Sussex Local Magazine Barnham - February 2020

February 2020

Barnham - Aldingbourne - Eastergate - Oving - Tangmere - Westergate Local news and events through the door to 5,400 homes in this area every month

WINSTON’S WISH Helping grieving children WHAT’S ON February listings

GARDENS Rewilding

WIN TICKETS!

Simon Evans Comedy Guys & Dolls Book; Great British Family Names

NEWS

Council, charity & schools

PLUS

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

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February 2020 Cover image Early Croci

Welcome... ...to February when we have St Valentine’s Day, Shrove Tuesday and a half term school holiday at the end of the month.

Our charity profile in this issue spotlights Winston’s Wish, a remarkable organisation helping children deal with bereavement.

Andrew Staib discusses the benefits of ‘rewilding’ your garden; more wildlife and less tidying are two of the main attractions.

We have three great competitions for you this month. You can win tickets to see Simon Evans in his ’Work of the Devil’ UK tour. Simon is one of the country’s bestloved stand-up comedians and we have a pair of tickets to his show at the Regis Centre in March to give away. We are also giving away a pair of tickets to see Guys & Dolls at the Regis Centre. An award winning classic musical about high-stakes gamblers.

You can also win a book; “Great British family names and their history”. A snapshot of several hundred family names, including names from West Sussex, the book delves into their beginnings and derivations.

What's On WIN! Tickets to Guys & Dolls WIN! Tickets to Simon Evans Parish Council news Young Readers' Puzzles Local Schools Local Walks Nature RSPB Health & Wellbeing - reaching your goals Recipe Charity & Community news In Your Garden - rewilding Property - Alternative energy sources Charity Profile - Winston's Wish Motoring news Prize Crossword WIN! Book; Great British Family Names Advertiser Index Local Business Directory Advertiser Index

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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 45,000 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.

Our “Property Doc” joins the climate change debate and looks at alternative sources of energy for your home.

Finally we have our regular news from local councils, schools and community groups plus our monthly recipe, health and motoring features.

Enjoy February!

Kris & Jeff

Quote of the month "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

- JIMI HENDRIX 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.

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

FETES & FAYRES

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What’s On

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What’s On

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Competition

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Guys and Dolls Classic musical performed by the University of Chichester Frank Loesser’s Tony Award winning classic musical about high-stakes gamblers Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson bringing the righteous Savea-Soul missionary Sergeant Sarah Brown into their glamorously, seedy world. The show is staged with unparalleled panache by one of the country’s leading Conservatoires of young talent, supported by a professional production team and West-End live band.

The sensational Triple Threat tour company are back following their runaway success with ‘9 to 5’ last year with the same production team, vivid direction

by Karen Howard, Damien Delaney’s exuberant choreography, Brady Mould’s rich, expansive sound and Ryan Laight’s stunning design. The university’s Triple Threat tour company is back with virtuosity, unaf-

fected energy and elan. This won’t just put a spring in your step, it will put a spring in your stride! Last year’s company production sold out so book now and “luck be a lady tonight”!

Reviews: “5-star. Accomplished. Outstanding. Faultless.”

We have a pair of tickets available to see Guys and Dolls at the Regis Centre, Bognor Regis. Tickets valid for either Friday 20th March 7.30pm or Saturday 21st March at 7.30pm or 2.30pm. www.alexandratheatre.co.uk

Win a pair of tickets to see Guys and Dolls To enter the competition answer the question below: Q: What university performs Guys and Dolls? a) Chichester b) Surrey c) Sussex Send your answer and contact details to: Guys and Dolls Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or enter online at www.sussexlocal.net/ features/competitions Winner drawn after 29th February 2020. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.

30 Motoring

Motoring News Citroen's C1 available with free insurance Citroën UK has announced one year’s free insurance on its popular C1 city car, for eligible retail customers from 19 years Citroen C1 urban ride special edition of age.

The offer is available across the most popular trim levels in the C1 range, including the ‘Urban Ride’ special edition and the ‘Origins’ collector’s edition. The current generation Citroën C1 has sold more than 70,000 units in the UK since it launched in 2014.

Nissan Leaf named ‘Car of the Year’ in 2019 Stuff Gadget Awards The Stuff Gadget Awards recognise excellence across 20 different product categories. Judges were impressed by the extended 239-mile range Inside Nissan Leaf and increased 217PS of power in the new-for-2019 Leaf e+. One of the most

accessible, and readily available, electric vehicles on the market.

Win £1000 towards a new car - British Motor Show Test drives, live action, the biggest variety of cars under one roof and the chance to win £1,000 towards your next set of wheels, are just some of the draws of the newly relaunched British Motor Show. The showreturns as an international event in 2020, at the Farnborough International exhibition centre in Hampshire from August 20th to 23rd. Tickets are £18.50 for adults or £37 for families.

Parents spend four days every year getting children into the car According to new research from Seat, just having to manoeuvre children into the car twice a day, means Seat Tarraco that parents can look forward to spending four days of 2020 getting their children out of the house and into the car. Rob Fryer, Head of Product at Seat UK, said: “We’ve included a raft of family-friendly elements to our Tarraco that means that we can make this a little bit easier. The hands-free boot opening makes access easy, while the seven seats can be configured quickly at the push of a button. And with Apple CarPlay also available, it’s easy to keep the tots amused once in the vehicle.”

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32 Crossword

Prize Crossword

Win a ÂŁ20 meal voucher for The George, Eartham

Barnham February 2020

December 2019 solution below:

Winner: Chris Norton from Tangmere. 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 5 Pharisee's rival (8) 8 Surprised expression (1,3) 9 Compelled (6) 10 Smiled broadly (6) 11 Helium's is the lowest (7,5) 13 Type of verbal communication (5,7) 16 Doctors' organ? (6) 18 Spain and Portugal, mainly (6) 19 Shell shock (1,1,1,1) 20 Elevated highway crossing (8)

Down 1 Throaty expression of disapproval (8) 2 Hebrides nigh destroyed in Wales (12) 3 Japanese emperor (6) 4 Challenge (4) 6 Found in the detail (5) 7 Jewish and Christian rite of passage (12) 12 Shortest, perhaps (8) 14 Some rechargeable batteries (6) 15 Devoured (3,2) 17 Pot contribution (4)

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

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

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: 29th Feb 2020.

Win

ÂŁ20 meal voucher for

The George, Eartham

Valid for 3 months after issue.

No change given.

Cannot be exchanged for cash value.

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

Eartham, PO18 0LT

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

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

We will never share your details with third parties.

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

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

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

Please tick if you would like to receive such information.

Competition / Business Directory 33

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Great British family names & their history What's in a name?

The history of Great Britain has been largely defined by powerful and influential families, many of whose names have come down to us from Celtic, Danish, Saxon or Norman ancestors. Their family names fill the pages of our history books.

Iconic family names like Wellington, Nelson, Shakespeare, Cromwell, Constable, De Montfort and Montgomery... there are innumerable others.

They reflect the long chequered history of Britain, and demonstrate the assimilation of the many cultures and languages which have migrated to these islands over the centuries, which have resulted in the emergence of our language.

This book is a snapshot of several hundred family names, including family names from West Sussex and delves into their beginnings and derivations. It makes extensive use of old sources, including translations of The Domesday Book and The Anglo-Saxon

Aerials

Chronicles, as well as tracing many through the centuries to the present day.

About the Author John Moss studied Fine Arts and English in Wolverhampton and Manchester Art Schools. When he retired, he began writing: a science fiction trilogy in 2013, and now his first foray into historical non-fiction.

Great British family names and their history is available to buy for just ÂŁ19.99. Contact Pen & Sword Books 01226 734267 or visit www.pen-and-sword.co.uk.

Win a signed copy of Great British family names & their history To enter the competition answer the question below: Q: What year did John Moss start writing a science fiction trilogy? a) 2000 b) 2016 c) 2013 Send your answer and contact details to: Great British family names & their history Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or enter online at www.sussexlocal.net/features/competitions Winner drawn after 28th February 2020. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.

Blinds / Shutters cont.

Cleaning

Clearance

Blinds / Shutters

Carpentry / Building

34 Business Directory Computer Services

Home Minding

Logs/Fuel cont.

Logs /Fuel

Drainage Music Tuition

Garden Machinery Pest Control

Groundworks Pet / Animal Services

Hairdresser

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Business Directory & Advertiser Index

Plastering

Roofing cont.

Plumbing

Taxis / Private Hire

Tree Surgeons

Roofing / Chimneys

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Blinds Direct Blinds 7 Car Dealership Hendy Ford Chichester 31 Council West Sussex County Council 2 Elderly Care Country Court Care Group 15 Oakland Grange 13 Furniture CFS Furniture 28 Garage Doors AW Garage Doors & Repairs Ltd 9 The Doors Group Limited 10 Garden Design Glorious Gardens 22 Home Care Angelcare Community Transport 7 Angelcare Southern Ltd 9 Horse Manure Sussex Manures Ltd 22 Kitchen Doors Dream Doors 27 Legal Services Sussex Will Writers 11 Nursery Architectural Plants 36 Pest Control Temppest Enviromental Services 23 Roofing Rapid Roofing Ltd 25 J P Roofcare 11 Roofing and Gutters The Roof and Gutter People 24 Shutters Just Shutters 30 Tree Surgeon Ashwood Tree Surgery 23 Visitor Attraction The Aldingbourne Trust 12 Walks and Holidays Footprints of Sussex 9 Will Writing Respect Wills & Estate Planning 26 Windows Doors Conservatories Barnham Windows & Conservatories 21 Britannia Windows 5 MT Conservatories Ltd 29

10 Competition

Simon Evans: The work of the Devil UK Tour 2020 One of the country’s best-loved stand up comedians Simon Evans’ last tour, Genius 2.0 in 2018, provided an hilarious analysis of the departure of any visible sign of intelligence from modern life. But his new show raises the stakes, with his usual excoriating views of a world on fire – given a perspective shift due to personal revelations that have turned his world upside down in 2019.

Simon Evans is one of the country’s best-loved standup comedians. His tongue-in-cheek, often rueful attachment to traditionalism, and his scepticism towards the claimed achievements of progressive politics and modernist aesthetics, have set him apart from many of his contemporaries.

But in 2019, Evans had adapted to unexpected personal revelations of a quite extraordinary nature, and used them to re-examine his entire 23-year career in comedy to date.

For some of its impact, the show does indeed rely on the full force of the revelation that defines the second half – and that retroactively reconfigures everything that has come before. Evans is already adapting to the fact that many people are coming to see the show for a second time, and reporting that it is if anything even more satisfying second time around.

We have a pair of tickets available at Regis Centre, Bognor Regis on Saturday 28th March 2020 at 8.00pm. www.alexandratheatre.co.uk

Win a pair of tickets to see Simon Evans To enter the competition answer the question below: Q: What year did Simon Evans last go on tour? a) 2014 b) 2016 c) 2018 Send your answer and contact details to: Simon Evans Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or enter online at www.sussexlocal.net/ features/competitions Winner drawn after 28th February 2020. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.

Legal

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Inheritance Tax - Britain’s “most hated tax”

by Steve Worsfold of Sussex Will Writers It is no longer possible to confidently predict the IHT payable on a client’s estate without a review of their wills.

New research has revealed that Inheritance Tax (IHT) rates in the UK are more than double the EU average.

Advisers have labelled IHT rates as a ‘contentious subject’ and a recurring ‘hot potato’ as, on average, individuals in the UK pay 23.9% (£564,523) in Inheritance Tax when passing on an estate worth £2.4m to their beneficiary. In comparison, individuals in the EU pay an average of 10.3% (£243,297) on an estate of the same size, as revealed by accountancy network UHY International. Compared to its European counterparts, the UK has the highest IHT rate followed by Belgium with 27.08% and France with 25.3%.

Some experts have claimed that the UK’s IHT regime is too complex, as several different allowances must be considered when calculating what is owed in IHT. IHT has long been a contentious subject in the UK Freezing the IHT threshold at £325,000 for over a decade, has resulted in more families being caught out by the tax. This has led to the Treasury facing growing criticism. At least from 2021 it will increase each year in line with the consumer price index (CPI).

01243 888 342 07508 475 442

Britain’s most hated Tax There will always be debate about the rights and wrongs of taxing inherited wealth, but the high rate of IHT in the UK is undoubtedly a factor for those planning to pass on as much of their accumulated wealth as possible. IHT in the UK can be very complicated.

Sussex Will Writers suggest that for 2020 you take the first step towards passing on your assets to your loved ones by having us review your Will at no cost.

For more information call Steve Worsfold at Sussex Will Writers.

12 Parish Council News

Barnham & Eastergate Report on the Barnham and Eastergate Parish Council meeting held on 3rd December 2019 by Alison Crabb, Clerk to the Council.

The meeting was attended by several members of the public who raised some issues related to items on the agenda.

The items of interest to the public included: the Upton Brooks redirection of foul sewer into Elm Grove South with the public seeking support for the Council to influence ADC to properly investigate the issue.

The Chair explained there was little the Council could do but he had written to ADC for an explanation. The Council did agree to write to the enforcement team to ask them to investigate the implementation of the planning permission for the site in respect of drainage proposals. The problem of parking in the Parish, but particularly in Goodacres and whether or not the Council would consider supporting a Controlled Parking Scheme for the Parish. The Council agreed to look into this at a future meeting, but it would require a 70% in favour response from residents for such a scheme to proceed.

Under finance the payments made since the last meeting were noted. The main item discussed was preparations for approval of the budget and the precept level (the amount of Council Tax each household will pay towards the running of the Parish Council) which will take place at the January Council meeting.

A presentation was discussed which set out some strategic aims for the Council, a draft budget based on this year’s receipts and payments, and some whatifs scenarios to potentially increase the level of precept to build up reserves and finance some improvements and other issues that require addressing in the Parish. A working group was established to look at this in more detail and to prepare a budget and report with options for the approval of the precept.

Reports were received on recent meetings attended

by Councillors including BEWAG (the group looking at the Strategic Site in the Arun Local Plan); a meeting held with WSCC highways; and a meeting held with Redrow the new developers of Angel’s Nursery.

Community Facilities updates were received on Eastergate Village Hall and Barnham Community Hall.

The proposed merger of the Charities running both Halls has been accepted by the Charity Commission subject to each Charity formally resolving to changes to the Constitution to enable it to happen. Dates are being set for the first week in January for those meetings to take place - they will be short public meetings held at each Hall and a public notice will be published giving details of the time, place and resolution for approval.

The Council is conscious of the need to communicate with all residents and a newsletter will be prepared and distributed in the New Year. A communications Strategy will also be considered.

The Council is also looking at establishing a formal Emergency Team to respond and co-ordinate with the statutory authorities to any emergency within the Parish.

The Parish is looking at various options for the best way to do this and if you would like to volunteer to be included on the Team please do get in touch.

The Parish (shared with Fontwell Division Parishes) has a new PCSO (Police Community Support Officer) her name is Caroline Wilson If anyone has any issues they wish to raise with her please get in touch and I’ll pass them on to her. clerk@barnhamcandeastergate-pc.gov.uk www.barnhamandeastergate-pc.gov.uk

Barnham Community Hall

Barnham Community Hall has four event spaces which can be hired separately or as part of a package.

The hall also has a fully-equipped, catering-grade kitchen and separate bar area which can serve both the Murrells Hall and the Cutten Room.

The hall is situated within 8 acres of beautiful green space with access to a children's playground and multi-use game area. Weddings have exclusive use of the entire facility, with access from Friday evening to allow for setting up, all day until midnight on Saturday and time to clear up on Sunday morning.

For further information contact 01243 278110 or bookings@barnhamcommunityhall.org

Eastergate Village Hall

Originally built as a rifle range, the hall is now a charity, run by a committee consisting of representatives of the hall users and of the Eastergate Parish Council. It is used for many different functions (but not for rifle © N Chadwick (cc-by-sa/2.0) practice!), including pantomime, wedding receptions, badminton and a playgroup. The hall consists of a large hall area and a separate small committee room, which may be booked separately, and is ideal for club use. It has recently undergone many improvements, including a new wooden floor. Facilities include a fully equipped kitchen, large adjacent free car park, and easily accessible/wheelchair/disabled access & facilities, plus a hearing loop. The hall is fully heated. It can accommodate up to 120 people seated at tables, and up to 200 people comfortably for dancing. For more information and bookings contact Nina-Maria McMaster Assistant Clerk on 07849 356097 or email assistantclerk@barnhamandeastergate-pc.gov.uk

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14 Puzzles

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Barnham Primary Pets as therapy

We are so excited as this term we have invited a very special visitor into our school.

His name is "Dash", and he is a Pets as Therapy dog.

Dash is a 7 year old flat coated retriever. He will be visiting us weekly as our Read 2 Dog. In assembly the whole school learnt about Pets as Therapy dogs (and cats) and how they visit care homes, hospitals as well as schools.

Along with his handler, Dash will be listening to pupils read in the surroundings of our school library.

Today was Dash's first visit. The children welcomed

Schools 15 him and then sat and spoke to him and made him comfortable on a soft bed.

The pupils questioned his handler all about Dash.

They learnt about the special assessments that Dash had to undertake to be a Pets as Therapy dog. They heard that Dash absolutely loves hearing stories and will listen really hard.

We are delighted that Dash will be visiting us to listen to our pupils read. He settled so well and seemed very much at home.

Thank you for volunteering your time to spend with us Dash - we can't wait to see you again next week! www.petsastherapy.org www.barnhamprimaryschool.co.uk

Lazy leaflets.

Don’t put up with them.

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

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

16 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 Mon 3rd

Mon 3rd

Wed 5th

Weds 5th Fri 7th

Sat 8th

Mon 10th

Mon 10th

Wed 12th

Wed 12th

Mon 17th

Wed 19th

Fri 21st

Sat 22nd

Sat 22nd

Mon 24th

10.30am Chichester Canal L: Helen 30mins A flat walk at a gentle pace, suitable for beginners Meet: Chichester Canal, Basin Road, Chichester PO19 8DT 10.30am Boxgrove L: Peter Br 2 Hrs Flat circular walk past Boxgrove Priory and through surrounding fields Meet: Car park at the Village Hall in Boxgrove PO18 0EE 10:30am Chichester Marina To Dell Quay L: Peter 1hr 30mins An easy flat walk through Saltern Copse and across farmland Meet: Free visitors' car park at Chichester Marina, PO20 7EJ 10.30am Heyshott Hike L:Abbi 2 hrs Join a National Park ranger to explore the countryside around Heyshott Meet: Heyshott Common car park GU29 0BY 10:30am Eartham Nore Hill L: Peter B 2 hrs Circular walk up Nore Hill, through Eartham village Meet: Forestry Commission car park on the right, Eartham. PO18 0LU 10.30am Black Rabbit L: Dominic 2 hrs Easy, flat riverside walk, no stiles Meet: Mill Road car park by river in town centre (charge) BN18 9AA 10.30am Chichester Canal L: Helen 30mins A flat walk at a gentle pace, suitable for beginners Meet: Chichester Canal, Basin Road, Chichester PO19 8DT 10.30am Tillington via Pitshill House L: Gerald 1 hr 30 mins Come along and enjoy the countryside in and around Tillington. Dogs welcome Meet: The Horse Guards Inn, Upperton Road, Tillington, GU28 9AF 10:45am Climping L: Dominic 1 hr 15 mins Refreshments are available at the Yacht Club on the return Meet: Arun Yacht Club Car Park, Rope Walk, Littlehampton, BN17 5DL 10.30am Chichester Marina L: Bruce 3 hrs Walk down the water’s edge of Chichester Harbour. Finishing at the Landing Meet: Chichester Marina, Birdham. Nearby postcode PO20 7ED 10:30am Angmering Park L: Peter Brook 2 hrs Mainly flat walk through woods and meadows Meet: Car park in the woods at the Dover BN18 9PX 10:30am Cocking L: Peter 2 hrs Opportunity to visit the History Column and 11th century church Meet: Cocking Hill car park, nearby postcode GU29 0HT 10:30am Burpham & Wepham L: Jane 2 hrs Hilly with several climbs. Lovely views. Has stiles. No dogs Meet: The public car park behind the George at Burpham BN18 9RR 10.30am Whiteways L: Dominic 2 hrs 30 mins Walk along Monarch Way and South Downs Way. This walk has steep inclines Meet: Whiteways car park on A29. BN18 9FD 10.15am Graylingwell 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 Chichester Canal L: Helen 30mins A flat walk at a gentle pace, suitable for beginners Meet: Chichester Canal, Basin Road, Chichester PO19 8DT

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Nature 17

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Changes in the air…

By Roy Newnham, Visitor Experience Officer, RSPB Moving into February there are signs of winter’s decline and the promise of spring.

Snowdrops break through the ground, their brilliant white petals a welcome sight. Hazel catkins sway gently in the breeze. These ‘lamb tails’ are actually male flowers, made up of 240 individual flowers laden with pollen, arranged around the dangling stem. The female flowers are much harder to spot. With a green base, they have red tendril-like styles emerging from the Hazel catkin male top, making the flower look like a tiny sea anemone. Despite every hazel having both male and female flowers on the same plant, it cannot pollinate itself. At this time of year there are much fewer insects around to pollinate plants, so the hazel relies on the wind to carry its pollen to another tree and a female flower. Any pollen blown onto the female flower will fertilise it and trigger the development of a hazelnut, ripening later in the autumn.

Hazel female flower

Another catkin easily recognised at this time of year is that of the goat willow. These catkins are soft, furry and grey, giving rise to the trees common name of ‘pussy willow’. These are the male flowers, which become bright yellow with pollen when ripe. Unlike the hazel, the goat willow is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate trees with the female catkins being long and green. Despite being predominantly wind pollinated, the male catkins of the willow attract early bees, flies and other insects.

With few other flowering plants around the willow can literally hum with the buzz of insects on a warm sunny morning.

One of the insects Goat willow that may take

advantage of this pollen feast is the buff-tailed bumblebee. These are the first of our bumblebees to appear and they are queens, having spent the winter hibernating alone. As well as feeding, they can be seen traversing low over the ground looking for a new nest site. They often use old mammal burrows and you may spot them disappearing down a hole.

Great spotted woodpecker - Ben Andrew

As well as the hum of insects, listen out for the ‘drumming’ of woodpeckers. These are likely to be greater spotted woodpeckers. About the size of a blackbird with black and white plumage and red undertail, the male has a red nape and juveniles sport a red cap that moults out as they reach adulthood. The male does most of the drumming declaring his territory to other males and letting the females know he is available. He hammers an astonishing 10 – 20 times a second and at least 1000 times the force of gravity!

That is like hitting your head against a wall at 20mph.

The thought of it just gives me a headache. Listen out for them in any wooded area but particularly around Church Norton.

Another of our resident birds staking claim to a territory is the stonechat. The males are pretty little birds similar in size and shape to a robin, with a black head, white neck patches, brown back and orange breast. Like many birds, the female is less conspicuously marked, with just a tinge of orange breast, brown head and back. Their song is variable but it is the contact call that gives rise to their name, sounding much like two pebbles being knocked together.

Stonechats are found on both reserves but they do like to frequent the gorse bushes around Medmerry.

If you would like help identifying our birds, we are running another Birdwatching for Beginners – Pagham Harbour’s Birds of Winter workshop on Sunday 23rd February.

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.

18 Health & Wellbeing / Recipe

Small steps to reach your goal

By Heather Smith

When making what could be a pretty significant lifestyle change, one of the many reasons people fall off the wagon is confidence.

Making a big change can feel like a huge opportunity to fail. Instead, try making changes which are so easy, it’s almost impossible not to make them.

What could you do this week to take you a step closer to your overall goal? And how confident are you that you can do those things? If you’re not completely convinced, take it back a bit until it feels ridiculously easy to achieve. Set yourself up to succeed.

Let’s say you’re a bad vegetable eater, and you’re aiming to improve your health. Of course, eating 8 portions of veg every day is going to get you closer to your goal. But that feels like a really big commitment which you’re not sure you could make long term.

How about including one vegetable with each of your meals this week?

If that is a step

forward from where you are now, but seems so easy you couldn’t fail, then you have your starting point. If it still feels like too much, don’t be afraid to step it back even further.

You’re aiming for guaranteed success, which will leave you feeling good about yourself. Now you have had a positive experience in moving towards your goal, it becomes easier to take another step.

Next week, you might feel like it is so easy to get one vegetable with each meal, that you feel totally confident you could actually increase to two vegetables with dinner every night. Other times, it might take longer to get really comfortable with the change before you’re ready to move on.

Often, the slow route is the route which leads to the longest lasting changes. Aim for repeated positive interactions with your goal. Be kind to yourself. Take things slowly and celebrate each victory, however small, along the way.

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

Venison Steaks in Oatmeal with Herb Butter A lean and healthy meal

Venison is available much of the year and certainly throughout the autumn and winter months. It is such lean healthy meat that it is worth putting on your list more often, especially when you do see it available.

Ingredients (Serves 4) • • • • • • • •

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 1tbsp each chopped chervil and chopped parsley 50g butter, softened 75g fine oatmeal Salt and black pepper 4 venison steaks Little oil or butter for cooking To serve: New potatoes and salad

Method 1. Put aside 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest. Mix the rest and the juice with the herbs and butter until well blended. Then roll up in a sheet of foil or clingfilm and freeze until required.

2. Mix the oatmeal with the rest of the lemon rind and plenty of seasoning. Coat each steak thoroughly in the oatmeal and chill ten minutes.

3. Either grill or fry the steaks, not too quickly, for only about 3 minutes each side. Transfer to the oven and keep warm whilst cooking the rest.

4. Serve with new potatoes and a slice or two of the lemon butter, plus a winter salad.

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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Sussex Snippets The Good Neighbours scheme is run for West Sussex County Council (WSCC) by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS).

It connects people who may be feeling isolated with volunteers who offer their help during 12 arranged home visits. The RVS is appealing for new volunteers to donate their time to help clients of the Good Neighbours scheme across West Sussex, particularly in the Crawley and Worthing areas where there are currently several people on a waiting list to receive assistance. 01903 257019 or email gnwscoastal@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk Community and environmental aviation group, CAGNE, is urging supporters to write to the Secretary of State for Transport and demand that the growth proposed by Gatwick Airport from the main runway is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) under the Planning Act 2008 examination as it “will add approximately 55,000 extra flights a year 340,000 aircraft movements by 2033 with 61m passengers added to the current infrastructure.” A suggested letter can be found at www.cagne.org.

The LoCASE programme is a unique opportunity for small to medium size businesses in East Sussex to improve their energy efficiency and overall performance. With free energy audits and grant funding of up to £10,000, businesses can cut overheads, gain a competitive edge, and enhance their brands. This will be achieved with support from Carbon Smart – selected by East Sussex County Council to deliver the LoCASE project. Eligibility rules apply. 01323 790030.

A crowdfunding programme launched in May 2018 has seen more than 100 community-led projects in West Sussex hit their target and the window is now open until Thursday 13 February for community groups to put forward new initiatives and projects they would like to receive funding for. The West Sussex Crowd, run in partnership by West Sussex County Council and civic crowdfunding website Spacehive, invites communities to come together and propose ideas to regenerate their local areas. Since its launch, more than 2,800 local people, businesses, district/ borough and town/parish councils have backed projects across the county, collectively raising over £750,000 and showing the strength of community buy-in for their ideas. www.westsussexcrowd.org.uk.

Following Eastbourne Borough Council’s declaration of a climate emergency for the town, a new organisation, Eastbourne Carbon Neutral 2030 (ECN2030), has been set up to tackle the challenge of achieving zero carbon emissions within a decade. Meanwhile Hastings Borough Council has confirmed it is now looking at two possible sites to install solar panels, both in Hastings Country Park. Hastings has also pledged to be carbon neutral by 2030.

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A December meeting of the WSCC Performance and Finance Scrutiny Committee expressed concern over the programme and the predicted savings of the Whole Council Design project launched in 2019. In response to a report on the project by Katharine Eberhart, Director of Finance and Support Services, members noted: • The use of a new consultant was queried as work had already been done and there was a risk that a £19m investment might only achieve £17m of savings • Non delivery of savings would not invalidate work done by the previous consultants as many savings were to be made in areas of Children’s Services, such as using ipads to update cases on the road, which had subsequently needed increased spending in administrative support • Savings from the programme were at significant risk as the projects hadn’t reached delivery stage, but advances in IT meant the position to make progress had improved and there was confidence that the programme would achieve savings • The projected overspend of £1.5m was reported in the Total Performance Monitor and would be mitigated or balanced from reserves A further report on the programme with details of costs and savings would come to the Committee in January.

Business people invited to help secondary school students

If you would like to give something back to young people in your local community while promoting your work, profession and sector, we'd like to hear from you! 'Creative Cafés' are offered to students in schools and colleges across Sussex. You are invited, with other experienced business people, to discuss your skills and working life with small groups of students before setting them a practical challenge to experience a taste of work in your sector. You will be fully briefed and supported by Creative Cafés leaders.

Arun Inspires are looking for organisations to participate in Creative Cafés in secondary schools in Littlehampton on 6 February, and Bognor Regis on 3 March, both from 9am - 1pm with lunch provided.

Please contact Beccy East at Artswork for further information and to register your interest. info@artswork.org.uk. There are six further Creative Cafés currently being organised across Sussex - if you would like to participate and volunteer your time please email Alexandra Douglas at Alexandra.Douglas@fsb.org.uk

Football club charity link

Bognor Regis Town FC are ‘tremendously excited’ after signing a partnership with Chestnut Tree House which will see them fundraising for and raising awareness of the children’s hospice throughout the remainder of the football season.

20 Charity & Community Rocks general manager Simon Cook said: “The work that Chestnut Tree House does is so important and we are very pleased to be able to try and contribute in whatever way we can in terms of raising much-needed funding and trying to spread the word about the invaluable work the hospice staff do for the very deserving children. We look forward to a flourishing partnership.”

Chestnut Tree House, which supports children across Sussex, are just as excited about the team-up.

Tracey Shaw, community fundraiser at Chestnut Tree House, said she thought the partnership would be mutually beneficial, adding: “We are thrilled to link up with Bognor Regis Town and we are really excited at the prospect of working together. You get the sense that the Rocks are making big strides to embrace the community more and this is so heartening to see”.

geted local dealers, found some of the county’s “most wanted” who have failed to appear in court and carried out a number of drink/drug driving stops on our roads.

Inspector Dan Hiles, who leads the TEU, said: "We will continue our work to disrupt criminal activity, enforce the law and protect communities in Sussex. I look forward to seeing this team in action for myself soon.

I have been listening to residents across the county over the last year to hear how the recruitment of hundreds more police officers and PCSOs is boosting public confidence and making communities feel safer.

Rises in the police precept over recent years have helped protect roles in Sussex Police, invest in key areas and start the biggest recruitment campaign for over ten years.

With delays in the usual timing of the annual police budget announcement due to the General Election, I want to ensure that the investment plans and recruitment programme we have underway can be safely maintained.

Working closely with the Chief Constable’s senior team, we have been assessing what Sussex Police needs. I will soon be communicating the outcome of these discussions ahead of any local precept announcements”.

Office of the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner (OSPCC) 01273 481561 pcc@sussex-pcc.gov.uk.

Police commissioner news

Pets of the month

Katy Bourne, Sussex Police Commissioner, writes: “The Government have recently made a welcome announcement, confirming future funding for Violence Reduction Units (VRUs).

This follows our success in August last year, when we were one of 18 areas to be awarded funding to establish a VRU. Since then, Sussex Police have partnered with local authorities, health and education to identify the complex root causes of violent crime and set up initiatives to address them.

I have now been told by Government that I have the opportunity to secure an additional £880,000 to fund the future of our VRU until April 2021. We will soon begin work to submit a plan for the year ahead and make a formal funding announcement once this plan is agreed with the Home Office.

I'm determined to support more targeted interventions in 2020, combatting serious violence and organised crime.

The recent successful launch of the Tactical Enforcement Unit (TEU) shows that Sussex Police are working to make our county even safer for residents and more hostile than ever before for criminals.

The team carried out its first operation on 16 December and since then they have made drug seizures and tar-

This month, The Cat and Rabbit Rescue Centre introduce Berry, Brownie and Toffee Cheesecake. They are all 5 years old and looking to find their forever home together as they love each other.

They are all really sweet and friendly guinea pigs who enjoy being stroked and they will happily sit on your lap for their cuddles. They also all really love their food and will squeak lots when they see you coming with their vegetables. Due to their age there are a couple of health issues with these girls that their new owners will need to be aware of, please give the Centre a call for details. These three lovely girlies really deserve to find a new family and a loving retirement home together.

For more information please contact: 01243 641409 or visit www.crrc.co.uk

Notices: info@sussexlocal.net.

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22 Gardening

In Your Garden Monthly gardening ideas and tasks

by Andrew Staib, Principal Designer of Glorious Gardens Rewilding your garden - 8 easy steps Firstly, what is rewilding?

Rewilding is returning outdoor spaces to a natural state where nature can evolve without the intense involvement of humans. It allows original ecosystems to reassert themselves, thereby supporting damaged natural systems to heal and threatened species to recover their populations.

The scale of rewilding is normally whole valleys being returned to forest or boglands being left to replenish after years of vegetative extraction.

But we can rewild our little bit of the earth that we have inherited!

Here are 8 ways to go about it: 1) Not so tidy Think differently about needing a tidy garden. Nature can start to shape your garden, or parts of your garden, and the need we have for straight lines and clean lawns and beds can relax a little. Leaving piles of leaves, mounds of fallen apples and crab apples and old logs to house insects can make your garden into both a factory and a hotel for life. You can leave a whole area of your garden over to nature. You may start to see tidiness as barrenness after a while, a garden stripped of natural abundance. Your neighbours, once you show them the increased amount of wildlife that your approach has yielded, may start asking you for advice.

2) Food for nature You can plant trees and shrubs that are rich in berries all year round to feed the myriad of garden visitors. From bats to bees and birds to frogs, your planting decisions will foster a smorgasbord.

Buddleia and Lythrum salicaria for bees, Sweet Chestnuts and acorns for small mammals, plus for the birds plants such as Cotoneaster, Black Cherry, Hawthorn, Ivy and Holly will keep a good supply of nutrition going all year. For butterflies and moths, try nettles and Lilac, Lavender, Foxgloves, Angelica and Honeysuckle.

3) Homes for nature As well as leaving piles of leaves about, and decaying logs, you can create your own insect hotels and bird feeders. (If you put your bird feeder near your rose garden you can keep the aphid population down rather than using insecticides).

Having some evergreen shrubs can provide valuable protection as well as cool shade in summer.

through the door You can chat with your neighbours and make sure that wildlife can move through one garden to the next. Indeed, the next time a fence needs replacing you can both think of replacing it with a mixed hedge rich in food.

4) Water Any pond, no matter how small, will give life to insects and slug eating frogs, as well as providing drinking water and a bath for birds to clean their wings. It is like creating a fertile soup as the whole of the food chain depends on it.

5) Mix and match planting

A variety of plant life will allow a variety of wildlife e.g. certain birds prefer only certain berries. Perennials that die down in the winter provide a food source and

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a place for bugs to hide, flowers produce different types of nectar and a pond will allow the growth of water plants that certain insects need.

You can allow certain weeds like clover, nettles and teasels a place to thrive whilst not taking over.

6) Don’t bother hoeing If you keep your veg beds well weeded there is no need to disturb the delicate ecosystem of the soil by yearly hoeing. This no-dig method involves putting a thick mulch on top of the pre-existing soil each year.

You do, however, have to have a really good and plentiful supply of compost to do this. Worms and other microfungi will be happier left undisturbed (did you know that there are over one million different types of worms?!).

7) Lawn care You can give a bit or all of your lawn over to wild meadow grasses. Even leaving the lawn to grow long and plug-planting some wildflower perennials will create a healthy habitat for wildlife. Paths can be converted to bark chip paths, which eventually break down and can be spread on the beds each year or two when it is time to replenish them with new bark.

8) Become a nature detective It is amazing how once you learn the name of something, you enter into a relationship with it. The hundred common garden insects, once you know their proper name, won’t just be lumped under the pesty insect

24 Gardening category but will become the doorway to being able to find out more about them. Do you know what a pear midge is? Or a flea Flea Beetle beetle? Or a green Capsid Bug? Or how familiar are you with the sex life of snails? You can keep a little book of sightings in your garden - much more interesting and varied than bird-watching!

Rewilding your garden can be done a little here and there. It is not maintenance free but it is a relaxed attitude to nature where fertility and abundance can make up for the moss free patio that we worry so much about!

What to do 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.

February tasks • Do a last tidy up and cut old perennials and ornamental grasses to ground level (as long as they are not the evergreen ornamental grasses!)

• Now is the time to finish pruning your Roses and Wisterias.

• Cut back Hardy shrubs like Cornus, Salix and Cotinus as well as Buddleia.

• Anything that has flowered during the winter can be pruned back into shape now like Winter Jasmine and Mahonia.

• Lift out and separate your Snowdrops after they have flowered.

You can then replant them in different areas of the garden.

• If you have a greenhouse you can start sowing leeks and onions.

Property

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Alternative energy sources

By Chris Ennis FRICS These days there can be few more important issues than climate change which, in a few short years, will challenge the lives of our children and grandchildren.

We must act now to curb greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce reliance on fossil-based fuels. This is a massive issue that has dominated, and will continue to dominate the press for many years to come.

There are many measures that will save energy and these will come to the fore in years to come. Insulation is probably a good point at which to start…

There are still many homes where roof spaces and water storage tanks are inadequately insulated. Many properties have replacement window systems, but older installations do not possess the good thermal qualities of more modern installations.

Gas/oil fired water boilers replaced / installed after 2005 are likely to be modern ‘condensing’ systems. A condensing water boiler extracts heat from the waste products of combustion. A condensing boiler is typically 90% efficient and research shows that some boilers can have a remarkable 98% efficiency. The boilers can be identified either by the white gaseous emissions through the external flue or by the condensate pipe which should discharge into a nearby drain.

Alternative sources ‘green’ of power also include wind power as can be seen in the Rampion wind farm a few miles off Worthing. The wind farm is now fully operational and includes 116 turbines with a rotor diameter of 110 metres and an overall height of 135 metres. There are (smaller!) domestic wind turbine systems available and frequently these are located on masts since wind speeds increase with height.

There are a number of types of heat pump which extract energy from the ground (known as ‘ground source’) or from the air (‘air source’). They work rather like a refrigerator in reverse….a fridge takes warm material and makes it cold, but a heat pump takes cold water and makes it warm for domestic heating needs. The dedicated green householder might also consider solar powered energy with commonly seen photovoltaic panels generating electricity, or with a solar powered hot water system which might provide up to 50% of typical domestic requirements.

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

26 Charity Profile

Winston’s Wish Sussex based charity helping grieving children

By Georgia Brown Bereavement is an inevitable reality for many, yet our intrinsic human nature hopes the death of a loved one is not something that occurs in life until we are much older. Unfortunately, losing a family member at a young age is a tragic reality that thousands of young people are faced with every day.

The effects of grief are highly impactful on children’s lives, often manifesting in unique ways for each individual depending on the circumstances of the death, the child’s relationship with the person who has died and how accessible their support network (if any) is. For example, a child who witnesses the deterioration of a parent’s health may have a different experience of grief to a child who loses a sibling unexpectedly.

Support during bereavement Ensuring a child has access to support during a bereavement is necessary for their mental and physical health. However, often schools and families are not well equipped to deal with the effects of grief, negatively impacting a child’s life during their grieving process.

This is where Winston’s Wish comes in, providing a wide range of practical support and emotional guidance for the children and families that need it most.

Winston’s Wish is a national child bereavement charity with a base in Sussex. Their Sussex team are professionally trained to offer face to face support for bereaved children. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, and the charity team recognise the many faces and stages of grief, tackling the physical and emotional challenges that accompany bereavement in a comforting and supportive nature. The charity’s mission is to ensure that every young person has access to the support they need to help understand, cope with and survive the bereavement of a loved one.

Award-winning service First started in 1992, Winston’s Wish was set up by Julie Stokes OBE, who began her career with the NHS in 1984 and was instrumental in establishing one of the first hospital-based teams focusing on palliative care.

Her desire to involve children before and after a parent’s death and to support parents led her to apply to the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. In 1992, she was awarded a Fellowship and travelled to America and Canada to better understand the services provided in these countries for bereaved children. Inspired by what she had experienced, Julie founded Winston’s

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28 Charity Profile

Wish in September of that year. After just 3 years the grief support programme was well established and Julie won the BT/Childline award ‘for providing outstanding services to children’.

Recognising expressions of grief Sarah Egerton from Winston’s Wish explains how it is important to recognise that grief is a natural reaction to the death of a close person, and not all children need direct support. She says, “Sometimes children, young people and adults don’t react how we expect them to - for instance, they may not be overly sad or upset. There can be many reasons for this, including the shock and numbness that follows a death. If a child isn’t overtly expressing grief that’s okay, and it’s important not to rush them as this can be intrusive, and is counteractive to the natural psychological processes taking place. Part of our work at Winston’s Wish is helping families understand how they are managing, and reassuring parents and carers that there is no set way to grieve, it’s all normal.”

Sarah goes on to explain how the charity aims to help parents and carers to recognise the ways that their child is expressing their grief. She continues, “The age of a child dictates what they understand about the finality of death, and how they express feelings. Generally, children under the age of five experience the death of a close person as a separation. All parents will have experiences of their child having separation anxiety when they are not with them, and the distress this can cause. If a child is impacted by grief, then they will show this through their behaviours. Signs that a child is unsettled include disruption to sleep routines, changes in appetite, psychosomatic (body based) symptoms that include eczema and stress rashes, stomach aches, and headaches, a child may be more irritable and less easy to soothe when distressed, or they may have more frequent tantrums. They may also regress to an earlier stage of development, for instance they may want to be treated like a baby or want a dummy or bottle, when they may have stopped using these some time ago.”

Supporting the whole family Sarah explained how whilst this list may seem scary or extreme, they are all normal signs that a child is struggling. In this instance, Winston’s Wish focus on supporting a child by also supporting their parent or carer; making sure a parent feels reassured and confident that the child is okay, and also exploring ways they themselves can offer reassurance and soothing.

Sarah continued, “We also encourage families to talk about the person who has died and begin to help children make sense of what’s happened in age appropriate ways. For instance, it’s important families use the words ‘dead’ and ‘died’ when speaking about the loss as this avoids confusion. There are also times where we work directly with families and individual children using play, and therapeutic approaches, to help children manage their feelings.”

Even in the case where children have a strong support unit within the home, research conducted by the University of Cambridge suggests that schools around the country are ill equipped to offer bereaved children the support they need. Researchers have consistently found that childhood bereavement is associated with an increase in psychological distress and the majority

through the door of bereaved children and young people exhibit acute grief reactions, such as fear, helplessness, anxiety, anger, regression in developmental milestones, lower self-esteem, insomnia, intrusive thoughts, apathy and psychosomatic symptoms. These indicators of distress are to be expected as the death of a parent or sibling is extremely distressing. Often these reactions can be incredibly frightening and confusing for a young person and inevitably this is an even more overwhelming experience for a child who is still at school. Volunteers at Winston’s Wish are specially trained to deal with such symptoms, easing the pressure off families and schools that may not know how to support a bereaved child.

Helping over 17,000 children and young people Fundraising is vital to the sustainability and longevity of Winston’s Wish. Each year they strive to help as many children, young people and families as possible in the UK, but require around £2.5million a year in order to do this.

Sarah said, “The wonderful generosity

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of our supporters is the only way we can continue to provide a variety of quality services and look to grow them. We helped over 17,000 children and young people last year. This is, however, no tall order - and with a 100 children newly bereaved of a parent every day in the UK, there is always more we can be doing. The ultimate goal is that no child goes without bereavement support, but we need financial stability and long term support to achieve this.”

People can support Winston’s Wish in a variety of ways including individual donations, community fundraising events, challenges, trusts and grants, in memoriam donations and corporate partnerships.

To find out more about how you can support, visit: www.winstonswish.org/help-us or call 01242 515 157 or email info@winstonswish.org.