Common Interests January 2023

St Mark's CofE Primary School

Q U I Z N I G H T

Happy New Year and welcome to January’s Common Interests. We hope you all had a wonderful festive season and that 2023 brings you good health, prosperity and happiness.

village as an evacuee and never left, and Kaye Baker tells us about what’s happening on the farm during the winter months.

CONTENTS

After the excesses of Christmas, a new year can represent a fresh start for many of us, particularly when it comes to health and wellbeing. With this in mind, we have a couple of articles that could help you on your journey of selfimprovement. Simon Marsh of New Barns Gym tells us about why he loves his work and gives some tips on getting the most out of your new year fitness regime. We also have Norma Leppard writing about a complimentary therapy that can be beneficial to your mental, as well as physical wellbeing.

The first ever football World Cup to be played in winter ended without a trophy for England, but Staplefield had its own trophy-winning team back in the day. Peter Charlton recalls the glory days for us on page 12. We tell the story of a young Londoner who came to the

As usual, we have gardening advice (and some stunning winter photography) from Sacha and Maria, a report from St Mark’s School and spiritual words from Rob Morris, who is standing in for Carl this month. We also have a report on the Staplefield Seasonal Shindig fundraiser, where the Christmas spirit of generosity was alive and well.

Thanks so much to everyone that has paid their annual subscription. If you haven’t yet done so, information is included again this month, we cannot continue with the magazine without your financial support. Thanks also to all of our contributors and advertisers.

This month’s cover photo was taken by me, on a Boxing Day dog walk at dusk.

Jane Pedgrift Common Interests Editor

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STAPLEFIELD SEASONAL SHINDIG

The inaugural Seasonal Shindig finally went ahead on Thursday 29th December, after being postponed from the week before due to the prolonged water outage.

Villagers gathered in The Victory car park (and inside for those that couldn’t brave the weather!) to support the charity event, raising funds for both St Mark’s School and Handcross Community Pantry.

Music was provided by Staplefield’s answer to the Von Trapps, the Bethune children, Will Butler and his guitar and

Becs Redfern on keyboard and vocals. A poignant rendition of Silent Night sung in Ukrainian by Maryna Ponomarenko was a particular highlight.

donated by the talented bakers of the village.

Villagers and local businesses were very generous with their donations for the raffle and silent auction.

There was face-painting by Rachel Cowell and Jo Harrison, along with stalls selling handcrafted goods from local artists and homemade goodies

Amongst other things, there was a tasting menu for two from Heritage of Slaugham, several cases of quality wines from International Wine Challenge, a voucher from New Barns Gym, a bespoke artwork from Susie Robertson and an Old Trafford hospitality package from Manchester Utd (courtesy of Ellie Norman).

As we went to press, a precise figure was not available, but the total raised is estimated to be in excess of £2000, divided equally between St Mark’s School and Handcross Community Pantry. Janet and Jane would like to thank everyone involved in organising the event, and those who donated and attended.

Staplefield residents never let us down in coming together to support the local community. We hope that the event will become a regular fixture in the village calender, and go from strength to strength!

VILLAGE PEOPLE

Jane Pedgrift relates the history of Len Dowdeswell, a wartime refugee who came to stay

Just as Staplefield has welcomed Ukrainians fleeing their war-torn country, during WW2 our village provided homes, care and schooling for evacuees from London.

Most of the children arriving in September 1939 at Hayward’s Heath station were from Buckingham Gate School in Westminster. They were allocated to homes in Handcross. Staplefield families took in the younger evacuees from the nearby St James the Less school in Pimlico.

Daphne Dengate, daughter of the Reverend William Dengate, vicar of St Mark’s at the time, recalled in her memoirs that the children arrived at the village

hall, where they waited to be chosen by Staplefield residents who were willing to take them in. Her mother came back with a family of three boys and one girl, who stayed with the Dengates at the vicarage for the duration of the war.

Another evacuee, 10-year old Len Dowdeswell, ended up staying a lot longer! Len, the youngest of seven children, was the only one of his family sent to the safety of Sussex. He went to stay with Mr and Mrs Jonathan of Court Farm.

As a welcome gift, the family gave Len a border collie puppy named Betty, starting a lifelong love of dogs, particularly collies. When Len wasn’t at school, he

helped out on the farm with the Jonathan’s dairy herd. He discovered a love for the agricultural life. Len attended Plumpton College and continued to work on the farm until the family sold it.

Len married Pam in 1955. They met when Pam was a teenager at a Boxing Day dance in Handcross. The young Len was considered quite a catch, due to his dancing skills! Pam’s family, from Handcross, had also taken in evacuees during the war.

The young married couple visited Len’s family in London several times, but were always glad to get back to their country life. They settled in Staplefield and never left. In later years Len

Above: Newcomers to Staplefield might wonder about the name on the bench on the village green by The Victory. As the plaque says, it commemorate Len Dowdeswell, evacuated from London during the Blitz and went on to live in the village for nearly 60 years.

worked as a minibus driver at Brantridge School.

Len, who sadly passed in 2008, is much missed by the village. Pam still lives in their family home and loves meeting up with others at village lunches.

Many thanks to Pam for sharing Len’s story with us.

FIELD WORK

Kaye Baker describes what is happening in the Home Farm fields around us

As a mixed beef and arable farm, there is never a “quiet” season on Home Farm. Half of our acreage is under arable cultivation and half under permanent or temporary grass.

Arable farming is a 12-month operation. You plant seed in the September/October to harvest the following August. Even when it’s in the ground, you are crop walking to check for pests, diseases, fungi and weeds. We also check growth rates for optimum fertiliser application and worry about slugs, deer, rabbits and pigeons, all of which love to snack on your precious crop.

Crops went in well this autumn but relentless wet weather has made everything look a bit sad and drained out. Crops, like humans, need a bit of sunshine. For 2022’s harvest we grew first wheats (milling variety) and oats. For harvest 2023, half of our arable is under a second wheat (feed variety Graham).

Weeds such as black grass and winter oats can take over if we

grow the same arable crop year in, year out in the same field. We operate a rotation with a “break crop” on the other half of our arable land. This breaks the cycle of pests, diseases, fungus et cetera that can build up. Many of you will have seen this year’s break crop of stubble turnips as you walk round the fields.

Three hundred visiting lambs are currently enjoying the stubble turnips. The lambs eat the turnips and leave behind their own organic fertiliser! The lambs will be here until March, munching their way through 60 acres of stubble turnips. When they leave, we will put down the land down to spring barley.

Our cattle are overwintering indoors. Our herd of Sussex suckler cows is chilling out in the new barn we built in 2020, before they start to calf at the end of January through to March. The calves will be the progeny of Donald, our pedigree Sussex bull, who you might have seen in the field in front of the farm during the summer. Donald is a handsome beast, 850kg of prime Sussex bull.

Sussex Cattle have evolved over hundreds of years. The first recorded herd book of the Sussex Cattle Society dates back to 1840. They are kind natured cattle, rich dark reddy brown in colour and make good mothers.

We have a barn filled with our 2022 calves who will stay with

us in the farm until the end of 2023. Then some will be sold on as store cattle. A handful of the heifers will remain and join their mothers in the suckler herd. Here on the farm we grow everything our cattle eat during the five or six months of winter.

We grow and make our own hay and silage. We grow our own straw for bedding. We also grow mill and roll our own barley which we feed to the cattle. We don’t buy in any feed stuffs, so there are zero food miles in their diet. Not many can boast a truly home grown diet.

Once the cows start to calve please feel free to contact me if you want to come and see the cows with their calves.

HOME TEAM

As World Cup fever fades, Peter Charlton recalls Staplefield’s glory days amid cow pats on the football pitch

Over 60 years ago Staplefield had it’s own award-winning football team. We won a cup for the most sporting team in the Mid Sussex Minor League, not once, but twice!

Our record read: played 30, lost 30 … goals scored 8, goals conceded 308. We then won a match 4-1 against St Johns, Clayton. I scored one of those goals and we got a mention in the local press.

We played home games in the church field, affectionately known as Cow Flop Stadium. We shared the field with a herd of cows owned by Mr Jonathan of Court Farm. Before we could play, we had to herd the cows into the top field and, equipped with shovels and wheelbarrows, set about clearing the pitch. Invariably we would miss one or two, which would then be ‘discovered’ during the course of the game!

John Pierce was our manager. His job it was to mark out the pitch and erect the goal posts.

Our changing room was the lobby of the village hall, where Mrs Pierce would prepare a tin bath, ready for us to wash off those cow pats! She also supplied half-time oranges and was our chief fundraiser. We had only a handful of supporters at home games. Our most vocal fan, Mrs Viger, would stand outside her cottage on Tanyard Lane and turn the air blue with her opinions on our performances!

There weren’t enough village lads to make up a team, so classmates from Cuckfield County Secondary School (now Warden Park) made up the numbers. Some of the team still live locally, including myself, a lifelong Staplefield resident. Keith Pierce, son of John, lives in Handcross.

I’m certain that my former team-mates will, like me, remember the great times we had playing football and, more importantly, learning that it’s the taking part that counts, not the winning!

Team manager, and cow pat, clearer, Johnny Pierce (far left), looking serious

INDIAN HEAD MASSAGE

Norma Leppard describes a treatment that relieves stress and nourishes hair roots

Indian Head Massage is a safe, simple treatment that provides relief from aches and pains, along with promoting hair growth.

I studied Indian Head Massage, based on the ancient Ayurvedic Healing system. This system has been used for many years by the women of India who used the techniques to ensure their hair was in great condition.

By massaging the scalp, this treatment ensures great circulation, which in turn nourishes the hair roots. The treatment offered includes techniques to include massage (over light clothing) of the shoulders, neck, upper arms, head and finishing with pressure points on the face.

Indian Head Massage is renowned for relieving symptoms of stress. The head, neck and shoulders are all important energy centres within your body, as stress builds we can sometimes find our shoulders become tense. This tension can sometimes

show up as a stiff neck, shoulders, eye strain, and even hair loss.

Indian Head Massage involves working with a firm and gentle rhythm to help unknot blockages and relieve any uncomfortable build-up of tension. This relaxing treatment not only offers physical relief, it works on the emotional level too, promoting relaxation, relieving stress and calming the spirit.

Treatments last approximately 30 minutes and afterwards you will be left with a sense of wellbeing An ancient proverb states: ‘A happy mind is medicine, no better prescription exists’.

Regular head massage is wonderfully relaxing, it enhances the health of the scalp and promotes the growth of lustrous hair. So if you feel like giving yourself, or a friend, a treat then book a treatment in the New Year.

Have a wonderful 2023, be happy and healthy.

MASSIVE THANK YOU FROM FRIENDS OF ST MARK’S (FOSM) TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED AND JOINED US FOR THE CHRISTMAS FAYRE!

QUEEN OF SEED

It is time to be still in the garden, says Sacha Brown, who is keen to recycle spare small plant pots

Everything has stopped growing, trees have shed leaves , animals hibernate and stillness reigns. This is the time to be still, to conserve energy and regroup.

that’s just a myth), clean all the plant labels and sort out my netting and fleece covers. On another note, I am always after the small pots for my seedling sales ( just small 3-inch wide ones ), so if anyone has any then I would be happy to recycle them so please leave them on the bench, I’d be very grateful. Growing your own is all about

21st December was our winter solstice, the longest night, and a time to start welcoming the return of the light. The Sun travels its shortest path in the sky and the earth tilts back towards the light bringing with it longer days as the darkness finally wanes. Solstice translates as ’Stilling of the Sun’ and it’s at this time of year that I take my cues from nature.

The garden is a place of stillness too, no matter the weather I always try to get outside even for a short time, it’s so good for your mental and physical health. One of my favourite things to do is to sit in the greenhouse, it smells amazing, a lovely warm organic earthy smell and when its raining outside there’s something so calming about it.

This week I’ve had some days off work so it was time to have a good tidy up and, since the snow has gone, time to clear out the greenhouse and the shed in preparation for next year.

I like to be quite organised and put all my pots in size order (no need to wash pots, by the way,

making your garden produce food all year, not just fresh pickings but food that can be stored and prepared to eat through the winter months. Cured squash and pumpkins, carrots, celeriac, parsnips, leeks and potatoes all store very well to help keep us out of the supermarkets. For me, it’s all about the chutneys and the jams and jellies!

On rainy, cold days like these, curled up in front of the fire with a good book and a melting Camembert topped with lashings of chilli jam or chutney cannot be beaten. Christmas is a busy and chaotic period so try to find some time for yourself, get outside, walk in the woods, get five minutes to just stand still, to breath, to be silent and just observe. See if you can find pleasure in winter, the stillness, the quietness and time… time to just be.

www.queenofseed.co.uk

A BARN FULL OF EXERCISE

How did you start as a personal trainer?

I did nine years in a sports shop. I used to go to a gym and saw personal trainers when a friend said, personal training, that’s for you. I signed up for a course at the Oxford University athletics track - where Roger Bannister ran his four minute milefollowed by a massage therapy course. Then, I was out into the world of work, expecting clients to be queueing up, but they weren’t. I got an interview with the gym at Westminster, at the House of Commons and I worked there for seven years.

How did you end up here at Home Farm?

After moving to Haywards Heath to be with Susie, my wife, and start our family, the commute became a bit much. I’d picked up clients down here and was introduced to Sandra at New Barns gym on Brantridge Lane. I joined her, essentially subletting the space for my clients.

When Sandra decided to stop, I took over the space and the equipment. I was there for 10 years until the pandemic in 2020. My lease was up. I was introduced to the Haywards moved to Holmstead Farm for six months after the first lockdown ended. Unfortunately, the offices above found us a bit too loud.

I was introduced to Kaye Baker at Home Farm. The barn was a bit worse for wear, but Kaye said it could be made fit for purpose. We agreed that the barn gym would be ready to open for the end of the last lockdown on the 12th April 2021.

What are the pros and cons of running your own gym?

The only drawback is the same as any sole trader, not having the predictable pay cheque. But the flexibility is great. If people want to change something, I’m fine with that: if a family thing

crops up for me, people are really understanding. And because of my schedule, I can be one of the few dads who can go and get the kids.

I love that sessions can feel very social, people have made friends here and even helped each other with work related things. People feel comfortable and I do my best to make it a welcoming space.

Any tips to help motivate people to start exercising?

The most difficult thing is doing the first session. It’s easy to see the negatives, so I would say focus on the benefits and just get through the door of the first session, see how you feel and go from there!

Do you have any exercise recommendations for general health and wellbeing?

I recommend starting small and building little exercises into everyday life. For instance, when watching the TV, during the advert break do a plank, or lean back and engage the core for 30 seconds, rest and do it again, then go back to watching TV. These things might seem small but it’s the cumulative effect. Do things like that every day and you’ll start to notice a difference.

Visiting New Barns Gym

How do sessions at New Barns work?

People can have one-to-one sessions, or come along to an hour-long mixture of cardio and resistance in short bursts. I want sessions to work for individuals and to help them in their day to day life, whether it’s recovery from an injury, better posture or improved performance in other activities.

First trial session – free Individual circuit £7.50

6 x sessions £45

12 x Sessions + 1 free £90

18 x sessions + 3 free £135

24 x sessions + 5 free £180

30 x sessions + 7 free £225

PT session £30 - 1 hr

Contact Simon for more info:

07880 703849

simoncmarsh@hotmail.com

Simon Marsh talks to Jo Harrison about bringing fitness to Sussex

A GARDENER’S MONTH

Maria Hardy looks for signs of frost damage

What a difference a month makes! When I sat down to write for Common Interests at the end of November I wrote of plants defiantly still blooming! Snow, frost and heavy rain have since asserted their impact but whilst the winter garden slows down, it’s not all rest.

There are signs of life and future promise all around. As I walk around the garden optimistically seeking out signs of life I’m hit with the heady, sweet scent of Sarcococca, Sweet Scented Box, is flowering profusely. Swaths of snowdrops are growing thick and fast, but I have yet to spot one in flower. Hellebore are throwing up new growth and a few look like they will begin to bloom very soon.

In the greenhouse, where the temperature hit a low of minus 3.5 for a couple of nights, the autumn sown snap dragon seedlings are slightly yellowing, a sign of cold shock, hopefully not terminal but not the picture of health! Other seedlings over

wintering in the unheated greenhouse are faring better thankfully.

In the cutting garden some self-sown hardy annuals are also casualties to frosts and/or hungry rodents. Rodents devoured two beds of Nigella, and Ammi Majus was badly damaged by the frost and snow. But that’s ok, we have another chance to sow more seeds.

Sweet peas can be sown under cover any time now. For other hardy annuals, wait until mid-February when light levels return and days lengthen. Sowing seeds when there is not enough light will produce leggy, weak seedlings. Even if they survive they will not flower as well as ones sown from mid-February onwards. Patience is a gardeners friend!

Now that the rush of Christmas wreaths has passed, and I wait

as patiently as I am able for spring blooms to return to the garden, I am so happy for the stock of flowers that I dried and stored. Who says we can’t have sustainable flowers out of season?

Jobs for January

• Order seeds for sowing from mid-February onwards

• Finish pruning roses but avoid pruning before a hard cold snap

• Horizontally tie in the stems of climbing roses to encourage vertical shoots

• Protect tender plants from severe weather with fleece and/or mulch

• Clear fallen leaves and add to the compost heap

Maria Hardy is a Staplefield based artisanal flower grower and floral designer.

www.tangleandwild.co.uk

ST MARK’S SCHOOL

Dan Holmes, Assistant Headteacher

It was a high energy end to 2022 at St Mark’s. Fern class members took part in an excellent dance workshop at Downlands Community School in Hassocks and the children of Bramble class concluded their learning project on the Romans by creating spectacular shields and learning to defend in correct centurion style.

The younger children produced three excellent performances of ‘Baarmy Bethlehem’ as their nativity show. The school also celebrated Christmas with a traditional carol concert and a Christingle service to end term.

St Catherine’s Hospice, a local charity that has supported members of our community with end-of-life care.

Laurel class visited an icy Battle Abbey to conclude their AngloSaxon studies. They greatly enjoyed a vigorous re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings

We were very proud that our child-led Vision In Action Council encouraged the children to take part in a Reindeer Run on the village green. They raised over £1000 for

2023 will begin with new curriculum projects commencing and children focusing on their hopes and aspirations for the New Year.

From us to you - have a wonderful 2023.

www.st-marks.w-sussex.sch.uk

St Mark’s School Sports Hall competition

Fern class dance workshop at Downlands School

Reindeer run raised over £1000 for charity

Cleaning Help Needed

St Mark’s Church needs regular cleaning, and we would be very grateful if any person, or group of people, feel they can help. It involves sweeping and polishing and really is not a big task if undertaken regularly.

If you can help, please contact the church office

(01444 400221), Lizzie Reynolds

(07887 637084) or Helen Arnold

(07540 816170)

Many thanks.

Lizzie and Helen (Wardens)

BAG 2 SCHOOL FREE FUNDRAISING FOR SCHOOLS

In partnership with your school or organisation

St Mark's C of E Primary School

Your own clothes

Bag 2 School is a company that specialises in the reuse and recycling of good quality secondhand clothing and we have arranged to make a collection from your school. All the bags will be weighed and you will be paid for the total weight collected. Remember, the more you collect the greater the benefit to your school.

PLEASE USE YOUR OWN BAGS (THERE IS NO LIMIT).

When the clothes have been removed from the bag the plastic will be packed and sent for recycling.

We are collecting good quality items for RE-USE:

Men’s, ladies’ & children’s clothing, paired shoes, handbags, belts & accessories.

(No uniforms, workwear, pillows, duvets or pieces of fabric please)

The more we weigh the more we pay!

Extra bags are welcome - there’s no limit

Please return your Bag2School on:

Friday 20 January 2023 by 9:00am

A TIME OF SUFFERING

Rob Morris reflects on a lifetime of changes

As we start a new year, Jen and I are struck by the changes we have experienced over our 72 years. Apart from obvious things like technological advances –personal computers, mobile phones and digital timekeeping devices were unheard of throughout our school days –there are less obvious changes, like the effects of climate change. But the changes in our lifetime are insignificant compared with the huge changes in our world over the period of recorded history.

One thing is not changing. Human suffering is as grotesque and universal today as it has been since the earliest days of recorded history. Today we have the brutal war in Ukraine with unspeakable atrocities committed daily. In other countries, children are dying of starvation. I have witnessed appalling suffering in Uganda.

Here in ‘comfortable’ Sussex, a young woman weeps uncontrollably over being abandoned with her young children by her unfaithful husband; a middle-aged man struggles with terminal cancer.

Suffering is real, immediate, compelling, inescapable and savage. Different cultures approach suffering in very different ways. What’s the Christian approach?

The Bible promises an end to all suffering. The writer of the book of Revelation wrote:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. I heard a loud voice speaking from the throne: “Now God’s home is with people! He will live with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them, and He will be their God.” He (Himself!) will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. Then the one who sits on the throne said, … “Write this, because these words are true and can be trusted.”

There is sound, historical evidence for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is true, and can be trusted. And He will come again and put an end to all suffering.

Have a great New Year.

CHURCH TIME TABLE JAN 2023

All

St

St Mark’s Common Worship Communion

St Mary’s Informal Praise

St Mark’s Common Worship Communion

St Mary’s Morning Worship

All Saints Spotlight

St Mark’s Common Worship Communion

St Mary’s Café Church

REMINDER TO JOIN STAPLEFIELD SOS

In November Paul Hunter set up a ‘Staplefield SOS’ WhatsApp group that we can use for just such an emergency. It is not a group designed for chat. The group can be used by anyone in any sort of a fix: lost people, lost pets, escaped animals, urgent lift to hospital, pulling out of a ditch, stuck in snow, unable to get food, power cuts, fallen trees etc etc.

In no way is the group a substitute for the emergency

services but it should give reassurance and, hopefully, friendly help will always be at hand. If you think that this group might be useful to you, or that there are times when you might be able to offer assistance (owner of a 4WD vehicle perhaps) text Paul Hunter on 0751-589-4109.

If you don’t text you can always phone, or email phhunter22@gmail.com

Noticeboard

Where to find out what is happening

Metrobus

Route 271 runs from Crawley to Brighton (Royal Sussex County Hospital) Timetables, route maps and apps: www.metrobus.co.uk/ services/MB/271

Reduced Bus Fares

Metrobus will be offering cheaper fares to local residents, capped at £2 on all single fare bus journeys. The offer is funded through a £60 million scheme under the Government’s “Help for Households” program to help the public with cost of living pressures over the winter.

Brantridge School

Pupils and their families at Brantridge School had a great time at the Christmas Fair this year. With cake stalls, activities and games there was lots to see and do! We raised an amazing £357 for the school, including the raffle. We would like to thank the community for their

Handcross District Community Bus

Community Pantry

Handcross Community Pantry offers food provisions to those in need within the local parishes.

Contact Rev Carl Smith at handcrossrectory@gmail.com or on 01444 400221.

at All Saints on Saturday morning. St Mary’s and St Mark’s churches are also open all day.

The Victory Inn in Staplefield can also accept donations.

Driven by volunteers, the bus runs from Staplefield to Horsham (and back) on Wednesdays (Route 6) and on Fridays (Route 4). It takes in different destinations on the way.

Concessionary

Travel Passes

Accepted

For more information

contact 01444 400212

www.handcrosscommunity bus.co.uk

You are welcome to call in to All Saints Handcross between 10 and 11.30am on Saturday morning. Stay for free tea, coffee and biscuits, and chat to someone on our friendly team.

You can donate non-perishable items at the Hardware & Craft shop in Handcross High Street,

StaplefieldVillage Hall

Planning an event? Why not use Staplefield’s Village Hall? Special rates for Staplefield residents.

Main hall – £17.00 per hour (villagers: £11 per hour)

Financial donations (marked ‘Pantry’) to Handcross hardware, or by BACS (sort code 40-24-33, account 81842242, account name Slaugham PCC, reference ‘Pantry’ or ‘CP’).

For any other information contact Barbara Butfoy: butfoybabs@hotmail.co.uk, 01444 401706 or 07853 228605

Parish Council Elections

donations to the raffle, in particular The Jolly Tanners, The Victory Inn, And So To Bed, Nymans and Aaron Russell. We hope to use the money for life skills activities to enrich the curriculum for the children.

Hazel Smith, School Office Manager

Committee Room – £7.00 per hour (villagers £5.00 per hour) The main hall facilities include use of catering kitchen, crockery and cutlery, a bar area and a PA system.

For booking enquiries, phone 01444 400617

Elections for Ansty and Staplefield Parish Council will take place in May 2023. If you would like to get involved with decision-making that can benefit your local community, maybe you would consider putting yourself forward as a candidate? Further information on how you can do this will be published as it becomes available.

Common Interests Team

Jane Pedgrift - Editor in chief, Refreshments Co-ordinator

janepedgrift@gmail.com / Whatsapp only 07429 038870

Matt Shaw - Sports Editor, Local Reporter & Paparazzo

Jo Harrison - Art Director & Layout Wrangler

Web: jo@jo-harrison.co.uk | Instagram: @joelizaharrison

Rebecca Redfern - Advertising Manager, Music Correspondent

Michael Kenward OBE - Copy Boy

NEW for 2023 at THE VICTORY

Thursday night is takeaway curry night!

Homemade authentic curry house recipes, starters and accompaniments.

Pick up or home delivery.

Call on the day for available curry choices and to place your order

Every week from 12th January

Saturday Tapas Night

Come and enjoy homemade tapas made by our Spanish-trained chef!

Choose from a selection of small plates, paired with wine and sherry.

Order as much or as little as your appetite demands!

Book your table to avoid disappointment.

Every week from 14th January

CONTACT US

info@thevictoryinnstaplefield.co.uk

www.thevictoryinnstaplefield.co.uk

01444 400463

thevictoryinnstaplefield

USEFUL NUMBERS & LINKS

Princess Royal Hospital - 01444 441881

Doctor’s Surgery - Handcross 01444 405750

Doctor’s Surgery - Cuckfield 01444 458738

Sussex Police - 0845 607 0999

St. Mark’s School - 01444 400398

Warden Park School - 01444 457881

Community Bus - Christina Hampstead 01444 400212

Staplefield Village Hall - Pat Brixey 01444 400617

St Mark’s Church - Carl Smith 01444 400221

Our Lady of Fatima Church - (RC) 01444 401818

Refuge - 0808 2000 247

The Samaritans - 116 123

Recycling Centres (local tips)

Mid Sussex District Council

www.midsussex.gov.uk/waste-recycling/recycling-centres

View and Comment on Planning Applications -

Mid Sussex District Council

www.midsussex.gov.uk/planning-building/view-andcomment-on-planning-applications

Staplefield on Facebook

Keep up with village gossip

Missing pets, stray ponies, looking for a local handyperson, need a babysitter? Pass on details of local roadworks and floods. Or just share old photos. That’s just a taste of recent traffic on the village’s Facebook group.

Search ‘Staplefield Village Group’ on www.facebook.com