VOICES OF SUSSEX

VOICES OF SUSSEX IS A COMMUNITY CHOIR BASED IN BERSTED, BOGNOR REGIS

Created in 2014, with just eleven members, the choir was formed to help bring together people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities from the local area, with the aim of being accessible and inclusive to all.

Over the last nine years, the choir has grown to over 40 strong and has performed in many concerts and competitions, not just here in Sussex but in mainland Europe too! The choir doesn’t just offer people a platform to sing, it’s become an opportunity for so many of our members to socialise and make new friends too.

We strive to encourage and broaden our members’ horizons through the environments we perform in and the music we choose, which includes anything from pop, rock and R&B, to classical, musical theatre and anything in between – we like a challenge!

The choir meets every Tuesday from 7.00pm - 8.30pm at the Bersted Park Community Centre, Lakeland Avenue, North Bersted, PO21 5FF. The first two sessions are free of charge to all new members, with no pressure to join. After that, it’s just £6 a session!

If you’re looking to take up a new hobby this year, and you’re interested in finding out more, or wish to join, then visit www.berstedarts.com/vos, or email connect@berstedarts.com.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Local History By

SYLVIA ENDACOTT

Good to be back again, I hope you had a good Christmas and New Year. We had some poor weather over the period, and because of this I spent some time looking through old newspapers to see what sort of interesting events took place. One article caught my eye from 50 years ago.

There was a question asked in the Bognor Regis Observer on the 5 of May 1972, yes 50 years ago, “What will it be like in the year 2000?” This was to be a magical year, the millennium which promised so much for the future. So let us have a look at what happened or what we missed. One of the major focal points is ‘what will occur,’ with changing holiday trends, maybe the town will be aimed more at the shorter holiday for families? One comment made me smile, that of the problems of taking children abroad was seen to be so difficult with, ‘unfamiliar food, so staying in Bognor in familiar surroundings would be better.’ Remember this is 1972. Also with the new Channel Tunnel this could increase the need for a local holiday resort, with large halls for dancing like the one contained in the demolished Rex building on the prom. The subject of the ownership of the pier was discussed, but this is a repeated theme before and after 1972. The headline paragraph of this article talks of the future with a hovertrain from London or even a monorail from an out of town terminal. I wonder how 2023 will be reviewed in the future?

ARUN & CHICHESTER (AIR) ENTHUSIASTS SOCIETY

AirACES www.airaces.org.uk

Patrons – Sqn Ldr Richard (Dick) Kharegat RAF (Retd) – ex Vulcan, Victor, B52 Pilot Wg Cdr Robert (Bob) Prothero MRAeS, MIMgt, RAF (Retd) – ex Victor Pilot

Monday 27th February 2023 - 1900 for 1930 hrs

‘Formation Display Pilot’ presented by Mr Andy Evans, Team Leader, The Blades Aerobatic Team

Andy Evans will offer Air Aces members an exceptional insight into the life of a formation display pilot and the requirements and demands of the profession. As one of the most experienced display pilots in the world, with almost 2,700 hours in the Extra 300 alone, he has accumulated almost 8,500 flying hours. With all of this experience, Andy is also a Qualified Flying Instructor so well positioned to be mentoring and commanding the team when he took over as Team Leader in 2018, as well as managing the team’s flying itinerary.

Andy began his flying career in 1984 when he was awarded an RAF flying scholarship. He joined the RAF in 1985 as a member of Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron and following completion of officer training at Cranwell, Andy was selected to conduct his flying training in Texas, being awarded his wings in 1989. A former front-line Jaguar pilot, Andy flew on operations over the Balkans and spent three years as the Air Show Advisor to the Royal Saudi Air Force National Aerobatic Team. Andy is also a former Red Arrows pilot, flying with the Team between 1997 and 2000 and after his third year, he was the first Red Arrows pilot to stay on and become Team Manager, flying as Red 10.

AirACES is an aviation talk society, providing its members with regular talks, given by experts in many different fields related to the world of aviation. The talks are held at the Chichester Park Hotel, Westhampnett Road, Chichester 7pm for 7.30 start. Members £5, visitors £7 and under 16s FREE. Doors open at 6.45 no pre-booking, no reserved seating For further information about AirACES, please see www.airaces.org.uk, or call David Batcock on 01243 823007.