Information compiled by the Parish Council
www.picturesfromabove.co.uk
Welcome to Barns Green
As Chairman of Itchingfield Parish Council, I would like to
take this opportunity to welcome you to our lovely village. Of course some of you will be moving from close by and may be very familiar with the village already but we thought that most of the new residents would not know too much about Barns Green and so we decided to produce this book. It contains lots of information from all the organisations, societies and sports clubs that operate in the village and hopefully will give you a flavour of the opportunities for all ages to get involved.
When the proposal to build more houses in Barns Green was first discussed, there was naturally some worry expressed by some of the residents about the overall impact. However, over a long period there were a lot of meetings and discussions to ensure that the proposals went ahead with the support of as many of the local residents as possible. Overall I think we achieved this and we are now at a stage where we will have a lovely new housing complex and a brand new single site school in the heart of the village.
The school has always been a key part of the
village and we are delighted that it will not only remain in the village but will thrive as a new purpose built building which will benefit thousands of children for many years to come. I do hope that you find this book of great use to you as you settle in to life in Barns Green. There are some contact details included but do feel free to contact the Parish Council if there is anything we can help you with. Thank you for choosing to come and live in our village and I hope you will enjoy many happy years here. Penny Simpson,
Chairman, Itchingfield Parish Council
A Warm Welcome to Barns Green
Currently located on two sites at the heart of
Itchingfield and Barns Green communities, Itchingfield Primary School is a successful, caring and happy village school. We are proud to be a child-centric school where every decision values the child’s individuality and their learning needs. We work very hard to make sure that the curriculum is interesting and relevant to all its pupils. Being a small village school, we are able to offer the advantages that such an environment brings by building memorable experiences into the children’s education. They will enjoy remembering these for many years to come. You come to Barns Green at one of the most significant moments in the school’s long history. Supported and endorsed by the village community, the school is being completely rebuilt and consolidated onto one brand new site at the heart of the village, just a few hundred metres from the new housing development.
from Itchingfield Primary School Opening in early 2015, your children will be
educated in one of the most modern facilities of any school in West Sussex including spacious classrooms, small class sizes, state of the art ICT and excellent sporting facilities. Combined with a motivated and enthusiastic teaching staff, we will make sure that every child can achieve excellence. It is difficult to capture the caring and happy atmosphere of the school in words and so we recommend that you come to visit us to experience it for yourself. The Head Teacher will offer you a warm welcome and demonstrate the school’s commitment to providing the best possible educational experience for the children of Barns Green and its surrounding community. Please phone 01403 790204 to make an appointment and we really look forward to meeting you.
Barns Green is a small village in the Parish of Itchingfield in West Sussex and is now the centre of the local population. Itchingfield is an ancient English Parish having been in existence since before 1597. In the early 1700’s there were 34 farms in the parish owned by 17 different people and, until the late 19th century, a population scattered across the parish was the normal pattern of settlement. There has only ever been a very small hamlet at Itchingfield, centred on the Church building. The Parish Church of St Nicolas dates from the 12th century and may have been built on an earlier Saxon site. Situated in the churchyard is a unique
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little building known as the Priests House, although it was actually an almshouse and was once occupied by two families of local paupers. Barns Green village grew from a cluster of farms and the Muntham Estate which were all near the junction between two roads from Shipley to Horsham. The growth of the village was very slow until the 1870s when the Muntham Estate was bought and reinvigorated by Percy Godman and the building of the railway brought new inhabitants to the village. By the end of the 19th century village amenities included a pub, post office and bakery, joiner, butcher, shoemaker, wheelwright and bricklayer. The relocation to Sussex of Christ’s
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Hospital School in 1905, brought more new jobs and new residents to the parish After World War 2, a new housing development doubled the size of the village and provided much needed housing for people dispossessed by the war. Further building in the 1970s and 80s doubled the village again and led to the building of a new infant school in the village. In the post war years, the Village Green was gifted to the community by the owner of Muntham House. The villagers then worked together to construct the Village Club (originally called the Victory Club) and a new Village Hall on the green. The village hall and club are the hub of many local groups, such as the
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Barns Green Players, the youth club and Playgroup and sports teams including football, cricket and rugby. Each Autumn the village hosts the Barns Green Half Marathon, a highly regarded event attracting runners from far and wide. For centuries, farming and the trades supporting farming were the only industries in the parish and the last large scale cattle farm (Slaughterford Farm) diversified in the 1990s to create Sumners Ponds, a campsite with competitive fishing lakes. In 2013 in a ground breaking deal between the Parish Council and Berkeley Homes, a new chapter of the village story began with more housing and a new primary school in the heart of the community.
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With thanks to Mary Hallett for the text and copies of pictures from her book Barns Green and Itchingfield Then and Now
Your Parish Church We welcome you to the Parish of Itchingfield and
Barns Green. The Church, built in 1125AD is situated two miles up from the village going towards Horsham. Set in beautiful peaceful surroundings, it is a Grade 2 listed building with a unique Priest House also Grade 2 listed. At the present time we are in a vacancy, meaning we have no Rector, so Holy Communion services are being led by retired ministers and the two non Eucharistic services by Carol Shepherd, Lay Reader, who lives in the village. contact no:730001 or carol@shepherdbg.plus.com The Church Warden is Wendy Dorkings and she can be contacted either by phone during office hours: 730326, mobile 07761 983635 or wendy. dorkings@hotmail.co.uk We have a dedicated committed congregation, many of whom are giving their time to keep the church in a beautiful condition. There is an active bell ringing group, choir, flower arrangers, and cleaners, so if you have a gift in any of these directions, you would be welcomed with open arms. We also have a transport Help Group who take passengers who are unable to use local buses or have no car, to appointments. Carol Clarke 730047 Bell Ringing Mags Fisher 790717 Choir and Table Top Sandra Morfey 790436 Flower arranger Jill and David Redston 732293 Church Cleaners. Joyce Groves 730164 Car Help Scheme
Bellringing Sociable, interesting, worthwhile hobby .... Looking for a sociable hobby? Interested in
learning a new skill? Would like to contribute to village life? Then you may enjoy becoming one of our bell ringers. We ring the ancient bells at the lovely St Nicolas church which can be found up the hill at Itchingfield. We have a very friendly, mixed band of ringers from age 10 to – well, more mature should we say! We enjoy ringing here and at other churches, going on outings, social occasions and eating cake, not to mention chilling after practice in the village pub! Bell ringing is suitable for any and all ages and is ideal as a family activity. (Children are generally tall enough to learn to ring successfully from around 10 years old.) Ringing is great fun and unlike most worthwhile skills, ringing tuition comes entirely free! We meet for practice on a Friday evening from 7.00 – 9.00 pm. We also ring from 10.30 – 11.00 am most Sunday mornings, though attending services for which you ring is not required.
If you are interested in finding out more, please contact Val Atkins, Ringing Master 217639, val.downton@ pgen.net or Miriam Coghill, Tower Captain 730065, coghills1@ aol.com or just turn up on a Friday evening any time between 7.00 and 9.00 pm.
Barns Green Playgroup provides a safe and stimulating environment in a beautiful setting, looking on to the village green. The playgroup has its own garden which enables children to enjoy indoor and outdoor activities throughout the year, aiding the development and learning of children aged two to five. A team of qualified, experienced supervisors and assistants are assisted by a voluntary committee of parents, with this partnership ensuring parents are informed and consulted at every level. Established as registered charity in 1978 with the purpose of serving the picturesque village of Barns Green, the playgroup is now welcoming children from the surrounding areas too. We’re committed to providing an enjoyable and productive learning experience for children. The playgroup is a member of the Preschool Learning Alliance and also receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).
We assess how young children are learning and developing by observing them frequently and use information that we gain to document their progress. We believe that parents know their children best and we ask them to contribute to assessment by sharing information about what their children like to do at home and how they as parents are supporting development. By working together, children gain more benefit from the playschool years. Places are now available from September 2014. We also host a Parent and Toddler Group in the village hall on Wednesday afternoons from 1- 3pm, and Baby and Toddler Rhyme and Story Time every Monday from 9:30am to 11am. For further information please contact Bev Liley on 730093 or 07881 728007 or email playgroup@barnsgreen. com or visit our website at www.barnsgreen.com/ LocalGroups/Playgroup.html for more details, or to view our Prospectus. You can also link to our latest OFSTED report
1st Barns Green and Itchingfield Rainbows We are an active unit for girls age 5-7. We meet during term time on a Wednesday night 5-6.30pm at the village hall.
The children are able to join in a wide range of
activities including arts and crafts, singing, games and sports. We use our fantastic outdoor space as much as possible too, whether on bug hunts, treasure hunts or heading up to the arboretum for a Teddy Bears Picnic. The children enjoy a range of trips whether its behind the scenes at the theatre, planting seeds at the garden centre, a farm trip, a camp fire or a trip to the panto, there is always something to look forward to. We have hosted the Southwater Rainbows on a couple of occasions for a WWII street party and for a nature hunt. We are a fun, friendly and welcoming unit, so please get in touch with us! If you think your pre school daughter may want to join us, please register her on the waiting list to ensure a place is available when she turns five. For more details ring Fiona on 738806 or register your interest on www.girlguiding.org.
1st Barns Green and Itchingfield Guides Girls between the ages of 10 -14 years enjoy a wide range of activities at weekly meetings, annual camps and a variety of day trips and outings. This term we will be working on our team building badge, a treasure hunt in Horsham and outdoor cooking. We have an annual Christmas party for the Rainbows and Brownies. During the summer months we will be outside as much as possible hiking, on scavenger hunts learning skills that will
lead them on to working towards their Queens Guide award and helping them if they choose to do their Duke of Edinburgh awards at school. We meet on a Wednesday evening from 6.30 until 8pm during term time at Barns Green Village Hall. Contact Kay: kaybailey@btinternet.com or register your interest www.girlguiding.org
1st Shipley Scout Group 1st Shipley Scout Group
was established back in 1934 by the Lees family and in 2014 the group celebrated their 80th anniversary. 1st Shipley Scout group are an active, positive and adventurous bunch based in Dragon’s Green. They are proud to have a scout hut that is one of a kind; transformed from an old Methodist church and the only thatched scout hut in the country. The Group are energetic and enthusiastic in their scouting, winning the Sussex Camping Shield many times, on top of various trophies for sports and handicrafts, and raising thousands of pounds for charity. They stick firm to the Scout aims, working together to become strong individuals and responsible citizens, along with reaching their physical, spiritual, intellectual and social potential. Scouting is about so much more than just tents and woggles!
They aim to achieve their goals, build
confidence, encourage teamwork, learn to make choices and take responsibility. You can join 1st Shipley Scout Group from the age of 6 – 8 as a Beaver, from 8 – 10 ½ as a Cub, from 10 ½ – 14 as a Scout and from 14 – 18 as an Explorer. To find out how you can join in the fun, please contact Lizzie on 1stshipleycubs@gmail.com or visit: www.1stshipleyscouts.co.uk.
Barns Green & Itchingfield Sports & Social Club is
situated in an excellent position on the edge of the Village Green. We are here for all the community to enjoy and we are always glad to welcome new members - come along and ask us about membership. We have a popular patio terrace with plenty of seating. Members can enjoy the sports and various activities taking place on the Village Green all year
round. Inside there is comfortable seating and the club is fully air conditioned. There is a great family vibe within the club and families are most welcome. Children love our popular playroom and the Barns Green Village Playground is adjacent to the club. Your money goes a little bit further in the club!! Our drinks are priced approximately 20% to 25% LESS than most pubs and we have a fine choice of premium brands available.
The Club has snooker, pool and darts. We are
always looking for new people keen to play any of these games. We have snooker teams playing in the Horsham league and a darts team in the Horsham 5’s Darts League. Sports clubs associated with the Club are football, cricket, stool ball and rugby. These clubs are always looking for new players, so if you want to play any of these sports then contact us. The club has a large screen and is subscribed to Sky Sports and BT Sport. We show all the major sporting events on our large screen and a smaller TV. The club provides regular entertainment and events throughout the year including Discos, Live Bands, Bingo, Karaoke, Race Nights, Music Quizzes, Fun days and Charity days. Subject to approval, members can also use the Club for personal events such as birthdays, anniversaries etc. The club will make a contribution to the cost of the entertainment and will still be open to members We are always glad to welcome new members and our membership rates are very reasonable at just £10 per person to join and £7.50 to renew. OAP membership is just £3 and £2 to renew. The membership year runs from 31st October to 30th September so now is the perfect time to join. Come in and see us, give us a ring or drop us a line using the contact details below. Telephone: 01403 730473 E-mail: barnsgreenclub@hotmail.com Web. www.facebook.com/barnsgreenclub
Welcome to Barns Green Village Hall The� New� Village Hall built in 1958 sits at the edge
of the Green overlooking the Cricket, Football pitches and the Children’s Playground, it comprises a large hall and a smaller room . The smaller room is named after David Francis, our previous Chairman of many years, in his memory.
As a Community asset open to all locally the hall
can also be hired from outside of the parish, hiring rates vary accordingly. Currently the hall is managed by a committee of twelve volunteers, including a member of the youth of the village. Meetings are held monthly where all aspects of managing the hall are discussed and acted upon.
During the past few years there has been a
concerted effort by the committee to bring the hall up to present day standards applying for grants to assist with funding alongside fund raising events run by the committee, ie Quizzes, Jumble sales and many other events. Thus far there have been upgrades to the windows and patio doors with double glazing, fireproof doors. a complete new kitchen with electric range & a large fridge, new curtains, electrics & lighting, with regular maintenance days spent on the floor and walls. We shall be undertaking the upgrading of the current toilet facilities. There are plans already drawn up to extend the hall with a further room to include disabled access, toilet facilities and a small kitchen area which will allow for greater use by the community and the hope of providing in the future a community office facility. The Committee would welcome anyone interested in joining them or who could offer some help to continue to maintain this very important and treasured building. Full information on the hall can be found on the website:- www.barnsgreenvillagehall.co.uk
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Barns Green is located away from the main
road network and as such having access to a car is extremely useful. There are however some very good public transport connections. There is a bus service which stops at various points in the village and links Barns Green primarily with Horsham but also with towns and villages such as Storrington, West Chiltington, Coolham, Thakeham, Petworth, Kirdford and Billingshurst. There is also a bus service which goes from the village to the large Tesco store at Broadbridge Heath. The rail link is from Christ’s Hospital Station, which is just 2 miles out of the village. Going north, the rail service runs primarily into London Victoria Station via Gatwick Airport and less frequently into London Bridge Station. The journey time to London varies but can be as short as an hour. To the south, trains run to Portsmouth, Southampton and Bognor Regis.
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The original village hall was built in 1887, by Mr
Godman, the owner of Muntham House on land adjacent to the village green and in 1926, his family handed it over to a body of Trustees for the use of the local people. In 1947, the land which is now the village green was given by Mrs Upton who lived at Hook Farm to two trustees who applied to the Charities Commission for Trust Status. At this time, there were no buildings on the land and it wasn’t until 1958 that the present village hall was built. Under the terms of the trust deed, the land and buildings were to be for specific purposes, such as recreation and entertainment for the benefit of the civil parish of Itchingfield and the vicinity within a radius of 5 miles of Itchingfield church.
The committee of management which is known as
the Trust Committee have complete control of the Trust premises and land. The Trust is registered with the Charity Commissioners and the committee is formed from a representative of each club or organisation using the Village Hall or Field. Two sub-committees exist; the Village Hall and the Field Committee and these report quarterly to the Trust. The Village Social Club is situated on Trust land and operates independently and also reports quarterly to the Trust. At present there are some 20 representatives who meet four times a year in January, April, July and October when the AGM is held.
The Village Hall committee run the
day to day dealings of the village hall and the Field Committee look after the playing fields, the playground and organise grass cutting, repairs to fences and seats. Both these organisations keep separate accounts and these have to be presented to the charity commissioners on an annual basis. At the quarterly meetings, the representatives of the various organisations give a report so that all the village activities can be known to a wider audience. In 1977, the Jubilee Field which is the land to the north and part of the field to the west was purchased on behalf of the village by the Parish Council who raised the money through their annual precept.
Barns Green Cricket Club has been in existence for over 100 years, playing cricket in the village to the highest standard possible from the village community. We have one of the best wickets in the area and a lovely setting to play and watch cricket in the heart of the village on the Green. We are very much a community club, with the majority of the players being from within Barns Green/Itchingfield/ Christ’s Hospital communities. So we welcome you as new members of the village to come and play your cricket with us on the village green. We put out two adult league teams each Saturday in the summer plus a regular Sunday friendly team. These teams are currently in the West Sussex invitation league divisions 4 & 8. There is also a thriving youth section with 80 young players covering Under 9 to
Under 16 age groups – for both boys and girls. We provide coaching and matches for the colts. Many of the young players move on into the adult teams as they grow older. As a community club we rely on volunteers to help with the grounds, coaching and support for the youth teams and administration. We will provide training for coaches and umpires if required. We warmly welcome you to join the club, whether it is as a player, umpire, colt, youth coach. We welcome all abilities to play cricket. Also do come and watch the matches with drink in hand from the village club on the green. Contacts: Club Chairman: Martin Hennock 730462 or martin@ hennock1.plus.com Colts Coordinator: Will Haynes 730682 or whaynes68@aol. com
Rugby has been played in the village since 1991 and currently the first team plays in Sussex West Division Two and Sussex Cup competitions, providing both a full fixture list and just enough time off to enjoy watching the Six Nations and autumn Internationals. As well as providing opportunities for playing the Club has a very active Vice Presidents section, a group of past players whose enjoyment of the game encourages them to participate in both lunching and spectating. New players, members and spectators are most welcome and for more details contact Andrew Stanbridge, Chairman of the club on 07860666614 or email spudge@spudge.co.uk
Barns Green Football Club was formed in 1904 and currently runs two senior men’s teams which compete in the West Sussex League. The first team play in Division 2 (north) of that league and the reserves play in Division 5 (north). Home matches for both teams are played on the village green using the changing and bar facilities of the Barns Green Sports and Social Club. In the past the village has also supported junior teams at various age levels who competed in the Horsham and District Youth Leagues although, currently, due to a temporary fall in numbers in the village, the junior section is in abeyance. There are plans, however, to resurrect this important part of the club and hopefully, with an influx of new young blood from The Ashmiles development, this will become reality in the near future.
For more information please contact either the Football Club Chairman, Paul Toms (01403732044) or Secretary Pete Walker (077834421033).
The Tennis Club was founded in 1982 and originally members played their tennis on the courts at Muntham School. In 1985 the present courts and car park were built with the agreement of the Village Trust who own the land, and with grant aid from Horsham District Council (who apportioned monies donated by Tesco when the store at Broadbridge Heath was built), together with monies from The Sports Council and a small donation from Kleinwort Benson. A year or so later, the clubhouse was erected by the members who moved it from its original location at Coolham.
Since that time the club and courts have been maintained by a small committee who have carried out the grass cutting, hedging and court preparation for some 30 years. The courts have been overtopped on two occasions with a resin application to lengthen their working life giving their green appearance. Individual or family membership is available at a very reasonable cost and anyone interested should contact the secretary, Monica Hargrave on 730024 or Jane Marsh on 780372, the membership secretary if you would like to join.
Short Mat Bowls is an indoor version of outside bowls played with full-sized woods on mats the length of the Village Hall. We meet every Tuesday 2-4 pm. We have all the equipment needed for you to come along and have a go to see if you might be interested. All you need is a pair of smooth-soled shoes, or even just socks would do. You can have a free taster session, then if you decide to join it is a £10 annual membership fee and £3 for each Tuesday session.
If you are looking for some exercise and some jolly good fun, then our Club is the place for you. People with disabilities of all kinds can and do play short mat bowls. If you would like to try bowls but can’t play in the afternoons, please get in touch and we will be very happy to organise an evening session to see if there is sufficient interest. We need new members - you will be made very welcome. Contact Eve Barrett 730182
Barns Green Ladies Stoolball Club was founded in
2005 by a small group of local ladies. The idea was to have fun and exercise on the village green. They enjoyed the mainly Sussex game so much they joined the Chanctonbury League in 2008. Training and some friendly games are usually played on the village green on Thursdays throughout the summer. The League matches are played on Mondays. Team colours are purple and green. We have a great bunch of ladies all of varying ages and more are always welcome. If anyone is interested in joining our Stoolball club or just to find out more about it please contact the Captain Mrs Ann Tingley on 730236 or 07906 692727 who will be very pleased to help.
St. Nicolas Pastoral group started a car scheme in 2009 to help members of the community who were unable to use local transport or were without their own vehicle to get to and from appointments. Since then, the community have joined the car scheme and we have ten dedicated drivers who are willing to take passengers to the doctors. dentist, hospitals and occasionally shopping if need be. We will always welcome new drivers to the group. Drivers are reimbursed 40p per mile, which the passenger either pays for at the time or puts into the red box in the village shop. We are truly amazed and very grateful to all who put their small change into the box when doing shopping at Barns Green Stores. It has enabled us
to give to charities such as the local Toddler group and Barns Green Youth Club. We also helped finance the Defibrillator that is outside the village shop and sent a cheque for ÂŁ500 to the Shelter Scheme in the Hurricane of 2010 which supplied a tent, blankets, cooking utensils, water carrier and purifying tablets for a family made homeless in the storm. If you could spare some time and have your own transport, and would like to become involved then contact: Carol Shepherd 730001, Tony West 730493 or Joyce Groves 730165, who arranges the lifts.
The Monday Club was formed in 1973 to provide
We are a self-supporting Club, funds being raised
companionship and interests for the over-60s of Barns Green and the surrounding area. We meet twice-monthly (on a Monday!!) throughout the year. From November to April we meet in the Village Hall for a full programme of speakers, entertainments, quizzes etc, followed by a lovely home-made tea for which members make a donation of ÂŁ2. In the summer months we have a varied programme of coach outings which are planned to cater for as many tastes as possible.
by the generosity and support of our members. Over the years many long-lasting friendships have been made, and the Club is much loved by its members; even in this age of computers and new technology, people can still feel lonely and isolated. We would very much welcome new members; we would also welcome people of any age who could help with the organisation of the Club. Contact Eve Barrett on 730182
Barns Green and Itchingfield WI is a small Institute, currently of approximately twenty members. We meet once a month at the Village Hall with a varied programme of events. We have speakers some months and on others we organise some entertainment for ourselves. Outings to places of interest and lunch parties are also arranged.
We join in with County activities, such as short mat
bowls and quizzes and we are invited to other local WI’s to share their activities. Various classes are organised in the area should you wish to join in and learn a new skill. Anyone interested in joining us would be made very welcome. Contact Daphne Lindfield on 791258 for further information.
Barns Green Youth Club meets on every Thursday evenings at the village hall, from 7.00pm to 9.00pm
term time. The sessions are managed by our excellent youth leader Anne Hodgson and her team and we have many different activities throughout the year. The age range for our group is for school years 7 to 11.
Some of the highlights at meetings have been:• • • • • • • •
Speed Pool & table football competitions Xbox Games Table Tennis competition Club Photo BGYC Soap Opera Valentine cards Pancake making Ceramic Tile painting
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Drama Village Collage Easter Games Water Fight Football Games on the green Tennis Cooking
As well as the special activities like the ones named above we always have available at meetings a pool table, table football, table-tennis, board games, Wii, PS2 and four internet connected laptops.
Both groups are well supported and are always looking for new members and adult volunteer helpers. Contact: Simon Gale at youth@bgvillagehall.plus.com
Barns Green Players
formed approximately forty years ago and since then we have performed countless productions ranging from Shakespeare to pantomimes and in the past we have entered local drama festivals. We are not a large group but we strive to make each production as professional as possible. We have a committed and very skilled group of members, amazing technical facilities and a permanent home in Barns Green Village Hall. Our backstage crew supports us providing fantastic sets and costumes but everyone is encouraged to help with set painting, sewing and making tea! We aim to stage at least two productions a year, our annual and hugely anticipated pantomime in January and a comedy supper evening in May. Recently we have added a Murder Mystery
Evening in October. We have a thriving junior section and we aim to produce a junior only production each summer. These have included four very successful Shakespeare for Kids productions, Our Day Out and a talent night. Some of these productions have taken place outside at Sumner’s Ponds. We are a very social group with regular theatre trips and parties and we are always ready to welcome new members wherever their talents lie, be it onstage, painting scenery, backstage crew or costumes. Please see our comprehensive website for details of what we are currently up to and any future plans, to book tickets for our shows or if we are in rehearsal pop up to the hall on a Tuesday or Wednesday night for a chat. We look forward to meeting you soon. www.barnsgreenplayers.com
For the past three years a group of Barns Green residents and their wider friends have met during school term times to rehearse and perform a wide range of songs from classical to Motown and gospel to pop. Rehearsals are relaxed and friendly and the choir sings for fun and to raise money for charity. An initial concert in the Village Hall has led to two per year, plus a number of regular
invitations to perform in and around the area. Our “Vocals” are all ladies, the “Yokels” form the mens’ section and at our most recent concert both were joined by Horsham Children’s choir to create a real harmonic presence on the stage. New members are always welcome. For more details please contact Jenny Bailey 07792049721 or email jenniferalicebailey@gmail.com
Barns Green and Itchingfield have an effective Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) Scheme in operation. In this area we are administered by the Horsham District NHW Association. It is at meetings of the Association that personal and official contact with members of the Sussex Police is maintained. The objectives of NHW are to prevent crime, reduce the fear of crime and improve safety. There is also a function in reporting circumstances and details which may relate to a recently committed crime. All those who assist in NHW are protected by anonymity. NHW members are volunteers. Anyone may join and membership is free. Belonging to NHW requires being a good neighbour, taking easy and sensible precautions to protect yourself and those around you and their property from loss, injury or damage, and promptly
reporting anything that causes you concern. The newly built residences at Ashmiles will form a well defined community which will be ideally suited to the operation of a NHW scheme to be linked in with the existing arrangements in the village. New arrivals, once settled in, may well consider involvement in the NHW organisation which can provide benefits in so many different ways, including the possibility that household insurance premiums may reflect membership of an existing scheme. Intending volunteers should contact a Co-ordinator listed in the Big Mag. A link between local residents, NHW and the Police is provided by the presence of the PCSO (Police Community Support Officer) Tracy Field. Mobile 07766997894 or tracy.field@sussex.pnn. police.uk
Barns Green is a great community to live in. It
has a population of around 1400 people and thrives because of the friendship and cooperation between the villagers and the wonderful range of community activities that are organised. There is no better example of this community activity and spirit than the village’s biggest single event, the Barns Green Half Marathon which takes place each year on the last Sunday in September and has been running since 1982. This unique race follows a route through the lanes of Barns Green, Brooks Green, Itchingfield, Christ’s Hospital and close to Southwater through some of the most scenic countryside in West Sussex and regularly attracts around 1500 athletes of all ages and ability. The beginnings of the race came in winter 1981 when a few of the members of Barns Green Football Club asked Alan Train, the newly appointed Head of Muntham House School in the village, if they could use the school’s floodlit tennis courts for training. Mr Train agreed, and in the interests of promoting good relations with the local community allowed the
football club to use the facilities at no cost. To show their appreciation, the footballers asked if there was anything that they could do in return for the school. The Head said that the school was always in need of various items of equipment and that at the time it was hoping to raise money to buy a camcorder which would cost around £350. It was decided to hold a sponsored race and on a Sunday morning a few weeks later, thirteen members of the football team along with the Headmaster and his two sons took part in a ten mile run which raised the necessary money for the camcorder. After the race the runners celebrated over a few beers in the Village Club, and it was here that a plan was hatched to set up an organised village half marathon to be run sometime during the next year. An organising committee was put together and after months of hard work the first race was held at 11am on Sunday 24th October 1982. Amazingly it attracted around one thousand runners. Despite all the obstacles and logistical problems the race was a huge success and the organising committee had shown that it was possible to stage such a big event which clearly
had the potential to be developed and established as an annual event. The race has been run every year since that first race with the exception of 1987 when the Great Storm devastated the area. The initial sponsored run which preceded the first Barns Green Half Marathon raised £350. In the 32 years since, it has become a huge fund raiser and each year hundreds of pounds are raised for worthy causes. Last year, the race raised around £12,500 for various charities, local organisations and youth groups. A small army of volunteers from in and around the village give their time to cover all aspects of the planning for the race and ensure that the race goes ahead smoothly and safely creating an event of which Barns Green and its residents can be very proud. Vernon Jennings is the Race Director, heading up a committee of fourteen people and
is passionate about what the Half Marathon has achieved says “Last year on the Thursday evening before the race, the Youth Club packed up over 1500 “goody bags” in the Village Hall for all the competitors! It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm of the youngsters and I am always thrilled to be able to present cheques to our local clubs, sports teams and other organisations who have helped us to stage the event. To me it is a perfect example of how village life should work”. We hope that if you are a new resident in the area you will get involved in this great local event. There are lots of opportunities to act as race marshals, car park marshals and general helpers. You may even want to run in the race! For more information visit the Barns Green half Marathon website; www.barnsgreen-half.org.uk
Photo by Pete Etheridge
Horsham Joggers
Founded in 1984, Horsham Joggers is now one of
the area’s leading running clubs and has members from the Barns Green area. We are a social running club and cater for all abilities, from serious runners competing in the Sussex Grand Prix and the West Sussex Fun Run League, to the more laid back atmosphere of a summer evening pub run. We also offer twice-yearly ‘Learn to run’ courses which take you from nothing to 5km over 10 weeks. We meet at the Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre
every Tuesday (group runs) and Thursday (track/ group/pub runs) evening at 7pm and many Sunday mornings at 9am. Groups vary in ability so there will always be someone to run with. Whatever your aims we would love to hear from you (i.e. training for Barns Green half marathon!). You can either just turn up on a Tuesday evening, contact us at info@horshamjoggers.co.uk, look at our website at www.horshamjoggers.co.uk or find us on our Facebook page.
Post Office and Stores
The Queens Head
Three of the most important facilities in Barns Green are all located in the heart of the village. These are the local village store and post office, the pub and Sumners Ponds campsite and Fishery. The village store is a great asset to the village. It has an outstanding selection of food and other items and the post office is now open seven days a week. The Queens Head is the village pub and offers great food and is a really popular meeting place and hub for the village. Sumners Ponds is a delightful campsite and fishery which has its own restaurant and bar and is open to everyone. Westons Farm Shop is north of the village in Itchingfield selling a wide range of products. Westons Farm Shop
Sumners Ponds Fishery and Campsite
Your local magazine Published by Barns Green Community Publications
The BIG Mag is published by a charitable trust, run by local volunteers and delivered free to all households in Barns Green, Itchingfield and Christs Hospital. All profits from advertising are donated to local clubs and charities. Join the friendly BIG Mag team We have vacancies for people who can write articles for us every month and distribute the magazine.
Visit the village website for further information:
www.barnsgreen.com