Sussex Local - Barnham - February 2019

February 2019

SUSSEX LOCAL

Barnham - Aldingbourne - Eastergate - Oving - Tangmere - Westergate

Local news and events through the door to 5,400 homes in this area every month

AMBER FOUNDATION

Transforming young lives

WIN TICKETS!

Wilko Johnson in Southampton

GARDENING Colour

PLUS

NEWS

Community Council, Charity

HEALTH

Back Pain

What’s On, Local Walks, Recipe, Prize Crossword, Puzzles Local news, Local groups & charity, Business Directory

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February 2019 Cover image Snowdrops

Welcome...

It’s February, the month of Valentine’s Day...

We are sharing some love with a chance to win a pair of tickets to see original Dr Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson live in concert at Southampton’s Engine Rooms.

The Wilco Johnson band are joined by special guest Glenn Tilbrook and the concert on 9th March promises to be a real crowd-pleaser. See page 11 to enter.

You can also win an M&S voucher by entering our prize crossword - you only need the anagram. Give it a go on page 12.

Younger readers may enjoy the puzzles on page 16 - and we are looking for a sponsor for both our crossword and puzzle pages.

Our charity profile feature this month is on the Amber Foundation (page 23). Providing accommodation and training for homeless and unemployed young people, the charity gives the opportunity of a fresh start to disadvantaged individuals aged 18 to 30.

Andrew Staib has some ideas to help brighten up your garden (page 26) plus the main gardening tasks for the month.

Our Health article on page 15 looks at lower back pain, the causes and what you can do to help yourself if you suffer.

As usual we have event listings for the month starting on page 4 and our regular local community and charity news starting on page 20. Please get in touch with anything you’d like published and add details of any events directly to our website at www.sussexlocal.net.

Kris & Jeff Quote of the month “There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved.”

- GEORGE SAND 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.

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.........................................................................What’s On ....................................Win tickets to see Wilko Johnson .................................................................Prize Crossword ................................................................................Recipe ...........................................................Health & Wellbeing ............................................Young Readers’ Puzzle Page .......................................................................Local Walks ..............................................Charity & Community news ....................................................................In Your Garden .....................Charity Profile feature - Amber Foundation ..........................................................Parish Council News .............................................................Business Directory ...........................................................Index of Advertisers

March booking deadline 1st Feb Kay Publishing Ltd PO Box 2237 Pulborough RH20 9AH info@sussexlocal.net www.sussexlocal.net

01903 868474

Established in 2007, we publish and hand-deliver seven editions free of charge to over 42,000 homes and businesses every month.

Display advertising starts at just £24 a month per edition (1/8th).

Business Directory £10 per month per edition. We welcome reader letters and community notices which we publish free of charge.

Seven editions across West Sussex Arundel - Arundel, Amberley, Burpham, Climping, Fontwell, Ford, Slindon, Walberton & Yapton Total addresses - 6,400 Barnham - Barnham, Eastergate, Westergate, Aldingbourne, Oving, & Tangmere Total addresses - 5,400 Chichester - Chichester centre & suburbs Total addresses - 7,800 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 - 4,750 rising to 7,600 from April 2019 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 - 6,400

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What’s On

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SUSSEX LOCAL

What’s On

This time of year is the perfect time to book your holidays sales are on and I know where to look for them and how to find the best ones. Relax with the assurance that all your travel arrangements are in the safest possible hands.

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What’s On

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What’s On

SUSSEX LOCAL

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What’s On

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10 What’s On

SUSSEX LOCAL

Competition

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Win a pair of tickets to see Wilko Johnson Saturday 9th March, Southampton Engine Rooms Band with ex-Blockhead Norman Watt-Roy on bass.

Also featuring Dylan Howe on drums, the trio have become one of the most exciting R&B bands in the world today.

They will be joined by very special guest Glenn Tilbrook, who has more than earned his place at pop’s top table as one of our most cherished Songwriters, singers and guitarists, not to mention an indemand and endlessly endearing live performer.

Visit engineroomssouthampton.com for more details.

Following Wilko’s cancer recovery, the original Dr Feelgood guitarist has enjoyed a rousing return to the live arena recently, including a number 1 album with Roger Daltrey and playing a sold out show at The Royal Albert Hall to mark his 70th birthday.

Heavily influenced by Mick Green, Wilko employs a finger-style, chop-chord strumming action (the ‘stab’, as he describes it). This allows for chords and lead to be played at the same time, giving a fluency and a distinctive sound very unlike the cleaner swat of a pick. Following a stint with Ian Dury & The Blockheads in the 80′s, he eventually formed The Wilko Johnson

Win tickets to see Wilko Johnson To enter the competition answer the question below: Q: Who was Wilko heavily influenced by? a) Mick Green b) Mick Fleetwood c) Mick Rock Send your answer and contact details to: Wilko Johnson Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or enter online at www.sussexlocal.net/ features/competitions Winner drawn after 28th February 2019. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.

SUSSEX LOCAL

12 Crossword

Prize Crossword

Win a ÂŁ10 Marks & Spencer voucher

Barnham February 2019 December 2018 answer below:

Winner: Andrew Vawer from Eastergate. 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

Across 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 16 19 20 21 22

2nd smallest continent (6) Microphone inventor (6) Probability (4) Fragile (8) Join (5) Couple (7) Long established (3-4) Mature (5) Yes (3,5) Profane expression (4) Reduce (6) Vestige (6)

Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 13 15 17 18

Painful abdominal complaint (8,5) Maiden Castle county (6) Is inclined (5) Colours developing in Autumn (7) Performing animal show (6) Reflection (13) Conceive (7) Shove (6) Gadget (6) Hiding place (5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Answer from yellow box: .................................................................................

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: 28th Feb 2019.

Win a ÂŁ10

M&S voucher voucher provided by

SUSSEX LOCAL magazine

Sussex Local may wish to keep in touch with occasional information and offers.

We will never share your details with third parties.

Please tick if you would like to receive such information.

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14 Recipe

Celebration Steak With red wine sauce Ingredients - serves 4 

350-450g piece beef fillet (in one piece)



25g butter

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2 shallots, finely chopped

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2-3 sprigs thyme

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1tsp Dijon mustard

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150ml red wine

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150ml good beef stock



Salt and black pepper

Method 1) Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas Mark 6.

Wipe the piece of beef dry. Heat half the butter in a small frying pan and sauté the meat on all sides until sealed.

SUSSEX LOCAL 2) Wrap in foil tightly and place in a small roasting tin in the oven.

3) To the frying pan add the rest of the butter and the chopped shallots. Sauté until softened but not browned. Add the thyme, mustard, stock and red wine and simmer gently until reduced to taste. Adjust the seasoning.

4) Remove the steak from the oven and carve into four thick slices, adding any juices to the sauce.

Serve immediately with fresh vegetables or a green salad and the sauce (sieved if you wish).

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

Contact Alex 01243 532240 www.cookwithalex.co.uk

Health & Wellbeing

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Is Your Back Pain Really In Your Back?

By Heather Smith, Personal Trainer Lower back pain is one of the most common physical complaints. Sometimes it just starts aching, other times it seems you injure yourself and are left dealing with the aftermath for much longer than you would like.

In an overwhelming majority of cases, low back pain is caused by some variation of poor posture and the solution lies in locating and correcting the problem area; which, surprisingly, is not usually your actual back.

Of course, there are exceptions to this, and pain should really be assessed by someone who knows what they’re talking about. Then you can be confident you’re taking the right course of action.

Although back pain often feels like stiffness, your lower back is supposed to be a pretty stable area.

Excess movement is often a trigger for pain. Your lower back can start to move too much to compensate for a

lack of movement elsewhere in your body; most often in the thoracic spine (your upper back) or the hips.

Stand side-on next to a mirror and try lifting your arms in front of your body. Watch your lower back and see how high you can lift your arms before your lower back has to start moving. This is your lower back compensating for a lack of mobility in your upper back.

Staying side-on to the mirror, try standing on one leg and extending your other leg out behind yourself with your knee straight. Again, watch your lower back and see how far you can take your leg behind your body before your lower back starts to move. This is your lower back compensating for lack of mobility in your hips, and it may be different on both sides.

Mobility exercises which will help release tightness in the thoracic spine and hips are pretty easy to find online, otherwise please get in touch with me and I will happily talk through some with you. It’s worth building some mobility exercises into your daily routine for a few weeks, you may be surprised at the improvements you can make with just a few minutes a day.

Heather Smith is a fat loss specialist Personal Trainer. www.fitbiztraining.co.uk

16 Puzzles

SUSSEX LOCAL Answers on www.sussexlocal.net from 1st February

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18 Walks

Local Walks - February 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 Fri 1st

10:30 am Wey Arun Canal (Loxwood) L: Richard Meet in Canal visitor centre car park in Loxwood

1 hr 30 mins

3.5 miles

Mon 4th

10:30 am Emsworth to Prinsted Meet in Emsworth town square, PO10 7AW

L: Anne

1 hr 30 mins

3 miles

Mon 4th

10:30 am Chichester Canal Meet in Chichester Canal, PO19 8DT

L: Helen

30 mins

1 mile

Wed 6th

10:45 am Climping L: Dominic Along dunes and beach to Climping Mill. Meet at Arun Yacht Club Car Park, Rope Walk, Littlehampton BN17 5DL

1 hr 30 mins

2.5 miles

Wed 6th

10:30 am Earnley L: Andrew Slow, flat, easy, stroll around Medmerry Nature Reserve perimeter. Meet in Earnley car park

2 hrs

2 miles

Fri 8th

10:30 am Kirdford L: Richard Through farmland and fields, returning past a fish farm and woodland. Meet in front of the Half Moon pub in Kirdford

1 hr 30 mins

3.5 miles

Tue 12th

10:30 am Petworth Park L: Gerald Fallow deer, views and ancient trees make for a compelling walk. Meet in Petworth Park, London Road, North Car Park

2 hrs

4 miles

Thurs 14th

10:30 am Burpham & Wepham L: Jane Meet in the public car park behind the George at Burpham, BN18 9RR

2 hrs

5 miles

Fri 15th

10:30 am Stoughton L: Andrew Slow, gradual, peaceful ascent through beech woods.

Meet in Forestry Commission car park

2 hrs

2 miles

Sun 17th

10:30 am Burpham L: Dominic Meet in the public car park behind the George at Burpham, BN18 9RR

2 hrs

4 miles

Mon 18th

10:30am Langstone & Hayling Billy L: Anne Meet in park at the Ship Inn Langstone Road, PO9 1RD

1 hr 30 mins

3 miles

Thurs 21st

10.30am Middleton Beach L: Peter Meet in free car park just off Elmer Road in Middleton village by the Jubilee Hall and playing fields

1 hr 30 mins

3 miles

Sat 23rd

10:30 am Slindon Woods L: Dominic Meet in National Trust car park, Dukes Road, Slindon

2 hrs

3.5 miles

Mon 25th

10:30am Emsworth to Westbourne L: Anne Through meadows to Emsworth and back. Meet in Emsworth Town Square

1 hr 30 mins

3 miles

Thurs 28th

10:30am Parham Park & Wigginholt L: Jane Meet in RSPB car park (free) at Pulborough Brooks

2 hrs 30 mins

5 miles

Thurs 28th

10:30am Chapel Common L: Andy Walk on heathland tracks, including part of the Serpents Trail. Meet Chapel Common Parking area

1 hr 30 mins

2 miles

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20 Charity & Community

Sussex Snippets The Youth Emotional Support (YES) team has received national recognition for the work it does to support young people in West Sussex with a range of mental health and wellbeing needs. YES were finalists in this year’s Children and Young People Now awards. The service was runner-up in the Mental Health and Wellbeing category. YES is a free service for 11-18 year olds, supporting young people with a range of things, including anxiousness, mood, relationship issues, self-injury and unhelpful thoughts.

YES received approximately 2,500 referrals last year and provides one-to-one and group support, with a community-based, young person-centred approach.

Visit www.westsussex.gov.uk Victim Support (VS) is an independent charity dedicated to supporting victims of crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales. Their purpose is to provide specialist help to support people to cope and recover to the point where they feel they are back on track with their lives. Their volunteers provide emotional and practical support to people affected by crime. They always need new volunteers to join their Sussex teams so please get in touch – email SussexVolunteering@victimsupport.org.uk or visit www.victimsupport.org.uk

SUSSEX LOCAL Are you or is someone you know interested in training to be a teacher? There are 284 schools in West Sussex looking for teachers. Whether you want to teach, become a school bursar, a governor, a governing body clerk or apprentice, there is something for everyone. There are two recruitment fairs that will give you the chance to find out what our schools can do for you. One on Saturday 2 February, 10.00am-2.00pm at Fontwell Park Racecourse, BN18 0SY. Another on Saturday 9 February, 10.00am-2.00pm at Ifield Community College, Crawley, RH11 0DB. For more details visit www.westsussex.gov.uk Would you like one of the Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex volunteer speakers to visit you? If you are a member of a local group, club or society, then you can book a talk with them - free of charge. The volunteer will talk about how they work, innovate and save lives. It promises to be an interesting and inspiring meeting for your members, whilst enabling them to raise vital awareness of the charity. Get in touch now to book a talk at a time and place that suits you.

Please note the presentation is only suitable for audience members over the age of 16. Get in touch via 01634 471 900 and talks@aakss.org.uk It can be difficult to get all the information and advice needed to support you in your day to day activities.

That’s why West Sussex Council have created West Sussex Connect to Support – a website that brings together a wealth of information and resources that you can access with just a few clicks. You can get information and advice, find things to do locally, buy products and services, and find out about social care support. Visit www.westsussexconnecttosupport.org Neighbours everywhere are invited to join The Big Lunch on the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of June, when millions of people living locally come together to share food, have fun and get to know each other better. It’s a glorious moment of fun in the year that anyone, everywhere can share. Research in 2018 found that 4.5million people who went to a Big Lunch made new friends. Over 5 million people believe The Big Lunch creates stronger communities. The Big Lunch is an idea from the Eden Project made possible by the National Lottery. www.thebiglunch.com Choosing care for yourself, or supporting a family member to do so, is an important decision to take.

The good news is that there is advice and support available to help you with this important financial decision. Carewise offers advice and guidance, so that you choose the most cost-effective way of paying for your care. It has an approved panel of care fees specialists who are all qualified independent financial advisers. Your first consultation with a care fees specialist is free. Arrange your free consultation with a new ‘request a call back’ service. Visit www.carewiseadvice.com where you will find a list of all the care fees specialists, choose the adviser you would like to talk to, and request a call back from them. You will be contacted within one working day.

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Charity & Community

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Help the hedgehogs!

Self Care Retreat in Bosham

Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital in Sidlesham have over 200 hedgehogs in their care, and they are running out of tinned pet food and newspapers fast. They use newspaper to line their cages and to make bedding to keep all of their spikey friends warm. They are using 810 bin liners-full every day!

One of the UK’s longest running laughter clubs is lending its expertise at a workshop in West Sussex designed to help women focus more on themselves this year. The historic Hamblin Centre in Bosham is to open its doors on Sunday 3rd February with a fantastic lineup of speakers including life coach and author, Lisa Sturge, founder of the Chichester Laughter Club.

A spokesperson for The Hamblin Centre said: “We’re inviting women to step off the treadmill and spend a day focusing on themselves and what they really want in 2019.”

The cost of the event, which takes place from 9:30am until 4:30pm, is £69 and includes all workshop sessions, refreshments, lunch and a goody bag.

The Hamblin Centre is set in the grounds of the former home of Henry Thomas Hamblin, the Christian mystic and prolific author and publisher, known as ‘The Saint of Sussex’. Visit www.hamblincentre.org.uk for more information.

Can you help by shredding some newspapers for them? They can only use newspaper (office paper gives the hedgehogs paper cuts) and it has to be shredded into strips, not cross-cut. You can hand shred the newspaper or you can put it through a machine shredder. Again, strip cut only, not cross-cut, so if you can donate any unwanted newspapers we would be grateful.

Additionally if anyone can spare a few hours to donate their time to help feed or clean the many patients in our care then please get in contact either via their website www.brentlodge.org or call 01243 641672.

Volunteer Handyman Needed Are you a handy person? Can you spare a couple of hours a week? RSPB Pagham Harbour & Medmerry is looking for a Volunteer Handyperson to help around its Visitor Centre at Sidlesham The role would include general repairs and maintenance checks. Please contact pagham.harbour@rspb.org.uk

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SUSSEX LOCAL

Yapton photographer Dear Sussex Local, My name is Attila Kalman amateur astronomer and photographer living in Yapton. I attach one of the latest photos of mine. I'm a keen user of the oldest photographic technique called Pinhole photography, specified as Solargraphy in my case.

The idea is to capture the Sun's path throughout an extremely long period of time (we talk about months). In a nutshell it means that when the Sun rises above the horizon and goes on it's daily jouney in the sky it leaves a burnt line mark on the photopaper inside the camera every day. I've captured our Sun's movements between June 21st and December 1st from our balcony looking towards the West.

Kind regards, Attila

Walberton Paint Day - 9th Feb On Saturday 9 February, Walberton Parish Council need you! Parish councillors will be painting the Pavilion kitchen, ladies toilet and hallway. Will you help them? Even an hour or two would be appreciated. Let them know by phoning Andy Peppler, Clerk on 01243 554528.

Eastergate Coffee Morning Come and join in on Nina’s Friendly Coffee Morning a community coffee morning that takes place every Tuesday, which is reaching isolated and lonely locals.

A minimum donation of ÂŁ1 is required and all funds go to charity! All welcome from babies to golden oldies. Come for a coffee, cakes, scones, company and a chance to make new friends! Even well-behaved dogs are welcome! Every Tuesday 10:30am - 12pm at Eastergate Village Hall. Contact Nina on 07849 356097 for more information or just come along!

Gardening

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In Your Garden Monthly gardening ideas and tasks

by Andrew Staib, Principal Designer of Glorious Gardens February can be a joyless month in the garden.

Andrew takes a look at some interesting plants to “light up” your garden in the winter February is a tricky month. Sometimes clear days have us running out to turn over the soil and dig in some compost, other days have us sheltering indoors looking out of a rainy window.

If you are one of those gardeners who don’t start visiting their local nursery until Spring and then buying the flowering plants you see, you will miss out on the January and February performers. We can embolden our gardens with very interesting planting at this time of year. A visit to your local gardening centre will show the planting shelves quite bare but the plants they will have will add an extra dimension to your garden.

Plants for February Shape Obviously evergreens have a prominent place in February. Hedges of Yew, Box and Lonicera can subdivide your space allowing for the creation of interesting rooms. Architectural beauties like Phormiums, Yukka gloriosa, Chinese Cabbage Palm and Corokia can come into their own especially laced with frost smitten spider webs. The twisted Hazel, Corylus avellana ‘Contorta Red Magic’ can give endless interest as well as too the conifers like Minus Mungo and the monkey puzzle tree, Araucaria.

Leaves, Stems & Berries When the wide and quite boring leaves of Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’ give way in Autumn the amazing stems of the Cornus enliven a garden. ‘Midwinter Fire’ starts orange at the base and then finishes with a blazing red at the end of the stems. When this is planted en masse it becomes a memory of fire in the centre of February’s cold. Skimmia japonica has bright red berries at this time of year as well as a fresh green and compact leaves. Photinia Red Robin, which can now be purchased in dwarf and variegated forms, begins to set its new shoots in late February and if you want to light up a dark corner try Choisya ‘Sundance’. Ilex crenata ‘Convexted Gold’ brings more of that fresh yellow into the garden.

Scent A well placed Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ near the front door will give you a pretty scent for weeks and look good in the Summer with its evergreen foliage. In a shadier spot Sarcococca humilis and

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24 Gardening Trees

Trees in Winter are beautiful anyway but if your garden is large you need to have a Tibetian Cherry for it’s lovely, shiny red bark.

Garrya eliptica can produce millions of catkins which hang down like earrings, while Viburnum minus and especially Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’ is full of bright pink blooms. Cornlian Cherry Dogwood, Cornus mas, has small yellow flowers that cling close to the branches. For ultimate colour over February the Witchazels come into their own.

Try Hammamelis mollis Plaida and Hammamelis Jelena.

Flowers cortorta have a delicate and fragrant white flower moving on to dark purple berries. Perhaps the queen of Winter scent is the Winter honeysuckle, Lonicera purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’.

It can get to 150cm tall and has an unexpectedly intense scent. Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’ has a tall upright structure and is best at the back of a border where its stiff plumes can rocket up through other shrub’s branches. Don’t forget Winter Heather, they are actually ok in a range of soils and planted generously in one area can create a shimmering compact look.

Of course low to the ground we have the bulbs at this time of the year. Snowdrops, Crocus, Anemones and the beginnings of Daffodils that seem to bloom earlier each year. There is also the old fashioned and valiant Winter Pansies and Winter Violets to grace your pots. Then there are the hardy February performers like Helleborus niger. In shady corners, especially if your soil is on the acid side, you can opt for one of the many Japanese Camellias eg Elegant. The tall Cherry, Prunus subhirtella Autumnalis can flower all the way from November till the Spring and had lovely purple foliage in the Summer.

Gardening

through the door Climbers Clematis never ceases to surprise me in the Winter as there are some varieties which flower quite profusely, like Clematis Winter Beauty and Clematis Jingle Bells. the Chinese Jasmine, Jasmine nudiflorum has bright yellow flowers and can pick up any North wall. In Chinese its name means “the flower that welcomes Spring”.

So try a nursery visit soon and enrich your garden with some unusual and valiant plants!

Where to visit this February February is a great time to explore woodland. The bare bones of the earth are at rest and the quality of the forest is still and waiting for Spring with some small delights emerging. Also the evergreens like Ivy, Yew and Holly come into their own.

Try visiting Angmering Park Estate Trust, Burton and Chingford Pond, Petworth House Woods, Slindon and The Warrens.

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February tasks  A last tidy up - cut old perennials and ornamental grasses to ground level (as long as they are not the evergreen ornamental grasses!)  Pruning - Now is the time to finish your Roses and Wysterias. This month start to prune to the ground your deciduous ornamental grasses, Hardy shrubs like Cornus, Salix and Cotinus can be cut right back as well as Buddlea. Anything that has flowered during the winter can be pruned back into shape now like Winter Jasmine and Mahonia.  Bulbs - After your Snowdrops have flowered you can lift them out of the ground and separate them and then replant them in different areas of the garden.  Sowing - If you have a greenhouse you can start sowing leeks and onions.

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26 Charity Profile

SUSSEX LOCAL

Amber Foundation Providing space & support to transform young lives.

By Lynn Smith The Amber Foundation provides accommodation, training and new life experiences for homeless and unemployed young people, offering support and enabling them to move forward to positive and independent futures.

Bartholomew (Barty) Smith OBE founded Amber twenty three years ago, as a result of his involvement with the ‘Youth Opportunities Programme’ – a training programme that ran in the 1970s and 80s. He realised that a number of the young people with whom he worked had troubled backgrounds, low aspirations and low self-esteem, and were struggling to survive. Barty Smith’s desire to help these youngsters by giving them the chance to transform their lives gave rise to the Amber Foundation. He is now Chair of the Foundation’s Trustees.

Amber’s CEO Paul Rosam reiterates the Founder’s aims when he says, “We’re here to offer a fresh start to people who have encountered difficulties in their lives at an early age.” Paul came to Amber Foundation sixteen years ago, from the St Loyes Foundation

– a disability charity set up to support WW1 veterans.

Before St Loyes, Paul worked with HFT, a national charity providing services for people with learning disabilities. Before that – having graduated with a Politics & Social Sciences degree – Paul’s first job was with Together UK, a London based mental health charity. The latter he describes as a “tough job … it was at the time when large mental hospitals were closing, under the Community Care Act, and lots of institutionalised people were struggling to adapt outside of these hospitals.”

“At Amber,” Paul explains, “we’re working with a broad range of people.” The Foundation often takes people who have already been through other services and programmes. “So some of the most complex and disadvantaged young people around.”

Amber has three residential centres – in Devon, Wiltshire and Farm Place, Surrey. Just 200 metres from the border with Sussex, Farm Place has strong links with the county – around thirty percent (around twenty young people) of its referrals per year come from Sussex, and Mid Sussex MP, the Right Hon Sir Nicholas Soames is a long-standing trustee.

The centres support approximately 200 individuals each year – young people aged between 18-30 – and the average length of stay is six months. This last fact contributes to Amber’s success rate, the Foundation can offer individuals sufficient time to make changes, something that a lot of Government run programmes are unable to offer. Young People may come to Amber foundation through a broad range of routes via social services, probation service, homeless shelters, their families may refer them or they may self-refer.

So what can a young person expect to find when they arrive at Amber?

“The programme recreates a working week,” Paul says, “the sort of day you or I might have. The day starts at 7.30am and there are chores and responsibilities.” Individuals work in small teams, each with a team leader, and focus on four key areas – independent living, employment, health and wellbeing, and fun and participation. Through a weekly timetable Amber Foundation staff deliver training and activities that

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Charity Profile

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include: life skills, team work, core educational skills, community engagement and movingon support.

However, “progress is not binary”, Paul says and an individual may need more than one chance, returning to Amber after a period away. But he goes on to say that the biggest reward is “Seeing someone transform themselves, having provided an environment where change is more likely.”

That Amber Foundation is successful is in no doubt, in 2017/18 the Foundation produced its first “Impact Report,” which Paul describes as “very, very useful.” This is possibly an understatement, as he is clearly delighted and excited by the evidence in the report reflecting “the very positive year Amber has had in making a difference to the lives of those we work with.”

The report is a very interesting read with case studies and revealing figures. For instance that the greater percentage of the people helped by Amber are male (76 percent), and that the biggest age group (46 percent) is 17-21 years. Most residents joined Amber after a period of sofa surfing (26 per cent) or following a breakdown in family life (24 percent).

But it is the Measuring Impact section that drives home the considerable benefits resulting from Amber’s activities. Here are given details of a Ministry of Justice Data Lab evaluation –the Data Lab being a department within the Ministry of Justice that evaluates the impact that organisations such as Amber have on reducing reoffending. Published in July 2018 the report significantly endorses the positive effect on reoffending rates for young people on the Amber programme. In response to this research Amber independently commissioned a Social Return on Investment (SROI) study, to measure the Exchequer savings and social benefits of those completing Amber’s programme – the conclusion being that for every £1 invested, Amber generates £12.24 in social value over three years.

So, how does Amber fund its essential programme?

Paul says that Amber enjoys a good relationship with statutory services – Surrey County Council funds four bed spaces at Farm Place – and good local support, but that they need to raise £1.2million of their income from fundraising.

As do most charitable bodies, Amber has a number of “challenge-type” activities, such as marathons, Prudential Surrey bike ride, and they have “very good corporate take up” - not only in the form of cash donations but in offering opportunities for young people to experience workplace taster days, CV writing days and mock interviews.

28 Charity Profile Amber also has a "One Day” Campaign, where people can support Amber by funding running costs for one specific day. Launched in 2018, this is a major gift campaign (£5,000+) and people may choose a significant date to sponsor. Paul says that the campaign has, “had really good success with twenty plus days taken up and £100,000 raised so far.”

Amber also enjoys support from a group of “highly valuable” volunteers – including volunteer yoga, rugby and cookery teachers - the key attributes for a volunteer Paul says are an open mind and a wish to see young people develop.

Which all sounds like good news, but Paul says, “More young people are coming through with severe mental health difficulties.” As statutory services, such as the NHS, are reduced, it’s harder to access them and so more and more people arrive at the doors of agencies such as Amber. Paul feels that Amber is successful but that more money is needed from grant -making funds and Foundations.

Paul acknowledges that there are many, many causes people can support and that supporting homeless and unemployed young people may not be everyone’s first choice. “But,” he says, “everyone makes mistakes, not everyone has the same start in life and this isn’t a place that people aim to be at, but the point is that they are here, and they are the next generation.”

SUSSEX LOCAL Surely society as a whole benefits when the next generation is settled, responsible active citizens, with a home and a job.

To contact the Amber Foundation you can email info@amberweb.org or call 01769 581011. The helpline number is 0800 652 1081. You can also visit www.amberweb.org To find out more about the One Day Campaign, please contact Stephen Ballantyne, Head of Fundraising by calling 01761 221 557 or by emailing stephen.ballantyne@amberweb.org or

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30 Health & Wellbeing

Get mind fit in 2019

By Jo Johnson, Mind Your Head Get fit, get slim, declutter are the headlines that accompany any new year. It puzzles me that no one mentions mind fitness.

If for the whole of 2019 you eat only sugary foods, smoke and don’t take any exercise, by next year your body won’t be fit for purpose. If you have a body, you also have a mind and the same principles apply.

Our minds have two gears, thinking gear which is great for solving problems, remembering, planning, generating ideas and communicating with others but as flawed human beings our minds naturally want to keep us in thinking gear all the time. Even when we are supposed to be relaxing, ill disciplined minds will drag us into the past, create fears for the future or encourage us to compare ourselves with others. Often before we have noticed what is happening, we are feeling stressed and restless. Then, we do our favourite things to make us feel better, over eat, over work, drink too much, shop or go to withdraw all without any understanding as to what drives us into being ineffective or making life worse not better. If this happens to you, it shows you are normal but perhaps need to invest in becoming mind fit.

How then can we get mind fit in 2019. Here are a few tips to get you started:1. Recognise you have a mind and without conscious effort it can be as vulnerable as your body to becoming unfit for purpose.

2. Discover the other gear, psychologists call this sensing gear, it’s when we are paying conscious attention to anything through one of your five senses.

It’s learning to be present as opposed to being on autopilot. This is like any other skill, at first it’s hard, if you practise, it becomes easier. Choose one routine activity that you do every day and see if you can pay conscious attention using all your senses as you do it, eg boiling the kettle, having a shower. Take a moment regular to pause and notice five things you can see, smell or hear.

3. Research shows that people who are consciously aware of their values feel better, have better health and relationships and enjoy life more. Values include qualities like kindness, helpfulness, self care, creativity, friendliness. Put values list into a search engine and choose the ones that you want to live by. Choose a small action each day that brings one of your values to life. E.g. if one of your values is kindness, decide on a kind action you can do in your day. The size of the actions is unimportant. People who actively use their values to live experience more pleasure and meaning in life.

4. Become more aware of what your mind is up to and notice the patterns your mind bullies you into. E.g. when I have a bad day, my mind tells me I am rubbish,

SUSSEX LOCAL I then feel anxious and run off to find the biscuit tin.

Observe your own patterns.

5. Notice when you are listening to unhelpful thoughts and then imagine tugging out your mental iPod as if it were playing music you hate. Alternatively, write the thought on paper lots of times.

6. Keep a gratitude diary. When life is tough it’s easy to lose sight of the good things, recognising the good things that are happening strengthens the ability of the brain to focus on positive things. At the end of each day, write down five things that have gone well or for which you are grateful.

6. Treat yourself with compassion. When you feel low or make a mistake, do you treat yourself like a friend and offer yourself support and understanding? Or do you tend to self bully, harsh and critical? Unsurprisingly people who can show themselves kindness feel mentally better.

7. Invest sometime in learning more about your mind.

Read: “The Happiness Trap” or my own book “Shrinking the Smirch”. Watch on YouTube: “The Struggle Switch”, “Passengers On a Bus”, or visit: www.getselfhelp.co.uk or the app - headspace.

Jo Johnson Consultant Clinical Psychologist runs the consultancy Mind your Head in Storrington.

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Eastergate Parish Council Edited extracts from the draft meeting minutes of the Parish Council on 6th December 2018 Merger with Barnham PC Members were advised of a meeting of the shadow council consisting of the Clerk and two councillors from both parishes. The Chairman attended on behalf of both councils.

The first item dealt with at the meeting was position of Clerk. Members of both present councils felt that the Clerk needed to be available in the villages during the day. As a result, the Eastergate Clerk, who works fulltime, was unable to take up the position. A voluntary redundancy package was under consideration and the Clerk would be retained for up to one year to ensure knowledge was not lost.

The budget for the joint council had been proposed

by Arun DC at a figure of £101,000. The present councils sought a precept of £108,000 and this suggestion has been accepted by ADC. Members were advised of technical details including the fact that Barnham Parish Council and Eastergate Parish Council would be abolished on the 31st March 2019. The new Barnham & Eastergate Parish Council would be created on the 1st April 2019 but without any councillors as the elections for councillors would take place at the beginning of May. There are to be 13 new councillors on the new council.

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It was considered appropriate for members allowances to be paid, unless the councillor wrote to the Clerk to say that they did not wish to receive their allowance.This was intended to encourage a wider range of parishion- © N Chadwick (cc-by-sa/2.0) ers to join the council.

The next meeting was expected to consider the committee structure as well as strategy and production of a new section 106 wish, list. There was not anticipated to be any further staffing changes.

The Sportsfield A new pavilion would likely cost in the order of 1.1 to 1.2 million pounds. The Cricket Club were committed to assisting the working group to push this project forward. Plans would be shown to members, when received and that the cricket club would be engaged in the process. Members were advised of continuing problems with Yapton FC. Concern as to bad behaviour and language, with public complaints, were not acceptable and the committee remained concerned as to the nature of the alcohol licence and the policing of the same. A named Responsible person was needed for every occasion when alcohol was being consumed. www.eastergate.arun.gov.uk

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32 Parish Council News

Tangmere News

The Parish Council considered the options regarding the protection of the recreation field from illegal traveller access at the January full council meeting. Our consultation process on this subject received very little comment, so we determined to plant a mixed hedge with pedestrian gaps on the Nettleton Avenue edge of the field, between the existing wooden posts.

In time this will grow into a sturdy barrier, and we have committed to keep the hedge low by regular pruning. This will be planted by the end of March.

We also agreed to instigate a topographic survey of the field as a first step in determining any improved drainage options that we may take to improve the condition of the field.

The future funding and arrangements for the Youth Club were considered in the light of the difficulty that has been experienced arranging supervision for the evening meetings. Whilst the cost of supporting an external youth worker was deemed to be too great for the council to fund from the precept, it was agreed to invite the various Social Landlords who operate in the village to join in on a co-operative funding scheme to allow this project to proceed. If this is successful then the existing provision from the precept for youth activities will be pooled with external funds to provide a sustainable funding solution.

We received the Community Wardens report, and

were disappointed to learn that despite much interest from the students at the Tangmere Academy for the resurrection of the Junior Warden scheme, parents were unwilling to sign up and allow their children to participate. May I ask all parents of year 5 students to re-consider supporting the Junior Wardens scheme that has been so successful in previous years.

The annual precept was also determined at the January meeting. After many years of holding the precept unchanged, we agreed to increase the charge we make on local residents by 10%. This was to cover the additional expense of our administrative staffing arrangements, as well as compensating for reduced CDC funding this year. The number of properties in Tangmere that share this precept has increased by 15% since we last increased the call and the additional funds will put our administration on a secure footing in readiness for the challenges arising from the new housing development.

I am sure that all residents enjoyed the Christmas tree in the Co-op car park this year. I would like to thank Trevor Ware for the hard work he put in to make this a success. Going forward Trevor will be given much more support in such endeavours, as we refresh the Tangmere Action Group (TAG) that was established some years ago. The objective of TAG is to provide a forum for residents and Council members to work on community activities. For more information please see: www.tangmere-online.co.uk

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