Common Interests March 2023

Staplefield Community Magazine | March 2023

Featuring: Battle of the Sexes

Vegan treats

Pilates for everyone Dog of the Month!

£1 suggested donation

CONTENTS

Editor’s Letter

Subscriptions and how to pay

Sewage Oozes into the Ouse

Balcombe Fly Fishers Club

Battle of the Sexes

Put Your Oar In

Vegan Food Makes a Tasty Treat

A Month in the Garden

Dog of the Month

Pilates for Everyone

Queen of Seed

St Mark’s School

Classifieds

Life Needs Punctuation

Church Timetable

Noticeboard

Mid Sussex Party Kits

Doodling is Good for You

Quiz Night!

Useful numbers

Tangle & Wild

FLOWERS BY MARIA HARDY

Taking orders for bouquets for Mothering Sunday. I also have a range of hand made pressed flower greetings cards, all made with flowers from the Tangle and Wild gardens

Enquiries welcome 07949 101476 maria@tangleandwild.co.uk

Follow me on instagram @tangleandwild

WWW.TANGELANDWILD.CO.UK

Welcome to the March edition of Common Interests. Despite the recent snowfall, it feels like we are finally turning a corner and leaving winter behind for all the abundance that Spring brings. Our cover reflects that, with a carpet of snowdrops outside St Mark’s, photographed by Matt Shaw.

As the weather improves (hopefully), you may be thinking about participating in outdoor pursuits, so our piece on Ardingly Rowing Club could be of interest if you fancy trying water sports on the reservoir. Or if something slightly less vigorous is more your thing, perhaps our article about Pilates at the village hall will appeal. The sports theme continues with recollections of a light-hearted 1950’s ‘battle of the sexes’ clash on Staplefield Common.

We have our monthly gardening features from Sacha and Maria, and our usual contributions from St Marks’s School and Church. Our recipe this time is from a vegan cookbook, written by a local lady to raise funds for a good cause….go on, try it! And we are very happy to introduce you to Rocco….our very first ‘Dog of the Month’.

We also have a report into local outrage about the pollution of the

River Ouse, as well as news, events and useful information.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed this month, and a special mention to all the Staplefield mums (and mine, who reads this!), who I’m sure will be rightly spoilt rotten by their families on Mothering Sunday!

Jane Pedgrift Common Interests Editor

Above: Spring fungi by Becs Redfern

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SEWAGE OOZES INTO THE OUSE

Jane Pedgrift reports on how issues with the residential development at Slaugham Manor have spread to Staplefield’s waterways.

The River Ouse caused a bit of a stink on Facebook recently, when the Handcross group carried reports of sewage pouring into the river from the recent housing development at Slaugham Manor.

Built in 1901 as a family home for the Boer War veteran Captain Charles Warden Sergison, the house is situated in the grounds of the Tudor era ruins of Slaugham Place, now a popular wedding venue. Designed by Arts and Crafts architect Walter Ernest Tower in a Jacobean revival style, it went through a period of being a luxury hotel before Sussex Police purchased it in the 70’s to use as a training and conference facility. In 2018 it was acquired by Martin Investment Management, to develop into a number of luxury homes.

According to local residents, a planning condition was that the developers would replace and upgrade the antiquated and inadequate sewage pipe system.

They now suspect that this never happened, as in recent months there have been issues with raw sewage leaking from a broken pipe in the grounds. Residents have reported backed up drains and effluent on walkways, and a neighbouring Staplefield farm noticed sewage leaking onto their land and into the River Ouse. The Balcombe Fly Fishers, who regularly perform tests on the river, recently reported poor water quality, which could be related to the sewage pollution.

The problems were reported to the management company, Martin Homes, as far back as last autumn, but they did not respond, even after multiple attempts at contacting them. They have recently agreed to address the issue of the broken pipe, but as we go to press there has been no progress made. Locals fear that months have gone by where a serious health hazard has been ignored.

If you are concerned by the pollution of the River Ouse, you can report it to the Environment Agency via their incident hotline

0800 807060

Balcombe Fly Fishers Club

A Call For New Members

With the start of the new trout season soon to be upon us on 3rd April Balcombe Fly Fishers Club is making a call for new members for the 2023 season.

Formed in 1984 the BFFC fishes approx. a mile and a half of single and double bank fishing on the River Ouse through the Balcombe and Borde Hill Estates just to the northwest of Haywards Heath.

For those of you that enjoy wading with a short rod and light tackle, this is the ideal fishery for you. Wading is essential; some beats easier than others, some more accessible than others.

The river is maintained and stocked by the club, with work parties working hard to get the river ready for opening day and then maintain it throughout the year. It is anticipated that in the coming year 150-200 high quality reared brown trout are likely to be introduced starting in late March. Whilst stocked fish weigh about a pound or so when put in they have been known to grow-on to a decent size, catches of 4lb have been recorded in recent years. There are also several wild brown trout caught by members each year.

There is generally a good hatch of up-wing flies and midges throughout the year and an abundance of terrestrials due to the bankside vegetation and over-hanging trees, the fish do not starve here! Last year, we had a pretty good Mayfly hatch from midMay.

Fishing is available to members from 3rd April to 31st October in accordance with local EA byelaws.

General rules

• Upstream fly fishing only with dry flies, traditional wet flies or nymph imitation patterns only. Lures or streamer patterns are NOT permitted

• No fishing from the bank, wading only

• No hooks larger that size 14, (except Mayfly or Cranefly, max hook size 10), barbless or crushed barb hooks only

Fees

Current Annual Membership = £90

Special SFDG discounted joining fee = £10 (regular Joining Fee = £35)

If you would like to know more or wish to talk a ‘tour’ of the river please speak with Gary Franklin (07766 823 203) or Jim Harris, they will gladly assist you.

BATTLE OF THE SEXES

In 1957 at the village fete, Staplefield Common was the scene of a battle of the sexes clash at football, between the men of Staplefield Cricket Club and a ladies team. The women came together just for the match, and included some Handcross girls to make up the numbers. They had not trained together, or even played football before, but they defeated the men 4-3, nevertheless!

A re-match was arranged, in order for the men to repair their damaged egos, and this time the sport of choice was stoolball. Maybe the fact that the boys were dressed in drag hampered their performance, but yet again they were defeated by the

superior ladies team. Vic Newnham, landlord of The Victory at the time, was the manager of the losing team, and invited all participants back to his pub for the post-match celebrations.

The captain of the ladies team, Brenda Rowe, recalls this involved imbibing from a baby bath filled with a mystery ‘cocktail’, whilst on their hands and knees!

Maybe it’s time for another re-match...any takers?

Images

Top right: the women’s football team with Brenda Rowe back row

3rd from left.

Overleaf top: The men’s stoolball team in drag.

What is Stoolball?

Stoolball is an ancient game, originating in Sussex in the 15th century. It is thought to have been started by milkmaids who used their milking stools as ‘wickets’, and is a likely ancestor of cricket, rounders, baseball and softball. It was a very early form of competitive sport in which it was acceptable for women to participate and has been played for centuries by both men and women throughout the Sussex and Kent area.

It underwent a revival in the early 20th century, and even spread to the Midlands and North by the 1930’s. There used to be many clubs and leagues, and the

National Stoolball Association was established in 1979 at Clair Hall in Haywards Heath. Now known as Stoolball England, you can find information on local teams and how to join on their website

www.stoolball.org.uk

Stoolball on the Village Green 1910

PUT YOUR OAR IN

Two village residents pushed the boat out to create a thriving local rowing club

If you’ve walked around Ardingly Reservoir, a local beauty spot, in addition to the wildlife you may have noticed rowers paddling furiously up and down the lake. This is Ardingly Rowing Club, with about 120 members who train on the Reservoir throughout the year.

Brantridge Lane residents and neighbours Derek Riches and Robert Taylor formed the club in 1995. With lifelong backgrounds in the sport, the pair were dismayed to find that no one was using this perfect venue for rowing. With, in their words, “no money, no boats, and no members”, they took up the challenge. Today the club has a full membership and a healthy waiting list. It has good, mostly second-hand, equipment, with around 40 boats ranging from single sculls to four-person crew boats.

Members, aged from 13 to over 80, come from all over Sussex,

including Staplefield. Abilities range from beginners, who learned to row at Ardingly, to former world champions and Olympic medallists.

Bob and Derek continue as President and Vice-President. Their efforts were recently recognised when Ardingly Rowing Club made the shortlist for British Rowing Club of the Year 2022.

The club races locally, nationally and internationally. In 2022 it was the most successful club at the British Rowing Masters Championships and two scullers won gold at the World Rowing Masters Regatta. The Junior squad raced at the National Schools Regatta, British Rowing Junior Champs, Henley Women’s Regatta and at the qualifiers for Henley Royal Regatta. This year the student group, from Sussex University, will race at British Universities and Colleges Sports Championships as well as with the wider club at local events. At the moment, the star home-grown Member is Millie Warren. An Ardingly village local, Millie, a scholar at Ardingly College,

won representing England at the Home International Regatta. As with many volunteer clubs, not everything in the garden is rosy. In Winter 2022 South East Water, the reservoir’s owners, closed off a large section of the reservoir bank, including the club area, for emergency works for bank erosion. This means that boats are scattered around the wider Ardingly Activity Centre area and the remaining site is very crowded!

This lack of space means that the club cannot invite people for a taster session leading to a learn-to-row programme. The club will advertise this locally when viable, although sadly it’s unlikely in 2023.

There is no boat house or club house, although the club has successfully used The Victory Inn for fundraising social events and for committee meetings. So it cannot host indoor training sessions. However, some members have indoor rowing machines at home and may be able to organise a day of “here’s how you use your

ergometer” sessions in the summer. This might help you at your own gym and inspire you to use some of the great indoor-rowing platforms.

The club welcomes support and interest via social media or in real life. We have sponsorship opportunities, including naming one of our boats which would be seen on the lake, in competition throughout the UK and on our website and social media. We’d love to talk to you about how we can be a good partner for your business. We offer Friend of Ardingly RC Membership for £30 per year –comes with no boat privileges but the satisfaction of supporting a great club! Give us a wave when you see us out on the Lake!

www.ardinglyrowingclub.co.uk

Twitter: @ardinglyrc

Instagram : @ardinglyrowingclub

Di Binley: ardinglyrc.comms@gmail.com

VEGAN FOOD MAKES A TASTY TREAT

Zena Khan, a qualified massage and nutritional therapist, loves chatting about vegan food. Her recipe book “Honestly, It’s Vegan, too!” has 40 delicious plant-based recipes for food drinks and cocktails.

“As a qualified nutritional therapist,” she says “I think it’s important to point out that vegan food is not synonymous with healthy food. A meringue, at the end of the day, is basically just sugar, vegan or not. It’s also delicious, and good for your soul occasionally, if not for your waistline or blood sugar! Everyone needs treats from time to time.”

Zena, a local resident, wrote the book to support 2nd Chance Dogs, a rescue centre in Cyprus, conceived in 2015 by Doris Karayainni and her partner Mario Papadimas. “Both of the founders are vegan, so it seemed appropriate to create a book that would not only benefit the dogs and the centre, but also have the team’s endorsement!”

With many hunting dogs abandoned every year in Cyprus, their vision was to create a refuge where dogs could be given the best possible food, care, medical treatment and rehabilitation in preparation to return to forever homes.

With 32 spacious runs and eight large play areas” it is a very special haven for dogs,” says Zena. “I feel proud to be a part of their wide network of supporters. Doris and Mario have built a fantastic team of volunteers who work very hard with them,” she adds. “Many of 2nd Chance Dogs’ supporters are people who have adopted from them, myself included!”

Oatmeal

Raisin Cookies

Total Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 18

Ingredients

100g coconut oil

100g soft brown sugar

2 tblsp golden syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

150g porridge oats

125g plain flour

1tsp baking soda (bicarb)

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2- 3 tblsp oat milk

100g small, seedless raisins

Demerara sugar to sprinkle on top - optional

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F)

• Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper

• Cream together the coconut oil and sugar

• Add and mix in golden syrup and vanilla

• In a separate bowl, mix together the rolled oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon

• Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix by hand until crumbly

• Add enough oat milk to form a stiff dough

• Add and mix in raisins

• Divide dough into about 18

pieces, roll into balls and place onto the baking trays. Try to ensure that raisins are evenly spread out in the cookie dough so that you don’t end up with some cookies having no raisins and some cookies having a lot of raisins!

• Place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes

• The tops will be golden brown and the edges firm, but the cookies will be very soft in the middle

• Sprinkle immediately with demerara sugar

• Allow cookies to cool and firm up on baking tray

Notes

Any vegan milk may be used instead of oat milk. Vegan butter/ margarine maybe substituted for the coconut oil.

Variations: try chopped dried apricots instead of raisins. or try adding 70g desiccated coconut (or both!)

Copies of “Honestly, It’s Vegan, too!” are available through www.zenavitality.com

A MONTH IN THE GARDEN

Maria Hardy looks forward to seeds of hope

Late winter or early spring? Glass half full or half empty? I prefer “early spring”. To me its the seasonal equivalent of glass half full! Even though night-time temperatures may disagree with me, the sunny days we’ve enjoyed fill me with anticipation for a new flower season ahead.

Although my own cutting garden won’t be in production in time for Mothering Sunday on 19 March, I will be offering bouquets available to pre-order for collection. I also have a range of hand-made, pressed-flower greeting cards made with flowers from my garden, every one unique and perfect for your message for Mothering Sunday! To place or discuss an order please give me a call or send a message on 07949 101476 or by email maria@tangleandwild.co.uk

Cutting garden jobs for March

• continue sowing hardy annuals

• sow half-hardy annuals under cover

• harden off and plant out autumn sown hardy annuals

• plant out pre-sprouted anemone and ranunculus but protect them from frosts with fleece and a low tunnel

• prepare beds, clearing weeds and mulching if you haven’t already

• last chance to prune the roses while they are still dormant

Now that the days are lengthening, seed sowing has begun in earnest. Each tiny seed a hope of beauty encased within. This season’s flowers ready to be coaxed and nurtured in to life, a cutting garden full of blooms. Let the soil staring begin! Examining each and every seed tray for signs of germination, celebrating every success and learning from every failure; this is how I grow.

• cut back hydrangea, cutting back hard will produce fewer, larger flowers whilst cutting back by only about a third will produce more, smaller flowers

www.tangleandwild.co.uk

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

DOG OF THE MONTH ROCCO

This handsome hound is short on legs but big on love. Originally from Bosnia, Rocco made Staplefield his home in the spring of 2017. Part collie, part spaniel and part ‘WTF!?’, you’ll recognise his bushy tail and seal-like paws under a pub table near you.

PILATES FOR EVERYONE

Lucy Knollys tells us how her classes are accessible to all.

• Nickname : The Rockstar

• Top skills : Snoozing, rolling in fox poo and looking forlorn

• Bessie friend : Malcolm the Cat

• Fave day out : Getting lost in the Hyde Estate

• Most annoying habit : Getting lost in the Hyde Estate

• Go-to snack : Another dog’s gravy bone

• Secret Crush : Ruby

• Proudest moment : Runner up in the Staplefield Fun Day dog show 2019 (Best Rescue Dog)

• Shhhhh! : Rocco once ate his way through 3 pairs of flip flops in one weekend!

Ruby: Love interest

Have a cute canine you want to nominate for April’s DOTM? Message Common Interests and we’ll send our newshound to get the scoop. (Should that be Poop-a-scoop? – Ed)

I’ve been working in the Staplefield community for over 8 years, holding weekly Pilates classes in the Village Hall. As a chartered physiotherapist with over 30 years of training and experience, I can recommend Pilates as one of the best ways to improve or maintain fitness, and stay out of the doctor’s surgery! It really is accessible and achievable for those of any level of fitness…whether you’ve been injured and out of action, feel unfit and scared to try exercise, or if you are already fit and want to maintain or improve.

I teach two classes every Friday morning at Staplefield Village Hall. The first time you come, you will be assessed by physio, to ensure

the exercises given fit the individual. Pilates is a gentle, controlled series of exercises, which work on relaxation, balance, strength and stretching. Its aims are to improve your core strength, balance and posture, whilst reducing pain and promoting relaxation.

The first class, at 9.30am, caters for mixed abilities, whilst the second, at 10.30 is focussed on beginners and those in need of rehabilitation. Please come and give it a try, whatever your age or fitness level……that includes the men too!

QUEEN OF SEED

Sacha Brown prepares to sew the seeds of another year in the garden.

Taking centre stage this month are heat loving plants, such as chilli, sweet peppers, aubergines, tomatoes and chillies. These require a long growing season and need to be sown early in the month. Tender seedlings like these need to stay warm until at least May so they require a bit of looking after.

I always grow heaps of chilli. I can’t take too much heat when I eat them, but I love the shapes and sizes. There are so many variations that I can’t resist growing new varieties each year. I love to dry them and make beautiful garlands with them.

Outside, you can plant out spring sown garlic, onions and shallots. I’ve planted some home-grown garlic bulbs kept from last year. If you’re looking to buy a particular variety I recommend ‘The Garlic Company’ who will advise on types that are suited for Spring sowing. You can sow cloves now and you’ll be able to harvest fully grown bulbs late July.

Onions and shallots are grown from seeds or sets (small bulbs). Sets need to be planted out at this time.

They’ll be fine outside but even better if you cover them with fleece to protect them from the harsher weather.

Best of all though, and one I am always excited about, are tomatoes! These are good to sow from now until mid-April.

Tomatoes fall into two categories, indeterminate or determinate. Indeterminate tomatoes develop into vines that never stop growing and continue producing. To encourage growth of fruit, you should pinch out all side shoots throughout the season and pinch out the growing tip once the seventh truss has set. They also need supporting and tying up with canes or wire as they can grow to at least six feet.

Determinate, or bush, types bear a full crop all at once and stop growing at a specific height. They are often good choices for container growing. Do not pinch out any side shoots.

Tomatoes are one of the simplest plants to grow – in pots or in the ground, inside or outside. If you’ve never grown your own veggies \start with a tomato! The taste is incomparable to supermarket bought ones.

One of the biggest reasons I grow vegetables is to boycott the supermarkets for health benefits. Home-grown crops taste superior to mass-produced, chemically treated veggies.

Tomatoes are the top of the taste list for me! I’ve got 30 varieties on the go this year and I can’t wait! Take care when you sow tomatoes as they don’t like cold. Germinate

them somewhere warm and keep them frost free until planting time. As I mentioned, it’s a busy month for sowing and it’s impossible to talk about everything but here’s the list of seeds that you can sow this month: good luck, happy sowing and enjoy your garden.

Inside sowing veggies: tomatoes, chilli, sweet pepper, aubergine, spring onion, tomatoes, celery, celeriac, rocket, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, calabrese, cauliflower, kohl rabi, parsley, coriander, marjoram, oregano, dill, thyme. Inside sowing flowers: nigella, cerinthe, ammi, cornflower, limnanthes and borage.

Outside sowing veggies: onion and shallot sets, garlic and broad beans.

www.queenofseed.co.uk

ST MARK’S SCHOOL

Laura Kelsey, Headteacher

Caterpillars, dogs and Brighton beach

The year continues to be busy at St Mark’s Primary! We started off with a huge thank you to everyone who supported the Staplefield Seasonable Shindig. We felt humbled by the money raised and were pleased to welcome Jane and Janet from the Victory to present us with a £1000 cheque. We have used the money to fund a Science Workshop for the whole school to celebrate Science Week. We also bought caterpillars for each class to watch their lifecycle and transformation into butterflies.

Bluebells class have been learning about how we can make our world a better place. First, we looked at the Arctic regions; the wildlife living there and the impact of human behaviour on them. We moved on to look at hotter climates - in particular Kenya. We are looking at the differences and similarities between Kenya and Staplefield, which as really piqued the children’s interest!

Fern class (our Year 1 & 2s) went to the Sealife Centre in Brighton to learn all about the animals there as part of their project “Do we value what we’ve got?”. There was even a chance to visit Brighton beach!

to share why we had chosen our outfits and loved hearing all the different reasons from a Fern child who wore his school uniform as he loves school to Mr Holmes explaining who had given him each item that he was wearing and why they were important to him.

We had two Year 5 & 6 rugby events, one for the girls and one for the boys. Both teams did amazingly and won all but one match each.

lives. We will go on to explore the experiences of a boy with autism in the US education system in Louis Sachar book ‘There’s a Boy in the Girls Bathroom’.

We had a lovely visit from Steph from The Dog’s Trust at the end of January to teach us all about dog safety and how to look after our pets. Clementine, the school dog, enjoyed meeting her toy dog!

We celebrated Children’s Mental Health Week and Safer Internet Day in February and finished the week with a ‘Dress to Express Day’ where children (and adults!) could wear something that expressed them. We had a wonderful chance

Laurel class have been considering the question ‘What does it mean to be free?’. We are looking at the geographical features of the Americas (including the USA - the Land of the Free) and exploring in history voices from the civil rights movement before considering what it means to be free in our own

We celebrated World Book Day on 1st March, with children and staff in fantastic costumes. We spent the day looking at the book ‘The Day War Came’ by Nicola Davies. This was a thought provoking and poignant picture book about a child fleeing their home country where a war has broken out. We decided to look at this book as a whole school, exploring the emotions and experiences that, sadly, some children in the world are experiencing.

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

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.

Your own bags

PLEASEUSEYOUROWNBAGS(THEREISNOLIMIT) PLEASEUSEYOUROWNBAGS,ORBAG2SCHOOLBAGS (THEREISNOLIMIT)

By using this paper leaflet we are helping to reduce unnecessary extra plastic. Please use your own bag or bags (there is no limit). The leaflet is FSC accredited, please recycle it.

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:

Wednesday 19th April 2023 by 9:00am

LIFE NEEDS PUNCTUATION

Liz Cox - church member, spiritual mentor and retreat leader

We all need punctuation in our lives

A woman without her man is nothing.

A woman: without her, man is nothing.

We have all seen sentences like these pointing how punctuation marks can change the meaning of things.

This year, with March falling within Lent, it occurs to me how the significant seasons in the church calendar are like punctuation marks. They bring pauses into the endless flow of everyday life. If we observe them, even if just a little, perhaps they will help usfind greater meaning in things.

A couple of lines from a Lenten liturgy from Lindisfarne say this: “We need time, space, simplicity in our lives – enough bareness to discern the outline of who we are. Lent is a time for clarity, as when the bare boughs of winter show us the shape of the tree in austere beauty.”

I love this invitation to do away with a bit of the clutter of our lives, so that we can see a bit more clearly how we are. As we gain this kind of clarity, we can reflect upon things that matter:

• Am I really living in a way that I deeply want to?

• Am I giving time to what most matters to me?

• Am I being true to my sense of how God is inviting me to participate in this world?

I find that invariably when we gain a clearer sense of ourselves, we also gain a clearer sense of where God is for us. Inserting a punctuation mark into our lives could give us some thinking or praying time, instead of rushing madly from one thing to the next.

• A quiet walk?

• Missing out on a TV programme to have time to pray?

• A few moments of stillness to just stop and listen?

• Taking time to write in a journal or read a helpful book?

How are you drawn to find the punctuation mark in your life that Lent can offer?

CHURCH TIME TABLE MARCH 2023

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

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.

Sussex Alerts

Sussex Alerts is a community messaging system used by both Sussex Police and partner agencies such as Action Fraud and Get Safe Online.

Currently there is only a small number of subscribers in the area. This means only a minority of people are receiving bulletin messages in relation to recent

Handcross District Community Bus

Handcross Community Pantry & Café

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.

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, at All Saints on Saturday morning. St Mary’s and St Mark’s

StaplefieldVillage Hall

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

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, or 07853 228605

Parish Council Elections

crime and useful crime prevention information. This also includes messages from your local officers.

The more people receiving the messages, the more effective the system will be in raising awareness.

Subscription is free.

Please email craig.harvey@sussex. police.uk for further details or to subscribe

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

Your Village Fete needs you!!

Plans for this year’s village fete on 29th May are well underway and, as always, we need willing volunteers to make the magic happen!

We need help setting up (and later clearing up!) on the day, and people to help run the stalls during the event. This is a fabulous event in the village calendar, which raises much-needed funds for village causes. Any time you can spare is much appreciated.

For more details, please contact Sam Butler on 07941434149 sbutler4970@yahoo.com or Janet Shepherd on 400463 (Victory) 07411237922

sydmuffstan@gmail.com

Staplefield Women’s Group

7:45pm Thursday 6th April

The Village Hall

Holbrook Animal Rescue

The fascinating and heartwarming story of a local family-run animal rescue charity based in Horsham.

What is Mid Sussex Party Kits?

Oscar’s Wish Foundation and the Dame Vera Lynn Foundation, based in Staplefield.

When did you start?

Mid Sussex Party Kits had the best start to its existence! Conceived after Christmas 2019, the launch was planned for Summer 2020. This was obviously put back, and it was launched properly in 2021.

How can I hire?

From the amazing stories of dogs rescued abroad to local animals in need.

Holbrook provides sanctuary and a place tp call home.

Join us and find out how they do this and rehabilitate and care for their dogs... plus a few horses, goats and sheep!

One of our own villagers, Dawn Wheedon, is a member of this fantastic team and she will be there to share her experiences with you.

This meeting is open to everyone and guests will be very welcome. We love to see a new face!

Guests £3.00 including refreshments

Mid Sussex Party Kits is a reusable kit aimed at reducing non-recyclable party ‘stuff’ – we hire out for a nominal fee Ikea plates, cups, bowls, cutlery and serving dishes as well as bunting and other items such as cake tins. We even have some foil balloons which can be refilled! We have two kits which cater for 40 place settings (enough for most children’s parties?!). One is based in Staplefield, and one in Burgess Hill so that we have the biggest coverage we can! We are part of the Party Kit Network, and between all the members since July 2020 we have managed to avoid 395,952 single use items. Not bad really!

How much does it cost?

Each member of the Party Kit Network are free to set their own charges, but for a basic hire, Tash and Becs charge £5 (plus returnable deposit). All proceeds of this go to charity. This year’s charities are the

Please visit our Facebook page midsussexpartykits which has a detailed list of all our products or send us an email at midsussexpartykits@gmail.com and either Tash or Becs will get back to you!

Doodling is genuinely good for you. It can achieve the same feel-good brain waves as novice meditation and can can even relieve stress and promote well-being.

It can be difficult to start with a blank page though, even for people who draw a lot. So here’s an exercise to make it easier to begin.

1. Create containers for your doodling. Overlapping circles are a great way to start.

2. Then fill each segment with lines and/or colour. And just keep going until it ‘feels’ finished. Opposite are some mark-making examples.

@joelizaharrison | www.jo-harrison.co.uk

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

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 ApplicationsMid 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