Bersted in Focus October 2020

The independent local directory of businesses serving Bersted (PO22 area) & Beyond

Delivered FREE to over 5,000 homes

October 2020

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/Services to existing double glazing

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Hello, welcome to the October In Focus magazine. At the time of writing the weather is lovely & it doesn’t feel like Autumn yet…..I am sure that will change!

I know this has been a very difficult year for many small businesses and the support of our local community has been invaluable. A big THANK YOU to the businesses that have supported us during this time; this magazine could not exist without you all.

In general people do prefer to use local shops and tradespeople where possible. If you would like your business information to reach the local residents please do get in touch with us to find out more about our low cost advertising rates.

With social gatherings restricted again to six people, all our community events are still suspended at the moment. I am sure many of us are looking forward to everything starting up when they can.

Bersted Jubilee Hall is open & you can see what’s on there on page 23.

The next magazine will be November’s with Many thanks to local resident a deadline of 7th October.

Have a great month, stay safe Judy Hewlett for this month’s lovely Best wishes cover photo .

Sarah

Email: infocusmagazines@btinternet.com www.infocusmagazines.co.uk Tel: 01243 583891 Mobile: 07729 682 245 In Focus Magazines, c/o Newman Thomson Printers, 1 Jubilee Road, RH15 9TL

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 & views expressed in articles are not necessarily held by In Focus Magazines.

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Retro-gaming has gone miniature can connect any game controller to make playing the game easier. If you're on a phone or tablet you can buy game controllers that clip onto your device so you can use both hands to control the game without having to hold your phone.

Do you like to play games on the go?

Mobile phones are great and there are some fantastic games out there, but sometimes only a classic arcade or console game will do. So how do you fit a full-sized arcade cabinet or games console into your pocket?

Introducing the game emulator.

Retro gaming is a big thing these days.

Lots of talented programmers have created software that lets you play all the arcade machines and classic games consoles on modern hardware such as your phone or laptop. These are not games based on the originals. These emulators run the actual code from the classic machines. So, you're playing the REAL THING. So how do you get hold of these emulators?

There are two main routes: The emulators and games are all available on the Internet. Whether you've got a laptop, a phone, a tablet, or anything else you will be able to find an emulator to turn it into the arcade machine of your choice.

You'll also need to get hold of some game ROMs and then install everything onto your device. My best advice is to search YouTube for some tutorials on how to do it. If you're using a laptop or computer, you

All of this does take a bit of technical knowledge or research to get everything working. But it's worth the effort as you achieve gaming nirvana for free, or at least for the cost of a decent game controller.

The second, and easiest option is to simply buy a portable, retro games console. If you can remember back to the original Game Boys and PSPs, you'll be familiar with the look and feel of these devices. They basically involve a box with a screen and joysticks and buttons positioned around it and on the edges.

These devices range in price from around ÂŁ30 to about ÂŁ200 depending on the range of consoles they can emulate and the number of games they include. The lowerpriced models will cope with older consoles and arcade machines. The more you pay the more powerful the devices will be so they can emulate the more advanced systems, Nintendo 64, GameCube, PlayStation, etc.

All of these ready-made consoles will come with a number of built-in games, but most allow you to download and install other games from the Internet.

So, if you fancy a trip back in time to a 1980s arcade, a Super Nintendo game fest, or an hour playing your favourite original PlayStation game stick one of these in your pocket. Then the next time you step on the train or sit back in the car you'll be set for some retro gaming fun.

By Robert Grant

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Ouse Valley and Ardingly Reservoir This months trek is inspired by a screensaver picture that popped up on my laptop recently, usually the many images are of far flung places around the globe but this particular one was in West Sussex. The walk is little further afield but features two incredible trails near to Ardingly taking in one the most elegant viaducts in Britain and also the very tranquil Ardingly Reservoir.

In total the two routes cover 10km (6 miles) but can easily be split into two. The walk is not circular or linear like my normal treks, but instead back tracks along footpaths walked, which in it’s own way works well by offering different perspectives of the same walk.

The best place to park is the Reservoir car park to the rear of Ardingly College, the first thing you’ll notice here is the steep slope of the 280m long by 17m high dam that was built in 1979 to block a tributary of the Ouse called Shell Brook, whereby creating the 74.5 hectares of reservoir. The valve tower seen here is used to release water from the reservoir either directly into the treatment works or into the River Ouse when water flow is low, this ensures that there is enough water flowing in the River Ouse to protect the aquatic wildlife.

The smaller overflow bell mouth, allows storm water to overflow into Shell Brook and stops the reservoir from flooding. The reservoir contains 4.7 million litres and is 14m at its deepest.

To reach the Ouse Valley Viaduct, head out past the activity centre and follow the Sussex Ouse Valley Way which rises up and across the fields. Although not evident this first part actually follows part of the route of the London to Brighton roman road. The path heads down hill where two small bridges are crossed. From here keep the River Ouse on your right and follow along its banks, the river is not very big at this point as it is only 10 km from its source near Lower Beeding but ultimately much wider where it enters the sea at Newhaven. As you follow along the Ouse Valley the first glimpses of the magnificent viaduct come into view. Built in 1842 the viaduct is located on the London-Brighton line just south of Balcombe, it spans 450m of the lowlands of the River Ouse and at its highest is 29m. It was designed by the engineer John Urpeth Rastrick and its elegance was enhanced by architect David Mocatta who built a stone cornice with balustrade along the top and erected classical pavilions at each end. The grade 2 structure comprises of 37 arches and 11 million bricks with 4/5 trains thundering overhead every hour. The path passes right underneath and one of the best views can be had by looking down through the arches as they create an illusion of infinity, access can be gained to the river allowing you to further explore the viaduct.

Retrace your steps to the reservoir and back at the dam take the path known as the Kingfisher Trail along the eastern shore of the reservoir. The kingfisher trail closely follows the edge of the water and passes through many copses both old and new that contain a mix of deciduous and coniferous trees and are home to much wildlife including Bats and Dormice. There are also two hides located at the south edge and north edge of the reservoir where you can see the many bird species that reside here and also that stop off here on their long migratory journeys.

The trail meanders around the shoreline and continues along a causeway that bisects part of the body of water created by the Ardingly Brook and then continues on the bridleway north towards Balcombe. On the Balcombe arm of the reservoir great views can be had looking back towards the dam.

Information boards along the trail provide more detail of the reservoir. Unfortunately you cannot walk around the whole reservoir as the western shore is private property belonging to the Balcombe Estate, so retrace your steps back to the car park to complete the walk.

For more information and further walks please visit my blog at piertopiertrekking.com Simon Baker Irons To advertise in Bersted in Focus please email infocusmagazines@btinternet.com

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How to play Sudoku Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the numbers 1 through to 9 with no repetition.

Local History

© S. Endacott

One of the most evocative sounds of any seaside resort is that of a Brass Bands playing in a bandstand. We have had three locally. The first was in 1901 was on a triangular piece of land purchased from the Royal Norfolk Hotel at a price of £60.00. It was sited opposite the hotel on the edge of the promenade The next bandstand, initially a wooden construction, which can be seen on Edwardian postcards shown as on the ‘East Parade’ was removed at the start of the Second World War to make way for gun emplacements. With the war over the Council finally received their compensation of £538.00 from the Government. At this time a bandstand was surplus to requirements in Cheltenham. It had been built in 1878 and was cast in Glasgow by Macfarlane’s Saracen Foundry. The Urban District Council purchased this bandstand in 1948 for £175 with a further £450 was required to dismantle and bring it to Bognor Regis.

A local Company restored it and used over 1,200 brass screws to secure the copper over the top.

In May 1993, The Council spent £35,000 repairing and renovating the Bandstand in comparison to the £175 they used to purchase it in 1948.

Our third bandstand stands in Hotham Park and is used by various groups and emerging bands. In particular ‘Arts in the Park’ during the summer months. Hotham Park Heritage Trust’s Country Fair, and for their Christmas Carols Evening.

These constructions form an integral part of our heritage.

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This month - Beautiful Berberis

Berberis thunbergii are deciduous shrubs which look particularly fabulous at this time year, producing highly coloured leaves, and often berries which last well into winter.

These berries are actually edible and rich in vitamin C, though because they are very acidic, they are not widely consumed by people. They are an important food for many small birds though. They get their other name of 'barberry bush' because of their vicious spines. This makes them useful as an impenetrable barrier hedge and may be another reason why the berries aren’t harvested much!

Like the colourful Japanese Maple, they originate from Eastern Asia. Berberis vary in colour according to the cultivar and variety. The common Berberis thunbergii have green leaves in spring and summer which turn rich burgundy in autumn. If you'd like the purple colour all year round choose Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea, which has purple leaves in spring that turn rich mahogany in autumn. Though Berberis are generally grown for their autumn colour, they are a hard-working shrub, and produce a mass of tiny yellow flowers in spring, providing interest at either end of the year.

There is a Berberis for most gardens: They can grow to a maximum height and spread of 1.5m, but there are now dwarf forms which grow to just 50cm, try 'Tiny Gold' or 'Lutin Rouge'.

They grow best in full sun but also tolerate partial shade. They do well in most soil types, and even do well in drought, but will thrive particularly well in well drained moist soil. Their easygoing nature extends to aftercare, as they are generally pest-free and require little attention, other than a trim to tidy them up periodically. If you don't have much space or mainly grow in containers on a balcony 'Lutin Rouge' does very well in a pot.

Mid-September to October, and mid-March to April are the best times to plant so now is the perfect time. Dig a hole double the width of the root ball. Sprinkle in a handful of blood, fish and bone and work into the ground. Place the plant into the hole, fill in with soil around the root ball and firm the soil down gently but firmly, finish by watering well. They will appreciate being mulched with well-rotted organic matter in late spring, but they aren't fussy; grass cuttings will do fine.

My absolute favourite is Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea 'Admiration'. This lovely plant has extremely attractive orange-red foliage, edged with yellow, and forms an attractive mound shape. Its masses of small yellow flowers in the spring followed by purple-crimson berries in autumn make it the most perfect Berberis in my opinion.

Happy gardening.

By Rachael Leverton

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Joint Pains

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VÄtáá|v `tÇàxÄá

We have moved!

Every fireplace made to order VÄtáá|v

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Unit 3 Norfolk Estate Sawmills London Road Arundel BN18 9AU

Email: info@classicmantels.co.uk

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Bognor Regis Tide Table October 2020 Time Zone GMT

Tidal information is reproduced by kind permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office & the To advertise in Bersted in FocusOffice. please email infocusmagazines@btinternet.com UK Hydrographic Crown Copyright.

All rights reserved

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October 2020 Update from the Arun Prevention Team 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

Leaving your home checklist Whenever you go out, it’s important to leave your home secure. Ge ng into an ‘exit rou ne’ can help ensure that you don’t forget obvious, but important things, like not leaving your valuables near windows, or no lights on if it will be dark before you get home. Here’s our quick reminder on what to do just before you go out.

Become a creature of habit Try to get into the habit of following your own course of ac on when you lock up your home.

This will ensure that you don’t forget anything.

Here’s what we recommend you do before you go out:

   

close & lock all your doors & windows, even if you’re only going out for a few minutes double‐lock any door make sure that any valuables are out of sight

keep handbags away from the le erbox or cat flap and hide all keys including car keys, as a thief could hook keys or valuables through even a small opening

  

never leave car documents or ID in obvious places such as kitchens or hallways in the evening, shut the curtains and leave lights on

if you’re out all day, then it’s advisable to use a mer device to automa cally turn lights and a radio on at night

   

set your burglar alarm make sure the side gate is locked lock your shed or garage

lock your bike inside a secure shed or garage, to a robust fi ng bolted to the ground or wall, like a ground anchor

Going away?

Here are five ps to help you keep your home and belongings stay safe while you’re away: 1. if you’re off on holiday and wish to post anything on social media, make sure your posts aren’t public and that they’re only seen by your friends.

2. leave lights and a radio on a mer to make the property appear occupied 3. get a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on your property or join a Neighbourhood or resident Watch Scheme 4. consider asking your neighbours to close curtains a er dark and to park on your drive 5. remember to cancel newspaper and milk deliveries Front office opening hours Bognor Regis: London Road, Bognor Regis, P021 1BA 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 To advertise in Bersted in Focus please email infocusmagazines@btinternet.com

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Stand out from the crowd!

Advertise your business here.

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Part science experiment, and part sweet treat. This is fun for the kids and perfect for Halloween and Bonfire Night.

Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 15-20 minutes (plus cooling) Serves: Depends how sweet your tooth is!

Ingredients 165g demerara sugar 165g caster sugar 60ml golden syrup 4 tbsp water 15g butter, diced, plus extra to grease Pinch of salt 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda *You will also need a kitchen thermometer Method Generously grease an approximately 24cm square tin.

Put the bicarbonate of soda within easy reach of the hob.

Place both sugars, syrup, water, and butter

in a deep, heavy-bottomed pan with a pinch of salt. (Make sure it is a deep pan or the 'science bit' will go horribly badly!).

Heat gently, stirring, until the sugars and butter have dissolved, then turn up the heat slightly and bring to the boil.

Simmer until it reaches 138C turns amber and bubbles - this will take about 10-15 minutes.

When the mixture gets to temperature, remove it from the heat and quickly and thoroughly whisk in the bicarb. It will foam and grow alarmingly. The kids will love it!

Pour the foamy mixture into the tin and leave to set. When cold get the kids to smash it into pieces.

Optional: Pour melted chocolate over the shards for the ultimate cinder toffee treat.

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Unusual visitors

Every so often something more unusual turns up on our reserves. Sometimes it is an insect like a dragonfly, butterfly or moth. More often though, it is a bird that gets noticed, which is what happened at the beginning of September, when a red-backed shrike was found on the North Wall of our RSPB Pagham Harbour reserve. Slightly smaller than a starling and with a hooked bill, the male is a smart little bird, sporting a pinkish breast and a rich brown back, a powder blue-grey crown and rump, white throat and a black ‘mask’ through its eye. Females and juveniles are less conspicuously marked with brown heads and backs, and pale fronts with light barring. They are often seen perched prominently out in the open on bushes, fences or Red-backed shrike Ivan Lang branches, where they have a good view of potential prey, such as beetles or other insects and even lizards. Shrikes are also known as ‘butcher birds’ because of their habit of impaling their prey items on thorns or wedged in the fork of a branch, forming a sort of larder. Once this bird would have bred in Britain but unfortunately now it is extinct as a UK breeding species.

Another bird, rarely seen and more unfortunately these days, rarely heard in the UK, is the quail. This tiny, secretive little farmland bird lives in open country, such as chalk downlands, where the vegetation is thick and dry, so it was a pleasant surprise to discover that one was seen on our Medmerry reserve. The quail is cryptically camouflaged with yellow and brown streaks and is our only migratory game bird.

Medmerry was also the scene for some larger wading birds, spoonbills, to drop-in. Almost as big as a grey heron, with Spoonbill - Ivan Lang white plumage and long dark legs, they are instantly recognised by their strange long, spatula-shaped bill, which they sweep from side to side when feeding on shrimps and other small crustaceans.

Meanwhile, the majority of our summer visitors should now be well on their way to warmer wintering grounds. As our days get cooler and the nights draw in earlier, the sun sits lower in the sky giving us some spectacular autumnal sunsets. Heavy dews reveal the intricacy and strangely enchanting wonder of spider webs, glistening like jewels in the morning sun and acorns crunch under feet. However, this also means, there are others on their way here, some of which, have already started to arrive… But that’s another story.

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Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward It was a storm that made headlines around the world. In August 2005 Katrina hit the Louisiana coast causing great loss of life and destruction to New Orleans and the surrounding area. This award-winning novel, set over a period of 12 days, tells the story of the Batiste family who live in the fictional town of Bois Sauvage.

Esch is 15 years old and lives with her three brothers and their father. Isolated from the rest of the small town due to the location of their house, they live in extreme poverty, with a largely absent father who, seven years after the death of his wife, still relies on drink to get through the day. So, with the news of a category 5 storm is about to hit they begin to prepare what they can and stockpile a small amount of food.

Each chapter is one day in the build up to the storm. Randall, the eldest is trying to do what he can to hold his family together.

Skeetah is preoccupied with his pit-bull fighting dog, China, who has just given birth to puppies. Junior, the youngest, is trying to hold his own against his older brothers. And Esch has just discovered that she is pregnant.

A captivating story with engaging characters, immerses you in their world, illustrated by a touch of Greek mythology thanks to a book that Esch (the narrator) is reading for school. The penultimate chapter will have your heart racing but ultimately this is the story of family love that

survives despite deprivation.

the

poverty

and

Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo Not a traditional novel here but definitely worth a read. This incredibly popular book (which has sparked a second volume) presents the stories of 100 amazing women who have made contributions to society. It is aimed at telling girls that they can achieve anything that they put their mind to and that their gender should not hold them back. It’s challenges female stereotypes and inspires girls to aim high in their career choices.

Each story is told on a single page, along with an illustration of the woman and this simple format gives a fantastic introduction to their lives. From mathematicians like Ada Lovelace (who actually built a machine and wrote the first computer programme back in the 19th century) to authors like the Bronte Sisters who defied the expectations of their patriarchal society. There are also tales of astronomers, activists, lawyers, chefs, naturalists, journalists, motocross racers, and even a tattoo artist.

Following the huge success of this book a version aimed at boys has also been written: Stories for Boys Who Dare to be Different which also challenges male stereotypes which say that you have to be tough in order to succeed.

By Willow Coby

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Aerial & Satellite Connections

0800 634 3975

Puzzle Solutions

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Solution to October Sudoku

S H O P P I N G

T R E R G A A R D E E D U N C I L R E M

U C O A N S T I D D E R F A T V I O I N

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W E A L I X I S A T I O S R C U L A R E O O D P R E F R D F C I L I T I G N C L I Z A T I D R A D C Y C L

T H E N O R P E R E E S E O N T E S

Solution to October Crossword

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Pre paid plans Memorial masonryď€ 24 hour service, 7 days a week

Your local Independent Funeral Directors 107 Felpham Road, Felpham PO22 7PW Tel 01243 828210 www.darrenmilesfuneralservice.co.uk

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