Sunday 6th AprilOne Stop Party Shop with Easter Bunny meet and greet at Montague Square - 11am-12pm
Sunday 6th AprilDancing Brush Face Painting - 11am-1pm
Saturday 12th April45min Magic Shows with David Croucher at Montague Square - 12pm and 1:45pm
Friday 18th AprilFree Easter Craft WorkshopGuildbourne Centre - 11am-2pm CREW Vegan Market - Guildbourne Centre
Saturday 19th AprilSpring Beats on the Streets - Town Centre Silent Disco - 11am and 1pm Obtain your free ticket via www.worthingtowncentre.co.uk Great Little Farmers Market - Guildbourne Centre
Spring is in the air, and with it comes a fresh wave of excitement and creativity. This month, I’m thrilled to feature my favourite band, Will And The People. Self-indulgent you may think, but as a local band who are known for their infectious energy and unique sound, they recently wowed audiences on Britain’s Got Talent alongside the Postmasters Choir. The performance was emotional, showcasing their talent and the power of community spirit.
So, in this edition, you’ll find an exclusive interview with singer/songwriter Will, insights into their musical journey, and behind-the-scenes stories from their time on the show. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to their music, I hope you’ll enjoy getting to know Will And The People a little better.
As always, there is a variety of other exciting content lined up for you, including local news, upcoming events, and stories from our vibrant community. So grab a cup of something delicious, settle in, and enjoy the read!
Booking deadline for advertising is the 5th of the month prior to the month of print.
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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 | Matilda Cutting | Beth Sarah Arty Mikey | Matt Marchant | Tanwen Morgan
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Exclusive interview for INSIDE as local talent hits Britain’s Got Talent
We have all heard of the Subpostmasters’ Scandal. On Saturday March 1, local band and songwriters Will And The People appeared on Britain’s Got Talent with an emotional performance of their song “Falling Down.” Winning a resounding XXXX they are to the next stage. Liana was lucky enough to get an interview with front man Will (Will And The People happen to be INSIDE Owner/Editor Liana’s go-to music, often when putting INSIDE together).
Readers may already be familiar with Will And The People, the band. What lead to you getting involved with the Postmasters Choir?
It’s a crazy story! We went to Vietnam and Cambodia on a tour 12 years ago. The guy who organised the tour at the time moved back to Liverpool and become a sub-postmaster. When this (the scandal) all came about, he was obviously caught up in it. Years later he got in touch with me, asking if I could write a song for the campaign. Our track, Falling Down, was being released at that time. He heard it and asked if he could use it for the campaign. I think he actually thanked me first, thinking that I’d written it specifically for him! It was a full circle moment, I was more than happy for him to use the track. Honestly, I think it was the universe bringing the right people together. It’s a powerful thing when a song connects in that way.
Do you have any personal connections to the sub-postmaster’ scandal?
Beyond our connection through our friend, no, but I feel the same as so many others - disgusted that no-one has been held accountable, despite gross misconduct being proven. I can’t help feeling that the smaller people suffer so much more. In this instance, they have fought so long for justice that it seems ludicrous. Some have been to jail, lost their families and loved ones even, and no-one higher up the food chain has been put to task…which I would love to see change as part of what we’re doing here.
How has the experience been so far? What’s stood out to you?
It’s great to be part of this movement, some of the stories are incredibly sad. It’s important to remember that amongst all the showbiz here, these are real stories, real lives. Some postmasters came to my solo shows at the end of last year and sang with me onstage. That was pretty cool. A lovely moment. Powerful.
How has the experience been of working with the team at Britain’s Got Talent? When can we expect to see you and the choir on our screens again?
It’s all been very hush hush in the build-up. We had to keep it under our hats for so long, which was very difficult! We got four yes’s at the audition, as you saw. Simon Cowell defended the
sub-postmasters, saying he hopes we go far and raise awareness of the injustice. Ultimately that’s all that matters. As for when we’ll next be on… that depends how far we get on the show! Keep watching and supporting please!
What do you hope audiences will take away from seeing you perform with the choir on Britain’s Got Talent?
Above all else, I hope it will raise awareness for the sub-postmasters, and also hopefully they will enjoy a killer performance! They will love it I’m sure! Of course I also hope some of them get introduced to our work at Will And The People, and maybe listen to a song or two! Music has always had the power to bring people together.
How do you see your role as a musician in addressing social issues?
I see it as exactly that. Bringing people together is what the role is. Music can do many things and it’s wonderful to create something that resonates on that level with people. Even better when they resonate with your music on their own level, completely theirs, and interpret it as they see fit.
How can people follow and support you?
For real, all support matters! We’ll be posting updates on our social media as we go through this journey with the sub-postmasters. Make sure to follow and share! Come to a live show! That’s where the magic really happens. Stream our music and share our songs, especially Falling Down. To have you listening to us is the greatest gift I could ask for.
What’s next for you creatively after this project?
We (Will And The People) will be making a new album this year and touring. I would like to rerelease Falling Down and get it to number 1, so we can raise money for the sub-postmasters and their families. That would be f****** cool. We have been doing this so long now and come against so many hurdles, any way of making an impact that’s real is what we want to do. This is my life and always will be. We’re not going anywhere! Just look out for Will And The People and I hope you’ll come to a show soon!
Where can people go to learn more and get tickets?
Go to our website www.willandthepeople. co.uk/tour and look there. We have a tour in March, in Europe, and lots more local shows to announce soon to so stay tuned!
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Your Home, Our Passion.
Caroline Osella
Who Did You Think You WereCli Richard?
“Want a lift to our interview?“ “No, I’ll walk, thanks”.
I’m meeting Cassie who worked as a hospital social worker, taking part in discharge meetings as part of a team making decisions about capacity and deprivation of liberty (DOLS assessments*), working mostly with older people with dementia or physical issues. I ask her, “What’s the main issue?”
“So many people say - ‘I never thought this would happen’ having not made any plans. They’ve avoided the inevitable ageing, holding onto the illusion that things would keep going forever.”
“Sudden change happens: an illness, a broken hip - and it comes as a shock. Too many people are not prepared for the fact that one day going upstairs, doing the shopping or having a bath might become a problem.”
I nod. The avoid and deny tactic. People don’t realise that things aren’t always their decision. Hospitals have a duty of care and won’t release you home if you’re assessed as lacking capacity. You can legally be deprived of your liberty for your own safety*.
“What’s the daftest thing you’ve heard or seen?”
She grins -
“Something I heard a lot - people who looked at me and used to say - ‘Don’t get old’ ”
“Right. As if it’s unexpected or unusual”.
Cassie frowns -
“There’s a lack of preparation for ageing. It’s a big job, getting older”.
And problems compound because,
“When you get a huge blow to health, the last thing you want is to leave a home that you loved”.
She’s thoughtful -
“People who’ve lived a long time with chronic illness or disability are often better prepared. I saw a client with MS. She had carers morning and night to help her wash and dress. During the day, she went out and about in her wheelchair, lived a full life. She coped better than a lot of people who’ve always been healthy - often thinking their life is over when they break their hip. People often give up”.
“Mmm - there’s often pride and shame involved. Ego. People hide indoors. What other common things have you seen?”
“Well, cases where the husband or wife had done
everything and left the partner unequipped for daily life”.
I’m nodding“I’ve seen this, yes! A family house with electric window blinds that only one person knew how to operate - and he would never show anyone else. When he died, those blinds stayed up till the house was sold (apart from the two that were stuck closed)”.
Cassie smiles grimly. “It’s common”. Widowed men who can’t cook, women who can’t change a plug.
I ask, “More?”
We need to think about it and not avoid it. We’re all getting older, and I’m keen to pick up advice.
“People can expect that their family should do everything. We used to get caught in the middle. We’d say, ‘Is there anyone at home to care for you?’ and the hospitalised person would say, ‘Oh, I’ve got very good next door neighbours’ ”.
We laughs at the thought of asking your neighbour to come in and wipe your bum!
“So often, we’d hear, ‘My daughter will do it’ , then we’d speak to the daughter who’d say, ‘Please get us help! We can’t manage!’”
“Adult children often want social services to explain to the elders that it’s not feasible or reasonable to expect ever increasing levels of support.”
She tells me, “There’s a lot of guilt and expectation - some outdated ideas about women’s duty’. But a LOT of misery comes out of that situation. When you pay a carer, they’re trained and there’s no emotional complication”.
I get what she’s saying - I’ve witnessed that one: exhaustion, unreasonable demands, manipulations, the neglected own home and family, burnout and sibling resentments about who does what. Cassie thinks of another too-common attitude. “When we ask about paying for care people say, ‘I’m saving it for a rainy day”. I’d have to explain - ‘Well, it’s raining, right now’.”
I ask,
“Seeing these situations so often, how has that affected you?”
“I’ve taken this on in my retirement and prepared my home for my old age. A ground floor flat with walk-in shower. I eat sensibly. I look after my skin.”
She continues,
“I swim once a week, listen to podcasts, go to a pub quiz to keep my mind healthy. I go to a choir and volunteer. I’ve started to go to Creative Waves**. All these things help. I’ve built a weekly routine with a bit of structure, a bit of please yourself”.
She leans forward, emphatic“I think we have an imperative to keep ourselves out of the hands of the poor beleaguered NHS. It’s a big job, getting older”.
“So, looking after ourselves and making realistic preparations IS our job, when we retire”.
“No rest for the wicked then, eh?”
“You have to build mobility and movement into your lifestyle, not take the attitude, ‘I’ve worked, so now I can do whatever I want’. Mobility is personal and different for us all. If you’re doing energetic housework daily, this might be your place for building activity; if you like outdoors, maybe it’s gardening. Find things you enjoy. Be conscious about your body - don’t slouch in front of telly, don’t stagger from front door to car. Walk, move, watch your posture”.
“Yeah, I know people practice standing on one leg while doing the washing up - squats when going down to a low cupboard? Makes sense, Keep that frailty score*** low as you can get it”
If you’re in hospital because you broke a bone, you can’t be discharged unless you can manage at home - far more likely if you were fit and mobile to start with.
“What’s your main big bit of advice?”
“Don’t think it won’t happen to you! Age makes you vulnerable. When illness hits, it hits hard and is hard to get over. Don’t chase youth, but take care of your health and keep yourself in good condition”.
“So many people would say, ‘I never thought this would happen to me’, and I’d think to myself, “Who did you think you are? Cliff Richard?”
We’re all ageing from the minute we’re born. Even me. Even you.
The Crisis of Youth Facilities and Mental Health Services
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.
As my GCSE Citizenship course comes to an end, we have been assigned a Citizenship Action Project. This involves creating materials such as presentations and leaflets to educate younger students, typically those in Year 7 or Year 8, about an important issue. My group chose to focus on raising awareness about youth facilities, with a particular emphasis on mental health services. Through this project, I have come to realise just how serious and widespread this issue is, both locally and nationally.
Over the years, youth facilities have declined, and mental health services have become increasingly difficult to access. This has created a worrying situation where young people struggle to find safe spaces, support, and essential resources for their well-being. Politicians often claim to invest in the next generation, yet the
Matilda Cutting age
16
reality tells a different story. Youth centres are closing, funding is being cut, and the consequences are severe.
Youth centres, sports clubs, and community hubs once provided young people with opportunities to develop skills, form friendships, and stay out of trouble. However, budget cuts and changing government priorities have led to widespread closures. In many areas, teenagers have nowhere to go, leaving them vulnerable to unsafe or unproductive alternatives.
For those in disadvantaged areas, this lack of support is even more severe. Without access to community programmes, sports clubs, or creative activities, many young people are at greater risk of crime, violence, and substance abuse. Instead of investing in preventative measures, resources are often redirected towards reactive responses, further alienating youth rather than guiding them towards positive opportunities.
In addition to the decline in youth facilities, mental health services remain critically underfunded. Young people today face immense pressure from academic expectations, social media, and future uncertainty. Despite growing awareness of mental health, barriers such as long waiting lists, high costs, and a lack of trained professionals prevent many from getting the support they need.
While improving access to mental health services is essential, prevention and awareness are equally important. Schools play a key role in shaping young people’s understanding of mental wellbeing, yet mental health education is often too basic or completely absent. Beyond discussing stress and anxiety, students should be taught about nutrition, sleep, and the impact of excessive screen time. Providing young people with practical strategies to manage their well-being would help prevent mental health struggles before they escalate.
The solution is clear: governments and local authorities must prioritise the wellbeing of young people. This means funding youth centres, expanding access to professional mental health support, and ensuring that young people’s needs are at the centre of policy decisions. Businesses and community organisations also have a role to play in supporting initiatives that provide mentorship, employment opportunities, and mental health education.
It is time to take action. Do we want to continue watching young people struggle, or do we want to invest in their future? Rather than dealing with the consequences of neglect, society must take meaningful steps to ensure that young people have the resources, support, and opportunities they deserve.
– Daughter of Resident
Haviland House
Haviland House is a purpose-built dementia care home in Goring-by-Sea, near Worthing. Our home is thoughtfully designed into five households, each tailored to a specific stage of dementia, featuring en-suite bedrooms, lounges, and dining areas, creating a warm space where residents and their loved ones feel welcome. Residents enjoy engaging activities, secure gardens and nutritious meals, ensuring comfort, care and quality of life.
• Dedicated dementia care in a purpose-built home
• 24/7 nursing care as standard
• Expert, person-centred support tailored to every need
• A forever home, offering stability,and peace of mind
• Designed across five households, each suited to a particular stage of dementia
Founded 1944
Goring Residents’ Association Update
Committee member, Christopher Nevell writes:
With the weather getting milder and the evenings lighter, I recently stepped out after work to walk from one side of Goring to the other.
There are different ways to do this and starting at Sea Lane Café, I chose northwards, passing St Mary’s Church and over the bridge at Goring station to return to the very familiar roads from my past around Goring Green. I then walked along the Strand to Field Place before going back along Shaftesbury Avenue and then past Courtlands to my starting point.
Goring is made up of many neighbourhoods built in different decades and the newly built Elizabeth Square adds another. However, for many centuries, Goring was little larger than the cottages near St Mary’s, and across to the Bull Inn. History fascinates many of us, as we found with our most recent event which was a visual presentation of local days gone by. We have also been approached by local historian, and regular Inside contributor, Chris Hare, who is looking to update his walking guide of Goring. We made some suggestions for inclusion. The pull of wanting to know the roots of our families and the places we live is a constant attraction. We shall return to other history later in the year with a talk on the much further afield Hampton Court after our AGM on September 25, by historian and curator, Sarah Parker.
However, before then is a complete change in pace with our upcoming Race Night on Thursday, June 19 at St Mary’s Hall, Ilex Way. There’s a fish and chip supper provided and a licenced bar, all in aid of St Barnabas House, our local hospice. Doors open at 7:45 for an 8:00pm start. This, and some other events in the membership period from June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026 have discounted entry for members. £12 entry instead of £14 for this entertaining evening, including dinner, to support the hospice.
JOINING THE GRA
Joining us is easy, with fees kept low at £2 membership for individuals or £4 maximum for everyone in your home in Goring. Visit goringresidents.org.uk for more details. The membership fee supports the work of the Association and its ability to maintain, improve and protect the amenities of Goring as well as maintaining our website. Profits from our events are donated to local charities.
For existing members, renewals can now be paid for online via our website. We would urge you to do this prior to the start of the new subscription year on June 1. After this, our network of road wardens (to whom we are forever grateful for), will start their collection rounds for those not online. New members are always welcome to join us at any time.
CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY CLEANING
At Home Care by Guild Care, the focus is not just on providing support but on ensuring each person feels valued, respected, and genuinely cared for.
The experiences of Brenda, who receives support, and Sarah, one of the dedicated Home Care assistants, show how the service goes beyond practical help to provide warmth, companionship, and a real sense of connection.
Brenda turned to Home Care after a fall left her struggling with daily tasks. “My children wanted the best for me, so one of them did some research and liked the fact that Guild Care was a charity,” she recalls. “Since then, I’ve heard we made a wise choice.”
The swift response from Guild Care ensured Brenda had the support she needed within two days. The support she receives includes help with getting dressed and undressed, bathing, and everyday household tasks such as washing up and
The Heart of Home Care: A Person-Centred Approach at Guild Care
taking out the recycling which became difficult.
“It helps me keep on top of things,” she explains. “I look forward to their visits because I can feel more human again, getting washed and dressed, which is important - and they make you feel you are important, which is important too.”
The care she has received has made a real difference to Brenda’s life. “I’ve been very, very happy,” she adds. “They’re all like Sarah, they’re all so lovely. It’s so personal.”
Sarah, a Home Care assistant, has a longstanding connection with Guild Care. Having first joined 24 years ago, she returned two years ago attracted back by the organisation’s values and its support for staff as well as clients. Guild Care
provides regular training on everything from safeguarding to nutrition to ensure Sarah and her colleagues can carry out their work safely with thoughtful, personalised care.
“I enjoy seeing people in their own properties, surrounded by their own things, their memories,” says Sarah. “It’s something to chat about together and sometimes it feels like visiting a friend.”
Brenda encourages anyone considering Home Care to get in touch with Guild Care. “I would suggest they phone Guild Care and ask them to come and see them,” she says. “You can discuss what you think you need and find out what’s right for you.”
For more information about Home Care, call the team on 01903 528637, visit their showroom in Portland Road, Worthing, or find out more online at Home Care service in Worthing.
‘Paws for Wellbeing’ with Miss May
This month Miss May focuses on the wellbeing theme of resilience and how it can support us through tough times. We’ll also meet “PERMAH Pup of the Month”, George, thank you to Tash for sharing their story.
In February, Miss May was invited to be VIP (Pooch) leading Turning Tides sponsored dog walk around Brooklands Park as a raise money for this important charity. Turning Tides is the biggest provider of services for single homeless people in West Sussex.
BUILDING RESILIENCE
The relationship between homelessness and mental and physical ill health are complex. Both can be contributory factors of homelessness and also outcomes from being without a home. Without doubt both those who face these challenges (and those who support them) need resilience to support and sustain their wellbeing.
There are two distinct but complementary approaches to resilience:
1. Rugged Resilience – The inner toughness to endure hardship, persist through challenges, and stay strong despite adversity. It emphasizes individual grit, self-reliance, and determination.
• Mental Toughness – Practicing selfaffirmation and reminding yourself that your situation does not define you.
• Emotional Regulation – Managing stress through breathing techniques, journaling, or savouring moments of peace.
• Self-Reliance – Recognising your own strength and problem-solving abilities while being realistic about challenges.
2. Resourceful Resilience – The ability to adapt, seek help, and use available resources to overcome difficulties. It focuses on flexibility, problem-solving, and collaboration.
• Using Available Resources –
° Contacting shelters, food banks, and community aid programs.
° Researching low-income housing programs or transitional housing.
° Seeking mental health or addiction support.
• Building Support Networks –
° Connecting with caseworkers, social workers, or non-profit organisations.
° Finding supportive communities, whether in faith groups, recovery groups, or local outreach programs.
• Developing Survival Skills & Future Planning –
° Learning skills that can lead to job opportunities.
° Finding temporary work, gig economy jobs, or supportive social enterprises.
DOGS AND WELLBEING
Turning Tides dog walk organiser and community fundraiser, Sue Harris, talked about how dogs can provide powerful ways to build rugged and resourceful resilience in homeless people This is by enhancing emotional and mental health through unconditional love and companionship, reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation. Dogs can also provide safety and protection, alerting their owners to danger and threats. Caring for a dog creates a sense of purpose, responsibility and routine which can be both grounding and motivating, and, of course, dogs encouraging positive interactions making it easier to connect with other people and make friends.
The wellbeing of the dogs is also very important. Turning Tides supports this through a very special partnership with another award winning charity StreetVet, which provides free veterinary care to the pets of individuals experiencing homelessness. This ensures that residents at the Roffey Place Hostel do not have to part with their pets, acknowledging both the therapeutic importance of these canine companionships and the care of the dogs 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
PERMAH PUP OF THE MONTH –MEET GEORGE!
In May 2024, 8 week old George arrived home with us. It had been a spur of the moment decision to go and see a litter of cockapoo pups. The calmest of the litter fell asleep on both my sons Daniel and Josh’s laps, and that was us sold. George had chosen us!
Two weeks after we got him, I was exhausted and experiencing the “puppy blues”, when it can all feel a bit overwhelming! Puppies aren’t easy, but that soon passed and now, 10 months later, we wouldn’t be without him.
George gives so much love and has a very calming effect on us all. He seems to sense when he is needed close by. George is always overjoyed to see us if one of us has been out. My eldest son works late and George seems to know when he is due home and is on high alert, waiting to hear the front door open, ready to have evening play and cuddles.
I love long walks with George on Cissbury and the headspace this gives me. He has made me appreciate even more the amazing location we live in, and I enjoy meeting and chatting with people on our walks across the fields. I am so grateful to have George in our lives. I have never had a pet and did not understand the unconditional love that they bring or the connection that is formed between dogs and their humans. I certainly do now.
Tash Wood from Findon Valley
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/ Turning Tides: https://www.turning-tides.org.uk/ StreetVet: https://www.streetvet.co.uk/
Miss May at the Turning Tides sponsored walk
NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME INSIDE ⚪ ⚪
National Garden Scheme
Enjoy a gentle stroll around beautiful gardens, filled with Spring colour. Enjoy home-made teas and support thousands of people who live with health conditions such as cancer or Parkinson’s this April. With record donations in 2024 the power of gardens and garden visits for good causes is evident. 2024 was another landmark year for the National Garden Scheme with the charity donating a record £3,501,227 from the 2024 garden opening season. 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 the nurses, health professionals and case workers who support them. Our funding has also provided support to those in the Gardens and Health sector along with Community Gardens and supported gardeners through traineeships.
Nine beautiful West Sussex NGS gardens will be opening their gates for charity this April.
PEELERS RETREAT, ARUNDEL
Saturday 5, Tuesday 15, Saturday 19, Tuesday 29 April 2:00pm-5:00pm
This inspirational space is a delight with permanent gazebos and comfortable seating to sit and relax, enjoying delicious teas. When cold we light the fire for our guests. Interlocking beds packed with year-round colour and scent, shaded by specimen trees, inventive water features and a range of quirky woodland sculptures.
THE OLD VICARAGE, WASHINGTON
Every Thursday in April 10:00am-4:00pm prebooking essential. Monday, April 21, 10:00am4:00pm
Gardens of 3½ acres set around 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.
RYMANS, APULDRAM
Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 April 2:00pm-5:00pm Walled and other gardens surrounding C15 stone house (not open). Featuring bulbs, flowering shrubs, Roses, ponds, and potager, and many unusual and rare trees and shrubs. In late spring the Wisterias are spectacular. Hybrid musk Roses
National Garden Scheme gardens filled with bright yellow daffodils and whole host of other joyful spring bulbs and plants bring hope for brighter days ahead.
fill the walled garden in June and in late summer the garden is filled with dahlias, sedums, late roses, sages and Japanese anemones.
SANDHILL FARM HOUSE, ROGATE
Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 April 1:00pm-4:00pm. Front and rear gardens broken up into garden rooms inc. 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. Rear garden has Rose borders, small decorative vegetable garden, red border and grasses border.
NEWTIMBER PLACE, NEWTIMBER
Sunday 13 April 2:00pm-5:30pm
Beautiful C17 moated house (not open). Gardens and woods full of bulbs and wild flowers in spring. Herbaceous border and lawns. Moat flanked by water plants. Mature trees, wild garden, ducks, and fish.
JUDY’S COTTAGE GARDEN, WORTHING
Friday 18 April 10:30am-3:30pm
A beautiful medium sized cottage garden an all year-round appeal. The garden has several mature trees creating a feeling of seclusion. The informal beds contain a mixture of shrubs, perennials, cottage garden plants and spring bulbs. There are little hidden areas to enjoy, a small fish pond and other water features. There is also a pretty log cabin overlooking the garden.
FITTLEWORTH HOUSE
Wednesday 23 and 30 April, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Three acre tranquil, romantic, country garden with walled kitchen garden growing a wide range of fruit, vegetables and flowers inc. a large collection of Dahlias. Large glasshouse and old potting shed, mixed flower borders, Roses, Rhododendrons and lawns. Magnificent 115ft tall Cedar overlooks Wisteria covered Grade II listed Georgian house (not open). Wild garden, long grass areas and stream.
DENMANS GARDEN, FONTWELL
Sunday 27 April, 11:00am-4:00pm pre-booking essential
Created by Joyce Robinson, a horticulturalist and pioneer in gravel gardening and former home of influential landscape designer, John Brookes MBE. Denmans is a Grade II registered post-war garden renowned for its curvilinear layout and complex plantings. Year-round colour, unusual plants, structure and fragrance in the gravel gardens, faux riverbeds, intimate walled garden, ponds and conservatory.
MANOR OF DEAN, TILLINGTON
Sunday 27 Apri,l 2:00pm-5:00pm
Approx three acres of traditional English garden with extensive views of the South Downs. Herbaceous borders, early spring bulbs, bluebell woodland walk, walled kitchen garden with fruit, vegetables and cutting flowers. N.B. under long term programme of restoration, some parts of the garden may be affected.
To find out more about the gardens, learn more about the National Garden Scheme or find out how to open your own garden, visit www.ngs.org.uk
Image Leigh Clapp
Image James Walters
Ghostly Worthing
Historians don’t tend to write about ghosts. I rather suspect that any undergraduate or postgraduate who told their tutor that they wanted to write a dissertation about ghosts would receive short-shrift; although with the recent emergence of ‘emotional history’, things might be about to change. After all, you don’t have to believe in ghosts to acknowledge the impact that hauntings and other supernatural occurrences can have on people and communities.
Spectral History – if we can call it that, dates back as far as written records survive. King Saul of Israel, three thousand years ago, approached the Witch of Endor to summon from the dead the spirit of the prophet Samuel. Not that it did him much good, as shortly afterwards, Saul was slaughtered in battle by his enemies: a warning not to dabble with occult practices.
This month, I am going to consider some ghostly encounters in Worthing.
These are not hauntings of the type that can be considered folklore - where a belief is passed downs across the decades and the generations, such as the grey lady that is said to haunt the Connaught Theatre, or the blue man who is claimed to be searching for books in the library at Arundel Castle: the events I am going to relate have been told to me by people who actually experienced them. Moreover, they are incidents that were seen and reported by two or more people at the same time, which tends to mitigate against the
possibility of delusion or fabrication.
For several years I had an office in Liverpool Terrace, which was built two hundred years ago. It is one of Worthing’s most imposing heritage landmarks. There were four floors, and my office was right at the top of the building. The rest of the building was used as offices by an online estate agency. A solicitor worked in the basement and had his own separate entrance. I would not describe anyone who worked in the building as being dreamy or in any way ethereal, on the contrary they were diligent, hard-working and practical folk, not inclined to flights of fancy.
Over a period of three or four years, the following incidents were reported by people who worked in the building. Two men working together late one evening were rather astonished to hear the sound of many feet running up the stairs. Thinking that one of their colleagues had left the front door open, they rushed to the landing, the thundering sound of many feet were coming towards them but no people were to be seen, instead a bluish light passed between them and then vanished and the noise of feet stopped as suddenly as it had started.
The managing director of the company had a similar experience when setting the burglar alarm in the vestibule behind the front door. A coloured light passed before him and then disappeared through wall into the property next door. Not all these strange happenings took place in the evening, although – from memory – most did all take place during the autumn or winter. In the communal kitchen the sound of children singing musical scales was heard.
Perhaps the most disturbing incident took place in the kitchen. The main window was of the old sash design. It was very stiff to pull down, or pull up, and required considerable strength to move it in either direction. One day the window was open and a member of staff was making a cup of tea. As she looked out of the window, to her utter amazement, the window slowly closed, smoothly and with no juddering, as if it were an electric window in a car. She was astonished and not a little disturbed. When other members of staff tried closing or opening the window it was as difficult to move as ever.
I was asked if I could find something out about the history of the building. With the help of my friend and expert
Chris Hare
Midsummer Tree, Broadwater, 2022
researcher, Phil Wood, we discovered that the building had been in use as a girls’ school in the late Victorian period. Could this explain the running on the stairs or the unearthly infant singing? Interestingly, when an upstairs corridor that linked to the adjoining property was bricked up, all the unexplained occurrences ceased.
Christ Church in Grafton Road, Worthing, can hardly be described as being isolated, nor is it shaded by great tall trees, casting deep shadows. At night it is well lit by street lighting. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, a prominent townsman, and his wife, well known in business, lived close by. The couple became mayor and mayoress of Worthing respectively during these years. One evening, returning home late, they both clearly observed a couple, dressed in the style of the Victorian era, pass across the road in front of them and then walk straight through the wall that surrounds the churchyard. Once they had passed through the solid wall, they vanished. On close inspection, it could be seen that the apparitions had passed through the wall at the very point where there used to be an entrance, as evidenced by the different hue of the mortar at this point.
About ten years ago I was giving a talk on the subject of folklore to the Women’s Institute in a village in the South Downs. After the talk, the chairwoman, who struck me as being totally level-headed, told me of an incident that had happened to her and her daughter some years earlier. They had both been to see a play at the Chichester Festival Theatre, and were driving home to their village, first along the A27, then turning into A29. On passing by Madehurst, where the dual carriageway becomes a single lane, a figure suddenly stepped out from a hedge and into the road. The woman slammed on the breaks, but knowing it would be impossible not to hit the figure. The car skidded to a halt. The two women got out. There was no sign of impact. No stricken body on the road. No person running away in the distance. No sound at all. When they looked at the hedge it was dense with no opening for a footpath. Both women were certain of what they had seen.
Hilaire Belloc, who lived most of his life in Sussex and knew Worthing well, cheekily references the town in his 1912 classic, The Four Men. He describes a fearful ghost that haunted a house at Dial Post. After many unsuccessful attempts, the poor spirit was exorcised to “haunt the Marine Parade at Worthing, where no one would notice him.” Yet, despite this jocular riposte to a town once known as ‘God’s waiting room,’ Belloc, despite his great learning and intellectual achievements, was a man who nonetheless took for granted the existence of the supernatural.
On one occasion he was alone with just
his secretary, Bonnie Soames in a country house, dictating one of his books as she attempted to write down all he had to say. The owners of the house had gone out for the day to give Belloc time and space to finish his work. As the afternoon wore on, Miss Soames became aware of the sound of a child crying. The crying became louder and louder. Eventually she felt compelled to interrupt Belloc in full flow and with some fear in her voice, suggested that the sound they were hearing was not of this world, but spectral. A search of neighbouring rooms and the garden revealed no living child in torment: only in the library could the unearthly sounds be heard. Belloc, taking it all in his stride, and fully accepting the reality of what was happening, agreed that the sounds were indeed spectral, and added, “I don’t think there is anything we can do about this,” and simply resumed dictating, as if the sound around them was
of no more consequence than a passing thunderstorm.
Perhaps Worthing’s most famous apparitions - although no one has seen them for many, many years - are the skeletons that were said to arise from Broadwater’s Midsummer Tree at midnight on June 23, Midsummer Eve. Given that today the tree stands by Offington Roundabout, at the junction of the A24 and A27, with rumbling lorries and all-night street lighting to contend with, it is hardly surprising that our modern spectres have scared off the spectres of old! It was all very different in Victorian times, when Charlotte Latham compiled her ground-breaking survey of West Sussex folklore, Some West Sussex Superstitions Lingering in 1868.
Let me conclude with her account of the tree that she remembered from her young days as a governess in Worthing, that she “used, in days gone by, to gaze at with an uncomfortable and suspicious look from having heard that always on Midsummer Eve, just at midnight, a number of skeletons started up from its roots, and joining hands, danced round it till cock-crow, and then as suddenly sank down again.” Despite the passage of over 40 years, she still found people who claimed to have seen this extraordinary dance of the dead, including: “one young man in particular was named to me who, having been detained at Findon by business till very late, and forgetting that it was Midsummer Eve had been frightened (no difficult matter we may suspect) out of his very senses by seeing the dead men capering to the rattling of their own bones.”
I wonder if readers have ghost stories or strange encounters of their own that they might like to share?
On April 1, I am giving an online talk to the Folklore Society about the Sussex folk-song collector, Lucy Broadwood, who was fascinated by the paranormal and claimed to have ‘second sight.’ www.folklore-society.com/events/
Hilaire Belloc
Victorian ghost
7 Liverpool Terrace
Part One: The Perfect Cup –setting up a DIY coffee experiment
Well hello and welcome back to another edition of Inside the Real Repair Shop. I should probably rename this section of Inside now as it doesn’t really cover repair issues at the moment, but please bear with me, normal service will resume at some point.
Following ‘Sausage Fest’ last year, the Editor’s inbox almost received some feedback on the article, so this time, we decided to up the ante a little and discover if anyone is actually reading these articles. After consulting with a colleague on the matter, this time we decided that the best way forward was to chose a subject on which almost everyone has an opinion, and one which they are right beyond any doubt. No, I’m not talking about whether or not Britain should rejoin the EU, I’m talking about coffee.
COFFEE NOT SHOPS
My regular readers will know that I grew up in the 1980s, when Neighbours was on tele just before the News at 6, there was lead in petrol and the high street had actual shops you could buy things in. Imagine, eh? Coffee establishments at every turn came much later, starting to appear in the late 1990s and have since come to dominate towns across the UK. Indeed, a quick ChatGPT enquiry suggests that in Worthing alone, there are over 55 cafes and coffee shops, compared to just 53 pubs - many of which will serve you a cheeky Americano, if you ask nicely.
So, with all of this in mind, it seemed sensible to delve a little deeper into the subject. I’ll leave documenting the history and changes on the high street to my colleague (and proper author!) Chris Hare. For me, what I’m really interested in is this; What makes the best cup of coffee and what’s the best machine to make it in? Something I’m sure that anyone still reading this will have an opinion on.
To give this article some underpinning and maybe kudos, I needed to enlist an expert on the matter, someone who could guide me through the myriad of blends, machines and techniques and provide an experienced view on how to get the best brew. I discovered that there are lots of people out there claiming to be ‘caficionados’ but I needed someone who has lived and breathed the subject over a lifetime. It’s just as well that Liana (thanks Ed.) has a little black book of contacts, and after just one phone call, she soon came to the rescue.
THE EXPERT
Enter Paul Ramsey, founder of Domluca Coffee, based in Chichester, West Sussex. After a few texts, I called Paul to pitch the crazy idea of a ‘coffee appreciationworkshop-thing’ to him. I’ll be frank, and say that it quickly became apparent that I didn’t have a clue about where to start, and we agreed to just meet up, over a coffee of course, to do a mini coffeemaking and tasting experiment. I say experiment, as it wasn’t exactly scientific in the end. But before we get into all that, let’s meet Paul over a little interview.
Matt Marchant
THE INTERVIEW
Matt: Paul, you’ve been working in the coffee industry for over 38 years, how did you get started?
Paul: I’ve worked for all the major coffee brands in sales and product management. Covering all aspects of the market including buying, blending and making coffee for trade and retail customers. I started Domluca in 2006 and now serve customers all over the UK, including Worthing.
Matt: Domluca sounds quite like an Italian name, is the company named after a special exotic coffee?
Paul: No (grins) I named the company after my two sons, Dominic and Luke. It’s a unique name in coffee circles. Easy to Google!
Matt: I’ve briefly had a look at your website (domluca.co.uk) where you suggest to be a one-stop shop for all things coffee. How do you cover the art of coffee making?
Paul: Having spent a lifetime working for most of the major high street brands including Costa and Starbucks, and other associated suppliers such as Melita and Sanyo, I’ve learned a thing or two about the subject. I was the first UK sales distributor for Sanyo machines into all the major chains, introducing high-quality Japanese coffee technology to the UK, in a market traditionally dominated by European manufacturers. I’ve worked with coffee blenders and suppliers of all of the associated equipment and paraphernalia over the years, which means that Domluca can offer a one-stop shop to our customers.
Matt: Do you think there is such a thing as the ‘perfect cup of coffee’?
Paul: No, not at all! It’s an art, there are so many variations and techniques, it’s almost impossible to say.
Matt: You’re being modest and this might be quite a short experiment then (smiles)! I’m sure that you must have a few tricks of the trade that you’re willing to share?
Paul: There are a few critical factors to consider when embarking on the perfect cup. The grind size is crucial because it determines how long the water mixes with the coffee grounds, which in turn influences how the flavours and oils transfer to affect flavour. There are loads of machines and gizmos out there and each will require a specific type of coffee blend and grind, to get the best results. It’s import to understand the type of machine you have and how it performs best.
Matt: I do love a good quality machine with knobs and whistles and I see that you’ve brought along a selection of what appear to be commercial quality products.
Paul: The machine I have here is Italian and is called an Orchestrale ‘Nota’, a professional coffee maker. I sell these to serious home coffee enthusiasts and small shops. It has a three-litre tank boiler with rotary pump, so it can achieve consistent temperature at very high pressure, the sort of thing you only really find in professional coffee shops. I’ve also brought along two coffee grinders to show how different grind sizes can be achieved.
Matt: I have machine envy now. I want one. I’m very pleased to see that it (talking about the Nota) doesn’t have a daft touch screen, Wifi connectivity or USB socket. It appears to be a repairable product (good thing), is it?
Paul: The machine is fullyserviceable and the manufacturer in this case can supply all the service and repair parts to keep it working. It’s expensive compared to a domestic machine, but it’s built to a high specification and will keep performing well for many years. It’s horses for courses.
some coffee to try too. I look forward to working on this ‘experiment’ with you.
The scene was now set for the experiment. We would grind the perfect (or close to it) coffee tailored to the machines and gadgets we had on the day. We would, of course, consider the resulting taste but also look at value, ongoing costs and convenience, and attempt a few conclusions along the way to add to the wealth of human knowledge.
Paul, Liana and I then made and drank lots of cups of coffee over the course of a morning using contraptions to suit every taste and budget. I can confirm that this was nearly a week ago, and my sleep patterns have only just returned to something copacetic.
Join me again next month in Part Two where I reveal how we got on; what machines and blends worked best, and what was best avoided. By then I might have convinced Liana to do a small giveaway with me, so stay tuned.
Footnote: Despite being a hoarder of various machines, some might say tat, I don’t own all the coffee makers featured in this article. While thanks go to Paul Ramsey for his help throughout, special thanks also go to several people at work who inspired, loaned or gave me coffee gadgets for this article (you know who you are ).
Thanks, Paul, for coming along today with your machines and expertise and I see that you’ve also brought along
fixitworkshop.co.uk
X @fix_it_workshop
Insta @repairyourthings
Email fixitworkshop@btinternet.com
What can you do to help and celebrate our beautiful planet earth?
By Tanwen Morgan
On Tuesday, April 22, it’s Earth Day, a day to come together and celebrate our beautiful planet. As a community we have such power to change our local area for the better and Earth Day highlights the importance of collective action. The first Earth Day was launched in 1970 and has grown year on year, now mobilising a billion people annually across 192 countries. Hearing this number brings me comfort; a billion people engaging in this day of action shows there are so many already doing brilliant things!
This year, Earth Day is celebrating its 55th birthday, and here are just a few of their successes:
• The Canopy Project - hundreds of millions of trees have been planted in areas most in need of reforestation
• The Great Global Clean Up - over 36 million people took part in litter picks worldwide
• Farmers for Earth - a network for farmers to learn about sustainable agriculture and funding sources for switching methods
•
Making our planet a better place requires all sorts of people taking action. Finding your place within that can be hugely rewarding. Collective action has been powerful throughout history with people power being a catalyst for the Suffragette Movement, the end of Apartheid and the amazing community spirit during the Covid pandemic (to mention a few). As one person it can feel like we don’t know where to begin, or perhaps we have many ideas but don’t feel they will take hold, but by working together we can make a difference. Our voices as a collective are much stronger than alone and with the many brains and bodies in Worthing we are able to take action and have impact in our local community. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and feel a sense of belonging, while we can also influence change through our consumer behaviour and everyday actions.
Despite this message of collective action, it doesn’t take away the need for wider change, nor does it negate the impact of multinational corporations and governments who are responsible for the vast majority of carbon emissions. However, climate science shows that people and communities can directly deliver 25-27% of the changes needed by 2030 to avoid ecological breakdown (see this report https://takethejump.org/ the-science). For me, this is hopeful as it is something within our grasp, that we, as people in Worthing, have the opportunity to act on; caring for our planet, ourselves and our community.
What actions could you take as a step in the right direction?
1. Consider what you consume - could you cut back on buying new clothes and look for secondhand alternatives or swap items with friends and family? Could you bring a reusable bag, bottle or coffee cup when leaving the house? Could you put off buying the next bit of tech by repairing or living longer with your initial item?
2. Make your local area greener - could you reach out to Trees for Streets (who have a partnership with Worthing Borough Council) to sponsor the planting of new trees on your street or local park? Could you turn even the most tiny of spaces into a greener space - window boxes, balcony
planting, shrubs or plants in the garden? Could you join a community group to learn how to plant (see the Greenspaces section on the Transition Town Worthing page)?
3. Build up your local communitycould you apply to the Play Streets scheme (the council webpage has an application form to close down your street for a few hours of outdoor play on your road)? Could you hold a tea and coffee morning for some of your neighbours or organise a meet up in the park as the weather gets warmer?
4. Join us at CREW - Could you come to our social on the first Monday of the month at Toad in the Hole between 6-8? Could you lend your hand to any of our projects - transport, food, ‘re’ or youth engagement?
How are CREW encouraging collective action with young people?
CREW’s youth outreach programme exists to empower and engage young people in climate action. A recent survey, Gen Z: Trends, Truth and Trust by Channel 4, found that 52% of the 13-27 year olds surveyed, thought that a “strong leader unbound by elections or parliament” was the best way for the UK to be run. This shocking statistic highlights how important it is for communities to model working together so that young people see the power of community action for the betterment of us all. If this is how (some) young people feel, us adults need to do better. By empowering young people, giving them a voice and a platform to make a positive difference to their community and the environment we hope not only to see benefits for those individuals but
also for wider Worthing. For the last year CREW have run sessions in schools and with local youth groups and we’re keen to work with as many people as possible. From workshops about plastic waste, to discussing endangered species, the causes of climate change and beginning (!) to learn to grow food. Many schools are already doing fantastic things and all young people deserve to learn the skills needed to thrive in an ever changing world. If you have relevant skills or would like to support this project please do contact us.
This Earth Day, CREW is hoping to plant
a tree(s!) with school children. For children to watch the tree through the seasons and across the years will no doubt be incredibly fulfilling while also being symbolic of the power to grow and change the place we live. If you or your business would be interested in donating to CREW or specifically for planting please do consider a donation, include ‘EARTH DAY’ as a reference if you only wish to support the planting by following the QR code.
Find out more about Earth Day at EARTHDAY.ORG or email info@ worthingcrew.co.uk if you would like more information.
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.
Photo Credit - J Thomas on WikimediaCommons
THE GORING AND ILEX CONSERVATION GROUP
Conserving the beauty and present character of Ilex Avenue, the trees in Sea Lane and Goring Gap.
GROUP AGM
A date for your diaries. Our AGM is now booked for Thursday, September 18, commencing at 7:30pm in the Methodist Church Hall, Bury Drive, Goring-by-Sea, BN12 4XB. We are awaiting confirmation of our speaker for the evening and hope to update you in the next issue.
TREES IN TITNORE LANE
There has been some concern in local social media regarding the felling of a large number of trees in the Lane which has left some wondering if this is a precursor to road widening or further development. Although a felling licence was granted in November 2020 for felling, coppicing, thinning and restocking for the Castle Goring Farm, the current tree felling works are nothing to do with this but are part of the WSCC plans to deal with Ash Dieback which focus on a number of areas across the county.
THE PLANTATION AND ILEX AVENUE
18 volunteers attended our recent session and, despite the rain and the cold, all worked diligently. We were grateful to receive more woodchip from the Council, and this was spread over the main pathway. We cleared an area of Brambles and planted 30 of the 50 trees we received in January from the TCV (The Conservation Volunteers) which included Silver Birch; Green Beech; English Oak; Common Alder and Hornbeam. We also cleared other areas of Brambles and undergrowth to allow the spring flowering bulbs to be seen from the main pathway. We hope these flowers can be viewed and enjoyed by visitors to this wonderful woodland. A volunteer cleaned two very dirty notice boards on Amberley Drive, and another volunteer repaired a notice board concerning litter, which had been damaged. We also removed some litter.
Two of our bird boxes have been repaired and a further three composite boxes acquired, which we hope will be more resistant to damage. These have been placed in suitable locations. One of our members has noticed blue tits starting to investigate bird boxes in their garden and we hope that various birds will soon occupy the Plantation boxes.
Ash Dieback, first discovered in Europe in 1992 and confirmed in the UK in 2012, is the worst disease of our native trees since Dutch Elm disease which killed 60 million UK elms during two major epidemics. It is estimated that the disease will kill up to 90% of all ash trees in the UK over the next decade with the accompanying risk of falling trees or branches. There is currently no cure or method of control to prevent it or to protect against it, although some ash trees have been found to tolerate or resist this fungal infection which may be a way forward in the future. Currently, however, trees that have succumbed to Ash Dieback are largely felled.
INCIDENT IN THE PLANTATION
A resident in Aldsworth Avenue was recently woken by a bright light shining from The Plantation. The light was then pointed into a tree, and a shot, possibly from an air gun, heard, followed by a bird falling out of the tree. The police have been informed but please remain vigilant and report anything similar to the police.
Library service centenary
West Sussex Library Service staff took part in a special photo moment to mark their 100th birthday last month. Library staff from across the county posed for a “This is us at 100” series of special photos to create a photographic record of everyone involved in the service at, or as close as possible, to Thursday, February 13, the milestone anniversary.
Our tasks over the coming months will be to plant the remaining trees; remove Brambles and Ivy from around young trees; clean tools and repair or replace, as necessary and removing 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.
Our two-hour sessions are usually held on the second Saturday of each month, meeting off Amberley Drive at the sports field at 10am. The next sessions are April 12, May 10 and June 14. 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. Please wear suitable clothing and footwear. Neither shorts, nor short sleeves, are suitable due to the ever-present brambles. We take a break at 11am for refreshments. Refreshments provided.
Further information can be found on the notice board at the Plantation The website is: www.ilex-conservation-group.co.uk and our e-mail address is: ilex.conservation.info@gmail.com
For more information, please contact our Secretary, Bob Niall Tel: 01903 246118
PPG AWARENESS WEEK: 6th to 9th MAY at the Strand Medical Centre, 1b The Causeway, BN12 6FA
All Strand Medical Centre patients welcome PPG event open times: Tuesday 6th and Thursday 8th from 10am to Midday Wednesday 7th and Friday 9th from 2pm to 4pm
Activities include:
• Getting familiar with Klinik and how to access the NHS APP and online Patients Know Best.
• Opportunity to give valuable feedback to the surgery through the PPG Patient Survey (available at the event)
• Meet members of the Patient Voice (PPG) Committee.
• There will also be CPR demonstrations (times TBC)
Community Transport Sussex
Community Transport Sussex (CTS) plays a vital role in the Worthing area, offering essential Diala-Ride (DAR) services to ensure support for those who need it most. By providing accessible and affordable transport, CTS helps to break down barriers for residents with limited transport options for whatever reason, enabling them to stay connected with their communities.
For many people in Worthing, the DAR service is more than just a way to get from A to B. It’s a lifeline. Whether it’s a trip to a medical appointment, to meet a friend, or a chance to attend a local social group, DAR helps passengers maintain independence and enjoy a better quality of life.
One of our friendly Worthing drivers, shares:
“The best part of my job is seeing how much of a difference a simple trip can make. I’ve had passengers tell me that our service allows them to keep living independently—it’s really rewarding to know you’re making that impact.”
Our passengers include older adults, people with disabilities, and anyone facing transport challenges through mobility or isolation. For many, public transport isn’t an option due to accessibility issues or health concerns, making the reliability and flexibility of DAR invaluable.
We also offer trips for residents in care homes and local groups, this can be for days out to
garden centres to visiting places of interest. Some residents find it hard to be out and about and simply staying on the bus and going for a drive is just as good. We choose scenic routes so the residents can see the seasons change and feel like they too have had a lovely day out.
Our Worthing depot is exploring the possibility of introducing regular shopping trips in 2025. These could provide opportunities for social interaction as well as providing much needed shopping trips
to the larger supermarkets, helping residents stay connected, meet new people all while doing their weekly shop.
If you’re part of a community group, we’d love to hear from you. We’re actively seeking groups interested in arranging regular transport bookings for trips out or transportation to and from local services. By working together, we can help meet the evolving needs of Worthing residents.
For Worthing residents, CTS isn’t just a transport service—it’s a partner in maintaining independence and improving quality of life and being part of your community.
We’re seeking volunteer drivers to help transport our more mobile passengers, using their own vehicles when our fleet is fully booked. You’ll assist people in attending medical appointments, social visits, and group activities—helping them stay connected and independent knowing you’ve made a positive impact on those who can become socially isolated in your community and become part of a team all doing great work together
If you’d like to know more about our services, enquire about group bookings, volunteering opportunities or express interest in future excursion programs, please get in touch with us at suzy@ctsussex.org.uk Together, we can continue making Worthing a community that everyone can access and enjoy.
VE Day Celebration Golf Day
On Thursday 15th May, Care for Veterans’ well-established and highly regarded Golf Day at Ham Manor Golf Club will be back and better than ever - but this time with the added prestige of being partnered with Paul Jones Events, the experts at holding charity golf days.
Teams of 4 will compete on the stunning Harry Colt-designed course at Ham Manor Golf Club. Upon arrival, each player receives a coffee and bacon roll, before going on to play 18 holes of golf. Afterwards, attendees will sit down to a two-course meal in the beautiful manor house. There will be trophies and prizes for the winning teams, as well as an auction led by Compere and Comic Adger Brown.
Paul Jones Events has been hosting prestigious charity golf events at venues like Loch Lomond, Wentworth, and Goodwood, attracting celebrity guests and sporting legends since 2003. With their involvement, those registering can choose to have a sporting celebrity join their game.
With this year being 80 years since VE Day, we’re focused on making sure that this golf day commemorates those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms, by making sure that veterans today receive the help they need when they need it. All proceeds raised will support the care and rehabilitation of disabled ex-service personnel.
Tickets cost £100 per person or £395 when signing up for a full team. To register, head to www.careforveterans.org.uk/golf-day
Henry Parish
Local basketball referee:
“The
pros outweigh the cons”
Issues with abuse towards officials in football are, unfortunately, well known. More shocking though, to read about it in rugby (a sport where everyone must call the ref ‘sir’): the RFU revealed that 49% of match officials surveyed said they were abused in 2022 and 2023.
The effects are far from theoretical.
Cheltenham North Rugby Club President, Paul Balmer, told the RFU last year that declining referee numbers “seriously affect whether games can go ahead”. What was their action? An orange card, developed by womens’ team player, Nathalie Downing. Posters, for both referees and supporters, are placed around the ground, as well as the orange card and a welcome letter in the referees’ changing room. If a supporter, player or coach are caught abusing the referee, the orange card means they are sent away from the sidelines for a stern talk with other supporters, then evicted should they repeat the offence.
Forgive me for starting further afield, but seeing the way this often derided, yet utterly essential sporting group are treated by a minority poses a question: why would you want to referee?
The answer, Daniel Jenner and Josh Clarke tell me across two enlightening conversations, is that refereeing can empower you to become a better person. Both local basketball referees spoke to the idea of confidence, of authority and responsibility. “The pros outweigh the cons”, Clarke tells me, before adding: “Refereeing is great for confidence.” Jenner tells me refereeing develops character. “I love refereeing. It keeps you active, it keeps you involved in the game. Refereeing develops you as a coach and a person. You need confidence and responsibility. You can learn from your mistakes.”
Let me first tell you about both stalwarts of local sport, who both have extensive knowledge either side of the player-official divide. The figures which now helm this community were partly moulded by watching Worthing Bears in the late 1980s and 1990s. Both Daniel and sister Sara, who now owns Worthing Thunder, played for local side Worthing D&D at a very early age. Jenner took over running the club, aged 18, when founder Tim Cutting went off to start a family. Jenner trained to be a referee first, at 16, and continues today.
Clarke tells me he began refereeing aged 14 (the minimum age for basketball referees in
England). What made him pursue that route? “It was just a way to make money to be honest. When you’re 14, you keep asking, ‘when can I get a job?’ Refereeing was the first thing I could do.” A deep knowledge of basketball, which all started because his friends continually commented (or, perhaps more accurately, lauded) on his height at school, belied that move, having started playing four years prior. Referees can begin officiating basketball matches after a three-hour theory course and three-hour practical session. The format directly compares with the RFU, where trainees also participate in three-hour virtual training before completing their training in a practical session of similar duration. Football, however, differs. The FA’s training course is 90-minutes online followed by 11-hours of in-person training. These courses are much more streamlined since Jenner qualified. “Back then it was a twoday course. Once you were assessed in three games, you were signed off.” Clarke spoke more of the practical learning sessions, where, even with the aid of an experienced referee, the slightest interjection from coach, player or parent could send your delicate deck of referee knowledge tumbling. “It (the training) was during games that didn’t matter so much. Every timeout, you would receive feedback from the referee. It is easy (but) there’s a lot to remember. One thing sets you back, especially when a spectator, player or coach shouts at you. Your mind can go blank.”
That steered conversation towards whether the shouting had ever escalated into abuse. “I’ve been on the end of many referees who I have not agreed with,” Jenner tells me. “If you are professional in explaining your decision, it helps. If I can justify the reasons I give my calls, hopefully the coaches will agree.”
Clarke tells me that while “nothing bad has ever happened”, some players remember him for the calls he makes. “Where I referee so many games, I feel some players will dislike me because they disagreed with my decisions. When people see me, it’s like, ‘it’s that ref’.”
How would Jenner advise younger officials in basketball and any other sport? “If you love something, embrace it and keep doing it. Referees are always going to get it wrong, and not always get praised when they get it right. The more you referee, the more respect you will earn.”
According to a recent survey, only 1% of Brits over the age of 55 are happy with their eye health. Also, 44% of all British adults are worried about their eyes, up from 38% before the pandemic. So, it is no surprise that in any busy Pharmacy these days, the staff will be approached by multiple patients seeking help with a problem connected to their eyes. Thankfully, most common eye conditions can be treated quickly, without recourse to the GP. If you have a problem, your Pharmacist will be able to advise on a suitable treatment, or know when to refer you on to your Optician, your GP or even sometimes to emergency care.
Perhaps the most common problem a Pharmacist may see will be infected conjunctivitis. This is an infection of the conjunctiva, a membrane that covers the surface of the eye and bends around the inside of the eyelids. This membrane evolved to stop eye lashes, dust and grit from getting around to the back of the eye. This is very useful in modern times for those who use contact lenses!
Bacterial conjunctivitis is common newborns and children. In adults, the infection is more often caused by a virus. In the bacterial infection, the main symptom is a yellow discharge which often causes the eyelids to be stuck shut in the morning. The viral infection often
Bryan Turner MRPharmS
follows on from a flu like illness, and the discharge is more watery. In both cases, the first line of defence is eye hygiene, which means carefully wiping the infected eye with moist, clean tissue or cotton wool. Sterile eye wipes are available to buy for this purpose. The infection will likely clear up in 7 to 10 days. If it persists, then the Pharmacist can recommend antibiotic eyedrops or ointment. Children under 2 years should see a GP, but the Pharmacist can give an opinion and advice. Children at nursery are often sent home if they have signs of conjunctivitis. This is to ensure that infection does not spread to the other children. Parents should follow the cleaning advice above, backed up with antibiotics as appropriate. An infection in one eye can spread to the other, so take steps to avoid touching the healthy eye with, for example, a finger that may be carrying the infection. Pregnant or breastfeeding mothers ought to see the GP.
A nasty variant of infective conjunctivitis is seen in contact lens users. This group is more prone to picking up an infection by the bacteria Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, an infection that is hard to eradicate. Users should make their Pharmacist or GP aware that they have lenses, so that the appropriate choice of treatment can be made. Good hygiene is key to avoiding this infection. There is a further complication
in treating contact lens wearers, and this applies to all eye conditions. Most drops contain preservatives, which are taken up by hard lenses and make them go foggy. Again, lens users need to make their Pharmacist and GP aware.
Blephartis is another common condition. It is chronic, meaning that it is long term, with flare ups that need to be treated. It is an inflammation of the margins of the eye lids and is usually in both eyes. Cleansing the eye lids with sterile swabs, available from the Pharmacy, is the first line of treatment. Very occasionally there is also an infection, which is treatable with antibiotic eye ointment.
A stye is an infection on the eye lid margin, usually within an eyelash hair follicle. A similar but rarer, condition is a chalazion. This is a blockage and swelling of a gland on the inner side of the eyelid. A warm compress with massage is the first choice of treatment for both. If they don’t clear up, then an antibiotic eye ointment may be needed. While a stye will clear up in about two weeks, a chalazion might last six months. Minor surgery might be needed to deal with a persistent one. Allergic conjunctivitis is common in hay fever season, but can be bothersome throughout the year. Antihistamine drops are effective, and widely available in Pharmacies.
Lastly, dry eye syndrome is common. It is more likely as we get older, and can also be caused by environmental factors such as wind, hot dry weather, and air conditioning. Moisturising drops and gels provide relief.
This is a quick guide to common eye problems that a Pharmacist (or Optician) will see on a daily basis, but, they are only a few of the approximately 200 recognised medical conditions that affect the eye!
Eyes are known as the window to the soul and the NHS recommends that everyone gets them checked every two years, whether you are experiencing problems or not. It makes sense to get conditions picked up early.
Hello, and welcome to NEW MUSIC REVIEWS!
by Beth Sarah, blueskymusic.fun
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.
WANDERINGSWANDERINGS
Worthing’s Rob TulleyRose has expanded his Rupture // Rapture profile to create another facet of his work, encapsulated in the persona of Wanderings. This selftitled album is a collection of spoken-word pieces accompanied by lo-fi beats, entirely chilled and easily listenable in one sitting. Not usually the style of music I would seek out, I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I settled into the vibe and enjoyed the dynamic shifts between sections in each track. Each piece is well arranged with ebbs and flows that hit in just the right places, and lyrical content that explores the importance of human connection with nature through Rob’s storytelling that paints a picture with every line. The average track length is two minutes so if you listen to the entire album, it completes in sixteen and a half minutes - making it the most meaningful coffee break you’ll ever have.
TO KILL A KING - IT GETS EASIER
I saw To Kill A King (also referred to as TKAK) back in 2009 at a little open mic showcase in Hove, at the beginning of their musical journey together as a band. Fronted by the powerhouse that is Ralph Pellymounter, TKAK have certainly had a journey in the 16 years since then - five albums later, now with over 22k followers on Spotify and 30k collectively on Facebook and Instagram. You would expect that this new release would be the beginning
of something else for them, and you would be correct - it’s the beginning of the end. TKAK announced in 2024 that this album would be their final album together, aptly entitled ‘The King Is Dead’. The track opens with a perfectly balanced Damien Rice-esque acoustic guitar, leading into some lovely vocable do-do-doos that will be the takeaway singalong hook to make people say, ‘ooh, I know this one!’. The lead vocal is vulnerable, even pitchy at the start. It takes the listener to a Karma Police style chorus which expands the second time around into an epic soundscape middle 8 with multiple layers of guitars and vocals, before rounding off with those lovely vocables again. Apparently it gets easier, Ralph tells us. I have a feeling that he’s yet to believe it.
MOTHER’S BOY - HALF WAY HOME
It was months ago that Mother’s Boy sent me their previous track, Home Town, which was a very much 90’s indie inspired track. This song, however, falls firmly into the ‘certified bangers’ category and has taken the top spot on that playlist! I was fortunate enough to have booked this band for our originals night at The Smuggler’s Return last weekend and this song stood out as one of the catchiest, most danceable tunes in their repertoire so I’m really glad they’ve released it as a single. If you’re a Worthing local you might recognise the lyrical content of the chorus - ‘I’m half way home / I can almost see the lights of the Rose and Crown’. I might be so bold as to assume that the members of this band are proud of our town and glad to live in it, with the theme running through these songs! The arrangement of this song has been really well thought out, with lulls during the verse, slight vibe change in the
chorus and full on catchy guitar riffs for the intro and turnarounds. It catches the listener from the start and keeps you paying attention throughout. Certified banger. That is all.
MADE ESCAPE –CONSPIRACY
Made Escape promises us songs that are slightly sardonic and I’d say that this latest offering hits the mark in spectacular fashion. As I often say in these reviews, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing this song being performed live on several occasions and it never fails to raise a smile. ‘It’s a song about love,’ Emily says, ‘if you love saving money, that is.’ (Spoiler alert: I’m going to reveal the conspiracy so if you’re intrigued, don’t read on but go and listen first!) Beginning with her trademark ukelele strumming, Emily draws us in straight away with a wry smile on her face and you can even hear it in her voice as she sings. The conspiracy in question here is the rising cost of the heating bill, and how if perhaps if we didn’t shave our legs we might weather this winter without needing to turn the heating up too much - Emily suggests that ‘British Gas, Gillette and Nivea are in cahoots’! It’s a brave suggestion to blithely put out there in song. Conspiracy will feature on the long awaited Made Escape album that I’m sure is going to appear on our streaming services soon. If it doesn’t, one might suspect foul play (don’t show this to anyone from the above companies, please, I want to hear the album!). It’s the final line that gets me every time - after suggesting that we don’t shave our legs, she then admits, ‘I wasn’t going to anyway!’ An absolute masterclass on how to make light of what is, in reality, quite a challenging situation financially for a lot of people. Well played, Emily.
⚪ ⚪ ⚪ ⚪ INSIDE LIVE LISTINGS
To get your music event listed email events@insidepublications.ltd by March 5 for April
TUESDAY 1
Bluegrass Club Meet-Up Egremont
7:00pm www.theegremont.co.uk
WEDNESDAY 2
Life Drawing Cellar Arts Club
7:30pm-9:30pm cellarartsclub.com
THURSDAY 3
Speakeasy Cellar Arts Club
7:30pm-11:30pm cellarartsclub.com
FRIDAY 4
Aura Jay The Lock-In
8:00pm
Big Yellow Taxi Egremont
8:45pm www.theegremont.co.uk
Frequency DJs present Pop Scene (Blur (ish) Indie/Alternative) Coast
8:00pm–1:00am
The Juice (Band Friday) Smugglers Return 8:30pm
Union: 90s Indie & Dance Cellar Arts Club
7:30pm - midnight cellarartsclub.com
Wayfinder Music – Origins with The CounterCulture Collective The Railway Hotel
6:00pm-11:30pm
SATURDAY 5
April Amos – she’s back! Egremont 8:45pm www.theegremont.co.uk
Darren Bennett & Madam Scorcher (Reggae DJs)
Spun Records
7:00pm-11:00pm 01903 414456
Insta spun records_uk Facebook: spunrecords.uk
Jazz Rooms meets Soulful Strut Spring Party Coast 8:00pm–1:00am
The Golden Lion 8:00pm-11:00pm 01903 245439, www.greeneking.co.uk/ pubs/west-sussex/golden-lion
CROSSWORD INSIDE ⚪ ⚪
Simon Rigler
ACROSS
1 Judge who presides in a lower court of law (10)
6 Favouritism (4)
9 Shred; brawl (5)
10 Strength of mind (9)
12 Spend a penny (7)
13 Thin pancake, often containing a filling (5)
15 Reduce; curtail (7)
16 Melodic (7)
18 Business, project, investment etc. that generates a continuous flow of money (4,3)
20 Radiant (7)
21 Awkward; incompetent (5)
23 Scholar (7)
25 Most stylish (9)
26 Stadium (5)
27 Toy reeled up and down on a string by motions of the hand (2-2)
28 Not (or not yet) made available for distribution or publication (10)
DOWN
1 Pulp (4)
2 Talkative (9)
3 Complex; intricate (13)
4 Avoid; resist (from something) (7)
5 Anguish (7)
7 Accustom; habituate (5)
8 Exploration and study of caves (10)
11 Thoughtless (13)
14 Branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders (10)
17 Fatigue; dizziness (9)
19 Film genre featuring cowboys in the USA, especially during 19th Century (7)
20 Travel back and forth; commute (7)
22 Adversary (5)
24 Firm; tough (4)
Worthing Twinning Association
While the main aim of the WTA is to promote friendship with our French and German twin town areas of Les Sables d’Olonne in the Vendée and Waldkirch in the Elztal area of the Black Forest, we have regular social activities. These include coffee mornings, French and German films (all with English subtitles), pub skittles, quiz evenings, wine and cheese bluff and more. Why not come and join us? We have a lot of fun and enjoyment and have well over a hundred members.
Full details of the WTA and all events can be found at www.worthingtwinningassociation.org
Worthing Film Club
Title: PLAYTIME
Director: Jacques Tati
Original Language: English/French (with subtitles)
Film Year: 1967
Ticket Link: Worthing Film Club members go free. Ticket link for non members: https://wtm.uk/events/playtime-pg/
Monsieur Hulot has to contact an American official in Paris, but he gets lost in the maze of modern architecture which is filled with the latest technical gadgets. Caught in the tourist invasion, Hulot roams around Paris with a group of American tourists, causing chaos in his usual manner.
Want more info on joining? Email: worthingfilmclub@gmail.com
Worthing - we want your films!
The popular Between the Blue and Green Film Festival has announced its return to Worthing this September, with organisers now accepting submissions for the 2025 event.
Now in its third year, the week-long celebration of cinema will take place from September 6-13 across various venues throughout Worthing, showcasing films that focus on sustainability and wellbeing themes.
Festival Director Nicola Instone said the event aims to spotlight both established and emerging filmmaking talent.
“We’re excited to once again provide a platform for filmmakers who are creating work that inspires positive change. The festival has grown significantly since we launched in 2023, and we’re expecting our most diverse range of submissions yet.”
The festival accepts entries across three categories:
• Short films under 10 minutes,
• Drama or documentary features running 60-100 minutes
• Smartphone film category exclusively for young filmmakers aged 14-20, with entries limited to three minutes.
All submissions must incorporate sustainability or wellbeing themes, reflecting the festival’s commitment to environmental and social awareness.
Awards (non-monetary)will be presented in several categories, including:
• Best Film
• Best Actor/Actress
• Best Production Quality
• Best Sustainability Film (Smartphone only)
• Best Wellbeing Film
The submission window is now open and judging runs from June 16-30, with entry fees set at £15 for shorts and features, while the youth-focused smartphone category has a reduced fee of just £7.95.
Last year’s festival attracted over 50 submissions from 8 countries, with attendance figures exceeding 350 across the week.
So come on Worthing filmmakers, submit your films work through the festival website at www. betweentheblueandgreen.co.uk Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/BTBGFilmFestival/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/ btbg_film_festival
The Lighthouse Retreat Centre, Worthing, BN11 3QF Events Guide for April – All events free of charge
In house events:
April 7 – Relaxing Deeply – A meditation experience in the meditation gym from 6:30–7:15pm
April 14 – Life Changers – Essence of meditation – a taster session 6:30–7:45pm Meditation: Every Thursday evening 6:30-7:30pm and every Friday morning 10:30–11:30am for all levels weekly throughout the year.
Online but shown on the screen in the house as well – please come to the house if you can and join us or watch on screen at home. Talks are every Sunday throughout the year with very few exceptions: ID for all Talks: 830 976 9289 PC: peace
April 6 – Sunday Afternoon Talk from 2:30–3:30pm - Weathering the Storm: Inner Strength for Tough Times.
April 13 – Sunday Afternoon Talk from 2:30–3:30pm - Focusing on Virtues and Strengths.
April 20 – No Talk – Easter Day
April 27 – Sunday Afternoon Talk from 2:30–3:30pm – How to Avoid Giving and Taking Sorrow.
Online only:
Every evening Monday–Saturday, online meditation 7–7:45pm daily throughout the year except Sunday. ID: 567 587 184 PC: peace
The Lighthouse Retreat Centre, 99 Marine Parade, Worthing, BN11 3QF
As the weather starts to warm up and thoughts turn to getting more active in the great outdoors CYCALL would like to share information with you about their local activity designed to get everyone active. CYCALL is an inclusive cycling project based at Brooklands Park in Worthing. They have a fleet of 40 adapted bikes including hand propelled bikes, 4 seater bikes and wheelchair transporter bikes. CYCALL sessions are very sociable and they provide light refreshments. Activities include an art and craft table, active play, a sensory space, large garden games such as Jenga, Connect 4, table football and Ping! table tennis. CYCALL sessions are open to adults and children who would benefit from a little support to ride a bike. They work with people of all abilities and have experience of supporting people with dementia, learning disabilities, autism and a wide range of needs.
The 1st CYCALL session for 2025 is on Saturday, April 26. Booking is essential. To make a booking or find out more information please call Martine on 07784918122 or email cycallworthing@gmail.com. Session dates and times will be published via social media www,facebook.com/CycallWorthing or on the website www.cycall.info
CYCALL is led by a team of dedicated volunteers and would welcome some new faces to support their customers. No experience is necessary as full training will be given. A DBS check will be required. All they ask for is a willingness to make a difference.
Please contact Martine using the details above if you would like to find out more.
They are very grateful for the support of the local community, if you are completing a fundraising challenge this year please consider choosing to support CYCALL-every penny goes towards improving their sessions.
YOU Group
We are a friendly community outreach group and welcome back Chris Horlock a well-known Sussex Historian on Tuesday, April 15, at 2:30pm. He will be taking us back to the 1964 when it was the “Battle of Brighton” on the May Bank Holiday, which forms the background to this talk, with a detailed look at the emergence of Mods and Rockers subculture in Britain during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s.
Venue: Main Hall in St Symphorians Parish Centre.BN13 3HU. Cost: £3.50pp to include refreshments. Please arrive by 2:15pm.
Further details available from the Parish Office: 01903 268109 or Email: theoffice@stsymphorians.co.uk
Sussex Gruffs Male Voice Choir
COME AND SING WITH US!
Due to the choir’s continuing expansion – we now have over 40 members – we have moved our rehearsal venue to a larger space. From January 2025 we will be 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 Antique Arts and Collectors’ Club
Est. in 1968, we are a small friendly club that meets on the first Tuesday of the month at the Chichester room, Field Place, BN13 1NP, from 7:309:00pm. Each month we invite a guest speaker. Our talk for April will be about Five Women – British female artists of the twentieth century. The speaker will be Michaela Cranmer, art historian and lecturer. All are welcome to attend, non-members £7.50 pp, or why not join us for just £35pp/pa. For more information on our 2025 talks and club history, please visit our website at http://www.worhingantiqueclub.org.uk or call Andy on 07984 403890
THE ROWLAND SINGERS –Spring Concert 2025
Featuring: Poulenc – Gloria John Rutter – The Sprig of Thyme Plus other Easter music
Emanuel URC Thursday, April 3 at 7:30pm and April 5 at 4:00pm
This year’s Spring Concert by The Rowland Singers features two major works – Glorla by Francis Poulenc and The Sprig of Thyme by John Rutter. Gloria was written by the French composer, Francis Poulenc (1899 – 1963). He wrote the piece shortly before the end of his life and it was premiered to acclaim in 1961 at Boston, Massachusetts. Written in six movements, Gloria is regarded as one of Poulenc’s most celebrated works. The Rowland Singers have worked hard on this and are looking forward to performing it for your enjoyment.
The other major work in the Spring Concert is The Sprig of Thyme by John Rutter. Comprising eleven English folk songs and published in 1994, this work includes long-standing favourites such Willow Song and The Miller of Dee. John Rutter is one the great composers of our time and The Rowland Singers are eagerly looking forward to performing this work for your delight and enjoyment. The concert will be performed under the direction of Helen Emery; the accompanist will be David Moore and the soloist, Beth Emery.
Tickets for the concert are available from the website: www.rowlandsingers.co.uk priced at £12 for adults and £5 for children.
Liana Naylor
Dear INSIDE
urrington Theatrical Society
pr esents by arrangement with Stagescripts Ltd an amateur pr oduction of
Feedback
Letters to the Editor
INSIDE
The Sphere Business Centre, Northbrook College Broadwater Road BN14 8HJ liana@insidepublications.ltd
Bar n T heatr e, F ield Place
I would like to highlight the ongoing issue of land being annexed from The Gallops. During COVID, a large portion of land was annexed behind properties in Downside Avenue. One year ago, another strip of land was annexed behind our property in Downside Avenue. All the beautiful native trees and shrubs have been burned. A badger run has been destroyed and habitat for foxes, slow worms, crested newts and adders has been destroyed. The Council has allowed this destruction to proceed despite being informed. Constant bonfires have been burning. MP Tom Rutland is awaiting an explanation from The Council. You can see the builders fencing erected opposite Bost Hill Car Park. You may wish to run an article on the environmental damage that is adversely affecting local residents. This has been a historic bridle path once cared for by The Council.
30th April - 2nd May at 7:30p.m.
Lorraine Dexter
Dear Liana
Tiickets: £14 (Unr eser ved seating)
Booking: scan the QR code or visit ticketsour ce.co.uk/dts www.durringtontheatrical society.com
Can I use your letter page to thank Jane Freeman for the kind remarks she made last month about my efforts to “Brighten up Broadwater” with the flower boat? As part of that same scheme we also enjoyed sparkling Christmas Trees above 14 shops/outlets over the Yule-tide period. And, not wanting to rest on my ambitions, I have a further cunning plan to plant snowdrops and crocuses on the grass of Cricketers Parade! Towards that end I have been very generously gifted £30 by both the Broadwater and Cricketers’ pubs towards the cost of the bulbs! So we can all look forward to next Spring, which will hopefully be brighter. If anyone would like to make a contribution towards an even brighter Broadwater please do pop into the Post Office and put something in the collection tin.
Eric Mardell, President, Broadwater Community Association
Broadwater and Worthing Cemetery
Unusual Gravestones Tour
Saturday, April 5, at 11:00 am
All cemeteries have their share of unusual gravestones and Broadwater is no exception. Among the thousands of graves, there are some that stand out from the rest. The reasons they draw your attention are many and varied: some are very ornate, some very large, and others are just different! On our April tour, we will visit a selection of these graves and tell the stories of those buried there. Find out who was laid to rest beneath a memorial shaped like a small chapel. Discover what impressive monument marks the final resting place of Maria Bluett. And find out how many members of the same family are buried under a red Celtic cross.
Our free tour starts at 11am by the chapels of Broadwater and Worthing Cemetery in South Farm Road. Refreshments are available for a small donation. (Please bring your own cup with you when ordering a tea or coffee from our refreshment stand. Thank you.)
Advertiser Index
Liana Naylor
Feedback Letters to the Editor
INSIDE
The Sphere Business Centre, Northbrook College Broadwater Road BN14 8HJ liana@insidepublications.ltd
Dear Liana
In answer to Damon Wigley, I am not the Chris Gould at Fuels Industry UK. I worked at Ricardo developing exhaust catalyst boxes to combat air pollution. The lead in petrol poisoned the catalyst, so the Government banned it. They deliberately exaggerated the health risks to make this more acceptable to the public. It was replaced by carcinogenic benzene. Only a miniscule amount of lead enables more petrol to be obtained from a barrel of crude oil. America’s consumption of it rose by ten percent. They now had to buy it from the Arabs who used this as a political weapon.
Damon wrote that the Luton Airport fire was caused by an electrical fault in a diesel powered vehicle. It was actually a hybrid diesel electric vehicle.
Both he and Christian Phipps suggested that my figures from independent research were biased. I don’t trust Government figures. A professor told me that one University was well known to give the desired figures to ensure that it kept it’s research funding. I doubt that is the only one and that would explain the differences
Our Government was completely irresponsible destroying oil and coal fired powers stations before renewable energy ones can replace them with equal capacity. More would be needed if all vehicles became electric. Extended power cuts would stop all road and rail transport. Christian wrote that Smart new chargers could use the car batteries for back up. When the football World Cup was shown on television the grid nearly went down through people boiling their kettles during the interval. So if you try to charge your car when the match is being shown, they will steal whatever charge you have left.
Useful Information
Dr Thompson And Partners
1B The Causeway
Goring-by-Sea
Worthing, West Sussex BN12 6FA 01903 243 351
Cornerways Surgery
145 George V Avenue
Worthing, West Sussex BN11 5RZ 01903 247 740
Goring Residents’ Association
Find links to the Chair, Membership Secretary, Social Secretary, Ticket Manager, Treasurer or Web Manager at www.goringresidents.org.uk/contact
The grid will also be loaded by the 600,000 heat pumps that the Government want to install every year. The Government is offering a grant £7500 towards the installation costs as an incentive. The units are rated at 12,000 Watts and so require much more electricity than the old boilers that they replace. Electricity is much more expensive than gas and so they are much more expensive to run. They cost a lot to install, the cost of insulating the houses and the noise from them will put most customers off. The target is to replace 80% of the old boilers by 2035. It is unlikely to happen as there are not enough skilled people to carry out the work in time, let alone customers to buy them.
To sum up, banning ICE vehicles would be a colossal mistake.
Chris Gould
Hi Liana,
Thank you so much for including my “You Group” write ups every month advertising our programmes on the events page. We have gone from strength to strength with a good number coming now. Publicity is so important to drive forward. We do appreciate everything you do with the magazine especially being so local to get the editions out to us.
Best wishes to you and all the team
Chris talks and walks, ‘early bird’ tickets
From May to July, Chris will be giving a number of illustrated talks and guided walks, for both the Worthing Heritage Festival and the Festival of Chichester. Subjects covered range from the history of Worthing, witchcraft in Sussex, to the life and times of local naturalists and writers, Richard Jefferies and W.H.hudson.
Tickets for all these events cost £8.50, but Chris has put a small number of tickets aside – on a first come, first served basis – at £7.50
You can find details of all these events and how to book on Chris’ website, https://historypeople.co.uk/ Or just scan the QR code. “
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.
We then follow this with an innovative mix of traditional values and modern marketing methods right through to a successful completion.
Glynde Close, Ferring
Glynde Close, Ferring
Thakeham Close, Goring – by –Sea
Sea Lane, Goring-By-Sea
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.
£750,000
£650,000
Offers over £1,100,000
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.
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
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
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.
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.
There is a definite feeling of Spring in the air. The evenings are getting lighter and there have even been some
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.
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.
Whether it starts on the first day of March as the Met Office say or the Spring Equinox on the 21st as is a more traditional view, the change of seasons really does affect us all.
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.
It always has an impact on the property market too, usually seeing peak activity in the coming weeks ahead and this year has already had a strong start. The latest data from Rightmove reports that the number of new sellers coming to market is already up 13% up on this time last year, with buyer demand 8% higher.
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.
This all shows there is a lot of activity and also a lot of choice for home seekers right now. Although it’s not quite a ‘buyers market’ it does mean that if you want to sell your home the asking price needs to be exactly the right figure.
We then follow this with an innovative mix of traditional values and modern marketing methods right through to a successful completion.
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.
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.
If you would like to know what your property is worth under current market conditions we can tell you. We’ve been helping people sell their homes in Goring, Ferring and the surrounding areas for more than a quarter of a century.
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.
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.
We’ve built up a great reputation over that time and we’re really proud of the fact that so many local people trust us to sell their homes for them. 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 I can tell you how we’re different from the rest and really are your local property experts.
Yours sincerely
Richard
Yours sincerely
Richard Davis MNAEA
Yours sincerely
Davis MNAEA
Richard Davis MNAEA
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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.
A superb detached chalet bungalow with a double garage and charming idyllic gardens.
An exemplary chain free detached bungalow in a prized Goring-by-Sea cul-desac with an impressively spacious extended layout and notably large garden.
In one of Goring-by-Sea’s most coveted locations, this exceptional detached property sits back from the central trees and greenery of Sea Lane merely a stroll from the beach and Greensward.
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
conservatory. Three generous bedrooms share two
into a
rooms and a beautiful large garden has private direct access to the greenery of
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
Impeccably
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.
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
