Sussex Local - Storrington - April 2018

April 2018

SUSSEX LOCAL

Storrington - Ashington - Cootham - Sullington - Thakeham - Washington

LocalLocal newsnews and events to over through the door and events to 6,400 5,900 homes in this area every month through the door

MY SISTER’S HOUSE Helping women affected by domestic violence

WHAT’S ON Easter Special

VISION FOR STORRINGTON Unsightly signage

PLUS

NEWS

Local Charity, Community, Parish Council & School

WIN!

Bluebell Railway family tickets Petworth Antique Fair tickets

HISTORY

Storrington Gardens

What’s On, Local Walks, Recipe, Prize Crossword, Community news, Clubs & Groups, Charity, Local Business Directory

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April 2018 Cover image Chantry Rapeseed field www.flikr.com search Trevor Fryer

Welcome...

Our main article this month is a profile on Bognor Regis based charity My Sister’s House. Helping vulnerable women affected by domestic abuse, we speak to founder and CEO Julie Budge, see page 26.

Andrew Staib talks to Garden Designer John Brookes MBE at his home at Denmans Gardens Fontwell. Plus some garden tasks for April, see page 36. Keeping with the outdoor theme, why not take advantage of the longer days and join one of the many free guided walks listed on page 18?

We have news from; schools p48; local area charity and community groups p20 and from the area’s Parish Councils starting on page 53. We also have more from our new contributor “Professor Blunt” with his Vision for Storrington on p46. Prof. Blunt’s piece in the March issue generated significant interest and we are pleased to publish some reader correspondence on page 22.

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...........................................................................What’s On .............................................Young Readers’ Puzzle Page ..................................WIN! Bluebell Railway family ticket ........................................................................Local Walks .........................................................Charity & Community ....................................My Sister’s House - Charity Profile ..................................................................Prize Crossword ..................................................................................Recipe ....................................................................In Your Garden ..................................................................Property Doctor ......................................................A vision for Storrington .....................................................................Local Schools .....................................................Local History - Gardens ..........................................................Parish Council news .............................................................Business Directory ...........................................................Index of Advertisers

SUSSEX & CHICHESTER LOCAL 01903 868 474

info@sussexlocal.net www.sussexlocal.net Kay Publishing Ltd PO Box 2237, Pulborough RH20 9AH Sussex Local & Chichester Local magazines are published monthly and delivered free to over 37,700 West Sussex addresses. There are six editions and display advertising starts at just £24 a month per edition. Business Directory adverts £10 per month per edition.

Also in this issue, you can win tickets to take your family on a steam train ride on the celebrated Bluebell Railway, see page 17.

We also have tickets to the Petworth Park Antique Fair to give away - see page 15.

Finally, for ideas to keep the children amused during the Easter holidays see our What’s On Guide starting on page 4. For more events across the whole county, please visit our website sussexlocal.net Until next month,

Kris & Jeff

Words of Wisdom “Your mind is the garden, your thoughts are the seeds, the harvest can either be flowers or weeds.” - WILLIAM WORDSWORTH Disclaimer - Whilst advertisements are printed in good faith, Sussex Local (Kay Publishing Ltd) is an independent company and does not endorse products or services that appear in this magazine. Sussex Local cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions or claims made by contributors.

The views and opinions of contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher.

1. Arundel edition - Arundel, Amberley, Burpham, Climping, Fontwell, Ford, Slindon, Walberton & Yapton Total addresses - 6,400 2. Barnham edition - Barnham, Eastergate, Westergate, Aldingbourne, Oving, & Tangmere Total addresses - 5,400 3. Chichester edition - Chichester centre & suburbs Total addresses - 7,800 4. Findon edition - Findon Valley, Findon Village, Nepcote, High Salvington, Clapham & Patching plus Salvington/Selden (south of A27) Total addresses - 6,200 5. Pulborough edition - Pulborough, Bury, Coldwaltham, Fittleworth, Marehill, Nutbourne, Stopham, West Chiltington village and Common. Total addresses - 5,500 6. Storrington edition - Storrington, Ashington, Cootham Thakeham, Sullington & Washington. Total addresses - 6,400 The combined circulation of all six editions is over 38,300 addresses.

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Function Room Available Separate room for parties, meetings and functions for up to 50 people

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What’s On

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Tuesday April 3rd Roger Marks’s Cornish Armada, classic jazz.

Tuesday May 1st Goff Dubber’s Dixieland Express, from Dixieland to swing.

Tuesday June 5th Tony Waller’s Prohibition Jazz, a great hit last season.

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10 What’s On

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12 What’s On

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14 What’s On

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Competition

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Win tickets to Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair Friday 11th - Sunday 13th May Visitors to this year's Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair, 11th to 13th May 2018, will not be disappointed. With over 50 exhibitors gathering from around the country (and one from Belgium), there should be something for everyone. There is a cornucopia of items for sale: jewellery, vintage watches, aeronautical statement pieces, clocks and barometers, glass, lighting, traditional and contemporary oil and watercolour paintings, Tunbridge ware, illustrations, contemporary and 19th century sculpture, silver, ceramics and 20th century decorative arts.

In just three years, this event has become an integral part of the Sussex calendar bringing avid collectors, designers, curators and art lovers from near and far to enjoy all that the fair, Petworth House, its grounds and the market town have to offer. Light refreshments can be found in the fair, in Petworth House or leave your car and take the courtesy bus to the centre of town to enjoy all on offer there. Tickets £10 each. Free parking for antiques fair ticket holders. www.petworthparkfair.com

Petworth House (c) Martin Offer

Win a ticket (allows up to 3 adults) to visit Petworth Antiques Fair For your chance to win, just answer the following : Q: How many exhibitors will this year’s Fair have? a) Over 50

b) 50

c) Under 50

Send your answer and full contact details including daytime telephone number to: ‘Petworth Park Antiques Fair’ Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough RH20 9AH or please email competitions@sussexlocal.net Winner will be first entry drawn after 30th April 2018. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.

SUSSEX LOCAL

16 Puzzles

Young Readers’ Puzzle Page Wordsearch - Easter

Anagram

Find the listed words in the grid. Words may be hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and in either a forwards or backwards direction.

Trace the lines connecting the circles to find out what the 2nd word is

BEGINNING CHICKS FAMILY

BLESSING BONNET CHOCOLATE EGG HUNT HOLIDAYS JESUS

BUNNY FAITH SPRING

Maze

Sudoku

Help the hungry mouse reach his tasty cheese! Start at the arrow on the top of the maze.

Place the numbers 1 – 6 once in each row, column and 3x2 bold-lined box.

Answers can be found on our website after the 1st of April www.sussexlocal.net

To sponsor this feature please contact us on 01903 868474 or email info@sussexlocal.net Sponsor for just £25 per month plus a monthly prize

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Competition

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Win a family ticket to the Bluebell Railway For various dates in May, four family tickets to give away!

The Bluebell Railway, deep in the heart of the Sussex countryside, is the country’s oldest standard gauge heritage railway and will soon be celebrating its 60th anniversary.

But at the Bluebell you can enjoy much more than just a ‘train ride’!

There are four stations, all steeped in period detail dating back to the 1880s, to explore and enjoy and a visit to the Railway offers a window onto a bygone era.

There is lots going on at the Bluebell in 2018.

Come along between March 30th and April 2nd and enjoy a train ride to Kingscote Station and then hop off and take part in a ‘Mad Hatters Tea Party’.

Also on the 26th, 28th and 29th May there will be ‘Teddy Bear’s Picnic’ to enjoy on one of the trains. Why not bring the family along and enjoy the lovely scenery.

A picnic tea for children is included in the price, and adults can add a picnic tea to their ticket it they’d like.

Bring Teddy too – book a place for him and he gets his own ticket!

Lucky winners of this competition will receive a family ticket, which includes 2 adults and up to 3 children, to take a ride on a steam train on selected dates in May. See the website for more details and to book tickets. www.bluebell-railway.com

With lots of things to do, see and join in with, including ‘Paint your own pottery’ a small animal farm, Alice in Wonderland characters and lots more.

It is the ideal place to bring the family over the Easter weekend and let the children let of some steam!

18th to 20th May sees the little locos take centre stage at ‘Branch Line Weekend’ as the Bluebell recreates the heyday of the branch line it once was.

The Railway is delighted and excited to announce that the locomotive 60163 ‘Tornado’ will be making a whistle-stop visit to Sussex this May and will be at the Bluebell 25th – 29th May! This superb locomotive is the most recent one to be built in Britain and celebrates 10 years of steaming this year.

Win tickets to Bluebell Railway To be in with a chance of winning answer the following question: Q: Which anniversary are Bluebell Railway celebrating soon? a) 60th b) 30th c) 20th Send your answer and contact details: Bluebell Railway Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough RH20 9AH, enter online at www.sussexlocal.net or email competitions@sussexlocal.net Winner will be drawn after 30th April 2018. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.

18 Walks

SUSSEX LOCAL

Local Walks - April All walks are led by friendly, trained volunteers - please do check with the organisers for full details and for any last minute changes. Health walks are 30 – 90 minutes, supported by Walking for Health & Horsham District Council. Level 2 & Level 3 are more challenging, for fitter walkers, supported by Horsham District Council Sun 1 10:00am Kings Building and Houghton Forest 4.3 miles Meet at the car park just off Whiteways roundabout, BN18 9FD Tue 3 9:30am Buchan Country Park 3 miles Meet in the car park off Horsham Road (A2220), RH11 9HQ Wed 4 2.30pm Horsham Heritage Guided Walks 2 miles Meet outside the Museum in the Causeway. Learn more about Horsham’s history. Supported by The Horsham Society Thu 5 7:00pm Ron’s Evening Walks 5-6 miles For experienced walkers over difficult terrain. Very social walk that usually ending in a pub Sat 7 2:00pm Sullington Warren & Church 4 miles Meet at Storrington Recreation Ground car park, RH20 4PG Sun 8 10:00am Nutbourne 3 miles Meet West Chiltington Village Hall, RH20 2PZ. We should see vineyards, llamas, a windmill and lovely houses Tue 10 10:00am Warnham 2+ miles Meet at Village Hall car park in Hollands Way, RH12 3RH Tue 10 10:00am Sidney Wood/Wey and Arun Canal 5.5 miles Meet Forestry Commission car park (TQ026350) Fri 13 11:00am Southwater 2.6 miles Meet in car park of the Country Park, (off Cripplegate Lane, RH13 7UN) Sat 14 9:00am Wiston/Steyning Dog Walk 2 miles Meet at Steyning Cricket Pavilion, BN44 3LE Sat 14 10.30am Sumners Pond 4 miles Park opposite the Barn, RH13 0PR. A lovely walk around a working farm, through beautiful woodland and peaceful meadows Mon 16 10:30am Slinfold Stroll 3 miles Meet at St Peter’s Church in the middle of the village, RH13 0RR Wed 18 10:30am Storrington Riverside Walk 2.5 miles Meet at Storrington Recreation Ground Car Park, RH20 4PG Sat 21 8:30am Storrington – Amberley Circular 9 miles Meet at Storrington Recreation Ground car park, RH20 4PG. Onto the Downs and returning via Parham Deer Park Sat 21 2:00pm Thakeham Circular 3 miles Meet in Thakeham Church car park, RH20 3EP Sun 22 10:30am Leechpool & Owlbeech 2.3 miles Meet at Leechpool Wood car park, Harwood Rd, B2195 Thu 26 10:00am Below the Tower 5.5 miles Meet at Starveall Corner car park on the Leith Hill to Abinger Common Mon 30 10:30am Stunning Sussex Bluebell Walk 3 or 5 miles Park and meet at St George’s Church, West Grinstead, RH13 8LR

1 hr 45 mins Level 3 Mick 01903 745971 1 hr Level 2 Emmy 01403 255517 90 mins Level 2 Jill 07780 701184 3 hrs

Level 3

Ron 07933 106663 1 hr 45 mins Level 2 Mick 01903 745971 1.5 hrs Level 2 Mick 01903 745971 60 - 90 mins Health Emmy 01403 255517 2.5 hrs Level 2 Geoff 01403 258180 75 mins Health Jill 07780 701184 1 hr 15 mins Level 2 Hilary 01903 368625 2 hrs Level 2 Pauline 01403 240419 1.5 hrs Level 2 Jean 07734 323321 90 mins Health Mick 01903 745971 4.5 hrs Level 3 Mick 01903 745971 1.5 hrs Level 2 Mick 01903 745971 1 hr 15 mins Health Armelle 01403 260342 2 hrs 45mins Level 3 Lynne 01403 268157 2 hrs Level 2 Jill 07780 701184

Arun Adur Ramblers – www.arun-adur-ramblers.org.uk

Mon 2 10:30 Easter Walk to Highdown 8.5 miles Meet village green, Sea Road, East Preston. Roadside parking Wed 11 10:00 Honeysuckle Lane 5.5 miles Meet at top of Honeysuckle Lane, Higher Salvington. Via Clapham Church - Bluebell Walk Wed 18 10:00 Amberley 5 miles Meet near Sportsman PH, Amberley Sat 28 10:00 Slindon 5.5 miles Meet at Dukes Road. Bluebell walk via Slindon Folly

Moderate Leisurely Leisurely Moderate

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20 Charity & Community

Sussex Snippets Home-Start Arun, Worthing and Adur are part of a new tech initiative to support children with their speech.

LENA (Language Environmental Analysis) is a tool licensed by Home-Start UK and your local Home-Start is one of the first to start to explore the initiative for local families. The child wears a “wearable tech vest” during the day to measure the number of spoken words the child hears - a clever word counter. The trained volunteer will encourage parents to talk, read and sing using new words to increase their child’s vocabulary. If you are interested in this new initiative please call Scheme Manager and LENA lead, Bridget Richardson on 01903 889707 The Sussex Wildlife Trust is reporting on new figures that point to a 30 percent decline in water vole distribution, and are calling for a number of actions in order to prevent the “national treasure Ratty” from disappearing altogether. Actions include: calling on Government to provide better funding for water vole conservation projects and landscape-scale restoration schemes; landowners to manage river bank habitat to help water voles and for people to volunteer as water vole surveyors with the SWT and/ or donate to charities supporting water vole recovery work. www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk

SUSSEX LOCAL A recent report, Spotlight on Violence Against Women and Girls, published by the Revolving Doors Agency, showcases the innovative work by Police & Crime Commissioners across the country to tackle this serious issue. Ground breaking 'Drive Project' in Sussex has been highlighted within the report for its response to domestic abuse – the project aims to reduce the number of child and adult victims by tackling perpetrator behaviour; the root cause of the cycle of domestic abuse. www.revolving-doors.org.uk A giant observation wheel – standing 35 metres high has rolled into Worthing, offering visitors to the south coast the chance to go spinning high into the air as the temporary attraction is brought to the town’s Steyne Gardens. The wheel is one of the tallest transportable attractions of it’s type currently available in the UK - giving those boarding the chance to see up to ten miles in the distance - the 144-capacity attraction is operating until mid April. www.adur-worthing.gov.uk Sussex Police recruited new police officers during February and March. They are aiming to attract 200 police officers each year for the next four years. This has been made possible by the public’s support to pay more for local policing. The additional funding also means the force can protect 476 police posts that would otherwise have been lost. Sussex Police wanted to ensure that the organisation reflects the communities it serves and encouraged applications from diverse communities and women. New recruits will be joining at a challenging time for policing and a transformative time for Sussex Police. Find out more by visiting www.sussex.police.uk Women in the South are being urged to lace up their hiking boots and join the fight against cancer as Cancer Research UK launches The Race for Life Hike at South Downs Way, which is returning an enthusiastic response to the inaugural event last year, the event will take place on Saturday 1 September. South Downs Way is one of just eight iconic locations in the UK, which have been specially selected to hold Race for Life Hike events. These take place between May and September, and are a series of one-day, long-distance walking events open to women of all ages and abilities, to help raise money for Cancer Research UK. www.raceforlife.org A Preview Exhibition for the Chichester Art Trail is to be held at The Oxmarket Centre of Arts in Chichester, running from Tuesday 24th to Sunday 29th April, from 10am-4.30pm. The exhibition is a collection of sample pieces from each artist participating in the 2018 Art Trail, and offers an excellent opportunity to choose those you would like to visit and plan your own trail route ahead of the trail. This takes place the first two weekends in May.: www.chichesterarttrail.org

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22 Charity & Community

Trekkers to raise funds A brave team of trekkers will travel to Wales in September to summit Mount Snowdon while raising vital funds for local Sussex charity St Barnabas House.

Registration is now open for the Worthing-based hospice’s newest event, which gives challenge seekers the opportunity to summit the highest mountain in England and Wales at 1,085 metres, witnessing the beautiful sunset across Snowdonia.

The team of trekkers will meet at St Barnabas House in Goring-by-Sea on Saturday 8 September, transferring to Llanberis in North Wales where they will stop for lunch before the start of a five to seven hour ascent of the Llanberis Path. The trek will finish at around midnight and the team will celebrate with breakfast and a glass of bubbly before travelling through the night, arriving back in Worthing on Sunday 9 September. www.stbh.org.uk/snowdon

SUSSEX LOCAL Charity’s New Business Ambassador Sussex based businessman Nasser Elaheebocus has been announced as a Business Ambassador for the Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity (DVLCC).

Nasser, who runs Horshambased company Business Pulse, has worked in partnership with DVLCC since September 2015, organising annual corporate networking days at race meetings to raise funds for the Charity and will host another race day at Goodwood in May. The charity supports families with young children affected by cerebral palsy and associated diseases.

DVLCC’s new offices in Cuckfield include a state-ofthe-art multi-sensory room as well as a ‘Magic Carpet’. DVLCC Phone number: 01444 473274 Email: info@dvlcc.org.uk www.dvlcc.org.uk

Storrington on Show 2018 This year the Community Partnership in Storrington is planning a bigger and better show at the Chanctonbury Leisure Centre in Spierbridge Road to showcase the wide range of activities and opportunities existing in the voluntary organisations, and to raise the profile of volunteering, along with the benefits it can bring.

Storrington Community Partnership will shortly be promoting this show on Saturday 12th May at the Chanctonbury Leisure Centre, with posters, banners and flyers around the town. Admission will be free to all visitors of this event.

For more info contact David on 01903 746101

Order your ducks now!

Storrington hosts another of it’s big days the On Sunday 13th May the 20th Storrington Village Duck Race promises thrills and spills, as the ducks race to glory alongside a great range of entertainment for all the family. Join the fun from 12.30pm at Riverside Walk and Library Car Park to race ducks and raise money for the Friends of Storrington Primary School.

Ducks for each race are on sale now and can be bought in advance or on the day itself from the many volunteers in the village. Prizes are on offer for each of the heats with cash prizes available for the winning ducks in the Grand Finale. Don’t leave buying your ducks until the day as last year they sold out! There will also be fun-fair rides and face-painting, craft stalls, music, bar, refreshments, ice-cream and cakes plus the ever popular BBQ. The Duck Race team is still taking bookings for stands. Contact: georgedelarue@hotmail.co.uk.

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Storrington Bowling Club

Storrington Conservation Society

Do you want to try bowls? It is great fun, easy to learn and you will meet some new friends. Having a game of Bowls on our lovely green is a very enjoyable activity.

New bowlers are given plenty of support and made to feel welcome, so do give it a try!

The Green (it is behind the cycle shop) reopens on 21st April with a coffee morning at 10:30 followed by an afternoon “Drive” at 2pm when members spend an enjoyable couple of hours bowling in a relaxed informal competition followed by a cup of tea. Visitors, especially prospective members, are welcome to come and watch any of our matches.

During the 2018 season we have a number of Open Days to welcome new members. The first four are open mornings, from 10am to 12 noon, on Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th April and Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th May. Just turn up!

Informal bowling is free. There is a £1 match fee and a £1 fee for drives. We also have regular open evenings throughout the season. Qualified coaches are on hand to assist. Bowls can be borrowed initially and all that is needed for the open days is a pair of trainers or flat soled shoes. Our website is www.storringtonbc.co.uk For more information, please contact any of the following: David Bain 01903 742526; John Rimmer 01903 744832; Howard White 01798 812206.

On 10th February, we were given a fascinating insight into the creation and care of a wildflower meadow by Michael Joseph. In his illustrated talk he explained how he and his wife Jane set out twenty nine years ago to turn a field into a habitat for native flowers and wildlife. Their hard work has been rewarded with a splendid variety of flowers, which attract colourful butterflies, bees and a multitude of insects. This management method provides healthy fodder, is also good for carbon storage compared with intensive farming. Our thanks to Michael and Jane for their enthusiasm and inspiration.

01798 872 200

At the work party on 3rd March we turned our attention to The Glade for the annual path clearance. The thaw added an interesting element to the task. On 7th April at 10.00am we will be wearing wellies as we clear the banks and stream between Love Lane and Fryern Dell, starting at the Love Lane bridge.

For details of the Thursday afternoon work party on 19th April please go to our website. Anyone wishing to join us on the first Saturday or the third Thursday of the month is very welcome. Come in appropriate clothing, other equipment is provided.

For information about this and all our activities, or on becoming a member, please get in touch with Chairman Mick Denness on 01903 745971, or see our website www.storringtonconservation.org.uk

Mon-Fri 9-5 Sat 10-1 7 Robell Way, Water Lane Industrial Estate, Storrington RH20 3DW www.truelovesbeautifulbathrooms.co.uk

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26 Charity Profile

My Sister’s House Local charity inspires women to live to their full potential.

By Lynn Smith.

Community Interest Company My Sister’s House has been providing safe shelter to women who are victims

SUSSEX LOCAL of domestic violence since 2015, and is the only community women’s centre in West Sussex that “seeks to improve the status and situation of women.” Embedded in the Bognor Regis community My Sister’s House works across the coastal area (Arun and Chichester).

Piloted by founder and CEO Julie Budge who, in 2014, sat down at her kitchen table with a group of local women. Those women became My Sister’s House’s first board – some of whom are still on the board today.

Since its inception, in June 2015, My Sister’s House has worked with 456 women – 95 per cent from Chichester and Arun areas –with the numbers of clients steadily increasing, the centre sees an average of 30 new clients per month.

Amongst its offering My Sister’s House runs a general drop in service (Monday to Friday between 9am and 3pm); offers a range of Peer Support groups; holds a domestic abuse surgery and runs confidence courses. There is also a scheme to help with going back to work - Step Forward; money advice; emotional support; self-esteem workshops and other services inspiring women to live their potential. My Sister’s House offers advice and information, signposting and referral, low-level casework, complex casework as well as advocacy and representation.

Providing what My Sister’s House describes as an “independent frontline service co-produced by local women, safe, supportive and community based, trauma informed, holistic and in a gender specific way.”

Many of the women who use the Women’s Centre services are described as being highly vulnerable.

Many are experiencing, or have experienced, physical and sexual abuse and may also be substance abusers, suffering from associated trauma and mental health issues. They find forming and maintaining relationships difficult and may come from a background where inter-generational disadvantage is common.

Julie Budge, explains: “We have learned that many of our clients have been unable to benefit from mainstream services because their needs have been considered too ‘complex or challenging’ for the structures of conventional one-off services.” The women can be trapped in a vicious circle arising from a bad childhood, poverty, mental health issues and abuse.

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28 Charity Profile My Sister’s House can stop the circle, working with the women to help them turn around their lives.

The organisation has, Julie says, “a unique reach within our community and fill essential gaps in statutory provision.”

The organisation also helps women who may be having a difficult time at one point in their lives – for instance a recent event such as job loss, a bereavement or a relationship breakdown.

My Sister’s House provides a women-only space where issues can be addressed safely, in a physical and emotional sense, but they also balance support and empathy with boundary setting challenging women’s behaviour. Part of this involves recreating a ‘family environment’ where boundaries are My Sisters’ House Women’s Centre set and where expectations are When I talk to Julie, it’s early March when the whole placed on the women– establishing a relationship country is in the grip of fiercely icy weather and she tells between workers and peers, and clients based upon a mutual trust that My Sister’s House views as me that My Sister’s House has done “amazing work in essential to creating the first steps towards change. the last few days alone helping homeless women.” She describes the social return on investment as being Julie Budge sums up the approach as creating an “huge.” For instance, one donation of £5,000 is half informal social support network, “So that women have somewhere to go … as though they were sitting around the kitchen table with their sister or mother.”

My Sister’s House’s first drop-in centre was what Julie Budge describes as “ …a little shop front … an eight by ten foot space.” Then in January of this year they secured a 2,000 square foot rent free space, which has become their Women’s Centre, with the previous shop front space becoming the My Sister’s House’s Women’s Community Hub. Both spaces enable the organisation to raise income and open up more training and counselling services and additional funding opportunities.

My Sister’s House relies entirely on donations to expand further and, as is common to all charities, generating the funds necessary to maintain and grow services is a key issue. Julie Budge says that main funders want to fund frontline staff but can be reluctant to fund core staff; that is, the administrative and management team essential to keeping an organisation running. Currently as CEO, Julie is paid a part-time salary, although she works around 60 hours a week and manages six part-time staff, fifteen ‘really active’ volunteers, a university intern and eight freelance staff, including student counsellors and social work placements. Last year, My Sister’s House’s running costs were £88,000, which Julie believes to be a small cost compared to the effect My Sister’s House has on the lives of those who use the Centre.

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30 Charity Profile the cost of a domestic abuse outreach worker, enabling women to drop in and talk to an experienced listener. Recently My Sister’s House was a beneficiary of the Tesco “blue coin” scheme and received £2,000, which funds four Peer Support groups for a year – for instance, peer groups such as women losing children to fostering or adoption.

My Sister’s House is keen to encourage local people to become involved by organising fund raising events on its behalf, just a small donation can have a positive impact on the work of the centre. In December last year, My Sister’s House launched a search for local patrons not only for the financial/ donor aspect but also to help raise the organisation’s profile and generate awareness around domestic violence. It is particularly looking for inspirational celebrities and influencers to become brand ambassadors and patrons of the centre.

Julie Budge says, “My Sister’s House needs funding to become a fully operational women's centre equipped to offer practical, emotional, and therapeutic support through tailor-made interventions that aim to address a range of underlying issues.

“Our unique approach offers help to women to access multiple, integrated services and improve health, personal and socio-economic opportunities, and we are in urgent need of local patrons with high profiles to help us raise awareness for domestic violence.”

SUSSEX LOCAL Support from high profile patrons would allow the organisation to secure the key management roles in the short term to lead vital future areas of work, including securing contracts and more funding for key services in the longer term.

From its earliest days the organisation has changed the lives of its clients for the better.

Building trust and relationships that endure – Julie Budge tells of one former client, whom she describes as being on the poverty line, who Julie Budge CEO collects toiletries and products throughout the year, then at Christmas she wraps them individually and drops them at the Centre to be given as gifts to the women who use the Centre.

Finding the right patrons will allow My Sister’s House to not only continue its essential work but also to raise the funds necessary to expand its services.

My Sister’s House, 108c London Road, Bognor Regis, PO21 1B. Contact by ringing 01243 697800, visiting www.mysistershouse.co.uk or you can email office@mysistershouse.info

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32 Crossword

Prize Crossword

Win a £10 Marks & Spencer’s voucher

Storrington April 2018 February 2018 solution shown below.

Winner: Violet Storrington

Deacon

from

Congratulations and thank you to all who entered.

Entries to: Sussex Local Crossword, PO Box 2237 Pulborough, RH20 9AH or scan and email the page to crosswords@sussexlocal.net

Across 1 Slender freshwater fish (4) 3 Bewilder (8) 9 Woven woolen fabric (7) 10 Small streams (5) 11 Lover of Juliet (5) 12 Looked quickly (7) 13 Abandon a plan (6) 15 Ukrainian port (6) 17 Upward slopes (7) 18 Stamping ground (5) 20 Lacking meaning (5) 21 Reversing something (7) 22 Symbols representing musical notes (8) 23 Coloured (4)

Down 1 Removal of trees from area (13) 2 Appeal (5) 4 Constrain or compel (6) 5 Preservative (12) 6 Sets free or releases (7) 7 Deprived (13) 8 Awkward (12) 14 Bewitch (7) 16 Spurious (6) 19 Oneness (5)

Name: ...............................................................................................................

Full address: .................................................................................................... ..........................................................................................................................

Postcode:..........................................................................................................

Email:................................................................................................................

Phone: ..............................................................................................................

Mobile: .............................................................................................................

Closing date: 30th April 2018 Good luck!

£10 Win a £10 M&S voucher

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SUSSEX LOCAL

34 Recipe

Mediterranean Tagliatelle Excellent for dinner & lunch the next day Ingredients - Serves 4               

4-5 tbsp olive oil 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp dried chili flakes 1 tbsp oregano 2 medium aubergines, diced into small cubes 2 red peppers, diced into small cubes 2 courgettes, diced into small cubes 1 tin Mr. Organic chopped tomatoes 2 tsp tomato puree 2 tbsp baby gherkins diced 50g dried fruit 3 tbsp red wine vinegar 50g toasted nuts (I used pine nuts) To serve Tagliatelle pasta and grated Sussex Charmer Cheddar Plenty of salt & pepper

Method: 1. In a heavy based pan heat the oil and start to brown the aubergines. Once cooked, add the other veg along with the garlic, chilli and oregano, stir for 2 minutes before adding the dried fruit, chopped tomatoes and puree. Cook on a medium heat for 15-20 minutes so the flavours come together.

2. Finally add the gherkins and the vinegar and leave on a low heat while you cook your pasta in plenty of boiling salted water. If the mixture becomes to thick add 100ml of water.

3. Toss the pasta through the veg sauce and sprinkle with toasted nuts and grated cheese.

Recipe kindly supplied by Village Larder, Squires Garden Centre www.villagelarder.co.uk. Visit us where you can find all the above ingredients and loads more recipe ideas. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter for more recipe inspiration @village_larder Squires Garden Centre, Washington 01903 891744

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Business Profile

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A beautiful home and a brighter you Spring is here and there are long traditions attached to spring cleaning. Many cultures have adopted the ritual of sweeping away the bad luck before the new season.

Just imagine coming home after a busy day, the house is immaculate, the beds are made like a hotel, your clothes are ironed and hanging in the wardrobe, the lounge looks and smells inviting. You have the opportunity to unwind or spend time with your family in a clean and ordered environment.

Carla of Bright & Beautiful told us “We provide a tailored, professional housekeeping service which eases the stress of busy lives. I know how hard juggling family life and work can be, my valued team are carefully selected, security checked and professionally trained. We pay your home close attention to eliminate the dust and cobwebs that lurk in hard to reach places and use our eco-friendly, non-toxic products to ensure a healthy and welcoming home.�

Bright and Beautiful Worthing cover Storrington, Ashington, Washington & Thakeham Carla Bristol 01903 256437 www.brightandbeautiful/worthing

SUSSEX LOCAL

36 Gardening

In Your Garden Monthly gardening ideas and tasks by Andrew Staib, Principle Designer of Glorious Gardens Garden Designer John Brookes MBE - A West Sussex Treasure

even in the Autumn of his life still swears like a sailor at empty trendy fads and clients who don’t dare to be themselves and go for what they really want.

One of the most well known landscape designers in the world, John has for 60 years been creating stunning and innovative gardens and spearheaded the revolution in garden design in the 20th Century. He has a passion for passing on his knowledge and has helped thousands of students around the world, writing over 25 books and countless articles. There is even a John Brookes School of Landscape design in Argentina.

He is beginning to slow down though. “I’m 84 and all this tripping around the world is a killer, I have a nice design in Scotland I’m doing at the moment and I am finishing off one in Russia.” Gwendolyn adds, “He is starting, after 37 years in his own garden, to take things out and rethink. He is not sentimental about plants, so when he took a mature golden holly out a few weeks ago even though we all wanted to save it, he was right, it was better gone”.

John Brookes MBE (c) Gwendolyn van Paasschen John is sitting in the large kitchen of his home called the Clock House, a converted stable block set in Denmans, a garden he has fashioned for 37 years and opened to the public each year. Glass doors reveal a small, light filled terrace with strong shaped plants and a large palm tree.

Gwendolyn van Paasschen, an American designer and the chairman of the John Brookes Denmans Foundation, is with us as well. She has known and worked with John for 20 years and has for the last two and half years worked at Denmans, helping John write his memoir, organize his archives, and with the ongoing renovation of the garden, which until last year, had been open to the public. It is now set to reopen on the 1st May. The Clock House used to host his thriving design school and is full of original paintings, sculptures, books and ornaments. It is the kind of house where every inch is bursting with creative focal points and well thought out proportioned furniture and balanced colour. It feels personal and there are no cliche furnishings. This originality reflects John himself, a no nonsense, pragmatic and highly dedicated garden designer who

through the door Gwendolyn has had first hand knowledge of John’s skills. “When I have seen him walk into a new space, John’s brain is like a computer. As soon as he enters a space he sees shapes, he sees negative space, positive space, he thinks how can I rearrange this space, create a view - it’s always about the shapes, the space and the proportions.”

John says, “Every customer is different, with unique needs and wishes. A garden is for people and an extension of the family home, but most people can’t think beyond a lawn, decking and a BBQ. They need to get inspiration from others. The lifestyle, the culture and the person and what they want all need to come together. I will try to look inside their house and that can tell me what they like. I want to know about my clients.”

John takes many photos of his gardens from the inside of client’s houses as this is where people experience their garden a lot and for him it is very important that the inside and the outside marry up.

“Smart magazines just show smart country houses which can be inhibiting for people with smaller gardens. People need to think about who they are and what they want to do, not just follow the trends.”

Gwendolyn opens John’s latest book, his soon to be published memoir, “A Landscape Legacy”. “Look” she says excitedly, “there is a picture here which John calls The Happy Lady.” Gwendolyn describes the picture: “She is sitting in her tiny garden with her back to us,

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with a glass of wine in her hand and she is completely content. This is the same in Denman's. John wants us to feel that it is a private garden in the country that is completely peaceful. This is what he is wanting to do.”

Denmans gardens While John describes himself as a designer not a gardener or a plantsman he uses plants exquisitely for their structural beauty. This is seen very well at Denman gardens which he has nourished and reinvented for many decades. “I want to simplify the garden – I want it to be less fussy. At Denmans I’m focusing more on Winter interest as the garden has to look good for the 6 months of Winter. Yes I like plants with big personalities- houses are big things.”

Denmans Gardens (c) Gwendolyn van Paasschen

SUSSEX LOCAL

38 Gardening Denmans is a garden dedicated to the shapes and forms plants can provide - tall, wide, domed, explosive, elegant, contained - they are all present working with each other. Through the middle of the garden runs a river bed made from Sussex rocks that the previous owner, the plants woman, Joyce Robinson, who lived at Denman's from 1947-1996, built in the early 1970’s. It ends in a real pond that John built in 1984 and is now reshaping.

Gwendolyn adds, “We are doing a lot of renovation to Denmans and hope to open again on the first of May, at least for a preview of what we are doing. We also hope to be back with a revamped cafe sometime later in the year. We have also started the John Brookes / Denmans Foundation to perpetuate John’s design legacy by teaching excellence in garden design, not just what is trendy.” Gwendolyn says of John and retirement - “He couldn’t do anything else.”

For more information on when Denmans will open to the public this year please write to JBDF.Information@gmail.com or email Glorious Gardens at andrewstaibuk@yahoo.co.uk

Places to visit Wisley Gardens! One of the UK’s most visited gardens, and one of the major 4 RHS gardens, the variety and inspiration you will get there is mind blowing. It covers 240 acres so expect to spend a whole day there or more! Wisley Lane, Wisley, Woking, GU23 6QB.

April tasks  Hoe any bare areas of earth before the weeds take hold – if you do this once a week you will be weed free all year  Sow sow sow. A lot of your summer vegetables can be sown directly into the ground now  Mulch your beds with compost and bark chips to seal in the moisture from winter and prevent growth of new weed seeds  Feed all your shrubs and roses with a handful of bonemeal dug about an inch deep around the base of each plant.  Feed iron loving plants that are grown in pots with some Iron Fertilizer  Cut back Dogwood and Willow  Apply both Moss Kill and Broadleaf weed killer to your lawns –wait a couple of weeks then vigorously rake out all the dead thatch. You can also reseed the lawn where there are obvious patches  Sow annuals indoors or in your greenhouse – you could try growing Marigolds and Lobelia in trays

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40 Property

Stairs

By Chris Ennis FRICS Stairs occupy a central and very visible area of an average house.

Moneys spent on the creation of an attractive stairway and entrance hall are likely to enhance a property’s value.

There are many design features these days. Consider the sweeping classical solid stairways in period property, hardwood bespoke systems, and modern glass and chrome designs.

Approved documents K, M1 and M2 of the building regulations lay out the design requirements for stair structures. The building control officer will be paying considerable attention to regulations in order to avoid personal injury. I frequently see properties where the original structures have been altered.

In a typical modern stair structure, the vertical post at the base of the stair is known as the Newel, vertical balusters are located beneath the hand-rail, and are connected to the ‘string’ which is the wide sloping timber at the edge of the stair. There is no specified minimum width of a stair case, but most commonly they are between 800mm/900mm wide.

The minimum headroom above a staircase is 2 meters, but the building control officer may allow

some tolerance on occasions.

The maximum pitch of a stair is 42 degrees, and this will be set by reference to the number of stair treads, and the height (called the riser) of each stair. There must be at least one handrail, and the space between individual balusters should not exceed 100 mm. Each stair tread must be level, and each riser should be the same height, a nosing on the riser should be minimum of 16mm. The forward motion of each tread is known as the ‘going’ and should be uniform. At both the bottom and the top of the stair there should be a ’landing’ no smaller than the width of the stair.

I have seen many older flat conversions where the entrance door to the property opens direct on to a stair…very dangerous. In some of the older cottages in the Findon area, stairs can be very steep, and staircases narrow. Some so called ‘paddle’ stairs can be constructed where space is at a premium, but these are not encouraged and they are difficult to use……. I have fallen from one!

Chris Ennis FRICS is a Chartered Surveyor Tel: 01903 261217 visit www.propdoctor or send an email to: surveyor1@talktalk.net

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WINDOWS - DOORS -PORCHES FASCIAS - SOFFITS - GUTTERING SHOPFRONTS -CONSERVATORIES ORANGERIES - EXTENSIONS PATIOS - DRIVEWAYS BI-FOLDING DOORS ALL DOUBLE GLAZING REPAIR WORKS UNDERTAKEN

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info@attwaterwindows.com www.attwaterhomeimprovements.co.uk 116 Cokeham Lane Sompting BN15 9SQ

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SUSSEX LOCAL

44 Pets

Paws for thought Dental Health The importance of good dental hygiene in humans is widely reported but, when it comes to pets, pet owners are often unaware that they can help to prevent problems before they develop.

Dr Julian Hoad

Bad breath in our pets is not pleasant. For many owners, this is the first sign that there might be a problem in the mouths of their pets. For some owners the smell can get so bad that it affects their interaction with their pet.

In a study that looked at the prevalence of disorders, gum disease was in the top three disorders seen by vets. It is without a doubt a real and prevalent problem that not only affects the pet but can really affect anyone close to the pet’s mouth!

Of course, the smell is only one aspect of dental disease – gum disease can lead to loosening of teeth and painful mouths and can also contribute to kidney and heart disease. Bad breath doesn’t have to be a problem for our pets. It is something that we can help to prevent and often successfully improve. However, the prevention side is often put in the “too hard” pile

by owners. The thought of trying to brush the wriggly puppy’s teeth or the not very impressed cat’s teeth is daunting and therefore avoided. Yet we know that brushing pets’ teeth can be one of the most effective ways of preventing dental disease. The other aspect, and one of particular importance for rabbits, is diet.

Getting the diet right can also help with dental disease and, just as importantly, will aid in reducing obesity – a real win win.

Prevention is not feasible in all cases and even when owners do all the right things, dental disease can still occur which is why it is vital that pets get regular dental check- ups. Potentially painful dental disease can only be treated if it is spotted and given that most owners don’t look in the mouth of their pets, it is often an unseen problem - an unseen problem that could be causing significant discomfort and other potential problems.

I would urge pet owners to think about prevention, correct diet, regular dental check- ups with the vet and prompt treatment and how these can all make a real difference to the health and welfare of pets.

During April my own surgery is offering 10% off all dentals plus an additional 10% off for clients on our range of Pet Health Plans. Furthermore any client on a Pet Health Plan can benefit from 25% off pet food.

Crossways Veterinary Group, School Hill Storrington, High Street Steyning & Findon Road Findon Valley 01903 743040 www.crosswaysvets.co.uk

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46 Vision for Storrington

Let’s cut back the signs in Storrington Professor Blunt on what he sees as too many unsightly signs and banners in the village Posters and banners I think these should be restricted to event advertising only, limiting the display time to three weeks before the event. It should be made clear to our community and local businesses that Horsham District Council (HDC) should enforce the by laws which prohibit advertising and other signage larger than 1.2 square metres, being displayed without planning permission.

Shop displays The parish design statement proclaims that “Shop fronts should show consideration for the historic character of the area and should be of traditional materials. Signage, including window displays.... should not be garish in size or colour. Window displays (posters etc) covering an entire window will not be permitted”.

Banners However, HDC say that banners fall outside any criteria for planning requirements. In order for the planning department to address this issue we need to make a complaint about a specific banner or horizontal board so they may look into the matter formally and maybe change the rules.

A Boards In my view these are not welcome. They clutter the streets, are a hazard as pedestrians jostle for free passage.

Redundant Signs There are many redundant signs in and about the parish. These need to be removed and returned to their owners. It is understood that numerous requests have been made to the owners in this regard and no action has been taken. The list includes the following: air quality control signs on the roadsides; tourist advice and town business information boards in the car parks; recycling locations in the car parks; out of date event banners; housing development directions.

Your letters on Spierbridge Road Last month, the Professor suggested improvements to Spierbridge Road. Here are your comments, thank you to everyone who wrote in.

Dear Editor, Re: Professor Blunt: a vision for Storrington, proposal to rip up grass verges in Spierbridge Road Please don't rip up the grass verges. Start a Walking Bus instead: A volunteer parent escorts pupils from say, Storrington Library Car park (or Leisure Centre car park).

SUSSEX LOCAL The Benefits are many: Pupils love the chatter en route to school; improvements in pupil health and school performance; less car pollution; grass verges are an important asset for wildlife and rainfall management; considerable cost saving to council and finally, at home time parents could park and walk to collect their children.

Yours, Anne Ford-Robertson, by email Dear Editor Who does Professor Blunt think he is suggesting no through road bollards by the school? I have lived in Fryern Close for many years and the situation regarding school traffic has never been as bad as it is now.

Why should we have all the traffic diverted via our cul de sac. This road is also narrow and two cars cannot pass. We continually have to put up with cars parking both over our drives and pulling up on the grass verges. Residents were invited to a meeting at the school but no notice was taken of our views. Also, noone heeds the double yellow lines. Where are the parking attendants? They’re definitely not outside One Stop! It is the attitude of the lazy parents that needs to be addressed, as well as their language. I have been sworn at on more than one occasion when I’ve asked someone to move their vehicle when obstructing my drive. Why can’t parents use the Leisure Centre car park as suggested by the school?

(Name supplied) by email Dear Editor Reading in your magazine about Spierbridge Road and the school, the person that said to take away the grass verge obviously has not watched when a mum holds the hands of two children one will be right next to the road. So if they have to pass anyone someone will have to step on the road.

I live in Spierbridge Road people park here so that they don’t have to pay for the car park. So we can’t park outside our own homes. We had a letter to say if we had visitors to park at the leisure centre. Why can’t they take out the grass in front of Fletchers Croft and make parking spaces for them? Also some of the residents have already asked about having this done. They could also have one space for me.

We have big delivery lorries through this way also lots of people use it as a rat run instead of using the main road. Someone needs to come and spend a day from 8.30 until 4.30 and watch. Yours very fed up.

Mrs Baker, Spierbridge Road.

Please let us have your views by email to info@sussexlocal.net or by post. Also remember the Annual Parish Meeting on 2nd May.

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48 Schools

Storrington Primary School News We work hard to ensure the learning of our youngest children is exciting and engaging. As a starting point for children's learning we begin a new topic each halfterm which enables us to cover all areas of the foundation stage curriculum through teacher inspired and child initiated work.

Dinosaur egg!

The second half of the Spring term started with a hunt in the school grounds for a mystery egg. The children set off to explore the field and wooded areas and after a frantic search were delighted to discover a blue and a pink egg! The eggs were placed in warm

water and the children became very busy drawing pictures and writing about what they thought might be hidden inside them. After 2 days, much to the children’s absolute delight dinosaurs emerged!

After being washed World Book Day Costumes the dinosaurs were brought into the class. The dinosaurs have provided a fabulous stimulus for lots of mark making and writing, creative work and even maths as the children were very keen to measure the dinosaurs to see how tall they were!

We celebrated World World Book Day Costumes Book Day at the beginning of March and as always it was wonderful to hear children - and staff - talking about their favourite books and see all the amazing costumes.

Spierbridge Road, Storrington. Tel: 01903 742047 www.storringtonprimary.co.uk office@storringtonprimary

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Computers 49

Computer Care Sleep or Shut Down?

by Alan Stainer Do you put your computer to sleep or shut it down?

It’s an important question and one that most people overlook. Shutting down a computer actually powers down the machine properly. Putting a computer to sleep makes the computer enter a low power state. It also stores some session information, so that when you switch it back on it boots up more quickly. Does that mean putting a computer to sleep is the best option? Well, yes and no. Yes in that it will be faster on boot up. No, because there are some drawbacks.

Firstly computers rely on fully shutting down and restarting to apply some core updates to the operating system. Secondly it is possible that the stored session information (which uses up disk space) becomes corrupt. That can result in your computer failing to boot without some form of intervention to get it into recovery mode, which can be a pain if you don’t know what to do to fix it.

One last consideration is speed. If you have a super duper computer with an SSD (it’s a really fast disk), then you will see less gains from putting your machine to sleep than if it had a traditional HDD (it’s a slower disk). The choice in the end is yours. www.alansitsolutions.com

Part Time Sales / Admin person required Sussex Local Magazine, established in 2007, currently has six editions which are delivered through the door monthly to over 37,500 West Sussex homes. We also have a dynamic news-based website serving the whole county. We are busy, successful and are now ready to continue our expansion plans.

We are looking for an additional person to join our small, friendly team to increase our advertising sales and assist with general administration.

We are looking for someone who is flexible, who is happy to fit in with a small team, who likes dealing with people, who is very comfortable using computers, and who has strong customer service experience. You will be dealing with telephone and email sales and administration enquiries from existing and potential advertisers, together with the associated administration in processing the bookings, plus other general office admin tasks. You would need a driving licence and use of a car to be able to attend occasional local business and community events. In a small team everyone’s opinion counts, so we hope to find someone who isn’t afraid to speak up and be part of our growth.

The position, based in our office in central Storrington, is part-time between 9.30 - 2.30/3pm Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday. Additional hours may be possible from time to time. Pay is £10 per hour.

If interested please email your cv to Kris at info@sussexlocal.net by 30th April www.sussexlocal.net

SUSSEX LOCAL

50 Finance

Ready to Invest?

Here’s how to get started.

By Ivan Lyons Director Investment Solutions, Worthing If you’re looking to get a better return from your money than you can from your bank account, then the time might be right to think about investing for the future. Before you begin, here are some golden rules to consider.

Hold Some Cash You’ll need to have ready access to a cash fund to cover everyday living expenses and unforeseen expenditure. Obviously, there’s no point rushing into investment if you’ve got substantial debts or if you know you’re going to have to make major financial commitments that will take up all your spare cash. A vital part of your financial planning must be providing adequately for retirement, not at least because of the tax breaks available on pension contributions.

Define Your Goals You need to be clear why you’re investing and what your goals are. The sort of life events that people often invest for include a child’s education, a daughter’s wedding, to repay a mortgage, retire at 55 – the list can be a long one. Knowing your time horizon helps to ensure you put in place the right investment strategy for your needs.

Know Your Risk Profile You will need to establish how much risk you’re comfortable with, and the impact that has on the rate of return you can realistically expect to earn. You should bear in mind that the level of return can vary from year to year, and that past performance is not a guide or a guarantee of future returns. The value of shares can go up and down.

Go For Diversity A portfolio that includes a range of assets alongside shares, such as bonds, property, and cash, has been shown to perform better over the longer term than one that is only invested in one type of asset. This process is known as asset allocation, and is almost always the starting point when deciding where to invest.

Getting Investment Advice Makes Sense We will be able to help you in a variety of ways. Firstly, we can work with you to review and assess your current situation, any existing holdings you may have, your family circumstances and tax position. Drawing on our expertise and extensive knowledge of the market, we will recommend the asset allocation that will meet your requirements, together with the investment options that are suitable for you.

While building a potentially profitable portfolio means taking a longer-term approach, we will want to schedule regular review with you so that your investments can, if necessary, be altered or rebalanced in response to economic and market forces.

The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. The past is not a guide to future performance and past performance may not necessarily be repeated.

Contact Investment Solutions: Grafton House, 26 Grafton Road, Worthing, BN11 1QT. 01903 214640 or send an email to Ivan at: ilyons@graftonhouse.net or visit www.investment-solutions.co.uk

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Discou nt with th is ad.

52 Local History

SUSSEX LOCAL

Storrington Gardens The beautiful garden of Holly Cottage in the 1930s, now Holly Court. (below)

“The Sunk Garden� Greyfriars in 1906 with a view of the Downs behind, showing how colour used to be added to photographs! (above) Another wonderful garden with a view across the lake to Chantry House taken in the 1900s. (left) Photos and text courtesy of Storrington Museum The Old School, School Lane, Storrington, RH20 4LL Open: Wednesday, Saturday 10.00am - 4.00pm & Sunday 10.00am-1.00pm. Telephone: 01903 740188 or please visit: www.storringtonmuseum.com

Parish Council News 53

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Ashington Parish Council Village Consultation Thanks to those of you who responded to our ‘centre’ of the village consultation. Two areas came out equally on top: The London Road shopping centre (Co-op, takeaway and estate agents) as this is where most people bump into village friends; and the Recreation Ground area (including Church, School, Community Centre) as the community hub of the village. It is important to define the ‘centre’ as any new developments should be within easy reach/access of the centre, otherwise they could be unsustainable and require car usage to access. This information has been shared with our Planning Consultant and will be used in the preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan.

Planning Policies We are just tying up a few ‘loose ends’ of information gathering and preparing some draft Planning Policies that will be incorporated into the Neighbourhood Plan. The Plan has to conform to HDC Horsham Dis-

trict Planning Policies but we can have some local Policies that deal with local issues. It is important that these are backed up by robust evidence that we have gathered over the public consultation phase of the project. These Policies and lots of other information will be presented to Site Promoters before they produce firm development proposals for their sites. At this stage residents and stakeholders will be able to view and comment upon the proposals.

Play areas By the time you read this it is expected that the new Posthorses and the Warminghurst Close play areas will be completed. Well done to Celia Price and all at Ashington Parish Council for progressing this project and having the financial foresight to put a bit of money aside each year for the past 10+ years to help fund this project. Celia has been a welcome addition to the Parish Council since September 2015 and she will be missed, having recently resigned as Parish Clerk. www.ashingtonpc.org.uk

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SUSSEX LOCAL

Storrington & Sullington Parish Council News

by Anna Worthington-Leese – Parish Council Chairman month’s article. Rest assured that everyone who is Neighbourhood Wardens: entitled to vote will get a chance to voice their opinion.

If you are unable to attend the Annual Parish Meeting Have Your Say As I reported last month, HDC has approached all parishes in the district to offer a one off grant towards the cost of providing Neighbourhood Wardens. Following the article there has been some discussion on social media about the pros and cons of having these wardens and I would just like to remind everybody that there will be a presentation about the subject at the Annual Parish Meeting on Wednesday 2nd May at 7pm here at the Parish Hall. Representatives from HDC will be available at this meeting to provide factual information about what the role of a Neighbourhood Warden entails and to answer any questions about the scheme.

If we go ahead with the introduction of Wardens, it will be necessary to increase the annual precept (the Parish Council’s share of the Council Tax) by an average of £17 per household from 2019 and so the Parish Council has decided to hold a public vote so that you can let us know whether you support the idea or not.

The details of how this vote will be managed have yet to be decided but I will report further on this in next

on Wednesday 2nd May and have any questions, please contact the Parish Clerk.

Storrington, Sullington & Washington Neighbourhood Plan The Statutory Consultation period is currently underway and will run until 13th April 2018. Copies of the Neighbourhood Plan and supporting documents are available to view from the Storrington Library and the Parish Office and can also be found on HDC’s and the Parish Council’s website. Once the consultation period has concluded, an independent examiner will be appointed to review the Plan and we hope to be able to have a public referendum later this year.

Parish Council News

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Royal British Legion “Silent Soldier” Commemoration The Parish Council is proud to be a sponsor of the “Silent Soldier” initiative which is being organised by the Royal British Legion to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of WWl. You may have seen in the press that these Silent Soldiers (illustration to the left) will be appearing across the county on buildings, gardens, fields, roundabouts and various other locations.

Our Silent Soldier will be placed on the island at Storrington Memorial Pond amongst the ceramic poppies that were made by the pupils at Rydon School (now Steyning Grammar, Rock Road site) in 2014 in recognition of 100 years since the start of the war.

If you would like further information on these topics or any of the Parish Council’s activities, please contact the Clerk on 01903 746547.

Meetings April 2018 Infrastructure, Communications and Environment Committee – 4th April - 7pm Recreation and Property Committee – 4th April - 7:45pm Planning and Development Committee 12th April 7pm Parish Council Meeting 25th April - 7pm All meetings are held in the Chanctonbury Room, The Parish Hall, Thakeham Road, Storrington RH20 3PP. Dates and times are subject to change so please refer to website: www.storrington-pc.gov.uk

Lazy leaflets.

Don’t put up with them.

You know the ones. They’re in the cupboard, behind the envelopes and last year’s accounts. Let’s get those leaflets working for you. We’ll deliver them with next month’s copy of Sussex Local for just £40 per 1,000 (minimum quantity 2,000).

Full details on www.sussexlocal.net or contact 01903 868474 email info@sussexlocal.net

effective

SUSSEX LOCAL

56 Parish Council News

Thakeham News Annual Parish Meeting The wintry weather of late February reminded us of the importance of having plans in place to help with road safety and to protect more vulnerable residents during such spells. This will one of the topics explored at this year’s Annual Parish Meeting on Monday 30 April (7.30pm, Village Hall). This meeting will allow residents to quiz experts on several topical issues: as well as planning for emergencies, themes will include local housing planning and ways to take recycling further.

While you are reaching for your diary to put in the 30 April meeting, please also make a note that the annual Thakeham Village Tidy event will take place on Saturday 7 April, and our May Day walk (featuring bluebells) will be on Monday 7 May. Times and meeting points TBC.

SUSSEX LOCAL This year’s Thakeham Village Day to be on Saturday 15 September (involving the Primary School, Pre-School and other community groups).

There will also be a separate fireworks event around this Halloween/Bonfire night, to be led by Steyning Grammar School (Rock Road), supported by the Parish Council. To get involved in organising these events, please contact Caroline Instance (caroline.instance@bitinternet.com or 01403 741369).

The new Abingworth Village Hall, and cricket and football facilities are all rising fast, towards delivery in midsummer. The new shop unit is also under construction; we expect in April to learn exactly what enterprises will operate in this building. If you would like to help run the new Village Hall, or have ideas for activities, contact John Bearman, who you can contact on johnbearman47@hotmail.com or 01903 744971.

Owen Richards, Thakeham Parish Clerk. For more information please visit: www.thakehamparish.co.uk

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Washington Council

News from Washington

Road Issues The Parish Council, together with County Councillor Paul Marshall has been pressing for parking restrictions at The Pike, in the area of The Triangle, in response to residents’ concerns at heavy lorries parking there. WSCC has approved new measures, in the form of double yellow lines, for the new financial year.

Councillors also met with WSCC to discuss road speeds on the A283 Storrington Road. The Council is now making a formal application to reduce the 50mph speed limit past Hampers Lane and Millford Grange to 40mph, in line with the adjoining Sullington section of this road. I’ve included 50mph to clarify that it doesn’t include up to the roundabout which is 60mph.

Heath Common Village Design Statement The local working party, comprising parish councillors and residents, has now submitted its proposed updates and amendments to Horsham District Council.

The statement, first introduced in 1999, provides valuable planning guidance to the District Council, residents and developers. A public consultation period has now been launched with a view to completing the update during the next few months. This ties in with the current review of the Horsham District Planning Framework (HDPF).

Council Tax Residents will be receiving details of Council Tax due for the forthcoming year. The parish council precept forms a small part of this, and Washington councillors agreed unanimously to freeze the precept with no increase in 2018/19.

Join the Parish Council Vacancies occur occasionally, and with one of the members due to move from the area, there will be a vacancy for a councillor in the Heath Common Ward.

If you have some spare time, and would like to find out more about supporting the community, please contact the clerk Zoe: clerk@washingtonparish.org.uk Annual Parish Meeting If you are a resident of Washington or Heath Common, this popular annual meeting is for you! It will be hosted by the Parish Council, at 7pm on Wednesday 2nd May in the Chanctonbury Room at Washington Village Hall. This is a chance to hear, and have your say, about parish issues. David Sawyer, Chairman of the South Downs Society, will be guest speaker, and refreshments will be served throughout. After the meeting, join your parish councillors for a glass of wine, and informal chat. Admission and refreshments are free to all parish residents, with seating on a first come, first served basis.

Full details at www.washingtonparish.org.uk

Business Directory

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Business Directory / Advertiser Index 63 Accountants ACS Direct Monks Business Services Ltd Aerials and Satellites Apex Aerials Southern Ltd Bathrooms Bathe in Safety Beauty Therapy OSpa Beauty Blinds Direct Blinds The Blind Lady Builders Padwick Builders Ltd Builders & Architects Roberts Miller Redshaw Ltd Building Services SD Building Services Car Servicing DK Garage & Classics Ltd LMC Auto Services (Sussex) Ltd O J Motors Ltd Stedmans Garage Wiggs Auto Repairs Ltd Carpentry R&M Carpentry Carpets & Flooring Carpets & Vinyls Direct Wall Bros Carpets and Curtains Funnells Chiropractor Well Adjusted Health Cleaning Bright & Beautiful Miss Mop Ltd Courses You Can Do Courses Curtains & Blinds Mobile Curtain Showroom Dentist Green Arbor Dental Practice Domestic Appliances Carters Domestic Appliances Drains Drainjet Dry Cleaning Gem Cleaners Elderly Care Clapham Village Care Home Estate Agents Cubitt and West Estate Agents & Surveyors Mills & Company Fencing & Gardening Storrington Fencing & Garden Services Function Room Hire West Chiltington Hall Furniture CFS Furniture Garden Centre Village Nurseries Garden Design Earth Architecture Glorious Gardens Greenacre Garden Design & Build

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