Bersted In Focus February 2021

BERSTED IN FOCUS

The Independent Local Directory of Businesses north and south BERSTED (PO22 area) Delivered FREE to over 5,000 homes February 2021

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Bersted in Focus

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WElCOmE

maRCH ISSUE DEaDlINE  mONDay 8 FEBRUaRy

HEllO EvERyONE and welcome to the first magazine of 2021 and my first Bersted in Focus. It is a very difficult time for so many, but I hope you are managing to stay as positive as possible in the hope that this month we may start to see some easing of the lockdown restrictions.

I am delighted to be at the helm of In Focus magazines. I have lived in middleton and Felpham for the last six years and I have always been a huge fan of the magazines and Sarah’s brilliant work, so this is a very exciting time for me and my family.

Bersted in Focus is a central part of our community, especially at the moment, and I very much look forward to working with you to keep it that way so we can support each other.

This month we are featuring various different ways to beat the lockdown blues as well as some financial pointers for 2021, a lovely walk in Binsted Woods and not forgetting valentine’s Day and pancake treats. many thanks to louise Greenhorn (rspbimages.com) for this very uplifting front cover photo of a blue tit. Please do send in any photographs you would like to be considered for the front cover.

I look forward to meeting you all when we can. I am sure you will all join me in thanking Sarah for all her hard work and tireless support of so many local businesses as well as wishing her well with her next adventures. In the meantime take care and stay safe.

HEllO EvERyONE let’s hope this year will be so much better for everyone and with the Covid 19 vaccines being rolled out we can get back to some kind of normality.

On a personal note, I have been producing In Focus magazines for over twelve years now, starting when my children were very small.

They are now all grown up, my youngest started university in September and the time has come for me to hand over the reins to a fresh pair of hands.

I am delighted that Felpham resident kate Stewart has taken over. I know she will make an ideal successor as a former journalist who is already very involved with the local community.

I would like to say a huge thank you for the support businesses and residents have shown for this magazine. many people took a huge leap of faith coming on board when I first started and I have always appreciated that.

It has been a real pleasure and privilege to be part of the community in this way and I am looking forward to seeing local businesses and In Focus magazines continue to flourish and support one another for many more years to come.

With my very best wishes to you all, Sarah

Best wishes, kate office@infocusmagazines.co.uk Tel: 07729682245 www.infocusmagazines.co.uk 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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lOvERS Walk This month’s trek is a 6.5 km (4 miles) circular walk around the village of Binsted and nearby ancient woods, situated west of arundel this parish has an immense amount of history. Parking is limited in the area, but the walk can be started at various points on the route. Sadly, this walk will look vastly different in years to come as it will be altered forever when the a27 bypass is constructed, cutting through this ancient and tranquil landscape.

This trek starts at the 12th century St mary’s Church, a flint building that stands high and looks across the steep sided Binsted Rife valley, which is thought to have been formed in the last ice age by glacial water running from the South Downs, it is now a rare chalk stream fed from nearby springs.

Follow the quiet lane northwards keeping the fields to the right and views across the valley to the left.

On the far side of the valley are remains of a Roman villa and bath house and barely visible are Iron age earthworks that run North/South and formed part of the Chichester entrenchments.

The lane passes the popular Black Horse pub which has been at the heart of the community for generations, it sheltered villagers during WW2, has been the venue of music Hall sing-alongs and today serves great food in a terrific setting. The field opposite has the buried remains of a tile kiln that once produced ‘Binsted Ware’ pottery, traditionally known for its jugs with faces on the handles. a little further north is a fork in the road where Hedgers Hill meets Binsted lane. This area was known as ‘all the World’ and would have been a busy junction between other medieval tile kilns situated in the area. Take the lane to the right and head round the bend, the woods to the north of the lane called Hundred House Copse contain earthworks believed to be the remains of a moot mound, an anglo-Saxon meeting place. The mound is also situated right next to further iron age earthworks. If taking a detour into this copse then it is essential to keep to the path as this area is also used by archery clubs. On the bend take the bridleway eastwards Waymarker Sculpture known as Old Scotland lane, so called because the adjoining land may have owed a customary payment (or scot) on it.

Scotland lane was also identified in the 1940s as the route of the Roman road from Chichester to the adur, but recent surveys suggest that the road may be slightly to the north.

Follow the path along the edge of the field, look towards the middle and see one of the many great oak trees that are scattered around the locality. at the far side of the field enter the 250 acres of ancient woodland that is Binsted Woods. Follow the straight path further into the unkept deciduous wood and keep an eye out to catch a glimpse of its abundant wildlife. Notice the change in the smell of the woodland as you cross the parish boundary into Tortington and enter the pine plantation. at the road junction you can either head south or stroll through Tortington Common to the madonna Pond. much folklore surrounds this pond one saying that it is bottomless and has swallowed up many a person. The madonna statue was originally erected in 1952 by lorna Wishart a local artist, unfortunately the original statue was vandalised and has since been replaced.

The walk heads back through the southern part of the woods following ‘lovers Walk’, part of a 19th Century path that linked the church to arundel. leave the woods and head across the fields taking care not to miss the wooden Waymarker sculpture by the junction of four paths at the end of Church lane. The Waymarker depicts the Green man, bubbles arising from the knucker Hole and the dragon/serpent that lived there. Head back along Church lane to the church to complete the trek.

For more information and further walks please visit my blog at piertopiertrekking.com

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Credit: Simon Baker Irons

SImON BakER IRONS ExPlORES BINSTED

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a HINT OF THINGS TO COmE It’s February and if you haven’t had your fill of winter wildfowl, this could be your last chance for a while, as many ducks and geese prepare to leave for their summer breeding grounds.

The delicate white flowers of snowdrop and pale-yellow of primrose hint at the promise of spring to come. Buds are fattening on trees and shrubs. One of the most obvious is the blackthorn.

Covered in tiny little buds they remind me of popcorn, as over the course of the month they grow before bursting open in the following month.

The early flowers and catkins draw in queen bumblebees in need of food and energy after their long hibernation. Now they search the woodland floor for deserted mouse or vole burrows in which to make their nest, buzzing loudly as they go.

Our resident birds can sense it as well. Blue tits and great tits prospect nest boxes. look out for the males encouraging the females to look at a potential home to raise a family. If you haven’t got them up yet, now is a good time to put nest boxes. Tit boxes should be fixed 2-4m up a tree or wall with a clear flight path to the nest. Face the box between north and east to avoid the hot midday sun and the wettest winds. Nest boxes placed high up under the eaves will appeal to house sparrows and starlings but they will Great Tit also use boxes sited lower, at about 2-4m. Sparrows will often nest in loose colonies, so choose two or three boxes placed about a metre apart or you can now buy special ‘terrace’ nest boxes. While, open-fronted boxes are preferred by robins and wrens. They need to be placed low down, below two metres, hidden out of sight and sheltered by vegetation.

The sound of ‘drumming’ woodpeckers carries on the wind. These are likely to be greater spotted woodpeckers, with black and white plumage and red undertail. The male, with a red nape, does most of the drumming declaring his territory to other males and letting the females know he is available.

He hammers an astonishing 10 – 20 times a second and at least 1000 times the force of gravity! yes it is still winter, but the days are lengthening and our wildlife is restless for the change.

By Roy Newnham, RSPB visitor Experience Officer

RSPB zOOm mEETINGS FOR FEBRUaRy 2021 4 February

ken Smith – Bars and Spots –The Contrasting Fortunes of our Woodpeckers

11 February

Penny Green, Ecologist, knepp Estate – Rewilding and Birds at knepp

25 February

kerry Jackson – Going South – The Falklands 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

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CROSSWORD 1.

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Down Wilful betrayal (9) Set aside, save (7) Proprietor (5) Period of sustained drinking (informal) (7)

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Enticed (5) apex (3) Without scent (9) Small glamorous white dog (7) 15. Defeat decisively (7)

Across Celebrity, headliner (4) No longer in use (8) Teaching period (6) libretto, dialogue (6) Pockmark, healed wound (4) Single spot of precipitation (8) Persistence, tenacity (13) Going to ground (5,3) Belongs to you and me (4) Frail, ailing (6) Joined (6) long-handled frying pans (8) Effortless (4) 17. Prizes awarded for peace, physics, literature etc. (5) 18. Home of Snowdonia National Park (5) 21. large deer (3)

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12 Bersted in Focus

be more financially secure in 2021

by Harry Mitchell-Davis 2020 was rough year for most of us. One thing it did do though is make a lot of us take stock of where we are in life, and many of us re-evaluated our jobs and our finances. Despite the start, 2021 will hopefully be a better year, but we can’t live on hope so let’s look at how we can make ourselves more financially secure this year.

• • • • • • • •

• • • • •

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Learn to budget Create your own budget in five simple steps.

The basics – Work out your income and expenses and see how much cash flow you have right now.

Remember A.T.E. – Automate, Track spending and build an Emergency fund.

Identify your values - Choose budgeting principles that make sense for you.

Set up a Frequent Outgoings Budget – You should know exactly where the money for your bills will come from, then on payday automatically sweep that money into a Frequent Outgoings account.

Set a Goal What do you want to accomplish in 2021?

Do you want to earn more money?

Do you want to spend less on frivolous purchases?

Do you want to go on a big holiday as soon as we can travel again?

Do you want to learn how to invest?

Set a specific goal for whatever you want to accomplish.

Goal setting is good because even if you don’t attain the goal, the fact you were motivated to act means you will be closer than you would have been otherwise.

Set Milestones Milestones are simply smaller goals that help you get to your larger goal. They serve to keep you on track.

For example – paying off debt the milestones might be: Set up a budget to work out much money you have Calculate out how much money you need to set aside per month to get all your debt paid off in 12 months (or 18, 24 etc).

Celebrate after each credit card is paid off.

Increase your income Easier said than done but there are four ways you can do this: Apply for promotion at work.

Ask for a raise.

Find a new, better paid job.

Start a side hustle.

These might not be immediate solutions, or even possible ones, but they are worth thinking about very seriously.

Employers can say no to promotion or a pay rise, but they might say yes if you can persuade them you are worth it.

Don’t give up, there are jobs available and one of them might have your name on it. And many of us have a skill we could monetise if we had to.

I wish you all a more financially secure 2021.

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SIGNING ONlINE? IS THIS lEGal? yes! It is, we have seen a surge in demand over this pandemic for Wills to be completed and early into this difficult situation the government recognised the need for change.

So, what are the current requirements for witnessing a Will? at present we are still required to adhere to s9 of the Wills act 1837. you read that right, 1837, this is a law passed over 184 years ago. In brief the Will must be signed by the Testator and in presence of two witnesses who in turn sign. So far, this sounds quite straight forward. However, over the years case law has confirmed the tests can become complex and Wills are failing to be upheld by the Courts.

New legislation is to be applied to allow video witnessing of Wills! This is a temporary measure but we here at mJR Solicitors are hoping this becomes a permanent feature utilising these modern methods seems like a natural progression to us and we welcome intuitive ways of utilising technology to make ourselves more available and accessible to our clients.

In years gone by it was all paper and pens, but these days in this modern era should we have to write everything down? We love new technologies and portals we can use to keep our customers updated, hopefully this becomes standard throughout the legal industry.

So, what is involved in this online signing? let’s keep it simple.

1. The person making the Will is online with his/her two witnesses and everyone should be able to see each other. you could all be in different places.

2. The person making the Will should sign and the witnesses should be able to see him sign i.e. watch the persons pen making the mark on the Will.

3. make sure the witnesses know the person making the Will is the correct person.

4. The Will should then be taken (posted if needed) to the witnesses.

5. The witnesses should follow steps 1 and 2 above. (i.e. all see each other sign) The Will is only valid once the final signature is completed. There are some further minor rules and regulations but to keep it brief, that is what we need to do. Here at mJR Solicitors we are more than happy to undertake this process with you. We want you to have a valid Will and we know how this needs to be done and can guarantee our work.

We can help via various methods of online interaction with which we can help, these being facetime, microsoft Teams, Skype, zoom, Whatsapp video, Facebook video or any other media you may wish to do.

Contact us today for an initial free consultation: mark@mjrsolicitors.co.uk info@mjrsolicitors.co.uk 01243 945054

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Meetings can still take place face-to-face through Persepex screens, or if you prefer, remotely via Facebook, Skype, Zoom and MS Teams.

We are offering contactless, safe home visits for Will signing. Full details on request.

Please call us if you are unsure of how we can safely take care of your needs. You can have complete confidence that you are receiving the best legal advice in the safest way possible.

We are here to help when you need it most.

MJR Solicitors is a Limited Company Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority Number 628799.

Our Professional Rules may be found at SRA.org.uk

4 Bankside, 128 Middleton Road, Bognor Regis, W. Sussex PO22 6DB For more information or to book an appointment, please call Mark or Emma on: 01243 945054 or email mark@mjrsolicitors.co.uk or emma@mjrsolicitors.co.uk or visit our website at www.mjrsolicitors.co.uk “Here to help when you need it most�

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18 Bersted in Focus

local history by sylvia Endacott In these unusual times, I find that people are sorting out and finding old pictures, postcards etc. showing their family life or things about the locality with many showing a tranquil past, in much less complicated times.

My two postcards today showing this perfectly. The first card with the handwriting on the front of the card, expressing thanks for a ‘sweet painting. I wonder what the picture was.

The postcard had a Queen Victoria stamp and was date stamped May 5th, 1901. (a few months after Queen Victoria had died.) The destination was simply, Miss Shaw, Middleton Field, Felpham. I hope she received the postcard.

The 2nd postcard sent in June 1908 was actually posted from Wickham to Southsea, with the message, ‘Reached home, quite safe as usual, no company, no punctures and an easy ride.’

Seems such a strange message, but we have to realise that this was actually the very early days of the motor vehicle. In fact 1908 was when cheaper Ford cars were starting to arrive from the USA. However the picture shows a very different scene on Felpham seafront to what we know today. The sea and beach run directly up to the front of the bathing huts of the day. No promenade to stroll along in those days.

choc ‘n’ chilli!

Perfect partners for Valentine’s Day by Louise Addison The Aztecs valued chocolate so much their taxation was levied in cocoa beans! The hot frothy drink they made was reserved for warriors, nobility and priests and was said to confer wisdom and vitality. Emperor Montezuma, not one for moderation, drank 50 goblets a day.

Scientists have suggested that the antioxidants and flavonoids in chocolate with at least 70% cocoa improve verbal and visual memory, reaction times, balance certain hormones, help to relieve blood pressure and boost serotonin levels, our brain’s natural anti-depressant. All good reasons to indulge a little, especially this month.

And what could be nicer on a cold Valentine’s Day than snuggling up with your romantic other and a cup of hot chocolate? Use high-quality cocoa powder, preferable organic and fair trade, and make a hot drink, sweetened with honey.

Then cook the object of your affections an authentic Mexican chilli dish by adding cocoa to the sauce. The nutrient capsaicin, found in chillies, is a powerful antioxidant which helps to prevent many conditions such as high cholesterol, heart and lung diseases and cataracts. It also stimulates blood circulation which boosts the immune system and it even relieves pain.

Chocolate and chillies both encourage the secretion of endorphins, natural chemicals which relax muscle tissue, and act as mood enhancers. The perfect recipe for love!

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Hula Fitness The perfect lockdown exercise by Tracey Anderson During the first lockdown I rather enjoyed the enforced laziness. I am a gym member, but I don’t really love it. After a while though I noticed that while I didn’t miss weights and running on the treadmill, I did miss the classes, and the rush of endorphins that followed. Then one day while idly flicking through YouTube videos I came across a ‘hula-fitness’ workout. It looked fun. I grabbed one of my daughter’s neon hula hoops and had a go. Much harder than it looked but I enjoyed it. The next afternoon I had another go and my teenage daughter joined in. We laughed a lot (which was a bonus as anyone who has a teenage daughter will acknowledge) and afterwards we investigated hula-fitness a bit more.

Hula hooping is inexpensive, and you can do it practically anywhere, which was kind of the point back in lockdown. All you need to get started is a hoop and room to move.

Standard hula hoops are cheap as chips but after a few sessions we invested in weighted ones. Even they didn’t break the bank. Ours cost about £15 each but even the more expensive ones were only £40.

It is important to find the right-sized hoop. Larger hoops are a little easier as a beginner because you spin more slowly. If using a weighted hoop, begin with a lighter one (around 0.5-1Kg) and increase the weight as you get more proficient. Correct form is more important than weight, and I did have a little accident where I pulled a muscle in my back for a few days because in my enthusiasm the first hoop I bought was too heavy.

There are a few online tutorials that talk you through how to hula hoop with proper form. To my delight I found our gym offered a beginner’s online hula fitness class, so we signed up for that.

With hula hooping, you teach your body how to move the right way with the hoop while working your cardiovascular system. Shorter workouts are better at the start. We started with two ten-minute sessions a day and worked up from there.

Basic form and posture Feet should be a little more than shoulder-width apart, with one foot slightly in front of the other.

Your back should be straight, and your core engaged to protect your back.

Hold each side of the hoop around your waist, resting against your back.

With the hoop against your back, start spinning the hoop in whichever direction you find easiest.

As the hoop starts to spin, move your waist in a circular motion to keep the hoop moving. Push your hips slightly forward as the hoop moves across your stomach and push back when the hoop moves across your back. KEEP THE CORE MUSCLES ENGAGED – TUMMY TIGHT. If the hoop drops just pick it up and get going again.

Finally - If you have a back injury or chronic back pain, check with your doctor or physical therapist before trying hula hooping to make sure it’s safe for you.

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22 Bersted in Focus

Garden View Heavenly Hellebores by rachel Leverton I fell in love with Hellebores a few years ago after an early spring visit to the Botanical Gardens in Cambridge where there are some beautiful displays. They provide a spring garden with elegant colour, and I admit to being quite excited when they appear.

They are poisonous plants so are probably best avoided if you have young children.

They have a somewhat magical history. A mythological physician named Melampus was said to have observed the cathartic effect of hellebore on goats who munched on the plants. Melampus allegedly then used the milk of the same goats to cure the daughters of the King of Argos of their madness.

The plant was used for its purgative properties into the Middle Ages and beyond. Personally, I would recommend growing them only for their attractiveness!

The original species originated in the northern parts of Greece and Turkey, but they grow incredibly well in British gardens. Having said that, I was disappointed when my first hellebore plants didn’t thrive initially.

They seemed to succumb to disease quite easily. I subsequently learned this this was black rot. Then I heard Alan Titchmarsh’s advice to carefully cut the large fingered leaves from the plant at ground level in January, taking care not to damage the buds. This somewhat brutal treatment has worked a treat and my hellebores are now flourishing.

Hellebores like well-drained soil in sun or dappled shade. My clumps are happily increasing in size year-on-year. The stems shoot up to 25-30cm high between late January and February and the flowers appear at the top. Colours tend to be subtle: greentinged white, yellow, oxblood red or dull purple but they glow in the more subdued light at this time of year. They would certainly appear washed-out in the bright sun of late spring and summer. The flowers are rich in nectar so provide food for early bees.

There are many varieties of hellebore, with single or double flowers. Just note that not all of them are easy to grow. I have struggled to get the Christmas Rose Helleborus niger to survive, never mind flower, but I’ve had much more success with the Green hellebore, Helleborus viridis, the pretty pink Lenten rose Helleborus x hybridus, which self-seeds quite nicely, and also the Helleborus x hybridus Ashwood Garden hybrids, which come in a variety of colours but don’t seem to self-seed as freely, at least in my garden.

Dig in plenty of mushroom compost before planting, and mulch after you’ve cut the leaves off. Dust with a blood, bone and fishmeal mix after flowering and mulch again with well-rotted leaf mould or compost. Dig up any small self-seeded plants and use them as gifts, or to increase your own colony.

Happy gardening.

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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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Bersted in Focus

BOGNOR REGIS TIDE TaBlE February 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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Update from the Arun Prevention Team, January 2021 you can contact your local team in the following ways: • Call us: on 101 to report a crime or 999 if it’s an emergency • Email us: arun@sussex.pnn.police.uk Vehicle Crime We have received an increase in the number of reports across West Sussex of thieves targeting vehicles parked in rural carparks and laybys to steal valuables. Whilst your vehicle is parked, ensure you do not have any valuables on display and leave any high-value items at home before setting off on your journey.

Having your car broken into and losing your possessions to thieves can be very upsetting. Wherever your car is parked – on your driveway, on the street, a car park or in the middle of the countryside, follow these simple steps to keep your vehicle and your belongings safe: 1) always lock it – even if you’re only away from it for a moment.

2) Ensure windows and the sun roof are closed when you leave the vehicle to prevent “fishing”. Don’t give thieves any opportunity to access your vehicle.

3) Secure your number plates with tamper-resistant screws to make it harder for thieves.

4) Fit locking, anti-tamper wheel nuts to secure alloy wheels.

5) Secure anything on the outside of your vehicle.

6) Remove your belongings – mobile phones, coins, sunglasses, bags, purses and wallets can earn an opportunist thief quick cash.

7) Never leave Sat Navs, cables or devices of any sort on view – preferably remove them from the vehicle.

8) vans are often targeted for the tools stored inside. Please don’t leave them in your van overnight. If you have to then please consider a lockable cabinet or property marking system.

The precious metal in catalytic converters has also led to an increase in their theft. To keep yours safe, ask your car dealer if they can give you any advice on locks or guards that are approved by the vehicle manufacturer.

Front office opening hours: Bognor Regis: london Road, Bognor Regis, P021 1Ba. monday to Friday from 10am until 2pm and from 3pm until 6pm. littlehampton: County Buildings, East Street, littlehampton, BN17 6aR, monday to Friday from 10am until 2pm and from 3pm until 6pm.

If you require information regarding the role of arun West Neighbourhood Watch, call Drew millar on mobile 07484 861710 or email andrew.millar.m@btinternet.com

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28  Bersted in Focus

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