Inside Highdown, Issue 9, February 25

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AStep into the future of home improvement with Burgess Flooring & Blinds’ newly launched virtual showroom – where convenience meets craftsmanship. This innovative digital platform brings our extensive Worthing showroom directly to your fingertips, revolutionizing how you shop for premium carpets and flooring.

With over two decades of industry expertise, The Burgess Flooring team have taken their commitment to customer service to the next level. “We understand that our customers lead busy lives,” says Harry. “Our virtual showroom allows them to explore our entire collection at their own pace, from the comfort of their home.”

The user-friendly platform features advanced search and filter functionality, allowing you to browse through prestigious

brands like Sussex Range, Karndean, and Abingdon Flooring based on type, colour, or style. Whether you’re seeking luxurious carpets, sophisticated LVT, or warm wooden flooring, every product is displayed with stunning clarity and detailed specifications.

But what sets Burgess Flooring & Blinds apart isn’t just their digital innovation – it’s their unwavering commitment to competitive pricing and exceptional service. Their promise to beat 99.9% of competitor quotes remains steadfast, now complemented by this new online experience.

Ready to transform your space? Visit Burgess Flooring & Blinds’ virtual showroom today, then book your free estimate with their expert team. Experience the perfect blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern convenience – where quality meets innovation, and excellence comes as standard.

Contact: 01903 520479 Website: www.burgessflooring.co.uk

Showroom: 2 Manor Parade, Worthing, West Sussex, BN 13 2JP

Providing

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over 90 years At our three care homes we provide expert, person-centred care with high staffing levels tailored to every need:

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Welcome

To the February edition of INSIDE

After a long and gloomy December and January, February warms us up as the month of love. The front cover image has hearts of many colours. Traditionally, hearts have always been represented in red, but in recent years, different colours represent different sentiments. ❤ true love, passion, and romance and can also express gratitude, happiness, and hope. �� comfort, care, and serenity. �� friendship, happiness, and positivity. �� nature, growth, and harmony - also jealousy or envy. �� trust, loyalty, peace, calmness and tranquility. �� luxury, spirituality, and deep affection. It’s also used to show support for certain causes, like Alzheimer’s awareness. �� Can signify dark humor, sorrow, or grief. It adds a mysterious or edgy element to messages. A white heart �� represents purity, peace, and deep love. �� Shows genuine care and affection, whether romantically or platonically.

So, a soppy edition for February, be prepared for a more edgy edition in March!

Happy reading and keep in touch

Liana :)

CONTENTS INSIDE ⚪ ⚪ ⚪ ⚪ 3

FOR ENQUIRIES

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Founder & Editor - Liana Naylor

Designer - Andy Beavis

Illustrator - Russ Iden

CONTRIBUTORS

Bryan Turner MRPharmS | Caroline Osella | Simon Rigler

Chris Hare | Henry Parish | Clive Leach | Matilda Cutting

Beth Sarah | Matt Marchant

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Please recycle this Newspaper when you have finished with it.

Tara Louise Chislett-Fox

TAllergies- what are they and what should we do?

he Food Standards Agency estimates that over 2 million people in the UK have a diagnosed food allergy. The number of people admitted to hospital as a result of allergy has doubled since 2013.

Allergies happen when the body recognises a new substance, usually a protein, as a threat. The immune system then reacts to counter the threat. If there is an overreaction, a mild case of allergy could result in itching, sneezing or a rash. A severe case could lead to anaphylaxis, which involves shortness of breath, irregular heart beat and, in tragic cases, can lead to death.

Probably the widest known food allergy is that involving peanuts. About 8% of children in the UK have a some sort of food allergy, and of those a quarter are allergic to peanuts. This means many families in Worthing will have a peanut allergic child, or know another family who does. In any nursery or school there will be one or more sufferers. For many years new parents have been told not to feed peanuts to their infants for fear of inducing an allergic reaction. However, a recent report

by King’s College London has said that this advice is wrong. The team split the chidren into two groups. Group one had peanuts in their diet from infancy until aged 5 yrs, and group two avoided peanuts completely during that time. The result was that group one had a 71% lower risk of peanut allergy in teenage years.

When my wife and I had our children in the 80s and 90s, we were given the standard advice to avoid feeding them peanuts. We did not see the sense in this, it conflicted with what we knew about allergies, having studied the subject at university during our pharmacy degrees. Our children were fed peanut butter sandwiches, as a good source of protein, to no ill effect.

Professor Lack of King’s College said “Decades of advice to avoid peanuts has made parents fearful of introducing peanuts at an early age. The evidence is clear that early introduction of peanuts in infancy induces long term tolerance and protects children from allergy well into adolescence. This simple intervention will make a remarkable difference to future generations and see peanut allergies plummet.”

The number of people with food allergies is growing, and one of the reasons for this is the ever increasing range of foods available to us. For example, it was unheard of for anyone in the UK to be allergic to kiwi fruit in the 1970s. They appeared on supermarket shelves in the 80s, and suddenly doctors were seeing kiwi allergy, and so the number of sufferers needing help grows. Another common allergen is house mite dust. I recall a customer in my pharmacy seeking help because she was waking up and then sneezing all morning but it cleared up in the afternoon. She wanted to know what could be the cause for this, it was puzzling for a while. Then one day I said to her “I don’t want to be cheeky, but when was the last time you gave your bedroom a deep clean? I think you have an allergy to house mite dust and the reason your sneezing clears up in the afternoon is because you are exposed to it during the night”

Luckily she wasn’t offended, and she took my advice. She came and said that she had given the room a spring clean, and her sneezing cleared up in 24 hours.

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‘Paws for Wellbeing’ with Miss May

This month PERMAH pup, Miss May, focuses on the final pillar of PERMAH, Health, and how our physical vitality and wellbeing supports overall happiness, fulfilment and performance in work, school and life!

PERMAH is a scientifically validated framework. Each letter represents a building block for both enhancing and sustaining our wellbeing - Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment, and Health.

Although we all know how important health is, we can take for granted how directly it can influence other components of the PERMAH model.

• Positive emotions are easier to experience when we’re physically and mentally well.

• Levels of engagement and productivity are higher with good energy levels. Healthy relationships thrive when we feel at our best.

• We are more likely to set and pursue meaningful goals when we feel healthy.

• We are then better able to persist and strive towards accomplishing our goals. Our physical health acts as a buffer when we face inevitable adversity and setbacks, bolsters our resilience to navigate through, and builds our capacity to adapt to life’s challenges and embrace it’s opportunities.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF DOG OWNERSHIP

Having a dog in our lives can have a positive impact on our physical health in several ways:

1. Increased Physical Activity

Daily Walks: Over 60% of dog owners meet the recommended weekly amount of exercise, meaning they get 150 minutes of moderate, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week.  Playtime: Playing fetch or running with a dog can add extra movement to your day.

2. Improved Cardiovascular Health

Lower Blood Pressure: Pet owners typically have lower resting blood pressure than people who don’t own pets.

Heart Health: Dog owners are at a lower risk of heart disease and have better survival rates after a heart attack.

3. Reduced Stress and Cortisol Levels

Physical interactions like petting a dog can decrease stress hormones and promote relaxation, indirectly benefiting physical health.

4. Improved Immune System

Exposure to dogs, especially in childhood, can help strengthen the immune system and reduce the risk of certain allergies.

5. Chronic Pain Management

Therapy dogs like Miss May can help people with chronic health conditions by encouraging movement and distraction from pain.

DO YOU HAVE A PERMAH PUP?

How does your dog support your wellbeing or that of those around you? Miss May would really love to hear from you!

Write us a short story (max 200 words) telling us all about your dog and let us have a photo too.

Miss May Instagram @may_redgoldengirl #bemoremissmay #permahpup

PAT details more information on volunteering t. +44 (0)1865 590 308 w. https://petsastherapy.org

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust Voluntary Services

Tel: 01903 205111 Ext: 85615 or Email: uhsussex.volunteers-wash@nhs.net

AND WHAT ABOUT THE DOG’S HEALTH?

Good health is obviously essential for dogs too and Miss May is one healthy pup! Healthy dogs exhibit several physical and behavioural signs that indicate wellbeing; a thick, glossy, clean coat, clear bright eyes and a shiny wet nose! Clean pink ears, healthy pink gums, white teeth and good breath. Miss May has great energy, is very playful, agile and active, but sleeps well too. Here are a few ‘Pawsitive Pointers’ from Clive and Miss May to help you stay healthy. It’s important to choose activities that suit your needs and situation. There is ‘no one-size-fits-all’ when it comes to health. We shouldn’t compare ourselves with others. Talk to your health-care provider before trying new exercises or activities.

ENGAGE IN NATURE WALKS

Walking in nature, particularly without our phones can reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance overall wellbeing by allowing individuals to be present in the moment. If you don’t have a dog to walk consider joining ‘Borrow My Doggy’ at https://www.borrowmydoggy.com/

EXERCISE

Small changes to our exercise routine can make a big difference over time. Get some FREE NHS exercise plans by checking out ‘How to be More Active’ at https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/ get-active/how-to-be-more-active/

STAY HYDRATED

Increasing your daily fluid intake, particularly water, is crucial for maintaining health. Aim for 6-8 cups per day, depending on your exercize levels, as you may need more. Check out some guidance on ‘Water, Drinks & Hydration’ at https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/foodguidelines-and-food-labels/water-drinksnutrition/

EAT WELL

Good nutrition is essential for good health. Check out the NHS ‘Eating a Balanced Diet’ page at https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eatwell/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/eating-abalanced-diet/

Who knows, we might be able to feature your story in a future ‘Paws for Wellbeing’ page in the New Year. We look forward to hearing from you! Please send entries to coach@cliveleach.com including contact details.

For more information about Miss May meet and greets or workshops please contact: Email: coach@cliveleach.com Insta: cliveleachcoach LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliveleachconsultancy/

Miss May is a healthy pup!

COMMUNITY

THE GORING AND ILEX CONSERVATION GROUP

Conserving the beauty and present character of Ilex Avenue, the trees in Sea Lane and Goring Gap.

GORING GAP

Having had his Lawful Development Certificate applications for a proposed sand pit etc. scheme, and a storage container refused on appeal, the owner’s latest wheeze is for car boot sales/farmers market starting in March on the land divided into “multiple Land Registry titles and 100s of leases”. We understand that the alcohol licence appeal has been accepted by the Magistrates subject to a full hearing in March. We await events with interest.

DEVOLUTION

East and West Sussex County Councils plus Brighton and Hove City Council have, along with other councils elsewhere, agreed to submit an expression of interest to be considered for the Government’s Devolution Priority Programme indicating support for a Sussex Mayoral Strategic Authority which could unlock new powers for the region. Key areas that a strategic authority would be in control of would include Housing and Strategic Planning. Whether or not this would benefit Goring remains to be seen but, in the meantime, the planned County Council elections are scrapped and if the Government accepts the initial proposal for Sussex to join the devolution priority programme, it will run a consultation to obtain residents’ views.

Founded 1944

HTHE PLANTATION AND ILEX AVENUE

Twelve volunteers attended our last session of the year (plus two extra helpers aged 3 and 4) and thankfully the weather was kind to us. We managed to spread quite a lot of the woodchip, recently provided to us by the Council, over several of the pathways. We intend to spread the rest of the woodchip over the following months, along with more which has been promised by the Council. We used a strimmer and cleared an area of overgrowth, continued cutting back the ever-present brambles and removed more litter. Our session finished with coffee, tea, cake, and sweets!

Our future tasks will include checking the young trees we should be receiving; collecting deadwood and placing into heaps for the wildlife to use; monitoring the bird boxes; and removing ever more litter.

Whilst many of our volunteers work diligently in the Plantation, there are other duties to perform including organising/planning the monthly sessions; updating our notice board; keeping the container tidy and the tools clean and maintained. We also need suitably trained first aiders to be present at each session. If you wish to help with any of these tasks, then do please contact us.

Our two-hour sessions are usually held on the second Saturday of each month, meeting off Amberley Drive at the sports field at 10:00am. The next sessions are on the February 8; March 8; and April 12. However, do please check our website for details of any late changes. New, and past, volunteers are always welcome, and there are tasks to suite all abilities. Whilst gloves, and all equipment, are provided, we appreciate that many individuals prefer to bring their own gloves and even secateurs which is fine. We do however request that you wear suitable clothing and footwear. Neither shorts, nor short sleeves, are suitable due to the brambles. We take a short break at 11:00am for refreshments. We provide coffee, tea, biscuits, and very often home-made cake (provided by our regular volunteers).

Further information can be found on the notice board at the Plantation, and on our website. www.ilex-conservation-group.co.uk

For more information, please contact John Daley Tel: 01903 216071

COMMUNITY INSIDE

ere is the latest update from the ever-enthusiastic committee of your Goring Residents’ Association. We continue to be your eyes, ears and very active representatives for Goring-by-Sea.

As residents ourselves, we take a keen interest in preserving the area for everyone, irrespective of whether you are a GRA member or not.

Recently, we have been engaging with Worthing Council to find out more about the upcoming 20mph speed limit initiative for the Goring area. As always, we keep a watchful eye on proposed developments, such as the proposal for an entertainment centre on the Goring Gap, and the continued outcome for the Chatsmore Farm appeals.

It’s fair to say that the GRA has a new lease of life, and we will be looking at ways that we can further engage with as many residents as possible over the coming year. We are passionate that we will be a real voice for all.

Our newly invigorated Social Sub-Committee has been very active, planning a variety of events throughout the year; with an aim to

appeal to as many of our members (and nonmembers) as possible.

The first of these is a free event, titled The History Man and is planned for March. The occasion will be hosted by Ian Richardson, who is well known in the area and has the unofficial title of Worthing’s Doctor Who of Time Travel.

Ian has possibly the largest collection of photographs of Worthing and the surrounding areas in the country, and he is renowned for his fascinating and entertaining style, so this will be a great evening. There are more social events planned for the year, including a Race Night accompanied with a fish and chip supper. Further details will be posted as they are firmed up nearer the time and you can be sure there will be plenty to choose from as they arise.

As always, we are keen to have as diverse a group of members as we can, so please look to our website if you wish to join or if you wish to raise any topics with the committee, you can find us at: www.goringresidents.org.uk

Alternatively, you can contact one of our road wardens or see our notice boards outside Sea Lane Café and opposite Sainsburys on the Goring Road.

⚪ ⚪ INSIDE NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME

Snowdrops Highdown Gardens Worthing

Four inspirational snowdrop gardens will be opening in West Sussex this February, and Crosslands Flower Nursery, Walberton will be holding two-hour tours of their three acres of glasshouses filled Sussex grown Alstroemeria. This is just the beginning: 81 fabulous West Sussex gardens welcome you over the next nine months including 19 for the first time. To find out more about the gardens featured below, visit ngs.org.uk, download the National Garden Scheme app or pick up a free copy of The Sussex National Garden Scheme Booklet in many local stores, garden centres and libraries.

THE OLD VICARAGE WASHINGTON

https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/21793/ the-old-vicarage

The 3½ acres gardens at The Old Vicarage are set around an 1832 Regency house (not open). The front is formally laid out with topiary, wide lawn, mixed border and contemporary water sculpture. The rear features new and mature trees from C19, herbaceous borders, water garden and stunning uninterrupted views of the North Downs. The Japanese garden with waterfall and pond leads to a large copse, stream, treehouse and stumpery. Each year 2000 Tulips are planted for spring as well as another 2000 Snowdrops and mixed bulbs throughout the garden.

The Old Vicarage, The Street, Washington, RH20 4AS, is open for the National Garden Scheme every Thursday, Feb 6 to Oct 2 (10-4). Admission £8, children free. Pre-booking essential. Self-service light refreshments on Thursday (cash only) and picnics welcome. Monday 21 Apr, Monday 26 May, Sunday 27 July, Monday 25 Aug (10-5). Admission £8, children free. Purchase ticket in advance or at the gate on the day. Home-made teas. Visits also by arrangement March 17 to October 2 for groups of 12 to 30. No private group visits on Thursdays.

SANDHILL FARM HOUSE ROGATE

https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/19183/ sandhill-farm-house

Home of author and principal of The English Gardening School. The front and rear gardens at Sandhill Farm House are broken up into garden rooms including a small kitchen garden. Front garden with small woodland area, planted with early spring flowering shrubs, ferns and bulbs. White and green garden, large leaf border and terraced area. The rear garden has rose borders, small decorative vegetable garden, red border and grasses border. Snowdrop day on Sunday, Feb 9.

Sandhill Farm House, Nyewood Road, Rogate, Petersfield, GU31 5HU, is open for the National

The National Garden Scheme season gets off to a wonderful, bejewelled start with Snowdrop and Spring Flower gardens. From swathes of snowy white blooms to colourful mixtures of Aconites, Hellebores, Iris and Crocus under early blossom there is a garden visit to lift your spirits as the year begins.

Garden Scheme Sunday, Feb 9 (12-4), Saturday 12 and Sunday, April 13 (1-4) and Sunday, April 27 (2-5). Admission £8, children free. Pay on the day. Home-made teas.

HIGHDOWN GARDENS WORTHING

https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/6351/ highdown-gardens

Highdown Gardens were created by Sir Frederick Stern. Home to rare plants and trees, many grown from seed collected by Wilson, Farrer and Kingdon-Ward. A fully equipped glasshouse enables propagation of this National Plant Collection. A visitor centre shares stories of plants and people behind the gardens. Highdown is offering Snowdrop Identification tours on the Feb 13 and Peony Identification tours on May 1, for more information and booking please see garden website http://www.highdowngardens.co.uk Highdown Gardens, 33 Highdown Rise, Littlehampton Road, Goring-by-Sea, BN12 6FB is open for the National Garden Scheme Thurs, Feb 13 (10-4.30), Thursday, May 1 (10-8). Admission by donation.

THE MANOR OF DEAN PETWORTH

https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/3616/ manor-of-dean

The Manor of Dean garden is a 3 acres traditional English garden with extensive views of the South Downs. There are herbaceous borders, early spring bulbs, a Bluebell woodland walk, a walled kitchen garden with fruit, vegetables and cutting flowers. NB under long term programme of restoration, some parts of the garden may be affected. Manor of Dean, Tillington, Petworth, GU28 9AP, is open for the National Garden Scheme Sunday Feb 2 (2-4), Sunday, March 9 (2-5) and Sunday, April 27 (2-5). Admission £5, children free. Teas. Visits also

by arrangement February 3 to May 18 for groups of 20+.

CROSSLANDS FLOWER NURSERY

https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/45634/ crosslands-flower-nursery

A two hour, all access tour of a fourth generation, award-winning, sustainably run flower nursery with 3 acres of glasshouses filled to the brim with Sussex grown Alstroemeria. There will be an opportunity to purchase flowers at the end of the tour. Crosslands Flower Nursery, Barnham Lane, Walberton, Arundel, open for the National Garden Scheme Thursday, Feb 20, Tuesday, March 4 and 11 (10-12). Admission £10, children free. Pre-booking essential. Visits also by arrangement, Feb 3 to Mar 28 for groups of 10-30.

2024 was another landmark year for the National Garden Scheme with the charity donating a record £3,501,227. The impact of these donations to our major nursing and health beneficiaries means that thousands of people who live with health conditions such as cancer or Parkinson’s, who have poor mental health, or who struggle financially as unpaid carers have been supported by our funding of nurses, health professionals and case workers who support them. Our funding has also provided support to those in the Gardens and Health sector, Community Gardens and supported gardeners through traineeships.

MAIN BENEFICIARIES: Queen’s Nursing Institute £500,000, Marie Curie £450,000, Macmillan Cancer Support £450,000, Hospice UK £450,000, Carers Trust £350,000 and Parkinson’s UK £350,000

GARDENS AND HEALTH: Maggie’s £122,227, Horatio’s Garden £90,000, Army Benevolent Fund £80,000, John King Brain Tumour Foundation £50,000, Cancer Help Preston £50,000, Country Trust £25,000

SUPPORT FOR GARDENERS:English Heritage £125,000, Perennial £100,000, National Botanic Garden of Wales £26,000, Bankside Open Spaces Trust £21,000, Professional Gardeners’ Trust £20,000, The Garden Museum £10,000.

SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY GARDENS: Community Garden Grants funded 89 new projects with £232,000. This supports community allotments and gardens, rehabilitation and regeneration projects. Applications launched for 2025 grants in October 2024. Read the Impact Report on https://ngs.org.uk

Simon Rigler

The INSIDE Story

As we head into the 9th year of INSIDE, it is fitting to write a piece about us and the incredible journey that INSIDE has travelled and become. I’ll begin with a little about me. In a previous life, I worked for the NHS as a Health Visitor team leader which gave me a privileged insight into the town I grew up in, and a deep and grounded knowledge of the community within it. After an accident, I took time out from my career, which as we know now, I never returned to. Some of you might remember that I dabbled with publishing in 2007-9 when I created Broadwater Pages.

INSIDE Broadwater, a very different and more naïve publication to the one you’re reading was launched in January 2017. Until 2023, they were A5/B5 glossy magazines. Editions grew yearly to the 8 we have now. I have always been highly content focused, driven by my MSc in Sustainable Development. I firmly believe that connected communities are more resilient, and my vision is that these papers serve to connect communities through whatever we face going forward. I’m not a journalist and focus on the community voice, very rarely writing myself.

THE TEAM

Freelance designer, Andy Beavis, social media manager, Jordan Whittingham and Russ Iden, illustrator, form the paid team around INSIDE. We work very well together.

INCREDIBLE VOLUNTEERS

2019 heralded some changes for INSIDE Potential writers started to contact me, wanting to get involved. It is incredible when I look at the strong team of writers for INSIDE, who submit their articles every month without fail.

BETH SARAH

Beth is the newest contributor, giving the publications a stronger leaning toward the live music scene. Beth is one of the founders of Blue Sky Music, providing opportunities for local musicians to play their music to audiences across Worthing. Beth is multi-talented with a strong academic and creative background. Beth writes the New Music Reviews.

BRYAN TURNER

Many will remember Bryan for his local political career as a local and county councillor where his focus was public health. Bryan continues to be a pharmacist

with a keen interest in public health and has been writing for INSIDE from the beginning.

CAROLINE OSELLA

Joining us in 2019, Caroline is an anthropologist (Dr). Caroline’s human approach, to sometimes tricky topics, brings us new ways of thinking, or simply resonates with what you are already thinking in a unique story telling fashion. Caroline brings a great “edge” to INSIDE

CLIVE LEACH

Miss May joined us last year in her capacity as a local PAT patient visiting dog. She brings insight into healthy ways of living, exploring ways in which dogs can enhance our lives and is, of course, steered by her “dad” Clive who is a coach.

CHRIS HARE

If you are interested in local history, Chris Hare is a name you will have been familiar with for a very long time in Worthing. Chris is an active historian involved in many local initiatives and groups, and has campaigned about various things in the area. Chris has published several books and leaflets. You might catch him singing with the Duck Pond Sailors if you’re lucky!

HENRY PARISH

Henry is midway through his second year of writing for INSIDE, joining us when he was just 19. Henry wanted to grow his passion for both sports and writing in his gap year between college and university. His dream is to be a sports correspondent. Henry writes and interviews prolifically, and

is continuing to do so despite being in the first year of his degree.

HUGH ROWLINGS

You will only have seen Hugh’s writing if you live in Tarring. Hugh joined INSIDE a few months ago to boost the community content in INSIDE Tarring. It has transformed the reader experience. What I didn’t know to begin with was that Hugh had a longstanding career as editor of the Eastbourne Herald, and other versions of the Herald around the county. Aren’t we lucky!

MATILDA CUTTING

Matilda contacted me after I spoke to a teacher at Durrington High School, inviting contributions from students. Since then, Matilda, who is just 15, has led the FA:ST section of INSIDE which is aimed at voices of young people. It’s easy to forget how young Matilda is when you read her articles.

MATT MARCHANT

Now, Matt is quite a character. I printed a blog of his, about repairing your things, in 2019, with his permission, and he has written for INSIDE bi-monthly ever since with tales from his workshop. In his day job, his work gives him great insight into what we throw away which motivates a passion to educate people to waste less.

SIMON RIGLER

Last but not least, Simon compiles the crosswords. He has done so without fail for many years. This time last year he missed a month as he was away…boy did I receive some complaints! You all LOVE his crosswords!

The photo below is from our Chritmas meal and has many of the contributors pictured. I think you will all join me to say a big THANK YOU to all of the wonderful contributors.

From left to right: Simon Rigler, Hugh Rowlings, Henry Parish, Bryan Turner, Clive Leach, Jordan Whittingham, Caroline Osella, Russ Iden, Chris Hare, Liana Naylor and Matt Marchant

Elections in Britain have only ever been cancelled during the First and Second World War. Yet, at the time of writing, the leaders of West and East Sussex county councils, are asking the government to cancel the county elections due to take place on Thursday, May 1. Why?

The new government has declared its intention of reorganising local government, with the principle aim of merging existing authorities and creating more so-called unitary ones. There is sense in this argument. Very few people know the powers and responsibilities of the existing county and district councils, and merging the two would, it is argued, simplify delivery and save money.

However, there are also strong arguments against: bigger, merged authorities would be more remote from the people they serve, and have tenuous connections with local communities. It should also

be added that so many powers and responsibilities once enjoyed by local councils have been put out to private contract or handed over to trusts, thereby eroding local democracy and accountability. This reorganisation could just accelerate that process.

The leaders of West and East Sussex county councils want to create a new Sussex Council, with a powerful executive mayor, which they envisage coming into being in 2026. Why, they argue, have elections to the existing county councils, as they will cease to exist next year?

How arrogant is that? They are assuming that they will get what they are demanding of central government, but worse than that, they seem to be overring the people - the electorate - surely we should have our say? Cancelling elections is not the right way to proceed: the voters should have the final say, not the politicians.

| 07794 600639

Cancelling Democracy? Are there any more Hughs out there?

In the community of Tarring, a local hero has emerged, bringing neighbours closer and bringing positive change to INSIDE Tarring. Hugh, a dedicated member of the Tarring community, has become a volunteer correspondent for Tarring. His contributions to INSIDE Tarring have not only informed but also uplifted our readers, making our publication highly talked about, and more cherished in Tarring.

Hugh got in touch after reading one of the introductions to INSIDE Tarring. I had described how, since Covid, many contributions have become town wide articles, which has reduced the local feeling to each publication. I suggested that if people want their INSIDE to represent their community more, then need to send me information. One of the downsides of having 8 editions is that I can no longer go in person to each area to collect information. Hugh decided to meet with the various community organisations that he was involved with and start sending information each month. Since then, he has highlighted unsung heroes of Tarring. Through his engaging articles and heartfelt stories, he has shed light on local activities that make Tarring community thrive. Little did I know, at first, that he had a career of journalism before retiring and was a hief editor for the Herald group for many years.

So, as a result I am seeking “Hughs” in all communities. Would you like to send in community information? All are welcome to send me little snippets, even randomly and sporadically! Simply email me liana@insidepublications. ltd

You are also welcome to call me on 01903 357003

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Brain-Teasing Fun to Blow Away the January Blues

Grab your friends and family for a fun-filled evening of headscratching, brain-boggling questions that are sure to get your minds whirring at Care for Veterans’ Quiz Night on Tuesday, February 11. There will be a wide variety of topics covered, refreshing drinks available, a tasty food menu on offer and a chance to win in the raffle at the end of the night.

The event will be at Worthing Rugby Club, from 6:30pm until 10pm, and hosted by Worthing’s own Town Crier Bob Smytherman. Teams can be made up of a maximum of 6 people, and the entry price is £5 per person. It’s worth bringing your competitive side to this occasion, as the winning team will receive a prize!

All proceeds raised will go towards vital care and rehabilitation services for disabled veterans and their families. For 105 years, Care for Veterans has provided respite, palliative, long-term and rehabilitative care for disabled exservice personnel and their families. Through in-house services including a wheelchair clinic, physiotherapy, wellbeing hub, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and psychological counselling, residents can access everything they need to achieve independence and the best possible quality of life.

The opportunity to hold the event at Worthing Rugby Club is following the kindness of the club to have named Care for Veterans as their Chosen Charity of the Year - for which we thank them.

To secure your place for the Quiz Night, head to: www.careforveterans.org.uk/quiz-night or call 01903 218444

English Lessons need an upgrade

FA:ST

Welcome to FA:ST (Future Adults: Shaping Tomorrow), a section of INSIDE that responds to requests from young people to write and have their say. If you are a young person with something to say, email liana@insidepublications.ltd.

From Year 7 to Year 11, I’ve studied a handful of stories and poems by female writers and even less by nonwhite authors. Among the writers I’ve encountered are the likes of Shakespeare, Dickens, and Priestley—great names in literary history—but why is it that writers such as Woolf, Austen, or the Brontë sisters are often absent?

Some may argue that studying traditional authors is important because it’s part of our cultural heritage. But, I believe that traditions should change and adapt to reflect the world we live in today. Our grandparents and parents studied these same books, but they grew up in a society that was vastly different—less diverse, less open-minded, and facing different challenges. The world has changed, and it’s crucial that our education system adapts alongside it.

Take Shakespeare, while his work is undoubtedly clever and insightful, the language itself can be a barrier for modern students. It’s a fascinating part of British history, but it often lacks the

Matilda Cutting age 15

direct relevance needed for a GCSE exam. Similarly, while A Christmas Carol by Dickens teaches important moral lessons about kindness and generosity, it’s more relevant for younger students. For older students preparing for their GCSEs, I believe the curriculum should reflect contemporary issues and challenges.

However, not all classics should be discarded. If it were up to me, An Inspector Calls would stay on the curriculum for eternity. J.B. Priestley’s critique of human greed and selfishness remains incredibly important to today’s society, and the play’s message—that the consequences of inequality and selfishness will eventually lead to society’s downfall—is a timeless warning we still need to hear in this day and age.

To make the curriculum truly reflective of today’s world, we need to include a broader range of voices—especially from women, people of color, and other marginalized groups. Not only would this allow for greater diversity in the stories students read, but it would also ensure that the themes explored are relevant to the issues young people face now.

Two modern works I believe should be added to the GCSE curriculum are Prima Facie by Suzie Miller and The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas.

Prima Facie tells the story of Tessa, a brilliant young barrister who, after experiencing sexual assault, comes to realize that the legal system is stacked against women, upholding patriarchal values. This powerful play addresses the taboo issue of sexual assault and the inadequacy of the justice system in

providing support for survivors. Introducing Prima Facie into the curriculum would open up important conversations about consent, justice, and gender equality. It could play a key role in educating young people about sexual assault, helping to end the stigma around these experiences, and giving them the tools to advocate for change.

The Hate You Give explores the harrowing effects of police brutality on black communities, as seen through the eyes of Starr, a young girl who witnesses the murder of her childhood friend by a police officer. The novel dives into issues of race, identity, and social justice, offering a profound look at the lived experiences of those who face systemic racism. In a time when conversations about race and privilege are more urgent than ever, this book can help students develop empathy and a deeper understanding of the struggles faced by marginalized communities, making it a vital addition to any curriculum.

If we are to prepare young people for the challenges of the modern world, we need to equip them with the tools to understand and engage with the complex issues of our time. By expanding the GCSE curriculum to include works like Prima Facie and The Hate You Give, we can provide students with a more inclusive and relevant education—one that reflects the diverse, interconnected world they are inheriting. These texts not only offer compelling narratives but also serve as important tools for teaching empathy, critical thinking, and social responsibility. It’s time for the GCSE English curriculum to evolve.

Happy New Yearfor Real, This Time

Late January. I spot a group of friends having coffee in town. They’re waving at me through the window and I pop into the cafe and sit down with them.

Hey! So - how’s everyone doing? Dry Jan, Veganuary, exercise regimes, all that?

Michelle opens her eyes wide in mock shock, grins, points to the chocolate pretzel brownie in front of her -

Na, I always think January is just about the worst time ever that you could be thinking about fresh starts and stu .

Kimberly and Omar nod, listening, while Michelle goes on.

I don’t know about you, but I’m broke, low mood, low energy, eating out of the freezer and the cupboard to save money; there’s no way that this is the moment to be starting up some ‘morning run and salad lunch’ kind of vibe. This brownie and co ee is my one treat of the week and I’m gonna enjoy it!

Omar looks at his feet.

I feel you, he says, with a wincing grin on his face. I started strong on Jan 1st and by the second week, I was back to the old ways. Too grim, January is.

Michelle nods vehemently and Kimberly exhales a loud, True, true!

Josh says,

I’m not even trying. I always start my New Year on Imbolc, February 1st. That’s a much better time for new things.

We all lean forward, as Michelle asks, Imbolc - what’s that, then?

Josh grins. Well, it’s in the old Celtic calendar. You know about summer solstice and winter solstice, right?

We all nod.

There’s 8 special days in the old calendar; Imbolc is the o cial end of winter and start of spring.

Kimberly frowns, But spring’s later, isn’t it? I mean, February can be awful!

She’s so right! Josh goes on, Imbolc is more about the first signs of spring, I suppose. It’s like - end of winter, a fresh start, the turn of the year. Snowdrops and da odils, a thaw in the frost, lambs being born. Anyway, the old calendar set February 1st as the natural end of the annual cycle and the start of the new. It’s always made more sense to me than January 1st.

Omar is looking a bit sceptical. What’s up?, we ask. Well, talking about Celtic roots and ancestors and stu . I dunno - what about those of us whose ancestors don’t come from here?

Kimberly laughs, That’d be a lot of us in Worthing thenloads of us are DFL*s or OFB*s! We’re all only getting to know the Sussex Downs and the sea now.

Omar shakes his head, laughing. You know what I mean - what if our ancestors are in Africa or Asia, and we’ve got no connection to this land or to Celtic traditions?

We turn to Josh. Omar’s got a good point. Ah, well that where it gets really interesting. Have you ever heard of a bard, or a shaman?

Mmmmm, yeah, sort of … Well, there’s one who works in Sussex, Jonathon Huet, and he’s got a really cool take on all of that.

Hmmmm?

I can tell that Kimberly’s not convinced: and I know why. I’ve been around many of those scenes, and witnessed how people can too-easily get caught up in land-soilpeople, resources, ancestors, nature spirits and - oops, before you know it, have gone full-blown ecofascist. It’s a well-studied paradox.

Josh is excited. He starts waving his hands and telling us about how we all have both horizontal and vertical relationships with the land and all the creatures and spirits who live on it.

Anybody who is currently living on this land is in relationship with the land and its spirits; this is the horizontal relation. Any land that you have ancestral connections to is your vertical connection.

This pleased our group.

Josh explains that Black British and Global Majority folks, who live here but have ancestors from far away, belongaccording to Bard Jonathon - just as much as anyone who can claim to be 10 generations deep on this land.

Kimberly puts her coffee down, nods with high energy, and says,

That’s beautiful! No ‘blood and soil’ rubbish!

Michelle smiles.

Yeah, no ‘Viking blood’ nonsense.

Josh is nodding hard.

That’s exactly it! No ‘7th son of 7th son thinking’: we’re all in equal relationship.

We grin at each other. We all belong. Because we’re here. We live here. This land, this ecology - it’s ours, we’re all part of it, and it speaks into all our hearts.

Imbolc, then: a New Year for us all.

*DFLs - Down From London

*OFBs - Over From Brighton

Caroline Osella writes @ Rewilded Anthropologist - https://carolineosella.substack.com/

Caroline Osella

Toy Stories

Recently, I’ve been spending far too much time on eBay and YouTube (nothing new there), researching 1980s iconic collectables for a little side-project I’m working on with a friend and colleague (Insta retrorob86) who also shares a passion for classic toys, bikes and interesting design. I’ll let you know how it goes, but for now, it’s all top secret! All I can say is that if you like iconic toys and gadgets with a smattering of chat and banter from two classic ‘nostalgic nerds’, then you’re in for a treat.

While doing this part-time workshop thing, I’ve been lucky enough to have operated on many vintage games and toys, amongst the more mundane items, and I really enjoy doing it. Bringing an old toy back to life is often very satisfying, as I know that things like this will be cherished in a different way to say a vacuum cleaner. It’s also nice to imagine the item being handed down to the next generation, working once again. And whilst I don’t claim a 100% repair record with old toys and tech, a repairer like myself is often in with a fighting chance of success as products like this from 1970s to the 1990s tend to have proper soldered joints and other components that can been seen with the naked eye. Very different to now of course.

It turns out that I’m really not alone when it comes to wanting to own some of the toys now, that I didn’t have as a kid and there’s often fierce online auction competition for the must-have toys of yesteryear that many parents simply couldn’t afford back in the day. And, as a gentleman of a certain age who grew up in the 1980s, I still lust after those iconic items such as original Scalextric Le Mans, Technic Lego and BigTrak, all toys which are now fetching good money and even bigger prices still, if in boxed, mint condition. My advice is to not go on eBay after a glass on a Sunday evening as auctions finish! It can do serious damage to one’s wallet. The retro market is huge business and manufacturers can’t supply enough to support their addiction. Indeed, Star Wars, Lego, Marvel, My Little Pony and Sylvanian Families are all still massive institutions with their own clubs and clientele, not to mention merchandise. And while it was once a bit of a tease to call someone a ‘Trekkie’ (Star Trek follower), I’ve got a sneaky feeling that it’s now totally cool to be a nerdy fan. Bring it on! Fast forward to now and watching my kids open their presents around the tree this Christmas after the big man had visited. I began to wonder which presents being unboxed for the first time, would go on become the most coveted in 30 years’ time. There was certainly no chance of future ‘still in original box classics’ being preserved past Boxing Day in our house, as carboard and plastic containers were ripped to pieces with reckless abandon, blowing any chance of a future retirement pot! Back to the past for a moment, and this

little project mentioned earlier has caused me to study interesting preloved games and toys such as Astrowars, Atomic Pinball and other gems in more detail, and what’s become clear is that the best of the vintage had a lot of things in common.

Firstly, all the games that have stood the test of time, were well made. I mean, it stands to reason because if they were not well made, well they probably wouldn’t be here 40-odd years later, duh! Plastics were being used widely for many products in the 1980s and around this time, manufacturers had seemingly mastered the art of solid construction, still with an eye on repairability and service. A little bit of internet surfing, and it appears that some toy manufacturers actually listed service sheets and spares availability for some of their offerings. I remember a science kit I received as a birthday present coming with a spares sheet, and remember ticking off the parts that had run out. How cool is that? No? Just me then.

Secondly, most of the classic toys that were desirable back then were incredibly expensive and therefore simply unobtainable for many. Collectables, such as a single Teddy Ruxpin, or Cricket the Talking Doll were worth several birthdays and Christmases in one go.

comparable sense of value and at a time when Madness, The Police and Wham! were all in the charts, one could go on a package holiday for a week to Spain for less. You might think that I’m labouring the price-point here, but just another example of how damn expensive these things were.

My school in Shoreham-by-Sea had one… to share with all the pupils. I guess that it was probably supplied via an educational grant at the time, with the vague hope that some of the kids were inspired learn computer programming later. It had a lasting effect and no doubt contributed to my interest in robots, toy cars and other gadgets. All I can say about it now, is that I can confirm that our school had one, but I don’t really remember much about it as I think it spent much of its life in the staff room, rather than the class room! Happy days.

To illustrate the point, an original MB BigTrak cost around fifty quid in 1980 and that was without the optional trailer accessory costing another £20 or so. That might actually seem like good value now to some, given the level technology on offer for the time. However, with inflation, it’s around £240 today. “So what Matt” you say, that’s the price of an Xbox Series S in Argos right now, so hardly a useful comparison. But price adjustments based on inflation alone is not enough to give us a

Lastly, the toys that seemed to have stood the test of time, just work. They’re easy to use, have real push-click buttons, flashing lights and make cool noises. The ones that took batteries in the 1980s can use the same or improved batteries of now, and because they were designed to be repaired, it’s not out of the question to dig the screwdrivers out when something doesn’t work, to see what the problem might be. They’re interactive without the faff.

In Net-Zero Britain, where scores of manufacturers constantly green-wash would-be punters with all sorts of (possibly misguided) sustainability claims and credentials via online influencers, many toys and games sold now, are simply disposable after a short life. Precise, almost prescribed,

planned obsolescence means that the toys around the Christmas tree in 2024 are not serviceable, repairable, and may have non-replaceable batteries. Progress huh?! Despite trying to train my daughters in the dying art of CD player maintenance, Santa delivered Amazon Kids Echo Dots (the owl version, in case you were wondering) last year and once we worked out which Amazon account and services to link with each device (not as easy as one might imagine), kids’ radio and audiobooks were just a voice-command away. It’s fortuitous that we don’t have a child called Alexa. However, call me cynical, but I know how it will all play-out. I give it a couple of years, and another couple of firmware updates before our Echo Dots will no longer be compatible with the latest streaming sites and will effectively become an ornament. Hopefully someone will figure out a hack for the coding so that it will work after the official support, no doubts, stops. OK, look. I don’t want to be on a perpetual downer and say that everything back in 1985 was better. It wasn’t of course. Poo-pooing all new tech isn’t the message here. The constant threat of nuclear war, lead in petrol, E numbers in kids’ drinks and smoking at work was all the rage and most of us don’t miss those. By 2015 they were all but distant memories, well almost all of them. But things sold back then didn’t rely on a whole suite of connected, complicated, energy burning, subscription-based services, just to keep them functioning. Just sayin’! What will be the future collectables we’ll all be hunting for in 30 odd years? We need a time machine to find out, preferably one you could drive. However, using history as our guide, the smart money will be on the ubiquitous toys available today, which are not connected to the Internet and don’t have sealed batteries i.e. not Smart. Just as people are now digging out Nintendo Gameboy and Tamagotchi to enjoy now after a 30-year slumber, I predict that it will be toys such as Ikea’s Toy Kitchen, Harry Potter figures and maybe Bitzee Interactive Characters (as long as you can hack the old battery out), that will fetch antique prices in future. Someone, please hold onto this article, so that you can prove me wrong in the future. You can tell what film I watched over the Christmas break… Until next time.

Got a cool toy story to tell? Do get in touch.

The Power of Love: three Sussex examples

February 14 is St. Valentine’s day, so this month I am recounting three tales of love, romance and endurance across more than eight centuries of Sussex history.

The history of Pevensey Castle in East Sussex,as detailed on the English Heritage and Wikipedia websites, will tell you that in 1399, John Pelham withstood a siege undertaken by forces loyal to King Richard II. Pelham had been appointed bailiff (what today we would probably call an estate manager) by John of Gaunt, the king’s uncle. When Gaunt died, all his lands and properties passed to his son, Henry Bolingbroke, who was living in France, having been exiled there by King Richard for his supposed plotting against the king. During the summer of 1399, when King Richard was leading a campaign of

conquest in Ireland, Bolingbroke seized his opportunity and landed with a small force in Yorkshire, where he believed many would support him. His gamble paid off, and a nation weary of the excesses and extravagances of the king, joined the rebellion.

However, the king had supporters too. While he made haste to return from Ireland, loyalists sought to quell the rebellion. The measures they took included laying siege to Bolingbroke’s formidable castle at Pevensey. According to the websites I referred to, Sir John Pelham valiantly defended the castle and defied the king’s forces. Following the capture of the king, Bolingbroke declared himself the new ruler of England – Henry IV, thereby beginning a series of dynastic struggles that would culminate in an aristocratic civil war, which Sir Walter Scott, many centuries later would romantically name ‘The Wars of the Roses’ after the red rose of Lancaster and the white rose of York – the emblems of the two opposing parties.

However, all is not what it seems. It was not John Pelham who led the defence of the castle, but rather his wife, Joan. It was she who defied the king’s forces. We know this because a letter survives – one of the oldest – perhaps the oldest letter that survives written in the English language. Before this time, the nobility wrote in Norman-French and the clergy in Latin, but Joan Pelham wrote in the language of her ancestors – English.

Joan’s letter is written to her husband, who was obviously cut off from Pevensey by the conflict, and may have been attempting to join Bolingbroke’s forces in the north. She begins her letter by expressing her devotion to “My dear Lord” and that he was “best beloved of all earthly lords.” She informed him that “I am here laid by in manner of siege,” and that she is without food, but hopes to ensure “the salvation of your Castle and withstand the malice” of those who have “so despitefully wrought [sic] to you, and to your men and your tenants,” adding, “for this country have they wasted for a great while.”

In conclusion she writes: “Farewell, my dear Lord! The Holy Trinity keep you from your enemies, and soon send me good tidings of you.” Joan refused to surrender and her tenacity was rewarded with

A knight and his lady were separated by rebellion and the siege of Pevensey Castle in 1399

Bolingbroke’s victory and the eventual relief of the castle. Let us hope, as Lady Joan Pelham, she enjoyed the ample rewards for her courage and devotion, and that Sir John was appreciative of his wife’s resilience.

During the winter of 1643/44, parliamentary forces, commanded by General William Waller, besieged the Royalist garrison in Arundel Castle. This was at the height of the English Civil War, and at this stage no one could predict which side would be victorious. Many of the leading officers in both armies were young men, including Sir William Springet of Ringmer, one of the Waller’s foremost commanders, who was just 23. His wife, Mary, was in London and heavily pregnant when news reached her that her husband was dangerously ill. Despite her condition and the danger of travelling across treacherous country in winter, Lady Mary, without hesitation, set out for Arundel.

She travelled in great discomfort by coach along roads that were little more than dirt tracks, where ambush by hostile forces was a very real danger. Eventually she arrived late at night on the outskirts of Arundel, as she recounted many years later in a letter to her grandson;

“When we came to Arundel, we met with a most dismal sight; the town being depopulated, all the windows broken with the great guns, and the soldiers making stables of all the shops and lower rooms; and there being no light in the town but what came from the light in the stables, we passed through the town towards his quarters.”

When Sir William, suffering greatly with fever, was told that his wife had arrived to see him, he would not believe it could be possible. Lady Mary, fully nine months pregnant, had to make her way up narrow stairs to reach the bedchamber where he husband lay. Only then would Sir William believe the news was true;

“He seeing me, the fever having took his head, in a manner sprang up, as if he would come out of his bed saying, ‘Let me embrace thee before I die; I am going to thy God and my God.’ I found most of his officers attending on him with great care and signification of sorrow for the condition he was in, they greatly loving him.”

Despite their love and hers, and the doctor that Mary had brought with her, William could not be saved. In his delirious state, he repeatedly attempted to get out of bed and had to be restrained; Mary recalled that “he spake no evil no ranting words at all, but spoke seriously about his dying.” After his death, his body was placed on an ammunition waggon and conveyed back to Ringmer. This was a time of war, and there could be no pomp or ceremony. Lady Mary led the tributes, recalling her husband’s religious zeal, his generous charity, adding, “he was of a most courteous, affable carriage towards all; most ingeniously inclined from a very lad…”

Brighton and Shoreham, and taking walks on the South Downs, which Katherine later remembered, “appealed so much to both our natures, we forgot all care and trouble.” However care and trouble they would soon have in plenty. Captain William O’Shea petitioned for divorce from his wife, citing her adultery with Parnell as the cause. In an age when sexual indiscretions needed to be kept strictly private, this was bound to cause a scandal. That Parnell was having an affair with a fellow nationalist MP’s wife, only made matters worse.

In despair, the two lovers, walked along Brighton’s West Pier in a storm. Parnell was overwrought, as Katherine later recalled;

“As I turned to get a fresh hold on him, for I could not stand against the wind, and the motion of the sea sickened me, the blazing fires in his eyes leapt to mine, and, crushing me roughly to himself, he picked me up and held me over the sea, saying, ‘oh my wife, my wife, I believe I’ll jump in with you, and we shall be free for ever.’ Had I shown any fear I think he would have done it, but I only held him tight and said, ‘As you will my love, my only love, but the children?’ He turned then, and carried me to the upper deck, hiding my eyes from the horrible roll and sucking of the sea beneath our feet.”

Of course, they were not actually married at that time. The ‘children’ were theirs, but as far as the public were concerned Captain O’Shea was the father. Even in our more tolerant days, that would still be quiet a scandal.

My final account of great love comes from the Victorian era. In 1886, the liberal prime minister, William Gladstone, had tried and failed to get a bill passed through parliament to give home rule to Ireland. He pleaded with MPs not to reject his proposals; “Think, I beseech you, think well, think wisely, think not for a moment but for the years that are to come, before you reject this Bill.”

The great reforming prime minister did not give up. He had persuaded the leader of the Irish Nationalists, Charles Parnell to support home rule and to reject the use of violence. It was a profound moment. If Gladstone could persuade enough of his own Liberal MPs to back him, with the support of the Irish Nationalist MPs, his “mission to pacify Ireland” could yet be achieved. And so it might have been, had Parnell not been mired in scandal; the handsome leader of the nationalists was having an affair with Katherine O’Shea, the wife of another nationalist MP.

Parnell and Katherine O’Shea carried out their romantic liaisons in Sussex. Meeting in

Captain O’Shea got his divorce and Parnell was forced to resign as leader of the Irish Nationalist Party, which promptly split between the majority who disowned him and the minority that remained loyal to him. The Liberal Party also split, with anti-home rule liberals forming their own party. It would be another 108 years until the Good Friday Agreement finally brought peace to Ireland.

On June 25, 1891, Charles Parnell and Katherine O’Shea were married at Steyning Registry Office. With little or no access to their children and Parnell’s career in taters, theirs was not to be a long and happy marriage. Within four months Parnell had died of pneumonia, aged only 45, his health having broken down under the strain of the scandal and impossibility of Irish home rule being agreed by parliament. Katherine died in 1925 and was buried at Littlehampton Cemetery.

History remembers Katherine as ‘Kitty’, but neither Parnell nor any members of her family or friends ever called her by that name. In late Victorian England ‘Kitty’ was regarded as a common name, often associated with prostitutes. It was used by the press and Parnell’s political enemies to denigrate Katherine, or Katie, as she was really known to her friends.

The old Registry Office at Steyning where Charles Parnell and Katherine O’Shea were married in 1890
The blue plaque gives no hint of the scandal that preceded their marriage
Braving civil war and treacherous roads, Lady Mary Springet visited her dying husband at Arundel in 1644

Bibliotherapythe Healing Power of Reading

Jane Reid - CREW volunteer, founder of CREW’s monthly Mindful Collaging workshops

“Many years ago, while working in literature development, I became very interested in the idea of bibliotherapy. This involves the use of prescribed books to help with specific problems and issues. It has since become a professional practice in the mental health field but I was more interested in it as a self-help tool; in my personal reading life I have sought out books that could help me in some way. Books are doors to other lives and can give us new insight into situations we haven’t experienced or perhaps we have, but need to be reminded? Not only can books be straightforwardly informative, but they can offer us completely different perspectives

or lead us down a path to discovery. Certain books, for example those written by Matt Haig, have impacted dramatically on my mental health and I have definitely found them to be therapeutic! When I enjoy a book, for whatever reason, I always like to share that experience and I have found The Open Book Club to be the ideal forum for this. I find the type of book group/club where you all read the same book and come together to discuss it rather too constraining. The Open Book Club is more of a booklovers gathering. The themes are loose and the group choose them together. During our discussions, we get to share books we feel passionate about and hear of others passions. This leads to lively conversation, and some great new book recommendations too! Because it is more open, it also means that new members can join at any point and if you miss a session, you can easily join back in at any time. I find the club very relaxing and enjoyable and the venue of the quiet back room of the lovely Toad in the Hole pub, just adds to this. It has become my own bi-monthly slice of bibliotherapy and I would highly recommend a dose!”

CREW’S OPEN BOOK CLUB

Sally Lemsford (visual storytelling and Tiny Acts, CREW volunteer and cofounder of the Open Book Club, Mirth for Earth and Stitch it at CREW.

“Hard on the heels of Mirth for Earth, the CREW open-minded mic night described in December’s INSIDE, the Open Book Club was born. What a joy, no prescribed book titles that have to be read, discussed and dissected by the group. No, no... our Open Book Club chooses a theme, and we all go away to enjoy the research through fiction, non-fiction, hardback, paperback, digital, huge tomes, slender novellas, audio or graphic - and we can share as many as we like... a veritable literary smorgasbord. Traditional book clubs share a book at a time and readers might see different things in the characters and story. For us the table is piled high with possibilities; the literary landscape is all that limits us. I’d read Charlotte Runcie’s Salt on Your Tongue a while ago, but reread it for the first book club theme SEA – this time I found far more between the covers than I remembered. The second theme, AIR, was much trickier. I chose A.L. Kennedy’s book The Little Snake, a tenuous link maybe, but I really could feel the snake tasting the air, could hear the unspoken life-giving and life-taking of the story. I wonder what GREEN (March’s theme) will bring to the table…”

Kathy Kohl - CREW trustee and volunteer, co-founder of the Open Book Club, Mirth for Earth and Stitch it at CREW.

“Over the past few years, I’ve made myself sick with anxiety about the Climate Crisis, reading dystopian fiction and depressing non-fiction. Amazingly, our Open Book Club has brought back the pleasure of reading again. Being able to sit in a great pub, sharing our thoughts on books we’ve loved, with a loose link to the environment, has been a joy! In the first meet-up (theme: The SEA), I was struck by the range of ways we all read; in our small group, we had library fans, second-hand bookshop devotees, an e-book person and one who gets audio-books from Worthing library. In

the second meeting (with the theme AIR (or the Sky/Heaven/Space), the first real ‘new’ book ‘Orbital’ (by Samantha Harvey) was discussed and then announced as the Booker prize winner the following day. It was great to get an insight into that before I promptly read it. And conversations on other writers such as Matt Haig, mentioned by Jane above, led me to read the Midnight Library which I enjoyed hugely and learnt that regrets are a complete waste of timeperfect therapy for me!”

CREW’s Open Book Club meets on the third Monday of every other month in the back room of the Toad in the Hole on Newland Road, Worthing (thetoad@ handbrewco.com) so the next one is on March 17, with the theme: GREEN (Well, it is St Patrick’s Day!).

Buying new books isn’t essential; keep using Worthing Library which has its own Reading Challenge for 2025 celebrating 100 years of West Sussex Library Service with interesting themes for each month. Or visit Train of Thought, now Worthing’s only second-hand book shop, stocking a really eclectic mix of books and records thanks to owner Kevin Hough.

Other ethical/environmental places to get your books include charity shops, World of Books worldofbooks.com, Awesome Books awesomebooks.com, BIBLIO biblio.co.uk, sharing books with friends and donating them rather than throwing them out.

EVENTS

Stitch it, Don’t Ditch it. 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, 3:00-5:00pm at WSK cafe on Tarring Road.

See worthingcrew.co.uk for events info.

Traditional book clubs share a book at a time and readers might see different things in the characters and story. For us the table is piled high with possibilities; the literary landscape is all that limits us.

If you would like to connect with CREW, volunteer, be a trustee, deliver an event or join our mailing list, get in touch info@worthingcrew.co.uk

We are asking for your help to ensure our climate centre has a sense of security and stability, enabling our community to become more resilient, prepared and able to adapt to the changes occurring now and in the coming years. Please consider making a donation no matter how small. Thank you.

Half term report: Historic cup runs, promotion pushes and fights for survival

It is at this time of year that seasons become compelling. For some, dreams become illuminated by trophy presentations, and the type of glory sports people dedicate their lives to enjoy. For others, the strain of attempting to squeeze themselves into playoff or league title contention becomes ever more acute. For a few, early season optimism fades into late season stress, as threats of relegation begin to appear on the horizon. For all, the pressure ramps up as season’s end comes ever closer.

This season has seen both glory and despair already for our local sides. Join us in looking back at what this season has already entailed.

(Correct on January 5, the time of writing)

WORTHING FC:

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH

■ POSITION: 7TH

(WITH GAME IN HAND ON SOME ABOVE)

Predict this one at your peril. This National League South season looks as if it will go right to the wire, and there is no reason Worthing shouldn’t play a pivotal role in it. They are four points off the top, sat in 7th position. Just seven-points separates league leaders Torquay United from 8th place Weston-Super-Mare.

Maidstone United are the side in the ascendency at present, having picked up a perfect record over the festive period, though don’t be surprised if the pack chasing the leaders starts to thin over the coming weeks. The form has dipped for Truro City and Weston-Super-Mare recently, with both picking up only five and three-points respectively over the festive period. Torquay, Boreham Wood, Maidstone, Worthing and Dorking Wanderers, by contrast, all attained double digits.

Worthing face a crucial run of games from the end of January through to mid-February. Their visit to Maidstone on January 25 preceeds their hosting of Boreham Wood on January 28 and Torquay United on February 11.

In other competitions, they’re fortunate to still be in the FA Trophy. Gosport Borough, who beat Worthing on penalties on the day, were retrospectively chucked out of the competition after being found to have fielded an ineligible player in the round prior. They maximised that luck, beating Torquay United 5-1. A first half hat-

trick from Muhammadu Faal, along with goals from Danny Cashman and captain Joel Colbran sent the Rebels sailing into the round of 16.

WORTHING FC WOMEN:

FA WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION

ONE SOUTH WEST

■ POSITION: 6TH

Worthing’s women made history earlier this season after reaching the third round of the FA Cup, a feat not achieved by any senior side in the club’s history. Sophie Humprey’s 56th minute opener unfortunately wasn’t enough for the Rebels to see off Southern Premier Division highflyers, Exeter City, who beat Worthing 3-1 after forcing extra-time.

Their league season sees them sat 6th, sevenpoints adrift from leaders, Swindon Town, with three games in hand. Second place AFC Bournemouth, on 27-points, have five games in hand on Swindon in what is a messy looking league table. Tierney Scott leads Worthing’s scoring totals with 11 goals, Humphrey is 2nd, with seven.

Worthing host Bridgewater United on February 2, Portishead Town on February 9 and Keynsham Town on February 23. They visit Moneyfields FC on Thursday, February 13.

WORTHING UNITED:

SOUTHERN COMBINATION FOOTBALL

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

■ POSITION: 5TH

When you read Worthing United are sat in 5th place, 18-points adrift of division leaders Forest Row, you’d imagine their season is one of fighting on the periphery of playoff positions in an incredibly spread-out league. However, such has been the number of games postponed due to pitch conditions (not, by any means, a unique plight), they have four games in hand.

When they have been in action, Daniel George Kingston has led the side in scoring with 11 goals, followed closely by Taylor Harding with 10. This month sees them travel to AFC Uckfield Town and Alfold on February 1 and February 8, before hosting Banstead Athletic on February 15, then rounding off the month with a visit to Mile Oak on February 22.

What stood out from speaking to manager, Bill

Clifford, before Christmas, was the desire to right the wrong of narrowly missing out on being in the playoff final last season. Should they be in that position again, watch out for an eager, young team with a point to prove.

WORTHING THUNDER: NBL DIVISION ONE ■ POSITION: 12TH

The start to Worthing Thunder’s 25th anniversary season has been challenging. They’ve battled visa issues with new signings, changed coaches and had to integrate a myriad of new players into their squad during the season.

Yet, if you were to search for optimism, the first half against Hemel Storm provided that in buckets. Against undefeated opposition, they found themselves 15-points ahead at one stage in the 2nd quarter. Storm subsequently went through the gears and eventually ran out decisive victors by 18-points.

Thunder needs victories to drag themselves away from the battle at the foot of the table, something Thunder’s leading scorer, Elijah Maynard, is all too aware of. After the Storm match, he told me: “It’s tough integrating new players, but we’re playing in a professional league. We have to gel quickly. We can’t use that as an excuse. We’ve had plenty of time to practice and get to know each other. We have to pick it up.”

Thunder host Loughborough Riders on February 1, and Newcastle Knights on February 16.

WORTHING RAIDERS: NATIONAL LEAGUE 2 EAST

■ POSITION:

11TH

The big news surrounding Worthing Raiders prior to Christmas was the appointment of Sam Portland as strength and conditioning coach. Raiders hope he can help them to turn the tide this season, with them currently sat bottom of the league after their only victory against Colchester in November.

Portland has a wealth of experience working with different rugby bodies, including the Lebanese Rugby Union Federation, the Kenyan Rugby Sevens side, and, on the home front, Roslyn Park and Wasps.

Raiders visit Old Albanians on February 8 before hosting Bury St. Edmunds on February 15.

Hello, and welcome to NEW MUSIC REVIEWS!

If you were previously unaware of the sheer amount of musical talent packed in to this small town, then I’m here to let you know all about it! These are just some of the tracks and albums released recently from Worthing based artists.

MOTTY –OCTOBER

Whenever I get submissions from regular open mic attendees I find it quite exciting, because having only heard their songs with a solo instrument I’m always fascinated to hear the recorded arrangement. Motty’s October does not disappoint. Press play and you get birdsong fading out to a rhythmic acoustic guitar, reminiscent of Turin Brakes or dare I say a bit Ed Sheeran?! This song certainly could be played on a looper, which could make for a fun performance (there’s a challenge for you, Motty!). The production is well done, with just the right effects on the vocal to make it stand out perfectly against the gentle instrumentation. There are lulls and highs throughout, with additional elements introduced in each chorus, culminating in lots of layered vocals that compliment each other in an almost haunting way. There’s something about this song that feels really emotional. Motty asks us if he will be remembered, although it’s a very personal question aimed at those he feels he has impacted - is he going to keep supplying us with words and songs for us to remember? Will we become part of that circle? I very much hope so.

NATURAL RIGHT – ROUNDABOUT

If you like brass sections then you’re going to love this new track from contemporary

ska band, Natural Right. (While their name might cause confusion to some, apparently the word ‘right’ was intended to be ‘rite’ by meaning, but the original spelling has stuck!). Roundabout is quite an obvious reference to the writer’s heart being mucked about by someone who clearly can’t make their mind up about what they want - ‘my poor heart forever is a roundabout’. Taken in conjunction with their previous slightly more chilled out two-tone offerings, Roundabout is is little more upbeat, while remaining firmly within the Natural Right vibe (which I am a big fan of, by the way). The song starts with some intense brass stabs that lead into how-many-words-can-you-fit-intoeach-line vocals, with a boppy chorus to follow. All round very easy to get into, very hard to get out of your head. Having played at a festival at Highdown in Worthing in 2023, these guys are currently on the up, with a few sold out support shows for Buster Shuffle under their belt and festival slots aplenty. Well worth following.

SPOCK ON THE BUS – BISCUITS

In my view, there are two types of music; music that was created specifically to be recorded and music that was created to be performed, and I’d say this album falls under the latter. It’s really hard to capture the energy of a band in a recording and in my view this album, although full of great songs, just doesn’t do them as much justice as Spock on the Bus deserve. You can tell that they’re throwing their all into these tracks (and having fun in the process!) but without the facial expressions and comic timing of stage interactions between band

members, something about the very essence of this band is lost in translation. However, despite this, it’s still very much worth listening to! The overall vibe reminds me of Jilted John - tidy punk with clever lyrics and plenty of shouty vocals over a steady oompah drum beat and distorted guitar. The track which inspired the title, Twice Cooked (The Biscuit Song) makes me smile as the band sing about one of our very important British cultural subjects - biscuits. Despite the perceived silliness of the subject, the everyday routines that we have are as valid to be recognised and put into song as big feelings like love and heartbreak. I commend Spock on the Bus for doing this in such a way that it brings the listener a smile. What’s your favourite biscuit?

DESIRE PATH –LANGUAGE OF LOVE (AMBIENT VERSION)

Vocalist Shelle

Luscombe and producer Richard Bignell have been creating gorgeous tracks together since 2019 as Desire Path, and this recent release re-works a song from the their debut album, removing the drums to create a more ambient vibe throughout. Featuring seductive whispers and ethereal vocals, Language of Love would not be out of place in a Lord of the Rings movie - it gives me those Enya vibes. When I listen to songs for review, I have them on repeat and often get to the point where I’ve had enough - but not so with this track. It’s quite happily spinning for perhaps the seventh time! This is testament not only to the beautiful vocals, but also the masterful production which has created a fully finessed sound; a feast for the ears.

Email review submissions to reviews@blueskymusic.fun Find out more about what we do at www.blueskymusic.fun

SATURDAY 1

Rub A Dub All Night

If you like reggae, it’s THE place to be. Cellar Arts Club

7:30 - midnight FREE ENTRY

Spring into Soul Community Gospel Choir Winter Concert

St.Botolph’s Church

7:00pm (doors open 6.30pm) Tickets from Seetickets.com

TreeAnna Party Hits

Smugglers Return 8:30pm

SUNDAY 2

Rock n Roll Bingo with Scott Smugglers Return 7:45pm

WEDNESDAY 5

Northbrook College Music Department

“huge number of talented young bands” Factory Live £4/5

7:30pm - 11:00pm

THURSDAY 6

Speakeasy Cellar Arts Club

7:30 - 11.00

FRIDAY 7

Legend Has It Smugglers Return 8:30pm

SATURDAY 8

Absolute 80s

The Egremont

8:45pm 01903 530180

SUNDAY 9

Horndogs The Egremont 5:00pm 01903 53018

Michael T Clayton (Rockabilly Style) Smugglers Return 8:30pm

FRIDAY 14

Cher tribute with Treeanna The Egremont 5:00pm 01903 53018

Pounds of Soul Smugglers Return 8:30pm

SATURDAY 15

Accoustica Smugglers Return 8:30pm

Red Heaven

The Egremont 8:45pm 01903 53018

SUNDAY 16

The South Coast Blues Jam

Audioactive, Beats Cafe 2:00pm - 5:00pm

Half-Term Wrestling Spectacular

The Charmandean Centre

3:30pm 01903 239349 www.thecharmandean.co.uk

FRIDAY 21

Absolutely Fakes

The Egremont 8:45pm 01903 53018

The Golgis and Mothers Boy Smugglers Return 8:30pm

SATURDAY 22

Ask the Girl Smugglers Return 8:30pm

Go Commando

The Egremont 8:45pm 01903 53018

SUNDAY 23

Dead Bottomleys

The Egremont 5:00pm 01903 53018

FRIDAY 28

Iron Tyger

LIVE LISTINGS INSIDE ⚪ ⚪ ⚪ ⚪

REGULAR LIVE MUSIC (WEEKLY, BI-WEEKLY, ETC.)

SUNDAYS

Jazz Sundays (every Sunday)

The Cricketers

6:00pm 01903 233369 www.thecricketers.pub

Open Mic (every Sunday)

The Broadwater

7:00pm - 10:00pm 01903 238675 www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/westsussex/broadwater

Live Jazz – (every Sunday) Toad in the Hole 3:00pm - 6:00pm

The South Coast Blues Jam (3rd Sunday)

Audioactive, Beats Cafe 2:00pm - 5:00pm

TUESDAYS

Open Mic Night (every second and fourth Tuesday of each month)

The Corner House

7:00pm 01903 216463 www.cornerhouseworthing.co.uk

WEDNESDAYS

Open Mic Night (bi-weekly from October 9)

The Beach House 7:30pm 01903 367313

beachhouseworthing.co.uk

Open Mic Night (every Wednesday) The Goose 7:00pm - late 01903 203851 www.instagram.com/the.goose. worthing

Open Mic Night with Miss Kate (every Wednesday) The Lock Inn 8:00pm - 10.00pm

Drumheads Samba - Community drum group (every Wednesday) Audioactive, 86 Montague St 8:00pm - 9:30pm Sean@drumheadslive.com  07815307218

Insta  @Seanquinnpercussion

Homeward Bound Sea Shanty Sessions (1st Wednesday) Toad in the Hole 7:30pm

THURSDAYS

Croak Club (1st Thursday) Toad in the Hole 8:00 - 11:00pm

FRIDAYS

Band Friday (weekly) Smugglers Return 8:30pm

Spuntaneous - live music improv session (7 and 21 then bi-weekly) Spun Records, 1Portland Rd 7:00pm - 11:00pm  Sean@drumheadslive.com  07815307218

Insta @Seanquinnpercussion

SATURDAYS

Spun Out - (1st Saturday)

Worthing Antiques, Arts and Collectors Club

Est in 1968, we are a small friendly club that meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:30 – 9:00pm at Field Place, BN13 1NP. Each month we invite a guest speaker, many from shows like Bargain Hunt and Antiques Roadshow. Each talk is about an hour long with Q&A to end. We also have a monthly raffle. All are welcome to come along, non-members £7.50pp each talk, or why not join us for just £35 pp/pa

More information about speakers for 2025 and the club history can be found on our website http://www.worthingantiqueclub.org.uk. To contact us, email worthingantiqueclub@yahoo.co.uk or call Andy on 07984 403890

Spring Fair, Seed Swap, Sow and Grow

Saturday, March 1, 10:30am-3:00pm Maybridge Keystone Centre, Raleigh Way, Goring-by-Sea, Worthing, BN12 6JD

Transition Town Worthing’s annual event at the start of the growing season is a great opportunity to get your seedy supplies, find out about volunteering, and enjoy some refreshments. As well as the veg, herbs and flower seeds and plants, there will be a number of projects selling local products. You’ll can find out about Worthing Food Partnership, Green Tides and the Wildflower Trail, Worthing Homes’ nature projects (including a seed bomb activity for children), Sid Youth’s Junior Club at Maybridge, the RSPB, and Brinsbury College’s horticulture courses. At 11:30am Dr Steve Millam from Chichester College will talk about ‘Balancing Your Garden’ with Q&A. From 12 noon there will be woodfired pizza. At 1:30pm is a mindfulness session in the yurt on ‘Inner & Outer Activism’. Coffee Cycle will be doing barista coffee and there will be the usual tea and cakes too.

Come and join us! Entry is free, donations welcome. Bust stops, trains and on-street parking nearby.

Sussex Gruffs Male Voice Choir

NEW YEAR – NEW VENUE!

Due to the choir’s continuing expansion – we now have 40 members – we have moved our rehearsal venue to a larger space. We are now rehearsing in the Shaftesbury Room at Worthing Leisure Centre, Shaftesbury Avenue, Goring-by-Sea, BN12 4ET. We rehearse every Tuesday from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.

Sussex Gruffs Male Voice Choir is a community choir, who perform regularly, both to entertain and to raise money for local charities and other worthy causes. We are always happy to welcome new members to our thriving group. We don’t hold auditions, and you don’t need to be able to read music. In addition to singing, we also organize social events for our members and their family and friends to enjoy.

Potential new members can come along to one of our rehearsals on the first Tuesday of every month. If you would like to know more, why not visit our website at:

www.sussexgruffsmvc.co.uk

Worthing Twinning Association

Worthing Twinning Association will show the entertaining 1935 film La Kermesse Héroïque on Thursday February 13 at 7:00pm. The film is set in the early 1600s when a Spanish occupying force arrives in a small Flemish village and when the cowardly men seek cover the women take over. Cost £5 includes a glass of wine/juice.

Full details at www.worthingtwinningassociation.org

Durrington YOU GROUP

A community interest outreach group. We welcome the return of our speaker Alan Kingshott, on Tuesday, February 18, with some more stories of the Tower of London, including ghost stories, the Tower during the Blitz and other secrets not generally known or seen about the Tower. He will do a quick refresh from the last talk.

Venue: Main Hall in St Symphorian’s Parish Centre, BNI3 3HU, at 2:30pm. Please arrive by 2:15pm. Cost: £3.50pp to include refreshments.

Further details available from the Parish Office 01903 268109, or email:  theoffice@stsymphorians.co.uk

Sussex Family History Group

Sussex Family History Group - Worthing Meeting Centre, Chichester Room, Field Place, The Boulevard, BN13 1NP. Thursday, February 20, 2025. 7:00pm – 9pm.

TALK BY NORMAN ALLCORN -  THE OXLEY DIARIES

Nicholas Oxley and the transcription of his farming diaries from Sussex in the early 1800s. Including the influence of weather across the globe, religion, farm workers, family, crops and much more. Norman Allcorn provided the background information necessary for the understanding of the farmers’ year.

Feedback

Letters to the Editor

INSIDE

The Sphere Business Centre, Northbrook College Broadwater Road BN14 8HJ

liana@insidepublications.ltd

Dear Sir or Madam

I read the opinion piece titled “How to reduce pollution and avoid another economic disaster” in the January 2025 issue of Inside Cissbury with growing alarm. While the article raises several important points regarding the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and the broader goal of achieving Net Zero emissions, it lacks balance and omits critical information that is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the issue. It uses some incorrect, yet often repeated “facts” that do not bear scrutiny.

The piece opens with a claim that electric vehicles (EVs) are responsible for more pollution than vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE). It even points to lifecycle impacts without any evidence. In fact, numerous studies have shown that, despite higher emissions during manufacturing, EVs typically produce fewer emissions over their lifetime compared to ICE vehicles, especially when charged with renewable energy sources, of which more are being created by the week.

The claim that electric vehicles (EVs) need to be driven 380,000km to achieve net-zero emissions is not widely supported by current studies. Most research indicates that EVs reach a break-even point much sooner.

For example, a study by the Argonne National Laboratory using the GREET model found that a Tesla Model 3 needs to be driven about 13,500 miles (approximately 21,725 km) to become cleaner than a comparable ICE car

This distance can vary significantly depending on the energy mix of the electricity grid used to charge the EV. In countries with cleaner energy grids, like Norway, the break-even point can be as low as 8,400 miles (approximately 13,518km). The evolving energy grid in the UK will reduce this further.

While it is important to consider these challenges, the article does not adequately acknowledge the significant environmental and health benefits of reducing emissions through the adoption of EVs, nor the constantly evolving improvements in technology in this area. It mentions the that eHGVs are not practical unless over short distances, this is demonstrably not the case as the Mercedes eActross (https://www.mercedes-benz-trucks.com/int/en/trucks/eactros-600.

html#range) shows with its 500km range and fast charging capability.

While it is true that EV battery recycling is challenging, advancements in recycling technology are ongoing. Valuable materials such as nickel and cobalt can be recovered, and the industry is moving towards more sustainable practices. The assertion that EV batteries frequently end up in landfills is incorrect, in fact that is illegal under UK law

The article suggests that the costs of transitioning to EVs are underestimated. While significant investment is required, the benefits of reduced emissions and improved air quality should also be considered. The UK National Grid is preparing for increased demand and integrating more renewable energy sources to ensure reliability. The requirement for all new chargers to be “smart” will add to the demand side flexibility of the grid by using the car’s batteries as back up. Anyone currently using home fitted solar panels will be aware of these schemes.

The article mentions that the 2019 “Absolute Zero” report by UK FIRES, which includes researchers from the University of Cambridge. This report does not

Firstly, congratulations on a packed January 2025 issue - something for everyone.

In particular, the article from Chris Gould raised a number of valid points relating to the current obsession with moving to electric vehicles. The need to compare the total “pollution” costs of EV versus ICE is overlooked in the drive towards EV utopia. I am convinced that in the fullness of time, the long-term costs of developing and maintaining EVs will not justify the current enthusiasm for this approach.

The cost of purchasing an EV is also beyond the means of many, if not most, current ICE vehicle

explicitly claim that the grid would only have 60% capacity for new EVs contrary to the article.Instead, the report discusses the challenges and necessary changes to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 using existing technologies.

Another much repeated, and wholly untrue claim in the article is the risk of fires in EVs. While they can be challenging to extinguish, it is important to note that ICE vehicles also pose fire risks.

Data from (Car Fire Statistics in the UK: 2024 Update - House Grail) shows that ICE vehicles are significantly more likely to catch fire compared to EVs when adjusted for the number of vehicles on the road. Specifically, ICE vehicles have a fire rate of approximately 249.38 fires per 100,000 vehicles, whereas EVs have a fire rate of about 18.38 fires per 100,000 vehicles. This indicates that EVs are about 13.6 times less likely to catch fire than ICE vehicles.

This proportionate comparison highlights the relative safety of EVs in terms of fire risk, contrary to the concerns raised in the article.

Another tired old trope is the significance of the UK’s CO2 emissions in the global context. As well as considering the substantial historical emissions the UK has created, it is important to consider the concept of offshoring emissions. Many of the goods consumed in the UK are manufactured in countries like China, where emissions are higher. Therefore, a significant portion of China’s emissions can be attributed to consumption in the UK

In 2019, the UK’s consumption-based emissions were estimated to be around 772 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (MtCO2e), nearly double its territorial emissions. That means that for every tonne of carbon emitted by our activities within our border, twice that figure was emitted overseas specifically because of us. Our rates of consumption are speeding the planet’s demise.

In China, the emissions we generate are from electronics, textiles, machinery, and other manufactured goods. We generate emissions in the EU as well via automotive, machinery, chemicals, and food products. In the rest of the world, we emit when we consume imported agriculture products, manufacturing, and services.

Addressing consumption-based emissions is crucial for a comprehensive approach to reducing the UK’s carbon footprint.

By considering both territorial and consumption-based emissions, we can better understand our true carbon footprint and work towards more effective climate solutions. Reducing emissions domestically is part of a broader effort to address global climate change and should not be dismissed.

I understand the original article is an opinion piece, however most of it is inaccurate and borderline hysterical. Nobody is saying this will be easy, or not initially expensive. But we have no choice. We have arrived a point in our planet’s history where, if we don’t take significant action now, we will not be leaving a world for the next generation to enjoy as we have.

I hope this response contributes to a more balanced and informed discussion on this important topic.

owners. What are they supposed to do if there are no ICE alternative options.

I fully understand and support the need to reduce pollution and protect the environment. However, using misleadiing and erroneous  comparisons to justify specific policies will, in time, become more obvious. I just wish that those who currently seem unwilling to look at the total impact of current policies would be prepared to look at the wider, total impact of the current drive to ban ICE vehicles.

Hi Liana

Good speaking to you yesterday. Thank you for all that you do. Many thanks , Steve and happy new year!

Christian Phipps Parham Road Findon Valley
Liana Naylor
Liana

Advertiser Index

Feedback

Letters to the Editor

INSIDE

The Sphere Business Centre, Northbrook College Broadwater Road BN14 8HJ liana@insidepublications.ltd

In response to Chris Gould’s article in the Inside Durrington paper January 25 Issue 62:-

I was so pleased to read your article in the paper which is exactly how I feel about EV’s,  how they are built, the batteries and disposal. Not to mention the slavery involved in making the batteries. I would go further and say that the net zero agenda is hugely over blown and will do nothing to achieve the proposed benefits once we reach 2050, if it is even possible to reach.

I met a friend this week who said that the wind was so strong a few days previously that she had to stay indoors as it was so dangerous outside. I responded by reminding her that 40 - 60 miles an hour winds are not severe weather conditions as I recalled 50 years ago, as a 20 year old, walking into my place of work in Worthing bent at 45 degrees as the wind literally blew me to work. That weather condition lasted for weeks and I wondered if I had made a mistake moving to Worthing. So this kind of wind is not new, I said. I told her that too many people cling to the words coming from fanatics on TV and the radio and are persuaded they know what they are talking about. Look and check yourself I told her. Step outside and see if you think it is too windy to go out. My husband and I went out that day and did not notice it was windy and we live in Durrington as she does. A few flakes of snow and schools close and people are told not to go out….why? I come from Norway and they laugh at the English attitude to weather conditions.

I could go on but this is not the place to do so.  But thank you for writing sense in your excellent article.

Jessy Seymour

Hi Liana,

Just a quick note to express my thanks for your generosity in publishing my article about my efforts for the PHC course for Type 2 diabetics.

The response has been astounding. Hoping for 10 or 12 applications, I soon found more applications arriving. I was able to increase the number of places to 20.

As a result of your extensive coverage, I was oversubscribed by the 2nd of January. Who knows how many more will apply before the end of the month? I now have a different support problem to address.

Thanks again

Kind Regards

Peter Adamson

Dear Chris Hare

abbreviate. 6 glow. 10 chair. 11 haphazard. 12 assemble. 13 bless. 15 acrobat. 17 skipper. 19 cheetah. 21 algebra. 22 lemon. 24 suburbia. 27 transpire. 28

I would like to thank you for the excellent article on Mervyn Peake. I remember picking up a copy of Titus Groan when I was at university (early 70s) and flicking through the pages, then beginning to read at a random point. Others in my department were all going for the normal coffee break, but I was hooked. To cut a long story short, the trilogy became one of my favourites (behind Lord of the Rings). I later introduced it to my brother who soon after studied it with his sixth form group.

I was not aware of the link between Arundel Castle and Gormenghast which instantly endeared me to the books even more. My wife and I spent our honeymoon on Sark, so there’s another link! I have naturally read Mr Pye and loved the TV adaptation.

Both Tolkien and Peake inspired me to take up writing fantasy and a number of other genres, and though so far unsuccessful I have really enjoyed the experience and felt I have achieved something worthwhile.

Many thanks for the article

also a positive for those who want to sell. When there are more buyers the market is more competitive, resulting in faster sales and higher offers.

As a well-known estate agency operating in Worthing, Goring, Ferring and the surrounding areas for more than a quarter of a century, we have the experience that others may lack. This translates into an ability to read the market and give you an accurate valuation.

We then follow this with an innovative mix of traditional values and modern marketing methods right through to a successful completion. Call me on 01903 501105, email me direct at richard@staffordjohnson.co.uk or pop into the office at 325 Goring Road BN12 4NX to find out how we can help you sell your property.

We have offered a professional and friendly estate agency service in Worthing, Goring, Ferring and the surrounding areas for more than a quarter of a century. We have seen the local market go through many phases and know how to read the ever-changing market conditions. A unique mix of traditional values and modern methods also sets us apart from others - call me on 01903 501105, email me direct at richard@staffordjohnson.co.uk or pop into the office at 325 Goring Road BN12 4NX to speak in person and find out how we can help you sell your property.

Interest rates are one of the biggest rolling news stories that affect the property market. With the latest Bank of England decision keeping the base rate at a 15 year high you might think this is bad news, although this is far from the case.

As we head into Spring things look rosy for anyone who is thinking of selling their home. 2024 has seen the property market hit the ground running and things show no sign of slowing down in the months ahead.

Glynde Close, Ferring

As we head into Spring things look rosy for anyone who is thinking of selling their home. 2024 has seen the property market hit the ground running and things show no sign of slowing down in the months ahead.

Yours sincerely Richard Davis MNAEA

Industry benchmark data from Rightmove shows that average new seller asking prices rose by 0.9% last month, moving the annual price change back to being positive after 6 months of annual price falls.

Industry benchmark data from Rightmove shows that average new seller asking prices rose by 0.9% last month, moving the annual price change back to being positive after 6 months of annual price falls.

Interest rates are one of the biggest rolling news stories that affect the property market. With the latest Bank of England decision keeping the base rate at a 15 year high you might think this is bad news, although this is far from the case. The figures that matter are mortgage deals and usually the most important are fixed rates ones. In January the average 5-year fixed rate was 4.86%, compared to a peak of 6.11% in July last year.

The figures that matter are mortgage deals and usually the most important are fixed rates ones. In January the average 5-year fixed rate was 4.86%, compared to a peak of 6.11% in July last year.

2025 has got off to a very busy start for the property market in Goring and Ferring. Last year ended on a strong note and that definitely looks set to continue throughout the year.

However, this slight increase is simply a sign of healthy activity, as a major trend seems to be the emergence of a ‘two speed’ market.

However, this slight increase is simply a sign of healthy activity, as a major trend seems to be the emergence of a ‘two speed’ market.

Lower mortgage rates are widely expected this year, which will further improve affordability for buyers and is sure to stimulate market activity throughout the coming months.

So why are mortgage rates actually lower than the one set by the Bank of England? The answer is that as they cover a period of years into the future, they have to reflect how rates will look moving forward - and the expectation all round is that even cheaper mortgage deals are on the horizon.

Essentially, properties that are being priced accurately are selling, while overpriced properties are left behind to languish on the market for a few months before the inevitable price reduction.

Essentially, properties that are being priced accurately are selling, while overpriced properties are left behind to languish on the market for a few months before the inevitable price reduction.

So why are mortgage rates actually lower than the one set by the Bank of England? The answer is that as they cover a period of years into the future, they have to reflect how rates will look moving forward - and the expectation all round is that even cheaper mortgage deals are on the horizon. That’s obviously good news for anyone looking to buy a property, which in turn is also a positive for those who want to sell. When there are more buyers the market is more competitive, resulting in faster sales and higher offers.

So if one of your New Year resolutions was to put your plans to move into action there is plenty of good news in the air. What’s more, putting your property on the market at this time of year is perfect as potential buyers will now be seriously searching for their new home.

As a well-known estate agency operating in Worthing, Goring, Ferring and the surrounding areas for more than a quarter of a century, we have the experience that others may lack. This translates into an ability to read the market and give you an accurate valuation.

That’s obviously good news for anyone looking to buy a property, which in turn is also a positive for those who want to sell. When there are more buyers the market is more competitive, resulting in faster sales and higher offers.

As a well-known estate agency operating in Worthing, Goring, Ferring and the surrounding areas for more than a quarter of a century, we have the experience that others may lack. This translates into an ability to read the market and give you an accurate valuation.

We have offered a professional and friendly estate agency service in Worthing, Goring, Ferring and the surrounding areas for more than a quarter of a century. We have seen the local market go through many phases and know how to read the ever-changing market conditions.

On a local level we’re already seeing an uptick in enquiries for a wide range of different properties at all levels of the market.

We have offered a professional and friendly estate agency service in Worthing, Goring, Ferring and the surrounding areas for more than a quarter of a century. We have seen the local market go through many phases and know how to read the ever-changing market conditions.

We then follow this with an innovative mix of traditional values and modern marketing methods right through to a successful completion.

Our bespoke approach to helping you find a buyer means that we offer everyone a unique marketing strategy that is specifically designed for each property. That might mean you don’t want a ‘for sale’ sign outside your home, or perhaps you really want to work to a strict time frame.

Call me on 01903 501105, email me direct at richard@staffordjohnson.co.uk or pop into the office at 325 Goring Road BN12 4NX to find out how we can help you sell your property.

A unique mix of traditional values and modern methods also sets us apart from others - call me on 01903 501105, email me direct at richard@staffordjohnson.co.uk or pop into the office at 325 Goring Road BN12 4NX to speak in person and find out how we can help you sell your property.

We then follow this with an innovative mix of traditional values and modern marketing methods right through to a successful completion.

A unique mix of traditional values and modern methods also sets us apart from others - call me on 01903 501105, email me direct at richard@staffordjohnson.co.uk or pop into the office at 325 Goring Road BN12 4NX to speak in person and find out how we can help you sell your property.

Call me on 01903 501105, email me direct at richard@staffordjohnson.co.uk or pop into the office at 325 Goring Road BN12 4NX to find out how we can help you sell your property.

Whatever your needs, we’re here to help you. Call me personally on 01903 501 105, email me direct at richard@staffordjohnson.co.uk or visit our office at 325 Goring Road BN12 4NX and allow me to show you how we really are your local property experts.

Yours sincerely

Yours sincerely

Yours sincerely

Scan to find out how a local independent estate agency can beat a bigger brand

Glynde Close, Ferring

Thakeham Close, Goring – by –Sea

Sea Lane, Goring-By-Sea

£750,000

£650,000

£435,000

Impeccably presented and extended, this chain free detached property sits within a larger than average plot for the area and is less than half a mile from the beach. A spacious and hugely versatile layout has further scope to be extended (STNC) and currently includes two superbly sized reception rooms, 2/3 bedrooms and a contemporary shower room. A classic country kitchen opens into a generous conservatory leading out to the extensive patio of a wonderfully large rear garden. Further highlights include feature stained glass windows, driveway and garage parking.

Located in a tree-lined cul de sac, this impressive 2 storey property is within easy reach of Ferring village shops and local schools. Tastefully presented, its versatile layout has ample space for a home office area. A refined double aspect living room has leaded bay windows and a wood burner, while a spacious fully fitted kitchen/dining room opens into a modern conservatory. Three generous bedrooms share two bath/shower rooms and a beautiful large garden has private direct access to the greenery of Fernhurst Recreation Ground.

325 Goring Road, Goring By Sea, Worthing, West Sussex, BN12 4NX 01903 501105 | goring@staffordjohnson.co.uk | staffordjohnson.co.uk

An exemplary chain free detached bungalow in a prized Goring-by-Sea cul-desac with an impressively spacious extended layout and notably large garden.

and a

An exemplary chain free detached bungalow in a prized Goring-by-Sea cul-desac with an impressively spacious extended layout and notably large garden.

A superb detached chalet bungalow with a double garage and charming idyllic gardens.

Perfectly positioned, just around the corner from the beach, the location of this ground floor flat means you could be dipping your toes in the sea or enjoying lunch at a beachfront cafe within a matter of minutes.

and

a

Impeccably presented and extended, this chain free detached property sits within a larger than average plot for the area and is less than half a mile from the beach. A spacious and hugely versatile layout has further scope to be extended (STNC) and currently includes two superbly sized reception rooms, 2/3 bedrooms and a contemporary shower room. A classic country kitchen opens into a generous conservatory leading out to the extensive patio of a wonderfully large rear garden. Further highlights include feature stained glass windows, driveway and garage parking.

325 Goring Road, Goring By Sea, Worthing, West Sussex, BN12 4NX 01903 501105 | goring@staffordjohnson.co.uk | staffordjohnson.co.uk

Located in a tree-lined cul de sac, this impressive 2 storey property is within easy reach of Ferring village shops and local schools. Tastefully presented, its versatile layout has ample space for a home office area. A refined double aspect living room has leaded bay windows and a wood burner, while a spacious fully fitted kitchen/dining room opens into a modern conservatory. Three generous bedrooms share two bath/shower rooms and a beautiful large garden has private direct access to the greenery of Fernhurst Recreation Ground.

Impeccably presented and extended, this chain free detached property sits within a larger than average plot for the area and is less than half a mile from the beach. A spacious and hugely versatile layout has further scope to be extended (STNC) and currently includes two superbly sized reception rooms, 2/3 bedrooms and a contemporary shower room. A classic country kitchen opens into a generous conservatory leading out to the extensive patio of a wonderfully large rear garden. Further highlights include feature stained glass windows, driveway and garage parking.

325 Goring Road, Goring By Sea, Worthing, West Sussex, BN12 4NX 01903 501105 | goring@staffordjohnson.co.uk | staffordjohnson.co.uk

Prefer to keep your private life...private? Rather than rely on branded cars and For Sale signs our discreet marketing methods offer a dedicated service for those who would rather choose whether they let their neighbours know they’re planning to move. Call Richard on 01903 501 105 for details.

A superb detached chalet bungalow with a double garage and charming idyllic gardens.
Located in a tree-lined cul de sac, this impressive 2 storey property is within easy reach of Ferring village shops
local schools. Tastefully presented, its versatile layout has ample space for
home office area. A refined double aspect living room has leaded bay windows
wood burner, while a spacious fully fitted kitchen/dining room opens into a modern conservatory. Three generous bedrooms share two bath/shower rooms and a beautiful large garden has private direct access to the greenery of Fernhurst Recreation Ground.

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