Sussex Local Magazine Chichester - April 2020

April 2020

Local news & events through the door to 8,000 homes in this area every month

BLUEBELL RAILWAY Win a family ticket!

NEWS

Local council & charity

HISTORY

Chichester’s coat of arms

WIN TICKETS!

Bluebell Railway Out of Bounds

GARDENS

Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden

PLUS

What’s On, Recipe, Prize Crossword, Young Readers’ Puzzles, Health, Walks, Local Groups & Charity, Business Directory

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April 2020 Cover image Bluebell railway - win tickets p13

Welcome...

Amidst exceptional global apprehension we bring you our April/Easter issue.

We are aware that many publicised events in our April listings may not take place so please do check with the named organisers. We very much hope the effects of this virus are short-lived for local businesses and social groups and that our community continues to show resilience and kindness in these difficult times.

This issue we spotlight Sussex charity Fareshare. Food poverty is surprisingly prevalent in our largely affluent area and Fareshare use food which would otherwise go to waste to support foodbanks and schemes which help those struggling to make ends meet.

Andrew Staib visits the Hanna Pechar Sculpture garden near Dorking and looks at how sculpture can enhance a garden in our regular gardening article. Whilst surveyor Chris Ennis talks about flooding and considerations for at-risk properties. Let’s hope the wet weather eases up now.

Sweet Easter temptations are everywhere.

To avoid over-indulgence try dark chocolate - the genuine health benefits may surprise you. Read Heather Smith’s article in our Health & Wellbeing section.

We have our regular history article as well as the prize crossword and news from local charities, councils and community groups.

Until next month,

Kris & Jeff

Quote of the month “The oak fought the wind and was broken, the willow bent when it must and survived."

- ROBERT JORDAN 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. Views and opinions of contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher.

What's on Chichester History Nature RSPB Pagham WIN! Bluebell Railway family ticket Parish council news Young readers puzzles WIN! Tickets to Out of Bounds Local walks Charity & community news Health & Wellbeing Charity profile - Fareshare Prize Crossword Recipe In your garden - sculpture Property - Floods Motoring Business directory Advertiser index

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Kay Publishing Ltd PO Box 2237 Pulborough RH20 9AH info@sussexlocal.net www.sussexlocal.net

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Seven editions across West Sussex Arundel - Arundel, Amberley, Burpham, Climping, Fontwell, Ford, Slindon, Walberton & Yapton Total addresses - 6,700 Barnham - Barnham, Eastergate, Westergate, Aldingbourne, Oving, & Tangmere Total addresses - 5,400 Chichester - Chichester centre & suburbs Total addresses - 8,000 Findon - Findon Valley, Findon Village, Nepcote, High Salvington, Clapham & Patching plus Salvington/Selden (south of A27) Total addresses - 6,200 Midhurst & Petworth - Midhurst, Petworth, Easebourne Total addresses - 7,000 Pulborough - Pulborough, Bury, Coldwaltham, Fittleworth, Marehill, Nutbourne, Stopham, West Chiltington village and Common.

Total addresses - 5,500 Storrington - Storrington, Ashington, Cootham Thakeham, Sullington & Washington. Total addresses - 6,600

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What’s On

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What’s On

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What’s On

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What’s On

History 11

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Chichester’s Coat of Arms By local historian Andrew Berriman

Market House

Not far up North St. from the Market Cross last month to the Market House this month. The latter is better known as the Butter Market, not that butter has ever probably been sold there. When you walk past it, do you notice the City Coat of Arms on the balustrade above its Roman Doric columns? Actually, it might be advisable not to call this stone entablature the city’s Coat of Arms, as it is a decidedly suspect version of it, definitely neither correct nor accurate. Though it does add a striking dash of colour to the North St. scene.

What can we be certain about it? Well, it’s been there since the Market House was designed by John Nash, the famous architect who was soon to remodel the Brighton Royal Pavilion, and it was opened in January 1808. That date has been attached to the frontage ironwork since 2011 when the building was “refurbished”. We also know that the coat of arms was made of the artificial, virtually indestructible, stone, created by Mrs. Eleanor Coade, whose manufactory was in Lambeth. She used her famous Stone, with its secret formula, to make friezes, statues, garden ornaments, all capable of being mass produced, and which, once painted, were indistinguishable from stone. The Druid in Priory Park is another such Coade stone, almost identical to those at Erdigg and Croome, both National Trust properties.

Coat of Arms, Market House, 1808

Behind the coat of arms is a representation of a castle, with stone battlements and round tower, as at Arundel Castle. But Chichester’s castle had been a much more modest affair, just an earth motte and wooden keep, and certainly no castellated towers. So

this representation is also pure fantasy. The city’s coat of arms had been granted by Royal Patent in 1570, and since then has always been the arms of the city, then the borough, and now the City Council.

The heraldic device refers to Argent gutes de sang, on a lion passant guardant, ie. Silver, with drops of blood, and a lion of England keeping watch. No one has ever found a satisfactory explanation for the drops of blood, but at least at first glance the representation of this shown above the Market House looks reasonably accurate, even if the lion does perhaps more resemble a leopard! But there is a curious error with the actual number of drops of blood; this one has no less than 15, whereas the Rew Lane, correct coat of arms correct one has only 14, as can be seen on the numerous road signs around the city, such as this one at Rew Lane in Summersdale.

And then we come to the dramatic flourishes below.

Presumably the blue, wavy scroll represents the sea.

Fair enough, given the city’s proximity to the coast. And equally understandable is the rod, to the right, representing the mace, symbol of the authority of the Mayor and Corporation, exercised on behalf of the Crown.

But what about the other mace, with some kind of knitted woollen cap on the end of it? Just what is this all about? One theory is that it relates to the Napoleonic French prisoners of war in the vicinity, supposedly busy building the huge flint wall around the Duke of Richmond’s Goodwood estate. This is actually a complete myth, and in any case, why on earth would any sort of official recognition be given to enemy prisoners?

This is a Cap of Liberty, which was awarded to Roman slaves on being granted their freedom. By the C18th it had become a general symbol of liberty against the supposed corruption of the Crown, and was even carried on a mace by the radical John Wilkes in his Lord Mayor of London’s Procession in 1775. But soon after came the French Revolution, and it was taken up by French revolutionaries wishing to behead their king, Louis XVI, which indeed they did in 1793. Why would Chichester wish to give any indication of approval of this shocking behaviour, particularly atop a prominent public building? The only likely explanation is that Nash saw this stock mould in one of Mrs. Coade’s catalogue order books, and thought that its crossed maces would look just fine and dandy above the Market House. And so there it is, still quite a curiosity, and well worth looking at closely, next time you’re passing by.

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Nature

Cuckoos and other sounds of spring

By Roy Newnham, Visitor Experience Officer, RSPB

Cuckoo - Ben Andrew

I remember as a child growing up, hearing the cuckoos call emanating around my hometown. Sadly, this is now just a memory for me and many of my generation. Like much of our birds and other wildlife, it has declined rapidly and now this most symbolic of calls has been lost widely across the country. What is more frightening is that it’s likely that there are now more people in the UK that have never heard a cuckoo before, than those that have. However, you can still hear, and see, these celebrated birds around our beautiful reserves of RSPB Pagham Harbour and RSPB Medmerry each spring. Repeating their name over and over, seeming near, then far, the very sound lifts the soul.

Sounding similar but found among the reed beds, the obviously named reed warbler noisily announces its presence with its continuous rattling conversation.

It is the reed warbler Reed warbler John Bridges in particular, that draws our cuckoos in, being one of the main targets of their parasitic ways.

Swooping fast and low over the fields and watercourses, swallows and martins feed on the sudden abundance of insect life, chattering as they go. Over on the stilt pools at Medmerry, our insignia bird, the avocet is gathering in numbers and pairing up.

The sun’s warmth encourages pond skaters out of hibernation, drifting lazily across marsh marigold fringed ponds, while backswimmers scull lazily below the surface. Butterflies too emerge from their winter torpor. Brimstone, peacock and comma flit along the hedgerows and bees buzz busily from bloom to bloom. With miles of footpaths to explore and nature bursting into life, it is a wonderful time to lose yourself in our reserves.

The cuckoo is of course, just one of numerous summer visitors. With spring’s arrival, our reserves are alive with the sound of birdsong, as males stake claim to territories and try to attract a mate. Willow warblers and chiffchaffs are almost impossible to distinguish but easily identified when they start to sing. The chiffchaff repeats its name over and over as regular as a metronome while the willow warbler’s song is a wonderfully evocative downward spiral and like the cuckoo, one my favourite sounds of spring.

Garden warblers and blackcaps bring sweet melodic songs to the season’s soundtrack.

Their songs may sound similar but the male blackcap, as its name suggests, has a black cap, while the female Blackcap Paul Chesterfield sports a chestnut cap.

The jumbled phrases and harsh ‘churr’ of whitethroats rise from the hedgerows. The males often perch high on the tops of bushes to sing with jumbled phrases, giving good views of their slate grey heads, reddishbrown backs and of course their white throats.

Deep within the vegetation, sedge warblers add to the mix with loud clicks, whistles and rambling chatter.

Brimstone

If you would like help spotting and identifying some of these birds and more, we are running another of our popular bird watching for beginners workshops. Pagham Harbour’s birds of spring workshop is on Sunday 19th April. During the Easter holidays we will be running family events and on Sunday 3rd May you are invited to join us for the Dawn Chorus. This spring phenomenon is a true wildlife experience when our avian virtuosos are at their best, starting with a single voice in the dark and gathering into the crescendo of a full orchestra, celebrating the advent of the new day.

For more information on joining our team of volunteers, guided walks and all our other events, pop into our Visitor Centre on the B2145 south of Chichester, or visit our website www.rspb.org.uk/paghamharbour or call 01243 641508.

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Competition / Council news 13

Bluebell Railway Go back in time as you steam through the Sussex countryside models, it includes a 310cm high Apollo 15 Saturn v rocket made with 68,583 bricks!

Bluebell Railway is will also be celebrating its 60th birthday this year with a three-day family event from 7th - 9th August. Visitors can except a music festival at Horsted Keynes, and celebrations across the line at all the stations.

We have a family ticket available for various dates in May 2020. Please visit the website for more details, and to see the timetables. www.bluebell-railway.com A visit to Bluebell Railway is a day out with a difference, transporting you back in time as you steam through the Sussex countryside.

Running across 11 miles between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead, their heritage railway runs regular services as well as a variety of dining trains and special events throughout the year.

On May 8th, a 1940s street party will be created at Horsted Keynes to celebrate the 75th anniversary of V.E day. Dressing up is a must.

Looking ahead to the half term form 23rd - 21st May, the railway’s popular Stem family fair returns along with new event for 2020 - The Brickworks adventure. Featuring 15 amazing Bricklive outer space

Chichester City Council Edited extracts taken from the draft minutes of the Community Affairs Committee meeting held on 3rd February 2020.

Policing and Security Chief Inspector Carter gave a presentation covering his areas of responsibilities. He advised that his area of Chichester District and Arun was the largest in the Sussex Police force and was also one of the largest in the country. The Council were advised that, as a result of three funding increases, more warranted officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) were in the process of being recruited as part of the Chief Inspector’s drive to provide more robust policing across his area of responsibility. To date, this has resulted in 11 additional officers for the Chichester District response team, 4 officers on the Neighbourhood Policing team, 4 PCSOs with another 8 to be recruited.

Homelessness The Chief Inspector reported that there were approximately 30-40 homeless people in Chichester, a relatively small number, and that not all those experienced problematic drinking issues. The Council were advised that the genuinely homeless did not all experience substance abuse issues, included a significant proportion of ex armed forces members and often suffered mental health issues. This was

Win a family ticket for Bluebell Railway To enter the competition answer the question below: Q: How many miles do they do between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead? a) 8 miles b) 15 miles c) 11 miles Send your answer and contact details to: Bluebell Railway Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or enter online at www.sussexlocal.net/ features/competitions Winner drawn after 30th April 2020. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list. in contrast to the larger street community who were usually younger, often had somewhere to live but regularly suffered issues with substance abuse.

Northgate Subway vandalism Despite the recent refurbishment of the Northgate subway, the Council were advised that, sadly, it had been subject to vandalism within hours of being completed. A Community Warden’s report included mention of safety mirrors being installed at either end of the subway to improve visibility through the underpass. The Town Clerk reported that, while West Sussex County Council would be able to fund the purchase of the mirrors, there was a shortage of funding for the fixing of the mirrors.

Street trading controls After the Committee discussed this at length, it was concluded there would be no automatic right to trading on the street adding in the extension and that it would only be considered on application by potential traders. The Mayor informed Members that the discussion at the District Council had also included extending the potential street trading area to the Little London car park for temporary events only. He advised that this was only intended for occasional, temporary markets and that this was expected to go out to public consultation soon. One Councillor expressed her opposition to at least some of the trading street extensions as they included the use of residential streets. www.chichester.gov.uk

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Puzzles

Competition 15

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Out of Bounds One of Sussex’s top adventure activity centres We have a one day ticket available which includes one clip ’n climb session, one game of bowling, one soft play entry, one game of footgolf and one game of adventure golf on the same day for a single participant. For full terms and conditions please visit: www.out-of-bounds.co.uk

Renowned for its exciting, challenging and hugely entertaining indoor and outdoor activities and facilities, Out of Bounds in Angmering, is proud to have become one of Sussex's top adventure activity centres. It's the perfect day out for all the family! Visitors can enjoy a giant four level soft play, clip 'n climb, ten pin bowling, area, Laser Tag, footgolf, adventure golf and disc golf.

Once you've worked up an appetite taking part in the activities, you can relax with a cup of freshly brewed coffee while the children are playing or even take this opportunity to use the complementary Wi-Fi.

Win a day ticket at Out of Bounds To enter the competition answer the question below: Q: Where is Out of Bounds based? a) Worthing b) Horsham c) Angmering Send your answer and contact details to: Out of Bounds Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or enter online at www.sussexlocal.net/ features/competitions Winner drawn after 30th April 2020. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.

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Local Walks - April

These walks are supported by Chichester District Council, are led by volunteers and are designed to cater for all ages and abilities. No booking is required but please arrive 10 mins before the walk is due to start. Dogs are welcome unless otherwise stated but must be kept on the lead.

Timings are for guidelines only. If the weather is poor the walk may be cancelled, if unsure check, contact 01243 534589 health@chichester.gov.uk www.chichesterwellbeing.org.uk L = Walk Leader Wed 1st

Thurs 2nd

Fri 3rd

Mon 6th Wed 8th

Mon 13th

Weds 15th

Fri 17th

Mon 20th

Mon 20th Wed 22nd Thurs 23rd Sat 25th

Sun 26th

Mon 27th Weds 29th

10:30am Burton Hill L: Bruce 2 hours Flat (50m ascent). Outstanding wetland and heath Meet: Burton Mill, Petworth (Nearby postcode GU28 0JR) 10:30am Petworth Park L: Gerald 1 hrs 30 mins Come and see the fallow deer in Petworth Park with long views Meet: The Horse Guards Inn, Upperton Road, Tillington, GU28 9AF 10:30am Pagham to Sidlesham L: Jane 2 hrs Circular flat walk but includes several stiles and can be slippery. No dogs Meet: Harbour end of Church Lane (Nearby postcode PO21 4NR) 10.30am Chichester Canal L: Helen 30 mins A flat walk at a gentle pace, suitable for beginners Meet: Chichester Canal, Basin Road, Chichester PO19 8DT 10:30am Houghton forest & Bignor hill L: Alison 2 hrs 30mins Panoramic views with two long uphill stretches. Flint path can be slippery Meet: Whiteways Car Park. BN18 9FD 10:30am Burpham L: Dominic All day Hilly walk with some stiles. Lovely views Meet: The public car park behind the George at Burpham BN18 9RR 10.30am Around Duncton L: Simon 2 hours A circular walk. Mainly flat and on good paths Meet: Park along Willets Close on approach to Duncton school, GU28 0LB 10.30am Washington & Sullington L: Jane 2 hrs 30mins Hilly with stiles. No dogs on this walk please Meet: Frankland Arms pub RH20 4AL 10.30am Cissbury ring L: Peter 2 hours Circular walk up and around Cissbury Ring (5,000 year old hill fort) Meet: Car park opposite Nepcote Green in Findon. BN14 0SD 10.30am Chichester Canal L: Helen 30 mins A flat walk at a gentle pace, suitable for beginners Meet: Chichester Canal, Basin Road, Chichester PO19 8DT 10:30am River Arun to the stokes L: Peter 2 hrs 30mins A lovely walk along lanes and through woods. It may be muddy. Five stiles Meet: Amberley Station Car Park BN18 9LR 10:30am Stoughton Down L: Jane 2 hrs 30mins Not suitable for beginners. Hilly walk, can be muddy. No dogs Meet: Stoughton Down Car Park (nearby postcode PO18 9JQ) 10:15am Grayingwell L: Sarah 40 mins Meet : Outside the glass building looking onto Havenstoke Park Parking is very limited around the park. Nearby postcode PO19 6AB 10:30am Newdown ridge L: Dominic 2 hrs 45 mins A walk along Blakehurst Lane back through Wepham Woods, some hills Meet: Blakehurst Lane, opposite Poling Strret (nearby postcode BN18 9PW) 10.30am Chichester Canal L: Helen 30 mins A flat walk at a gentle pace, suitable for beginners Meet: Chichester Canal, Basin Road, Chichester PO19 8DT 10.30am Chidham peninsula L: Alison 2 hrs 30 mins A flat walk with panoramic views of the harbour. Some beach walking Meet: Cobnor Farm Amenity car park, Chidham Lane, PO18 8TD

4.2 miles

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1 mile 4.8 miles 5.5 miles 1.25 miles

4.5 miles

1 mile 5 miles

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Charity & Community

Sussex Snippets A total of £462,000 has been awarded to fund 560 taser devices between the Sussex and Surrey police forces. This will mean an extra 291 new tasers for Sussex Police, bringing the total to more than 1,100. Both forces can now achieve their ambition of making Tasers available for any police officer who wants one (estimated to be 80% of the frontline).

In other news from the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, more than £500,000 in grants was awarded from the Safe Space Funding Network to 17 local charities. This is to help support victims of child sexual exploitation, domestic and sexual violence, stalking and harassment, along with other forms of trauma and modern slavery.

Meanwhile an interesting example of one of Sussex Police’s many modern challenges where, through better use of technology, a positive outcome was achieved. Chief Constable Giles York said: “Over 300 victims had been subject to 3,000 malicious telephone calls from an unknown male, often of an offensive sexual nature. This was difficult to trace as he used different numbers and phoned at different times of the day. One of my analysts had the idea of locating where the call was made from and correlate that with ANPR (number plate recognition) data.

"Through this information he was able to identify a man in Burgess Hill who was buying second hand phones and using software to reignite old contact lists. Officers seized over 200 phones from his premises. He has pleaded guilty this month and is due to be sentenced next month.”

The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) is developing handy downloadable guides that will include some of the best circular routes across Sussex and Hampshire. The Authority is keen to hear from horse riders about where they like to ride and what their favourite routes are. They need a) start point – ideally with horsebox parking; b) the length of ride; c) a short description of the route and a simple map showing the route. Initially they are keen to hear from riders who use the following areas, but routes in other areas are also welcomed: • Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Hampshire • Harting Down, West Sussex • Heyshott Common, West Sussex • Eartham Woods, West Sussex • Seven Sisters Country Park, East Sussex • East Dean, East Sussex.

Email responses to: access@southdowns.gov.uk From the end of last year, West Sussex recycling centres have asked users to show photo ID with proof of residence within West Sussex. The scheme is set out on the WSCC website, where there is also a

recognition that the policy will produce a negative impact on the environment. “The proposal will mean that some non-West Sussex residents will need to travel further to a site in their own area.” However “It is hoped that this may be mitigated by some residents making fewer trips and/or selecting alternative and more sustainable routes for managing their waste such as home composting and use of kerbside collection services.”

The section on “sustainability” on the WSCC website states: “We want sustainability to be more central to the way we all work. We believe this approach will help us combat climate change; ensure that all our work benefits society, the economy and the environment in the long-term.”

West Sussex County Council have agreed proposals to invest almost £200m in road schemes over the next five years (including £44.2m for the re-alignment of the A29 in Bognor Regis and £19.1m for improvements to the A2300 in Burgess Hill), as well as £45.2m to produce renewable energy and generate income through solar farms and battery energy storage schemes. The £712m five-year ‘capital programme’ also includes an investment of £47.5m for the Fire and Rescue Service, for a proposed new fire training centre and Horsham Fire Station, planned improvements to fire stations, as well as new state of the art equipment and vehicles.

Email notices to: info@sussexlocal.net

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Charity & Community

Aldingbourne Easter Fun For a great day out during the Easter Holidays join us at the Aldingbourne Country Centre where we will be hosting two weeks of fun-packed events. Including Wipe Out Zone on Monday 6th April, where children can race through the inflatable course, trying not fall off and get “wiped out”. Tom’s Talking Reptiles visit on Tuesday 7th April and First Class Falconry on the Thursday 9th. Bounceabout returns for the Wednesday 8th and 15th April, where children can have fun bouncing around on a range of different bouncy castles. We will be having an Easter Egg Hunt on the Saturday and Easter Monday all around the Country Centre. Open every day (except Easter Sunday) from 9.30am to 4.30pm Aldingbourne Trust, Blackmill Lane, Norton, PO18 0JP www.aldingbournetrust.org

arable ever since and would need to find a home together. Sadly, this is now there third time at the rescue after being returned twice through no fault of their own. These two are really sweet, Granola can be a bit grumpy when you first go to handle him, but actually he is really cute and loves a cuddle, he will even nuzzle into your neck. Ambrosia is just a lovely little girl who is happy to be handled.

If you think you may be able to give Ambrosia and Granola the new home they deserve, please give The Centre a call Monday to Friday 9am-4pm. PS: We have a viewing day on Saturday 25th April 12-2pm.

Viewing days are non-appointment days so people thinking of adopting a cat can pop along. The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre Holborow Lodge, Chalder Lane, Sidlesham, W. Sussex PO20 7RJ PS 01243 641409 more info on: www.crrc.co.uk

Pets of the Month Council aims for renewable energy

Meet Ambrosia and Granola. Ambrosia is a brown and white dutch and Granola is a white and grey rex and they are both 5, nearly 6 years old. Ambrosia arrived at The Centre in 2015 along with her sister who unfortunately passed away not long after they went to their new home. Granola arrived in 2016 and was bonded with Ambrosia after she was left on her own. These two have been insep-

Chichester DC Cabinet members have recommended that the council switch its largest energy contract to 100% renewable electricity and gas. Leading councillors agreed with the proposal to invest in a renewable four-year energy contact for council buildings and operations, subject to approval by Full Council. “We all have a very important part to play in helping to tackle climate change,” says Councillor Penny Plant, Cabinet Member for Environment and Chichester Contract Services at Chichester District Council. “Switching our largest energy contract to 100% renewable electricity and gas is one of the critical ways in which we, as an organisation, can reduce our carbon footprint”. www.chichester.gov.uk

New Community Facility Opens Former Laura Ashley retail unit in The Hornet, Chichester, has been transformed into a stunning new community building, “OneO-Four”. The formal opening of this new community resource was celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by The Mayor of Chichester Councillor Richard Plowman, and the High Sheriff of Chichester Mrs Davina Irwin-Clark.

The building has been repurposed by Revelation Family Church with a vision to be a welcoming place for anyone in the community to find a range of help and support. The building will provide quality facilities for a number a number of charities and specialist community groups. Revelation Family Church was generously given the use of the building by local property company, Store Property. “It is so encouraging to see a generous versatile space opening up in Chichester committed to meeting so many needs of the vulnerable in the city.” The High Sheriff of West Sussex, Mrs Davina Irwin-Clark www.104.org.uk

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Charity & Community

Boat show deferred until June

10p a week council tax rise

The Chichester Marina Boat Show 2020 will now run from 20th to 21st June 2020. This deferral comes in response to the rapidly changing Coronavirus (Covid19) situation. Further information on the exhibitor line up can be found at: https://bit.ly/2TZ5FZg.

Chichester District Councillors have agreed to increase the average council tax bill by around 10p a week for a Band D property to protect vital services across the district. This was considered at Chichester District Council’s Full Council meeting on 3 March, where a £5 (3.1%) rise was agreed. The average Band D council tax payer will pay just over £3 a week for their council services. Councillor Peter Wilding, Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate Services and Revenues and Benefits said “we provide more than 80 different services across the district and we feel that just over £3 a week is still excellent value.” www.chichester.gov.uk

Rolls Royce throws its final fundraising event for Home Start Rolls-Royce Motor Cars staged its final fundraising event for its 2019 House Charity, HomeStart Arun, Worthing & Adur, on Leap Year Day, Saturday 29 February. Around 130 invited guests and VIPs gathered at the Home of Rolls-Royce, Goodwood, for a gala evening of vintagethemed glamour, entertainment and conviviality. The evening raised almost £10,000 and the year’s total raised by employees across Rolls Royce came to over £13,000. The company is now looking forward to planning fundraising activities on behalf of its 2020 House Charity, Families of Ocean Ward.

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Health & Wellbeing

Benefits of dark chocolate Enjoy a little this Easter - guilt-free!

By Heather Smith

Easter is upon us, and that means another time of year where we are surrounded by delicious sweet treats.

Enjoying chocolate usually seems to come with a side serving of guilt, so I thought it would be a good time to explain some of the health benefits of chocolate.

We’re talking about good quality, dark chocolate here, which is actually pretty rich in nutrients including magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc and selenium.

Chocolate is also full of antioxidant vitamins A, C and E, as well as having a high fibre content which is important for gut health, and flavanols which help protect the skin and brain.

There is research showing chocolates has the ability to improve blood flow, reduce blood pressure and lower heart disease and stroke risk too, as well as it being associated with a reduced risk of depression.

This all sounds like a winner to me. Not that I need much excuse to eat chocolate!

So, what cocoa content can we call dark chocolate?

Well, the darker you can go, the better. 100% cocoa chocolate is pretty hard going, but 70% is pretty enjoyable to most people.

For the other side of the coin, remember that chocolate is fairly high in fat, so the calories do quickly add up. A square or two a day is probably enough.

If you’re thinking there is no way you could stop after a couple of squares, try going a little darker. The mix of sugar and fat is a huge trigger for overeating and is at least part of the reason that the less-dark chocolate is so hard to put down. The darker the chocolate, the less sugar and – in theory – the easier to put down after a sensible amount.

Heather Smith is a fat loss specialist Personal Trainer. Get in touch for a free five-day meal plan www.fitbiztraining.co.uk

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Charity Profile

FareShare Sussex Tackling food waste and fighting hunger - turning an environmental problem into a social solution. By Georgia Brown Many people have the privilege of being able to afford everyday essentials, like clothes and running water.

Most people reading this article may live in a home with both heating and electricity.

However, many people may not be aware that for approximately 5.8 million people in the UK, the realities of living in ‘deep poverty’ make it hard to afford even the most basic of essentials, including food.

Around 10% of the UK population of all ages go hungry every day. Though this might seem like a staggering statistic, food poverty can affect anyone, at any time under unpredictable circumstances. This can be due to many reasons, such as unexpected redundancy, reduced welfare support or simply having to support a family on

a low income. This means that for many people, they have little to no choice but to turn to drop-in centres, hostels, food banks and other emergency help in order to feed themselves and their families. For some people, going along to a lunch club helps to alleviate chronic loneliness as well as providing a comforting meal. However, these resources are not widely available and rely on volunteers and workers willing to give up their time to help those in need.

This is where FareShare Sussex comes in - a charity that has a long-term vision to eradicate food poverty.

The team of incredibly hardworking volunteers have changed the way food waste is disposed of, reclaiming safe-to-eat surplus food from manufacturers, suppliers and retailers that would have otherwise been thrown away. The charity distributes this food to local charities and community projects across East and West Sussex, and parts of Surrey, where it is then turned into thousands of nutritious meals every week for the people who need it most. FareShare has made it possible to accept a wide variety of surplus food, including meat, dairy, fruit, vegetables and ready meals, along with tinned and packet foods such as tuna, rice and coffee. All food accepted by FareShare must comply with food safety legislation, be within its use by and best before dates and be packaged appropriately. FareShare claims that for the community groups they work with, their services are a “much needed resource”; without their support, hundreds of people across the South would go hungry.

Beth Parry, FareShare’s fundraising and communications manager, explained that FareShare began in Brighton in 2002 as a small volunteer-run project,

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FREE publicity for charities & community groups If you are a charity or a community group, email your press releases, updates & announcements to info@sussexlocal.net and we will publish them online and in our magazines free of charge.

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Charity Profile

delivering a small amount of supermarket surplus to just a handful of homeless projects in the area. “The stark injustice of good food unnecessarily being wasted alongside the growing issue of homelessness highlighted how one issue could help the other” she said. FareShare is turning an environmental problem into a social solution. Beth continued, “Since 2002 the project has grown year-on-year and now delivers surplus food to 125 charities across Sussex and Surrey. The charities include food banks, homeless hostels and day centres, young people's projects, women's refuges and older people's lunch clubs. By using our service these organisations are able to redirect vital funds into their core services for their clients.”

When asked what the best aspect about volunteering for FareShare is, Beth told us that for many volunteers, their main motivation for volunteering is “making a difference to vulnerable people in their community” and enjoying the fact that they can directly see the impact their work has on people’s lives. Furthermore, the work FareShare does for the community does not just benefit those in need, but also works to reduce the environmental impact of high levels of food waste across the county.

At such a crucial global stage and with concerns about the ‘climate crisis’ ever increasing, it is refreshing to see a charity pledging to place sustainability at the heart of their mission. By

preventing large amounts of surplus food heading to landfills, FareShare dramatically reduces the environmental impact caused by food waste every day.

According to Beth, the charity saved 2,436 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions last year alone - that is equivalent to powering over 400 homes with electricity for a whole year. However, the pledge to be more sustainable does not end there for FareShare.

Beth claims that the charity recognises that it has a little way to go to reduce their own environmental impact even further. She said, “We hope to invest in greener transportation systems, which isn't something we can afford to do without funding. We have an application pending for an electric van and an e-cargo bike, which would reduce our own emissions and enable us to receive and redistribute more food.”

According to Beth, the charity would not be running if it wasn’t for the hardworking selfless team of volunteers. Beth said, “We have regular social events

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Charity Profile

throughout the year, do all we can to acknowledge their hard work and really we could not exist without our team of 150 incredible volunteers.” Similarly, Beth continued that FareShare could not exist without donations and people fundraising. “We need to cover our warehouse rent, our van leasing, fuel and maintenance, our staff salaries and volunteer expenses to be able to keep the project going.”

It may be difficult to imagine what Sussex would be like without charities like FareShare working towards reducing food poverty across the county. In response to this, Beth told us, “When asked what would happen

if FareShare had to close, the responses from our charity members were quite shocking - one saying that it could mean the loss of lives, some saying they would have to close their own project down. Many told us that vulnerable people would go without food.” There is still a long way to go before the national struggle to avoid hunger is completely eradicated, but with charities like FareShare dedicating time to tackling the problem, the struggle for many local families is eased.

People can support FareShare in a variety of ways; including individual donations, community fundraising events, challenges, volunteering and they also have several food collection points in the area, including Worthing where you can drop off food items.

To find out more about how you can support, visit www.faresharesussex.org.uk

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32

Crossword

Prize Crossword

Win a ÂŁ25 voucher for The Seal

Chichester April 2020 February 2020 solution below:

Winner: David Cooke from Chichester. Congratulations and thank you to all who entered.

Finish the crossword and fill out the box below with the letters from the shaded squares. Work out the anagram

February anagram solution BRAVURA

Across 6 Protuberance on a bone (8) 8 And nothing more (4) 9 Dead duck (5) 10 Tilt a glass or two (6) 11 Electrodes it manipulated to spot deceit (3,9) 13 Cocktail-stirrer (7,5) 16 Advertising catchphrase (6) 18 Barometer, to a tar (5) 19 Altar area (4) 20 Atrocious (8)

Down 1 Low dwelling (8) 2 Small round woollen hat (6) 3 White sweetener (7,5) 4 Chunk (6) 5 Smooth-talking (4) 7 Full discretionary power (5,7) 12 A hat may be worn this way (8) 14 Croatian capital (6) 15 Mosul residents (6) 17 Easy stride (4)

Send the word above to: Sussex Local Crossword, PO Box 2237 Pulborough, RH20 9AH or you can enter it online at our website www.sussexlocal.net/crosswords Closing date: 30th April 2020.

Win a

ÂŁ25 meal voucher to use at

The Seal Bar & Restaurant

www.the-seal.com

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Hillfield Rd, Selsey PO20 0JX Sussex Local may wish to keep in touch with occasional information and offers.

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Please tick if you would like to receive such information.

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Legal

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Protecting your assets with a life interest trust

By Lucy Thomas

Leaving someone a life interest in your Will means they will have the benefit of the asset, for example a property, for the rest of their life following which it will pass to a beneficiary chosen by you.

There may be times when it is better to leave someone a life interest, rather than give them an asset outright. By setting up a trust in your Will, you can arrange for a loved one to have use of the asset for as long as they want or need, then give it to a third person. There are two main reasons why someone might wish to proceed in this way.

To prevent the ‘sideways disinheritance trap’ The so-called sideways disinheritance trap occurs when someone with children from a previous relationship remarries. If their estate passes to their new spouse when they die, then their children may receive nothing.

This can happen either because their new spouse makes a Will leaving the estate elsewhere, the new spouse fails to make a Will meaning that the estate passes to their relatives (this does not include stepchildren) or because the new spouse uses all of the funds, for example for care home fees.

Using a life interest trust to protect assets By including a life interest trust in a Will, rather than simply leaving the whole estate to a spouse, the sideways disinheritance trap can be avoided.

You can leave your new spouse the right to live in a jointly owned property for the rest of their life. They would still be able to move house if they wanted, and retain a life interest in the new home. But on their death, your interest in the property or other assets would pass to your chosen beneficiaries as detailed in your Will. To pass only a life interest in a property, it must be owned as tenants in common and not as joint tenants, otherwise the property automatically becomes solely owned by the other joint owner on the death of the first to die.

Similarly, by leaving a spouse the right to live in a property for the rest of their life, but not passing them your share outright, you can prevent your half of the property being included in local authority calculations for any care home fees they may incur.

If you would like to talk to one of our expert tax, wills and probate solicitors, please ring us on 01243 216900 or email us at info@legalmatters.co.uk.

34 Recipe

Easter Chocolate Crispie Cakes Alternative to Easter eggs As Easter treats go this one will go the quickest! The best thing about it is that you can make them so quickly, make all sorts of variations and in fact you can make them suitable for youngsters with dietary problems too!

Ingredients (Makes about 12) Prep time: 10mins + chilling • 25g butter, margarine (or other suitable firm fat) • 50g golden or maple syrup, honey or fructose syrup • 25g cocoa or carob powder • 25-50g sultanas, raisins or chopped apricots • 7-8tbsp rice crispies, crushed cornflakes, Allbran or other preferred cereals • Pretty paper cake cases • mini coloured chocolate eggs

Method 1. Melt the fat and syrup in a large pan, then stir in the powder until well blended.

2. When hot and smooth stir in the dried fruit and

sufficient cereal to give a firm mixture, stirring until thoroughly mixed.

3. Spoon equal amounts into the paper cake cases and top with a few chocolate eggs. Chill until firm.

Cookery Courses for all Why not give a Voucher for the perfect gift?

Contact Alex 01243 532240 www.cookwithalex.co.uk

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36

Gardening

In Your Garden Monthly gardening ideas and tasks

by Andrew Staib, Principal Designer of Glorious Gardens Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden As a garden designer I have always attempted to design a garden without the need for sculpture, being wary that sculpture might detract from the beauty of the plants. However, after my visit to the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden, in nearby Dorking recently I have realised that not only can a sculpture really enhance the beauty of a garden but the design itself can be influenced by a particularly powerful piece of work and the plants complimented.

Vikki Leedham first came across the garden when she went there on a school trip in the early 1990s. “I remember the founder, Hannah Peschar, being really scary, shouting out ‘Don’t Touch’ in her Dutch accent! But years later, after I graduated from art college, I applied for a placement here. I am now co-curator and gallery manager and I love it. I am called the queen of everything as I do pretty much every role here!”

She beams with infectious passion over the glass desk in the simple office situated in the grounds of the sculpture park. “At any one time we have over 200 outdoor sculptures on display in our beautiful gardens. I and Anthony, Hannah’s husband, who designed the gardens over 35 years ago, select which artists we would like to exhibit, including quite a few European artists”.

“Often I will go and visit them in their studios to get a better sense of their work. When the sculptures arrive, often driven in vans by the artists themselves, we get to work deciding where to put them and sometimes the daunting task of how to lift them!

Compared to other artists, outdoor sculptors tend to

Gardening

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be very down to earth so I really like working with them”

English weather. They need to be frost and wildlife proof and the works have to be substantial enough not to get lost in the garden setting.”

The history of the sculpture garden is a testament to having a vision and just going for it. Anthony Paul was a landscape designer and his wife Hannah Peschar was a political journalist living in London.

They bought the little cottage and grounds near Ockley, Dorking and spent 5 years just clearing the jungle of weeds, restoring the ponds and planting architectural looking plant species.

The gardens themselves are very beautiful with mature oaks, streams, undulating mounds and rivers and some majestic Japanese Acer specimens. “There are no signs,” explains Vikki, “as we want people to explore the garden without a tick list, though we do provide a comprehensive map!”

They then canvassed the art world, inviting sculptors to exhibit outdoors. “It wasn’t the fashion at the time for outdoor sculpture. Of course there were artists such as Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth but their work was usually both monumental and expensive.

There was nothing particularly accessible for the average garden owner”.

“The sculpture is usually rotated on a two year basis, and we aim to exhibit at least 6 new artists every year.

We have to make sure all the pieces can withstand the

“Our typical buyers are members of the public, some collectors, corporate clients and public art. I think the most someone spent in one go was £80,000. My internal jaw dropped! Some clients want a particular piece of sculpture that they have in their mind that they want for a special place in the garden. Then I try to find them the right artist. Other visitors are open-minded about what they like and when they find something, decide where it could go”.

Vikki tells me about

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Gardening

other activities they conduct in the gardens. “We have had a walking dinner tour, stopping off at canapé stations, ending in a formal dinner on the lawn, lots of school trips, creative workshops, like print making, and even yoga afternoons.”

Where to visit in April The Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden of course!

Opening 3rd April. General admission (Thursday Sunday) - Adults £12, concession £8, children £ 7.

Black and White Cottage, Standon Lane, Ockley, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 5QR (postal only – use RH5 5QU for SatNav). For more information call 01306 627269 or visit www.hannahpescharsculpture.com High Beeches Gardens, is a 25 acre garden, which is a botanical treasure trove that includes historic Magnolias. Laid out by the Loder family, but inspired High Beeches Gardens

by Victorian horticulturist William Robinson’s wild garden style, is it really worth going to when all the plants are coming into leaf.

It is open every day except Wednesday, 1pm - 5pm, adults £8.50, children 5-14 £2. High Beeches Lane, Handcross, Haywards Heath, RH17 6HQ. 01444 400589 www.highbeeches.com And don’t forget the Tulip fair at Arundel Castle on the 1st April 2020.

April tasks • Start hoeing any bare areas of earth before the weeds take hold – if you do this once a week you will be weed free all year.

• 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.

• It is not too late to give Dogwood and Willow a big cut back.

• You can apply both Mosskill and Broadleaf weedkiller 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.

• You can sow annuals indoors or in your greenhouse – rather than that trip to the supermarket you could try growing Marigolds and Lobelia in trays.

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Floods

By Chris Ennis FRICS It has, by any standards, been a wet winter. The whole country seems to be awash - water everywhere. The Arun valley and floodplain is always affected in the winter months and river levels have been very high during periods of spring tides coinciding with low atmospheric pressure. I have seen the seafront at Goring awash, farmland flooded at Clymping and numerous domestic integral garages affected by flash floods.

I have seen flooding affecting the Rver Rife although engineering work has reduced this risk over recent years. Pulborough has been badly affected as have parts of the River Rother valley. We see pictures of swollen rivers and destruction every day on the TV news. The misery of seeing your property and possessions ruined in a flood must be devastating. The recovery process can be very lengthy, expensive and the value of your property will inevitably be affected.

Every purchaser should have an environmental report prepared prior to purchase in which, amongst many things, flood risk is assessed.

Property

39

Flooding can take a number of forms, the most publicised of which is River flooding. It occurs when rivers and streams are unable to carry away excess water through the usual drainage channels. Adjacent low-lying properties are likely to be flooded. Surface water flooding occurs following periods of heavy and persistent rain, often falling on saturated ground where normal drainage systems cannot cope with the volume of water. Groundwater flooding occurs when persistent rain raises the water table level above adjacent land. At times of world climate change, rising sea levels can be the cause of Coastal flooding, where sea defences prove to be inadequate in storm conditions. Recently, a breach in the sea defences caused flooding at Clymping.

If your property is in an area which might be affected by flooding be sure to arrange insurance and have a plan to minimise damage, remembering that there may be no electricity supply to operate pumping systems. There are a number of patent flood defence systems available for sale, the most basic of which are sandbags and sand.

Spare a thought for the flood-struck residents in the North of the country.

Chris Ennis FRICS email: surveyor1@talktalk.net 01903 261 217 or www.propdoctor.co.uk

40

Motoring

Motoring News Citroën’s Electric City Car Citroën has unveiled their 100% electric, two-seater city car.

Called the Ami, it features a 5.5 kWh lithium-ion battery and it’s capable of speeds of up to 28mph.

Tesla Model 3 Wins UK Car of the Year 2020 Tesla’s Model 3 has been crowned UK Car of the Year 2020. After emerging triumphant as Best Executive car, the Tesla battled it out against eight other new cars for the overall title. John Challen, director of the UK Car of the Year Awards said that the Tesla Model 3 has “shaken up” the executive segment and got many brands thinking. “Electric vehicles attract a broad spectrum of opinions, but it’s clear that with its technology, performance and range, the Model 3 is converting a lot of people.”

Tesla UK added: “We are proud of what this car has achieved so far and with the upcoming 0% company car tax there is an exciting year ahead for EVs in the UK.”

Great Women in the British Car Industry Nominations for the Great Women in the British Car Industry initiative have opened. Run by Autocar, in association with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, it will culminate in an awards ceremony on 4 June in London.

The initiative recognises the top 100 women leading the way across the UK’s car industry, as judged by a panel of automotive experts.

Supported by Bentley, Nissan and Toyota, the day will also include presentations from keynote speakers (soon to be announced), a panel debate and a networking session.

Van Thefts On The Rise Four-in-10 of all new vans on sale do not come with an alarm as standard, according to an investigation

by What Car? Vans. The findings follow research highlighting how more than 43,000 vans have been stolen since 2016, with a further 117,000 broken into.

The worst area for van thefts was London, with 14,263 vans stolen in the four year period, while 44,742 were broken into by thieves.

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