch: Nicholas Ofonagoro

Transition year for hurdler with

Olympic dream Nicholas Ofonagoro is doing a remarkable job of balancing his studies with a promising career in athletics.

But there’s no call for any ‘taking it all in his stride’ puns here, as the 17 year-old Christ’s Hospital student faces a transition year.

As one of the country’s most promising 110m hurdlers, Nicholas must change his lead leg during this Olympic Year, in the hope that he can perfect his technique and reach his full potential.

The natural speed appears to be there. Nicholas has won five Sussex County Championships and has qualified for the English Schools Championships on each of these occasions. After achieving a silver medal in 2010, he went on to represent England in the Home Nations Championships, where he won gold.

Last year, Nick won every race he competed in at Christ’s Hospital, and has also been an inspirational coach to younger pupils in the school.

Recently he has been attempting to

qualify for the World youth championships in three separate invitational trials around the country.

Nicholas, who is studying Physics, Maths, Chemistry and Economics, said: “Once in a while I try the long jump and high jump too but I’m mainly a track athlete.

This is my first season in the under-20 category, as I’ve just stepped up from the under-17s.

“For the next season I’m still focusing on the hurdles. I have to lead with my left leg now to ensure that I have the right stride pattern. It takes time to switch legs, so I need to develop speed and technique. I have two years left at under20 so if I cannot make it to an international level this year I should be able to next year.

“I have applied to Surrey, Southampton and Loughborough Universities, all of which have a very good athletics track nearby. The ultimate goal must be the 2016 Olympics for me – that would be great. “ Head of Athletics at Christ’s Hospital, Mr Baker said: “Nick has been an inspiration to pupils at Christ’s Hospital and through his own hard work is now ranked as one of the top sprint hurdlers for his age .”

‘Nick has been an inspiration to pupils at Christ’s Hospital ‘

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News Round-Up

The Battle of Horsham Town Hall has sparked back into life, with Horsham District Council putting the building on the market.

This in turn triggered action from Save Horsham Town Hall campaigners, who once again expressed a wish for the Grade II Listed Building to be used as a community centre for music and arts.

Originally, the council had sought a leasehold arrangement that had restricted its future use to that of a restaurant.

But at a meeting on 21st December, the council agreed to extend the marketing of the premises. This came after much-publicised talks with Bill’s Produce had ended.

Now the Town Hall can potentially be used for any business or group, so long as they are suitable for its status as a listed building.

In addition, the council will also entertain freehold bids as well as offering the building on a leasehold basis.

The Save the Town Hall campaign said that Horsham District Council have ‘ignored the views of the residents of Horsham’ and asked for supporters to write to the district council, local newspapers and MP Francis Maude to voice their views.

But, as it stands, interested parties are invited to get in touch with the council by 13th April 2012.

Cllr Ray Dawe, Deputy Leader at Horsham District Council, said “When making a final decision about it, the council will of course also need to take into account local sensitivities that surround this historic building.”

For enquiries contact Crickmay Chartered Surveyors on 01403 264259 or Davis Coffer Lyons – 0207 299 0745.

How the Town Hall might look if was used to sell Italian motorcycles

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Ten of the Best: Figures from Horsham’s past

Icons of History Percy Shelley (1792 - 1822)

A major English Romantic poet, regarded as one of the finest lyric poets in the English language. Shelley was born on 4th August 1792 at Field Place, Warnham and baptised in the village on 7th September.

When the tanks rolled in to Tiananmen Square a Chinese protestor quoted lines from Shelley’s Adonis. A poet, radical

Catherine, Henry VIII’s fifth wife, lived at Chesworth House in Horsham. It was here she had relationships with a kinsman, Francis Dereham and her music teacher, Henry Manox, before she was sent to the King’s court. Events at Chesworth formed part of the charges against her at her trial which led to her execution. Virtually none of the Chesworth House Catherine knew survives today.

Bernard Lintot (1675 - 1736)

Steyning was the religious and royal centre of Saxon Sussex some 1,100 years ago.

It was a site of pilgrimage for St Cuthman so fittingly became a royal burial place for Ethelwulf of Wessex. Whilst today his fame rests on being King Alfred’s father, he had a successful military and religious life. King Alfred moved his father’s bones to Winchester, but a carved tomb can be seen in the later Norman church of St Andrews.

Catherine Howard (1521 - 1541)

Ethelwulf of Wessex (Died in 858)

In these modern times there is a tendency for true talent to be overshadowed by our insatiable appetite for celebrity.

But in the majority of instances, as has always been the case, true fame is not dependent not on the individual, but on how people react to them and how they are remembered.

It remains to be seen how some of Horsham’s best-known stars of today will be judged by history. Perhaps people such as Jamie Hewlett, the pioneering animator and co-creator of Gorillaz, or Harry Enfield - the creater of some of the best comedy characters of the nineties, will one day be featured in a list such as this.

But what follows is a list of ten people with a connection to the town who have made a significant contribution to the country.

Whilst some have excelled in their chosen field of work, others have gained a place for notoriety.

Catherine Howard, for example, is on the list primarily for the under-the-covers shenanigans that would one day see her executed!

If you wish to find out more about Horsham’s notable residents, do visit the town museum.

They have works, collections, documents and displays on several of those featured here, as well as other fascinating characters from Horsham’s history.

and writer, his ideas in Regency times were shocking, but today many are deemed human rights. Mary Shelley, his second wife and Frankenstein author, lived at Field Place for a short time. Horsham museum has a permanent display on the poet and an outstanding collection of his works. He drowned in a sudden storm aged only 29.

Lintot revolutionised the marketing, selling and the look of books in the golden age of English literature.

Working with Alexander Pope, the poet (pictured here) they re-fashioned the way poetry was sold. Pope was friendly with the Caryll family who lived at West Grinstead and it was here that he wrote The Rape of Lock, one of the great English poems. In 1735, Lintot was High Sheriff of Sussex.

The middle distance runner was born in Slinfold and set 28 world records. Alfred had an unusual running style, but in 1903 and 1904 Shrubb held 15 world records. In 1919 he even raced a horse in Horsham, but lost! He emigrated to Canada where he became the Curator/keeper of a zoo.

There is a Shrubb display at Horsham Museum.

In 1824 Medwin wrote a European bestseller on his friendship with Byron who he met through his cousin, Shelley. He lead a dissolute life, sponging off family and blackmailing Mary Shelley over a planned biography of her husband.

But without his first two volumes of his Life of Shelley we would have little information on Shelley’s early life. He died aged 81 in the Carfax.

John Ireland (1879 - 1962)

Poet and author Belloc was born near Paris in1870 and when Hilaire was two his family moved to London. In 1906 Belloc and his family bought King's Land, a rambling brick house in Shipley, next to the Windmill.

It was his home for the rest of his life, though his constant journeying meant that he was seldom there for long.

Belloc is buried in the churchyard of West Grinstead Church.

Alfred Shrubb (1879 - 1964)

A painter, naturalist, spy, breeder of Rhododendrons and author, Millais was the son of the Pre-Raphaelite painter John Everett Millais. He lived at Comptons Brow (now long demolished) off Comptons Lane.

His sculpture of fighting game birds can be seen in the Horsham Museum garden, as can a superb stuffed salmon he caught in Canada.

Thomas Medwin (1788 - 1869)

William Penn (1644 - 1718) John Millais (1865 - 1931) Hilaire Belloc (1870 - 1953)

Penn was a leading figure of the English Quakers and founder of the American colony of Pennsylvania, so named by Charles II in honour of William Penn’s father. Penn came from an ambitious, wealthy family. He moved to Warminghurst near Billingshurst and lived in a large house. Charles II gave over a large portion of his American land holdings to Penn to satisfy a debt he owed to Penn’s father. This land included present day Pennsylvania and Delaware. It was at Warminghurst that William drafted the document to govern Pennsylvania which in turn was used as the basis of the American constitution. Penn also founded the Blue Idol Meeting House near Coolham in 1680, where he worshipped.

Ireland began to make his name in the early 1900s as a composer of songs and chamber music. He is bestknown for piano works such as The Holy Boy, but also set songs to poems by the likes of Thomas Hardy.

John retired to the small hamlet of Rock Common near Washington, where he lived in a converted windmill for the rest of his life.

He died aged 82 and is buried at Shipley Church.

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Help CoCo’s Foundation build home

for orphans

By Chris Connors: Group director of CoCo’s Foundation Returning back home from my trip to South Africa, I'm full of hope for S'fiso and his brothers and sisters, who I have written about previously.

The orphans I left behind in the rural area of Mseleni embraced me with such hope, trust and expectation.

We often make promises in life that we never have any intention of keeping, but

February 2012

AAH

when you make a promise to a 15year-old boy and his seven siblings, that you will return and build them a new home - one that keeps out the rain, snakes and the cold - for just £2,000, it's a promise you keep!

Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw in Mseleni on my most recent visit - a GoGo 'Grandmother' with 20 children to care for.

The floor of the hut they live in was full of ash from the fire, yet that is where the Grandmother sleeps. The halfthatched roof was leaking, and the children barely had clothes on.

They were all looking at me with such hope.

To replace the house would only cost £2,000. I left food parcels, but we must return, before the winter sets in in June, to build a proper home.

To do this I need your help!

On Saturday, 31st March, The

CoCo's Foundation holds its inaugural charity ball at the Surrey National Golf Club.

We are inviting you, the readers of AAH, to a night full of hope for these orphans.

If you could possibly manage to get a table of 10 people for the evening, you would be making a contribution that will change lives.

Tickets are £40 for a champagne reception from 7pm, with a beautiful three-course meal served at 7:45pm and the CoCo's Foundation Charity Auction at 9:30pm. We also have jazz singer 'Little White Blue'. performing.

For tickets please email me at info@cocosfoundation.co.uk I guarantee every penny will be spent on replacing their home so they have a warm winter.

With your support it is possible to change the planet our children live on.

There are more details on our advert on Page 29, or you can visit www.cocosfoundation.co.uk for more about our work.

We’ve introduced more pick-up points

MAGAZINE ALL ABOUT HORSHAM

Worth Saving? to the future of A unique insight in Leisure Centre, by Broadbridge Heath fighting to save it the people who are

We have introduced a few more magazine pick-up points around the district.

We are keen to avoid adding to the messy piles of free pick-ups around town, so our focus will remain on free door-to-door deliveries.

But if you know someone who loves the magazine but does not get AAH delivered through the door, do let them know they can pick one up from James Clothing at 3 North Street (just off the Carfax opposite the back of Waitrose) or Horsham Museum in The Causeway.

You can also pick up AAH at Village Stores in Barns Green and Mannings Heath.

Customers at CoCo’s salons in Southwater and Billingshurst can enjoy the magazine too, as can visitors to Fishers Farm in Wisborough Green.

acebook & Twitter can help you get a job. Or lose one...

Making the most of social media, by Michelle Baker We've all done it...

Added a photo to Facebook when we are looking a little worse for wear, a bad day at work and vented your frustration online to your friends. It’s fine, and is soon forgotten and you move on.

That is until you come to look for a new job....

In a recent study carried out with 300 professionals by Reppler, a social media monitoring service, found that more than 90% of recruiters and hiring managers have visited a potential candidate's profile on a social network as part of the screening process.

And 69% of recruiters have rejected a candidate based on content found on his or her social networking profiles.

An almost equal proportion of recruiters (68%), though, have hired a candidate

based on his or her presence on those networks. Top of the social networking sites used are Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Fast moving up is Twitter.

After receiving the initial CV 47% said they would check out the applicant online first, 27% said after the first conversation.

69% said they have rejected someone after seeing their online profile.

Reasons range from inappropriate photos, swearing, openly admitting the use of drugs or pictures that show someone partying a little too much. The worst response came from lying about their qualifications.

There is some good news though. 68% of professionals surveyed said they have hired someone after viewing their online profiles.

Your online profile can be used to give a positive view of your personality and life.

You can demonstrate your supported qualifications, post good references from

others, list clubs and associations you are a member of, and show you have solid communication skills.

So what is your online brand saying about you?

Find out how you can use social networking sites to build your career brand today.

Whether you are at college, graduate, seasoned professional we all need to look after ourselves online when it comes to our career and our reputation.

Contact me today on the number in the advert below if you’d like to know more.

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14 Horsham Unicycle Hockey Addicts

Clowning Now and again, we all think about taking up a new hobby.

There’s no shortage of clubs here in the Horsham district. You could sign up to a sports club, become embroiled in embroidery, target a rifle shooting club, set sail for a model boat club or satisfy a creative need for art.

But very few people ever think ‘is there a club that combines my two great loves of hockey and unicycling?’

But if you did want to try something different, then Horsham Unicycle Hockey Addicts (HUHA) will give you a warm welcome! The club meets at Weald School in Billingshurst every Thursday night for two hours of training and friendly matches. They also travel far and wide for tournaments, as one of ten registered

unicycle hockey teams in the country.

Unicycle hockey is a team sport, similar to roller hockey, except that each player must be mounted on a unicycle to play the ball.

Each team has five players and the goals are also set back from the end walls so that play can go behind them, similarly to ice hockey.

Any stick which is legal for ice hockey other than that of a goalkeeper can be used and most teams play with a tennis ball.

Chris Baker, who founded HUHA nearly 20 years ago, said: “The basic rules are that you have to be in the opponent’s half to score and you can go behind the goal but you can pretty much do what you want so long as you are on a unicycle. So you can stop a ball with your hands if you have both feet on the

pedals.”

If it all sounds a little too unusual to succeed, it may surprise you to hear that unicycle hockey is growing in popularity in Europe.

Germany, for instance, has 53 teams, whilst Switzerland also has a healthy number of teams. But with the next nearest club to HUHA being London, competitive matches are an organisational nightmare.

With that in mind, the teams all meet several times a year to play in tournaments, with the Horsham club being amongst the best in the land.

Despite this, the club does welcome beginners.

Chris said: “We have three unicycles owned by the club so you can come and join in and see if you like it. Normally I would spend

Group Discussion: HUHA

‘You learn quicker the younger you are as you’re not so frightened of getting hurt’

around about 20 minutes showing someone the basics, such as how to mount.

“Once people are able to do that and feel balanced on the bike, it’s all about having the confidence to cycle as you would on a bike, and just practice. Some people, especially the youngsters, can pick it up quite quickly, perhaps within a few hours, but it can take some people longer.

“Once you’re settled and comfortable we slowly introduce you to games, starting off in goal until the confidence increases.”

Sessions are held between 8-10pm on a Thursday at the Weald School, Billingshurst. If you would like to know more about HUHA, contact Chris Baker at chris@baker-household.co.uk

Tom Leach “Ollie got me into it initially as he was a friend of mine from school. I learned how to ride a unicycle and then came along to play hockey. It’s a good thing to do on a Thursday night – it’s different, it gets you out and about and it’s fun too.

It’s unusual as not many people have heard of unicycle hockey before, but it makes an interesting talking point. We learn tricks here too – you can step

backward or mount in different ways, jump, ride along ways, and generally just have fun with it.

It’s not expensive to start - my unicycle cost me £130 and I have an off-road unicycle too, which cost £250. We are one of the better unicycle hockey teams in the country – up there with Lunis (London Unicyclists) and a club in Cardiff as the best. It gets quite competitive at the tournaments.”

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Chris Baker

“I got involved in juggling in Horsham nearly 20 years ago and we did a bit of unicycling too, but the club I was in decided they didn’t want to do unicycling anymore. So I took on that side of things and we started meeting up at the old Park Recreation Centre.

When that became a bowling alley we came to the Weald and now have this group. It’s a sport for all ages; we have Tom here who is ten years old and has been coming for five years. You learn quicker the younger you are as you’re not so frightened of getting hurt and it’s a bit easier to learn how to mount the unicycle.

My son started when he was young and now he can move at such speed it’s frightening – I can’t get near him! But on the whole age isn’t an issue – we had a guy who played in goal for us that did not get a unicycle until his 60th birthday.

We’ve been settled for a long time but other teams come and go, especially university teams that set up for a couple of years and then disband. There are probably eight established teams in the country and we all meet to play in tournaments. We played a couple of weeks ago in Nottingham and last year we went to Cardiff.”

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Sarah Miller

“I was at University in Cardiff and started riding a unicycle there. I was a juggler beforehand and was learning to juggle five balls, but in Cardiff I learnt how to ride and then joined the unicycle hockey team there.

I live in Surrey so when I finished Uni I looked up various clubs and chose this one.

I can only make it when my job as a paediatric nurse allows for it. I try and make it to the tournaments though.

It’s very competitive – it’s all played in good spirits but during the latter stages of tournaments there is a real will to win! This is a really nice group to play in as we are like a family really.

Unicycle hockey helps with balance and posture but more than anything it is just good fun. When we go out on the unicycles people are always fascinated and want to talk to you about it - it’s a bit like driving around in a classic car!”

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Group Discussion: HUHA “My dad started learning a few years ago, having picked up a unicycle for his birthday, and I wanted to try it too. One of my sisters and my two brothers learned how to do it as well, so we’re a unicycling family. It took me about three hours to learn but I was only nine. My dad took about fifteen hours to be able to ride in a straight line. We found this group and have been coming to play unicycle hockey ever since.

As a family, we used to ride along the sea front, and we’ve also done a bit of off-

road as well. We go from our house in Findon up to Chanctonbury, all off-road.

We’ve done all sorts of trails and street riding and we’ve even ridden in the sea.

You can have a laugh with a unicycle.

When I came here I couldn’t ride from one end of the hall to the other, but I progressed quickly. It’s quite hard work and is especially tough on the upper body as it requires so much balance. But once you’ve been able to do a couple of rotations you’ll find you get hooked and you won’t be able to put the bike down!”

“I picked it up quickly. I followed my brother and dad, and I have three unicycles now. We have to buy the bikes online mostly but there’s a place in Worthing that sells them. My friends really like it when they see me do it and they all want to try it too. When they try it around my house they don’t get very far! I’ve been down here for a few years, playing hockey since I was five or six. I started unicycling when I was four. I go out with my brother Ollie quite a lot as I really like the off-road riding. Unicycle hockey can be quite hard when you play against some of the best teams but I am getting better and I think I’ll continue playing for quite a while yet.”

Ollie Knowlson

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19

ART

‘I couldn’t give any money, couldn’t be a lawyer, so I thought I’d tell

stories with art’

Claire Phillips A portrait painter from Partridge Green Every picture tells a story, goes the old saying.

When it comes to art, the stories in some pictures are very much open to an individual’s metaphoric interpretation.

But that is not the case with the work of Claire Phillips.

Claire uses her talents for art to highlight the plight of people across the world, painting subjects who have extraordinary stories to tell.

To a certain degree, the paintings serve a similar purpose as a book or news article,

telling a human story that would otherwise remain unknown to the world.

The Partridge Green artist has recently started work on a series of about a dozen paintings for an exhibition in the summer of 2013. Her subjects are children working as slaves in India.

Claire said: “I went to India last November with my husband to work with a charity called Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) which rescues children from slave labour conditions.

“We stayed in children’s homes and heard

these stories from children aged just ten or eleven who are working fourteen hour days, being fed only rice and earning no money.

“Their parents are told that they will be given an education and will have a better life. Parents think they are doing the best thing for their children but then they never see or hear from them again.”

Claire is not afraid to tackle the big subjects.

Perhaps her best known series of paintings are the ‘Death Row’ images. Claire went to America and visited people on death row Continued on Page 20

Art: Claire Phillips

Continued from Page 19

who have long-maintained their innocence.

In some cases, there is overwhelming evidence to support their claims and yet they remain in jail.

Claire said: “At the time I was just painting people who I thought were interesting interesting characters or interesting visually.

“I was a supporter of Reprieve, which provides legal representation for people on death row who they feel are innocent or didn’t get a proper trial.

“I painted Clive Stafford-Smith OBE, who is the legal director of Reprieve, and he just really interested me. He is a posh, public schoolboy who could have taken his fantastic brain and made lots of money as a commercial lawyer. But he chose, aged 17, to go to America.

“He thought he’d be a journalist and report on death row, but realised that they really needed lawyers. So he trained as a lawyer in America and dedicated his life to helping these vulnerable, mainly black men with no money, get fair trials and get the justice they deserved.

“One day, Clive brought Ryan Morley over to the UK. He had just been released from prison having been proven innocent with a DNA test. I spoke to his mother who told me how desperate she was, how she had no education, no money and no one would believe that her son was innocent.

“Reprieve came in like angels and saved them. It took five years but they did get him out.

“I spoke to Clive and he told me to use whatever talents I have to raise money and awareness for the cause. I didn’t have any more money to give and I couldn’t be a lawyer so I thought I could tell some stories through my art.”

Images from the death row series are included in an exhibition at Horsham Museum entitled ‘The Revealing World of Claire Phillips: a Retrospective.’

The exhibition includes portraits of Sir Charles Wheeler, the celebrated BBC journalist, and his son-in law Boris Johnson.

Horsham Museum has bought the image of the late Charles Wheeler, who lived in Warnham.

‘I must have had 100 photos but none of them shouted ‘Boris’’

Claire has painted Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London Claire said: “I met Charles at Reprieve, where he was patron. He just had the perfect face to paint, full of character.

“I asked him and he was very happy about it and asked me up to his house. He was going to open one of my exhibitions but died shortly before it opened.

“Boris is again someone with real visual character. I got in touch with him and he said he would sit, and so I went up to the House of Commons. I took lots of photos and

talked to him, trying to get an understanding of who he really is.

“I must have had 100 photos and I kept going through them but none of them shouted ‘Boris’ at me. Then I spotted the one that I used with the shoes with the holes in and the crumpled look and it seemed to encapsulate who he was.

“I was sat talking to him at his desk and he was just fiddling about. He was kicking a football around his office, and he just

21 Claire’s painting of Journalist Charles Wheeler has been purchased by Horsham Museum

swung round and put his feet up on the radiator and I was snapping away.

“The advantage of painting someone really famous is that when you exhibit them, other people know that it looks like that person. If I’m looking for commissions, if they see a portrait of your grandad, they might say they like that style but they don’t know if it really looks like him.”

Claire’s artistic talent came from her father, a part-time amateur artist who encouraged his daughter to paint as a child. After having children, Claire started an evening class in Horsham with local artist John Thompson and developed her skills. John encouraged Claire to go on and join Northbrook College, and Claire graduated with first class honours in fine art painting in 2004.

Claire has an unusual and very thorough style of working.

Not only does she spend a lot of

time researching, interviewing and photographing her subjects, Claire also draws out each image in full in pencil, before committing the image to canvas.

It means that she is normally limited to about 12 paintings a year.

“I get to know the faces, and when it works as a drawing I order the canvas,” said Claire. “I lay the paint on thin and build it up. I use a lot of paint but I will often paint something, decide it doesn’t look right and scrape the whole thing off and start again. You can do that with oil.”

Her portfolio is nearly all portraits, although there is a painting of a horse in the current museum exhibition. But, at least until we see the images of child slaves in India, Claire will be best known for the incredible death row paintings.

The paintings can be viewed on Claire’s website at http://www.clairephillips.com/ Continued on Page 22

22

Art: Claire Phillips

Read more of our Artist features at www.aahorsham.co.uk

Angela Brittain

Lindsay Wright

“There were 12 paintings in the death row series. They weren’t all of people on death row - one was an executioner and the warden is featured too.

He had a compelling story as he had executed someone who he believed was innocent. I saw a BBC documentary called ’Fourteen days in May’ which follows the last two weeks of Edward Earl Johnson. Nearly everyone thought he was innocent, including the warden. Clive (from Reprieve) was the defence lawyer for this young lad and Don Cabana was the governor of the prison. After that he gave up working on death row and went into teaching. It was seeing him on this documentary that made me want to paint Don too.

Derek Golledge

Reprieve put me in touch with three people on death row that I visited in prison. Then there were three lads who had been exonerated and a lady I visited in prison. I built up profiles on the others from research on the internet. I decided to concentrate only on the person, so took everything else out. There wasn’t any need for electric chairs or visions of the hangman’s noose in the background – the focus is solely on the people involved.

The death row experience was all quite traumatic. I came home and I thought ‘how do I tell all of that in a painting?’ But what I’m trying to say is that this is not a weird race of murderers that we cannot relate to – these are ordinary people like you and me.”

Andrew Vince

Hannah Stewart

Claire on ‘death row’

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Claire met Ryan (above) and his mother after he was cleared of murder and released from death row.

They were greatly assisted

by Reprieve, led by British born lawyer Clive StaffordSmith. Clive is also the subject of one of Claire’s ‘death row’ series of paintings (right)

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25

If it ain’t baroque

don’t fix it The story of Horsham Symphony Orchestra

Horsham has a Symphony Orchestra?

A very successful one at that, performing three concerts at the Capitol in Horsham every year. The concerts are often sell-outs.

Only a handful of tickets remain for their performance on 24th March.

So they play Mozart, Beethoven and, you know, the other ones?

They play a variety of classical music, normally playing three pieces of work by different composers. There is normally a healthy mix of pieces that the orchestra have not played before that may develop their abilities, and of course music that the audience will recognise and want to hear.

Such as…

In 2007, the HSO performed Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, which you may know as Der-DerDer-Der, and at the same concert performed Elgar’s Cello Concerto and Sussex Folk Songs

by Vaughan Williams.

How do they choose the music?

There is a democratic process. Rachel Ellis, who shares the role of orchestra leader with Barry Sutton, said: “Steve Dummer (musical director) has some really good ideas on what will be fresh and challenging, but you have to balance it with music that the audience is going to want to come and hear. We have a ballot to decide which pieces of music we are going to perform. Shostakovich, for example, was a very popular choice for the players, but may not be so well known for the audience.”

Is Shostakovich in the next concert?

Yes. We have Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 1, Mahler’s Rückert Lieder and Symphony No. 5 by Shostakovich. Heather Cairncross, mezzo soprano, performs the Mahler.

Is concert time a big deal for the orchestra?

They practise all term just for the one night.

The moment one concert finishes, they pick

three pieces of music and begin rehearsing for the next one. Rachel said: “The concert at the Capitol creates a real buzz. In rehearsals, Steve is very encouraging but also sets very high standards, so every now and again he will have a bit of a rant and we’ll all go away and practice harder.”

So when was the orchestra formed?

It was back in 1971 that Malcolm McKelvey, the Director of Music at Christ's Hospital, co-founded a small orchestra together with local viola player Christopher Herzig and Francis Phillips. A small amateur orchestra began playing concerts twice a year in school halls in aid of Horsham charities. Back then it was called the Horsham Orchestra and its leader was Lionel Rose, who led the orchestra for 20 years. But things changed dramatically in the mid-1980s.

When Falco released Rock Me Amadeus?

No, as much as Falco no doubt shook the classical music world, it was the opening of the Capitol that allowed the orchestra to expand. Its first concert there proved so popular that it was decided to move the concerts permanently to the Arts Centre and to manage the Orchestra on a commercial footing. With a more attractive venue, good players were soon attracted to the orchestra.

When did the orchestra add ‘symphony’ to its name?

When Malcolm retired, Charles Hazlewood took over as Musical Director, and the Orchestra was renamed the Horsham Symphony Orchestra. It was his successor, Paul Hoskins, a Cambridge music graduate, who proposed that the orchestra should

26

give three concerts a year. Paul handed over the baton to Benjamin Pope, who conducted the world premiere of 22 minute piece Symphonic Shelley by Martyn Harry in 1997.

So who’s in charge now?

The orchestra's current Musical Director is Steve Dummer, who is well known for his energy and enthusiasm. Tim Corbett-Clark, chairman of HSO and a violinist, said: “Steve is absolutely magic as a conductor. He is a nice guy, incredibly musical, and he drives us to new levels of performance. The energy shows in rehearsals and concerts, and once

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that happens the ball picks up speed and we attract new people to the orchestra. We used to have to hire about 15 people for a concert but now that figure is down to one and we’re trying to make in none.”

The orchestra is doing quite well at the moment then?

Numbers have increased in the last decade.

Christine Elvin, who plays second violin, has been with the orchestra for about thirty years but says it is now very different to the one she originally joined. “It’s a much bigger group now,” said Christine. “It used to be at

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Christ’s Hospital, and about 20 of us would meet in a small round hut. Steve has brought new players and younger people into the orchestra.”

There are young people in the HSO? There are a healthy number of young musicians in the orchestra, such as talented violinist Katy Ellis, the daughter of orchestra co-leader Rachel. Katy, who attends Tanbridge House School, said: “There are a few young people here – it’s very challenging and pushes you to the limit.”

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Horsham Symphony Orchestra

A teenager into classical music?

It would seem that some have a more refined ear, and of course it does help when your mum teaches you to reach grade 8 on the violin! Katie confesses to not liking much mainstream music, although classical music has had more influence on popular music than it is normally credited with. There’s a YouTube clip of comedian Rob Paravonian making a convincing argument for claiming that pop music is based on Pachelbel's Canon in D Minor.

But is classical music all a little pompous?

It might surprise you to hear that the Musical Director of the HSO agrees with you. Steve said: “The rock and pop industry has done so well at promoting itself. With classical music, there has been a lack of champions to shout about and it’s become old-fashioned.

The cheerleaders encourage it to be elitist. It’s been allowed to become a fashion accessory for ponces! Take Nigel Kennedy, great man, great player, and at last someone who could excite a new generation. Yet still there were people shaking their heads saying ‘oh no, we can’t have this’.

Can classical music really get you excited?

Steve said: “Listening to the London Symphony Orchestra is simply an overwhelming experience. I defy anyone to sit and listen to them perform and then think ‘I’ll go and put my Take That album on now’. When an orchestra has learned the notes and everything is right, and you have that wonderful acoustic sound with 80 people playing in harmony, with the rhythm always shifting, it’s astonishing.”

But that is London, this is Horsham.

Do we have a good orchestra?

Admittedly, classical music is not our

‘Classical music has been allowed to become a fashion accessory for ponces’ specialist subject here at AAH magazine, and therefore Steve’s ‘what do you think this is – Johann Strauss!” joke when the orchestra were a little off time in rehearsals went over our heads. It was a waltz joke, apparently! But the HSO does have a good reputation. Tim said: “This country is very good at producing amateur orchestras, but a lot of them are not very good. We are, and that is reflected by the audiences we keep attracting. The standard is getting better and better and we pretty much sell out our concerts every time.”

And does Steve agree?

He does. Steve said: “The orchestra are really

good and play to a high standard. My job is, in theory, to play as close to what is on the page as possible, and get the details right.

In practice I have to decide if that can be done or not. Pretty much all of the orchestra could play nearly all of the notes in nearly all classical pieces in the right way, given time. Some of the things are technically difficult and you have to make decisions that mean a certain amount of covering up, as we don’t have time. The orchestra is becoming closer to a professional level every time we play, but I have to be careful not to expect too much of them.”

Does Horsham have a full orchestra?

Continued on Page 28...

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Pretty much, although there is no harpist, and Rachel says they can always do with a few more violinists. Astrid Gale, who plays the oboe and is among the orchestra’s longest-serving players, said: “In the old days we often had to hire in people to fill the gaps in the orchestra but that is not so often the case these days. Now we have a bigger orchestra there is a wider spectrum of pieces available to us, so it’s still a challenge for us after all these years. In fact it’s increasingly challenging as we’re trying harder pieces of music.”

The what?

It’s a percussion instrument, also known as kettledrums. Matt Tallamy, who plays the instrument, said: “There are periods when I’m just sitting and listening and hope that I remember my cue! I work in IT, so this is my release. It’s something completely different, and there is also a social element to it as you get to meet new people. We go to the pub afterwards and have a couple of pints.”

The social side is important, is it?

So when I watch the orchestra there are very few hired players?

Absolutely. Steve said: “We’re very close to having a full orchestra. We went to see Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, one of the closest professional orchestras, play the Shostakovich piece recently.

They would have 16 first violinists and probably 14 second violinists. For our upcoming concert we have 10 and 10, so we are close. I think in this next concert we will be hiring in only one extra double bass player.” There is even somebody playing the Timpani…

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As with any club or group, it’s important that everyone gets along and there is a good dynamic in the group. Tim said: “I’ve been with the orchestra for eight or nine years now and it has changed tremendously in that time. It was a bit run down but over the years it’s really picked up. You have got to have a critical number of people that are positive, go down the pub, organise, and over the years this changes the dynamic of the orchestra. We are going on tour for the first time this year as well, to the Isle of Wight, and if that works well Continued on Page 31...

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One month free when booking for six editions AAH focuses on the best of the Horsham District - highlighting our best artists and musicians, our most innovative businesses, our most inspiring individuals and our leading restaurants. We also preview and review the best local events, with dynamic coverage on youth events and considered articles for our older readers.

AAH is admired and enjoyed for its informative content and stunning photography, with unique features ensuring that the magazine isn’t just delivered - it is read too!

AAH is delivered directly to homesin carefully selected neighbours around the district. In Horsham we deliver extensively with new areas introduced every month. We already deliver to North Horsham and Holbrook (Pondtail Road, Bartholomew Way and Dutchells Copse), Comptons Lane and Heron Way areas, Rookwood Park, Tanbridge Park, Earles Meadow, Worthing Road, Shepherds Way, Salisbury Road, Hills Farm Lane and Lambs Farm Road.

AAH is delivered to the large Cedar Drive and Blakes Farm Road areas as part of our Southwater rounds, and we deliver to large parts of Billingshurst, including the Luxford Way development and Silver Lane areas. Villages including Mannings Heath, Partridge Green, Ashington, Cowfold, Slinfold, Warnham, Dial Post and Monks Gate also receive the magazine. Our website is rapidly expanding too - AAH has now been read over 10,000 times at www.aahorsham.co.uk

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pport

Horsham Symphony Orchestra

Continued from Page 28...

it may be that it’s something we do more of in the future.”

Is it hard to get new people in?

This is where H20 comes in…

I’m confused…

H20 is the name of the second tier of the orchestra. They meet on a Tuesday night at Millais, rather than with the HSO on a Wednesday night. Steve said: “There are a few youngsters, some people there who haven’t played for a while, people who have taken it up later in life and a few musicians from the orchestra who are learning a different instrument. The reason for starting the group was so that people who can’t reach the standard of the orchestra have somewhere to play and maintain their passion. It is not quite so intense but is still really good fun. I hope in the future they may be able to perform pre-concert shows for the Symphony Orchestra.”

It’s still all a bit old-fashioned though isn’t it?

Not at all - there are some excellent contemporary classical musicians. Do have a look at YouTube and start with some pieces you may know by film score composers such as John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith. You may find that you’re drawn towards contemporary classical by the likes of Phillip Glass. Then perhaps in time you’ll be ready to watch a concert by Horsham Symphony Orchestra.

I don’t think I’d like it...

Maybe you would. As Matt the timpani player says: “Horsham is not a huge place and a lot of people would be very surprised by the size of the orchestra and I think they would be impressed by the standard.”

Tickets to the next concert at the Capitol on 24th March cost £14 (Concessions (over 60) £ 12, Under 18’s £5) from the box office on 01403 750220. For more information on Horsham Symphony Orchestra visit www.horshamsymphony.org.uk

31

For stunning wedding photos visit www.tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk

‘I thought that was it, my

time has come’ Shirley Rae, 63: An Organ Donor Campaigner from Horsham I was 24 when I first went on to dialysis due to renal or kidney failure.

I don’t have much of a memory anymore! My memory has gone with all of the operations. My husband, Jim, remembers all the details these days.

I went to the GP as my legs and my ankles were really badly swollen. I had a daughter, Dawn, who was four years old at that time and the GP put it down to tiredness. I carried on with life -walking my daughter to school but I would get terribly out of breath.

Then one day the GP knocked on the door and said, ‘I’m terribly sorry, an amblance is coming for you straight away.’ I went to hospital and they put a shunt in my leg so they could keep me alive.

I went on to dialysis in 1972, and I had my first kidney transplant in 1974, when I was 26. As a 26year-old with a young daughter, it was terrible, and very hard for me to take.

It was my mum that donated the kidney. The transplant only lasted for two and a half years. I was on dialysis for two years, and was working as well as running the house and being a mother. I was so ill that it got to the point where my mum offered to donate one of hers.

That all went ahead and it was absolutely wonderful. But it only lasted two and a half years. I suffered from a one in a million occurence that stopped the kidney from working properly.

I went back on to dialysis for ten years. I had the machine at home and I would dialise myself for eight hours every day. Then I would get up, take the dog for a walk and go to work.

I was a canine beautician. I always wanted to be able to work with dogs, and I pestered a vet and got the chance to do it. All dogs have their different style. You trim a Yorkshire Terrier one way and a Poodle another.

My daughter helped me with dialysis from when she was five. She used to come home from school, help me set up and then have a friend over to play. When you look back at it now, it sounds terrible, but it was just our way of living, and it worked.

Dawn lives in Melbourne now and has two children.

Shirley at her home in Horsham (Image by Toby Phillips Photography)

33

I was told years ago that sometimes these conditions can skip a generation, but so far the grandchildren are fine and I hope it stays that way.

The illness cost me my marriage. I got divorced from my first husband as he couldn’t cope with the dialysis. Then I met Jim - he lived next door. He would help me with the dialysis and cook meals for me.

Your kidneys decide what you can eat and drink. I can’t drink tea, or eat chocolate. If I was to have a biscuit or a muffin it would have to be just before I go on to dialysis, so it can get quickly washed away. Socialising is difficult too!

I had my second transplant in in 1986. There were two of us using a kidney from the same donor, but sadly the kidney didn’t take for the other lady and she died. Mine lasted for 17 years. I wish I could have written to the family of the donor to say thankyou for the life it gave me.

of life. We made the most of it! Transplants are wonderful as you get your life back.

But none of them last forever - it’s never part of you. In June 2004 I was back on dialysis and back on the transplant list.

I’ve been back on dialysis for eight years.

The doctors can’t tell you where you are on the list, so the wait is a nightmare. There’s no numerical pecking order. You might have only been on the list for a week, but if you’ve got a match you’ll get the organ.

That’s why we campaign for donors.

My mum, Betty Foxwell, helped launch the KPA (Kidney Patients Association) 40 years ago. She was given an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List this year. She’s 90 in November and she still goes out collecting money! She was worried that she couldn’t curtsey, so we practised!

I made the most of that second chance.

I still go out collecting money for the KPA. Most people do not want to talk about becoming a donor - they would rather put a pound in the bucket.

Jim and I went to 28 states across America.

We did it wrong to start off with - we went to Florida in August! I love America - every state is different. I love the people, I love the food. We’d cluster three or four states on each visit and we’d go on road trips.

You have to say you want to be a donor these days, and then they send you a donor card. Ideally, I’d like an opt out scheme, so we’re all on the donor register and if you don’t want to be on it, then you call up and say so.

After ten years on dialysis, the second transplant was like being given a new life and the American adventures gave us many happy memories. We weren’t two hairy bikers, but our holidays were basically food road trips. We went everywhere and tried everything! Jim’s favourite state is Georgia - that’s why we named our cat after it. I love the South West of Florida.

If you could pass on organs when you die, you’re giving others a chance to live. We’re having bodies being buried and cremated every day when there are people of all ages who wake up every day wishing for a donor.

That was the payback from the donors point of view. It’s not just life - it’s freedom

I’m fighting fit now - I’m always fighting and that’s why i’m still here.

I had open heart surgery last year and that was terrible! I thought ‘that’s it - my time has come’ but the surgeons did an incredible job.

Clockwise from top left: Shirley with mum Betty at a fundraiser for Dulwich KPA in 1983, with husband Jim Rae (now a Horsham councillor) in 1984, on a trip to Lake Horace in New England, at Buckingham Palace with Betty collecting an MBE, and the dialysis machine at Shirley’s Horsham home.

If you’d like to share the story of your life so far, please call Ben at AAH on 01403 878026

Kingdom Faith Church is becoming increasingly involved in the community. But what’s it all about?

Soula In November 1987, Christian rock band Heartbeat appeared on Top of the Pops having reached number 32 in the charts.

Their single ‘Tears from Heaven’ was two places higher in the chart than Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’.

Playing on drums for Heartbeat that day was Clive Urquhart, the son of Colin Urquhart, an Anglican vicar who has written

many books on religion.

Clive is now a senior pastor at Kingdom Faith, a church founded by his father in the late 1970s.

Kingdom Faith has been growing steadily over the years, but in recent years its impact and influence on Horsham has been more evident. Sunday morning services at its centre in Foundry Lane attract in the region

of 500 people, whilst several thousand have attended the Church’s free fun days at its headquarters in Roffey Place.

But still, for many outside the church, Kingdom Faith is looked upon with a certain degree of suspicion.

Is it a ‘happy clappy’ church? Is Kingdom Faith a cult? We spoke to those at the heart of the church to get some answers...

ar Power Kingdom Faith is not your average church We walk into Kingdom Faith Church in Foundry Lane on a Sunday morning, to find Clive Urquhart, unshaven but looking casually smart in jeans and a shirt, stood with a microphone in the centre of a stage some 20 metres wide.

Behind him, there are no choirboys in white

cassocks, no stained glass windows, no statue of Jesus on the Cross, and no chalk board displaying the numbers of the day’s hymns.

Instead, there is a large screen with a swirling display of psychedelic colours, and a live band featuring three guitarists, bassist, drummer, keyboardist and nine singers.

Together, they form the Worship Team at

Kingdom Faith.

There’s no time for any slow-starters to wake up – the band play a lengthy song called ‘No Greater Love’ as the worshippers stand, many singing along with the band and most with their hands in the air.

It doesn’t look much like a church Continued on Page 36...

Focus on Kingdom Faith The Worship team during a Sunday Service

Continued from Page 35...

Pete Norman and Fraser Newman both play in the Kingdom Faith band

Other than the Kingdom Faith sign, you wouldn’t guess that the Foundry Lane site was a place of worship.

If you visit in the week, you’ll find a burger van sat outside, serving workers at the industrial units located near the church. But anyone working at these nearby businesses on a Sunday knows that they need to get to work early if they want a car park space!

Compared to its unremarkable exterior, the inside of the church is immaculate, and the running and upkeep requires no small amount of effort.

At the back of the main worship room is a substantial sound and visual display unit to support all that is seen and heard on the main stage.

In the next room four people operate a very good coffee shop in an area called The Hub. Meanwhile, back on the main stage, church member Phil Pooley has taken over the microphone to talk about forthcoming events, including a Faith Camp and a Girls Connect evening.

Corresponding advertisements effortlessly appear on screens situated on either side of the stage.

Phil then tells the congregation that the band has recorded an eight-track CD called Studio Tracks that can be downloaded on iTunes.

Many churches may be struggling to get by on the donations collected by a little old lady with a basket, but it would seem that Kingdom Faith doesn’t give their bank manager too many sleepless nights.

The money comes from the congregation Sat on a leather sofa located under a huge flat screen TV mounted on the wall, drinking a cappuccino made at the church coffee shop which is so spacious it can encompass a £35,000 children’s play centre, you can assume Kingdom Faith is doing okay for money.

People donate 10% of their income in ‘tithes’ and that pays for the upkeep of the church as well as the many clubs and events that

37 Kingdom Faith runs.

Clive said: “If we can do something which is for the benefit of people then people don’t mind giving money to that. If people see a vision, cause or reason for it, if they understand the ‘why’ then they don’t mind the ‘what’ including the finances as there is a purpose.

“We run a course called ‘Jump in’ which is all about what it is to become a Christian, what we believe, how the church is organised and what goes on.

“It’s around that point that someone gives their life to being a Christian, and because they’ve done that they want to be part of what’s going on.

There’s no membership badge, as such “We don’t have formal ‘membership’ or subscriptions,” said Clive.

“Every week we have an offering like every church does and there are two parts to that. The first is called tithes and the other is offerings.

“In the Bible it talks about tithes being the first 10th of what you earn, and offerings are anything else you want to give on top of that. But basically the money that comes in goes towards everything we do.

“We run the Bible College and run a big event in the summer called Faith Camp with about 5,000 people coming to that.

“We have about 40-50 churches across the UK related to Kingdom Faith, some of which we’ve started, others that have connected as they have the same vision and heart as we do, so we help other churches develop their ideas, and there are some others in Europe.

“So the nature of what we do is perhaps bigger than just a local church. The income we receive covers the running of the church and projects like the college and camp.”

Above: Chad Marriott co-writes the songs with Pete Norman

Continued on Page 38...

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38

Kingdom Faith

The congregation are encouraged to express themselves whilst the band perform on the stage.

But Kingdom Faith had humble beginnings...

Colin Urquhart laid the foundations of what has become Kingdom Faith in the late 1970s, when he moved from being an Anglican vicar to speaking all over the world with the Charismatic Renewal Movement.

The Bethany Fellowship formed as a community to support Colin and his family, based in The Hyde, a private estate in Handcross.

Within a few years the Fellowship had grown and

changed its name to Kingdom Faith and bought Roffey Place in 1983.

The Kingdom Faith College opened a year later. In 1992 Kingdom Faith Church began at Roffey Place but it soon outgrew the premises and moved to Foundry Lane.

Colin is still ever-present at the church, even if it is his son who is now the face, as it were, of Kingdom Faith. Clive and his wife Jane - who have three children together and live in Horsham - started running the youth clubs at the church, before becoming senior pastors.

People think Kingdom Faith is a cult The word ‘cult’ refers to a new religious movement whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal. The beliefs of Kingdom Faith do not stray from what is written in the Bible, and the text is

interpreted in much the same way as it is in Christian churches around the world.

But it’s true that in most churches people do not show their love of God in quite the way they do at Kingdom Faith.

Clive says: “I don’t think it matters if you go to a traditional church or one that is more like Kingdom Faith. It is all foreign to someone who isn’t used to going to church.

“Part of what we do is breaking down people’s misconceptions.

We’ve had people say that they never thought a church would have a play centre, or a mum and toddler group, or understand about parenting and life issues.

“A church is made up of everyday people from all walks of life. I think there is this thought amongst some people that if you’re a Christian you don’t understand life - you just Continued on Page 40...

Pastor Clive Urquhart’s informal interpretation of ‘the word’ is enjoyed by many

Watch videos with our Music features at www.aahorsham.co.uk

hAND

Paul Messis

Alice Ella

Stuart James Band

Dyscarnate

Tied to the Mast

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The new range includes rollators and walkers from acclaimed Norwegian company Topro. The Topro walker (£175 plus VAT) is an elegant and practical lightweight rollator. It is easy to fold, requiring little space when stored.

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All of this comes with a price of only £374 plus VAT. Paul Andrews of Nursing Hygiene said: “This is the perfect place to come as there is no problem with parking and you can browse and try out all of the products.

“There is no need to look through catalogues, you can get a feel for scooters, chairs or walkers right here as there is so much space. We can provide all of the support you need too. “

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Hundreds of children attended the half term holiday club Continued from Page 38...

need a crutch to lean on and can’t handle it yourself.

“A lot of people in the church here are professionals and entrepreneurs. We’re normal people that deal with life and have to work through it, but maybe have a different way of looking at it.”

The church is one of several in Horsham with a contemporary outlook.

King’s Church, which meets at Tanbridge House School, is another Horsham-based church with a large congregation. It too focuses on families and actively engages with the community.

These modern churches owe little to tradition. For example, Clive Urquhart begins his Sunday morning service by inviting the several hundred people present to stand up and applaud Jesus.

He leads the church in a sort of informal prayer, thanking God for an “awesome time” this morning before talking about the church and how they are “spiritually growing together”.

He said: “We’re a friend to the world – we don’t want to be ‘Soapbox Christians’. We don’t want to tell everyone that they’re wrong and we’re right. We’re not coming with that attitude.

“We want people to see how good God is – we do that practically by the way we serve and love people, but also by sharing the gospel. We come in with a heart to be a friend to the world.”

He also prays for the children of Kingdom Faith.

Many of the children, however, are not there.

Whilst the parents are singing God’s praises

at the church in Foundry Lane, the children are whisked away on a coach to Kingdom Faith’s other centre at Roffey Place.

Children under six are looked after in a crèche at the church, but those in Years 3-9 at school go to Roffey Place to learn about life and about God. Parents are told that, on this given Sunday, the children at the other centre are being encouraged to ‘be bold, be strong’ and to ‘not be distracted from their faith and to stand firm’.

Children are at the heart of much of what Kingdom Faith do.

The church is attracting young families and is increasingly opening its doors to the community beyond those who attend church services.

Whilst it is inevitably the decision of the

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41

Focus on Kingdom Faith

“Teenagers ask a lot of questions, and there’s no point fighting it.” parent to take their children along to the church, from a child’s perspective, a visit to Kingdom Faith is certainly not without its perks!

We made a separate visit over half term week We found Kingdom Faith transformed into one of the best children’s clubs you are likely to find anywhere.

It cost just £1 to get in and people with no affiliation to the church were welcome.

Hundreds of parents have realised that it’s an option well worth taking up.

As well as the activity centre for the little ones, entertainment included a Fussball table, Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 2 games, circus activities, temporary tattoos, giant Jenga and Connect Four, arts and crafts including face painting, children making Viking hats and little dogs out of pipe cleaners, Little Tykes building blocks, Swing Ball, Hula Hoops, a Space Hopper, Table Tennis, and tables full of Lego and Magnetix.

Meanwhile, the mums mingled in The Hub,

Dave Hellyer with his son Sammy

happy to let their children wear themselves out!

Regular clubs run by Kingdom Faith include the Little Builders club which meets twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday, where youngsters can indulge in arts and crafts, as well as singing and story time.

The Friday Nite Club is an after-school activity adventure for children aged up to 11, whilst GRIT sessions are held for

teenagers every Sunday evening.

But they don’t all sign up to God. It’s fair to say that if you are taken to the church’s clubs as a young person, then there’s a strong possibility that you will become a member of the congregation.

Dave Hellyer was taken along to Kingdom Faith when he was young by his parents, Continued on Page 42...

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42

Continued from Page 41...

and recalls there were only a couple of other children for him to play with. Now he says, children can make as many friends as they wish.

But Dave says that religion is not forced on young people at the church and that they are encouraged to ask questions about God. Dave runs the GRIT sessions on a Sunday, and has a lot of experience in talking to teenagers. He said: “At GRIT we get to know each other, learn more about God and what the Bible says and ask if we should trust it.

“It’s about asking questions – it’s not people telling

Focus on Kingdom Faith

you this is what you should do.

“Teenagers ask a lot of questions, and there’s no point fighting it. We do get youngsters that think that’s not the way for them. It has to be their choice – you can’t make it for them and they will resent you if you try to.”

Whilst God may not be forced upon the young people at Kingdom Faith, there’s certainly plenty of opportunity to hear what he has to say!

One of these opportunities is the Bible College As well as the various weekly clubs, Kingdom Faith runs a Bible College at Roffey Place for students aged from 18.

Some students are being trained for a

specific ministry whilst others may have spent a gap year at the college before going to university.

One recent attendee is Phil Fawcett, a 27-year-old from Horsham who said he was “saved” 18 months ago.

Phil said: “I was brought into the church and was baptised in February 2011. Some of the students were doing a charity car wash near where I lived. I went along and was pleasantly surprised by how helpful they were.

“I was invited along to the youth group and that’s how God came into my life.

Six months later I came along to the Sunday service for the first time.

“Something was missing from my life.

In about six months I went to seven different funerals and I wondered what Continued on Page 44...

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double-glazing cowboys Mark Antony Windows has been recognised by the Double Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme (DGCOS).

The DGCOS is supported by TV’s consumer champion Nick Ross, who said: “The double glazing industry doesn’t exactly have the best reputation in the world. We’ve all heard stories about aggressive sales tactics, poor standard of workmanship, problems never being rectified, and installers going out of business, leaving worthless guarantees.

“The DGCOS is trying to clean up the industry.

There are a lot of trade bodies in the double glazing industry but however impressive they sound most offer little protection to consumers. We’re trying to change that and get real consumer protections.

“If you're thinking of buying doubleglazing or a conservatory I strongly recommend you use a DGCOS member.”

Mark Antony Windows has previously met the high standards required to become a Checkatrade supported business, and is also backed by FENSA - the leading body providing homeowner protection in the double glazing industry.

Now Mark Antony Windows can add a third accreditation to offer peace of mind to all customers. DGCOS is the Ombudsman Scheme for the double glazing industry. This ensures every consumer Now as a DGCOS Accredited Installer, Mark Antony Windows offers Deposit Protection, 3 - 10 Year Guarantee and Ombudsman Protection.

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‘When I read about the government’s idea of Big Society, I thought ‘that’s the church!’

Focus on Kingdom Faith Clive Urquhart is senior pastor at Kingdom Faith Church

45 Continued from Page 42...

was going to happen next. When I was saved a weight was lifted off my mind. I don’t know what is going to happen now but I’ll be able to cope with it with God’s help.

“I used to be part of The Salvation Army Sunday School but God never really clicked for me there.

Coming here, I felt the energy and the life.

There is a misunderstanding about this place. People think it’s happy clappy whatever the circumstances.

I think they think we’re nuts, but it is just ordinary people living ordinary lives but in an extraordinary way.”

Kingdom Faith is also attracting new people to the area Susan Amaritei moved to Horsham from Croydon having visited the Church with her children. She said: “We came to visit and the kids loved it. It was young, it was relevant, and we felt we had to come here. The teaching is really good - the word of God is put in a

way that is clear and even fun.

“Traditional churches have their place but it doesn’t suit me. I like being free - you’re not frowned upon if you let yourself go. I feel free to worship and enjoy it.”

Susan sings in the band – or the ‘Worship Team’ - which lead the congregation.

The King and Queen lead the Worship Team During the Sunday service we attended, there was a fifteen minute period when the Worship Team performed, before Clive addressed the congregation.

There was more singing/rockbased prayer at the end of the service, with members of the church encouraged to express themselves however they see fit.

The songs that are performed are written by Chad Marriott and Pete Norman, who also perform locally as Mad Chariots.

Chad said: “I’m Freddie Mercury and Pete is Elvis, so we’re the King and Queen. We can go out and do Continued on Page 46...

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46

Focus on Kingdom Faith Phil Pooley

‘The church hasn’t played the part it should do because of the way Christianity is being expressed.’

Continued from Page 45...

that on a Saturday and come here on a Sunday morning.”

Pete was a student of Kingdom Faith in 1998, before joining the Worship Team. He said: “You do feel the mood when you play. There’s no playlist - you are sensing what the spirit is doing and expressing that.

“You get feedback from the congregation – it’s like a journey and we write songs for different parts of that journey. The songs are tools to encounter God – they just help out.

“There was always a strong dynamic of worship, and that comes from the top down. Pastor Colin is a worshipper, Clive is a worshipper and they give it 100% every week, and it filters down. Our job is to go up there and help inspire something within everyone.”

Another tool that Kingdom Faith is using is the Internet.

On the Kingdom Faith website, there’s a very nicely put together video of Clive discussing God, religion and its place in modern society.

Clive talks about “turning the tide of a Godless Society” and says that the church is making great strides in the community.

Clive said: “The video makes a statement about things going on in society ultimately because people don’t know God. Maybe it’s because the church hasn’t played the part it should do because of the way Christianity is being expressed.

Continued on Page 48...

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Continued from Page 46...

“Most people’s perception of church is a service on a Sunday and that becomes irrelevant in people’s everyday life.

“There are all kinds of issues going on in society and the church has got a role to play in helping people find another way in life.

“In recent times youth culture has changed. The culture of music, fashion and fame has accelerated.

The message of Christianity doesn’t change but you’ve got to communicate it in a way that is relevant for each generation, and that’s where I think the Church has not been good.

49

Focus on Kingdom Faith

“I think society has moved on but the way we’ve tried to communicate God’s will has not.

That is what is happening now.

“There are churches like this one all over the country, meeting in warehouses or converted factories because they’re much more concerned about working with the community and bringing something positive in, than just getting people to church on Sunday for a service.”

There are big plans for the future Clive said the aim for the past five years has been “turning the church inside out”.

Instead of the church existing primarily for the people who are already part of it, Kingdom Faith is now opening up to a lot of people who aren’t in the church and becoming more a part of the community as a whole, forming partnerships with various organisations in the district.

Clive did request that we keep some of the ideas discussed out of the magazine, as that’s all they are at this point in time – ideas.

But briefly, Clive hopes that one day in the not too-distant future, Kingdom Faith can utilise the skills of members of the church to offer extended community facilities at a much larger centre than what they currently have.

He said: “When I read about the government’s idea of Big Society, I thought ‘that’s the church!’

“But it’s what the church is supposed to be doing, not necessarily what it is doing.

“Unless God is at the heart of the community it’s going to go pearshaped.”

For more information on the church and its clubs visit www.kingdomfaith.com

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51

KEEPING IT

IN THE FAMILY Review: The Crabtree in Lower Beeding Having sold his vegetarian restaurant in Brighton, Simon Hope was looking for one last challenge.

It needed to be something special, for it was an experience that he wanted to share with his son Hamish and daughter Daisy.

Then one day, he drove past The Crabtree pub in Lower Beeding, saw the ‘To Let’ sign and thought ‘that’s the one!’

It’s only been six months since The Crabtree re-opened, but the pub has quickly built a good reputation. Simon is one of four partners in the business. He is joined by his son Hamish Adamson-Hope, his daughter Daisy Gilham Hills and her husband John. So far at least, the family formula appears to be working a treat.

Hamish said: “My dad ran Food for Friends in Brighton for 26 years. After he sold that, he was always looking to have one last venture.

“Daisy and I have grown up in the catering industry. We both worked at Food for Friends and after University I managed Due South restaurant on Brighton sea front.

Daisy was running a pub and my dad had an outside catering business.

“It was always our dream to run a restaurant or pub as a family and it was something we often talked about. When my dad saw this place he said ‘let’s have a look at the place and see if we can do something with it.’

“When we saw this place we fell in love with it. We looked at a couple of other places but The Crabtree really stood out. It had so much potential, but it was a big risk as the pub had been empty for two years.”

The Brewery, Hall and Woodhouse, invested heavily in renovating the pub. The roof was repaired, the chimney was rebuilt and there was a careful restoration of the oldest part of the Grade II Listed building, dating back to the 16th century. Many of the original oak beams have been retained.

There was further investment in the kitchen, which is led by head chef Mark Kinzel. Mark

was well-known to Hamish and Simon having been head chef at Sam’s of Sevendials. Daisy has had to step back for a while having given birth, but her husband John, who was a carpenter, has adapted well to his new occupation and runs the bar.

Hamish said: “We’ve kept the whole of the

left hand side of the building as a pub. We want people to come here if they just want to have a coffee or a pint, as well as coming here for a three course meal.

“We don’t want people to walk in just wanting a pint to feel like they’ve stepped into a restaurant – which is why we try to maintain a pub feel and offer a bar menu.”

Review: The Crabtree

Despite this, The Crabtree is now primarily food-focused.

The food on the menu is mostly traditional English dishes. It is a small menu, with only six options – two of which are vegetarian. But it’s all fresh and the menu is altered every few days.

As with other leading pubs in the area, the meat is bought from S.K

&-&#3"5*/(

Hutching’s butchers in Partridge Green, and fresh seafood comes in on a daily basis from Brighton and Newhaven Fish Sales.

In the summer, The Crabtree hopes to utilise its large garden by introducing a barbeque too, which should take a little pressure off the kitchen.

However, it is its vegetarian

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options that ensure the Crabtree stands out from its competitors.

Hamish said: “There is a strong focus on vegetarian food and we are constantly changing the options, which all stems from my dad’s experience of running a vegetarian restaurant. We normally offer three vegetarian starters and two mains and many people say it is the best vegetarian food they have ever had.”

Toby and I, however, were in a carnivorous mood. At the recommendation of our young but friendly waitress, I chose the south coast scallops with red pepper puree and vanilla beurre blanc (£8). It was immaculately presented and the fresh, tender, lightly cooked scallops were superb with a

dash of sauce. The only pity is that three scallops don’t take long to devour.

Toby was lured in by the braised wild rabbit pappardelle and Sussex Parmesan (£6.50). The dish was well balanced, with the rabbit not too tough or chewy at all, having been braised slowly, and was not overwhelmed by mountains of pappardelle pasta.

For main course, I chose the rump of Sussex lamb with potato gratin, parsnip puree and roasted carrots (£15.50).

Other options included the braised shin of Sussex beef (£13.50), goat’s cheese and basil ravioli (£11), root vegetable and smoked applewood Wellington (£11) and fillet of bream (£14).

The lamb dish was faultless – lovely, creamy, square cut

‘People say it is the best vegetarian food they’ve ever had’

53

‘I’ve been to pubs where you have to drink rubbish wine’ potato with a crispy golden-brown topping and fresh, succulent slices of local lamb.

There was a touch of Déjà vu as Toby once again claimed to be ‘taking one for the team’ as he ordered the steak!

On this occasion it was the Sussex sirloin steak with fondant potato, vine tomato, Portobello mushroom, red wine sauce and Crabtree butter. Again, it was beautifully presented and excellently cooked, with a decicious sauce full of flavour.

Seeing as the Crabtree has a pastry specialist,

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tempting for wine lovers, who may find The Crabtree particularly appealing.

As a family of wine lovers, the team at the Crabtree have put together an impressive wine list, which includes English sparkling wine from a Ditchling vineyard and several South American wines. The bulk of the wines though come from France.

Hamish said: “The whole family are wine lovers. We’ve always had a house down in France, so have grown up enjoying wine with our food and talking about wine.

it didn’t seem right to leave without trying something from the desserts menu. Amy Norman prepares fresh puddings daily, even making her own sorbets and ice creams at the pub, and they all look delicious. I decided to go for three British cheeses from the cheese board.

I was presented with seven English cheeses (including Sussex cheddar) of which I could choose three for £7.50. They are served with bread and crackers.

The cheese option may be particularly

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Read all of our meal reviews online at www.aahorsham.co.uk

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‘The pub had potential, but it was a big risk having been empty for two years.’

“We always intended to have an extensive wine list. Most of it is European, with a strong emphasis on France as they are the wines that we love and are most passionate about. We use (Londonbased wine supplier) Enotria as they are really enthusiastic about wine.

“I’ve been to a lot of pubs where you just end up having to drink rubbish wine and I don’t see the logic to it really. There are a lot of people who appreciate a good wine and we get some great comments

from people about the wines we offer.

“We change the wine menu with each season too. At the moment rosé is not in season but that will come in soon. We’re trying to train the staff up so they can all make recommendations about which wines to serve with each dish.”

Even to those uneducated in the world of wine though, The Crabtree is a great place to eat.

The Garden Specialists

Even on a Thursday night, when we visited, the pub was busy.

That can only be down to good food and the friendly, family-feel of the pub. We enjoyed every aspect of The Crabtree and having missed out on the lemon tart with blood orange sorbet, we will be returning in the not too distant future.

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55

Review: The Crabtree On the Menu Hamish Adamson hope, partner at The Crabtree, makes some recommendations...

Starters

Main Course

Dessert

Drinks

‘The Carlingford Loch oysters with shallot vinegar (£9 for half a dozen) are lovely. I think the scallops and the rabbit are great too. Rabbit is very difficult to prepare. It can be really tough, but if you braise it slowly it can be tender and tastes good when you flake it through with the pasta. We change our menu around every few days, but there are usually two or three excellent vegetarian options too.’

‘The rump of lamb is excellent, and we’ve also had really good feedback on the fillet of bream, which we serve with cauliflower puree, buttered kale, cauliflower beignet and curried cream (£14). We have some good seafood dishes and are forever changing the options as our regular customers like to try different things.’

‘All of our puddings are home-made. Amy, the pastry chef, makes fresh pastries all the time. The glazed lemon tart with blood orange sorbet and lemon sauce (£6) is popular at the moment. The sorbet is all made here at the pub. Also, the sticky toffee pudding goes down well with our lunchtime diners. We offer two courses for £14 and three for £17 for lunch and that is going great.’

“We always intended to have an extensive wine list. Most of it is European, with a strong emphasis on France as they are the wines that we love and are most passionate about. We use (London-based wine supplier) Enotria as they are really enthusiastic about wine.”

Shaws has been part of the business landscape in West Sussex for over 15 years and is now firmly established as the region’s independent choice for all things glass.

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If it’s good enough for

Jenson Button...

Horsham Hearing Centre at the heart of HD revolution

Television and cinema have been transformed in recent years thanks to the continuing development of High Definition sound.

Now, thanks to huge advancements in technology, hearing aids are also available with high definition sound quality.

In addition to vastly superior clarity of sound, hearing aids have become smaller, more comfortable and now come in a variety of attractive designs and colours.

These new HD hearing aids are now exclusively available at The Horsham Hearing Centre on Worthing Road.

Jonathan Ormerod, owner of Hearcentres Ltd, said: “We supply a range of hearing aids, including the unique Sebo HD, a cutting edge hearing aid that offers superior sound quality.

“This is state of the art hearing technology and we are the only company that supplies these products.

“There is nothing else on the market like high definition, the very wide frequency response picks up a far greater range of sounds. It is very comfortable and people wouldn’t even notice you are wearing anything. That is very important for people who are hard of hearing as it gives them added confidence.

“The extra wide range of sounds in the HD hearing instrument means that you are more likely to hear important speech cues.

“If you talk to somebody who has a hearing problem, they often miss the start of what you say, such as the first part of words that are spoken or the start of a sentence. With the HD hearing aids the vastly improved sound quality means you do not miss those cues.

“Many of our customers appreciate that extra range. It’s not any more expensive than other hearing aids, it’s just where the

technology is at now, and like television it is improving all the time.

“Most importantly, we supply the Sebo HD hearing aid exclusively at our hearing centres. We also carry a massive stock of spares and accessories. We have a huge range of tiny, high definition speakers and tiny ear tips too, so if anything goes wrong we can quickly supply the hearing centres with equipment and repair it quickly.

Jonathan Ormerod has returned to Horsham Hearing Centre in Worthing Road

“We can also deal with repairs and not just on the HD instruments, but any kind of hearing aid you may have.”

Jonathan’s hearing centres are able to do that because they have a sister company.

Hearing Electronics Ltd at Blatchford Road in Horsham is one of the leading companies in manufacturing specialist communication earpieces.

This part of the company supplies most of the major broadcasters in the country including the BBC, ITV and Sky. At its offices there are moulds of the ears of hundreds of TV presenters.

They also supply earpieces for the McLaren Formula One team, including Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, as well as several of the team’s former drivers who now race for other teams.

They even have a set of earpieces destroyed by Lewis Hamilton after he crashed out of qualifying at the Monaco Grand Prix!

Jonathan said: “This is a business in its own right but it supports our hearing centres.”

Jonathan recently returned to The Horsham Hearing Centre, having sold it in 2009. It is now a branch of Hearcentres Limited, Jonathan’s new company, comprised of seven established hearing centres (including Horsham) around the country.

Coming from a family of audiologists and having lived in the town for 20 years, Jonathan is now eager to help local residents benefit from better hearing.

The offices at the Horsham Hearing Centre in Worthing Road have been refurbished, making them much more welcoming, and Jonathan says that they are now offering the only ‘complete hearing care service’ in the town.

He said: “ We have three Hearing Aid Audiologists based at the Horsham practice with a combined total of over sixty years experience between them.

“As with all seven of our centres, we provide a professional, local service, and offer a full range of hearing care. All of our centres offer an ear irrigation service, basically wax removal. There are only 20 dispensers in the country qualified to do this job and we have five of them.

“Normally you have to go through your GP, but we can actually do it in our centres.

“So anyone who feels they may have a hearing loss should come in and see us.

We offer a complimentary initial consultation, our customer service is second-to-none and the results can be life changing.”

Horsham Hearing Centre is located opposite Horsham Library at 22 Worthing Road, Horsham, RH12 1SL, or call 01403 218700.

‘We supply the Sebo HD hearing aid exclusively’ Hear Clearly in High Definition Call us to arrange a free demonstration

01403 218700 Horsham@hearcentres.com

Read AAH online at www.aahorsham.co.uk

59

Kicking up Dirt How Horsham Riders are attracting people aged ten to seventy to join their friendly, low-cost club

In a scenic and peaceful area of St Leonard’s Wood near Mannings Heath, riders negotiate a number of obstacles along a track that takes bikes through trees, down ditches, up muddy slopes, through boggy marshes and even along the banks of Hammer Pond.

Showing that few sports are as universally appealing as Trials riding, children aged ten years old tackle the course alongside riders in their seventies, as well as some of the

South East’s leading trials bike competitors.

There are 44 riders gathered for the meeting, organised by Horsham Riders, which in membership terms is the biggest Trials club in the area. They ride specialist but affordable bikes built by the likes of Beta from Italy and Honda Montesa.

Trials bike riding has little emphasis on speed; the tracks are designed to promote bike control with riders often needing to

hop a bike around on the spot to get in position for the next obstacle. There is no stop watch running, with the best rider being the one that puts a foot down the fewest number of times taking the spoils.

Riders are instead faced with a sea of flags, coloured red, yellow, blue and white.

Each competitor follows a short route (with the red section being for novices, the white for the experts, and the yellow and blue

60

Horsham Riders

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courses for those somewhere in between). The course is made up of a series of short sections and between each the riders are able to take a break and walk each section.

There are no observers counting the penalties for each rider, as the sport is very much built on trust and honesty. As club chairman Ian McCulloch says: “There would be an observer at the big, competitive events, but if you cheat here you are only cheating yourself.”

Horsham Riders is a relatively new club, set up about 16 years ago due to the introduction of safety measures. The Horsham Motorcycle Club, founded long before, was affiliated with the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU) which governs motorcycle sport throughout Britain. But when the ACU made it compulsory for riders to wear helmets, many

riders were unhappy.

Dick Husband is now 84 and carries out administration duties for the club, taking entry fees from an old caravan these days.

But he was riding at the club until he was 76. Dick well recalls the safety ruling that brought about the start of the Riders.

“Years ago when I was riding, and I started in 1948, nobody ever wore a crash helmet. So some of the older riders didn’t like being told they had to wear one, so formed a new club under the Amateur Motor Cycle Association (AMCA).

“Originally we were members of Horsham Motorcycle Club which was an ACU Club. That club is still going, but Horsham Riders is the bigger club. We have 44 riders here today and we often have over 50.”

In total, there are about 100 members of Horsham Riders, of

which two thirds ride with the others made up of former riders and social members such as Dick. The club meets on the first Sunday of every month at various woodland sites. The regular club courses are at Mannings Heath, Rome Woods near Capel, Northlands Woods near Rusper and Walliswood in Surrey.

There’s a site organiser who puts in the section start and finish points on the course.

There are 12 teams (each with four to six riders) and once a year each team will place the flags in and clear the track and so once a year each member does their bit.

The Riders hold a club meeting on the first Sunday of each month and on the second

Sunday there is what’s known as a group trial.

The Riders host their event in May, and this involves the club welcoming riders from other AMCA clubs. In turn some of the Horsham Riders go along and ride group trials held by other clubs.

Whilst there is a competitive element to Trial riding, with some local riders such as Clint Leggett travelling across the south to compete in major events, there is less emphasis placed on winning and therefore there’s a friendly feeling amongst the riders.

This doesn’t only just benefit the older riders who have little desire for trophies and success – there are younger riders who do not enjoy the more intense competition of

other motorcycle sports.

Sam Davidson is 16 and started riding Trials bikes when he was 12. He has progressed quickly to become a white route rider but still prefers the laid back feel to the club. He said: “My brother did Motocross but I prefer Trials as it’s not so competitive or as expensive.

“At Motocross, it begins the moment you pull up with who’s got the biggest motorhome!

It’s all about the winning there, which is fine, but here is a bit more relaxed and friendly.”

This also makes it more appealing to novices such as Rob English who only joined about eight months ago. Rob said: “I’ve been riding road bikes for about 20 years but I thought I would try out off-road bikes.

62

Horsham Riders

“Roads are so dangerous now, I have a young son and another on the way and I thought it was time to take up something a little bit safer.

“You don’t hurt yourself doing trials, and some of the guys do not even wear helmets, so you can have more of a laugh and it doesn’t matter if you’re a white route expert of a red route novice, there is no snobbery.

There’s a nice bit of camaraderie.

“It’s great for kids too. We have had eight year olds here, and it’s an unbeatable way of learning bike control. They can get their kicks from this rather than waiting until they are 16, buying a moped and hitting the road.

“I used to instruct CBT for 15 years so I know about the roads and how to train people, and this is far safer. You may twist your ankle but you’re not going to get hit by a bus.”

But despite its appeal for people of all ages, the club could still do with more members, especially younger riders. Ian McCulloch said: “When I started you used to go to the group meetings and there would be 200-250 riders and now you’re lucky if you get 70.

“I think it is mostly down to changing habits – children are not as active and have computers instead. Yet still, we have about ten under-14s, and we do insist that they wear helmets. They have to get used to it first so they will start on the red course and after a year or two they

progress on to the yellow and then blue courses and before you know it they’re leaping around on the white route.

“You’ve also got a lot of older guys coming down, and several fathers riding with sons. I used to do the white route but it’s too much for me now so I’m on the blue course. I can drop down to the yellows if I need to in the future. So you go up and come back down again.

“The other great thing about it is that it doesn’t cost much to get started. Bikes cost £4,000 to £5,500 new but you can get a bike and be competitive for about £1,200 with equipment too. It costs £20 to join the club and the fee for the trials day is £12, so it’s very cheap.”

For more information about the club visit the Horsham Riders website at http://hrc1.org

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63

Events guide Piazza Italia 6th, 7th & 9th April

It’s the best council-organised event on the calendar, so let’s hope Piazza Italia is blessed with good weather.

The event is held on Friday 6th, Saturday 7th and Monday 9th April. There will once again be great food in the Italian market, music, entertainment and slot car racing for children (and competitive dads!)

The Sussex Ferrari Owners Club will roar into town, whilst the Supercars arrive on Monday. You can also expect a glut of Italian motorbikes, Alfa Romeos, and Minis. For a full programme visit http://www.visithorsham.co.uk/piazza-italia/

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Please send event details to editor@aahorsham.co.uk

events

An Evening of Burlesque 26th April

Direct from London’s West End, the UK’s first and only touring burlesque show is coming to Horsham.

Showcasing award-winning talent from across the country, it’s an opportunity to see some of the world’s biggest burlesque stars.

“An Evening of Burlesque features an all-star cast of beautiful and elegant performers,” says show producer Michael Taylor. “Sparkling with couture costumes recalling the golden eras of burlesque, it’s the most glamorous show on tour.”

An Evening of Burlesque comes to the Capitol on Thursday, 26th April at 8pm. Tickets cost £19.50 from 01403 750220.

The Prop Box

HAODS present The Mikado

8th-10th March

17th-21st March Horsham Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society (HAODS) present Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular operetta, The Mikado. Sparkling songs including A Wandering Minstrel I, Three little Maids from School and Tit-Willow. A joyous evening of entertainment is guaranteed for all. Performed at the Capitol for five nights. Tickets cost from £12 from 750220. For a special feature on HAODS read the May edition of AAH online at www.aahorsham.co.uk

South Downs Way In Stages 14th April - 15th July

A group of teenagers are driving a new production by Act Too, to be performed at the Capitol in March.

The creative team comprises 13-year-old director Nathanael Landskroner, 15-yearold Toby Miles as musical director and 14year-old choreographer Reagan Muir. The Prop Box will be performed by a cast of talented local youngsters aged 8 – 21.

Act Too Arts Academy principal, Lance Milton said: “At Act Too we always try to be innovative in promoting young people and their talents and I thought it would be good to give them a unique development opportunity that no other group had yet provided local youngsters.”

Tickets are available from The Capitol on 01403 750220 or from www.acttoo.co.uk

Walking the South Downs Way in stages is a great way of seeing all of the new South Downs National Park. The 105 mile walk between Winchester and Eastbourne can be completed over four weekends, allowing you rest time.

The walk begins at Winchester on 14th April with a 13 mile walk, followed by a 12 mile walk the following day. The walk continues on weekends beginning on 5th May, 16th June and 14th July. The walk will be supported by PerRambulations. For details on cost and requirements visit www.per-rambulations.co.uk

Horsham Microbiz 10th March The 10th annual Horsham Microbiz is held in The Drill Hall, Denne Road, Horsham from 10am to 4pm. Described as a treasure trove for small business, Microbiz has over 40 exhibitors offering a wide variety of products and services, free workshops offering top tips, and plenty of networking opportunities. A café operates throughout the day and entry is free.

19th March

The Coco’s Foundation - a wonderful local charity raising money for children in Africa - hosts a Masked Ball at Surrey National Golf Club in Chaldon from 7pm. For details about tickets visit cocosfoundation.co.uk

25th March

Bad Boy Boogie, the leading AC/DC tribute act, will be bringing their lively show to the Holbrook Club tonight.

Doors open at 7pm/Bar open until 11.30pm.

Tickets for non-members cost £6.

Robin Taylor from the Perfume Studio will be at South Lodge Hotel for an enjoyable, relaxing and educational day about fragrances. £31 includes a three-course lunch.

12pm arrival. Call 0845 5211882 to book.

Horsham Rugby Club has an incredible junior setup, and as part of this hosts the ‘Minis Festival’ at its Coolhurst ground.

The event starts at 10am with teams from across Sussex taking on our local teams.

3rd April

18th March 24th March

National Theatre productions broadcast She Stoops to Conquer live to cinema screens around the world, including the Capitol.

Goldsmith’s comedy offers chaos, courtship and dysfunctional family.

Tickets £14 from 750220.

Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman, two of the best harmony singers on the folk scene, bring their music to Horsham Folk Club at the Normandy Centre, Denne Road, Horsham. Entry £6 (members £4)

31st March

12-13th March 24th March

RSPB Pulborough Brooks has a ‘Slithering Snakes and Lounging Lizards’ tour at 11am-1pm, highlighting the four reptiles found on the site. For Adults. Cost is £10 per person (£5 for members) from 01798 875851.

The Horsham Symphony Orchestra perform a Spring concert at the Capitol. Includes music from Beethoven’s opera Fidelio, Mahler’s Rückert Lieder and Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony. Tickets £14 from 01403 750220.

29th March

11th March 20th March

David Rovics, who sings what he calls ‘songs of social significance’, performs at The Anchor as part of a European tour. A night of music will also be held at The Anchor on 25th March. For details see www.mailmanstan.co.uk/

Experience spectacular science, demonstrations and experiments as the Science Museum comes to the Capitol. Science Museum Live on Tour is ideal for children aged over 7. Tickets £14.50, children £12.50.

Sussex Wildlife Trust host an Easter Holiday Club at Owlbeech and Leechpool Woods. Enjoy two hours of environmental fun and games. To book email swtbookings@sussexwt.org .uk or call 01273 497561. £4.50 (Non-Members £6)

Picture: Andre Lyager

A Craft and gift fair will be held at Warnham Village Hall, Hollands Way, Warnham at 11am-3pm.

There will be a number of stalls selling quirky, hand-made gifts. For more information visit www.kangarooz.co.uk

25th March

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The Hills Have Eyes Read of the myths and legends of Chanctonbury Ring, and meet a man who claims to have seen ghosts near a Horsham church. All (or nothing at all) is revealed on the AAH website!

www.aahorsham.co.uk

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The ‘things you probably didn’t know about Horsham that are really quite interesting’ page...

The last pressing

‘Eight witnesses swore in court that he could speak’

Images taken at Horsham Museum

Horsham was the last place in England where someone was put to death by ‘pressing’.

This dubious honour fell to John Weekes of Fittleworth, who was charged with robbery at Lewes on 14th May 1735 and for the murder of Elizabeth Symonds in August 1735.

Pressing somebody was used to make them plead to a charge. This was attempted by methods of ‘peine forte et dure’ - strong and hard pain. The sentence was as follows: ‘…that you be taken back to the prison whence you came, to a low dungeon into which no light can enter; that you be laid upon your back on the bare floor with a cloth round your loins but elsewhere naked; that there be set upon your body a weight or iron as great as you can bear; and greater.

That you have no sustenance save on the first day three morsels of the coarsest barley (bread); on the second day three draughts of stagnant water; on the third day bread as before, next day water as before; until you die’.

Not pleasant then!

The most famous case in this country was that of Roman Catholic martyr St Margaret Clitherow. Margaret wanted to avoid a trial in which her own children would be obliged to give evidence, but she was pressed to death in 1586 after refusing to plead to the charge of having harboured Catholic priests in her house. She died

within fifteen minutes under a weight of at least 700 pounds (320 kg).

Several hardened criminals lasted half an hour under-400 pounds before pleading to the indictment. Others, such as Weekes refused to plead.

Weekes’ case was different though in that he was killed in view of the public.

There were three accomplices in the crimes Weekes was charged with. One boy turned King’s evidence and the other two admitted the crime and were hanged at Horsham.

Police found spots of blood and stolen property on Weekes but he refused to plead his case, although eight witnesses swore in court that he could speak. The reason for not making a plea to the court meant that the crown could not confiscate all his goods and possessions, allowing his family to keep them.

His pressing was carried out in full public view in the gaol yard. First a one hundred weight door was placed upon him, then one hundred weight more, then a third hundred weight.

Fifty pounds more were added when he appeared to be in death throes.

The gaoler, who weighed over 16 stone, laid himself down on the board and killed the prisoner outright.

In other parts of the world though, they didn’t need to rely on overweight gaolers.

In Asia for example, they simply used elephants...

This offer must end on 31st March!

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