BN5 Magazine March 2023

Editor’s Letter

Welcome to the 200th issue of BN5 magazine.

It’s quite a milestone for us, almost 18 years publishing and delivering BN5 magazine in Henfield. It’s been enormously rewarding and we’ve really enjoyed looking back on our favourite stories for the article on page 32.

Thanks to everyone who has supported us and continued to advertise, especially the businesses who were with us for our launch back in 2005!

We’ve witnessed a few changes in the village, its growth to include more houses and new residents (all of whom are contributing to village life and building supportive communities) and we’ve seen quite a few village clubs and groups come and go. It’s been our pleasure to help various organisations (like the Henfield Haven and Henfield Foodbank) and to fundraise for the local charities that mean a lot to us.

We are looking forward to more village events, meeting more interesting people and enjoying promoting all the new businesses and initiatives. Please remember that we often can’t fit everything into the printed magazine, but it’s all online, with articles, business directory and event calendar at henfieldbn5.co.uk. Do take a look.

Enjoy the beginnings of spring!

Emma Cole, Editor

Copy deadline & contacts

06 What’s On from the BN5 area

08 News from the BN5 area

19 Local Interest Shopping Alternatives

23 Local Interest Henfield Artisan Market

27 Local Interest Henfield Theatre Company

31 Young People Henfield’s Year of Young People

32 Local Interest Celebrating 200 editions of BN5

37 Local Interest Henfield Scouts

42 Local Interest Signs of Spring

47 Local Interest Heating costs

62 Index Of local advertisers

Many thanks to our editorial and photographic contributors this month;

Paul Crowe, Carol Eastwood. Liz Gibson, Dave Malkin, Charlotte Owen, Rachel Parkes, Sarah Butler and Paul Samrah.

Cover artwork by Helen Boosey.

BN5 magazine is printed on 100% FSC approved managed forests paper at Gemini Print in Shoreham and is printed using vegetable-based inks.

Copy deadline for advertisements or editorial submissions for the April 2023 issue of BN5 magazine is Friday 3 March.

If you have a local interest story for us please email editor@bn5magazine.co.uk. If your not-for-profit club, group or charity has an event you would like us to publish on our what’s on pages, please submit via our website www.henfieldbn5.co.uk, this gives you additional automatic website entry. Please note we no longer accept postal or email diary submissions due to potential inaccuracies when transcribing. Priority is given to local, charitable and non-repeating events when we are oversubscribed. Advertiser Terms and Conditions and all Disclaimers appear on our website. For advertising enquiries or to receive a media pack please email sales@bn5magazine.co.uk

World Day of Prayer

Fri 3 Mar, 2.30pm, Corpus Christi Henfield

This year the World Day of Prayer service, which has been prepared by the people of Taiwan, is celebrated in over 120 countries. Followed by tea and cake in the Corpus Christi church hall.

Tottington 70s Disco Takeover

Sat 4 Mar, 7pm, Tottington Manor

Get your disco sequins on for the Tottington Tottington 70s Disco Takeover! Great music, dancing, food and entertainment. Tickets £39.95 including meal. Book at www.tottingtonmanor.co.uk

Rewild your Garden

Fri 3 Mar, 7pm, Henfield Hall

Henfield Garden Club present ‘Rewild your Garden’ an illustrated talk given by Charlie Harpur, who will talk about the Knepp Castle gardens and rewilding project. Guests are welcome (£3 entry) and teas and coffees will be available from 7pm.

Introduction to Beekeeping

Sat 4 Mar, 9:30am-5pm, Rudgwick Village Hall

Wisborough Green Beekeepers Association (WGBKA). The day is packed with all the information needed to become a beekeeper, including the time needed, basic equipment, costs and where to site beehives. www.henfieldbn5.co.uk/events for details.

Jumble Sale & Auction

Sat 11 Mar, 2pm, Henfield Hall

The B-P Guild Jumble Sale and Auction. Donations of good quality jumble on the day at the Hall before 10:30am, or contact Paul Mason on 07710 044315 or Kevin Dawkins on 07810 501321 to arrange collection of any larger items.

Musical Extravaganza!

Wed 15 Mar, 2pm, Henfield Hall

Woodmancote and Henfield WI invite you to their meeting where guest speaker Ann Chance will entertain us with a musical extravaganza. Tea and cake and a warm welcome to all!

‘Eric Ravilious: Art and Life’

Mon 13 Mar, 2.15pm, Henfield Hall

The Arts Society Henfield presents a lecture by James Russell about Ravilious; British painter, designer, book illustrator and wood-engraver. Guests welcome, £8.

Warren Playgroup Good As New Sale

Sat 18 Mar, 1-3pm, Henfield Hall

Jam-packed with good quality pre-loved items. Great quality with low prices, all to raise money for this local Henfield playgroup. Tea, coffee, cake and a fantastic raffle too! If you’d like to sell please email warrengoodasnewsale@gmail.com

I Wanna Dance with Somebody

Tue 21 Mar, 7.30pm, Henfield Hall

Mobile cinema from Cinemobile. Tickets in person from Marcus Grimes or online at www.cinemobile.uk

‘The Farndale Avenue...

Thu 23 Mar - Sat 25 Mar, Henfield Hall

...Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society Murder Mystery’ Henfield Theatre Company’s new production on 23, 24, and 25 March at 7.45pm, with a matinee on 25 March at 2.30pm. See article p27.

Rushfields Supper Club

Beetle Drive

Fri 24 Mar, 2-4pm, St Peter’s Church

The Friends of St. Peter’s invite you to a Beetle Drive, come along to have a bit of fun and enjoy tea/ coffee and cakes! £5 from Cornerweighs, Church Office or Marcus Grimes.

Rejuvenating Spring Day Retreat

Sun 26 Mar, 9.30am-4pm, Sapien Yoga,Pycombe

A day of self care in a beautiful yoga barn in Pyecombe, hosted by Hannah from Goodness Henfield and Caroline from Henfield Holistics. See www.henfieldbn5.co.uk/events for details. To book please call Hannah on 07535 285836.

Fri 24 Mar, 6.30pm, Rushfields Cafe

Join Henry and the team at Rushfields as they present another 5 course Supper Club, complete with guided wine tasting from Giles at Southdown Cellars. £45 each including wine, please book by emailing henry@rushfields.com

‘Adiemus’ by Karl Jenkins

Sat 1 Apr, 7.30pm, Drill Hall, Horsham

This stirring work will be performed by local choir Cantatrice with the ladies of the Kaleidoscope Singers, accompanied by percussion and string ensemble. See www.henfieldbn5.co.uk/events for details.

‘SERV Sussex’

Tue 28 Mar, 7.30pm, Small Dole Village Hall

Small Dole Tuesday Club present a talk by Captain Anthony DeVanney representing SERV Sussex, this valuable emergency service for the community. A small fee is payable on the door, refreshments included.

Sussex Guild Contemporary Craft Show

Sat 1 Apr - Sun 2 Apr, 10am-5pm, Henfield Hall

Sussex Guild members will be showing exquisite examples of ceramics, furniture, glass, jewellery, knitwear, silversmithing, textiles and woodwork. See news item for more details.

Bereavement Support Group

Please come and join us on Thursday 9 March at the Henfield Haven and learn more about the Bereavement Support Group. We’ll be there between 10 and 11.30am in the morning to enjoy a coffee and friendly chat and to answer any questions you may have.

Our aim is to raise awareness about the group within the community and to reach out to those who are feeling alone in their grief. Maybe you have considered attending the Support Group and have not yet decided, or maybe you just want to know more about it for yourself or a friend, whatever the reason, please come along. And of course we would love to catch up with any of our previous (or current) attendees.

Our regular meetings provide a warm safe space where people who are grieving can connect with others and benefit from both emotional and practical support. Grief can be isolating and scary but talking about it and sharing can help. There is no normal way to grieve and there is no time limit on grief so don’t be put off by this.

The group meets at the Henfield Haven on the first and third Thursday of each month at 3.30pm for an hour. Either just turn up or phone Nicki on 01273 495532 and we’ll get in touch.

Christine, Hugh, Katrina, Liz and Maureen

Dial-a-Ride now two days a week!

Good news from Community Transport Sussex - they’ve extended their Dial-a-Ride minibus service from Henfield to Holmbush (Tesco & M&S) to two days a week. This will be really useful while Budgens/Sainsbury’s is closed. The service runs Mondays and Thursdays with doorstep pickup, returning from 1pm. The cost is £8 return per person and you must register and book in advance. Call 01444 471919 Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 12.30pm to book or see www.ctsussex.org.uk/mid-sussex/. If demand is high this service will be increased, so please share with anyone you know who doesn’t have their own transport.

Editor

Foodbank donation point temporary location in Henfield Hall

We’re grateful to David Knight for allowing us to site the Foodbank donation basket in Budgens during the last two years. While the store is closed as Sainsbury’s renovate, the Henfield Hall have kindly agreed to place the donation basket in the foyer of the Hall, which is open 7 days a week.

Thank you to everyone who donates to this very important charity, especially at this time of increased demand.

Editor

Henfield’s Aid to Ukraine collections

The next van-load of aid leaves Henfield Corpus Christi Church Hall on Tuesday 21 March. You can drop your donations to the Hall any Sunday afternoon between 12-4pm, or on Thursday 16th, Friday 17th, Saturday 18th March between 10am-4pm. See www.henfieldbn5.co.uk news for details of what’s most needed, or see page 33 of February BN5.

Editor

Hawthorn Veterinary Surgery Donation Point for Pet Food

A huge thank-you to Dani and the team from Hawthorn for offering to place a pet-food donation basket in the Hawthorn Vet Surgery reception area in the Henfield branch. These items will be collected by volunteer Roger who will take them to the main Horsham District Foodbank, along with the other Henfield donations. Items most needed include, any dog or cat food as tins, pouches, trays or dry foods. Many thanks for your continued support of the Foodbank.

Emma Cole, on behalf of Henfield Foodbank

Local events listings in BN5

If you’re involved in a local club or group you can upload your event to our website - it’s really simple and completely free for charities and local not-for-profits. Just follow the link at the bottom of our website www.henfieldbn5.co.uk and you can fill in a simple ‘submit’ form. Please don’t send to us your event via email, the phone, through our letterbox, or send us posters to re-type - submitting online is the only way. All it needs is a little time and a suitable, relevant, image (which is your copyright to use) to make the entry look great.

If you need some help, Henfield Computer Club are happy to guide you through the process; just pop along to one of their sessions on a Wednesday morning between 10am-12pm and they’ll help you with any problems. Editor

Richard Raczkowski

My dad Richard Raczkowski was tragically taken in the early hours of the 16 Jan 2023.

He had been a funeral director for over 50 years dedicating his life looking after families.

We are all truly heartbroken to lose my wonderful caring father who always was thinking of others than himself. We have also lost a work colleague who took pride in his work. His experience and knowledge will be missed but I hope to continue to make dad proud. Many will remember him in the high street when he was watering my summer flowers, always smiling. Donations can be made via henfield funeral service or via the link https://richardraczkowski.muchloved.com

Karen Jordan

‘Adiemus’ by Karl Jenkins

This stirring work will be performed by local choir Cantatrice with the ladies of the Kaleidoscope Singers, accompanied by percussion and string ensemble on Saturday 1 April at 7.30pm at the Drill Hall, Horsham. The second half will include music by Gershwin, Caplet, Quartell and Piazolla, conducted by Zoe Peate and Rob Campkin. Tickets are £15 (under 18’s Free) and are available from Steyning Bookshop or www.cantatrice.co.uk . There will also be a performance on Saturday 13 May at the Steyning Centre in Steyning

Zoë Peate

Goldstone Rum in Henfield

Goldstone Rum is a new family run distillery based on Henfield Business Park. We believe in making rum the proper way and are one of the few distilleries in the UK to make rum from scratch by fermenting a blend of fresh sugarcane juice, jaggery, panela and molasses.

Come and see how our rum is made by joining us on a walking tour of the distillery. Learn how we take the raw ingredients through fermentation, distillation in our impressive 500 litre still NelMar and bottling ready for tasting. Our team will give you the story behind Goldstone Rum and a better understanding of the history of rum and how it varies around the world.

Finally, you’ll be led through a tasting where you’ll learn the flavour profile and characteristics, and which rum works best in which cocktail. Tours are just £10pp with vouchers available for gifts. Tours run most Saturdays at 10am and take approx 1hr. Booking is essential https://goldstonerum.com/ tours/

Upstairs at our working distillery is The Spirit Lab. A unique experience guided by our master distiller where guests learn the art of distillation by taking charge of their very own mini copper pot still. Over the course of an evening you’ll be taught how to blend your own unique recipe using a mix of botanicals, herbs and spices to create a one of a kind rum or gin. You’ll then bottle it, customise your own label and take home a full sized bottle of your blend. From £75pp, gift vouchers available. Rum and Gin school is open two Friday’s a month at 6.30pm and takes approx 2.5hrs https://goldstonerum.com/spirit-school/ Group bookings including exclusive use and corporate events available on request.

Goldstone Rum

meeting. Jo will talk about the roads’ policing strategy and is happy to take questions on anything Police related. There will also be a presentation on Henfield’s ‘Year of Youth’ which is a main topic for Henfield Parish Council in 2023. And finally Community Transport Sussex will be presenting its plans to roll out an Electric Vehicle Club (EVC) in Henfield – its first site in Sussex. As always there will be time for residents to ask questions of the guests and also the Parish Councillors. Please do come along and have your say!

Kevin Wright – Clerk to Henfield Parish Council

can meet and have their babies weighed. If you’ve experience in health visiting, midwifery or social work or just recognise the importance of supporting parents with young babies, this is for you. If you’re creative, have experience working with pre-schoolers or just enjoy entertaining little ones, please consider helping our community playgroup. Our postnatal drop-in is held on a Tuesday morning throughout the year, and our play group on a Monday morning term time only. No volunteer is expected to attend every week. Contact us at henfieldbumptobaby@gmail.com, message us via Facebook or see www.henfieldbumptobabyplus.org

Sue Willis

Henfield Ukulele Group

It’s five years on 1 March 2023 since we first played and sang together. There were only four people on that first day, but we now have about a dozen attend every Thursday at 1:30pm in the Evangelical Free Church Hall just opposite the Post Office.

We meet for two hours and have a break for drinks and snacks, which gives a great opportunity for everyone to socialise. In the last year we have performed at various venues in Henfield including St Peters Church during the Festival of Arts and Gardens as well as several care homes and local support groups. At Christmastime we were at Upper Mead and played our latest upbeat version of Run Rudolph Run.

We sing and play a wide variety of songs and all levels of expertise are welcome. Not just ukulele players but guitarists and other similar instrumentalists attend, as well as those who just want to sing with us. Membership is £5 per weekly session and we make donations to local charities from the proceeds. Contact gigaday@ googlemail.com or 07871 188403 for more information.

Tony Austin

Would you like to help support parents of young children?

Henfield Community Partnership set up a postnatal group as well as a sensory toddler group to address the lack of services for families of young babies and toddlers. Our groups are run entirely by volunteers. The postnatal drop in is a place where parents with young babies

Contemporary Craft Show in Henfield

We’re delighted to be exhibiting again in Henfield Hall on 1st & 2nd April. The Sussex Guild Contemporary Craft Show will take place throughout the main hall, foyer and garden suite. Delicious homemade refreshments will be available in the café throughout the day, with seating inside as well as in the garden.

Our shows are organised by small teams of members and Kate Hackett is the lead coordinator for our Henfield Show. Ceramicist Kate’s pots are thrown in red and white earthenware clay and hand-painted in bright colours. Her designs are inspired by nature, gardens, flowers, landscapes, the seaside, material patterns, and patchwork quilts. Kate has a delicate illustrative sensibility and you can see how much fun she has making her ceramics. So do please say hello to her when you visit.

Exhibitor Linda Connelly fuses glass and metal to make her enamel jewellery inspired from the vibrant colours, rich textures and architecture she saw in India, Venice and Sicily. She particularly enjoys working on silver and combines the traditional skills of hand engraving, cloisonné and champlevé to create colourful, richly detailed pieces which are beautifully made and finely finished.

Be inspired by an array of exciting ceramics, furniture, glass, jewellery, knitwear, metalwork, silversmithing, textiles and woodwork. Our skilled designer makers look forward to meeting you to discuss their individual work and to explain their craft techniques. Take the opportunity to buy beautifully crafted, handmade items, or to commission an extra special one-of-a-kind piece.

Admission is £3 and your ticket allows you to return throughout the first weekend in April.

Elaine Butlin

Neil

Hoad 1963-2023

We were very sad to hear that Neil Hoad passed away on 13 January after a short illness. Our sincere condolences to his wife Tina (owner of Christina’s Afternoon Tea Shop) and two sons Richard and James. Neil was a very popular Postman in Henfield who served the Royal Mail for over 20 years. He retired six years ago and sadly died just before reaching his 60th birthday. He was a keen gardener, loved horse racing and most of all he adored his little granddaughter, Grace, who brought him huge happiness.

Neil’s funeral was held at St Peters Henfield on Thursday 2 February where Rev’d Paul Doick paid tribute to Neil’s life and his role as a wonderful husband, father and friend. He also spoke of Neil’s love of racing, his first job was at Brighton Greyhound Stadium where, at the age of 17, he met Tina. They were married in 1986 and started married life in Hove before moving to Henfield where Richard and James were born. Neil was a well-known figure in the village, much loved for his broad smile and friendly nature. Neil suffered heart failure and was saved by Henfield Area Response Team (HART) responders back in 2004. It was HART’s first life saved in this village; and it certainly hasn’t been the last. Thank you to Dave Fletcher and the team at HART who gave Neil 19 very precious years with his family. Their gratitude is immeasurable.

Editor

Sainsbury’s confirms exciting plans to open new store in Henfield

Sainsbury’s is pleased to confirm that plans are underway to open a new ‘Neighbourhood Hub’ store at on Henfield High Street in May 2003. The retailer is investing over £1 million to

transform the store into a brand-new Sainsbury’s and all existing colleagues are being given the opportunity transfer. Once open, Sainsbury’s Henfield will provide customers with a fantastic range of great value, high quality branded and Sainsbury’s own-brand products. It will also feature an instore ‘Click & Collect’ service, bringing together the much-loved brands of Sainsbury’s, Argos, Habitat and Tu Clothing under one roof and enabling customers to collect purchases made online whilst picking up their groceries.

The existing Knight’s Budgens store is expected to close at the end of February, when the process of converting the store into a brand new Sainsbury’s will begin. Sainsbury’s is planning to put in place a temporary Sainsbury’s Groceries Online ‘Click & Collect’ service in the Car Park behind the store while it is being refurbished to ensure customers can continue to buy food and other staples from the same location in the period before the new store opens. Customers can also shop online and have groceries delivered to their door.

Sainsbury’s recently announced that it is investing a total of £205 million in what is its biggest ever investment in colleague pay to at least £11 per hour and that it is also committed to doing everything it can to support customers with the cost of living.

Duncan Kennedy Senior Communications Manager, Sainsbury’s

Garage Sale

Sustainable Henfield are holding a sale of items on Saturday 18 March from 10.30am – 2pm at 2 Cedar Way (off Mill Drive), Henfield, BN5 9RZ to raise money for local good causes (including Scouts, School PTA, Youth Club and Baby/ Toddler group). Items will include: antiques and collectables; ornaments; electrical equipment; household and kitchenware; laptops and computer equipment; tools; sewing machines; garden equipment; sports equipment; and many others items. Please do come and support us.

Ruth Robotham

An update on Eric’s progress

Many people in Henfield know Eric Williams from his voluntary work in the village, either as Chairman of HART and as a responder, as Chairman of the Clarke’s Mead Trust which has been battling for a new Scout Hut, as a BP Guildsman or even as a Henfield Haven volunteer. At BN5 we are most familiar with him as the friendly face of one of our Henfield Foodbank volunteers, delivering parcels of essential food to people who are struggling in the village.

You may also know that Eric suffered a severe spinal injury after an accident in September 2022 and has been in hospital since. He’s currently at Stoke Mandeville National Spinal Injuries Centre, receiving the best rehabilitation possible from their amazing team of professionals.

Eric’s paralysis means he will be reliant on a wheelchair and professional care on a day-today basis. His wife Sara and his two children Alex and Vicky are now planning for his return home to Henfield which involves major structural adaptations to his and Sara’s home, including the entire reconstruction of the downstairs to accommodate his wheelchair, adaptable bathing facilities, wider doorways, hoists and space for his specialist hospital bed. Eric is an incredibly active and positive person so it’s inconceivable that he should be housebound. Their aim is to purchase a specially adapted car which will allow him to be taken out to enjoy the local area including to see his beloved Brighton & Hove Albion FC play again!

If you would like to donate to help with these adaptions, please go to: https://gofund. me/051f74be . Sara, Alex and Vicky are grateful for the overwhelming number of cards, messages of support and incredible acts of kindness they have received since Eric’s accident. They would like to express their continued and heartfelt thanks for helping them make sure Eric’s future is as fulfilled and active as it deserves to be. Editor

Equine support from Hogs Wallow

Hogs Wallow Community Group in Pound Lane

Upper Beeding are excited to announce further sessions in the Spring/Summer for people living with mental health, or any type of struggle (financial or otherwise) through allocated funded spaces. They offer various rescue animals a

safe home; equine gentling, fun and games; gymnastics from qualified DBS checked and safeguarding trained instructors; and nature and wildlife walks and picnics in a beautiful safe and friendly environment with volunteers who have time to listen. For more information and new dates see www.hoggs-wallow.co.uk or their Facebook page.

Amanda Wadman

Rhubarb celebration at Sussex Prairies

Sussex Prairies will be celebrating all things rhubarb on Sunday 2 July from 1-5pm at their all new ‘Rhubarb Afternoon on the Prairies’. All those who bring an entry for the competition classes will be offered a 2-for-1 entrance to the garden and there will be no charge for entries. All entries for classes should be with us and ready for judging by 2pm at the latest . Winners will be announced on the day and on our website. Entries can be picked up from the judging tent and taken home at the end of the afternoon (5pm).

The competition classes (all with Sussex Prairies Season Tickets as prizes) are: The Best Rhubarb (display three trimmed stems) - these will be judged on quality and uniformity; The Longest Rhubarb - who cares what it looks like, longest one wins; Rhubarb Preserves - any jam, jelly, pickle, chutney etc with rhubarb as the main ingredient; Rhubarb Baking - cakes, scones, bread etc involving rhubarb in any which way you like; Rhubarb Flavoured Drink - open to all alcoholic and non-alcoholic rhubarb concoctions; Kids Painting (ages 0-10 years ) – the theme is ‘Rhubarb’, abstract colours, shapes etc.

As well as the competition classes, check out the prairie potager to see the new Sussex Prairies rhubarb collection growing, enjoy some seasonal rhubarb bakes in the teashop and check out Clare’s Chillies stand (not rhubarb - but a similar colour!), a Sussex-based grower with chilli plants and chilli growing products for sale.

Pauline McBride

St Barnabas thanks Ladybirds

Congratulations to Henfield’s Ladybirds group who staged a wonderful New Year’s Party in January. Their team transformed the Henfield Hall’s Garden Room into an elegant dining venue and Relish provided a delicious supper. But the highlight of the evening was surely Elvis, whose exciting performance had everyone singing and dancing.

The Friends of St Barnabas team served the supper and boogied in the kitchen whilst clearing up and they would like to thank the Ladybirds for their very generous donation of £250 for the Hospice funds, for ‘services rendered’! It was a fabulous evening that sent everyone home dancing!

Lesley

Besson, Friends of St Barnabas

What the Computer Club is up to in March

In February we ran a workshop covering ‘Online Supermarket Shopping’ to help anyone who thought they might be adversely affected by the closure of Budgens and were interested in an online alternative. In March we will be available to help anyone who would like to follow up by having one-to-one assistance. We will also be available to give one-to-one support with any other computer issues. Contacting us beforehand on henfieldcomputerclub@gmail.com , 01273 484822 or 01273 758776 is advisable so we can check that a suitable mentor is available. If you are not already a member why not consider joining? The annual joining fee is only £5. We plan

to have our next presentation in April and this will cover useful online NHS and health applications.

Brian Walton

Twineham School Young Entrepreneurs

Children at Twineham CofE primary school have pulled out all the stops this term to make their business ideas become a reality. Children as young as 4 were offered a ‘seed fund’ to create their own businesses and the results have surprised everyone including the teachers. Everything from drawing lessons to shooting galleries and freshly made pancakes have been on offer, with children setting their own prices, marketing their businesses and providing the service or product. In the run up to the scheme children were offered the chance to consult teachers about how to make their business ideas work and finalise their plans. Lizzie Cotton, acting headteacher said ‘this initiative is run every year by the PTA but this year we have worked really closely together to create an enriched learning experience, with lots of opportunities for maths, persuasive writing and design. I’m blown away by the creative ideas and talent that the children have shown and love how the whole school community have come together.’

At the end of the scheme, the children will be able to keep half of the profits, with the other half going towards the school. The overall winner will have the honour of having their name engraved on the coveted trophy in the school foyer.

Nicola Brotherton

www.touringcinema.com

Check our website for updates

Tickets from Marcus Grimes, High Street, Henfield IN PERSON ONLY. Advance tickets can be purchased by credit card ONLINE from www.CineMobile.uk

Cinema at the Henfield Hall brought to you by

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COWFOLD £1,200pcm

A very well presented 2 bedroom end of terrace house with private garden. Situated in a quiet cul-de-sac of similar properties within easy walking distance of the shops and facilities. The accommodation comprises newly fitted kitchen, sitting room, conservatory, 2 first floor bedrooms and a bathroom. Unfurnished. Dog or cat considered.

EPC Rating: D Council Tax Band: C Deposit: £1,384.62 Tenancy Term: Min 12 months. EPC rating D

HENFIELD £1,500pcm

A stunning property in a unique location, tucked away behind the woodland at the back of Henfield Common. This recently converted barn is in the garden of the main house. The property comprises a large entrance hall, open plan kitchen & sitting room, three bedrooms and bathroom with shower over bath. Patio area, undercover terrace and parking. Located on the north side of Henfield Common, it is walking distance of all village amenities and has direct access to local footpaths. LPG gas. Council tax and water included in rent.

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SMALL DOLE £2,200pcm

Overlooking the Adur Marshes to the rear, a large 4 bedroom detached house with STUDIO annexe. Massive fully fitted kitchen diner, 36 ft main living room with woodburner, 4 bedrooms to the first floor with modern ensuite and family shower room. ANNEXE studio built of brick comprises, bed/sitting room and wet room and WC. (Possible kitchenette). Lovely SOUTH facing patio and good sized gardens. Parking for up to 3 cars. Garage with remote control roller door. 5 minutes walk to local shops. Dog accepted. Available late February 2023. EPC rating D Deposit: £2,538.46 Tenancy Term min 12 months.

EPC rating B

Serving coffee, pastries, sandwiches, breakfast baps, paninis and home made soup.

Now selling a range of convenience food including bread, milk, eggs and Hutchings meat.

We also sell our home made ‘finish at home’ range prepared by our chefs when you don’t feel like cooking.

Opening hours

Mon-Fri 7.30am-2.30pm, Sat 9am-2pm

01273 492077

Wheatsheaf Road, Woodmancote, Henfield, West Sussex BN5 9BD

Condiments, sauces & stocks

Convenience foods

Dried fruit

Drinks & milks*

Flours & baking

01273

Oils, fats & vinegar

Pasta & rice

Snacks sweet & savoury

Toiletries

492794

ALTERNATIVES FOR YOUR SHOPPING WHILE BUDGENS IS CLOSED…

In a very exciting change to the village, Sainsbury’s have confirmed they will be opening a new ‘Neighbourhood Hub’ supermarket on the site of the former Knight’s Budgens store in May. They will be investing £1 million in transforming the store into a brand-new Sainsbury’s and all existing staff are being given the opportunity transfer with protection of employment as part of a consultation process. See their press release in our News pages for the full story. This does mean that there will be a period of time from the end of February when Knight’s Budgens closes and the new Sainsbury’s store opens in May when the village will be without a supermarket. Here are some of the alternatives to bridge the gap. Editor

Minibus Dial-a-Ride to Tesco

If you are without transport, especially those who are isolated or elderly, it’s ideal to book a seat on the Sussex Community Transport ‘dial-a-ride’ minibus which visits the Holmbush Shopping Centre on Mondays and Thursdays. It leaves the village at 10am and returns by 2pm and the driver will help you get your shopping on and off the bus. The door-to-door service, which costs £8 per visit, must be booked by appointment. For more information see https://henfieldbn5. co.uk/events/dial-a-ride-shopping-trip or phone 01444 471919.

Use existing Henfield shops!

We can’t encourage this enough. Lots of our local stores are stocking extra items (some local breads and preserves for example), thank you for the suggestions of what you’ll miss. We also have the very best in fresh fruit and vegetables at Jeremy’s, meat from Southdowns Butchery, fresh bread at Truffles (with additional favourites from Mamoosh at both Cornerweighs and Jeremy’s and the most divine fresh croissants and baked goods at the Wheatsheaf if you have transport to go a little further). The Artisan Market recommences on the second Sunday of each month from April for delicious local produce too.

The basics you can get from One-Stop and RPS Foods as well as household staples such as toilet paper, cleaning products and batteries at Hamfelds. These are just a few of the shops we have, so take a walk up the High Street and explore – you will be pleasantly surprised and you will be supporting our local business community who have supported us so wonderfully during Covid.

Online

Sainsbury’s has plans for a Groceries Online ‘Click & Collect’ service in Coopers Way Car Park while it’s being refurbished to ensure customers can continue to buy food and other staples from the same location in the period before the new store opens. If you need support in learning how to use an online shopping service from any of the delivering major stores, please attend one of the regular Computer Club sessions in the village where they will be able to talk you through the process. They meet in the Garden Room, Henfield Hall on Wednesdays from 10am-12pm.

Help those who need it

Finally, if you have elderly or vulnerable neighbours who are used to shopping at Budgens, please do check-in with them to make sure they have plans in place for the next couple of months while the changes take place. Perhaps you can take them to a local supermarket or offer to add to your own online shop.

Vet Owner & Pet Owner

Since the beginning of 2023, I have found myself on the other side of the consulting room table a couple of times and it is a welcome reality check to see things from a pet owner’s perspective instead of the vet’s.

The first occasion was when we finally had to say goodbye to our dear old Labrador, Rye. At 13, she’d had a good innings and had survived toxic mastitis, severe rat bait poisoning and a splenectomy. She had developed many of the traits of a belligerent, arthritic, old Labrador – selective deafness, refusal to go on walks unless it was a specific route and an increasing obsession with sheep dung. Despite knowing that age would soon catch up with her, I found myself unprepared when the decision had to be made at short notice because she had sadly lost the use of her back legs. There was not much doubt that it was the right thing for Rye, but it is always hard for those left behind. For our family, it marked the changing of the guard in terms of our aged pets – she was the last of the “Noughties Generation” and a dog who had been a fantastic family pet. Other than tucking into 1kg of rat bait in 2019, she hadn’t put a paw wrong and we all miss her.

Euthanasia is a sad, but necessary, part of the role of a veterinary surgeon and will end up being a consideration for many pet owners at some stage. It’s important to remember that (other than in cases of severe aggression), it is always the best decision for the pet and it is actually the pet owners who have had to come to a difficult decision, and often feel both guilty and bereft, for whom I have the most compassion. If you are struggling with any of these issues, or just want to talk, please get in touch with us at the practice –we have many resources that we can share, or can just give some advice.

The second experience where I found myself relating more as a pet owner than a vet is much less sombre and was vicariously from my Mum’s perspective as a result of her dog, Fennel (who I have referenced a few times over the years), becoming unwell. I’m sure my Mum won’t mind me

mentioning that Fennel is very precious to her and that she may, on occasion, have sounded the alarm bells a little too soon because of a worry that turned out to be unwarranted! So, my concern levels were low when Mum presented me with a bouncing Cocker Spaniel who hadn’t eaten as much as normal and had been sick several times. The most common cause of this selection of symptoms is normally good old “dietary indiscretion”, or eating something dead, and after finding nothing on examination, we agreed to treat her with something to take the nausea away and I expected a full resolution the next day.

So, it was with some scepticism that I found myself reassessing her 24hrs later because, despite no longer vomiting, she still wasn’t “right”. Again, nothing manifested on examination, but Mum knows her dog, so an admission to the hospital was arranged immediately for blood tests, xrays and ultrasound….

I don’t like the taste of humble pie very much, but I had to eat a rather large slice because as soon as I began an ultrasound scan of Fennel’s abdomen, it became apparent that something wasn’t quite right in there. There was general intestinal turmoil and lots of gas and fluid gurgling around as well as a large shadow. It culminated that I had to remove one of the biggest acorns that I have ever seen from Fennel’s small intestine. Whenever I remove a “foreign body” from a pet’s bowel, it always confounds me as to what desire drove them to eat something that must have been so unpleasant and uncomfortable. I remember once removing an entire coconut door matt from the stomach of a Boxer – surely after the first mouthful he would have been put off, but you never understand what goes through the mind of a Boxer!

I am pleased to say that Fennel has made a complete recovery and is now on full-time “acorn watch”! For me, it is a worthy reminder that clients know their pets and while major bowel surgery is not generally required, all concerns should be taken seriously!

Jonathan Underwood

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Exciting news If you’re a lover of good food, good wine and high quality crafts; the all new Henfield Artisan market (HAM) will be in Coopers Way car park on Easter Sunday April 9th from 10am to 2pm!

Featuring a huge array of delicious temptations from local food producers, bakers, wine and beer makers, the market is a fresh and colourful foodie paradise. Come and meet friends for coffee in the village, have a browse and enjoy some great music and entertainment.

We are currently talking to some exciting new producers and traders from around the District and further afield who will be bringing a wide range of food and drink to Henfield, including sweet and savoury bakes, locally sourced meat and fish, oils, roasted coffee, hand-produced drinks (of both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties), delicious cheeses and dairy, plus a really wide range of vegan food and products.

Easter Sunday 9th April @ The Henfield Hall Car Park

As a new feature we’ll be introducing some high calibre work by skilled artists, craftspeople and makers who live in Henfield and the surrounding area.

A note for stallholders: As a community project, we are particularly keen to support new and innovative traders aged from 16-30 who are just getting started, please contact us if this is you. HAM is now part of the Horsham District markets and are working closely with other operators in and around Horsham Town and District. One of the benefits of this collaboration is that we will have ready-erected gazebos for all our stall holders and we can even provide tables if needed. If you are interested in having a stall we would love to hear from you at henfieldmarket@gmail.com

When it comes to food, this is as local as it gets – come and support HAM and enjoy some great Sussex produce!

Paul Crowe and Carol Eastwood

No – not a new dramatic society in our midst! This is the full title of Henfield Theatre Company’s production to be presented at The Henfield Hall on 23, 24, and 25 March at 7.45pm, with a matinee on 25 March at 2.30pm. Watch out for some very long posters! (The cast and crew are referring to the play simply as “Farndale”.)

In his first outing as Director, John Coit leads a cast of five ladies (three are familiar to the Henfield stage, with two new faces) and one long-suffering gentleman (played by Tony Westwood) of the Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society in presenting an Agatha Christie-style ambitious evening’s entertainment – a cunning whodunnit, “Murder at Checkmate Manor” in a 1930’s drawing room. The cast of six cover all fourteen roles with hysterical results!

Every drama group has experienced the horrors of what can go wrong on opening night, and this production is no different – with the possible exception that almost everything that could happen, does! The scenery collapses, cues are missed, lines are forgotten, and the sound effects take on a strange note at times … Utter mayhem! As well as performing the play, the ladies also present a Film and Fashion Show and a Murder Mystery Quiz, complete with prize! The crunch comes in the denouement, when the “murderer”,

about to be revealed, has to rush home to bandage up an injured daughter. But Mrs Reece, doyenne of the group, rises above the slings and arrows of outrageous dramatics to save the situation and provide the final inventive twist. This play is by the brilliant writing team of David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Jnr., who formed the touring theatre company Entertainment Machine in 1975. The following year their play The Farndale Macbeth was performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to such acclaim that a further nine Farndale plays ensued. This one, the Murder Mystery, was first produced in Edinburgh in 1980 and was partly revised by the authors for a new tour in 1996. Their final play, “The Farndale …. Peter Pan”, was left unfinished following the death of Zerlin in 2001, and was completed by McGillivray in 2013. Who knows – perhaps Henfield Theatre Company will offer this in some Christmas future?

Kindly sponsored by Andy Blunden Ceramic Wall & Floor Tilers Ltd, tickets for the “Farndale Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society Murder Mystery”, costing £12 for raised seating and £10 for floor seating, go on sale via www.henfieldtheatrecompany.co.uk and at Steven’s Estate Agents in Henfield High Street on 20th February 2023. Hope to see you there for a side-splitting evening of farcical laughter.

Liz Gibson

Photograph © Ian Henham

HENFIELD’S YEAR OF YOUNG PEOPLE

2023

is the Year of Young People for Henfield Parish Council and we will be organising a range of fun activities for children and young people to take part in, as well as working with local businesses to establish places for our young people to be together safely.

Launch events will include: ‘Hub on the High Street’, after-school drop-in for 13-16 years starting on Wednesday 1 March from 4-6pm at Goodness Café and; ‘Hub @ the Club’ starting on Friday 31 March at the Henfield Club for 16-18 year olds.

Other planned activities in 2023 include a Coronation Family Fun Day on Sunday 7 May, a cinema night for young people on Saturday 27 May, a Skate Jam on the Kings Field during the summer term (date tbc) and a Young Person’s Job Fair during the autumn term (date tbc).

Here at Henfield Parish Council we are committed to improving the prospects for children and young people. We are recruiting a Youth Co-ordinator to shape our Young Persons’ Strategy which will support children and young people to have their say, provide places for them to go and improve the information and advice available to them.

We also want to encourage local young people to take part in Parish Council activities and decision-making as to become working party group members and volunteers. We will do this by developing a forum for young people. For more information see www.henfield.gov.uk/ committees/children-young-people . All news and updates can be found on the Henfield Parish Council Facebook page www.facebook.com/ henfieldparishcouncil

Henfield Parish Council

Back in 2015, when my children were very tiny, I bought a laptop and set up BN5 on my dining room table in Church Terrace. With a background in the fashion industry, no publishing experience (which was quite evident now I look back on those early copies!) and a healthy dose of misplaced enthusiasm, I completed a crash course in a publishing software and sold my first advertising. Royal Mail was the backbone of distributing in this very rural area and the magazine flourished, with me juggling two small children and attempting to keep on top of all the happenings in a thriving and growing village.

The BN5 team grew as we gained more advertisers and after a period of producing a sister magazine (thirteen8, covering Cowfold and Partridge Green for 100 issues) we then expanded to take on the publishing of two national directories focussed on the highways industry; Spinfish Publishing. It’s now me plus four others; some part time and some full-time, but all really talented, funny and very lovely people to work with. I am enormously grateful for their support, enthusiasm and creativity.

Here’s some highlights for us over the last 200 issues…

November / December 2005 – Launch Issue

BN5 Magazine launched. With a mix of local news, events and features, the graphics were a little creaky and the writing style rather enthusiastic, but it was out there! Whilst both the magazine and the village have evolved over the years, it is lovely to see that many of the businesses that supported us in that first edition are still going strong and supporting us today: big thanks to Braziers, Stokes, Coles, Cinemobile, Henfield Leisure Centre, Moore Kingston Smith, The White Hart and PHB Contractors are BN5 customers to this day, thank you all.

May 2008 – Henfield Fantastic No Plastic

Being just the second high street in the UK to ban free plastic bags, BN5 Magazine helped promote this successful local environmental campaign. The specially designed cotton bag, which was posted into every household, is featured on the front cover together with an article on the benefits of going plastic free. Much like the magazine, many of these original Henfield bags are still going strong today!

We can’t quite believe that the March 2023 issue of BN5 is our 200th! It’s been an absolute pleasure to publish a magazine in Henfield for the last 18 years.

October 2010 – James Herbert

Back in 2010 we were fortunate to interview the true Godfather of horror writing; Henfield author James Herbert. Each of his 27 bestselling books increased his phenomenal success as he broke all the rules and taboos of horror writing and with it took the genre into mainstream popularity. We learnt a lot about James’s upbringing in the East End of London and how he loved family life in Woodmancote, where he was a great supporter of the local community and where his car with its iconic ‘Rat’ numberplate was a common sight around the village. Sadly, James passed away in 2013, but his family remain in Woodmancote.

July 2012 – Jubilee Fun & Games

This feature brings back lots of lovely memories from the June 2012 bank holiday weekend when locals celebrated Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee. The lack of blue sky didn’t deter the festivities and Henfielders came to the unveiling of the Jubilee Flower Baskets in the High Street, the Brass Band Concert and the children’s picnic in their hundreds. A historical and memorable weekend which was repeated in 2022 for the Platinum Jubilee!

September 2019 – Chelsea Pensioners

It was a huge privilege to meet some of the Chelsea Pensioners who visited Henfield Bowling Club in July 2019 for a friendly competition and it gave us one of our very favourite front covers! The pensioners, who are instantly recognisable in their unique scarlet tunics, are British Service veterans from all over the UK and we loved chatting to them and finding out more about their history.

On the day, the Henfield Bowling Club gave the Pensioners a typically warm welcome, a delicious cream tea and some really good competition which the visitors won!

May 2020 – Stay Safe Rainbow Edition

Some of the magazines we produced in the depths of lockdown are the ones we are proudest of. We launched our ‘Care for Carers’ campaign, supporting those who were keeping us safe and working so hard during the uncertain times of the pandemic. Now that life has returned to some normality with social distancing and masks a distant memory for most of us, we can look back on how the village pulled together. BN5 carried on publishing with skeleton advertisers and we’re really grateful to the local businesses who continued to support the magazine.

November 2022 – The launch of our new website

It was just back in November but we’re over the moon with how our website is growing and becoming a true reflection of our printed magazine, but with even more information! The events pages in particular are absolutely full of great things to do, with 185 current listings; we have 375 local businesses listed and 125 local clubs and groups. It’s a true reflection of our vibrant and beautiful village, so if you need some positive news, take a look at www.henfieldbn5.co.uk to see all the good things about Henfield and the people who live here.

Finally, thank you for reading and contributing, we couldn’t do it without you.

Emma Cole, Editor

New Community website for Henfield

Henfield Scouts Need You!

The Clarkes Mead Trust needs your help to finish the Henfield Scout Community Centre. Please help to make this building a reality after 27 years of hard work and determination.

We had to commit to starting the construction as costs were rapidly soaring; they increased by £90,000 alone during 2021 and 2022. So the steelwork is now up and the roof is fitted. Next the dwarf block wall and the concrete slab will be laid. Then we have a big problem; we’ll run out of funds because we have a £70,000 funding shortfall. Grants that we have been promised will not be paid until the building is completed. So we’ll have no option but to pause construction. We have plans in place to solve our dilemma, but we need your help in order for them to work.

The Clarkes Mead Trust is asking residents to lend them £100,000 at 2.5% interest over 10 years. This will allow us to complete both the

building shell and the internal fit-out to a high standard that Henfield residents deserve. Once built, the building will be available for all Henfield clubs to use alongside the Scouts and will earn income immediately. If you would like to help complete the Centre, you can do so by lending multiples of £500.

Contact David.malkin@henfield-scout-cc.org or call 01273 493843 for details.

Alternatively it’s possible to donate to the Clarkes Mead Trust via BACS online, the bank details are: ‘Henfield Scouts Centre Building Appeal’, sort code 20-24-61, account number 60174939. You can donate via ‘GoFundMe’ at https://www.gofundme.com/f/henfield-scoutcommunity-centre-building-appeal . Or you can buy an engraved brick by contacting Graham at Denyer05@outlook.com or calling 01273492402.

Thank you in anticipation

Dave ‘Indefatigable’ Malkin

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Signs of spring

As nature springs back to life, some of the season’s earliest flowers are now putting on a spectacular display at Woods Mill nature reserve.

Lesser Celandine

This is the Little Miss Sunshine of spring flowers, blooming as early as February and growing in a dense carpet of vibrant yellow. As one of the first woodland flowers of the year, it’s also known as the ‘spring messenger’ and symbolised ‘joys to come’ in Victorian times. The Lesser Celandine was also Wordsworth’s favourite flower and he devoted three poems to them, though they are not as catchy as his famous ode to the Daffodil.

How to ID: A low-growing relative of the Buttercup, with glossy green, heart-shaped leaves and bright yellow, star-like flowers that are about 3cm across.

Where to find at Woods Mill: Cross the entrance bridge from the carpark and look immediately left to see a bank covered in Lesser Celandines.

Wood Anemone

Before the Bluebells cast their glorious purple haze across the woodland floor, it is first dotted with a galaxy of tiny white stars as the Wood Anemones come into flower between March and May. Another pioneer of spring, this delicate plant grows in ancient woodlands beneath trees that could be several centuries old. Each star-like bloom has between five and eight white petals, often tinged with pink underneath, and a profusion of bright yellow pollen-bearing stamens at the centre. On warm days, the flowers can give off a strong, musky perfume that explains their alternative name ‘smell foxes’ while children sometimes call them ‘wooden enemies’.

How to ID: A low-growing plant with six to seven large white petals surrounding a cluster of distinctive yellow anthers. Its leaves are deeply lobed and it has a thin, red stem

Where to find at Woods Mill: Follow the path through Hoe Wood to see a stunning display of Wood Anemones in bloom.

Lesser Celandine © Derek Middleton, Sussex Wildlife Trust

Wood Anemone © Nigel Symington, Sussex Wildlife Trust

Wild Daffodil

Daffodils are traditionally at their best in March, when large swathes of golden ‘trumpets’ brighten up verges, parks and gardens. These daffodils are usually cultivated varieties but if you venture into the dappled shade of an ancient woodland or tread the damp grass of a wildflower meadow, you’re more likely to see the native Wild Daffodil.

They once grew in such profusion that Great Western launched a ‘Daffodil Special’ train service in the 1930s to transport Londoners by the carriage-load to admire the yellow carpets. People returned with armfuls of daffodils but picking didn’t do much harm, and it wasn’t until after the Second World War that the wild populations started to decline. With the industrialisation of agriculture, daffodil meadows were ploughed up and bulbs were deliberately uprooted because of their toxicity to livestock. The Wild Daffodil was no longer a familiar sight and the ‘Daffodil Special’ stopped running in 1959.

Today, Wild Daffodils are harder to find but they do still grow in a few remaining fragments of their former range. In Sussex there is a thriving colony at our West Dean Woods nature reserve, just outside Chichester. Millions of flowers will bloom among the traditionally coppiced Hazel woodland, creating a stunning sea of yellow. There is restricted access but now is the perfect time to walk the public bridleway along the western edge to see themnearest postcode P018 0RU.

How to ID: Smaller and daintier than most garden varieties, the Wild Daffodil has pale, creamy-yellow petals with a darker yellow ‘trumpet’ and narrow, silvery-backed leaves.

Blackthorn

Blackthorn bursts into life in March and April, when its leafless branches are smothered in flowers so dense they seem to be covered in snow. Blackthorn can grow into a small tree but is more often found as a hedgerow shrub, forming a dense tangle of viciously spiny twigs. These thorny thickets become near-impenetrable barriers, ideal for nesting Nightingales later in the spring. With such an abundance of flowers so early in the year, Blackthorn provides a rich banquet of sweet nectar and protein-rich pollen for visiting bees and other spring insects, which provide a vital pollination service as they move from flower to flower.

How to ID: A spiny shrub with small, oval leaves that are finely toothed, and fivepetalled, white flowers that appear in dense clusters. Blue-black fruits (sloes) appear in autumn.

Where to find at Woods Mill: Turn left after the entrance bridge and follow the top path to see a profusion of Blackthorn in flower

Charlotte Owen,

WildCall Officer, Sussex Wildlife Trust

How to find us

Woods Mill is two miles south of Henfield and accessed via Horn Lane, just off the A2037. It’s open throughout the year with a car park, bike racks and toilets. There is no entry charge but donations are welcome. Sorry, no dogs (except assistance dogs). sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/woodsmill

Blackthorn © Derek Middleton, Sussex Wildlife Trust

Wild Daffodils at West Dean Woods © Nigel Symington Sussex Wildlife Trust

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With pain-free injections you can relax about visiting your dentist. Here are a few reasons why you might want to have treatment using the wand:

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How to keep warm and reduce your bills

Around 80 people attended a talk from Derek Lickorish MBE, chairman of pre-payment energy supplier Utilita, in Henfield Hall one cold January evening, to try to understand why energy prices are still so high and what to do about it.

According to Mr Lickorish the UK is on track to a more efficient electricity system. While we consume around six times more electricity than we did when Queen Elizabeth was crowed in 1953, our electricity use has actually come down since 2002, due to new regulations around energy efficiency — LED lightbulbs being one example. Fossil fuel use has reduced and low carbon power generation has increased so they are now almost equal contributors to our electricity network. In fact, one turn of a wind turbine is enough to power a home for a day!

Despite this, household energy prices are not going down any time soon, warned Mr Lickorish: In autumn 2022 a ‘bucket’ of energy (1 MWh) cost energy suppliers £870, compared to just £50 before the Ukraine war. Wholesale energy prices have come down since then, but they are still much higher than they were pre-war and utilities such as Utilita will have already bought their supply months in advance. Additionally, capped prices under the government’s Energy Price Guarantee will rise from April 2023.

We are still a long way from eliminating fuel poverty, which Utilita believes could reach 10 million households (over a third of all households in the UK) as prices stay high and government support falls away. The consequences of this are severe for those caught up in it: respiratory problems, ill health and even death.

People may be surprised to learn where their home leaks the most heat. Around 35% is lost through uninsulated walls, 25% through the roof and 15% each from the floor and doors. Only 10% is lost through windows. Insulation remains

the most effective way of reducing heat loss and the biggest impact anyone could have on their home energy bills is to insulate their loft if they haven’t already: Adding 270mm of loft insulation could save £352 per year, paying for itself in under two years. Turning the heating down by just 1 degree could also save £229 per year, according to Utilita’s research, while using the microwave or slow cooker instead of electric oven could save £202. Reducing the flow temperature of your boiler to 54 degrees will reduce its gas use by 12%.

Mr Lickorish talked the audience through ground source and air source heat pumps which use the same technology as a typical fridge but in reverse. Depending on external temperatures, the quality of installation and the insulation at the property, heat pumps can deliver between three and seven times the energy used to run it, by gathering up residual heat in the air or ground and distributing it throughout the house. The downside is that at the moment they are expensive to install compared to a gas boiler or even solar panels, although there is currently a £5,000 government grant available for heat pump installations.

Mr Lickorish concluded that net zero is possible and that it will ultimately bring prices down, but that it will take time for the UK to build the necessary energy storage, as well as develop technology that can manage electricity demand. “There is no doubt that we can get to this net zero future, and I have no doubt that it will be beneficial,” he said. “But it’s the timescale of getting there. At the moment it is the fossil fuels that cost the money. We’ve been caught out.”

Anyone who would like to borrow a thermal imaging camera to better understand heat loss from their home should contact Sustainable Henfield at info@sustainablehenfield2030.org Rachel Parkes

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VAT & Office Landlords

Office real estate is changing. The shift to hybrid working practices has changed how office space is used by businesses. Hot-desking and flexible workspaces are replacing the traditional fixed, personal desk. As a result office landlords are finding themselves now with excess property interests. This is because leases are not being renewed and empty buildings are standing unlet. Office tenants require an entirely different style or specification of office accommodation to reflect the new way of working. Office landlords are reflecting on the future use of unlet properties. The financial impact, including VAT costs, should be central to their planning process. Highlighting the VAT costs of potential options is important for modelling cash flows where VAT is likely to be recoverable and for identifying where VAT may be irrecoverable due to the use, or intended future use, and the VAT liability of income to be generated. Landlords may look to refurbish and upgrade commercial properties to a higher specification. This could involve changing the layout, design and fit-out to offer a full plug-in-and-go option to businesses. These costs are likely to be subject to standard rate VAT (20%), which would usually be recoverable if the landlord has made, or will make, an Option to Tax over the property, i.e. charging VAT on the rent and service charges to incoming tenants. This option would not be attractive to tenants who cannot recover all or any of the VAT charged to them, eg banks, insurance companies, certain charities, etc. The landlord would need to consider the upside of making an option to tax, allowing for the recovery of VAT on expenditure but weighing this up against the potential downside of Opting to Tax, putting off certain types of tenants. Could incentivisation benefit an office landlord? Another option is to offer tenants rent-free periods or incentivisation payments. These arrangements may or may not give rise to VAT costs, depending on

the specifics of the arrangement. It is important to identify the possible VAT consequences and the best way to structure the overall arrangements for the landlord and the tenant from the outset.

A more radical option is to convert the property from commercial offices to residential dwellings or student accommodation. If the property use changes and the necessary planning permission is obtained, conversion costs are subject to VAT at the reduced rate of 5% rather than the standard rate of 20%. The VAT recovery depends on the expected use of the property after conversion. Rental of residential property is an exempt supply for VAT purposes (unless it is holiday accommodation or similar), and an Option to Tax is normally disapplied. However with effective structuring and expert advice, it may be possible to set up the arrangements in such a way as to achieve VAT recovery, and still achieve the overall commercial objectives.

In addition, thinking about installing energy-saving materials is an option to reduce VAT rates. The increasing importance of ESG and energy efficiencies of properties is encouraging landlords to think about installing energy-saving materials and including them in future plans.

Many landlords are adopting a wait-and-see strategy when considering potential decisions over their property offerings. However, it is prudent to build in VAT when considering any options. Furthermore as VAT works in a self-assessment regime, it is up to the taxpayer to find the optimum structure that accommodates their particular situation.

If you would like to discuss potential consultancy and planning solutions for your office real estate, please email psamrah@mks.co.uk

Paul Samrah, Partner, Moore Kingston Smith LLP

T: 0204 582 1730 E: psamrah@mks.co.uk

HENFIELD £435,000 EPC Rating B COUNCIL TAX D

Modern beautifully presented three bedroom, two bathroom semi detached house walking distance to the primary school, village high street and close to open countryside and walks. Garage and parking

HENFIELD OIEO £500,000 EPC rating B

3-4 bedroom link detached house close to the primary village high street and other key amenities. Sitting room, dining room, conservatory, further reception room/bedroom 4, kitchen, family bathroom and ensuite shower room.

HIGH STREET, HENFIELD. 01273 495220 BRANCHES ALSO AT HURSTPIERPOINT AND CUCKFIELD

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