Bersted in Focus April 2021

BERSTED IN FOCUS

The Independent Local Directory of Businesses NORTH AND SOUTH BERSTED (PO22 area) Delivered FREE to over 5,700 homes April 2021

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WELCOME Hello everyone, I hope you are keeping well. It’s April already and although we are not out of the woods yet, it does feel like the Covid tide has turned.

This time last year, we had no vaccine, no road map and no idea when we could genuinely look forward to the future. This month we might be able to go shopping and get a haircut and local businesses can start to get back on their feet.

This is why I am supporting the Back in Business #shoplocalsussex campaign launched yesterday by local Sussex-radio station V2 Radio.

Now, more than ever it’s very important that our local communities rally together to help boost the Sussex economy and support our small and independent businesses we are lucky enough to have in West Sussex, many of whom advertise in this magazine.

Choosing local helps boost local business, maintains jobs, creates new work opportunities, while a thriving high street is key to boosting villages and towns which in turn generates revenue to fund council services like libraries, parks and roads, says the campaign.

To get involved in the campaign and to benefit from featuring on the radio, Sussexbased independent businesses can visit V2 Radio’s website, v2radio.co.uk/backinbusiness. #shoplocalsussex is the only way – let me know how you get on.

Special thanks to local resident Judy Hewlett who took this glorious front cover photo.

Happy Easter and best wishes, Kate

office@infocusmagazines.co.uk

Tel: 07729682245

BERSTED IN FOCUS

The Independent Local Directory of Businesses NORTH AND SOUTH BERSTED (PO22 area)

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APRIL ISSUE DEADLINE  THURSDAY 8 APRIL

All advertisements are printed in good faith, however Bersted in Focus cannot take responsibility for the content of the adverts or the services provided by the advertisers. Opinions and views expressed in articles are not necessarily held by In Focus Magazines. No part of the publication may be reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher.

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WHY DO WE HAVE AN EASTER BUNNY?

BY CHARLIE STEWART (13¾) My Dad is a teacher and when I was in Year Two he dressed up as a huge, white fluffy bunny and bounced around the school giving eggs out to the children as a special surprise.

My sister, Emily, was in Nursery and she was very excited to see a large bunny visiting her classroom but she couldn’t understand why he was wearing Daddy’s shoes!

I was thinking about this story the other day and wondering where in fact the Easter bunny comes from?

Although the Bible makes no specific mention of a long-eared, fluffy animal who delivers eggs to well-behaved children on Easter Sunday, the Easter bunny has now become a standout figure during the Easter period.

Many families have an Easter Egg hunt around the house or in the garden – and when a chocolate egg is discovered under a hedge, behind a flowerpot or down the side of a chair – it is the Easter bunny children should thank.

The exact origins of this mythical mammal are unclear, but rabbits themselves are a symbol of new life and fertility. Some sources state that the Easter bunny first arrived in America in the 1700’s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare called ‘Osterhase’. The children in the American town made nests for the hares and this was where the creature could lay its beautifully coloured eggs.

Eventually, this trend spread across other parts of America and this fabled rabbit’s Easter morning deliveries expanded to include chocolate and sweet treats for the children of America to enjoy. The children often left out carrots for the bunny in case he got hungry from all his hopping.

This shows similarities to Santa Claus because, as you know, children across the world often leave out carrots and treats for the reindeer on Christmas Eve. We also have an Easter bunny because rabbits usually give birth to a big litter of babies which are known as kittens. These baby rabbits have become a symbol of new life like the Easter egg, and these two things combined mean that chocolate bunnies have joined our Easter celebrations and they are definitely something to look forward to (even the adults can’t pass up a bit of chocolate!)

Easter is a day of celebration and for Christians it is the most important festival of the year. I hope you get chance to celebrate this national holiday a little this year – it will be extra special I hope, as there is a chance we may be able to see a few friends and family members. Happy Easter and, whatever your plans, I do hope the Easter bunny pays you all a visit!

DID YOU KNOW? 1. Easter is called Easter because it was named after the Anglo-Saxon goddess, Eostre, who is known as a fertility goddess.

2. More than 1.5 million Cadbury creme eggs are produced every day in the UK. 3. In 2012 twenty-seven bakeries in Argentina worked for two weeks to make enough chocolate for a giant Easter egg that weighed over four tonnes. The gargantuan concoction was wheeled in to the Chocolate Festival in Bariloche and was over 27ft high (8.5m) and 16ft wide (5m).

4. Pretzels used to be associated with Easter because the twists resemble arms crossing in prayer.

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LOCAL HISTORY BY SYLVIA ENDACOTT In these uncertain times, we know that when we visit the centre of town again, we will find shops have closed with no mention of their past. However this is not true for one shop, that of Burtons in London Road.

Montague Burton established his company in 1903 supplying uniforms to the army. Eventually he became famous for his high quality made-to-measure suits at low prices, with a slogan of ‘A five guinea suit for 55 shillings’. He eventually built over 600 shops countrywide. The company was very public spirited and all their shops had a side door to enable men to go upstairs, play billiards and have hot soup. There was also a small shop at the front where children could buy sweets.

Their shop arrived here in Bognor Regis in 1937 and if you look at the outside of the shop you can clearly see a number of small plaques stating who was involved in the store opening. There is also a small grill which depicts the famous Burton name – The Taylor of Taste. Nationally, the company was referred to as a ‘cathedral of commerce. In 2015 when I first started to research this shop there was mention of how it was still with us and into the future. Things have changed considerably, and they are now a forgotten name, but for this one shop today, the plaques still remain outside the premises built to help the unemployed workers in the 1920s and 1930s.

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LOCKDOWN WALKING BY SIMON BAKER IRONS We are still not able to travel very far so we need to be imaginative with our local walks. This has enabled me to find out so much more about the area that I thought I knew so well. I have highlighted three walks which I hope will inspire you to really explore the beautiful place where we live. More details of these walks can be found on my blog – piertopiertrekking.com Felpham Parish Border Walk A 12km circular walk following the civil parish border of Felpham, it is surprising how much of the border can be followed and where the furthest extremes are. The route from Flansham follows the A259 until Worms Wood where it heads south along what was once the old Littlehampton Road. It then passes through the residential areas of Flansham Park and Summerley Fields to the sea, where the furthest accessible point to the east is located at Hannah’s Groyne on the edge of the Middleton greensward. The border heads west along the seafront to Butlins and is furthest south at the junction with Longbrook.

Walk through Longbrook Park around Butlins and then follow the Aldingbourne Rife, through Felpham Recreation space and fields to the rear of the leisure centre and schools, furthest west is on the river edge in these fields with Shripney supermarkets just a stone’s throw away. Woodpeckers can often be seen in these fields and the odd deer too. Pick up the public footpath through the golf course and the point where the path rejoins the Rife is the furthest north. The route leaves the parish border here and meets it again at the edge of Blakes Mead where it goes round the flood relief ponds on the far side of the Charles Purley Way. This route can be started at any point.

Words in Stone and Steel Inspired by Sylvia Endacott’s booklet Words in Stone and Steel this circular walk visits all the plaques in Felpham that stretch from the village centre to the edge of Bognor and out to Hoe Lane. The plaques feature notable historical events in the village including St Mary’s Church lychgates erected in honour of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and the memorial of the Hampden bomber that crashed near Sea Road. Many blue plaques in the locality also feature the significant people of the area.

From Sea to Source A 9km route from Felpham beach that follows the Lidsey Rife to its source. The Rife meets the sea through a sluice just west of the Felpham SSSI, a 1-hectare site of coastline which is one of only three sites in Britain to have fossils of flora dating back 66 million years to Paleocene epoch. Sea defences have been constructed at the mouth of the river since the 15th Century and been rebuilt many times over the years after being breached by the sea. The lower part of the rife can be tracked north through Longbrook Park and in 680AD this part was called ‘Brynes Fleot’ and would have curved through the site that is now Butlins. In 1953, during the construction of Butlins, the Rife was straightened and can be seen again after following the perimeter of the holiday resort.

The Rife provides a natural border to Felpham and winds its way from here through fields between Glenwood and the schools, the river splits and one section heads towards Shripney known as the Aldingbourne Rife, whereas the Lidsey Rife continues to the golf course. Follow the public footpath through the golf course and rejoin the river further up, head under the viaduct and continue following river north. The Barnham cycle path runs parallel to the river as it begins to narrow and many tributaries can be seen leading into the river including the Ryebank Rife by the solar farm. The Rife continues through agricultural fields and further decreases in size, it is rejoined at its source where it can clearly be seen emerging from under the old canal near to Tile Barn Farm. Many wildfowl and deer can be seen on this route.

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THE CUCKOO FIX

Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)

This time last year I wrote an article about hearing cuckoos and other sounds of spring that I was looking forward to experiencing. Then lockdown happened and I never did hear my cuckoos. So this April I await with anticipated excitement to get my fix of this celebrated bird and other seasonal arrivals. Although cuckoos have declined dramatically, you can still hear their symbolic calls and if you’re lucky see them, around our reserves of Pagham Harbour and Medmerry from April into June. The prospect alone is enough to lift my spirits.

Meanwhile, buds are bursting and leaves unfurling, while spring flowers splash colour across the countryside. Trees, bushes, and plants are waking from their wintry slumber, full of energy and vigorous growth. In turn, this explosion of greenery brings out an army of hungry insects. Bees, butterflies, caterpillars, beetles … all eating, feeding, mating … They of course, are what our migrant birds have timed their arrival for. A feast for themselves and the families they come here to raise.

Over at Medmerry’s Stilt Pools, avocets will Cuckoo be busy courting and starting to build their nests of aquatic roots and leaves. Their striking monochrome plumage and long thin upturned bill make them instantly obvious and recognisable.

However, most ground nesting birds, of which there are many, particularly in our countryside and around our reserves, are not so strikingly adorned.

In fact, the point of their plumage, is not to be seen at all – camouflage!

Skylarks, pipits, yellowhammers, linnets, corn bunting and warblers like the chiffchaff, all nest on the ground hidden in fields, tussocks and Avocet under bushes. Ring plovers make scrapes on shingle beaches merging into their background. Ducks and all manner of inconspicuous waders hide in the wet vegetation around pools. They are all trying not to be seen by predators and very good they are at it as well.

The problem is that they are so good, that they risk being disturbed by us as we take our exercise.

Disturbance is one the main threats to bird breeding success along with habitat loss and climate change. So it is really important now to stick to footpaths and keep our curious four-legged companions close and on the path too. That splashing in a pool or sniffing under the bush just a few meters off the pathway, may be life or death to a chiffchaff. Enjoy the sights and sounds of spring but please respect the nature that makes it such a wonderful time of year.

RSPB ZOOM MEETINGS FOR APRIL 2021

8 April

22 April

Peter Holden – Birds in Spring – bird communication, nesting and breeding ecology Hannah Watson – The Life History and Ecology of Tawny Owls in Sweden All meetings start at 7.00 pm

The talks are free to all RSPB Chichester Local Group members and £4 each to non-members.

Places are limited, so please book your place in advance by contacting Rob Yarham – email: chichesterbirds@gmail.com, tel: 07545 376074 Maria Wildman – 12 Harbour View Road, Pagham, PO21 4RG, tel: 01243 262833 Email: wildthings2@waitrose.com

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Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

BY ROY NEWHAM, RSPB VISITOR EXPERIENCE OFFICER

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CROSSWORD 1.

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Down Directory of names and numbers (5,4) Rude, noisy, aggressive (informal) (7) Dingy, sleazy (5) Salvage (7) Spectre (5)

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Across Agile, lithe (4) Inferior cut of meat (5-3) Devour, guzzle (6) Rough, stormy (6) ____-detached, a house (4) Sailing (8) ______ Loren, Italian actress (6) ______ Hemmingway, author (6) Dormer window (8) Large brass instrument (4) Poppycock (6) Cared for, tended (6) Distress, trouble (8) Children’s board game (4)

Brief sleep (3) Epistaxis (9) Saintly, virtuous (7) Instinctive, innate (7) Even, equal (5)

19. Forceps-like tool (5) 22. Branch of the armed services (Abbr) (3)

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SUDOKU

How to Play Sudoku It’s simple! Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the numbers 1 through to 9 with no repetition.

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GARDEN VIEW HOE! HOE! HOE!

BY RACHEL LEVERTON Following on from last month’s list of essential garden tools for beginners I thought I’d explain about the humble hoe. When I first started gardening, I didn’t really understand how to use one.

There are a couple of varieties of hoe and they are used in different ways, and they really are your friend at this time of year.

The hoe is actually one of the most ancient garden tools and came before the plough. It’s mentioned in Egyptian art, the Code of Hammurabi and in the Bible.

The reason spring is a great time to put your hoe to good use is because right now is when the annual weeds (the ones that self-seed freely and pop up all over the place every year) have started to germinate.

The aim when hoeing, aim to sever the top growth from the roots, just below the soil surface, then leave it in the sun to dry out and die. Hoeing is best done when the soil is dry as this creates a ‘dust mulch’ which inhibits the germination of new weeds.

I prefer a hoe with a long handle because it’s better for preventing back pain.

I also have a short-handled hoe known as an ‘onion hoe’ for closely planted areas. A shorted handle gives more control, so you don’t damage your prized plants.

It’s important to note that hoeing only kills the annual weeds, not the deeprooted perennial weeds, those need to be dug up by hand.

There is also a tool called a Dutch hoe.

This is used by sweeping it smoothly over the soil so that the surface is just ‘brushed’.

If used correctly it slices the tops from the weeds. It’s actually simple to use but you do need to practice your technique. Slice the tops of weeds by bringing the hoe towards you, altering the angle to accommodate slopes. When you turn over a Dutch hoe you can use it to make a shallow trench called a seed drill to sow larger seeds, like peas into. Larger seeds are better because they need to be covered well.

Your hoes need to be kept sharp and well maintained for maximum effectiveness. I use a metal file to both clean and sharpen, but you can buy sharpening stones reasonably cheaply and they are easy to use.

Happy gardening.

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PUZZLE SOLUTIONS Solution to Mind Benders 1. All at sea.

2. The last leg.

3. Absent without leave.

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A GOOD READ

BY WILLOW COBY

Bridgerton by Julia Quinn Ah, the Regency Era. The world of Jane Austen, elegant women dressed in the sumptuous fashions of the era, and dashing young men, all navigating a world of parties and courtship. Julia Quinn drops us into this intriguing world in her bestselling novel Bridgerton: The Duke & I, the first in the series. Most people will know it through its highly successful adaptation on Netflix, but the original source material is well worth reading.

We are introduced to the Bridgerton family with their 8 children (all named alphabetically). Mrs Bridgerton is eager to find a husband for her eldest daughter, Daphne, and it would appear that all of British high society – known as the ton – is lapping up the latest gossip. At one of many balls she attends, Daphne meets the rather irascible Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings. The two form an unlikely friendship and, since neither of them is interested in marriage, they agree to a fake courtship, in the hope of avoiding advances from prospective husbands and wives.

But can it really work? And are they really so averse to marriage?

One of the charms of this novel is that you are reminded that no matter what era we are born into, we are all basically navigating the same pitfalls in life. Enjoy the ride!

The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit by Chris Wormell Sometimes we all feel lonely. Sometimes all we want is a friend. The Big Ugly Monster is no different.

This wonderful picture book tells the story of a monster who is so ugly that no one will go near him. Lakes, rivers, and puddles hiss and dry up when he steps in them. Animals and birds run away from him. Flowers drop their petals and trees lose their leaves.

But one day he decides to make his own friend out of stone, and he carves a little stone rabbit.

We learn that he is only ugly on the outside and that he is a faithful, loving friend. A moving story that will stay with you long after the final page.

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A BOWLS CLUB AND MORE One of the finest bowls greens in Sussex can be found in the wonderful setting of Middleton Sports Club in Sea Lane.

A warm and friendly welcome is assured to all new members whether experienced or first time bowlers and membership also includes full Social Membership to the Sports club with its renowned bar, restaurant, sporting and social facilities. Interested?

Contact: David Wilkins (Secretary): 01243 585011 or Gary Steventon: 01243 585694

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BOGNOR REGIS TIDE TABLE April 2021, Time Zone GMT

Tidal information is reproduced by kind permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and the UK Hydrographic Office. Crown Copyright. All Rights reserved.

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